Eight-by-Six

I've been spending a lot of time in my garden during lockdown and made some changes. I'll do a seperate post this week to show you some before, during and after photos. Not quite Chelsea Flower Show but it really did need a good tidy up and having lots of extra time whilst being furloughed was the prompt I needed! the front of my flower cushion Anyway whilst sitting in the garden waiting for my chairs to dry, I realised the colours in my agapathus plants were going to look great against my newly painted grey chairs. I have four pots and all with lots of buds. A splash of colour was needed, a new cushion was the perfect choice. With my love of granny squares and feeling the urge to revisit my mustard granny cushion pattern (funny using your own pattern after such a long time). But this time I've gone for colours in the plants in my garden pots and hanging baskets, even my cacti plants are flowering. They obviously don't mind being neglected all winter. With flo...

This is how my Sunday was looking, filled with colorful crochet, the best way to unwind and enjoy the sunshine in the garden. I raided my Debbie Bliss merino yarn stash, I have two bags full of left overs from previous blankets. I'm crocheting granny squares during the summer to make a blanket full of 100 squares. Its a great project to take to work for lunch breaks and in-car crochet. Maybe even for my holiday in Lake Como in September. Granny heart Pattern credit: Sweetheart Granny Blanket by Sue @sweetpeafamilycrochet Yarn: Cygnet DK (gifted by @knittingnetwork) Vintage Rose, Grey Mix, Bluebell, Barley Yarn: @stylecraftyarns (from my yarn stash)  Mushroom, Pomegranate and to add Silver, Parma Violet, Pale Rose glorious granny squares You can follow my progress on my  Instagram account

Wow its already August, where did July go? What a busy month with lots of good things, sunshine, gardening, crochet and knitting. I have managed to do a little gardening and I have 5 courgette plants bursting with new flowers and fruits with two green courgettes ready to pick tonight when I get home. I have to remember to pick them otherwise a marrow will be in its place tomorrow! Some cues are coming along nicely, with the amount of water I'm giving them the rest of the summer I won't have to buy from the supermarket (I have ten plants I think!) Ok maybe too many but as I'd killed off most of my veggies before I'd even planted them I was kind of lost for variety and ended up with just cues and courgettes! I have time to sow some dwarf beans (again) so I plan to do that one evening this week, directly sowing I think to save time and I need to buy a cloche to keep the dog off them. Oh and the rhubarb plant is pumping out again, so more jam or maybe a nice pudding this ...

For those of you outside the UK having warm weather in the UK is something of a rarity, rain on the other hand we do very well. So this week we are having a mini heatwave and its great if you don't have to work, commute or doing anything that makes you move and get too hot! too hot for blankets, lets just look at them I was trying to finish my granny square blanket (shown in the Rocky Road picture), the border is well under way but hey who want's to sit under a hot blanket in this heat? So I guess its going to have to wait another week or so. In the meantime I can still make blankets as squares are so much more portable and I don't need to join them right now. I spent a lot of my weekend in the garden as the weather was so lovely, and we have plans to make some more changes to the area in front of the pond. I like the idea of a chill out area, and those rattan sofas are calling me. I can see myself with a cold drink or cup of tea crocheting to the sound of moving wat...

Whilst I wait for seedlings to emerge (4 varieties of tomato plants sown last weekend) I am still busy making granny squares for my own blanket. I actually like the fact the weather has changed and is back to April showers so that I can sit in front of the tv and add more squares. Last night I managed to add a few more and I've now joined 82, not many more to go but still some to crochet, sew in the ends before joining. I guess I will have it finished this month. Another WIP complete, great stuff. Did you know you can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram Almond blossom in my garden Last Friday we had a trip to London (Covent Garden) and then onto the O2 to see Rick Astley, hightlight of our year as it was the third concert. Loved his new song Keep on Singing and he played some new tracks from his album 50 released in June and some of his classic 80s. Danced and danced and sang out of tune, had the best fun ever! love these tiles in the tube station I still have ...