A feel good phone story

I once had a very sad phone. Its cover was boring and black, scratched and scuffed.
The phone being very clever, and full of internets and wizardry, told me about a new magazine called Mollie Makes.
The phone knew that the magazine had a special free gift - all the things you needed to make a very pretty phone cover. The phone set to work, hinting that maybe I should make this cover.
After all even birds wearing berets made this cover.
The phone knew that I liked felt, bright colours and buttons - so it didn't take long to persuade me. So I set to work, adding purple felt and using pinking shears. Everyone knows that pinking shears are far superior in the scissor world and not just because of their rather grand name, but because of their perfect zig-zag ridges.
Now the magazine provided a button and a nice button it was.
However the phone wanted the button to be more than just nice, it wanted it to be perfect. It tried out many buttons before deciding on its favourite.
The phone then supervised the stitches, making sure they were not too long, not too short, but just right.
And then when it was all finished, the phone popped inside to try it out.
Now my phone is much happier, in its cozy cute cover. Thank you Mollie Makes!

Picasso inspired pen holder?

Long ago last November I did a supplementary weaving course at Stirling Castle. Creating extra warps offers opportunities to create 3-D shapes and organic forms. It can be a little fiddly, and at times I wished I had another pair of hands. Here are the two samples I created finally finished. The first looks to me like a Picasso face!
It could be used as a rather elaborate pen holder! The second sample has supplementary warps overlapping, and reminds me of a door bolt.

Llamas rule!

Imagine if Llamas could write...
It looks very tiring. This fantastic llama font was found over on one sheepish girl. In my little dream world, I would have a menagerie full of guinea pigs, llamas, alpacas and capybaras. It would be amazing!

A Coptic Cavy

This weekend I went on a coptic weaving course at Stirling Castle with the lovely Louise Martin. Coptic weaving was great fun and I particularly liked learning how to make loops and different joins.
It was my first attempt at using a linen warp (rather than my usual cotton). I am finding that I have a tendency to warp up quite tight, and I soon learnt that the linen was not quite so forgiving - leading to some rather sore fingers! Leading on from the coptic sample, I decided on a design. Inspired by images of coptic rabbits, I settled on a guinea pig. I realise that guinea pigs were on the wrong continent for coptic weaving, but I like this mishmash. Also as guinea pigs have much smaller ears and generally a big round squidgy body, I think they will be easier to weave!
Here is my progress with the gp template from my guinea pig Christmas tree decorations - I just knew that template would come in handy one day! Speaking of squeaky beasts, our new boys now have names, Mark and Jeremy (of Peep Show fame), and a new cozy bed.

Tapestries and Trees at Hopetoun House

Today I went on an adventure to Hopetoun House for a regional meeting of the British Tapestry Group.
Hopetoun House is a grand property with lavish gardens. Textile conservator Alison Docherty treated us to a behind the scenes look at the how the tapestries are cleaned and conserved. It was fascinating to see how the tapestries are restored to improve appearance and help to prevent any further damage.
After a very pleasant lunch, in what was originally some very fancy stables, I went for a walk around the grounds. The estate is vast, varied and quite spectacular.
When I see bluebells carpeting the floor, it makes me think of the The Magic Faraway Tree books by Enid Blyton. And I wonder if this table and chairs are for a teddy bears picnic?
I love the contrast of the landscape with the forth road bridge in the background. A bridge I can not look at with out thinking of the 39 steps!

New friends and knitting progress

On Sunday we collected two new cute guinea pigs from this great rescue. The boys (formerly known as Tom & Jerry, but currently nameless) are settling in and providing great entertainment whilst I knit away.
The end is almost in sight with the baby blanket. I have just started the penultimate colour band. Each row is now over 700 stitches, with 46 rows left to do, I have passed the 62,000 stitches mark.
Must keep knitting!