Flutterby Patch

A knitted Santa takes shape

It seems rain has been pouring down for weeks and I haven't been feeling at all Christmasy but with only five weeks to go I decided I should seek some festive cheer. I keep my Christmas books on a shelf behind the sofa so that I'm not tempted to look at them throughout the year. And so last weekend out they came. Don't you just love vintage Christmas decorations.

These old Santas must have seen many Christmases come and go. What tales they could tell.

After drooling over a few more Santas I was inspired to knit one of my own. A little fellow in traditional red and white of course, but to ring the changes I decided to make a Santa mouse who would deliver gifts to good little boy and girl mice around the world on Christmas Eve.

Out came the yarn and needles and I sat by the fire and busied myself with my festive creation.

And here he is.... just 17cm (7in) tall to the tip of his ears.

To begin with I gave him a traditional white beard and bushy eyebrows and he looked ridiculous! And so he ended up being beardless and eyebrow-less and looks a lot more mousy.

I found a small amount of hessian coloured wool in my stash and it was just enough to make a sack for the little fellow. He wasted no time in filling it and trotting off to wherever it is he keeps his gifts for good mice.

I was so pleased with him that I decided to write out the pattern which in the end took almost as long as knitting the actual mouse. You'll find the pattern in my Etsy shop. It's easy to follow (I don't do difficult) and you only require basic knitting skills.

And so now my all time favourite festive poem will never seem the same. I used to read it to my children every Christmas Eve but the line 'not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse' seems no longer relevant!

Until next time,

Eli

No stone unturned

Here in Britain we often use the expression 'leave no stone unturned'. I'm not sure if you are familiar with this expression in your country but if not I can tell you that it means 'to search in all possible places for something you are seeking'.

Over the past few weeks we have left no stone unturned in the search for a nice home for my son and his fiancee to buy. You might remember how the little house they were in the processing of purchasing was recently snatched away from them by someone with a bigger stash of cash. So in the past couple of weeks there have been some very sad faces.

We have all spent many hours searching through property pages for just the right cosy home, but the couple's dream dwelling seemed unobtainable. They understandably wanted a place that had been well cared for and preferrably with good views from the windows. A quiet country position would be ideal and also a nice garden. They didn't want to feel isolated but at the same time didn't want to be closely surrounded by other houses. And of course the price had to be right.

I've spent the past few weeks surrounded by property papers and maps but, the more I looked, the more fruitless seemed the search. With Christmas fast approaching there is an ever dwindling supply of properties and so it was finally decided to leave the search until the spring when more homes would be put up for sale.

Then suddenly, as if by magic, a cosy home bearing a 'For Sale' sign was spotted nestling on the side of a lovely wooded hillside. When the property details were read it seemed perfect and the happy couple wasted no time in being shown around by the owner.

Inside the house was spacious and very nicely decorated.

Its windows looked out across open countryside to the hills beyond.

It had a big garden with lawns and pretty flowers beds

and there were plenty of wild, rocky woodland areas to explore as well.

Of course a great many birds had made their home there and plenty of wild animals live in the surrounding woodland.

The couple's little dog would certainly love to run in the open countryside with no fear of traffic

and in winter the place would be perfect for sledging.

As if that wasn't enough, the house was only a mile from the sea. Who could ask for more?

And the cost of all that beauty? Unbelievably the price of the house was just within the couple's reach and so a deal was quickly struck.

and I'm happy to say faces are now smiling again.

 

So thank you to everyone for the helpful comments and wise words you left recently regarding the couple's property dilemma..... all good things do indeed come to those who wait.

 

Until next time
Eli

Storm clouds

My days have been spent away from my computer recently because here at flutterby patch storm clouds have been gathering as cruel winds strip the last leaves from the trees.

As always the autumnal colours have been wonderful.

But for my son and his fiancee the shades have looked less than vibrant as the little house they were buying is no longer to be theirs. Sadly a person with a much bigger stash of cash than they had has snatched it from them.

And so their search for the perfect little place to make their own begins all over again.

Unfortunately in autumn just asthe leaves fall so do the number of new properties being put up for sale.

But we all remain hopeful that somewhere ......

there is a perfect little house just waiting to be found.

Until next time,
Eli