French Knots

Sewing and Sneezing

 
This is one of my favourite gifts that I made this year for Christmas presents, a strip patchwork scarf. I sewed and snipped and sewed some more, linen tea towels and trousers backed with some checked brushed cotton that I picked up somewhere along the way.

 

It's been a rather subdued year so far for me, the cold I had at the beginning of January developed into a horrid fluey thing with a congested head, aching joints and a hacking cough. So nothing much has been done, bit of a pain really as my head is full of ideas and I have an exciting opportunity to get ready for. Never mind there is always next week. The Baby Brother is a bit under the weather too so we have spent our time under a quilt on the settee looking at his favourite books.

 
This is another bit of pre Christmas sewing, a friend asked me to make a Scottie Dog cushion for her daughter, I'm not very good at drawing but think it turned out ok.

 Right another Lemsip for me I think..................... 

Hello

 
My snugly new beret has been keeping me cosy during the latest cold spell, though generally I wear it outside! The weeks have slipped away as we have been visited by the lurgy with The Baby Brother, My Little Helper and Mr FK all succumbing, we girls are made of sterner stuff! With the whirlwind end of term - parties, Christmas Disco, Carol Concerts and so on - I can hardly believe it's only a few sleeps till Christmas.

 
As I sorted through my scraps of Christmas fabric they were begging to be made into little patchwork trees, so ignoring the 'to do' list for a while I enjoyed playing for a while. Often sewing is dictated by presents to be made or orders to be fulfilled, which is wonderful but it's lovely just to sew for fun.

Many years ago I started an embroidered Christmas stocking, 5 or maybe 6 years ago. The embroiderey didn't take long but then it languished in the UFO pile, once I got down to it the construction of the stocking took.....oh at least half an hour!

 
I'm really pleased with it, but I'm sure the children would be gutted to hang such a paltry little stocking up on Christmas Eve!

I'm coming to the end of my 365 project, some days it's been hard to find a picture in the general gloom and greyness of winter days but it's made me open my eyes to what's around me and notice more.

 
This was the ice on the inside of my car window the other morning, which I stopped to admire rather than just huffing and scrapping it off in a rush to get out and about.

 
A little cowboy, treasure that My Little Helper dug up on the allotment this summer.

 
and shadows, so pleasing and ephemeral.

Wips

 
My sewing table is covered with half made things, cut out parts waiting to be sewn together, bits of fabric that look pleasing together..............leaving me about a six inch square bit of table to work on!

So I'm trying to get some projects completed, which is satisfying as the 'done' pile grows.

 
 So my pile of pillowcases, tea towels and shirts is transforming into brooches,door stops, lavender Sweet Hearts and presents for my Christmas box. Creating something lovely out of jumble sale finds, the perfect way to spend nap time.

Autumn Days

 
We squeezed in a weekend away at Carsington Water in the caravan, left home in the pouring rain on Friday and got home in another downpour on Sunday - but in between it was glorious sunshine. We walked from the campsite around the reservoir enjoying watching the boats, someone found it a bit hard going and his legs were tired......

 
What a hard life!

 
We have gathered most of our crops from the allotment, our single pumpkin is now on the kitchen window sill ripening and My Little Helper has plans for it on Halloween. Still some leeks in the ground for later in the year.We've also been planning all the extra things we want to grow next year - more fruit and veg, more flowers for cutting and a herb patch are all on the list. Well we'll see what next year brings, I've covered the parts I cleared this year with old carpets to try and keep them weed free for the spring.

 
Such wonderful colours, they remind me of the gorgeous wool felt I bought from Treefall

 
wonderfully thick yet soft. 

 

I think I might use it to make some more brooches in autumnal shades, such fun playing with pretty fabric and buttons!

 

 

Haberdashery haul

On Sunday Amanda Makes and I went to vintage fashion and textile heaven! The Fair at the Armitage Centre in Manchester always has a brilliant selection of sellers with goodies to suit all budgets and tastes.

We were fairly restrained I think considering the goodies on offer, by the second stall we were both squeaking with excitement and the prospect of a few child free hours of browsing the wonderful array was blissful!

So what came home with me

pretty buttons, buckle and thimbles all from the 10p box- yes I know 10p each!!

Crochet thread in lovely soft colours, embroidery silks to join the box full I have upstairs

vintage bias binding - 10p!

and a small selection of the arm load of tiny lace panels and doilies I scooped up for.....yes...you guessed it 10p each! Such lacey lovliness, how I love the 10p man and his boxes of delight!

And then I picked up a few more buttons

The Baby brother likes them too! some pretty beads and sparkly broken necklaces

pardon...not many buttons....well I did get these too....

you can never have too many buttons! I have enjoyed sorting them into jars, red, blue, yellow, white, Pretty. Yes pretty, you know the most lovely ones that will only be used on the most special projects...if at all!!
 
 
  

Yes, I do still make things....

A little draw string bag to hold pegs in the caravan, a few bits of recycled pillowcase and about 5 minutes sewing.

So now the swimsuits wont blow away when they are hanging on the guy ropes.

Then I had an idea to use some of my collection of beads, buttons and other bits and bobs making crocheted necklaces. Putting these together is really satisfying and I've made them long enough to wrap round your neck a couple of times or wear as a single long strand. I'm planning to dust the cobwebs off my etsy shop and list them. Once I get over my current dose of shilly shallying, put it off till another day dithering. Usually I like to get things done, tick them off my list but I've turned into a procrastinator of late. New motto - Just blummin do it!

Very addictive, I see lots of necklaces with little treasures in my future! 

Pretty Nifty and Thrifty

What do you get if you mix together a pleasing but boring charity shop skirt, a length of bargainous Clothkits ribbon, (on offer last week) and about 10 minutes at the sewing machine..............

a cheery new skirt that looks jolly good with my cherry red shoes!

ps, thank you for the phone stealing sympathy, it is Infant Sports Day tomorrow and my new 'old phone from the drawer of things we think we don't need any more' will be safely tucked up my knicker leg! 

Sunny Spring

The garden and allotment are bursting into wonderful spring life, sunny days and rain showers are encouraging everything to grown like mad.

Poppies ready to burst open with vibrant blooms

 
Oh yes, the weeds are romping along too! But very pretty and photogenic!

I've squeezed in a little sewing, recycled jeans become a little birthday present backpack, just right for summer.

And now it's half term so of course it's raining! Hopefully the sun will come out later so we can try out the new play equipement in the park. We are off to North Norfolk soon in the caravan staying on the Sandringham Estate, I'm really looking forward to some relaxing days and tasty BBQs. It's not an area we've been to before so please let me know which villages are the prettiest,which beaches are good for paddling or which shops I should visit with my holiday spends! Amanda Makes says we mustn't miss Wiveton Farm Cafe and having looked at their website I can't wait to visit.

I'm risking another dose of crochet finger! Grannies are so quick and easy to do I couldn't resist creating some squishy cushions for the caravan and next I want to try Attic 24s Granny Stripes. I bought some cheapo acrylic yarn in some wonderful colours and will be able to granny along to my hearts content. Hopefully it will grow as quickly as my weeds! 

Busy days

The Baby Brother is on his fourth cough and cold combo of the year and getting teeth number 7 and 8 as well, poor little lovie. Roll on germ free summer days!

I have sustained a craft related injury - crochet finger. As I've been working like a dervish on the ice cream blanket my little finger has stiffened up, I've been using it to control the tension and it seems to have been too much work for such an underused part of my body. Not that the rest of it gets much exercise!

 The Granny squares have been joined to make larger squares with a border of three colours round them

and I'm just finishing of a border round the whole blanket, one row in each of the six colours. It's lovely and cosy having it on my knee while working on it. Once the border is finished I'll just have seven hundred thousand loose ends to sew in! I'm really pleased with how it has worked out, my first crochet blankie.

I've squeezed in a bit of sewing too, some coasters for a present

some old french ticking that I got at a textile fair years ago and have been saving....for what I'm not sure but as coasters don't take up too much fabric I still have plenty left so didn't come out in too much of a cold sweat when cutting into it!

My Little Helper had us in stitches the other day, The Big Sister is a huge JLS fan and he delighted in telling her it stood for Just Losers Singing! The fact that we all chuckled just made her even more annoyed!

Lovely sunny day again here, while The Baby Brother is napping I'm going to tidy up the garden a bit and enjoy the smell of spring in the air.  
 

Makeover

A while ago I saw this at the charity shop

yes it is indeed a hideous confection of nylon lace!

But

stripped back to it's bare bones it has potential, I'm planning a patchwork quilt, pillow and a crochet blanket no doubt as it is my new addiction!  A fine place for teddies to snuggle, once I get round to it.

There has also been some finishing off in The Baby Brother's bedroom

Baskets for toy storage, some wall stickers to brighten things up and a recycled jeans basket for socks

Taking a photo a day, mostly in the house as it is so grey outside, has made me notice lots of little things needing attention and sprucing. And tidying, oh yes lots of corners needing tidying. Oh well they'll keep for another day there's sewing to do.......  !