Country Life

 

I've been busy here in the country, but can't believe I have nothing woolly to write about. There just seems a lot of other things to do, and although I have the beginnings of an idea for a new pattern, I am not sure it is going to work out. It is funny like that, sometimes things just fly off the needles, and other times not.

I have booked a table at another craft fair, not until December, and am thinking about making a few very small knitted toys. I felt that there were one or two children at the last fair, who had been give £1 to spend, and would have been very happy to buy a little toy. The current UK news seems to be suggesting there will be no toys in the shops, so perhaps homemade/local is the way to go.

At the top of this post is my single jar of homemade Rose Hip and Apple Jelly. Here is a link to the recipe I used. I love the beautiful colour, and hope it was worth the effort of getting prickled picking the rose hips. The apples came from the supermarket, as our very small crop of apples is all brewing into cider.

Apart from that I have been busy tidying the garden. This isn't my usual garden diary, as a lot of autumn tidying is not very photographable, but here is a selection of the squash we grew. The first is called honeyboat, and then there is the butternut. But finally the more mysterious white acorn squash, which I did not buy seeds for, but just appeared. I think there must have been a mistake at the seed packeting factory, but it was very excited to realise we had something unusual among the other plants.

We also have a few pumpkins, which I haven't picked as yet. I feel they may not be growing any more, but I just like seeing them in the garden.

We have had a few other dramas - losing the dog, and big relief finding her. And I have got a part-time job at a school. I don't begin until November, but am hoping it will really help me feel part of the locality.  

Finally a photo of Lanhydrock House, which we visited at the weekend.

Still plenty of time to to join in Ginx Woolly Linx Party for October.

Bats (and a Craft Fair)

Quite a few years ago I decided that craft fairs weren't really for me, and it was best to concentrate on online selling. Yet somehow here I was yesterday, in the village hall behind a table of my handmade items. Just seemed like a good way to get out there and meet some people, and although this fair wasn't not busy, I did quite well as people seemed to be there to shop. 

 

Preparing for this fair I have done quite a bit of Bat knitting, as I thought with Halloween approaching these might be popular. I only sold one bat, to another young stallholder, so the rest of these are heading off to my Etsy shop. If you want to make your own bats there is still time, and the pattern can be found for sale by clicking here Bat Pattern. 

 

 

 

I sold a few other items that I haven't ever listed in my Etsy shop (kangaroos, alpacas, and even an armadillo), so have decided to list a few of these in the Unique Knitted Items section of my Etsy shop. After all Christmas is approaching, although I try to put off purchasing until December, and then usually get in a bit of a last minute panic. Perhaps this year I will try to think a bit further ahead.

 

 

Still plenty of time to to join in Ginx Woolly Linx Party for October.

Ginx Woolly Linx Party October

A bit of an autumn feel with some of your projects this month.

Alexandra of Eye Love Knots reviews a pattern for this Foxy Headband.

Liz of Howling at the Moon has made this Granny Go Round top for herself. Great colour combination.

Raji of Raji's Craft Hobby has made a toy truck storage box. I think this is such a great idea and would really help get children to enjoy tidying up as they load the truck.

And finally Tonna of Sew Crafty Crochet has made this beautiful autumn table runner.

Expect a bit more of a rural feel to Ginx Craft, as now my daughter has finished school, this month I am finally giving up my town/country life and properly heading to the country. And tomorrow I have a table at a craft fair in the village hall. Bit terrified, but here goes.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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Rainbow Lizard

 

One of the reasons I like selling on ravelry is that it gives the options for people to link up their projects made from a pattern. When I am looking for a pattern myself I always have a look at the projects. Do they look like the pattern samples, what comments have been made, etc. 

Etsy doesn't have this option built it, but I have noticed recently that buyers of my patterns on Etsy are sending me photos of what they have made, or posting them in the review/comment section. I love it when this happens, and was really delighted to be sent this rainbow version of my lizard. Susie who made it contacted me about the wrap stitch technique, but once mastered she has done a really great job. There must have been a few ends to run in, but I love this little rainbow lizard, who is on his way to Spain for her grandchild.

If you have made a project from one of my patterns I would love you to share a photo, and I do take all the comments onboard.

 

Still plenty of time to to join in Ginx Woolly Linx Party for September.

 

Autumn Garland and Butterflies

After a last burst of summer in the British Isles, it does seem like autumn is now on the way. I am back in London, just until the end of the month, when I am looking forward to returning to Cornwall - hopefully for the rest of harvest. Apples to pick and press, hoping my husband is watering the pumpkins, my son picking blackberries for the freezer for me to make jam, and that the sloes will be ready to pick. 

To welcome autumn and harvest I wanted to share this beautiful autumn garland, made by Jennifer (who also helps me with pattern testing). It is so lovely, and the more you look at it, the more you see. I love the mixture of animals, flowers and fruit and veg. Jennifer told me that there are no hedgehogs in the USA, where she lives, but she put one in anyway. There at the top are two monarch butterflies made from my pattern. It made me wonder why we don't get monarchs in the UK, but a bit of a search on the internet, and it says that very occasionally some do get blown off course, and they have been seen in Cornwall. So I know what to look out for when I am back there.

 

I spent a lot of time over the summer trying to photograph the butterflies that I did see in Cornwall. At some times there were so many, particularly on the buddlea and majoram, but trying to get a good photograph is a bit of a hard task. I probably spent too much time on this. The hand at the top is my husbands, and that particular red admiral butterfly seemed really keen to be caught on camera.

 

Still plenty of time to to join in Ginx Woolly Linx Party for September.

Cockle Shell Pattern

I have been busy making cockle shells from my new patttern. My idea is that these will be hanging decorations, perhaps for Christmas, as shells can be a religious symbol. So expect a few more photos when I have attached ribbons. Although I also think it would be cute to make a seaside mobile, with some knitted shells and some of my other sea creatures. I may have a go at this.

A cockle shell is fairly easy to make, and another good pattern to use up any oddments of wool you have left over from other projects. I tried to be fairly realistic with the colours (except for the red which I thought would be Christmassy), but you could go wild and make all sorts. I had an idea that they might look cute with some silver bells, like the nursery rhyme "Mary Mary". 

The only technique that might be a bit unusal is making some turns midrow to make the base of the shell thicker. (I have not put in the wrap stitches which I often do, as this didn't seem necessary.) My other tip is not to over fill the shells with wadding, and to a bit of squeezing to adjust the filling, so that the shells are flatter at the edges.) I enjoyed making this striped shell above, which was just done by switching colours occasionally.

The pattern is available on ravelry, Etsy and Loveknitting.

 

Still plenty of time to to join in Ginx Woolly Linx Party for September.

Ginx Woolly Linx Party September

Thank you for linking all your wonderful projects to the August Ginx Woolly Linx Party.

I loved looking at Sandra of Hakelfieber Austria's Big Food. This links to the Pear Pattern, but there are so many other wonderful fruit. I like the little worm popping out the the apple.

Maya of Little Treasures has designed this Lillah Ruffled Top. So pretty, there is someone in the next room who would love one of these.

Lovely to hear from Inekedc Blog, who has crochet herself, feeding the farmyard animals. It reminded me of my red-haired granny who had chickens. I remember it well, as I was quite scared of them.

And finally Alexandra of EyeLoveKnots, has reviewed a pattern for a Hatching Hamster. This is a really fun idea for a toy, which hatches out of its own egg. 

Thank you to everyone for sharing your projects. I look forward to seeing what you are working on in September.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter