This week I have been mostly making.....

poppies........

The knitting club at work decided that we would make some woolly poppies to raise funds for the British Legion poppy appeal rather than having the usual paper poppies. So I tried several different (free) patterns to find one I liked. I do love the crochet poppy with the leaf but having made the tunisian crochet blanket and a few other bits lately my RSI decided enough was enough and crochet hurts at the moment - now I know if I give it a good rest it will be ok again, I also know if I keep going I'm putting my ability to knit comfortably at risk as well, and for those that know me, (though I may not be prolific), that would be the end of the world!
So, lovely as that poppy is (and it's going to be mine!!) it's going to be unique and knit poppies are the way forward, and I really enjoyed making Cosmic Pluto's poppy (bottom and top left). It was a bit of a challenge with the DPNs, I find you just get enough stitches on them to tame the hedgehog when it's time to cast off, but it's good practice and I like them!

In other news.....
I've just had a week off and had wonderful fun making a mess

having unearthed my standard gauge machine after some 15 or so years, and with the guidance of some very helpful folk over on the Machine Knitting forum on Ravelry I saved myself £180 (the quote for having the machine cleaned) and boy did it need a clean! I loved the detailed instructions one of the forumites gave on removing the needles which continued "repeat 199 times", now I just need to relearn how to use it. Watch this space...................

Lacemakers cake

Yesterday was the 25th Anniversary lunch of the Tonbridge Lacemakers and as all celebrations need a cake, two of our very clever members made this...

Believe it or not, apart from the threads, it is all completely edible (though there were a number of very blue tongues after tea!)

Even the bobbins were made of sugar paste - and just to show how good they were, the bobbin on the right is the edible one, and the bobbin on the left is a real painted wooden one, an (early) birthday present from my lovely lacemaking friends.

I spent the day (apart from eating and chatting) sewing in the numerous ends of my finished lace mat, it has only taken me about 18 months to make !! and the worse thing about it was that a very kind lace friend had lent me her pillow to use as mine wasn't large enough - I felt quite guilty about the length of time I'd had it, (though she wasn't concerned), and returned it to her with a large box of chocolates in thanks.

It wasn't really that difficult, mostly straight forward torchon and I thoroughly enjoyed making it, but it will be a long while before I make anything quite that big again.

Black and white fluff

DD and her BF have just adopted an unwanted bundle of black and white fluff, does that make him my Grandkitten I wonder? I guess it must because I did what every good grandmother should do and got out yarn and needles to make him a toy.

Using the Captain Catbattler pattern, but making a sturdier (plaited) tail and no eye patch, it wasn’t long before Mr Mouse was ready for action.

Do you think Hugo liked him?