Getting ready...

Hello everyone! After the weather we have had here in the last week or so, I'm sure you will all agree that Autumn is on the way!

I've been getting ready. I love Autumn. Love it. It's truly my favourite season. I love seeing the leaves decorating the ground, hearing them crunch under foot, seeing the misty sunrises and sunsets, the darkness slowly closing in. I love wrapping up in boots, woolly hats, scarf and gloves and going to rambles in the park or across the fields. Yes, all my likes about Autumn are very cliched, I know, but they're true all the same. I guess there's a reason why these things become cliches!

I always seem to churn out a series of scarves every Autumn/Winter. This year will be no exception! I've already finished one cowl (sadly have not had a chance to photograph and share it with you yet!). However, I thought I would try and mix it up a little this year by knitting some hats too!

I've already completed one in grey - this lovely design is called Pasha, and can be found  here.

The hat is finished, but sadly I only have 'in progress' pictures for you today - another thing I need to photograph in it's complete form!


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S and I made our quarterly pilgrimage to Bristol to see his folks last weekend. I've grown to love Bristol over the years, particularly the lovely area known as Clifton. It has an arty, crafty village-y vibe to it. I though I'd share some of the love with you by sharing some snaps. Yup, some of them are a bit random - my journey of learning how to take better photographs always seems to see me veering into still life territory by taking shots of things like vegetable stalls and flower shops! As evidenced by the pictures from Borough Market that I shared last month.

There are so many great independent retailers in Clifton - the one in the shot below is called Sky and sells a mix of gift items, cards and stationary and prints - I love browsing there.

If only I lived near enough I would make sure I was a regular customer for all these little shops to help make sure they survive. I think it's so important to support these smaller stores, and I really hate clone-town high streets that have only the same big name stores on them.

Before I go, I just want to say thanks to all of you who commented on my (nearly) finished throw in my last post - I don't think I've ever had a post receive so many lovely comments so quickly before!

Stay snug everyone!

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Sunburst Squares

Hello everyone, I hope you're ok. I've heard it's going to be a stormy night here tonight - lots of wind and rain etc. So what better excuse for snuggling down with some crochet in a warm place?!

Since last time I have been working on these Sunburst Squares.

I see a lot of these around on Pinterest, and other blogs. I have sort of resisted making them so far, just because everyone seems to make them! However, I think I've been sort of cutting my nose off to spite my face.

The other week I was contemplating my big pile of colourful yarn, wondering what to do with it all. As you may remember I started making African Flowers. Then sort of lost momentum. They are quite time consuming to make, and I somehow couldn't see myself making anything very useful from them. Thanks to those of you who suggested various things to make from the little pile of squares I had though - your suggestions are duly noted, and perhaps when I have some time....

Well, anyway, back to the Sunburst Squares.

I think the thing that attracted me to them in the end was the 3d effect created by the puff stitch in the second round. It reminds me of the something pretty flower squares which I had so much fun making at the start of the year. 

The Sunburst pattern I'm using is from the book 'The Gentle Art of Knitting', which I love for it's laid back attitude towards craft.

I haven't managed to make many of my Sunburst Squares yet. Over the last 2 weeks I've managed to make about 40. I'm aiming for a blanket, but this is going to be a slow process. That doesn't bother me though. I'm taking my time, only working on the squares when I feel like it, rather than in a mad rush. I normally crochet or knit in every spare second I have, but lately I'm feeling ok with taking things at a slower pace. I think this will be a good thing for me. I still really enjoy my crafting, but it's about getting a balance with all the other important things in life right now, and that's healthy I think.

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There has been some more glorious autumn whether here this week. I know I've already shared so many autumn colour and leaf pictures already, but I can't stop myself showing you some more!

These leaves (above) look so perfect don't they? I almost stepped right over them one lunch time last week. They look like they've been deliberately arranged, and it tickled my fancy so I had to take a snap.

These other pictures are from a park nearby where I live - on a glorious day last week!

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Hope the rest of you are all doing ok. Happy Sunday all, hope you're enjoying some gentle crafting too!

A new post....

....it's been a while since I've made one!

I've honestly been meaning to stop back in here and say hello for about two weeks now, but just haven't quite made it. I'm in the process of re-working my routine, you see. I don't think I've mentioned this before, but I've just started a PhD (that's a doctoral research degree for those who may not know), which I'll be doing part-time alongside still working full-time. It's all been great so far, but it has meant a busy couple of weeks getting my head around the new demands on my time and how to fit them in.

Crafting is still going to be a big part of my life, as will this blog I hope!

By the way, a big welcome to the new readers and followers who I can see have popped up here since my last post!

So, what have I been up to the last couple of weeks?

Well, I promised to show you the results of my chair painting for my new flat (which I'm still waiting to move into - sigh), so here it is!

It was hard to get good pictures of this. I know it looks very pale, but the colour is actually a pastel blue. I will share before and after shots soon, when I've been able to take pictures in better light! I'm pleased with the results though, I'm sitting on it as I type!

I've also just been out and about enjoying the season as much as possible - I do love autumn! I think the best of the colour is still yet to come here. I don't know if I'm right, but I think the unusually warm September may have made the trees hang on to their leaves a little longer than usual, so they're still turning now.

Some gorgeous colours coming through now!

In crafting news, I have finished my lovely green cardigan, but I think I'll save that for next time!

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Autumn things

Although the weather still seems to be hanging on to summer right now, I've been determinedly autumnal with my crafting!

I'm making another cardigan, using moss green yarn.

Sadly it's been too warm to really start wearing my yellow cardigan yet!

I'm also thinking that I need an autumnal coloured granny blanket in my life. So far I have decided that it will definitely involve a lot of purple, burnt orange and yellow!

I think it also needs the same moss green colour as I'm using for my cardigan. Possibly with some reds and warm browns too. Hmm....perhaps I will see what I can find at the weekend!

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Autumn thoughts and fallen leaves

Autumn is probably my favourite time of the year. I feel a little sad this year, as I've had to let the season pass me by a little - things have just been so busy I feel like I haven't really been able to get outside and enjoy the fallen leaves, bright colours and crispness in the air.

To try and make myself feel a little better, and make sure I didn't miss out completely, I've been taking a few snaps here and there of some of the best bits of Autumn that I've seen around me. I've been saving them up to share with you here. Along with my little list of things I love about this time of year!

Things I love about Autumn:

1. The colours (of course!) - red, ochre, orange, brown and golden green - I love them all!
   
2. New conkers - with that lovely chesnut brown gloss
   
3. Bonfire night - fireworks, fire and childhood memories
   
4. Hot water bottles - when you're watching a film on the sofa, they're the best
   
5. The excuse to make another 5 new scarves - as if I need another 1, let alone 5!
   
6. Crunching through the lovely fallen leaves - that noise is so satisfying
   
7. The light in the early morning and evening - the picture below is actually dawn breaking, although it looks like a sunset
   
8. Having it get dark early enough to see the moon and stars before sleeping. I've been lucky with planets this year - I've managed to see Jupiter and Venus a couple of times.

 With December fast approaching Autumn is almost over, and winter is really about to begin. Still, there is plenty to look forward to - Christmas and all the fun that brings, and then the fresh start of a new year.

Stay happy wherever you are.

October in England

Hi everyone, I'm back after a week or so break, where I have been studying hard and enjoying some uninterrupted time (for a change) with S.

The two of use headed off to Thetford for a week away to enjoy the country side in autumn. For any one reading this who may not be so familiar with English geography, Thetford is a little market town near the Norfolk/Suffolk border in a region of England called East Anglia. I believe the region name of East Anglia is derived from the settlement in that area of a people who called themselves the 'Angles'. The Angles were a Germanic tribe that settled in what's now England after the Roman period. More info on Wikipedia in case anyone is interested (personally I love history almost as much as I do crafts!).

We spent a day tramping around Thetford forest, which despite being relatively new is quite lovely.

We also visited the nearby City of Ely for two days - a lovely place, with a wonderful Cathederal. The City is really something special - nestled near the Catherdral there is one of the largest surviving collections of medieval buildings in Europe. It is such an atmospheric place.

Whenever I visit somewhere where there is a cathederal or castle this impressive it always makes me feel so lucky to live in a country where these sorts of buildings are so numerous and open to visitors all year round.

Well, I think that's enough of the history and geography lesson for today! I'm hoping to find time for another post tomorrow - this time more craft related!

Take care! xx

September

Autumn seems to have arrived a little early this year. That chill is already in the air and the nights and mornings are a little bit darker.

Perfect weather for snuggling under a throw as you make it!

The ripple throw is coming along nicely, and may even be finished this weekend. From where I sit and crochet on the sofa in the living room, I can see the wood pile ready for winter, out in the back garden.

It keeps making me think of my next project - again crochet, and also a throw! Don't want to give away anything else yet though!