Weekend Review

Right now I'm sitting here writing (wednesday 8pm ish) and I can hear the rain pouring down outside. And it's cold too. It really does feel chilly and very un May like today, which is quite a shock to the system given the delicious weekend we had. Oh the weather in our patch was divine at the weekend! It was so lovely and warm, well no actually it wasn't warm it was hot. Yes, for the very first time this year we had some serious heat from the sun and it was glorious.

We spent the weekend in the midst of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, only about half an hours drive from home, yet it felt like we were very much further away. You can see in the above picture where we stayed :: a picturesque little campsite nestled down in the bottom of the dale, surrounded by big grassy green hills.

 

We spent the weekend away in our little caravan, oh oh oh the JOY!!!! There she is look, our home-from-home, tucked neatly into a grassy corner. The above photo was taken by J early on Sunday morning when he took the Little People climbing up the Big Hill behind the campsite. Yours truly had to stay behind drinking coffee and reading while Little B had his nap. I know, such hardship.

Did I tell you we finally named our caravan? In the end we went with J's suggestion and named her Connie (J was surprisingly very chuffed about this fact). The Little Peeps call her the Connievan, which I think is rather sweet.

We arrived at the campsite around 6pm Friday evening. Such a beeauutiful evening, warm and glowing and green and golden.

A picnic tea of crusty bread and dips, sweet little cherry tomatoes, scotch eggs, crisps, strawberries. Ice cold beer in the glow of the early evening sun. Lean back in the chair, stretch out ones legs, wiggle bare toes in the cool green grass, and reeelax. This is the weekend, and it promises to be good.

Saturday was a heat-soaked lazy day, the best sort of camping day with nothing whatsoever on the agenda other than soaking up the warmth and enjoying the day.

We walked down to the river for a mess about and it was a real delight. We paddled about, searching under rocks for fish, the sort of fish that both J and I remember searching for in the rivers of our respective childhoods. Funny how nostalgic a little fish can become, and how excited they still made us both feel. Paddle paddle, splash, splash then back to the Connievan for ice cream.

I managed to fit in a little bit of outdoor camping hooky on Saturday and it was hugely enjoyable. I sat in my turquoise chair with a glass of cold wine and made a couple more squares for my cotton cushion. All the time I was hooking I had to control the urge to leap about with excitement as the colours of the yarn looked so amazingly beautiful in the sunshine. I took lots of photos similar to the one above, oh dear me, I did get myself into quite a giddy spin over my al fresco hooky time!

I'll be making 16 squares in total for the front of this cushion, and I'm really, really, really loving how it's coming together. I'm getting me some serious thrills working with this yarn!

And just while we're talking yarn things and caravanny things, let me show you my latest purchase.................

 ...........oh dear yes we have another yarn stash in the Attic. To be more precise, it's a big bag of Stylecraft Special DK, 100% acrylic, destined to become the Granny Stripe Caravan Blankie.

Am pretty happy with what I've got, seventeen colours in total, a few of them it has to be said are borderline garish, but I think all in all it's going to work out great. Once I get going with it, I promise I'll write up a tutorial/pattern for the Granny Stripe, I'd love to have some company on my stripy grannified journey if anyone fancies joining me.

Oh yayaaayyyyy for Happy Yarn-infested Days :o)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Comments

[KayElleC]

Hi Lucy.....the Granny Squares your are making for the cushion....have you ever Ta-Dah'd this? I just can't find it and I so wanted to see how it turned out!

Could you indulge me?

Happy Hooking (although not much of the alfresco sort at the mo eh?)

xx

[Tina]

Oh you can’t believe how I envy you… for passing weekends in the Yorkshire Dales …for living so close to there. I only know them from pictures and the James Herriot films but they seem so beautiful to me! Just found your blog through ravelry and love the crochet you do! So bright and colourful. Will come back and follow your adventures!

[Granny Florence]

Sorry to read you are feeling proper poorly both you and baby. Just to let you know I enjoy reading your blog and love the colours you use for your crochet projects.

[Rachel]

So sorry you're feeling under the weather. I know what you mean - I'm perpetually tired after disturbed nights and/ or far too early mornings and my daughter's 4! Hope you get a rest and feel better soon.

[Vims]

Dear Lucy,
Thanks so much for posting pics of the Yorkshire dales! I have got out my James Heriot and looking at your pictures and re reading his books for the umpteenth time!
Vims from India

[Ann]

I've just found your blog and am enthralled with all the bright colours of your crochet projects.
I work full-time so don't get as much time as I would like to do crochet but I love it when I do!
It looks as if your caravan trip was a success. I'm sure the children loved it just as much as you!

[Patti]

May I ask, how do you choose your colors? Or color combonations are always so wonderful... how do you do that?

[Val]

I love your world full of so nice colors and beautiful grannies. It's always happiness for the eyes.

[Debbie]

I can't wait to get started on my own granny stripe blanket, be sure to let us all know when you get started so that we can hook along with you! Another beautiful and inspiring post xx

[jennie]

Love the name for your caravan, my youngest is also called Connie and I have to say she is full of love, a little bit of mischeif but so much fun. Hopefully your van will bring the same qualitys.

[Mary Helmke USA]

Hi Lucy,
Any chance you can list the colours you have chosen? They are lovely. I'd love to join in on granny stripe fun. I'm in need of doing something while traveling soon...

[Maggie]

that whole weekend looks delicious -in a non food way- though that beer does look awesome and I don't even like beer. I think you've chosen the best name possible for your van, Connievan, I love it, f we ever graduate from swag camping and get a van I may just have to steel it.

[Pati]

Hi Lucy!
The colours are wonderful, as usual. I have finally finished my exams so will start on the new stripey blanket tonight, yippie! and look forward to your granny tutorial. Have a lovely bank holiday! Pati from sunny London

[Georgina Fisher]

Lucy, did you realise that Jan Eaton has a granny stripe square in her book 200 crochet blocks? would you like me to write it out & email it to you?

[Elizabeth]

Just ordering the yarn and hope to do it too. Can you write the patten as you go for us following along...Love your blog.

[Chris]

Your caravan looks like great fun, and your kids are going to have such happy memories of camping as a family! I clicked on your yarn link, and OH MY GOODNESS they've named the collection after you and made it so that people can order with just a single little click! How cool is that? You're famous! I'm a crocheter, too, and that's just the neatest thing I've seen all day.

[[email protected]]

love to join the Granny Stripe - a - long!

[emily curnow]

in fact here was a photo i took of all the colours with my youngest son Rupert helping to . http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilycurnow/4618177706/illustrate them so well

[emily curnow]

funny enough i couldnt afford any posh yarn as im on maternity leave again ( twice in 16 months!) so that stylecraft yarn was on the ones i bought - 22 balls for £28 ish. what a bargin and really nice to work with. this yarn so far has made your bag, half a hex blanket, a bird for an expected baby, and another crocheted blanket im working on. nice to see someone else using unposh yarn. xx

[a-m]

Hi Lucy,
I never did say thank you for dropping by my blog, it was really lovely to hear from you, a great surprise, and you really made my day - so thank you!
It looks like you had a great weekend. Having read your post, I can't wait to set off on our camping holiday on Sunday. But I'm not sure we'll be as lucky with the weather as you!
a-m x

[Vicky]

Your weekend sounds absolutely delightful - what I wouldn't give for some time free of wedding plans, shopping and housework! I have used Stylecraft ever since I started crocheting, and it is a pretty good yarn. None of my projects have come out as wonderfully as yours though! Very much looking forward to seeing the caravan blanket :-) x

[Lesley]

Your colours are beautiful, as usual. :)
I would love to join in the the granny blanket.
Love Lesley x

[cathleen]

Pretty post, lovely countryside, beautiful yarns, and it sounds to me like someone has a very happy heart. I'm glad for you. I don't know why but I love the photo with the crocs in the water. It's an excellent picture. It's so sweetly shimmery and reminds me of when I was a little girl living and playing along the lake making my mud pies.

[Michal Dillon]

Sounds like an absolute dream of a weekend. Color me jealous.
(Scotch eggs?!?!?! Love 'em would like to know how to make them all on my own)

I have been waiting with bated breath for your Granny Stripe Tutorial! I have made the granny twinkle bunting in gorgeous boy colors and am longing to make a crib blankie that matches.( We are waiting to travel to China to bring home our son- Liam: and so I am working on things for his room )

[Vanessa]

I found your blog a few weeks ago and I'm working my way through the archives. Your writting and photos brings a smile to my face and I have to agree with everyone else that the colors look great. I'm looking foward to seeing what you do with the Connievan.