Coats of Many Colours

Not long after the first lock-down, many people in our village began knitting squares to be made up into dressing gowns for the WI for charity. I began knitting.

If I`m honest I would admit to being a bit bored quite quickly and had many other projects I wanted to do.

I saved some squares for WI and made a blanket with some others.

 

Later in the year when we were able to have the village coffee mornings, albeit socially distanced, Heather brought piles and piles of squares knitted by villagers and invited people to crochet them together.

From the massive pile I chose my own colour palette and made a coat.

It was thick, heavy and warm.

In the meantime I made another knee blanket for a friend in subdued pastel colours.

 

During the next lock-down Heather asked me to make another one. She left another 112 squares on the doorstep.

I made up another coat. The colours were random but I tried to make a darker border. 

Heather tells me she has lots more squares since this second lock-down. Doreen has made 80.

So another 112 will be dropped on my doorstep soon thanks to the Pett knitters.

Oh and I`m making another knee blanket.
 

So much for being bored with knitting squares.

Snapless Crackers

 Whether we do spend any days over Christmas with family, still hangs in the balance. 

But one way or another, they will have a cracker.

I am never impressed by bought crackers with their cheap plastic contents and hats that tear or don't fit.

So I've made my own.

I understand that not everyone has the junk hanging around that I seem to accumulate, but this is how I made them.

You need:

toilet  paper towel rolls

tissue paper

Christmas ribbon

tags

glittery wool

jokes

tiny gifts (secret for now)

I used two layers of tissue on a flat surface, making sure it was longer than the rolls 

and then cut two toilet rolls like this ...

I actually used glue stick to hold it in place and left spaces to tie the ends.

Pop jokes (plenty on-line) home-made tissue paper crowns (mine are adjustable with glue dots to fit to size) tiny presents, sweets and anything else that fits in.

Then roll it up.

Use glittery wool to tie the ends which stops everything falling out.

I used selotape to hold edges in place. 

I wrapped Christmas wired ribbon around and decorated  with foam stickers.

Because the contents are specific I put name tags on.

I think they look a bit more interesting than shop- bought ones and of course I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

One difference is that there are no snaps, though these can be bought on-line. When we pull the crackers, we are going to ring some jingle bells. (It could be a drum.)

I can't wait to see if they "pull" easily which is why I used thinner tissue paper.

Lost Ladybirds and Sweet Honeysuckle

 After a rather inactive day yesterday which is quite unusual for us, (well housework and tai chi at least) we decided to go to the garden this afternoon.

Rain was threatening but we managed an hour and a half.

I completed the path at long last.

I did a bit more to the 4th flowerbed and weeded the old irises thinking that the new pieces have taken well.

We were very happy with the fence which we erected this time last year. It has been a great backdrop for the garden.

We are also pleased to see the growth coming back on the cobshed roof...just a few holes to fill in spring.

The winter honeysuckle is so pretty close-up.

I am leaving some helichrysum plants. They may survive the winter.

As I've cleared the beds I've found a few more ladybirds and even a bee. 

A few more days and we're on our way to spring ....yay!

Pops of Colour and Warm Hats

 It was a bit of a cold grey day on our last visit to the garden. More layers needed and warm hats.

Steve mended the end of the raised bed so I raked down the herb garden

and repositioned the moss covered bricks. I made the individual sections a bit bigger.

I weeded quite a bit more of the long path. Nearly there now.

I am on the 2nd to last flowerbed.

I might even finish before Christmas which would be great.

The pond is very full with blanket weed blooming every time we visit. Steve keeps fishing it out.

In the foreground winter flowering honeysuckle.

The painted flowers add that welcome pop of colour at this time of the year.

Clary and corncockle have seeded themselves across the beds. I can't bear to pull them out.

Likewise the glorious poppies are everywhere.

Most beds have been manured now.

And there were even flowers to pick.

The end of the year is coming up pretty quickly and still lots I want to do at the garden.

Fingers crossed for some good days.

  

Felted Stars and Fairies

How quickly Christmas is coming round. Everyone seems very keen to enjoy themselves much earlier than usual. We have put up our outside lights much earlier and it all looks very cheerful.

I began my Christmas craft some time ago. Some were needed for Advent calendar presents.

I never seem to stop making fairies. Here are pink and white ones.

 For the first time I have tried felting using a star biscuit cutter. More practise needed I think.

I also tried clay beads for these cute snowmen.

When our logs were delivered I saved some thinner ones to make wooden disc snowmen. Steve has cleverly pinned them together so that the base slips off and then they can be stored flat.

A very simple craft.

Last year I enjoyed making these snowmen so much I have done more sets.

And I even tried reindeer.

A couple of owls.

And of course the baby Yodas. I tried a pod but it wasn't successful.

Finally a batch of Christmas masks. Let's hope we don't need them next year.