Walking East Stoke's lanes: September 2026

Another month with only one walk, and that one took place at the start of the month - before the month got busy, but I think I can summarise this post by saying - autumn had sent signs!

While none of them were surprising, it’s good to capture the seasons as they start to change and before we’re full steam ahead in the season in front of us, plus autumn is one of my favourite seasons, but I am also rather partial to a bit of spring too!

Though I was surprised to see the blackberries and rosehips so advanced as we headed out along our usual route, and out of the village up over the A46. The seedheads looked enticing against the blue and white sky and I could have taken many more pictures trying to get just the right one, but with MOH keen to keep moving that didn’t happen this time.

Instead of continuing up to the bridge as we usually would, we went rogue. Turning off left part way along and following the footpath towards Elston, but not our usual footpath. We have been this way once before, but only when heading home from Elston one time, so it was good to walk the route in reverse.

The route took us alongside and then past the Old Chapel at Elston, one day we really should stop in and investigate inside - I need to look to see when it’s open first though.

We contemplated a quick stop at the pub, but decided against it (sadly) and set off towards our more usual route along the bridleway between our two villages. It was a glorious day and one of the horses along the route was touting for apples, or any kind of food I’m sure. Sadly for them, they got nothing more than an admiring glance from us, but we did enjoy (from a distance) seeing this beautiful and inquisitive animal closer than we had done before.

Looking up, there were more signs that autumn wasn’t that far away. Though we didn’t stop to collect any conkers on this walk I’m sure we will as the weather turns more autumnal - there’s something about picking up conkers though isn’t there?

Along the bridleway more berries and fruits were in evidence, on the hawthorn and the gorgeously blue bullards.

One day I’ll pick some bullards or sloes and add them to some gin, but not this year.

Instead it was a walk in the sun to enjoy the incoming shades of autumn, and as I write this post autumn is well and truly here and I’m not sad about it at all.

Thanks for joining me for this update, if you enjoyed this post you may also like to see all of the posts in this series.

Post Comment Love 9 - 11 October

Hello there, welcome to this week’s #PoCoLo - a relaxed, friendly linky which I co-host with Suzanne, where you can link any blog post published in the last week. We know you’ll find some great posts to read, and maybe some new-to-you blogs too, so do pop over and visit some of the posts linked, comment and share some of that love.

Please don’t link up posts which are older as they may be removed, and if you see older posts are linked then please don’t feel that it’s necessary to comment on those. If you were here last week it was great to have you along, if you’re new here we’re pleased you’ve joined us.

In the past week or so we’ve been on what seems like a whistlestop tour of the gardens of Devon and the Cotswolds, and I’m not going to lie it’s been great, though it has also contributed to a quieter time on here lately. Not only have I made good use of my National Trust membership with visits to Killerton, Castle Drogo and Hidcote but I’ve also used my RHS membership and their partnership scheme when visiting Hestercombe.

Of course that means many, many photos - but the weather has been glorious. It’s turning more October-like from here on in, but boy we’ve been spoilt.

This week’s photo is from one of my all time favourite plants - a red hot poker, which was basking in the October sun in Hidcote’s gardens.

Have a great week.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

New to my craft room in September

I finished my post last month waiting for a pattern to arrive to use with that gorgeous block printed Indian cotton, and I think it’ll be perfect. I have decided to pause this outfit making foray for the moment though as despite the October sunshine as I write this post, it’s not going to last is it? That and given that I’ve recently lost weight and subsequently need to alter the sundress I made, I know it makes sense but I must remember to pick this up again early in spring next year - in fact I’ve set myself a reminder!

In other less shocking news, my love of stash sales continues this month. I picked up the three reels of glossy cotton and the wedge of sparkly vinyl they’re sitting on along with the cupcake material, both reels of thread and the lime green ric rac below at my patchwork group early in the month for a tenner - that’s what makes it hard to resist, but I do intend to try out the thread for quilting my smaller quilts, so fingers crossed my machine likes it as I think it’ll look fabulous.

I’ve no plans for the ric rac yet, but since I’ve got this I’m seeing it used as an edging on quilt bindings, so it could be bound for that if there’s enough for a whole quilt, or if there isn’t then maybe I’ll mix it with another colour on a bright and colourful quilt - plans will be made.

The green ribbon came on a bunch of flowers which MOH sent me - a bunch of cheery sunflowers, which brightened the corner of our kitchen island for a good week or two, and the purpley-blue magical fabric was a remnant I picked up from the new fabric shop in Newark for £4, this one may come in useful for a project I’ve acquired, more on that later in this post.

There was a new wool show in Newark on the first weekend of the month, and with it being so close it would have been rude not to check it out. It was a good show, and I was pleased to learn the show will be repeated for the next three years, though potentially at a different time of year. It was good to spend some time with my knitting group, which given my lack of current knitting, I don’t go along to so frequently.

I think I took more wool with me than I bought at the show, which is unusual in itself, but I did have a very specific wish list for this visit - specifically for some mustard wool to go with the wool I dyed myself a while back, and some to go with a teal bundle I’ve been collecting - so job done there. I also fell in love (again) with the idea of crocheted mandalas, and this book should help with that project which has been long on my list. I have the hoops, and the ideas but wasn’t sure of the pattern to use, but I learnt at the show that the hoops should be my last, not the first, purchase! Oops.

The orange buttons were a bargain for a £1 and I’m sure will come in useful. I’ve also added some more red onion nets and a garlic net to my weaving pile - and I need to get this idea started too.

I’ve been watching Sewing Bee more keenly than in previous years, and the final three were my favourites throughout the series and any would have been worthy winners. I’m pleased that Anna won, but sad that the others didn’t as it was good to have so many great sewers on the programme. I’ve been following the three on Instagram, and that prompted this next purchase - another pattern.

Emma shared that she’d worn these Flint trousers on the programme, and they looked great and easy to wear - and they are, they were my next wearable make which I’ll share here soon.

But first more stash sale bargains - £2 for these two pieces. The geometric one would do a simple dress, but would also make a very snazzy pair of tailored cropped trousers (another one for my list!), and the rust one I just couldn’t leave behind. At the time I wasn’t sure what I’d use it for, but a plan is formulating for potentially a jacket - watch this space.

At the same meeting one of the other members was also clearing some of her older items, and I picked these five fabrics (of varying lengths) for £6 - and I quite like them together. I did have to smile though as one of the pieces she was selling was one mum had used to make quilts for my brother a good few years ago. Together we worked out it was probably more like thirty + years ago, not the twenty years we initially thought. I left that one there though, as I think mum still has some scraps left anyway.

These two were also from my patchwork group for a couple of pounds - the pink flowery one is pretty, but the glittery fabric is intriguing. There’s more than pink in this packet and I’m thinking that there could be some sparkly pouches on the horizon…

I thought I was done for projects, quilt projects especially, for the year but then the sampler quilt image was shared in our patchwork group chat, and I knew I was done for. It’s the Colour Study quilt along by Alison Glass and while I intended to use my stash, when I saw this Halloween fat quarter bundle in that new fabric shop in Newark I mentioned before I knew it’d be perfect. And I don’t usually even like Halloween, let alone Halloween fabrics - more on this one soon too.

I also thought my purchases were complete, and then I saw this fabric on an Instagram destash. I’d been resisting everything the algorithm threw at me, until this piece of fabric. There’s plenty of it there too - a good four metres or so, so for £22 it was good value and will be perfect for trying out a pattern before I cut the more expensive stuff.

Thank you for joining me for another month in my craft room, please check out my previous updates for earlier additions, and remember to let me know below what you’ve added to your craft supplies this month.