Handmade at Home

another quilt

2012-01-25T17:48:00.000Z

this is the quilt i finished off last week, if there hadn't been a delay in the {right size!} wadding arriving i would have probably finished it off last year, well when the right size did arrive i got stuck right in & finished it off within about 24 hours! {it's really rather a small sized quilt}

i tried out making the binding following a tutorial i'd found on pintrest, it really did work, although i did find it a little tricky at first, i'm sure after a few attempts you'd get the hang of it, the vintage sheets i used to make the quilt top were from 'little tea wagon' & had already been cut into squares for me, as was the fq of vintage flannel used to make the binding, then the dotty flannel on the back & the wadding both came from 'prints to polka dots' - which always seem to have lovely fabric at great prices {i am so in love with flannel, i'd really love to get my hands on some more Anna Maria Horner flannels - please message me if you know of any good uk sources}

i did some simple lines of quilting & machined the binding on & then added one of the sweet labels Laura had sent me, which i think finished it off perfectly!

resolved to sew 2012

2012-01-21T17:42:00.000Z

there is a very lovely 'giveaway' going on over at very berry handmade right now, it got me thinking about what my sewing resolutions are for this year, i've just finished another {small} quilt today, i'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination but i'm getting quicker at making a quilt, although i can often leave a long space between the different parts of making a quilt, i'm also better at ripping something out if i've gone wrong along the way, i really love making a quilt, from choosing the fabric, pattern, seeing it all come together, the time, effort & love you put into it, it all makes a homemade quilt something very special indeed, i do plan to make a couple more baby sized quilts this year, for friends & family due little babies, but that will probably be it, because what i want to really get better at & make more of this year is clothes, mostly for little O & myself, but maybe the odd thing for G too, making clothes was what got me started on the sewing machine in the first place, as a teenager making things for myself {really without a clue about what i was doing! although i do have fond memories of one particular skirt} i look forward to sharing my achievements here with you - wish me luck!

special thanks to laura for the sweet parcel of goodies you sent through, they will be put to good use!

good timing

2012-01-17T18:27:00.000Z

i couldn't finish these socks quick enough - i've been 'right down to my bones' cold today, so cold that after i'd finished off a few tasks which couldn't be avoided, i made a cuppa, a hot water bottle & snuggled up on the sofa with the dog, the socks & a film i'd recorded a while back, what a treat eh - it really was lovely, the socks got finished & put straight on, where they still are, not sure i'm going to want to take them off any time soon, it's still so cold

these socks make me very happy, they are knitted up in some regia 'world college' yarn {which was on special at kemps but think they have now sold out} in the library colour way, i used my usual 'go to' sock pattern, but took the textured pattern from these socks, they turned out a treat!

ravelry details here

squeak squeak

2012-01-15T19:09:00.000Z

i have to say what a lovely weekend it's been, the weathers been cold but bright, perfect january weather as far as i'm concerned, the wood burners been getting lots of use, my new socks are so nearly finished, i made the best home made curry ever in the new slow cooker this afternoon, so am now plotting what i can make in it next,

this very little mousey was a very quick little make {which has now been claimed by little O} he is from the 'christmas crafting in no time' book, G chose this as my christmas present from him {all by himself} such a sweetie! it's a lovely book, there are plenty of projects i'd like to make for next christmas

one week in

2012-01-07T18:12:00.000Z

gosh that went quick! this week has been a shock to the system & getting back to work/school was the hardest for us all, poor Barney got so used to having us all around, all the time it's been rather a shock for him too i think, still only five weeks till half term, evenings getter lighter & the signs of spring will hopefully be on their way, we kept up the new years day tradition of watching the morris dancing {despite the dismal weather} although we've continued to have more power cuts the past week {i had to despatch the hubs out for more candles & wood for the burner just to keep us going} i've cast on for a new pair of socks - to keep my feet warm too!

a long time in the making

2012-01-01T10:28:00.002Z

it's finished, it was finished on friday, but seeing as we spent new years eve without power i wasn't able to post this yesterday, yes we really did have a power cut from about 3pm in the afternoon to somewhere about midnight - not quite sure when as we'd given up by that point & gone to bed {we did sneak out to friends who did have power for a early curry though, so it wasn't too bad} still, back to the quilt! the top was made way back when last year before we moved to this house {oh my nearly a whole year ago} in fact i remember planning to have it done before we'd moved, i'd brought the wadding & backing way back then too, as with everything, once i got going again with it, i really enjoyed finishing it, even hand sewing the binding on, i also think i now want to back every quilt i make with flannel, as it really makes them so much warmer & perfect for snuggling up with, this quilt is a keeper & think it will become one that is shared amongst us all {although it's on my bed right now}

day 29

2011-12-29T08:35:00.000Z

a short while ago my mum was after a quick knitting project, this pattern immediately sprang to mind -not for its quickness, although it appears to be a straight forward pattern, but because it had been on my to knit list for a while & i had the yarn ready & waiting, it seems to have been a straight forward pattern & the outcome is a very sweet dress for little O, she knit the age 4 size, using DK yarn, but on the smaller needles, the dress fits fine but is a little long, so O can do some growing! the yarns used was the sublime soya cotton i'd had for a while, you can see the rest of the notes over on my ravelry page

& teamed with the hat i think she looks just like a little gnome!

day 28

2011-12-28T20:54:00.000Z

thank you so much to the Aldersons for the fab kids christmas presents, i did let them colour in a few pages, {even though i was very tempted to keep them for myself!}

day 23

2011-12-23T19:05:00.000Z

finding peace - escaping the madness with the soothing repetition of hand sewing the binding on my pin-wheel quilt {& enjoying keeping cosy underneath it whilst doing so}

day 20

2011-12-20T15:31:00.001Z

christmas is creeping closer, we've been keeping ourselves very busy, christmas parties {i honestly had not coordinated her top & hat combo} theatre trips {to see the firework makers daughter - do go if you're in london & have a child of at least five} last minute quilting, snuggling on the sofa to watch the snowman, scoffing christmas chocolates, as i type the children have turned the front room into a huge den, i was hoping to get them making some hama bead snowflakes {still i'm quite happy to get with these on my own} looking forward to lighting the wood burner & making some mulled wine later - hope you're all keeping cosy

day 6

2011-12-06T20:50:00.000Z

nearly one week into the month & i'm getting organised, two hats finished at the weekend {one a christmas pressie, the other for little O}most of the presents brought, decorations found, advent calendars on the go, nativity dress rehearsals under way, parties being prepared for, i just need to remember to find time to stop & take it all in

hat patterns can be found on my ravelry page

hibernating

2011-11-30T12:13:00.000Z

we seem to have had all the cough & cold bugs thrown our way in the last few weeks, we've all be fighting them off with varying degrees of success! little O & i seem to have been hit hardest & have been spending the last couple of days hibernating at home {i'm very lucky to have some great neighbours happy to help me out with the school run}

but don't think i've been snuggled up on the sofa watching dora for the umpteenth time! i've been trying to get on with sewing the mountain of nativity costumes that need to be ready for next week, along with ploughing my way through some of the christmas knitting on my needles, indulging in a little on-line christmas shopping, as i can't actually make it out to the shops {far far better this way but it does mean i miss out on an excuse to have a gingerbread latte}oh & having a practice run on the 'christmas morning muffins'

Storyboek baby quilt

2011-11-13T19:54:00.000Z

a while back i won a giveaway over at 'm is for make', some of the sweet storyboek fabric from birch fabrics, i set it aside not quite sure what to use it for at the time, then when a friend very recently had a little baby boy i knew i wanted to make him something using these fabrics, they are just perfect for a mini baby quilt,

i set about making this quilt in my usual way, having a vague idea of how i wanted it to turn out, then letting it evolve along the way, i added some blue striped fabric i had in my stash & used some blue checked fabric for the backing, i very luckily had some wadding in just the right size, the so they whole thing came together quite quickly, the binding was made from some natural linen left over from a past project {i also discovered that i really need to get myself a bias making tool - something else to add to the christmas list!}

best laid plans

2011-11-05T19:53:00.000Z

the bonfire we had planned to go to tonight was cancelled, so to avoid disappointing two little folks we found our own way to celebrate, sparklers out in the garden, toasting marshmallows & watching everyone else's fireworks out the bedroom window, it's all good!

mini make

2011-10-31T08:05:00.000Z

i'm juggling a few projects right now, knitting & sewing, & there are a whole heap of ideas i want to get started on if i can find the time & motivation, the weekend was far to busy to get much done, friends visiting, girls night out, then an emergency trip to the vets for a cut on Barney's leg {which resulted in stitches, a sulking dog & a very light purse}

i did finish this last week though, a quick little commission for a car crazy toddler, i hear it went down very well with the recipient!

the dots are Amy Butler, teamed with some brown gingham & i really can't remember what the car print is called but think it's from 'prints charming', i know it came from fabric rehab quite a while ago,

doubt i'm going to get much done with this sorrowful dog following me round, but at least he'll get some peace as the kids go back to school today!

keeping snug

2011-10-27T16:44:00.000+01:00

what with all this dreary weather it's been so lovely to get the wood-burner going, it's made me feel all snug, cosy & very warm, it has also prompted me into action to order a load of logs for the winter, we have been having a relatively slow & quiet half term*, a visit to my folks last weekend

where the children returned with hand knitted pumpkins from my mum, these are very sweet, although the kids have had heated discussions about whether they are in fact apples or tomatoes! i think she used this pattern

whatever their decision is they go very well alongside the felted acorns little O made at pre-school recently, an activity i did with the children which worked far better than i had anticipated,
better get back to supervising the hama beading going on right now, barney has eaten far too many to be good for him but i have discovered that at least i can see the glow in the dark ones whilst trying to fish them out of his mouth!

*{although having to drop G off at football school for 9am the last couple of mornings has not felt like much of a holiday!}

just in time

2011-10-19T20:06:00.000+01:00

new slouchy hat for me finished - just in time for the colder weathers arrival, tested on this mornings walk to school, yep nice & toasty! more details over on ravelry

in the dog house

2011-10-16T09:06:00.000+01:00

barney has been in big trouble this week, firstly he ate through the power lead for my netbook, so now i'm eeking out what is left of the battery until a new one is delivered {please please let it arrive on monday}then later the same day he got hold of one of my knitting bags, i found it strewn around the garden, this time he left the yarn alone but has managed to chew/eat/lose a pair of my wooden knitpro interchangeable needles - aaaarrhhh {whose idea was it to get a dog anyway- oh yeah mine}

luckily i had finished a little birthday knitting for a friend of mine before he'd got his cheeky paws on the knitting bag, as i now know its arrived safely i can also share it here too!

at cute quick hat pattern, which when i'd finished it i loved so much that i cast on for another one straight away {clearly still avoiding starting the big christmas knit for the mr!} for this one i used some light grey pompero, which i wasn't too keen on in the ball but it looked & felt lovely knitted up, so i might have to order a few more balls from kemps, my ravelry details are here

will be back as soon as Mr Amazon delivers my new lead

autumn boneyard

2011-10-05T08:05:00.000+01:00

i'm just about to embark on a big knitting project as a christmas present for the man in my life, i'm finding this thought quite daunting, so i needed a quick little something i could get done for myself before the colder weather sets in {after having been spoilt with the recent heatwave} the yarn is from kemps {where else do i buy my wool from these days} it's rowan pure life 100% organic wool, in the 'alder buckthorn' colour-way, i knitted it up into my second boneyard shawl, this wool is a real joy to knit with, so soft & warm, i'm sure it will get lots of use once the weather does turn!

ravelry details over here

wonderful wedding

2011-10-04T20:40:00.000+01:00

who would have thought it, what perfect weather for a london wedding, at the weekend the hubs & i spent a rare child-free twenty four hours in the city & it was just wonderful

september

2011-09-26T20:24:00.000+01:00

for us has been tough getting back into the routine of school & work, but i always love the change of this season & the opportunity to prepare for the coming winter, i watched as my hubs has dug over & re-turfed the lawn, i've done some clearing & tidying in the garden {& brought a little of what's left of summer into the house to be enjoyed} G did his bit by planting 25 bulbs as part of his 'beaver' challenge, so {fingers crossed} we will be looking forward to a beautiful tulip display come spring, i've made 'lots' of jam, all using fruit gifted from our neighbours, which in turn will be gifted back to neighbours & friends, we've eaten a lot of apple related puddings {& discovered i make a mean 'apple puff'} i've got some autumn knitting on my needles, which i'm so looking forward to wearing, embracing autumn all the way!

got there in the end

2011-09-17T10:10:00.000+01:00

one of my friends had a little baby girl on the 31st august & i've been trying to knit her a little something ever since, three attempts later i finally have something to give to her - i'm just hoping the little one hasn't grown too much!

i used some patons eco cotton i got from kemps, it was lovely to knit with & i just love this colour, very girly without being too pink, i'm not quite sure what went wrong, i tried two different patterns before settling on this one, it was from an old 'patons' baby booklet called 'fairytales', this was pattern number 17, i raided my mums pattern stash when we were visiting over the summer {she used to own a wool shop 20ish years ago} so i know it's now out of print, it did highlight my love of 'top down - knit in one piece patterns' as i hated having to sew this one up at the end!

details over on ravelry

the carrot thief

2011-09-06T18:31:00.000+01:00

we didn't really have enough space out back to grow carrots in our garden {next year i'm contemplating growing them in the front garden} but i had a go at growing some in pots, i knew they would never get very big, but i just roasted them whole with other veg & they were very tasty, they'd happily been growing away in a pot on the deck until Barney realised what they were, you see he loves carrots, i often give him a stick or two when i'm peeling some for tea, so once he knew he had a ready supply he could help himself to they started to go missing! i had to move them

they've been living on the garden table for the last few weeks, but with today's wet & very windy weather they got knocked over, not quite sure how as it's a heavy tub, but maybe it had already been pushed slightly off the table by one of the little folk living here, but then lots of other things have been flying around the garden today {what's left of the poor runner beans has taken a huge battering} so i retrieved what was left of the carrots {some still so tiny they'd be great props for O's dolls house} i've also made a apple & plum crumble as we all need something warming today, first day back to school / pre-school, aside from the wind it's certainly been very quiet around here

september - really?

2011-09-02T17:12:00.000+01:00

i knew it was coming but really - here already? we've spent the last week of our holidays over with my folks, enjoying lovely walks, a farm trip, a short shopping trip into brighton {without the little folks!} & a little visit to the village funfair, all good fun

i have a weekend of getting organised ahead of me, it will feel good to get back into a routine next week & maybe find some time to spend with the sewing machine, having returned home to find a parcel of this goodness on my door step, after winning a little giveaway over at m is for make

camping in the cold

2011-09-01T08:00:00.000+01:00

last weekend we went camping in the new forest, this is the second year we have gone camping at this time of year & i imagine it will be the last, having pitched the tent in pouring rain, we spent the rest of the weekend avoiding the showers or wrapping up from the cold {i packed plenty of woollies & hot water bottles!}

it wasn't really all that bad, the kids had a great time & so did barney, who was very well behaved on his first camping trip, we picked a nice quite pitch, in what was very big & busy camp-site, we did a lovely lovely long walk {with the reward of pub lunch at the end} spent time with good friends & did get to see some sunshine - so not really a washout!

a camping granny

2011-08-25T09:24:00.000+01:00

i'd been thinking about a crochet blanket plan for a while, at first i was sure i'd make a granny stripe & had been mulling over what colours i'd like to use, i'd seen this yarn on kemps website recently - i'm always checking their clearance yarns, i'd planned on making the blanket in an acrylic yarn, as i'd wanted it to be something we could take camping & that the kids could use in the garden in a den, or take to the park, so i didn't want it to be something i was too precious about, i dithered a little, not sure if i'd like the colours or the yarn, but in the end temptation won over {& also at £1.09 for a 100g ball it wasn't going to break the bank} i ordered six colours & waited patiently for the postman,

{apple green, cerise, orange, grey, turquoise & jade}

by this time i''d made up my mind that i wanted to make a giant granny square, using two rounds of each colour, now this didn't really need a pattern but this would be a good starting point if you needed one, i couldn't wait to get started, now this isn't a particularly nice yarn to work with, but it feels okay once it's been worked up, i'm really happy with how the colours work together, i'm not really planning on getting this finished till next years first camping trip but i'm enjoying the short rounds at the start of the blanket, i'm sure i'll slow down when it takes me an hour to do one round!

& at least i'll have something to do whilst hiding in the tent from the rain on our final camping trip this year!

mademoiselle

2011-08-19T10:23:00.000+01:00

i've spent far too much time on Amazon lately, what with three birthdays all very close together {last one being tomorrow - happy birthday hubs!} it's been hard to just stick to the list without being tempted to add a little something for myself, well with my final order i buckled - oops! this pattern book found it's way into my basket

technically it's not really for me - given that anything i make from it will be for little O or a gift for another little one, but it's oh so precious, i think i'd want this even if i didn't have a little girl to make clothes for, such sweet patterns & beautiful pictures, it's hard to choose what to make first

i also thought i'd stand far more chance translating the French, instead of Japanese, although it's set out in a very similar way to the Japanese versions, with plenty of step by step photos & pictures

midpoint

2011-08-15T20:04:00.000+01:00

here we are just over half way through, the summer term long forgotten but the autumn one creeping up far to fast, i do always look forward to autumn, it always feels so much more of a season than summer here in the uk, even more so when you live in a small village, the signs are there already, kind neighbours with offers of apples & plums from their fruit trees, some ripe blackberries picked from the hedgerows whilst out walking barney, chunky yarn on my needles, it would be nice if summer went out on a high note & it stayed dry for our last camping trip - please!

my baby turned three! so she's not such a baby any more, i got rather emotional kissing her goodnight on the eve of her birthday, as i said 'this is the last time i will kiss you goodnight as a two year old' silly soppy mummy!

we've enjoyed days out with friends, exploring the woods, picnics at the park, pub gardens, the odd bbq

all good fun!

give-away winners

2011-08-09T20:13:00.000+01:00

wow thanks for all the comments on the give-away post, i couldn't face writing out all the names & popping them into a hat, so i ventured down the path of 'random number generator' once i'd figured out to get it to do what i wanted, it was great {haven't quite figured out how to get a picture of the picked number onto the blog yet though}

so first up the winner of the sewing goodies was Clare from 'a home in the highlands', then the knitting goodies go to Ashley from 'country rose', your parcels got posted off this afternoon so should hopefully be with you soon

the mismatched needles go to Rachel from 'fizz pop bang' {please email me the info i need to send these off to you!}

on another happy note - my sweet peas are smelling delicious

sweet dreams

2011-08-08T18:12:00.000+01:00

when i found myself home alone on friday night {well as alone as one can be with two sleeping children in their beds & one faithful puppy following my every move}i took the opportunity to spend a little time with my sewing machine {& said faithful puppy at my feet} i've been planning to make this pattern for a while, & had it in my mind to make it as a nightie, now i'm normally a pj's kinda gal, but there are occasions when a nightie would be nice, so i used the tunic pattern from this Japanese sewing book {pattern D} & used some lovely light cotton i'd brought on a trip to ikea, which i'd never really known what to use for

it came together quite easily & quicker than i'd thought {i'd already cut the paper pattern pieces out a while ago}i still find the whole process quite magical, how it all comes together & from a flat piece of fabric i can make some thing to wear, which actually fits me! the fit is good, although i would only ever use this pattern to make a nightie {as it does rather look like maternity wear, great on the comfort front but not so great for the being seen in public when you're not actually pregnant front!} it's long, finishing past the knees, which is another thing i like, i added a couple of pockets, as i'm a big lover of pockets, i would however make these bigger next time, i think i'd also make the top bodice part longer & i might change where the pleats fall maybe, i'll wear this one for a while to see how it goes

*i'll close the comments on the give-away tonight, then pick a winner in the morning - good luck*

it's friday - let's have a give-away!

2011-08-05T19:15:00.000+01:00

okay let's get to the good stuff

one winner will get their hands on this Amy Butler 'field bag & tote' pattern, along with a metre of some fabric from her 'love collection'

don't worry if you're not a sewer, there is something for the knitters too! another winner will get two balls of freedom sincere 'organic cotton dk' in a lovely muted shade of purple & a small collection of vintage knitting needles

having had a sort out of my knitting needles i also have a few 'odds', so if anyone is interested in these vintage needles for a collection or think they might have a partner they could reunite them with, please let me know & i'll do a separate 'lucky dip' for them

the give-away is open to all {although not sure if there are any rules on sending knitting needles overseas?} all you have to do is let me know which you are, a sewer or a knitter {or a bit of both - therefore not really minding which goodies you get your mitts on!} then also please let me know if you're interested in the odd knitting needles too, i'll leave the give-away open over the weekend, then pick a winner on monday {or maybe tuesday if i forget what day it is}

a catch up

2011-08-05T12:24:00.001+01:00

not sure i can even remember what week we're into of the school holidays {thinking two or three maybe} i do know that August has crept up on me far too quickly! my boy turned 6 & enjoyed a football party,

i plan to make waffles for breakfast more over the rest of the holidays, i love these so much, we have a waffle iron you heat on the stove & the recipe is a bit of a faff but with such tasty results it really is worth it

there has been tree climbing for the kids

& lots of chewing from the puppy

there has also been time for naps!

we pretty much have more of the same planned for the rest of the holidays, although i'd be happier if i could slow time down a little

i plan on being back later today to do the give-way post - so pop back then x

charleston

2011-08-01T15:39:00.000+01:00

in my dreams this is where i live & this is my garden in the middle of the beautiful sussex countryside

Charleston is just the loveliest place, the gardens {& tea room} are just fabulous {if you like that kind of thing} sadly we didn't get to look round the house, you have to turn up to buy tickets for the tour on the day, it seems that people in the know turn up when they open, buy their ticket, then enjoy a stroll & spot of lunch, we weren't so organised but i will be going back again, maybe without small child next time, as i now know what to expect {although little O was on her best behaviour}

we went to have a look at the Kaffe Fassett exhibition which is on there till the 21st August & whilst they only had a small amount of his work there, what they did have was truly beautiful & inspiring,

escape to the country

2011-07-29T10:04:00.001+01:00

spending a few days visiting my folks in the country {not as relaxing as it might sound as i'm spending far too much time trying to stop Barney dog eating all the rabbit poo in the field!} but really looking forward to a visit here, to see a little of this

image from here

more celebrations as G turns six this weekend! & after a few ups & downs i've also gained 200 followers along the way, so think a little giveaway will be in order next week

afternoon tea

2011-07-25T10:07:00.000+01:00

i had the best day out in London as part of my extended birthday celebrations, we went to the lobby lounge at the Corinthia, what a stunning hotel, we took at look at one of the suites & the spa whilst we were there {i can dream!} the tea was just lovely but the violet éclairs were just the best

teachers pet

2011-07-22T09:00:00.001+01:00

i know lot's of other crafty peeps have used this idea for teacher presents this year but i just couldn't resist, they look so sweet together, i used the mollie makes pattern this time, but think if i am ever to make more, i would go back to the other one i've used in the past, as i had to make a few mods as i went along to these, i used some of the rowan handknit cotton from my odd ball stash to make them, the cards were fun to make too & i was really pleased they turned out how i have imagined them in my head!

puppy love

2011-07-21T20:59:00.000+01:00

this little fella is settling in well, sometimes i still can't quite believe he's ours, he's also {slowly} becoming Barney

i have kind of taken this week off, making plans are happening but that's all they are - plans, i would be kidding myself to think i'm going to get even half of it made over the holidays, but that's okay, i've managed to finish some teachers gifts, just in time as it's the last day of school tomorrow - hurrah!

emmy the great

2011-07-20T22:01:00.000+01:00

well i rather think she is, i'm enjoying listening to the new album {thanks hun} but this is still one of my favourites

birthday season is open!!!!

2011-07-19T17:38:00.002+01:00

we've kicked off birthday season in our house with mine, the sun shone for a few hours {before the rain returned & we all got wet doing school pick up!}

i've had a lovely day & been spoilt with lovely gifts from family & friends, presents to make me smell nice, presents to wear, read, listen too, encourage me to get out in the garden more & to help me keep organised {that's you Julie x} i feel very thankful,

& of course no birthday would be complete without something yummy to eat

i'm also really looking forward to a trip here with my mum & sister at the weekend, for an afternoon tea {i even brought a new dress to wear}

on another note the schools summer fair came {along with the rain} & went {unfortunately the rain stayed} despite the bad weather the school raised a load of money, my stall wasn't a wash out either, but i forgot to take my camera so no photos i'm afraid!

the newest addition

2011-07-13T15:58:00.002+01:00

not a new baby on the way unfortunately {but my substitute}

the juries still out on what his name is, Barky is the children's choice & seems to be sticking! i'm trying to change that to Barney with limited success!

he's getting used to us & we're getting used to him, he's a total time waster, so now i'm getting nothing done

he's a border terrier by the way

another pebble

2011-07-12T18:44:00.001+01:00

this little pebble was finished last week, i love this pattern & really must get some more of the rowan cotton jeans, a great go-to baby gift

details not up on ravelry yet, but will get them up asap!

pointing the finger

2011-07-10T12:00:00.002+01:00

of blame! this is the reason why i am so behind on making things to sell at the school summer fair!

it's finished now so i have a whole week in which to flick the switch onto crazy sewing lady, it's going better than i had thought & i;ve got quite bit made in the last couple of days {but will be taking the rest of today off as it's our wedding anniversary}oh & tomorrow i'm throwing a whole heap of trouble into the mix, but you'll have to wait to find out what it is {can't believe i've kept this one quite though!!!!}

back to the knitting

i'm so very happy with how this turned out, i love the pattern & the yarn worked out great {as did the price as the yarn was on sale from kemps}

it's the twenty ten pattern from Veera Välimäki, i made a few changes, the most obvious being i made it long sleeved, mostly because i'd got enough yarn left to do so, i would love to make a short sleeved version too, i also shorted then neck by a couple of inches,

i used sidar tweedie yarn, it's labelled as a chunky but i really don't think it knits as one, more of an aran weight really, it's a colour i will wear a lot, just hoping it will wash well!

more details over on ravelry

fun filled weekend

2011-07-04T07:38:00.000+01:00

a very full, busy & fun weekend, catching up with family & friends, most of our time spent outside, i really didn't get enough crocheted, sewn or finished off but i did have a great time! we went to Winchester festival / hat fair on the Sunday,which is always a great day & the sun shone on us for the third year in a row!

passing me by

2011-06-30T20:54:00.000+01:00

the days are flying by at a crazy rate right now, i have far too many plans & ideas in my head, without the time to bring them all to life, i'm so looking forward to the end of term, in the hope that things slow down a little, the school holidays are something i always look forward too {maybe because it means i stop work too}big G & i always seem to find the last few weeks of term more of a struggle than normal, there is always alot on

i'm busy working away to get things made for the stall at the schools summer fair, i've enjoyed reading all the imaginative suggestions on what you think i might be making in the last post! you'll have to keep guessing, as they are one of the many unfinished projects in my 'to finish' box

we've also made time for swinging at the park & monster making, as one does!

will be back when i can

playing around

2011-06-19T21:03:00.000+01:00

working on some new projects,

so far, so good

a good start

2011-06-13T21:08:00.000+01:00

i've finally got round to making a start on things for my stall at the school's summer fair, i'm trying not to think about the fact that the fair is only about 4 weeks away, eek! i'm clearly disorganised but am very much in denial about it

i've made a few doll's / teddy blankets, using up some scraps & odds & ends of flannel & wadding,

they are very sweet, i'm pleased with how they turned out & it's a great way to make use of all the smaller bit's of fabric i've been hanging onto

i now really need to get a wriggle on & get making a few more bits & pieces

wet & windy wednesday

2011-06-08T18:06:00.000+01:00

can't keep up with the weather today, not really liking all the rain we've been getting, but it has been helping the garden along, we picked the first of the radish, which was what big G had chosen to grow {he loves radish sandwiches!}

i have also been getting on with my twenty ten cardigan, i'm loving the yarn, it's very soft, although i don't think it's really a chunky, feels more like an aran weight to me, i'm tempted to get some more whilst's it's such a great price at kemps

{& a quick thank you to Andrea from apples&pears for passing a versatile blogger award onto me - i'll need to get my thinking cap on, but if you're impatient you could always check out a random fact's about me blog post from last year - it's all still true!}

back from the island

2011-06-04T21:17:00.000+01:00

what a week to go camping, the weather was just great! we camped at a really lovely family friendly site in freshwater on the Isle of Wight, with lots to do a wonderful time was had by all, i got far less knitting done than i had planned, but this was mostly because the weather was far better than we had hoped for, both the children love camping, i don't think any of us really wanted to come home {but it was good to sleep in a real bed last night}already planning another trip in the summer

stash watch part five

2011-06-04T20:00:00.000+01:00

& lastly some rather bright floral cotton, which i thought would make a great girls dress, also from fabric land in brighton {it's rather a good job i don't live in brighton anymore isn't it}

stash watch part four

2011-06-03T20:00:00.002+01:00

some 'dotty' cottons, also from fabric land in brighton & also at the great price of about £3 pm

stash watch part three

2011-06-02T20:00:00.002+01:00

some alexander henry 'willow grove' in red from here and some fine red 'dobby' cotton, brought from fabric land in brighton {at the great price of £3.30 pm}

stash watch part two

2011-06-01T20:00:00.001+01:00

amy butler 'full moon' dots on cherry red & some alexander henry 'farmdale delicious apples' from here again {but don't think they have anymore of the apples!}

stash watch

2011-05-31T20:00:00.004+01:00

Erin McMorris fabric from her 'weekends' collection, flower cut-outs in lime, flower power in green & flower lollipops in grass, on sale from over here

bank holiday update

2011-05-30T20:15:00.000+01:00

despite the rather damp weather we've had a good start to the half term holiday, a trip up to London for a picnic with long lost friends in telegraph hill park,

a new knitting project on the needles {maybe it's the colder weather but i'm preparing for the autumn already!}

mini granny stripes

2011-05-25T21:52:00.000+01:00

i couldn't resist a little go at the granny stripe pattern & at the same time managed to use up just about every gram of the debbie bliss 'pure cotton' yarn

there was just about enough to make a small dolly sized blanket, i'm well & truly hooked, what a great pattern, i really will be making a big version of this once i get a few other projects finished first!

i also wanted to thank Margaret from paper pastries for sending over the lovely 'message in a bottle kit' i'd won over on 'the ardent sparrow's' giveway, it's ever so sweet, thank you

good'granny'ness

2011-05-23T19:52:00.000+01:00

what a week, i think after all my making & blogging during kcwc i needed a week off, we've also had a busy weekend of visiting & big birthday parties, all good fun but rather tiring, so it's great that this post will be photo heavy & word lite, the circle in a square granny blanket is finished {finally!}

ta-da

this little beauty was a long time in the making {16 months to be exact} but well worth the effort, i had a last minute change of plan with the layout & didn't go with making it square, this way it can either happily sit on the back of the sofa or it also fit's little O's bed rather well {i wish it was big enough for our bed, but then that would probably have taken five years to make!}

i'm already thinking about what my next big project can be, i really want to make a granny stripe blanket as i've seen so many lovely one's on ravelry,

the details are over on my ravelry page, or on previous blog post here,

KCWC day seven - part two

2011-05-15T21:17:00.000+01:00

the cardigan got finished last night & i managed to sew the last of the ends in this morning {as well as baking 24 cup cakes for the fete!} little O even helped me pick out the buttons she liked, shame there weren't more button holes as she picked out a whole heap of good ones,

i used the lilla koftan pattern again, a few changes but not many, i used up some of the left over yarn from my granny blanket {which is all finished, it just doesn't have the ends sewn in, so no 'tada' yet}it's a real shame this yarn is discontinued, as it's lovely to work with & is so very soft & makes a cute little summer cardigan, my ravelry notes can be found here

it's been a busy week for me, think i'll be off to bed now & hopefully be back next week with a little more to say

KCWC day seven - part one

2011-05-15T19:42:00.000+01:00

i think i'm almost too tired to type, it's been a busy day, the rain stayed away, little O happily tottered off to join in all the fun of the revels, in a costume that can only {loosely} be described as a mermaid

she was happy {she had to add her own stamp though - looking pretty cool eh!}

KCWC day six

2011-05-14T21:35:00.000+01:00

another good sewing day, another dress made, i used the same pattern from the "homemade" book & up-cycled a skirt a friend had passed onto me, which had plenty of fabric to use,

this one was even quicker than the last, as i knew what i was doing this time & i also made the most of the skirt by using the hemming & straps from it's previous life, very handy

it's a very twirly dress, little O enjoyed twirling round the garden in it, now i'm eyeing up other clothes for re-fashioning

i've also finished the body of the rainbow cardigan this afternoon, so still on track to get it finished tomorrow

KCWC day four & five

2011-05-13T20:26:00.001+01:00

as yesterday was a work day i didn't get too much done,

at the start of the week i also started a knitting project, which i've been working on whilst sat in-front of the telly in the evenings, as i don't tend to sew much at that time, i took the knitting along to work with me & got a few rows done at lunch, i'm feeling quite confident that i'll get it finished within the week {helped by the fact it's going to have short sleeves}here's a peek

today i've sewn a few sequins onto the fancy dress outfit {& also learned not to take a 2 year shopping for said sequins - she has very strong opinions about what she likes!}

better get back to the knitting

KCWC day three

2011-05-11T22:06:00.000+01:00

today i have moved out my comfort zone & to a place i really hadn't planned to go 'fancy dress' whilst i would have loved to spend some time today sewing another dress or maybe a skirt, a fancy dress outfit was what was needed for little O to wear to our village fete this weekend, so a fancy dress outfit is was i made, well started to make really, the main outfit is finished, i have to say it all went rather well {especially considering i made it up as i went along, as i always seem to do!} it's just in need of a little embellishment, so now a trip to the shops to buy some sequins is called for,

here is a sneek peek, i'll share the rest when it's finished!

KCWC day two

2011-05-10T19:05:00.000+01:00

after yesterdays poor start, i have more than made up for it today, as i had cut out the fabric for this pattern last night, the actual sewing took very little time & if it hadn't have been for the stopping & starting {due to small child requiring attention} i think i could have finished this within a couple of hours

the 'lollipop dress'

the pattern came from a book called 'homemade' which is a lovely book my sister gave me last year, the biggest problem was enlarging the pattern to the correct size {which i must have done as the fit of the dress is not way off}the instructions in the most were clear & easy to follow, the dress came together really well,

i'm very pleased with the finished dress, i think it also helps that i love this fabric {just picked up from a local C&H fabrics, sorry no idea what it is}it looks like lots of little lollipops to me

the straps & bodice lining is some heather bailey 'nicey jane' i picked up on sale from 'prints to polka dots' which worked really well with the other print, it looks ever so cute on too - i'll have to get a snap of little O wearing it

i would really love to make another one of these tomorrow {& trust me i'm sure there will be more} but i think i'm going to have to make a start on a mermaids tail!

KCWC day one

2011-05-09T20:13:00.000+01:00

i've been at work today, so haven't got much done on day one, i did pick up some fabrics a few weeks back & managed to cut out a dress pattern around cooking the kids their tea, so plan on cutting out the fabric tonight & get sewing tomorrow - we'll see, i did have some plans for other things, but have luckily remembered i need to come up with a fancy dress outfit for little O to wear to the village fete on sunday, so it's likely that will be my other project for the week, if i can come up with an idea that is! {main theme is the 'four seasons' our pre-school is just sticking to summer/seaside, she'd like to be a 'crab', i'm thinking more along the lines of a mermaid!}

{the little golfers fabric is going to be made into something for me i think}

been sewing

2011-05-06T20:13:00.001+01:00

it's safe to say little O is over the worst of the pox, she's back to her usual chirpy self {i'm just wishing i could tie her hands together to stop her picking the darn scabs off!}only joking of-course!

a few days ago i took the opportunity to get at the sewing machine during probably the 10th viewing of 'Dora the explorer' for that day, having sorted a stash of fabrics i wanted to make some more zippy wallets with, i changed my plan & made a mat for my sewing machine instead,

since we moved i now have space to keep my machine out all the time, i share a long desk with my darling dearest, he has his computer up one end & my machine is up the other, it works well, he has a wireless keyboard & mouse, so they can get hidden in his draw whilst i'm sewing, then when he wants the desk, my machine just gets pushed up against the wall, so it really needed a mat you see {to stop it scratching up the desk each time of-course} not so sure it needed to be quite so flowery, but i was working with the scraps i had!

you might notice this was made with the scraps from the pin wheel quilt {which has still yet to be quilted} i just made it up as i went along, it's slightly wonky & clearly not the neatest sewing i've done, but it's perfect for what it's intended for

{little O had given up on Dora by now & was trying to get in on the act, by informing me that i had in fact just made this so she could keep her legs warm before swiftly whisking it off to her bedroom}

another go!

2011-05-04T15:01:00.002+01:00

trying out another way to post a photo {thanks Rachel} this is the other zippy wallet i made {i've been picking out fabrics to make some more today!}

a zippy wallet

2011-05-04T09:06:00.002+01:00

zippy wallet, a photo by Handmade at home on Flickr.

found myself looking for a quick project i could make up as a little birthday present! this was perfect, in fact i liked it so much i made two! tutorial over at noodlehead

{i'm having a few issues with the quality of photos when i upload them through blogger - they are much better coming via flickr but i can only seem to post one at a time! any ideas or help would be much appreciated}

a stroll round the park

2011-05-03T19:54:00.000+01:00

the pox has taken hold, little O is covered, being house bound with Dora the explorer on re-play, i think i was going a little stir crazy {that may have also been due to the sleep deprivation!} not wanting to let this spoil our bank holiday weekend we {bundled little O in her buggy } & headed for a stroll round Petworth Park to feel the wind in our hair

& boy was it windy! it did the job though, now i've just got to get through the rest of this week!

a great excuse for a party

2011-05-01T07:43:00.000+01:00

extra long bank holiday weekend, royal wedding, what more do you need, a big group of us hired out the village cricket pavilion for a get-together, it couldn't have worked out better, the children played together, we drank fizz, ate great food, chatted, sat in the sun, watched the children run around the rec & play at the park {okay so it was mostly the dads that supervised the park playing but they then did nip off to the pub when they'd had enough}aside from what your view of the royal family is, it was so lovely that everyone came together, all pitched in, & made great memories for the small folk

however the rest of the weekend is likely to be quieter as little O has come out in chicken pox

{the mugs do belong to us, well the children really - our parish council presented them to all the children at school & pre-school, i have quite mixed feelings on this but am trying not to get too cynical !}

almost a ta-dah!

2011-04-26T18:12:00.000+01:00

as sad as i was that the Easter holidays were over, it was rather nice to get the house back & enjoy a more peaceful day, little O surprised me by having a little nap this afternoon, so i took the hour to catch up with my circle in a square granny blanket,

i am so nearly there with this & really want to push myself to finish it, i had a quick change of plan by instead of going with the 10x10 squares i had intended from the start, to an 8x12 squares blanket, my thought being that this will be better suited to use on the sofa,

all my circles are finished, i'm just working my way through crocheting the last two rows on, then i need to come up with a border, this blanket has been a wip for far too long, i really want to get it finished!

hoilday

2011-04-24T20:54:00.000+01:00

this easter has really felt like a holiday, mostly down to all the lovely weather we've been having, i've been rather busy & having too much fun getting out & doing things too spend much time on the computer, but heh thats okay with me & i'm sure everyone has been doing the same,

the seeds the children & i planted at the start of the easter holidays {just two weeks ago} have also been enjoying the warm weather & have been growing like crazy on the window sill, they will need to be planted out very soon at this rate but i'm a little worried that this weather won't hold!

i did treat myself to some new fabric, i'd been loving these for a while, so once Kate over at misformake had popped them into her sale i couldn't resist,

& thank you to Laura i had the perfect recipe to use up some rhubarb, these went down a treat at an afternoon play at the park with my group of friends, i will be asking my mum to bring over more rhubarb with her asap as these just didn't last long enough

i've found it far too hot to be knitting but i have been planning a few sewing projects, when i get round to putting them into action who knows, but the thought is there, {i have done a little sewing but that's a secret right now so keep it shhh}

out in the garden

2011-04-17T21:00:00.000+01:00

we've spent quite a lot of time outside this weekend & i've been having fun playing with my camera, i've been up to very little in the way of making (other than a spot of baking) but i have been adding to my fabric stash, so i can continue to stalk the postman for the rest of next week!

i'd like to think i might get something started next week but then what with it still being half term & easter it's unlikely, we'll see, i have however set myself a challenge & signed up for Elsie Marley's 'kids clothes week' taking place in May, you'll find the link over on the side, there are so many things i want to make, so i really need a little push!

with a little luck

2011-04-15T13:30:00.000+01:00

i collected this beautiful little parcel from the post office today, i was so happy to get some lovely post & it totally made up for the lack of sunshine around here over the last few days!

what's inside you might be wondering, well i was lucky enough to win a give-away over on {the ardent sparrow}'s beautiful blog, having been sent there by Jane from teawagontales with the chance to win some lovely goodies from five days of give-aways! lets take a look shall we -

my name was picked out the virtual hat for day one! oh so pleased am i, that means not one but two beautiful gifts coming to stay with me. Jane's bag being the first to arrive, so well made & perfect for spring! (with plenty off room to fill with all the necessary bits a mother of two needs to cart about) thank you Jane, i love it!

& i still get to stalk the postman for the next parcel from paper pastries

the tiny pebble

2011-04-09T08:28:00.000+01:00

this little pebble vest was finished last week, but i've been so busy either working (or enjoying the beautiful weather) that i just haven't got round to posting about it, but now we have broken up for easter i can take a big sigh & relax & hopefully enjoy a little more good weather (& maybe knitting if i'm lucky)

such a sweet little pattern. it knitted up so well & i really fell for this yarn, think i might have to stash some away (it's Rowan cotton jeans, shade blue jeans - on sale at kemps now)

i know a few people having babies this year, so am hoping that one will have a small boy! as this pattern really is a newborn size, i might also do another one on larger needles, mostly because i loved knitting this so much

my ravelry notes are here

my week in pictures

2011-04-03T20:56:00.001+01:00

of course my little O would rather play with the stones than the sand! we still have 'a view' from the upstairs windows from which to watch the sunset, new yarn on the needles, the camellia seems to have survived the move & is happily flowering away in the garden, my boy having been in the dressing up box, sneaking a little play with his sisters doll house, a good week all in all, rounded off nicely with mothers day & now one week to go till Easter holidays - hooray!

hope you've all had a lovely week too

sweet little blue

2011-03-28T20:42:00.000+01:00

this is the new cardigan i finished for little O over the weekend, we're both rather pleased with how it turned out

i used some 'sidar click aran with wool' i got from kemps clearance, it knitted up using much less yarn than i had thought it would need, i only used about 30g of the third ball, the pattern was very easy & because i used aran weight it also knitted up quite quickly, the pattern was easy to adapt, i added extra rows to the main body & sleeves & also did less of the a-line increase, to give it a more subtle a-line shape

having knitted this once, i would knit it again, maybe a more colourful version next time (i would also quite like to size the pattern up & make one for myself) details found over here on ravelry

making me happy

2011-03-27T16:16:00.000+01:00

seeing the sunshine

haircut

my (very old) red Mary Jane's, teamed with stripy socks

finished jumper for little O

& a listening to a little Alice

the missing pom pom

2011-03-19T19:13:00.001Z

we're making slow progress with the house, but then that's to be expected with small children & work to get in the way, i've picked up the needles again too & it feels good, i felt the urge to start a new project, partly because little O is in need of a new cardi & partly because Kemps have got a load of lovely new clearance yarns in, so i've got a few small, quick projects planned, but today i'm sharing a project i started & finished just before we moved,

a pompom hat - but without the pompom! i made this for a friend, it came out a little big really, which is why i missed off the pompom, as the weight of it would have just pulled the hat down too much

despite it's faults, the yarn is super soft & warm (Sublime Organic Merino Wool D.K ) & i also really like the pattern, so may plan to make myself one for next winter, but will used the suggested weight of yarn next time, you can see my notes on ravelry

hope the sun has been shinning on you too today (& i really hope it comes back tomorrow)

out the loop

2011-03-12T17:40:00.000Z

first time we've had our own drive-way

i'm still feeling this way, we've been in the new house a week today, the internet took a little longer to get hooked back up, but that was probably a good thing as i've had far too much to be getting on with, i've still got to go back & clean the old house this weekend before we hand the keys back,

looking forward to filling up the wood store

that said, i couldn't be happier, the new house is going to be perfect for us, it's just going to take a few weeks to get it it the way we want it, but it will be well worth it

little O's first bed, in her very girlie bedroom

as you can guess, there has not been much crafting going on, i didn't manage to finish either the crochet blanket or the pin-wheel quilt, so i'll have plenty to be getting on with (when i find the power cord for my sewing machine that is!) i hope to be back soon to share a little more

the tidiest corner of G's room

don't be fooled by the photos - there are many more boxes to unpack & lot's of tidying up to be done, i just chose to ignore those corners of the house!

on the move

2011-03-03T21:00:00.001Z

if all goes to plan we should complete on the new house tomorrow, so i'm likely to be without the internet for a little while,

i'm feeling rather disorganised, but we've given ourselves a small amount of cross-over as we're moving from rented, so i'm maybe a little too laid back about it all!

the little ones are super excited too

hope to be back really soon to share some of the finer details,

(photos taken on our half term trip to the lavender line in west sussex)

pea pod cuties

2011-03-01T18:27:00.000Z

one of the lovely ladies i.work with at pre-school recently lent me this japanese knitting & crochet craft book, it's full of sweet patterns, mostly for house slippers & socks,

the downside is that there are no english translations for any of it, there are lots of diagrams & a few pictures of what stitches some of the symbols mean, but with regards to sizes & yarn weights i was a little lost (my friend is japanese, so i can always ask if i get really stuck)

i thought it best to try a small pattern out first, these baby shoes were the smallest in the book, relatively easy to follow & also very quick to make, i used some sublime organic cotton dk, (in the 'pea pod' shade) which i'd brought from kemps last summer,

i'm guessing they have turned out at about 12-18 month size? (if anyone has a 12-18 month old foot in their house, it would great to know how long their little feet actually are?) i'm sure by adjusting the yarn weight & hook size i can make up a smaller pair, as i think these would be better suited to a smaller baby,

ravelry notes found here

the cowl of happiness

2011-02-23T17:06:00.001Z

i really wanted to use the yarn my sister brought back from NYC on something special, something i loved & would get a lot of use from, after a little thought i knew i wanted to make a cowl, so set about looking for a pattern, i found loads & found it tricky to choose, i knew how i wanted it to be, but wasn't quite sure how to get what i wanted (if you know what i mean!)

so first up i knitted this pattern, i had high hopes for this one, i loved the cable pattern as i was knitting it, but once finished it was way bigger than i wanted it to be & felt the cables kind of got lost, so not having wasted too much time on it, i frogged it & set about making up my own pattern, having learnt more about what i wanted by this time

i knitted it with a simple rib & then moss stitch pattern for the main part, about half way through i knew this was going to be way to big, so i decreased a few stitches, stopped knitting in the round, & added some button holes, in the hope that it would just tighten the top enough to achieve what i wanted, sadly it didn't & by now i was so determined to get this just right! so inspired by this project, i frogged the yarn again & set about knitting a third pattern

happy days! i'm so pleased i pushed on to get something i was truly happy with & didn't just make do, this turned out just how i wanted, it has a great texture, which works really well with this yarn, it's soft, warm & fits just so, i just pop it on & wrap in round again, i can pull it up over my nose when needs be & it stays there, perfect for the cold winter's weather that has been lingering, now i won't mind so much is spring holds off for a week or two! you can check out the details over on ravelry if you're interested

there a also few more pic's of the cowls that didn't quite make the grade over on flickr

on your potty!

2011-02-22T20:27:00.001Z

my littlest O really is not that little now, she seems to have the potty business all sorted out & in record time, with minimal accidents to boot! (perfect timing for our house move as well) unfortunately her dolls haven't followed her lead, she has become more obsessive about changing their nappies than ever, never one to miss an opportunity to make something, the dolls got some new nappies

a great quick project! made using small amount of fabric from the scraps bag

i used this as a starting point, but found i had to change the shape quite a bit for the smaller doll (she was also lucky enough to get two nappies)

i also only had red velcro, i would have preferred to use white but luckily little O is not too fussed

maybe they need some new clothes now too

happy

2011-02-19T19:43:00.001Z

a great kick off to half term (apart from the rain) new fabrics from a little swap set up with Rachel

& a punch & judy show

now that's the way to do it! (sorry, couldn't resist)

can't get enough

2011-02-15T18:55:00.001Z

we're still loved up round here

gingerbread baking session with little O today

finished off a birthday present for a 'girl'friend of G's

we also exchanged on the new house today, so we now have the fun of packing up & moving again, but at least we'll be stopping there for while, so it will all be worth it

14.02.2011

2011-02-14T16:38:00.000Z

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

big G had great fun making his 'school sweetheart' a valentines, the original idea came from here, but he had ideas of his own, so sweet, i hoped she liked it!

a change of plan

2011-02-09T21:03:00.001Z

i used a small amount of my (only) two & half hours of child free time this week by popping to the local haberdashers, i had a list of various things i needed for the many projects i have on the go (or being planned in my head)

whilst browsing their small selection of fabric i spotted they had a few more brushed cottons in stock than they have had previously, i saw this pale lilac & thought it would just be the perfect backing for the pin-wheel quilt (leaving the 'good folks' fabric free for me to maybe make something for myself?)

i used brushed cotton as the backing for the first ever quilt i made, a baby quilt for little O, (just look at those yummy chubby baby legs!)

& whilst i'm not a huge fan of the plainness of this one, brushed cotton is perfect for little people as it makes the quilt so much warmer & cuddlier ( i'm saving the little folks brushed cotton for something else) i'm sure i can come up with something to make the back a little more interesting

it was only when i got home did i find out that someone else also thought i needed a re-think on the backing fabric! - maybe you have more of an eye for matching fabric than you think Charley

today i have

2011-02-08T20:26:00.000Z

been washing new fabric (from here, on sale, i'm thinking the blue may become the backing for the pin-wheel quilt )

hanging said washing out to line dry (washing done & all dry before school pick up!)

loosing the battle against the bug doing the rounds (pesky children & their germ sharing tendencies!)

sitting on the back step, drinking lemsip, soaking up some sun, watching little O & her friend do some digging (generally involving getting a little muddy!)

searching out the new shoots & spring flowers

our sunday

2011-01-30T20:53:00.000Z

despite the cold, oh how lovely it was to see the sun today, our Sunday was

the washing on the line

playing out back on the bikes

a family trip to the garden centre (if only to dream about what i'd like to be buying)

a pot of tea & slice of cake in the cafe

a go on the swing for the little ones

then home for dinner

hope you all had a lovely weekend too x

the prettiest pin-wheels

2011-01-30T20:30:00.000Z

the finished 30's pin-wheel quilt top

can't quite believe that i bought this fabric nearly a year ago (from the quilt room but don't think they have it in stock any more), then spent an age thinking about what i wanted to do with it!

turns out it will be for little O, for her 'big' bed, when we eventually get it that is (i'm trying to hang on until we move - which is likely to be the end of feb, all being well!) this also gives me some time to find the right backing fabric & make a start on quilting it

once the pin-wheel blocks were all made, it came together really quickly, they were well worth the effort, i feel i'm getting better at piecing my quilts, don't get me wrong, there are still a few parts that don't fit exactly right, but it's by far the neatest quilt top i've made

the daffodil dress

2011-01-28T16:29:00.000Z

okay, so the dress has very little to do with daffodils, other than the fabric has a little yellow in it & this little pot of beauties is on the widow sill next to my sewing machine,

i've had this fabric for so long, i think it's a cotton / linen mix, i brought it with the intention of making some trousers for G when he was a toddler, something i didn't get round to doing, i had thought about making a scarf for myself with it, but didn't have quite enough to make it as long as i would have liked

but i had just enough to eek out a summer dress for little O, she won't go near the thing now, but then i can't blame her, it's so very cold here right now,

i followed my template from this dress i made, just tweaking it to make it a little smaller where it needed to be (& to make it work the the small amount of fabric i had), so it should hopefully fit this summer, (original idea from here)

i've had a break from the summer clothes this week but did leave my machine out, which has meant i've finished piecing the 30's quilt top, now it's all come together i'm so excited about it & can't wait to share it with you all, will be back over the weekend with some pictures if the sun puts in an appearance!

part two

2011-01-25T14:53:00.000Z

the second project i finished last week was a skirt for little O, i opted for a more muted colour scheme, but then that means she can get away with wearing it now (with a pair of tights) instead of having to wait for spring to arrive

i'd had this one planned in my head for a while, i just love the Denyse Schmidt, wallflower fabric (from here) which i teamed with some Kaffe Fassett shot cotton (sorry can't remember what the colour was called but i got it from here) it's ever so soft, i'd love to make myself something to wear with it

i added a little lace & ribbon to make the pockets, it's had the seal of approval, as she chose to wear it at the weekend

back with more sewing soon

sewing for summer

2011-01-23T17:48:00.001Z

i don't like January much, so in a bid to sew away the January blues i've been busy in my sewing corner this week, having pulled some fabric out the stash, i piled it up in the corner & left the machine out, prompting me to get on & finish what i start

first up i made a little birthday present for one of G's friends,

a quick skirt, made using some Tanya Whelan fabric from her Darla range (i think i bought it ages ago in hobby-craft!)

a little cotton lace along the bottom & there you go!

of course i couldn't stop there & set about making a few summer bits for little O, i'll be back soon with some pictures next week

all in a mornings work

2011-01-19T14:00:00.000Z

we had one of little O's friends over yesterday morning, i planned to do some cooking with them both but maybe this time didn't choose the most toddler proof recipe! we made a raisin sour dough loaf, which got very very messy!

still they had almost as much fun washing their hands after the mixing was done

& it turned out rather yummy, so we had something for our elevenses

think we might stick to biscuits next time though

rainy days need cosy slippers

2011-01-14T18:22:00.000Z

another quick knitted project, i had been wanting to make some felted slippers for a while now (just one of the many things on the 'to do' list in my head) i had brought a couple of balls of 'natures way' chunky yarn from kemps last year, not really having a plan for them, but they were at such a bargain i couldn't resist

as i didn't really stand to lose much, i just dived in head first, having read a few notes from others on ravelry, who had also made this pattern & felted the slippers

i wish i had remembered to take a before photo as they looked so funny

i was so lucky really, as i just chucked them in the washing machine on a regular 40 cycle, with a load of other washing & the slippers turned out to be a perfect fit, the other great thing though is how very warm & cosy they are, i might make a few little adornments for them, as they look rather plain as they are now, but not sure i'll want to take them off long enough to sew anything to them,

my notes can be found here

little miss mouse

2011-01-09T18:46:00.000Z

i needed one of those quick little knits {to keep my fingers busy whilst i decide what my next big project will be} so i had a quick little look though my favourites on ravelry & came up with the Marisol mouse pattern

super cute & very quick, all the bits were knitted on & off throughout one of the rather rainy days last week, then she only took an evening to sew together,

a great project for using odd's & ends of yarn, good job i've got plenty lying around as i'm going to have to knit another one to stop the children arguing over her, my pattern details can be found here

a whole heap of effort

2011-01-05T20:29:00.002Z

my 'effortless cardigan', really wasn't all that effortless, but i guess that the name of the pattern refers to the actual wearing of it & not the making

as i really haven't wanted to take it off, it's such a pleasure to wear

just one of those comfortable, snug & easy to wear woolies

it took me a couple of months to make, but then i did do a few things in-between & it was definitely mindless sitting in front of the telly knitting,

the pattern is straight forward & easy to follow, the yarn is ever so soft, warm & comfortable, just hoping it will wash okay

pattern: effortless cardigan by Hannah Fettig

yarn: merino bliss by Wendy, brought from kemps

;

my details over here

today i am

2011-01-04T15:58:00.000Z

- making the most of having an extra day with both the children due to a school inset day, we took a trip to 'soft play' this morning & had an afternoon viewing of 'the jungle book'

- trying not to eat too many of the 'squashed fly' biscuits i made

- working out an order to sew the completed 'pin wheel' blocks together

- pondering the almighty party the spiders must have had whilst we were away over Christmas, judging by the cobwebs on the living room ceiling

- getting my hopes up about moving house, only to get frustrated by things getting set back

- keeping warm in my newly finished knitted cardi (details to follow soon)

- planning my next knitting project, with the wool my lovely sister brought me for Christmas (all the way from purl Soho in NY)

- not looking forward to getting ready & out the house in time for the school run tomorrow

goodbye 2010

2010-12-31T15:46:00.000Z

having had a really lovely, busy & fun family Christmas, we have had a few lazy days at home, playing lego or play-mobile, watching films, knitting (well maybe just me with the knitting bit!) but today despite the rather grey weather, we made it out for a walk through the woods

armed with a camera, Thermos of tea & our snacks of choice (mine being Christmas cake) we set off for a slow stroll,

it felt great to get out & we all enjoyed the fresh air & jumping in the puddles (& mud)

i'm looking forward to what is becoming our new years eve celebrations of a curry & a movie, then heading out on new years day to watch the morris men at the village pub, then back for drinks with friends, we also have something extra to celebrate, we have found another house, won't get too excited before it's all down in writing but things are looking good for 2011 - fingers crossed,

wishing you all a happy new year

'twas the night before christmas

2010-12-24T20:13:00.001Z

& we're about as ready as we're going to be

wishing you all a very Merry Christmas

more christmas knitting

2010-12-24T15:01:00.000Z

lots of knitting, has been keeping my fingers busy, think i'm all done (but do have some fireside knitting lined up for myself over the next few days) all the project details can be found over on my Ravelry page,