Summer crochet

Linda is also working on the Mykinos shrug from Rowan's Summer Crochet book (in stock and only £7.95), which includes 12 up to the minute patterns in 4ply Siena and Cotton Glace - and not at all 70's!! Oh, how very addictive - four rows to the pattern achieves a really striking design. I don't think she's going to stop at one...more happy days.

Busy, happy day off

Linda's vintage hamper, bursting with embroidery pieces came out in the spring sunshine. Stuffed to the brim with leftovers that look good enough to eat...finally she's made a start on this much discussed heirloom quilt with some sound advice from Beryl and Sandra.

Dany's weekend in bella Italia

I spent a fabulous long weekend with my mum, staying at a beautiful farmhouse b&b in the Mugello district of Tuscany, just north of Florence. The b&b Le Due Volpi is run by Heidi and Lorenzo, friends of ours, who gave me this beautiful painting of their house.

http://leduevolpi.it

The garden is lovely with lots of terraces and so many flowers.

I lay in the hammock -

- and on the terrace. Mmm ....prosecco, vino rosso, limoncello, prosciutto di Parma, melone, mozzarella, pecorino - my Italian improved over the weekend.

We spent a day in Pisa before coming home and stayed at The Royal Victoria Hotel. I thought I was in A Room with a View - this hotel has barely altered since it opened in 1837.

Gelato, biscotti, cioccolata calda, caffe con panna, semifreddo.....prosecco, vino rosso, vino bianco. The Italian got even better! http://royalvictoria.it

A lovely place to write my postcards, by an open window overlooking the river Arno.

In the pink......

Rowan handknit cotton for summer, in shades of sugar, slick and shell pinks.

It was a pink weekend - down the 'swanny'!

and too hot Teddy retreated into the shade - of pink.

Birthday girls

Funny...both dressed in Jolie blue today and both chose coffee cake !!!

We are 5!

With our most loyal Tuesday 'knit and chatters' - Betty and daughter Karen who have supported us since day one.

Scrummy lemon and coffee cupcakes for our 5th birthday.

Scents of summer

Grand Illusions have brought out some beautiful new scented candles for summer; Cote, Maroc Rose, Provence and Campagne are in these pretty paint cans (£9.95), and Terre d'Oc and Jardin come in the regular bistro glass (£10.95). They all smell divine - don't know which to try first!

All the fun of the fair

We had a great girly day at the vintage fair in Harpenden on Sunday.

There was so much to see...

...and try on !

Libby and Poppy found some fab hats...

Linda found an amazing opera coat...

...Libby tried it on too.

OMG! How to stand out from the crowd!

and Dany found a shirt to go with the 1940's 'land girl' dungarees.

David and Donna

Donna had some great vintage treasures for sale and her gorgeous crochet blankets.

Lilac time

The shop always looks so pretty this time of year, when the lilac is in bloom and you get a lovely waft of scent as you come up the steps.

The tulips finally emerged. I remember planting these in the snow, thinking I'd left it too late and nothing would happen. But, hey presto! they're here and what a pretty colour- so delicate.

Wow!

We love show and tell! Jack and his mum Esther came in for some more wool to finish this beautiful blanket. Esther (not Jack!) learnt to crochet at a Jolie workshop. It is always wonderful to see what everyone has made and makes us very proud too.

We are planning a knitting and crochet exhibition in Walkern on 26th and 27th June where some of the fantastic work made by our customers will be on display for all to see.

Scotland's flavourite

A little finishing touch has been added to the tunnocks tea cosy. Just perfect.

(See older post below - 28th April)

Skye news

Sent via our intrepid adventurer Hellie - a perfect place to knit on the beautiful Isle of Skye.

Donna's kebabs

Donna (at knit and chat today), has a neat method of keeping her crochet motifs safe until sewing together. Oh, but those ends!

On the button

Lovely vintage button cards designed by Venice Shone for Jolie....... just arrived today.

Bluebell girl

Billie's weekend walk in the woods. One happy dog!

Madonna

Madonna in a shop......

.... Madonna miraculously now in Linda's bedroom!

Wet weekend

A domesticated bank holiday weekend. The weather was so blustery I stayed indoors and finished off a few stray projects. Spent all of Sunday in clouds of flour, filling the kitchen with the smell of baking. I made some bread, then opened Red Velvet and Chocolate Heartache, a beautiful book of cakes by Harry (Harriet) Eastwood (reccommended by Beryl) and was inspired to have a go.

The recipes are unusual in that most of them include vegetables....like carrot cake, but instead use pumpkin, potato, butternut squash, even beetroot. I tried some fruit scones - with grated courgette. They were delicious with strawberry jam and were snaffled up immediately by my unsuspecting family who had no idea they had been anywhere near a courgette! The pictures in this book are delightful - if you don't like cooking you can just stroke them instead.