Cold, Wet, Windy Weather.....

So, clearly, we're lambing!  It's got off to a slow start, which isn't a bad thing - especially since invariably the sheep like to lamb right at the top of the hill, so we have to walk all the way up there to bring them down (and in the absence of George, I can't stand at the window with the binoculars and send him up to bring them down).

That was the first set of twins.

Once Jonathan has treated them we put them out into the bigger paddock, with the alpacas to protect them.  One of the most annoying things they can do on a cold, wet, windy day is tumble under the fencing

so I have to go out, catch them, and reunite them with their mothers:

and off they go without a backward glance!

In between times I have managed to finish my traditional Penny Rug - I'm quite pleased with it.

But what is really special is that underneath each of the circles is an actual old English penny.  Eileen gave them to the workshop because rather have them sitting in a pot, she liked the idea of the mat falling apart in years to come and people finding the pennies. 

They are called Penny Rugs or Mats because traditionally pennies were stitched into them to weigh them down.

Now that little project is finished I'm working earnestly on my Janie Crow Magic Lanterns blanket,

Oh my word...I hope I like it in the end!

Now, if only the rain would stop I could take this little girl out for a walk.....

A Long Winter

This has been such a long winter - and so cold.  We've had rain, snow and sleet today and an awful, biting wind.

And to make matters worse this computer is almost certainly on the way out, so everything takes twice as long as it should, so every time I've gone to update this blog I've been put off.

However, I shall persevere, and try to get something written down before it crashes again.

On a happy note, I've finished my crochet blanket designed by Sara from Black Sheep Wools.

I enjoyed making it, and am pleased with it and looking forward to moving on with

Janie Crow's Mystical Lanterns!  Hmmm, could be quite a challenge.

The workshops are going really well, although when Sandra and I finally got down to drawing up the schedule, we realised there were only 8 weeks till Easter so it's rather a short term!

The Lynne Johnson ladies have really been cracking on, with some lovely finished quilts.

Pam's amazing quilt which you just wanted to dive into - such warm, beautiful colours.









And Liz's unbelievable first quilt with Lynne

Carole managed to finish her Quilt as you Go Baltimore

So, all in all, quite a productive lot!

In fact, I should be grateful for the terrible weather.  Because nothing could be done in the fields, Jonathan (designer) and George (welder) got together to make me a lovely Plant Theatre, which will, I'm sure, look amazing when summer comes around again.  Which I'm sure it will do......

Now I'm off to toss a few pancakes around the kitchen - Happy Pancake Day everyone!!!

A Pink Sun was the Least of It!

What a fortnight - I've been running round here, there and everywhere - work, trips, bulging workshops - and then to top it off the world went pink on Monday.  Whatever next?

First the trip - we went off for the day to beautiful Bath, and after a leisurely coffee went to the Bath Museum of Fashion.  It was fascinating to see the clothes through the ages, and read how they evolved.  Really, the clothes in my lifetime have been very boring in comparison - I was born to wear a bonnet

 

We stumbled upon this dressing up area, and I was transported to my childhood days and my beloved 'dressing up' box.  I used to wear three long dresses at a time, and pretend I was going on a wagon trail by sitting under the dining room table.  We had an absolute ball, making the visiting party of school children wait until we'd had enough.

Then we took the shuttle up to the American Museum and after a delicious lunch looking out on this glorious view

we looked around their exhibition of Flapper dresses.  Again, they were stunning, but not so great a dressing up experience.  I did, however, buy a beautiful Christmas tapestry that I plan to finish by NEXT Christmas.

Last Saturday we went to the Knitting and Stitching show at the Ally Pally.  I didn't buy much, just a few bits and pieces (including silk cocoons) for my sister's birthday - oh yes, and yarn and a pattern for my next crocheted blanket - Mystical Lanterns from Janie Crow.  I do love the Ally Pally though, and think I enjoy the drive up through Muswell Hill and then looking at the stunning view across London from outside as much as actually going round the exhibition.

Meanwhile the bulging workshops - so many happy crafters and so much going on.  At the Lynne Johnson workshop Denise showed us her beautiful quilt

And then this is what was happening last Tuesday:

Crochet

 Doll making

 

Quilt making

 

 

 

including Jackie's brilliant Duck quilt

 

 

 bag making

and I've finally started quilting my Medallion

So all very busy.

With the much anticipated knitting workshop coming up in two weeks' time, a group of us visited Purlescence on Saturday to buy skeins of yarn especially

which Ros then showed us how to make into more user-friendly balls

 

So there you are - what a whirl of activity!