Mystery Blanket workshop - the last day

Friday started with a wet walk for me with BeBop & Buddy, followed by a morning workshop.

The group have done amazingly well, with a total of 68 blanket squares knitted between the 9 members, plus 2 bags and one and a half mobile cosies knitted by Pat and Shelley, what a result!

It was Tracy's birthday, so we had a few renditions of 'Happy Birthday' and two cakes, a yummy lemon sponge cake which Annabel made and one of my banana breads.

Culli has been busy making yarn bowls and they are selling quickly.
After lunch of potato and onion tortilla and thai chicken salad, the sun came out and we went into St Jean d'Angely for the final shopping trip.

Starting at the sweet shop, filled with mouthwatering chocolates and sweets displayed in vintage glass jars, then on to a couple of dress shops and the kitchen shop, where everyone weakened, but Debbie still managed to outshop us all.

After hot chocolates at the fun bar we stopped off at the supermarket and then home for a final knitting session, kir royale and supper of antipasto, provencal pork and creamy croissant and honey bake.
The girls gave Debbie and I a really beautiful Missoni scarf each and a bottle of whisky for Culli. It has been another great week with a lovely group, lots of laughs, lots of eating and lots of knitting.
Most of us had to be up at the crack of dawn, so an early night was needed.
On Saturday morning I dropped Pat off at Bordeaux airport for an early flight and took Debbie, Shelley, Alan and Laraine into Bordeaux. We started with breakfast at the bargain price of 3 euros each, then stumbled across the most amazing button shop that had walls lined from floor to ceiling with boxes of every type of button and fastening you can imagine.

On to the book shop, Desigual and then La Droguerie. A quick sandwich by the fountain and then a mad dash to get them back to the airport in time for their flights.

Mystery Blanket workshop - days 3 & 4

Yesterday morning we went to Cognac, first stop was Tissus Bonnet the lovely fabric and yarn shop for fabric remnants printed with colourful macaroons and cupcakes, gorgeous ribbons and trimmings and yarn with pompoms.

Fabric remnants and ribbon from Tissus Bonnet

We had a coffee in the square, then wandered back through the town via some of the clothes shops to the indoor market and home for lunch.

 a hoopoe in the garden at La Nougerée

In the afternoon workshop Debbie went through horizontal and vertical mattress stitch and swiss darning, the main bug bear on the Mystery Blanket still seems to be thistles!

Supper was fresh asparagus wrapped in parma ham for starters, followed by fish pie and then peaches cooked in Pineau and brown sugar. Another evening of laughter and knitting in front of the fire.

Brizambourg brocante

Today is a public holiday in France, so although the shops were shut we still managed to spend some money at the little brocante in Brizambourg.

There were more stalls than usual, but the best one by far had heaps of old cotton and linen sheets, pillowcases, crochet and lace.

There was a shopping frenzy with Annabel, Felicity, Debbie and me grabbing pieces of fabric and lace, all amazingly cheap. Usually at the brocantes you pay a fortune for the old fabrics but it was our lucky day! We all came away with bags of goodies, they now have the problem of getting it all home!

After lunch of salads and cheese everyone moved into the garden to enjoy the sunshine.

Mystery Blanket workshop - day 2

The second day of the Mystery Blanket workshop and the sun has vanished, as we had a full day workshop planned no-one minded (except Debbie who has only brought along her summer wardrobe and nothing else.....). I spent the morning in the kitchen, while Debbie went through Japanese short row shaping with the group. Every time someone completes a square there is a loud cheer, but Elizabeth has just admitted that she has unravelled more than she has knitted today. Perhaps we could have a workshop on unravelling!

In the afternoon the sun comes out again and it is warm enough to move outside for more hysterical conversation, knitting and a bit of unravelling.

                     Some of the lovely buttons I bought at the market in Saintes yesterday morning

Mystery blanket square

Early in the evening we take some of the group around to Egreteau our local Cognac producer for a tour of the distillery and a few tasters of pineau and cognac, it was a good session for Pappy the owner with lots of purchases, we merrily set off for La Nougerée and supper of lamb tagine and tart tatin. 

Cognac tasting

Pappy horrified at his prize Cognac being called brandy

The hardened knitters continue with their squares, Andrea working by torch light as it gets dark, the rest of us are happy to sit by the fire and relax.

2014 Mystery Blanket workshop in France - day 1

The mystery blanket workshop with tutor Debbie Abrahams started on Sunday. The sun was shining as I picked up Pat, Shelley and Debbie from Bordeaux airport, we arrived home just as the other 9 guests arrived. All are repeat visitors except for Pat and Tracy, so after noisy greetings everyone settled in the garden for apero’s before supper.

drinks in the garden at La Nougerée

It was another sunny day on Monday morning, so to break everyone in gently with a little retail therapy we went into Saintes for the monthly market. 

The colourful market stalls stretch the full length of the main street in Saintes either side of the river Charente and sell everything from kitchen stuff to to buttons, fabric and clothing. We lost Debbie in Maison du Monde while we went for a coffee, everyone seemed to go home with a few purchases.

After lunch of courgette and feta cheese tart and salads, everyone settled in the garden for the first workshop. Debbie has brought along two little projects using intarsia and beading for Shelley and Pat who are the only two that aren’t members of the Mystery Blanket Club, the rest of the group are concentrating on their blanket squares and go through any problems with Debbie.

The afternoon seems to fly by and the temperature soars to 28c, so everyone has a healthy glow by the evening. After supper of pear, Roquefort and walnut salad, Mediterranean pasta bake and caramel meringues with strawberries we collapse in the large sitting room at La Nougeree with our knitting for a couple of hours of lively chatter.