knit-lit (chick - lit so so-oo last year) and knitting books

I love love love reading, not that I get much time to do a lot of it, but when I can snatch a few pages it ticks my happy boxes.

At the moment I am absorbed by 'proper' knitting books with grown up subjects such as patterns for socks or fairisle hats.

 I can be spotted with nose in book, hook or needles in hand and studious look on brow.

My knitting pattern book that inspired me to knit my FIRST MITTEN ON DPNs (yes - mitten as opposed to mittenS - am yet to start the next one....might be a problem here - want to try something else!!) (Kristin Knits - playing with colour)

The Knitting School book - with really good descriptions and instructions - ideal for me coz I still don't know my stockinette from my elbow and other bodily related comparisons.

However, I have a guilty pleasure - sshhhhhhh.


I  r-e-a-d  *said in hushed tones* knit-lit (ooh there I've said it).

My fav-sis-in-law and I year ago or so, bought a book each on a whim and really enjoyed it, now at knit and natter we bring and swap knit-lit with each other - it is definitely a guilty pleasure as the husbands raise their eyebrows and sigh in a sort-of-husbandly sort-of-way when we come out clutching books, hooks, wool and yarn and all have silly happy grins on our faces. 

But we don't mind...we don't care coz we are the knit-chicks!

(Mind you, my dear husband occasionally says knit-wits....)

I present to you - 20♥

Morning!
Firstly I'd like to thank you for your comments and thoughts, its lovely receiving them - I still get a squeeeee feeling when I see I have comments needing moderating.

Hello Grateful4crochet, welcome to my rather random world, lovely to 'meet' you, I will pop over and visit you shortly :),
Carolina Artesanias - your festive tree comment is gorgeous! How long did that take you?
Angela - a sun cake is a fruit cake (very similar to a Christmas cake) but represents the returning of the sun. We eat it on the 21st December - our Yule, when we celebrate the ending of winter and the returning of spring. We have a special meal that night, loads and loads of candles and tell each other stories, songs, poems and music. I don't sing - I wouldn't wish that on anyone, but I recite poems while Himself sings (beautifully) and the boys play the piano - we usually end up laughing a lot, eating too much and generally have a lovely evening.
Jane , Jak, Ju24, Cat,Liz Sarah and Lovely Lady - kittens = scrummy gorgeousnuss, fluffy yummy naughtiness! They are still quite small, each one fitting in a hand, but they make up for their Lilliput stature with their godzilla catitudes! 
Yes, I will share/show off crochet and other handmade goodies in the new year - good idea - thanks Jane
Lyn and Lovely Lady - my post for the 22♥ and still counting down also reminded me of that warm week, silly how quickly you forget. We all generalise about the weather but when you look back, in between the wet and cold there have been some lovely summery days - thank goodness for blogging :)



Now, back to the matter in hand, today's number for counting down to 2012.

I present to you - 20♥


There are two today, the first is the thermometer in the dispensary where I work, we have to maintain a regular temperature in the room to keep the medication at an optimum environment. This little one is a magnetic version clipped to a metal cabinet.

The second offering for 20 is a speed sign as you enter into the town of Settle. Taken last weekend when we tried to watch the festive lights switch on and failed!

Right, enough waffling, must get on with wrapping, finishing, writing, tidying, sewing and feeding the kits - this next week is going to be full on - I've two festive parties - one on Tuesday with friends since my vet nursing days and the other on Wednesday with our knit and natter for an end-of-crafting-year-celebration and then on Saturday we are going to do our annual festive decorating making thingy! I posted about it here and here. We've doing this wonderful workshop since 2003 and it is still going strong :)!

Now, I must really stop -


Happy Monday to you all xxx

Weaving, wandering attention span & woo hoo it's Friday!

 ❤Thank you for all your suggestions and comments


Jane - I loved the idea of adding a 'sandy' strip to the seasidey colours, sadly the sandy colour I had just didn't agree with the lilac shade so I have saved that idea for later - I am planning to do another project in these colours coz I did love❤❤your cushion cover and I am a sucker for anything pseudo-seaside in lieu of not living alongside the coast!


Hag,  Jak and  Angela all suggested I stay with the odd number of colours and now that I have progressed I agree.

I was interested to see how many of you also had the sewing/weaving-in-of-ends problem and there have been some interesting answers.

Now - I thought I would share all weaving in suggestions with you lovely lot - let me know how they go!


Angela says that she threads a darning needle and weaves in away from the edge, turns the needle around a stitch and then weaves back DIRECTLY INTO the same thread - she reports that reduces the 'fluffy' end showing.


Jak mentioned that she weaves in initially away from the edge then turns 90 °, weaves down for a short way, snips off the end then gently pulls to hide the tufty bit - she says that works quite well. 


At knit and natter last night several variations were offered up: 
❤ weave in,go around a stitch then turn immediately back, 
❤laying the thread flat across the preceding row and crochet over it as you add the next row
❤pick up the thread and actually incorporate it with the next few stitches (although I wondered if this would make that particular stitch rather fat!)


Any hoo! - hope you can get something useful out of those suggestions :) 




I have decided I have a magpie mind and a short attention span - I just looked across to my wip shelves and see that it IS BURGEONING! Do you have that problem? 

So, just to make myself feel ok with the fact I have loads of things to finish - I took photographs in an artistic sort of way.....

And - in case you have'nt noticed

it is 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤FRIDAY!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

*yay!!* bring it on - I need this weekend :)

New(ish look) and crochet update

It's all happening over in ♡ Kyōyū kyōyū - share  ♡ I've received a box full of squares and the blanket making has started again in earnest - fancy joining us? Pop over to  Kyōyū kyōyū - share page and see what we have been up to :)

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Another snippet of crochet - last year we decided to do a sort of secret santa at our knit and natter group and it was such fun we are repeating it again this year. This time I've labelled it the 'one ball wonder' (!!) where we have to draw a name out of the hat and make a pressie for the name on the paper out of one ball of wool (simple I thought - but oh no..........)

After the initial agreeing the questions came thick and fast...

what size of ball?

Are we talking 100gms or 50gms?

What can I make?

What happens if they don't like the colour/choice/size etc I make?

Can it be yarn or wool?

What happens if I can't crochet?

I can't knit!! 

Oh well, a week on and the confusion has calmed down, some crafting has begun - so just for sheer devilment - I thought I would post a snippet of a picture of my offering.........I wonder who it is for?!?? (she may not even read my blog!)

I just *L*O*V*E* *L*O*V*E* *L*O*V*E* the colours - I hope she does too xx  

What a lovely sunny Wednesday this is turning out to be - hope it is sunny where you are today and where ever you are - enjoy! ❤

Therapy and redemption

I won't rant on about my knee - coz even I don't want to hear about it so instead - how about some eye candy instead?

The boys went out walking yesterday, so thought I would use the time by trying to subdue the yarn mountain that has amassed around my desk.  It seems to have plans to take over the entire room - got to nip that one in the bud..... So armed only with enthusiasm, tea and the all essential wool winder - I started.

There is definitely something therapeutic about winding up a colourfully tangled mess in my WIP basket  into nice neat squat balls of yarns, then placing them in their shades...... it kinda makes me want to stop tidying up and pick up my hook again - but no - I need my space back and I just have to show the yarn mountain who is boss (it won)............................

I succumbed.... so armed with yet another mug of tea I carried on with my blooming marvellous blooming cushion - inspiration and much better version -here.  The back of the cushion is whizzzzzing along nicely - so much quicker - Himself keeps looking at the flowery front of the cushion cover and giving me quizzical looks - I'm not too sure he can visualise the final effect - I will persist!

On a less eye candy note and with more of a calorific slant - last Thursday evening was knit and natter and at the last minute (and I really do mean last minute) I thought I would make some scones. I had only a week or so ago found a different version (I mean how far can you deviate from the basic scone recipe before it stops being 'a scone') and we all agreed it was rather yummy. So armed with this 'new' recipe, I decided that I would repeat my success.   My only change to the recipe was to double the ingredients - it had only produced a measly amount of 8 scones and I would certainly need a lot more.

I rushed around in a cloud of flour and managed to slam in to the oven a tray laden with scone dough just as the first ladies arrived. Some were bearing tubs and tins of delicious nibbles to add to the evening.The kettle went on, seats were chosen, coats removed and greetings exchanged. I joined them, chatting and catching up, all the time keeping 'my nose' on the kitchen - waiting for that wonderful aroma of baking scones.

They were ready, I heroically singed my finger tips as I carefully pulled the scones open, delicious steam curling up - I was feeling very satisfied at the thought of triumphantly walking (ok ok limping) in with a plateful of scrummy scones.
One of the scone halves crumbled - never mind I thought - cook's privileges, and I popped it into my mouth.

Ooh the delight of the cold clotted cream, hmmm the bitter sweet of the blackcurrant jam and urgh! what the H**L was that fizzy sherberty flavoured scone?!?!??

My two boys wandered in, also attracted by the scent of baking.....
Taste this I demanded, glazed eyes, flushed red face and palpatating heart - my children visibly quaked!
Hhhmm yuuuuum... goes the Youngest, seconds later his eyes widen and the chewy scone mush comes flying back out and lands in the bin - his horrified look confirms my fears, I turn to Eldest who stares worriedly at the tantalising scone in his hand.

TASTE IT! I repeat - his eyes screwed shut, he pops it in, chews, chews a bit more - one eye opens with a puzzled look, then it hit him - it too came out at high speed -

Mum! what have you done?!?

I had absolutely no idea what happened, I stare at the boys and they confirm my thoughts - there is no way I can serve fizzy scones at knit at natter. I hastily cover them over with a tea towel (out of site out of mind) and dash back with a plate of everyone one else's yummies - (thank you - Lovely Lady and Jak - you saved the day!)

By Sunday, I had recovered enough to try the recipe again, but in a smaller quantity. Carefully I weighed out and cross checked the recipe with my ingredients - then I realised what I had done - instead of using baking powder, in my haste I had grabbed the bicarbonate of soda (all 8 teaspoons worth) no wonder they were fizzy!! This time they were yummy and very quickly consumed - moral of the story - READ the recipe - CHECK  the ingredients - TASTE before offering round!!

Recipe and my baking reputation redeemed - phew.

Thank you for your lovely comments (which I am still receiving) for my blanket and my other crochet oddities - and your kind words about my knee :)

Have yourselves a sunny, smile filled day where ever you are .....

with love hawthorn xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx      =^.,.^=

Garden festival

Last weekend was an exhausting culmination of a frantic couple of weeks. I had promised Himself that I would not enter the garden festival again, but more fool me, I did. The boys were more than happy to join in and threw themselves into their own competition entries.

The weather was glorious! The boys did well, both getting second in their division and considering they were competing alongside adults we thought that was brilliant!




Eldest's edible container had parsley, chives, radish, a sunflower, a french been, strawberries, Chinese mustard and origanum.


My photo doesn't really do it justice as I had to step back a fair way to get the sunflower in.

Youngest's little Dogmatix was a hit with the younger generation and again did very well against an adult competitor.

He was however driven to distraction by adults who insisted calling his scarecrow - Dog Matrix - his whole little body bristled with indignation at their apparent ignorance of one of his favourite book characters!



His best moment was when a lady from Australia wanted to take lots of pictures of his little dog and chatted for ages about it to him.


Our knit and (k)natter group at the last minute decided to put in a flower display in the Church.  So I was given free range of gardens and flowers, props and crafted items from the ladies. ON Friday, my Mom and I (and my long suffering Dad) with legs buckling under the weight of all the goodies set off to do our arrangement.

We had to be as quick as we could as we only had just over 2 hours before I had to get ready for work.

We worked like demons. There was such a flurry of flower arranging, teddy positioning and quilt and blanket fluffing.  Everything that was potentially easy to steal, we stitched down, just in case, I would have hated to have lost something one of my friends had made with love, only to find some light fingered soul decided that they wanted it. As it was, the teddies, which had been firmly stitched to their basket, had been pulled out and put back once it was obvious they were not that easy to walk away with!

The mess, the mess  - oh what a veritable compost heap of flowers, leaves and snippings we made along the pews and isle, fortunately the Church steward was incredibly kind and swept up as we went along, supplying us with much needed tea and encouraging  comments. Any way, our arrangement - which was a cheerful, colourful, higglety-pigglety  juxtaposition of craft and flowers - went down incredibly well and we were delighted at the positive response from the visitors.

So thank you ladies for letting me denude your gardens of your flowers and empty your houses of quilts, pillows and blankets!! It was great fun to do :)


I have more photos to share - including one that made us laugh out loud, but I will save that for another day.

Thank you for popping by and have yourselves a lovely Tuesday - I have loved sharing our weekend with you.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Somewhere in the middle of the week

I am suffering.

Suffering PHD*.  I originally posted about this ailment here back in August 2010.
So, in order alleviate or probably aggravate the symptoms, I am going to share some of my photos with you xxx

We do love walking, you probably will have gathered that by now, and after a weekend of walking, I am, by Tuesday already thinking about where we will be walking the next weekend.

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The sun was the clear sharp warmth of a glorious spring day. Not the heavy weighted dusty sunshine of mid summer, but lighter and encompassing and very welcome. The boys ran on ahead, a game speeding them along. Imaginary enemies were hunted down while our young heroes were magnanimous in their victory. They were so engrossed they did not see the huge sky or feel the miles disappear under their feet.

We left vastly open fields and slipped into deep ancient lanes where hedgerows became green tunnels.

The air was filled with the buzz of insects and the scent of the early apple blossom. Delicious. We did this walk on our last morning of our jolly which was, in reality a few days ago but feels a life time away!

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Ah well, not sure if I have helped my serious dose of PHD or worsened the symptoms...... hmmm.

Right, off to see if the washing machine has finished - ho hum.

Any way, Wednesday in our family is known as 'tipping day' Why?

Well, imagine the working week as a see-saw. Wednesday is tipping us towards the weekend - it can't be bad!

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Please pop over to Kyōyū kyōyū - share as I am about to post some lovely pictures from last night's knit and natter I want to share with you.

In which I get borderline emotional and start sounding like a minor film star who's just received their first film award...!

Last night was my turn to host our weekly knk (knit and [k]natter) group. I really enjoy our get-togethers, it's a time for nattering (most important) and we get to sample some rather delicious baking.  If we are lucky we may even get some knitting and crochet done! But last night was different, oh there was some nattering and sampling but there was a lot of sewing and concentrated silence too.

It really brought home how wonderful this group of ladies are when, as I was walking towards them I was greeted by this............................

Everyone was either making, sewing or crocheting together squares for Kyōyū kyōyū - share, 'Blankets for Japan'. I really felt an overwhelming gratitude for not only their generosity in time and patience but also gratitude to all the other bloggers and  woolly crafters who have created grannies and knitted squares which the long suffering postie brings to my front door on a daily basis. 

Each square stitched to it's neighbour represents a little bit of compassion and global care that we can share with so so many other people.

SO - (drum roll please and pass me the gold envelope)

Thank you 

 to the all ladies last night (ooh that sounds a little interesting!)

Thank you

to the postie who gives me a quizzical look 

as he passes me yet another soft and squishy parcel covered in interesting stamps

(that sounds odd too!)

Thank you 

to YOU lovely bloggers 

and 

ALL 

the lovely knittys and granny-makers out there who have contributed

***THANK     YOU***

**THANK YOU**

*THANKYOU!*

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For updates on progress and photos of the finished blankets and piles of delightful squares, just pop over to  Kyōyū kyōyū - share, and if you have time please visit the wonderful contributors page and follow the links to their blogs.

Oh, and before I forget - yes please to any more squares! **thank you** :)

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Concrete slump heart

Today's heart 

was found by Youngest

whilst out walking

with friends yesterday.

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We went  walking yesterday as the cloud poured over our hill in a dramatic candy-floss waterfall. We were with friends and their dogs, so giddy dog was, well, extra giddy. The three of them ran around in ever increasingly muddy circles.

The rain held off although it did menace us all the way round. The mud glooped and squelched under our boots as we tramped along the moor bottom road.  A farmer, with a protective arm around his dog, trundled along on his ATV checking his in-lamb sheep. They  looked  'fit-to-burst' as they grazed the straggly winter grass only pausing briefly to watch us go by.  Highland cows and Belted Galloways, looking like they were wearing their heaviest winter coats, showed very little interest as they chewed the cud with their typical bovine myopic stare.

Youngest and his little friend kept up a constant chatter nearly all the way around whilst Eldest seemed to show a subtle but natural progression towards being adult, preferring to chat with the adults. He is growing up no matter how hard he denies it to himself. Part of me loves the maturity of discussion and rational that he shows while the rest of me is gently sad for the loss of his passing childhood as he reaches his 13th birthday.

Must stop now, I'm off now to bake a gluten free cake for a friend, we've got our knit and natter this evening and we all take turns to bring something rather yummy so I thought I'd try baking a cake with stone ground rice flour - fingers crossed!! Will let you know how it goes :)

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I keep forgetting to add the links for last year's hearticles, so in case you are interested they are here: -

 23rd Feb 2010 Ice Cold heart
22nd Feb 2010 Origami heart

What a statement!

Today's heart

is brought to you

by a wrought iron artist

Isn't it lovely - with all the scrolls and beautifully 'joined-up-writing'

I wonder how long that took to make,

each letter fired then thumped and hammered to make

the delightful school-boy writing.

Every time I see it, it makes me smile

and what a wonderful sign

proclaiming the names

of the  farms and cottage

just down the lane.

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I went for a walk today with a friend and a combined pack of three dilly border collies

Talk about blowing away the cobwebs!

Suffice to say, dog and I needed to be hosed down

we were that muddy!!

Now, two mugs of tea, two hot cross buns and a handful of dog biscuits later, **

I am ready (well -readyish) to go to work!

**tea and hot cross buns for me, and dog biscuits for umm - the dog, 

in case I didn't make it that clear!!

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Now, must fly, you have yourselves a lovely day, 

I'm looking forward to this evening as I am off to knit and natter - whoopee - I do love going :)

Knit and natter hearts and flowers

Such a dreich day.....overcast, grey, sullen.... miserable really.

But, I'm not going to let that get in my way - it's Friday!

With that in mind.......... 

today's hearts

 are brought to you

 by 

this lovely lady 

who yet again has brightened my day with her beautiful sewing. 

My Youngest grabbed my camera and took all these photos -

so, please... sit back and enjoy her work and his pictures

And, to top if off..... she wore these wonderful hearty slippers!

Talk about getting into the spirit of things (: 

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Still on the quest to brighten your (and definitely my) day, I want to share with you this little spot of colour and promise............ remember this photo? 

Well, every couple of days I have taken a snap of the Amaryllis as it has quietly opened. 

It's cheerful happy face makes me all smiley smiley  (:   Well, must stop now, the weather is still dull but my day has cheered up - I hope yours has too, I would just like to say hello to all my new followers, it is lovely to make friends along my way, welcome to my little slice of life (:  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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 Final bit of waffle - follow this link to see what crafty things I got up to this time last year (:

A Heart for Jonathon Jo

Today's heart ...............

....is a deliciously cinnamon scented one made with vintage linen and ribbons. A delightful find from this lovely  little shop last time I was down in Anglesey.

It was an impulse buy that, once I returned home, I knew exactly where I wanted it to linger.

So now, hanging with my yarns, wools, threads and my other crafty stuff is this heart. And those who know me, know that my yarn store is called Jonathon Jo.

Why? Well in the poem written by A.A.Milne, whatever the child asked for, be it "a ball or a bat or something like that", the old gardener,  Jonathan Jo had one in his wheelbarrow. I see my craft cupboard a bit like that.





Anyway back to today's heart.

I took a picture of the ribbon and was delighted at the detail once it was blown up - it looks like the most perfect little cross stitch - I love it!

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Sunday's weather has been even more disappointing than Saturdays - especially as we had hoped to get out for a walk this afternoon but sadly rain stopped play.........

So, to help jolly up my day, I shall share with you a charity shop purchase I found yesterday when we were in Hebden Bridge..........

I just love-love-love these bone china mugs with their  wonderful selection of tea cups and tea pots adorning them! They were less than a pound each so what a bargain. I had in mind to use them at our knit and natter but it seems my two have other plans and this afternoon the boys commandeered them for a mug of tea!

On a more forward (optimistic) note, I have bought some potatoes and set them out on the obligatory egg boxes to start the chitting process....... I love that promise of things to come!

Also on a good note - our washing machine which had decided to sulk then refused pointblank to work, finally gave up, so we took it out for a drive to the tip and bought ourselves a nice new one with a good environment rating and better water saving - woopoo!! 

While we were out in the car, I took my latest crochet project along and I was able to finish it! All I need now are some decent photos then I will blog about it.

Well, that in a nutshell was Sunday - I am rushing coz my three boys are hovering, the rain has stopped so we are going to rush out for a brief bit of fresh air before it gets too dark.

It's been lovely chatting with you, hope your weekend was fun! Byeeeee xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


Ps - I keep forgetting to add the link to last years hearty happenings - so here it is......here!!

Happy Hearts and Bags of Bones

Today's heart(s) are brought to you 

by me

created whilst sitting in that lovely crafting zone 

we share each week at

our knit and natter group

Each tiny heart is no more than 2cm across. 

So quick to make, they flew off my hook 

and soon I had 18 little hearts all needing their ends weaving in, 

usually a painstaking chore, 

I found that even this went quickly.

Each little heart was then attached with a crocheted chain of tatting thread

and now hangs in our sitting room....

Now just need the Amaryllis to flower and my little corner will be filled with colour and love!

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On a completely different (but still a crochet) note,

I have made something else, 

originally for the boys but I, erhem,

decided that I rather fancied it and stitched onto a bag..............

The boys think that it is cool and were cross with me for adopting 'skelly-bones' 

but on promising them their own, they have forgiven me!

Well, been lovely chatting to you but I see that the sun is actually shining so I am off out to 'play' in the garden, have yourselves a happy Thursday! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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Follow here to see what hearty happenings were going on this day in 2010

22 (only three more sleeps!!) and a festive knit and (k)natter

What happened to the previous 21 doors?
Are there any more after that one?

We did look and none of the other doors (and we certainly couldn't find any sign of the other 21 ) were numbered. So we will never know.................................

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Tonight we had our last knit and (k)natter for 2010 and to celebrate the season we had a festive one with suitably yummy nibbles and a 'secret-secret' Santa.  This entailed each of us bringing a gift - hand made, without any clue as to whm it was from. As everyone arrived, the gift was then popped into a sack - ably manned by Youngest (correctly attired in a Santa's hat) while Eldest, also sporting a Santa's hat, handed out nibbles and drinks.

The plan had been that once we had all had settled down and had a hot drink and mince pie, that one of Santa's little helpers would take the sack around and we would put our hands in and feel for a gift. This was all agreed upon as being a good idea.

However, we didn't bank on some delicious gooseberry wine or a rather tasty  Chilean Sauvignon appearing so for the non drinkers,  I got out a fruity non alcoholic champagne style wine. This had a rather delightful effect of making one or two rather giggly!

Any way I digress, there followed a rather cheerfully animated debate as to whether we should save our gifts or unwrap them there and then. Suffice to say the general and noisy consensus was to unwrap immediately! Who was I to disagree, especially  I have to say I did really well, I received a beautiful 'mini' patchwork coaster - my description  just does not do it justice.



Of course I had to try it out and it looked so cosy underneath my mug,
just right.


It has been a fun year with the knit and natter girls, I salute them and all their woolly yarns (pun fully intended)

Here's to friendship and fun and a lot more of it in 2011.

Thank you!

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