Saturday, April 15, 2006

A week since setting up the blog. Many many thanks to you all who wrote comments to me - and that I didn't have the energy to reply to individually. They certainly cheered me up.

Several more days c
oughing and spluttering and very tired. Now thankfully on the mend.

One thing I missed was - Monday 10th - my study day at Committed to Cloth in Surrey - where I go once a month to print and dye fabric to my hearts content. This made me rather cross - but having little energy - I couldn't let that go on for long.

But I will show you a couple of pics of things of things I did earlier in this course. The pink is screen printed chiffon pinned out ready for some scree printed poetry - no not mine - Tennysons's (from Morte D Arthur).


The blue is a sort of spiral that I drew/painted literally hundreds of - to get 'the right one' for making into a screen.

Couple of good things in the past week. My two new books by Jan Eaton - 200 Crochet Blocks and also 200 Ripple stitches arrived. Also my Susan Bates needles from the USA. Nice - but not as nice as the old ones. Now why did they change those lovely metallic button ends for plastic!!!

I also tried a crochet flower out of the new Knit Simple (by Vogue Knitting) Mag. Quite pleased with it - and I got to use some of my huge stash of embroidery thread.

Am also crocheting a bag. This is quite accidental. I made it into the loft yesterday morning to pull down some wool to try some things in the Jan Eaton books. However, got distracted by a crochet spiral in the Freeform Knitting Handbag book by Pru Mapstone - made one and then whilst making a second - it somehow became a bag.

Yes you will have to wait for the finished object for a picture. Should be later this weekend. Also via a message on UKHK I found that Pru is in the UK and have signed up for 2 one day workshops in mid May with her. Can do freeform - but it will be so much fun to learn and widen knowledge and get hints and tips from the expert.

I also learnt yesterday that my local department store Allders in Croydon is to get Rowan yarn. I popped in not expecting much - in my hunt for some nice (NOT ACRYLIC!!!!) 4 ply - and they had Jaeger Matchmaker 4 ply in a dozen colours and then round the corner they had some of the new Classic yarns - I asked and the assistant said they're to get the full range. I do hope so. Of course as a Liberty gal I can get lots there - but sometimes you need something urgently and don't want to trek into London. I did needless to say get some 4 ply and the news made my day - was still a bit up and down yesterday.

Went out properly today - down to Eastbourne - to get a nice long walk by the sea - to blow away the cobwebs - and get out of the flat. Also to visit a bead shop I knew of but had not visited. Didn't buy too many beads - but they do have a good selection - specially of delicas - my favourites.

I also popped into CH Fabrics - am collecting 4ply yarn for the crochet blocks - I do believe that although I like those thick chunky fluffy yarns - my hands and I prefer finer yarns. I bought a book - Colour in Spinning - by Deb Menz. I don't spin (at the moment) but I love colour and this book is superb. Lots of stuff on colour and dyeing too - which is of interest to me. I picked it up and flicked through and instantly knew it had to come home with me.

Also made it to Lakeland Plastics - where stocked up on some essentials - including Carrs breadmaking mix - recommended to me by Les of Silkwood. My first loaf is just out of the oven. One thing I cannot abide about my bread machine - it cannot do a lovely brown crust - so this one I just used the dough program and then put it in a tin in the oven. It looks and smells divine.

The other thing - that being off sick enabled me to do - was to make my niece her loopy scarf in a fancy blue fluffy stuff (which I have no label for) and that chunky velvet Wow stuff. Can't say it was huge fun - think I prefer knitting - but it was quick and I have promised to make one for Sarah (nephews girlfriend) - but more like niece's big sis.

Enough for now methinks - better get on with that bag.


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bead shop, in Eastbourne where!!!

Glad you are feeling better!

Sue
xxx

Stitch 'n Dye said...

Fine Lines - in the Enterprise Centre.

Anonymous said...

That's great news about Allders! Up to now their yarn selection has been fairly dire unless you go for acrylics/novelty yarns - this could be good...
Glad you're feeling better too and I hope you enjoy the books!

CraftyPerson said...

Oooh! Committed to Cloth sounds amazing! I want to go and play. What a shame I have to work.

Gill said...

Sorry to hear you're not feeling well, Sue - sounds like you're going through a tough time and know you must have felt really bad to miss C to C.

Blog looks nice - see you have excellent taste in the template department!