Easy breezy

It’s been a weekend of windy sunshine and doing just what we fancy.

Yesterday, Tom and I treated ourselves to brunch at a favourite cafe and spent the afternoon on a longer-than-anticipated walk across Yaverland and Bembridge Down.

Today, with tired legs and heavy rain outside, we had the perfect lazy Sunday, filled with knitting, baking and reading.

This pattern from Kate is proving great fun, much faster and simpler than the initial five-page pattern had me fearing. Its got me picking up my knitting far more often than I have done for months and I’m enjoying watching its fast progress.

I’ve found a banana bread recipe (adapted from Hummingbird Bakery) that Tom seems to love. Home-baked goodies in a weekday lunchbox remind me of being a kid and always go down better than the Kit-Kats we settle on when I fail to bake.

I’ve taken my time reading Roger Deakin’s Wildwood. This morning I was transported to the wild walnut forests of Kyrgyzstan and this afternoon I was lost in the blackthorn and crab apple of English hedgerows.

It’s easy breezy weekends like this that make that early Monday morning start a little easier.

Chichester stitches

I’ve spent this sunny afternoon sitting in the garden and mulling over these new fabrics, found yesterday at the eternal maker. I travelled up to Chichester to visit my friend Kate, who introduced me to this treasure trove of fabric, buttons and trim.

I have often bemoaned the lack of any really great fabric shops in this country. Very Berry did a marvellous job, posting this comprehensive list of fabric sites online, but I still missed the inspiration of wandering through a place, touching the fabrics, and flicking through patterns. Whenever I visit Fabric Temptations, in my Grama’s home town I end up having to buy a larger suitcase for the journey back to England. So, you can appreciate my delight in finding a real-live bricks and mortar fabric shop (relatively) close to home!

The eternal maker could have claimed commission from Kate’s three-year-old daughter who led me round the place with delight and excitement in every button, zip and ribbon. We marvelled at the robot quilts, butterfly buttons and felt-sewn garden tools. Stacks of gorgeous fabrics fill this building, including Japanese prints in rich colours and thick cotton. I refrained from any big spending, but couldn’t resist these few bright prints, to add to the ever-growing list of Things To Make Next.

Stretch

With a welcome Friday off work, I got up late and took myself to yoga for the first time this year. Tardy, I know, but something about January doesn’t inspire exercise in me, unless it’s a windy walk with the promise of crumble and custard at the end. So, I suppose the warmer sunshine this morning was a good time to start classes again.

Nathalie’s class is held in a small garden room at the top of a wooded valley, overlooking the sea. It may sound twee, but it really is that picturesque; a slice of escape from the everyday, which leaves me so chilled I can barely cycle home. I can’t say I’m a committed yoga student (more like a yoga truant) but, I do love to stretch.

My grama, across the seas in Humboldt County, is far more of a yogi than myself and it’s fun to join her when I visit. We go to classes in the old fire hall of her small American town amidst the California Redwoods. It’s a thousand miles from the garden room of this tiny British Isle, but with the same familiar stretches. No matter how familiar, I rarely make the time to practise on my own. This start-of-spring weather seems the best time of year for making new resolutions, so perhaps I’ll make yoga mine.

Woolly layers

There may be talk of ‘milder weather’ afoot, but I’m a cold-blooded soul, who is still layering up for warmth. I am addicted to these base layers from the marvellous Howies. Their fab colours make me feel a little less like an old man in thermals. As you may know, I’m a big fan of wool, and starting with thermals just means I get to load up on another layer of my favourite fibre. I certainly needed it on our long walk on Sunday. It may be bright, but it is still very windy out!

Pencils please!

Last year I gave Tom this pencil case for his birthday. I’m pleased to see it get plenty of use, and find myself regularly pinching things from it.

There is no doubt, a pencil case is a useful thing, and yet for years I’ve languished in a muddled mess of digging around in the bottom of bags or sheepishly borrowing biros from strangers. For someone with a long-standing love of all things pencil&paper, I have a funny way of showing it. Today, with rain clouds looming, and every excuse to stay indoors, I set about remedying my state of inky limbo.

This was made thanks to another easy pattern courtesy of design*sponge. Honestly, it took me longer to uncover my sewing machine from the mess of my desk than it did to stitch this up. I now have renewed vows to keep the study tidy so that I spend more time stitching and making, than clearing and tidying.

Tomorrow I’m headed outside. Sunshine is promised and Tom and I have had the map spread out on the floor, planning long routes and pub stops. The camera will be packed, along with plenty to eat. And maybe this time I’ll take some pencils too.