Life LackaDaisiCal

So we're at Charleson House, in the workshop room.... and there is LOTS of yarn! a serious amount of yarn! +RowanYarns   Big Wool! And we've got Martin Storey, yes, THE Martin Storey! right there to lead the way...... not only did I have a weekend workshop with Martin, we stayed in the same hotel! .....it's Friday night, we've finally found our hotel and settled in....it's been a long day... and we're either going into or coming out of the dining room.... the front door opens and in walks this tall man.... "Martin Storey?" I ask.. "Why yes" he says..... about now he's wondering what he has got himself into... crazy stalking knitters in the same hotel! It wasn't surprising....not many hotels in Lewes.....but it was a fun coincidence. We gave Martin lifts to and from the workshop, had meals together...yup, spent the weekend together! A great teacher, is our Martin. He went around the table to make sure everyon...

Although Levi Strauss is credited with the invention of "the blue jean", the denim fabric that he used came from the French town of Nimes....and ‘jeans’ comes from the French phrase ‘bleu de Genes’ meaning ‘the blue of Genoa’.   Genoese Navy sailors wore denim back in the 1500’s but it wasn’t until the 1870’s when Levi Strauss arrived at the gold rush and quickly identified the need for hard wearing, yet comfortable, work pants. Levi arrived with a shipment of canvas for tents and quickly converted the material into hard wearing overalls.  The miners liked these new pants, but they found them a bit rough on their tender areas :) and so Levi imported the denim fabric from Nimes and "denim blue jeans" were born.   I grew up when wearing denim jeans was a statement of being young and independent...my parents didn't wear denim!   Although you had to dress conservatively for work....you came home and put on your jeans.  Although they were stylish...they were...

To be held at "Charleston" It was pouring down on the Saturday, but lovely and bright on the Sunday! When we weren't knitting, we got to explore the gardens after our.... spectacular lunch! We ate in the kitchen of Charleston! There was a lot of "old" about....  with a bit of "new"...I love Emma Bridgewater china! This pattern suited this old house! oh yes, and there was lots of wool!   +RowanYarns   Big Wool ! Charleston House The Bloomsbury Group Wiki   Emma Bridgewater

January 15 ! Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine Number 55 is officially launched today! I got my subscriber copy a couple of weeks ago... so I've had my nose in this magazine for a while.... What?  You don't subscribe? Well, then get yourself to your local Rowan Stockist and grab your copy now! Want a sneak peak?  Well, visit the KnitRowan web site here and look at all the lovely designs in Magazine 55 ! What is your favourite?  Leave a comment below....

Saturday, Dec 21 - it started to rain....and freeze.... we lost our power at 8:15....the house was lighting up like those strings of flashing Christmas lights.... and there was the smell of burning.... it was dark....everyone else on the street still had power but in the morning we saw what had happened... and here was the problem.....our hydro line pole had broken and was at a perilous angle.... a large branch from one of the willows had straddled the line.. ...all of that extra weight and the pole didn't stand a chance.... Trees branches had crashed down..... Fences had being crushed.... You can see the hydro mast on the house was under a terrific strain.... and I was a bit worried about the huge pine trees.... that now dwarf our home... looking closely, there was beauty hidden among the devastation...  and when the sun shone the next day.....it was pretty amazing.... that's when I took the header photo....just before sunset...

If you are...you might like this....a brand new collection of accessories done with  +RowanYarns  Fine Art yarn! These designs all seem to be named for Artists.... this one is called  SIBISI but to me there is a definite Downton Abbey vibe - what do you think? This could be Lady Cora - the "American" who's money saved Downton back in the day..... Mother of 3 lovely girls...but no male heir......tisk.... She always sees things just a bit clearer than her bumbling Earl Hubby :) PIERNEEF ..... Lady Mary waiting for Matthew to come home from the war.... a case of she didn't know what she had...until he found someone else... then when they finally get together.... Matthew wants out of the series (actors....take the steady pay check!) HADEN ...Lady Edith....before she started to "show"... pining away for her beau who has disappeared into thin air... He probably realized what kind of crazies these Crawleys were and took the first boat...

In February 2013, I got to visit Liberty of London. Although we travel to the UK a lot, and have recently been to London a few times, I had never been to Liberty! I had heard of the fabulous  +RowanYarns  display..... and wanted to see for myself (drats - that's the cord from my camera sneaking into the shot!) Every kind of Rowan Yarn available..... and every Rowan publication..... All in one spot! at the time....this was the sweater on display.... Merrion by Marie Wallin from the Rowan Tweed Collection I loved it so much that I came right home and ordered the yarn.... haven't started it yet though... Do you do this?  See something, fall for it HARD, order the yarn, then get intrigued by something else? Please tell me I'm not ALONE!!!