Sunday 24 June 2012

Secret's out

If you follow our newsletter you'll know by now that Laura is expecting a baby girl at the end of the summer. We are all very excited as you can imagine. For weeks now while I've posted pictures of paintings, sketchbook work and of course quilts in this column, I've been sworn to secrecy about what's occupied most of my evenings in front of the TV.


My knitting needles have been a blur and the pile of jackets, hats and boots is growing rapidly. These are just the latest!


A new baby isn't the only magical thing happening here this summer. Sometimes I wish that elves would come and finish my work during the night - this faerie ring in the garden today makes me think they may have heard my prayers. I had to take the picture quickly before 'he who gardens' mowed the lawn!


The whole garden is looking rather magical right now. This bit is left quite wild. It's at the entrance to a part of the garden we rather grandly call the woodland walk. The foxgloves have found their way here without our help. Some of them are taller than me and they look really stately in the sunshine.


I couldn't resist photographing these beautiful poppies either. I love the lime coloured centres, the blue green leaves and the way the buds bend double before they lift their heads to bloom.


Although I love the bright blues and pinks of the hydrangeas when they are in full flower I think I prefer the delicate colours as they fade and become papery like these.


Now while it's true that I did get my hands dirty today doing a little gentle weeding and planting I wouldn't want you to think there was no 'proper' work done. Here's proof that I have at least started to quilt the latest moth piece. Making a start is always the worst part isn't it? Once you get over that hurdle it's just a case of getting on with it whenever you have a minute or two to spare.

I'll let you see how it progresses assuming that it does!

Thanks for dropping by. I'll be back soon - Linda



7 comments:

  1. I can only imagine the excitement that is bubbling over in the studio. I love knitting baby wear and your items are beautiful. I long to have foxglove growing like that, but it will require moving back to Catherine's side of the Cascades. I do grow a couple of foxglove and delphiniums, but they aren't happy in the heat or sandy soil. The poppies are gorgeous. I must find seeds! Of course, the moth quilt is beautiful. Your palettes always surprise and inspire me. Thanks for sharing your world and always inspiring me to create. Hugs to all!

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  2. What better excuse for knitting. Horray, you'll have many more years of excuse ahead of you now!
    The garden looks beautiful - a super home for fairies indeed! (Gardening fairies would be good in mine!)

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  3. Congrats Laura. You must all be so excited. I love the knitted jacket and hat. Beautiful garden Linda, so much inspiration.

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  4. Fabulous little jackets. She will be very toasty this winter! The garden is a great place to be this time of year isn't it? Trouble is it's all happening so fast, if you blink you may miss something!

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  5. Hi Linda,
    the foxgloves are so pretty, we saw a lot of them during the past weeks which we spent in England and Scotland.
    And it is so appropriate for you to have them in your garden, because in Dutch they are called 'Vingerhoedskruid' Vingerhoed means timble and kruid means herb but in this case the whole word would translate as timbleplant.
    To explain further, vinger = finger and hoed = hat. So in Dutch we call a timble a hat for your finger.
    Bye for now,
    Gerda

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  6. I love that baby jacket - it looks like it's knit all in one piece - is it? Can that pattern be found in a book somewhere? ~Janet in Tennessee, USA

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  7. Thank you all for your congratulations and lovely comments. I've been slow to reply because Laura abandoned me and took herself off to Spain for a few days in the sunshine. Everyone deserves a holiday of course but it means someone has to hold the fort in the office. Luckily she's home again now and taking care of her share of the email!

    Gerda - finger hats sounds perfect. That's what I shall call our foxgloves from now on!

    Janet - the baby jacket is great isn't it? I admit it was a complete mystery to me as I was making it. Only when it came off the pins did the shape make any sense at all.The pattern is by King Cole, No 3369 and is called the Magic Dolmen Cardigan. Hope you can track it down should you want to give it a try.

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