KNITTING OFF THE NEEDLES!

At last, from this bag of Drops yarn

I have completed this,

my first baby outfit for my daughter Kate and I'm so happy with it.

Knitted in baby merino, at first I thought the colour to be honest was a little on the bland side but adding the 3 white duck buttons seems to have made it look so much better.

Also, I seem to be making great progress with the crochet blanket too, but I'll show you that when it's finished.

I'm just about to start knitting with the drops karisma, a baby cardigan but my plan last night of, early dinner, feet up, tv and knit didn't happen. I got myself too comfortable and promptly fell asleep.

Amount of knitting done - none!

I didn't even get to cast on my stitches.

Later, perhaps!

AS CHILLY WEATHER SWEEPS IN!

Thank you for all of  your comments on my last post. I really do appreciate them and my belated new year's resolution is to try and reply more in future.

As temperatures have dropped this week, though we've yet to have had any snow here,  I have had a really quiet time and it's been so nice. Sitting down in the afternoons, knitting and crocheting every day, while catching up with some daytime tv you would think I would have got lots of work done.

For all my efforts, there is nothing really to show. I've made little progress with a knitted baby jacket and the blanket that I started on Tuesday seems to be growing oh, so slowly!

Kate's baby is due at the end of March, I need to get a move on.

Next week, I'm hopeful I'll have made more significant progress and I'll be able to show you where I'm at.

Despite the cold weather I've had a lovely day today. We decided to head off early stopping at Jimmys Farm for breakfast which was very nice and then drove on to Felixstowe as Michael wanted to try out his new camera.

We parked next to the docks and Landguard Fort.

My photographer did take an excellent photo of the docks but not unfortunately of the historic fort!

The day was mainly overcast but the sun did try to glimmer through the clouds as we walked towards Felixstowe Pier.

It was nice to get out, stretch our legs and chat as we wandered along.

We returned to the car eventually and then drove along to Felixstowe Ferry quite late in the afternoon. There is a foot ferry that crosses the River Deben between May and Sept/Oct and takes you across to Bawdsey Quay. Here you will find Bawdsey Manor which in 1936 became a top secret research establishment for the MOD and it is where they developed the then new radar technology.

Michael is quite fascinated by the place as his late father worked there for a while but for what reason, he doesn't really know.

As we walked along here by this martello tower the daylight hours were dimming, but we are definitely going to return and venture a bit further afield, perhaps catch the ferry!

Fortunately this cafe was warm and inviting and we popped in for a cup of tea and cake before returning home for dinner.

Now home, the fire is lit, the smell of roast lamb is wafting from the kitchen

and a small bunch of daffodils brightens even the darkest corner and reminds us that Spring will be eventually on its way.

I hope you have all enjoyed a great weekend!

JANUARY 2015

I've made a positive start to the new year.

Some new socks, hot off my needles

made with some yarn that I bought while on holiday back in the summer in Salzburg.

And a first for me in 2015 - a "selfie" of my modelling feet, which actually became a feat in itself.

It led to plenty of new year exercising, my nose virtually grazing on the carpet

as I struggled to get both feet in the picture and then when I had to come up for air I realised that I needed to plunge straight down again to take another as by keeping my legs and feet tightly together I looked more like a modelling penguin.

(photo deleted!)

 I've finally opened my bag of yarn goodies from Wool Warehouse and have made a start on a tiny baby hat.

Kate has decided not to know the sex of her baby but she is not a pink girl anyway and sways more towards greys and blues so I've gone with these colours to start with.

The Drops Alpaca Silk is for a crocheted blanket which I really loved as soon as I saw it on a blog that I follow - Heldasland

 Before I go I thought I'd leave you the recipe  that I found for these Cheese & Rosemary Sables that I made for christmas, they were so easy to make and really tasty.

Ingredients

175g plain flour + some for dusting

Half a level teaspoon of salt

Half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Half a teaspoon of english mustard powder

150g of unsalted butter chilled and cut into small pieces

75g of finely grated mature cheddar

75g of finely grated parmesan cheese

1 beaten egg

75g of finely chopped walnut pieces

1 tbsp of finely chopped rosemary and some sea salt 

Method

Rub the butter into the flour, salt, cayenne pepper and mustard.

Add the cheeses and 1 teaspoon of cold water and bring together (like you would pastry)

until you have a dough ball.

Divide in half and roll out each on a floured work surface so you end up with 2  3 cms long logs 

Wrap individually in baking paper and then cling film for 3-4 hrs and pop in the fridge
 (I left mine overnight and they were fine)

Preheat the oven to 180c fan or Gas 4

Brush the logs with the beaten egg and roll in the walnuts.

Cut the logs in 4-5cms slices, place on some baking paper on a baking tray 3cms apart

Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle some with the rosemary and some with the sea salt flakes.

Cook for 11-12 mins.

Once cooked store in an air tight container.

I doubled this recipe and they kept really well. They went down well with pre dinner drinks and I will definitely be making them again.

Why don't you give them a try!