My new toy!

On Friday Mum, Bethany and I took the 'biddy bus' to Harrogate for the Knitting and Stitching show. I was uncertain as to whether Bethany would enjoy the experience as she is more into graphic design than needlecraft, but we all had a fab time. Bethy and I both agreed that our fave stand was Favourite Fabrics, we could have bought the whole thing between us! I was hoping to take loads of photos to share with you but it was sooo busy. Many stallholders, naturally, were wary of how I was going to use those photos too, so I decided to feast my own eyes on all the goodies instead of the camera lens. 

One thing I must share with you, however, is my new toy! This is the Sizzix Big Shot die cutting machine that Mum bought me for Christmas from the Cotton Patch stand. I'm not sponsored or paid by anyone for this plug-I just love it! 

She also bought my first die to go with it, I went for this 1/2 square triangle which makes a 2" finished square.

My head is now spinning with ideas for patchwork bags, quilts and hangings! I designed a wall hanging months ago, based around a seaside theme, and it was all triangles-a perfect first project for my new toy. I can't wait to begin and share my journey with you. My husband, Malcolm, can't believe that the Big Shot is still in it's box and not up and running. I'm trying reeeeally hard not to open it up before Christmas though, as I want to have it to look forward to for the holidays. Do you think I'll manage it?

The Amble Gansey

In an earlier post I showed some photos of the gansey my mum, Pat, knitted for me and mentioned our search for an Amble pattern as we now both live there. After much research and squinting over old, fuzzy photos of old, fuzzy fishermen, this was the pattern we devised between us. This gansey was knitted for Malcolm and will be perfect for dog walking in the depths of winter.

The pattern includes depictions of rope, open and closed nets and ladders. It also includes, as a type of border, a hens claw design which seems to be unique to the Amble gansey, Amble folk being keen keepers of hens, often on their allotments.

It's electrifying!

So, how many Hunter's does it take to change a light pull?

Late the other evening Bethany came downstairs with the light pull from our bathroom in her hand. "It just came off!" she wailed, and looked so upset that even we didn't have the heart to laugh. Now if it had been Sam it would have been much funnier, he having been blessed with the Harry Hunter gene. This means that, along with his Granda before him, if anything is to break / fall apart / drop off a shelf it will do so in Sams presence! 

Anyhoo, the next day we were faced with the prospect of replacing said light pull. Now neither of us is particularly handy around the house. D.I.Y. does not float my husband's boat (neither does gardening, but that doesn't stop him - a subject for another post methinks!) Electrics are best left to the professionals in our view. But how difficult could it be? It certainly didn't warrant an expensive call out fee, not to mention the embarrassment of being such D.I.Y. wimps. Sooo..., two very cricked necks later, we Googled it of course! One hour later we had our brand new, free from grubby finger marks, "Look what we did" light pull in place!

And the answer to my original question? 

Two, not because neither of us had a clue but 'coz between us we haven't got a decent pair of eyes these days. A case of the short-sighted leading the short-sighted you could say!!