What a lovely award I have just received! I do like the idea of an award that is called blogging friends forever. It's lovely, thank you so much Jean .

Here are the rules -
1. 5 people are allowed to receive this award.
2. four dedicated followers of your blog.
3. one is to be new to your blog and live in another part of the world.
4. please link back to the person who gave you this award.
Now for the hard bit, choosing 5 people

http://kaylacoo.blogspot.com/

http://spiritcloth.typepad.com/spirit_cloth/

http://herewitht.blogspot.com/

http://paulahewitt.wordpress.com/

http://malinaplass.blogspot.com/

Well, it was very difficult to choose because there are some wonderful blogs out there, but if you haven't come across any of these before, do go and check them out, they are well worth a visit.

From Little Acorns.

From little acorns, I have been meaning to do this for some time, since I first heard that pure wool sweaters could be felted in a washing machine. So I have machine felted 4 sweaters. These are all plain colours so I decided to add some colour with some multicoloured merino wool that I've had for some time. This is not going to be finished that quickly, as I have set myself a labour of love.

This will eventually become a large patchwork blanket. In the past I have knitted and crocheted blankets but this time I just get to join the pieces and decorate, I call this fun. I have sort of invented my own method of joining. I have done this by making a simple chain stitch around each square. Then I weave in and out of the sides of each chain stitch and this becomes a decorative stitch in itself but is also very strong. It also means that you don't have to turn the edges or worry about it fraying because the weaving stitch covers it all nicely. I am doing this weaving on the back too. When I have finished I will show the final piece on here and then I will wrap my self in it because it looks as though this year, we might be in for a bad winter! It's got oh so cold this week.

On that note, I have also been busy making my grand daughter a scarf. She did ask if I could make her a baby blue one. It's lately become her most favourite colour. I've done some blending of merino and some of my own dyed fleece from local sheep and it has worked really well. I wet felted it and then I realised that the shape of it didn't quite work because it was a too wide for such a little neck. Then I considered cutting it in half length ways and I didn't like the idea of having a join.

The final design then came to me. I did cut it up the middle but I left a section at the end which acts like a collar and sits flat on the back of the wearer, similar to a sailors collar. It worked better than I had imagined.

I tried to keep the designs simple as she is growing up, she doesn't want it to be over the top. The stitching around the edge is made up of blanket stitch, running stitch with a weaving stitch between the two. This is becoming a feature of my sewing, and although time consuming I do enjoy the rhythm of this kind of sewing. To finish it off I made some simple braids from thin rovings and slipped them under the embellisher to secure them. It's in the post to her and I do hope it will help to keep her warm because it is a lot colder up the North East of England.

Just before I go, I must share this next picture with you. This was the view this morning down one of our nearby Kentish lanes. The colour is still on the trees, and hedgerows, it was bitterly cold, the frost can be seen on the grass to the left. The sky was a beautiful clear blue. A picture worth recording, even from the car window. Snow is forecast, so here comes winter...

Tif Challenge My Workspace

The Tif Challenge which Sharon set this month was to think about My Workspace. Some times I would rather not, lol.
It's just too small!!! I spend half of my time tidying, moving things around to make more room. It may look organised from this first picture but no, there is just far too much in one room.

The problem is that when I want to use something I normally have to shift something out of the way. You see this room is only about 7ft x 8ft and there is a cupboard taking up most of the space.

Yes, I have my lap top and two machines on one desk.


This is the opposite side of the room with the desk under the window. This is supposed to be my drawing desk, huh... hardly! Note the felt pieces laying in a tray at the back. So, does anyone out there have a magic word that makes a space extend??? If you do please let me know. Thanks Tricia

A Round Robin, Some dye work and a walk in the woods.

Ok, I'm tryng to catch up. This is only a fraction of what I have been doing lately but it's all I've got pictures of as yet.
This picture below, is a felt background which has been made as a base for a Round Robin that is taking place on my challenge site. The idea was to make a felt background based upon the theme of Landscape. Once we have made the background we will post it to the first person on the list. Eventually our background will make it's way back to us after everyone has added their own bit of stitching etc.. I am looking forward to seeing how this works, it is the first time I have held one of these, if it goes well we will probably repeat it on another theme.


This next picture shows, not very well because of the light, apologies, but this is the big bag of fleece I have been dying. This wool is all from local sheep, infact some of them are in the field behind my garden right now. You wouldn't guess the dye is from a drink powder, Koolaid. I experimented and mixed the colours,
The reason why the colours work so well is because of all the citric acid in the powder, it helps it to cling to the wool fibres. Sorry the picture doesn't do the colours justice, as it was taken in artificial light. I've still more to do, but I have some silk to spin first.

It's been a really funny time lately for our family, we had some wonderful things happening with my Grand daughter but we also had some pretty awful times too. This has made it all rather stressful and tiring so today I decided it was time to take some time out. I went for a short but beautiful walk in the woods.

The colour is just starting to turn here in the South of England.

The light through the trees was so beautiful.
I took loads of pictures, I haven't had the time to go through them all properly, but I am hoping to use some of them for inspiration on my landscape work. That'll be on the next blog. Bye for now Tricia

A Bronze for her country at 11 years old

SHE DID IT! Our little Rebekah has won a bronze medal for her country at 11, would you believe that!!!!!

Well, I could hardly believe it either. Her Mum said as she told me the news on the phone, "Mum, she can hardly hold the flowers and the medal, while supporters crowded around her all asking for her autograph. This is amazing, we have never had anyone in our family win anything like this before. Isn't she wonderful? Thanks everyone who wished her good luck, it worked! It'll be some time before we come back down to earth I'm sure. Speak soon Tricia

How did she get this far?????

This is only going to be a very short blog, no needlework/art today. I just had to let you all know the progress of the World Championships in Glasgow.
Rebekah has made it to the finals!!!! How did she ever make it this far at the tender age of 11. I'm stunned!

The first round, yesterday, on the 3rd, Rebekah was obviously suffering extreme nerves and I'm not surprised. Representing your country is no mean feat at 11 years of age! She was not doing so well yesterday, she lost a couple of marks for small timing errors apparently. this sport is just so strict. We all thought that was it, we had been given the impression that she wouldn't be able to pull herself back even if today were perfect.

Well, I don't know how this judging thing works but today I heard the news, she is in 8th place. She goes through to the finals tomorrow and while we are wondering how on earth she got this far, we are feeling for her and her Mum thinking it must be awful having to go through it all tomorrow again. Now tomorrow they all start from scratch and basically it is all about how they are on the day. It could go anyway, so to speak.
Well, what ever the outcome tomorrow I think she is incredible to have got this far. I shall be glad when it is all over, my stomach is churning just thinking about it. So how must she feel, goodness only knows. If you read this, say a little good luck wish for her, she tries so very hard and deserves it so much.
GOOD LUCK BEX from all of us here. Love Nanny x x x