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. 

Knitting and crochet workshop in France with tutor Carol Meldrum

Due to a cancellation we have two spaces available (sharing a twin room) for this fantastic workshop. The dates are from 28th June - 4th July 2014, which just happens to coincide with the Cognac Blues Passion festival, so if you want to bring along a non-knitting partner who is into music it could be the perfect holiday!
Carol is a fantastic tutor and the small group of 4 or 5 people allows one to one tuition on all knitting and crochet techniques.
For further details visit the Knitting holidays in France website here, or email sueculligan@gmail.com

This is what we got up to last year

lunch at the marina in Royan

stained glass windows at the Church in Royan

some of the crochet produced during the workshop

paella

April knitting holiday in France - last two days

Monday morning looks brighter, Culli and I have an early start as BeBop has to go to the vets for an operation on his eye, so after a long walk Culli takes him in for a day at the vets.

Imogen's lace scarf

Imogen's patchwork bag

Joan's chunky cable cardi

Betina's socks & beading sample

Betina's crochet shawls

I spend the morning helping Imogen with her patchwork squares, not that she needs much help as she is romping through the pattern. Joan is knitting more of her chunky cardi and Betina is swopping between socks and her crochet shawl.

edge of Le Vieux Port

meringues

the lovely streets of La Rochelle

gift packed sardines

hand made soaps

sadly not the real Jack Sparrow

Ice creams

We have an early lunch and go off to La Rochelle for a wander around the beautiful town with its designer clothes and colourful gift shops, followed by a coffee and ice creams in Le Vieux Port.
When we get back BeBop is home after his op which went well, but we have some worrying news from the vet as she has found a tumour in his mouth, so we now have to wait two weeks for the biopsy results and then possibly an agonising decision on what to do next. In spite of a general anaesthetic he is back to his usual chirpy self by bedtime, so it is hard to believe that there might be something seriously wrong.

BeBop and Buddy

Today is the last day of the retreat, after a leisurely breakfast Culli takes Joan to the airport in La Rochelle and I take Imogen and Betina to Bordeaux, we drop Imogen off at the airport for her flight and Betina and I go into Bordeaux so that she can visit La Droguerie and the book shop. She buys some lovely blue/grey alpaca yarn and a crochet book at La Droguerie and some more crochet books in the bookshop, her bag must weigh a ton as she has bought at least 9 or 10 crochet books over the last few days. I drop her off at the airport and set off for home.

cake shop in Bordeaux

It has been a lovely few days, I think we have all learnt a lot and really enjoyed each others company.
I now have a few days for housework, shopping and cooking before the Mystery Blanket workshop starts on Sunday, fingers crossed for a bit more sunshine.

April knitting holiday in France

We have three guests at La Verderie this week for a knitting retreat, Imogen and Joan from the UK and Betina from Portugal (our first Portuguese guest!) After two weeks of glorious sunshine we are dodging April showers, but that hasn't stopped the knitting and crochet.

Betina knitting the Portuguese way

Betina has brought along a beautiful crochet shawl to work on and a pair of socks, which she knits the Portuguese way with the yarn around her neck, amazing to watch and gives a beautifully even tension.

patchwork bag project

Imogen is learning new knitting techniques, starting with a lace scarf, but has now opted to try a workshop project for a patchwork bag using different patterns and textures.

Joan's shawl

 Joan has brought along a lovely light shawl that she has just finished off and a Kim Hargreaves design (Nat), a fitted cardigan knitted in Rowan Big Wool, she is also like me trying to improve her crochet techniques.

the start of my crochet cushion cover

I am working on a crochet cushion cover in a mix of bright cottons from my stash.
On Thursday I picked up Imogen from the airport and we went into Bordeaux for a couple of hours while we waited for Betina's flight to arrive from Lisbon. After making the compulsory visit to yarn shop La Droguerie, we spent another hour in a wonderful book shop, then back to the airport and home.

chocolate shop in Cognac

the main square in Cognac

On Friday we hit the yarn shop in Cognac, then a wander through the town and a coffee in the square.

flower stall at St Jean d'Angely market

shopping in St Jean d'Angely

the old streets in St Jean

Saturday morning was a visit to the market in St Jean d'Angely then home for an afternoon of knitting and crochet.

Betina with her new yarn bowl

Culli has been busy making yarn bowls, Betina has bought a cherry one and Joan has gone for an elm one.
Sunday's forecast was wet and windy, Imogen came with me for an early morning walk with the dogs and we got soaked to the skin. Everyone opted for a day at home so we had a short beading workshop and spent a relaxing day, chatting with our projects.

Open studio

Our Easter Exhibition at La Verderie was a gentle start to the season with not exactly hoards of visitors but a steady flow.

John's beautifully renovated clocks were a great success, the bells, chimes and cuckoos echoed around the barn and garden all weekend. Judith sold loads of her lovely greetings cards and I did well on tea and cakes, having just discovered that with my new cooker I can finally cook scones!
We ended the weekend with curry for 16 of us on Sunday evening in the garden.