EXTREME Knitting!!

The Petals had an outing to the creative stitch and craft show yesterday. We tried rag rugging, had a blast with a knitting machine (really works your deltoids and abs) fittingly these machines do look rather like implements of torture.  Of course the ladies of the Machine Knitters Guild could move the thing one handed and they were really nice as we giggled away and even took our photo which may make it into the Machine Knitters Guild Newsletter – result!  They gave us the sample we made and K is planning to turn it into a phone sock, it was very fast and if you are a machine lover like me it was all very impressive. 

We watched embellishment making whilst we cheered on the ladies who were trying it out (I was made to stay and fan one lady for a while – yes K brought a fan, what she has in her handbag never ceases to surprise and amaze).  We may have insulted the demonstrator by likening the machine needle to a nit comb (me) and a TB jab needle (K). 

We also met loads of lovely people.

One of the machine knit ladies offered to come and do a demonstration at a craft meet up if we were interested. 

<< The Guild of Machine Knitters

We sat next to some fellow Chorlians at lunch (they took the pic at the top of this blog) who we invited to the next Arts and Craft Fair at the Coach House in Astley Park (Sunday 5 June). 






I bartered over wool with Mr Black of the Black Sheep Company.  K cuddled a giraffe :-).  We had a pit stop and a hot drink with my sister (who had organised our tickets and who I rang repeatedly until she answered in a whisper that she was in the lecture hall - oops).

we later met up with her next to the mermaid (left) – this was sitting outside an amazing cave created out of all knitted items, donated from knitters all over the country to support the RNLI. It was the most eye popping creation, so much detail from tiny jellyfish and sea horses to a mermaid and sea monster called Nemesis knitted by junior school children. 


<< Inside the cave

Knitted by approx 2000 knitters from all over the world.
www.all2knit.co.uk

ALL of this paled into insignificance however when we found out what extreme knitting was!!
9 balls of wool, two massive needles (and of course my sis owns some – the Little Petals were using them as swords last time we visited) you knit as normal but use all the balls at the same time and it makes rugs or heavy blankets. K was sold and is considering learning how to knit.

K getting stuck in.

That's all so goodbye from me, for now.

XxNikxX

Rain Rain Go Away

The Petals braved the rain and it wasn’t so bad early on as we set up the stall, but as the day went on it just got worse and worse, sadly the entire park had packed up by 4pm.  

Me and the Little Petals picnicked under a large tree outside Astley Hall with candy floss for afters, as far as odd locations for a picnic this still doesn’t beat the cave in Cornwall, with large seagulls hovering at the ‘door’, but it’s a close 2nd.

 

 

 

 

 I spent rather a lot on Sunday (oopsey) got a lovely bag by 'While Charlie Sleeps' and a cute bookmark by Ellen S

I have needed to padlock my purse to prevent this from happening again today when we visit the Creative Stitch and Craft Show in Aintree. (clickety click) Can’t wait, I finally got together with my mum on Wednesday for my first sewing lesson which was very timely so I now have a list of needs rather than rash spending (more on this next blog). x

Anyhoo I promised a pic of our stall, (GET ON WITH IT!!), took it early before we made it all untidy (as we always do). 

(for a bigger pic see our facebook page)

K has given me a theme challenge for the stall on 5 June, so my head is currently whirring with possibilities, think I might insist we dress up to fit the theme just to repay the challenge (tee hee). Watch this space there will be pics.

XxNikxX

Sticks and Stalls

I’d rather like to be creative with every stall this year, make each one fresh and unique.  Of course you have to have to keep the basics, for us it’s the board we use to display our lovely buntings, however this time even that is changing.  It feels a bit like redecorating.

K and I both love a bargain and we obviously can’t spend too much on props, this really brings out my creative side and I reckon putting a stall together out of nothing is one of my favourite parts of our little business.   If you saw my last but one blog I had tried a tea-party theme but although it was pretty it was just a bit confusing what was actually for sale. I also thought of a picnic as we will be at a picnic on a grand scale, but this idea was rudely interrupted by another inspiration....

Now I don’t want to spoil it for those of you planning to visit us this Sunday (in a marquee on the large football pitches, down towards the Duck Pond in  Astley Park, Chorley 10.30am – 5pm), but my inspiration came from a fabulous stick that my son found last week when we visited my lovely sis.  The sea had taken the trouble to polish it up for us (so kind), and I was given strict instructions NOT to paint it or change it in anyway (it is only on loan you see), and with that an idea formed to compliment its natural loveliness.

Here is another quick snapshot from earlier today after my trip into the woods to forage for more of natures free props.

Please note no trees were harmed in the making of our stall.

Right got to pack it all up now and do the finishing touches.  See you on Sunday, unless you are too far away to visit in which case I shall post a pic of the stall next week so you can have a nosey.

And then I’ll be planning two stalls for June!  Inspiration anyone??

Bye for now.

XxNikxX

Dog Days

"We borrowed this little dog called Lulu, she's small and very funny....."


She came to stay for an extraspecially super long time this visit. She's actually my sister's dog but she takes her vacations at our house from time to time. While she is here we try to take her mostly everywhere we can with us and we get lots of attention in return, it’s a bit like having a baby again, everyone smiles down at her as they pass by or stop to coo and give her a pat (if she'll allow it, she has a preference of children and ladies to men especially the older gentleman with his stick in tow - she doesn’t rather like sticks!)

The nice thing about dogs (no it’s not the hair - oh the hair - sooo much hair), the nice thing is it MAKES you get up and get out. I always read the blogs of those ladies over in the Dales,

http://www.marmaladerose.blogspot.com/ and http://milkchurncottageshop.blogspot.com/ (which a lovely lady introduced me to before I really knew what blogs were all about) plus a newly discovered blog called http://littlefloatingcraftco.blogspot.com/ (not in the Dales - more mobile I guess), and I feel rather envious of their gorgeous surroundings. But when we actually get out and about I realise what gorgeousness is right on my doorstep that I have been blithely ignoring.

These pics are within a 2 min walk of home. It’s bluebell time and it’s just lovely lovely lovely. So from now on I promise to sit up and ...er smell the bluebells? I am a fair weather girl though so come winter all bets are off, unless of course it snows again ( I love all the snowball fights followed by hot chocolates).

On that subject lets all hope the weather stays nice for our 'Picnic in the Park' on 15th May (Astley Park, Chorley) and that we don’t have gales whipping through the marquee and rain lashing at the passers by.  Oops I've said it now, if it is bad weather let’s hope no one attending read my blog. I shall deny all.

One last thing look right and you shall see Elizabeth Bennet, me thinks I am pleased with this result, I wouldn’t have liked to have been Marianne Dashwood (bit of a drama queen - though I have been called that on several occassions) or Catherine Moreland (she was a bit dizzy - again accusations have been tendered), hmmm perhaps one of those two would have been more appropriate after all!

XxNikxX