About Me

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United Kingdom
Hi there & welcome to Annie's Place. A place inspired by and named after my late Grandmother Annie. Somewhere I can be creative, and share my love for all things handmade. I like nothing better than sitting with hook & yarn, crafting something home spun & completely unique, or rustling up some yummy baked goodies. I live in a town with a beautiful embankment, situated on the River Great Ouse. You may know me as CosyKitty on Ravelry. Why not stop a while.....?!!

Sunday 28 July 2013

Fibre East 2013

Sadly, I've hardly picked up my crochet hook this past week. It's been far too hot for any hooky action, so I've neglected my many projects in favour of more cooler pursuits.


But fear not dear readers, I still have something yarn-tastic to share with you! You see, Fibre East came to town this weekend. Being a hop-skip-and-jump from home, I just couldn't miss it. The venue for this years celebration of all things fibre related was Redborne  Upper School and Community College in Ampthill. 


I arrived in anticipation, excited to see the many exhibitors. I duly paid my £6 entry fee, and made my way inside to explore. 


Even though I had a limited budget, I got so much pleasure out of just perusing each stand, and chatting to the lovely people selling their wares. One of which was the very friendly Helen from Woolly Chic. There was an abundance of yummy yarns to play with, so I took every opportunity to have a good squeeze. What a visual feast it was!


The chance to experience some sheep sheering was an extra treat. It really is an art, and I give the shearers all credit for the way they handle their woolly friends. I can imagine the sheep were quite grateful to lose their coats as it was particularly sticky in the heat.


I really didn't know what to take home as a souvenir of my visit, but after much deliberation I plumped for some Drops Alpaca from Nest, some 4 Ply from Blacker Yarns, and some Wool from The Knitting Gift Shop

I returned home happy, happy, happy!

x x x x x x x

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Park Life

I'm sure it hasn't escaped the notice of all the overseas visitors to 'Annie's Place' that the UK has been basking in sunshine this past few weeks. Being of the fair & freckly persuasion I have to be ultra careful not to get sun burnt, so I inevitably gravitate toward the shade of the nearest tree, with my trusty bottle of Evian by my side. I love the sun, but sadly the sun doesn't love me. With an Irish mother and Scottish father, I suppose I was genetically predisposed.


I'm really enjoying this prolonged spell of hot weather, and have managed to steal a few moments here and there to do some public hooking. That sounds a bit dodgy doesn't it? It really isn't you know!? I filled a bag with yarn, and headed for the park ready to crochet up some more Happy Flower Blocks. I almost had the whole park to myself, just a few dog walkers and me. The colours of the blocks really came to life under the dappled light of the trees. It was pure pleasure to be outside, in the sun, surrounded by yarn, trees and birdsong. Bliss.

The forecasters are saying this dry spell could last for a number of weeks yet, so I plan on making the most of it. One place that definitely warrants a visit is Rushmere Country Park. It really was by pure accident that I came across this place, and I'm so glad I did. 


Set high on a hill in the village of Heath & Reach is this wonderful woodland paradise. It's a really magical place, where you can escape for hours under the enormous canopy of trees. I'm almost reluctant to share it with the world, as it's really unspoilt and relatively quiet. Considering the blistering heat we've been afforded, I would've thought it would've been over run with people. The only indicator to those that had found this secret spot was the visitors book, that had been signed by people from all over the place, from Europe and beyond. So why oh why didn't I know about this place?!


Truth be told, one of the volunteer guides whom I spoke to said that very few locals even know of it's existence, as this part of the Stockgrove Estate has only been open to the public since 2011. There is a thriving heronry there also, and I had the privilege of viewing them nesting with their young through the telescope, positioned on the decking at the visitor's centre. 

A cafe has recently been opened, with seating inside and out, serving an array of refreshments. It overlooks the most spectacular vista.  The staff are super friendly, and I was happy to support their fledgling venture by purchasing some tea and cake (*cough cough* like I need an excuse). It's only £2 to park for the whole day, and with hundreds of acres to explore it's a great place for picnicing, or a nature ramble with the kids. I think you can tell I'm pretty enamoured by this place! 

One last thing I must mention. I was so tempted to have a sneaky go on that slide you can see pictured above. It looked like so much fun, but was strictly prohibited to big kids like me. How very boring I say!!

Well, I'll stop jabbering and 
thank you for reading.

I'm really glad you stopped by.....

x x x x x 

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Maisie Flower How-To

After receiving so many wonderful comments about my 'Maisie Flower', I decided to waste no time in sharing this pattern with you. I'm really hoping it all makes sense and that the pictorial guide gives you more help than just words. I'm sure most of you would be able to interpret this pattern from the visuals alone, but the added written instructions on each photo should make it much clearer for those who are a bit less confident. 

I've tried my very best to make this as 
easy to follow as possible, but should 
you find any mistakes please let me know. 
I'm learning too, so please be gentle! x

Just click on the images for a more detailed view.

UK TERMS






I really hope you enjoy this tutorial, 
as much as I enjoyed making it for you?!!




Bye for now
x x x

Please find below larger individual pics (just click on image)
should you require a more detailed view.

Maisie Flower Tutorial 



































Joining Maisie Flower Below





Maisie Flower - Multiple Joining Points Below




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