Easter Holiday


What a jolly holiday!

Not the going anywhere kind, just the staying around here kind, but it was a good one.  You might have noticed I had a little blog holiday too.  Not an intentional one but I think it was needed.  I wanted to take a more relaxed approached to blogging during the holidays this year, rather than put myself under the daft pressure to keep up with my usual 'term-time' schedule.  It seems I've taken to it like a duck to water and have forgotten to post at all.

It's been a rather lovely holiday all round really.  We had a busy and packed first week, Little Miss had two pony days, there was a wedding, plenty of baking, a dinner with family, birthdays and so on but the second week has been a lot more relaxed.  The sun has made an appearance too, so we've even been able to enjoy the garden and the magnolia blossom, get the swingball out, make a new 'batting record', that kind of thing.



Even time for a spot of relaxing garden crafting.  Always a pleasure.

In fact I've managed to fit in rather a lot of crafting time over the holiday, or at least I feel like I've been very productive.  I've finished off a few wips, including an old one from our holiday to France last summer.  That suffered a setback after the border needed a re-think, but it's been re-thunk and re-worked now which is satisfying.

I've been so taken with my ability to 'finish' this holiday that I've even been inspired to launch into what is likely to be a mammoth and year spanning project of frankly, scary proportions.  A knitted blanket, made from left-over sock yarn.  I know, yikes!

I haven't actually got a vast amount of old sock yarn in my stash, but I've dug up what I have and added a few bits of 4ply that looked like it might work and have made a start.  I've already been out and bought a dozen mini Regia skeins to add to the supplies and all in all I've knitted up about 20 squares so far.  It's been a lots of fun knitting up the old bits of yarn and getting the chance to use some of my favourites again.  I managed to squeeze a square out of the last scrap of PPPM from my Pride & Prejudice Mitts, which pleased me greatly, and re-using my Madelinetosh Sock has reminded me just how nice that is to use.  All of which is definitely not helping to curb my current sock yarn addiction.




I even found time this holiday to do something I've been wanting to do for ages, some embroidery.  I've been seeing lovely little embroidery and cross stitch things about blogland and every time I think that I must do some myself.  Well, this time, when the lovely March edition of Homespun Magazine popped through my door, with a cute little embroidery project on the front, I finally got around to making it happen.

I always find something to inspire when I flip through Homespun and this little bod out in the rain was just too sweet to pass up.  I altered mine very slightly and added the little appliqued fabric pieces for the background colours.  I was pretty sure those trousers would have got all damp in the puddles too, so I adapted the shoes into some cute wellies instead.

I've only just realised that I completely forgot to add the lettering to mine, but actually I'm pretty happy with it the way it is.  Very appropriate for April in England and it was fun too, I must make time to do some more.



S x




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Comments

  1. oooo love your little embroidery - it's so cute! I love anything with umbrellas (hence my logo) in fact looking at it made me think that I must do a little embroidery version of my logo lady with her umbrella. It's good to take a bloggy break - people don't realise the amount of time it takes up. I've just had rather a long one ... several weeks !! so I would say that :D Happy Holidays!

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  2. So nice to hear all about your Easter and all the things you have been doing. What a lovely blanket you are doing so nice to use up lovely leftovers and its such a lovely pattern! Yes nice for you to have a break, I do not know how you lovely bloggers keep everything in the home and family running and still manage to make such beautiful things and kindly share
    your ideas and patterns with us! But thank you as I get such inspiration, and so pleased now to have finished my first crochet piece - a small throw for the garden!!! Now on with the cushion cover! x

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  3. You have been busy. The sock yarn blanket is going to be amazing. Glad you had such a lovely Easter break. CJ xx

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  4. Love the basket of yarn, it makes me happy. Such a sweet little embroidery!

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  5. Sometime we need to close blog for some days! We need to stay with our family without web! Everything you do is beautiful! I love all of them!
    Isabella

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  6. I 💓 the gorgeous embroidery ... I aspire to embroider!!! Have a Pinterest board full of lovely things, have floss but still procrastinating!! I'm blaming crochet and paper clay ... Oh and spinning!!!

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  7. sounds like you have managed to get some great crafting done. I especially love the look of your knitted blanket! I started one quite similar 2.5 years ago - needless to say it has a long way to go yet but its a nice, slow growing and colour WIP :) the holidays sounded like a good mix of busy and relaxed too, glad you are refreshed! jenny xx

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  8. It's lovely to see you after your break, school hols are v special aren't they? Your embroidery is adorable and I completely agree with your alternative footwear, much more appropriate for the April showers! I love the colours you've used for the Puur haken block. I'm no knitter but I can guess that you're embarking on a big project by using sock yarn, I'm sure it'll be well worth it tho. Look forward to watching it grow. Bestest wishes, Jo xxx

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  9. I love your embroidery piece. Did you use scrap material? If so, how'd this deal with the edges?

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  10. What a lovely creative Easter holiday you've been having! Knitting and embroidery no less! All lovely projects in the making! The finished embroidy is very pretty. I like the polka dot backing!

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  11. Sounds like a lovely couple of holiday weeks! We only get four days off at Easter here, but our time was just as filled with fun and relaxation. I love your little embroidery hoop. That is one cute little character. I've been stitching lately too- X-sitiching which I haven't done in years. It's a lovely change.

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  12. I love how your blanket looks already. It's going to be gorgeous, I bet.
    Rosie

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  13. Really cute little embroidery :)
    Jillxo

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  14. Sounds like a perfect holiday! Your blanket is already looking a delight...

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  15. Oh my goodness you have been busy. I am so glad you enjoyed your break and I love all you have done. I have seen that sock yarn blanket and I think it is a fantastic idea. Have fun.
    Meredith

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  16. Hello dear. Sounds like a smashing holiday to me! Well done you for stepping back and thouroughly (that is wrong spelled I know but you get it...) enjoy being "off" blogging for a while. Congratulations to that.
    Love your new blanket as I am a big "scrappy" fan. It will be a gorgeous blanket. How I wish I could knit... I have said it before and I say it again... How I wish I could knit. Maybe something to explore this year? Although I seem to not even have time breathing for the moment. What is it with me and 2015. I'm swomped.
    Take care lovely!
    Xxx
    Annette

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