Wet afternoon project....dip-dying

A few weeks ago when C was home from Uni for a visit, the weather was so poor that we didn't want to venture outside, but we did want to do something constructive. We had all sorts of crafty and foodie ideas but nothing really hit the spot and then we had a flash of inspiration - it was just the sort of crafting idea to fill a wet afternoon. It was the sort of messy project that we did when C and her sister were small - and it involved water, dye and salt!

I had some plain calico bags, and we thought we had some cold water dye tucked away somewhere so we decided to try dip-dying! Rummaging around we found dye from when C had tried her hand at tie dying a while ago.

We had olive green, intense violet, ocean blue and tulip red dyes.

We choose 'intense violet' to start with, and C measured out and mixed up the dye in an old washing up bowl, whilst I rinsed out the calico bags - then the fun began!

It was all a bit hit and miss and mostly trial and error.

We dipped the bag into the dye to the highest point we wanted the dye to reach and only held it there for a few seconds then lifted it out. Then re-immersed the bag about a quarter of the way down from the top of the dye line and held it a little longer for the dye to take and become slightly darker and lifted it out again. We repeated this again further down the bag and then on the last dunk held it quite a while to achieve a deeper colour. We were trying to make a smooth graduation between dunks so not form an obvious line, which was quite difficult to do but found the best way to achieve this was to waggle ( a technical term!) the bag up and down a little so the line didn't stay in one place.

After the 'violet', we changed to 'tulip red' and C decided she would like to add a design on her bag and drew a pattern using some wax as a resist - which came out really well.  Then 'olive green' and finally 'ocean blue'. All such lovely colours.

Once we had finished all the colouring and washed and rinsed the bags, as the weather was so awful outside we had to put a up a washing line inside so they could dry.

A great way to brighten up a dreary day with the house festooned with bunting bags!

blossom, bluebells and bunting

It is just so lovely to be outside in the sunshine. J and I went to his mums, we cut the grass and tidied the garden a little and it was so nice to be able to sit out and have a cuppa.  The crab apple tree in the garden was covered in blossom and looking really grand. We stood and looked and listened and the sound of the bees rushing from flower to flower was incredibly noisy.

 I'm so hoping there will be a good crop this year and I can make crab apple jelly again. Last year I made many jars gave them as gifts to friends and family, but now we are down to our last jar so I'm trying to save that for just a little longer. I think J may want to make some wine this year, but I'm sure there will be enough crab apples to go around!

The bluebell wood near our home has been rather disappointing this year. I keep hoping that there will be the usual blue carpet, but I think all the rain and wind earlier in the month has upset their growth. However, although a little later than usual,  looking up on the hill behind the cottage the field known locally as the 'Cathedral' has now come into bloom and is looking fantastic. A bluebell field!

and just look at that blue sky....

.....  and catching the evening light

That view is a real treat that I look forward to each year, the blue is so intense it is really amazing.

Other news, I had a stall at a small craft fair recently, which was fun!  I had a little Jubilee theme going on with some bunting!

I seem to have solved my problem with up loading photos, so I have a rush of postings to catch up on! 

Grandma's button tin

Taking the photo's of the little foals reminded me of my Grandma's button tin. I don't know what made me think about the tin as it has been tucked away in a cupboard for years. I think the last time we searched through it was when M and C needed buttons or beads for an art project at school.

It was always a treat when I was little to be allowed to look through the button tin, sorting them into colours and types, counting them and just turning them over in my hands - it kept me quiet for ages! I'm sure it was a great ploy by my Grandma to keep me occupied so she could get on with other things as she knew I would be quite happy for a while. It was a lovely walk down memory lane seeing all the buttons there in the tin!

I picked out a few of the more interesting ones

There were coat and cardigan buttons with lovely textured shapes ......

sorry the photo is a little fuzzy

..... and more functional work wear buttons with little loops on the back for a split pin or ring. I can remember my Grandad having these type of buttons on his work coverall jacket. I can remember the buttons having to be taken off the jacket before it went in the wash as this job was sometimes given to me.  I guess these are called 'warehouse jackets' now, but they have poppers as closures - so disappointing
.

Sweet memories.

Just waiting for the sun!

Here in the UK we are having a little sunshine and good weather at the moment. It makes such a change to be able to go out without a coat! and to be able to sit in the garden - and look at all the things that need to be done! One of the things that I had just done in time for this lovely weather, was to clean up the bench and re oil it, so now we have a much cleaner bench to sit on in the shade and enjoy a cuppa!

The warmth has also bought some of the flowers out and we now have some magnificent red poppies which grow a little wild in the garden. They have such papery petals, so thin but bright poppy red, its a shame they only last such a short time.

But more exciting news, as I looked out of the kitchen window this morning whilst making my morning cup of tea, I saw a wonderful sight. The Dales Ponies in the field behind the cottage have produced their foals - I glance out most mornings to see how they all are, and this morning there at the far end of the field were two little foals. I'm sure the warm weather has helped their arrival! At lunch time, I took my camera and tried to get a little closer so I could take some photos. Still a little wobbly on their legs, but they are beautiful, and still very shy. However, I'm sure it wont be long before they come up to the kitchen window and look in!

I have lots of other news to catch up with, but I have had problems loading my photos - I will persevere!

WOW: The wonder of wool and the art of knit and stitch

I finally managed to get to see the exhibition WOW at the Rheged near Penrith. It was a close call as I went on the final day last Sunday, but there was actually a craft fair on at the same time linked to the exhibition, so there was lots of wooly goodness to look at as well.
The exhibition itself was interesting, it showed the work of '20 contemporary British artists and designers who are inspirational in their creative use of wool' There were knitted buildings, benches covered in knitting and felting, community projects and film animations all made with wool and knitted objects - all very clever and inspiring. I didn't take a note of which artists did which projects, but here are a few photos.

not too sure about this one!

rows and rows of mannequins with added artifacts found from the shore 

Easter

Easter has now come and gone! The chocolate rabbits managed to find a patch of sunlight to play in under the daffodils in the garden! It must have been one of the few sunny spells as the weather has been very wet over the Easter weekend.

I have started to knit a new pair of socks - I like to have a pair on the go! Having knitted a few pairs now, I wanted to try a different pattern, something that would challenge me a little more, and after searching on Ravelry I found a pattern that I thought would fit the bill.  This pattern has a textured leg and instep, so I'm having to concentrate more this time. The pattern is called 'Hermione's Everyday Socks' and is a free pattern on Ravelry by Erica Lueder.

I also have some lovely pastel merino tops just waiting to be felted. Blue, pink, yellow, green and lilac - lovely summery ice cream colours!

Spring, craft and cake!

I can't quite believe where the time has gone, I'm still here and have been busy doing all sorts of things, but have just not written about them. Well, I will start with the unusual British weather! It is still March, just, but the sun is shinning and it really is more like summer in this part of Cumbria, the doors and windows are open as if it is July - not sure what has happened to the weather this year - but anyway all the spring flowers and chicks and lambs are arriving!

I can take several walks from the house so it is really interesting to see how much changes each time I pass that way.

primroses

cherry blossom

difficult to catch the lambs standing still

little chicks

a tiny orphan lamb amongst the daffodils...

.....which will need to be bottle fed!

I have also been fairly active on the crafting front, so a photo round up of some of the things I have been making. I have finished my socks! 

 I have started going along to a 'knit and natter' session at Farfield Mill, the group meets every Tuesday 1 - 3pm in the cafe. I found out about the group when I went to the felting exhibition that I mentioned in a previous entry. The group of people who go along are really lovely and welcoming, and are very happy to share their expertise on the knitting side and also happy to natter away and make you feel very much at ease within the group.

I've made a few new shopping bags...

 ...with scrummy linings and pockets and lacy trims.

I also made a few note book covers.

The felting class I go along to has now finished until the autumn, but over the term I have tried out some new techniques and made a cobweb felt scarf

and a couple of pod bowls.

It was a little friends birthday, and every little girl needs bunting especially if it spells out their name!

M and C have been home for a weekend from Uni - they didn't manage to coincide their visits but it was lovely to see them both - even though they had to spend part of the weekend working as they had deadlines coming up.

Having missed being at home for her birthday the previous week, C and I made a belated cake to celebrate her birthday! We used the Hummingbird Bakery blueberry cake recipe, with a few little alterations - we didn't make a cream cheese frosting as I didn't have any cream cheese in, so instead just made glace icing and let it dribble down the sides of the cake - delish!

Hope you are enjoying the sunny weather!