Blog Archives - Jenny Wren Crafts

30th September 2020

9/30/2020

Final 3 craft bags and purses now complete, 6 sets now in all. If Secret World prefer to sell them separately they can of course do so. These 4 are made from a spare curtain, the other curtain is hanging in my craft room. I have also made a couple of cushion covers out of it for the room and have a pretty lacy one ready to sew up. Can't make any more little zip bags as I have no more suitable zips.

For the last few days I have been wrestling with the Scheepjes 2020 CAL and after undoing and redoing several of the rows as I was not happy with the result I now have finished part one. Yay, only another 10 weeks to go and the next part out today.

A batch of lemon marmalade made today from a Hobbycraft concentrate. They work out really well. Found some yellow material to make some pretty covers. (Just ignore the fact that the labels have pictures of oranges on them, I don't have any with lemons on!)

Found some more material suitable for making tote bags while I was searching for the yellow material. Will post pictures when they are finished.

Bathroom now in its Autumn colours of purples and berry colours. Photo does not do justice to the true colours.

26th September 2020

9/26/2020

Well, did you guess what the knitting was going to be? All finished now and doing duty keeping the door open. Yes, it's a hedgehog door stop. I have made a couple of these before and thought it would be appropriate for Secret World. The body is made from Poodle scarf wool which is knitted in with the DK wool every few rows. it's a bit of a faff but produces a good result. I used out of date brown rice for the weight.

I made a couple more tote bags from some fat quarters I bought from a craft show at the NEC.

Have also been trying out some different bags. Some time ago I acquired some white plastic rings that I thought would make good bag handles so I finally got around to giving it a try. There are enough for 6 bags. I think they would make good knitting bags. I also made some little zip up cases to go with them. 3 more bags and one zip up case cut out and ready to sew tomorrow.

It was lovely to see Richard, Debbie, Brendyn and Olivia today with yet more birthday presents! All selected to be useful in the caravan. Thank you.

23rd September 2020

9/23/2020

Back home now after a lovely warm, sunny weekend in the caravan. May well be the last chance we have to sit outside in the sunshine so we made the most of it. On Saturday we went into Redditch and I managed to get some pretty boxes from Wilkinsons which will be ideal for storing all my card making bits. They were £3 each, buy 2 get one free. Shelagh very kindly gave me some money for my birthday so I used that to buy them. Thank you Shelagh! They are now filled and on the shelves.

I finished another brown beret while I was away and the last one when I came back. I have added some flower brooches to brighten them up a bit.

Secret World want to put something in their next newsletter about the things I have made for them. I said ok as it might encourage other crafters to donate things as well. I put some words together and got Mark to take a photo of me knitting outside the caravan.

Have started to crochet a scarf with the Sheepjes whirl that I had for my birthday and Michelle has persuaded me to have a go at the new Scheepjes crochet along (CAL) which starts today. It is also a read along, All the light we cannot see by Anthony Doerr.

Started a new knitting project today. Can you tell what it's going to be? More clues tomorrow.

18th September 2020

9/18/2020

Yesterday was my birthday! 67 years young. I had lots of lovely cards and presents (thank you everyone) but it was a shame I couldn't celebrate properly with family and friends. Mark and Michelle live in Birmingham so have restrictions on visiting and Richard and Debbie have colds and sore throats (the joys of the schools reopening!). I will catch up with them when they are better.

Spent most of the day trying to reorganise my cardmaking stuff so I can start making some cards. Not sure I have succeeded! I think I need some shallow drawers so I can put it together into themes - Christmas, Easter, travel, Art Deco, gardening, tea and cakes, seaside, music, children, wedding anniversary, birth congratulations etc. I would like to put papers, toppers, stamps, dies, dvds etc all together.

Writing this in the van again for the weekend, thank goodness that's still allowed and we can meet outside. Today was lovely and sunny so spent some time sitting outside, finished a book and then finished another beret. I have 3 balls of chocolate brown mohair which will make 4 berets but I thought I would make them a bit more interesting by adding a bit of colour to the crown and a flower brooch. 2 done, 2 to go.

15th September 2020

9/15/2020

Back home now after a lovely weekend at Studley with Mark, Michelle, Anais and Roman and Mark's friends Matt and Kay. I left Malvern on Friday morning, drove up to Studley and was soon pitched and ready. Mark and Michelle came later in the day once Roman had finished school. It was a bit chilly so we didn't sit out much. Finished watching the last Harry Potter film.

Saturday was much better, nice and sunny. Mark and Michelle went off to Evesham and I went over to Warwick to visit my friend Jackie. It was lovely to see her and catch up on all of her news. We walked round the garden and picked some juicy yellow raspberries to take back with me which were fun to share around!

Mark's friends Matt and Kay came later once they had shut their shop. They are new to caravanning and this was their first weekend away. Mark helped to put up a porch awning that came with the van.

Sunday was also nice and sunny so we all sat outside enjoying the sun.

When I got back home I prepared the damsons for cooking. They had kept really well and I had over 5lbs of fruit. I split them between two saucepans and cooked them till they were soft and then left them to go cold ready to remove the stones and make the jam the next day. I now have 11 jars of delicious damson jam!

Since I have been back I have also finished the scarf/shawl and crocheted 3 flowers with the left over yarn. These have been made into brooches together with the peach one I crocheted on holiday.

20 blanket squares also now complete.

10th September 2020

9/10/2020

Today I went to Brockhampton, which is National Trust. I booked my slot for 10.30 before it got too busy. I went this time last year and enjoyed the visit so I thought I would go back again. There are orchards where you can pick damsons so my aim was to pick some to make more jam. When I got there you were also able to pick apples so I said I would give that a go as well. I had a walk round first and then paid my money (£5 for damsons and £5 for apples) and was provided with paper carrier bags, 2 for the apples and 1 for the damsons. The damsons were very ripe so when I got back I split them into smaller bags so they would not get crushed and put them in the bottom of the fridge. Fingers crossed they keep OK till I get back on Sunday. Most of the apples I picked were slightly pear shaped so I think they must be a 'pearmain' variety, possibly Worcester.

After leaving Brockhampton I carried on to Leominster which is a pretty market town on the route to Wales. Last time I went there I found a great shop called Clever Betsy where I bought loads of wool and fabric. The shop was still there but was not open and didn't seem to have as much stuff in as before. Probably as well as a lot of the mohair yarn I am currently using up came from there and I am trying not to replace it.

When I got back I sat outside and crocheted another couple of squares for the mohair blanket. 11 done, just 69 more to do.

9th September 2020

9/9/2020

Had a walk to the village of Hanley Swan this morning, about a mile away. Nice little village with a church, a shop, a pub, a village green and a duck pond.

Came back and sat outside in the sunshine, it was actually quite hot. Finished a beret to match the scarf/shawl I am knitting. Cant do any more to the knitting as I need longer needles and they are at home. Will carry on with my mohair blanket squares.

8th September 2020

9/8/2020

Nice sunny morning so decided to drive to Ledbury and then Ross on Wye. Ledbury has some lovely old buildings. Some timber framed ones date back to the 1600s, including the market place, and there are pretty little streets up to the church.

Ross on Wye also had some nice old buildings, this time in stone rather than timber framed.

Have started knitting a scarf/shawl in Patons Brocade. Very pretty pastel shades. I have 4 x 50g balls which I think will do the scarf, a beret and possibly a flower.

7th September 2020

9/7/2020

Had a drive into Worcester this morning. Quite busy for a Monday I thought. I was looking for some 6" square white cards and envelopes for card making and thought I would try The Works as I had 50p to spend by the end of September. I was lucky they had a pack of 30 for £3 which I thought was good value and they are a nice thick card.

Finished another mohair beret, again in peach but a different yarn.

6th September 2020

9/6/2020

Back in the caravan. This time at Malvern. Staying on a Camping and Caravanning Club site at Blackmore. Didn't realise the site was so big and can't believe it's so busy! Here for the next 5 nights. My view from the windows is not the most inspiring! I prefer smaller sites with better views but I shall have to make the best of it.

Finished another mohair beret in a very pretty shade of peach. Made a flower with the left over yarn which I think I will add a brooch back to and attach to the hat.