Category: Gallery

A lovely week

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin4 Comments

Well put out the crochet bunting….I’ve qualified!…a long hard slog, but it is done. 

So of course celebrations have been ongoing (both alcoholic and non alcoholic), but my favourite (and the one I am going to share with you) was a blissful week at home, pretty much to myself.  Doing this sort of thing…

wet Jess
Bathing Jess…
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she looks so cute once she gets a blow dry…
drinking coffee from my special mug
drinking coffee …
working on a new tea cosy pattern
working on a new tea cosy pattern…
Enjoying suprise gifts left by a neighbour
Enjoying suprise gifts left by a neighbour…
planting out my winter window boxes
planting out my winter window boxes…

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and hiding daffodill bulbs under the ground
and hiding daffodill bulbs under the ground.
Enjoying a fish and chip picnic
Enjoying a fish and chip picnic
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and contemplating what to do with these bag handles??????
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Enjoying the cosiness of home with friends…
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Yes…a lovely week indeed…Now, the hard work really begins! xxx

 

A quilting OUCH?

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin7 Comments

Oh deep joy!!!

The lost hours deep cleaning the back of beyond in my teenagers wardrobe has resulted in screams of delight followed by screams of pain as I fell off the ladder!!…but, I have finally found the long lost quilts….and sprained my ankle.  That aside look, look at these…

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My bravery in summoning up the courage to venture into the teens room was rewarded well, when on tip toe I stood on one foot, precariously balanced on the handle of the step ladder, which of course was not tall enough.  It was also painful to stand on for longer than a second and peering my head into the deep dark recess of the cupboard I could see what looked like a familiar old sewing bag.  And so I grabbed a pillow and placed it over the handle of the step ladders (as in the style of an episode of Casualty*); where the impending injury is starkly apparent to all but the poor human it is about to befall.  I gave a large tug at the bag, screamed with delight as I cast my eye upon my long lost quilts and then drew in sharp breath as my foot slid of the handle of the step ladders and I plummeted to the floor with the quilts in hot pursuit. I will spare you a picture of my bruises!

  It was worth it though.

636089393114987629This is a beautiful single quilt patched from a jellyroll…I made it whilst recovering from surgery some years ago.  I have part hand quilted the main section and will have to ponder about how I finish the rest.

636089395575201470This is a lap quilt I began making years ago, before I learnt to crochet.  It is a Tilda pattern and I remember the roses around the little cottages took a long time to hand sew.  I really must get this quilted before this winter. Alas my PHD mountain has just grown some more!

xxxxx

*Casualty – a BBC drama about an accident and emergency dept

Where did that week go!

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin5 Comments

Well where did that last week go to?  

With only about 8 waking hours left of the spring break, to cram in as much  fun as possible…I will leave you with some photo’s which capture my week.

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Hope you a  had a good week

xxxxx

Flower Fiesta

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin16 Comments

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This is my flower fiesta art piece… a colourful creative explosion of all things flowery… and that now occupies prime wall space in the Robins nest.  It’s exclusive purpose is to cheer and gladden, created specifically to subconsciously brighten the spirit.  Made from yarn, felt,  buttons and a few beads here and there.

 

sweet mandalas

Sweet mandala’s

felt flowers

Felt flowers

cotton flowers

Cotton flowers

(The links under each of these photo’s contains relevant pattern details).

So, my part was done.  What I needed now was for Mr. R to work his magic, making a frame…

it's fabulous having a handy husband!
it’s fabulous having a handy husband!

Whilst he hammered and stapled, I tied off all of those loose ends…

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and once the frame was finished, I began to plan out this fiesta of flowers, in all of their splendid colours

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I used skewers as temporary stems and then using a hot glue gun, secured each flower into position.

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and began to hand embroider the stems.

 

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I then set about hooking some little leaves; which I am rather thrilled with.   I hooked these without a pattern, whilst the boy robins watched a film and I sat snuggled watching the rain.

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Rainy days are always the best hooking days!  

Anyway…I digress.  I did scribble my little leaf pattern down and you can find it just here.  Several rainy afternoons later, when I had made many,

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I began the final stage of fixing them into position, with (yes you’ve guessed it) my trusty hot glue gun.

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Finally, I set about finishing this piece; creating a signature and dating tag.

 

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I simply LOVE this Flower Fiesta

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xxxxx

clutching at straws

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin1 Comment

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This was definitely one of the highlights of my weekend, Friday evening spent with good friends, a wee bit of ale and some awesome live folky music, all in a quirky little venue named Scary Canary.  This trio of very talented, (and extremely humble) guys are Clutching at Straws, well worth a click on the link to take a listen for yourselves.

Clutching at Straws
Clutching at Straws

 

A lost yarny Angel

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin1 Comment

Do you remember these…I think I must have given all mine away last Christmas, because I’ve searched everywhere for my host of angels and can’t find them…I think it will be off to the shops tomorrow for some pipe cleaners and some sparkly yarn.

This divine angel is made by hooking 2 small granny squares and assembling with a few bits and pieces.  I made mine in a white yarn with a silver sparkle…the pattern is by the very talented Priscilla Hewitt  (search Granny square angel on her site) and is super simple to follow and in no time at all you could have your own host…. 

 

Pretty Pumpkins

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin11 Comments

pretty pumpkins
pretty pumpkins

Oh, my delight in these pretty pumpkins.  Whilst we do not celebrate 31st October, halloween in the Robins nest, we do celebrate light in this beautiful, busy and sometimes dark world.  As you know I love autumn, and pumpkins certainly contain light and autumnal(ness) in abundance.

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I also love spending time with friends and that is exactly what is happening here tonight.  We are having some very dear friends over to mark the very significant occasion of our homes transition  from ‘no space to have anyone around’ to ‘being able to say come on over for supper’ a transition which has taken many years.  

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the chickens enjoyed a pumpkin feast

So with a three bean chilli and a hearty beef chilli planned for later, accompanied by a bottle or two of red, these pretty pumpkins will help to create the perfect atmosphere for chatter and laughter late into the night.

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pretty pumpkins
pretty pumpkins

xxxxx

Introducing Percy.

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin10 Comments

Last weekend, we went to collect the newest addition to our family… on our way we stopped of with friends and ambled over the sheep fields in the most glorious of sunshine…

up the windy road
up the windy road
over the gate
over the gate
past fields about to burst into bold, rape flower
past fields about to burst into bold, rape flower
over the fields
over the fields
then finally at the top
then finally at the top
just perfect for kite flying
just perfect for kite flying
told you!
told you!
Taz enjoyed all the fun
Taz enjoyed all the fun
not so sure about the sheep...
not so sure about the sheep…
pretty pale lemon primroses still in bloom
pretty pale lemon primroses still in bloom
and blossom on the trees
and blossom on the trees

All in all a perfect April afternoon…and here is Percy…

Percy...our cockerel, a fine black silkie...the girls will be pleased!!
Percy…our cockerel, a fine black silkie…the girls were  pleased!!

Have a fabulous week.

 

Another busy week…

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin12 Comments

It’s been another busy week at the Robins Nest…but we have still found time to get together and just be together…and I love that!

through the gate and down the path…
enjoying the very new spring sunshine
a birds eye view from the top
whose home could this be?
grape hyacinths
and tete a tetes
looking very spring like in my kitchen windowbox

with University and work and the boys, life is taking over somewhat and not much hooking has been done.  I have one blanket that is almost done and that I really want to get finished and sent off before I start my placement at the hospital in a couple of weeks.  It’s just a simple granny and I am so near to finishing…

Alpine Nanna
Alpine Nanna

Since this photo I have added a 3″ border of the base colour, which has given it a more finished edge…just deciding whether to fringe or not…What do you think?

The End of my Cosy Journey

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin27 Comments
The 'His and Her's cosy blanket
The ‘His and Her’s cosy blanket

As promised, here are the pictures of the ‘His and Her’s Cosy blanket’ set.  This most enjoyable hooky adventure started back in November 2014, when I fell upon this oh so easy and yet oh so fulfilling pattern, details of which I will list at the end of this post, so you too can embark on your very own cosy escapade.

'her's'
‘her’s’

The colour way is simply delicious and has the romance of femininity, which just flounces through the overall blanket, making it just perfect for wrapping up in.  For details of yarn and colours, please see below.

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‘his’

The colour way of the ‘his’ blanket was inspired by the Eastern Bluebird, both blankets incorporate 15 different colours, 7 of which are common in both, and have identical row placement, giving them the same overall tone and therefore linking them as a set.

the blankets share 7 common colours and row placement
the blankets share 7 common colours and row placement

Each blanket is bordered with 4 rows of colour, the first 2 rows being shared by each blanket

denim, camel, plum and rose
denim, camel, plum and rose
denim, camel, turquoise, and petrol

If the truth be told, I’m missing hooking these beautiful blankets… I really have enjoyed my journey and I will definitely be returning to this pattern again and again.  I will leave you with some more pictures and the links below.

Cosy Cottage Blanket by Attic 24

 

 Pattern  

Yarn  

her colour way  

his colour way  

xxx