Sorry for being absent for so long and a little crafting

We have been on holiday for quite a few weeks (13 I think in total and we have now landed back in Peterborough. Unfortunately, I could not gain access to my blog whilst being away. We did not have the computer with us, and I do not have access to the blog on my phone for the simple reason I tend to overshoot on the funding, so tend to do everything from the computer in any event.

Please note this post is slightly photo heavy.

It has been a lovely time away, and in all reality, I did not want to come back, as where we have been staying has been so peaceful I could just live down here.  Fingers crossed that one day I will.  That would totally be a dream come true for me.

We were restricted on space, being as we bought Pussycat Towers down with us in the car and built it up on the site, and so I was not able to bring with me my sewing machine as planned to do some patchwork and sewing as well as various other items that I had planned on brining.  Perhaps next time we will see.  Yes both our cats came with us on holiday.

I had bought with me some kits to work whilst we were away. 

First off was to work a small Pansy needlepoint which is to be an insert into a cushion.  I love Pansies, and I had worked a tiny amount of this particular kit a while back.  As I am trying to get rid of UFOs, it was good to actually be able to get stuck in and work the same.  I then ran out of wool and have not been able to locate any here so it will be a case of ordering off the Internet when I get back.  There are several items I need to source, not just from this particular kit.

This will not take much working once I have the threads.

I then started working a kit I have had for some time, and which was purchased from a Charity shop for the princely sum of £2.99.  The kit included a frame, clock fittings, embroidery threads and fabric, including the backing cards.  Bit of a bargain that.  I therefore set too and started to work this. I ended up buying more thread from Hobbycraft in Truro, as I tend to be a little heavy on my usage of embroidery thread.  I had worked quite a bit up to then, although I had strained my eyes a little bit and I have not worked any since. I have a very small compact lamp which will be ideal for the caravan, but I would by preference like a freestanding, moveable arm magnifying embroidery lamp so that I can easily see what I am doing. 

I will either continue with this project when I get home, when I have access to my small crafting lamp which should make it easier for me to work.  This is what I have achieved on the clock so far.

This is a picture of the kit chart.

Whilst in Hobbycraft I kind of got led astray by some wool. Last time we came down I had bought some mustard coloured wool and had started to work a crochet throw for my front room for the autumn/winter months.  With the costs of electricity and gas having gone through the roof, I wanted to make sure that I had something to cover me and keep me warm in the earlier part of autumn when I am sat down and without necessarily having to switch the heating on. Unfortunately, because of medical issues I do particularly feel the cold so needs must, one has to be practical.  

The colour of the wool is mustard, but to me it is more like a vintage gold. It does not show the colour so well in the photos, but it is a bright mustard gold. It will be cheerful though in the darker days.  

I am not following a pattern, so at the moment do not know how many balls of wool it will take me to complete this.  I am winging it a bit, nothing strange there. I have kept the wool bands so that I can calculate how much wool have used, and then can set too and make another one.  

I also bought wool for another jumper as one, I need some new jumpers for the winter months, secondly, it is cheaper to make them yourself than buy them new, three it is a strong learning curve for me as I am dealing with my Nemesis of knitting, four, I needed to have something to hand to work on if I ran out of wool for the blanket or could not concentrate on the cross stitch.  In a roundabout way I am glad I did as that is what happened.  This is the knitting pattern, and what have knitted whilst away.  The jumper will be finished hopefully in the next week or so.  I will then be able to concentrate on the jumpers started at home which also need finishing off.

Since then, OH took me back to Hobbycraft for some more of the mustard gold wool so that I could carry on working the same.  This time, I have come back with another 12 balls of wool.  I am hoping that this will be enough to complete it, but otherwise will get some more wool when I get home.

I also bought six balls of the WI double knitting wool, which is the wool I am using for the blanket, in Aqua, to start knitting another garment.  I spotted this particular pattern which is like a small jacket in Hobbycraft and it is classed as a beginner pattern.

The jacket is worked in Moss stitch, which is a stitch I like.  I have the Aran blanket at home, which is being worked in this pattern.  I thought that it would be an ideal garment for wearing over a dress, or indeed with jeans.  I feel the cold and with it being long sleeved, I thought it would help me keep warm, but still look neat and tidy for going out in.

Starting with the back.

Left hand side

Front and side neatly stacked

Am now working one of the sleeves.

Have a lot to do with us being absent for so long, but at least I got to craft whilst I was away.  Now I have to catch up with home things.  I just hope somewhere along the line I can get back to my knitting.  I want to finish the projects and get them out of the way.

Right must get to bed otherwise nothing will get done.

Catch you all soon hopefully (that is if I still have any readers left).

Take care.

Pattypan

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