Catching up on our goings out.

Last weekend was the Birtley Model Railway Show. One of the good things about having a DH with an obsession, er, I mean interest, of his own is that he can't criticise mine! Well he can and he does, but he hasn't a leg to stand on!

Another good thing about it is that it chimes nicely with a past interest of my own, Dolls Houses. These models are in another league from anything I ever made and I really enjoy looking at the exquisite detail in some of these exhibits.

Essential equipment is 'the step'.

These events are always attended by the nicest people, the same people often that you meet at preserved railways. Good people.

It just wouldn't be the same if she couldn't drive some engines too.
This Thomas the Tank layout is always popular.

On the way home from Birtley we pass The Angel Of The North and as we've never stopped to have a proper look we did so this time.
The size is really something you need to stand up next to to believe.

So she did and it was!

Luckily it was nice and sunny.

There were also some rather good clouds.

This fabulous blanket arrived on Saturday morning just before I left for work. The wonderful Posh Yarn Ravelry group members made it for me! I am overwhelmed and much as it is beautiful to look at it is so much more gorgeous to feel. All that loveliness... for me?!? Amazing. I shall treasure it forever and 'thank you' is not big enough to begin to express my gratitude.

Today the sun shone again. Maybe it's the spring equinox or maybe it's the love of the Posh Posse, whichever it is the gloom is lifting and we're heading in to spring. Hurrah!
We went to Tynemouth and built a sandcastle.

It was good, and the day was warm enough (until the sun went down) not to be bundled up too much. Looking forward to the year ahead now.

There's a fibre update next Saturday 26th March at 8.30pm GMT. There'll be a preview before then so you can see what will be included. Meanwhile, I'm starting the sleeves on my Fair Isle jumper as the body is done up to the yoke shaping.

Happy knitting and spinning, enjoy your sunshine whenever and wherever it comes and be kind to each other there really isn't much else. :)

Spring Cleaning

Time for a catch up :) I finished my 'Sunglasses Required' blanket and the download for the free pattern is available here

The fundraising at Ripples Craft for which I donated a Cold Hands Warm Heart Mitten Kit raised a grand total of £1155.33 which is fabulous. Of course since then events have overtaken us and we now think of our brothers and sisters in Japan and their loss and grief. If you'd like to do something to help there is information here about knitting squares.

I added a photo of St Abbs to my website blog but not to blogspot so here it is.


I've been doing lots of spinning but have no photos to share yet, more of that next time.

The Metro runs not far from my house and is a vital link.

I like it even more now that I am reminded how much I don't like buses! The metro is closed for refurbishment of stations, installation of new ticket machines and the relaying of the original track which was put down more than 30 years ago by British Rail.

They are working through the night and DH has been out taking photos. I thought I'd share, after all something like this doesn't happen on your doorstep every day of the week :)

For anyone local whom it may effect - DH says there's no way North Shields station will re-open in 2 weeks time, it is now a muddy hole in the ground!


The website is undergoing a bit of a spring clean so some areas are offline at the moment. The next fibre and spindle update will be on Saturday March 26th at 8.30pm GMT. Hopefully you will find the new layout of the shop pages easier to navigate. I welcome any feedback on the website so do get in touch using the contact form :)

I am loving my current project. The original Martin Storey pattern Homestead

is lovely but I wanted to tidy up those reindeer legs! So I've adapted it somewhat by knitting it in the round and doing the reindeer as a yoke rather than seaming them so there will be no 6 legged reindeer. This one will be for DD1 and she has had a lecture about laundering it as the baby alpaca yarn s too gorgeous to even contemplate shrinkage! This is what I've done so far and I don't want to knit a stitch on any other project until this one is done! I may not feel the same by the time I get to the sleeves. I've altered the fair isle patterns a little to make them fit more comfortably into my stitch count and knitting in the round.


So, happy spinning, knitting and crochet and let's here it for the people who work through the night for us.