The Travelling Pattern and Other Stories

Good morning from a sunny York….YES…..SUNNY…no wind or rain…it’s breezy but that’s ideal for drying the washing on the line…the bedsheets are blowing well in the breeze…happy news!

I was lucky enough to be chosen by Margaret to stitch on the "Count Your Blessings travelling pattern.
This pattern originated with Daffy Cat in Februrary 2011 and three years later it’s still travelling,I’m the 37th person to stitch it.
If you would like to be the next stitcher please leave a comment on this post only.
You do need to have an active blog and be known in the blogging community as a reliable exchanger. I will leave the post open until Sunday 2nd march, I’ll then let you know who the next stitcher will be….

Here is my version of the pattern…I stitched it on gingham linen which I had in my stash drawer and used hand dyed Carries Creations threads…I’m pleased with how it has turned out!

It’s been half-term here this week, we’ve had a quiet week at home, baking, crafting, DVD watching, bedroom gutting and kitchen spring cleaning…little miss baked buns and young man baked brownies…I did take pictures but unfortunately my daft phone decided to crash the other evening and I lost all my pictures…grrrr…annoying or what!

I did get this picture of the little miss modelling one of her new masquerade masks she made….she’s a real girlie girl, she’s always dressed up in some costume or other from her dressing up chest…they are often a strange combination and mix, but she has fun…

I did a little embroidery as well as stitching on my travelling pattern….this is a free design from Jenny at Elefantz, she designs some gorgeous embroidery, worth a visit to her blog, she also has an craftsy shop and offers some free designs and tutorials…so are delicious…

I also finished up my cowl and wrist warmers using that gorgeous Folksong yarn….here they are…

They are so soft and snuggly warm….perfect for those cold mornings on the jaunt to work…I hooked the cowl in half treble and the wristies in double crochet, both this a scalloped edge top and bottom (UK terms).

Back to work tomorrow…*groan*…today is a final lazy day, the goulash is simmering in the slowcooker, the washing and tidying is all done, so the rest of the day is mainly mine for doing what a fancy.

Have a great week…

Hugs & Stitches

Folksong and Adventurers….

Bright and extremely breezy here today, but at least it’s not raining….we’ve had buckets of it every night though.

I’m working extra hours the weeks around the half term so I can take the week off, downside of a new job….no accrued holiday, so extra days for 3 weeks so I can take the days off for the half term week.

The kiddiewinks and I went shopping into York last Saturday, it was bright and sunny….but very chilly, but it was pleasant wandering around the shops, young man wanted some headphones for his tablet and the little miss chose a craft kit to make masquerade masks…a half term project! Of course I could not come home empty handed…I headed into my LYS Knit & Stitch, they have so many lovely yarns, I could do severe damage to my bank balance….I wanted to make myself a cowl and some wrist warmers…I chose Sirdar Folksong Chunky….this yarn was in the sale and the colours are fantastic…it’s a wool and acrylic 50/50 mix and hooks up a treat…the cowl and 1 wristie are complete…the second one I need to finish…

Whilst we were wandering we passed another one of York’s historic treasures…I remembered to take pictures for you all…

The Merchant Adventurers Hall….there is a fabulous website for this gorgeous building here

I took some other photos too of other parts of the city, but I will save those for another time :)

My bargain tete a tete is flowering beautifully now….50p for pretty sunshine everyday….worth every penny!

During my mammoth bake off for the Rainbow’s church coffee morning last Sunday my extremely old weighwatchers scales decided to go to scales heaven….I had to do some guess work but the cakes turned out great. But this did mean a new pair of scales were required…I knew what I wanted a vintage style, I was lucky enough to discover these beauties in Wilkos yesterday…they have pink, red, minty green and lime….I chose the minty green…

I LOVE them so much!!

I also picked this up yesterday….it’s a super magazine with all kinds of craft projects, some which are childfriendly too….I’ve already earmarked about 7 projects so far….not including the cute mouse on the cover….

Finally….I finally finished a new blooming flower cushion for my sofa….it’s been an on and off project since before Christmas..

The pictures below give a better idea of the true colours…

 

Well that’s all folks…enjoy your Sunday!

Hugs & Stitches

Weekend Wanderings….

I was walking through the city centre yesterday to go to the hospital to visit Mum (all went well and the surgery went to plan, I spoke to her this morning and she has been out of bed and had a short walk), I visited the haberdashery for some bias binding for the basket lining and I picked up a couple of balls of chunky yarn for a cowl I'm making….more of those later in the post

When I'd finished my childfree mooch I wandered onto the hospital, it was a cold, dull, breezy day .....the breeze was certainly stronger whipping around this magnificent building...

I suddenly realised how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful and historic city, I am probably not the only person who walks around and doesn’t notice the amazing historical architecture around me….I made the decision there and then to appreciate my hometown much more and every time I venture into the city shopping to visit a new (old) place…..

This is York Minster, or to give it it’s proper name ‘ Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter in York’ beneath the building is the remains of a Roman Basilica from the fortress as York was the Roman city Eboracum during its occupation of England. There has been a Christian Church on the site since 627AD.

A stone Saxon church survived Viking invasion in 866AD but was ransacked by William the Conqueror's forces in 1069.  William appointed his own Archbishop, Thomas, who by the end of the century had built a great Norman Cathedral on the site. The present Gothic Style church was designed to be the greatest cathedral in the kingdom.  It was built over 250 years, between 1220 and 1472. 

 

The Minster has a fabulous website is you fancy finding out more….click here

History lesson complete…..onto crafting…I fancied a nice snug cowl for those cold mornings walking to work…I picked up a couple of balls of King Cole Big Value Chunky for pennies yesterday, I set to it around 7pm last night and by 11pm it was all done…

The light is not good today, the colour is a deep purple with flecks of cranberry and an iridescent plum…I hooked it in treble crochet on a 10 hook, it’s quite loose and floppy which was the look I was aiming for.

Also….this morning ye olde sewing machine was set up….and this occurred..

and now it’s like this….

I’m so pleased with it….my yarn for making my circles for my bed blanket is now to hand, so I can pick it up whenever I need to…

Thank you all for your kind words, thoughts and prayers for my mum, I passed them all along to her.

I’ll be back soon…..

Hugs & Stitches

Pottering….

It’s been a pottering few days, catching up on chores, cleaning windows and washing curtains and all the boring things like that that have to be done. My living room is looking lovely and clean and tidy now, the paintwork and decor is a little tired but that will have to wait, but by changing some of my trinkets and treasures around it makes it feel almost new again….also another pretty bouquet of flowers always cheers me and the room up…

I dressed my other hottie this week….another bright and cheery jacket…

The Little Miss started Rainbows this week and was very excited….

I have been doing a little stitching, I started this quite a while ago but it fell by the wayside with Christmas gift stitching…it’s Ewe & Eye & Friends ‘Love Letters’, I’m using Six Strand Sweet threads of my own choice, I should hopefully complete it over the weekend.

Finally…Andrea messaged me to say my Blogaversary giveaway package had arrived to her…I loved putting it together…enjoy it Andrea!

A quiet weekend at home for us…it’s bright and sunny here but it’s biting cold…brrrrrr!

Hugs & Stitches

YooHoo……

Hello folks, by ‘eck it’s been a bit fresh here the weekend, but it’s now chucking it down like stair rods….let’s hope it stops by the morning, I  hate having soggy trouser bottoms when I get to work.

Well a few happenings here…first one is that I made the decision to defer my studies for a few years, i was a mad crazy lady to think I could manage working 18 hours, study 28 hours alongside caring for 2 kiddiewinks, managing my diabetes and keeping house….I have 16 years to complete my degree and my credits from my completed modules stand until then, which is fantastic…..I feel really relieved now, my stress levels have already dropped I’m going to enjoy my family time.

I treated myself to this lovely cheery bunch of mixed flowers….in my lovely flower jug which was my birthday gift from my grandparents…

I have felt the need for a little extra warmth these past few evenings, so i dug out one of the old hot water bottles….it was looking very sad and naked….but now look…..it’s all snuggly now…

I remembered I hadn’t showed you my stitched Christmas gifts I sent out….

For Michelle….

For Kath…

For Melanie…

Now I have a little more free time I hope to blog a little more often….until next time

Hugs & Stitches

Phew…..

What a hot month we are having here in the UK, yes I shouldn't complain, but I will, the sunshine is fabulous but the humidity is just so bad, it makes me feel ill, sickly and drained, we are in need of a major thunder storm to freshen the air slightly. Every task seems to take twice as long and a nap is required after each one.

Anyway…I have been crafting, enjoying my final 2 months study free time…come October it will be all hands to the pump again!

I’m slowly but surely getting through my LHN Sheep Virtues, I’ve just completed Courage and made it up…

I stitched it on 32 Murano Beige using the recommended DMC threads, I finished it as a hanging pillow edged with iridescent cream ric rac.

I’ve also been busy with fabric and thread…I made this little treasure this morning for the little Miss, it’s for her PE kit, she starts full time school in September, she chose the fabric…yellow is her favourite colour…

2 of my sofa cushions needed a renovate so armed with Stylecraft DK and a hook, I have produced these….

the above cover is the same front and back….the one below has 2 different sides, so I have 2 different looks which i can swap and change..

Finally….I was the lucky winner of Michelle’s blog giveaway last month, she very kindly sent me a monetary gift so I could shop wherever I wanted….I had a great time purchasing my goodies which included…

..this fab book from Amazon full of new crochet stitches for me to master, a bespoke crochet hook, made by a lady on the Open University Craft Group I belong to, she also sent me the handmade buttons too…as well as the above goodies I bought some wool to make scarf and hat sets for the kiddiewinks for the winter and some lovely Cotton On yarn with which I made this…

I saw the idea on Lucy’s blog Attic24 and adapted it to my own taste, this will be for my new bedroom…once decorated…

Well folks that’s all for this time…take care and stay cool!!

Hugs & Stitches