Weekend

Firstly I must say thank you so so much for all your lovely comments - it is wonderful receiving them :)  You have been so kind :)  thank you xx

Wovember inspired posting.

I will knit more baubles but I want to try make them smaller for our more lounge sized tree rather than centre of town tree! In the mean time I have picked up some straight pins and am trying something else....will show and tell a bit more as it grows.

We went for a much needed walk today - it was a quiet country cathartic one. Plenty of mud and muck but it was worth every muddy step.  I took my wool and needles but it was a bit damp and a bit too cool to do any serious knitting but my knitting enjoyed the walk!

It makes me smile when I chance upon little gems such as this sign.

Well, another weekend has quietly slipped by, the season has definitely turned. It has made me light candles and switch on fairy lights to help soften the darkness. It is only 35 days until Winter Solstice when the sun starts to return :)

Have a happy Monday xxxxxxxxxxxxx love hawthorn

Off to Shetland Wool Week...

...no, not me - one day I hope!

No, my two festive baubles are about to wing their way off to decorate the tree in in Lerwick Shetland. I've just come in from taking some photos - it is PITCH black out there and I want to apologise for my photos before we go any further....

One slight problem.....Himself and the boys wanted them to stay at home for our tree so I have promised to make some more (oh what hardship *grin*) so - watch this space :)

What you been knitting recently?
Are you about to start a new project?
What are you up?

What ever it is, hope it puts a smile on your face.

xxxx hawthorn

Quick Friday knitty update

A Wovember inspired post.

A combination of work, poor light levels and a general level of can-not-really-be-botheredness - I've not managed to get round to any knitty type stuff apart from a row or two in the evening when really I am actually too tired.

So, today at work, while the weather was being particularly vile outside, I retreated to one of the offices to eat my lunch and was amazed at an unexpected flash of sunshine came through the clouds.

So, much to the amusement of my colleagues, I whipped out my WIP and grabbed my camera and voila! One completed knitted festive bauble and one almost completed.

Guess what?

I am happy.

Oh I know they have mistakes in them and they are less than perfect BUT! What a lovely way to learn to do stranded work.  Like I said - *H*a*p*p*y* :)

Walking, reading, breathing, listening - living.

Walking.

Starting at Kirkby Malham in the Yorkshire Dales.

Stumbling across poetry in unexpected places.

Reading Malhamdale by Betty Chester (Nee Banks) aged 18 in 1881.  

A lane along our route, and the name? The Weets? - It means Wet...... and it was.

Breathing in the cool air, Eldest stands on the trig point at our highest point and lunch stop.

The puddles were huge. 

 12 bee homes for the solitary bee strategically placed in a narrow strip of woodland 

alongside the fast flowing stream thrown from Janet's Foss. 

Each nest's roof made using a book with a bee related subject - a beautiful thought provoking art installation by Alec Finlay.

Listening to the crashing of the water, Youngest stands at the edge of Jane's Foss.

As the afternoon became early evening, chevrons of birds flew over head.

Dusk. Wintry tree skeletons reaching up into the sky. 

Sunday - Quiet walking in quiet countryside. Only sounds were the birds and the thunderous crash of the waters of Janet's Foss.  I'd taken my knitting, however our only stop was our lunch break and the air was too cool to linger.

Now, home, the woodburner rumbling away making the house warm, the boys in bed and Himself watching a science programme.

A sort of quiet thoughtful day. Introspective. Reflective. Meditative.

Tiz the season (not quite yet) to be jolly

Wovember inspired posting.

Saturday snapshot - knitting in the car on a wet and wild day.

The festive knitted bauble is progressing, I have to admit to frogging my first attempt during knit and natter this week, something to do with chatting and drinking tea rather than concentrating *sheepish smile*

Talking of knit and natter, a couple of weeks ago, Eldest took some photos for me of 'what was on the needles'. Thought you'd might like to see what we get up to :)

Owly jumper - no pattern needed! A was knitting it from a design her daughter drew. It is now completed and A is knitting a hat to match.

L is making gossamer light scarves for festive gifts - I think the plan is to add a row of beads either end to help weigh the scarf down slightly.

My mom is turning unloved jumpers into cat blankets. She patiently knits, crochets or crafts one a week for a local cat rescue who, when the cat is rehomed, 'their' blanket goes with them to their new family and as a consequence, the cat rescue constantly needs replacement cuddly cat blankets - and my mom comes up with goods :)

 M crafts traditional stylish knits then when almost complete - frogs them back with a shrug and a laugh and makes something else :)

M has an eye for vibrant colours and was knitting a gorgeous scarf. She had painstakingly threaded on cerise beads through out the scarf and now that it is finished - it is a beautiful item.

GG seems to have a blanket on the go constantly - not the same one, but a different one every week. We always ooh and aah over her creations and she seems to turn out such gloriously neat and beautiful blankies :)  (I don't envy her though weaving all those ends in!)

And cake, there is always cake....... nom nom nom. I think I can see a fairisle pattern in there......

I enjoy our little group, us girls, we laugh, we talk, we share news and cake. Now that can't be bad :)

Do you go to a knit and natter group?
What is on your needles or hook right now?

Have a lovely weekend and keep on knitting/weaving/crochet (and eating cake...) and celebrating wool for what it is :)

xxxxxxxxxxxxx hawthorn

The magic of moon light (and knitting....!)

Driving home tonight, the biggest moon appeared over the hills on my left. As flash-brief glimpses kept catching my eye, I almost stopped the car to look but without a safe place to pull off, I drove on.

Himself had also seen the huge moon and as soon as we'd eaten, we wrapped up warmly and walked up the hill behind the village. We had Youngest and his camera and he took photos as we watched fireworks pop and fizz all along the valley bottom. We were bathed in the most glorious pale blue light. I found myself staring at the moon rather than the brashly coloured noisy sparkles behind me. It felt mystical and magical.

Chilled through but feeling amazingly elated, we returned home. Youngest set up the telescope through his window and watched the moon, taking more photos.

I curled up on the settee with my knitting.

The fire is crackling away, the cats have relaxed in the warm room and resemble lumps of molten fur. 
Continuing my Wovember inspired postings - I have just started a knitted bauble as part of the Shetland Wool Week's Chrimbly celebrations. I am knitting a bauble to help decorate their famous Lerwick Chrimbly tree. The organisers are looking for any knitters, crocheters, weavers and felters to take part - if you are interested or even just a little curious have a look at their website HERE.

And I am knitting it fairisle style!! Woo hoo - happy me, little bite sized knitting bits of fairisle yummyness - **happy**happy** :)

Inspiration

Wovember inspired wafflings

I have only recently discovered the delights of fairisle and still consider myself an utter novice but my heart sings when I see stranded work and my fingers itch to try it out.  I am being good and finishing my Estuary shawl, especially now as I have enough wool to complete it.  I have to say I am quietly pleased with how it is looking and can't wait to block it.

One of the blogs I delight in is Kate Davies' Needled and she has broadened my knitterly mind and introduced me to such wonderful work and people. One such person is Felix of Knitsonik who does the most InCreDIbLe stranded work. So when I saw she'd brought out a book I nearly fell over myself to get my knitty hands on it.

And I am so happy *smiles* that I did.

It arrived in the post today (at work) and I had to steel myself from opening it there and then (I must have squealed a little and waited at least 10 minutes then threw caution to the wind - along with good behaviour) and ripped the wrapper open. I suspect a little more squealing might have been heard accompanied by a few worried looks from my colleagues. (The following pictures are from Felix's blog)

I love love love the way she has found inspiration in her surroundings.

Watch this space! My knitty-mojo has been kick started and I can't wait to play :)  

What has got your autumnal knitty juices going?

Are you planning a new direction in your crafting?

What is on your needles right now?

Hello November and a Ta - da!

November. How quietly yet quickly you have appeared.  I am not ready for this year to end.


I shall have to take SaraJ's advice and take tea and knitting - and I'll take inspiration from Wovember

To kick start my Wovembery-woolly adventures - I have just finished knitting an owly hat for Eldest's Girlfriend. I couldn't find a pattern I liked so 'wrote' this one by trial and error. I'm really pleased with it.  Just above the deep rib are 9 cable owls with their small wooden button eyes. 

The wool was re-purposed from a scarf I'd started and not had enough to complete. It is soft and snuggly and warm. By luck more than design the owls all fitted on the blue while the rest of the hat was in shades of russet, terracotta and magenta. 

The buttons I picked up at the St Abbs Wool festival - happy memories!

I'll certainly make this again, may be even for me this time :) 

this n that and not much in particular

Home.

After a week away, despite the washing to do and the holiday things to be put away, it is nice to be home.

The house is quiet, the boys are still up in bed, Himself is off to work and the cats have got over the short lived desperate need to be fed/held/stroked/played with and have reverted back to their more normal aloof superior being selves.....I know my place.

I have a long list of to-do things.

1. Tidy up (not just our holiday katunda but general house tidy)
2. Feed Pepper (she says she's not had a morsel for HOURS which is a lie as I fed her about 20 minutes ago)
3. Make myself a mug of tea
4. Wake the boys - might put that off a bit longer 
5. Ignore the cat (talk about persistent)
6. Washing - must not forget the washing
7. Water the plants - they all seem to have taken on a rather parched and flaccid look - suspect that plant sitting is not high on Himself's agenda....
8. Look for an alternative to net curtains (I HATE net curtains with A PASSION) however, our front room window is angled such that as people wander up through the village they look straight in and stare. I usually have some sort of screening up - the most recent ones have lasted the longest - they were sari veils with embroidered paisley swirls. The cats finished them off while I was away........
9. Put the kettle on, thinking about making a brew will not actually materialise one next to me - despite wishing VeRY HaRD!!
10. Knit - I want to knit
11. Ignore point 10 - that will have to wait *sigh*
12. Re-discover my desk - it has become a dumping ground for paper and other detritus
13. Get ready for Halloween - There will be the annual trail of of little snotty pink witches and ghouls this evening yelling 'trick or treat' expecting sweets without hesitation. They always look baffled (as do most of the parents) when we yell back 'TRICK!' We gave that up a few years ago.
14. Empty out Eldest's bedroom by mid day - he is having a new carpet laid down. You might wonder why I am not sorting that out choosing rather to blog and day dream about a mug of tea and knitting..... those of you who have teenage sons will know why I am procrastinating....
15. Washing - mentioned that but it is preying on my mind
16. Kettle - I must put the kettle on
17. Stop writing lists and get on with things.

I can hear the shower going on upstairs, one of the boys must be awake - unless it is the cat.

Which reminds me, while we were away, one of our furry little beasties turned on the bathroom tap (the taps are the type with a long handle that when lent on will easily turn) and when Himself returned from his break found the bath was rather full of water...........

Oh well. Procrastination is not an artform unless it is done to keep up with yesterday, I suspect I am doing that right now!

Over the last few days, I took pictures of this and that and of nothing in particular.

 Very yellow coloured frog crossing a quiet lane in St Abbs, the dull weather made it's skin glow

 A rather large stirk leaning in for a sniff 

 Youngest leaping from one tank trap to another. Relics from the 2nd WW - his legs have grown somewhat....

 Merino goats at the wool festival

 Youngest priming himself to leap again

 Marram grass head

Seaweed

Edited to add - Vacuumed out the washing machine (yes you read correctly - VACUUMED OUT the washing machine...)

Made creepy hands out of black paper for the window (see I ToLD you I was a procrastinator)