All in one weekend !!

Well what a week I have had, backwards and forwards to Yorkshire with a bit of knitting in between. Helping out at an event in our local park and going on Sale arts trail.

This morning me and the kids went to a workshop run by John Hamilton, an amazing illustrator and artist. He talked us through how he got the ideas to write and illustrate his children's books. My kids loved it.

Then we had a walk around studios and houses in Sale to view lots of different crafts and artists works, oh my goodness, you should go, if only to look with envy at some of the studios and gardens that they work from. Next year everybody should do this, I will remind you all.

my kids relaxing in a garden, how amazing is this space.

One ladies work I want to show you is Juliette Hamilton, willow and wire sculptures.

She does many workshops around Manchester and the one I want to go on is a stags head for Christmas, how amazing would that be on your wall? Check out her website for more details

So, myself and Sarah hope you  liked our summer, bunting both knitted and crochet. It would be lovely to see some of  your creations if you would like to share them with us. My friend Ann asked  me if I would write the knitted pattern with a door in it so just in case anyone else would like it, here it is.

Please remember to twist your yarns together when changing colour

With 3mm needles cast on 7sts in colour A, cast on 8 sts in colour B and cast on 7sts in colour A. 22sts

Row 1: (k1, p1) 3 times, k1 in colour A, (p1, k1) 4 times in colour B, (p1, k1) 3 times, p1 in colour  A

Row 2: (p1, k1) 3 times, p1 in colour A, (k1, p1) 4 times in colour B, (k1, p1) 3 times, k1 in colour A 

Rep last 2 rows 22 more times

work 4 rows in moss stitch in colour A

Next row: join in colour C and knit 4 sts, in colour A moss st 14sts, in colour C knit 4 sts

Next row: in colour C purl 4 sts, in colour A moss st 14sts, in colour C purl 4sts.

Work the last 2 rows once more

Next row: k3, sl 1, k1, psso in colour C, moss st 12 sts in colour A, in colour C k2tog, k3

Next row: p4 in colour C, moss st 12sts in colour A , p4 in colour C

Next row: k3, sl 1, k1, psso in colour C, moss st 10 sts in colour A, in colour C k2tog, k3

Next row:  p4 in colour C, moss st 10sts in colour A , p4 in colour C

Cont as set dec 1st at each side until 8sts

work 1 row in colour C

Next row: (RS) k2, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k2. 6sts

Next row: purl

Next row: k2, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k1

Next row: p1, p2tog tbl, p1

Next row: sl 1, k2tog, psso

fasten off

sew in all loose ends.

Also this week I have been busy making some crochet flowers for my friend Elizabeth.

 She is a yoga instructor and has started an etsy shop selling yoga bags and relaxing eye bags. Check out Lemon Tree yoga on etsy and facebook as she also does retreats, I was lucky enough to go on one last year and wow! I came back soooo relaxed it was heavenly. She wanted to make the yoga bags her own so asked me to crochet flowers to sew on them so I thought I would share the flowers with you.

Well that's all from me this week. But I must say after having a creative weekend it has got me thinking about experimenting with my work, even getting my sketch book out again. I may even share with you some of my work that I produced a few years back that I still love from embroideries to ink drawings so watch this space. 

Helen xx