What a fabulous day!

Hello all my Lovelies out there - how are you all doing?  Do come in out of the cold and wet and have a drink and some cake.  I hope you are all keeping well and happy.  The cold continues here today but at least the sun is out shining.  I hope the weather is being kind to all of you and I send good wishes to those who are really suffering at the moment with the elements.
 

This particular post starts a little while ago when a very famous blogger, someone who really got me into blogging in a big way, said that she was offering some crochet classes on a Saturday.  Well I jumped at the chance even though crochet is not my strongest point at all.  I knew that there would be literally hundreds upon hundreds of people rushing to book a spot but I thought I have nothing to lose as I won't have a chance and put my request in.  The day continued and I didn't really think anymore of it to be honest and then an email - yikes! - I had a place............some heart started pounding as I visualised all these wonderful crochet experts turning up on the day and beavering away on the project with their trebles, half trebles, double crochet, treble crochet.........I was in a fair panic, sweating thinking about the indignity of me just about able to do a granny square.  My first impulse was to say thankyou but no thankyou, I have a previous engagement I had forgotten about.....but decided to take the plunge and own up to the fact that I was a crochet virgin so to speak!  I thought I would get an email back saying, well maybe come to a class when you are more proficient, thank you for your interest........no, the email was so lovely and encouraging, saying not to worry everything would be fine.  I thought she was being too kind and would regret these lovely words once I turned up for the class - I would be the student she remembered for all the wrong reasons.  How wrong I was.

 

Now then, where was I yesterday.........................I will give you all a big clue.................. 

 

 

The lovely Skipton, home to many wonderful things but most of all our lovely Lucy from Attic24.  Yes you Lovelies, I feel as if I have won the Lottery and cannot believe that I had a place on her first course.  Wow!  I hardly slept on Friday night and was up before 5am, I was going to travel by myself but my lovely husband fancied a trip out so came with me.  We set off at 7 am and arrived not long after 9.  It was a glorious morning and we quickly found the lovely Cooper's Restaurant - I was going to take a photograph but almost got run over trying to get one so please forgive - when we finished the day the rain was fairly coming down in sheets but I couldn't get one then for you all.  Anyway the café is just lovely inside and the coffee/cakes/food is just to die for, all homemade and delicious.  The staff are so friendly and nothing is too much trouble to any one them so highly recommended if you are ever in the area.

I got inside and Lucy came to introduce herself.  I have to say that she is the most friendly, engaging and lovely person you could ever wish to meet.  She is just like she is on her blog and it was such a delight to be in her company.  The group quickly arrived all as excited as I was, just eight of us all brimming with enthusiasm and delight at being there.  We quickly found that we all had the same reservations about our ability with crochet so I calmed down a little then.  Lucy took us all up to her famous studio and it was gorgeous - she has done the place proud and each one of us was saying how much we all wanted one.........if only. 

 

 

Just look at the wreaths, they are even more stunning in real life than they are on her blog.  I fell in love with them and was already mentally putting them on my ever increasing 'to do' list.  Many apologies for the quality of some of these photographs as the light was not the best and I didn't want to be rude by just going around taking photographs 'willy nilly', although Lucy was really kind and said that it was ok.

 

 

This photograph is a favourite of mine as it reminds me of the wonderful images Lucy has shared with us all from her Attic24, it felt so familiar.

 

 

Just look at how pretty the work area is, it reminds me about the old saying that less is more - something I have to attend to in my tiny sewing place which is over-run with bits and pieces.

 

 

This is obviously Lucy's sewing corner and look at the exciting project bags all ready for us to start - thrilling but nerve wracking for me!

 

 

The project we were set was the Bower Bird - something I really didn't feel comfortable about is it did seem rather complicated.  I had read this blog when Lucy had done it and thought it was rather lovely but something for the experts and hadn't thought about it again.  Apologies for the quality of these particular images as they are taken from Lucy's very good handouts.

 

 

Now I thought doing the bird would be enough work for the day but no Lucy said that we would be also starting the bower as well!  She had taken so much trouble when preparing for our day with her.  There was masses of yarn laid out all over the studio and she talked to us about the importance of colour and how we should go with our gut reaction.  What colours were we all drawn to - it was so important to get this right.  She was patient and spend time with each person helping them to decide the colours they would use.  As usual I went for red, although as the day went on I was looking at all the other colour combinations and seeing how lovely each one was.  Lucy's yarn finder must have been smoking as there were so many balls of yarn to look at. 

 

 

We were started our crochet journey quite early on with Lucy making sure each one of us was given time with her - she is such a natural teaching and has the patience of a Saint.  I think I can honestly say for everyone of us that she really enabled us to have confidence in our ability to make this little bird.  We were such a quiet group as everyone was concentrating on getting it right - there is a lot of counting to do initially and I realise that this is where I have been going wrong in my crochet - I don't really pay enough attention to the counting of the stitches and then wonder why it hasn't worked out.  I didn't take many photographs of the construction as I was too busy concentrating on getting it all right.  I did take this one though, the colours are not really true as the light is not that good but I was pleased with him.

 

 

The photograph below looks as if his tail is going off in another direction!

 

 

 

Not perfect but I love him anyway!

 

We were all well looked after by Lucy and the café staff - there were lots of cakes and fancies in the morning and afternoon and a most delicious lunch - none of us stopped though, we all kept going like fury, not wanting to miss a second of the day.  It all went too quickly.  What was amazing was how different all our little birds turned out to be in their fabulous colours and shapes - here is Lucy taking a photograph of them all roosting in the studio.  It was getting quite dark now and the rain was just coming down in a torrent so the image is not that clear.

 

 

 

Sadly it was time to go and everyone was going on their way home.  I asked a kind lady to take a photograph of Lucy and I and she did, but I was disappointed with the quality after I looked at it later.  I know that I look very tired but my back gave me hell all day and I needed some pain killers.  But you can see for yourself how lovely Lucy is and what a fabulous time we all had.  Thank you Lucy!

 

 

This is an update on where I am now with my bower - I have finished it, yippee but am not going to rush it as I have decided to put some flowers on it and really finish it off quietly so that I can put it up in my sewing room (if I can find a spot - might even put it up in the living room if it is good enough).  I realised yesterday after hearing Lucy talk about her blankets that it all takes time and I am always rushing everything trying to get things done which is not how it is all supposed to be.  I learned a big lesson about myself yesterday - I have to slow down a bit with my crafting and try for quality not quantity, something I should have worked out for myself long before now.  However, I think sometimes I am drawn by the necessity of getting the job done through life experience. 

 

 

Here he is Folks roosting at home, haven't given him a name yet but will prepare a lovely bower to do him proud.  Hope you all like him.

 

 

Well I am fair exhausted by the thrills of yesterday and have to turn my attention back to the rhythm of life once again.  I do hope you all have a good Sunday wherever you are in our beautiful world and take care of yourselves.  Have a good week ahead and be safe and happy.  If you have time please leave a comment as I do love to hear from everyone of you.  Sending you all lots of hugs and loves, Dorothy :-)xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx