Basket Making

Hello folks!

Last Saturday I was lucky enough to go on a basket making course, organised by my knitting pal Romain for her W.I.  There was an unexpected space, so she asked me if I fancied it.  I jumped at the chance.

The tutor was a lovely local basket maker. 

I had thought that the structure would be complicated but once it was explained, not so much.

Firstly you make the base. 

When that is complete you can start working upwards...

..until you reach the height you want, and then you can bend over and tuck in the top.

This was my first attempt, I used all the different colours of willow that were available.

This was my second basket, which was much quicker.  

 For this I used stripped (white) and steamed willow which makes the natural colour go dark.  A bit holey, but not too bad.

At the end of the day there was a big array of different colours and sizes. 

 I really enjoyed it.  Will I try it again?  Maybe.

The other thing I need to show you today is my new quilt cover.  It came from Tesco, I missed it last winter and happened across it a few weeks ago whilst browsing the Tesco website.

I was really miffed when I couldn't get it and I guess you can see why.

A super soft and cosy brushed cotton cover, and IT'S KNITTED!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, not really knitted but a knitted print.

I love this sooooooooooo much. 

 Mr Clicky was less impressed, "I've got to sleep in knitting too?"  

Yes Mr C, you do.

It's really chilly at the moment so a brushed cotton cover is just what we need.

Righto, I'll see you soon, as always, have fun.

Clicky Needles. x

My Kitchen Window Sill

When I was out shopping the other day in the supermarket I looked through the reduced flower bucket.  I stopped for a moment and realised I my kitchen window sill has actually got flowers on already.  It is north facing and therefore fairly cool, pot plants do really well there.

Firstly, the amaryllis is fully out.  A lovely soft pink and white.

Next to that a very fragrant jasmine.  I bought one for Mum for Christmas and one for me too.  This is filling the kitchen with beautiful scent.

Next, a cyclamen  which was given to me 4 years ago.  I've managed to keep it alive and it flowers all through the winter.

Then we have Camile the 25p camelia that Miss Clicky got from work

and an orchid that was given to me by a neighbour for my birthday several years ago.

So really, I probably don't need to buy flowers.

One other thing to show you today, some lovely velvet ribbon from Tiger.  Just because......

See you soon ... Clicky Needles.

Flat ~ In Two Ways

Hello Folks.

I awoke this morning to a flat tyre.  This was not wholly unexpected as I have been pumping it up for the past 6 weeks or so.  Today it was undriveable.  "No worries," I said to Mr Clicky, "I'll phone the RAC, they'll do it."  Mr C muttered that he could change a tyre and we didn't need them.  He started loosening the wheel nuts but the locking nut proved to be a sticking point.  We both jumped up and down on the tyre lever, but it would not budge.  30 minutes later the nice RAC man turned up and had it changed in a jiffy, the culprit being a broken off screw firmly lodged in the tread.

We had a little bit of snow in the week.  It was very beautiful, but unfortunately not enough to cause a snow day.

It then becomes a nuisance because at school the children take 10 minutes either side of break times, trying to find wellies, hats, scarves and gloves.  It had warmed enough by the afternoon for a bit of rain, and soon it was gone.

   My Mum gave me a Amaryllis for Christmas which was lovely because I can't remember the last time I had one.  It's been putting on inches every day and is nearly ready to burst.

Which about describes me as well at the moment.  Do you remember my Caramel Cardigan?  I cast on on Christmas Day, all excited that a new project was under way.  Remember that I said my tension was "a bit off'?"  I've got to the sleeves and split the body.  Maisie was happy to model.  There was however, a bit of a problem.  It was too tight!  I measured my tension again, still off.  What could it be?  I was at loss and then checked my needles.  Pattern states 4mm......................I was using 3.25mm.

What was I thinking????????  As I have previously said I did cast this on on Christmas Day but I had only drunk 2 glasses of champagne.    AAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH.

This evening I shall mostly be frogging.

Have a good week, I'll see you soon.

Clicky Needles.

Back to it

Hello All.

The house had been undecorated and the decorations packed away snuggly

and put back into the attic.

Our tree joined the others in the village recycling skip after we chopped it in half to get it into the car more easily.  

One last Christmassy picture to show you, Master Clicky made this snowflake decoration in his graphics lesson.  It was laser cut by computer from a sheet of thin MDF, he wanted me to show it to you.

The first week back at school has been good, although it took a little while to get back into the swing of things, the weather hasn't helped which is wet and windy right now.

I though you might like to see these pictures.  The first one of Tipper (the dog) helping Mr Clicky doing some pre-Christmas plumbing looking very angelic.

And the second one what happens when he ~ the dog obviously ~ manages to get to the bin at night time.

Oh dear.

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

Clicky Needles 

2015!

Hello All!

Wow, it's 2015. 

 I've had a super Christmas visiting family and having family here.  My New Year was very quiet ~ I was in bed by 9.15pm! ~ too many late nights that caught up with me.

On Christmas Eve I received this lovely cross stitch card of a partridge in a pear tree made by Jill from Emerald Cottage as part of the Christmas Card Swap organised by Amy from Love Made My Home.  Thanks for organising Amy!

Jill's life looks typical of a young family, being woken at 4am,  stockings, playing with toys received on Christmas Day, something that is missing from our (near) grown ups,  although being woken at 4am is something I don't miss.

Anyhoo I digress,  this beautiful card is definitely coming out year on year, thank you so much Jill, I love it.  If you click on the Emerald Cottage link you can see the one I made, which must have taken a fraction of the time Jill's did.

For Christmas I got the usual assortment of candles, chocs and smellies from the children at school.  The presents the children give are always lovely and their cards quite often have extra drawings and messages inside which are guaranteed to raise a smile.

Miss Clicky bought me an assortment of teas.  I love tea.  I've been having a few each day. Yum.

You'll notice some of the boxes are ripped, this happened on boxing day when the dog was left to his own devices.

I got a lovely bright selection of gardening gloves, brilliant, as all my current one have holes.

Mr Clicky got me a new friend.  Named straight away as Maisie, I've been after a Tailors Dummy for a while.  She's modelling my latest project ~ unfortunately the cable is giving it Fu Manchu type collar.

Waay!  The brain mush has gone and I have been knitting.  Like a demon.  I'm making a caramel by Isabell Kraemer.   I've got loads of Isabell Kraemer patterns in by Ravelry queue, lots are stripy and they all look really wearable.   I'm using some Rowan Felted Tweed dk gifted to me by my lovely knitting pal Romain ~ bet you wish you had one too!  I laid out the colours I had been given, in the order I thought looked ok,

but then took out the red (Rage) and aqua (Watery) as they didn't seem to gel with the others so much.  

My tension is a bit off, I don't know why, I'm usually pretty good, so I'll need to do a bit of winging but I'm sure I'll manage.  This could be the reason for the late nights...........
I always want to finish to the end of the stripe.

So there we are, Christmas and New Year finished.  The task of undecorating starts tomorrow.  This will probably take all day.

Do you remember I said I hadn't felt Christmassy and blamed the weather?  I decided that actually I hadn't felt Christmassy because I hadn't been to many shops.  Lots of present buying was done on line.  I shall remedy this next year........in fact I have chosen a new theme for next year's decorations and have spent a lot of time on Pinterest gaining inspiration.  My sewing machine might be coming out too.

Thanks for popping by, I'll see you soon.

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

Christmas Eve

The candle has gone, one more sleep.

I hope you have fantastic day wherever you are, whatever you do.

With love..................Clicky Needles.

Making Gifts and Happy Birthday to Me.

Hi Folks!

Last post I promised you a look at what I put those fat quarters too.

I've made two jar pin cushions for my two (crafty) colleagues at work.  I found the pattern here via Pinterest.

The little Kilner Jars came from The Range.  I followed the instructions pretty much but when I came to glue down the fabric I didn't trim it and glued it in the centre of the lid ~ the first time I glued it around the edge and it wouldn't then shut!

I used contrast fabric on the inside of the lid.

And filled with blue goodies to go with the blue fabric ~ unfortunately I couldn't get blue scissors. 

 You may have noticed three jars ~  the taller jar of the three is for me.

We've finished at school, which is just as well because I seem to be unable to even think at the moment, my brain has turned to mush.    We had a fabby meal out at a local pub.  We always have a secret santa and this year we had to find a present from a charity shop for £5.00.  I got this lovely christmas teapot.  I don't know who got it for me but they know me well, I always use a teapot. 

 It was my birthday on Saturday and we went over to see my Mum and Dad and have a curry.  They got me some perfume, which is great as I always wear perfume.  I've never tried this before, but I really like it.  Apparently Mum described me to the man on the perfume counter at Boots and this is what he came up with!

I was also given this felt ball mat by my lovely friend B.  I'm not sure where it will live yet, but wherever it is I will look at it every day, I love the colours.

 I've been decorating the house today and the Christmas tree went up yesterday.  I've left it very late this year as I haven't felt Christmassy.  This seems to be a problem for quite a lot of people I've spoken to, I blame the weather.  I've still got presents to wrap and a few to buy.

I'll be off now.

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

P.S.  The brain mush has rendered me totally incapable of knitting.  I am hoping to remedy this soon.