Debbie Bliss Crochet "Darcey" Dress - Complete!!

I am *so* excited - and also rather relieved. The Debbie Bliss dress I offered to make to wear as a bridesmaid's dress is finally done. I bought the wool rather spontaneously on a trip to Cafe Knit, on a wool-cafe-I-can-crochet high... then felt quite worried about whether I'd get it done in time for the wedding this Saturday. Everyone I mentioned it to gave me a rather concerned look - particularly when I went back to Cafe Knit on Tuesday and they clearly expected me to have finished it ;). Still: all was well, after a TV-athon yesterday (just how many episodes of Lip Service, Desperate Housewives and, er, Corrie does it take to crochet a dress?!) and sewing up of seams today:

Here's one piece on the floor! I was really glad I'd made it two pattern repeats longer than the book said; when I held it up against myself last week, it was rather too baby-dollish for a 38 year old  bridesmaid, in my view.

Although I was suddenly scared the pieces were going to be different sizes, all was well...so: TA DAH!

I have a multitude of coloured slips to wear underneath - the bride can choose. Phewwwweeee. I am going out tonight just to celebrate its completion!

Buying Local in Lavenham

My resolution to buy local was so successful in Lavenham yesterday! I needed a day away from the crochet dress, so decided to go to Lavenham. As I've mentioned before, Cafe Knit on the High Street has skeins of knitting wool spun - and, in fact, reared! - in Orford, Suffolk, as well as offering delicious carrot cake made locally too! But as this was more of a sight-seeing trip with my Mum and Dad, after a trip to the cafe, we went to the Tourist Information office and came away with the lovely terracotta plant markers above - made in Suffolk - and soaps from Watkins, a company based in Woolpit. It was a beautiful sunny day to see the Guildhall and the church, too - both built as a result of the town's medieval history as a 'Wool Town', spinning, weaving and dyeing cloth until Dutch cloth became more fashionable in the seventeenth century.

Sadly, my seeds seem in danger of being washed away in the rain so I might not need the markers after all! 

But I wonder what else I should be buying locally?

Breakfast in Blakeney and Elly Griffiths

Ahh . . .  this is Blakeney in Norfolk at about 10am this morning. I managed to persuade the Lady Friend to go for breakfast at Blakeney as we woke up early. The tide was out so the benches were all accessible. There were hundreds of sea gulls and, er, other birds which we can't identify, and hardly any people. It was actually freezing  - but I was smugly wearing my Aran knitted scarf, the one I did from the Purl Soho PurlBee pattern, and my knitted wrist warmers, so I felt fine.

Quite appropriately, I've been reading a new author this week: Elly Griffiths. I've been reading the first in a series of mystery novels, all set in North Norfolk and featuring forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway. "The Crossing Places" was much better than I thought it'd be, as I rather snobbishly assume crime novels are not always literary in style. I didn't actually follow the storyline too closely, but I really enjoyed the character of Ruth (outspoken, lives alone, likes books!) and the well-observed other characters - as well as the descriptions of the coastline. Griffiths brings out the eerie nature of the salt marshes brilliantly - I was glad the sun was shining as we drove through Salthouse. You can find out more about Elly Griffiths via her website:

 http://ellygriffiths.co.uk/

Meanwhile, the Debbie Bliss "Darcey" dress continues apace. Photos soon.  I've done the front... surely I can do the back by Thursday?!

New Knitting Wool - and Spring Flowers!

This is the yarn for my baby jumpers, heading for Cavern4. Each jumper will be mostly cream, with stripes of either Mint or Mulberry - I hope they'll be nice. Mind you, they are currently taking second place to my on-going crochet dress project. I'm hoping that this evening's trip to Knit and Natter at Lavenham's Cafe Knit will help me to make headway! Easter seems to be looming large and I don't want to be crochetting in the passenger seat, while the Lady Friend hurtles along the A428....

Mum's daffodils  - and sticky buds! A family tradition - and what you get for being the daughter of a primary school teacher! The buds are from the horse chestnut in my parents' garden and are, along with the daffs, such a lovely sign of Spring.

Journeys through the light exhibition at Hungate Medieval Art, Norwich.

Yes, this picture makes Norwich look rather dark and dreary - but, in fact it was just that, yesterday. Still - I wanted to see the new Journeys Through The Light exhibition at the Hungate Medieval Art centre in Norwich. The centre itself is tucked away in a corner, just a few streets from that centre of Norwich, Jarrolds Department Store- but it feels like it's a lot further away from the 21st century than that. The ancient pargetted houses of Elm Hill are just round the corner:

I have been there before, when the exhibition was of medieval stained glass from Norfolk churches. That had all been removed and loaned elsewhere, but the multi-media exhibition, their first modern show, was interesting to see. I must say that some pieces didn't strike me as quite as inventive as their medieval inspirations - but there was a really striking video installation, called Light by Susan Bowman, which showed light rays flickering and beaming across the dark background - there was something quite mesmerising and contemplative about this, and it benefitted, I think, from being in a contemplative setting. If the medieval stained glass windows were attempts by artists to communicate their understanding of God, then perhaps this does the same: it reminded me of pictures illustrating how the Big Bang might have looked - and perhaps that, too, complements a modern Christian's faith today. The space in the church is fantastic, and they have some beautifully produced leaflets showing where in Norfolk medieval stained glass can be found. There is always something thought-provoking on display. I hope they continue to show contemporary, exploratory pieces as well as the stained glass. You can find out about the exhibition - and the centre - below:

http://www.hungate.org.uk/WhatsOn.aspx

I spent the afternoon rummaging for knitting wool in Jarrolds and having a lovely lunch with an old friend - so the perfect mixture of high and low brow pursuits!

Knitting up the Loose Ends - and a Scary New Crochet Project

This is the week that I really am a Completer-Finisher: green jumper done, and now this scarf, which I've been knitting on and off for ages, is done, too.  The yarn is King Cole Comfort Aran; it's a 70% Acrylic, 30% wool mix. I bought it at Wibbling Wools because of the colour: the photo doesn't do it justice, but it's a gorgeous teal colour. Quite economical, too - the comically huge ball was only £11, and there's a third of it left. The pattern is from one of my favourite blogs: from the New York knitting shop, Purl Soho. This fantastic blog has numerous free patterns with excellent instructions and their photos are so stylish:

http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2010/12/3/whits-knits-fishermans-rib-scarf-and-cowl.html

Now, the next project is rather intimidating: to crochet a bridesmaid dress in a month.  I bought the new Debbie Bliss book, Simply Crochet, at Cafe Knit and on the cover is a beautiful slip dress.... which I've somewhat recklessly resolved to crochet as my bridesmaid's dress for one of my best friends' weddings on Easter Saturday. I keep telling people that "crochet is mostly holes", but now that I have to start the project, I'm not quite so sure....

I Venture Cross-Country to Cafe Knit!

Yesterday, I headed off, clutching my OS maps, for a trundle around Suffolk (partly unintentional), to meet up with my friend, Steph Knits,  in Lavenham at this gorgeous cafe.  Victoria Beech opened this cafe, on the High Street, in November and it is just lovely. I don't know Lavenham that well, but it was beautiful on this sunny, Spring day: all gorgeous, ancient, timber framed houses and wide, grass lined streets - and it has masses of free parking! The cafe is in a prime position, looking out on picture-postcard houses.

Inside, the walls are lined with wool, tending towards the classier makes: Debbie Bliss, Louisa Harding etc. In this picture, just by the till, are balls of fantastic DK wool produced in Orford, by sheep farmed (I think) on National Trust Land. I saw these advertised on Cafe Knit's website and I want to plan something to knit with them: it's a shame if all wool comes from Turkey or Peru. Lavenham's history is in the English wool trade, so it seems appropriate that Victoria stocks local wool!

Now: the coffee. I'm always apprehensive about this part - I really want to like a cafe, especially if it's an independent - *especially* if it stocks wool... but I am prepared to make a mental note to have peppermint tea next time, rather than endure watery, murky 'coffee' .... but, luckily, Cafe Knit did not disappoint - phew!

Can you see the word, "Gaggia", on this machine?! Hooray! The cappucino was just what I was hoping for: dark, bitter and strong. Fabulous. I'm glad I didn't wimp out and opt for a lemonade. I didn't have a cake because I'd, er, only just had a few pains au chocolat for breakfast - but they looked lovely too.

Back to the wool: lovely leaf-green Louisa Harding wool for gloves in the sale? Check. Pattern for crochet bridesmaid dress currently under discussion with bride? Check. Unnecessary but cute reuseable cloth bag advertising said cafe? Check.

Steph Knits goes pretty much every Saturday; the Lady Friend may not agree, but  -  I want to join her! 

http://www.cafeknit.com/lavenham_suffolk_yarn_shop.php