Happy Campers

Had a fab weekend in the Dales with Janey - I'll publish some pics soon, but here's a map of the little wander we did on Saturday - it's a variation of the one I did with the Hen girls a couple of weeks ago.

Been to the farmers' market!

We went to the Leeds farmers' market this morning! Strangely enough, when we arrived there were about half the stalls that are usually there, and we were told that the mid-month market (it is held on the 1st and 3rd sunday of the month) is much smaller than the 1st of the month one. Clearly, without ever thinking about it, we've obviously only ever been on the 1st market and never the 3rd!!

We bought loadsa fruit and veg, pies, bread, cake, chutney. It's a killer going there when you r hungry!

Daisy

After the farmers' market, we went to the farm/butcher in Birkenshaw and stocked up on chicken and mince. It's very good.

They were closed for a few months, recently, and when they reopened, they had a couple more 'attractions' just up by the front door!

This was daisy - looking at us when we walked up from the car park.

Porky

No, this little chap isn't intended for our freezer! He was part of the farm welcoming committee!

Preparation

Washing all the camping stuff before going away next weekend with Janey!

Green Toes

Some more toe action - this time acid green tartan! I love em!

Mum and Dad in a hide

Looking at swans

Mum & Dad

We've just seen the kingfisher @ Fairburn Ings!

Hen Hen Hen

Just come back from a fabulous weekend for my friend Lucy's hen celebrations.
Spectacularly good!
Photos here...http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lucyhenlucy
Each album is the set of photos taken by each of the girls - feel free to browse!

Crochet - 1st complicated bit!

So it's the first 'increase' row of the cardie back. There's not too many instructions as to how to do it so have gone with this. I'm hoping that so long as I do the same on the other side, noone will know if it's right or wrong!

Italian Garden

Italian Garden
Originally uploaded by Let Me Show You What I See

My lovely colleague Colin is a dab hand at photography - he takes the most fab pictures. This is one I particularly like because It's the style of garden I'm hoping to persuade Dan to implement when we go for our BIG GARDEN PLAN!

Big Project - Crochet Cardie

I've been looking for a bit of a bigger project to challenge my newly found skills. It's taken a while to find one as most of the patterns I've found, make up into items I don't like very much, and that I'd not actually buy if I saw the finished product in a shop!

However, when I saw this cardie, I thought it was very pretty, and something I'd want to buy as a gift.

What do you think? 

So I went to the website and looked for what colour to order (for Mum). We decided against the beige-y colour in the picture, although it's pretty, we thought it was a bit pale for her, and I clicked on the colour chart that went with the pattern, for the recommended yarn, and decided on this nice light brown colour.

So, you can imagine my surprise, when the balls of wool arrived, and the colour was bright gold!

I checked the number of the colour that I ordered - it was "04" - and the colour that came in the parcel - also "04" - and then I went to check the number of the nice light brown I'd chosen on the colour chart. That turned out to be "04" too! How odd.


There was a link on the colour chart which said "for the full list of colours click here" and when I did, the photo of the colour "04" was completely different. Look ------------>

Now, looking at the photo of the 1st colour, I can see that it *might* be a gold colour taken in a bad light - but it does look a few shades darker doesn't it? The 2nd pic is far closer to the real thing. I may have to write to the company. Harumphhhhhh!

Anyway, the gold, although VERY gold and rather unexpected, is a LOVELY colour.

Super Shiny Shiny!

I'm going to go with it - it's going to make the cardie into a mega fab evening outfit. Over a black camisole & trousers with gold shoes and a bag - it'll look super glam on Mum!

Not only that but I think I'm going to make some bags with it too - I might even make Mum a matching bag!!!

Anyway, so that's my intention, and I *have* started to put it into practice. I'm doing the back first...

It's really pretty innit? I'm kind of impressed with myself that it is starting to look "real" and not like a home grown craft project. That may all change - when it measures 20cm I have to start a bit of shaping. Ahem. Not too sure how that's gonna work. I'll keep you posted!!!

Latest crafty stuff

Well, I've been trying out another few things on the crafting front!!! (Not all successful!) What do you think?

Zip Purse

I used  this tutorial on  http://www.craftandfabriclinks.com to create a little purse so I could have a go at putting in a zip! I've not quite got it right - I'm planning to do it on the machine with the zipper foot, but thought I'd better tack it in place 1st. Somehow although it looks ok from the end, it's a bit wavey then it's closed (3rd pic) so I've obviously got something slightly askew!

This is the 3rd attempt at hand stitching it in - so I'm going to have to take it out and try setting it in again before finishing it off on the machine!

Rose

Well I promised my lovely friend Em at Mimi & Tilly (link on the left in our blogroll) that I'd make her a rose. I searched for a nice full blown, blousy one (she loves blousey) and I got a pattern from t'internet.

In theory it should look like this when it's finished...(I am not going to do the leaves, just the flower itself) Pretty and just about the most blousey one I could find!

I've made the 1st petal, which wasn't so hard after I'd had a update to the pattern from Rubiania on Etsy because there was a typo!!! We got it sorted.

However, I didn't realise there was some WIRE involved - well I did, and I bought some florist wire and thought it was going to be for the stem, however I got to the last row of the 1st petal and realised that I have  to crochet somehow around the edges of the petals, incorporating the wire, and without a diagram, I've stalled a bit!!!

This is as far as I have got....

I'm sure I'll feel brave at some point! And when I have done one, the rest of the petals will be easy - I've just not quite got there yet. Sorry Em!

Bags

I've been trying to finish the green one with the square corners off


I've done the flap over the top for fastening it, and I've made a nice stripy lining for it...which looks very pretty but unlike the other bags I've made which were flat, this one is 3D so I *think* that the lining needs to provide a bit more body.

So, what I need to do now, is take the lining apart and re-make it with interfacing in. I don't like that part but it'll have to be done.

I'm thinking a nice gold clasp and maybe a chain handle too. 






Do you want to see the *ahem* deliberate mistake in this one....?

I only spotted it when I was doing the photos! Not sure what went on in that row, but clearly i wasn't paying attention! the rest of it is soooooo neat too!





Another bag - this one 'in the round'

So, mostly when I've been making the bags, I've done a front and a back then stitched them together. This time I wanted to do something in the round. That means you start with a flat-ish bottom bit and then spiral around up the sides doing them all in one go.

I have to admit, it's SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOW going - I suppose because there are 2 sides being created at once. But, it seems to be taking ages. I don't think it helps that I've chosen a smaller hook and a denser stitch either. None of this "stitching holes together" stuff. It's taking a while, but I'll get there. Round and Round and Round we go.

I have another BIG project on the go at the moment, but I think I'll put that in a separate post!

Wildlife news

Bertie Bat is back!!!!

We've been watching out for him for over a month but I spotted him 6 or 7 times last night - zipping aound the tree in the front garden looking for insects.

Welcome home!