Sometimes

sometimes things can overwhelm
Pain, happenings around us
All serve to distract
The key I think is colour
Bright makes me smile
Rainbows lift the spirit
Natures hues most of all

The blanket was made by a good friend as a joint birthday present. Isn't it stunning?

Dipping my toe on the dark side:)

I've been dipping my toes on the dark side:)
As you may have seen on my previous post the wonderful Jan made me this top. When she gave it me at Woolfest she said it was up to me how to finish it as it would need a little more length probably.
I pondered a while and sorted out beads wondering what to do then it came to me. Crochet dangly spirals. It seemed sacrilegious to add knit to it after all, the top said crochet so crochet it was .

What do you think?
No fixed length of spiral dangles just what came to me as I crocheted. Then crystal beads added to the bottom of each spiral

I love it

Such rich colours.
Jan is hopefully coming to stay soon and I think I'm going to take the next steps along the crochet path by getting her to teach me a few more stitches.
I'm not giving up the knitting, more broadening my horizons.
The weather has been a tad hot to say the least, too hot for doing much except stay inside. It is too hot for knitting for long spells as my hands stick to the needles.
I have however started a new project. It is another Elsewhere jacket but done in mohair. Specifically random skeins of mohair different colours. I think it will be quite different,so watch this space.
I've been contemplating the turn of the wheel, this time seems more of a lethargic shift. I'm not as fired up with energy and not as intensely pushing to get things done. A different place on the spiral, not better and not worse just something new.
It is a more thoughtful phase, more spiritual and inwards. A taking stock of who I am and what I want to do or learn next.

Woolfest part 2 the stash enhancement & gifts.

Woolfest wasn't just about having fun and meeting friends . There was some stash enhancement and some gifts.
Firstly from Artis-Anne 5 skeins of hand dyed hand spun yarn for the 5 elements. Anne and I had agreed a trade, 5 skeins in exchange for a cone of mohair to dye. Look what she came up with, aren't they gorgeous?
They will work beautifully with my femmes:)
I have wanted a shawl pin for a while now to compliment my shawls when I wear them. This is sycamore and was purchased from Kevin.
I love the shape of it.
Then I purchased some yarn and received a free shawl pattern from the Laal Bear. The pattern is written out which is better for me as I can't read lace charts. We will see how I get on, more later on that.
I chose these colours especially. When I was little I went to a boarding school for delicate children . I was there for almost 2 years aged 7 to 9. One of the crafts I remember doing was weaving and I made my nan a scarf using bright turquoise and bright orange yarn. It was extremely garish but she wore it with pride many times:) This blue yarn is called seaside and has some small flashes of orange in it so it seemed appropriate to add orange as a contrast.

I met up with so many online friends it was unbelievable. There were dozens of them and I enjoyed it greatly. One of these friends is Jan and she does the most superb crochet. I've several items in my wardrobe made by Jan and I now have 2 more:)
Jan gave me this along with some extra yarn so I can fringe or bead it to lengthen a little.

Isn't it gorgeous? I have the beads lined up ready to start tomorrow and watch this space:)
Not content with silencing me with the top Jan gave me this:-
Isn't it incredible? I'd seen the pictures on the blog and was tempted to ask her to make me one, I don't need to now. It is mine, all mine:)))
Jan I love the things you made for me and will love wearing them, thank you so much for them.

I also received 2 bags of yarn for my hospice knitting from Lisa and Vicky which is much appreciated:)
Wye Sue presented me with a huge bag of yarn to do with as I will, mainly Colinette. Guess I'll have to force myself to knit it then;) I love Colinette colours.
So a great time, very tired still today but it was worth it.
My thanks go to the Wool Clip for organising such a brilliant festival and to all the people I met who made me glad to be part of the online blogging community.

A walk on the wild side:) AKA what to do with leftover sock yarn

Yes it is true

I've taken a walk on the wild side,insert Lou Reed song:)
For a long while,well since January actually, I've been wondering how I could do justice to the remains of all the sock yarn I'm using for the hospice socks. Yes I know I could make smaller pairs as well but you know a person has to do something other than socks once in a while. So finally today I did:-

Oh look! What is that in the midst of the sock yarn leftovers?
Could it be the start of a crochet blanket?
Ha! bet you didn't know I could crochet did you? Not a lot where patterns are concerned but since I was a little girl I have made crochet blankets and throws. Oh and for my first narrowboat I made cushion covers in elemental colours. Haven't done much crochet lately because of the socks, and the shawls, and the socks and the....
So what do you think? A good way to use leftovers? Some yarns didn't have anything left over and some I made some tiny socks with but I would say there is a good start to a blanket here wouldn't you?
The idea is that while it is small I'll do 2 rows of each colours randomly as they come out of the bag but with a colours that continues in between like the brown one here. Hopefully that will tie it together a little. I didn't want to do squares as my hands are too sore to stitch them together and I can't be bothered to have to crochet dozens, even hundreds together. Maybe slight exaggeration there on the 100s:)
At the end of the year I'm going to raffle it with all proceeds going to?
Yes you've guessed, to the hospice.
There will be a wide variety in it from Opal and Regia to Wollmeise and Posh. A little of all the leftovers I have.
Watch this space.
Mr Mog has his appointment with the doctor at 8am in the morning so keep your fingers crossed please that they can do something to help.
Then a fun filled day with our 2 grandsons before they go back to school on Tuesday. Elder one starts at big school, a big day for him.