What Katie Did

Happy Mother's Day

To everyone's Mother, but especially mine... Have a happy day Mum

The Hexham Knitting Group

I would like this site to be the home page for the Hexham Knitting Group too. We have been meeting for over a year now and have moved homes about three times. I think we have found our ideal location now, so every Tuesday afternoon from about 1.00pm, we meet upstairs in Cafe Nero in Hexham. (Northumberland)(UK)

There are knitters of all ages and abilities , it is such fun to meet together to share yarn and patterns. The more experienced knitters bale out the new knitters problems. It is one of m y favourite days each week.

All welcome if you are anywhere nearby?

A anfternoon in the shed

I  am very fortunate to have my own lovely workshop in the old bike shed next to our house. Geoff and I spent most weekends last autumn renovating it and now it is a wonderful place to create things. I painted it green pink and purple, which may sound awful, but it works.

Well, one of the main reasons why I wanted to start this blog is to show anyone who is interested the mats I make. I have been reading craft blogs for ages and have not yet found anyone who makes hooky or proggy mats and blogs about them - if you are out there please contact me!

I was taught by Ali Rhind, a real, professional mat maker. Unlike Ali, I just play at it, but I love the effects I can achieve by combining colours and simple design.

Here are yesterday afternoons efforts.

The hessian is stretched onto the frame and the image drawn on with marker pen.

Then the outline and first colour are hooked in. I LOVE going to jumble sales and I am fortunate to live in the north east of

England

where these are still a fairly regular occurrence. For about a fiver I come home with bags full of fleeces and old jumpers in glorious colours. It is very addictive.

This looks blue, but it is really a deep turquiosey colour. One of the things I love about matting is the chance to put fabulous colours together in a really zingy way. I am not very subtle with colour!

I am not so sure about the yellow now, though Ali always says that once the hessian is turned back and sewn out of sight the whole things looks better. But the beauty of matting is that I can change my mind and easily take it out and try ..... purple? green? what do you think?

for scale it is about 7 inches square.

This is the pink end of my shed with the mat frame and my chair. Mum, you are going to come and sit on that sofa one afternoon in the spring and do some sewing with me. I'm sure you've got a bit of sewing you could bring?

Norma and Poppy

Yesterday the cat came back. she left home about a year ago when the new puppy arrived, but last night she was sitting on the doorstep crying to be fed just like she always did. She looks wonderful, so someone has been caring for her. That dog has a lot to answer for.

take a deep breath and jump!

Well, I have been dithering about this decision for so long and I have finally taken the plunge. I have joined the weblog world that I have enjoyed reading for so long now. And I want to be part of it at last!

I would like this space to be where I share the things I like to make and the thoughts about life in general. I think my friends and family might like some of this and I wonder if you will enjoy reading about my thoughts and creations as much as I have enjoyed dipping into yours? I am sure you will tell me!

so - hello from me - and forgive me while I get the hang of typepad - my first excursion into this kind of writing.