Hello again

You might have wondered what has happened to me. I haven't posted for such a long time!!!

Rest assured, all is well. I have started a new venture with some friends. We design and make the cutest baby and toddler clothes.

I have created a new blog for us, you can look at it here.

Please be so kind as to leave a comment for us there. We would love to read what you think.

We have just gone public with our label, Pick me!!!, last week. There is still a lot of work to be done to get everything up and running.

The days seem too short nowadays. Crochet, Embroidery, designing, more Crochet, Embroidery Classes and somewhere in between a Home, Guesthouse and, come to think of it,..... where is my husband?

No, I am only joking, he comes first, of course.  He is a darling, supporting me in everything I do!!!!

Yarn Swift and new stash

A few months ago I was very lucky in winning an auction for an old wooden yarn swift.

It is very old but still in perfect working condition.

I was using it to wind some wool skeins into balls when I realised that I hadn't shown this to you yet.

I love using it, wondering all the time who it's owner was and about the type of wool

 that has been wound on it. I get all sentimental....

Isn't this wool gorgeous?

It could be a new Top Down........mmhmm....

The wool is hand-painted 100% Merino Wool in a

worsted weight by Malabrigo again.

I'm trying not to drool whilst I write this. The yarn is so soft....... and oh those colour shades.....

Gotta go and knit, its evening.... and Saturday..... and yes, yes ,yes, tomorrow is Sunday :)

Have a fabulous weekend,

Top Down Knitting and Lace Shawl

It seems like I have caught the knitting bug. Originally I wanted to knit a rounded cropped Bolero jacket. Whilst searching the Internet  for patterns I came across this Top Down Feather and Fan Cardigan. I was intrigued. Once I started to knit, there was just no stopping me......

I made three since the beginning of June...

The first one was knitted with one thread of bamboo and one thread cotton. Just some yarn I had in my stash. This is a very light summer top.

I tried to adjust the pattern to be slightly rounded at the front. 

Once it was finished I thought I could try again and improve my knitting skills.

This one is knitted with a 80% Wool - 20% Cotton mix

I just love the Feather and Fan Lace pattern.

(Yay, I can knit lace!!!!)

Next I wanted to make a thicker winter cardigan.

And, as you can see, I tried more lace patterns.

This one is knitted with 100% Merino Wool.

I am very pleased with the way they turned out.  

It is quite chilly here in South Africa and therefore the perfect weather for knitting. 

I so enjoy to knit in the evenings and I'll have to hurry up because the hot weather is just around the corner. As of September it will be too hot to knit  :(

I am also busy crocheting a lace shawl.

The yarn I'm using is Malabrigo Baby Lace  

100% Merino Wool Lace Yarn from Malabrigo Yarns of Uruguay 

Colour: Indicieta

available   here

I'm using a 4.5mm crochet hook

Pattern: South Bay Shawlette available here

I'm still here.... looong post

Hello all,
It's been a long time since I have posted. Let me assure you, all is well, I have just been very busy with the B&B, ( had no help for 2 months), travelling to teach Mount Mellick Embroidery (making up kits as well), and, last, but not least, life just in general. I will be posting regularly again soon.

Here is a quick run through of the past few months:

March 2012
My mom arrived, and we spent a fabulous 2 months together. Here she is, embroidering Mount Mellick at one of my classes.

April 2012
On the last Thursday before Easter mom and I surprised the regular students attending my classes with a little present and more that just the ordinary coffee and tea.

May 2012

Our Womens Agricultural Union held their annual Congress. Being linked to the Associated Country Women of the World Organisation, we joined a project called "Women walk the world". The purpose being to make the world aware of the plight of rural women around the world. There were about 160 attendies at our Congress, and 90% of them walked that day.....  It was quite an experience....

From top left: Baby, Maritsa, Marita, Tokkie, Desiree and me!

In the Hall during a break.

One of my students embroideries at the Congress.

Desiree, I am proud of you!!!!!

The Congress is the highlight of the year for all the branches of the WAU. We had a super time....

First Prize and Pearl Pouch finish

It has been so long since I last wrote an entry for my blog. Time just flies by ....

I have some good news to share with you...., please may I brag, just a little?

I have been away for a few days. 

Our Women's Agricultural Union held their annual Area Conference the other day, and I am excited to tell you that the Poppie lampshade has been judged on County level and that it won "First Prize".

I still cant believe it. It will now go on to Provincial Level where it will be judged again in May. 

During the Conference we stayed in a lovely lodge with tented accommodation. The tents had all the amenities, including an outside shower. (What a lot of fun) A whole bunch of ladies from our Chapter went and we had a ball of a time. Lots of laughter, good food, wine and friendship. It was a perfect stay.

On the stitching front I have a finish to show you :)

This is my version of the "Lacy Pearl Pouch"

Design by : Chameleon Threads

Pattern: Lacy Pearl Pouch 

Out of the book Creative Embroidery with space dyed threads

by Via Laurie

It is worked in Hardanger on 28ct linen using Via Laurie's space dyed threads.

The pouch is made with dupion silk fringed with lace.

I added some Antique seed beads......

and made up a charm from odds out of my beading stash.

And that's all from me today. I am still working on the Mountmellick embroidery and I have started to knit a Bolero. My surprise X-stitch is still far from finished and I am actually sorry I even mentioned it to you.

 (I feel the pressure, hehe)

You'll have to be patient, this week I am going to Johannesburg, (450km one way), to fetch my dear mom from the airport. She is coming to stay with us for 2 months. I am very happy!!!!!

Hello again

I have been busy crocheting, designing cross stitch and mountmellick embroidery patterns and trying to finish a large cross stitch design. There just isn't enough time in the days.......

These two little bunnies will find a home with two of my friends. They are both expecting baby girls soon.

I crocheted them with Vinnis Colours, Nikkim, 100% Cotton Yarn and a size 3.5 Crochet hook. 

I had such a good time making them. I really enjoy crocheting.

I just adore them and wish I had small children of my own so I could decorate their room........sigh.......dream.....

Ah, but I had my time of that and now I'll just have to wait to become a granny, right?

Hope you still have a lovely Sunday....

I know I will, with friends coming for lunch, homemade pizzas, red wine, blueberry tart..... ahhh, what bliss!!

My surroundings

A lot of you have asked me what my surroundings look like.

So, this afternoon I took some photos:

It is summer here at the moment. Every other day is a scorcher with the thermometer climbing up to

 39deg Celsius on a regular basis. Recently we have had a lot of rain ( we are so grateful for that), and all around us the bush is green and lush.

It is Marula season, (the fruit that is used to make Amarula Liquor), and the trees are shedding their fruit by the thousands. The fruit is about the size of a small apricot. We have one tree that produces golf ball size fruit.

The fruit fall to the ground constantly and one has to be careful not to get hit by falling fruit.

One tree behind the house is about 15 meters high, the one next to my Studio about 20 meters high.

As the fruit lies on the ground for a day or two it ripens completely and turns yellow. It quickly starts to ferment and gives of a pungent, sweet and strong odour, attracting buck, warthogs and monkeys and of course, gazillions of insects.

We gather up all the fruit on a daily basis and dump truckloads full in the game camp.

The fruit is edible, and the locals make a delicious jelly  as well as a kind of alcoholic beer out of it. There is a very large pip in every fruit and the flesh clings tightly to it and cannot be removed, only squeezed for its juice.

I personally much prefer the Amarula liqueur :)

This is part of the chicken yard. My lovelies are entertained with hanging fruit and seeded pine cones.

......feeding time.......

----Just some pretty plants---

This is what I see when I sit on my Veranda.

  

Above is the Main Entrance to our farm.

Main entrance path.....

Path to the barbecue area.....

One of the guest huts....

Sorry about the aircon in this photo. I wanted to show you a close up of these prickly plants. They are called Halfmense ( Afrikaans) , which means Half Humans in English. 

And finally----- Philip the tame Impala enjoying a good cuppa------ 

No, not really coffee but maize kernels in the cup!!

So, that's all from me today. Stitching wise I can tell you what I am busy with, namely, 

as per usual, several projects. 

1.   Mountmellick embroidery guest towel

2.   Hardanger victorian bag project

3. My own Cross stitch design of....... (surprise)

4. A crochet bunny, too sweet for words....

Goodbye for now, keep stitching....