Knit and Natter

 Hi there folks. Just popping in for a knit and natter. Today we had a glorious day at Wonderwool at the Welsh showground. There was sunshine, lambs of course and lots and lots of lovely wool.

I bought some wool - I knew I would. I had run down all the stash from the basket and was ready for a splurge.

I spotted a Debbie Bliss pattern book in a bargain box for £3. My mum and I both liked quite a few patterns in it so we are going to share it. We both loved the sweater on the cover.

I bought some yarn to make a tank top.

The choice of sock yarn was phenomenal. My choice was this flecked green in a range of beautiful greens. I am going to have a go at some sock patterns from 'Socktacular' which I found on the Welsh Air Ambulance charity stand. It is an interesting book - a sort of pick and mix of sock components where you choose a knit pattern, heel style and toe technique. Looks good.

My next purchase may be in my stash for some time. It was a soft and squishy little bundle of mini skeins which I will use for colourwork when the right pattern and matching yarn comes along. In the meantime it is welcome to sit in my basket and look at me every time I lift the lid.

Finally, I bought a huge skein of yarn for £5. I have ABOLSUTELY no idea what it is but it will be be fun winding it, making a gauge square and possibly making this graceful cardigan.

I have this sweater in my Ravelry library ready for when I have left overs from all of the projects above. It is a beauty.😊

  

Here are a few more snaps of my finished blanket which I managed to complete by doing a few rows every night.

As ever I used up some of the scraps to make a hat. It used up the ball ends of some colours but I still seam to have some left - probably enough for a baby blanket.

Leaving you with a photo of our little cade lamb. He has had a play out in the field today and loved chasing our dog more than the other lambs!

Thanks for popping in. Jo xxx

March...ing

Knitting - a mash up of a Kate Davies hat pattern from her new book 'Ten years in the making' I could not continue the pattern to the crown because I was using up a ball of blue drops Paris to marry up with some raspberry drops leftovers from my sleeveless top but it was a success all the same. This girl can not wear wool across her forehead so a cotton beanie was perfect.

This is the join line but hey, it is still good.

Watching - My youngest, aged 12, really hone her embroidery skills. She is a demon stitcher. 

Sewing - I have started to make video tutorial content for the Minerva website as a freelance position so there are items of clothing popping up all over the place as a by product of sharing a making process. This is a needlecord Grainline Studio Scout Tee.

Leaving - my position as a teaching assistant and part time primary teacher. I went back to it after teaching adults part time thinking I would be preparing myself for going back full time when the children got older but all it taught me was that I didn't want to do it anymore. Who wants to teach subordinate clauses to 7 year olds and have parents constantly scrutinising your best efforts on social media platforms? Not me.

Patching - the rear of my jeans. This concoction has been holding out well.

Feeding - my family really well now that I am not going out to work. That extra little bit of time you gain from working from home is  perfect for cooking, which makes us all really happy.

Fixing - a casualty of home-schooling. Meg knocked a lamp off the office desk while working in her book so I glued it then got out my map book and collaged the vase. It sits rather nicely with the maps on the wall.

Messing - up my studio with copious amounts of sewing. Did I mention I was doing a lot of sewing?!

Tidying - it up again ready to shoot another video tutorial.

Wearing - wellies a lot. The last few sunny weekends have driven us straight outside not only to feed the sheep which we have to do but also to enjoy some relaxing time together.

Growing - Some herbs inside on the window cill before it warms up properly to  grow outside; getting itchy fingers to garden.

Getting - out and about in local places for a walk, this was a 2 hour up hill one which we all loved.

Feeling - really happy with our family choices.

Waving - both girls off to school today. I have mixed feelings.

Thank you for dropping by. Jo xx

Enjoying Time

I have been lucky enough to have given up one job just before the summer holidays started and have another one lined up for when it ended. This has meant that for the first time ever, Summer has not felt like a battle with time. I have not had to juggle childcare and work; try to feel like I am making the most of days off or trying to kill myself getting ahead of time with house chores. I am the kind of person who has a bad relationship with time, I never really know how to enjoy it unless I am doing something. You might have guessed!

Anyway, I wanted to remind myself how much I have enjoyed time this holiday. It might help me in the future.

Dog walking

Going to a country show with my mum and the girls chatting about shared interests.

Going to our favourite local outdoor places.

Meeting Grandad at a tractor show in the sunshine. He shows his tractor so the girls get to sit on it.

Visiting our local National Trust Property - Attingham park.

Having an animal encounter at the petting zoo. Check out the little one in the corner!

Going for a long weekend in South Wales - super Tubing with Little M.

Making Pasta

A spot of foraging at the end of the holidays, where I ripped a hole in the bum of my jeans with some rather exuberant fence climbing to get a few more plums!

A little post to remind me that I have been enjoying being with my girls while they still like being with me. It was my first day at my new jobshare in a Primary school classroom this week. I had a break for eight years while the children were small, but I think I am ready for it again now.

Jo xxx

Wonderwool

After a wonderful Easter holiday break we finished the two weeks off with a visit to Wonderwool, a yarn show at Builth Wells in Wales. The weather was awful today, too windy for us to spend a day on a building site, so we headed off on the train for a day out...

An amazing poppy display.

Friendly sheep.

Teeswater sheep showing off their coats.

Three adorable kid goats.

Inspiring crochet by Janie Crow. I bought a shawl pattern.

Pops of quilting and felt colour...

...on a huge scale.

Toft cuties.

A little skein winding on the one and a half hour train ride home. She is good to me, that one.

Some light purchasing: a large 4ply bundle, sock yarn in 4ply and DK and three macrame kits.

That should see me through the year I reckon. 

We had a fab time! Thanks for dropping in. 

Jo xxx