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.
Tag: photo’s
waiting…walking and a wooly dilemma…
As I have been waiting extremely patiently for the postman to bring me a yarn shaped parcel; walking has featured as a daily pass time since the weather has been so cheery.
We have stomped over fields in the sunshine,
rambled down pathways
and climbed over gates.
We have wandered through woodlands and I have admired the dappled sunshine dancing on the ground. In the evenings I have been hooking this…
a light weight artfully simple angled scarf (designed by the very talented Tamara over at Moogly) in a 4 ply Sirdar country style yarn. The colour is 0392….meh! I do so dislike it when a colour just has a number and not a name. It is a beautiful old pastel pink, which now I have started, I cant put down.
Still waiting…we have visited orchards
and walled gardens
and stumbled across these little guys (very cute indeed).
Finally, a yarn shaped parcel arrived and a dilemma.
Well, I just couldn’t resist this gorgeous wool alpaca blend in (0519) or charcoal grey.
Nor this beautiful compilation of cotton. So, now I have the Robins nest squares to finish, my artfully simple angled scarf and new yarn screaming “hook me, hook me!” What a fabulously fantastic woolly dilemma to be in. xxxxx
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Soul restoration…
After a long hard slog I now have 2 out of 3 of my essays done…but it has been hard, not just for me, but for the whole of the Robins’ nest clan. So with the sun shining it was time to restore the soul with some non academic (no not a single reference required here!) time together. However, it didn’t quite work out as planned. Mr R had to work… ON A BANK HOLIDAY! and summer and autumn robins, well they are growing up and wanted to go out with their mates…so that just left me and my little Robin to go and play.
Pitch and putt, all 18 holes in the sunshine.
I spent a lot of time trying to get out of bunkers…
and trying very hard not to misplace my golf ball in the river that ran alongside some of the course.
After the successful execution of hole 9, we had a half time interval of ice cream and popcorn…much needed foods when soul restoration is in progress!
before, more rounds of golf…
and more time spent trying to get out of bunkers!
Soul Restored…
xxxxx
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Robin’s nest square
How can x2 part completed quilts just get mislaid???? That is the question I am pondering this week. Several years ago I started on two lovely quilts and I cant find them anywhere. However I did find this…
A square I hooked several years ago… along with my scribbled notes on the pattern. So I hooked up a new one and thought I’d share.
As always I’m using English crochet terminology.
Ch – chain
Slst – slip stitch
dc – double crochet
tr – treble crochet
ch3 – counts as a treble unless otherwise stated.
I’m using drops muskat cotton
and I’m using the colours listed below
red
old pink
white
vanilla yellow
dark orange
sky blue
apple green
and a 4mm crochet hook. This lovely yarny square measures 7″ x 7″ or 18cm x 18cm once blocked. To download a pdf version click here, otherwise full instructions are below.
So here goes…
ch2, join with ss to form a tiny ring
Row 1: ch3,
11tr into ring,
join blue yarn and slst into 3rd ch
(12tr in total).
Row 2: ch3,
1tr in same space, ch1
2tr in next st, ch1
*2tr in next st, ch1*, repeat * * x10 times,
slst into 3rd ch
(12 clusters of 2tr).
Row 3: join white yarn in any ch space, ch3,
2tr in same sp, ch1
*3tr in next ch space, ch1*
repeat * * x10 times
join with slst in ch3
(12 clusters of 3tr).
Row 4: join green yarn in any space and ch3,
3tr in same sp, ch1
*4tr in next space, ch1*,
repeat * * x10 times, join with slst in ch3
(12 clusters of 4tr)
Row 5: join yellow yarn in any space and ch3,
4tr in same sp, ch1
*5tr in next space, ch1*,
repeat * * x10 times, join with slst in ch3
(12 clusters of 5tr)
Row 6: join pink yarn to any space and ch3,
5tr in same sp, ch1,
*6tr in next sp, ch1*,
repeat * * x10 times, join with ss in ch3
(12 clusters of 6tr)
Row 7: join red yarn in any space, ch3,
5tr in same space,
ch3,
6tr in same space (corner made),
*6tr in next space, 6tr in next space,
6tr in next space, ch3,
6tr in same space* (2nd corner made),
repeat * * x2 times
6tr in next space, 6tr in next space, join with slst in beginning ch3. Do not fasten off.
Row 8: ch3,
1tr in next 5sts,
*6tr in ch3 sp,
ch2
6tr in same space (corner made),
1tr in next 5sts,
dc in next space (indicated by needle)
1tr in next 5sts,
dc in next space, 1tr in next 5sts,
dc in next space, 1tr in next 5sts*,
repeat * * x2times
6tr in ch3 space, ch2, 6tr in same space (corner made)
1tr in next 5sts, dc in next space,
1tr in next 5 sts, dc in next space,
1tr in next 5 sts,
slst to beginning 3rd ch to finish.
Weave in ends.
Pin out to block… this is really worth the extra effort. I just pinned this square to a clean towel,
then spritz with water and leave to dry.
blocking really makes the the world of difference…
A very versatile yarny square.
Happy hooking
xxxxx
‘Robins nest square’ designed by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin.wordpress.com…….March 2016
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Flower Fiesta
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 mandala’s
Felt 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…
Whilst he hammered and stapled, I tied off all of those loose ends…
and once the frame was finished, I began to plan out this fiesta of flowers, in all of their splendid colours
I used skewers as temporary stems and then using a hot glue gun, secured each flower into position.
and began to hand embroider the stems.
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.
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,
I began the final stage of fixing them into position, with (yes you’ve guessed it) my trusty hot glue gun.
Finally, I set about finishing this piece; creating a signature and dating tag.
I simply LOVE this Flower Fiesta
xxxxx
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clutching at straws
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.
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Possibly the world’s smallest library and crochet of course!
Over the weekend, I stumbled upon an article in the local newspaper, which has led to a little adventure today. Today being a wet and grey and cold day, today being my first week day off since Christmas. So as you can probably imagine, today is a treasured day and one just right for a wee adventure.
So, after diligently completing the school run, I drove just ten little minutes into the very wet countryside
into a sweet little village, which I have only visited a couple of times before, for the annual scarecrow festival held in September, when it would seem the whole world turns up. Today, it seemed as if I was the only one here.
My adventure was not a wild one, but it made me feel hopeful of humanity and I did find the tiny, little library
nestled on the corner of an ordinary street…
from a little way off you would hardly guess what an alternative purpose was hidden inside,
but once inside there were treasures to behold…
and I had come prepared…a gift for the library…an old book no longer required.
So I nestled it on the shelf, wandering who would choose my book. I also left a little yarniness…
some cute paper clip bookmarks , and I wandered some more about who would choose these…
and so with happiness in my heart, I drove the ten minutes home, feeling cold and wet…but not a bit grey
and made myself a brew, ready to come and tell you all about what is possibly the world’s smallest library, the back story of which can be found just here, and the often times, lovely spirit of humanity.
xxxxx
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Christmas Tree Hunting…
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Equilibrium
Well, not much hooking has been going on here at the Robin’s nest, mainly because a huge amount of this has been going on…
A whole lot of health policy and child development theory and research is yet to come, looming in the shadows. I mourn my part time days gone by, even though this is what I longed for not so long ago.
But, just look at this…
This is what our lovely postman delivered today and I was reminded in that transaction at the front door, of that lovely word ‘BRAVE’… I have been doing so much ‘advancing’ lately that I have neglected the ‘resting’. So this evening I am resting and hooking a project that I am going to call ‘Nicola Florence’…an art piece, which I will chat to you about next time…
xxxxx
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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.
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.
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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