April Feels

April is treating us kindly for the most part and it really does feel like Spring has finally sprung here. We took a walk at Bolton abbey on Sunday morning, just a shortish stroll through Strid Woods to breathe in some cool fresh air and stretch our legs a little. Little B was in fine form, a non stop chattering, noisy little mouthpiece on two legs. He could talk the hind legs off a donkey, as my Mum used to say. It's still a bit bare and wintry in the woods, yet I don't mind it too much as it feels right and proper for the time of year. There is bluebell greenery to be found look, but unlike my friends in the south we are still some weeks away from blue floral bounty.

I can't wait for the flowers! Come on little buds, shoot upwards!

In the late afternoon on Sunday I found a quiet window of opportunity to amuse myself with some gentle creativity. The Little Peeps were all busy with friends and J was wearing his blue and white stripy pinny and cooking up a delicious smelling curry for dinner. I decided to sit and stitch for a short while - I started this cross stitch hoop last summer but it's been tucked away in my project bag waiting patiently for me to return to it. Autumn/Winter generally means allllllll the crochet for me with my annual CAL blanket in progress, so I don't often feel the need to look elsewhere for a creative fix. 

Cross stitch is such a beautifully slow and meditative hobby, and I honestly adore it. If I wasn't so completely obsessed with my crochet hook then I could easily imagine myself designing with these little crosses. The above design is by Tiny Modernist on Etsy, in case you feel the urge to stitch up some Love letters surrounded by flowers.

Monday afternoon, J and I took a very quick jaunt into our local woods in the hour before the school run. It was one of those days consumed by mundane jobs and admin, and by 2.30 I'd just had enough of sitting at my laptop. It was such a tonic to get out into the fresh air and soak in some sunny woodland feel-good....

.....and oh the wild garlic is looking scrumptious. I gathered some young leaves and made wild garlic pesto last year (using this recipe) but this year I am fancying some green, garlicky soup. I came across this recipe today and it is calling loudly to my leaf-gathering soul, so I shall see if I can make it happen.

I've had a jug of narcissus on my table for weeks on end now, they've become an essential weekly grocery item that I pop into my basket along with bananas without even thinking too hard about it. They are always right there near the fruit, long stems held together with elastic bands and laid out neatly in cardboard boxes. I simply cannot resist their happy little faces, and the scent too of course. I bought these ones yesterday, and the lady who served me in the supermarket literally scrunched up her nose with disgust as she passed them through the checkout scanner, telling me that she couldn't stand the smell of them. Not me, I LOVE the smell!

Today has been bright and sunny, and when I came back home after the school run this morning I found the kitty lounging around on the sofa basking in the sun. She looked so completely content, and I thought : yes indeedy, I know exactly how you are feeling. Isn't it just the loveliest thing to sit a while in a warm patch of streaming sunshine and soak in it's gentle warmth?

Yes, it's enough to make you want to roll around and delight in the pure deliciousness of it all!

Despite the Spring sunshine, it's been cold these past few days. I was chatting to the Ice Cream Tug Boat Man on the canal yesterday as he opened his boat up for the first time this season - he admitted that he had misjudged the weather and was absolutely frozen. He did look a tad chilled around the extremities I have to say.

I'm still plodding around wearing my hand knit socks and boots, and I am very, very happy with that arrangement for the time being. I folded up these freshly washed socks earlier today ready to take them upstairs - well the top pair will go upstairs to join my Sock Pile, the bottom pair will be wrapped up very soon and gifted (finally, finally) to my super-patient father-in-law. I certainly hope his toes adore wriggling inside those cosy, woolly stitches.

I bought a new duvet cover and pillowcases yesterday, a spontaneous element of the regular supermarket** shop. I absolutely could not walk past and leave this behind - a king size 100% cotton duvet with a very beautiful Liberty-esk design - reduced in price to a mere £10! TEN!! I came home, washed it, hung it outside to dry and had the utter pleasure of that clean-sheet-smell when I went to bed last night. I woke up this morning thinking that I was in someone else's bed, being that for the past ten years we've always had a plain white duvet cover. The pattern is taking some getting used to, I keep getting a mild shock every time I walk into the bedroom and see my bed looking so overly flowery.

Little B is truly horrified by the sudden change, he just can't understand why on earth I would want to have flowers all over my bed. He also commented on the fact that my beloved Sunny Log Cabin blanket looks out of place now ("the colours are all wrong Mummy"). I took his advice on board and swapped blankets this afternoon.....................

............oh, that's looking a bit yummy isn't it just? A newly FOTH blanket (that's Fresh Off The Hook in case you wondered), there is honestly nothing more satisfying than darning in the very last end on a blanket project that has spanned many weeks.

YAY!!! My Dune blanket is finished! I absolutely love love love it, and can't wait to show you more.

As I was crocheting the border this morning I was also photographing my progress in preparation for making the tutorial. It's a slow, slow process but I don't mind it too much and good coffee definitely helps.

I'm really happy to tell you that I'll be ready to share my Dune blanket with you next week, on Tuesday 16th April. Yarn packs will go on sale in my shop at Wool Warehouse and will include a full colour printed pattern. I'll also be sharing it all for FREEEEeeeEeEee here on my blog, my usual full photo tutorial to teach you the Seashell stitch so that you can crochet up your very own breezy seaside stripes.

I hope April is treating you well my friends, and that you are feeling happy and content.

A big hug from me to you ((XX))

ps ** duvet cover is from Morrisons, it was heavily reduced in price, a real bargain x

 

 

 

Comments

[Igor]

Great Photos great lovely pastoralic view

[Ig mo]

Great wood Nice water

[Margaret]

The colours are beautiful in your dune blanket and I think the border sets it off perfectly!I can see me making it in the future. I am making the hydrangea blanket at the moment and l am loving it so much. It's getting a bit warm for blankets now but come the autumn it will be lovely to sit in the garden with it round my knees! 😀

[Kendra Smith]

OOOh, this is one of the most beautiful blog posts I've seen all year. Thanks so much for sharing. i really feel grateful to be in April now!

[Catheryne]

O I am so excited to start a new blanket and the coloura are just delicious <3!!

[Hedy]

Thank you for sharing a piece of your life with us.

[xc]

”

[Sharon Wells]

Cannot wait for the 16th. Have bought from Wool Warehouse before many times but we have a wonderful old fashioned wool shop I like to support. Just hoping they have all the colours next week 🙏🏻

[Arlene]

I really like this shell pattern and may use it on an upcoming blanket. Not loving this color combo but I have taken the liberty of ordering 2 of each of the new colors to add to my stash of inspiration.
Thanks for sharing all your lovely thoughts and your process as well as the final lovely squishy blankets. I love them all!

[Angela-Southern USA]

SO glad spring has sprung in your part of the world! We are green with pollen at the moment, but I love seeing all the new leaves and blooms that spring provides. The blanket looks fab! I've only managed to crochet a few carrots to add to my Easter décor, at the moment all my time has been spent in the veggie garden, sowing all sorts of seeds. I even have a pair of birds,house wrens that have hatched baby birds in one of my watering cans! My youngest girl is a chatterbox too, my grandmother would say "she could talk the horns off a Billy goat." lol Have a lovely day! xxxxxxxxxxxx

[kazzy]

beautiful woods near you lucy...love the wicker style lady im sure she will look amazing when the wild garlic flowers and the beauty of the bluebells too in the background. Although im in the west country, Devon i'm still awaiting to see the blue of the bluebells we have seen some early risers but not quite like a carpet of blue yet. I wait with sheer delight when this Spring Moment takes hold. Even my apple trees are still just starting to emerge with blossoms I so enjoy the Apple trees in full bud. But I think another week or two before that. I used to love the Autumn for seasonal beauty but I think now I'm starting to more enjoy these early spring delights. The embroidery is just beautiful...I have been doing some myself since christmas (but more teaching myself as i go). I find Pinterest really good for design ideas and after buying pretty yarns from Hobbycraft and few different shaped hoops i then found a bag full of hoops and yarns in the charity shop for just 5 pounds and skipped happily home with them!. The daffodil heads are beautiful I must admit I have bought quite a few over the last months and my partner surprised me with a beautiful bunch of cornish peonies and tulips~ A home filled with flowers is just sheer bliss to me. Lovely duvet and goes so well with your Dune crochet ;)

[Karen]

I love all that you have shown today such pretties! that shell stitch looks like it would be fun to make.

[Miss Daisy]

Little B sounds like a sensitive , caring , very observant guy . If the females have any sense one lucky one will snatch him up and her marriage would be the thrill of a lifetime . I didn't have any sense. Love your outings ! You're so lucky you can forage , they spray everything here. Bummer ! Enjoy your week and weekend. Looking forward to Sand Dune.

[Corinne Wood]

wow! this is amazing. I have created a Craft and Chatter group at my place of work and we are going to use this as our first CAL :)
I really can't wait!!

[CJ]

Love, love, love the new blanket. And the idea of a tug boat ice cream man, how fantastic. The willow sculpture is brilliant, a fantastic swirl at the base really blends in to nature. My youngest is an incessant chatterbox as well, chatty all day long. I am the complete opposite! CJ xx

[Karen Dodgson]

Yay, your beautiful Dune blanket is finished! Please tell Wool Warehouse to have plenty of stock ready, I really don’t know what I’ll do if they run out 😱😂 I am putting 16th April on my calender right now!

[Ros]

Loved reading your blog this morning I felt like I was walking in the woods with you. I just love Spring we have a few bluebells in the garden I noticed yesterday! Looking forward to seeing your finished Dune blanket although I’m still working on the trellis a smaller version! I will get round to it eventually love all your awesome crochet! 😊

[Jacqui]

So excited cant wait to get the yarn pack and start the dune blanket wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Your woods look so lovely and wild garlic looks so lovely can almost smell it by your description.
Another wonderful blog to start my day
Hmmmmmmmm wonder if the nearest Morrisons has that bedset hmmmmmmmmmmm

[Chrisoula charalambides]

Goodmorning you are amazing 👍👍🥰🌞

[Tracey Joubert]

Oh my word! Your Dune blanket colours are sooo gorgeous. Wondering if Wool Warehouse will risk sending me a pack down here in South Africa. They have twice now and both packs arrived (Moorland and Cupcake). We are just feeling the first delicious ping of autumn/winter. Such a hugely welcome change after months in the high sweaty 30s! Take care xTracey

[Teresa Kasner]

I am IN on this blanket, my friend! I hope Wool Warehouse has a huge supply of those yarn packs as I hope to be able to order one when you announce it ready to go. I am attracted to the gradient colors in you announcement. Can't wait! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

[Sarah @ In Pleasant Places]

Getting into fresh air after a day inside is pure deliciousness. I am cross-titching too, and am enjoying the humble repetitvenes of it.

[Melissa]

I do love reading your blog and seeing the gorgeous English countryside from sunny Queensland!. Enjoy your springtime! Looking forward to the Dune blanket release. Have a happy day Lucy

[One-oh-four]

The new blanket looks gorgeous! Sadly I have two other WIPS and my son has just asked me to make him a ripple in graphite and neon colours so I won’t be able to join in with seaside loveliness for a while🤣 BTW we have both snowdrops and bluebells out together in our woods - first time I have ever seen that!!

[Sarah Richards]

I love the colourwash effect in the photo for your date announcement (bottom pic). That really talks to me. Growing up on the Suffolk coast, I miss the seaside but the North Sea is definitely not those colours lol! Your Dune colours remind me of warmer beaches. I'm really looking forward to this one xx