Friday 13 April 2012

A Cottage, Some Thistles, Sheep and a few Hens...

YWhen I left home in the Midlands and moved to London to train as a Nurse at the age of Eighteen I did not think about how I would spend my spend my spaare time. In fact I don't think I realised just how much spare time I would have. Across the road from where I lived was a wool shop and so I decided that I should learn to knit. On one visit home my Maternal Grandmother had come to stay so I told her about the wool shop and about my desire to learn to knit and she very kindly agreed to teach me. She is the lady pictured in the blog below with her Grandchildren outside the caravan.

That was over thirty years ago and I have knitted many items in that time, I keep meaning to look through my photo albums to find evidence, I even designed and knitted jumpers for Jack who became my husband as well as myself and the children. However this blog is mainly about the patchwork blanket and it's significance today.

As far as I remember the pattern for the blanket was from The Woman's Weekly Magazine, I certainly remember having to collect the patterns. In those days you could have wool put aside so you could just buy it as you needed it. I rather ambitiously decided to make a cover for our double bed but then I fell pregnant and so decided to make a cover for the cot bed we had bought for the baby. Obviously I did not know if it was a boy or girl so I included blue and pink and backed it with yellow.

When I was packing up to move here 2 years ago I came across the blanket and when I looked at it I remember my hair standing on end. It featured a cottage, albeit with upper windows, thistles, sheep and hens in amongst the hearts. When we first came to this Cottage on the SW Coast of Scotland there were sheep in the field behind us and hens in the garden next door, the thistles appeared later. It was as if I had predicted my own destiny through the blanket.....



                             The Patchwork blanket in our Scottish Garden 27 years later


                                                           A more recent blanket





                                         A Noro bag in lovely sea colours made about ten years ago




Cath Kidston and Ladybird




                                         Patterns my Mother and I used to knit for the children




About six years ago I decided it was time I learned to crochet but as I had nobody to teach me I decided to teach myself, here is one of the books I used and one of my first attempts that I never finished....





                                                 I did then crochet a scarf, here is the result




Last year my sewing teacher invited a lady to give us a crochet lesson, I was so thrilled as I wanted to ask her if I was doing it correctly, I was even more thrilled to find out that, not only was I doing it correctly but that she too had taught herself, that gave my confidence a boost. She even taught me to crochet triangles which I love doing and have now created my own bunting which you can see over on my Facebook page.



Crochet and knitted triangles






And today at Oakwood Cottage here are my latest additions, so many ideas, so many possibilities.....

8 comments:

  1. Another fantastic blog post! You always inspire me with these blogs. It has been amazing fun to read about your life and how it has all lead to this point in time! Your blanket is amazing, and how wonderful that you predicted where you would end up and about the things around you! Maybe when you have grandchildren you will add another floor to your cottage so that their is space for everyone... And then everything in the blanket would have come true! :) Thank you for sharing the story of your life with us! Xxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for your lovely comments Sharon! Luckily we have three bedrooms so always plenty room for Grandchildren when they come :) The house next door has an upstairs, that is to say the bedrooms are in the roof space! Anyway I am pleased you enjoyed it and so Happy if I have Inspired you :) xxx

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a lovely post......great to hear that you are keeping busy with your wonderful crochet......I love the things you have made!
    The blankets are wonderful!
    Have a happy weekend!xxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Mel, lovely to hear from you. Hope you have a lovely weekend too my friend :) xxx

      Delete
  4. I so enjoyed looking at your photos and the blanket is soooo special - and so spooky in the way it 'predicted' your future!

    Love the blog - it had a calming feel to it - maybe it's the blues mixed with the traditional crafts. Either way - it works really well.

    Janice xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Aw Janice, what lovely things to say thank-you xxx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hello, this is my first visit to your blog. I found you through your new shop at Luulla (I also have a shop there). I'm now "following" your pinterest boards too... (it's ok, I'm a very harmless stalker!).
    Lovely blankets and crochet. I especially like that first blanket - and what a wonderful story to go with it!
    I hope I'll be back again, to see what else is happening in SW Scotland. Feel free to "visit" my blog too. Lots of books and stuff there!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Lizzie and many thanks for your lovely comments. I am pleased to see that the links all work and I shall come and find you too! Best wishes, Jacqueline

    ReplyDelete