Candy Pop Cushion Cover Reveal

Joy of joys I've finally completed my reversible Candy Pop cushion cover! It was a long time coming, but you know me; ever the slowcoach. I finished it late yesterday afternoon, and have placed it on the guest bed for now. I must admit my heart skips a little beat every time I pass by the bedroom and see it sitting there. All done and dusted.

I always feel a great sense of accomplishment whenever I finally get a project finished. For me (being the eternal starter and not finisher) it takes a great deal of effort to create something from scratch, completely hand made. As I'm sure all of you agree a mountain of work goes into making a simple cushion cover. There are hundreds of crochet stitches lovingly worked into each row/square, then there's the joining and finishing off. No mean feat....

It's been a pleasure to make every step of the way. A large granny on one side and 49 small ones on the other. A random selection of yarns in various colours, worked on a 4mm hook (large granny side) and a 3.5mm on the other. Thankfully I must have got the tension right as both sides measured up perfectly. Another blessing being that the large granny remained nice and even, no twisting or wonkiness.

One of the things I love about crochet is how it can look so different in varying light. The colours change depending on the time of day, and the weather of course. Natural light is always the best. I bought a sweet spray of flowers yesterday, and by happy coincidence they really compliment my finished project. The pink Gerbera are so pretty.

So there you have it, my little ta-dah moment. I do hope you feel inspired to put those crochet hooks to work.......enjoy the day xxx

Dorset Dreams & Crochet Seams

Sometimes the best plans are made on a whim. I knew I wanted to escape, to get away and spend a few lazy days (hopefully) in the sun. I kept a close eye on the weather, and trawled the internet for ideas and inspiration on where to stay. I had my heart set on the Dorset Coast, a place I had never visited before. 

So when the opportunity arose to book a midweek stay in a lovely self-contained apartment right on the bay in Lyme Regis, I couldn't resist. Tbh I couldn't believe my luck, as the cost per night was very reasonable. But then again it's still not quite peak holiday season here in the UK and with the school half term over, there was a bargain to be had! 

The particulars on the booking site were more than enough to seduce me anyway. Just the view alone would've sold it to me! So with only days to spare I made the reservation, and hurriedly got on with the business of packing and prepping for my impromptu seaside getaway.

The nearly four hour journey from home was a pleasant one, passing Stonehenge on the way. But as we neared our destination the weather closed in and the clouds began to gather. Luckily we managed to reach the apartment before the storm took hold, offload our luggage and safely park the car in the short stay car park at the end of Marine Parade. The only one downside of this accommodation is the lack of parking, but that's a small price to pay for being right on the beach front.

So our first night was spent hunkered down inside, watching the storm unfurl from the safety and sanctuary of the window seat. I didn't mind one jot that the sea was swollen and angry, it made everything so much more cosy. I literally spent the whole evening just watching the surf tumble onto the shingle until the light completely diminished. But even after dark you could still see the foam rising and rolling toward shore. Scary but exciting at the same time.

When morning broke I thought we would be in for another grey day, but by lunchtime the mist cleared to reveal the most beautiful blue sky and sunshine. The wind was still high so there was a bit of chill in the breeze, so coats were necessary. The views from the bay are really breathtaking, some of the best along the Jurassic Coast. I just kept reminding myself to drink it all in; to savour every moment.

We took long walks along the coastal paths, and marvelled at the dramatic cliff faces. We worked up quite an appetite, so opted for some food on the go in the form of a yummy Cornish Pasty. It was de-li-cious I can tell you. Maybe all that sea air was a contributing factor, but boy did it taste good.

Lyme Regis is such a pretty place. Not only is there the most spectacular coastline to enjoy, but the town itself is peppered with quaint cottages, hidden away on narrow lanes wide enough only to be explored on foot. I'm a sucker for these sorts of places. I could wander aimlessly for hours, nosing at row upon row of these lovely seaside homes.  

The main high street has many lovely shops to peruse. It's set on quite a steep hill, so a bit of a trek up and down, but the views back towards the bay are stunning.

The only place missing was a yarn shop. At least I couldn't find one. Oh what a dream to be able to open a yarn shop by the sea! Where's that lottery ticket???

As each day passed the weather just got better and better. Off with the coats and on with the sun hat and high factor sunscreen. Oh and the ice-cream, did I mention the ice-cream? Honeycomb Heaven and Caramel Clotted Cream were my scoops of choice, in a large waffle cone. Oh yum, I can taste it now......

I took so many photographs that I've found it difficult to choose which to share here. I enjoyed every single moment of being outdoors, soaking up the atmosphere of this quintessentially English seaside resort, affectionately known as the 'Pearl of Dorset'.

I'm so glad I packed some yarn and my latest WIP, as I couldn't have asked for a better spot to sit and crochet away to my heart's content. The best bit of the whole apartment for me was that window seat. I spent many blissful moments there joining up the squares for my Candy Pop Cushion Cover.  It's been slow in the making, but I'm finally on the home straight.

I hope you've enjoyed taking a trip to the seaside with me.....xxxx