Sophie's Garden Mandala Progress

In September I showed you a basket of deliciously coloured Drops Paris cotton yarn and the Sophie's Garden Mandala that I intended to make from it and convert into a cushion for my new blackberry sofa. Well, I'm not too proud to admit that I have been putting it off for some time fearing that I wouldn't be able to master the intricate pattern work it required. So yesterday I decided it was time to pull myself together, and tackle it one round at a time and so far there has been no problem, in fact before bedtime I had completed up to and including Round 13, so I thought I would show you my progress so far.

 

 

 

The mandala is currently 11" across but will be approximately 20" when it is finished and squared off. The pattern is written in US terminology but Moogly (http://www.mooglyblog.com/) provides translation and also tutorials of stitches and techniques that you may be unfamiliar with. The pattern can be accessed via Moogly who featured it on their blog or directly on Dedri's blog by following the link in my previous post.

 

The mandala is laid on my Auskerry North Ronaldsay Sheepskin rug which I bought in Orkney many years ago but have only just taken out and laid in the living room.

 

On The Beach - Voilà!

Way back in August, when the sun was shining and the weather was warm and breezy, I took a couple of skeins of Jamieson's Shetland Wool down to the beach and started to make a head warmer (http://alongthebeachroad.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/on-beach_1.html). I didn't finish it that day but I did complete it a few weeks later and it was only when I pulled it out for Mum to borrow last week that I realised I had never shown you the finished item so "Voilà!"

 

 

 

A Very Busy October!

When I realised that I hadn't posted since the end of September, I was astonished at how fast October had passed, and it has not passed lazily either. An impending parental visit had us rushing to decorate the bairns rooms and the living room meaning that when they arrived on the 12th we were already thoroughly exhausted. During most of their two week stay we were blessed with fine weather so we trekked up to Hermaness and the Keen of Hamar, walked over Saxa Vord looking for bonxies, and played on the beaches at Norwick and Skaw. The little ones legs were worn to stumps and the mere mention of a gentle walk produced terrified peerie faces and greeting!

 

It's a miracle then that during their stay I managed to complete a crocheted cushion for Mum's birthday. It was another Attic24 Blooming Flower Cushion, which she had coveted since I made 'Ethel's', but I worked it in Sirdar Funky Fur, James Brett's Aria (with tiny sequins) and a basic white acrylic DK. The result was beautifully textured delicate looking piece that puts me in mind of angels wings and wouldn't look out of place in a bridal suite.