Towersey weekend away: Derbyshire's Cromford

It's been a busy few weeks that have been flying by and it's getting dark by 8 pm which is truly depressing! Here I am still trying to catch up a bit . Beginning of September we went on our Tpwersey folk-club weekend away and this time it was Derbyshire: Willersley castle.

 http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/willersley-castle.en-gb.html

I can't really comment on the rooms in the castle, suffice to say DO NOT stay in the mews as those rooms were rather bleak and uncomfortable and I hadn;t catered for having to walk outside and up a hill before and after every meal and every evening's dancing.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Arkwright for background information....
The food was OK but I thought not nearly as nice as last year in the Forest of Dean at an equivalent hotel in the same Christian group organisationally.

After arriving Friday we had the best dancing with fabulous live music and such fun dances, Hugh calling again was pure pleasure.

Saturday morning after breakfast- we set of for a walk by the canal and up to the pub where lunch had been booked.

We had a lovely lunch and then the musicians started playing and we listened and sang and had a jolly musical afternoon


Afterwards we walked home the ''high way''

and had lovely clear views all the way back down after a bit of a climb.

I even mastered the panorama shots on my phone...

Linda with her bright back pack and Tina leading the walk.

 

A view of ''home'' and the hotel is in there somewhere as well as a number of Mill buildings.

Down the hill, along a road and up the long driveway and we'll be back in time for tea.

We got back just before 5 pm , walked all the way back to the hotel and then I changed quickly to go swimming! see you there.

Shawl finished!

 Quick demonstration of the size and the drape and all photos taken by hubbie who complained bitterly all the time...
It's achieved a  huge ''wingspan'' with the extra rows and increases and is still very light but soft and toasty.

 My arms are 155 cm from hand to hand so it's a bit bigger than that at the top end?

 At the front it doesn't meet unless you drape and fold over a shawl collar effect at the neckline.
It drapes over the shoulder and then down along the side of the body.

 The shawl collar effect is also nice and could be worn with a coat?

And here are some shots of the shawl itself, solo as it were but don;t look too closely as I did make a mistake when I was adding extra rows and it's not quite symmetrical...

I ordered and extra ball of the blue blue colourway and it was very different but I think it adds a nice bit of ''weight'' to the border at the hem?

Loving those pineapples! 

 
 And the triangle parts in between too.

Last look at the pineapple in striped form, the shawl was wrapped and given to Sister for her 50 year Golden Jubilee and she's renewing her vows this coming Sunday . Such a wonderful person and a great gift to music, the church and the community.

Bank Holiday Weekend Crochet

 http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rebel-lace-cardi

A quick crocheting update, this weekend started well with a gauge swatch for the Rebel cardigan
for which I show the picture above as well as the link to the pattern on Ravelry.
I am doing the Craftsy Class with this tutor and thus did a really proper swatch and washed and dried it too!



 I am using King Cole bamboo cotton in navy, a 15 mm knitting needle and a 3.5 mm hook here.

 And here is my swatch all washed and dried , only one mistake made and that is the dc( sc) row straight after the chain row, I forgot it and picked up loops straight away.

 Alas it turned out too loose and I haven;t worked the next swatch yet, the one without the mistake and using a 12 mm needle and 3 mm hook?

 I like the swatch though and can see myself making a sleeve for a lacy shrug or summer jacket with this stitch? The weekend started really well with two irresistable new crochet magazine issues on the stand ( but not for long!) and a cheery bunch of fresh flowers.

 Now I have resisted these for a few months now, esecially Simply Crochet as the patterns were just too simple and basic, I have had the prior issue of Inside Crochet though.

 This time I had fun looking through and saw at least 3 patterns I liked in each and the pins will come in really useful too.
Last week in a lunch break I saw a fun pattern online in ravelry pages that I just HAD to try: I need to make a present for Sister who is having her jubilee soon and what better than a ( prayer) shawl?
It's a fab free pattern called I promise you pineapples:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/i-promise-you-pineapples

Now I have always wanted to do those so I just started Sunday and COULD NOT STOP!
it's a highly  addictive wonderful pattern: could not put it down as In caught up with the Honourable Woman and the Village on BBC I-player?

 I'm using DROPS DELIGHT and a 5 mm hook and had to add extra rows to make it bigger?
This is what I did Sunday ? After I'd been to Stonor Park- more of that on a later post.

 Then today I picked it up and just kept going and going.... It's even bigger now- no photo yet- and weighs over 156g. I'm using blue-mix and beige-blue mix colours.

 And although not shown I have worked all but the last row of the pineapples now, they are really easy to do!

 I have run out of wool with only 2-3 rows left to do, but I will also add an edging to the top edge for a nicer finish so have ordered some more today?

 SUCH FUN! Do have a go as the pattern is free and really well written?

Divine Devon Delights

This  will be part 1 a quick snapshot of a wonderful week in Devon...

 
We'd had a great June and July and I was already browner than I have been in years, all UK sunshine.
 
 I took along this project:| a mini granny square border as a yoke for a sleeveless tank top to wear in all the very hot weather?

 And a fabulous batch of cotton to make a picnic blanket with?

 Stonehenge from a very slowly moving car, this 'cost me an hour delay''.

 Impressive queues both directions... WOW those clouds!

 Arriving at an impressive hallway!

 AAAAAAH: THE VIEW!

 Especially also from the bedroom: an amazing view!

 And  a scary balcony built into the side of cliffs:

 Safer on the balcony outside the bedroom, you can see Paignton beach and an owl rocking chair.

 Lovely large patio and of course the sunshine was a bonus.

 As well as the view!!!!!!!

Those amazing RED cliffs of Devon.