Crochet workshop in France with tutor Jane Crowfoot

Sunday morning and Culli has to head off to Bordeaux early to meet the first guest, leaving me to finish making the beds and tidying the house and studio. He arrives back at lunch time with Hannah our first guest, grabs a sandwich and goes back down to Bordeaux to pick up the other three.
Hannah settles down in the sunshine for the afternoon and I get some cooking done and take BeBop out for a quick walk before the others get here.

BeBop with his new pressie from Sue

By 6pm everyone is safely gathered in and sitting in the sun with apero's. We have three guests for this workshop, Hannah, Christine and Sue who is back with us for the second time (I think she has only come back to see BeBop really!) and of course tutor Jane. Jane has given me a copy of her two latest books 'Homespun Vintage' and 'Kaleidoscope', which are gorgeous, both Culli and I were very touched to see the dedication in 'Kaleidoscope', to 'Sue, Culli, Bix and BeBop' and to see that one of the projects was named after BeBop! He is a very happy dog to see Jane and Sue, his most favourite guests, especially as Sue brought him a present!
After supper of roast pork with roasted vegetables and chocolate torte we catch up with each others news and talk about what we are going to do for the week.
Monday is grey, but warm. Sue and I take BeBop for a walk around the lanes before breakfast then

we all settle in for a day of crochet. Jane has suggested that everyone uses ideas from 'Vintage Homespun' and 'Kaleidoscope' as their projects for the week, so we have all made a choice, but everyone is personalising their project by making a few changes to the original pattern (we are not all completely sure what it will end up as, but that is fine!).
The sun comes out in time for an early evening walk through the woods, followed by a glass of GandT or chilled white wine in the courtyard and supper of roasted red peppers, chicken and fennel cassoulet and lemon cheesecake.

Today Sue and I had another brisk and slightly damp walk around the block, after breakfast we went off to Saintes. First stop was Tissus Bonnet the fabric and yarn shop in rue Gambetta, this huge shop has some good deals on remnants, great books and lovely trimmings, then on for the inevitable stop at Maisons du Monde and the yarn shop. The sun made a brief appearance so we drove up to the amphitheatre and sat on the terrace overlooking it drinking coffee.

Maison du Monde

After lunch it was back to the crochet projects which seemed to progress quicker today in just a few hours than over the whole of yesterday.

Sue took BeBop for his afternoon walk, then the four of them, in true British style, sat outside with their drinks willing the sun to appear until supper was ready.