Flutterby Patch

Inspiration from Japan

If you read my last post you might be wondering if I managed to finish the 'little something' I was knitting in clematis coloured wool. Well, yes I did and you'll find out just what it was if you continue reading! But first......
 
These little cuties come from Japan and are known as kokeshi dolls. The first kokeshis were made in the Tohoku region of Northern Japan in the 19th century. Crafted from turned wood they were just a basic head and body with hand painted decoration (you'll see some examples if you follow the link above). Today they are made in all sizes and colours but their shapes have remained fairly simple. 

These cute little ladies always make me smile so I decided to try and knit a little kokeshi style character of my own. And here she is, welcoming visitors to her Japanese garden.

She stands just 6 ins (15cm) tall and is very demure don't you think? You will find knitting instructions at the end of this post.

She and I share a passion for Japanese gardens and we'd like to invite you to take a little stroll with us through the garden that we have put together using pictures from various books.

In we go through a little bamboo gate and up a crunchy gravel path beside a deliciously cool trickling waterfall. 

On towards a peaceful pool where cranes wade beside a little island topped by an ornate stone lantern.

Crossing the wooden bridge we can stop and watch the brightly coloured carp basking in the sunshine.

And finally we arrive at the pavilion. How about some tea, Japanese style?

Tea for two  

In springtime you'll be dazzled by the many coloured azaleas and rhododendrons.

Clematis scrambles

Wisteria dangles

and tall primulas sway in the breeze at the water's edge.

And just look at that pink cherry blossom admiring its own reflection. Who can blame it!

Thank you for taking the time to walk with us through our make believe Japanese garden. We hope you enjoyed your visit. Please call again soon.

Kokeshi doll pattern:

If you'd like to knit a little Japanese style doll like this it is an easy pattern to follow. The basic shape is a tube 54 rows long. I used DK yarn and knitted in stocking stitch.

Using 2.75 mm (US size 2) needles cast on 26 stitches. Knit 10 rows khaki, 5 magenta, 1 black, 11 magenta, 3 black, 6 magenta, 18 flesh colour. Finally knit 2 tog and take off remaining stitches onto a length of yarn ready for drawing up.

To form a tube gather the base of the doll and then stitch the back seam leaving the top open for stuffing. Using a suitable fibre fill, stuff the body firmly (but not so firmly that the stitches are stretched too much). Run a length of flesh coloured yarn through the stitches at the point where the face meets the dress and draw up to form the neck. Secure tightly. Stuff the remaining head then draw up the top and fasten securely. You now have your basic tube (with a neck).

The sleeves - Cast on 12 stitches in khaki, change to magenta and knit 14 rows. DON'T FORGET as you knit these rows you need to shape the bottom edge of each sleeve so decrease one stitch at the end of alternate rows (6 times). Cast off remaining 6 stitches. Knit a second sleeve making sure the shaping is on the opposite edge.

The arms and hands (both identical) - Cast on 5 stitches. Knit 8 rows. Knit 2 tog across the final row and take stitches off onto yarn. Draw up to form the bottom, finger end. Stitch arm/hands flat to the body (tuck edges in a little bit before stitching down to make the arms look more real). Position the sleeves over the arms leaving just the hands protruding.Tuck the sleeve edges under and stitch down.

To give the impression of a wrap-over dress use black stitches around the neck (see photo). I've used lazy daisy stitch for flower decoration round the hem.

The hair is done with long stitches of black yarn which completely cover the flesh coloured head beneath. I popped a little black top-knot on and held it with yarn to match the flowers.

You might prefer to use sewing thread for the features as it is much finer than yarn and will give better results (I used two strands together). The eyes are a single straight stitches in black and the mouth 'v' shaped straight stitches in red. Blushing cheeks are achieved with red pencil crayon.... You now have your own little kokeshi doll and all she needs is her own Japanese style garden!

Spring is so near and yet so far.

Walking round our garden last weekend I noticed a few brave blooms peeping through to see if spring had arrived. Poor little things, I hope they have survived their bravery as snow fell on us on Monday and they were all buried alive.

I ventured outside during the morning but only stayed long enough to find the sweet scented blooms of the hamemalis (witch hazel) hanging like fragile yellow ribbons. They looked as if they were turning their backs on the unwelcome clumps of cold white stuff that had landed on them overnight. But they are hardy souls so I know they will pull through. 

Amazingly the delicate little snowdrops seem to relish the thought of blankets of snow and never look worse for wear. Most of our clumps were buried up to their necks but these brave little blooms had found a sheltered spot under an azalea bush.

 I like to think that long ago,
There fell to earth some flakes of snow
Which loved this cold grey world of ours
So much, they stayed as snowdrop flowers.

This little poem has always been a favourite of mine. I think it's attributed to Mary Vivian.

What a nice warm feeling you get sitting indoors on a day like this. Here is the view from our sitting room window across the patio to the wood beyond.

Logs crackle as a warm fire burns brightly in the grate and I happily nestle in a cosy spot surrounded by.....

....yes, you've guessed it, knitting yarn. And the result of my snowy day spend indoors...

...a little lady who is getting ready to pose for a new 'flutterby patch' banner at the end of the month.

Until next time,
Eli

Plain sailing on a fine day, outdoors and in.

There's nothing better than a day of sunshine to lift spirits and put a spring in your step. You will be pleased to hear that it put me in just the right mood to place my bits and pieces of freshly washed china and glass back into the cupboards that have remained empty for so long whilst we made alterations to the study.

First to go back was the glass ship that I showed you last week. With its sparkling clean dome I positioned it centre stage and alongside placed its companion, a little Victorian boy wearing a sailor suit and sitting on a large cockle shell.

On another shelf a hand painted Victorian cup and saucer, my granny's cut glass biscuit barrel and a 1920's child's mug that I found discarded on a bonfire. What sort of silly person disposes of china on a bonfire I wonder?

This little boy in his pony cart was one of my mother's favourites. It came to me when she passed away in 2006 and I will always treasure it.

Also a favourite, his little sister who has her own pony cart and sits alongside her brother. Both children will live safely in the cupboard until Christmas when they will come out and trot along the mantle, their little carts loaded with greenery for the festive season. My mother did this for many years and I like to carry on the tradition.

When I'd at last finished refilling my shelves with china I had time to make a swift visit to Holehird, a nearby Lakeland garden that I have taken you to before. What fun it would have been to travel there in a little horse drawn carriage on such a fine November day. Imagine pulling up in style outside this big country house that forms part of the estate.

The house enjoys magnificent views over the gardens and surrounding countryside.  

Sadly I didn't have time to explore the wonderful walled garden

and I stopped only briefly to admire the way the autumn sunshine filtered through the ornamental grasses

and then I reached the area I had come to visit....the holly garden. I love holly and would like to plant more in our garden but there are so many varieties to choose from these days that I decided the best idea would be to make a note of the types the experts had planted at Holehird (I will use any excuse to visit this garden!) With their variegated leaves in all shades of green and gold and berries of red, black and vibrant yellow I made hasty notes of the hollies I liked best and (returning to my make-believe pony cart) made the journey home.

On the return journey I noticed a few people were on the lake in their sailing craft enjoying the fine weather but concluded a pony and cart would remain my choice of transport!

In this area I'm surrounded by wonderfully large expanses of water but I'm afraid I wouldn't make a good sailor. The nearest I have come to steering my own craft was as a child when playing a similar game to this pair on the stairs in Robert Louis Stevenson's poem 'A Good Play'.

 
We built a ship upon the stairs
All made of the back-bedroom chairs,
And filled it full of soft pillows
To go a-sailing on the billows.

We took a saw and several nails,
And water in the nursery pails;
And Tom said, "Let us also take
An apple and a slice of cake;"--
Which was enough for Tom and me
To go a-sailing on, till tea.

We sailed along for days and days,
And had the very best of plays;
But Tom fell out and hurt his knee,
So there was no one left but me.

.....I had great fun playing 'make believe' games with chairs and pillows when I was young.... Happy days!....Do today's children still play these sorts of games I wonder?

Have a good weekend.