New followers ...

Just a quick welcome to my two new followers Nay and Clare.  Hope you enjoy following the blog!

Reader, I could spit ....

I won't of course, firstly because my mother would not approve, secondly because it is an insanitary habit and thirdly because I'd probably just end up with dribble down my chin. But, this book arrived today from Amazon.

75 birds, butterflies & beautiful beasties to knit and crochet

It is by the wonderful Lesley Stanfield who also wrote 100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet, a book you really should have in your collection if you are a knitter. This book contains some delightful patterns including bugs, beasties and butterflies, several beautiful new flower patterns, fruit, berries and - wait for it - BIRDS!! Now, if you have scrolled back through my posts, you will see that I have put on photos of my knitted blue tit and my knitted dove. I had this vague idea of trying to produce a book of knitted bird patterns but it would seem that Lesley got there first. However, lovely as Lesley's birds are, I still like mine better!

Lovely knitted butterflies

Lesley Stanfield knitted bluetit

Lesley Stanfield knitted dove

 

Knitted doves ...

This blog does seem very knitting orientated at the moment.  Never mind, only 6 days until our car boot sale season begins again and I can start collecting lovely things to paint. 

In the meantime, I want to show you a little idea I've been working on for a while.  Last summer I saw a lovely wedding decoration with doves, ribbons, etc - you get the idea - and began to think about knitting birds (I've already shown you my knitted blue tit pattern). I searched the web and found quite a few patterns but they didn't quite fit what I had in mind.  So I began to try to work out my own pattern.   I went through many attempts and produced objects in all shapes and sizes, many of which resembled fish.  A little touch of Darwinism there, I thought.  Anyway, eventually I came up with this pattern for knitted doves which, I think, would make a lovely wedding decoration or gift. 

Knitted dove wedding decoration

I've made them to hang and added Congratulations ribbon ...

Knitted bird

But, if you added a small peg underneath, they could perch and the ribbon could say Good Luck, Thank You, Best Wishes, With Love ....

Knitted dove

And why stop at two?  Have a string of doves holding ribbons all round a room.  That's an idea I might visit very soon, in fact. I used vintage yarn for the doves (as I try to do for all my projects) on this occasion found in a local charity shop.

And the rejected birds?  Well the kittens had a good time batting them around the room!

Knitted Gargoyles ....

This week I've gone gothic and knitted gargoyles.  I found the pattern, by a very talented lady called Georgina Manvell, here.  She's done some lovely animal and bird patterns as well as two other gargoyle patterns.  I liked this one for his sad expression. 

Knitted Gargoyles

After I'd finished them I started thinking about what to do with them and discovered that there are many places in a home which would benefit from the addition of a knitted gargoyle.

In the fireplace ....

On top of the grandfather clock ...

In plant pots

Welcome to my first follower!

Have to say a personal welcome to Izzy as my first follower.  So pleased you like the blog and have to compliment you on your good taste!

Gnome, sweet gnome ....

A few days ago I was looking through my pile of knitting patterns to find something to keep my hands busy and came across an Alan Dart book I've had for some time - Irresistible Gifts to Knit. This book, which is now out of print, contains many of Alan's best patterns including Noah's Ark, Farmyard Frolics, Beach Bunnies and Yuletide Gnomes.  So I delved into my every growing stash of yarns and found some to produce these two guys.

Alan Dart Gnomes

I enjoyed knitting them so I had a look on ebay to see what else was available and was horrified at the prices some of Alan's patterns were fetching.  I googled him and found his own website where you can download his patterns for the bargain price of £2.50 each!  So, all you Alan Dart fans out there, don't buy on ebay, but direct from the designer. I particularly liked Pierrot and Pierrette, Father Christmas, Jack Frost, Albert and Mabel, Bridal Bunnies - almost all of them in fact.  I can see I shall be busy for some time and the yarn pile may actually get smaller!  Happy Knitting.

Saturday afternoon painting .......

The nice oak box I showed you a couple of days ago is now painted with blackberries and polished. 

I like the polished finish much more than the original varnish and I think the blackberries add interest.  Let's hope someone else likes it too!

The spoils of Shepton ...

Although the February Shepton Mallet Flea Market was the busiest I have ever seen it with enormous crowds arriving to look for treasure, I did manage to get round some of the stalls early and it turned out to be good for buying as well as selling.   One of the things I got was this modern Butler's Tray.  

I painted it, adapting the design from a tray in my collection, and this is how it turned out ...

And in more detail (please excuse the terrible photo) ...

As the tray is a good size I shall use it as part of my stall to display things on and hold on to it for a while. 

I also bought this very nice modern box.

I'll show you what I've done with this once I've had a chance to polish it up again.

A few days away ...

Northern Man and I had a few days in Marrakesh over the half-term break.  The weather was warm, the wine was cold, the Riad was an absolute joy. There were souks ...

There were palaces ...

And more palaces ...

And gardens ....

And storks building nest after nest along the high walls of the city and the palaces ...

And we had a wonderful time.  But enough of this levity -let's get back to the serious stuff of life, crafting.

My garden thinks that spring is just around the corner and things are shooting everywhere.  Inspired by this I have been working on a wired wreath or garland of knitted and crocheted flowers and here is the result ...

Knitted Flower Wreath with knitted blue tit

I have a wonderful book by Lesley Stanfield called 100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet.  Although I have knitted many of her splendid creations, I decided to have a go at coming up with patterns for some knitted flowers of my own.  Some were better than others and the not so good ones are the ones tucked underneath so that you can't see so much of them!  I finished the garland off with another pattern of my own - knitted blue tits.