Pattern Testing - "Bubbles" Yarn Cakes Baby Blanket

Hello lovely people, I have a new project ready for testing.  This one is suitable for beginners and is made using Caron Cakes yarn.  The pattern is super easy and testing will take place over on Ravelry at The Testing Pool.  If you would like to take part prior testing experience is not necessary, just head on over to the testing page and sign up.

Caron Cakes have so many scrumptious colours to choose from, making just one blanket is never an option for me...

Look forward to hearing from you

Catherine

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Pattern Testing - Mini Hot Water Bottle Cover

Hello everyone.  I have a new pattern ready for testing.  This one is perfect if you want to get a head start on presents for Christmas.  It is for this very simple knitted hottie cover.  I have used Drops Eskimo yarn, which is a super soft, super chunky wool.  The cover knits up in just a couple of hours and features cute pom pom ties.

If you would like to take part in testing this pattern please head on over to The Testing Pool over at Ravelry, where the test will take place.  You don't need to be an experienced tester and only need know the basic knitting stitches and be familiar working in the round. 

Look forward to hearing from you and happy knitting

Catherine

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Little T's Garden

Hello friends.  I have been meaning to write this post for quite some time, but with one thing and another it has gotten pushed to the side and forgotten.  This heatwave that has been going on for what seems like forever, has finally broken and I am loving the freshness of the air and the sound of the raindrops outside my window.  This gives me the perfect opportunity to take some time to write on my blog.

Everything is growing really well this year with all the hot weather.  It has taken some considerable efforts to keep everything watered though and little T has been very helpful on that front.  As you all know we do not have a garden at home and so our allotment garden has become our haven and we love to spend as much time there as possible.  Mostly little T likes to sit in a shady spot and read while I get on with the gardening.  He does love to help with planting new things though and has asked for his own "bit of earth".  So we decided to make a small bed for little T to call his own.  We have chosen to implement the square foot gardening method, this way he can grow lots of different kinds of vegetables all in a small space...

How to make a square foot garden

We built a 4 foot square raised bed purchased from Amazon.  The planks easily slotted together with a bit of help from a rubber mallet.  The bed was placed directly onto the weedy grass so we covered the bottom with a mixture of old cardboard and newspaper (this blocks out the weeds).  We then added some mostly rotted homemade compost in the bottom and topped it off with a couple of bags of bought compost.  

We added small nails at 1 foot increments and then made a square foot grid with some twine. 

Little T added his chosen plants...

Cabbage and strawberries...

...  and found a furry caterpillar hiding in the grass.

Have any of you tried the square foot gardening method?  Please let me know in the comments below...

Take care

Catherine

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Recipe - Bramble Berry Vodka

This hot weather has been doing crazy things to our berry patch at the kitchen garden.  We have so many berries ready for picking and many more ripening on the bushes.  Little T has been really enjoying picking them and enjoying the berry crumbles even more. 

A couple of years ago I made some blackberry vodka and it was delicious, so I thought I might have a go at a mixed berry version.  He's how I made it...

Bramble Berry Vodka

You will need...

A few handfuls of berries (we used blackberries and the mystery berries, you can read about them here)

Sugar to taste (around 150 g)

Vodka (the cheap kind is fine)

A large jar

First give the berries a good wash...

...then add them to your jar...

...tip in the sugar...

...and cover with vodka.  

Give the jar a good shake and leave in a cool dark place for a few weeks shaking every day until the sugar is dissolved.

When your vodka is ready it will be look all gorgeous and berry coloured.  It can now be strained and bottled.  Be sure to have a little taste to check for sweetness and adjust if necessary (you might need to test a few times just to be sure).  Oh and try not to drink it all at once...

What's your favourite thing to make with summer berries?  I would love to hear in the comments below...

Enjoy!

Catherine

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Pattern Testing - Granny Square Summer Bonnet

Hello everyone!  I have a new pattern ready for testing.  It is a cute granny square baby bonnet perfect for keeping little ones cool in this hot weather we are having.  This is the first of 3 sun hat patterns and will be released as part of an e-book. 

Granny Square Summer Bonnet

If you would like to take part in testing this adorable pixie style sun hat, head on over to The Testing Pool on Ravelry where the test will be taking place.  You need not be an experienced tester or crocheter.  This pattern is suitable for beginners and I will be available to help all the way through the process.

Enjoy the sunshine!

Catherine

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Pattern Testing - Gingham and Daisies Baby Blanket

Hello everyone, I have a new pattern ready for testing.  It is a cute baby blanket featuring a lovely gingham pattern dotted with daisies.  What new baby wouldn't look gorgeous wrapped up in this?  

If you would be interested in helping to test this blanket you can sign up here on my Facebook page or head on over to The Testing Pool on Ravelry.  All testers will receive a free pattern chosen from my store as compensation.  You don't need to be an experienced tester as long as you have some crochet experience I can help you with anything else you need to know...

Look forward to hearing from you

Catherine

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This pattern can be found in my Etsy Store...

Lullaby Lodge Kitchen Garden - June

With this gorgeous weather we have been having recently, things seem to be finally taking off at the allotment.  What with the really cold winter and late start to spring and also the pesky birds and slugs, we haven't had much growing this year so far.  We have had a few strawberries but everything else has been playing catch up...  Even though we have not had any great harvest, it is lovely just to sit in the kitchen garden and enjoy the sunshine.  Living in a small flat really makes me appreciate the space we have at our allotment.

Last year (our first year of growing) was a constant battle with the weeds.  One which I cannot say we won...  So this year we are trying things a little differently and keeping the majority of the ground covered in black plastic.  We have a lot of perennial weeds to tend with including bindweed and nettles.  Also the previous tenant was growing horseradish which has spread over most of the plot.  It puts out really deep tap roots and is impossible to dig up.  I am hoping a year or 2 of the black plastic will eradicate the worst part of our weedy problems.

So lets take a little look at what is growing on our plot right now...

Planted through the black plastic we have a number of yellow zucchini (courgettes) and come patty pans.  Aren't the zucchini flowers so lovely and cheerful.

This plant is just about ready for it's first harvest.

The bush beans are flowering and just starting to make their tiny baby beans.

In the mini green house we have tomatoes, aubergines (eggplant), chillies and bell peppers.  

We inherited a number of bramble bushes which didn't fruit last year as they had been cut right back to the ground.  So we have been waiting excitedly for a whole year to see what they would be.  This one I believe is some kind of raspberry and blackberry cross perhaps a Loganberry or Tayberry?  If anyone knows please do let me know in the comments below...

The pretty blackberry flowers are rapidly turning to berries and I can't wait to start harvesting.  I can see lots of jam making in the future.

Looking forward to our first real harvest and sharing more pictures from our kitchen garden soon.

Ta ta for now

Catherine

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