Crochet, Cats and Chickens

It has been an interesting weekend - busy, but interesting!
A Learn to Crochet Workshop was scheduled at The Knit Studio for Sunday. As some of you know, for the past couple of years I have travelled the length and breadth of the country tutoring a wide range of knitting, crochet and sewing related subjects. So, because of this, I have a box in which I keep all my workshop samples. This means that for any given subject, I just dip into the box, check the samples, wash them if needed, block them and generally tidy them up. On Friday night I 'dipped' into the box for the crochet samples and ... horror of horrors! No sign of them! Cue a frantic search of other boxes before finally deciding I would have to quickly crochet them all again. Not easy when you consider that Saturday is a busy day at The Knit Studio with the very large and popular Knitting Group. Nevertheless I managed to do the samples I needed by early in the evening, and, by this time I had caught the crochet bug.  If some one asks me knit or crochet? I will always reply knit - but when I do get around to crocheting I remember how much I enjoy it and I wasn't quite ready to put everything away, just yet - after all, I had all my hooks, lots of odd bits of yarn and a few new books (borrowed, of course from The Knit Studio). I really like Amigurumi crochet type creatures because of their funny shapes and 'googly' eyes and because they are quick to make. By the end of Saturday night Charlie the Cat and Chloe the chicken had been born! Photos later on......

The Crochet Workshop went really well - it was a beautiful, sunny day and everyone got the hang of all the basic stitches really quickly! It was a good job I had a few 'extension tasks' up my sleeves. Not only all the basic stitches but circles, flowers and granny squares too -well done everyone!

And so to Monday, which was for me Washday Monday! You know, a warm sunny day perfect for hanging out washing - so perfect I went looking for washing! Three stripped beds later and the kitchen resembled a Chinese Laundry.

One of the many piles on the kitchen floor.

Taking advantage of the brilliant sunshine, Mittens and I spent a little time in the garden where I managed to photograph some of my recent projects.

Charlie gaurding 'his' fat ball feeder!

I nearly wrote gauarding his fat b****s

but then realised how that sounded

and I do have children reading my Blog. Hello Rellies!! :-)



Chloe, the chicken, hiding from Mittens!

Mittens ignoring Chloe.

Perhaps I will just squash it?

And - introducing Charlie the cat ....

 he is kind of cute isn't he?

(Eyes and nose temporary fittings!)

I'll just ignore this creature too!

Some finished knitting projects enjoyed the sunshine too. 

Springtime HitchHiker

Hitch Hiker again, not my usual colours, but a great Springtime Scarf.

New Knitters First Project - designed for last weeks' Learn to Knit Workshop at Create in Ilkley.

Knitted in Nidd yarn from their fantastic Ba T'at yarn range

- which is also available exclusively at The Knit Studio!

and finally - received this from a pal recently - it made me smile :-)

Workshops 2011

Sewing!

Well, that was a long silence! Must have been being in the close proximity of so many Firemen!
Anyway, apart from trying to recover from illness, getting Sarah ready for return to school, actually reducing my ironing pile from two to only one basket!! The only other, but very significant thing I have managed to complete over the past week is my 2011 Workshop Programme for The Knit Studio - go take a peek, there may be something to interest you!
I have some brand new sewing machines on the way - Heike is returning for Continental Knitting - Hooray! ..... and Emma King and Frederica Patmore - both Rowan Tutors and Designers, are coming to visit! It is all very exciting!

Crochet!

Knitting!

All I need to do now is - add them to the Ravelry Group, print the booklets, do my Newsletter, finish that ironing!!!

And yet More Snow

Breaking news from Newcastle!! We have had even more snow - my trellis has fallen over with the weight of the snow, the cats are very perturbed and reduced to bunny hopping across the garden, the road outside is sheet ice covered in 4 inches of snow, and total inches fallen is about ten!!! It is absolutely beautiful to look at from indoors but so inconvenient and dangerous for daily life an commuting!
Anyway, enough of the ranting!
Here's a few photos

The trellis to left of this photograph is now broken and lying sadly on it's side. Who knows what will become of the Clematis and Honeysuckle that grew around it!

My One Skien Knits Workshop at the Knit Studio yesterday, went ahead with half of the people booked managed to get through the awful weather! Interestingly, everyone (including me) had brought slippers! A clear indication that The Knit Studio is a home from home!!!

These are the Christmas Robins from the Knit Studio's first ever Christmas Workshop -

Aren't they cute?

I cannot find the photographs of The Continental Knitting Workshop tutored by one of my bestest pals Heike. But you can read all about here and look at the fab pics!

So now I am off to clear the front path of fallen snow - and maybe make another snowman???

Water and me

Most of my friends will know that, over the years I have been plagued by numerous varieties of 'water' related problems. Ranging from major leaks in the roof, central heating breakdowns, Rayburn blow outs, radiator leaks, bath overflows, car radiators overheating, dishwasher floodings, the list is quite extensive! I have always manage to contain it to things I own or use - alas this trend was not to continue. Last week while combining Workshops and visiting my mum and dad, my little water gremlin decided to come with me! My parents trusty boiler of 20 odd years decided, while I was there, it had had enough! All I can say is British Gas works much better and efficiently in South of England than it does up North! As I write my mum and dad are enjoying the benefits of a brand new shiny and efficient boiler - hooray. You will be interested to know, not content with the mayhem he caused in Sussex Mr Gremlin came home with me and has jinxed my washing machine! The display panel flashes a lovely H2O and a tap!!! and of course, refuses to have anything to do with adding water to the machine. and before you ask - no, my star sign is not a water one!
Anyway, to cheer myself up I was reading my friends' Blog - see here and saw this lovely shawl! I have knitted one myself in Rowan Kidsilk Haze and I love it. Today, quite by coincidence, I received some of this gorgeous yarn

Guess what I shall be casting on tonight?