By Helen

crochet for Christmas, part two…

I mentioned that there might be Crochet for Christmas part two: but it depended if anyone came along to the crochet course I was running at Grace and Jacob.  Well three people turned up: and so my fledgling teaching crochet career has begun. 

I had the most fun, and hopefully the people on the course did to.  We crocheted; Starflakes (blocked with water, pva and glitter), mistletoe and started to crochet Christmas puddings and robins.  Time went sooooo quickly, that the puddings and robins were taken away so that they can be finished in time for the big day.  Just look what the talented people crocheted...

Can’t wait to see some picis of the finished works: and here’s to more teaching crochet in the New Year…

inspiration from the knitting and stitching show, Harrogate…

 

Yesterday me and two friends took ourselves to the Knitting and Stitching Show at Harrogate: we had the most fabulous day, I just had to share some of it with you.  Not only were there lots and lots of stalls full of goodies to buy (and we did buy) there were also amazing displays, of all types of textiles, to inspire. 

The first thing that I was drawn to was, of course, crochet art works by the very very talented Samantha Claire…

I loved her mug warmers, something I must try and crochet for myself…

I loved the purple and the flowers on this fabulous quilt…

The colours were fantastic, not to mention the work which must have gone into the quilt.  It was all, yes all, hand stitched…

Downstairs, we came across these wonderful displays.  All knitted.  All inspired by children’s stories…

These projects were commissioned by Customs House, and the North East Maritime Trust, a group of knitters and stitchers from the North East of England. 

One of the stars of the show, had to be the village…

…this had been knitted and stitched by very creative people all over the country, as part of a completion, I thought that they were all brilliants and was very glad I didn’t have to choose a winner!  Although I did love the allotments...

Of course, we didn’t just look at the displays, we shopped.  Shopped and shopped and shopped.  I’ll show you a few of my purchases in a few posts time…

hello (yarn) stash…

I have finally managed to tidy the house, following the building work, and found my way into my stash…

I can’t tell you how happy I am to be reunited with all my yarn after nearly two months without been able to get into the draws. Two months might not seem like a long time; but you would be surprised.  It has been the classic tale of wanting the yarn all the more, because you know that you can’t get to it.  Having it back is like seeing old friends and having a good catch-up.   It is also a good opportunity for me to take stock, before my splurge next Friday!  The draws are in such a mess!  The mess is because during the pre-building tidy I found that; with the help of a torch I could just slide my wrist into the draw and, with a little bit of luck, find the yarn I was waiting to crochet.  But the result for the rest of the yarn was a definite tangle.  So, I look forward to a big tidy, especially if I want to make room for all of my new purchases.   I aim to tidy before Christmas: to clarify that IS Christmas this year!

The house is coming a long, yesterday we got new flooring laid in the bathrooms, but there is still some way to go…

…just look at all those naked cushions! 

knitting and stitching show….

I’m very excited…

…only ten more sleeps until me and my friends visit the knitting and stitching show at Harrogate. Last year’s show was a-maz-ING.  I have to confess: I made myself a promise to use everything I bought at last year's show, before I went again. I failed!  So technically I shouldn’t be going: but I am.  My shopping list keeps on growing and growing.  Then they are all those spontaneous purchases: they’ll be sooooooooo much to choose from.  All that yarn.  All that fabric.  I can’t wait….

crochet for Christmas, part one…

I know it is only November, and it is early to be blogging about crochet for Christmas.  But, I am excited.  Very very excited.  Do you remember me telling you about Grace and Jacob?  Well I am going to be running a course there!  That’s right: I will be passing on my love of crochet and teaching people how to crochet Christmas decorations.  The course is on the 25^th November, and if any of you would like to come-along, you can book HERE.  For the last few weeks I have been busy crocheting samples and writing patterns for the hand-out.  I thought I’d share with you, some of the things that people will be crocheting on the day.  We will be crocheting, Christmas puddings, Starflakes (these can either be starts or snowflakes, hence they are Starflakes), mistletoe and Christmas robins….

I really, really, really, hope that people book on the course and that I can blog about crochet for Christmas, part two and share with you all the wonderful things we crochet on the day….

November, November, November…

Oh gosh: it’s November!  How did that happen?  Hasn’t October only just started?  I’ve been soooo busy through October: and I think that November is going to head the same way.  Still November is here: it seems to have blown its way in; along with rain and the cold.  It is cold.  I thought that we usually had a gradual introduction to the cold, the temperature dropping over the weeks.  No, not this year: it is like someone has turned the heating down (or off) and Winter is here.  I can’t really complain I love, loVE, LOVE winter; those cold, clear, crisp days when the world looks so beautiful - it makes your heart sing.

A couple of weeks ago, in the midst of building work, having to find things to do out of home so the builders could get-on-with-it; I stumbled on an art installation.  It was just perfect for the weather that we have at the moment.  I went on a visit to Clifford's Tower, an English Heritage property just ten minutes walk from my front door.  You might remember Clifford's Tower; it is the remains of one of York’s castles, which looks absolutely stunning with Daffodils each Spring.  Inside the tower an artist had hung umbrellas!  Lots and lots of umbrellas.   All gently bopping in the wind.  I thought this was a brilliant, an inspirational use of space and something that I just had to share with you all.

Hope you enjoy…