Merry Christmas Everyone

 Hello Folks!

Christmas Eve is upon us.  

The utility room is not finished but we have hung the wall units and shoved all the stuff back in.  

We reclaimed the space that the flat packs took up, and just 3 days ago, got the Christmas Tree up.  I came downstairs the next day to find .........

Oh rats.

Back up and redecorated.

I went for a forage in my Mum and Dad's garden to find some greenery for my door wreath.  I made this yesterday and added some little copper lights.

              

Our Christmas plans have been changed somewhat because Master Clicky has covid.  Mr Clicky and me have done PCR tests and we are both fine so that's not too bad.  Master Clicky is just mildly ill but he's not  allowed anywhere near us, thankfully he is happy to stay in the study, gaming.  We were planning the have Miss Clicky, Mr S-I-L and Baby Needles for Christmas day that's been put back to next week, as long as Master Clicky is negative.

Thats me for now, have a wonderful Christmas, even if your plans have changed and don't forget to track Santa with Norad and go to bed before he comes.

H A P P Y      C H R I S T M A S.

Clicky Needles xx

December Trots On By

Wow, the second week of December already that's gone quickly.

I'd like to say that my decorations are up and all my presents are sorted but that's not true.

At the moment we are installing a new utility room, we bought the new units in August and have just decided to put them in.  Consequently we are surrounded by mess and dust. 

Before.

We've removed the tiles and replaced with new plasterboard. 

Mostly though we have made a mess.

Let's hope this gets finished soon, but if it's not, well so what?  I'm not getting bothered about it.  We'll tidy away as much as we can, whack a tree up somewhere and still have fun.  I will have the best Christmas this year because Mr Clicky will be with me, not stuck in Chicago 4000 miles away.

I have finished a few other projects and I've been making Christmas presents, so I can't show you those yet.

The car seat blanket for the new baby whom I shall call Tiny Needles is finished. A simple crochet ripple.

I've also made a leftover sock yarn hat for Tiny Needles.

I sat down last night and caught up with my Happy Stitch Project run by Clare Albans at HelloHoorayBlog.  Only two weeks left.

That's me for now, I'll see you soon.

Clicky Needles.

 

 

Stripes and Embroidery

Hello Folks.

I hope that you are well.  

Life here carries on much the same as usual, Mr Clicky goes into the office two days a week, I still look after Baby Needles who is now two and a half ~ where has that time gone? ~ a day and a half a week.  The very exciting news is that she has a new baby sister arriving in the New Year.  She has said she doesn't want to share her knitted car blanket I made her back in March, and, why should she? 

This time I decided to go for a crochet ripple, I still have some more to do, but it's going well so far.

I'm really loving embroidery right now and I've completed two more hoops.

Firstly I finished off the last few hearts.

I got the printed fabric from The Embroidery Cart on Etsy and used threads from my stash.  As this hoop is so bright and cheerful I think I will put it in my craft room.

The Autumn Craftpod is also finished.  Another enjoyable project. 

The community project that I have been working on with four others was finished in October.  This was for The Nelson Trust a local charity that supports women with addiction and are in contact with the criminal justice system.  It was to celebrate coming out of lockdown.  The wall hanging was embellished with flowers, bees, butterflies and bugs made by the local community.  

The group met on Saturday mornings starting in July.  With the embellishments already made we had to make everything else.  The bricks were printed on calico and then quilted.  For the background we took a section each, I had the river, and built up the picture using scraps of fabric which were again sewn onto calico.

We then sewed the bricks onto the background and added the bugs and creatures.

The words on the bricks were supplied by the users of the centre.

The bricks with negative words on were tumbling away.

I got good at making bullrushes with wire, felt and thread!

It was a real privilege to be involved in the project.

That's me for now, I'm of to ripple a bit more.

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

A Visit to the Museum

Hello folks.

I heard through the grapevine that there was a textile exhibition on at our local museum in Stroud so I needed to take a look.  It was a joint exhibition by Ruth Issett and Dorothy Tucker.  It is also touring with the Knitting and Stitching Shows.

When I walked into the room I was assaulted by colour.

I really loved this Nine Block Quilt by Dorothy Tucker.

I spent some time getting inspired and lost in colour  and then went for a wander in the museum itself.  It's only small and the curation is a bit mad; when our children were small they would often ask to go there during the holidays.  

Without doubt, their best thing to look at was the Budding lawnmower.  Edward Beard Budding was a local lad who in 1830, invented the cylinder lawnmower after seeing a cutter removing the nap from woollen cloth in a local woollen mill, he thought he might be able to make a machine for mowing grass.  In 1842 he also invented the screw for and adjustable spanner.

My favourite exhibit, and next to the lawnmower is the red Stroud Scarlet uniform.  This is made from Stroud Broadcloth which was produced all over the district.

Look at this beautiful gold work. 

Notebook used by Charles Hooper and Sons dye house with their notes it is pre 1890.

This is a sample book from Strachan & Co from the 1867 Paris Exhibition.

Today there is only one mill left, they are still manufacturing wool felt cloth for snooker and pool tables, and tennis balls.

That's me for now, some finished things in my next post. 

See you soon.................Clicky Needles.

 

Autumn Leaves

 

Hello folks.

Autumn is carrying on marching forward, the leaves from our cherry tree have covered the lawn.  Of course, as lovely as this looks it doesn't do the lawn any good, so this afternoon I have gone over it with the lawn mower and they are cleared.

I completed the three small hoops from this autumn's Craftpod, these really are tiny about 2cm across.  

They have joined the other hoops in the hallway. 

 

Miss Clicky and Baby Needles came to visit the other day; Miss Clicky asked if I could help her make a Halloween bag for their local Halloween trail for Baby Needles instead of using anything plastic.  She got some Halloween fabric, one with black cats and one with bats.  We made a small reversible boxed bottom bag, with a piece of each fabric on each side.  Miss Clicky did the sewing, I made her use my Singer 99 hand crank for the job.

I love that this bag will be used for many years to come.

It may be getting chillier but I still picked these Dahlias today.

Well, that's me for now, I have a day looking after Baby Needles tomorrow, so that'll keep me on my toes.  Bye for now.................Clicky Needles.   

Ta Dah!!!

Hello Folks.

Ta Dah! My Dad's jumper is finished.  The pattern is Rallar-genser and is the second one I have made.  It is knit in Jamieson and Smith 2 ply jumper weight.  It was a real joy to knit, bottom up and join on the yolk. 

 

My Mum and Dad popped by and picked it up, and it was well received.

The Autumn Craftpod arrived last week.  There are four boxes a year based on the seasons.  I'm itching to get going with this one but as I hadn't finished last autumn's hoop,

 

 

I made myself get it out and finish it off.   

Today I got all the hoops out that I have completed in the past and I've displayed them in the hall.

They are from previous Craftpods and various kits that I have made over the last few years.

I've been in a pottering mood today, I got this very dusty and pot bound Zebra Cactus that lives in the bathroom down to repot. 

From one sad looking specimen to seven happier looking ones.

Autumn is definitely with us, cool misty mornings, with sunshiny days and cooler evenings.  I'll miss summer. 

 That's me for now...........Clicky Needles.