Flag or Jack???

Who really knows?  I've been looking through a variety of websites and not only are there so many variations on the use of the names for our national flag but it's still a bone of contention within our countries.  Some Scots feel peeved that the saltire is right at the back and some Welsh people wonder why they're not there at all (I think a dragon in the middle would be quite fun, but much harder to draw!).  Basically it's the Union Jack when in a maritime capacity and Union Flag on land ... but then there's some dispute over the origin of "Union".

Whatever, I'm sitting here drinking tea from my Union Flag mug, listening to the pouring rain (so British!) and  contemplating the fact that the family barbecue might have to be indoors this afternoon.  I must admit my favourite bit of the whole Diamond Jubilee thing is the lovely vintagey-ness of the 1950's recreation.  Tea dresses rule!

A Good Yarn is celebrating with another fabulous window display.  

 

 I should really have put my camera on the "through glass" setting but I rather like this photo below.  You can see my reflection, and behind me the Town Hall flying the flag.

 Gawd bless you, Ma'am!

 Oops, a non-jubilee photo sneaked in - my latest knit in Adriafil Knitcol

The Girl Genius sporting Jubilee paintwork by Bibbitybob, prior to a visit to my work where we had a celebratory buffet. 

Hope you all have a spectacular Jubilee long weekend, regardless of the weather! xxx

Quickie Sunday

Not much time today, so just four pics and a brief summary (should that be "summer-y"?  It's gorgeous today!)

This is my Naughty Bag.  So called because I bought the wool from B & M and not from our lovely wool shop, A Good Yarn.  I must admit several of us have been using it as it was (a) cheap and (b) fab to felt.

 Note size of knitted bag compared to circle of carpet design...

 ... and note the incredible shrinking bag after felting.  I love it and it's great for trundling around with my knitting in.

My friend at work wanted a gift for her nephew and bride-to-be, related to the Jubilee as their marriage date coincides with celebrations.

 I think this covers all bases!

New girl to the Fashionista Sisters fold.  I've also been asked to make some in this style for a local shop.  I think she should be called Rose.

Have a good week, lovelies xxx

A Little Bit of Vintage in My Life

A lovely day at St Andrew's Vintage Fair.

St Andrew's is the local hospice and a very worthwhile cause.  My dad spent some of his last happier days there and the staff were so kind.  I like to give a little back and so paid my fee and took part with a stall at today's fair.

My stall.  Notice that a few of the girls in the case stopped by to help out.

Other stalls...

 Marilyn made an appearance and the stallholder sold her for £60

 

 Bits and bobs

Just for a change this one was mostly a man-stall and was very popular!

 

 Lovely green cabinet here

 Pretties

 Just had to buy one of the floral/pink spotty bundles

 Woof!

A sneaky peek at a crochet blanket

My best sale was my customised jacket, bought for £5 and sold for £20.  I must admit it was 

a very good day with pleasant company plus the obligatory coffee and cake!

Have a good week, everyone xxx

Flower Pot!

Latest freeform bag - Ta Dahhhh!

Hurray for Swaps and Hurrah for Finished Things!

I was so excited to receive Pene's (from the lovely blog Scrap My Mid Life Crisis ) swap parcel that I was halfway through before remembering to take a photo!  This was Laalaa's God Save the Queen Swap, and a cracking idea it was too.

 Oo, lovely stuff!

 Even more fab when I'd opened everything - Pene, you're a treasure! xxx

I managed to finish my latest freeform bag, much more grundgy colours than previous bags.

 Side One

 Side Two

I also eventually finished the little duffel coat (thank the gods of crochet)!   

 I didn't enjoy making this at all and personally I think you can tell my heart wasn't in it, even though it was for Miss Peach Pudding.  Miss PP's mummy requested it.  It cost soooo much more than I thought it would and the Rowan Denim yarn was horrible to crochet as it kept separating into single threads.

I love the toggles I bought, however.  They're Knit-Pro ones and have that lovely ripply woodiness of Knit-Pro needles and hooks.

I'm off to Scrumble Evening at A Good Yarn tomorrow night to get back into the swing of freeform madness and lovely colours.  Yay!!!

Pop Up Shop - One Day Only!

Today I held a pop-up shop at my house.

Some of my lovely friends came.

They bought things.

We all had tea.

On A Lovely April Day One Year Ago ...

... a lovely lady called Kate opened a knitting shop and made a lot of people very happy...

Here are some of the happy ladies...

We had a wonderful birthday party on Sunday, with a woolly party table (knitted and crocheted by us as a surprise gift for Kate) and real chocolate cake and Buck's Fizz!

The local newspaper even paid a visit...

Oh dear, that's me in the red top!

 By the way, the pretty linen tablecloth in the background is my latest charity shop find - £2!

One of our ladies, the very talented Jo at In The Making, created a variety of lovely mug hug kits for us to make

 There were also jam pot lid covers to knit (but I only managed to find the time to knit the flower for the top!)

So...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, A GOOD YARN,

and many more of them!

Ooh, and one more thing...

Mr C found this little birdie nest on the ground at the park today.  It's so beautifully made - I do hope it's an old one and no birdies were made homeless in this awful windyrainy weather!