Outgrown Knits, Black and White bag, Bom, Coniston |

Apr
21stOutgrown Knits, Black and White bag, Bom, Coniston

The children are back at school now. During the holiday we had a sort through their clothes. Sadly some hand knits had been outgrown:
The colours are a bit off- I think my camera needs adjusting. The top one was inspired by Latin American woven fabric where 3 shades of the same colour are used to give depth.

This one however I think I can make longer in the back so son can wear it for another year.
Back in 2000, I made the cockeral x-stitch and had it framed. This year I finished the horse one which was part of the same series on 18ct aida. The framer took a while to find the same frame for me as it’s no longer produced, but he managed it.
Very happy.
In the garden the cherry tree is in blossom. One of my fav sights is an avenue of these against a blue sky. When some petals drop, it’s like confetti swirling around. Beautiful.
Mock orange (philadelphus) rhubarb, honesty, and a daffodil muddled together in the border.
Lovely smelling viburnum.
Some primroses are still flowering too.
In the craft room I finished this bag for the black and white challenge. The black marble has come out grey in the photo unfortunately.

Inside the bag is a patchwork of the black and white fabric. The handles and bag have a warm and natural interlining for strength. I think it will be a good shopping bag so my friend wont have to use as many carrier bags.
Remember this BOM by Lynette Andersen?
The reindeer block needs hand sewing in blanket stitch in perle 5.
I had other things to do late on Saturday night- salad and fruit salad
Chocolate caramel shortbread and fudge.
Chocolate caramel shortbread- you want the recipe now don’t you? This will make the tray quantity.

Shortbread:
250g/ 8oz butter
100g/4oz caster sugar
300g/10oz self raising flour

Caramel:
250g/8oz butter
250g/8oz caster sugar
4 tablespoons golden syrup (corn syrup)
383g/13.5oz tin of condensed milk

Chocolate Topping:
250g/8oz plain or milk cooking chocolate

Shortbread: Grease tray. Cream butter and sugar mix in flour, line the base of a tray. Bake in centre of oven at Gas 4/350F/180C for 20 mins. Allow to coll in tray.

Toffee: Melt butter sugar syrup and condensed milk in a pan. Cook gently stirring until the mix leaves the sides of the pan. Pool over the cooled shortbread. Allow to cool.

Chocolate Topping: Melt chocolate, spread over the cooled caramel. Allow to cool.

When all is set cut into squares or fingers and serve.

It was for a trip here- Lake Coniston in the Lake District. We got up at 6am.
And arrived at Monk Coniston (the North of the Lake) in time for breakfast.
You couldn’t see Lake Windermere because the mist was rising so thickly from it. Even in Monk Coniston it was hard to see the farmhouse until the mist had cleared.
Now you can see the farmhouse and it’s rhodedendron bushes flowering.
In the meantime the Lake was like glass. Let’s sit here and have a morning coffee.
View to the North.
Look left a little and there is Coniston Old Man mountain perfectly reflected.
And left again down the length of the Lake.
The South of Lake Coniston resembles where Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome was set in 1930.
The East side of the Lake opposite Coniston Old Man.
Beautiful old boat house
Loved the rings around this duck.
The reflection of the tree.
Further down the Lake, the Gondala is steaming up. More on her later.
No dinghies are on the water as there is no wind.
The mist is clearing though, and this is the view to the North.