Worldwide appeal

Better not to ask where I get my interest in statistics - something to do with the day-job ....  But I discovered that you could get some useful/useless info from our blog's admin site about our published pages.

We appear to be reaching a worldwide audience - 120 folks in the UK have viewed our site (probably mostly us!), 3 from Russia (all interested in the poppy pattern of course), 3 from USA, and 1 each from Canada, Australia , Germany and Latvia.  Some have even commented on our work - M.K. and Pom Pom in the United States and Angela in the UK.  Thanks, ladies, for your comments.

I like Mags' idea of a themed evening next week, so could we go with the stars and stripes theme?

Summer School One: meeting four

Back in the Dock at St Patrick's this week. Watching small boys stand amazed under torrential rain.
This week's mystery object. Clue in a post below by Heather. (Not the one about Monsieur Renard- that would be a red herring, but keep with the animal analogy...)
Heather Boss and Queen Niqi have both been working on the set book tea cosy. Heather's is above and is nearing completion. She needed a break from all those flowers today, so went to meet the Queen (the real one) instead. Below is Queen Niqi's completed cosy- her third task from the set book. (Why didn't I notice at the time that you had actually brought the teapot as well?)
She has also rustled up one of Patricia's poppies and pays tribute to the clarity of instructions. Copies available from Guru P on demand.

Lindsay is obviously demonstrating her mother's genes- this is last week's mug cosy, finished, buttoned and she's all ready for her next projcet. Spot her below, earnestly browsing the set text.

No photos of my third attempt at my first task from the set book. Sigh!! Also no photos of Gillian's completed first thing ever. She claims to have left it at home. Methinks this summer school needs some set targets to go with the set text- just for the stragglers like me!

Belated summer report!

Last Wednesday's Hookery report- apologies for tardiness. Spot the hand grenade, mug cosy, tea cosy and then complete the following sentence in no more than six words: I love summer hooking because...

Starting beside the computer and moving anti-clockwise! Hooker one.

Hooker two.

Hooker three.

Knitter four! Aran, progressing most impressively!

Hooker five.

Welcome, Lindsay. Hooker six.

Hooker seven Boss.

And just as unfocused a close-up as you'll get of the Russian poppy! Winner announced and prize awarded on Wednesday- at the Dock xxx

Perhaps it will become hookery without the chookery?

It is with deep regret that I post this message to you ....  Unfortunately this morning while we were out, Monsieur Renard came into our garden, dug his way into the chicken run and kidnapped not one, but two, of our chickens seen here only a few weeks ago.  The third chicken has been attacked and has lost a few feathers but is, for the most part, OK.

Mug cosy

Lindsay joined us on Wednesday and was busy crocheting squares when she spotted the pattern for the mug cosy. It won't take her long to complete it.

My latest blanket is growing slowly. Sadly it's not for puss but maybe I could make one for her.

Finished and approved

Here are a couple of pictures of the finished garden square blanket.  It didn't quite work out to be the size that I had originally anticipated but never-the-less, as you will see further down, it got the seal of approval from my cat!

She likes to be involved, and each time that I produce the wool she sits beside me and watches, never interfering with the wool.  When the item is finished she adopts it as her own as you can see.

Sometimes though if the blanket isn't in a comfortable enough place for her she will just move it to where she wants it ....

When hookery takes place at my house I have to put her out as not everyone likes cats, so instead she sits forlornly on the outside of the windowsill and watches everyone through the glass!

Links

Not the crochet sort; I suppose they would be chains? No: links like this one to Angela's granny square blanket. She was taught to crochet by Catherine N in November. Also this one to Lynne's Russian Poppy site- just to further illustrate Patricia's unrivalled talent for making something special from just one picture!

Now that some of us have had an exploratory field trip to St George's Market I was just wondering when our first official outing is going to be?  Who will be chief organiser and to where will it be?  I had heard rumours of a little trip up the country - will a little stop off for lunch be included?  Beads, wool, hooks, ribbons, material to line the hook holder and bag - all being searched for ....

Great news - I also must post information to the effect that we have become quite successful at our new summer chookery location.  Hookery in the bookery has three members but in the few weeks since the end of the academic year we have increased our numbers to eight. 

Here is my first attempt at the poppy. I followed the pattern as far as possible but I still need to work on the interpretation of the translation !

I will bring some printed copies and the poppy on Wednesday evening.

Field Trip

Here is David. This is the guy who runs the stall that stocks the wool that Heather raves about! And let me tell you, she is not wrong! The facebook link is here and you can see that everyone asks for advice and yarn availability all the time. I loved it!
So obviously if you've gone to St George's on a Saturday morning to visit the The Wool Stall you are going to eat a crepe from La Creperie chez Francis and you are going to wander round and chat to everyone else as well. You might not find yourself buying one hat and ordering another to be custom made for your apparently small head from hats2love, but then again, in the words of St Francis himself, on sait jamais!

Mittens

Finally I'm happy with the mitten to match my scarf. Early stage with 3 balls of wool attached.

One completed.

Now I just need to make the matching one.The pattern is not too complicated, but managing 3 balls of wool at once and avoiding a mass tangle is quite a struggle.

Many many thanks to Lynne for teaching me how to work without making a chain to start off. The edge is soooo neat, I'll never start with a chain again.

Core text

I have just ordered everyone's book. I even have this fabulous idea that I will have an all-but-finished tea cosy to bring on Wednesday night. But then, we know what comes of my fabulous ideas! Don't mention the poster...

Hookery in the Chookery: First Night of Summer School

The Bookery is closed for the summer. We have relocated to the Chookery!

Lynne's bunting triangle.

Niqi's hook roll, with feast.

Floral Niqi perfecting the magic circle.

Heather flying through her latest blanket.

Cooking Catherine also knits.

Lynne's Attic 24 tribute- destined for teachers.

Now, Patricia, what huge project will this have grown into by next week?

Lynne's stash with one of her blankets. Jubilee colours?

Sheila's first ever chain, hooray!

Niqi's granny square- great colours.

Heather's lovely basket! See you all next week at the Dock!