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Robyn The Robin

May 14, 2019 by The Twisted Yarn 27 Comments

Ever feel as though you’re being watched?

Well, do you??

I can’t even set foot in the garden without Robyn the robin appearing, demanding food (aka demanding I do the weeding, so that she can follow me along the flowerbed, gathering grubs and beetles, and telling me about everything she thinks is wrong with the world). If I don’t do what she wants, she flies alarmingly close to my head at a gazillion miles per hour to get my attention. I’ve been trying to placate her with mealworms because sometimes I’m just in the garden to hang the washing on the line (or even to knit) rather than to provide an endless supply of food for grumpy birds. Even the twinnage have grown used to her antics.

She seems to like the mealworms, and I reckon I’m >this< close to persuading to her to eat from my hand.

Sometimes she comes and stares at me through the window when I’m indoors. She’s always there. I even did a double-take at work when I noticed a robin sitting outside my window. No, I had to tell myself firmly, you are miles from home and that cannot possibly be Robyn. Just stop this nonsense.

And man, is she noisy?! She may not (yet) come and sit on my hand, but she’s quite happy to scream at me from a safe distance about my inadequacies. (I have a lot of inadequacies apparently, so this takes a while.)

I can’t believe it’s got to the point where I’m being bossed about by someone four inches tall. I know she’s got children and sure, it’s tough being a parent, but is it too much to ask to be able to sit knitting in my own garden once in a while without her zooming past my head?

This post was going to be about all sorts of other things too, but Robyn has taken over. I think we know who’s in charge around here.

Filed Under: Outdoors Tagged With: garden, robin, Robyn, Spring, wildlife

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Comments

  1. Tineke says

    May 14, 2019 at 11:58 am

    Awwwww. I love them. Bossy Robins are so cute. I’ve got 4 ponds so lots of bathing small birds.ocasionally brooding in my garden trees and shrubs, not too close in reach for Lion the Wild cat. I even baby sit when Blackbird is stripping the garden of snails for his fluffy child. It’s harsh here lately for animals. Too much insecticides and stone gardens. Perhaps your Robin can’t find enough food for her babies too. Absolutely no butterflies at all meaning no caterpillars for baby birds. I so hope people wake up to create a mini paradise in their garden.

    Reply
    • The Twisted Yarn says

      May 14, 2019 at 3:02 pm

      Yes, it’s a hard time for wildlife in general. All that concrete and manicured lawns weed-killed to within an inch of their lives. πŸ™

      I’m convinced that digging a pond is the best thing you can do for garden wildlife. Definitely envy you having four!

      And your blackbird babysitting sounds adorable! I love how demanding creatures can become once they figure out that you’re not going to eat them!

      Reply
  2. Jenny Higgs says

    May 14, 2019 at 12:25 pm

    Absolutely charming, perhaps Robyn would take to a window feeder so the twinnage can get up close and personal too. Our blackbird (Whitey) likes it or so he says!

    Also might Robyn enjoy having her likeness captured in yarn, I would love to see that……..please.

    Many thanks

    Jenny

    Reply
    • The Twisted Yarn says

      May 14, 2019 at 3:05 pm

      Oh, you shouldn’t plant ideas like that in my head (re knitted robins)!!!

      Does the bird feeder stay stuck to the window ok? I had wondered about getting one – it might be a solution to feeding the birds without encouraging our rat problem…

      Reply
      • Jenny Higgs says

        May 14, 2019 at 3:24 pm

        Yes, it stays on fine, it takes some unsticking to wash it! We didn’t buy the cheapest out there and I actually cleaned the window before we put it up ( there’s more interesting things to do than clean windows).

        Reply
        • The Twisted Yarn says

          May 14, 2019 at 3:27 pm

          Interesting. Thank you. I think I’ll try. Probably ought to give the window a clean first…

          Reply
  3. marijo1951 says

    May 14, 2019 at 12:28 pm

    Have the parakeets invaded your area yet? There are lots of them here in London. I was in the garden of Keats’ House a few weeks ago and there, where he heard the nightingale that inspired his ode, was a pair of parakeets squawking on a branch – I don’t think he would have written an ode to them. One landed on my balcony yesterday. I hope they won’t start nesting too close to my flat. The songbirds are bullied enough already by the crows and magpies.

    Reply
    • The Twisted Yarn says

      May 14, 2019 at 3:07 pm

      Oh wow! No, no parakeets here. I think they’re only in London? They must be beautiful close-up: I’ve only ever seen them zoom past at a distance.

      Reply
      • marijo1951 says

        May 14, 2019 at 3:10 pm

        Yes, they are rather lovely to look at, but they do make a hideous noise, and they tend to crowd out the native birds.

        Reply
        • The Twisted Yarn says

          May 14, 2019 at 3:15 pm

          Ah, maybe I’ll be careful what I wish for.

          Reply
          • Lindsey Davey says

            May 14, 2019 at 4:09 pm

            We have parakeets in Newcastle – apparently thought to be the most northerly breeding population anywhere in the world x

            Reply
            • The Twisted Yarn says

              May 15, 2019 at 8:51 pm

              No way! I hadn’t realized they had colonised anywhere outside London.

              Reply
  4. Jo says

    May 14, 2019 at 12:45 pm

    Robyn sounds like the robin we had in our garden a few years ago who developed a serious mealworm addiction and eventually became daring enough to take them from an outstretched hand. He was so insistent that he used to dive-bomb us the minute we stepped out of the house and a couple of times he flew inside the hall before we could get out. It was hilarious to see him perching on the washing-line, desperately trying to balance whilst haranguing us with loud song!

    Reply
  5. The Twisted Yarn says

    May 14, 2019 at 3:09 pm

    Oh, that’s adorable! (With the possible exception of the dive-bommbing…)

    Reply
  6. PeterB says

    May 14, 2019 at 3:51 pm

    I do hope Robyn does trusts you enough to take mealworms from your hand. A few years ago I managed to tempt a Robin to take mealworms from a small feeder I held in my hand, he would take a few on each visit returning soon for more. I’ve been able to persuade a male blackbird to take large raisins from a bird table whilst I stood there, he used to wait for me early morning and late afternoon when I returned from work. Happy days????

    Reply
  7. dddress says

    May 14, 2019 at 4:19 pm

    My first thought was-Hmm..I think that is a finch. Then I looked up Robins and the American robin is different looking. Here is a pic of the only robin I’ve seen here in Oregon: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_robin

    Reply
    • Christina says

      May 14, 2019 at 5:06 pm

      I remember when the Mary Poppins film came out back in the 60’s there was such a ho-ha because the robin (stuffed) was an American robin and not a British one. I hasten to add I was quite young, so perhaps I only remember that bit from much later ????

      Reply
  8. juniperberry27 says

    May 14, 2019 at 4:42 pm

    Loved this post. Our robins did not return this year. They had four babies in the woodpile last year and it was lovely watching them grow. They are such bossy wee things. Very distressingly I have found 3 young tits, dead, in the garden this week. We suspect it was our kitty. I know cats come with risks and side effects and we thought we were prepared. We bought him a mahoosive bell. You can hear him from miles away, but now we are going to add to that and he is going to sound like a belly dancer from now on.
    We work so hard to be insect and wildlife friendly in this garden, and I feel as though we have failed those little birds. Glad yours is safe and well.

    Reply
  9. Yolanda Chavez Sherman says

    May 14, 2019 at 6:10 pm

    OMG! LOL Love it. Reminds me of a hummingbird in my sister’s garden that runs out any other birds from entering her backyard. It’s hilarious.

    Reply
  10. Julie says

    May 14, 2019 at 6:27 pm

    What a delightful post and pix. Thankyou for those. Made my day and I am fwding link to my cousin who will also love it.

    Reply
  11. Barbara says

    May 14, 2019 at 7:43 pm

    She is doing a great job of training you! Go Robyn! and have a fun summer!

    Reply
  12. N Baker says

    May 14, 2019 at 11:12 pm

    WOW! I am so surprised by this because I thought robins were the same world-wide. I’m in Canada, and our robins are HUGE in comparison. (10 to 12 inches from crown to tail tip!) They are super friendly, won’t even get out of our way on a sidewalk. They have blue eggs, and the most lovely song, that sounds like “cheerily-cheer up”! They can live up to 14 years, and when we have a robin’s nest, we often know the kids and grandkids!

    Reply
    • N Baker says

      May 14, 2019 at 11:14 pm

      I tried to include a photo for you, but it’s not working…
      Try at this link… http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/birds/images/36100240/title/male-american-robin-on-tree-branch-photo

      Reply
    • marijo1951 says

      May 15, 2019 at 10:16 am

      Many of us over here remain resentful that the robin that Mary Poppins fed in the film was an American robin rather than a European one. I also find it strange when I hear a British person saying something is ‘bluer than robins’ eggs’ since our robins lay eggs of a dirty brown. I think the expression was first heard over here in Joan Baez’s song ‘Diamonds and Rust’ when she’s talking about Bob Dylan’s eyes. Lovely though our robins are, I don’t think anybody would want eyes the colour of their eggs!

      Reply
  13. Lynn Butler says

    May 15, 2019 at 1:28 am

    Love your post! How fun to have a bossy demanding bird. She sure knows how to get you to do what she needs! They are really smart.

    Reply
  14. Joanne Grace Hortensius says

    May 15, 2019 at 4:04 pm

    Delightful post!!

    Reply
  15. Born To Organize says

    May 15, 2019 at 5:44 pm

    Well yes, someone’s in charge and it’s not you. I’m smiling nonetheless at your obvious love for this charming bird. Robyn is full of character, and so clever to sort out who’s behind the window to take care of her needs. She’ll be off before your know it and you’ll miss her. Does she get her own scraps of yarn for future housing projects?

    Reply

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If you're thinking of starting a blog, I have one very important piece of advice: DO IT!
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#blogiversary #knitting #knitdesigner #knittingdesigner #nevernotknitting

Eight years ago today, I started thetwistedyarn.com. It was just a place to talk (and talk) about knitting. Gradually it became a place to photograph knitting and wildlife, too... and garden stuff, which led to the @the.twisted.garden page. Little did I know that my blog would lead to meeting you creative, witty, wonderful lot, plus a book deal, and some treasured real-life friends, a quarterly column in `Simply Knitting` magazine, membership of the Stylecraft Blogstars, a TV appearance, and plenty else besides.
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If you`re thinking of starting a blog, I have one very important piece of advice: DO IT!
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(I wheel this photo out almost every year. It`s the cake that the Stoic Spouse commissioned for my first blogiversary. It was delicious as well as beautiful, but unsubtle hints have thus far failed to persuade him to bake or order any further bloggy gateaux.)
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#blogiversary #knitting #knitdesigner #knittingdesigner #nevernotknitting
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thetwistedyarn

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Jan 14

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Uh-oh. #knittingwithcats @stylecraftyarns

Uh-oh. #knittingwithcats @stylecraftyarns ...

227 15

thetwistedyarn

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Jun 21

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The twinnage still like to stretch their creativity on 'the chair'. ❀ I'm worried that this chap is repairing the chimney whilst the fire is lit and smoke is emerging!

The twinnage still like to stretch their creativity on `the chair`. ❀ I`m worried that this chap is repairing the chimney whilst the fire is lit and smoke is emerging! ...

188 17

thetwistedyarn

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Dec 2

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Re-reading this fascinating book - Interaction Of Colo(u)r by Josef Albers - whilst I write the chapter about using colour in stranded knitting for my own book. Highly recommend the Albers book if you fancy a really deep dive into how and why colours behave so differently, depending on their neighbours. 
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#strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #fairisletechniques #fairisleknitting #fairisledesign #fairislefriday

Re-reading this fascinating book - Interaction Of Colo(u)r by Josef Albers - whilst I write the chapter about using colour in stranded knitting for my own book. Highly recommend the Albers book if you fancy a really deep dive into how and why colours behave so differently, depending on their neighbours.
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#strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #fairisletechniques #fairisleknitting #fairisledesign #fairislefriday
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141 2

thetwistedyarn

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Mar 11

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Good morning, lovely people. Isn't knitting just the BEST distraction?
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#strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #fairisleknitting #Fairisle #knitdesigner #knitspo #stylecraftspecial #stylecraftspecialdk #knitspiration #fairislefriday #garn #strikke #virkning

Good morning, lovely people. Isn`t knitting just the BEST distraction?
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#strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #fairisleknitting #Fairisle #knitdesigner #knitspo #stylecraftspecial #stylecraftspecialdk #knitspiration #fairislefriday #garn #strikke #virkning
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302 9

thetwistedyarn

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Aug 15

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I usually just post stuff like this at my garden account - @the.twisted.garden - but I thought you might appreciate the colour. 
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Love this time of year, because there are so many different crops to be picked. Today: cabbage, beans, peas, broccoli, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, patty pan squash, opium poppies (for seed), plums, Japanese wineberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Yum.

I usually just post stuff like this at my garden account - @the.twisted.garden - but I thought you might appreciate the colour.
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Love this time of year, because there are so many different crops to be picked. Today: cabbage, beans, peas, broccoli, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, patty pan squash, opium poppies (for seed), plums, Japanese wineberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Yum.
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263 23

thetwistedyarn

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Apr 16

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Kittens sitting in the crocheted garden. By the way, someone pointed out that there's a fake account pretending to be me: it's at thetwistedyarn_  I can't view it because they've blocked me, but if any kind soul would be kind enough to report it, I'd be very grateful. Thank you, my Fine Fibrous Friends!

Kittens sitting in the crocheted garden. By the way, someone pointed out that there`s a fake account pretending to be me: it`s at thetwistedyarn_ I can`t view it because they`ve blocked me, but if any kind soul would be kind enough to report it, I`d be very grateful. Thank you, my Fine Fibrous Friends! ...

299 75

thetwistedyarn

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Jan 29

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There's a new blog post at thetwistedyarn.com, or see link in comments.

There`s a new blog post at thetwistedyarn.com, or see link in comments. ...

187 0

thetwistedyarn

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Nov 22

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Crunching numbers for a pattern for @stylecraftyarns . Crunch, crunch, crunch. I love-hate this stage. 
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#knitdesigner #stylecraftyarns #stylecraft #nevernotknitting #knittingpatterns #knittingpattern #yarn #garn #strikke #virkning #strikkedilla #knitspo #knitspiration #winterknitting

Crunching numbers for a pattern for @stylecraftyarns . Crunch, crunch, crunch. I love-hate this stage.
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#knitdesigner #stylecraftyarns #stylecraft #nevernotknitting #knittingpatterns #knittingpattern #yarn #garn #strikke #virkning #strikkedilla #knitspo #knitspiration #winterknitting
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113 3

thetwistedyarn

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May 3

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New blog post! See thetwistedyarn.com or link in bio. Warning: contains personal inadequacy and failure.

New blog post! See thetwistedyarn.com or link in bio. Warning: contains personal inadequacy and failure. ...

228 8

thetwistedyarn

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May 27

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Fancy a new blog post? See link in bio or visit thetwistedyarn.com. @novitaknits

Fancy a new blog post? See link in bio or visit thetwistedyarn.com. @novitaknits ...

83 1

thetwistedyarn

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Aug 3

Open
Previous design didn't work, but this one will. This is FUN.
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#strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #knittersofinsta #strandedknitting #virkning #garn #strikke #strikkedilla #knitdesigner #knittingdesigner #nevernotknitting #fairisleknitting #fairisle @stylecraftyarns #stylecrafthighlandheathers

Previous design didn`t work, but this one will. This is FUN.
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#strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #knittersofinsta #strandedknitting #virkning #garn #strikke #strikkedilla #knitdesigner #knittingdesigner #nevernotknitting #fairisleknitting #fairisle @stylecraftyarns #stylecrafthighlandheathers
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271 12

thetwistedyarn

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Nov 2

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Knitting on the rug beside the first fire of the season.

Knitting on the rug beside the first fire of the season. ...

175 7

thetwistedyarn

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Mar 16

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There's a new blog post at thetwistedyarn.com (or see link in bio). It's a little different from normal, as it pays tribute to my recently deceased aunt. But don't worry, normal yarny shenanigans will resume next post. 
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#copingwithgrief #grief #funeral

There`s a new blog post at thetwistedyarn.com (or see link in bio). It`s a little different from normal, as it pays tribute to my recently deceased aunt. But don`t worry, normal yarny shenanigans will resume next post.
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#copingwithgrief #grief #funeral
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148 8

thetwistedyarn

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Dec 14

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There's a new blog post at thetwistedyarn.com (or see link in bio). Just sayin'.

There`s a new blog post at thetwistedyarn.com (or see link in bio). Just sayin`. ...

162 3

thetwistedyarn

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Jun 2

Open
Places you can knit: deep underground in a cave!
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#knittinginpublic #knitinpublic #placesyoucanknit @novitaknits

Places you can knit: deep underground in a cave!
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#knittinginpublic #knitinpublic #placesyoucanknit @novitaknits
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109 0

thetwistedyarn

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Mar 5

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New blog post, right here: https://thetwistedyarn.com/2022/03/05/blue-and-yellow/

New blog post, right here: https://thetwistedyarn.com/2022/03/05/blue-and-yellow/ ...

174 4

thetwistedyarn

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Oct 31

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There's a new blog post in town. See link in bio or explore thetwistedyarn.com.

There`s a new blog post in town. See link in bio or explore thetwistedyarn.com. ...

157 5

thetwistedyarn

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May 22

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Sunday morning stitchery, fuelled by green tea. Watching insects bumbling about amongst the #nomowmay grass. Enjoying @novitaknits yarn.

Sunday morning stitchery, fuelled by green tea. Watching insects bumbling about amongst the #nomowmay grass. Enjoying @novitaknits yarn. ...

138 3

thetwistedyarn

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Jul 26

Open
For those of you remember Robyn-the-robin (my cheeky avian friend who fed from my hand and generally bossed me about for two summers), you may be interested in this. Here's a fledgling robin who hasn't even got his/her red chest yet, but follows me VERY closely around the garden. We've just had a little chat over some mealworms, and I'm optimistic that we'll be friends. 
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#robin #gardenbirds #tamebirds #gardenforwildlife

For those of you remember Robyn-the-robin (my cheeky avian friend who fed from my hand and generally bossed me about for two summers), you may be interested in this. Here`s a fledgling robin who hasn`t even got his/her red chest yet, but follows me VERY closely around the garden. We`ve just had a little chat over some mealworms, and I`m optimistic that we`ll be friends.
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#robin #gardenbirds #tamebirds #gardenforwildlife
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573 36

thetwistedyarn

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Jun 1

Open
Knitting and walking in the sunshine. ❀ 
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#knitspo #knitspiration #knitinpublic #knittinginpublic #knittingandwalking  #nevernotknitting @novitaknits #novitaknits #knitdesigner

Knitting and walking in the sunshine. ❀
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#knitspo #knitspiration #knitinpublic #knittinginpublic #knittingandwalking #nevernotknitting @novitaknits #novitaknits #knitdesigner
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130 2

thetwistedyarn

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May 11

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View from a sofa, as I contemplate ideas for a new blog post (that'll doubtless take weeks to be drafted and re-re-re-re-re-drafted).

View from a sofa, as I contemplate ideas for a new blog post (that`ll doubtless take weeks to be drafted and re-re-re-re-re-drafted). ...

168 18

thetwistedyarn

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May 2

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I finished designing a thing. @novitaknits yarns are lush. πŸ™‚
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#strandedcolourwork #strandedknitting #strandedcolorwork #fairisletechniques #fairislefriday #fairisledesign #knitdesigner #knittingdesigner #nevernotknitting #novitaknits #novita #garn #strikkedilla #strikke #virkning #knitspo #knitspiration

I finished designing a thing. @novitaknits yarns are lush. πŸ™‚
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#strandedcolourwork #strandedknitting #strandedcolorwork #fairisletechniques #fairislefriday #fairisledesign #knitdesigner #knittingdesigner #nevernotknitting #novitaknits #novita #garn #strikkedilla #strikke #virkning #knitspo #knitspiration
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352 48

thetwistedyarn

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Aug 3

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New blog post at thetwistedyarn.com (see link in bio). Includes happy times with fellow Stylecraft Blogstars.

New blog post at thetwistedyarn.com (see link in bio). Includes happy times with fellow Stylecraft Blogstars. ...

159 10

thetwistedyarn

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May 9

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My implausibly awesome friend @buttonspickles has just published this sock pattern. This a woman who seriously knows her cables and her socks, so this pattern is worth checking out. There's a link in her bio for purchase.

My implausibly awesome friend @buttonspickles has just published this sock pattern. This a woman who seriously knows her cables and her socks, so this pattern is worth checking out. There`s a link in her bio for purchase. ...

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