Gratuitious Bad Blanket Shots. (and other things.)

Hello chaps! The holiday blanket is finished. The holiday is now a distant memory, the tan has faded and all I have to show for it is this blanket. (Ok, three handbags, a hand painted olive dish, a bottle of Jo Malone's new whiff and a folder of photos...)
Anyway, here it is. Please excuse the awful photography, this is the second attempt and I have decided that I don't have time in my life to try and get better at this skill.

I am happy with it, apart from the vaguely curling edges, especially because I did it by accident. There was no intention there when I started having a bash at the squares from the Jan Eaton book, but once I got going and realised how easy they were (most of them, some were little barks, and not the ones you expect either,)I just kept going.

I have dragged it round the house, making it pose in different rooms.

And on different chairs.

And folded this way and that to get the full effect of every square.

I know when I look at people's completed work I like to study it in detail. So one more. (Can you tell how proud I am of this little baby?)

Eventually it will reside on Teenage Daughter #2's bed. On the end of it anyway. I am witholding it until a tidy and clean up has been completed in case it ends up with botulism of the blanket. Once in its final home, I may photograph it again. Depending on the level of filth in her room at the time. In an effort to be fair I offered to make Teenage Daughter #1 a blankie but after her giving me a withering look and telling me I was sick, I decided she probably didn't really want one.

In between all the blankiness I found a lovely scarf pattern here http://clevercheshirecats.blogspot.com/2011/06/victoria-frills-spring-scarf-tutorial.html and I sort of adapted it (made it without the flowers and with different wool) and this is what I ended up with.

I'm in love with these ruffles and so much in love that I am trying to work out a way to get two rows round the edge of a scarf without it looking lumpy. If anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them.
Looking even more ruffly.

Big shout out to Cecile for being such a willing model.

Whilst taking the photos of the holiday blanket I noticed this on the floor. I am ashamed to say that my dog sleeps on it.

This is only half of it. My mum made this back in the late 60s or early 70s and it's flipping huge. There are two, the other one is in my loft as last winter my house begun to look just a little too blankety. I remember her making these, and they were always about in our house, and last year I asked if my mum still had them and she gave them to me. I think I should give one to my sister. Mum also made us crocheted dresses and ponchos. I wish I still had them too. I am making my mum a blanket now, so it all goes round in a circle doesn't it?

Other Things.
Mainly these.

Aren't they pretty? Matalan. They have a whole range of stuff, some of which is lovely. My sister wanted to get the egg cups because she saw them in a magazine so we trotted up there and found them along with mugs (too thick to drink from) side plates (very pretty but I need a plate like I need a hole in the head and I like the old ones) a cup and saucer (again, too thick to drink from but look nice) egg cups (no one in my house eats boiled eggs) a tea pot (nice but didn't like the shape of the knob on the lid) sugar bowl and cream jug (may well yet be purchased) and these pasta bowls( ran to the till with them and had pasta for tea last night just so I could give them an airing.) Now I'm not normally a Matalan fan, although I did buy an ok plastic bay tree in there once, and a huge clock that I knocked off the bathroom wall and broke last week, but if they are going to start doing stuff like this in there I will have to keep going in for a butchers.

Just lately I have been spending a lot of time with my sister and we both love a charity shop mission. We found a newly opened one last week and piled in and started having a look round. We were in there no more than 45 seconds when the manager asked if we were dealers. We laughed and said we wished we were and probably could be with the amount of old junk we both have loafing about, but I wondered what made her think that. I decided it is because whence in a chazza we are so focussed. China, glass, pyrex and fripperies first, bedcovers and tablecloth rail next, children's books, and a quick swoop round and we're out of there. We went back in there yesterday and the woman remembered us and asked us if we'd found anything good lately, I don't think she believed that we were just buying for ourselves. To be honest she is a bit of a would be dealer herself and has things like 'Victorian trio' written on things, which is something I don't really expect in a charity shop and puts me off a bit. Mind you I got a nice little glass sugar shaker in there yesterday and will be checking it out on a regular basis.
Laters!
xx