Yarny and Flowery Goings-on

Here I am again, as promised. Term begins again tomorrow, so I thought I'd do a bit of a round-up of the things that have made me happy recently.  I spent half term being creative and getting together with friends and family, which really was a very relaxed and companionable way to spend a week. I got my housework and boring jobs done quickly, and then spent a couple of days chatting, drinking coffee, sharing cakes and being creative with friends. There was also Pancake Day and Valentine's Day, and a day out. It was wonderful to slow down and spend time doing the things that I really enjoy. In no particular order here they are:
*Beautiful and sweet-scented spring flowers that P bought me for Valentine's Day. They are sitting on the table next to me as I type, and they do smell good.



*Regular readers will know by now how much I love hellebores, and they are now blooming away in our garden for all they're worth.

*I came up with the idea of crocheting a wreath of hellebores using Lucy's flower pattern. I made the hellebores 3 years ago and hadn't yet used them for anything, so decided that a pretty spring wreath would be a good idea. I added some long, pointy leaves and grouped them in the shape of hellebore leaves. 

The wreath is brightening up our dining room indoors while the hellebores are flowering outside in the garden.

*While I'm on the subject of crochet, I decided on the greyest of days that I needed to crochet something pink to counteract the cold, dripping rain. And so these little rosy cotton granny squares were born.

I still have no idea what I'm making with them, but crocheting these tiny squares of pink yarn in bed and with a cup of tea has been a very warm and cosy project.

*I've also started something new for my Esty shop. Spring colours and floral prettiness are calling me and I'm enjoying crocheting with pastel cottons. I'll reveal more later.

*A colleague at work has just gone on maternity leave, so I crocheted a little ball for her new arrival.

*Work on D's university blanket has now begun, as she has chosen her Stylecraft colours and will be heading off there in September. I'd better get cracking!

*This lovely Stylecraft Batik Swirl yarn will have to wait...I must not start a new project while I have other WIPs on the go.

*At the start of the week I headed off to nearby Frome, feeling excited.

I was going to Marmalade Yarns, an inspiring and welcoming yarn shop which I've shopped at for years. On this day, though, I was going to a Fairisle Knitting workshop there with the talented knitwear designer Mary Henderson.

It was a steep learning curve for me, but I've wanted to knit Fairisle patterns for a long time now and couldn't wait to get started. On a wet Saturday a group of us sat around a table and were kept well-supplied with tea and cake while we learned how to knit with several colours at once in the round.

We all started on wrist warmers from Mary's pattern and, as I'd never knitted on more than two needles before, I had to concentrate hard. Back at home, the wrist warmer is growing as I work my way through the chart bit by bit and learn to hold a yarn in each hand as I go. My dreams of wearing a home-made Fairisle hat don't seem so far away now. Next time I'll show you my finished wrist-warmer - who knows, I might even make a pair!

Here are some of Mary's wonderful hand-knitted hats - aren't they gorgeous?

*On a non-yarny note I've really enjoyed indoor bulbs over the last month or two.

*Snowdrops have been quietly blooming in our garden, and I've enjoyed snipping a few to bring indoors. 

*Our dresser has had a makeover too. It's still blue, but a softer, more chalky shade, and goes very well with the bunches of daffodils that I've been buying from the supermarket lately.

*Finally, on the subject of blue, just look at this blue sky in Wells yesterday! It really was the most beautiful sunny day in Wells and brought with it a taste of spring.

See you soon x