Bookery's End (for Mags!)



I'm typing this on my first official night as a non-Bookery worker. I am not adjusting well to the transition!  I have not, contrary to my usual aspirational declarations, got the dinner dishes cleared, nor have I been spending quality time with my family. I have been adding the final final touches to my Autumn Garland!

 

I started it somewhere around mid-October, on a Thursday night in the Bookery- last piece of Hookery that I did in the Bookery, as it transpired.  Guru Patricia, obviously, sorted out the best technique for my chain.  This is a 4mm hook working its way through my unknitted St Mungo's hat!





 

Ah but then, here's the Patrickia.  Then I used a 6.5mm hook and simultaneously worked on a chain using the original thin chain as yarn.  But as this still hung a bit too limp I also started working with an 8mm hook and made a really chunky chain from the medium chain that sat patiently in the middle.  Great result if you're looking for a heavy rope-like chain from which to hang things.  Also great entertainment for a morning in bed after Book Club with a husband in Glasgow and two children reasonably occupied about the house...

So here is the finished result- well, minus the final final touches of two more pieces for each end tonight.

I used four yarns- St Mungo's, a ball of red from the Afghan sampler box, a small ball that I suppose I stole from the Aran we worked Lorna's fiftieth birthday cafetiere cosies from, and an amazing thick felting wool that I bought ages ago in Craftworld.

The felting wool made two gorgeous leaves and one huge flower that hangs right in the middle.  By far my favourite pieces.

 

The flower pattern came from the set text- it's the flower that sits on the Peaked Toddler Hat. Patricia found me the two leaf patterns, saving me my nearly first Etsy purchase!  This open leaf I didn't like in the wools I had, though you could say that it curls in a very spider-like way which could be appropriate enough for the spooky season.  However, the maples I loved.  All three were very easy to work, even for me!

So there we go. I will be looking forward to visiting the Bookery soon, and counting on being back at Hookery at the Dockery or wherever. Much, much love to Heather Boss and Patricia- I am very proud of this group that we formed, and am amazed at how it has taken on its own impetus and form.  Happy Hooking  from Pumpkin Land x

End of Year Show and Tell

The end of the academic year and therefore of our evenings in the Bookery approaches. So here are the first year's offerings! We think that Hookery in the Bookery started somewhere around October/November 2011, so it's actually not quite a year- which makes the accumulated output more than slightly impressive, I think! In the picture we have four completed blankets, one nearly completed blanket, one not at all completed blanket, one scarf, one very clever buggy cosy, and seven flowers! Not in the picture we also claim another blanket and another scarf! Well done, all!

Let's get me out of the way first. It won't take long! One not at all completed ripple blanket, but it's coming on well, and could be finished in time for next year's Show and Tell! One prototype corsage, one corsage, one felted corsage as prototype brooch!

Heather's first blanket- fast stitch (see next picture), fabulous yarn- see comment from Heather for details- Heather, leave details in a comment!

Patricia's fast stitch- pattern, please, Patricia! Patricia's first blanket?

Attempt at arty shot of Patricia's second scarf!

Heather's second blanket- granny square in great colours, with Patricia's second scarf.

Patricia's four flowers- carnation at back is fabulous- another pattern, please, Patricia!

Heather's granny squares are all done for her third blanket, and she is joining them all together, possibly as I type!

The frankly amazing buggy cover, with flower- all Patricia's.

Patricia's granny square blanket- can't recall if it was her first or second???

And another shot of Patricia's flowers! Not shown is Gail's gorgeous granny square blanket, produced in two months by someone who learnt to crochet two months ago! I'm amazed and delighted at what you can do with nice people in a nice place in a nice way. Obviously most of the hooking is done in homes around Newtownabbey, but the thinking and comparing and learning from Patricia has mostly been done, I think, at the Bookery. And that has been a fine thing indeed!