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Wednesday 30 June 2010

The last day of June

It is the end of another month and summer is finally in full swing, hot and sunny with a temperature of 35 in our courtyard, the photo is of the hollyhocks that grow all around the little hamlets here like weeds.
Culli and I have just spent a busy week in the UK, a hectic mix of work and pleasure with not a spare moment for up-dating the blog. We finally got to meet Martha our newest grand-daughter and at the other end of the scale went to my uncle Martin's 100th birthday party! He still lives on his own, does his Tesco's shopping on-line and what do you think we gave a 100 year old for a birthday present? - a webcam!
I also met up with Kay the Rowan rep and got to see all the new autumn/winter range, difficult to think of in soaring temperatures, but the new magazine no. 48 is due out in just over 2 weeks.
The summer sale is still going at Kangaroo for a few more days to make room for all the new stock, so snap up the bargains now.

Tuesday 15 June 2010

Bed and Breakfast for the Cognac Blues Festival 2010

Cognac Blues Passion is approaching fast, the festival runs from 27th July to 1st August this year and provides five days worth of exceptional music, much of it for free. We are taking bookings for the B&B now, situated just 16 km from Cognac the peacefulness of La Verderie is a sharp contrast to the bustle of the town, relax over a leisurely breakfast and alfresco lunch then take advantage of our free taxi service to Cognac for non-stop entertainment. Some of the headliners this year are Gil Scott Heron, Seal, Joe Louis Walker and Barbara Hendricks, with over 20 bands playing around the town every day you are spoilt for choice.

Friday 11 June 2010

The Crochet Club

Great news for crochet fans, Jane Crowfoot is starting a Crochet Club in January 2011. Members of the club will receive a package every month over a six month period containing the yarn and instructions to build up a stunning crochet panel. For further details and to receive a registration form visit Jane's blog
Jane is also running three crochet workshops in France in 2011 and 2012-

Crochet workshop October 2011 - Fully booked

Finishing Techniques for Knitting and Crochet and embellishments 16th - 22nd May 2012. Book here
Knitting and Crochet workshop with tutors Jane Crowfoot and Debbie Abrahams at Chateau St Julien de l'Ars, 16th - 22nd September 2012. Book here

Wednesday 9 June 2010

Professional Finishing Techniques workshop with Jane Crowfoot

We have another finishing techniques workshop booked with Jane for Saturday 29th January 2011. This workshop is so popular that we always end up with a waiting list for cancellations, so please book early to avoid disappointment. Book Here If you can't get to Sussex for the workshop Jane's book 'Finishing techniques for hand knitters' is the ultimate knitting bible.

Monday 7 June 2010

Hanne Falkenberg Knitting Kit Konfetti

Hanne Falkenberg has just designed another fantastic new knitting kit. Konfetti is a short sleeved A-line tunic knitted in the 50% lambswool/50% cotton blend from Hanne's Day and Night range. It is worked in stocking stitch with stripes made up of tiny contrasting coloured dots. The kit contains sufficient yarn to knit one of four sizes. Order here.

Brocantes

Yesterday was the brocante at Nere and my friend Barbara and I had a stall to sell off some of our (and a few other people's) old junk. The day started off with a thunderstorm right overhead and torrential rain, fortunately we were next to the bar so took shelter there. Large coffees, bacon butties and dancing to a clockwork gorilla singing 'hot, hot, hot' kept us entertained for the morning. The rain finally eased off, but too late for me to find any bargains on the other stalls, the dealers had already snapped up the goodies and unusually not a ball of yarn in sight. It stayed damp and cloudy for most of the morning but by the afternoon the sun was out, the Rose wine was flowing and the junk disappearing fast. Brocantes are great people watching places, it was an entertaining day but certainly from the selling point of view I think once was enough.

Saturday 5 June 2010

Machine Knitting workshops

It promises to be a blisteringly hot day here, I have just been out with the dogs and it is already over 20 degrees centigrade so a good day for working in the cool. I have a stall at a Brocante tomorrow with my friend Barbara so need to sort out some of my endless junk to take, at the same time I thought I would have a sort through the stash pile. I am on the hunt for a second hand standard guage knitting machine, I love the old chunky one as it is great for using up the stash of hand-knit yarns but feel the urge for something fine and lacey, will check out ebay.
We also have a booking for our first knitting retreat in the autumn and it is someone who wants to learn about machine knitting, so the September retreat has now become a machine knitting workshop, with spaces for three more guests.

Friday 4 June 2010

Dog walking Club

Every thursday a group of us meet for a dog walk, it is good for Bix and BeBop as they don't get to socialise much and it means we go on different walks as each of the humans take it in turns to host the walk. After an hour of not too brisk walking we stuff our faces with delicious home-made cakes and cups of tea and coffee. Yesterday it was my turn to host, we had 11 walkers and 9 dogs, chocolate brownies, meringues, chocolate rice crispies and some rather weird experimental carrot cakes (will have to work on this one!)
Back to DIY in the afternoon, I have almost finished painting the upstairs bathroom, final coat today. Not much time for knitting at the moment, but I must get the yarn review finished today.......!

Thursday 3 June 2010

Hanne Falkenberg Knitting Kits

Hanne Falkenberg has added a new design to her collection of knitting kits. The kit for Rustic contains a 50% cotton/50% wool blend and the pattern. The Rustic top is knitted in the round on a circular needle from the neck down - no seams!

Wednesday 2 June 2010

The last day of May

Aaargh! I forgot to take the last day of the month photograph. May was a mix of sunshine, freezing cold weather, rain, thunderstorms and lots of wind. The 31st was cold, grey and windy in the Charente-Maritime, but the forecast promises better weather for later in the week.
And it looks like it is starting today, so we'll go for a 2nd of June photo, the sun is out with just a few clouds in the sky and a gentle breeze, please can this be summer coming? The lavender is starting to come out and the garden is full of bees.

Tuesday 1 June 2010

A busy week

I am feeling a bit more human today which is just as well as I have a busy week.
I need to catch up on updating the website, we had deliveries last week from Denise Interchangeable (we now have the full range of single crochet hooks and needles as well as the kits), more Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino and Rialto Aran and more Regia sock yarn.
I am revamping the KnitKits website so need to design a new range of kits for that and we need to finish off the last two bedrooms and final bathroom at La Verderie before the 21st June......