Happy New Year!! (At last we hear you cry!)

I know it is half way through January already... how did that happen?....but Helen and I would like to wish you a heart felt 'Happy New Year for 2016'

I have been thinking about this blog post over the last week or so, in the same way that I have also been thinking about getting back into my Gym Routine! Well I hit the gym this morning and now remember why I enjoy going so much, it fills me with energy and make me feel better and I think I can say the same for our blog too! Being faced with the empty screen sometimes feels daunting, but not today I have lots to chat about......so let's get on with it.

My Christmas & New Year reading so far, well my 'Real Books'

My hubby has suggested a holiday in March to get away from the cold British weather. My first thoughts were what knitting/crochet I will take and then which books? I don't know about you but I love to read on holiday and can usually read 3/4 books in a week, now I do love the feel of a book in my hands but I have come to love my kindle too because it means I can pack shoes and all the books I want as well. Now being a crafter I don't really like the commercial faux leather covers which protect many kindles I prefer to feel some yarn around my precious device.....

My original kindle cover made for a holiday getaway

And what could be nicer than cotton when you are in a hot country, it feels lovely and looks even better. When I make these I add wadding into the cavity between the knitted outer and the cotton inner lining which protects your device whilst in your beach bag handbag or suitcase. They are completely machine washable so those sun cream hands or ice-cream drips are not the end of the world! In fact if you rinse the cover when you get home from the beach it is ready for use the next day.

We sell a kit which includes cotton to line wadding to protect
and the yarn and pattern to make up the kindle cover.

If you love the pictures then why not invest in a kit to make your own at a cost of  £8.00 this includes the yarn, wadding inner cotton lining and pattern (a bargain). Just message us on Facebook or email us at hankandskein@gmail.com for more details and colours available.
Look out on instagram (Click on the link on the left) Hank_Skein for pictures of what we are creating and on FB for other updates.

Take a look on FB and Instagram this week to find out where my selfie was taken and why I was in Arctic conditions on a Saturday morning in January just to look at a train going by.

Braving the cold

These ducks have my respect
in that freezing water

This is was it was all about!!
Where am I??

Until next time thanks for taking the time to read our blog and please keep in touch!!

Sarah & Helen xx

It's Almost the Big Day!!

Well there is only one sleep to go until the big day is here! 

I have been knitting in my sleep over the last few weeks, with gifts, Secret Santas and my 'Normal Knitting & Crochet'

I, of course, had to have a new red hat to put my bright green knitted Mistletoe onto, and what could be nicer than my lovely free pattern from Red Heart yarns for this one night crochet project! I love the result although it came out slightly smaller than my last one. (I confess to not having made a tension square!) 

Then there was a secret gift to finish and a couple of knitted extras for gifts, I always say that a knitted gift is so special because every stitch is like a hug or a kiss from the person who has made it, and they think of the person they are knitting it for as the yarn travels through our fingers to create the stitches on the needles and eventually create the garment or toy. I am very lucky to have been the recipient of many knitted gifts over the years and each one is so special. 

This week-end myself and my husband decided to escape the chaos of the shops and head off for some fresh air. We first of all visited the Last Drop Village in Bolton and the headed for Egerton for a walk around the water there. It was whilst we were walking that we saw the flags and squares in the pictures and they really brought home to me the love that goes into our hand crafted projects. They were each dedicated to people that the crafters had lost, each one explained on a tag attached to the work, I found this very moving as yet again you know that the person who it was made for would have been in the forefront of the crafters mind throughout the making of and displaying of the work. If you happen to go on the walk stop and take the time to read the tags attached, they really are love tokens which are positioned in the most stunning of settings, especially on a bright and crisp day like last Sunday.

Our walk was rounded off with a pint of Morhouses Pride of Pendle bitter
 http://www.moorhouses.co.uk/site/our-beers/permanent-cask-beers/ in the Strawbury Duck Pub  http://www.thestrawburyduck.co.uk/  a lovely place to catch your breath after stretching your legs around the surrounding area.

Poor Helen has been having a really bad week with no heating or hot water. On a bright note the warm weather has been a blessing in this situation, but you can imagine it being the last thing she has needed at this time of year. 

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a Fantastic New Year to come.

Beautiful Christmas presents - get them here !!

Hank and Skein have been busy making new and exciting things.

This is our Christmas shop. If there is anything you would like to purchase please get in touch. The prices are with each item but do not include postage. First class is £3.30, second class is £2.80 , this will need to be added to your cost or collection is free !!

CROCHET CHUNKY COWLS - £8 each

Blue

Pink / purple

Orange / red
green

FUNKY CHUNKY CROCHET SCARVES - £12.50 each

Size: big

orange/red

blue/ green

grey / pink

Two Faced Ted kits - £6.50

This kit is perfect for children that have just started knitting and want there first project. The kit includes everything from yarn and needles to stuffing and sewing up needle and buttons all with instructions. Comes in a lovely organza bag . The colours may vary in each bag.

Beginners Crochet scarf - £6.50 each

Each bag contains instructions and a ball of yarn to produce a crochet scarf 

4 colours : cream, green, blue and very dark blue.

CITRUS

FADED BLUE JEAN

NAVY BLUE JEAN

Chunky Knitted ribbed cowl - £8 each

each kit contains 2 balls of chunky yarn and instructions

colourways are:

RED

BLUE

CROCHET COWL - YARN KITS - £10 each

each bag contains 23 small hanks, a selection of cotton, wool, mohair, acrylic, fancy, enough to crochet a round in a different colour.

Instructions on how to crochet your cowl.

We can put together any colourways.

LAVENDER

REDS & GREENS

PINK & BLUE

OCEAN

Knitted mitten kits - £8 each

The kit includes instructions and 2 balls of chunky yarn

NAVY & FUSCHIA

GREY & MAROON

NAVY & GREEN

RED

PURPLE & PINK

(AS KNITTED IN PICTURE)

If you would like to purchase anything or if there is anything you are after but can't see it here please get in touch with us , we will be happy to help 

thank you xx

Christmas is Coming!!

I have had a very busy few weeks, Christmas shopping, not finished yet, knitting for work and crochet for the snowflakes, sorting through my massive stash of wool and trying so hard to get rid of some, but no, its not happening yet.

I have just found my Christmas knitted wreath for my door, I made it last year for Lets knit magazine and I love it.

Its a simple pattern and if anyone would like it please get in touch.

I went to the Ideal Home at Christmas exhibition. I enjoyed it but I was a little disappointed that there weren't more christmas displays. I needed ideas for my table but there was nothing like that. But I still spent money.

I bought a set of window heart lights 

 Dont you just love the colours in this chair, if and when we get our knitting shop we will have a few scattered around the shop.

I had a lovely weekend away with my family in Keswick to start my Christmas shopping.

We had our first snow fall and it was magical. This is the view from our flat we had hired for the weekend.

My sister, niece, daughter and my dad. 





As always i had to find the knitting shop. It was full to the top with wool and habby items, I love having a rummage in shops like that. The sad thing is I didn't buy anything this time, not like me at all !!

There were some fabulous shop windows and lots of sheep and sparkly things to look at these are just some of my pictures !

 

An amazing cheese shop  were I bought a bottle of elderflower gin for my niece.

 

 This little chappy had a lovely warm knitted coat on, it was freezing up North.

As a young girl we had a telephone like this in yellow, don't you just love this one ?

I definitely had an amazing time and I  managed to spend some money and buy a few presents. It got me into the festive mood.

I have also been busy making snowflakes for my local park in Stretford. The book I use has the most amazing design, well worth buying. 100 Snowflakes to crochet by Caitin Sainio

I hope that you are all busy making things for your family and friends for Christmas. If you are still looking for anything knitted or crochet check out my Etsy Shop - Helen Ardley Knits. I will also have Hank and Skein items for sale on there until the beginning of next year when we will be starting our new shop. So lastly a few pictures of knitted things you can buy !!!

From Sarah and myself we wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !
Thanks Helen I wish I could have come to Keswick it is one of my favourite places/