Welcome the New Year 2022 - you have arrived bearing change 🎆

 Like Janus:

A quick look back and then a look forward

There were so many wonderful projects during 2021 and I wish I had recorded them more carefully as I finished them. However, these are a few that I enjoyed working on.

The Red Manor House Quilt was finished and now awaits the quilting process

I enjoyed taking part in the Royal School of Needlework Postcard from Home in 2020 and found it a beautiful piece to draw inspiration from during 2021

This was the year of redwork and I joined Dandelion Design's Mystery Quilt along for 2021/2 which is great fun and includes lots of extra sewing projects

Sew Sweet Violet's projects this year have been absolutely delightful

One of the 'extra' projects with Dandelion Designs was this cute Bee Skep embroidery

Dandelion Designs again and a really useful 'extra' was this thread holder

Caroline Loves To Sew had a gorgeous Autumn knit along with her new sock pattern

As always I made a pair of socks to be given to someone in a Marie Curie Hospital ward this Christmas and this was yarn especially dyed for the Flower Power Fund which organises the sock knitting

I loved the first Sew Sweet Violet tiny EPP project and couldn't resist a Christmas version

Then there was a gnome along with Imagined Landscapes - who knew making a mystery knitted gnome could be such fun!

I won the postcard from Mersea run by my quilting group Ladies Who Sew having based my design on the metal soldiers which stand in the mud flats by the Strood (the stretch of road joining the island to the mainland)

Another 'extra' from Dandelion Designs heavily improvised to make my flower a lilac fairy rather than a sunflower

Hallowe'en stitching is one of my favourite things to do.

Hands Across The Sea Samplers had a stitch along for Martha Dawson and this is tiny being stitched on  a 56/64 linen count fabric

Sew Sweet Violet's "St Nick Socks" was a gorgeous test knit for my lovely friend Jooles Hill 

Another Hands Across the Sea Sampler this time Ann Morison. It was a celebratory piece for a Canadian needlework shop

Then there were all the wonderful tiny kits from Nicki Franklin of The Stitchery and this beautiful needle/pin cushion was a delight to sew

From knitting to stitching and many crafts in-between it was a year of many different projects. I signed up for stitch alongs and knit alongs and had such fun working on them month by month. 

For me crafting is a panacea and it allowed me to push all the stresses of life away for a few hours each day so that my mind could function without being overloaded with worries.

Then looking forward to what I might make in 2022 I have to start with a year long project with Alice Caroline which will be a Liberty Fabric Alice in Wonderland Quilt. I can't wait to get started on it around March/April time. 

I might decide to hand sew my nine blocks for this stunning quilt - slow stitching might be just what the Doctor ordered this year!

Cross stitching is going to be working my way through wips as I have way too many and the same is true of knitting and other sewing. 

We may also be moving this year so that will seriously impact my making time. I only hope I can find time to sit down and relax with my crafting in 2022 what with our new Grandson, William, who arrived in October 2021 also being a most excellent distraction too!

I hope you have lots of plans for the year and that you have a joyful, peaceful and healthy year ahead. Happy New Year!

William my new Grandson wearing a cute hat made using a pattern given to me by my lovely friend Lisette 

Speeding On By - January's almost over

January 2017 didn't seem to want to slow down and now I find myself at the end of the month looking back to see what has been achieved and looking forward to what direction I'd like to take.

The start of the year brought some very unhappy times for me and I really drew strength from my knitting and crafting projects which allow me a few hours to let my mind be peaceful.

On Christmas Eve in December last year I joined Dani of Little Bobbins Knits podcast for the annual Christmas Eve Sock Cast On.

I chose a simple lace pattern Lacy Anklets by Melissa Morgan-Oakes and a lovely yarn from Elm Tree Yarns called Fezziwig's Party who is, as you know, a delightful character from Dickens' wonderful Christmas novella, A Christmas Carol.

These socks have a lovely cuff which reminds me of the dancing from Fezziwig's Party.  I chose an ivory sparkle yarn to make some contrasts on the cuff and toes.

My next knit-a-long is another one of Dani's for February and it will also be a pair of socks, this time Love Along by Amy Meeks. I have chosen to abandon a pair of mittens from way back in 2012 and to use the yarn for these socks. The yarn was the truly beautiful Angel Sock and is a Sport/ 5 ply 70% Alpaca, 20% Silk, 10% Cashmere goat 350 meters/100 grams by The Natural Dye Studio.

I knitted a cute little Christmas mouse called Snowball Buddies by Susan Claudino which I saw on Jooles of Sew Sweet Violet's podcast. I do love both the podcasts mentioned and have noticed lots of new ones appearing which I am hoping to have a look at.

I have been having a lot of fun with my sewing and have been making progress on two quilts and a quilted Christmas table runner.

I've also made myself a project bag which was a first for me and I am quite pleased with the outcome but there are areas which could be improved next time I make one. I need to make sure that both layers of seams are sewn together which is difficult on a project like this.

Another craft I've been enjoying a revival of interest in is cross-stitch and I was delighted to work on this very deep stash project and must now think about getting it framed. It is a sampler called Oyster Catcher and I bought it many years ago at The Knitting & Stitching Show at Alexander Palace.

In the garden I have been very lucky in having a new greenhouse put up and it has really become my 'baby' keeping me very busy.

I painted the old potting table and have had a lot of fun planning what to plant and growing some vegetables through the late winter months.

I sowed some Autumn sweet peas and planted a lot of paper white narcissi as well as some tulips and for vegetables I have parsley and a couple of spring cabbages which I just pick a few leaves at a time. My most satisfying grow was two bags of potatoes which were so tasty. I also had some beautiful chrysanthemums in pots to enjoy.

So the things I plan to achieve this year are:

• to continue to enjoy cross-stitching
• to learn a new craft (I have in mind wool punch work)
• to use up stash where possible
• to sort out and re-organize my work space
• to expand my blog to include my other creative interests
• to continue to enjoy sharing my projects on social media and to take part in a-longs relevant to the season
• to watch and learn from new podcasts
• to finish as many already started projects as I can.

That will keep me very busy but having a lot of fun too. 

A New Start

::the busy November/December months are gone::
::time for a new beginning::

::first a look back at how the new year will be 'informed'::
::Expand Your Horizons was a spin along set up by the Knitgirllls, Leslie and Laura where we would try different fibres every two months::
::There were lots of new techniques and types of yarn used during the year::
::New friends were made online::
::New places to meet for Knit and Natter::

::What direction do I want to take this year::
::To improve stranded work::
::To improve spinning technique::
::To watch, listen to and read more about my online knitting companions::

::Sounds like quite a busy time ahead::

::The prayer shawl above is the Easy Peazy Shawl by Megan Delorme which is to be sent to NewTown in America following their terrible tragedy last year::knitted in wool from the New Lannark Mills which brought education, work and shelter to children amongst whom were those shipwrecked on their way to America from the Scottish Isles::

January Colours

::starting off with a simple one row scarf by Stephanie Pearl -McPhee made with Juno Fiber Arts  UK alpaca, BFL top in fawn::


::Peerie Flooers mittens by Kate Davis which are so pretty::


::cheering up January is an Art Box I'm Happy bag together with a project by Laura Linneman of The Knitgirllls called Mittens For Me Knit-a-long which is a mystery knit-a-long::


::I'm Happy::

January 2012 and some promises to myself

::some promises to myself for the coming year::


::to read more of my knitting books, reference, novels etc::


::to expand my spinning horizons::


::to learn about weaving::


::new year intentions::