Up the wall and Peggy Martin

My late mother-in-law was one of those people who had a selection of phrases that made perfect sense to her family but probably not much to anyone else.  My Nan was the same so I’m assuming it was a generational thing – now that I’m getting older, her announcement that she was “going down like a cow’s tail” (something that alway made me laugh) feels entirely appropriate some days …  Anyway, one of the more expressive sayings from my mother-in-law was “up the wall and Peggy Martin” which loosely translates as “I don’t know whether I’m coming or going” and that’s been me this week.

Not so small daughter was still on holiday from sixth form college which has altered our routine somewhat, I’ve spent all week thinking it’s Saturday, the weather has gone through all four seasons in the last couple of days and I put my specs in the fridge instead of the milk when I last made a brew.  It’s not looking good!

Oh, but what has been looking AMAZING has been your wonderful generosity in buying the Don’t Be Koi socks pattern which I released last weekend (that really was a Saturday!).  Thank you so very much – I’ve been able to make a big donation towards not so small daughter’s fundraising for her Japan trip this summer and we are both very grateful.  Thanks to the pattern and camp blanket badge sales, she’s very close to her target now which has given her the impetus she needed to really get stuck into working towards her last payment.

In case you missed it last week, the Don’t Be Koi socks pattern was designed with not so small daughter to incorporate ideas of Japan and you can read the story behind the socks in the post here.  The pattern has a small section of colourwork for the fish (and Koi fish come in all sorts of colours so leftovers are perfect for this) and the rest is plain and easy knitting – they were such a pleasure to knit!

The Don’t Be Koi socks are currently on tour ( 🙂 ) as they are at Black Sheep Wools for a couple of weeks.  Sara, one of the owners, very kindly asked if they could help with not so small daughter’s fundraising by displaying the socks so that if you’re in Black Sheep and want to see them you can, and they also have a link to Ravelry so that means you can buy Ravelry patterns in the Craft Barn and I think they will print them out for you (you would have to check that just in case I’m wrong).  Not so small daughter had planned to wear them today but I’d already whisked them away … there was muttering about it so they won’t be staying long at Black Sheep, but if you’re around over the next week or so, you may see the socks there!

It was quiet in the Craft Barn when I went to drop the socks off, and also another supply of Super Socks and More Super Socks books as Black Sheep Wools stock them there, so I was able to take a few photos – I thought you might like to have a look around.  The weather’s been miserable this week, hasn’t it, so if you’ve not been able to get out and about then visit Black Sheep Wools vicariously with me!

Naturally, I headed straight for the sock yarn and was delighted to see the samples that I knitted for the West Yorkshire Spinners Happy Feet pattern book on display.

The socks were designed in two colourways, but of course you can make up your own colourways as well – I think all the bright colours would look great in these designs!

And oh look, more Winwick Mum designs … 🙂

These are the free patterns from Christmas 2022 – you can download them from the Black Sheep Wools website as well as WYS and that’s very handy if you’ve got yarn to buy as well!

The Craft Barn has so much yarn in it – I don’t think it can be often that people leave having not found what they wanted or a good alternative.  There’s a lovely cafe as well, a comfy sofa area where you can sit and knit, and there’s a range of cross stitch and tapestry kits too in case yarn-related crafts are not your thing.

I was just on my way out when I spotted this huge Emma Ball display by the till.  I love Emma Ball’s designs; I keep a supply of her greetings cards in a box for those occasions when someone needs a birthday/new home/congratulations card at short notice.

The display at Black Sheep Wools is of tins, notebooks, mugs, project bags – all the things to tempt someone with yarn in their hands when they get to the till!  There’s even a money box for saving up for future purchases!

It was raining yet again when I left Black Sheep Wools and headed down the windy roads to Winwick.  In a heroic display of commitment to the blog and to you, dear readers, I went out again when I got home into our soggy garden to see what I had to show you 🙂

Tulips, green Hydrangea quercifolia (oak leaf hydrangea) leaves, and yellow cowslips …

I’ve got a single flower on my Camellia this year …

It’s very pretty, although from past experience I know that it may not open more than this.  This plant is in a pot and I should probably make an effort to change the compost or at least feed it – there’s no way the plant is coming out without me smashing the pot – and maybe I would get more flowers that open next year!

Camellias like more acid soil and it seems that that’s the general soil type around Winwick as there are lots of Camellia bushes that suddenly burst into flower here.  All flower earlier than mine, and all of them are much bigger too (probably because they are not in pots) – this is one that I pass on walks with the dog …

Oh, and we saw these catkins too.  I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to photograph them properly, but I’m really pleased with how this picture turned out!

I’ve got vegetable seedlings in pots on the kitchen window sill that need potting up this weekend so that’s going to be my job for today or tomorrow.

I think I am starting to get the hang of posting on Saturdays and judging by my blog stats, it seems that it suits you better too, so we’ll stick with this for now and see how we get on 🙂

I’ll be back next week with more news and in the meantime, I hope you have a lovely rest of the weekend! xx