Saturday, 12 September 2026

 It has been a pleasant week here with some rain and some sunshine, a trip out and friends visiting.

First up though my Stitch Journal for the week and I have been playing with blanket stitch variations.


I have given up with the scrappy squares knitting project - having tried various needle variations and not getting the effect I wanted I am not wasting any more time on it. So I have been concentrating on my crochet jumper and my socks in the evenings.


For my Chookshed Challenge this month I am working on this kit that was passed to me a couple of years ago.


When I opened it up I was suprised to find that the pattern was printed onto black cloth and I was not supplied with the calico and pattern to trace as the instructions said. However, the threads are vibrant and I think that they will look good on the black.


And I have been working on this but it does need good light as it is fine!


We had a clear day this week and headed out to visit Dunster castle, however we hit roadworks and a large traffic jam so we diverted to Watchet another of our favourite places to visit. We found a new to us antiques shop and spent a while browsing as well as in the community book shop. Watchet has a 40's weekend this weekend and all the shop windows were decorated with a 40's theme. Then we walked across to the East Quay arts centre for lunch - a delicious bowl of spiced sweet potato and coconut soup. It was not a cold day but it was overcast and a bowl of soup seemed apropriate. Then a walk out along the quay past the marina. 


The tide was out but this lock holds water in to the marina.


I always love seeing this Samuel Taylor Coleridge quote from The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner.


Despite being an overcast day you could still see across the channel to Wales and Steep Holm (that black dash to the right on the horizon).


Walking back you get a great view of the arts centre which was opened within the last 10 years and has become a busy local centre with galleries, workshops and paper mill and which runs events and craft workshops.


There are also three accomodation pods - the three units in the middle with sail like roofs. Look carefully and you can see the bathroom of the centre one which has a splendid view of the marina and town.



Happy stitching and I will see you next week.

10 comments:

  1. Yikes! I'm not too sure I'd like all that openness in my bathroom! Lol! I love your Challenge project and think it'll look beautiful on (what looks to me) the charcoal-colored fabric. Sorry you had to abort the squares but, on the other hand, your socks look great! What pattern are you using and is it available on Ravelry? Have a lovely week. Wonder where the two of you will wander ....

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  2. Looks like a great day out. That stitchery does look bright, how strange to find different fabric.

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  3. You gave the squares a good go.... sometimes it really isn't worth keeping at it. Love the socks! The new embroidery will be very striking on that dark background. Another great day out, well observed with the bathroom.
    Hugz

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  4. That is very interesting architecture. The accomodations pods are fascinating. It looked like a great day trip.
    I love the yarn for your sock.

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  5. The new challenge piece is very pretty! You are a gardener on fabric as well as in the dirt. Your alternate adventure looks interesting, and the soup sounds delicious!

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  6. The stitches in your journal look fabulous.
    Pretty kit you are now working on.

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  7. Love the colour of your socks, Lin. :-)
    That stitchery will be quite striking and I look forward to seeing it completed. Was it preprinted on the fabric? Beautiful scenery in your travels again!

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  8. Dear Lin, your embroidery diary is beautiful as always :-)) and the colors of your stitching look completely different on the dark fabric compared to the light one – don't you think?
    It looks really good.
    Thanks for your photos from Watchet; it’s always a joy to see the ships, the sea, and a lighthouse. That living pod at the art center is really fun, with the bathtub offering a full view of the sea... wow.
    Best regards, Viola

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  9. Like Susie, I'm not sure about the bath with the view - having a view is fine, being the view, not so much! But it does seem you had a lovely day!

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  10. I think abandoning the scrappy squares was a good move. There really much more fun things in this world. The new stitchery will be nice once completed, despite not being what you expected. Your day out and bowl of soup sound good. I think I’d feel somewhat vulnerable in that bathroom.

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