Window Puddy 2

 

I noticed this cat in a window of the tenements that look over our garden yesterday. Linocut print.

Holiday Projects

 

So we have a week off coming up. But we can’t go anywhere. So to take my mind off the fact that this should be a holiday I have a lineup of fun projects:

Knit shrug from this lovely, if wacky, Japanese wool (pictured above)

Sew pair of comfy jeans

Do painting of the hellebore flowers which are currently the best thing in the garden.

I am also doing the spring wardrobe purge including cheap and nasty acrylic jumpers, coloured tights (why?) and shoes I bought on the internet which don’t fit properly. 

As I am a sucker for punishment I also did a lot of work on the front garden, installing pots and putting in shrubs and plants. It looks better, but still not great.

Jumper Joy

 

I finished the jumper! And it was easier and quicker than I expected. I have been too intimidated to make a jumper for years, but now I am so pleased with it. More to come.....

Big Pidge

 

I love the big wood pigeons that live in the trees at the back of our garden. 

Sewing Wagon

As Spring seems to be emerging I feel the urge to sew again. 

I have some really nice dark blue denim for a pair of jeans style trousers (still not got hang of front zips) and some grey jersey. Mysteriously this is formed as a tube. I have had various ideas for it including tracksuit trousers (I just dont wear them), 80s style skirt (not needed) and dress (not a very peppy colour scheme). But I think they may end up being a cardi with useful leftovers for another project. (Shown above). 

The knitting goes on as it is long and mindless so quite relaxing and I have ideas for some 80s inspired jumpers from the Vogue Knitting book. This book has patterns from the 80s to present but the 80s seemed to be a decade of appealingly crazy knitwear.

Spring Style

 

So I am knitting my first ever jumper. The colour scheme is a more spring friendly one of pinks and purples. As the weather has significantly improved I am going over to spring things such as: floral spring perfume, pastel/bright nail polish instead of dark and a colour scheme of blue/green/pink/grey instead of black/red/navy. 

The little things to celebrate a new season. In the garden bulbs are emerging.

 I haven’t been needing many new clothes lately, nor have I been able to take any old stuff to Oxfam. So far this year I have bought a new bra and a long sleeved tshirt. I’ve got rid of a couple of 100% acrylic jumpers which looked nice but felt very sweaty even in winter, and a pair of unsuccessful trousers I made. 

Back in the Garden

The weather has suddenly warmed up and I can enjoy being in the garden in just a light jumper. Today I braved B&Q for the first time in a year and bought some plants.

I got a drypoteris fern for the bottom border, which is north facing and damp, so I am going for a woodland vibe. There are also snowdrops and a hellebore (pictured).

For the right hand new border by fence I got a camellia. This is more of a shrub border, the aim being to conceal a huge fence.

The left hand border is more of a fruit tree and traditional flowers border. I am hoping for signs of life from my bare root plum tree. 

The south border is just strawberry plants as they grow like nutters there and nothing else gets a look in. 

My shady, north facing tarmac front garden with the log shed is yet to be cracked though. So far the planting consists of anything that has survived and some eclectic pots.