Sky over Morecombe Bay

We were in Lancashire and saw this sky. It was strange watching the clouds break up like this and worthy of a couple of photographs. The third photograph is of a storm approaching over Pine Lake.

Corded Curtain

This is an on going project, the headed curtain took only two nights to complete, the cords though take a little longer.
I need 50 cords and on show here are 35 of them , so it should be completed in a weeks time.
I had been very good and stuck to two projects, albeit one of them is a large one.
Yesterday found me tinkering with Christmas tree, snowflake decorations, which I unpicked as it was not a suitable yarn that I was using.
I thought that if I made three circles of lace between 3 and 4 inches in diameter, folded them in half and joined them back to back I would have an interesting shape snowflake, which I could then put a frost type shape about the edges.
I really liked the pointed area I was playing with, into a three chain space work ( English crochet terms) four trebles, three triple trebles, one quadruple treble,three triple trebles. four trebles. it made an elongated leaf shape. The yarn I was using is highly polished and it gave a lovely satin look to the centre of the leaf.
I will try again and let you see the finished project what ever it turns out like.

Reflecting on times past

It is often that I sit alone late at night doing which ever craft I have to hand, this is a restful and productive time.
I think back to when the children were young, being four years between them they had different bed times.

I would bring out the various projects that I had on the go for them. Gonks, bears, dolls pram sets ,cot sets, and lots of clothes for the girls, also their Cindy dolls, Action men and Barbies.

Our eldest daughter is very skillful and made many lovely things for her sister, a lot of love was poured out at these times.
Blue Peter often came to the rescue with ways to make vehicles made from ice cream tubs. Catch phrase 'here's one I made earlier'.

Our eldest daughter would share the secrets about her younger sister's presents being made for Christmas, not suspecting that when she went to bed her project would come out to be worked on. These gifts were in addition to bought gifts and enjoyed very much.

One Christmas it was a pair of 3 foot high sleeping lions, the pattern taken from from Golden Hands, which slept on their beds for many years.
I have the pattern and new fabric and am wondering if our grandson would like one also.

Another time it was Puss in Boots four foot in height and dressed like D'artagnan from the Three Musketeers. It took ages to find large white plume feathers for his hat.
Next a large tortoise to sit on.

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing, I am aware of the light, colour, smells and feelings as I talk about these times.
The need to make these things has passed for some time, even though it is rare to find me without a craft project on the go.

The village I live in supports the shoe box appeal and I am offering my help to make toys and clothing for the appeal.

Applique Time

Its a little early for Autumn/ Winter however when I saw these lovely colour fat quarters I could not resist buying them, there will be many projects to make for home.
Throughout the winter months I hope to be making Applique cushions for the guest room on rectangle, square and cylinder shape cushions and in shades of blue.
At the moment I am still completing the cords for the curtain there are 28 now only 22 to go. When Its finished I will show it.

The sky tonight

I thought that this was a good way to say good evening to everyone.
All is quiet here, the rain has stopped and as you see we had a little sun today.

Bias Binding Applique' Course

This is the work I started on the course I attended last Monday and thought that you may like to see the work in progress. It measures 40 cm x 40 cm.
It was delayed while I unpicked it to take a copy of the pattern for two friends. Normally one would finish each ring before adding another. However I wanted to show the friends how it is built up.
It is only tacked in at this stage.
I was given a lovely book on Celtic Crosses a short while ago, so there will be no shortage of patterns to use on my next projects.

sky

I was taking advantage of some good weather and working outside when I saw this cloud, which I liked.
The Waddington Air Show is on at the weekend so I hope to get some pictures, however the weather forecast is not too good.

Lace Curtain

I saw the pattern for this curtain in a magazine called 'Simply Knitting' and wanted to make it at once.

Although restricted in the colour of yarn, as it was the only four ply the shop had in, I was pleased with the richness of it anyway.
It is a new shop opened not far from where I live with a limited stock.

As is my way I have made a couple of changes to the finished project, scalloping the header bar instead of just using turning chain and doubling the first and last rows of trebles which I feel frame the work.
There are fifty cords to make and I am on number seven now.

Crafts in progress

I thought that I should share with you my ongoing projects, they are not blocked yet.
The top one is part of the header of a door curtain which took about four hours to work, while the second is the ends of the fringe which hangs from the header.As you can see the main fringe is straight.There are 50 fringes of 190 cm length (so I have a long way to go) they take about one and a half hours each to make.

My next project you have seen already, as I made and showed another spread in white last autumn a gift for mac's niece, from Caged Minutes.
This one is in a rich cream colour thread and is a gift for dancin' fool, from In The Pink.
Its very nice to have such lovely people around me .

Anything which involves thread attracts me. Next week I am attending a course on Bias Binding Applique', I can make a stained glass window, or a Celtic design cover. I am torn between them, however feel that the Celtic design will win. I will have to sign in again and make the window another time.

The village people are in progress I had to rest until a split in a finger healed.
Active Stanley also is made and waiting to be padded.

Metal work v yarn

There is a book which states that any metal work pattern can be reproduced in yarn. This is the proof of that statement.
It is a table centre piece which I enjoyed making.
The pattern is taken from a brass tray Morrocan style.