Ethereal Snow

I have some sewing pictures to show too, but for today I thought I would share this photo with you.

Many of you will know that parts of England are gripped with Winter's icy tentacles already, having had the earliest snow fall for many years and temperatures of -18 in some places. That is cold!

I went out into the garden to record this winter wonderland and this was the result.

Those fronds of mist are hovering over a small pond, but the water in the pond was almost frozen and certainly not giving out any heat.

Eerie isn't it?

Love
Irene xxx

After the pride cometh....

So, these are the two pairs of socks I knitted recently. I began with the blue stripey pair and then, gaining in confidence, quickly completed the red motley pair.

Easy I thought - all this fuss about cuffs, heel flaps, instep shaping - in my sleep I can do this.

I will make a pair for everyone I know for Christmas.
They will be astounded at my prowess.
I'll knit them as I watch TV.

These are 4ply - I'll do some in double knitting, they will be even easier - and quicker to boot.

I may sell some on an etsy shop.

Or donate some to charity. That would be kind.

Two balls of your best double knitting sock wool if you please, my good woman.

Mmm - so I've knit the rib, and the cuff and turned the heel and now I have no wool left!

Well - I have a couple of metres, and another ball for the other foot but I will need a third ball to complete this pair. I have checked the pattern, used the needles offered by the aforementioned good woman, followed the pattern exactly, but the sock is enormous and sort of loose and of course, half-finished. And the wool is £4 a ball. Which would make the socks £12 a pair. Are they threaded with gold??

I have snuck it into a bag and left it for a while. I may have another look at it, or consult with people who actually know what they're doing with a set of needles (Maggie??) or it may just go to that happy half-finished heaven where it will meet up with an Aran sweater, a garter stitch cardigan and a scarf that only needs to be cast off and have a fringe added.

It is of course a fall which cometh after the pride!

And is my bum bruised!!!

Love
Irene xxx

The very last pear.

I looked out of my kitchen window on Tuesday and saw this - the very last pear on an ancient old pear tree, which actually sits in my neighbour's garden but overhangs mine.

It was just like this, a little golden orb hanging alone amongst the bare branches against the dark green of the ivy and naturally, the photographer (!) in me couldn't resist a photo.

Now - I know that I mutter constantly to myself that the pears from this tree - hundreds of them - fall on to my decking and go brown and squishy, and make horrid stains that only a power washer will remove and then the wasps come and are a nuisance especially to Meghan who having once been stung gets hysterical on hearing even a distance drone, and probably the roots are stretching out and undermining the very foundations of this house, but hey - what a pretty autumnal picture.

And yes, no doubt I should gather them and make pears in white wine and other such deliciousness but then - when would I stitch?

I had a really nice time with Clare and Judith at Fobbles on Thursday. The people there were so lovely and welcoming to these strangers from across the country. I bought some stash - scissors (of course) linen ( of course) threads (of course) and beads (of course) because I have none of these things and was in desperate need of them.

The journey back was tricky however with a severe weather warning in operation. We were driving on one of the highest roads running across the width of England (A66) and were exposed to the very worst of it. But we survived, Clare and I, and will live to stitch another day.

And - I have knitted a pair of socks. I know. How clever am I? And I have started another pair and knit nearly one whole sock in one day. Sleep and the need to eat got in the way or I definitely would have finished it.

Thank you again for your comments, read always with interest and much appreciated

Love
Irene xxx

Tulip pin cushion

I am just not back in the habit of writing this blog. They say the way to hell is paved with good intentions, well watch out, I'm on my way!

This is the second little pin cushion from the BBD Sarah Tobias booklet. It is stitched over one on a 32 count evenweave linen using a mixture of threads, some DMC and some from Vikki Clayton. It is finished on the back with a matching dullish print.

Have you noticed the clever bit yet?
Eh?
Come on, look closely.

Mmmm - maybe some of you will never find the clever bit, seeing as you don't know my full name - but my initials are IH.

Yeah - those clever gals at BBD designed this one so that my initials came in the right order and I could highlight them. Now how did they know to do that?

I enclosed a ric-rik ribbon in the joining for the edging and what a chore this was! Looks alright finished though.

This photo is very smudgy isn't it? I'm not sure why I have stopped being able to take a half decent photo. This one is using my camera which was way more expensive than my son's which I often use but his definitely gives a better close up. The problem is his battery is down and I don't know where all the wires are.

Do other people have boxes full of wires and adaptors and chargers and converters and cable things? We have so many, for phones, consoles, computers, games, cameras, every electrical appliance that has ever been made and every model of said appliance. Only my son can find the right one and he struggles sometimes. We should have a clear out!

Well, the builder has gone. He has been here for nine weeks and now he's gone and my house is an emptier place because of it.
I gave him his lunch every day and bought him a newspaper to read whilst he ate it and he had his own kettle and coffee and tin of biscuits which I replenished daily. Could this be why he stayed?

I am meeting up with friends from the Sampler Guild tomorrow over at Cockermouth which means a drive from the east coast of England to the west. It will take about 3 hours. England is quite narrow here! We will be stash building - of course - by calling in at Fobbles. We will be taking our latest stitching projects to look at so that will take all of two minutes for me, but I look forward to seeing what my more industrious friends have produced.

When I re-read my previous post, it sort of sounded as though the back of the Autumn Heart was too bad to show. The back, thanks to Anne, is perfectly wonderful, it was the photo of the back that was too poor to share.

Thanks for calling by
Love
Irene xxx