April ends

Since my last post, when I thought Summer or at least Spring had arrived, it has turned cold and the odd heavy shower has fallen on us. This morning it is extremely foggy, but tomorrow is May 1st so hopefully the weather will improve.

Both of us have been struck down with terrible coughs and colds AGAIN!  There seems to be a virus going around and around, everyone getting it.

Easter display

Easter Sunday and the family came for dinner and a Chocolate bunny hunt [ One is still missing 9 days later!] Church in the morning was very uplifting and the perfect way to start Easter Sunday.

A friend from church has been collecting for a Charity sale in aid of a cancer patient, I was more than pleased to donate a couple of quilts.  Not sure if I have ever put them on my blog so here they are...

Scrappy ribbon quilt with fleece backing

Pinwheel lap quilt

The raised bed near my kitchen door has been emptied of very overgrown herbs and weeds, so I thought I would give it a try and plant runner beans  [Scarlet Emperor] with a row of carrots in front.

The netting is to keep the cats off until things start to grow. A car boot sale buy of a bag of canes plus a wooden expanding trellis that I had will be the beans support. Watch this space!

Runner beans and carrots

To get me sewing again I like to invite three friends to join me for the day. Last week Dorn and Christine joined me [ Judith was unable to come] and we had a great sewing day. I worked on a UFO black white with a dash of red quilt. This quilt was started about 10 or 15 years ago and I can now see the end is in sight.

Today three other friends are joining me and I have the room ready and four smaller projects to work on. A lap quilt, a Japanese bag, 2 Christmas bags and the cover for a foot stool, probably over ambitious in a 5 hour session!

Room ready for today

Time to open up the Summer House

It has been a long wait to get out into the garden, so with the sun shining we opened up the summer house, removed the stored BBQ, cobwebs and cleaned everything down.

We ate lunch on trays watching the fish darting about in the pool. and generally enjoying the day.

Time to get the crochet out, and work on my new blanket.

The view from my chair in the summer house.

Good Friday Discovery

The weather is glorious so we decided to make the most of Good Friday and go for a walk.

We did not want to go too far as usually the traffic is terrible on Bank Holidays plus the local children are on school holidays.

A little research turned up Bradlaugh Fields, neither of us had ever heard of it and it turned out to only be a short distance [2 miles?] from where we live.

Developed from a former golf course, Bradlaugh Fields is a 60-hectare site opened in 1998 having been designed by the local community for the local community.

It has been developed into a site rich in flora uncommon in Europe. A third of the British butterfly species can be found there along with a protected area for badgers.

Because of its conservation value, the park attracts a wide range of visitors each year from education groups to local community activities.

It turned out to be somewhere we definitely go again, although with so many dog walkers we felt bereft not having a dog!
Mowed paths lead through interesting wooded areas, and we still have the main path and barn to explore.

Old jeans to new bag

A friend joined me for a sewing day today, while she worked on her quilt, I took an old pair of black jeans and cut them up to make a new bag.  The back pocket is the size of my ipad while the ‘pocket’ will hold my iPhone.
I used a pretty red fabric for the lining.

Experiment in crochet colours

Funny how after an illness and doing absolutely nothing for a couple of weeks I feel like doing everything and starting a number of new projects.

Having just completed the Sweetpea blanket designed by Lucy at Attic24 I thought I would have a go at designing a colourway for a new blanket to match my new bedroom curtains.

This is a first for me, as I usually find I am quite happy to let someone else do the designing and I just like the making process and follow blindly in their choice of colours.

Armed with my Stylecraft Special DK chart I chose 13 [+2] colours to match my fabric, then gave it to Chris and asked him to do the same. Bingo we agreed on all but two, so the order was placed on Monday with Woolwarehouse and like magic when I arrived home at lunchtime today [Wednesday] the package had arrived... brilliant service and all neatly in its own little bag.

The 13 colours to match my curtain fabric.

Just another view, the [+2] extra balls are so I can crochet more rows of the background colours.

Back in a craft mood

After just over two weeks of chesty cough and terrible cold I feel like doing something.

This pair of socks were almost completed about six weeks ago so I picked up my DPNs [double point needles] and completed them in time for Easter.

Knitted with Regia 4ply wool in one of Arne and Carlos's designs.. cannot find the label to tell you the colour.  I love working with this yarn as it is so interesting seeing the different colours appear, and even more satisfying that it worked according to the instructions they both come out the same.

I have a couple more pairs waiting to be completed, so better hurry before it gets too warm to wear them.

Easter school holidays

Wednesday Abigail and Eleanor arrived for three days, with Abigail staying and Eleanor going home overnight [her choice].

I have been SO looking forward to having the girls here, but a slight bump long the way I have gone down with a terrible cough and cold which meant some of the plans had to be altered.

We started their visit with a decluttering of the furry toys they have accumulated here plus a car load of "stuff" to go to Emmaus Charity shop. We have the rule to bring home less than we take and other than one thing Chris bought we did pretty well.

A chilly sunny day taking items to the Charity shop.

A visit to the Carlton Country Park for a quick dose of fresh air and a play on the gym machines.

Feeding the ducks and swans

Thursday the girls planted runner bean seeds into pots, Scarlet Emperor. I intend to plant them in a freshly cleared raised bed.

Potting up seeds

Eleanor went home in the evening to try on her new leotard, she was so excited and looks great.

Friday a visit to the Britannia Inn restaurant for lunch went down well.

Different burgers for the girls

Fish and Chips for Chris and me.

Everyday was 'mystery games day'. having sorted out all the games we own into one place they took it in turns to choose a game, most of which we had not played in years!
Triominos, Monopoly[English version], Game of Life, Card game we call 65p [but we used smarties] UNO, Rummikub, Sequence, Monopoly [ American version] and Ticket to Ride [French version].

Ticket to ride

Travelling across France.

All is quiet today as they have gone on holiday, so now to get well again before the Easter weekend.

March into April

How often do we say "where has the time gone" but where has it gone, here we are in April already.

March the 31st was Mothering Sunday, and I found this lovely photo of my Mum Catherine Mary Simons [nee Ashby]
Always known as Mum, Mary, Gt Grandma etc etc...
She joined the St John Ambulance Brigade as a young woman and became one of their nurses, she volunteered to help during the war only to find herself pregnant with me and unable to serve. Miss you Mum.

With Jacq away in China, Richard and the girls came for lunch on Mothering Sunday.
As usual we player Ticket to Ride after lunch, one of my favourite games.

Thursday was IAM craft day with seven of us enjoying a relaxing day sewing, knitting , crocheting and lacemaking.

Ann had worked hard to make a large selection of birthday cards.
Clare's lace in the foreground.

Penny had completed her Christmas quilt.

Clare showed us her pinwheel quilt, love the soft colours.

Dorn was working on a pile of hexagons and diamonds.

Maureen was busy crocheting her Sweetpea blanket, while I worked on the binding of a UFO quilt