Getting All My Ducks in a Row .....

During my visit home at Christmas last year my mother and I visited this really cool thrift shop where you can find hard back craft books for 50p ... one of the things I pounced on was this book of Beatrix Potter knitting patterns ...
... the designs are very dated and I really purchased it for bunny themed knitting ideas - but flicking through it the other day I found a pattern for Jemima Puddle Duck ... a baby blanket with duckies I thought - that would be sweet. Jemima, I decided, was more goose like than a duck so I changed the pattern to this ...
I used some of the wool given to me by Auntie Chris (it is amazing how much I have already used!) and it took a while to get the blanket correct as I discovered that designing shapes or pictures in a knitting pattern is not that simple!
I must have knitted and unravelled at least 15 times ... but finally I got all my ducks in a row ...
... and here is my little duckie baby blanket.
It measures 33 1/2" x 28" and has a moss stitch border. Perfect for a crib or a stroller or just for general snuggles.
I quite like ducks ... not quite as much as bunnies ... but they make me smile a lot. Can you believe it is nearly August? Where has the year gone?

Swap Shots

I've sent off my cupcake themed apron for the Cupcake and Tea Swap. My apron (based on the cakeland number in A Is for Apron) went to the girls at A Spoonful of Sugar and I was glad that they were kind about it!
And I also sent off my goodies for the Alabama Stitch Swap to Betty Ninja. Of course I had to make the bunny project!
These are my photos - but I can't believe the pictures that Betty took of the little bunny and needle book I made .... she really has an amazing talent with a camera.

I have to say that I really enjoyed making the goodies for both these swaps - I will be signing up for more swaps in the future for sure!

A Day in the Life of the Dino Family

Deep in a grassy valley lives the Dino Family. They live at 1740 Triassic Lane. Here they are standing outside their front door (although the photo seems to have been crashed by a rather sweet pooch.)
Mrs. Dino is outside hunting for her son Owen who is supposed to be doing his home work. 'Where are you Owen?' Mrs. Dino looks everywhere - in the house and in the garden making sure she checks behind all the bushes. But she can't find Owen anywhere because he is hiding up a tree. He he - naughty Owen!
Finally Owen comes down and settles inside to do his English homework. He has to read a poem by Yeats - quite advanced stuff for a dinosaur in high school don't you think. Mr. Dino takes this quiet time to play his favorite piece on the piano by Dinovorák ...
... and Mrs. Dino sits outside by her favorite lavender bush to do some knitting. The Dino Family love nothing else but to end their day doing one thing - and that is to play a game of Monopoly together. Mr. Dino is sporting a rather crafty smile - do you think he could be cheating??