What a happy bunch we were!
The picture is missing Jenny, who joined us later.
Sladers Yard (in West Bay, Dorset, UK) were very accommodating and welcoming. We had a board of yummy cakes garnished with strawberries and cherries – I wish I had taken a photo! And they had set aside two tables at the back of the room for us.
There were nine adult crocheters altogether and a delightful junior knitter.
There is something so deeply comforting about being with a group of women coming together and making things together – it is timeless – a connection with our ancestors reaching back over the centuries.
It is great to share ideas and talk about our current a future projects, equipment and how we store our stash.
And don’t you just LOVE Helen’s craft bag!
I admit to a bit of Craft Bag envy!
We felt we had to get at least some pictures on the beach, to show us firmly placed in West Bay, especially to send to Lucy, the designer of the blanket that had brought us all together. Lucy comes from these parts and often returns here for holidays and family visits.
Some of our group had other places they had to be for lunch, so there were fond farewells and talks of meeting again, before a few of us went to the beach where as you can see – it was a bit windy.
I’m hopeless at selfies!
Just right for paragliders
And then there were 3, we had a wander around the harbour
Time for a few more photos
I love this one of Kay and Sandra
And then back to Sladers Yard for a lunch.
A huge thank you to everyone who came and made our Gathering such an enjoyable one – and thank you to all those who have said they would like to come to another one – yes there will be another meeting, not sure when yet.
Any one of the group might arrange a meeting in their area and I will do my best to get there. I will be arranging one in early Summer and will give plenty of notice here on my blog and on Facebook and Instagram.
Thanks also to Stylecraft Yarns for sending such amazing goody bags – everyone was thrilled! We all have plans for our Batik Elements Yarn. The colours on the website do not do it justice, they are much lighter and lovelier! The youngest member of our group used hers as a friendship bracelet for her cuddly toy – just the right fit!
And I have some goody bags left for anyone new who comes to the next meeting.
Thank you to Sladers Yard for their wonderful hospitality, and to some of the other customers who came to chat about crochet.
One guy told me that he had learnt to knit when he was 8 and loved it but his Grandad had ridiculed him for ‘being a girl’ and he’d stopped. I told him about all the many examples of men knititng and crocheting online and he said he might take it up again in his impending retirement. He said we should exhibit our work in a gallery as it was so good! Now there’s a thought …….. !
Of course the biggest thank you has to go to Lucy for creating such a friendly and fabulous crochet community with her heart-warming blog posts and wonderfully colourful designs. This is the fourth Lucy Crochet Along I have done and each one has brought a wonderful sense of community but there seems to be something about these colours that have inspired many of us to gathering in groups all over the world, to share the Sweet Pea journey.
A picture of the Sweet Pea set in the snow.
Pattern for the jacket is in this post.
I love all these pictures! Makes me so happy! All those blankets are really really pretty! The solid square blanket, do you possibly know the color combination for it? I love those colors together!
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I’m glad the pictures make you happy! 🙂
I think the squares are made with Lucy’s Sunny Log Cabin colours: https://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/sunny-log-cabin-blanket.html
which come in a pack of 18 colours from Wool Warehouse
https://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/attic24/attic24-sunny-stylecraft-special-dk
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It was such a pleasure to have you all here. Do come again! Thank you for your lovely comments too. The photo of you all in the Cafe is lovely!
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Thank you – we’ll be back! 🙂
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What a brilliant experience, Sandra, and well done you for organising it! The pictures show just how well you all got along 🙂
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It really was good fun!
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What a lovely time you all had. The photos are wonderful xxxx
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It was so good, we hope to do it again.
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What a wonderful event! I have CAL meet-up envy!! I laughed at your ‘selfie’ taking skills – bit like my photography skills full stop.It looks a little cold on the beach, but Id briefly forgotten you are still in winter. The baby jacket and hat set beside your sweet pea blanket is just beautiful – the way you link things up is so creative. And that jacket and hat together are just yummy. I’m glad I’ve got a list of projects a mile long or I’d be impatiently waiting for your instructions to come out 🙂 Not to skite, but I have one of those craft bags and keep my current knitting /crochet projects it in. Mine is blue and I love it 🙂
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It is lovely to meet with like minds isn’t it.
Yes, it is pretty cold and blowy here at the moment – winter for sure.
You have one of those bags!!!!
I’m going to have to hunt one out!
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I got mine off Ali-Express, from the KOKNIT store – but you have to search items not shops on their site.
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Thank you!
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Oh WOW! I now have crochet/knitting group envy!! Absolutely beautiful. And the photo of the harbour just says “England” to my American mind! :o)
When we moved 60 miles north of the big city (well cities/Minneapolis/St Paul) it was culture shock to see what some boys learned from their amazing moms on the farm. (I was 16 and wanted to marry a farmer :o)
When we bought our house (43 years ago). Next door a new couple moved in. He was the same age as my city bred husband- but he could- knit, crochet,sew and clean house. Boy was I envious of his wife!! No I never married a farmer, I married my city bred boy friend who was in the Army when we moved North. And he wasn’t going to have any crocheting sons while he was alive. ugh.
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Isn’t it a shame how gender stereotyping limits us in so many ways. Hopefully we are evolving out of that!
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What a great collection of blankets and obviously a great day!
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Yes, it was lovely. So good to see everyone’s blankets all together.
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What a wonderful time you had! I love that fairy jacket and hat, and someone at church just had a baby girl! I am easily excited, just like Tialys!!
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ooo – exciting – another brave soul to try out the Flower Fairy Jacket – it should be ready for tomorrow. 🙂
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It’ll be ready before I am for sure, gotta get this top finished by Sunday night…
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What a wonderful day you all had, complete with a junior knitter! Fun selfie. 😉 That baby sweater, as we would call it here, and hat are utterly adorable for a darling sweet pea.
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Thank you Laurie – we did have a lovely time.
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When you said “I’m hopeless at selfies” I thought “but that isn’t a selfie, she isn’t in the photo.” Then I looked again and said, “Oh.” HA! So funny. It sounds like wonderful get-together. I’m in a sewing group that actually meets weekly, with snacks! So I do know the pleasure such a gathering brings.
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HaHa! Yes, you see what I mean!
Such a lovely way to spend crafting time isn’t it!
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Happy for you that it went so well! The little jacket and hat are incredibly cute. 🙂
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Thank you Cathy – I think the pattern for the jacket will be ready tomorrow.
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Fabulous! What a lovely get-together and I love the sweet pea colours of both the blanket and the cardi. Bit breezy on the coast by the look of it…..
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Thank you Sheila. Lovely to hear from you. I keep thinking of you and wondering how you are getting on in limbo land – not easy!
Yes, it was breezy on the beach, we had to hold on tight to our blankets!
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I really should do a Sunday Sevens update to let people know where we’re at in that respect. Settled in with an Aunt on her farm for the time being and keeping our eye on the Exmoor property market, is the short answer!
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So glad to know you have found a good place to be. I was in limbo-land for 3 months between properties with kids and cats to juggle, and place in ‘kennels’! it was really difficult – not least because all my paperwork/office stuff and furniture had to be stored about 20 miles away – no internet or mobile phones then. You have my empathy and sympathy, but knowing you, you will make the best of it! Good luck! ❤
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yes please. Good to hear from you
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I’ve been thinking of you Sheila. I hope everything sorts itself out soon xxxxxx
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What a really wonderful day out you had. Well done on organising it. I love that you had a junior knitter with you too. That baby jacket is gorgeous.
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Thank you Cathy – it was a really lovely day. Our junior knitter loved it so much she wants to come to the next one!
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What a great time you had. Love the photos.
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We did indeed. Thank you Shirley.
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Oooh, Oooh, Ooooh! Sweet Pea jacket nearly ready? Because my other niece just heard she’s having a girl in June so I’ll be able to make the jacket and another Pixie Hat and put a flower on it this time. ( I’m easily excited.)
Looks like you had a marvellous day full of good company, crochet and cakes. Who could ask for more?
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I’d better get a wiggle on then! Did the other hat fit the bouncing baby great-nephew?
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She should receive it in the post today so I’ll hopefully hear from her soon. I’ll let you know if she sends me a photo and, if it’s a nice one, I’ll put it on my blog.
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Fingers crossed! I expect he’s been growing apace!
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What a lovely happy crafty event. It’s so positive getting people together to make things. Luckily your crochet is much better than your selfie taking 😆
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HahaHa!!!!! 😀
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