French Knots

nearly, nearly

 

Primula denticulata. When I was growing up we lived next door to a lovely retired couple Mr and Mrs Milsom, I remember going round to visit always being told to ask if 'it's convenient' and spending time with Milly and Mr Milly. He was a keen gardener and I remember being about 9 and and working on a project for school, a project on flowers. Mr Milly told me the proper name of purple pom poms and for some reason it embeded itself into my brain for evermore. Primula denticulata such a lovely spring flower.

Tomorrow is a big day, THE big day, I go into hospital and our family grows. Surreal really, whilst I have a bump that could house a baby elephant, have seen and heard the baby there is still a lingering feeling that it's all too good to be true. So I can't wait to meet it, those magical first moments falling in love, fierce piercing mother love. I'm also looking forward to seeing all three children together as they get to know the new baby. So I'll be back some time next week. Thank you for all your good wishes and kind comments over the last months.xx 

Just in time

 

Way, way back at the beginning of January we ordered a new small settee and sofa bed to replace the old settee that we have had since we got married ( 21 years ago next week!). As we don't have a spare room now the sofa bed was for visitors, with a deadline for it to be used when the baby arrives - so planning ahead, plenty of time we thought. Sadly Habitat had other plans, inefficient, lack of communication blah, blah, blah. Eventually they sorted themselves out but I'd just about forgotten what the blummin things looked like! 

Just in time they arrived, fitted in the room and needed making homely. So a spot of rummaging in the fabric mountain resulted in a few new cushions.

 

Just managed to squeeze myself in behind the sewing machine!

A busy afternoon

 

sitting in the sun watching the washing dry on the line!

Easter Hols

We've had a lovely two weeks, lovely but exhausting when v v pregnant! Thank goodness the weather has been so good, the children have enjoyed playing in the garden and I have enjoyed sitting in a deckchair watching them.

 

We decorated our Easter Tree, made some gooey chocolatey cakes, had an Easter egg hunt and stuffed ourselves with lots of eggs.

As the sunny weather continued we barbecued and chilled out in the garden.

 

Family visiting, bits of DIY for Mr FK who long ago learned to dread the words ' I've been thinking...'!

I had to change my car, the final remnant of my old working life - my beautiful pale blue beetle convertible. Totally impractical for two children never mind three, but so lovely driving along in the sunshine with the top down! Ah well, I now have a Scenic in a colour described on the details as beige....beige.... I can't drive a beige Mum's Taxi - I'm calling it stone instead as that makes my toes curl less! It's actually a great car, well designed for it's family market I think.

 Today is a day to just get through, when my thoughts are focused on my Mum. The sort of Mum she was and how the things she did gave me my blueprint of how to be a mother, baking, cooking, gardening, growing, nurturing, creating the heart of our home as we were growing up. Our safe haven.She made me who I am.

Image from Grow'em Plant Propagation Database.

Presents delivered

 

Now that a few homemade presents have been delivered it's safe to show them. Union Jack cushions and bunting have been popping up all over blogland this spring. A great graphic and easy to do, unless you use satin ribbon, and decide to edge each ribbon with more satin piping..no..no far too slippy. Next one will not feature satin methinks.

   

Jolly applique towels, My Little Helper has a busy social life with lots of parties to attend so I need a supply of suitable quick to make presents.

Eggceptional Softies for Easter are on our list of things to do over the hols plus making some healthy, low sugar(!) Chocky Rocky, decorating the Easter Tree and trying out some of the great Easter craft ideas over at The Crafty Crow. Well that'll keep me happy, the children can join in too if they want!  

Hurry, hurry

With the children off on Easter Holidays for two weeks April will slip away and before I know it the big day will be here! Hurrah! But it has motivated me to finish off some projects that have been hanging around for ages....quick....hurry .....sew,sew,sew.

 

So a large linen antimacassar becomes a tote bag, ready for visiting the park when the summer comes. Lots of room for drinks, rug, suntan lotion and the brolly we'll need if this summer is like the last one! I loved the deep lace border which, folded back on itself, makes a great decorative edge for the bag. I've stitched a couple of pockets inside too so I'm not groping around for essentials.

 

This is a lovely blend of rescued fabrics - doily was given to me at a jumble sale as I bought some tray cloths I must have looked like the right recipient and the lady thought nobody else would want it! The backing is ticking from the Textile Fair at the Armitage Centre years ago and the linen is an old tea towel that I found at a car boot sale. So it must have cost me at least 50p to put togther and all of 10 minutes sewing time once I actually sat down and got on with it. I like it enormously and felt Mr FK was not enthusiastic enough when I showed it to him - 'well I'll blog about it' I harumphed, 'they'll like it!' 

Lastly a bunch of bunnies have been completed, just in time for Easter

 

Little felty lovies to sit on your egg and keep it warm. Or just to decorate it if it's the chocolate variety.

Have a lovely weekend!

Knitted Patchwork

I just can't get to grips with crochet no matter how much I want to make a granny square or ripple blanket! So I was delighted to find a pattern for knitted hexagons over at Knitty Vintage and Rosy which is easy to follow and saves my brain having to try too hard.

   

They knit up quickly so I might make a blanket with them, or if I get tired of stitching them together it'll be a cushion cover! The wool is the Louisa Harding silk that I picked up in the sale and I'm loving the richness of the colours together.

I haven't done much knitting since finishing the little jumper as my hands, and especially my thumb joints, have been aching a lot. But no need to worry it's just pregnancy related carpel tunnel syndrome! Great, I can add it to my growing list of pregnancy ailments along with my malfunctioning bladder, worn out back and  sudden urge to clean out cupboards!