Felted thank you bag

First craft posting in a while....

When in Ireland recently, a cousin's wife kindly took me on a girly day out while the men folk did manly things with tractors and fishing rods!!!

As a thank you, I made her this felted shibori'd bag... it is made from the shibori piece I made last year, and is lined in cream linen. I hope that she likes it.

I think it works better as an item of use (ie a bag) than a piece of created knitted fabric.

Here is the front...

and here is a close up of some of the detail in the back.

and because I cannot help to think about such things... Alice made fabulous bags. She felted using merino tops rather than knitting yarn up first. It is something to do with making a sandwich which you later cut open and scouring it with cut up orange bags. We were going to have a day doing it together this summer.

Tell the bees

I received some Scottish honey as a gift from Dancin' Fool, and the package contained this lovely piece of folk wisdom:

"Since ancient times, honey has been valuable to man. Such was the importance of this food, that when people learned how to keep bees in hives close to their homes, they sought to encourage them to stay, including them in their family by telling them any vital bits of domestic news, such as a new baby, a death or a marriage. Failure to pass on these messages would inevitably result in the bees becoming offended and flying off, thus depriving the family of one of nature's luxuries."

I liked this little story, and so I have decided to share with the bees the 10 highlights of my summer. This is also a way for me to reinforce the positive aspects of the summer, and create a happy memory of this time.

1. Exploring smugglers caves on the East Yorkshire coast and watching puffins fly overhead to and from their nesting places on the cliffs.

2. Playdates and daytrips with my little chap and his friends to Ashby Castle, Snibston discovery park, Tales of Robin Hood.

3. Watching little chap "drive" a tractor for the first time on his uncle's farm in Ireland.

4. Hearing of my step son's success in his GCSEs and knowing he can now go to college to do his chosen course.

5. Having picnic lunches in the garden under the apple tree with my little chap and taking it in turns to make up summer poems.

6. Watching little chap learn to ride his bike without his stabilisers, and then getting him a new bigger bike as a treat. Seeing his joy at this step in independence.

7. Feeling the love that my fella showed when he made a 200 mile round trip to be with me for an hour one evening when I had received bad news.

8. Being taken under the wing of the wife of one of our Irish cousins and having her take me out for a girly day.

9. "Being there" for my friend's family after their sudden bereavement, and showing them love and support.

10. Supporting two local 11 year old entrepreneurs who were offering a car wash and valeting service so that they could save up to attend a modellers' fare, and feeling impressed by their get up and go and determination.

On the craft side, I have almost completed the bag I am making for the Irish cousin's wife as a thankyou for the day out, I have also ordered some had spun and hand dyed silk yarn to make a scarf for a friend, and have begun a lacy mohair scarf for another of the Irish cousins to thank them for having us to stay. Pictures of these will follow soon.

I have also been tagged by Dancin' Fool, so I am about to follow that up and see what it involves.

It's good to blog again, I am glad I waited until it felt right.