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Showing posts from November, 2010

snow and more snow

I finished my new circular scarf and just in time for the snow. I wore it today to walk Moss, it's very warm and I plan to knit another one very soon, its like a big warm hug! It looks better with my winter coat! Keep warm and hope you don't get much more snow, Kent has more for this evening :-(

Gardeners World diary offer

In case you didn't already know about this diary offer check out this link to  Sarah Raven  web site and use this discount code to get the diary for only £2.50! GW1DEC. My sister told me about this today and said its a really great diary for gardeners and normally retails for over £25! Go and grab a bargain, I did! Amanda x

Knitting for Norma

I found a new blog web site last week whilst browsing around someone elses and I wanted to tell you about a new scarf pattern published today. The web site is Hand Knitted Things  and the garments are beautiful and the pictures colourful. Seeing this pattern made me buy some wool today, not that I need much of an excuse! So hopefully I can knit this next week after I have finished my knitting for Norma gloves. I've named them Norma as they are a present for her for Christmas. Pretty, simple fingerless mits in Patons Jet red/pink and I changed the pattern to incorporate my favourite stitch, Moss stitch, at the tips. Right hand is made and sewn up and looks + fits beautifully. I changed my needles to a size 5 and this kept the gloves slightly smaller and neat stictches.

Banana, chocolate & honey loaf

Lurpak were giving away a loaf tin with their butter last week. I put mine to the test this afternoon with one of the recipes in the free booklet. Here is the recipe. I left out dates and put in some dark chocolate chunks! 200g self-raising flour 160g Lurpak slightly salted butter (room temperature) 80g caster sugar 2tbsp clear honey (I used local honey) + 1tbsp for drizzling 2 eggs 2 medium ripe bananas 80g chopped dates 40g chopped walnuts Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan (Gas 3) Butter + line a loaf tin (I hate this bit) Mash the bananas then add all the ingredients to the bowl except the extra honey, nuts + dates. Once its all mixed add the nuts + dates and pour into the tin cook for 1 hr (or 1hr 15) test with a skewer to make sure its ready then when its warm make several holes with a skewer and pour over the remaining honey. Easy, even I could do it! Allow to cool completely, then turn out and peel off the greeseproof paper, cut into thick slices and serve with a

Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk

Some months ago I crochet a scarf in Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk  yarn that I bought in John Lewis half price. It normally retails at £5.95 per ball; I used just under 5 balls for this scarf. The scarf has been sitting in my spare room because I wasn't happy with it. I added an extra DC edge but it didn't look finished. Then whilst I was working on my new scarf I suddenly thought about tassles, funny how you think of these things! So here it is finished, well I just need to cut the tassles to size. It's so soft and warm, just who to give it to is my next dilema!

tree ornaments

My sister bought me a Cath Kidston  sewing book for my birthday in May which has some great templates. When browsing the John Lewis web site for ideas earlier this week I saw these winter birds  and thought I can make that with the template I have! So this Sunday I plan to make some time for crafting. I don't know about you but I have various knitting + crochet projects on the go at the moment, my favourite is a crochet scarf for me and I'm using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino + Rialto. I found the idea in a crochet magazine, its an easy one and gets me used to changing colours and then adding tassles at the ends. I took delivery of six new balls this morning that I was lucky to find on Celtic Cove the colour is better than in the picture. Enjoy your weekend. Amanda x

Vintage Christmas crackers

We are off to my sisters for Christmas lunch and I wanted to do something original to take along. So I came up with the idea of vintage Christmas crackers. I bought two boxes of fill your own crackers from John Lewis  at Blue Water last night and I have been looking round the charity shops this morning. I managed to find some Christmas china thimbles for the craft ladies in my family, tie pin, bracelet and a brooch. So half of the little present are already bought, I like it when I get organised! Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Amanda x