What a day! We had two Knit and Chats last Thursday. We celebrated Beryl's birthday in the morning and had a special Jolie cream tea in the afternoon (Donna was there for both, how did she manage that?). Beryl had some great cards and beautiful turquoise charm bracelet with a pretty peridot charm - Beryl's birth stone.

And Erika Knight came too! Erika joined us to show us her new venture or rather adventure.

Erika is launching a new yarn collection - all pure British wool and expertly spun in Laxton's mill in Yorkshire. We had a preview of colours and textures and patterns too.

Jane fell in love with the 'fur' - infact, I think she wanted to take this little friend home with her. Watch this space for more news on Erika's yarns @ Jolie.

Feeling fruity

What to do with a few raspberries and a couple of eggs? Individual raspberry souffles from Nigel Slater's wonderful little book Real Fast Puddings. Ready in 12 minutes, fat free and delicious!

There were rather more calories in Scarlett's Victoria sponge she made for James's birthday. It all disappeared in a flash tho.....

To a tea

Knit and Chat with a cream tea - every Wednesday afternoon from 2-4pm. Heaven?

Smashin' pumpkins

PC Karen brought a delicious pumpkin pie to Knit and Chat on Tuesday. What a lot from the allotment! Home made from home grown pumpkins and decorated with pretty cake stencils - now available at Jolie. Scrummy indeed!

Scary crochet

This crochet creature is Nibbler from Futurama (apparently), and was made by Sue Ford's 23yr old son, Chris. We are very impressed with Chris's crochet skills, but unfortunately can't admit to knowing who Nibbler is......we think he's great though.

Nigella Brown

A posse from Jolie took a trip down to The Fleetville Vintage Emporium down on Hatfield Road, St Albans, where our Donna has a stall - www.thefleetvillevintageemporium.co.uk . Also recommended, the cosy alfresco Tea for Two Cafe - with excellent waitress service.

'Nigella' makes a good BLT, it has to be said.

Knit and wine

Tuesday evening, 16th August, 7.30 - 10pm.

We've been taking turns in the shop during school holidays, but Dany and Linda will both be at Knit and Wine on Tuesday evening. Do join us if you can. xxxx

Wonderful wet weekend

We had our annual Jolie weekend in Southwold. Starting off with breakfast at Cafe Clare in Clare, Suffolk, we spent all day getting there taking the scenic route through the villages and stopping wherever the fancy took us.

We had cream teas at The Weavers Tea Room in Peasenhall, just as Donna had a text from Slimming World wishing her a great weekend. Ooops!

Stopped at Yoxford Antiques Emporium where we met Hinge and Bracket.

Spotted a great crochet swimsuit. Pity the weather wasn't up to it.

Linda found some nice fabric, a dodgy housecoat, neglige thing (she didn't buy it) and a great beehive style hat (which she should have bought).

We stayed at The Swan in Southwold.

Trish and Julie came too. Julie somehow managed to avoid the camera.

We were joined by Sinjit and Minjeeta for the room party on Sunday night.

It was a blustery, windy, rainy, wet weekend in July. For goodness sake, what happened to the weather this summer?

Sailor Bill obliged by taking a picture of us .....and a liking to Linda too.

Found a little bit of colour by the seaside.

and Southwold's lighthouse is so pretty.

We loved the homage to Southwold crochet curtain.

We did see the sea - but this was about as close as we got.

Dany shared her big Toasty cardi with Karen.

Windy windmills.

We managed plenty of shopping, of course. Donna bought new Fit Flops.

Tea, again, down at Susie's kiosk, by the seafront.

Hellie purchased a charity shop raincoat - more out of necessity than style we felt.

Coffee this time in Woodbridge on the way home. There was an incredible downpour while we were drinking our coffee and we couldn't get out because the street flooded. We had to leave through the back kitchen door of Caffe Nero.

Aah, but it was great inspite of the weather. A happy laugh-a-minute good time was had by all. To top it all we finished up at The Angel in Lavenham for a truly delicious meal. Unbeknown to us Marco Pierre White took over about 10 days previously - we thought it was good and by golly the food was amazing and not too expensive. Definitely worth a revisit.

The calm before the storm

Hellie arrived at Jolie Friday afternoon, all the way from Paris, with her beautiful crocheted shawl modelled by Linda.

Scarlett helped Donna find some rose intarsia patterns for knitted cushions (there are two in Rowan's Classic Home) for her next project.

Robbie Dobs couldn't come this time, but sent Champagne in beautiful bottles and lovely souvenir tins of French biscuits.

Tres chic

The bed of wool in the shop has gone and been replaced by a lovely sideboard with overmantle and mirror. Painted in a pale grey - our new favourite colour. Good looking and good storage. (£425.00)

Karen Titchmarsh?

Ooh, how pretty! Karen (Sgt.) brought beautiful flowers home grown on her allotment for us to enjoy at Knit and Chat.

Gorgeous sweet peas nestling in there too.

Charmed life

It was Paula 's birthday last Thursday. Mmm, chocolate fudge cake and an intriguing black and white bag from Thomas Sabo.

Three charms. We chose a cocktail (had to be didn't it?), a ruby heart and a delectable pearl and crown. How charming!

Show off and tell

We had 'show off and tell' at Tuesday Knit and Chat this week. Jennifer brought in her wonderful crocheted rug.

Betty brought in her lovely cashmere scarf and crocheted cushion for her new house.

Naomi's brilliant jumper, knitted for nephew Leon in Rowan Cocoon.

Linda's pretty throw knitted in softest baby alpaca squares with beautiful embroidery. (Actually this pic doesn't do it justice - we need to photograph it on a bed.)

Dany's rabbit sized cricket jumper and trews.

Not forgetting Mary. Expert embroiderer as well as knitter! She embroidered this many years ago and hadn't got round to doing anything with it. We have had it made into a cushion for her so at last it gets seen.

Knit and wine

Tuesday 19th July, 7.30 - 10pm @ Jolie. Hope you can join us.

The next Knit and Wine will be post our weekend trip to Southwold - will this be us on the beach? Where did we put those crochet bikinis we made?

Coastal style

I opened the August 2011 edition of Coast magazine this afternoon and to my great surprise and delight spotted one of my uncle David 's paintings on page 47. The feature is about a lovely cottage by the sea on Mersea Island where David also lives. The owner of the house (Monkey Beach Cottage) has several of his paintings which can be seen in the pictures. David has been credited as a local artist, which is really nice.

See previous post about David Britton below - 10th June 2011.

Cottered day

Lovely day out in Cottered on Sunday. The village had it's annual traditional fair with car boot, vintage cars and fairground rides, candy floss, ice cream, morris dancing, open gardens, cake and jam stalls and teas, of course.

It was the hottest day of the year so far and we were gasping.

We visited the garden of Lower Farm and had tea and cake in the shade of a plum tree.

The garden is beautiful, with lots of secret 'rooms' and sculpture dotted about.

We took refuge from the sun again in the thatched gazebo. Just looking at this amazing table with undersea treasures of shells and fossils displayed under glass cooled me down.

I bought a teapot, a rolling pin and a vintage Christmas biscuit tin. Linda bought a teapot and homemade jams.