Start of May

 

The first week of May has bought about a finish (yay!) and some going out and about, in spite of the cold and sometimes rainy weather.

First off is Sarah's cardigan.  It is a long cardigan in aran weight yarn which was started back in February. I'm pleased it didn't get to the hibernation stage as the collar didn't go quite right to begin with (changed to half size larger needles to make it 'drape' better. Then there was the button/buttonhole bands, for which I had to use 2 circular needles to get all the stitches on.  But it is done, washed and being blocked and there is a whole ball of yarn left to make something to go with it. So that's a tick off my Finish A Long list.

Talking of lists, one of the many email newsletters I receive is from Helen Stewart of Curious Handmade. 

I signed up last year and made the Spindrift Shawl which is a free pattern.  Anyway she has a list of 20 things to make in 2021 - #knit20for2021, for knitting different items or techniques.  I decided to list my own knitting projects so far this year and I've listed 10! 

Gosh, I didn't know I'd knitted so much!!  I must keep up with this on a personal level, not to join in with on the Revelry group.  It's definitely taken over from the sewing and quilting as I've not used the sewing machine at all this week and the Kingfisher quilt's hand quilting is going at a plodding pace.

As for out and about this week I met with Sarah at Dorchester market, which is an open air market held every Wednesday, which is lovely to have a wander round.  On Thursday heading in the other direction to near Alresford near Winchester, David and I went to Hinton Ampner to meet with his brother and wife.  Managing to dodge showers it was a chilly day but made the most of having a picnic lunch, a good walk 

followed by tea and cake.  On our walk we were entertained by some lambs (two sets of twins, it looked like) jumping on and off the trunk of a fallen tree and we having a lovely time until mum of one set of twins called out to them.

Earlier a robin wanted a share of our lunch

And we saw a scarecrow family among the tulips.

Have a good week and hope the weather improves