MY LOVE OF FAIR ISLE

Vintage beret (Bought from a boot fair)

I have liked the Fair Isle design ever since I can remember. Over the years I have owned many Fair Isle jumpers, cardigans, hats, scarves and blankets. I never tire of it and like having touches of it here and there at home.


Fair Isle blankets bought from Cath Kidston
(On left, is this season's and on the right a previous season)


I love the colours!

I cannot knit (yet), I am still trying to master and find the time to do crochet! As soon as I feel I am competent enough with crochet, I shall be attending a knitting course at Marmalade Yarns.

My English Grandmother, Maud was very skilled when it came to knitting. She knitted many beautiful things. I remember how she would knit at a speedy pace whilst watching TV at the same time. I often wondered how she could do that without making any mistakes. That always impressed me as a child.
I wish I had asked her to teach me how to knit.

I recently went online to find websites selling Fair Isle knitted items. Here are some of the things that I spotted and like.


ERIBE


ERIBE


ERIBE


Pattern from Book Special Family Knits by Debbie Bliss


Vintage Fair Isle knitting patterns from The Retro Knitting Company


Fair Isle bunting from Designed in Shetland by Mary Fraser
(Making it's way to me soon...)


Fair Isle Album from Designed in Shetland made by Mary Fraser


Medium Fair Isle notebook from Designed in Shetland by Mary Fraser
Hopefully will make it's way to me soon, they are out of stock at the moment though....
(UPDATE: 24/11/09 Advised more coming in at the end of this week!)


Fair Isle Album from Designed in Shetland made by Mary Fraser


Little baby bunting from Designed in Shetland made by Mary Fraser




Fair Isle Address Book from Designed in Shetland made by Mary Fraser
On my wish list, still deciding on which one I prefer the most, this colour of the one below...




Fair Isle Address Book from Designed in Shetland made by Mary Fraser


Peerie Fair Isle Sock from Designed in Shetland made by Robyn Roberston


NINIAN



SARAH PEASLEY


Fair Isle Crafts Ltd




FAIR ISLE Website

Visit Shetland website

Over the years I have visited Scotland many times, especially when I was a child. During the summer holidays, we would get away from the heat of the South of France and all the tourists. Scotland was a great place to do that, no crowds, peaceful and beautiful scenery. . We had great holidays there, I loved it. However, I have never visited any of the islands. Something which I will eventually do, it is on my must do list!

The weather has been atrocious here, our lane is flooded at one end. However, I am not complaining, it is no where near as bad as in Cumbria. I feel so sorry for all those affected by it.


A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Getting my fabric & yarn fix!

It's been lovely and sunny over here, for a change! This morning we all popped in to Frome to do a spot of shopping.

Alan & Miss P walked around the market and the toy shop whilst I headed straight for Catherine's Hill where all my favourite shops are. First I went in to Millie Moon where I bought a selection of fabrics.

I've been having withdrawal symptoms.... I haven't bought any fabric in ages! So this weekend I did something about it. Last night I went online bought some beautiful 1940's & 50's fabrics from Donna and today pretty fat quarters from Millie Moon. I feel much better now!




There is something very pleasing about having a stack of neatly folded fabrics



After Millie Moon, I went to Marmalade Yarns just a few doors away. I haven't been there for weeks and couldn't wait to have a look and a feel of all the new colours and yarns.
I wasn't disappointed, I forgot all about feeling tired and achy from the decorating and played around with the different yarns & colours until I had made my selection.
Maxine and I had a natter and both enthused about the different yarns stacked up on the shelves ...

I left the shop with my bag of yarns and a renewed determination not to let the decorating get in the way of doing some crochet!





I haven't done any crochet in 7 weeks! ;-(( I am already a bit rusty and must somehow find the time to get stuck in to it again. I went on crochet course in June/July so am a beginner in need of plenty of practice. I do love it but decorating the house as well as working (I am self employed, working from home), means that at the moment I don't feel like doing very much at all of an evening!

We are trying to get the whole of downstairs & my work room (upstairs) completely redecorated before Christmas, so are working at it pretty much full time. So many other things are having to be put on hold as result, including not going out as often as usual...
Although we still have the whole of upstairs and the back garden to do from scratch, we will have a little break over Christmas and New Year to re-charge a bit ready for the next onslaught.




I bought a couple of magazine. Debbie Bliss even though I can't knit (yet) I spotted a few patterns that I like so bought it for when I eventually learn how to knit. I also bought Romantic Country magazine which I have not been able to find locally up until today.


Just as I was heading back to the car, I spotted these boxes in the WHSmith's window, perfect for my workroom.

This weekend there has been a lot wildlife activity close to our house. Yesterday evening, a fox was only yards away sniffing a trail of some sort, he was so engrossed in sniffing the ground that he didn't spot us. He got closer and closer, he was magnificent with his big bushy tail. I wished I'd had my camera with me.

This afternoon Alan was doing some gardening when a squirrel leaped from our fence on the house, ran up on to the roof and then for some reason dived down on to our garden table. Alan watched in amazement, it all happened so fast. The landing didn't look too good though, Alan was concerned that he may have been injured as the squirrel looked stunned and walked slowly to hide behind a troth full of plants. He ended up getting wedged between the wall and the hurdle fence. Poor thing looked petrified, eventually Alan pulled the fence away from the wall and the squirrel ran back home as fast as he could.


This evening Alan spotted these deer in the field next to the house. We are fortunate to have a lot of wildlife around us.

Tonight's sunset

I hope that you are having a good weekend what ever you are up to.

A bientôt!

Isabelle x

When I get a spare moment....

Whilst I was on holiday, I took the opportunity to do some crochet. I have found it very enjoyable and relaxing. I recently went on a 6 week course and only managed to attend 4 due to circumstances, one of them being a leak in our lounge ruining our carpet in the end. Things happen for a reason...Now it gives me the excuse to paint the floor boards white! :0))

I still have plenty to learn about crochet but am having a go at trying to make things from books.

I started making a circular cushion but had to go back to the beginning as I think my tension was wrong. It would not lay flat, my daughter complemented me of the lovely frilly circle....and sweetly said it looked great and not to start again.

Rowan Wool Colour: Pier


I don't think it's meant to look like that, is it? I think my tension was too tight somewhere along the line?..It should be as flat a pancake I think?... I will be popping in to Marmalade Yarns in Frome where my course was held for some advice.....Maxine and Catriona are wonderful, never too much trouble when it comes to help and advice!


I also made several blue, red & white cotton squares. These will go in the lounge.


I think that they will end up as a cushion

This is one of the very first things I began to make a few weeks ago and will end up as a blanket when I have made more squares. It is likely to end up in Miss P's bedroom.

I love pinks and yellow together


My very first jar cover in Patons Mercerized cotton




One of my stashes of yarn....More in my bedroom and workroom...

A bientôt!

Isabelle x

Kitchen close ups and crochet delights

I have had a busy weekend progressing with the kitchen. My computer has left the kitchen and has been moved to my workroom/office upstairs. Hurray! More room in that area for pretties instead!

The walls have already been painted (Honey by Laura Ashley). Now we need to paint the wooden cupboards, back door, kitchen chairs and windows. In one area, (where the computer, scanner, printer and speakers used to be) I have began arranging things, moving them around every so often until I am satisfied that they are in the right place. I love doing that! More photos to follow when the decorating has been completed.


Sneek peek at some of the things I have been putting in my computer free area.



Flowers on our kitchen table




On Tuesday I was meant to go on part 3 of my crochet course held at Marmalade Yarns in Frome but unfortunately was unwell so couldn't attend. However, they kindly let me pop in yesterday so that I could go through my granny squares and correct some of the errors that I had made when left to my own devices at home. I left there feeling a lot more confident about making granny squares. Just before leaving, I bought 3 balls of acrylic wool to practice with.

I love this combination of colours!


I began working on this square last night.


Some of what I did yesterday.
Although I have made several mistakes on the way, I do find crochet very enjoyable! So many things that I want to make in time, Ooh, the possibilities....

During the week this arrived for me......


(click on pictures for larger size image)
This beautiful scented bag is from Sonia's giveaway which I was lucky enough to win! It arrived with a pretty roses card. When my daughter saw this, she gasped saying how lucky I was to win something so pretty.
THANK YOU Sonia, I love it!


Happy Father's day to all the Fathers out there!


Isabelle X