Starting Spring inside

Normally I love a bit of snow.  I'm usually the first one to get all excited by the first flake or flurry, searching out hats and gloves, getting ready for sledging or snowball fun.  But really, snow at the end of March?  I have to admit this weather has floored me.  I am craving a little bit of warmth, some sun, a few flowers, not much to ask now that we have supposedly gone past the first day of Spring.

I decided that if Spring was not ready to happen outside I was going to make sure it happened inside!

Lots of sunny yellow, ah gorgeous!

 

Of course as soon as you venture outside for even the briefest of moments you are confronted by the chilly reality (although I have to say that it could be a lot worse and that people living in the North have huge quantities of snow to deal with).  These icicles have formed from a puddle on the road which cars have splashed up onto the hedge and the water has frozen - quite a sight!

 

Please, please, please Spring, show yourself! 

PS did you spot that rather lovely new addition to our house?  A recent purchase and part of the big 'renovation project' happening this year - or rather it's the 'we've been living here 10 years now and must really get on with decorating the house!'.  All good fun, which means that I have to reorganise the whole house - hmmm.  Well one step at a time.  The coats now live in the cupboard under the stairs and I'm looking out for a large mirror to go on the hall wall.  As you can see I'm focusing on the purchasing rather than the reorganisation . . .!

Knitters beware of Sleeping Beauty

I have often wondered why knitting gets such bad press.  It is often seen as something old fashioned, something your granny does and despite the upsurge in crafting and 'famous' people who knit, there are still some negative images associated with knitting.

 

It wasn't until I was watching the English National Ballet's version of Sleeping Beauty - a birthday treat for Flopsy Bunny, that it suddenly dawned on me that the story of Sleeping Beauty had a lot to do with this image of knitting.  There on stage were three dancers portraying women knitting, it was quite humorous in some ways, they were captured and bought before the king who was about to order for them to be executed because they were knitting, but then was persuaded to show leniency.  This is what we grow up with, tales of knitting, cursed spinning wheels being sinister and used by witches - no wonder knitting is often seen negatively!  Maybe a new ending to that story is needed where a lady who knits takes back her spining wheel and breaks the curse?!  Other possible endings gratefully received!

On to a recent finished project of mine, a Fairy Queen's necklace, which was based on this pattern which I adapted to make more holey as the original necklace was knitted using wire.  I will dig out my modifications and write them up for a future post!

Dragon Hat

Just in case you thought it was getting a bit too girly around here - a dragon hat for my lovely dragony boy.

Little Roo is quite keen on Dragon's at the moment.  For his last birthday he asked for a dragon party.

So when I came across this pattern I just knew I had to make it and sharpish - as it's quite chilly at the moment and Little Roo has a large head and none of his hats fit him!  Luckily he loves it and has discovered that it makes a good hand puppet too - look Mummy the dragon is eating my arm . . .!  Details of the pattern can be found on my Ravelry page.  It wasn't the clearest pattern I've come across but once I had worked out how to knit it the results were great!