Lochs, Blether & Lace

Lochs, Blether & Lace

Hi everyone. Thanks for joining me once again in the beautiful 

Glenkens of SW Scotland.

Early autumn fruitfulness

Apologies for the long delay in posting my blog. My laptop died suddenly but I had to stay positive that at least it happened before I started my next Open University module. I am about to start the second half of year two of my design degree and I am looking forward to a practical design module with lots of hands on creative drawing and modelling.

The summer holiday weeks always seem to stretch out and then suddenly disappear. Now that the wee ones are back at school I have had time to gather my thoughts into some sort of coherent form after the long lazy days of summer. As my youngest has just started primary school I have been left feeling a little sad for the loss of not having a little one at home with me during the day for the first time for 13 years! I found my first day alone involved feeling almost redundant. I ended up gathering up each of my children's favourite toys to sit and keep me company until they came home from school. It got me through a hard day.

As I now have a little longer in the day for venturing for extended dog walks I have started looking at new routes for myself and Alfie (the pedestrian Collie dog) to walk/ hike. One of my regular drives takes me through the Galloway Forest Park and past Murray's Monument and Buck Loup/ Foot Loup waterfalls. 



It was a bit of a grey 'dreich' day but still warm when I pulled on my battered walking boots and ventured out on this 3.5km circular walk. 

Starting with a walk to see the waterfall in full flow given the amount of rainfall we've had, Alfie and I climbed up the steep track up to Murray's Monument. Due to recent tree felling there are really excellent hill views. 

Dropping behind the monument and following the circular route leads to the Old Edinburgh Road (an old medieval pilgrim route leading from St. Ninian's cave near Whithorn). Black Loch comes into view and we passed through old stone sheep pens where you need to look carefully for the sculpted faces artwork (called Quorum by Matt Baker). 

The path runs alongside a burn and then steeply uphill to overlook the Wild Goat Park and across to Murray's Monument before dropping back towards the car park and waterfall. A really lovely and varied walk.

Loch Stroan from the old railway viaduct

We really are spoilt for choice of wonderful lochs and hills around here in the beautiful Glenkens. I have recently also visited Loch Stroan by walking along the old disused railway trackbed from Mossdale. Such a shame that this was one of the routes lost in the Dr. Beeching cuts in the 1960s. It would be a vital link for local communities and wonderful tourist route if open today. In fact there is some talk about trying to reopen some stretches between Dumfries and Stranraer. If you continue the walk over Stroan Viaduct you go past an old abandoned water pumping station for the old 'Paddy' line - Loch Skerrow Halt. I have yet to get that far along. This is a wonderful walk to forage for apples, sloe and rowan berries and also rosehips.

Soggy doggie!

A couple of weeks ago I nearly got stuck in a bog at Polmaddy - the site of a deserted village settlement dating from the early 16th century. Only some of the stone outlines of houses, kilns, byres and barns remain. Alfie was bouncing through the boggy fields without a care in the world while his owner hauled herself out! Sadly it was simply too wet to get a decent picture (apart from the dog).

I took a beautiful and very peaceful walk in Corriedoo Forest last week, giving me the chance to finally visit Loch Howie and Loch Brack. I had never ventured that far along the track before and until recently access was difficult due to construction of a large wind farm up on Black Craig above. The day I walked there was not a soul to be seen. Taking a magical and overgrown side track I suddenly was rewarded with the calm and peaceful sight of Loch Howie. Spider webs were laced across the tall grass and bejewelled in dew that looked like diamonds. The turbines above turned almost silently and looked like sentinels guarding the countryside. 

Loch Howie

Taking a different path led me along to Loch Brack. This loch is smaller and Alfie took great delight in jumping in and trying to catch the splashes of water. He is obsessed with water!

Loch Brack with the wind turbines above

Spot the dog!

Walking back along the forestry track my eyes were drawn to a glowing red mushroom in the woods. A single shaft of bright sunlight had penetrated the dark canopy of the trees and landed right upon it. The more I looked the more mushrooms I saw. It was like a scene from Alice In Wonderland where I half expected the Cheshire cat to appear! This really felt like a magical walk.

My walk yesterday is a local favourite that takes me up the hill that overlooks St. John's Town of Dalry. I never tire of this view across the fields to Mulloch Hill and the hills beyond of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn. Usually there are a few local 'faces' to greet me in the fields.

Descending back down the hill there are usually wonderful views of Corserine and the Rhinns of Kells. They were a bit hazy today and my camera does not do this view any sort of justice.

Before this turns into a tourist brochure for Dumfries & Galloway (though you really should visit if you can)... lets visit the crafty section of my blog!

My crafting world:

Given the amount of time since my last blog there has been quite a bit of crafting going on. I have been reviving some of the crafts that have been languishing for too long in forgotten cupboards and bags. I have reminded myself how to do bobbin lacemaking and tatting. Some of my previous WIPs are 'on hold' awaiting new yarn supplies. Not many FI's to show for my hard work sadly. Too many projects, too little time...


WIPs:-


(i) I have been greatly inspired by Amy of the Noble Character Crafts podcast with her Vintage MAL. She threw down the gauntlet by suggesting that crafters have a go at making items from 'vintage' patterns. Namely anything before 1999. If that is vintage I most definitely feel old! Anyway, as the bobbin lacemaking book I have was published in 1992 and demonstrates patterns that are not only decades but centuries old I felt that they certainly qualified. The book by Doris Southard is called 'Lessons in Bobbin Lacemaking'. It introduces you stage-by-stage to different stitches and techniques.

My lace pillow with wooden bobbins, complete with spangles.

Examples of my lace. 'Crown and Triangle' and 'Brussels I'

(ii) I have also been revisiting tatting (as mentioned in my June 2019 blog 'A Breath of Fresh Air...'). This is like a cross between crochet, lacemaking and macrame on a very small scale. You use a small shuttle wound with fine thread to make tiny knotted stitches and loops. These can then be used as lace type embellishments on cuffs, collars, handkerchiefs, etc. As you can see the scale is very small and my eyes were protesting so much I had to give up for a while. 

(iii) I decided to join in with the 'Esha' KAL using the beautiful Shetland Lace pattern by A Passion for Lace. This is my first piece of Shetland lace and I have to say that the going is very slow as I am having to be so careful with counting and working with such a delicate halo style yarn. I am using Rowan's Kidsilk Haze - a  gorgeous 70% Mohair/ 30% Silk yarn, knitted on KnitPro Nova 2.25mm circular needles. Given the amount of work that will go into this project I wanted it to be made with a special yarn worthy of a keepsake heirloom piece. I chose a lovely natural green shade as it has become my favourite colour recently. Maybe it is being surrounded by so much nature?!

Three pattern panels in and I'm getting the hang of it (I hope!)

(iv) I have just started the Stylecraft Yarns 'Sunstar' blanket CAL. After completing Attic 24's 'Dune' blanket earlier this year I decided that I would like to make a blanket for each of my children's beds. The blanket uses Stylecraft's Special DK 100% Acrylic yarns. Torn between wanting to make an affordable blanket (that would withstand the rigours of a childhood bedroom) and trying to avoid to use plastic based yarns, I decided to compromise for making a blanket to be loved and cherished for many years to come, rather than being a single use plastic item destined for landfill. This shows progress after the first two parts of the CAL have been published.

(v) Last year I could not knit socks. I longed to join in on the 'StrictlySockAlong2018' (hosted by Ali of the Little Drops of Wonderful podcast). This year I am now in a position to make the 'Cha Cha Chevron' socks (pattern by Sandra of Cherry Heart) and join in this year's fun. The idea is to cast on the socks and knit them whilst watching BBC1's 'Strictly Come Dancing'. Major cheating and rule bending is encouraged though if you read Ali's Ravelry thread! I started mine on the launch night and knitted some while my daughter was watching it on catch-up TV. Progress so far is good. I am thrilled to be able to make them using one of Winwick Mum's colourways produced by West Yorkshire Spinners in their Signature 4ply range. This is the 'Seascape' shade. I am using KnitPro Zing 2.5mm dpn needles. I am keen to try the double circular needle method soon to compare techniques.

(vi) When is a WIP not a WIP? When it has been 'frogged' back. I wanted to show you anyway as I am about to restart the project using finer threads and needles. This is an example of Sanquhar knitting and originated very close by in Sanquhar, Dumfries & Galloway. This is the 'Duke' version of the type of patterns motifs traditionally used. This pattern is published by the Scottish Women's Institute (and can be found on their website). The knitting is very dense but in my case my yarn was too thick and I obviously knit a bit looser than required. Traditionally a 2 ply wool yarn is used (mine previously was 3 ply). I will be going down to KnitPro Karbonz 1.75mm needles (eek!) from 2.0mm ones. I am going to try using Jamieson & Smith's 100% Shetland wool 2 ply Lace weight yarn, paired with Rowan Fine Lace 80% baby Suri Alpaca/ 20% fine Merino wool (probably held double). The glove was simply too large and I wanted to make a pair of warm and hardwearing gloves ready for dog walking in the biting winter winds we sometimes get up here (who am I kidding... we get them regularly!).

FIs:-


(i) I completed a Virus shawl in Schoppel Zauberball Crazy [75% superwash wool (Patagonia virgin wool)/ 25% nylon]. I think it is called Gartenparty, Shade: 1228369 and is sock weight yarn if I have read it correctly (420m/ 100g, needle size 2-3mm). My lovely daughter modelled it for me. I loved every minute of working with this lovely yarn. The constant changes in colour kept me feeling excited as to what might be coming next and the pattern repeat is easy to remember.

(ii) Another first for me was to make a pair of mittens in fine colourwork. In this case I had admired greatly the 'Skandinavia' mitts with the traditional nordic Selbu rose design. The pattern is by the talented Lill-Iren of Nordic Stitches. It was a pleasure to make them. I used Adriafil Azzurra (70% wool/ 30% acrylic) yarn and 2.25mm KnitPro Zing dpns. I struggled a little to get the thumb inserts neat and keep the pattern correct but all of these projects are learning curves and I am sure my next ones will be much better.

(iii) I completed another pair of socks, 'Lilli's Vanilla Socks' pattern, by Lill-Iren of Nordic Stitches. I used (for cuff, heel and toe) John Arbon's Exmoor sock (85% Exmoor Blueface wool/ 15% Nylon) superwash light 4ply yarn and also Regia 4-fadig Tweed sock yarn (70% superwash wool/ 25% polyamide/ 5% viscose). I really felt like I had got the hang of sock making basics on this project and was ready to move onto textured socks.

For my birthday this year I was kindly given a book that was recommended by Kathryn of 'Crafternoon Treats' in her recent podcast about natural dyeing. It is called 'Wild Colour' by Jenny Dean. I am so excited to think that soon I can hopefully start experimenting using the nature surrounding me as a source of colour palette for my crafting.

I did complete a baby item (top secret, hush, hush) and have just got some yarn to get on with knitting a new Fair Isle Fisherman's Kep (knitted colourwork). Work on the Gansey will have to wait for man sized yarn funding and a gap in my WIP pile!! I am also really excited to have been offered a table at one of my local Christmas Craft fairs. This will be first time I attempt to sell some of my homemade items. I am working on some sewing projects for that at present and coming up with some nice Christmas gifts ideas.

'Sharing The Love'

I call this section 'Sharing The Love'. I want to grow my blog within the wonderful crafting community I have found online on Ravelry, YouTube and Instagram. I thought that each week I would share one of my favourite sites so that you can also go and visit them. To help me grow my site (and help me in my future plans to set up an online textile design business) could I ask that when you visit them you mention that I sent you their way? Thank you so much xx

The Last Homely House East of the Sea: I have recently been introduced to Kate's lovely YouTube channel. Her vlogs are really lovely, creative and chatty (plus I love her Tolkien reference to her home). Quilting, cooking, bees, cats... who could ask for more? I am catching up with her previous videos at present and love them so far. You find her also on IG, she has a Patreon site and an online shop.

'Another Love'

(aka The music, book, podcast section where I share my other passions in life)

Go Gently with Michael Nobbs: Podcaster/ YouTube channel

To combat a couple of bad episodes of anxiety I have been purposefully trying to engage in positive and gentle activities (alongside crafting). I've taken up yoga and music again. I have also been listening to a couple of new podcasts. One in particular is great to listen to whilst walking the dog. Michael Nobbs has a gentle and calming voice and I love his observations of the natural world, weather and activities that seem insignificant and get lost in the mad rush of life. Michael takes pleasure in such things and you feel yourself slowing down and feeling calmer for listening.  

Foot of the Mountain by A-ha 

Released: June 2009 Produced by: A-ha, Steve Osborne, Mark Saunders, Roland Spremberg, Erik Ljunggren

Album: Foot of the Mountain Label: We Love Music, Polydor, Universal

I find it hard to choose music as it is so personal and there is so much choice. I could not imagine life without music in it - whether it is listening or playing it. Music triggers memories of people, places and times. To celebrate Morten Harket's 60th birthday recently (he can never be 60?) I have chosen this one. A song about hoping to live a dream away from it all. "Build a home by the foot of the mountain. We could stay there and never go back". I loved A-ha from the early days of cable TV (remember that?). Morten has the most amazing vocal range and the band's music has a far wider range than the pop songs most people know.

I have been lacking a good book to read recently. Looking for recommendations for a good page turner and I am not fussy about genre really although I love historical and creative writing. 

Thank you for joining me once again. Enjoy being creative until we meet again.

Midge x

Please feel free to visit me on my links to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook. I can also be found at Ravelry as MidgePorterDesign