Last day of November ...

...it has turned pretty cold here.   it was -3 C this morning and it reached the dizzy warmth of 2C. However two years ago we had plenty of snow by now.

Last Saturday I went to the Knitting and Stitching show in Harrogate. I haven't been for a bout 5 years mainly due to lack of frittering money. But as I got a tax rebate a while back I decided I could use a bit of it and splash out on things I don't need.

I bought several pieces of fabric, some yarn,  a Shepherd's Bush x stitch chart and the buttons and fabric which is 18 count so I should be able to stitch it without  squinting too often. It was a good day out and the exhibition  of artists' work was great.

Tia has had a parcel from Soggibottom it was sent before their last flooding. She was going to keep it for Christmas but after a chat to Michele on Monday it was decided that she could open it.  The mouse  is a bit too real looking for my liking :)

 I don't know what the postman thought when  answered the door.

 Tia being careful. She fell off the bed in her excitement last year.

She loves the cheese flavoured biscuits. I haven't managed to get a good photo of her with the mouse yet.  I never have the camera ready at the right time.

Christmas makes

I have been making a few little chaps read for Christmas

They are from various magazines I have collected over the years. The lady with the hat is actually a miniature version because i could get the scanner to increase by 200%. Well it did but what I did not realise was that each pattern piece had to be increased separately to get the correct size. But I like the small version even though parts were a bit fiddly. The days of nimble fingers have long gone.
Snowman is made from felt however I have bought some fleece just incase I fancy making a few more.

If you read My Tate Gallery you may have seen her video of the 10 minute table runner. Well I gave it a go. It is quick and easy but probably took more than ten minutes as I tried to get equal borders before I pressed it. I used the width of the fabric for the length and an 18 inch and 12 inch strip. I might do some smaller ones too.  Thank you Mary Anne.

I just need to add some button trims to anchor the flap.

We are waiting for the next big rain. I feel guilty worrying about my cellar when Soggibottom has had so much to contend with over the last six weeks. I hope you are all OK.

I have been blogging six years now it is interesting looking back over that time.


Many thanks if you read this and  if you comment  I will know you have been

Walks Blackbirds and things

We enjoyed our walk so much that last weekend we went on another little jaunt. Same area but from a different starting point. Biddle came as well.

We saw another stream ( or maybe the same one). The week had been quite windy so there were far less leaves on the trees. However it was much warmer and i didn't need to wear my gloves all the time.

During this week I have seen the blackbirds although I only managed to capture Mrs Blackbird on camera.

I miss them in the couple of months they are gone. The males stop singing in August and then they all disappear for September and October. I like to think I get the same ones back but I don't think they are.

Forgot to photograph the excellent parsnip from the allotment. I hope we get some more. We have also had a few Brussel sprouts too.

Nothing to show on the sewing front but hope too later on.

Thank you if you read and especially if you comment. I try to  send replies but don't always get around to it for one reason or another.

Autumn walk

Last weekend we took a trip to Judy Woods which is just a bus ride away. Surprisingly we have never been there before.

Some leaves are still green

But there are plenty of golden ones on the ground

a little brook

and some fungi.

cat,cardi, coal tit...

...and more

 some where in this tree is a cat

here she is coming back down. Her name is Tickles  and she is a bird chaser!

 Luckily she has not manage to catch this little coal tit

or our resident robin.

I have been doing a lot of knitting recently. I have made a friend a baby cardi. Yes she is expecting a boy and likes blue. I knitted the second size. The rib is not quite as the pattern because I didn't read it correctly and did  k2p2  but it looks ok.

Our tomatoes are finally turning red

and we have had a few sprouts