What we did for Christmas

 Hi, I just realised that other than mentioning that I caught a cold over Christmas, I haven't said where we we spent our time.

AS some of you may know, we don't celebrate Christmas, preferring to spend time away from the consumer madness. After a quick dash round the supermarket for a few days worth of food and our only nod to seasonal snacks ( pigs in blankets and individual slices of cake) we headed over to the East Coast. 

I know many would guess that we were heading back to Bridlington but not this time. Our destination was Cromer, Norfolk, the weather forecast very cold and very windy but mainly dry.

                                                          I love crossing this bridge.

Christmas Eve started out grey and blustery, we headed into town to do a circuit of the charity shops and buy some gloves for me as my usual fingerless mitts just weren't enough.

Christmas day was sunny, windy, cold but we ventured out for an hour or so then retreated to the van for hot drinks.

Boxing day started with coffee and breakfast in a nearby cafe followed by an hour or so taking photos then knitting and coffee in another cafe as we exchanged notes as to what we had seen. This sort of challenge gets more difficult in places that we have visited several times.

I have never seen this shop open, every time I look through the window it looks like the contents are slowly mouldering away.

New Year, New project.............. Gansey sampler day three

 I'm still laid up with the cough which has lingered on from the slight cold I had at Christmas, how can such a slight sniffle give me the cough that takes hold every time I move I don't know. Anyway it is slowly getting better.

So its back to the Gansey, first thing o state is that I prefer fairisle  !! Still, I'm learning as I go.

I've started the underarm gussets, one looks ok, the other a bit weird but nethermind. Next I will be looking at knitting the front and back flat which is going to really test me !!

New Year, New project.............. Gansey sampler day two

 A bit more about the sampler, It's designed to teach the traditional techniques of knitting a gansey without the commitment to a full size version. I will be knitting every part as if it was a garment for myself but in reality it will only fit a teddy bear.

I'm hoping to learn some new techniques and gain some understanding of the construction of these garments, who knows, I may eventually knit myself one.

progress so far

( I doesn't really sit flat due to the two ribbing sections overlapping and the rib seams )

I'm sure that once finished and blocked it will sit more like it should.

New Year, New project.............. Gansey sampler

 Hi, I've hand it in mind for a a year or so to try the sampler pattern from this book. I don't knit large items but the idea of knitting a small Gansey to try out the techniques.

As usual I'm using hand spun yarn and I suspect that at some point I will end up confused but  I'm going to give it a go.

To end the day we have  a decent sunset, not bad for the first day of January

the last day of 2025

 Any regrets ?....no

Any resolutions for next year?.......no

Any achievements?.............

Travel, we spent 90 nights in the camper over the last year, a record for us,

Crafting, probably the same level of crafting with a bit more bobbin lace than last year,

As for me, I have a few photos to show my personal journey ..........................

                                                                             2011

2017

2024

                                     December 2025 ( not the most flattering but you get the idea !

For once I will not be going into the New Year with losing weight as my resolution !! 

The last spinning and knitting of 2025

 Hi,

I had a bit of a break from the knitting needles in September but since October I've slowly got back into the whole spin/knit thing.

The Nano still has a spin on it. This is hand dyed Polworth gifted to me by Petes Fiber Studion.

I had actually emptied the other wheels although the Argonaut now has a bobbin of Jacob on it. Did I mention that I now have another e-wheel?

Here she is.

border leics cross in progress.

So the last of 2025 spinning looks like this excepting the 2/3 skeins being knitted into hats.

plus this one fresh off the wheel

                                                                     not too shabby :-)

Knitting recommenced slowly, I have noticed that I seem to be developing a bit of arthritis in my thumb so I'm trying not to overdo things.

  

Next year may be more stitching than knitting, we will see how things go.

BAL part ? (bucks point lace)

 Hi

As I said last time, I'm out of sequence with the bucks a long zoom group but I do now go to a weekly group here in Nottingham. This is not a teaching group, we are all members of the NBLS and simply hire a room for a couple of hours each week . This gives us space to make lace even if we don't do any lacemaking for the rest of the week.

For my Bucks point, I've gone back to the original book that we were working from and I'm slowly making the bucks point sampler. This is a really good challenge as you are given the pricking (pattern) but need to rely on your knowledge of the various techniques as there are no instructions .

This will keep me busy for some time !

 

Thread finds in a charity shop, Sheep update

Hi, a quick update on the sheep cross stitch...

nearly half done ! I'm actually quite enjoying this one in spite of it being full coverage.

Continuing with the Scottish September tour

 After Melrose we headed up to North Berwick, we visited last year and enjoyed ourselves so much that we decided that a return visit was necessary, Finding ourselves arriving too early to book  onto the campsite, we followed the directions for the air museum, expecting a small collection to look at and help us pass the time.

How wrong we were, this is a place that definitely need more time to explore the multiple builds and also to revisit the café ( excellent soup)

The National Museum of Flight houses more than 50 aircraft located on the site of the UKs best preserved second world war airfield, far more than we could see in the time that we had allowed.

                                                     Concorde, slightly more unusual angle.

Not the easiest place to take photos due to the close proximity of the planes but I tried my best.

I wouldn't like to work on this engine !!

A retired Red Arrow.

                               A nod to the history of the airfield, more to explore next time.

The other hall had so many planes so close together with spot lights that it became difficult to capture a whole plane but the detail on some was worth recording.

 We look forward to making a return visit next time we are around the east coast.

Thread finds in a charity shop, Sheep and a quick chat

 HI, I'm still here although I've not blogged for a while. I have a question, I have photos etc of our travels going back to September, is anyone interested in me doing some catch up blogs and maybe posting them in January?

Threads in a charity shop, Toucan. This kit has been started and I'd love to post a photo but I've left it in the van which means it will possibly be a couple of weeks before I see it again.

To make up for this, I have started a new kit called Ewe are my Sunshine, purchased in Bridlington at the beginning of the month in a charity shop. More expensive this time but so cute. Costing £4.50 but will hopefully give me hours of enjoyment. 

 

I've had a look on the website and it looks there are a few of these kits in the same set. full overage but small 12.5 x 9cm so shouldn't take too long.

I've been trying to add a few stitches everyday, here's my progress so far, days 1-4.

 Original artwork by Thomas Joseph.

I have been spinning, knitting and making lace so will update in the next post.

Thread finds in a charity shop, Toucan

 Hi,

I'm starting a mini series of embroidery kits found in charity shops, basically reviewing the contents and ease of use. I will be stitching each kit so I will share the progress on each one.

To start us off, I have Toucan by Simply Make craft kits. purchased for £1.49.

At first glance it looks like an easy kit, labelled as embroidery by numbers, designed in the UK by West Design Products Ltd

Threads come on a card, needles and needle threader are provided, the design is printed on a piece of fabric ( very frayable) and a plastic hoop is also included. Where there is a slight problem is the instruction which state that you can use satin stitch or long and short stitch but doesn't indicate where to use either stitch, direction of stitch, order to stitch the parts in. There is a diagram about how to do each stitch but that is it.

Not really beginner friendly in that respect.

Lets see how long this one takes and what t looks like once completed.