crafts & knitting · garden stuff

seeds

My goodness it's been a wet and windy week here. I had planned to get out in the garden and plant my broad bean and carrot seeds direct into the beds but I'm really not a wet weather person and knitting on the sofa has held a much stronger appeal! Those seeds that I planted back in march and early april are growing into strong little plants and I'm looking forward to getting them into the raised beds in the next few weeks.

 

Seeds3

 

I love watching seedlings grow from a shrivelled brown dot into a big green plant – it's truly magical. These broccoli, cabbage and lettuce seedlings have a lot more growing to do but  when they're fully grown and tended with care I'm hoping they'll reward me with a tasty summer feast!

On the subject of seeds, I was planning to send a friend some seeds that I collected from my garden last year but the little brown packets that I put them into looked so ordinary and plain and I had wanted them to be more of a gift. So I sat down with a few left over bits of yarn and fiddled about on ideas for a little pouch to hold seed packets. After a few prototypes of different sizes I finally settled on a design which can also hold an i-phone or similar sized gadget.

 

Pouch 2

I thought I'd write it up as a little pattern, so give me a few days or so and I'll hopefully have it ready to share with you.

Hopefully the wind and rain will abate a little on Sunday as it's the big day for Amy and me and the others talking part in the sponsored walk for CHIPs. The forecast is not looking good though, we'll be looking forward to cups of tea, hot chocolate and cake at the finish line, and coming home to a hot bath!

Stay warm and dry wherever you are this weekend x

 

34 thoughts on “seeds

  1. What joy!!
    I’ve just got an i-phone (with a bit of persuasion!)- not bad for a granny – and have been searching for a pattern for a knitted holder!
    Would you believe it?
    Thanks to you, I need look no further!
    I have packets of seeds staring at me from the kitchen table where they’ll have to remain until the rain goes away.
    Perhaps it will stop if the hosepipe ban here is lifted.
    Best of everything on Sunday to you both – you will know that we’ll all be cheering you on.
    I wish I could send you a big fat chocolate cake to the finish!
    Thinking of you.
    xx

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  2. Hahaha, totally with you on the preferring knitting to gardening when its raining. I love the garden but am a bit of a wimp when it comes to getting cold and wet. Think its my age (my excuse and I am sticking to it). I also was thinking, just yesterday, how I never tire of seeing seeds popping up there sprouts and growing into big plants. Happy Gardening and knitting Julie

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  3. Dear Julie,
    I’m looking forward to the pattern! You have a great blog in all respects, it’s a source of inspiration for me. Thanks to you I picked up knitting again and I enjoy it a lot. At the moment my 10 years old daughter and I are having fun with your egg cosy pattern. Good luck Sunday!

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  4. I was over-optimistic as well, and planted out my lettuce, pea, and radish seeds a couple weeks ago. This morning there is snow blowing around in a strong wind, and they’re predicting freezing temperatures overnight for the weekend. I love this country, but our Spring can often be a bit disappointing!

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  5. Oh Julie I just got a new phone this week, what brilliant timing. 🙂 The little pouch is lovely!!
    Mind you I think your little brown seed packets are lovely too! Aren’t seeds just the most amazing things!
    We’ve had a lovely day here today maybe it’s on it’s way to you! Sending you and Amy best wishes for your walk on Sunday.
    Happy weekend,
    Vivienne x

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  6. I’ve actually been hoping it would get wet and windy so I wouldn’t feel so sorry for myself, stuck on the couch, hacking and coughing. Got my wish yesterday. Oh, Jules – that change from shriveled little lump to green, living thing? Why do people not understand that it IS magic. It IS.
    And your idea is delightful. And of course, it came from the ever vital seed of your native kindness and sense of love and service in the first place.

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  7. Oh! That is so cute! I’m learning to knit at last – this looks like it’ll be beyond me, but I’m going to pick my needles up tonight and get practising again. I do love the shapes you knit into your designs.
    I hope it all goes well at the weekend. I suggest snacks, and maybe even a little flask of hot chocolate for the journey. Will keep fingers crossed that it’s not too wet. It’ll be an event at least. We’re all cheering you both on!

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  8. I still walk everyday but pouff to gardening in the rain. Fingers crossed for a nice sunny day on Sunday for you and Amy, well, we can dream can’t we? Love the little pouch.

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  9. What a darling case! I adore the idea of putting something in it like a packet of seeds and having it be useful for something like a phone after. You do wrap and give your gifts in the most charming ways!!!
    Good luck on your walk this weekend!!! Thinking of you all…… xxoo

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  10. You are so lucky having your garden. We moved before xmas and now have no garden to tend to which makes me a bit sad. Maybe I will have to invest in a pot and plant some seeds. Your seed pouch is a brilliant idea too!

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  11. Gorgeous little pouch!
    My early seedlings were slugged and snailed to death, so I’m going to have to muster up the courage to go out there again despite the rain and howling gales. Good luck for Sunday,I hope the weather holds off for you.
    (I’m sorry, I might be partially responsible for this rain – I bought a new lawnmower, washing line and garden edging a couple of weeks ago…and sunglasses… and it’s poured ever since…)

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  12. It’s so cold here that we can’t persuade our bean and pea seeds to germinate despite tlc! Should have planted them in early March instead of leaving it so late! Love the cute pouch! Can’t wait to make it! Lots of love and hot chocolate for Sunday….fingers crossed for the weather for you and Amy. Jenni x

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  13. Hi Julie, hope it all went okay today and the weather was a bit better there than it is here which is not surprisingly wet and windy. Gorgeous little pouch too . Lisa x

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  14. Well you already know how much I LOVE that seed pouch Julie! It brings a smile to my face every time I see it :o) And it has helped inspire me to make a spring time quilt for my kitchen wall! Lucy xx

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  15. This was some of the best information that I got from your blog. My friend suggested me to visit this blog. Really good one!

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  16. Such a sweet seed pouch – can’t wait for the pattern.
    Well done – I’m sure the gift was received with a smile. I also LOVE giving seeds or seedlings as gifts – I love the idea of plants moving from one garden to the garden of friends & family.

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