the inconsistant blogger!

It's true, once the sun shines we tend to drift  far away from the computer, forget to take the camera out with us, and forget to blog.  We have been enjoying the sun, I'm sure you all have too and we decided that this year we would bake our own hot cross buns

I've done it once before, a long time ago all alone but this year I had a little helper (who did most of the work).  We used the recipe from this book.  My copy has a few errors in it, half a pint of milk and water was translated as 125mls which is only a quarter of a pint.  Stupidly I suggested we go for half a pint and see if it worked!!  So we were adding extra flour!

but they tasted delicious and worked despite our messing with the recipe

MY knitted hat was finished and immediately stolen!  I love it though, it keeps my ears warm and feels very 1920's.  It was from this lovely book

and I have begun some very scruffy crocheting with some gorgeous gorgeous Manos del Uruguay wool classica.  I am sort of aiming at something like this but need more luscious yarn so a trip to St Ives is in order, once the holidays are over

Hope you're all enjoying the sunshine and maybe getting a little crafting done too.

it's cold outside

so I'm thinking about knitting.  Of course I'm getting ahead of myself as I am still knitting my socks but they are almost ready for the grand tadah!  and I can start dreaming about my next project, which will be from this lovely book

I have already knitted a few pairs of wrist warmers and one pair of fairisle gloves from here but now my daughter has asked for something a little more complex, isn't that what daughters are for (and sons for that matter)?

fingerless gloves with little hats for the tips of your fingers when it gets really cold

the only problem is that I would like to make these with all that lovely cable and those bobbles

and I only have one ball of luscious wool from Loop.  I was quite worried about this when it occurred to me that I could order another ball!!!  and then we can both have our luscious gloves.  Am I being ambitious?

Is this really likely to stay long enough for me to finish my socks and knit two pairs of complicated gloves?  Oh well, mine will fit next year I suppose

that autumn crafting feeling

Annis has got the knitting bug, she has three of these dolls but apparently that's just not enough!  The difference is that this time she wants to knit it herself from one of these lovely books

Then we remembered this sad half finished monkey that she got for christmas and began two years ago.  As far as I know grandma asks her if she's finished it yet every time we visit.  So, I put my foot down and said the monkey has to be finished before we move onto purl stitch.

See the speed she's knitting that monkey in her cheery mish mash home ed tshirt which she adores!

and in the dining room (I thought it was quiet) whole armies are being created

painting warhammer (another gift from two years ago that has just sat around half finished!).  All this leaves me a little time for blogging and...

a little time for embroidery.  I love autumn!

Knit a year

Tomorrow my lovely friend is casting on for her knit a year challenge at St Pancras Station in London.  She is intending to knit two rows a day for a year using upcycled or gifted ... yarn.  This is all part of the E17 art project, more details on her website.  She will keep a notebook with a scrap of each yarn used and notes which she will also blog daily.  So wishing her good luck with such a lovely art project and if anyone has any yarn to pass on then please contact her.

Knitting in Summer

Winter weather in the summer has led to thoughts of knitting for the winter. One of those things I usually intend to do but never quite get around to when the weather is beachy. So I have begun with wrist warmers in a child's size (just made a little narrower) and an adult's version for me (accidentally a little shorter than they should be, but hey they still work).

Not only did I get the knitting bug but a twelve year old picked up his scarf and the eight year old picked up her monkey too.
So a fruitful knitting day on a wet summer's day. I have to say that once it was clear it would never ever stop raining we did go on to watch 'Dial M for murder' in the afternoon, wishing we could dress like Grace Kelly every day.