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Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!

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The British Seaside…

I just don’t think you can beat it. The sea air, golden sands, crashing waves and constant tide change and of course, the serious amount of ice cream that has to be consumed. Bliss. There is something rather special about a British Seaside trip, that I don’t think can be found anywhere else in the world. 

It’s been our yearly pilgrimage to Cornwall and the sunny south. And as always we have loved it. It seems to call us every year. I think since having children, it’s been our go to holiday. And in the past 6/7 years we haven’t missed a year. 

The Cornish definitely know a thing or two about how to make someone’s summer holiday by the seaside special. Seriously – Rainbow Teapots at The Cherry Tree Cafe in Padstow!!!! Definitely a spot of PipsRainbow heaven going on!!!! We had a lovely lunch there and it is well worth a visit if you are in Padstow. They made the kids feel at home and my daughter reckoned her cake was the best she had tasted out!! As you can imagine, we go every year!!

And of course you can’t go to Cornwall without having a Cornish Cream Tea at the wonderful cafe at Bedruthen Steps.

The National Trust walk to the beach will definitely help you burn off some of that cream tea too!!!

But our one and only favourite place is Mother Ivy’s Bay and the wonderful Padstow Lifeboat Station. I don’t know what it is about this place, but it just seems to fill me with happiness. It seems magical somehow. It draws you into this seaside summery bliss. Everyone seems to relax into the holiday mode and the beach and waves call to us each morning to get up and play.

My daughter seems to have turned into a complete seaside fish or mermaid as she likes to put it. We couldn’t get her out of the water! Whether she was on her body board or just wave diving, she was in the water!! She kept diving under the waves and popping up like a little seal and then back under again!!! Funny!! And what was the activity she wanted to do when we got home, drum role please… we went swimming in our local pool!!! One little mermaid!!

My son on the other hand, being younger, got cold quite quickly, so was quite happy to paddle and play with his little boat. When I wrote this, I had him snuggled up in my arms in our beach tent. I think too many rock pools and waves had got the better of him.

I remember my daughter doing the exact same thing. She would just zonk out under a pile of towels in the tent and have a well earned nap and wake up slightly freaked out as to where she was, until she remembered. She used to do the same on her grandparents boat. Lie down in the cockpit, under a pile of towels and off she would go. Wish I could do that! Never been one for taking a nap just anywhere really!! My Mum used to say that I slept well as a baby and then it all went to pot when I was a child!! Not sure why. Maybe the fear of missing out and the call for adventure.

It’s funny when you go on holiday, as to what different things that everyone takes!! When my husband and I we’re wee nippers, we used to bring a whole bag of books that we would consume over the holiday. But alas, as I am sure that many parents will concur, I took one and opened it once. Funny. It’s all about the kiddies on holiday isn’t it. There definitely isn’t a moment to just sit and concentrate on a book. I know it will come, as the kids get older, but I definitely don’t want to wish this time away!!! So books seem to be a non starter for us at the minute.

I did however, manage to sneak a few crocheting projects with me into the beach bag each day. Most got covered in sand and possibly sun cream, but they seem to have survived.

It’s normal right to bring 4 projects on holiday with you isn’t it? Well I did and yes I did work on each of them. Some more than others!! I managed quite a lot on my silk infinity scarf. This was the silk yarn that I brought from the wonderful Abby at OrchideanYarns. It’s so utterly gorgeous.

It has the most incredible bluey/lilacy colours all intwined together with hints of forget me knot and periwinkle blue and even hydrangea. My Gran used to love these colours. I swear her whole bedroom was a shower of pale blues! So here’s how I am getting on. Can’t wait to share the pattern with you all.

Another of Abby wonderful yarns that found it’s way into our holiday bag was her beautiful Hydrangea Platinum Sock Yarn that was part of her monthly Ōilyarns Club.

My daughter managed to twist my arm and I ended up designing and making her a pair of socks. She had a grin from ear to ear when they found their way onto her feet one morning!! And I did think it was rather apt, that in Cornwall the one flower that you seem to be surrounded by each day, is the beautiful hydrangea!!

And of course I had to bring my Seaside shawl along!! This little lady has been following me around for a year or so now.

The only rule is as some of you may know is that I can only work on it when I am by the sea. It’s a bit of an issue though as I keep taking other projects with me when I we go away, so it doesn’t seem to get finished!

Heyho, I quite like the long process! I wonder how many holidays I can stretch it over!!

And finally my little cashmere number. This scrumptious little baby is just too good to be left behind. I brought it from the wonderful Wool Warehouse website. It wasn’t cheap, but by golly it’s soft and will be so so soft around ones neck. Hoping to get going with it more soon and share the pattern with you, as hoping it will keep my neck warm this winter!!!

So back to my Using Up Year and I couldn’t resist designing a little turtle. My husband and son have you some rather smart matching swim shorts that my mother in law bought for them. They are rather special and have a little friendly turtle all over them in the colours yellow, blue and green. Even though both of them brought different swim shorts, it was their matching pair that came out everyday and was washed every night ready for the next seaside adventure. Bless!!! Will share my little turtle pattern with you guys within a week or two.

Anyways, wishing you all a lovely rest of the week.

Here’s to all you holidays makers. May your holiday be a mix of fun, magic, love, family time and laughter. (And of course a spot of crocheting!!)

Happy hooking chaps!!

🌈Xx

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2018 CAL - Year of the Stitches Blanket

Year of the Stitches Week 30 – Ridged String Network

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Ridged String Network

Holibobs!!! Well what a week. We have been on what I can probably call – our yearly trip to Cornwall. And oh have we had fun. It’s been such a fun, family filled holiday. It’s one of those, when the main aim of the holiday is to chill, yet you cram in as much adventure as possible. We did chill, but only as much as you can with two little bods in tow!

We spent the week in Talland Bay, which is terribly picturesque! It has a little beach, with a wonderful Beach Cafe and lots of little coves and rock pools that need exploring.

One of the days, we headed out on the coastal path to Polperro, which is a quaint little coastal town. We first came across it in February last year, when we stayed in the area. It has a lovely little cafe at the top of the harbour. Couldn’t resist a croissant/cappuccino stop here, after a rather long walk.

It’s definitely worth a visit, if you are in the area.

Have you ever been crabbing? My daughter was so excited when we went. She managed to catch a whopping 13 crabs, but apparently my sister has caught 24!! So we have some catching up to do!

So this week, I have been concentrating on my 4ply sock pattern. Think it’s coming along. The first sock, wasn’t so good. It seemed rather long and the heel was a little weird, but this second one seems better. So hope I can get it published for you guys as soon as possible. I am really hoping to make them for birthday pressies and Christmas pressies. But we shall see. (Note the very sandy crocheting picture below – goodness sand gets everywhere, doesn’t it!)

Think I need to get an order in with HeyJayYarn, so I can make some more super soft sock yarn.

A certain little Uni Unicorn had her first adventure this week. She definitely had quite a few trips to the beach. Makes me so happy when a little PipsRainbow creation is loved and cherished so much. Apparently, another little Uni Unicorn went on their holibobs the other day too. Love how they are finding their way in the world.

Now, just look at that window. This was in our local Beach Cafe in Talland Bay. It definitely stopped me for six!!

I mean, what a view. I walked in and there it was!!! A place to sit, drink tea, eat a few cream teas and above all, crochet!!! I mean, there was even a vase of crocheted flowers in the corner – what could be more perfect!

It just screamed sit down and crochet!

As a family of four, we sat down and shared a bowl of ice cream. My daughter was in her element, slurping and licking yummy ice cream and my son, well, he knows what ice cream is now and was trying every which way to try and sample this creamy delight. Oh and did I mention that he was trying to escape out the window at the same time as well. Haha! What is he like – my little explorer. It was at this moment, when another family of four walked past. Two boys, a dad and his wife. The two kids were screaming for ice cream, the dad was laden down with all sorts of beach fanalia and all the mum wanted was a family photo!! Haha – the dad looked across into the window and caught my eye – within a split second, he had made a facial expression to me of what can only be described as – ‘REALLY – she wants to capture this moment!!!’ Haha, bless him. He was not impressed and seemed to realise that I knew how he felt!! Funny. Amazing how a simple look can communicate something to a complete stranger. I looked back and gave him that knowing smile!!! She took her photo, with all 3 of them being grumpy and off they went!! She was happy, at least.

Well in that moment, I looked at my happy little family, sharing their ice cream and giggling. I looked out of the window at the view and I was so utterly utterly thank you of them and my family holiday. There was definitely no grumpiness here. It was in this moment – I vowed to myself, I would come back and sit in this window one day with my latest project and crochet hook. Whether it be on a family holiday, with the kids in the water, splashing away happily or one of them is sitting beside me or even just with my most dearest, most wonderfullest husband in the world, sitting beside me. I will come back here to crocheted. Promise made – July 2018.

Another little place we visited was a little harbour called Mevagissey. It was a quaint little place.

Loving the little boats and all the different colours and boat names. Some people have some funny ideas about boat names. One was called Girl Rachel. I mean, surely everyone knows that Rachel is a girls name!!! Funny!!! I reckon PipsRainbow would be a good name for a boat, wouldn’t it!!!

Does anyone else have a project that just keeps on going? I can’t seem to finish this one. It’s my Seaside Shawl. I’ve realised that I only seem to work on it, when I’m near the sea. I reckon I should keep it that way. It will truly be my Seaside Shawl then. This week, it found its way out on to Harlyn Bay. Now, I say it made its way out – it was literally minutes!!! It was pouring down and the wind was about 25mph! Luckily on shore! When I took this picture the ball of wool kept falling over, it was that windy!!! But yeah I managed a couple of stitches, whilst a little lady and her daddy were catching waves and my little man was having fun pretending to drive his Daddy’s car!! Maybe, the next beach this little Seaside Shawl sees, I might have chance to crochet a few rows instead of stitches!!

So, think we had better get onto the blanket.

Supplies –

So once again I have used wool from the lovely Rowan range. It’s a stunning deep red colour. I was hoping it would represent my feelings and love and luckiness that we have had a super family holiday together. It’s so very precious isn’t it. I think so many people I know seem to take family holidays for granted or think it’s their right to go on holiday!! Well I for one, feel extremely lucky to have had this week, with just us 4. We have chilled, enjoyed each other’s company and had some super adventures!!! Just what a summer holiday should be about!! Happy days.

So once again you will need about 30-40g of double knit yarn and not forgetting your 4mm crochet hook, scissors and blunt ended tapestry needle to sew in the ends.

Stitches –

Chain (ch) – To make a chain, place the yarn over the hook then pull it through the loop on your hook.

Back Loop Double Crochet – So basically to work a back loop double crochet, you need to insert your hook into the back loop only of the next stitch, then yarn over, as usual, pull through and the yarn over and pull the 2 loops. (So basically it’s a double crochet stitch, but workin th first part of the stitch in th from part only.)

Ridged String Network – This stitch is a very simple stitch. So basically you chain 3, miss 3 stitches and then work 1dc in the back loop of the next stitch. It’s as simple as that.

Ok so here we go …

1 – Attach your yarn and chain 1 onto the right side of your blanket. Work 1dc in the same stitch. *Now chain 3, miss 3 stitches and work 1dc in the 1tr stitch in the row below.*

Repeat ** across the row.

Work 1dc in the last tr stitch in the row. (200)

2 – Turn your work and chain 1. Then work 1dc in the back loop of the same stitch.

*Now chain 3, miss 3 stitches and work 1dc in the back loop of the dc stitch from the row below.* Repeat this **across the whole row.

Finishing by working 1dc in the back loop of the last dc stitch in the row below. (200)

3 – Repeat row 2. So turn your work and chain 1. Then work 1dc in the back loop of the same stitch. *Now chain 3, miss 3 stitches and work 1dc in the back loop of the dc stitch from the row below.* Repeat this ** across the whole row. Finish by working 1dc in the back loop of the last dc stitch in the row below. (200)

4 – Repeat row 2. So turn your work and chain 1. Then work 1dc in the back loop of the same stitch. *Now chain 3, miss 3 stitches and work 1dc in the back loop of the dc stitch from the row below.* Repeat this ** across the whole row. Finish by working 1dc in the back loop of the last dc stitch in the row below. (200)

5 – Repeat row 2. So turn your work and chain 1. Then work 1dc in the back loop of the same stitch. *Now chain 3, miss 3 stitches and work 1dc in the back loop of the dc stitch from the row below.* Repeat this ** across the whole row. Finish by working 1dc in the back loop of the last dc stitch in the row below. (200)

6 – Repeat row 2. So turn your work and chain 1. Then work 1dc in the back loop of the same stitch. *Now chain 3, miss 3 stitches and work 1dc in the back loop of the dc stitch from the row below.* Repeat this ** across the whole row. Finish by working 1dc in the back loop of the last dc stitch in the row below. (200)

7 – Repeat row 2. So turn your work and chain 1. Then work 1dc in the back loop of the same stitch. *Now chain 3, miss 3 stitches and work 1dc in the back loop of the dc stitch from the row below.* Repeat this ** across the whole row. Finish by working 1dc in the back loop of the last dc stitch in the row below. (200)

And there you have the lovely Ridged String Network stitch. Hope you have enjoyed this one. I reckon it would bea great stitch fro a shopping bag of some description – hmmm, now that needs thinking about …

Happy hooping everyone.

🌈Xx

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