Catch up part 2

Hi again

Catching up with the blog part 2

We have been away for 11 nights to Scotland, I think that we got the best weather that the West Coast can produce. It was glorious, really warm... much to our surprise, we had packed for rain and cold.

We stayed on the Applecross Peninsular and I found some interesting things to do..

At Applecross they have a Heritage Centre and on Mondays there is a lady who demonstrates how to use a spinning wheel. Much to my surprise she made me wear an apron, sit down and have a go.

 

 So I turned some wool like this into this in about 10 minutes.

I felt really chuffed its not good but was fun to do.

Then on Wednesday I met Lesley from Croft Wools and Weavers, she was teaching another lady called Ann and myself how to dye yarn using natural plant dyes.

Much to my surprise on arrival I was taken across a field, wondering where I was going, thinking I had forgotten my coat, we went down some steps and arrived at a beautiful summerhouse with a veranda nestled by a stream.

The 3 hour workshop flew by too quickly and we both enjoyed being with Lesley very much, we have both come away wanting to have a go ourselves. I ordered a book as soon as I could and intend to buy a kit to have a go.

If you are ever on the Applecross Peninsula it really is worth a trip to look at their shop or ring earlier to book a workshop.

The colours that we dyed drying in the sun outside

They really are beautiful colours..

Thanks to Lesley xx

Going to order the kit now I will show you my results, that is if I manage to have any results.

Happy Days

Alison xxxx

Holidays and no internet

Hello

I am sorry to have missed 2 weeks of blogging, we have been away and the internet was not working in the house that we rented.

I took 2 books with me to review for the first week, so here they are.

This is one of the books I really like

The Crochet Stitch Bible by Betty Barnden

It contains basic stitches and has good instructions, pictures as well as stitch diagrams using symbols.

The patterns include shells, squares, traingles, motifs, trims and edgings. 

It is a spiral bound book, with each page containing the information for one pattern.

This book is still available online on Amazon for approx. £11.00

I found that the instructions are very easy to follow and with the diagrams and pictures it will certainly help beginners and improvers.

Now a blast from the past, the following book is one of the very first books that was bought for me, the Vogue guide to Crochet this book was published in 1971.

The lace mat was a very well used pattern back in the days when we used mats to protect our furniture.

There are many patterns inside including a wedding dress, coat, bedspread and even a bikini, I can't even imagine  making that, this book is not in print at the moment but can be found second hand, if you keep looking.

There we go the first week caught up......

Happy crocheting

Alison xxxx