So this past week I went on a family trip to visit one of my
many cousins. This particular one lives near St. Ives in Cornwall with his
lovely family. I haven’t been down to that part of the country since their
wedding a couple of years ago so I was really looking forward to the trip! From
where I live it takes roughly seven hours by train, perfect for catching up
with podcasts, reading and possibly creating a stitch or two.
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| View from the train en route to St. Ives |
I left the bunny WIP at home as I knew I wouldn’t finish it in
time to give to my little cousin by the end of the train journey. Instead,
naively, I grabbed three balls of DK yarn and a few magazines for the train
journey.
Predictably
I couldn’t find a project in the magazines that were suitable for what I’d
brought with me. Rookie error! Always plan ahead! So instead I decided to knit
an iPad sleeve making it up as I go along. I cast on 46 stitches in the grey at
the top of the picture. The whole piece is in stockinette stitch with colour
changes every so often. As you can see by the mess written on the page, I’ve
kept track so I can repeat the pattern for the other side of the iPad sleeve. I’ve
made this side slightly too big in case I want to put felt on the inside for
further protection. I’ll let you know if the whole thing comes together! If it
does, I’ll post the pattern at a later date. If I can do it, any beginner can
do it :)
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| St. Ives Bay |
The weather in St. Ives was very variable with sun and then gale force
wind and rain only an hour later. We certainly saw the different moods of the
sea which was beautiful in its own way.
When the tide was
out, you could see multitudes of mussels all snuggled together on the rocks. Beautiful. I’m tempted to get the watercolours out and have a go at
painting this picture.
We also went to the Eden Project. When we arrived it was
like the initial scene in Jurassic Park, with the massive domes appearing as
you drove to the hilltops around the Project. This turned out to be surprisingly accurate as there is currently a dinosaur exhibit happening in the project. What an amazing place!
The weather was mixed that day but inside the domes, or
biomes as the correct term is, it was sweltering. I soon regretted my jeans and
jumper once inside! The different flowers and plants were incredible and it is
amazing to find them in this country. A few of the plant smells reminded me of
my childhood in Australia. Simply wonderful.
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| An aubergine flower! |
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| The roof of one of the Biomes |
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| A waterfall inside one of the biomes. It provided relief from the humidity inside. |
Other than that, the whole holiday has mainly been long
walks, time on the beach and with the family. I cannot recommend Cornwall
enough. Despite the hoards of tourists (me included I realise), it’s a stunning
part of the UK. If I’d had more time, I would have loved to walk further around
the coast. Next time, perhaps.
Not a particularly crafty or creative post I know! So to
make up for it, I have put a list of events coming up in September including
the Great London Yarn Crawl (more on that in my next post) and also a few
podcasts that kept me company on the long train ride south. All of them can be found
on the iTunes podcast store for free.
Have an amazing week! And I’ll be posting soon with some
actual yarn happenings.
Charlotte and Harvey x
A few things on in September
10th September
Great London Yarn Crawl run by Yarn in the City, London
Run by the lovely ladies of Yarn in the City - Allison and Rachel. The Yarn Crawl is split into different teams who are then taken around 3 or 4 yarn shops in London by volunteers. Its a great day out and an ideal way to meet fellow fibre folk and to discover new shops to add to your yarn stash. Tickets have been selling fast so get one while you still can!
24th – 25th September Yarndale, Skipton, Yorkshire
I would love to go this but can't make it this year. Yarndale takes place in a huge auction mart that is usually used to sell cattle and livestock based in Skipton, Yorkshire. Fantastic fun and over 180 stall holders. They also provide a wide range of workshops over the two days although these sell out very quickly so book soon! One of the organisers is the lovely Lucy from Attic24. If you can't make it, you can still knit or crochet a mini sheep that will be displayed around the event. More info on the website.
Podcasts this week
The Crochet Circle – great podcast for crocheters, two very
funny ladies!
Elise Gets Crafty – interviews with different designers and
crafters
Curious Handmade – Helen Stewart talks about knitting,
patterns and yarn. Really lovely and upbeat!
Yarn in the City podcast - same ladies as the event above. Its a bit like sitting with two really good friends and nattering about yarn and knitting.
No Such Thing As Fish – comedy show by the elves behind the
hit show QI
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