Wednesday 8 October 2014

Starting Christmas

I'm probably a little late starting christmas presents in October but I think I'll be fine, we hve such a small family and an even smaller number who will appreciate handmade gifts.

I have made a quite plain granny shawl for an aunt of D's-she is very unwell and I am planning on giving it her soon. She is in hospital at the moment, as she was 2 weeks ago (she has been home in between but was readmitted yesterday). The last time she was in she was struggling with being cold and as she had a 'drip' in her arm it was very awkward to get a dressing gown on without dislodging it. Another relative said to her while I was there that what she needed was a shawl. I thought I may have had some wool at home that I could use but it turned out I didn't have enough of any one wool. So I bought a couple of balls of James C Bretts 'Marble' chunky-I love this wool it's so cozy and is also sold in 200g balls which makes it a very good buy at under £5 a ball. I haven't taken any pictures of it but this is the colour I chose-D asked me to try and get a wool with blues and purples if possible so I went for this one, it's actually a bit darker than it looks on the pic and is kind of peacock shades. It didn't take very long at all and I am really hoping she will like it.
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/a3/4a/c6/a34ac6df3d20a55ef5f96652354e15a4.jpg


The other Christmas gift I have now finished is for D's mum. She collects blue and white pottery and has a huge collection on a beautiful dresser. I was looking on Pinterest recently and found a lovely picture of a crochet cushion cover in blue and white. When I showed it to D he straight away said how it's 'Just like my mums pottery!' So, I tried and tried to find a pattern that exactly matched the one we had seen but I struck out. So I went to an old favourite and made some squares using Patricia Hewitt's 'Sunburst' pattern. I used three shades of cotton 'wool' and made the border to each square in a white yarn.





 I am really pleased with it but just hope his mum is too..only time will tell!







5 comments:

  1. Personally I love that combination of blues and the cushion design is striking! Those blues actually remind me of the Blues used in Blue Denmark china. I wonder if that is the sort of china that has inspired you. It is a smashing gift and the shawl will be too. I am very much a shawl person myself! Christmas gifts are just a vague thought in my mind at present!!! tch!
    keep well

    Amanda :-)

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  2. Thanks-It kind of is that sort of blue yes. She has a wide collection of Delft 'Type' pottery.

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  3. Gosh you have been busy Cleo, and well ahead on the xmas presents! The shawl sounds a lovely idea and the perfect present for D's Aunt, and the cushion cover is beautiful! There is something so very appealing about blue and white together, so fresh, and I'm sure D's Mum will love it.
    So glad the blackberry freezing went well for you - I always worry when sharing a recipe or hint that it might not work out! i like freezing them dry and loose so you can grab a handful for a smoothie, or take what you need rather than a big solid mass. You mentioning crumble makes me want to make one for dinner tonight now - we have some windfall apples to go with the blackberries - perfect!
    Gill xx

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  4. Lol, we realised when we got them that there are lots of bushes near by but then the absolute killer was when I noticed Flossie (Florence Nightingale chicken) in one of the garden beds-jumping up and down & eating blackberries!!! She was sniffling the last few, her and Mrs P (Emmeline Pankhurst chicken) had already stripped the rest without us noticing! Next year they're not having them all!

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  5. I love blue and white it reminds me of my mothers collection of Delft that she had in Holland when I was a child, she no longer has it, the perils of divorce! but whenever I see Delft styled colour I always remember it.

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