Silent Sunday

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Cosmic 4

 

I am thoroughly enjoying following Helen Shrimpton’s Cosmic Crochet Along (Cal). She really is an outstanding designer with plenty of challenges to keep you on your crocheting-toes.

Following  Part Two came the excitement of Part 3 in which we would be learning a new stitch – Star Stitch!

Cute!

But first there were a few more rows to square up the hexagon……

The rows of doubles and trebles (US) in this 4ply cotton yarn were getting to look a bit like a string vest in the corners so I decided to add a bit of texture in the form of popcorns and bead stitches.

To keep in with the Cosmic theme, I’m calling them Sputniks

The yellow for the two rows of Star Stitch came from the beginning of my second ball (yarn cake) of Rosewater Cocktail.

I continued with the first cake, which was now moving into the pink mixed with turquoise.

The photo below shows Parts 3 and 4 completed

I was thrilled that the first Whirl just made it to the end of Part 4.

The tail of yarn you can see was all that was left!

Joining in with

 

Paintings for sale in aid of two wonderful causes

My dear friend Rachel and her husband, who live in America, have created some wonderful paintings  – and they are all for Sale:

“Your purchase will help support Healing the Healer workshops for youth in foster care and Everytown For Gun Safety, which supports common-sense reforms to end gun violence.”

Click here to read all about it.

I am so excited –  I have bought this one

All paintings are sold by donation (+shipping) and every penny will be split 50/50 between the two chosen causes.

Please go and have a look at all the amazing art still available.

❤ Blessings Rachel and Rocky ❤

 

 

In a Vase: Irises

I am still completely captivated by the irises in my garden

The scent is so delicious! I wish I could bottle it up and send it to you.

Just imagine putting your nose to this gorgeous thing and getting slightly heady from the pear drop-like scent

Cutting them seems almost a crime, but having the scent indoors to walk past is a real treat

They are with Weigela and Nigella and some of the bottles from last week

I’m besotted by their shape and sculptural form

and can’t stop clicking

 

My favourite so far ~~~   Title: Mother and Child.

Joining Cathy’s In a Vase on Monday meme

and

Cee’s Flower of the Day

 

Cosmic Crochet Along

Behind the scenes I have been beavering away at Helen Shrimpton’s current Crochet Along, the Cosmic Cal 

and I have just completed Part 6

Currently measuring 32″ x 35″.

Some of you might have seen my progress on Instagram.

Having seen so many wonderful creations using gradient yarn, I was eager to try it and after much deliberation went for Rosewater Cocktail, a Scheepjes Whirl

You can see all the other colourways here.

It was not easy to choose so I joined the Facebook Group Scheepjes Whirl Creations! 

I could then see all the wonderful things that have been made with Whirls and how each colour looks when it is made up. What a wonderfully helpful community crochet groups are. I’ve learnt so much and been able to ask loads of questions. It has been an enriching experience.

Unsure of how much yarn the blanket would take, I bought 2 Rosewater Cocktails and a Citrus Whirlette as I already knew I wanted to mix up the colours a bit.

But a few rows in I realised I might want to add more colours and bought a Jumping Jelly Whirl.

In a series of blog posts I will describe how I used the Whirls and Whirlettes together:

I wanted to have some turquoise in the centre so I wound off the dark blue of the outside

Cosmic Cals started to appear on Helen’s Hookaholics and I tried out a couple of designs

On the left, I used a 3.50mm hook and included some of the Whirlette, on the right I used a 3mm hook and made the centre look more like a flower

the centre was made with yarn that was pure turquoise

the star was made with yarn that had flecks of pink in it

 

after the turquoise I introduced a round of Citrus Whilette, which is a burnt orange.

and then continued with the yellow from the centre of Rosewater Cocktail.

Wanting to define the hexagon I wondered which of the blues to use

and went for the darker blue with flecks of turquoise in it

(gosh how the colours change according to the light – the photo below does not show the true colours!)

and then one row of lighter turquoise before returning the where I left off with the Whirl.

Continuing with the Whirl until the end of Part 2

More to follow ……

Edit

You can see progress up to Part 4 in this post: Cosmic 4

~

And on Fridays a treat – pop along over  to Nanacathy for a good old Knit and Natter

Cliffs and Bluebells

Continuing our bluebell walk in West Dorset …

we decided not to walk up to Thorncombe Beacon, but could see others enjoying the view

a perfect day for a paraglide

Click on any picture to see it larger.

We climbed the hill and over the stile

to see yet more spectacular views to the East towards Portland

and as we turned inland, Westerly views towards Devon

(Click on the link for other  good walking routes along the coast path.)

We took time to smell the blossom in the hedgerow, I think this is a wild plum

we must return in September to find out.

Through the gate, with a look over our shoulders at that glorious scene, saying farewell to the sea we continue

onward through more bluebell woods

to marvel at the way the light plays through the trees,

joining Cee’s Flower of the Day

and no matter how often I see it, my heart never fails to skip and dance when, standing in deep shade,  and spying a shaft of sunlight bathing a patch of bells in silver light

Magic all around us

A time to stop and breathe and notice how all the senses are tingling with pure joy, blessings counted, smiles exchanged between friends and for at least the hundredth time we say how lucky we are to live here……

 

In a Vase on Monday

Mmmmmmm ….. those irises – the colour, the shape, the markings, the scent – I greet them each morning with my first cuppa,

and couldn’t resist bringing one inside …

to go with a collection of other plant shapes

From left to right

1. A local farm shop has started selling milk in returnable glass bottles Hurray! In this one are rooted cuttings of my spectacular epiphyllum
2. A miniature bottle of wine, so cute I couldn’t throw it away, with Mare’s Tail that is rampant in my front garden – I love it’s shape and design and the way it captures the dew in the morning, I respect that it has been on this planet much longer than humans – if only it did not want to take over the world.
3. A chirpy marigold in a teeny Victorian bottle with NOT TO BE TAKEN moulded into the glass – but I will be eating the petals of the flower sprinkled on a salad later.
4. Another miniature wine bottle, bought for the bottle’s shape this time. With chives.
5. Miniature wine bottle which came as a ‘favour’ at my son’s wedding, with one of my beloved irises in it.
6. A bottle which held an organic fruit drink now holds a sprouting acorn, which I pulled up from my lawn. Squirrels bury them in autumn, and I have never seen one being retrieved. A mini forest grows at this time of the year.

Do you have anything to pop in a vase (or a bottle) this Monday? If you do, how about joining in with Cathy and her pals over at Rambling in the Garden.

Also joining Cee who has a glorious photo of a beautifully flouncy Bearded Iris for her Flower of the Day

Have you seen any of these little white spiders in your garden? I’ve seen a few recently having never seen them before. So cute!

I had to look it up and believe it is a Crab Spider.

They do not make webs but lie in wait for their prey. Some can turn yellow or light green if necessary to merge with their surroundings.