Tamara Way - Bridgerule to Launcells Barton

It has been quite a while since our last walk on the Tamara Way. We are getting a bit further from home now, so it is taking a bit more organising. But today we kicked off again from Bridgerule. My husband headed off to Widmouth Bay with the dog, and we arranged to meet up later at the end of our walk.

It was very nice to catch some glimpses of the sea, and despite my idea that we just head to the coast and say we have walked from south coast to north, my son is determined that we do the walk properly. The view above was so much more dramatic than it looks in my photo. We had just climbed a steep hill after Hobbacott Farm, and I was enjoying having a rest.

We ended today's walk at Launcells Barton, where the route now doesn't go near the house, which seems to have become a wedding venue.  We enjoyed seeing the church in the evening light, and St. Swithin's Holy Well below. Reading our Tamara book it sounds like the church would have been interesting to look around, so this is our plan for the beginning of the next stage.

 

Mosaic and Willow

I don't seem to have posted very much crafty on here recently. I am at the sewing up stage of my husband's jumper, so there will be something crafty soon. But I have been crafting, and I just thought I would update you on what I (and my son) have been up to.

Since August we have been helping each week with a community project to restore the mosaic that hangs in Tavistock Pannier Market. We go once a week, and there are others on different days, all co-ordinated and organised by Andy Cairns. It has been such a big project, as each piece of the mosaic has been traced, and then every piece has to be removed, cleaned of the old grout/glue/wooden backing, and then glued back in the right place. If anything is broken, than a new piece is made. So as you can see, it is not quite done, but I think next week we will be grouting.

The mosaic was originally erected in 2006 on the outside of the Tavistock Pannier Market after being designed by artist Emma Spring. The mosaic features locations of archaeological and industrial, commercial buildings and schools sites that have existed since the 1830s.

Our other weekly activity has beenworking on our willow and tissue lanterns for the Dickensian evening. The course is over, but we still have access to the studio to finish them. I am keeping mine a secret, but my son's anomalocaris is coming along. We brought him home today, so he can start working on the colour. Got quite a lot of stares as we came out the building. I am still keeping my lantern a secret.

Lantern Teaser

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I mentioned a few weeks ago that my son and I are going to a willow and tissue lantern making course, and our final pieces will be in a Christmas Lantern Procession in Tavistock. 

Although it is an eight week course we only have two more weeks to go, so my son brought his project home, and did a bit of construction in the kitchen. Both are lanterns are going to be animals - mine fairly conventional, and his less so. Anyone who knows him might be able to guess! This is the willow stage, and the next bit is to attach lights and make the tissue covering.

Apologies for terrible photos in my kitchen. If anyone can correctly name the creature I will be very impressed.

Willow and Tissue Lanterns

I have been learning a new craft over the last few weeks, at a weekly willow and tissue lantern making course. My son has also been going, and his is the lantern above. Mine is below, and is meant to represent the weather/seasons. These were our learning lanterns, as they were really done so we could practice the techniques.

I got a little bit carried away with the tissue decorations, which was partly a delaying tactic, before moving on to our individual projects. These bigger lanterns will be in the Dickensian Parade in Tavistock in December. Nearly all of the group are making animals of various sizes. So eventually I'll be posting some more pictures of these.

 

 

Baby Car Cardigan and Hat

 

I have been making a cardigan and hat for one of my workmates, who is expecting a baby with his partner in October. He loves cars, so I decided to add a bit to this cardigan and hat set. The pattern I used is on Ravely as Cardigan and Pompom Hat by Sirdar.

I did find the pattern a little confusing, as the front sections are cast off, and then stitches are picked up, and a yoke is knitted. It does seem it would have been better to have put the stitches on holders, as done for the back and arms. If I knit again this is what I would do.

 

I enjoyed adding the car, which my daughter helped me design with a grid. We have gone for sporty (with a fin), but not racing car. The wheels are embroidered on afterwards with two rings of chain stitch, as I thought it would be easier to make good circles this way. Wish the car on the back was a bit higher up. I also added a checkered flag to the rib on the hat, and sort of wish I had done this to the cardigan as well. Too late now. The wool I used is some lovely soft merino in DK from Blacker Yarns, and oddments for the cars. I had fun looking for car buttons, which I found on Etsy. 

Although the baby is not due for a week or two I think I am pretty safe posting these pictures, as I am sure he does not spend the weekends looking a craft blogs.

 

Halloween Knits Special Offer

Getting close to Halloween, so I have decided to do a special offer. I have two spooky patterns, my knitted Bat and Little Pumpkins. My Bat pattern is one of my best sellers, throughout the whole year, and I love how on Ravelry so many knitters have linked their own projects.

 

So until October 31st I am running a special offer. If you buy both patterns which are normally £3 each on Ravelry, you will get a £2 discount if you use the code SPOOKY. This is the only platform that has the ability of set up discount codes, so go here rather than Etsy or LoveKnitting, where these pattern are also for sale.

I would love to see somebody make a Halloween garland with pumpkins and bats. Perhaps that's what I should do!

Wee Mousie

I realise I posted this picture on Instagram, but didn't write about it on my blog. I have been working on this Wee Mousie. I thought as the wool is a mixture of Scottish breeds (Boreray, Shetland and Soay) it would be a good idea to link it to Robert Burns poem To a Mouse or perhaps I should say Tae a Mouse. Rereading the poem it really is a bit sad, written after Burns who farmed had ploughed through a mouse nest in his field.

The wool is really suitable to knit a little mouse. It has the perfect texture, and is laceweight, so took a bit more knitting than you would imagine. The wool was from Blacker Yarns Bristish Breeds Scottish Lace. I had the idea it might make a good project kit, but as little mouse only took 5g, either the skeins will need to be split, or a kit would contain enough to make a whole infestation.

But at the moment I am still not happy with the pattern anyway. He looks cute in the photo, but something is a bit wrong with his legs, which I have managed to hide in this photo. My husband also says he is a bit fat, but I am fine with that. So at the moment he is sitting in a coffee cup in my kitchen, and I am gearing myself up to have another attempt. 

I was rather pleased with the photos that I took to advertised the wool. Have to own up that this was not a Scottish thistle, but totally Cornish.