By Helen

wonderful day out, in York...

Yesterday Si and I had a wonderful day out in, our home city of, York.  We went around York's Open Studios... 

It is an annual event, usually for two weekends, where York artists are invited to open their studios, so that people can wonder round and have a look at lots and lots of different artists works.  A truly inspiring thing to do. 

My highlights included an amazing quilter Alison Bramley who really has turned quilting into an art form, producing contempoary wall hangings depicting a variety of subjects. 

We visited two fabulous textile artists Sandra Middleton and Carol Coleman who kindly shared the same venue, which saved our tired feet.  Their styles are very different, but both equally talented and inspirational.  They made be relies that I really, really, reaLLY, REALLY want to give machine embroidery a try.

My favourite studio had to be that of painter Lesley Seeger.  Lesley's work is so colourful, so zingy, so energetic, you need to see it.

The studios are open today and then again next weekend.  So go on, grab a brochure, download a map, put on a pair of comfy shoes and go and visit some studios.  There really is something for everyone.  You cannot fail, but to be inspired...

spring has sprung…

Wow, doesn’t it really feel like Spring today?  The sun is shining; I was woken up with the birds chirping, even here in the middle of the city.  And best of all, colour is coming back to the world, as tiny little flowers show themselves to us, after their long winter sleep...

This tiny pale yellow flower, gives me an idea for a crochet project, that I am looking forward to starting this weekend...

Si's fingers don't normally look quite this bad.  He had just finished working in the garden, I can't wait to show you what he has been up to, when he came across this...

I love the way that leaf buds start to uncoil themselves, stretching Winter away.  I just wish I had taken a less blurry photograph...

I love the colours here...

It all just makes your heart sing: I think that I love this time of year almost as much as Autumn.

out, out, out…

We have been out!  Out and about enjoying a glorious week off work: enjoying the warm early spring weather.  Taking full advantage of our National Trust and English Heritage membership.

The week started with a trip out to Fountains Abbey, which is just an hour away from York and is one of our favourite places to visit…

It has everything, an amazing abbey…

Beautiful light…

But also the Studley Royal formal gardens….

And lots and lots and lots of amazing Snowdrops…

Wednesday meant a trip to another National Trust property, Nunnington Hall…

Then on Friday back to another abbey, Jervaulx Abbey, which is more of a romantic ruin, especially compared with Fountains…

One thing to be said about Jervaulx is that it has the most AMAZING tea-room, which is well worth a visit!

Each evening it was back home for some serious hooky time, the results of which will be posted in the coming weeks and months, curling up with hot cups of tea and settling down to some reading…

How wonderful this week has been!  Perfect!

making up a gargoyle...

Remember the collection of gargoyle body parts that my amazing friends knitted for me? I managed to find the time to make them up. Actually I found the time a while ago, I have only just found the time to blog about it. So, without further delay…ta-dah…

My friend (who is a VERY VERY talented and competent knitter) did find the pattern a challenge to work-up, and I also found the making-up a bit of a challenge. There was some level, on both our parts, of interpreting the pattern and making some assumptions. But things seemed to work out.

My crochet brain kept asking why wasn’t this made in the round? It made me think of how I would go about crocheting a gargoyle…

…that will have to wait for another day…

Today I have to work on an order for a hat, a cowl and a scarf…

To the hook!

Please note

The knitted gargoyle was placed in the garden on the last sunny day we had. He was placed there only for the photograph for this posting. He does not live in the garden. The stone gargoyle does reside in the garden: but he is hardy and tough and has lived there for at least eight years. No gargoyle was hurt in bringing this blog to you.

 

let it snow...

The snow came and came and came.  Then it froze.  Now it is snowing again.  I should confess at this stage that I LOVE snow.  What else changes the appearance of the whole world?  Everything is different when it snows: the world even sounds different.  It gives you the perfect excuse for wrapping up in woolly jumpers, hats and scarfs and going on a snow walk.  That is exactly what Si and I did...

Then back home for a steaming cup of tea, and some hooky time in front of the fire...

flower of the month...

Welcome to my brand new blog category: flower of the month.  Reading back through my previous posts, I realised just how neglected my garden category had become.  This is partly seasonal, I have to confess that my garden it looking somewhat sorry for itself: due to Winter neglect on my part.  This will be rectified as the world turns toward Spring. 

I decided that each month, in my blog, there will be a flower of the month: something seasonal which will inspire my crochet.  Here’s January’s…

The Snowdrop is one of the first flowers to bravely show itself from the cold Winter soil and remind us that Spring is on its way…

After taking the images of the Snowdrops in a local church yard: I looked to magazines and books for further inspiration…

I gathered together white and green yarns in various textures…

I settled down with my crochet hook in hand ready to put my inspiration into reality.  The aim is not to reproduce the Snowdrop.  This would be an impossible task with endless frustrations (especially as Mother Nature does it so well): but to make something, which might make someone say that looks like a Snowdrop.

You will have to wait until next time, to see how this one turns out, I have to go and figure out what I am going to do next..!

Christmas crochet find...

I was having a good old rummage in one of my local charity shops, and I happened upon this...

Perfect for making all those Christmas decorations!

There are some great projects in here.  There are also some, which I have to confess, I find a little creepy - perhaps something to do with watching too much Dr Who as a child.  Moving on from the creepy Christmas makes, others are just lovely!

As yet I haven't followed any of the patterns, so I can't comment one how well written there are.  They look simple and straight forward and are written in both English and American.  Even if you don't follow the patterns: some of the photographs of the finished projects are great and will give enough inspiration to create your own Christmas decorations.

Now where is my hook...

inspiration from the knitting show...

Like I mentioned in my last post  I would share some of the most inspirational things that I saw at the Knitting Show.  Here goes...

This amazing Christmas Tree was knitted and crocheted by over 700 people, as a fund raising project  for Livability a charity which supports disabled people, offering them a choice about how they live their lives.

More information about the Christmas Tree can be found HERE and HERE -please take a look and support this great cause.

Katie Jones won first prize for her entry into the Hand Knitting Association...

It is fantastic to see crochet been used in this way: and holding its own along side knitting!

I just had to take a picture of this...

How cute are they?  A knit your own nativity! 

Which reminds me, to remind you, only twenty-four days to go: make sure you have opened your advent calendar or lit your candle!

shop, shop, shopping...

My post is slightly late today, because I have just got home from a truly fabulous day out.  Me and my friends have been to the Knitting Show in Harrogate where we have, quite literally, shopped until we have dropped.  Here is what I have bought...

A lovely selection of sparkly wool, wool to turn into Christmas decorations (I will, will, will find the time to make, for this Christmas), an embroidery kit, a crochet kit to make a bag, a magazine and a scarf. 

What was wonderful was seeing the vast amount of yarn that there is out there and thinking of all the possibilities of what can be made.  It was also fantastic to see so many people there and seeing their inspirational work, some of which I will post here later in the week. 

For now, it is time to settle down with my very tired feet and lots of cups of tea (thank you Si) and look at all the amazing purchases I have made. 

A very happy place...

a little treat...

Normally by mid-November Si has placed a ban on me buying books, CDs and DVDs without him knowing: this is so I don't end up buying something he has bought, or is going to buy, for my Christmas present.  To date this hasn't happened.  Now this is not because Si isn't putting thought into my Christmas present: it is simply because this year I am getting something other than a book, CD or DVD. 

So, I am free to buy myself the occasional little treat...

I am a huge Kirstie fan.  Remember how excited I got at the Yorkshire Show back in July?  Needless to say I have been watching her new show, where she is entering craft competitions at local shows, like what she was up to at the Yorkshire Show.

The TV show is great and the book is just as good.  What I love about the Kirstie's writing, is that she writes as she speaks.  The book is crammed full of ideas from baking, to things to make for the garden, to gorgeous gifts to make for friends.  There really is something in here for everyone. 

Knowing where to start is the real problem: a problem which I'll tackle in the New Year once my Christmas making has finished.

The book has just one negative:  there is no crochet...but it is a beautiful book, so Kirstie is forgiven (just).