Monday 5 December 2016

Memorandum Monday: Hello Old Friend


It was a companionable weekend here, this last one: the kind which adds to that Here's December! feeling. There's the doorbell! Quick! Turn on the twinkling lights!

For on Friday afternoon I had received two messages: one from my dear friend and fellow blogger Alexa, of Trimming the Sails, asking if we'd be about the next morning for a flying visit; and one from Studentland, asking if we'd be around on Sunday. Yes! Yes! we said; and we went to the attic and brought down the fairy lit garlands with which we brighten our very dark stairs over Christmas (and beyond, if I can get away with it). 


And Alexa, and her lovely husband, came and we ate Dundee cake and chatted; and then, for the first time (because you knew there had to be one in there somewhere) I was able to leaf through one of Alexa's stunning photo books. You can read about this one on her blog. It's a beautiful thing to hold in the hands: put together with such care and love and no little skill. Thank you, Alexa, for letting me see! And for making time to visit on a short, busy trip.

But wait: on Sunday I managed another first. I finished another sweater and its owner came from Studentland to collect it: the first one I've knitted on the suggestion of a friend. It's well over a year now - maybe two? - since Fiona linked me up with the Kate Davies Owl Sweater. I thought it was clever and beyond what I knew how to do and it was then; but that was before I learned how to knit a sweater on circular needles. It turned out to be very straightforward, thanks to a clearly written pattern, and fast, thanks to the chunky wool (Rowan British Sheep Breeds).


The trickiest part was in the finding of thirty two - count 'em - tiny buttons to fit onto the faces of sixteen cabled owls. After a bit of thinking I decided to use buttons cut from old white school shirts; and now I like the idea of her wearing a little bit of her old uniform as her new one. 

So that was my weekend. We stayed away from the shops and stayed in with friends. Oh, look:


there we are, colour coordinating just for you. How was your weekend? Anything new?

Maybe you'd like to make a memo, for Monday, just as  Deb, Helena, Mary-Lou, Ladkyis, Maggie, Barbara, Mitra and Alexandra did last week. Go on, give 'em a wave! And have a good week.

25 comments:

Patio Postcards said...

Such a merry making weekend. Lovely photo of you & Alexa together - ah such cheery ladies. Student grin with pride of a beautiful new sweater. Who wouldn't want to open the front door to be greeted with either of those lovely faces!

Owls, sweaters, students - all I can think of is Hogwarts. You could start quite a little sweater making operation with that pattern.

Happy week ahead.

Ladkyis said...

Lovely, happy pictures! that's just what we need on a chilly Monday morning. I love smiles, they make any day much brighter.

Susanne said...

How fun that the two of you got together again. And your student is looking very smart and wise in her new sweater. Have a happy week, Sian.

Ruth said...

What a marvellous weekend! How lovely that Alexa had time to stop by and that TNSSO made it home, however briefly. That owl sweater is simply stunning; it looks wonderful and I bet you get a few students wanting to place orders.

Maggie said...

How lovely to meet up and I do like that owl sweater.

Julie Kirk said...

Not jealous. Nope. Not at all. (I did think 'aha ... we have a uniform ... even before you mentioned the colour-coordination!)

What an absolutely lovely sounding weekend you've had - and so rightly deserved.

Not just the lights that were twinkling there - lovely happy photos.

Happy Monday to you and yours. xxx

Fiona@Staring at the Sea said...

Oh, how I love those owls. What a fantastic job you've made of it. TNSSO must be delighted with it. I smiled at your salvaged shirt buttons. I have a whole tub of them here, but ours are pale blue.

Lovely to see you and Alexa smiling from the page as well. Your post is a perfect Monday afternoon pick-me-up for this girl who is flagging a little now!

Eileen T said...

The owl jumper is lovely, well done. It really suits TNSSO.

Ali said...

Lovely post!! How fab to meet a bloggy friend in real life!! I think I have a pattern for mittens to match that jumper hmmm I wonder where it is I'll have to try and find it x have a great week xx

alexandra s.m. said...

What a lovely post and a treat to see you three!
Thank You for sharing~

Lizzie said...

How exciting, to have two lovely visits in one weekend! I love that great photo of you and Alexa, both smiling and happy.
The new jumper is beautiful. The owls are a great idea and I bet it gets loads of compliments at the university.

alexa said...

It was a pleasure to be welcomed by you both, Sian! and we were so delighted to be able to pop in. I can tell everyone that the jumper is as stunning in real life as it is in the photo :). (And the stair garland is pretty ace too).

Jo said...

It sounds and looks like a really lovely weekend. That sweater looks brilliant!

debs14 said...

What a fabulous weekend! I love seeing photos of blog friends meeting up, I bet you had a lovely chat.
That jumper looks as beautiful as the student wearing it! I bet she's thrilled with it, it looks like it fits perfectly.

Cheri said...

The sweater is absolutely gorgeous! Your skills have definitely come a long way from being a beginner and I'm quite impressed. My own little foray back into crochet didn't last long - turns out it really aggravates the arthritis in my hands. ugh. :( Love the photo of you & Alexa - the two of you look so happy!!!

Sandie said...

That sounds a perfect weekend and how lovely to see you together with Alexa. The owl jumper is lovely, it looks perfect on your student. Hoping the fairy lights shine brightly on you and yours.

Susan said...

That sweater is wonderful and I love that special touch of recycling the buttons. I've been enjoying our own tree lights - they definitely add a little magical twinkle to the house.

Karen said...

Oh, how delightful was your weekend!!! Lucky you, to get a visit from Alexa and your daughter. That sweater is gorgeous, and I'm quite sure it wasn't anywhere as easy as you describe it.

Lizzy Hill said...

Oh my GOSH! You and Alexa look like sisters. Like 2 peas in a pod! How AWESOME!!! And owl be darned! [or knitted....]....that sweater is amazing....SOOOO clever. And looks great on The Model. Particularly like the idea of those buttons!!!

Barbara Eads said...

First off, great pictures! Your weekend sounds like so much fun with those surprise visits. Surprise visits are the best kind as you don' have to stress about everything or work yourself in to a flurry to make everything just right!! But my favorite thing about this post has to be THAT sweater! It is the cutest darn thing I've seen in a long while! Despite what you say about it being pretty easy to knit, it still looks pretty intimidating to me. Also, I love the meaning of those re-purposed buttons. "Owl" leave it there!

Barbara said...

What a great weekend! I love that sweater and using the buttons from the shirts was a good idea, looks like it will be lovely and warm.

Melissa said...

Oh, how FUN that you and Alexa were able to get in a nice visit!! And that sweater turned out perfect. I love the fact that you used some of the old uniform to finish it off!

Mitralee said...

oh those owls! so clever you are!!!

helena said...

I love the owl jumper - funnily one of the woman at my knit / crochet chat group was wearing one last week - great idea to re-cycle the school buttons

Anonymous said...

Lovely sweater! I like that idea of using buttons from her old shirts! How great that you and Alexa got to have a visit

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