Hookery in the Bookery went to Bessbrook-ery

Supper and shop was how it was described, and who could resist?  What could be nicer than a wee festive treat for our ladies, a group excursion to a quaint little village tucked away in the Co Down countryside, to spend an evening at Crafty Wishes?  The welcoming Christmas windows were spectacular with an old-fashioned fireplace and a knitted fair isle Christmas stocking hanging on it.  Moreover, no parking issues, which was the icing on the cake.

Lorna advertised her November/December friendship evenings on 2^nd October and I think it took us all of 24 hours to book our visit.  We did not want to go too early because we wanted to be as festive as possible, but we didn’t want to get into the midst of the December rush and vie with other bookings that the women in the group might have had.

We set out from Newtownabbey at 5.40 and it took until 7.10 to get there - soooo glad I don't have to negotiate that rush our traffic every day.  the evening flew by and soon it was time to make the reverse journey but I imagine many of us will definitely be back.  I have my eye on the Christmas table cloth ....  Just saying.

Knitting, crochet and craft are all about sharing ideas and time, helping others or encouraging those who have lost their mo-jo, assisting the inexperienced and finding new challenges for the confident crafter to make or do.  It’s about the fellowship of time spent together, relaxing, the problems shared and the problems halved. 

A few of us have been there on a couple of occasions in the past, including for the Macmillan coffee morning in September, and we have found that the welcome is always warm and friendly.

This shop is a real treasure trove, a treat for the dedicated, enthusiastic knitter and crocheter, many beautiful gifts for sale, yarns to die for and patterns a-plenty.  There are seasonal Christmas patterns for festive characters and decorations, scarves and hats as well as all the usual array of patterns from all the major suppliers.  Accessories from buttons and bows to yarns of all ply, from the very fine to the super chunky.   And lots of already knitted and crocheted items on display, which give her customers ideas.  

Lorna also sells some costume jewellery such as brooches and long necklaces to adorn your yarny creations.  The shop even has a loyalty card!

We were presented with festive treats of (non-alcoholic) mulled wine, mince pies and other festive goodies.

It was a real winter's treat.  Thanks to all the ladies for coming along and than you Lorna for hosting. 





So sew at handicrafts

 I may well have bought this remnant of fabric with one of you in Ikea many, many moons ago. It was either with one of you, which probably means Niqi, or else I was with my mum. If it was with mum then it was very, very ages ago, because she got sick in August 2013 and I'm fairly sure I bought it at much this time of year. I always had it mind as an Advent runner for the table when we were still in No. 28.

 So, yesterday I told Niqi that I was going to sew. I was going to stop putting off sewing and just sew. So, sew, Mags, sew. That was yesterday. Today I actually got going. This will surprise none of you, given that the two projects I have on and now off hook and needles are progressing very badly indeed!

 It has taken most of four hours. The actual sewing, bar some starting hitches with tension and the rest, was the easiest stage. It took my engineering husband to get me sorted on how to straighten very, extremely unstraight edges. It remains a source of marital hilarity, one-sided, that when I bought this sewing machine he used it first and used it ambitiously. For summers we had a red sail covering part of our back garden.

Anyway, there are lots of important things that might just be crazy enough to be true, as a university Physicist friend said in conversation this morning at Cafe Advent. Maybe, if you believe, you can do some so sew handicrafts after all. Next I'm thinking of a crochet thing to hide the tree legs...

Merry, bright magic and love

 It was another normal night at Hookery tonight. An enormous pot of tea and Catherine rattling off another pair of socks. Effortlessly.

 Heather Boss was helping the fabulous Grace with some initial crochet. Maybe she won't make initials with it.

 A close-up of fabulous Grace's fabulous jumper. I still think she should have just said yes when we asked if she had made it herself!

 Anne's stripey scarf. Stripey pattern inside stripey wool inside stripey bands. Very cheerful, very merry and bright.

 Also merry and bright are Niqi's October socks. Merry, bright and wholly uncharacteristically unfinished. My amazement at this proof that Niqi is actually human and not a crochet robot is only surpassed by my wonder at this project that Niqi has sustained effortlessly all year. The year of the socks: a pair a month, so far... There will surely be a grand documentary on The Year of the Socks coming to a blog near you soon.

Shirley's scarf summed Hookery up for me tonight. We have all been watching her work on it for weeks, but now she needed help with casting off the very tricky yarn. It was passed around the group- Auntie Margaret to Cooking Catherine and finally to Lady Gillian. (Let it be noted that Lady Gillian has two broken thumbs. Or at least she might still have two broken thumbs but she had prayers for healing last weekend, so we're not sure yet.) Wrist supports cast aside and needles clicked and scarf was done.

All together on the sofas, drinking tea and coffee, sharing whatever has come the table's way whether that be food or updates on children or a delightful festive cook book. Casting aside to cast off, or cast on, or sort out my inevitably wonky (crochet) sides. I do love Hookery.

And here is last week's sneak peek in its magical whole:

Willow, fabric, wool, lights. But when you mix it with magic and love? Merry and bright x

It's beginning to feel...

 A little peek at what has been keeping us busy lately.

 We can't blame our blog inactivity on this project alone,

 but we have been somewhat distracted by this and other Advent preparations.

 All will be revealed! In the meantime, any resemblance to Dorothy's Emerald City should be ignored.