Owl Cardigan!

Another cardigan finished for my Grandson. This was made with the same pattern as the teddy bear one but knitted as a complete cardigan without motifs. The owls are crocheted and I bought them in a pack of various colours from a shop called Xenos here in The Netherlands. I did not have enough green to make it all in one colour so I decided to contrast the sleeves and band with purple and added a splash of further colour with the red buttons. I was not sure how it was going to turn out - but I am really happy with it. This was made in size 3 - 6 months.

Paddington Bear!

I love Bears of all kinds. Paddington is a favourite. My husband calls me Paddington often - due to my belongings being in one suitcase - along with me, when I moved here from the UK ( the rest of my things arrived at a later date) - that and the fact I love marmalade sandwiches and marmite even more so (those of you who are in the know regarding Paddington will know that the marmalade sandwiches are now replaced by marmite ones :D )

I made this little guy for my lovely friend here in The Netherlands  as a thank you gift for buying me a wonderful set of crochet hooks and to cheer her up as she is having a bad time of it lately with her health.

The teddy was knitted from a free pattern I found online - there are many that people have kindly submitted. The clothes I designed myself. I crocheted the hat and made the wellington boots from felt. The duffle coat I made from blue felt and I added a hood on the back. The toggles were wooden beads and the leather look accents I made from an old belt - and of course Paddington would not be Paddington without the luggage label tied around his neck with string.

I am really pleased with the way he turned out and my friend loves him.

I'm a Grandma!

It has been a week of events. I started my new job here in The Netherlands as - teaching assistant. This is the job I did back in the UK before I came over to live here. I was under the impression that they do not have them in this country - although they have a few jobs at English speaking schools in the south of Holland. We are in the East of The Netherlands towards the middle really and schools here have never heard of a teaching assistant. My husband is a teacher here and his colleagues asked if I would come in and help the students with their English last year - I really enjoyed helping them. As a result of that being successful - I was offered a more permanent position once a week.

My daughter had her baby on Thursday and my grandson weighed in at 7lb 14 1/2 ounces - a big boy! Both Mum and son are doing really well. I have seen pics of him and a video and he is just gorgeous - so looking forward to seeing him in May.

He has many clothes in the first size but as yet none in the 3 - 6 month size so my knitting and crocheting are centred on bigger sizes from now on. I made him a cardigan with teddies on the front panels which was very quick and simple to do by following the chart for the teddy bears.

It can be knitted as a jumper or a cardigan. I am really pleased with the results.

The pattern can be found online here:


C:\Documents and Settings\Clark\Mijn documenten\patterns\Free Knitting Pattern For Baby Sweater Knit As A Cardigan Or Pullover With A Teddy Bear Motif.mht

The Netherlands remembers the great floods 60 years ago today.

Special events are taking part in many places in the Netherlands on Friday to remember the great floods of 1953, in which over 1,800 people died.

In the early hours of February 1, 1953, dykes in the south of the country broke, and large parts of Zeeland, the Zuid-Holland islands and western Brabant were flooded.
Over 100,000 people lost their homes in the disaster, which was caused by a combination of strong winds and high tides. Some 500 buildings were destroyed and many more were damaged. Almost 200,000 hectares of farmland land was devastated by the salt water.
In the Zuid-Holland village of Oude Tonge, where 305 people lost their lives, there will be a wreath-laying ceremony to remember the dead. Other events take place throughout the affected areas.
The tragedy led to the development of the Delta Works flood prevention scheme, a massive complex of dykes and sluice gates along much of the southern coastline.
(Text from @DutchNews.nl - footage from youtube)