A Super Break

Hello Folks.

We're back from a lovely camping holiday in Exmouth. We stayed at a great National Trust campsite called Prattshayes Farm.

The weather has been fabby apart from one cloudy day, we've come back with that nut brown look you can only get from camping.

Shock, horror! we didn't need those blankets! I must confess to taking more than the five I showed in my last post but it was so warm in at night they were just not needed.

We spent days on the beach, some sandy, some peebley, ate fish and chips, played cards, played cricket and had a generally fun family time.

The Clicky Needles gang had a swim (!) while I sat soaking up the glorious sunshine and sewing in the ends of my hooky piles.

We had vote for which beach we preferred - everybody except Mr CN liked the sand. DS in proper boy fashion goes into full excavation mode digging holes everywhere.

We laughed at this dog having a lift.

Mr CN in the rock pools.

Devon drystone walls look very different from Gloucestershire ones.

I love the colour and texture of these.

We visited a little fair and won two new friends, Stuart (left) and Bernard.

As we packed all the equipment away today I felt rather sad that it was all over. I love camping. I am however, looking forward to a night in my own bed and I'm enjoying tea at home. It never quite tastes the same away.

I'll leave you with a Sea-Sidey mosaic.

Bye for now..................Clicky Needles.

School's out!

Yep it's finished.

What a relief, I was definitely running on empty.

The trip we went on this week was to Adam Henson's Cotswold Farm Park. We think we saw him, well, we saw his dog and people working around some penned sheep, so that's near enough for me.

Of course, there were lots of lovely animals.

Starting at the top; Herdwick Sheep, Gloucester Old Spot piglets, White Park cow, Gloucester cow having a munch, Tamworth piglets, Kune Kune piglets, Cotswold Sheep (not very wooly having been shorn), Highland cow and and Iron Age pig with her piglets.

It was great until about an hour before we were due to leave and the heavens opened! Boy did we get wet, not that the kids were bothered!

Today I've been preparing for our holiday. Charging batteries, trying to remember things like marmite, tea bags, torches and the most important things ~ blankets! I don't like getting cold at night!

I've pulled out an array of fleeces and DS's blanket is having it's first camping trip. Quite often all of the blankets end up wrapped around me and the rest of the Clicky Needles gang complain that they're too hot!

I've decided to crack on whilst we're away with the Little Granny Squares although it might be a squash getting my crochet bag in, DD's BF is joining us too. Another person in the car will have it bursting at the seams! Just as well we are only going to Exeter with a fairly short journey time!

Although it's raining at the moment the weather forecast is looking good for the weekend and beyond, so thanks very much if you asked for sunshine it seems to have worked.

Must go now I need to find the mallet.

Have a great week......Clicky Needles.

Noisy Planes

Hello All.

Hope you're doing well.

We've finally got to the last week at school~ waaaaaaay!

We've had the production of Joseph and his Technicolour Dream coat, sports days and school picnics.

I'm going on a trip next week with KS1 (the little children) and term will have finished.

Children and adults alike are worn out and tired.

DS and me had to go shopping yesterday to get him some things for our holiday, we're off next Saturday camping for a week. We popped into Wilkinsons and I got this rather pretty apron after seeing it on Bellascountry blog. A bit Cath Kidston but much cheaper. Unfortunately I don't think this apron will turn me into a domestic goddess but never mind!

Talking (ish) about designers I'd like to point you in the direction of a young print designer Katie Harding, she is the daughter of one of my colleagues. I particularly like the lime green flowery print she has at the bottom of the Fennofolk Section.

Today, the Clicky Needles gang went to Royal International Air Tattoo at Fairford well, not inside the gates ~ we have friend who lives opposite the runway so we went to her garden.

It's 12 years since we went last time, DS was 2 months old! which in hindsight is far too long.

Just after we got there this Apache Helicopter was displaying, turning upside down, flying forwards and backwards and doing things that a helicopter shouldn't be able to.

Up.............

....and down.

The Chinook was equally as amazing, making that wakka wakka noise.

This was part of a move called The Roller Coaster. Apparently when performing this the pilot sees sky, ground,sky, ground. It finished with a bow to the crowds.

These two made me shudder. The sound of those Rolls Royce Merlin engines...................

Hurricane.......

and Supermarine Spitfire

The two Tornado GR4 were so loud it made the ground rumble and our tummies feel funny. I had to shout at DS who was stood next to me. No pictures I'm afraid they were too fast!

The F16e was also incredibly loud, it could fly horizontally whilst in this position.

I think the highlight of the day for me was seeing the Avro Vulcan fly.

It taxied opposite us.......

....................and flew right above our heads.

Just awesome. One minute totally silent, the next the air is filled with noise.

This plane is funded by donations!

The display was finished off, as always by the Red Arrows.

We had a super time, I spent most of the day grinning like an idiot!

Despite those clouds looking grey and grim, the rain stayed away. Now we're back home however, (we only live about 30 minutes away from Fairford) it has started to rain.

I enjoyed it so much I didn't get out my crochet (!)

I took some more of my Little Granny Squares to sew some ends in but didn't pick them up. I've been working on them for the last week ~ nothing on the cardi ~ so I'll take a picture soon.

I'll say bye for now, please request some good weather for next Saturday when we shall be spending the week in the tent and I don't like camping in the rain!!!!!

Have fun whatever you do................Clicky Needles.

100th Post!!!!!!

Wow, my 100th post!

I really, really enjoy blogging, sharing my thoughts, projects and a small snapshot of my family with you. I've made loads of new friends and I love sharing their lives too.

I've even got 48 followers now! Thanks to everyone!

I've got that Drops cardi underway, I'm using Rowan Cotton Jeans, no, not from our favourite on-line yarn store (Kemps in case you didn't work it out!) but from the yarn swap/stash rearrange we held at the Butterfly Knitters in November. Not the most inspiring picture ~ sorry!

On to gardeny things.

We had these radishes in a salad yesterday, DS loves them because of the colours.

This has come from the next door neighbours' ~ it's managed to get through the fence ~ still I'm not complaining. I think it's a Hardy Fuchsia ~ if anybody knows for sure please let me know!

The Clematis on the front of the house is lovely ~ a 7 foot tower of flower! ~ no doubt helped along my DS' trellis that he made on Good Friday.

Lastly my white planter.

I try (sometimes) to be tasteful and decided on a white colour scheme for the pot. Can you spot the mistake?? The blue lobelia hadn't flowered when I put it there.

Nature seems to have a way to get the upper hand!

DD and Mr CN are away this week, DD is having a week work experience at an Army base in Wiltshire and they are staying in an hotel there, so DS and me are having a peaceful week.

This gives me lots of time to think spinning..................................mmmmmmmmmmmm.

Hope your week is a good one.

Have fun..............................Clicky Needles x

Baby Blanket Ta-Dah!!!!

Hello Folks.

TA-DAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

The baby blanket is complete.

I'm really pleased with the way it came out. I had planned to do a stripe of each colour for the border, but having used lots of the navy blue on the Little Granny Squares there wasn't much left, so it was just red, blue and green. I really like the effect. I could have carried on and on with the border, I was enjoying it so much but made myself stop.

Despite me being a bit scathing about the yarn ~ Marriner Double Knit ~ when washed it comes up very soft and just right for wrapping up precious things in.

I gave it to my colleague today she was very pleased with it. Other comments of 'You're so clever' and 'Wow' from the other teachers did wonders for my ego!

I finally got the Friendship Blanket Squares finished and sent.

My new cable book is really becoming useful.

I've been thinking quite a lot about spinning having enjoyed last Sunday so much and even dreamt about spinning. Dreaming about knitting/crochet etc is not uncommon for me (and I suspect for you also.) When I decide on a new pattern or project I quite often dream about it I'm so excited!

Now the Baby Blanket is out of the way I've started the Drops Cardi ~ I'll show you pictures next time when it's a bit bigger.

Have fun whatever you get up to.

Bye for now .....................Clicky Needles.

In a Spin

Hello Folks!

The weather around these parts seems to be a little better ~ it's stopped raining and is dry at least ~ although it has been a bit sticky too.

I've had a lovely day.

My (cyber!) friend Little Red Dragon was staying with her family this weekend who live just around the corner from me. She had her spinning wheel with her and kindly offered me a go. Here is my first single ~ well I say mine ~ LRD had a lot to do with it!

Then we made another single and when plied together....

........Ta-Dah !!!

I really enjoyed making it. LRD suggested that I 'park and draught' as though I was using a drop spindle and it worked quite well for me.

The treadle foot motion I found ok ~ I learnt to sew on my Mum's (and her Mum's) Singer Treadle sewing machine. If you go backwards on that you break the thread, so you learn pretty quickly not to do that!

We had a lovely morning, sat in the garden talking fibre and knitting. The wheel is an Ashford Kiwi. LRD likes it because she says 'It's all lined up in front of you' having looked at other designs I see what she means. I thought it was very nice.

I watched LRD for a bit ~ she is very good.

She made this.

Isn't it beautiful?

She's planning a shawl with this ~ she's not going to ply it.

Whilst we sat in the garden we were surrounded by the beautiful scent of a Philadelphus.

The plants in their garden were all my sort of colours ~ pinks, blues and purples, it looked stunning, putting our slightly overgrown (and a bit weedy) garden to shame.

Thanks so much LRD for the lesson and to your family for making me so welcome.

When I got back Mr CN and me set to work on our garden and made it a bit better (in places.)

This rose "Geoff Hamilton" is producing loads of flowers and smells divine. It is in the border by my favourite place (on the patio in my steamer chair.)

Talking of which (the chair) it was occupied after this afternoon's gardening exertions by me and the Granny Square Baby Blanket. I'm now on the border, so expect a big Ta-Dah! soon.

Righto need to go now and check out the price of Spinning Wheels. :-)

Have a good week.

Byeeeeeeeeeeee.........................Clicky Needles.

June Mosaic

My favourite pictures for June.

There doesn't seem to be much knitting or crochet, I'll see if I can do better in July!

Full post tomorrow.

Byeeee...............Clicky Needles.