Brussels

Three weeks ago, I spent a few days in Brussels visiting friends.
I love this city and we spent a lot of time wandering around. There were some amazing display in the streets, spectacular at night:

We also spent a morning at "le chien vert", a wonderful fabric shop....

After Brussels, I headed to Germany, to visit another friend...

Markets

Here are some pictures of our stall at the makers market:


It was a good day. We were at a very strategic place: next to the coffee and cakes!!!! I don't know if it boosted our sales but it was very handy and helped us to keep warm. The day was bright and dry so it was not too bad to be standing outside all day!

D-day!

Today is the Makers market in Newburgh! I've been selling my stuff there for the last couple of years but I never been! So, as a revenge, my friends are planning to let me man the stall on my own - LOL. Our stall is outside so I am warmly dressed up. We are lucky, the weather is supposed to be dry and sunny :o)
This year, I learned how to make granny squares and turned them into coasters and needle cases using 100% wool felt:

Needle cases (11 x 11cm):

Off I go! I'll report later....

Makers Market

Christmas Markets.... It is this time of year again!!!!
This year, as usual, I am doing the Makers Market in Newburgh and my work Christmas market! The makers market is only 2 weeks away (5th November) and my crafting mojo is no where to be found! I am rummaging through my cupboards to find things I've made in order to sell them...
I managed to do a few stained glass suncatchers though. Here they are:








Luckily there are 4 of us sharing the stall so we might have a few things to sell...;oD

Cardigan

I am slowly, but surely, using my stash. These past few days I used up nearly 2 balls of Rowan 4-ply cotton to knit this cardigan:


Silver cardigan (Free Ravelry download)
Size: 9-12 months
It will travel to France to its owner who was born last month.

Now, I have 2 Christmas markets to prepare, 5th and 9th November, and I haven't done much so far!!!

Socks

I usually knit socks only for myself but I made an exception for a friend. She had been very generous when I went to visit her in Sicily, and because she is the same size as me, I've knitted her a pair of socks to thank her.

Pattern: Selkie by Janel Laidman published in The Enchanted Sole.

Treat

I wanted one for a long time and finally, I decided to treat myself!

A wooden swift :o)

I bought it from Stash Fine Yarns.

It has been very useful already to wind 2 skeins of lace weight merino (1400m each!) bought in Florence a few years ago.

I have started knitting it into a jacket: Daydreams in lace.

Sicily - Palermo

Palermo was not my favorite place in Sicily but it was full of contrasts. I let you enjoy the pictures:

Sicily - Bronte

Bronte, a small town in the North East of Sicily, is the world capital of pistachio nuts. Of course, you can see pistachio trees growing everywhere.

Castello Nelson:
Pistachio nuts:

View of the Etna from Castello Nelson:

Some delicacies you can try in Bronte...unfortunately, I couldn't try them all...

Sicily - Agrigento

Agrigento is a city on the southern coast of Sicily renowned for its Greek temples.
From March to November this year, the site is also used for exhibiting Igor Mitoraj sculptures.
I let you enjoy the pix...