Wednesday 30 August 2023

Paths


The light is changing. Late August. The world has slipped over the invisible line that heralds a change of season. Early mornings now have a chill air, skies often mother of pearl or a wispy mist hangs low over the meadows. 

I feel the pinch of the nights drawing in and the sun's tardiness to rise, caught in the middle in the delight of knowing autumn is here. The childish anticipation of the first firing of the log burner, woolly blankets back on the bed and saying goodbye to salads and welcoming back vegetable and gravy style dinners. 

 

The hedgerows are full of sun ripened fruits, even though the latter part of summer has been wet and windy. The weather was kind when the blossom was out, so berries a plenty for man and beasts. It's been a plentiful plum year, which according to old weather lore states 'a plum year, is a dumb year' meaning not the best of summers.....lore that holds true this year.

In the local woods there are several wild cherry plum trees. These blossom in late February when the weather can be dire and pollinators scarce, so fruit can be intermittent. 2017 was the date on my last pot of this rare wild jam, so it's been 6 long years of waiting for the elements to line up to be able to harvest some. Nine precious jars of ruby red treasure are safely stored away for days when I need to taste sunshine on my toast...and we've already greedily eaten one.


Now is the time of fruitfulness and I have picked blackberries for breakfast yoghurt and dinner time crumbles. One return dog walk discovered a bucket of fallen apples had appeared outside a garden gate, so dessert was procured by 9 am! My raspberries have staged a second flourish, much enjoyed by me and next doors hens too. 

Talking of hens we are thinking about having some again. I so miss their gentle company and their eggs of course. The next date for rescue hens near us is mid Sept so I have been getting their pen ready again. I can't wait to give a home to those poor oven ready looking creatures and I have definitely said no more than four...but we shall see!


 

I have been reading several books about walking. Journeys large and small, simple walks and more pilgrimage like, over home and foreign soils. What to look for, what to see. It's given me itchy feet for sure. 


Locally we have the Frome valley walkway which starts high up on top the Cotswold escarpment inside Doddington park (now owned by Mr Dyson). It then trickles it's way all the way to Bristol harbour where it joins the River Avon whose source is also quite near to us in the Cotswold's. I am slowly walking this in sections, some I have traversed many times as it the river runs through our home town. Others are new to me. There is no order, no direction either, segments walked go up or down stream as fits the circular walking plan best. Exploring so near to home is a constant delight of what you will discover, even a view from a different direction can make the familiar seem exotic. 


Movement is meditation, wherever your feet fall. You are forging a path through the world to either reach your destination, or to just indulge in the delight of wandering.  

 

I find when I am cycling that my legs are eating up the miles, my eyes are drinking in the landscape around me and on the back burner my mind is whittling away at my worries and plans with seemingly no conscious effort from myself. At the end of a trip I am happily tired and I feel as if I have sorted everything that was bothering me. Result!

Lone walking has the same effect too. You may go to experience the countryside but often find your eye turned inward to the country within. And of course you experience this with any craft involving your hands but especially the yarn crafts. The rhythm of spinning, knitting, and crochet allows your subconscious free reign. It calms you, settles your spirit and balances your emotions, let the yarn whisk your worries away.

I'm working on spinning up enough yarn to crochet a simple rectangular vest....autumnal shades of course.


Indiana is comfort testing the Stylecraft Highland Heathers I'm using for her Indiana catghan which deserves its own post, so I'll save that for next time. Thank you for getting this far if you're still here, I really do mean to blog more regularly, so until then xx.




Friday 22 April 2022

Starbust project bag


I used 9 shades of DK yarn and about 200g in total and just raided my stash but you will need more of the main colour.  

Stylecraft special DK

Mustard, gold, copper, gingerbread, khaki, cypress, meadow, storm and petrol.

Size 4mm hook for square but 3.5mm for top border and handle….by using a 3.5mm it would probably be less floppy…with hindsight so you may want to do that.

4 removable stitch markers

CROCHET TERMS

Puff Stitch: *yarn over, insert hook, yarn over and pull through stitch* three times (7 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through all loops on hook. Chain 1 to lock into place.

Cluster stitch: *yarn over, insert hook in next stitch and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops* 4 times (5 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through all loops on hook.

Half treble crochet (HTC): yarn over, insert hook, yarn over pull through stitch (3 loops on the hook). Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Treble crochet (tc): yarn over, insert hook in next stitch, yarn over, pull through stitch (3 loops on hook). Yarn over, pull through two loops on hook (2 loops on the hook). Yarn over and pull through 2 remaining loops on hook.

Double treble crochet (dtc): Yarn over hook twice, insert hook into next stitch. Yarn over, pull through stitch (4 loops on hook). Yarn over, pull through two loops (3 loops remaining on hook). Yarn over, pull through two loops (2 loops remaining). Yarn over, pull through the last two loops on hook.

 Ready?

Round 1. Using your first colour create slip knot and chain 5 and join with a slip stitch or use magic circle.  Chain 3 (this will count as your first treble crochet) Work 15 treble crochet stitches into the centre circle. Insert hook into the third chain from the hook (your original chain 3) slip stitch and fasten off.

Round 2. Attach your next colour into any chain space of the previous row. Chain one and work a puff stitch into that same chain space. Continue around, working a puff stitch into each treble chain space. Slip stitch into first puff stitch and fasten off. You should have 16 puff stitches in total.

Round 3. Attach your next colour into any chain space of the previous round. Chain 2 and work a cluster stitch into the same chain space, chain 2. Continue around, working a cluster stitch into each puff stitch chain space chaining 2 between each stitch. Slip stitch into the first cluster stitch and fasten off. You should have 16 cluster stitches in total.

Round 4. Attach your next colour into any chain space of the previous round. Chain 2 and work a cluster stitch into the same chain space, chain 2. Continue around, working a cluster stitch into each puff stitch chain space chaining 2 between each stitch. Slip stitch into the first cluster stitch and fasten off. You should have 16 cluster stitches in total.

Round 5. For this round we will be turning our circle into a square. Attach your next colour into any chain space from the previous round.

First edge to your square. Chain 4, work 2 double treble stitches into same chain space. Chain 1, work 3 treble crochets into next chain space. Chain 1, work 3 treble crochets into next chain space. Chain 1, work 3 treble crochets into next chain space. Chain 1, work 3 double treble crochets into next chain space. Chain 3 (for the corner).

Repeat this for next 3 edges and then insert hook into fourth chain from the hook (from the original chain 4 of this round and fasten off.

Rounds 6-13 are all worked in groups of 3 htc in each chain 1 space with corners 3 htc chain 2, 3 htc, changing colours every 2 rounds 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13. Make another 4 squares  and join with a double crochet on the RIGHT side. I found it easier to join the sides first and then the bottom.

Round 14 change to 3.5mm needle using same shade as last two rounds of square, continue with 3 htc in each chain space taking care where squares join there are 3 in each sp even though it looks quite close. 56 sets of 3 htc.

Round 15 repeat as above.56 sets of 3 htc

Round 16 change colour and again 56 sets of 3 htc

Round 17 Change back to main colour and repeat 56 sets of  3 htc

Round 18 repeat as above

Round 19 handle round start as above with 3 htc but from one corner join of squares count in 5 sets of 3 htc and place marker, count 7 sets of 3 htc and place marker. Then chain 18 (you should have 6 sets of 3 htc from previous row beneath chain). And then re-join at marker and continue with 3 htc until you reach the opposite side and repeat.

Round 20 1 dc into each space, when you reach the chain 1 dc into each 18 chains. When you get to the end of your round slip st to join, fasten and TA-DAH! Oh and sew in all those ends!



 



 

Thursday 14 October 2021

Forever Autumn lap blanket


My favourite season is here again and to celebrate it s return, yet another autumn blanket. This is my fourth homage to the season of misty mornings and crisp golden leaves. Just a little lap blanket this time only 56 squares, so you can hook it up in no time.

I used a ball each of nine shades of Stylecraft Special DK were used bottle, khaki, meadow, lime, mustard, gold, copper, gingerbread and claret to capture that perfect autumnal morning in a colour wash layout.

You can use any type of five round granny square to make this. I chose a simple circle into square this time, but a regular granny or a starburst would look just as good.

I used a 3.5mm hook as I like that denser feel you get when using DK, but a 4mm will work just as well too and give you a slightly bigger blanket.

You can find the pattern and colour layout on Ravelry here

I know not everyone is happy with the new design of Ravelry so I am happy to email the PDF direct to you, just contact me on craftycatknittybits@gmail.com.







Also chicken tested.



I popped it in my saddle bag of my bike and took it for a photo shoot around the Gloucestershire countryside where I live one misty morning. So it can be properly of its season.