Well, May was just glorious wasn’t it! The endless days of beautiful blue skies and the warmth of the sun on our faces were such a boost to everyone. The world may be in the middle of a global battle against an unseen enemy but when the sun comes out we all feel just a little bit more positive about things.
Another thing that has made us feel positive is hearing about how people have been using some of their time in lockdown to be creative. None more so than our very talented friend Vickie Elston who must have used up every single ball of wool in Devon in her mission to knit the world back to happiness.
pink cow hat in progress
SCBU hats – this is just a small selection!
lockdown knits so far…
Vickie has always been a prolific knitter and has often been spotted making use of a spare five minutes, pulling a pair of knitting needles and half a jumper out of her handbag like a rabbit out of a magician’s hat. We’ve lost count of the number of baby hats she’s knitted for the special care baby unit in our local hospital over the years (each one unique, just like its new owner) and those of us lucky enough to receive one of her gorgeous cableknit neck tubes as a birthday present (there must be a name for these – chutes? gaiters? snoods?) are unbelievably thrilled. So lockdown has been a chance for Vickie to knit even more beautiful things for charity and as gifts (in between fulfilling her role of shepherdess to her own small flock of sheep and all the other not-so-familiar jobs that lockdown has brought into our lives) and she has seized it with gusto.
We’re planning to commission a few items ourselves for friends and family as Vickie has finally given in to the pestering and is now taking orders – we can’t wait!
countryside baby hats – we just LOVE these
Hilary cutting the mask fabric
a selection of masks
And whilst Vickie’s been knitting, Hilary’s been sewing face masks in the workshop using some of the gorgeous fabric that would normally be used to line handbags.
These are available in our Chulmleigh shop which will re-open next week (we will be working in accordance with relevant guidelines) and all donations for the masks will go to a local charity.
And if you happen to walk past the shop please do give us a wave – we’d love to shout hello!
swatches of fabric
and a few more masks