We’ve added lots of new knitting and crochet patterns to the website this week. Keep yourself warm this winter with some beautiful crochet blankets or a lovely knitted cardigan.
For less chilly days, and the change of seasons.
Beautiful blankets which are a pleasure to make and snuggle under.
We’ve received a wonderful message from Elaine, who distributes our Project Linus quilts. She’s had some thank-you emails, along with some lovely photos of happy recipients!
” ‘Since you came into St Johns and dropped off the blankets there has been a real special buzz on how well they are supporting the children in 
such a large variety of ways.
We separated the blankets into Seniors and Primary and each blanket has found a home with individual students for them to use during their school day. The blanket belongs to the student and will travel up with them through out their school life(which is perfect for this time of year when the students are going through such changes) and if the blanket last long enough will go with them into adulthood.
I’m so pleased I responded your email as the benefits seen in the students from having one of the beautiful hand-made blankets is so warming.
Please pass on my thanks to all the amazing members of the project who produce these beautiful items.
Thank you and take care
Faye’
A second thank you came from Bedford Hospital
‘I just wanted to say a huge thank you for the beautiful hand made quilts we have received on Riverbank Ward to use with the children here.Each one is a work of art and will be carefully placed with a child who I am sure will cherish it forever. It is such a lovely idea, thanks to you and your team for spending the time creating and making these beautiful items.
I’ve only just seen them today but felt compelled to email you immediately!
Anne’
And a third one from a Women’s refuge that Kathy specifically wanted to 
give some quilts to, after Ruth’s visit to our last meeting at Tudor Rose. the quilts had been sitting on the top of her wardrobe (as you do) and they have now found a new home
‘I just thought you may like to see two of the larger quilts in situ. They go beautifully with the colour scheme in our residents lounge. If you can pass on special thanks to Kathy too please. I haven’t managed to get our handyman to put up the ones for the wall yet, but I will send you a picture when I do.
Ruth’
So thank you all so much, it’s a pleasure to be able to spend time together at the Tudor Rose making the quilts and then deliver them around Bedfordshire and to see how grateful everyone is when I show them what I have brought them and they obviously get pleasure in passing them on to the children.
Enjoy the summer and see you all in September.
Regards,
Elaine”
Project Linus is a fantastic charity who distribute comfort blankets to disadvantaged and sick children and teens. You can find out more about their valuable work HERE
Want to contribute? Find out all about our upcoming Project Linus days HERE
PIXIE DUST (NOUN)
A substance or influence with an apparently magical effect that brings great success or luck.
Origin: 1950’s. From the magic dust that enabled humans to fly in J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan
We’re so excited to be announcing our very first Crochet Along! We will be officially launching for The Festival Of Quilts at Birmingham NEC from 10th – 13th August (we’re on Stand E3), but you can sign-up online now ready to receive your first installment on 15th August. When you buy the bundle at the special price of £20.00 you will receive a free pattern every following 2 weeks for 10 weeks. The end result is an adorable baby blanket or throw, use it in the pram, pushchair or car seat.
The blanket is made in the beautiful, soft Peter Pan Pixie yarn. The patterns are aimed at beginners and build each week on the skills you learnt the week before. However, this is a simple pleasure for the more experienced crocheter.
The pattern is utterly flexible, you could change the colours, increase the size, change the yarn. Make it for a friend, a child, a teenager, an elderly aunt…
You will need a 3.5mm crochet hook, scissors and a knitter’s needle, and the size of the finished throw is approximately 91.5 x 68.5 cm (36 x 27″).
Sign up and join in here: Pixie Dust CAL
What’s been happening since my last update?
I mentioned I was crocheting mad – still am, nothing has changed there. I’ve lost count of the WIPs. There are presents for family and friends, tasks to encourage my mum back into crochet and of course, things that I just must do for me. And there’s a blanket CAL starting soon that I’ve got my eye on too. Never enough hours in the day. And I’m sure that’s the same for all of us.
My mum’s been unwell and needed to get her groove back. She tried to teach me to crochet when I was 8, then as a teenager. I was 43 before I asked her to show me again. I’ve come on leaps and bounds since then but she needed a helping hand. So I found us a lovely blanket of squares we could work on together and I’m pleased to say she’s enjoying herself again. And it’s been great that I could give her something back.
Since my last post, I attended the first beading class with our new tutor and that was a huge success. A lovely group of ladies just having a lovely time together, like minded but from so many different backgrounds and walks of life. I’m very much looking forward to our next class at the end of March. Sue Stallard proved to be a super tutor, our group is a mix of complete beginners, some of us with a bit of experience and a couple of ladies who have been beading for donkey’s years. I’ve already been shopping for our next two projects. It does help that I know what’s coming next and what we have in stock. Come and see our new beads and crystals all the way from Czechoslovakia.
I do enjoy sewing and quilting but as a busy mum I spend a great deal of time driving and waiting for children. The portability of crochet and beading just lend themselves to being picked up and put down. I sit in the back of the car sometimes, with my laptop on the seat next to me, watching the latest drama or documentary, a pile of wool around me, a pattern fastened on to the headrest in front of me and a flask of tea. It’s actually not a bad way to spend a few hours really, truth be told. However, roll on the longer nights, because beading to the illumination of a car light is quite hard work on the eyes.
At work, I’ve been working on a sample embroidery. It’s a stitched and stump-worked kit that we may stock in the future. But I have needed a magnifying lens and lights, as the piece and stitches were so tiny. And that was in broad daylight. Keep an eye out on our social media and website for the kits.
