The winter is over!/Der Winter ist vorbei!

It's been a long and cold and ugly winter, but now I feel spring is on its way, with more warmth to come.

As I took my coffee cup outside yesterday, to sit a while in the garden, I discovered the first early spring flowers persistently digging their way up through the wet soil, and I saw the first honey bees flying around.

I'm truly sorry for having neglected you and my blog for such a long period now - it's been a difficult time and my energy resources have been very low.

But now I'm back again, hoping to find you still being there ...

For Christmas, I had an exciting surprice parcel from Elizabeth at Landanna - she had used some of my materials to embroider this beautiful one-of-a-kind textile rune stone:



It is embroidered with black and red linen thread on woolen cloth, then mounted on a knitted red background - I'm really impressed by this perfect solution! (Read her own blog posting here.)

And a fortnight ago, I had Sara visiting me and we spent a relaxed, yet inspiring week together, talking, working, making future plans ...

She brought this gorgeous cushion as a birthday present:



It's a combination of punching, patchwork and embroidery on wool and I adore it! (You can read about the details in her own blog entry here.)

What a joy receiving such beautiful gifts from two such talented and wonderful friends!

Sara is now starting a new blog called 'Sheezo, Frenya and the little lamb', which is divided into three parts, corresponding to her main art work.

My blog will remain being a mixture of the different things I'm doing and discovering.

Lately, I've been knitting and crocheting a lot and have quite some projects on the go. I've kept on experimenting with variegated sock wool, but I have also found some new and exciting other colourful yarns which I'd like to show you. There will also be some lace knitting, a moebius, necklaces, flowers, starfish and recycling knitting - well, I hope it will be of interest to you!

I shall be posting again within the next few days.

(German summary:

Der elendlange Winter ist endlich vorbei und ich fasse Mut für einen Neustart. Von meinen Freundinnen Elizabeth und Sara habe ich diese wundervollen Geschenke bekommen, Details dazu gibt es auf ihren eigenen Blogs.

Ich habe recht viel gestrickt und gehäkelt während den letzten Wochen, und habe mit allen möglichen Techniken und Farben herumexperimentiert - mehr dazu in Kürze!)

Emily's green and orange bag/Emily's grünorange Tasche

My daughter Emily celebrated her 11th birthday today and she had asked me to make her a small bag in her favourite colours green-orange-and black.

I spun the wool, plied it with an orange thread, knitted it - except for the black edge and the strap, which are crocheted - and finally punched it with the embellisher (but only from the front side). I found a lovely flower button to suit it as well!

She had also asked for a scarf some time ago, so I crocheted it (with sock wool!) in the green and orange colour scheme as well ...

When she got it this afternoon, she was so happy and content and wore it the rest of the day - it's a wonderful thing to do something for her, as she appreciates it so very much ... I'm a very lucky mum!



I'm also knitting on my 'Stone Age Project' - I guess it's going to be a sweater when it's ready - although I've been thinking about doing a pullunder with loose sleeves to button on, too ... don't know yet. Nevertheless, it's a funny way spinning small amounts out of the raw wool, then winding it onto the niddy-noddy, washing it several times in hot soap water, drying, winding into balls, knitting - and spinning again ...

The wool turns out very soft, very natural, clean but with a tiny, tiny smell of sheep, which I must admit I love, if it's discrete enough ...



I've also found a gorgeous book, a bible for all knitters who want to work freely, not wanting to be bound by rigid knitting patterns and special yarns recommended but shaping their own personal sweaters:



And tomorrow Sara is coming ...!

(German summary: Meine Tochter Emily hat sich zu ihrem 11. Geburtstag eine von mir gemachte Tasche und einen Schal in ihren Lieblingsfarben gewünscht. Die Tasche ist hauptsächlich gestrickt - aus selbstgesponnener Wolle -, ein kleiner Teil gehäkelt, dann mit dem Embellisher gepuncht/verfilzt. Ich stricke auch an meinem Steinzeitpullover - d.h. ich spinne die Rohwolle direkt, so wie sie ist, dann erst wasche ich sie und stricke weiter ...)