I love my Christmas Roses! I only have three in my garden, two at the front and one at the back but I will be sorry to see them go for another year. They’ve made a beautiful display, especially the ‘Harrington Speckled’ (above). This has been in since November 2003 and has grown with very little attention but loves the morning sun.

This Helleborus Corniscus has green flowers. Several people have commented on how unusual this one is.

The Helleborus Orientalis didn’t cope too well with the winter and think it’s a been a bit too wet for its liking. But I trimmed back the damaged leaves last month and it seems to be doing ok. It was only planted last autumn when we redeveloped the end of the garden. Our new neighbour decided to cut down half our willow tree and replace the fence without telling us! Anyway, despite lots of grumpiness at the time, we are very pleased with the result and gave me a new excuse to buy more plants!

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Tab top curtains

These have been on the ‘To Do’ list for yonks. Anyway, am really pleased with them. They’re fully lined with blackout lining and the fabric is from John Lewis. I couldn’t tell you the designer though, they bought it for their Jonelle range last year, so am unsure if you can even still buy it.

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Here is another set of matryoshka dolls that we love - The Former Soviet Leaders. In size order we have: Yeltsin, Gorbachev, Brezhnev, Stalin and Lenin. Quite clearly there were many more leaders but these are the most recongnisable, I suppose for the tourist market. The set was a gift from a friend of my husband’s, who was doing a University language exchange to St. Petersburg in the early 90’s. They’re a miserable looking bunch but I like them anyway!

Other lovers of Things they love on a Thursday - here

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There are a variety of colour themes floating around in blogland at the moment, Project Spectrum, Colour Week, Color-iffic Swap-o-rama and the Flickr group Catchy Colors has some great colour themed groups too. But I just find myself having periods of time where I’m obsessed, for want of a better word with a colour. It was red and now it’s green. Some of the things I’ve been making have been for gifts but now I’m getting so fond of it that it seems to be taking over every project!

I told you I’d started another one….the colour is a bit washed out. 10 pattern repeats down…..lots to go.

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Well Kiri started like this………

got washed….. (look at the fluff on the pillowcase I washed it in)

and dyed with this………..

AND became this lovely citron vert. I had admired Anna’s version and was keen to replicate it.

Kiri
Sirdar Indigo pure cotton Denim DK 10 skeins
5mm circular needles
Finished size - 180cm wide x 88cm deep
Dyed with Dylon Citron Vert

Now, anyone else who bought the Sirdar Indigo cotton denim DK at Ally Pally last year be warned! I’d bought it with a view to dyeing it and according to the label it could take a 60 degree wash, so I went ahead and made my purchase. Not bad at £12.99 for 10 skeins. However, I was constantly defluffing myself after a session knitting with this yarn so, was a tad concerned when it came to the washing. I had considered hand washing but decided that it had to go in the machine anyway to take the dye! When it came out, as you can see there was an awful lot of fluff. I took Polly’s advice and hadn’t yet sewn in any of the ends but they ended up becoming very matted also after washing. After three washes it is still pilling like mad. I’ve used a razor and a clothes brush and it has improved slightly but I will persevere and wash a couple more times in some wool wash and see what happens. It looks fantastic at arm’s length but once you start looking too closely…..you see all the bits. Am not disappointed in the pattern in the slightest, no sooner had I dyed this, I cast on for another! More anon.

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Go over and checkout other people’s handwriting on Flickr via Logtar. It’s v interesting.

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This was a long time in coming and about 6 months late for a first birthday, but at least it’s done! I recall getting the 5″ squares in a bargain bin at a trade show a few years ago, then teamed it with some stripey cotton shirting from my own hoard and it sewed itself up in an afternoon. However, I really struggled with how to do the border………consequently it got put away for about 6 months until I came up with the olive/purple combo.

This was my attempt at something more modern and I wanted to do the quilting a fair width apart and you can do that successfully with Hobbs Heirloom 100% cotton batting. The Cotton Patch has a good selection of bleached, unbleached and man made wadding. Something for everyone. I’ve used it before and it gives a great result but the only downside is that it does shed alot of fluff. So, defluffing the machine and the quilt has to occur regularly.

The reverse is a large purple square blocked with the olive. Nice and simple. I made my own binding and used invisible thread to sew it down. It’s all labelled and ready to go! Some more shots in my Flickr set here.

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I had a request some time ago to make a knitted tea cosy and have only just got around to it. I used an old Copley pattern I picked up recently in a charity shop. Copley-Smith and sons were from Darlington but it was the first I had heard of them and the pattern was dated 1983. It’s unusual to find patterns dated like this, so it’s not technically vintage yet!

It does look quite over-the-top keeping my green Denby Energy teapot warm. I think it’s going to be living with a white or stainless pot from memory……………Hope that serves me correctly.

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Shamrock Tea Cosy
Rowanspun DK knit double
1 ball of each
4.5mm needles

I have modified my own pattern to share with you. Use two colours of DK yarn and held double throughout the pattern or aran weight yarn. You can use two colours or plain yarn, whatever takes your fancy.

Cast on 53 stitches with 4.5 or 5mm needles.
*K2, P2, repeat from* to last stitch, K1
Repeat this row until work measures 18cm or desired length.
Begin shaping as follows:-
K2, (P3tog, K1)12 times, P2, K1 (29 sts.)
K2, P2, (K1,P1) 12 times, K1
K1, (SSK) 12 times, K2tog (16 sts.)
K1, P to last stitch, K1
K2tog 8 times across row (8 sts.)
Break yarn and thread through remaining stitches pulling tightly.

Work another piece exactly the same.

To make up, pin pieces together at the sides and roughly measure where you need your spout hole and your handle hole. Sew together using mattress stitch and add a pom pom or pieces of i-cord. Whatever you fancy. Then boil the kettle, make a lovely cuppa and enjoy.

SSK = Slip, slip, knit or alternatively you can knit 2 together through the back of the loop

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I love everything about my Russian lady - her rosy cheeks and rosebud lips, her glittering gold and beautiful finish. She was brought back from a trip by a dear, dear friend and I will always cherish her.

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My final Secret Pal package arrived last week and am long overdue posting….computer issues. I received some lovely Jaeger luxury tweed which is merino/alpaca in pebble 820 and mussel 831, a fantastic whistle (my Dad collects these from all over the world), some more glittery ribbon and a little friend. I wonder if she’ll reveal herself………..Thanks SP, you’re ace.

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