Meadowgate 6 - Knit Club Holiday in Devon

We're here!  I don't like to name-drop but I am writing this post from the living room at Kirstie Allsopp's 'Handmade Home'.  Ha!  It's my third time here but it still strikes me as weird that I am spending the week in a house I watched Kirstie renovate on the telly.

Lisa and I travelled down together yesterday and, despite the awful weather on Friday, we had a really good run.  No traffic jams, no storms and no diversions (that's our return journey jinxed then!). 

Last night we sat around chatting, knitting, crocheting or sewing and drinking wine or tea.  Stephanie cooked spaghetti bolognese, Suzie started the Meadowgate Olympics with a ten lap obstacle course around the house and Erin did a riverdance.  We tend to mostly gather around the huge wooden table in the kitchen; there's a big AGA at the far end of the room so it's very cosy and 14 people can be seated in the room comfortably.

We've been to Cowslip today for lunch and shopping followed by tea and cake.  Suzie hadn't booked our table so we missed out on Sunday roast.  It wasn't a problem because the menu there is gorgeous and all food is properly homemade.  Deb, especially, was not impressed and tried to pretend she was with an 80th birthday party in order to have access to the roast menu.  She was busted and settled for beef casserole.

Cowslip goodness

I love the shop at Cowslip; well we all do.  It's only a small shop but is packed to the rafters with fabric (quite literally) and loads of quilts, wall-hangings and cushions.  It is a massively inspiring place.

I was forced* to buy a bundle of 39 fat quarters and I'm going to make a quilt with them.  I might even make it this week - I brought my sewing machine for such emergencies.

I'm going to join everyone back in the kitchen now.  Lucie's crocheting a blanket and Lisa is hand quilting the patchwork she finished here in September.   June, Stephanie and Jean are all knitting various items of clothing, Erin is stitching a Julie Arkell inspired brooch and Suzie is making a cuddly bomb.  I have started an Alicia Paulson embroidery sampler.  

Helen, Deb and Rachel are in the playroom to drink wine and watch TV.  It's all very chilled.  Tomorrow we are having a photo shoot for Suzie's patterns and there will be a swap-over of knit clubbers (some come for the weekend and some come Monday-Friday).  

Wish you were here.

Nicki 

x

*sort of

Three top tips for moving home without a hiccup

Moving into a new home is something we all look forward to. It doesn't matter whether you're moving into your first home, into something bigger or are escaping to the countryside, embarking on a new property adventure is always a pleasure.

The moving process itself, however, can sometimes be troublesome. Whether you're doing all of the moving yourself or are enlisting the help of professionals, it always pays to be one step ahead of the game.

Here, we go over several tips which will help make your move run smoothly.

1. Label your boxes

When we're moving home, there are always a surprising number of identical boxes. One practice which is essential to the efficiency of your move is ensuring that all of your boxes are moved to the right place at the right time.

In order for this to happen, you will need to be sure that each of your boxes is labelled clearly and thoroughly. Not only will this make life easier for you during the move but it will make the unpacking process easier at the other end.

2. Know your route

More often than not, it takes more than one trip to move all of your furnishings and belongings from one home to another. With each added trip it becomes more important that you select your route carefully. If you're moving into Linden Homes in Peterborough, you'll need to ensure that you are familiar with the route and that you're travelling at the right time of day.

If the first trip doesn't go well, consider alternatives which might save time or avoid traffic hotspots.

3. Plan the order

Seeing that all of your belongings arrive at their new destination in the correct order is one of the most important aspects to a successful move. Not only will you need to plan which items are the first and last to arrive at your new home but you will also need to take care to see which are the first and last loaded onto the van at the beginning of each trip.

Moving your belongings in the correct order will dramatically reduce the time you spend at your new property organising boxes. You're sure to be at your most tired towards the end of the day so the more work you can get out of the way at the day's beginning, the better.