Ta Dah - pretties 'Little Leafy Scarf'

I received this gorgeous yarn as part of a Fabulous 'Swap' Package.  I loved it as soon as I set eyes on it.  It is Crystal Palace Yarns 'Mini Mochi' 80% Merino and 20% Nylon, the colourway is 'Strawberries and Lime' (106).  I have been wondering for ages what to make with it.  Cachiyuyo, described as a 'leafy little scarf' takes hardly any yarn at all and I think it really shows of the colours.

I found the pattern a bit of a challenge at first and I contacted the pattern designer 'Diana Foss' for help, she pointed me in the direction of these really useful Youtube tutorials for 'Foundation Crochet' to help me.  I am not sure I got the hang of the little leaves in a technically correct fashion but I am pleased with the result and quite like each little leaf having it's own individual 'personality'.  I made my vine twice as long as the pattern suggested because I intend to wear it as a long, floaty, necklace type of thingy!

The leaves are made using 'Foundation' Crochet which I have never done before and the pattern was in USA crochet terminology which fries my head, but I manged to fathom it out.  I had to write down the UK equivalent.

I am glad I have nearly two full skeins of Mini Mochi left as it is scrumptious to work with.  I really love the colours.   I don't know what to make with what is left, I am open to suggestions, I am tempted to adorn the house with garlands of Mini Mochi 'Strawberry and Lime' leaves.  

Blackberry, Apple and Cinnamon Chutney

Move over Cranberry Sauce and Make way for Blackberry, Apple and Cinnamon Chutney.  Today I read a post over at A Trifle Rushed, where there has been a bit of a pickle.  I read this post  and knew I had all of the ingredients for this delicious Autumnal Chutney Recipe.  I only have a few apples left on my little tree now and the blackberries are all finished.  It is a shame to grow your own fruit and vegetables and let them go to waste so jam, pickles and chutneys are the order of the day.  I made six jars of chutney.   The smell was delicious as it bubbled away.  It will be matured nicely ready for Christmas.  I have never used blackberries in Chutney before, the flavour with the apple and cinnamon is something else.  It also has a wonderful colour too.  I think it will be the perfect accompaniment to cheese and cold meats, I also think it would be deliciously fruity with Turkey, Goose or Duck.  I need some labels for this years preserves and they also need cute 'Mob Cap' lid covers.  I think they will make great Christmas Gifts especially with  Homemade Blackberry Brandy I have stashed away.

'The Everlasting Christmas Cracker'

Today my Mom and I went to the monthly meeting of 'Birmingham and District Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers'.  It was an all day meeting, because we all like each other so much we chose to have an open morning before our afternoon talk.  The afternoon talk was about ;The History of Ribbon Weaving in Coventry, Nuneaton and Bedford.

Ribbons were very fashionable and were used in the hair as well as embellishments for garments.  It was not uncommon for ribbons to be changed on dresses.  They were in great demand and used lavishly by the wealthy.  They were mostly made by very poor families at home in cottage industries.

One fact I can remember was that out of a population of 3000 in the 1800s in Bedford 1600 people were employed in ribbon weaving.  That is over half of the population.  Literally every other house had a loom.  The architecture of houses were designed around the loom with large windows to maximise the natural light.  Obviously with the onset of industrialisation, weavers were put out of business and extreme poverty was widespread.  Eey by Gum, times were hard!  It was a very interesting talk, but my eyelids did get a little heavy as the room was nice and snug and if I sit still for too long I nod off!  

In the morning two Guild Members lead a fun workshop, 'Making Everlasting Christmas Crackers'.  These were fairly simple to make and you could natter away while making them.  I chose to make one for both of my boys for Christmas.  I am not so sure mine are 'Everlasting' mine are more of a 'Don't touch, just look or it will fall apart variety!'  

Step One:  First Gather a fine selection of loo roll inner tubes!   You need three for one cracker.  Two of your  tubes need to fit easily inside one another and the third tube needs to be cut in half.  A bread knife appeared to be the best tool for cutting cardboard tubes neatly in half.

Then you have two pieces of fabric large enough to coat your tubes and tuck in the ends.  Using PVA glue stick a tube and a half 2cm apart in to a roll of fabric.  (I hope you catch my drift).  You make two of these halves....

I found I had more success if I used a lot of glue!  I think double sided sticky tape maybe useful too.

These are my Mom's fine Festive Specimens.  If you look really closely you can see how the two halves fit together.  Then you just need to tie the ends with something pretty and you can decorate them how you like.  We had lots of ribbons, sequins, beads and other pretties to choose from.  I would like to receive one for Christmas and I think it would be perfect to find a nice diamond ring inside!!!  Well a girl can dream can't she?

Easy Crochet Wrist Warmers - Ta Dah

These were a super speedy make.  The Skein of Yummy Yarn Organic Falkland Aran arrived yesterday.  The colourway is called 'Primula'.  I have never used Falkland, it is so light, soft and squishy it is gorgeous to work with.  These will be lovely to wear, I find gloves too restrictive but my hands are fully functional in wristwarmers.  They still keep your hands very warm.  I was inspired by this pattern for Victorian Shell Mittens.  But I ended up straying from the pattern and heavily modifying the design.

I am rather pleased I got two pairs out of one skein.  One pair for myself and one pair for a Ravelry friend.  I believe in 'The Angels of Parking' and frequently use them with considerable success.  If I want or need a parking space I say 'Please angels find me a parking space'....and they do!  Seriously...  Well I found myself asking the Yarn Angels for help last night.  'Please Angels, let there be enough yarn for me to finish this last Mitt...'  It worked again I had about 20cm of yarn to spare!

All my photography assistants and models are busy today, so I struggled to take a photograph of my own 'Mitted' hand.  It wasn't quite as bad as trying to photograph a hat on my own head, See Here My attempts at photographing a hat on my own head! Doh!!! but the results were still not really that successful.  My freckles show up well though don't they? 

Meet My Little 'Knitted' Friends

Aren't they some posh looking ladies?  They are part of my Euan's Finger Puppet Collection.  No no no, I didn't make them, I found a fantastic seller on ebay three or four  of years ago and she is still going strong.  I have ordered some Halloween Goodies today.   We have our fair share of mass produced toys, but I love handmade toys.  This shoe box of finger puppets has been fantastic for creative play, songs and bringing stories alive.  We have had great fun with them and still do...

Here is Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

The Gingerbread boy and the Little old Man and the Little old Woman.  (Aren't her tiny glasses cute?)

Little Red Riding Hood, Granny and the Wolf!

Two Little Dickie birds...Peter and Paul...

The anxious Mother Duck! (scuse the pet hair...I vacuum daily!!!!)

The Five Little Ducks that go swimming one day, over the hills and far away!

Jack, his Mother, the magic bean seller and the ogre!

Not forgetting the poor old cow!

Macbeth's three witches...Hubble Bubble, toil and trouble!  ( I use all of these puppets at work to, for story work and role play).

Rapunzel is my favourite, I love her long long golden hair.

It is a modern world, Rapunzel has the choice of a selection of fine princes...

Or there are plenty of Knights in shining Armour ready to whisk her away on horseback!

The Knights are very brave and have no problem with unruly dragons....

Especially when Merlin the Magician is there to help too.

You might recognise these three...

and these two....

Another three from Hogwarts...

Poor Hedwig has lost an eye!  Oh dear.  last but not least....

Dobby the elf, who has to double as one of the three little pigs as one of the pigs has run away with Noddy, Big Ears, Father Christmas and Incey Wincey Spider!  I am sure they will all turn up again safely soon.
I hoped you like looking at my little buddies.  They all fit beautifully on little fingers and come alive like a treat. The Seller on Ebay is Fingerpuppets33 (Anne).  Anne is really happy to help and will try her very best to make what you are after.  I think you will agree she has quite a talent!  My photographs do not really do the puppets justice either.  They make perfect gifts for littlies for Christmas.  I have had boys at school as old as twelve playing with them!!!  Some of my puppets look a bit worse for wear but they have been played with lots and lots and they have even been through the washing machine on a hand wash cycle.

An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away!

As you know I have been eating my apples.  I am somewhat dismayed that they have not kept the doctor away.  I also feel the apple indulgence may have undone some of my good work on my diet Healthy Eating Plan!  Maybe it is when they are consumed in a delicious Pie that they pack the weight on!?!  I lost 7.5 lbs in two weeks, then put back on .5lb in the third week!  I may officially be a 'Yoyo' Dieter!  Eeeeek!  I think all that food and drink sampling at the Malvern Show might have done it too.  Not to be disheartened I had a plan.  A diet 'Healthy Eating Plan Apple Pie'.  'Reduced Calorie Apple Pie'.  How did I do it?   Ah ha!  It was a cunning plan indeed...

I simply left the lid off!  Scrummy!