Faux taxidermy

A quick post about my recent knitting projects. I decided that is was really essential to have a knitted deer head for the wall. I found a fantastic free pattern  for a deer's head and it really does look as good as the pattern. I found the instructions really easy to follow, although there was quite a lot of counting so it meant that I couldn't knit and watch tv too! Fortunately our recent holiday in the Yorkshire Dales was so wet it was quite appropriate to be sitting knitting instead of out walking..........obviously.

I intend to mount my deer head on a sort of fabric padded plaque, so will update with a photo when it is finished. I've pretty much decided to use some Christmas coloured fabric so that my deer will just be a Christmas decoration. This is mainly because I've started making another one...........how could I resist? The second one will be bigger and deer coloured and will be an everyday, always on the wall piece of taxidermy.

Bonfire night update......

.........well, it all went with a bit of bang, whizz and wow. The food went down a treat. The bonfire was not too wet to burn and the fireworks were fantastic. The weather......well, it could have been better but it didn't swamp it down, and we all fit quite nicely in the 'hall' (or where the hall will be one day). We even had time to play with sparklers.  ahhhhh, family!

Bonfire night

Just a quick note. We are having a bonfire party tonight so have been preparing lots of foody fun to have with the bonfire and fireworks. So far there is a vat of chilli con carne to have with jacket potatoes, fruitburst muffins (a fruity and spicy concoction designed to invoke the wintery season), and some chocolate and almond toffee. It's all a bit experimental so will have to see if it tastes as good as it sounds.

It's more like a bonfire pic-nic because we are taking everything over to the barns and all the family are coming up to join us. Sadly the weather is absolutely pants so it might end up being a bit of a damp squib. Hopefully, the food will be worth it.........

Bakewell Wool Gathering

It's hard to believe that a year has passed since I went to the Bakewell woolly show last year, but it has come around again. This year I managed to get a place on a 'Freeform Crochet' workshop  with Pauline Fitzpatrick. I mostly follow patterns when I'm making anything, usually because I don't have time or ingenuity to make up my own. I have a few notable exceptions such as Wendy Wensleydale, but on the whole I tend to use or adapt someone else's pattern. I've wanted to have a go at freeform crochet for a while but have not made the time to play and research how to go about it so took the plunge when I saw that there was a place left on the workshop. It didn't disappoint. The pieces of work Pauline had brought were quite stunning and she was wearing a marvellous freeform crochet cardy. I'm not sure I will ever manage anything quite so detailed, but was quite pleased with my effort on the day. I took some photo's of Pauline's work at the workshop, but the photo's really didn't do them any  justice so haven't included them.

I have a bag of crochet motifs that I have been building up on a periodic basis. Most of them I've done when I've been away on holiday as it is really easy to just pick up a ball of wool and a hook and do a motif or two and then pack it all away after the holiday. I made a start joining them together to make a funky wrap or poncho, but there are some odd shaped gaps so thought that I might learn some techniques during the workshop to fit them together better. I've certainly got a few more ideas on how to finish it now. The only problem is that I haven't an excuse for not finishing my wrap thingy apart from the old lame excuse of lack of time!

I have been very productive this week on the crochet and knitting front. I wanted to use up the left over super chunky wool from the fox cowl, plus a ball I bought on holiday, and I found a fab free pattern for a headband for using it up. It took a while to work out the pattern, but once I'd sussed it there was no stopping me. I found that I could easily make one an evening, and on Sunday I made two! The last two were in black and I don't have a photo of these as they have already been despatched as birthday presents. Anyway, it was really satisfying using up all the wool. I also made a pair of chunky mittens to match the fox cowl and these would have been made in an evening as well except that I inadvertently made two right mittens and had to re-do one as a left mitten! 

I'll finish with an absolutely stunning sunset. Our temporary accommodation might be bijou but it has a surprisingly lovely view. I say temporary, but we've been there a year now and it's beginning to feel quite permanent, somewhat disturbingly!

Ooh, I nearly forgot. We had a lovely walk at Carsington water last week. It's just stunning driving through the Derwent valley on the way to the reservoir, but it was equally beautiful there too.

I just can't stop........here are a couple of photo's from the barns. It's turning very autumnal everywhere. I really love autumn........ when the sun is shining, and absolutely hate it when it's foggy and dark.

Failynn Fox Cowl

failynn fox cowl

I've actually finished something that I can show. I'm not really keen on commissions because they tie you to doing something that you might not particularly like and then it becomes a chore rather than a pleasure. I prefer going with the flow and making what I want to make.......and then giving it away! It's a case of like it or lump it with my gifts. So, when asked to make a fun fox cowl, I ooh'd  and  quickly changed the subject. I had a sneaky look afterwards and decided that since it was made with super chunky wool it would knit up really quickly, and was a really easy pattern. The trouble is that even something that is quick and easy to do, it can still end up costing quite a lot, and if you gift one child, you have to gift them all, and then it really becomes expensive. A compromise was reached and this ended up a paid for commission (cost price only!). The pattern was duly downloaded from ravellry and  the wool ordered from the internet and I got cracking.  It really only took a few evenings, although I ran out of foxy coloured wool and had to order some more, so that delayed it a bit. Now I have to find something to make to finish of the remnants of wool, although I've found that you can never use all the wool up. You think that you are and start something, but always run out and have to buy more.

I like to buy yarn locally if possible, but I more often than not end up ordering from the internet. This forces a bit of planning to take advantage of free postage and so I have made decisions on everyone's Christmas presents and ordered accordingly. I've now got a basket of woolly loveliness to convert into wearable woolly wonders.

Heage Windmill Walk

We are not far from Heage windmill, the only 6 sailed stone windmill in England. It was restored to working order in 2002 and has been my source of wheat grain and stone ground white flour for the past 18 months. It is in crisis at the moment due to a wet rot problem in the main beam holding the sails and tail, and is trying to raise £50,000 towards the £90,000 estimated bill. Click the link if you want to help the restoration of this historic mill. 

Last Wednesday It was very much like the song "I can see the sunshine after the rain", because after an overnight swamping, the sun came out in the late afternoon and it was just too beautiful to ignore. We decided on a short walk from Heage windmill, going down the valley and then following part of the route of the Cromford Canal. I was particularly intrigued by a section of the map marked 'Starvehimvalley Bridge' and so had to go and visit it before making our way back up to the windmill. It was a short walk but it was so nice to be outside in the sun.

Ongoing and finished projects

I haven't blogged lately about my current works. That is mainly because I haven't actually finished very much. I'm still beavering away with my hexagon quilt which is going to be a variation on the 'grandmothers flower garden' pattern. So far I have completed 40 flowers, so that is growing nicely. I decided to press all the hexagons with their seam allowances so that it makes it easier to sew together, and it does......but blimey, such a lot of ironing. The only way to do it without going mad  is to set the ironing board to a comfy height and do it in front of the telly or whilst listening to a  good audio story (Terry Pratchett - Reaper Man is the current listen).

I am still quilting my african themed quilt at Nottingham Patchwork Group sewing days. I progressed this a bit further last Sunday and it is close to being finished. I reckon a couple more sessions and it will be finished........well, possibly. Here is how it is at the block layout stage

mad pirate

My pirate outfit is finished, but I can't show you that yet because it's a surprise present. Oh, ok then, here it is..........modelled by me! I know, it really suits me.

i-cord vase cover for a jam jar

And finally, something finished and it's for me. It started life with my newest knitting gadget to make knitted cord (see here).  I wanted  a pretty vase and although we have many vases, they are all in storage, so armed with an empty (and clean) olive jar, I decided it would look really nice with the cord wrapped and stitched around it. Well, it does look lovely, but bloomin' heck, it took ages. I'm definitely hanging onto this one - kids, are you listening? 

I'm also working on a very secret crochet project, so I don't know why I mentioned it because I just cannot say what it is. I'm also planning a knitting project which is a special request from a daughter. More on that to follow. 

Ooh, and I found a photo of some pottery that I had a go at during the new year holiday. I was very much guided by Rob Rutterford,  the master potter himself - see here for his website, and I really can't claim any input at all to the glazing, but I really enjoyed playing with the clay! The buttons will go on my hearts and flowers garland when I get around to it. They were made especially for it and are absolutely perfect for the job. Will update with a photo when it's done!