More socks on the go!!

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I have cast on another pair of vanilla socks!! Yes I seem to have a problem needing to have some vanilla socks on the needles at all times!!

But it does seem to be all my poor sleep deprived brain can handle!!

Look at this yarn!!

It is Weavers Loft sock wool and I bought it last year at Wonderwool!!

Squee!!!! That is this weekend for this year now!! Anyone going?! I shall be there Saturday with the boys and Mum!!

Soooo more vanilla socks!! And lots of more complicated projects languishing for a day when I feel I have had some sleep!! That may be a while… though this little man is sleeping better than his big brother did at his age!!

Farm update

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Soooo in lieu of a podcast which I may not have time to do or enough content for, for a few weeks…. here is the farm update for recent weeks!!!

Sooo…. back at the end of March on his due date we became a family of four when baby Mathew put in an appearance!!

All 7lb 15 of him and the birth itself went that well I should have been in and out in the one day…. but I decided tone dramatic and have a rather nasty PPH which saw me lose nigh on 3 pints of blood… so overnight obs… what a joy…. opposite the nursing station…. and at one point I’d just gotten the baby to sleep and in they came to do his obs…. ugh!!!

Anyway he is now a gorgeous chunky 11lbs!! (He didn’t have to wait for milk to come in as I still feed William) and he is four weeks old!!! Not sure how that has happened!!

Soooo we have had LOTSnof visitations from family, but whilst the female portion of the family cooed over the small people and helped me to keep on top of washing and housework and William in the early days… the menfolk fought through the tiredness and….

Helped lambs in the barn…. being born…. putting them into separate quarters to bond with mums…. etc

Skinned the Polytunnel!!!

Hurrah!! On with the planting!!!

Moving and placing and cutting tractor tyres for the kiddos play area!! And planting potatoes we have had chitting for an age it seems!! Both in tubs and bags and out in a large potato bed James prepared!

Sorted the chickens who are now huge and ready for their new accommodations!! More about that another time!!

Made teeny fires to cook over!!

Then we as a group have been…..

Wrangling sheep to get them into the right field!! Te he!!!

Charging round the fields and feeding Wanda!

We’ve been to the botanical gardens for Welly Wednesday!!

We have tidied up the front garden and planted seeds both for flowers and for the Polytunnel !!

Plus we found a worm!! Fascinating!!!

And the other big news!!!

Young man turned TWO!!! I have a two year old!!!! More about how that feels in another post but look how happy he is with his digger!!

And I made my first attempt at icing a cake other than slapping a small bit of buttercream in or on!!

So busy times!!! Hopefully things are starting to settle…. and will improve further when we all kick this latest cold that has struck myself and the boys!! Ugh!!

Hope to at least write more soon and maybe I’ll squeeze in a podcast at some point!!

Finished some knitting!!

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I’ve finished another pair of vanilla socks!! Dad’s birthday socks!! And now they have been gifted I can publish them!!

They are knitted in Weavers Loft sock yarn, which has knitted up a bit thicker than the usual sock yarns I use but it’s a great sock yarn!! And it should be really tough for working out and about!!

Episode 13 show notes

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Episode 13

Sunday 18th March

So I’ve made it this far!!! Still got bump in tow!!

Lots of little bits to tell you all about this week, some sections are a bit light on content this week, because we’ve had disturbed nap times due to toddler illness ( joyfully he threw up in the car the other week so that was a heap of pulling apart the car and car seat to wash!!)

Plus more getting ready for the new baby, growing season by sorting out the seeds etc..

Well it’s another snowy day here in Wales and it’s freezing!!!

I’m wearing James’ fleece as it covers the bump!! And I’m wearing a cowl my Mum knitted for me!! It’s a Song of the Sea cowl by Louise Zass-Bangham and the Pattern is on Rav.

Knitting

I’ve managed to finally block my samples I had knit up and have subsequently tweaked patterns etc!! Now just need to get some more projects off the needles so I can cast on the full projects for those!!

I have two FO’s

Two little baby hats!!! The pattern is my Jelliebean Baby Hat pattern and it’s on Rav, I’ve knitted one in Rainbow heirloom solo light and one in some left over hedgehog fibres, plus a small amount of my own hand dyed yarn to stripe in so I was definitely not playing yarn chicken!! These are in my bag that the lovely Zoe of Pins and Needles made me.

I am halfway down the foot of the second sock for my Dad’s birthday

These are a Plain top down vanilla sock knit out of Weavers Loft sock yarn which is 75% super wash wool and 25% nylon, so good and hard wearing for much use for my Dad! These are in my fantastic Thimble and Thread Makes Harry Potter bag.

I have managed a heap more rows on my Hazels shawl and the leaves are really starting to come through now!! Ive knit this in River Knits 4ply fingering in the colourway Indian Giant Squirrel and it’s a pattern I am working on for release after the baby is born

I have decided to start using my progress keeper on my weasley sweater, because I can’t for the life of me remember whether I have even knitted on it since I last podcast!! The progress keeper I am using is a lovely tardis one from Jennie of Owl about Yarn.

Sewing…

Yep none…. No FOs….

But I have managed to cut out some fabric for a commission project and have some more to cut out this week so I can get sewing on that!!

However I have managed some mending/darning etc!!

I’ve mended The rainbow jumper which is the DayDreamer pattern by Jennifer Steingass, James’ socks and two pairs of Williams socks!!! Some knitting required…..

Weaving…

Zero…. Too much getting the desk cleared and the loom hoiked about at this stage of bumpness…

Crochet….

Also zero!! But to be fair I have been awaiting the plying of the Icelandic to carry on with that….

So that leads me into Spinning….

I have Navajo or chain plied the Icelandic!! Just need to skein it, wash it thwack it and it’s good to go into a crochet project…

And I have thread plied the Sara’s Texture crafts exmoor BFL!!! I’m really pleased with how it’s turned out and can see more thread plying in my future especially with the beautiful variegated skeins of yarn. Mainly because I believe my yardage for this skein of yarn is going to be HUGE!!! in comparison to the Icelandic which will be minimal as it is three ply and super chunky!!

Acquisitions!

So I have received the fabric I ordered for the commission project

Cotton

Terry

Rip stop

And I have ordered more rip stop and received it to make the boys waterproof dungas using the Made By Jacks Mum Free Range Fun Over Trousers.

And also this last fortnight I had a really happy post day!!!

The Lovely Anita from the Gaga Knits podcast has sent me some beautiful gifts!!!

A beautiful little cardie for the newbie when he decides to put in an appearance.

A book for Will which he has had read several times already!!

And a beautiful roving of Fondant Fibre in merino and mulberry silk!!! Part of their Illume collection called awakened spirit.

Thank you soooo much Anita you are so very kind!!

Shop update

I’ve been inspired this week to get my backside back to the dye pots!!! So hopefully (baby arrival allowing) later this week I shall have a little shop update with these two colour ways!!! Daffs and Crocus, they are currently drying out, having been my first attempt at yarn dyeing on the wood fired stove!! Man I needed to haul lots of wood!!! Or it seemed that way because I can only bring in small amounts at a time, not the big basket!! However I digress there are two bases, a sport weight merino base, which are the slightly softer colours, and the Stardust sock weight base which are the more vibrant colours!! So keep an eye on Tyddyn Bryn on Etsy later this week for them to pop into store!! One time limited dye lots, using up the last of the undyed I had in stash…. The next time I dye I shall have to do another big restash of the undyed before I dye!! And who knows when I might get time to do that!!! It has been two years since I last dyed yarn I believe!!!

Woodwork….

I’ve been out varnishing the sign for the front of the house again, and giving the bird boxes a quick coat too to protect them…

Farm update…

So James hired a mini digger a fortnight before I was due to pop….

He has now dug raised beds in the slurry it, which he needs to blockwork out…. watercourses…. Potato beds….. Flattened an area for me to make into a digging zone for the kids….

I’ve sourced some tractor tyres for digging pits for the boys…..

We’ve scoped out a pond site, but it wasn’t safe to take the digger to it….

In looking at that though I have found loads of my basketry willows have grown and need cutting back allowing me to get more plants going…

And Friday next if no one comes forward we become accidental sheep owners…. Still no idea if it’s multiple deal…. As in whether she is I lamb or not…. But we have bought some feed to supplement her diet in case and come next week we shall book a vet out to see her and register her as ours.

The chicks are growing well and feathering up… They are much bigger much faster than the last two, and are certainly eating more, drinking more and stinking more!!!

We’ve baked more cakes…. Muffins of the White chocolate and Rasberry variety and the banana and chocolate chip variety!!

I shall add a little photo montage at the end of all the farm happenings…

Sooo….

I hope you have enjoyed this weeks podcast!! I’m not sure when I’ll get to podcast next…. Baby is due Friday next!!! So in the meantime Happy crafting everybody!! And you can find me as Tyddyn Bryn on Instagram, Twitter and Ravelry, there is a Tyddyn Bryn Facebook page…. The Tyddyn Bryn Etsy shop, which I am going to attempt to keep open…. But we shall see what occurs in the next couple of weeks…

If you enjoyed the episode please give us a thumbs up at the bottom and I hope to see you all soon!!!

Mini digger hired!! Check!!

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So James decided to hire a mini digger this week…. and has been out in it all day every day working hard to create better waterways, raised beds, scrape the barns, flatten play areas…. etc etc!! Busy times!!

Someone else rather liked the digger too!!! And very quickly figured out whilst sat on Daddy’s lap that two levers made it go forwards and backwards!! Therefore lurching it about whilst Daddy was digging!!

Episode 12 show notes finally!!

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Episode 12Sunday 4th March

Another one a week later than planned, but due to visitations…. First from my sister and the children and then from my parents!! So limited crafting time was had in the first couple of weeks!

Knitting

Managed a few more rounds on my Weasley sweater
Swatching for some new patterns, these still need blocking out and then finishing off into full patterns…. So these you saw last time….

These 2 are knit out of my alpaca Aran or worsted weight yarn and will be a toy pattern…. I have swatched one using my Mothy and squid yarn, but I don’t think there is enough contrast to show up the pattern…

This is knit from Jennie from Owl About Yarns Tibetan Owl, a merino, silk and yak base, which I am loving it is soooo soft and the jewel tones suit this pattern design perfectly! It’s going to be a shawl…

Then some new swatches are….

This is a swatch knitted from my smooshie yarn base and will also be a shawl of some form…

These are knit from River Knits Silbermond which is a BFL silk Cashmere base and is STUNNING!!! so we have a swatch of a star pattern and a swatch for some moon phases…. These will also be a shawl soon!!

I’ve managed a few more rows on my Hazels shawl pattern which I’m currently working on for a pattern release after the baby is born….. But I’ve left the shawl in my knitting basket downstairs!! 

I have a HO, one sock for my fathers birthday present…. Plain top down vanilla sock knit out of Weavers Loft sock yarn which is 75% super wash wool and 25% nylon, so good and hard wearing for much use for my Dad!

I have also managed to knit up a nearly finished object!! A baby hat for newbie when he arrives… Knit out of rainbow heirloom solo light, which is a single ply yarn that is so soft. Mum bought this for me when she and Dad were last in Edinburgh at Ginger Twist studios.

Plans for knitting then include more design work, finishing the pair of vanilla socks, maybe a second baby hat out of the sock yarn leftovers bag… More weasley knitting and I have yarn wound to knit up James’ next pair of socks…
Crochet

A little more progress on the sheep breed blanket to show…. Most of the Masham barring the cream is now in the blanket, but I’m trying to separate the colours a little so the cream Masham has to wait for the Icelandic to be finished…. 
Spinning

So I have spun the bobbin of Icelandic singles finally…. Not as enjoyable a spin as some yarns for me, found it kept slipping through my fingers too fast and needed a much shorter draw…. So I had to spin much slower, but even then I think it might not turn into the most balanced yarn…. I just know it’s going to be squirly!!

I need to Navajo ply that, but it’s resting for now…. While I spin up Some Sara’s texture crafts exmoor BFL in the most fabulous underwater colours!! Sara has stopped dyeing yarns and fibres now though and it’s my last roving of her I have to spin now…..
Acquisitions

So Mum went to Unravel in Farnham and picked me up 2 skeins of Becci from RiverKnits’ splendiferous base yarn in Silbermond. She got there early…. And must have raced to the post office because they arrived the next day by 1pm all the way here in West Wales!!! 

I have put an order for some fabric I need in… For a commission sew and for some of my own makes…. but given the weather and the fact that no one has been up or down our lane much this week it’s probably sat happily at the post office!! But before the weather turned my ribbing fabric turned up…. I ordered three colours pink, grey and green to see which one I liked best for going with my foxy fabric for my Linden sweatshirt…. And the 5m of black fleece fabric arrived too…. Now I wait on the rest!!! 

I have also bought two new patterns…. Both are from Made by Jacks Mum, who has a website if you google that name, or an Etsy shop, through which I purchased the patterns… But it’s the same person who created the AJ Aviator hat pattern that I have made for James and now Will.

One pattern is the “Free Range Fun over trousers” which goes from 6 months to 12 years on sizings!!! And gives lots of options for light weight waterproof trousers or fleece lined waterproofs and the pattern is for dungarees style like salopettes or trousers.

The other Pattern is the Hot Coffee top and dress pattern, which is a sweatshirt pattern or dress sweatshirt, with three options on necklines round, hoodie or funnel and is for men and women…. 

So these two patterns are for the black fleece and maybe the pink elephant fleece I have in my deep stash….. 
Sewing

I have been a busy bee when I can…

And have some finished objects to show off!! 

First I have finished the first part of a commission sew which involved drafting my own pattern for a special young lady I used to teach, feeder and general bibs, waterproof back, lined with terry towelling and topped off with a pretty poly cotton

Then I have made my Agnes top…. 

Pattern by Tilly and the Buttons

Fabric from Stoffstil (foxy) and Fabric Godmother for the black jersey

AND 

I have made my Linden sweatshirt which is a pattern from Grainline studios

Again in the Stoffstil foxy sweatshirt fabric and I chose the green ribbing from the choice of three for the neck, cuffs and hem bands.

Weaving has seen no love again for a while…. I need to sort a table for the loom to exclusively sit on…. Half the problem is clearing my craft table for and clamping it down each time….
Baking…

I have made more banana cakes using the BBC good food Brilliant banana loaf recipe… But this time as muffins

Some Raspberry and white chocolate muffins

Some cherry and almond cookies 

And I have had a another bash at the apple pie I made before so I might be ready to blog a few recipes now!! 
Farm

So we have had exciting busy times…. snow….. Ice…..

We have made bird boxes with the niece and nephew…. 

Built a retaining wall for the polytunnel…. 

Meshed and started planting the fruit cage…. 

Set our potatoes to chit… 

Built a bit more polytunnel…. Cardboarded our onion/shallot/garlic growing area…. Acquired some more large tubs for spud growing….

Had a delivery of firewood…. 

Tidied up the front garden….

Planned and sorted our seeds we have into months for planting etc….

Acquired a rather manky looking sheep which is in our field having escaped from a neighbours land, still awaiting the chap who owns the sheep to come confirm its his and claim it!! 

We have had chicks hatch…. 5 Bresse chicks hatched on St David’s Day!! chick cam showing the live hatching is on the Tyddyn Bryn Facebook page

But they are already quite feisty and jostling about in their hatchery!! 

Did I mention the snow and the ice….. Well that’s had me confined to barracks as James doesn’t want me to fall and go into the labour, particularly whilst the road was basically impassable!! But it’s caused a Wee bit of barn and roof damage, so yesterday found James out on the roof of the house (only 2 foot from the bedroom Velux thankfully) fixing the log burner flashings and surrounding tiles….

Soon he will look at fixing a few bits of barn that have broken too, but they aren’t major issues nor 
Any way think that’s about all….

You can find me as Tyddyn Bryn on Rav, Instagram, Twitter and there’s a FB group and a Rav group for any chattering…. 

Hope you’ve enjoyed

And I hope to see you all soon…. Like two weeks this time… Not three… But we will see as Baby is due now in 2 and a half weeks!!!! Eek!!!!!