Footprints in the snow

The cold and snow are back (I don't like the cold) and when I popped outside to take some snaps I noticed just how busy our little garden is. Lots of footprints well pawprints everywhere.

VIP DAY

Today I was at VIP Day (Very Important Pedestrains) @ Oxford Street and Regent Street. The streets were closed to traffic and it was strange been able to walk in the centre of the road and not having to worry about the traffic. There were discounts in stores for the day and attractions on the road with a small funfair, live music and singing with lots of other events in stores.

November

Flower 4 stages

Time seems to be speeding by I was sure it was only a week ago I blogged. The clocks may have gone back and the winter is approaching with the weather getting cooler and wetter, but in our little garden there is a large green plant that's just got bigger! Up until now it has never flowered (its been there for many years getting wider and wider), but last month it started to sprout a large centre stalk, its about 5 feet high and than it started to open out, we are hoping it flowers this week. Does anyone know the name of this plant?
For a larger photo of the plant click this link
I will post more photos when it fully flowers it a very interesting looking plant (eeek! maybe a triffid).

Mini mochi scarf

This is a busy month I am making lots of crochet friendly stitch markers hopefully they will be on folksy and etsy soon.
I have have been using my yarn stash to make scarves, wanted to show of the beautiful colours of mimi mochi  yarn I had by making circles but using a continuous yarn so no sewing together, it took a little working out but this is the progress so far.

Plus I am planning of doing some crochet and knit-a-longs.
Have you ever taken part in crochet-a-longs or knit-a-longs?
What would you like to crochet or knit-a-long to ie. I am thinking of learning a new technique or
follow a pattern/ diagram?
It may take place on my blog here (or I may make a new blog just for this) or the main web
site, still in planning mode.
Thinking of maybe using one simple design idea, than each month using it with a different technique ie. tapestry crochet, filet, beaded filet, knitted filet, fairisle, two colour tunisian, tunisian filet, beaded tunisian etc. maybe make squares to create a cushions, blankets, bags
Any feedback ideas would be appreciated.

The hook arrived

EEK! the hook arrived

Last month I posted about International Crochet Day and Jimbo over at jimbosfrontporch.blogspot who held a competition to win one of his beautiful custom made hooks. Well it arrived yesterday, the whole process has been very exciting and opening the box and unwrapping the hook which was neatly wrapped in a red cloth, eeekk!

 

The hook is a beautiful colour, well balanced, so smooth and the shape is perfect, I love it. Plus it grasps the yarn with ease, I have been making some leaf inspired scarves and the yarn I have been using splits (a bit to loosely spun but looks and feels great when made). No problem with this hook it crocheted the yarn like a dream.

I know who I will be ordering my next hook from.

Amulet (Dubsounds Mix) by tokyohunter

Amulet (Dubsounds Mix) by tokyohunter

My brother has just put up some of his demo tracks up over at CloudSound so if you like electronic music pop over and have a listen. I have added the track Amulet here as a taster.

EEK! I won eeekk!

Last week was International Crochet Day and Jimbo over at jimbosfrontporch.blogspot carver of the most beautiful crochet hooks (check out his blog the hooks he makes are stunning) held a contest promoting the day for a custom made hook. Using a random number generator it picked me eeekkkk! I won eeeekkk!!

IKnit Weekender

Habu Textiles

Heart pompoms

The Natural Dye Studio

On Friday I went to the IKnit Weekender   I had planned to just look and not buy, mmm..... not a good plan. Here's my shopping (confession) for the day.

I bought some very nice yarn from Habu Textiles they had so many beautiful yarns to choose from, it was hard to resist. Unusual combinations of wool with stainless steel, silk with stainless steel, soft merinos, ultra thin linens and hemps. Their colour range is stunning, very modern and strong.

The Natural Dye Studio I bought a couple of skiens of dazzle (a British Blue Faced Leicester supersoft wool) and precious (100% silk) all their yarns are dyed using natural plant dyes with gives them subtle shades and they have beautiful colour combinations.

My super bargain of the the day from WoolFish 100% aran weight yarn again neutral colours, greys, creams, black, browns.

Textile Garden

Textile Garden had nice pins, fasteners and buttons in wood, shell and metal perfect to go with all the neutral colours.

and my final purchases were a little gadget (love gadgets) to make heart shaped pompoms, I will try that later and something I have seen but never tried Kool-Aid drinks, no I am not going to drink with them but dye yarn with them, an experiment and blog post for the future : )