2017 Wk 44 - Back in England

After my far too short break in Ireland I've reverted back to real life with work and work and food shopping and other boring stuff. But now it's the weekend and my minutes and agendas are all up to date so lets see what I haven't told you about!

I had a full class at Chertsey on Friday - making sewing wraps. The bigger pic here is one that a friend made for me several years ago from a Woman's Weekly pattern - the others are the beginnings of the ladies' versions - I'm looking forward to seeing them finished for show and tell next time

This month's star show and tell was A's poncho - I LOVE it!!!!

It's just two weeks now until Remembrance Sunday and I haven't get seen a poppy seller to get my poppy, but the lovely R gave me this crocheted one - I'll pop my money in the collection box at church tomorrow

In the excitement of going to Ireland I neglected to shows photos from a family class last Saturday - Making Monsters: The kids have such great imagination!

I got a lovely squishy during the week: The lovely Barbara who blogs at The Flashing Scissors posted some finger-less mittens that her mum and sister have knitted for a local charity shop. Being slightly digitally challenged (I have to count in base 8 rather than base 10) I can't wear gloves. Jackie (and previously my M-i-L) have kept me in knitted-for-me gloves and mittens but these were a bit different so I cheekily asked Barbara for a pair (and I have paid my money to charity!)

Thank you Barbara (and your mum!) They are great

As for me, my creative 'juices' have been designing and embroidering for customers!

Fun eh? But I have some holiday left to take for this year so I'm having a few Wednesday's off where hopefully I can just SEW!

We did pop out this morning to collect our pottery which we threw back in September - now painted (glazed?) and fired they are looking amazing!

I might be back on Wednesday!!!

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Hello My Deer

A few months ago, a friend, Hayley, mentioned that she was booking herself onto a willow weaving course - weaving animals - I thought it sounded fun so asked if I could join her

[note to self, find out more before you sign up for stuff with Hayley in future]

We set off yesterday at 8am (!!!!) I brought a coffee with me but the travel mug leaked, so no coffee to wake me up.  By 10am we were at a little garden centre outside Tunbridge Wells - walking 1/4 mile or so down a hill to collect 3 metre hazel saplings which had already been cut down.  We then had to drag 4 each back up the hill. and shove the ends into the very soggy ground,  At least at this point we were rewarded with coffee!

Martin, the tutor then 'just' curved the tops of two of them and magically created the hind legs of a deer

 

More and more hazel branches were added, with willow and dogwood

Until (now photographed from the other side) Hazel was starting to look finished!

 

 There were four of us on the course, and each deer developed a definite personality.  Hazel was nosey, looking off to the right, while Sylvia's was checking for danger, looking over her right shoulder, and Alex's had heard something, and was looking off to the left.

Hayley's was looking more forward, ears back, listening for something

By the time we finished, and starting thinking about loading them into the car it was getting dark.  We hadn't really considered the problems of getting two 6 foot plus antlered deer into a family saloon car - we had to leave the legs sticking a bit out

Hayley - I wasn't expecting to go hill climbing, or to work outside all day, or to make a deer, or to make something even half as bit as this - but nor was I expecting to have such a great time - so yes I have forgiven you, thank you so much, and what can we do next???