Getting Closer

 Christmas seems to be an on/off affair, from saying that people can have a few days at Christmastime with family to only being able to celebrate on the day itself due to an increase in virus infections seems that the viral crisis will never end and will run well into next year.  So we don’t have firm arrangements for the day and will take things as they come.  Present buying is done and dusted so that’s a relief.

On one of our present swaps we met David’s brother as Mottisfont near Ramsey.  The weather was awful, but nevertheless we were able to visit the house, which only had the ground floor open.  The Christmas decorations were really lush. Please excuse the darkness of the pictures as flash can’t be used.  This is the Drawing Room, where the table was moved from the dining room.

The dining room had a really large Christmas tree

There were mice dotted around the house, like these little Christmas mice.

After having a really wet journey and visit to Mottisfont, on our way home the skies cleared and the sky turned this orange colour just as the sun is setting.

Here are a few pictures that I’ve shared on Instagram and Facebook of more handmade decorations, not in order though 

Day 18 - the hexie mat

Day 14 - 2 little cross stitch decorations

Day 17 - the Somerset Folded Christmas Pudding

Day 15 - Japanese folded decoration

Day 16 - Owl

Day 19 - Knitted snowman and robin

Day 20 the sock snowman.

I think I have just enough decorations to take me up to day 24.  I’m surprised how much I’ve made over the years that make their appearance just once a year.

Mid December and Nearly Christmas 🎄

 The time leading up to Christmas is ticking away. Organising Christmas presents shopping hasn’t been easy (was it ever, but this year has been challenging). In December there are birthdays and anniversaries ( including our own) to think about too.  

In contrast to other years when we’ve been away, this year we’ve stayed at home and just been out to dinner at a local pub restaurant, which was quiet and we were grateful we could manage to go out.

I can’t show a lot of making as some things are secret until Christmas. But what I can share are some photos that I’ve posted on Instagram of my handmade decorations. 

A bauble decoration made at Quarterjack Quilters several years ago

A bell decoration made at Barnsley Embroiderers about 10 years ago 

A sheep made from a Little Box of Crochet kit from 2 years ago, along with this Mandala below.

A Christmas wreath kit from Ashmead Designs, which must have been made 4 or 5 years ago.

It’s been enjoyable putting up the Christmas tree and seeing these decoration and ones we’ve bought on our travels over the years.

Like this photo with the crochet Christmas tree. Alongside that is a wooden peg decoration of a Green Bay Packer (that’s an American football team), which was bought on a holiday to US and Canada in 2000.

Hoping your preparations for Christmas are going well.

December 2020

 

Almost a week into December and gearing up towards Christmas.  Pudding and Mincemeat made, some online shopping made, Christmas trees put up and decorated.

I treated myself to a crochet fairy lights kit to join into a garland but I’m not sure it’ll be ready for this Christmas. This was from Lucy Locket Land and I bought the bright colours kit.

Last year I crocheted items on a daily basis during Advent which made the wreath that you can see at the top of this post.  This year I thought I would share daily photos of past makes on Instagram.  Below is a photo of the items I shared so far, first was the wreath.  The second day was a hanging .

It’s amazing just how many decorations have been gathered over the years.

On Friday evening David and I went to Swanage for a train ride on the Steam and Lights ride on Swanage Railway.  This was a special event for staff and volunteers on the railway just before the public services (which were sold out).

Here’s a few photos that I took while on the train (but you can see more on the Railway’s Facebook page).  These aren’t in order as I didn’t upload the photos one at a time (oops).  

Harmans Cross station 

The lights on the train carriage reflected on the trees by the line

These are the lit carriages in Swanage station

A decorated Corfe Castle station.

It was a good evening and such a change to go out with so much this year not taking place.

While in Swanage I took photos of the lights in town 

And at the station.

End of November

 November is birthday month in our family. My Mum, David and I all have birthdays this month, with mine being last Saturday.  I don’t often receive flowers, but had 3 lots this time, so the living room looks like a florists!

I got myself a birthday treat and bought a pouch from Mrs Moog  who makes these lovely Herdwick sheep pouches.

And it looks lovely with the other sheep on my sheep shelf.  It’s big enough for a bit of sock knitting or a similar small project.  

My sister gave me some local gin (made in Sherborne), really Christmassy, for which I bought some elderflower tonic to go with it.  Oh yes, and behind that is a small jar of marmalade infused with the gin, which is rather yummy too).

Now this time of year is about secret crafting so I can’t show much here. But I can share this

It’s a folder for my circular needles to keep them in order.

And it has 6  pockets with vinyl fronts. It’s a download pattern by Aneela Hoey called a Flip Pocket Folio.  I’ve used fabrics from stash, which I think is called Radiance for the cover and inside with a variety of Moda Grunge fabrics for the pockets and bindings. I also attempted to attach popper fastenings, which took a while getting to grips with.  Not perfect, but they work and I’m pleased with that.

While shopping in Sainsbury’s the other day I found amongst the small amount of sewing gifts for Christmas, some fat quarters of fabrics with a kitchen theme. The photos are the wrong way round, but anyway, the pack of 5 fat quarters has come in useful for making a toddler sized apron, a couple of ‘tea towels’, and I’ll make a pair of oven gloves.  These will be for my youngest granddaughter who will be getting a toy kitchen for Christmas.

I think that’s all for November, getting ready for Christmas and making a start on the pudding.  The fruit is soaking in citrus juice and Calvados overnight before I put the other ingredients in and cooking in the slow cooker tomorrow. The decorations will start coming down from the loft soon, though we’ve had a small string of fairy lights on the mantelpiece for several weeks to brighten things up.

Roll on December! 🎄

November Musings

 Not a lot happening it seems with lockdown happening this month (it doesn’t finish until 2 December, currently- let’s hope things ease again after then).  So a bit of time spent on making my contribution towards TG Christmas cards and digging out some paper crafting stuff from ages ago as well as using cardstock given to me. I don’t do paper crafting so it was a change to do make these.

All apart from the bottom left (which was the sample I worked from) I made and I used some images to add a bit more festive decoration.

Here’s a close up of one of the completed cards.

I made some time to make some Siblings Together blocks, all sent off and received. Below are two rainbow blocks for this month’s Bee Mama Kerry.

And some pinwheel blocks for Nicky’s mini block drive.

But my finish so far for this month is my Seedhead socks.  They look fab and I must give them a wash and block so I can wear them. Here is a ‘sockfie’ below.

As for a possible future project, a new CAL has been announced by Lucy of Attic24 starting in January, am I tempted to make another blanket? (Image below from Lucy’s blog).

Still keeping busy.

I Forgot to Mention....

 I received a postcard last week.  This was a swap organised by the UK Quilters Unites postcard group last month, but the deadline came up but the swappers  names and addresses weren’t emailed until recently.  So this was the card I made. The theme was Alphabet, I chose D and made it from 2 Dunkards Path blocks.  This was sent from me (in Dorset) to Jean (in Devon) so my choice of the letter was appropriate.

I was sent the letter S from Ren, which was a machine embroidered card with some glittery thread for the wings and the S. The lilies on the card may be coincidental as the photos of the cards made are sharedon the group page on Facebook before posting, but meaning of the name Susan (or my spelling which is Suzan) is Hebrew for lily.   There is a reference to this  on Wikipedia 

Really pretty, isn’t it.

October Furtling

 It’s November, where did October go? Other months during lockdown and the easing afterwards went slower, I’m sure.  

The photo above comes courtesy of the Acer trees of Kingston Lacy (our local NT haunt) , we went there a couple of weeks ago to take in the Autumn colours, but I expect that by now the trees are bare, especially with the high winds over this weekend.

At the end of September and beginning October we went for a couple of  days away to Liskeard and ventured to the Lost Gardens of Heligan and Truro. Then explored Liskeard town and made our way home via Kingshayes, near Tiverton. So it was good to see some different scenery and the last trip away for this year by looks of things.

I have managed to meet up with a few friends for walks or knit and natter (which has to be indoors now after having Thursday mornings outside during the summer); the West Country Embroiders via Zoom this month so a little bit of socialising but not too much. Now that lockdown will start again soon

With the WCE I received instructions and pattern to make a fabric jug so I readied myself with the cut out pieces to make it and after the meeting I decided to crack on and make it

I have lost a bit of sewing mojo so I’ve sewn what I’ve needed to do this month.  So I’ve made blocks for Siblings Together bees, one which I didn’t show last month and this month

October’s blocks

September’s blocks

I had a Project Linus fabric pack to make up

Other than that it’s been Crochet and knitting. I finished the Aria blanket, which I’m really pleased about.

It was just lovely to work on and the photo doesn’t do justice to how vibrant the colour is.  The pattern is by Lucy of Attic 24. She’s been posting daily blogs for October so pop over and have a look.

I’ve also taken part in a mini CAL by Coastal Crochet of 5 Coastal Coasters, which have been fun to make  And can read about that on my last post.

Having made the Aria blanket I returned to my knitting and have knitted all the pieces for my purple cardigan, but they’ve got the be sewn together, then the button/buttonhole bands knitted.  I’m hoping this’ll be a November finish, together with my Seedhead socks.  No pics of the cardi, but I have got a ‘sockfie’ of the first sock.

I started the second sock on Wednesday and I’m now well on the way to getting that finished.  I’m getting better at the Judy’s Magic Cast on, improving on my short row heel turn and Jenny’s stretchy bind (cast) off too.  I made a purple pair a little while ago without the Seedhead patterning and I think this pattern is a good toe up sock pattern that works well for me.

So I’m still keeping busy and hope that the sewing mojo returns for November to get some Christmas 🎄 stuff done, see how we go.  I’m linking up with Mini Archie’s Furtle Around the Blogosphere