The Queen Finds Her Home At Last.

 Thank you for all the lovely comments about the Twelve days of Christmas Sampler. I still haven't framed it but have learnt that a friend of a friend makes frames for a hobby and we are planning to meet up soon, I just want something very simple so it should be easy enough for him.

I know it's a bit late but I hope that you all had a wonderful festive season it seems like a long time ago doesn't it. I always have mixed feelings about the whole thing I do enjoy the build up, but Christians Day is always quite stressful and I'm always glad when it's over.

I did enjoy son number three and daughter in law's visit they stayed with me for five days before going back to Qatar. It was lovely to have them here with me because it was two years since I had seen them.

At last I can reveal who the Queen Blanket was for two years after it's completion, where did those two years go! I was able to give Minju the blanket I made for her at last on Christmas Day. There was always the chance that she would read my blog and I wanted it to be a surprise for her so I could never reveal who who it was for.

I could tell she loved it and was quite touched, she wrote that it was the most thoughtful gift she had ever received on her Instagram account. It quite brought tears to my eyes, she has even taken it with her although I'd said she could leave it to use when she's here as weather in Qatar doesn't actually warrant the need for blankets but she insisted it was going with her.😊

It's lovely when you gift someone something  handmade and they genuinely love it and appreciate the time, work and love that has gone into it.

 They stayed in the UK for two weeks and divided their time between London, Durham and with me.  Everyone wanted a peace of them and I think they were quite worn out in the end. 

One of the places  they decided to visit was Cragside in Northumberland, my daughter and I tagged along with some misgivings as the weather was freezing, misty and very dull. I had never been before but what a fabulous place.

I would love to go back for a visit in the warmer months and spend more time there, much of it was closed off possibly for the winter and maybe because of the huge rise in Covid cases.  I'm so glad that we went along with them it was a lovely memorable day.

My son now has Covid it's day two for him and he's feeling quite poorly, I'm hoping that it soon passes and he won't be too ill, it's his 33rd birthday on Saturday, this is one gift he could have done without. We will be having a video chat I can't remember when I last spent time with him on his birthday, probably before his eighteenth he has packed so much into his life it's unreal but I'm so proud of what he has achieved. 😊

Take Care until next time. 😘😘

Her Majesty Takes A Bow.

The Queen Blanket.

I thought it only fitting that this beautiful blanket should have a post all to itself but having said that I am never completely satisfied with the photo's, it's impossible for me to capture the beauty of this blanket, you need to be up close to feel the texture and see the true colours.

The lighting has been so poor lately but I managed to get a couple of photos outside by pegging it on the washing line this morning

There she is in the sunshine blowing in the wind and only just in time as it is throwing it down with rain now.

The work on this blanket has kept me totally absorbed as you have to concentrate on the pattern, though it has to be said that many mistakes were made and had to be unravelled, some are fixable without having to pull it back and I got quite good at doing that as the blanket progressed.

working the double border, goodbye you pesky ends! 

Joining the double border with reversed sc (crab stitch)

I would definitely make this blanket again because there is the opportunity to make it totally unique, when you see all the different colourways and different interpretations of the pattern on the Facebook group page you want try them all but I will move on for now at least and try something different.

Stats..

This is the Queen Blanket 

The designer is Tinna Thorvaldar and you can find the pattern here

I adapted the pattern to make a medium sized blanket, it measures 110cm x 160cm

I used 1135 grams stylecraft special Dk in the Ruby Colorway.

I have felt quite bereft over the weekend, although it's always exciting to finish a large project you still miss it especially something that has entertained you for so long. I hadn't got a clue what to make next because there's so many possibilites and until I make a decision I always feel quite out of sorts and low of mood. 

Thankfully last night I started something new and I'm on top of the world again, to be revealed later along with a Crochet Mosaic Update. 

Stay safe everyone! 😘

Parties I will be linking to.

The End Is In Sight!

 We are approaching the last leg of the Queen CAL already can you believe it! I can't begin to tell you what a huge satisfaction it gave me as I crossed each row off the chart, there were six charts in all. 

This morning I knotted and trimmed the edges and as I write this I have just had an email telling me that the last part of the pattern is published yay! that's the double border. 

The double border will take me a while as it is what is says a double border one at the front and one at the back, the two are then joined together to seal in the ends, hopefully the big reveal will be in the next couple of weeks, that will take me nicely up to November and then I can decide what my November projects are going to be. 

I can't believe how quickly the days are flying past, I was reflecting on this time last year when everything was normal can you even remember normal? Anyway a friend was going to a Halloween party and he asked me to make him a crochet scarf to complete his Halloween outfit at very short notice,  you know it's amazing how quickly you can knock something up when you can crochet.....

Easy Peasy Halloween Scarf...

I made this in a couple of evenings, I had the yarn in my stash, a huge ball of Poundstretcher Aran,  just goes to prove you always need a stash of  yarn because you never know when you need to make something at short notice like this.

An easy peasy halloween scarf  made in htr (UK) hdc(US)  

I scouted around the internet for some scary skull and spider patterns and found the skull pattern here and the spider pattern here 

I left the fringe raggy on purpose for effect you don't need neat for Halloween. 

My friend was delighted and it raised some favourable comments apparently. All he needs to do now is remove the motifs trim the fringe and he'll have a nice warm scarf to wear whenever he needs it. 

I forced myself to go out for a walk the other day you know how it is when you're sitting cosy inside with your crochet on your lap, cup of coffee and biscuit ( more about those later) at your side, who wants to go out! 

Once I made the effort I was so glad that I had, the weather was quite mild and it was perfect for a beach walk...

Interesting caves to explore too. 

I really enjoyed the walk and went further than I intended, just getting back before the tide cut me off further along the beach.

Those biscuits 

I had been tidying my kitchen cupboards and found a jar of peanut butter and a jar of honey that were almost empty so I decided to use them to make more room in my cupboard....

Honey and Peanut Cookies...

2 cups SR flour

1cup oats

125 grams butter

100 grams light brown sugar

100 grams honey

2 tablespoons peanut butter

Place honey, butter, peanut butter and sugar in a saucepan and stir until completely melted, add the mixture to the dry ingredients combine and then roll mixture into balls, place on a baking tray and slightly flatten with a fork.  Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown on gas mark 180C or 350F

So quick and easy to make and they tasted so good! in fact they are nearly gone already so I'm now thinking about what to make next.🤔

Bargain Buy!

My daughter and I like to visit the local garden centre for a coffee on Sundays and last week they were selling these Chrysanths off for just £1....

When the flowers die off I can plant them in my garden and hopefully they will flower again next year.😊

I hope you all have a great weekend! 😘

Click here to see all the great Parties I will be linking to this week.

September Projects, Biscuits and a Posy of Flowers

September Projects

Work on my embroidery seems to have taken a back seat while I try and get as much of my blanket finished as I can, this is where I am so far....

I'm determined to get it finished soon in the hope that I'll have time to make a small Christmas stitchery, there are some beautiful free designs on the Love and Hugs from Australia group on Facebook and I'm hoping that I haven't left it too late to try at least one of them for this year. 

Have you seen the beautiful Twelve Days of Christmas cross stitch sampler Jo from Through the Keyhole is starting?  I think it's lovely and I would love to join her in making this and I may try but it will be a very slow process for me as my eyesight isn't really good enough for cross stitch anymore but watch this space you never know.

Thank you for all the lovely comments about my mosaic blanket in my last post, work on the blanket continues slowly, I don't think I'll get it finished before the Queen CAL starts  on the 18th September but it doesn't matter because I will just continue with it later.   I'm getting very excited about the start of the CAL most of the yarn for it arrived today, there are two balls of gold to add to the pile, I decided to make the Ruby Queen...

Look at those delicious colours! I can't wait to dive in and get started!

I have heard about yet another lovely CAL Mosaic Christmas the actual CAL has already started ...

Isn't it lovely I want to make that one too! the designer is Bebablanket and you can find the pattern and details about the CAL on her Ravelry page here  its available at a very reasonable price and is discounted until the 18th September. It's a very versatile pattern and could be made into a lovely cushion cover, throw, table runner, wall hanging, bag, in fact into whatever takes your fancy.  I intend making a start on this one when I've finished the Queen, I would quite like to make a table runner and some place mats but one has to be realistic Christmas will be here before we know it so just slow yourself down Linda and do one thing at a time haha there is far too much temptation out there! 

Biscuits

I have discovered this fabulous recipe for Wholemeal Digestive Biscuits, since my last reflux flare up I've been ever so careful about what I've been eating and I have decided that these are ok as long as I only have one or two, I only add 35 grams of brown sugar not the recommended 50 grams and I find that they are quite sweet enough. The chocolate covering is 70% cocoa which is good for you (just read this if you don't believe me)

This is the third batch I have made, ( I promise I didn't eat them all myself)  I didn't put chocolate on the first lot and they were still yummy.  

I know what you are saying why make them when you can buy them? well because they taste better and I know exactly what's in them.  😊

A Posy Of Flowers 

My late Summer garden is looking lovely at the moment with beautiful Asters which I grew from seed, Dahlias and Rudbeckia.  

Not huge amounts but just enough for me to gather a little posy and place in a vase for me to admire at every opportunity... have a closer look...

aren't they beautiful 😍

Simple but sweet

I hope you all have a great weekend, stay safe numbers of cases are rising! 😘

Click here to see what great parties I will be linking to.