By Helen

a grand day out...

Last week in the midst of getting ready for opening our yard we managed a squeeze in a couple of days out.  One of which was to the Yorkshire Show. 

It was an excellent day, I know this because by the end of the day I had very sore feet: a tell tale sign of much exploring. 

In the Women's Institute crafts display area I came across these adorable little mice...

 

Alas they are knitted, but we can forgive that because they are soooooooooooooo sweet looking!

A little treat for myself, form a very talented jewellary maker Jeanette Sargent.  Who took the trouble to oxide the jump-ring for me, so that is tones in with the gold chain Si brought me some years ago.  Thank you Jeanette!

 

Look who else was at the show..!

 

Kirstie was filming an episode for her new craft series.  Yippee!  Kirstie has entered a competition run by Yorkshire Country Women's Association, which anyone could enter.  I found this out after the dead-line for entries, otherwise I would have been there!  That didn't stop me looking at what you had to do, to compete.   

To enter you had to make either a cushion, wall hanging or a 3D object.  You could make your entry using one or more of the following techniques: sewing, cross-stitch, embroidery (machine of hand), quilting, knitting, applique, patchwork or needle felt. 

Can you see where I am going with this?  No crochet!  Why?

Now, I think Kirstie is great and I am sure that she didn't make the rules of this competition.  But let's give crochet the opportunity to shine amongst it's counter-parts.

I feel a campaign (or a letter) coming on!

Here's to crochet and a happy hook!

crochet and open gardens part 5

The bunting went up and the rain came down: but that didn't curtail the spirits of the people of Southbank.  It was a fantastic day!  We spent the morning looking around other peoples yards, seeing all the wonderful things that they had done with their small spaces and coming away with lots and lots of ideas! 

Then at 1.30 we opend our gate and people started to drift in.  At one point the yard was actually full!

Welcome to our yard...

 

A close up of the hanging-basket that you can see on the bird-feeder.  Guess how the flowers were made!

 

Despite the rain, lady-bugs (symmetrical and now with eyes) and butter-flies came out...

   

 

And the bees...

 

 

Not forgetting the flowers...

 

 

And a piece of art-work from a previous project (hence why it looks so well weathered)...

 

All-in-all it was a fantastic day.  Topped off brilliantly with a few pints at The Swan.

Here is a BIG BIG thank you to Leah and Ross, and all the Planet Southbank team, for organising such an excellent day.

Here's to next years event..?           

crochet and open garden part 4

A sneaky peek...

A lot has happened in the past twenty-four hours.  The garden has had it's test run, fully photographed in case of rain tomorrow, and it looks brilliant (even if I do say so myself)!  I thought that I would give you an indication of what you can see tomorrow.

Remember these mille-fleurs?  They have been up-cycled into these...

 

 
Just a flavour of what you can see tomorrow!

Still hoping for dry weather.  Isn't it Saint Swithun's day today?

 

crochet and open gardens part 3

Two days to go, until open back yards!  I can't wait.  I have crocheted bees, butter-flies, lady-bugs and lots and lots of these...

Inspired by these...

 
 
Unfortunately the real roses are not in my garden: but I am happy to make do with the crochet ones!

All that is left to do is assemble everything into pots, a quick dash to the local garden centre and hope (hope, hope, hope) for sunny weather - or at least dry weather.

If you are in the Southbank area on Saturday, do pop in and say hello.

Next post, should be after the event - so lots of pictures for you to see..:-)

crochet and open gardens part 2

Six days to go. 

Three Lady-bugs completed: along with much debate over the symmetry of spots and colour of eyes. 

Three Bees completed: which I think look like aeroplanes, awaiting take-off. 

Moving on to Butterflies, like these...

 
Better get back to it...

crochet and open gardens part 1

I have been soooo very busy.  The roof is finished, the stairs, hall-way and living room painted.  I was looking forward to a week off work, at home with days out, where I could crochet some cushions to go into the newly decorated living-room. 

Then Si came home and he had read a notice, that Planet Southbank was having an open yards day.  This is the same as open gardens, but we being city dwellers have yards instead.  About six years ago a  local art project had a similar event, and I can honestly say is was one of my favourite afternoons, ever.  Imagine, you're given a map and told to go explore.  You're walking down alley-ways and through gates that normally you can't go through.  You have a good old nose at other people's spaces, take home lots of ideas, make new friends and have a wonderful time doing it all. 

We always said that next time we would open our yard.  That next time never came: until now!  Next time is a week on Satuday.  Saturday 16th July 2011.  Nine ways from today!  Nine days!

So I am busy.  I am already very proud of my yard, all it really needs is a good sweep.  We could attempt to trim (tame?) the jasmine - but it will just grow back. 

You can guess what I am filling any gaps with.  Yes.  That's right crochet flowers, bugs and insects!  Here's my very first Lady-bug...

 
The first of many to come...

crochet while watching the tennis

I don't watch all of the Wimbledon fortnight, but I do like to watch the ladies and men's finals.  I am not very good at just watching tennis, so need something else to do at the same time. 

What is better than crochet? 

I needed something, that had the same ease of making as a granny square or Afghan, but without the weight or warmth.  Flicking though my old copies of Inside Crochet I came across a beautiful pattern for a Rapunzel Scarf by Helda Panagary.

Here is what I have done so far...

 
I am making it from King Cole Riot yarn.  I love the way that the colours change and blend into each other perfectly. 

I am going to carry on with this today.  But something tells me I won't get as much done, as I did yesterday..!

crochet flowers

crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers...

 

Not really a lot more to say, I have been crocheting flowers!

crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers... 

crochet sold!

When I woke up this morning, I have to admit I was a little despondent, not having anything crochet related to tell you about.  For the second time (and likely not the last) in this blog's short life there has not been much time for crochet        

Yesterday was taken up with a guided tour round York Minster.  I should point out that I was the tour guide, not having a look round my local cathedral - although I am prone to that!  After that it was a quick dash to my dad's village to help out on the book stall at the street fair.  Needless to say there has not been much time for crochet.

I turned on my computer to check emails and post this.  In my in-box there was an email from Sharon at Bolsita Bags.  Just to let me know that she has sold one of my brooches! 

It is official I am a real life crocheter!!! :-)

Coupled with that this was flowering in our yard this morning...

 
All-in-all life is good.

crochet for sale!

I've just got home from dropping off some of these:

 

At Bolsita bags, in York where the owner Sharon has agreed to stock my flower brooches.  Guess that makes me a real life crocheter!  So if you are in York, walking down Micklegate: be sure to pop -in and take a look.