Wednesday 25 July 2012

Summer Has Come From The Sunny Land ...

... finally!

And what a joy it is after so long in the waiting. And not only is the sun shining and the skies are blue but it is really hot. Of course there are plenty of places in the world hotter but 27 C feels pretty hot after the long spell of damp and chilly grey that has been the history of the UK summer so far. Not to waste any time, (because you never know, the sun may be here today but it may be gone again tomorrow or next week!), I have taken the Roman poet, Horace's advice of "carpe diem" at his word and, as far as other stuff has allowed, I've gone a bit lazy and summery for the last few days .

Lazy And Summery 1: There has been breakfast in the garden in the very early morning - one of my all-time favourite summer pastimes at the beginning of a hot day when even early in the morning it's warm outside and everything has a quiet completeness about it that simply isn't there once the day has got started properly. Drops of dew dance in the sunlight that is already beginning to dry them to nothing; just the pigeons are cooing gentle good morning noises; the frenetic swallows have not yet taken off in their swift-wheeling, calling flight that will criss-cross the blue sky like flashing, indigo sickles later in the day; the flowers that have closed up overnight are thinking about silently opening their petals to the sun and there is virtually no other noise at all. The odd car perhaps but almost nothing else. I love this time - it's as if time itself stands still for a moment or two and holds its breath before exhaling and moving on. And if you can catch it over breakfast, even if work is calling you and the business of the day is waiting, the day is somehow always better for being begun like this.


Lazy And Summery 2: There has been sewing in the garden later on, once it is too hot to sit out in the direct sun. An after-lunch idyll among the humming bees and drifting scent of sweet peas intensified by the heat. My mother always used to cart her sewing machine outside in the summer -  I recommend it. And I've had several containable sewable projects just right for an hour's sewing before the rest of life has cut in. I've been doing more sewing than crochet in my spare time lately - I think it's having my elderly sewing machine repaired and serviced and given a new lease of life that's triggered my amateur sewing mojo!




Lazy And Summery 3: The moment has come for my Summer Has Come From The Sunny Land blanket to sun herself! She is quite small as blankets go - about 36" square so more of a throw really than a blanket but I love her. She is everything I hoped she would be - summery, light and reminiscent of wallflowers, sweet peas, roses and lavender. I half expect to smell these flowers when I hold her to my face!


The pattern is Attic 24 Lucy's Summer Garden Granny Squares which you can find here and I've used a mixture of the Sublime yarn I bought on my Teensy Yarn Spree back in February and some Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino that I had in my stash. I added a border, the first I have done for a blanket which I modelled on Lucy's picot border that she added to her Granny Stripe Blanket which she shows how to do in her post here.


I think I should possibly have increased the number of stitches at the corners more than I did as they have a tendency to curl a little but not enough to worry about.



Hope you too are enjoying a bit of Lazy And Summery - life needs a bit of it in my book!



19 comments:

  1. It's amazing how a little bit of sunshine lifts your spirits, I'm hoping it will last for a while it makes all the difference. I love your blanket, the colours are beautiful :)

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  2. Wow, wow, wow! Love the blanket, it does indeed look very summery, I love a blanket, especially a nice cheerful one!

    My favourite thing is the flower fabric, that's just gorgeous, such a good idea to put all those buttons on it.

    We have been lapping up the sunshine, but I do always feel nervous it won't stay....we've been out all day at a local park, but just before we went, we took the puppy for a walk before it got hot....it was so quiet, the sea was still, so much so the boys were skimming stones, I went on further along the beach and you could hear the water pulling back over the fine pebbles....honestly I was there in the moment so enjoying the peace....as you say it sets you up for the day!

    Have a good'un!

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  3. Sewing in the garden sounds lovely, I must try that. I to love your flower fabric but as a crochet lover it is the blanket which really catches my eye. Every second you spent stitching it was worth it, it's beautiful.

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  4. This blanket is DIVINE!!! It has all my favorite colours. Truly delighful.

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  5. I have just followed a link from Tales from a Happy Home and am so happy I found you and saw your beautiful blanket. I am going to look around your lovely blog now Karen x

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  6. Your blanket is amazing,I just love the colours they are so pretty and pattern is too.I'm sure you will enjoy it for many years to come.xx

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  7. Oh, it's so pretty! The colours are summery and fresh and say "English garden flowers" perfectly. I like the border, it gives it a nice finished look. I also adore eating breakfast in the garden when it's hot. There is never time on a school morning, but it is a weekend indulgence. Funny how such a simple thing as eating outside can make one so very happy! x

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  8. You conjure up an idyllic summer day with your breakfast in a quiet corner of your pretty garden (oh how I wish our garden was quiet) and taking time out later in the day to sit in the shade with some sewing. Your blanket looks fabulous - I love the colours. What are you making with that gorgeous flowery fabric? A x

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    1. The answer is "a little commission"! Can't reveal what yet as the recipient hasn't got it but see your email! E x

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  9. Oh no! Another comment where I have to be very boring and admire everything!! Your garden looks divine - it really does look like a slice of England's green and pleasant land. How lovely to be able to sit and sew (such beautous fabrics) outside. I love the summer garden throw - I started those little squares last summer but never got as far as you have - I love the blues you have edged with, great choice. Ahhh, pretty things.....

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  10. A sunny land indeed! How wonderful to be able to sit outside like that with your sewing machine. And your blanket ... wow!!! That really is a veritable country garden ... and I'm sure I see some Love in the mist in there :D

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  11. Mmm......your breakfast and blanket are both lovely, and your first border turned out wonderful (I have yet to attempt a blanket border). I am like you doing much more sewing than anything else this summer, but no thanks to the outdoor part -- it is too, too hot here for that!

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  12. A beautiful piece of writing about breakfast in the garden - might have to use it as an example of descriptive writing in class. The blanket looks lovely, very summery - I'm in the middle of making the same one myself but with much darker colours - will probably take some time to complete as I've got three on the go at the moment. I've never done any sewing outside - what a good idea. Have fun, Judy.

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  13. Really enjoyed this post and your photos are lovely. I'm making a throw using the same pattern from Lucy's blog but I'm finding joining the squares rather tedious :-/ Hope mine will look as lovely as yours when it's finished!

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  14. your blanket is so beautiful! I've just started a mixed sampled square blanket and really enjoying it!

    Also that fabric with the buttons is really gorgeous! what are you making that into?

    xxx

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  15. I'm happy warm weather has finally come to your part of the world. I'd never thought about taking my sewing machine outside--probably because it's so hot here in the summer (it sometimes is too hot to swim, because the water is so warm). Also, the colors in your blanket are so bright and cheerful--perfect for summer.

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  16. Stunning blanket love the colours, the pattern, the edging - a summer day in blanket form indeed

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  17. Wonderful, just stunning and beautiful and cheery and just absolutely lovely. Your blanket is amazing. I am in love with it. The colours are perfect and the border finishes it beautifully. *Swoon*

    Helen xx

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  18. Cette couverture est magnifique ...peut être vais-je en faire une avec les carrés African flower que tu as vu sur mon blog et en couleur pastel comme j'aime.....et avec les autres carrés faire des chaussons....
    Tu as des doigts de fée ....
    Muriel du monde de miel.

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