French Knots

Sew Christmassy

In line with my cheerful frugality approach to life these days I decided I would try and make as many Christmas presents as possible using what I already have. This is no hardship as I have boxes full of fabric, jars of ribbon and buttons and using what I have is more satisfying than just going out and buying more stuff.

So repurposing began, unused pillowcases - 70s perhaps?- bought at the jumble became peg bags

 

An old sheet in a funky flower pattern became a bed pocket, with the addition of an embroidery I saw on someone's blog - I can't remember where so if it is you please let me know so I can credit you properly (and it's a little present for my niece so I hope you don't mind me copying your sweet bedtime picture)

 

The bed pocket has a long flap to go under the matress and the pocket can hang by the pillow to hold a book, a torch or other special treasures.

Unlike the government I don't believe that borrowing and spending is the answer when times are tough financially, I would rather save my money and be a bit more inventive and creative when coming up with Christmas presents.

A rummage through my embarrasingly large fabric stash came up with a super selection of fabrics to make a Wee Wonderfuls robot, I've had the pattern for a couple of years so it was time it saw the light of day.

   

I had almost forgotten the lovely fabric I bought bought earlier in the year with a patchwork cushion in mind. I added a little pocket and made a matching neckerchief for the bear, perfect for cuddles

 

Sew ( yes I'm enjoying that pun, sorry!) my Christmas list has shrunk to just a couple of things, including an embroidered stocking that I started before last Christmas and I'll be really pleased if it's finished for next Christmas! 

Busy, Busy

Goodness how did I ever find time to go to work!? I love the bustle of this time of year but find I'm flagging by mid afternoon, which is a great deal better than a few weeks ago. Last week got off to a shaky start as the Doctor sent me to hospital worried that I might be loosing amniotic fluid, happily 6 hours later (!) I was home again safe in the knowledge that I was not but having leant that Tena Lady may well figure in the future and also to avoid sneezing!! Nearly halfway now, 18 weeks today.

The week took an upturn from there as I had been invited to sit on the Citizens Jury for Midwifery run by our local Primary Care Trust. It was a facinating three days, we heard evidence from midwives, obstretricians, staticians, finance experts and had some heated discussion amongst ourselves. It focussed on the fact that my local area is loosing it's maternity unit ( something to do with bringing services ' closer to home' - yeah right) and we were assessing the need for a Midwife Led Unit to serve low risk women in this area. Without that, the only place to give birth would be at home or by travelling outside the area to a big maternity unit at a hospital where it is already hard to park and people feel they are on a conveyor belt. Possibly I am biased, given my current condidtion, but I voted in favour of it and a report will be sent to the jurors in a couple of weeks before it is presented to the PCT. It was great to use my brain a bit more than usual, ok so I've been learning spellings and times tables with The Big Sister but that's not the same! It's an aspect of my working life I had not realised I missed, analysing information, questioning, probing, assessing - the lunches were pretty good too!

I've made some progress on my list of Christmas presents - how are you doing?  

 

A little quilt for a certain someone, the first I've made.Well more of a patchwork blanket reallyas I didn't actually quilt it, perhaps next time.

My Christmas Swap has arrived with Tracey my partner and hers is here too.........of course we couldn't wait to open them

 

This is what I sent, hopefully she is an apron person,the soft trees were all over blogland a couple of years ago and I decided to make mini yo yos for the baubles 

I really enjoyed the hand sewing and, time permitting will make one or two to add to my Christmas decorations.

Tracey really spoilt me

   

She is a talented needle woman, the bag is wonderfully made, so neat and absolutley perfect and the decoration is really sweet with it's embroidery. Thank you Tracey for being my partner, I hope everyone else is as happy with their swap surprises.

Friday

I want to start by thanking everyone who has left good wishes and congratulations, I am really touched and it is wonderful to think of friends all round the world wishing us well. I have been reading them out to Mr FK too. So Thank You!!

I managed to stir my stumps this week to get some sewing done as it suddenly hit me that we are nearly in December and unless I dust off the sewing machine there will be a distinct lack of presents chez French Knots this year. I finished off my swap parcel first

 

A little peep, don't want to spoil the surprise for Tracey. Lots of pictures have been popping up on my favourite blogs as the first of the parcels arrive, it's great to see all the handmade loveliness isn't it?!

Then I made a list of all the different things I wanted to make, as where would life be without a list to tick things off as they are done. Yes and even write them on to tick them off straight away to make me feel even more productive! I have three lovely nieces overseas so need to bear in mind postage costs when planning their presents, I made the first one and took it to the Post Office just to see how much it would be to send - humm over ten quid! Back to the drawing board, but I've got an even better idea now incorporating some hand embroidery too which I love and for some reason don't find time for.

My Little Helper and I put together our shoe box for Operation Christmas Child

  

  he was really excited to fill it with treats and surprises even though he wanted to keep the Hotwheels cars for himself! More love being sent round the world - is it my hormones making me so mushy and love filled I wonder?!

Hope you weekend is filled with love too.xx

Parcels at the ready!

Have you finished your surprises? Wrapped your parcel? Don't forget to get your swap in the post ladies and please let me know once your goodies have arrived. Happy swapping!

 

Lest we forget

Pssst

Want to know a secret?? The reason for my lack of posts, of creativity, of replying to emails and comments? The reason why I've not kept up with any of the Christmas swappers or even got around to putting the button on my blog?The reason why I have been lolling on the settee watching rubbish on telly and feeling ghastly?

Couldn't be a better reason!

 

Hurrah! Have spent 13 weeks worrying, throw in some unexplained bleeding, an infection and May 09 really can't come soon enough. With what happened earlier in the year I am afraid to be too excited, too happy and I'm freaked out by every twinge. Last week I had to rest and just lay about, without the inclination to even pick up my knitting, but that's fine. I can take it easy for as long as I need to, in fact I'm becoming rather good at indolence! 

Small pleasures

 

Copied my friend Belinda and made some simple handwarmers, good for keeping me warm when blogging with the heating off! Simple rectangles of rib, stitched up the side.

The Big Sister's excitement and total lack of trepidation at going to Brownie Camp for 5 days next week ( unlike me, who is worrying about her already and shes not even gone yet!)

Borrowing The Kite Runner from a friend and reading it in one sitting

Planning the Christmas presents I'll be making, how I love a list!

Plum whisky in the jar on the window sill

Candles lit as the nights draw in

Autumn cooking, hearty stews in the slow cooker

River Cottage Autumn 

Sew Hip loving the fact that I know and read the blogs of so many contributors and of course the editor too, looking forward to the next issue.

Have a crisp, bright autumn weekend.    

High points

Well, the Big Sister was picked for the school football team for the first time - great anticipation chez French Knots as we are all footie fans. She was really excited as she has enjoyed playing football for the first time since the start of term, they competed in a local schools tournament and did brilliantly only going out on penalties in the semi final.

I was on the Jeremy Vine show on Radio 2, discussing finance, as you do on national radio! I heard them talking about the taxpayers having to bail out the local councils who have lost tens of millions of pounds due to the collapse of the Icelandic banks and it really got my goat! So I phoned in, something I have never done befrore in my life, spoke to a very nice researcher and before I knew it was put through to the studio. Texting my husband as fast as I could to make sure he was listening too! Sadly the chap on before me had a lot to say so I was just squeezed in before the next song, depriving the nation of my fullest thoughts on the matter - should have mentioned the blog, visitor numbers would have soared!

 

This (unironed!) beauty was only a pound at the jumble sale this week. Of course I told myself it would be useful for repurposing into doorstops. But really I just wanted to rescue someone's wonderful hard work

 

How could I snip it up?

 

I imagine my sewing and embroideries will go for a pound at the jumble in years to come too!

Just chillin

A super chilled out weekend with friends, I even read the Sunday papers! Perhaps not so chilled for them as they are not used to 2 small children invading their lovely cottage with  noise, arguments, DS games and so on.

 

Saturday was damp, but a rainbow came out to meet us as we went to the ice cream farm for supplies, of course we had to have a mammoth tasting session while we were there - mmm black cherry, clotted cream, strawberry goodness.

Sunday was bright and crisp, perfect Autumn weather. 

Just right for harvesting pumpkins and a wander down the green lane chatting and soaking up the sunshine   

The glorious English countryside.

Of course this morning it is raining again but I have the taste of the ice cream and the memory of the warm sun on my face to cheer me.

Cutting my cloth

I have been thinking about spending or rather not spending. Living on less. With prices rising - fuel, petrol, food - I want to make my money stretch further but do not want to compromise on nutrition or quality. No battery chickens who have led a life of misery and torture thank you. But equally no month left at the end of the money either!

Menu planning is the corner stone of my plan, what have I got in the freezer and the pantry, which nights will we be sitting down to eat at the table together and when we need a casserole that can be dipped into at different times as swimming lessons and Brownies intervene. I add items to my shopping list as we run out of them and them include anything extra I need to make the planned meals. I bake our bread, well really the bread machine does but you know what I mean, so I keep the pantry well stocked with flour especially when it is on offer.

I also try to shop flexibly, we need some biscuits? If the ones on offer are ones we like, those come home with me. The local co -op often has great reductions on meat that is coming up to it's sell by date so those go in the freezer too. The Poundshop/Wilkinsons and their ilk are handy for washing powder, loo roll and basics at great prices and I am happy with own brand goods too. The supermarkets wheat biscuits taste the same as Weetabix and are a fraction of the price. 

This is my latest addition in the kitchen, a friend did not need it any more and it's perfect for drying using the heat in the kitchen from cooking. Currently the hand embroidered goodies I picked up for a couple of quid at the jumble sale this weekend. Now clean and dry waiting to be made into draught excluders. Both designed to reduce my heating bill. I've also lined the door curtain with an old woollen blanket, as the stained glass front door is pretty but draughty.

I suppose recycling jeans and linens into draught excluders is cost saving too as it stops me buying scrummy new ( but expensive!) fabric.

So it's a homemade Christmas on the cards I think, using up some of my huge fabric stash and getting inspiration from some of the amazing tutorials around blogland.

One brilliant idea I picked up recently from  Frugal Trenches is a no spend day. Simple but harder to achieve than I anticipated! It's a change in mindset I think, I often confuse 'want' and 'need'. Sometimes is it need - tights for the Big Sister for school as the weather gets colder, but also want comes into it - a pretty spotty jug for the kitchen. So I came home with the tights but not the jug. Just cutting my cloth.........