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#yarnlove challenge 2017

#yarnlovechallenge

Published on February 1, 2017February 25, 2017 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin43 Comments

For the month of February, I will be joining the

#yarnlovechallenge

set up by Mary Heather of maryheatherbrowne and Christina over at Oharethey. A daily photo post of my love for yarn. Each day is themed, as set out below

There is a ravelry group too and Instagram of course.

So this is my introduction photo to kick off…

A rare picture of me... — A rare picture of me…

from here on in it will be a more yarny themed photo

(I promise) with a little caption. Feel free to join in

#yarnlovechallenge

Day 2: Close Up Day 15: Family

Day 3: Currently Making Day 16: Happy Colour

Day 4: Speed Day 17: Fibre Friends

Day 5: Community Day 18: Gratitude

Day 6: Mistakes Day 19: On the Go

Day 7:Stripes Day 20: Handmade home

Day 8: Where I Craft Day 21: Library

Day 9: Tools Day 22: Currently wearing

Day 10: Oldest stash Day 23: Throwback

Day 11: Travel projects Day 24: Favourite tip

Day 12: Progress Day 25: Routine

Day 13: Selfie Day 26: Newest Stash

Day 14: Yarn love❤ Day 27: Blocking

Day 28: Favourite thing I’ve made

xxxxx

January…

Published on January 18, 2017 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin7 Comments

With life now returning to a more normal ebb and flow following the festive jollity, I feel like I am back on the treadmill!

So I am being very careful to make sure life at home is given the highest priority. Which of course means in part getting out and walking with the boys and Mr R and of course the dogs.

Special Happy Birthday to Old Alf who was 11 at the beginning of the month xx

Wellies are my favourite type of footwear!

Now the photo’s I am going to share with you may seem some what gloomy, particularly if you happen to live in a warmer part of the world. But, I have taken great comfort from pulling on my wellies and feeling the sometimes quite squelchy ground, and at other times the cold and frozen ground under my soles.

Jack Frost has painted this leaf... — Jack Frost has painted this leaf…

wp_20170108_14_45_14_pro — A little spiders home sweet home.

There was much fuss made in the media about the UK being hit by a polar storm, we were quite excited at the prospect of maybe being snowed in for a while…

The polar storm — The polar storm was a little underwhelming…

You will be relieved to know that I survived the polar storm of 2017 and even managed to get into work!!!!!

I think I have enjoyed the walks just before dusk the most, when the mist clings to everything and envelops all…

because lurking just underneath the ground is the promise of spring. I can feel it when I’m out in the countryside. The biting cold is soon to be replaced with a milder air, a warmer breeze and a brighter light.

But, until then I am happy to stomp around in my wellies, looking at the footprints of what has stomped before me,

and exploring trails I have not been down before.

Getting cold and breathing in that damp air, because it means coming home is all the more cosy…

crochet by the fireside.

crochet in bed.

Don’t you think?

xxxxx

A yarny HUG in 2017

Published on January 1, 2017 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin2 Comments

A yarny HUG or Happy Unexpected Gift.

A new project launched here at the nest which will run over the course of 2017. Aiming to distribute love, joy and hope at random through yarny little gifts.

Top 5 things to crochet when it's hot and number 1 is ironic!

May rose keyrings…. pattern by Attic 24

a yarny HUG

a yarny HUG

I will post more about this over the coming weeks.

There will be the chance to join me if you wish,

Take it, embrace it and be a part of it!

xxxxx

2016 Montage

Published on December 29, 2016December 27, 2016 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin7 Comments

I love this time of year; for me it’s a real time of reflection, a time to look back in wonder at the year gone by.

And what a year it has proven to be, both personally and here at the Nest too. This year I have created a montage of my favourite memories, both hooky and the not so hooky!

January 2016

Started with a lovely little trip to the worlds smallest library…in a phone box and finished with felt flowers.

February 2016

Was filled with my Flower Fiesta installation and saw the release of a yarny little leaf pattern…on the house of course!

March 2016

Maybe one of my favourite months this year as it was full of hookiness, creativity and some much needed soul restoration . Some much needed time away from studying for a PGdip, juggling placements, family, home and a whole heap of essays! There was the Robins Nest Square pattern release, followed by a tutorial for joining with a double crochet and a BIG thank you.

April 2016

Well, April really did whizz by under a heavy cloud of essay pressure, but I did find time to look for some lovliness and learn a new yarny skill despite a Woolly dilemma.

May 2016

Was permeated with bluebells, al fresco dining and a woolly win.

June 2016

Left me feeling chuft!

July 2016

was celebrated with a yarny give -a-way and a growing pile of PHD’s

August 2016

Brimmed with crochet goodness; hooking al fresco, completing the very V blanket and tutorial and not forgetting the graffiti robin.

September 2016

Saw the calm before the storm, a quilting Ouch! and the launch of The Grandma Collection.

October 2016

Oh my days!

October held the secret of happiness…alpaca walking! Enough excitement for one month you might think, but there was also the release of The Grandma Mary Tea Cosy pattern. Too much!

November 2016

Was bleak to be honest, but there was a WOW and a fond farewell

December 2016

Ahh December and homemade damson gin, hooking virus style (post coming soon) and planning for project 2017 (launching in the New Year!!). And there you have it…a whistle stop tour of my 2016.

I do have one more special thing to add before I sign off for 2016 and that is to you…Thank you so much for journeying with me, I love having you along. I am always amazed by folk dropping in and reading what I write, it humbles me to my core. I hope in return you have enjoyed and been inspired, encouraged and been blessed.

Here’s to a very yarny 2017!

xxxxx

Homemade Christmas Damson Gin…

Published on December 20, 2016 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin3 Comments

If you are new to these parts and are thinking…great! last minute homemade Christmas present then you may be disappointed, BUT you are very welcome here though and I may suggest how to cheat at the end, which might just get you out of that last minute hole.

This process commenced way back in August

making damson gin... — making damson gin…

I have been really very disciplined and I have been gently shaking the gin each week and more importantly (and amazingly) I have not drunk any…if I did it would have been purely for quality control purposes!!!

So today was the day to open and taste and Oh Joy…it is absolutely gorgeous, the type of sticky, sweet alcoholic gorgeous that one would expect when drinking a damson gin…the type that warms you from the inside.

With a little bit of help from my brewing genius brother I sterilised my newly purchased gin bottles and began to fill them up.

wp_20161220_16_15_39_pro — Brewers sterilising fluid…

wp_20161220_16_04_15_pro — Sterilised bottles ready to fill…

x5 lovely bottles of Damson Gin

With the addition of a cute little cork heart they are going to make a lovely Christmas stocking filler don’t you think?

wp_20161220_10_24_00_pro — detail added with a sharpie…

wp_20161220_16_21_44_pro — a perfect stocking filler…or tipple for Santa!

Ok, so I said I would help you out of that last minute hole. You could buy some bottles, sterilise them, add purchased alcoholic beverage and add a cute little label, but only if you promise to be more organised next year and make your own!!!

xxxxx

yarn….just yarn!

Published on December 19, 2016 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobinLeave a comment

The grandma Mabel Tea Cosy, ayarnyrobin

Introducing the Grandma Mabel Tea Cosy…

Published on December 4, 2016November 14, 2017 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin4 Comments

I am thrilled to be finally introducing the ‘Grandma Mabel’ tea cosy to you. The second cosy in the Grandma Collection

Dedicated to my Granny Mabel, whom I knew as Granny Jason. Granny Jason was named so by myself when I was still in terry towel nappies. Named after her dog Jason, it was my way of distinguishing between my two Grannies.

Granny Jason was born in August 1914 in Southern Ireland and in her younger days enjoyed driving tractors. Moving to England in 1960 when my Mom was a little girl, she worked in factories and finally as an Auxillary Nurse before she became too unwell to work. I was privileged to have had her in my life for just 10 years before she left this world at the age of 73.

I have precious memories of my Granny Jason, who although unwell always found a way of making me feel loved. She was a humble and unassuming woman, who was always busy in the kitchen and always had her hair done and was house proud. She would always give you the best of what she had and keep the worn out and old things for herself.

She loved shoes and made daisy chains and made the dog (Jason) a cup of tea with a sugar in, poured into his bowl, each time she made my Grandad a cup of tea…which was often!

Granny Jason was often unwell, seriously now I realise as I am older, but she tried hard not to let it show. I remember as a small child counting her tablets into a big medicine jar. There were all sorts of pills; round ones, oblong ones and all sorts of colours…

I loved this job…

maybe it was the beginning of my fascination with public health and my nursing career.

But I think family was the most important thing to her, because she cared so much about her family and cared so well.

This cosy has been inspired by my memories of her. The buttons representing those many colourful pills that I used to count, not understanding the gravity of how poorly she really was. The pretty colours of the cosy reflecting her beauty and the lace representing the finest dress a tea cosy could have.

I know Granny Jason would have been proud to put this cosy on her teapot, to put that teapot on her hostess trolley and wheel it from the kitchen to serve her guests.

So that is the Grandma Mabel tea cosy in all of its glory, I will post the pattern in the week.

xxxxx

Alpaca Walking…yes honestly!!!

Published on October 21, 2016 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin15 Comments

I have been so looking forward to writing this post; you see I have been on the most amazing adventure. However, this post should really come with a warning, so here it is…

This post will make you fall in love; quite a bold claim I realise, so it might be advisable to get yourself a cuppa (or a glass of something bubbly!) depending on what hour of the day it is that you are reading this…and if you are sitting reading this and you are in England then oh my, I take no responsibility!

So warning done, now for the adventure.

instagramcapture_896916e9-a8ca-4ec6-8aa2-6a9d2ef2a82d — A road trip

It started a month or so a go when the lovely Mr. R booked an anniversary trip of a different kind (don’t worry, this is ‘U’ rated honestly!). So on Saturday, after counting down the days, we got up early with the boys and headed on a short road trip. Destination…

To say I was excited was an understatement, it took every ounce of control I had not to burst through the gates looking insane. You will be pleased to know that I think I managed to appear fairly normal!

We were greeted and welcomed into the most amazing farm house by Trish, Zoe and Helen

We were made to feel so welcome and were provided with as much coffee, tea and squash as we desired. The girls allowed us to relax and take in the view as they chatted and answered all of our questions that we could think of about alpacas; whilst Pip and Tavish the farm dogs snuggled up to us for a bit of fuss.

After a laid back cup of coffee or two we pulled on our boots and headed outside to be greeted by these lot

Right to left

Teddy, Zeus, Tex, Arnie and Brownlee…

all adorable and all ours for the next two and half hours, well not quite, I think Trish had sussed that I was verging on gaagaa over them!!

Arnie chose me to be his walking buddy, he led the pack and was well behaved; gentle and funny. His top lip got all jittery when he stopped to have a scratch.

Inquisitive and cautious he constantly surveyed the path ahead, peering his neck around corners to check it was safe to continue; his ears a constant twitch.

We wandered and explored and all the time Trish and the girls guided and chatted and generally put us at ease. The countryside was just glorious…(Mr R. had ordered the sunshine) and walking with these beautiful creatures filled me with an incredible peace.

We paused for a long while next to a babbling stream, drank more juice and paddled, whilst these guys watched us. We had time to take photo’s too

and Yarny and Arnie bonded a little more…

(Did you know that alpacas have the most delicious smell; a bit like popcorn).

Eventually we wound our way back through orchards and fields back to the homestead, where I tried to put Arnie in the car without Trish noticing. Alas, this did not work and I had to settle for one more photoshoot in the glorious sunshine.

Before we were treated to more luxurious hospitality, in the form of mince pies and hot cross buns…we had a little chuckle at the clash of Easter and Christmas nibbles, I don’t think I have ever come across that combination before.

At the end of this unique experience,

I felt like I had partaken in a little peice of heaven and I can’t wait til I can return to Temevale alpacas to get up close and personal again with these adorable creatures.

xxxxx

A quilting OUCH?

Published on September 8, 2016 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…

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.

This 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.

This 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

Making damson gin…

Published on September 5, 2016 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin3 Comments

Well what is a girl to do, when she is given a surplus of damsons?…

Gin of course!

I have read that many recipes for damson gin, I became confused. What follows is a conglomeration of several.

The ingredients are this simple…

550g of damsons (because that is how much we had!)

250g of granulated sugar

1 litre of gin

1 litre mason jars x2.

First I sterilised the jars with boiling water.

Then skewered the damsons with a sterile darning needle to get their damson juices flowing. I divided the damsons equally between the jars.

Next, I added 125g of sugar into the first jar and 125g of sugar into the second jar.

Finally, adding 500ml of gin into the first jar and 500ml into the second jar.

I gave the jars a little shake and then popped them on the larder shelf where it is dark…this is important storage information apparently!

I’m not sure if it is a good thing that there is an air space in the jars or not. Looking at the unopened gin bottle there was an air space. So I think I am going to have to do a bit more research. I may be topping up with a bit more gin, but I will let you know if I do. The jars will need a little shake each day for the first week and then weekly after that.

All the recipes differ on how long to leave the gin until you crack it open. Some say 3 months others 6 months and then others a year!!! I should imagine it is when desperate! Again I will let you know. I am hoping it will be in time for Christmas, unless I get desperate before that!!

xxxxx