Aug. 23, 2025
Newsletter - Calm in Cannes
I’ve been in Cannes the last few weeks, and I still have one more week to go, so crafting is minimal. I brought my handmade merino wool and started knitting a shawl. I love how the green dye turned out, using rosemary and grass. So far, the shawl has a soft, delicate feel.
I would like to do more knitting in the autumn, but I feel like I’ve now transitioned into my handmade/local yarn era. Last year, on my trip to Sweden and Copenhagen, I bought several local patterns and wool yarns from sheep like the Gotland sheep. That was a really nice way to buy yarn, so I’ll keep on that trajectory; handmade or local. It will mean fewer projects and slower acquisition, but fine.
While I’ve been away, I worked on a small embroidery project. I saw this kit in Waterstones, and the HP millennial in me couldn’t say no. There are three more patterns to make, but the first one is done. I need to work out how to finish off the edging to make it a circle so I can sew it onto a bag or jeans, or something.
Not much more story to tell at the moment. A few weeks of calm and quiet at the end of summer. Would like to start gathering new inspo for September. I plan to sort out a sprinkler system in the field to water all the trees, and continue working on the hugel mounds (mounds of logs and woodchips slowly decomposing into a vegetable bed).
I connected with another tree surgeon in the area, and he’s brought me more woodchips while I’ve been away. Haven’t seen the pile yet, but am hoping it’s large! More please. Woodchip is such a good material.
Oh, I found a fabric shop in Nice, they sell crazy expensive silks and fabrics from Versace, Chanel etc. I went for a synthetic material, around £12 per metre. I’ll be trying to replicate some skirts this week with my sewing machine. If I get really good at making a particular skirt, maybe I’ll buy some silks, worth about £80 per metre…
That’s all for now folks.
days out in South of France
Inspo for the forest during a hike
orange orchard near Cannes
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Charlotte Leysen
Hi there I'm Charlotte from London and I am a Millennial hobbiest. By that I mean I love making things, for both the process and the outcomes. On this blog I talk about all the things I'm working on and learning each week. On some projects I will go into a bit more detail on what I did and my experience through it.
Some facts about me:
- I am not a perfectionist, preferring to complete something than to attempt to make something flawless.
- I am in a constant cycle of building up inspiration, executing the ideas, then winding down to reflect and regenerate.
- I am interested in almost anything that can be made from scratch using nature / natural materials.
