Busy, busy

A dear friend celebrated a significant birthday, last week-end. A fancy-dress party was held in her honour. Theme-Musicals. Lots of discusion about characters, then much scurrying to organise costumes. The friend, N, chose to go as Dorothy ( Wizzard of Oz). So, I helped her to make her dress, and to find a Toto. In return, N made me........a Parrot head, on my umbrella. So who was I going as??

I also modified a hat, which I already had, and added some flowers. Most of my costume came from my every-day wardrobe. Lacy cotton gloves, long dark skirt,high, frilled-necked shirt, black, peplum jacket, laced-up boots. Carpet bag.

Best Beloved went as a Hippy ( some may remember this from a party last year!), a cast member of 'Hair'.

There were some fabulous costumes. Sweeney todd, and his lady accomplice. ( The blood looked a bit too real! )Peter Pan and Tinkerbelle, and Captain Hook. Phantom of the Opera.Lots of Bugsy Malone and Caberet. A marvelous Zeigfeld (Moulin Rouge) was master of Ceremonies.

I also made the Birthday cake. Chocolate, as requested, although I do wonder if it was a bit toooo rich. I used a Peggy Porschen recipe.
There was so much of the ganache (covering ) left, that I made fifty or so truffles as well. Some were cocoa covered, some almond, and some chopped hazelnut.
After all that richness, I made a simple soup, using up all the vegetables languishing in the 'fridge and larder.

I have finished a couple of projects , so cast on for a very pretty neckwarmer. Puderosa/Modest by Lia Moya.
Originally, I was using a yarn spun at Coldharbour Mill. This was a 5-ply (Sport-weight) Alpaca/Shetland blend, in natural coloured tweed. Two problems. I found it was not 5 ply at all, but 3 ply. No wonder I couldn't get my gauge right! Also, it was so itchy, that I would not want it against my skin, which rather defeats the object. I still like the yarn, so have pulled the ( almost completed) thing back.I will use it for a shawl, I think. So, then I started again using Bigwigs Angora. 25 grams/135 metres of oatmeal coloured squishy loveliness. I am going to love this!
So, the finished projects:-

A Bushy, Bushy Green Shawl.

This is basic shawl pattern, with a simple leaf lace knitted on the last six rows. Made of Colinette Mohair, on 8mm needles.The yarn was a gift from a friend, Wendy, a member 'Close Knit' knitting group. Swirling Gauntlets, by Susannah Ic.

These fingerless gloves are knitted in Rowan pure wool. DK, on 3.75mm needles. They fit well, and feel fantastic on. I tend to find most gloves floppy around the wrist, but these are nice and close-fitting. I'm really pleased with them.

I went as....Mary Poppins!

Four seasons....in a week

This time last year, it was -7 degrees C. We had quite a lot of snow, and if any plants were trying to flower, we certainly could not see them.
The min/max thermometer by the back door is presently showing 11 degrees C. The snowdrops in the garden are almost ready to flower ( last year, they were blooming for Imbolc/Candlemas, 1st of February). The hellebores are in full swing, the winter flowering ( shrubby) honeysuckle has been flowering for weeks, as have the native cyclamen.
There are some plants flowering that I would not expect, though. Like this summer snowflake (Leucojum). End of April, beginning of May is it's usual slot. Several roses have continued to bloom since last May...Madam Alfred Carriere, Pompon des Prince, Eglantyne, Glorie de Dijon.
I picked this tiny posy earlier today.(follow the pyramid up, from extreme left), Viburnum tinus,( flowers when it feels like it), feverfew(summer herb), semi-evergreen honeysuckle (Summer climber), scabious (summer ),Rosemary (summer flowering herb), Vibernum odora ( november flowering shrub), Viburnum plicatum (june/july flowering shrub),heartsease, (summer herb).
But the primroses are still tightly furled rosettes, and the daffodil spears are only a couple of inches tall. Which of them is right?
There are two lots of knitting on the go at the moment. A pair of 'Swirling Gauntlets', pattern by Sussanna Ic, and a simple shawl. Pictures and details next time.

Happy New Year

Well, as promised, the pictures of the finished sweater. The yarn is pure merino double knit, bought at Wonderwool Wales, 2009. The pattern is a very basic, man's raglan -sleeved, round- neck sweater.

That is the only thing about knitting for men...they don't want anything 'fancy'.
So, I was very restrained, and only added a little cable to the ribbing, at collar, cuff and hem.

We, by which I mean my parents, sisters, brother, their children, and most of the partners, are not really materialistic. We give and recieve gifts for christmas and birthdays. We have celebration foods. But none of us would dream of going into debt for it. Or having so much food that a lot gets thrown away. We do not get, or expect, the latest 'must-have'.

The reason I say all this, is that I felt really bludgeoned by commercialism this year. In the last few days before Christmas, I really wished it was all over. Then we started visiting, or being visited by, old friends.

Each of these old friends takes us back to our roots. J and E are hill farmers. They live on the edge of Exmoor. M and J are fruit farmers, small scale. They have just retired, and their middle son has taken over the business. They live three miles away. Ken is a farm worker, and part time gamekeeper. P is a retired Gamekeeper, who still likes to keep his hand in. With each of these lovely, honest people, we had a simple meal. The gifts we exchanged were hand-made, or home-grown. Honey from our Hives. Dundee cake, Ken's Sloe Gin. M's Homemade Mincemeat, and Jams. Favourite recipe biscuits. Eggs, fresh from the hen. The delight at recieving each gift was obviously genuine.

The same was true of my knitting friends. Small gifts, but full of great thought and meaning. I gave Jac a small notebook, but had put in small print-outs of needle sizes, yarn equivelents and yarn suppliers, along with a tiny tin which held bodkins, and a pair of fold-up scissors. They will fit into the corner of her handbag. ( One always has knitting to hand! )

Jac gave me a bag of Alpaca sliver. ( Alpaca fleece, prepared ready for spinning). She knows that I took up spinning in the Autumn, and will get an enormous amount of fun and satisfaction from that bag of fluff.
Ness made wonderful, delicately Rose-scented candles, presented in vintage Tea-cups.

Probably one of the most beautiful gifts I have ever recieved....not just because it looks so lovely, but a friend cared enough to make it, especially for me.
And Best Beloved wore his new Equinox Sweater every day.

Today I took down the Christmas Tree. It has been up longer this year than for many years. It goes up on December 21st, then comes down in the week after christmas. It rarely stays up until New Year. A good clean of the sitting room followed, and a re-arangement of the furniture. Funny how something so simple can be so invigorating!

Seasonal Knitting

A little knitting, among the cooking and other preparations for the Festivities.


These are for my Sister-In-Law, Deb. She had been getting cold hands while working on her latest thesis. These should help ward off the stiffness in her fingers.
The yarn is Excelana 4ply, Nile Green, from John Arbon. Needles 3.5mm. Pattern -improvised.

Hearts seem to be this year's theme for decorations, so I made some for various friends. Mainly mohair, all scraps from other projects. Needles-3.25mm

All the ribbons and buttons are reclaimed, vintage. (Mainly from my own clothes, 1970's).

I also made a sweater for Best Beloved, which was finished on the 21st, ready for our Anniversary, on the 22nd. ( The Solstice, as it was on the day we got married, although the Solstice more commonly falls on the 21st ). No photos, yet. That will be next time.

Catching up

So many things have happened in the last seven months, or so. The biggest change/shock was Poppy developing an agressive mammary tumour. In a matter of two or three weeks, it went from a barely-there, pea sized lump, to a huge, sore lump that rubbed as she walked. At her age (thirteen years) and with a heart murmer, I could not put her through surgery. Nor could I let her suffer, which she would, if left any longer. The responsible thing, and the hardest, was to send her to the next world . With my love, but no pain.
Hence my silence. I still weep for Poppy, when thinking about her. As now.

Best Beloved retired at the end of July. Although planned, it came as a shock to routine. Mine. We are still trying to work out a new daily routine. It is complicated by B.B. starting a consultancy, which is already busy. Some days are laid back, others are......not.


There is always knitting! I have completed quite a number of things.....
Above is a 'Litttle Shells Shawl'. Made in a lovely Angora yarn, from Snowdon Angoras. The pattern is by Holly Griffin-Weidner.

I made this for my sister Nicky (modeling hat). A 'Little Shells' beanie. Same yarn as above, but my own pattern.
This is a panel, which will become a cushion front. The yarn is bits of left-over D.K, from my stash. The pattern is Ffafnir, the Dragon, from Elsebeth Lavold's 'Viking patterns for knitting'. I substituted colour for the plain, on the cable. I love Ms Lavold's designs.
This last is 'Caireen' from the internet magazine 'Knitty'. Designed by Susanna IC.
The yarn is discontinued. I had nearly thirty balls of Kaffe Fassett's Kid Silk Mohair (25gm) in my stash. It had been there for at least twelve years. This took eight balls. It is really wonderful yarn, soft, luxurious. But, goodness me, it splits!! I am pleased with the final result, though.

More pics soon....I have to sort them out first.

OOPS!

Six months?? Surely not!!


Doesn't time fly...........

Waste not, want not

Best beloved was on leave last week. During that time, he finished the larder, which has been in progress for about three years. (Hurray!!) That meant that I had to empty the space, then decorate when he had finished ( I'm not complaining...I enjoy that part). The interesting bit was sorting through all the foodstuffs, before putting it back. Not too much throwing out, but I did come across a tub of dried fruit. The dried pears were very close to their use-by date. So, I gave them a short soak in hot water, before cooking them for a short while. Topped them with a crumble mixture, and some chopped almonds. The pudding cooked while we had our main course.

Our honey is being sold in a local Farm Shop. To make it stand out, I have had new labels made. At the same time, I started a blog about our beekeeping. It will mean that I won't mention the bees as much as I used to. If you are interested, you can find it by clicking on Baghaybees on the side bar.