Simply lovely

This beautifully knitted jumper is from Debbie Bliss's book Simply Baby and was knitted in Baby Cashmerino by Dany's dad's cousin, Kathleen, for her grandson Isaac. Kathleen lives in Spain and came over a few weeks ago, purchasing the wool and a gorgeous knitting bag when she visited Jolie. She would love to join us for Knit and Chat but is too far away...however, Kathleen belongs to a Spanish patchworking group called 'Te y Telas' which means 'Tea and Fabrics' - sounds good to me.

Didn't we have a lovely time...

...the weekend we went to Southwold on our annual knitting on the beach trip. Caron brought loads of her famous home made sausage rolls, and we started tucking in on the journey.

And what a journey. We left Walkern at 9am and reached Southwold at 6pm. A mere 107 miles, however we followed the scenic route, meandering through the countryside. We stopped in Clare, then Long Melford, continuing to Peasenhall and Yoxford on a fantastic junk trail. Linda picked up a piano, Dany found a chair and a chandelier, Caron bought some pretty votives and Karen found a watercolour of a camel by Chester Williams(?).

Still en route, we had a giant cream tea (and chocolate and beetroot cake) in the garden of The Parish Lantern Tea Rooms, Walberswick.

Found Hellie and Donna on the way.

We stayed at The Swan Hotel, Southwold.

In the newly built chalet syle rooms, which overlook the secret garden. Very Hi di Hi!

And spent a wonderful soiree in the garden, around the piano, with Caron's votives coming into their own.

Sunday was a great day on the beach. Please note Linda tucking in to cheese balls. Sorry, how many did you say you could fit in your mouth once?

Trish remembered her knitting. That was the reason we came wasn't it?

Donna and Beryl managed a few rows too.

Dany and Hellie and a lorra lorra lolly.

The three Sues, Diane and Paula, all looking very glamorous, down at the Southwold Boating Lake Tea Room - with a superb cream tea and fresh strawberries.

Aah, back home again on Monday, after a spot of shopping in Woodbridge and supper in The George at Cavendish. One slight moment - Linda realised she didn't have the fuel key to the Jeep. A very kind gentleman came to the rescue with his Henderson garage door key which did the trick. Phew!

Knit and wine

Join us for a glass of wine (or two), Tuesday evening 27th July, 7.30 - 10.30pm. £15 pp.

Knitted bunting

Looks so pretty knitted in Rowan handknit cotton and Debbie Bliss cotton dk. We have two patterns - the little beachhuts based on Southwold and traditional pennants which look great backed with vintage fabric.

All change

We've had a little bit of rearrangement at Jolie. We sold the lovely armoire and were left with a bit of a gap and nowhere to store the wool. Problem solved - this pretty bed, which we thought would be too big for the shop, now sits perfectly in the middle under the chandelier - and it's full of baskets wool!

The jewellery is now displayed on it's own table with a gorgeous crinoline lady mirror and lace.

A happy accident

This is one of Linda's first ever crochet pieces. Made from tapestry wools, it was accidentally felted in the washing machine and discarded. Discovered yesterday, clearing out a drawer, I think it is charming and worth rescuing.

On the road to recovery, I found some nice woolly wool to edge it with - possibly with a picot. We had a couple of projects in A and E at Knit and Chat today - see Jen's impressive operation below.

Sweet Caroline and friends

Caroline celebrated her birthday at Knit and Chat - looking lovely in her new crocheted shrug.

What a coincidence - Debbie and Jennifer were wearing theirs too. This pattern, from Rowan's Summer Crochet is the hit of the summer, and looks great in every colour. Some people have even finished their second one.

Jennifer performed some life saving surgery on Dr Carolyn's crochet shrug, avoiding certain tragedy. The wrong arm fell off - it was in a right pickle. A little role reversal for Carolyn who is normally the one dealing with emergencies!

Little Miss Muffet...

aka Linda...sat on a tuffet, making her curds, and curds and more curds. Lemon, gooseberry and lime, apricot and raspberry.

Great curd recipes from Fruits of the Earth by Gloria Nicol. This lovely book also includes recipes for jams, chutneys and cordials and some good tips on preserving. Trish kindly picked some more goosegogs for another batch of the luscious gooseberry and lime.

New bag lady

Sally with her lovely new knitting bag, complete with project.

Meet Sally's gorgeous Champagne coloured cat, Dennis. Watch out Teddy! Linda's fallen for a cat - she even took his picture.

THE exhibition

The exhibition was held at The United Reformed Church in Walkern on 26th and 27th June. We were very proud to show some truly beautiful work made by such talented and creative people.

It was a wonderful inspiring display of incredible knitting from both experienced and novice knitters.

Not forgetting crochet.

George Clooney was there!

The tea table was a great success.

Linda and Dany with Mary, who is a fantastic knitter and an elder at the URC.

The weather was perfect.

Libby helped with the cake stall.

And teas were served in lovely garden outside. The bric - a - brac stall was a triumph and some fantastic prizes were donated for the raffle.

The whole event was a great success. We raised £800 for the URC towards the restoration and renovation of the church which is 200 yrs old this year and subsiding.

We would like to thank everyone for all their help and hard work over the weekend, without whom we couldn't have done it; Diane, Paula, Trish, Julie, Sue Ford, Carolyn, Jo, Sue Noyes, Sandra, Sophie, Susan, Brenda, Sue Butchers, Karen, Donna, Debbie, Sally, Mandy, Rosalind, Olga, Mary, Jackie, Annie, Libby, Poppy and Scarlett. Also huge thanks to Pam Williams and Walkern's 'Over Sixties' for making such delicious cakes.

What's occurring?

A little update from Tuesday's Knit and Chat. Carolyn is making the crocheted shrug in Rowan's Cotton Glace.

Jennifer is making one in Debbie Bliss's Prima.

Dany is also making one (in red Cotton Glace), but has put it aside in order to finish some 'bigger buns' ready for the exhibition coming up this weekend.

Jo is making stylish napkin rings in Handknit Cotton.

Karen and Linda are both making black crocheted shrugs in Cotton Glace.

And Naomi is making a super jersey for nephew Leon.

Three cheers

for Mark and Mark who finished their journey from John o' Groats to Land's End today at 1.15pm. It took just over 22 days to cycle the 1253 miles and they have raised an impressive £9,000 for Action for Children and The Prince's Trust. There is still time to donate www.justgiving.com, enter Mark Armond or Mark Sterling under 'sponsor a friend'. The guys are having a few days deserved rest after which we look forward to welcoming them back to Walkern next week.

Another winner

Even though it is June, Linda made gorgeous apple and blueberry tarts with frangipane from the fab winter cookery book, Long Nights and Log Fires - for Father's Day tea. Mmm!

Please note, new fluoro summer nail polish colour.

Nick was impressed with tarts but seriously unimpressed with the nail varnish!

Nearly there..

The intrepid cyclists are on the home strait now. Today they are pedalling from Barnstaple to Padstow and should reach their destination at Land's End by early afternoon tomorrow. Well done, chaps!

What IS it you do all day?

Linda and Poppy made an amazing coffee cake this afternoon - just because. What about all the washing, ironing, shopping, cooking, gardening, dog walking etc? Let alone a shop to run!

Bonnie Scotland

Karen, Linda and Dany had a great weekend visiting Hellie up in Fintry, in beautiful Sterlingshire. We spent a lovely afternoon in Perth.

Hellie made a delicious lime and coconut cake for tea and

Linda fashioned the tablecloth into a dress.......

We were out and about ....at the Killearn Hoolie...

...where ladies had pipes and gentlemen wore skirts!

We visited Jane at Snapdragon in Balfron, who was taking part in The Forth Valley Open Studios event. Jane grows beautiful cut flowers and makes and designs lovely textiles with freehand machine embroidery in her airstream trailer workshop/shop (see link on right).

I love the old Citroen HY van in the garden.

I bought an embroidered felt lavender cushion wth George on it to take home.

Oops, so busy 'shopping' forgot to get joint of meat for Sunday lunch. A quick rummage in the fridge produced a groaning table and some cheesy dreams for Linda.

A little more shopping at the Scottish Arts and Antiques Centre at Doune before we leave.

Just time to get the washing out before dashing off to the airport. Thank you Hellie and Rob for a great weekend.