WOYWW 868 Scribbly trees and crochet colours

Hi all, it’s bloghop time again courtesy of Sarah’s Craftshed. Sending healing hugs to our Neet who, I believe, is still in hospital. 

My desk shows the work in progress of my winter landscape. Claire has us using twigs and feathers to scribble trees, using only flat brushes, and keeping to a restrictive palette. Mine is mainly shades of blue and eventually orange. 

The greys are ultramarine or indigo with burnt sienna. 

I’ve applied gesso in the foreground but I’m working down to it. We’re working in the style of an artist called Michael Morgan. 

Here’s a link to a short extract about him from the book Watercolour Innovations by Jackie Simmonds.

Michael Morgan winter painting.

I’m still working on B’s slipover and have moved onto the front. I’ve photographed them both together with a red mark to show where the front is up to. 

I’m using one of my Mum’s old knitting needles to organise my colours. They’re all variegated King Cole Prism yarn, between Stylecraft special yarn in silver (though it looks more cream to me.)

These yarn bobbins are helping me keep the yarn untangled. (I guess ‘in a robble’ must be Potteries dialect for ‘in a tangle’ as even Brian said he hadn’t heard of it.)

Bella is supervising as ever and sends you all purrs. 

And finally…

I’ve been guilty of this but I did tear myself away from crochet and art to do my tax return. 

 

 Jokes seem ever more essential these days. It’s getting so that even this crazy film by Peter Sellers seems more sensible than the news:

I’ll be round to visit after art class - put the kettle on😀

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xx

Michael Morgan

From Watercolour Innovations by Jackie Simmonds.

LMC

WOYWW 867 textures of snow, and heart-shaped pillows.

Hi all, I’m here for our weekly blog sharing care of Sarah’s Craftshed, firstly sending healing hugs to our Neet, who’s still in hospital, I believe. 

My art class desk is fairly empty this week as we were drawing our winter landscapes. Claire showed us examples of textures created with gesso, though, which have made me reconsider my subject. 

I’m not sure it will be clear in a photo, but Claire showed us how to create texture with gesso. That’s made me think that my friend,Chris’s photo of Prince’s Parade might be interesting to do, with its crunchy snow. 

On Saturday, I spent a happy afternoon with Ethelburga quilters. Once a year, they have a day of making heart-shaped cushions for people who’ve had breast surgery, which are donated to our local hospital. They’re heart shaped to be easy to tuck under the arm. 

Most are expert sewers, with fancy sewing machines, but I do the stuffing and hand-sewing of the stuffing gap. Is there a technical term for this gap, Jan?

We made 76 cushions, and the organiser, my friend, Liz, took 10 more home with her to finish. 

It was a nice afternoon and they appreciated my caramel Florentines, with apricot, mixed peel, pistachios and almonds. I’ll make them again and will remember to take a photo this time! 😆

Bella is still supervising my crochet. She sends you all purrs. 

And finally…

Mine are secured with spectacle cables these days but I know how this one feels!

I’ll be round after art class. 

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xx

WOYWW 866 Winter art and managing colours

Hi all, 

I’m joining in with our blog hop care of Sarah’s Craftshed and sending healing hugs to Neet, who’s still in hospital.

Art class starts again this week so I’ve been finishing my collage annd watercolour cornucopia. The masking fluid has been on it for a month so I used my Frisk maskaway rubber to ease it off (foreground). It’s surprisingly effective. 

I’m pleased with my painting for once, and we’ll see what our tutor says about it tomorrow. 

This week we’re starting winter landscapes and we’re only allowed to use flat brushes. 

I’ve found a photo I like for a reference.

 Though these are pretty too, if a little busy.  

However, I’ve just checked my notes and Claire specified Kent winter landscapes. I’ve this one from my friend Chris. I’ll print a few and see what I can work on in class. Whenever I think landscapes I always prefer the Peak District, though, it’s home. Chris’s photo is from last year, at Prince’s Parade, as we’ve only had a tiny snowfall so far this week in Kent. Stay safe and warm if it’s worse where you are. 

Brian’s slipover is progressing slowly. I got too ambitious with the amount of different yarns and it got into a robble. 

I’m carrying the yarn up the side and have now restricted myself to two bobbins of yarn plus the cream. I’ve wound alternate lengths of yarn onto 2 bobbins with magic knots and it’s easier to manage. 

 

Bella is in deep winter relaxation mode, she sends you all rather sleepy purrs. 

And finally …

I’ll be round to visit after class so put the kettle on. 😀

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xx

WOYWW 865 Happy new year to you all!

I’m joining in on our Wednesday bloghop care of Sarah’s craftshed. Thank you everyone for being such a creative inspiration and supportive community this year. Sending big hugs to Neet, and hoping she’s feeling better. 

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful Christmas. 

Here’s my new ‘desk’ with Bella inspecting my new slipover for Brian. She said it wasn’t wide enough so I’ve started again. She sends you all purrs, but is not well pleased with us as I thought she had a tick on her chin and took her to the vets. They said it was just a scab, so they cleaned it and we went home. 

This is a simple pattern, one colour per row: 3 chains then three trebles into two rows below (covering the 3 chains).

The pattern is here:

Easy 3 colour block pattern

The pattern leaves 3 chains loose in the last row of the blanket it was intended for, which I don’t like, but I reckon I could do slip stitches across the three trebles in the last row. 

I hope you had some nice goodies for Christmas. I’m most pleased with my new Danish crochet bag. 

I also promised you a photo of the chevron blanket I completed just before Christmas:

It’s similar to my first one but with a few darker blues and purple. 

And finally…

I wish you all a happy and healthy new year

Happy WOYWW 

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xx

WOYWW 864 Merry Christmas to you all!

Hello all and merry Christmas! I hope you’re all happy and well (especially our Neet and all others with health concerns.)

I’m sending you all this card, with Minerva’s owl to wish you a creative new year (with a donation to the Woodland Trust).

I have just this minute finished Brian’s chevron blanket, made long and wide as he requested. 

He’s getting it early as it’s forecast cold tonight and it has the Bella-tested snuggle rating. She sends you all purrs, but wants to know where the Crispmouse is?

I’ve also made my apricot and almond bara brith, which we prefer to Xmas cake. 

I had a lovely catchup with our LLJ on Monday. 

This was a real tonic after our shopping in Sainsbury’s. We queued for so long I made up a ditty:

Oh come all ye shoppers

Sainsbury’s wants your money

But it isn’t funny

How we have to queue. 

Oh come get your shopping

And don’t you start till-hopping

Oh come and get your offers

Oh come our precious shoppers

Oh come and empty our shelves

And wait, wait, wait.

It kept me amused in the queue anyway!

And finally..

Wishing you all a merry Christmas and a happy WOYWW

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xx

WOYWW 863 A festive cornucopia and the Möbius strip blanket

Hi all, sending healing hugs, and purrs from Bella to Neet and hoping you’ll be out of hospital by Christmas. 

For our bloghop, care of Sarah’s craft shed, here’s my desk. I’ve managed to match the wrapping paper vollage well enough, but my chilli still needs more work, and I’ve yet to paint the berries, oranges and cinnamon. 

Bella is doing intensive snuggle testing of my chevron blanket and sends you all purrs. 

It feels never-ending, Brian calls it a Möbius strip, but I’ve the last three strips to extend, add the border across the top and it will be done. I’m doing the strips in parallel now, so once I get to the top they’ll be ready for the top border. I did think of it like Adam Smith’s pin factory where it all goes quicker if you all make the different bits  but that only works if you can make a division of labour. I’ve suggested to Bella that she could help but she always has the excuse of not having opposable thumbs  😹

And finally,

I’ll be out having lunch in Hythe with my art class after our class, so I’ll be round to visit later. 

Happy WOYWW,

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xx