Sharing the love!

At Christmas, I was given probably the most useful present ever. My friends Blue Tortoise and Judith made it for me. It is based on the pattern by Mandy Shaw. Which I had bought several years before and not got around to making – a bit too much effort for myself I guess. They borrowed the pattern and as a surprise thought I would use it for my sewing things only but, it fits my circular needles, DPNS, pliers in other words I have it stuffed with everything remotely crafty that fits. The only time in fact my sewing Angel hasn’t been useful was when I mislaid it for a week and literally couldn’t do anything! Some helpful person had put it in with the clean washing.
Last Sunday was Judith’s birthday and I was completely at a loss as to what to give her. So I asked …..And she said that she would like one of these. It was really good fun as I hadn’t had my sewing machine out properly for ages. So Wednesday afternoon I swung into action. The pattern is reasonably straight forward so long as you can sew as some of the instuctions and diagrams were a little garbled. I had to re-cut the outside fabric as the original was far too small for the innards. Also the way the zip is put in is very strange (well to a dressmaker at any rate). I really like the thimble holder and the needle holder they really are cute. The fabric was left over from a baby quilt I made last year.




The sad thing is I can’t remember anything about the quilt or who the recipient was. Both colours look lovely with the denim. The buttons came from my button stash, Elenya and I had them all spread out on the ironing board choosing just the right ones for flower centres. We had a birthday celebration on Thursday and I gave it to her then.which is our quilting day. I am just wonder how full it will be by next Thursday,if it is anything like mine it will be stuffed.

Catching up.

Italy was fantastic! It seems like a long time ago now as we have been back about a week. Sorrento was having a heat wave whilst we were there and the temperatures were over 32 most of the time. Not really conducive to doing very much but there was so many things that we wanted to see that even when the locals were enjoying a siesta we were traipsing about looking at things.

I am not really a gardener but, it was amazing to see things that we would only ever be able to grow in the house growing in people’s gardens. I particularly loved this purple flower which grew with great abundance everywhere if anyone knows what it is I would love to know.

On Saturday we spent the day in Sorrento town centre, it is a very vibrant place. St Francis of Assisi is buried there and although no one is quite sure why the cats come to visit him.
All of the cats are fine boned and thin coated my Tigger would fit right in. Sorrento is renowned for its leather shops and the most amazing marquetry; we got a demonstration on how they did that and how they make cameos. Although I have never really liked cameos you have to realise how amazing it is to create something so intricate from a piece of shell!
On Monday we spent the day in Pompeii,

I found this a very moving experience much of it isn’t in tact but you can get a real feeling of the city as it is filled with people. It is still filled with black ash and tiny pieces of lava. We came home filthy. The plaster casts of the people are housed in Perspex case several of them have their arms around each other. Italy is expecting Vesuvius to erupt again at anytime I fervently hope that no other casts can ever be made. Mario thought he should get a photo of me in the kitchen but it turns out that it was one of the first Take Aways

On Tuesday we went with another couple, Dave and Hannah, on the train to visit Herculaneum another town destroyed by Vesuvius.


Unlike Pompeii it was virtually perfect as it had been covered by mud slides rather than ash. Mosaics and paintings were so beautifully preserved they could have been new. It was strange to be standing a town and then look up and see the new town that has been built on top looming over you.
We had planned to visit Vesuvius but Hannah and I came out of the wrong entrance and managed to get very, very lost. I was glad that I was with someone else. We didn’t have the Italian dictionary with us that was with the guys. Most people walked past us when we tried to ask for help. One kind man drew us a map – shame it wasn’t for the train station. We finally got to a station by making Ivor the Engine chuffing sounds at an old man who took pity on us and walked us to an unmanned station. From there the guys came and got us. I have never been so grateful to see anyone.
Wednesday we visited Capri what can I say ………WOW!!

The views are spectacular we went to the very top in a chair lift. We both held our shoes in our hands for fear of losing them. Beneath us were other people’s hat, scarves and shoes. Sea is the most amazing colour, if they could capture that in wool I would knit with it. !
There were some very strange cows living there must be because they are on an island. Mario tried to milk one without any great success

Thursday, the last day of our holiday, we travelled by bus along the Amalfi coast to Positano. I couldn’t have gone all of the way to Amalfi as although the view is breath taking it is very windy and the bus was very hot. It was a lovely restful day as we whiled away the hours eating ice-cream and watching the locals.

We got back just in time because on Friday Tigger had another stroke and has been left with little or no sight. I took him to the vets on Saturday morning expecting the worst news but, they told me he would adapt – and he has. He can find his food and the tray although he mews pitifully until he can go into the garden. He has even been trying to get up the stairs but, I keep pulling him off there as I am not sure how easy he would find it to get back down. Of course sleeping,curled up with Oriana is still a favourite activity.

I didn’t get much knitting done in Italy as it was too hot. I took Jude with me and only finished the rib on the back. I have made up for it since I got home and completed Melon for my Rowan International Exchange.


I packaged it up with a couple of skeins from socktopus and have sent it off to its new home. Although Kidsilk haze is awful if you make a mistake it really redeems itself when it is blocked. I really hope it is liked.

Decisions, decisions!

On Friday Mario and I are off on our very late honeymoon. We are going to Sorrento in Italy.Which, we are told by everyone who has been before us that it is beautiful.It is our first holiday together without children and we are both very excited. The trouble is I am having serious trouble picking the perfect knitting project to take with me. I have disregarded all of my WIP for the simple reason that it will ruin my holiday if my luggage gets lost and my knitting goes with it. I don't want it to be for anyone else. I want to, when using said item in the future remember a wonderful holiday. I don't want anything so difficult that I can't talk or people watch. So I have narrowed it down to these.
In no particular order:-

Cloud bolero by Ysolda Teague in Rowan chenille


Jude by Debbie Bliss in Cathay

Helon by Marie wallin in Patons 4ply cotton

Ok this isn't a no concentration project but it really is lovely.


Lace dress by shirley paden in Patons Dk cotton


Comments gratefuly received on this!

Kniting in Public AKA a great weekend

Originaly I was going to spend Saturday in Leeds but when the BlueADT said she was hosting an event in Hull, I packed my bags. I have had a wonderful time. We sat in a shopping centre and I was forced to make this!! It is Opal ladybird a present last year from BlueADT
My first ever swatch. Surprisingly I haven't come out in hives so I might make one again. It was needed to make these . The ultimate in well fitting socks. I plan to do them in a mockery pattern .I just love the idea of mock ladybirds!

This beautiful rippling blue is going to be Juliet by Debbie Bliss I was knitting this to and from Hull on the train. It is in Rowan CashCotton Dk really lovely and soft.But,it sheds fibres a lot,a bit like hugging a blue cat, and I could see people all around the carriage itching their noses!


I even managed a couple of repeats of the edging on the melon shawl. It is taking a little longer than I anticipated.So I am really hoping I will be finished in time for the July 12th deadline.
All of the wonderful photo's on today's posting were taken to the sounds of laughter by the resident photographer in the BlueAdt household which I am very grateful for.

Stuff

I have finally got all of the original applique onto Oriana's quilt the photos are a bit fuzzy but it is looking quite good and I am looking forward to deciding what happens next with it. I think it is going to be quite organic as a ton of pins doesn't really appeal to me.
Last Monday, Elenya broke her finger at school, the school didn't inform us and when it turned green later in the evening I took her to casualty. I phoned to complain the next morning. Two days later they phoned to say that some horrible boy had decided to squeeze it.She walloped him around the face and although I don't condone violence I think this would probably have more effect than the exclusion handed out by the school.So I then took her out of school for the rest of the week for her own safety.This week being half term so another week to rest it before anyone else grabs hold of it.
I realised last Thursday that gorgeous Kid Silk Aura is not the same as KidSilk Haze, it really is obvious if you look at it but I had picked the perfect colour for my Rowan Exchange gift and hadn't checked tension or yardage but just started knitting. I had been knitting for about a week. Stupid I know, I have never done it before and I will never do it again!! As after I ummed and ahhed about whether to buy more Aura or change to kidsilk haze I then had to frog it. A truly horrible experience. I am now way behind on my gift and having a bit of a panic.

The shoemakers children

The story goes that the shoemaker is so tied up with making shoes for other people that her children run barefoot. It is the same story for the children of the quiltmaker. Every year my children look on as I make and gift quilts to the children of friends and Mario's cousins. Last year my friends J and the little blue tortoise forced me to promise that 2007 would be the year that the twins could get quilts (Elenya made her own a couple of years ago)I promised but nothing happened I just couldn't find the time or the inspiration for the perfect quilt. All this has changed when we were in Belgium I picked up a copy of QuiltMania which had this quilt.
Oriana really liked it so this with a few alterations it going to be hers. I had great fun getting hold of the fabric as Moda were less than forthcoming about a supllier who actually stocked that particular range. Yet again I am grateful for the internet!The original is pretty small, certainly not big enough for her bed so I have added another border which I have I plan to applique a little a week posting it here should keep me on the straight and narrow!



I finally finished my felted bag.It languished for quite a while as I didnt really fancy making the i-cord but,once I actually put my mind to it,the whole fuschia thing really didn't take that long at all.


Just as well really as I have yarn for another noni bag that has been stashed for the last couple of years. As the yarn fairies came and wound it all for me a couple of weeks ago for which I a huge thank you! I might actually get organised with that sometime soon.

You always should have a quick and easy project on the go and mine of the moment is Swift by Marie Wallin. I am knitting it mainly because I had small amount of Diana Handknit cotton in my stash that I wanted to get rid of and this should do the trick. The pink is a coldspring find I am actually loving how it is turning out, it reminds me of the cover from Sons and Lovers