Thursday 25 September 2014

Indian Summer

Autumn does not get much better than this year, does it? I love that feeling of crisper mornings. I was in the garden yesterday morning (sorting out the recycling, if you must know) and passed the woodshed which Mike has now filled with logs for the wood stove. I found I was looking forward to colder weather and lighting the stove. Every season has something to offer. The shorter days will mean I don't feel so bad about doing my projects during the day.

I am working on a number of projects at the moment but have no finishes to show you.


W.I.Ps.

  1. Summer Breeze quilt for our bedroom (on hold)
  2. English Country Garden BOM appliqué quilt. (I need to do the September block next)
  3. Patchwork cutting mat bag (fortnightly class at Busy Bees)
  4. Coast Ripple blanket. (on hold while I finish the cardigans)
  5. Isobel's Playful stripes Cardigan (just needs buttons so a grand reveal next week))
  6. Isobel's Wee Wildflower cardigan.
This week I have been working on the 11 stars which will the flowers on the cutting mat bag. I had a mammoth sew-in yesterday and finished them.



These are 6.5"blocks using a Philip Jacobs print for Rowan.The background is a Renee Nanneman fabric. The fabrics above the top blocks are Benartex Essential Gradations which are for there Maple Leaf blocks.

The rest of my crafting time has been taken up with knitting. I have made good progress on Wee Wildflower, which I am knitting in size 2 years. It is knitted on circular needles from the bottom up. The pattern for the pockets demanded concentration but it has been a pleasure to knit so far. I have finished the body and one sleeve and I am well on with the second sleeve. The instructions on the pattern was to block the pieces separately before joining so I did that yesterday before starting the last sleeve. The loopy edge will look fab when it is blocked.


The yarn I am using is Jenny Watson Babysoft DK that I had in my stash. It is much cheaper than the Debbie Bliss 100% merino yarn I used for Playful Stripes but it feels soft and is machine washable too. I hope to finish this before next week.

Mike and I went to Oxford to a attend a garden party at Magdalen College. Mike was there in 1960 and we met up with some of his old friends for afternoon tea on the lawn. The day was slightly overcast and the photos were hopeless. On the way home we called in at Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire. The trees were just beginning to turn and this autumn's display will be fantastic in a couple of weeks.



Lastly, some of you may know I am interested in family history. I subscribe to a few internet sites and came across this excerpt from an 1846 newspaper. 

Carlisle Journal, 09 May 1846 - Knitter / Accident / Body Found
Saturday 09 May 1846   (p. 3, col. 1)
A VENERABLE KNITTER.-There is now residing in Cockermouth a venerable female, named Jane OWENS, who is in the 94th year of her age, and who, last week, in the course of a few hours, footed a pair of men's yarn stockings in an excellent style of workmanship. This antiquated dame is a stout good-looking woman for her age, and has little of the appearance of having looked upon the world for
nearly a century. Her health is even robust, and she is in full possession of both her mental and bodily faculties, the latter of which are often tolerably well tested by her journeys to the village of Greysouthen and back again to Cockermouth, a distance of twelve miles, which she is able to perform with but very little fatigue! 

I always knew knitting was good for you!

Catherine


Linking up to 
Quilter in the Closet

3 comments:

  1. I did have a giggle at the antiquated dame, Jane Owens whose body and mental faculties were in good working at the ripe old age of 94!! Too, too funny....yes indeedy there is hope on the horizon for all knitters! Those pockets on the cardigan are exquisite, so, so pretty! AND.....those stars are a vision! My you are a busy gal with all those WIPs. Enjoy your Autumn days!

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  2. what a quote - that is just brilliant :-)

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  3. Lovely star blocks, and your knitting is wonderful. Thanks for linking up last week!

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