.

2012-01-05T21:12:00.002Z

I'm very excited to say that I am one of the first members of the 'London Modern Quilt Guild', part of an international network of Modern Quilt Guilds. You can find more information about how to get involved here.We're currently working out the best time for everyone to get together for our first meeting, which should be in central London in the next few weeks.
The new Guild is starting at the same time as a new magazine, 'Modern Quilting', is being launched by the publishers of 'Sew Hip'. It's about time the UK had a contemporary quilting magazine. I'm working on some proposals for features at the moment. Exciting stuff! This quilt was made last year for a colleague's baby. I had a fit of inspiration and sewed the quilt top very quickly, then it sat for many months waiting to be sandwiched and quilted. Story of my life!I love the effect of the dense straight line quilting, but when I was sewing it I thought it would never end! I think though, in the end, it's my favourite of all the quilts I've made. Although I do seem to say that every time I finish one.

2012-01-02T19:59:00.002Z

It's been a funny old day today, the last day of my Christmas break before returning to work tomorrow. This has been the first Christmas in four years that I haven't been ill with some kind of chest infection, flu or sinus infection. Nice! I've had the laziest ten days in a long time which I must have needed, because I usually feel guilty if I'm not sewing, or knitting, or planning. I've done so little really, just a lot of eating (oops!), sleeping, watching television and knitting, mostly at my parents' house. They only live a half hour walk away so I've been there most days, being waited on!I only knitted one Christmas present in the end, a scarf for my Dad, which I need to photograph. Having said yesterday that I want to knit more for myself, the only thing I'm currently knitting is a 'Puerperium' cardigan for my parents' neighbours, who are expecting a baby in March. The cardigan in these photos is the version I knit as part of my nephew Ethan's 'welcome wardrobe'. I absolutely loved knitting this cardigan. Mum asked me to knit a version for her neighbours, in a pale greeny-blue. I'm hoping I can get some of my favourite polka dot buttons for it. It should be a lovely little cardi for a wee Spring baby.I've got some peppers roasting in the oven at the moment, stuffed with new potatoes, feta and pesto. The recipe is from my current favourite book, 'River Cottage Veg Everyday'. The flat smells amazing right now!

2012...Pleased to meet you.

2012-01-01T22:13:00.003Z

Ah 2012, I'm so glad it's here! I don't want to dwell on 2011 as it was a really tough year with a mixture of health and work related problems which left me emotionally exhausted by September. I've been ready for a New Year for several months!

I've got so many 'resolutions' this year that I'm bound to mess a few up, but it is definitely time for a bit of a life overhaul, so here goes:

Knitting:

1. I'd like to knit myself at least a couple of garments this year. I have a tendency to knit for the babies and little people in my life and I think it's time this year to put my knitting skills to a more selfish use!

2. When I am knitting for the aforementioned little people, I will try to knit patterns that I haven't used before, to keep learning new skills.

3. I have some beautiful yarn in my Stash (Tosh Sock, I'm looking at you!) and this year I want to spend time knitting it into beautiful items to be worn, rather than it being hidden away in my stash box.

Sewing:

1. I want to sew garments for myself. I've been blog stalking a few garment sewers this year and have developed a slight obsession with Colette Patterns. It's time I started to try actually making one of these garments, instead of just reading the patterns all the time!

2. I want to make some pretty things for the flat I live in: new cushion covers, a table runner and possibly a quilt for my bed. I got a lovely quilting book for Christmas and am feeling very inspired.

General Life Stuff:

1. I need to eat more healthily and exercise. A year of comfort eating, hormone treatment for endometriosis and a total lack of exercise have had a disastrous effect on my weight and fitness. I need to lose 4 stone (56 lbs). I doubt it can be done in one year, but I am ready to start working on it.

2. The elusive work/life balance. This is a big one for me, I really don't have any balance at all and will drop everything for the sake of my job. I need to put myself, my health, my friends and family first, or at least give them the same attention I give to work.

3. Do things that are outside my comfort zone. I've just turned 31 and should not be spending every evening sitting at home watching TV. I need to get out and socialise, whether that's with friends, my knitting group or at a gym class. Despite my anti-social, shy exterior I actually love meeting people and seeing friends, so I need to do more of it, instead of hibernating on my own.

Finally (phew!), this quote is my inspiration for the new year, courtesy of Eleanor Roosevelt:

'You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. Do the thing you think you cannot do'.

Oh, and obviously I'll be blogging more this year, starting with the 2011 makes that remain unblogged!

Happy New Year, I hope 2012 is a great year for you.

Finished! Christmas Stockings (4 of 53)

2011-12-12T19:50:00.003Z

Well, this regular blogging isn't going very well is it?! Christmas crafting is going slightly better, although not fast enough!

I have finished making a few gifts on my list so far, although the list of things to make seems to be getting longer rather than shorter. How is that possible?! Perhaps because I keep thinking of things I was to make. I think I'll need a rest by the 25th.

I did finish my Christmas stocking commission this weekend. They're on the way to Molly and Aloise in Kent just in time to hang up for Father Christmas to fill with presents. I hope the girls like them!

Autumn Kimono for an Autumn Babe (3 of 53)

2011-11-20T09:40:00.005Z

I'm an Auntie again! My lovely new nephew Ethan James was born on Thursday evening. I had a feeling early on that this baby would be a boy, but my sister-in-law thought it might be another girl so I tried too use fairly neutral colours when knitting for the baby. I was inspired to chose colours that I thought would suit being worn in Autumn/Winter.

I've had one skein of beautiful Dream in Colour 'Classy' in the colourway 'Chinatown Apple' for a few years. I bought it at Stash Yarns in Putney, and have been saving it for a special one-skein project. The colour is perfect for an Autumn baby.

I saw this pattern on Yarn Harlot's blog a few months ago and knew that it would be a great project for this precious single skein. It's a top-down raglan so no seaming! Sewing seams didn't used to bother me at all, but the older I get, the more I'm coming round to the idea of seamless construction!

I found the perfect button in Creative Quilting, one of my favourite fabric shops in East Molesey opposite Hampton Court Palace.

I was at my parents' house yesterday morning before visiting my brother, sister-in-law, Megan and Ethan in the afternoon. It was a beautiful Autumn morning, crisp and cool with a clear blue sky so I grabbed the opportunity to photograph all Ethan's knits (plus a little something for Meg) so I can finally post all these projects I've finished over the last few months.

A Christmas Commission (2/53)

2011-11-08T21:33:00.002Z

I was recently commissioned to make two stockings, one 'pinky purple' and the other 'blues and turquoise' for a friend's daughters Molly and Aloise.

I've been sketching designs for a couple of weeks, piling up fabrics on my dining table, buying embroidery threads and my favourite polka dot buttons to match. I decided to keep the design simple, piecing strips of fabric in varying widths from 1-2.5 inches, interspersed with strips of white fabric, which were then embroidered with the recipient's name or stars, or embellished with a row of buttons. I love how the fabrics are all working together, and the freshness that adding the white strips, embroidery and button detail brings to the design.These still need a bit of work: I need to make and attach the linings and add hanging loops, but I'm really pleased with how they look so far. I hope the girls like them too!

A Challenge. (Or 1/53)

2011-11-08T21:23:00.002Z

Over to the right of this page near the top of the side is a list of the posts I have blogged this year. I have just noticed that I've only blogged 23 times this year. That's terrible isn't it?! I'm really pleased with the things I've created this year and yet many sadly remain unblogged and in some cases haven't even been photographed!

I'm setting myself a challenge for the remainder of 2011, which I hope will encourage me to rediscover my writing/blogging voice, let me celebrate the things I'm really proud of (and show the things that didn't turn out so well!) and share the people and blogs that have been inspiring me this year.

I've tried in the past to say I'll blog every day for a certain period of time, but life (usually work and resulting tiredness) has a habit of getting in the way. And yet some days I know I could write more than once. So the challenge is a post for each day for the rest of 2011, but not necessarily one post per day. 53 posts between now and 2012. Whew, wish me luck!

The ever growing wardrobe

2011-10-23T20:34:00.003+01:00

My new niece or nephew is due in less than four weeks. Must keep knitting!

Right Now...

2011-10-05T22:02:00.002+01:00

...this is the scene on my living room floor. Can you tell there's a baby due soon?!

Simmer Dim

2011-09-25T11:08:00.004+01:00

Among the baby knits, quilts and commissioned sewing projects this year, I have been selfishly knitting shawls. Not enough to take part in Glittr's 11 in 11 project, but there are definitely plenty to keep me cosy as Autumn arrives.

This shawl is 'Simmer Dim' by Gudrun Jonston, aka 'The Shetland Trader'. I started (and almost finished) knitting this shawl during a ten day stay with my parents in April following an operation. Then it sat in a sad little pile waiting to be blocked.

When I finally got to blocking it, the pattern and yarn blocked out beautifully. I was quite aggressive with it, and pinned out every point of the picot edging, but the time spent was definitely worth it. I used Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in 'Corsage' which is a pretty shade of pink that reminds me of raspberry ripple ice cream! Tosh Sock is my absolute favourite yarn now (knocking Koigu KPPPM from top spot). I've got several skeins stashed ready to cast on more projects, including another shawl for me and another Simmer Dim for my Mum's Christmas present.

2011-09-24T09:37:00.002+01:00

A few weeks ago, I had an unusual feeling that can only be classed as crafter's smugness. It was August and I had finished knitting a Christmas present for my niece. My first present finished! In August! Ah yes, I was most definitely feeling smug.
This is the 'Thinking Dress' from 'Miss Bea's Rainy Day' by Louisa Harding. I knitted the size 2, even though Meg will be 3 in March, thinking it should be big enough. I've knitted this dress before, both times using the suggested yarn, Rowan All Seasons Cotton, which is perfect for this pattern. It has great stitch definition and knits into a deliciously chunky and tactile cable.Strangely, my tension seems to have changed a bit over the last few years and I had to drop a whole needle size to knit this on a 4mm needle. That actually gave me a tension that was slightly too tight but it resulted in a lovely sturdy fabric and the final dress width is only about half an inch narrower than it should be.I found the perfect polka dot heart button at my local shop, Creative Quilting, to close the back opening. So there I was, nicely smug about conquering my Christmas knitting list in August. Then I remembered...It's my God daughter's 2nd birthday on 6th October and I haven't started knitting anything for her yet. So, I think she'll be receiving this dress for her birthday and I'll be knitting another (size 3) for Meg for Christmas.

Oops. Not so smug after all!

2011-09-15T16:34:00.003+01:00

The last twelve months have seriously kicked my butt, but over the last few weeks, life has returned to normal and I am feeling far more like myself again.

The one lovely piece of news I received over the last few months is that I'm going to be an Auntie again. My sweet little niece Meg is going to have a baby brother or sister, due in mid-November. November babies need plenty of knit wear, right?!

First on the needles for this late Autumn babe was a Placket Neck Sweater, knit is a pretty shade of silvery grey. This yarn has a beautiful sheen.

Success!

2011-09-09T13:16:00.000+01:00

More photos and details to follow later...

Finding Peace

2011-08-10T22:38:00.006+01:00

I've spent the last few evenings at home working peacefully on this embroidery for Katherine's 5th birthday present. Mostly, I've been embroidering quietly while watching the riots and mindless criminality on television or online, watching as the city I love is burnt and destroyed. I'm fortunate that I live in an area of London that has so far remained unscathed. But the scenes of the riots in London, and now in cities across England, are so saddening.I wish everyone, wherever you are, a peaceful day.

Teeny tiny stitches...I'm obsessed!

2011-08-07T21:22:00.002+01:00

I've finished the commission of five lavender bags for Katherine's friends 5th birthdays, which have all taken place over the last couple of months. It's Katherine's birthday party next Sunday, so time to work on her present now.I have definitely caught the embroidery bug! I absolutely love it! Although my stitch repertoire is seriously limited at the moment: I am becoming an expert at back stitch and today I learnt how to make a French Knot. Check out these beauties, aren't they lovely?!

I have stayed up late working on this for the last couple of nights, to the point where my vision is going blurring and then I know it's definitely time to stop!

This embroidery is going to form the centre panel of a square cushion. I hope all the sewing goes well, I'd hate to ruin this project, at the moment it's the most enjoyable, all consuming project I've worked on for ages!

Racing for Life 2011

2011-07-10T18:41:00.002+01:00

This morning I took part in my first 'Race for Life' event. The Race for Life is a 5k women-only walk, jog or run, raising money for Cancer Research UK.

I had an the idea back in early-Spring to try to organise a team of women to take part from the architectural practice I work at. I ended up with a team of about 15 women, from both our Surrey and Manchester offices, taking part in races in Kempton Park, Surrey and Heaton Park, Manchester.

My original goal was that the team would be able to raise £1000, although I was secretly hoping we would make it to £1500. As of a few minutes ago, our team total stands at £1,820 and the donations are continuing to roll in.

I am overwhelmed.

And not-so-secretly hoping we will smash £2000.

If you would like to donate to our team's fund raising for Cancer Research UK, you can do so at the following link: http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/PRPLadiesRaceforLife2011

Thank you.

Alice

5 x 5

2011-07-03T21:02:00.004+01:00

Since I last posted, I have taken what feels like a big step and started selling my work! Although I have an Etsy shop set up, I am currently selling through my Facebook page and taking custom orders. You can find me on Facebook by searching for 'Flossie in Stitches'.I'm so excited that people like my work; I've had lots of compliments and quite a few orders. I've just sent an order to Australia and have another to send to the US, as well as a few UK orders.

Today I made the first of five lavender bags for a group of girls who are all turning 5 during July and August. I really enjoyed making these. They're similar to some Tooth Fairy Pillows I've also been selling, but where those have a small pocket, these are patchwork with a hand embroidered panel in the centre.
I haven't done any embroidery for about 15 years, but I really enjoyed doing this and I think I'll be doing a lot more, incorporating it into the design of work I will be selling.These will be listed as a made to order item in my Etsy shop soon, but until then, if you're interested in commissioning one, please contact me via Facebook, email or by leaving a message.

A New Beginning

2011-05-22T15:37:00.015+01:00

Have you noticed my new address?! I finally got around to changing my blog's address to reflect the content. When I started blogging, way back in 2005, 'Flossie Knits' was totally appropriate as I was returning to knitting with a vengeance and discovering other knitters, both online and in local knitting groups (I was living and studying in Newcastle at the time). I'm not sure I've ever written about why I use 'Flossie' as my crafty name: Florence was a name my parents loved, but my Grandma hated it, so I ended up being called Alice, however, my Dad has always called me 'Flossie' and my Mum 'Flo' or 'Floss', so when I came to naming my blog all those years ago, Flossie was definitely going to be part of it; I guess she was my alter ego!Over the last couple of years, my crafting interests have broadened again. As a child, I was always making something and loved trying different crafts: lace-making, cross stitch, knitting, painting. Do you remember Dryad craft kits? I loved them! 'Hart Beat' with Tony Hart was my favourite programme and I loved the 'Blue Peter' craft segments. If my Mum wanted to keep me busy she'd give me a pile of empty boxes, yogurt pots and pritt stick and I'd be occupied for hours! While knitting will always be my first adult crafting love, since buying my sewing machine a couple of years ago, I've really become hooked on sewing. Part of this is down to the sewing blogs I've been reading, they're so inspiring. The availability of beautiful, fresh, modern fabrics has also been a contributing factor; I'm lucky that my local John Lewis now stocks fabrics by Amy Butler, Joel Dewberry and Liberty, among others. Even better than that is my proximity to a lovely quilting shop, 'Creative Quilting', just across the river near Hampton Court. I guess until very recently I didn't think of myself as a 'sewist', I was just a knitter who sometimes did a bit of sewing, but I've had an increasing number of compliments on things I've made and I think I need to accept those and make the most of them!So, here I am, at 'Flossie in Stitches'. I think the name perfectly suits where I am right now in terms of my crafting, embracing knitting, sewing, quilting and the embroidery that is next on my list to (re) attempt. Anyone who knows me in 'real' life will know that I spend a lot of my time laughing, giggling and chuckling; basically, I spend a lot of time 'in stitches'! The projects throughout this long and rambling post are a few of the varied projects I've been working on recently. I'll be posting about each of them in turn soon. I'll also be giving my blog a fresh new look soon, but for now: Welcome to my new home!

Waiting Patiently

2011-04-22T20:33:00.004+01:00

I love sewing bags. They are always fairly simple, book bags or totes, but I love choosing fabric combinations, sketching them and working out the dimensions. So, I guess I love to design them as much as make them.My Mum loves bags too. She loves buying bags, using bags and looking at those I've made for other people. There have been many, always for other people. Poor Mum. I knew when I eventually made a bag for her it would need to be really, really nice. Just before Christmas, I finally found the perfect fabric and I ended up sewing this on Christmas Eve. It's a simple tote, interlined with heavyweight interfacing, with a pocket and keychain inside.I love it! In fact, I like it so much I bought the same fabrics in a different colourway to make something similar for myself. I was a bit disappointed recently that Mum still hadn't used her new bag. When I asked her why, she replied, 'I can't use it yet, you haven't blogged it!'. Poor Mum; not only did she have to wait years for me to make a bag for her, she's had to wait several months to use it because I forgot to take photos to blog!
Proof that it's in use now though: here's Mum on a little shopping trip in Kingston yesterday, looking very pleased with her new(ish) bag!

Springtime in Surbiton

2011-03-20T08:57:00.005Z

Pattern: Springtime in Hollis by Teresa Cole

Yarn: Rowan Pure Wool Aran

I came across the pattern for this cardigan on Alicia's blog, when I saw her beautiful version here. Alicia has been knitting, sewing and crocheting beautiful baby and toddler garments over the last few months, as she and her husband Andy are waiting to adopt a baby girl. She'll be the best dressed child in Portland!

I thought this cardigan would be too difficult for me to knit, but it wasn't at all. The stitch pattern is one of those that looks far more tricky than it is. Simple but effective!
You can't really see the buttons clearly in these photos, but they are aqua blue with little white polka dots. These polka dot buttons make it onto most of my children's knits these days.
I'd really recommend this pattern for all advanced beginner or intermediate knitters. The top down construction is great for those knitters who don't like seaming garments and there are several variations included in the pattern, including three sleeve options (Alicia knitted the elbow length sleeves on her version) and instructions for versions with a hood or the simple v-necked collar I used.

I think this is one of my favourite ever knits and I'm sure I'll be making more; I have plans to knit one for Eleanor's 2nd birthday in October.

If I was 2 again...

2011-03-14T13:59:00.004Z

I'd wear outfits like this:Please excuse me for sounding like I have a huge ego but I am delighted with this wee set of clothes for Meg's 2nd birthday. It all started with a vague idea for a skirt and matching bag, when I bought this bird fabric shortly after Meg was born. Thanks to Joel Dewberry's beautiful new range of fabrics, I found the perfect complimentary herringbone and spot prints, to use as a contrast.Then came a workshop with Manda and Karen of 'Grey Circles', where I used a perfectly matching aqua linen to make this sweet smock-style blouse. But oh, what's that...an appliqued circle?!Hmm, I think a closer look is in order! Ok, so the tension and stitch length are wrong and it could be a whole lot neater, but I'd say this is demonstrable proof that I've conquered my fear of curves. Woo! It's thanks to Karen and Manda, for giving me the confidence to try. Thanks ladies, you've succeeded where many others have failed!Meg loves 'reading' (she's loved looking at books since she was just a few months old) and is currently a big fan of the 'Mr Men' and 'Little Miss' books. So this 'book bag' is the perfect size for carrying one or two of those books with her.

A blouse, skirt and book bag, but the outfit wouldn't be complete without a matching cardi. More details on that in my next post (but if you're desperate to know, the pattern is called, 'Springtime in Hollis'.
Meg will certainly be ready for Springtime in Surbiton in this outfit!

Grey Circles Sewing Workshop

2011-03-08T21:23:00.007Z

A couple of weeks ago, I took a Friday off work and treated myself to a couple of days in Leeds. I'd had a particularly tough few weeks at work, including being too busy to take a week long holiday in Scotland and Newcastle to visit friends and having to cancel at the last minute. So, on a bit of a whim I booked a sewing workshop with Karen and Manda who, together, run workshops as 'Grey Circles'.After a nice train journey to Leeds on Friday morning, I spent the afternoon wandering around the city; I love industrial cities, particularly those full of Victorian industrial architecture, so a few hours walking around the city was a real treat (such a treat that I forgot to take any photos!) The following morning, after a mad dash to catch a local train, I arrived at Manda's house along with three other sewers, Julie, Debs and Justine, and Karen. And so the fun began! We spent the morning making blouses or dresses for an age of our choice from 6 months to 6 years. I chose to make a blouse for my niece's 2nd birthday, to match the skirt and cardigan I talked about in my previous post.

I think I drove everyone a little crazy with my obsession with sewing curves properly. You can read what Karen had to say about that here! We all chose differen fabrics for our tops and dresses: I chose a lovely aqua linen. I finished sewing the blouse at the workshop, but have added the circle of fabric in the photo above. It's currently just fused with vilene to the linen; I still need to machine applique it to the blouse, which should be interesting given my total fear of curves, but I'll be attempting it this weekend!After a delicious home-cooked lunch of soup, pasta, salad, bread and cheese, and lemon cake, we each started work on a pair of trousers, again in our choice of size. I'd taken a recently finished February Baby Sweater with me to the workshop, again with the intention of choosing fabric to match, to I could make a Spring outfit for Olivia.

The Kaffe Fassett dotty fabric was a perfect match and Manda let me raid her fabric stash for the Liberty Tana Lawn which is the lining (although the trousers are fully reversible). It's a great pattern with only two seems (even if they are curved!)

I'd highly recomment the Grey Circles sewing workshops for sewers of all abilities. Manda and Karen were both excellent tutors who created a lovely, welcoming and warm atmosphere in which to spend the day sewing with like-minded people. It was such a nice day and just what I needed. And I may even have overcome my fear of sewing curves!

If you'd like to book a Grey Circles workshop, you can view them here. I'm sure I will go to another of the workshops later this year.

Matchy Matchy

2011-02-21T20:17:00.008Z

Remember this skirt and bag set I made for Katherine's 3rd birthday in 2009? Paul sent me this photo of the set 'in action'. Doesn't she look lovely?! I bought this piece of fabric from Cia's Palette shortly after my niece, Meg was born, with the intention that I'd make her a similar matching set just as soon as she was old enough.Well, it's Meg's 2nd birthday next month (already...I know!) and I am getting desperate to use the fabric so I'm planning on making her a little matchy-matchy set for her birthday.
Meg's set is going to be even more coordinated than Katherine's as I've been knitting a sweet little cardigan to be part of the set. As if that wasn't enough, I'm hoping to sew a smock top as well. I'm super excited that Manda from one of my absolute favourite blogs, Treefall Design, is running a workshop with Karen from Blueberry Park, this Saturday in Leeds, and I'm going to take part! I'm really looking forward to spending the day sewing and to meeting some other people who sew too. I don't know many in real life!

More Baby Quilty Goodness

2011-02-13T17:36:00.002Z

Paul has been helping me gather some images for 'Moo cards' for a little venture that's currently in the planning stages (more on that soon!) This is Katherine and Eleanor with Eleanor's Quilt. I think it's still my favourite of the quilts I've made and it's so lovely to see it being used.

Totally Squeezable Cheeks

2011-02-12T08:48:00.006Z

Is there anything more adorable than a (almost) newborn baby in a hand knit cardi?Perhaps it's a (almost) newborn baby in a hand knit cardi, hat and shoes that match the cardigan's buttons! Oh my!
Olivia puts even my own colour coordination to shame!

Sisterly Quilts (Finally!)

2011-02-09T21:32:00.003Z

If you've been reading this blog for a while you may remember I started a quilt for Impressionknits when she had her second daughter, Sophie.

Shortly after starting that first quilt I decided Jen's older daughter, Izzy, deserved a quilt of her own. I'd already cut all the squares for Sophie's quilt from my stash of Amy Butler fabrics and had lots of scraps leftover. I'd seen a stacked coin quilt on Alissa's blog and thought I'd try something similar using the leftover fabric used in Sophie's quilt.I made the central panel of Sophie's quilt first, then the pieced strips for Izzy's quilt. Then I hit a stumbling block: what colour sashing should I use? I went to my local quilt shop with the pieced strips for Izzy's quilt and went with my original instinct: grey sashing to temper the brightness of the strips and squares, both contrasting and complementary.

Both quilts with backed with anotherAmy Butler print; particularly pink to suit the recipients. The quilts were finished with a paler grey bias binding, machine stitched and hand finished. These quilts lay on my sewing table for months, just waiting for this binding to be applied. I think I had some kind of mental block to finishing them. I've no idea why though, because when they were finished they were prettier than I'd imagined. I handed them over to Jen when we met up at Knit Camp in Scotland last August. She seemed delighted.

Sisterly Quilts: the same starting point, the same materials, different outcomes and appearances. Just like sisters really: similar, but not the same, each with its own personality.

Bag Lady

2011-02-08T21:00:00.007Z

Christmas 2010 will go down in history (well, my crafting history at least) as the year I made and gifted bags. Lots of bags. It started with a fairly last-minute (December 23rd) decision to make my flatmate Naz's Christmas gifts. So, on Christmas morning, Naz received a set of hanging lavender sachets ...and this tote bag (in the rather gorgeous grey and yellow combo):The pattern is the simple and lovely tote pattern from 'Last Minute Quilted and Patchwork Gifts'. While I often change this pattern a wee bit, the bags I made this (last) Christmas stuck fairly strictly to the pattern as written. These fabrics were both from Fabric Rehab, although I can't remember the designer.

Next (on Christmas Eve!) was a bag for my Mum. She's watched me making bags for other people for the last couple of years and has been waiting (impatiently!) for one herself. So, I finally made one and it's my loveliest bag yet. It deserves a post of its own (coming soon!).

My friends Lucy, Babs and Em have a tradition of meeting for a Christmas get-together in January, as we all find it difficult after the seasonal (if not literal) warmth of December. So, January saw the making of three more totes for Babs:

Lucy:and Em:These three were all made using Amy Butler fabric from my stash.

The lovely thing about Lucy, Em and Babs (well, just one of the lovely things, there are many, many others) is that we all share a love of crafting. Amongst the presents given were a hand sewn doorstop, knitted bear, homemade fudge and peppermint creams and this little knitted mouse which its recipient loved instantly:

Five year old Leila definitely receives the prize for 'most delighted recipient of a present' though; have you ever seen anyone look quite so happy to receive a knitting kit?! She was so excited that she'll be able to knit like her Mummy.

Let the next generation of crafting begin!

Gifts for Amelie

2011-01-03T16:42:00.002Z

My ex-boss and his wife had a baby girl, their third child and little sister to two brothers. After two boys, I knew they'd want to indulge in a bit of girly dressing with their new daughter, but I didn't want to go overboard with frills or anything too pink (you know the shade I mean: the sugary, sickly sweet, bubblegum baby variety).
I started with a this cardigan, tempering the perfect old-rose shade with a flash of brown, a combination I love. The I bought a copy of Anna Maria Horner's 'Handmade Beginnings' and remembered some fabric in my stash that would co-ordinate perfectly with the cardigan.

I think this trouser pattern is delightful. It has a contrast panel on the bottom:
And the trousers are fully reversible. It's such a sweet pattern that allows you to play with a variety of fabrics with lovely results. As the trousers are fully lined there are no unsightly seams and the double layer fabric results in a warmer garment, perfect for Autumnal weather.

Lastly, I used the leftover yarn to knit a matching striped hat and booties and boxed it all up in an A4 storage file from Muji, which turned out to be the perfect size.

As a gift set, I was really pleased with how this looked and the recipients were thrilled too.

Handmade Christmas: Becky's Bag

2011-01-02T18:10:00.002Z

This Christmas saw the second round of 'Homemade Secret Santa' in my office, organised by...me! I decided last year that, rather than spending money on a gift which entailed little thought, it would be nice if all the Secret Santa gifts were homemade. Last year we had about 20 participcants and this year about 35 took part, which I was really pleased with. The rules were quite relaxed, stating that the gift could be homemade by someone else (eg. purchased on Etsy or at a local craft fair), the primary idea being to support homemade and discourage mass consumerism.
This year I was to give a gift to Becky, one of the girls in our Graphics Team. Becky's young with great taste and a unique and well defined sense of style. She's also a fellow crafty chick, so I knew she would appreciate something a bit special and I knew just what to make her.

I absolutely love this range of fabrics by Joel Dewberry, particularly the trees on a yellow background. (I've already earmarked some more of this fabric for a set of cushions for my living room!).I drafted the pattern for the bag based on the dimensions of a shoulder bag I was given in a swap a few years ago. My plans for this began very simply, but I gradually added more detail to the design. The bag is interlined with a layer of bamboo quilt batting and then the bottom section is quilted in a contrasting coloured cotton. The top of the bag is also topstitched in a second colour of contrasting cotton.

Inside the bag is a large pocket and I also added a keychain. I'm delighted with this bag and I'm planning a similar version for myself with a few additional details. I'm happy to say that Becky was delighted with her Secret Santa gift as well (although she guessed it was made by me straight away, so Santa wasn't so Secret after all)!

Hello 2011

2011-01-01T18:52:00.006Z

I don't think I've ever known a year go by as quickly as 2010 and yet, when I look back on it, it seems like it was a very long year. I was really looking forward to having 2 weeks off work over Christmas and had been making menal lists of all the things I was finally going to get around to making given the luxury of time. But it wasn't to be. While the first three days of my holiday were very productive, with the making and finishing of various Christmas gifts, it didn't last long. On Christmas Day I walked over to my parents' house where I was intending to spend one day. I eventually got back home yesterday, on New Year's Eve, a week later. My Dad wasn't feeling well on Christmas Day so Mum asked me to stay the night in case he got worse overnight. On Boxing Day, Mum and I woke up feeling ill; we spent the next week sleeping on the sofa or in bed. We've both got 'flu. While I often catch colds that develop into chest infections, I've never had flu before and it's been horrendous! I saw the GP yesterday who said it should last about 10 days, but that it takes two to three weeks to feel normal again. So I should be better to go back to work next week, but I'm not sure I'll manage to stay awake at my desk! I can always tell when I'm really sick because I can't knit! Today is the first day I've felt well enough to knit again which I'm very happy about!

Anyway, on to a happier subject: my friend Rhona gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Olivia, on December 19th and this cardigan and hat are on their way to help keep her warm during the cold Scottish Winter. Rhona and I were flatmates for two years when we were first at Newcastle University, living together from 1999-2002. She was a great flatmate and helped me through some difficult times for which I'll always be very grateful. I want to knit Olivia a blanket a la Purlpower and sew her a small quilt as well. I can't wait to buy the yarn and fabric and get started, but for now I need to concentrate on getting better!

FO: Another February Baby Sweater

2010-10-05T22:37:00.002+01:00

This one was was a gift on Eleanor's Naming Day (along with her quilt), way back in April. Knitted in Rowan Wool Cotton, I LOVE this pattern.

Birthday Tea

2010-10-03T10:24:00.000+01:00

My friend Babs had a big birthday earlier this year so Babs, Lucy, Em and I went to The Lanesbrough for a very fancy afternoon tea.

Look at these cakes! They were mini-works of art.

FO: Meg's Stripey Tank

2010-10-02T22:38:00.000+01:00

I started knitting this tank for Meg before her first birthday back in March and finally finished it in June. Not that it took that long to knit, I was just side tracked by other things. That's been happening a lot this year!

I love this colour combination, so pretty but not overly 'girly'. The yarn is Rowan Wool Cotton. I always forget how much I love this yarn, it has such lovely stitch definition. Pattern is the tank pattern I use a lot, in Debbie Bliss' 'Baby Knits Book'.

A Long Time Coming

2010-10-01T23:31:00.002+01:00

Well, I didn't plan to take an almost six month break from the blog. It happened for a number of reasons and might well have become permanent, but I'm going to attempt to get back to regular blogging, by posting every day during October. I hope I have enough to write about!

Eleanor's Naming Day Quilt...it's finished!

2010-04-20T21:36:00.003+01:00

I'm so pleased with this quilt. I fell in love with the fabrics when I bought them from Creative Quilting just before Christmas, but when I laid them out for the quilt I wasn't sure whether I liked them or not. But now it's finished, with the solid red border, tiny polka dot binding, big polka dot backing and double quilt lines, I really, really love it! It's laid out on the sofa opposite where I'm sitting at the moment and keeps catching my eye. It's one of those things I look at that makes me think, 'wow! I made that.' Which is a pretty good feeling to have.

I really hope Paul and Pam love it as much as I do, and that Eleanor grows up knowing that every stitch was sewn with love for her and hope for her future.

In Progress: Eleanor's Quilt

2010-04-04T08:11:00.005+01:00

NB. I know I failed dramatically to blog every day during March, however, while life (and laptop issues) got in the way, I did rediscover my love of blogging, so I'll be posting more regularly from now on.

Eleanor's Naming Day has been set as Sunday 25th April, so I have just a few weeks to finish making her presents. I've almost finished knitting her a February Baby Sweater and I have a sweet dress and pants pattern from Oliver + S that I'm hoping to tackle. The most important thing to finish is Eleanor's Quilt. With that in mind, my main task over this weekend is to make some major progress. Yesterday morning, I went to my local quilting shop, to buy fabric for the backing and binding. Then I spent the afternoon piecing the quilt top. I'm really pleased with how this is looking now; so much happier than I expected with it!

Today's tasks are to pin baste the quilt sandwich this morning and get as much of the actual quilting done this afternoon as possible. The weather is really miserable here today, so it's a perfect day to spend with my sewing machine!

Nigel's Adaptable Bean Soup

2010-03-12T22:18:00.001Z

Sunday's lunch: Nigel's Adaptable Bean Soup. Nigel Slater's Simple Suppers is my favourite cookery show of all time. Such a lovely slow pace focussing on fresh ingredients and thoughtful cooking. Smelled amazing, tasted even better!

Bath

2010-03-08T23:02:00.003Z

I went to Bath for a day with my friend Lucy to have a relaxing time in the thermae spa. It was a lovely day for a wander round the city.

Trying something new

2010-03-07T20:54:00.003Z

'How to be a Domestic Goddess' by Nigella Lawson is my go-to baking bible. I use it for cupcakes, muffins, birthday cakes and bread, but I've never really looked at the savoury recipes in it. Today I went to look up a recipe for Blueberry Muffins and the book fell open on a recipe for a 'Courgette and Chickpea Pie'. I was in a cooking mood and was going to the supermarket this morning so thought I'd try making it for me and my flatmate for dinner this evening. I'm so glad I did, because the pie was delicious and really simple to make.

First, you cook the vegetables in some olive oil and spices, then add the rice and stock.

When the stock is absorbed and the rice is cooked, you add the chickpeas. Then you put the pie together by layering filo pastry in a springform tin and adding the filling. I crumbled some feta cheese into my mixture before filling the pie.The pie is baked in the oven for about 20 minutes, by which time the filling is nice and hot and the pastry is golden brown and beautiful.
Cutting the pie is a bit difficult as bits of pastry tend to fly everywhere but it's worth it!
This pie is delicious! I'm glad I added the feta cheese and I think next time I make it I'll add some spinach when the filling is cooking, when the rice is almost cooked. I think I need to investigate some more of the savoury recipes in 'Domestic Goddess', I'm so glad I tried making this one.

The recipe is available online here: http://www.nigella.com/recipe/recipe_detail.aspx?rid=235

Enjoy!

Saturday Sewing

2010-03-06T23:52:00.002Z

I've been away for the last two weekends so I wanted to relax a bit at home this weekend. I moved into a shared flat about 6 weeks ago, but a lot of my things are still at my parents house, which is only about a mile away. I need to buy a desk and some shelves for my room so I can bring my sewing machine, yarn and fabric stashes and sewing and knitting books here.

Today I spent the day at my parents' house making cushions for my bed. I am so happy with how these turned out! Both fabrics are Amy Butler upholstery weight: the smaller cushions in front are made from a fabric in the 'August Fields' collection (purchased a few months ago at Liberty) and the larger cushions are made from a fabric in the 'Love' collection (purchased this afternoon in John Lewis, Kingston). I am really delighted with these! (Although you might note that, rather than making Meg's birthday skirt, I diverted back to the 'straight line' sewing of which I have grown so fond. I have still got two weeks before her birthday to sew a present, but I think it might become an adaptation of the 'Lazy Days Skirt', also by Liesl of 'Oliver and S'. Watch this space...)

September Socks

2010-03-05T22:35:00.004Z

Dad's 2009 birthday socks. Shibui Knits sock yarn (purchased at my beloved 'Stash Yarns'), knit on 2.25mm Knit Picks metal dpn's. As always on Dad's birthday, Julian the Sheep decided to gatecrash the photo. Attention seeker.

Work in Progress: Meg's Birthday Tank Top

2010-03-04T22:05:00.002Z

Megan, my niece, is going to be one in a couple of weeks. ONE! How on earth did that happen?! I really don't know where the time has gone, it seems like just five minutes that I turned up at the hospital to meet her, when she was put in my arms and I looked into her eyes and fell instantly, heart breakingly in love.

I'm celebrating Meggie's first birthday with a stripey tank top which will (sort of) match a skirt I'm (hoping) to sew this weekend.

Hoping because while I love to sew quilts (all those lovely straight lines) I am yet to sew a garment. I guess that would account for the collection of uncut, unsewn Clothkits skirts I have gathering dust. They look so beautiful as they are, the thought of ruining them is terrifying.

Tea Cosy for a Tea Party

2010-03-03T07:38:00.002Z

A couple of weeks ago one of friends at work decided to hold a Tuesday Tea Party one lunchtime to raise sponsorship money for her friend who is running the London Marathon to raise money for Cancer Research on behalf of her Father who has beaten cancer three times.

The least I could do to help with Becky's efforts was offer to knit a tea cosy to be raffled at the event. I looked at various lovely patterns (thanks Glittr Girl!) but settled on this pattern from Joelle Hoverson's 'Last Minute Knitted Gifts.

The pattern suggests cashmere yarn and 5mm needles, but I knitted it with less than one skein of Dream in Color Classy, on 4.5mm needles. The pattern is basically just a long rectangle of a deliciously textured waffle stitch, with is then sewn into a tube. It would be easy to modify to use a provisional cast-on and kitchener stitch or a three needle cast-off, but I was under pressure to get this finished quickly so stuck to the pattern.

I was really pleased with the end result and more importantly, so was the winner of the raffle!

A Happy Day

2010-03-02T08:06:00.002Z

This photo was taken at my oldest friend's wedding on Saturday. I've known Ketna for 18 years, since we started at the same secondary school in Kingston. She lived a couple of streets away from me, just around the corner really, and so most mornings for the 7 years we were at that school, we walked there and back together.

Ketna is a wonderful friend, one of the rarest kind, who you can not see or speak to for a long while, and when you do it was like you just spoke yesterday, you talk for hours and you wonder why you didn't do it more often. Then life gets in the way and it's another few months before you meet, talk, and wonder the same thing again.

After school, I moved to Newcastle to study Architecture and Ketna stayed in London to study medicine. We kept in touch by letter (those were the days! How I loved to write a long letter rather than an email, decribing in great detail all that had been going on almost 300 miles away), phone and later email.

When I moved back to London after finishing my second architecture degree at Newcastle, Ketna had qualified as a Doctor and was posted to a job at a hospital in Cambridge. She has recently moved back to London where she's training to be a Cardiologist, so I'm hoping we will be able to see more of each other. (She's also living very near 'Loop', as if I needed another excuse to visit either her, or the shop!)

Ketna is one of the most intelligent, warm hearted, kind and loving people I know. I know we'll be friends for life.

I'm pretty sure you won't read this Ketna (too busy rushing around saving people's lives) but if you do this is for you: I love you hon, you're the best friend a girl could wish for. x

Give us this day our daily blog

2010-03-01T21:47:00.002Z

Wow, my blogging this year has been diabolical! I haven't even written my New Year's Resolutions yet. Is it too late to write resolutions in March? I feel like, with the coming of Spring (soon, I hope!) it might be quite a good time to sit down and reflect on what I would like to achieve over the coming months.

One of the things I wanted to do in 2010 was get back into the habit of regular blogging. Well, I have failed spectacularly so far this year, so I've decided that I will attempt to blog every day during March. 31 posts this month. Words, photos or a combination of the two.

See you tomorrow!

Two New Projects

2010-01-10T16:27:00.005Z

The first new projects of 2010: a Kidsilk Night 'Kiri' shawl for me, using yarn bought a couple of years ago in John Lewis' sale. I'm hoping to get this finished in the next 6 weeks, as my oldest friend is getting married on February 27th and I'd love to wear it to her wedding. It's a beautiful deep red with flecks of silver, really beautiful.

The first new sewing project of the year is a quilt for Eleanor, which will be one of the presents for her naming day. I'm not sure when that will be, probably sometime during the first few months of this year, to coincide with Pam's Mum visiting from Australia. I don't want to leave this to the last minute and be stressed by it, so I'm starting early(ish).

This afternoon I've pieced the 6 strips, each of 8 squares. That's enough sewing for today, I'm going to do some more knitting on the Kiri shawl. I had a moment of panic about this quilt when I'd cut all the squares and laid them out on the floor, but now they are partially pieced I'm starting to really like it again. It's deliciously, unashamedly girly. (And made to co-ordinate the red floor of the bedroom that Eleanor will share with big sister Katherine).

I think these projects (along with moving house) will be taking up most of my time in the next few weeks.

Help!

2010-01-09T11:45:00.002Z

I've got 1250 yards (5 skeins) of beautiful Dream in Color yarn. It was bought with the intention of knitting the February Lady Sweater but I've changed my mind as I don't think it'll be flattering on my figure.

I want to knit a cardigan or jumper for myself but I've no idea what. I so rarely knit for myself that it's thrown me into a mild panic!!

Any ideas or suggestions gratefully received.

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T20:31:00.001Z

Wishing you a happy and healthy year in 2010.

Back tomorrow for a bit of a review and some New Year's Resolutions. I've been inspired by Roo!

Fresh Start

2009-12-29T16:08:00.002Z

I've been thinking for a while about moving my blog and giving it a new name, to reflect the fact that there is often more sewing than knitting on here. Also, I'm in the process of moving to a new home, so it seemed like a good time for change.

I've decided to leave the blog where it is and just give it a clean, fresh new look and a new name, although the url will remain the same.

I hope you like it!

A Tag Blankie and a Cushion

2009-11-14T09:48:00.004Z

When I was on holiday in New York I received a text from my friend Paul to say his partner Pam had given birth to their second daughter, Eleanor Alodie, a little sister to Katherine.

I did what every crafty girl would do when faced with this news and hot-footed it to the nearest quilting shop, one of my favourites, City Quilter. I bought some beautiful fabric and Lotta Jansdotter's new book, 'Simple Sewing for Baby'.

When I got back to England I put together this simple 'Tag Blankie' using the pattern in the book for guidance. One of my other favourite New York quilting shops in Purl Patchwork, just down the street from Purl SoHo, a beautiful, tiny yarn store. While I was in Purl Patchwork I spotted some great pig fabric which made me think of Katherine as she has a love of all things to do with pigs at the moment! When I got home I made a very simple cushion cover using the fabric (no pattern, I made it up).I took these presents, along with a couple more, to the newly expanded family when Eleanor was a couple of weeks old. Katherine loved the cushion and Paul and Pam asked me to be Eleanor's Godmother, so it was a good day all round!

Making Progress

2009-11-07T16:18:00.004Z

I had lots of plans today that involved going into central London, but I'm full of cold so I've had an enforced day at home. It's just as well really as I've got two important, long neglected projects that I need to complete by next Friday. Remember the quilts I started months ago for Jen's daughter Izzy and her second daughter due in July? Well, the baby arrived but the quilt tops have been sitting near my sewing machine being ignored for several months. I've spent today quilting the first, for baby Sophie and I hope to quilt the second, for Izzy, tomorrow. Then I 'just' need to bind them and sew in all the ends. I'll take some progress photos and post those and hopefully reveal the finished quilts next weekend, after I've delivered them to the girls on a trip to Newcastle.

While Jen was waiting for the quilts, I sent Sophie a little cardigan as it seemed mean making her wait for her present. It isn't her fault I was too busy studying to sew!

I originally cast this cardigan on before Meg was born, back in February, but it was neglected in favour of other cardigans over the Summer. When Jen had Sophie and I realised the quilts wouldn't be finished for rather a long time, I finished knitting it and decided it would be a lovely 'sorry your real present isn't ready yet' kind of gift! Judging from this photo, Sophie is pretty happy with it!

Pause. Rest. Continue.

2009-10-26T20:45:00.003Z

I'm back! New York was wonderful, just the break I needed. The weather was great, I caught up with friends, went for long walks discovering neighbourhoods I hadn't spent a lot of time in before. I walked The High Line, which I highly recommend to anyone who is visiting New York. I ate some lovely food (including several cupcakes!), visited my favourite knitting and quilting shops and bought fabric, yarn and sewing books. I visited the Guggenheim (which made me feel seasick by the time I'd reached the top), Moma and the Architecture Centre in Greenwich Village. I had a breakfast of cinnamon and raisin toast and root beer in a diner that hasn't been updated since 1948. I discovered chocolate cookie and peanut butter twix bars and wild cherry pepsi, and consumed too many of both. I soaked up the atmosphere, marvelled at the architecture, watched people, and...relaxed.

It was wonderful.

I have got a lot of crafting to catch up on, many babies to knit for and news to share. Christmas knitting and sewing to plan, and quilts to finish before visiting Newcastle next month. I am going to try really hard not to ignore the blog, because I miss it when I'm not here (which has been most of the last year!)

I am looking forward to sharing once again.

The Results are in...

2009-10-01T20:33:00.003+01:00

...And I Passed with Commendation!!!

The Part 3 Survival Scarf

2009-09-20T12:02:00.005+01:00

First things first, the interview went well (I think), better than I expected. I was able to answer all of the examiners' questions without getting stuck on anything and it was all over in 30 minutes which was good! We've been told we should have the results by 2nd October. I hope so, because I'm flying to New York on the 3rd for 5 nights for a post-Part 3 holiday. Hopefully I'll be celebrating not comiserating!

Back in July when I was writing my final piece of uni coursework and working on my exam paper, I took a trip to 'Stash' to buy some yarn. Even though it was the middle of Summer, I was thinking about knitting a cabled scarf that would be ready to wear in Winter. Two skeins of Dream In Color 'Classy' in Bermuda Teal and the 'Irish Hiking Scarf' pattern, knitted until the yarn ran out using 4.5mm needles. This was the perfect project, enough of a pattern to be a distraction in those rare moments of free time for knitting, but simple enough that my tired brain didn't have to think too much!

I'm delighted with the finished scarf. It's really a really warm, squishy, long, and the yarn (probably my favourite) has great stitch definition and beautiful changes in tonal depth. A successful project and it's all mine!

A short pause

2009-09-07T10:06:00.003+01:00

My Part 3 professional interview/exam has been confirmed as 4pm this Thursday (10th September).

Blogging will resume on Saturday. I'll be celebrating having some freedom again by knitting my February Lady Sweater in 'Stash' on Saturday. I can't wait!

The way things are right now.

2009-08-24T18:57:00.006+01:00

I handed in my final 10,000 word paper at university at the beginning of August. I have a small amount of work to get done by the beginning of next week, then nothing else to submit. I've got a revision session on 2nd September then I should be taking the professional interview/exam (similar to a viva) on 10th September. However, I am lacking some experience in areas such as contract administration in the construction phase of projects, so I may be asked to submit 6 months more log books and sit the exam in March 2010. I won't find out until the week of the 10th September.
...

There has been some family stuff going on that been horrible, upsetting and entirely unnecessary. I won't go into details on here and it isn't something I want to talk about.
...

The redundencies earlier this year at work, combined with an upturn in workload for the practice (good news!), lots of people on holiday, and my continuing inability to say 'no, I'm too busy' when any member of management asks me to do something, has led to a few crazy weeks at work, culminating last week in me being in the office at 7am on several days. I love my job, but I don't want it to make me sick.
...

So, all this stuff has been using up most of my brain power recently, and I haven't wanted to blog about any of it for fear of sounding whingy, and giving it more time than it deserves. Also, I've just been feeling really, really tired. But, there has been crafting: more sewing, and plenty of knitting that I've yet to blog. I am going to try to post about everything I've been working on over the next week or two, although with the big exam (possibly) approaching, I may not have much time. I WILL try though, as seeing evidence of my creativity on here always makes me feel better when it feels like everything else is going a bit pair shaped.
...

To finish, photos of two happy girls in their birthday skirts. Leila is trying hers on for the first time along with the t-shirt I sent her.
And Katherine was so eager to try hers on that she put it straight on over her (Grandma-made- Clothkits) dress.

...

Back soon, with a happier post.

Mumsie is 60!

2009-08-15T09:57:00.001+01:00

(Flowers sent by Sam, Alex and Megan)

Happy Birthday Mum.

Thanks for everything.

xxx

Coordination Queen

2009-08-13T22:00:00.004+01:00

Text to follow...for now I'll just say that these are Katherine's 3rd birthday presents, a skirt and matching handbag, sized for a 3 year old. I hope she likes them...

4!

2009-07-18T11:03:00.006+01:00

It was Leila's fourth birthday a couple of weeks ago. Four! I can't believe she's four already, it seems like five minutes since I visited her and Emilie a few days after she was born.I finished making this skirt for her birthday party last weekend, based on Liesl's free Lazy Days Skirt pattern. It's a great pattern, very quick to make, although I made a few alterations that mean it took a bit longer to finish, but it still only took a couple of hours or so.

I added an extra row of stitching at the top of the waistband, which neatened the edge and should prevent the elastic from rolling inside the casing.
Rather than leave the inside seam as the raw selvedge edge (which would make this skirt incredibly quick to put together) I trimmed the selvedges from the fabric and used a french seam to finish the inside of the skirt so that it looks neat too. I also used a contrast fabric rather than ribbon binding at the bottom of the skirt.I found some t-shirts that match the colours in the skirt perfectly. I hope Leila likes it, she isn't a girly girl and doesn't wear skirts that much. I imagine she'll wear it over jeans or leggings and bring her own gorgeous 4 year old style to it!

I really like making these skirts and as Katherine is turning three (3!) next month, I think I'll be making at least a few more!

Two More

2009-07-06T07:29:00.005+01:00

Lately, knitting has been like therapy for me, a nice distraction from the pressures of studying the Part 3 course. The lovely thing about baby knits is that they are comparatively quick to knit, which leads to a feeling of accomplishing something, uulike with my coursework which feels like it is going on forever!

This is the bolero I started a while ago. I want to sew a matching dress, but that will have to wait a while, at least until I have finished the open book exam paper that is due to be handed in at uni on Wednesday morning.

It's the Baby Shrug from 'Simply Baby'. I've knit this several times now and I always like the results, it's knit in one piece, and then stitches picked up, edgings knit and seamed. The pink edging was a happy accident: I was casting off the last edge in the green yarn and ran out with about two inches to go. So I put all the stitches back on the needles and cast off in the pink yarn. The green is more of a lime shade than it looks here. It's knit in Cashmerino Aran (perfect timing for the current heatwave!) The pattern for this cardigan was free from the Knitting Daily. It's fastened with a pop stud which means you can have fun with a big button, like this one I bought at one of my favourite shops, Creative Quilting in East Molesey. Again, the yarn is a little more green than it looks in this picture. This was knit using Rowan Cashsoft Baby DK. I think one of the next things I knit for Meg will be the Playful Stripes cardigan that I spotted on Roo's blog yesterday. Although I also have some Dream in Color yarn in my stash with Meg's name on it. And some Baby Cashmerino. And some Koigu. Oh dear, I think I might need to give up making something for myself and give in to the fact that, until the day Meg says to me, 'Auntie Alice, pleeeeease no more knits!!' I'll just keep making things for her. It's her own fault for being so pretty!

Retail Therapy

2009-07-05T17:12:00.004+01:00

I've been stuck in the office all day today, working on my Part 3 exam paper which is due in on Wednesday. I needed to cheer myself up somehow, so I indulged in a little bit of online retail therapy, and this will be on its way to me shortly. I'm not sure when I'll have time to make it, but it'll look pretty waiting on my desk until I do.

A Meg-centric update

2009-06-24T20:57:00.004+01:00

I'm still snowed under with work, both in my job and studying, and also trying to plan my Brownies' birthday party for Brown Owl's 50th birthday next Friday. Brown Owl is away this Friday so me and the Brownies will be crafting up a storm making cards and decorations for the celebrations next week.

I have been finishing off several cardigans for Meg, there are pieces to be seamed and buttons to be sewn on. I will blog them soon, but I need to remember to charge my camera (after remembering where I have put the camera. And the charger).

In the absence of crafting time, I have been doing crafty shopping, both online and in the 'real world'. More on that, too, when the camera is back in action.

For now, though, some pics of Meg who is quite the sweetest and most delightful baby I've ever met. But then again, I may be just a little biased.

I'd rather be quilting

2009-06-07T17:29:00.004+01:00

I am, however, working on an essay that needs to be submitted at uni on Wednesday. 3000 words and I've only just started. I know that I can write that much quite quickly if I know what I'm talking about, but I feel like I just don't know what I'm talking about at the moment. I hate feeling like this.

For Jen's new bairn, due late July

For Jen's wee girl Isabella, soon to be a big sister

I'm looking forward to handing in my final piece of coursework on 31st July so I can work on these quilts. They won't be finished in time for the arrival of Jen's new baby, but hopefully won't be too, too late. The tops are pieced, they both need a wide grey border adding, then they can be quilted and bound.

You might remember I was just making the first quilt for Jen's new bairn. Well, she left a comment saying she wished someone had made Izzy a quilt when she was born. How could I only make one quilt after a comment like that?!

Right, I'd better get back to the essay and try to get rid of my case of writer's block.

Hey, Purlpower, you were right...I DO sew!

2009-06-01T21:46:00.006+01:00

I managed to plan my recent trip to Newcastle to catch up with knitting friends to coincide with Purlpwer's visit. While we were knitting in the pub on Tuesday night, we got onto the subject on sewing. 'Oh no, I don't sew', I said. 'Yes, you do' said Purlpower. 'No, no, I just make quilts and bags and things, that isn't sewing'. For some reason, because I haven't sewn anything from the kind of pattern where you buy a pattern, cut out the pieces and follow instructions to make a garment, I had got it into my head that 'I don't sew'. Which is a bit ridiculous. I mean, I often knit without a pattern, but I still consider it knitting!

This latest project makes me feel like I really can sew. It isn't from a shop bought pattern, I designed it myself, but that makes me even more happy than if it was made from a bought pattern. I feel like I really accomplished something with this bag, which has nice features like this button and loop closure.And 5 rows of top-stitching to secure the handles and the fabric outer to the lining. I love the contrasting stitching. The inside of the handles is a co-ordinating orange, and they are folded and stitched in the centre so they are a comfortable width for carrying. There is a layer of heavyweight sew-in interfacing sandwiched between the lining and the outside as well, which makes the bag feel nice and sturdy.

Not only does this bag make me realise I can sew, it also made me realise how much I like designing sewing projects. I've just been reading an interesting post about publishing patterns over at Craft Apple's blog, which made interesting reading. While I'd love to design and publish patterns, I think that's a long, long way off yet!

The leaf fabric and orange handle lining are from the Moda 'Fall Back in Time' range, bought at The City Quilter in New York a couple of years ago. The bird fabric is by Joel Dewberry for Rowan/Westminster Fibers and was bought at Liberty in London a couple of weeks ago.

Can you tell this project has made me happy?!

Meg's Raglan Cardigan

2009-05-22T09:24:00.003+01:00

Can someone please confirm that baby girls can never have too many hand knits? If that isn't the case I'm in trouble! This cardigan pattern is in the 'Essential Baby' book by Debbie Bliss. I went down a needle size, using 2.75mm for the edgings and 3mm for the body and sleeves. This raglan is knit from the bottom up, with the two fronts, sleeves and back all knit separately to the underarm, then joined for the yoke and decreases. So, it seems a little fiddly compared to knitting a top-down raglan, and there are a lot of ends to sew in and a fair bit of seaming. That doesn't really bother me, especially when the resulting garment is so lovely, but I know a lot of knitters would prefer to knit top-down.

I was lucky to find perfectly matching, pretty but not too twee, buttons in John Lewis in Newcastle. (I've just got back from a 2 day visit, but more on that later).

If I knit this pattern again, and I'm sure I will, I think I will continue to knit it bottom-up, but will knit the back and fronts in one piece as that would remove some of the seaming and sewing in of ends. I would probably also knit the sleeves a bit shorter, as they do look rather long!

I'm meeting Alex and Meg for lunch today, so I should get a chance to try it on her then.

Lost. And Found.

2009-05-09T16:49:00.005+01:00

I lost my knitting mojo for a while back there. I think it was all the baby knits for Megan that I knit before she was born. 'I think I've had enough of the baby knits for a while', I said to Mumsie (now also known as Grandma!) last Saturday.

On Monday, Sam and Alex brought Megan round for a visit. First she looked at me like this:

Then she smiled like this:

And I felt my heart melt. 'Hmm', I thought. 'Just one little cardigan won't hurt'. Yarn was purchased on Thursday for a sweet little raglan cardigan.

Today, they visited again. 'She does look lovely in a cardigan and dress', I thought. 'Perhaps I'll just knit a little bolero, and sew a dress to match'.

Yarn purchased, fabric and pattern ordered. I think I've rediscovered my mojo.

Now, if I can just finish the hideous construction contract assignments I've been battling with for the past month, which are way overdue and MUST be finished by Wednesday, I might actually have a chance of doing some crafting.

Wish me luck.

Long Weekend Part I: Saturday

2009-05-04T14:04:00.007+01:00

February Baby Sweater

2009-04-26T18:46:00.006+01:00

I first saw the pattern for Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Sweater on Two Needles a couple of years ago but didn't think I'd be capable of knitting it. When Meg came along, I thought I'd try knitting one, as a precursor to possibly knitting the February Lady Sweater for myself.
Meg's sweater was knit with 3.75mm Addis with just over 2 balls of Rowan Wool Cotton in a lovely strong shade of red. It's quite big but should fit Megan in Autumn, if not before. I love it, I think it's the kind of pattern my Grandma would have knitted for Megan if she had still been alive. I think she'd look at this and be proud of my knitting.

Megan's Blanket

2009-04-19T16:16:00.004+01:00

I started this blanket for Megan way back in October. I'd bought the yarn, a lovely spring green shade of Baby Cashmerino by Debbie Bliss, in July, when Sam and Alex found out they were expecting, but I wanted to wait until after the 12 week scan before actually knitting. I enjoyed knitting the blanket, which is the shawl pattern in 'Special Knits' by Debbie Bliss. It did get a little wearing after a while, as I needed to concentrate on the pattern in order to get the placement of the purl stitches in the right position, but the actual knitting wasn't that exciting! I finished knitting this about 6 weeks ago, a couple of weeks before Megan was born, but I only got around to blocking it last weekend. I'm really pleased with the finished blanket, the blocking process really improved the appearance of the blanket, much more than I thought it would. And most importantly, Megan seems to like it too!

Making New Friends

2009-04-11T15:46:00.006+01:00

I met Sam and Alex for coffee in town this morning, and I took along Betsy Bunny to give to Megan. Meg was fast asleep the whole time we were there, so Betsy joined her in the pram for a little sleep of her own. Next time I looked, Betsy had moved to the end of the pram to watch over Megan, and she was being held in place by Meg's leg. I think that means they like each other!

Beyond adorable.

Betsy Bunny

2009-04-10T11:01:00.005+01:00

The day after Megan was born I headed over to Stash in Putney (which, incidentally is my favourite place to spend a spare ten minutes...or five hours. It deserves a post of its own, which will come soon) to buy yarn for something to knit for Megan. I'd already knitted her plenty of clothes, and a blanket, I just wanted something small, sweet and simple. I decided an Easter bunny would be perfect. I'd originally considered knitting Ysolda's 'Sophie' rabbit but was having an anti-dpn day, so went back to a pattern I've knitted before. I've been knitting this on and off for the past couple of weeks, at the same time as knitting Ishbel. I present to you, Betsy Bunny:

Pattern: 'Bunny'

Pattern Source: 'Baby Cashmerino 2' by Debbie Bliss

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Rialto DK (this makes a larger bunny than the recommended Baby Cashmerino. I bought the yarn to knit 'Sophie', changed my mind, and substituted this yarn).

Blocking Ishbel

2009-04-07T22:08:00.003+01:00

Details to follow: I'm going to wear this to Pumpkin's work leaving do on Thursday night, and she's promised to take photo for me. Woo!

Springtime Apples

2009-04-04T16:49:00.005+01:00

Meeting Megan

2009-03-21T22:58:00.003Z

I met Megan for the first time yesterday evening. She's absolutely gorgeous and looks just like my brother. I could ramble on for ages about how cute her teeny tiny hands are, how sweet her pouty little mouth...but I'd bore you all to sleep, so I'll keep quiet apart from to say that this is Megan Rose aged 15.5hours, with Auntie Alice aged 28 years; two very content girls.

(Click on the photo for a bigger view and to see what my badge says!)

She's here!

2009-03-20T22:13:00.001Z

Megan Rose

3.48am

7lb 2.5oz

Perfect. x

The Bean Bairn...

2009-03-19T20:35:00.001Z

...is on it's way!

(and I still haven't blocked its blanket...)

Trying something new

2009-03-08T12:59:00.006Z

Jen, in Newcastle is having another baby. When Isabella was born, I had lots of knitting time and so Izzy received lots of knitted gifts when she was born. I don't have quite as much time now, so I've decided to make the new baby a quilt instead. It's going to be a fairly long term project. The baby is due in July, so I have a few months until then, and I'm sure Jen will forgive me if it's a bit late arriving in Newcastle.

I cut all the squares yesterday and spent all morning trying to work out the best 'random' arrangement. It took ages to get it how I wanted it to look, I'm not good at doing things randomly!

This is about 3/4 of the quilt.

The fabric choices for the first two quilts I made used fairly safe colour schemes, in that I picked one range of fabric I liked, chose 6 different prints and knew they would all tone and work together. For this quilt I got all my pieces and scraps (largish scraps!) of Amy Butler fabric from my stash and picked the colours I think look good together. Some of them are from the same collection, but mostly they are a mixture from the last couple of years I think.

I'm so pleased with how this looked having spent all morning laying out the squares. This will be a bit bigger than the other quilts as well, as I am starting with 5" squares rather than my usual 4". Some of the patterns are quite a large scale and I wanted to include slightly more per square than I usually do.

I absolutely LOVE how this looks at the moment, although I obviously haven't started sewing it at all yet! It's such lovely joyful patterns, colours and prints. A real celebration of colour. Given that everything I used to make and wear was grey or black, I feel like this is a celebration of the crafter I've become.

Knitting!

2009-03-07T21:57:00.003Z

I've been wondering whether the lack of comments on my last post is because readers of my blog are bored of all the sewing I've been doing lately, or whether, as my blogging is rather sporadic, I don't actually have any readers left at all. If you're reading, please leave a comment, so I can see whether or not I'm just talking to myself.

The lack of knitting posts recently have been a bit misleading, as I have been knitting, definitely as much as I have been sewing, but the sewn projects are so much quicker than the knits. In progress at the moment are a pair of Monkey socks for me (pictured above). I just need to kitchener the toe on the first sock, then cast on for the second. I really like this pattern; I think many people have said that it seems like it just flies by.

Secondly, the last of the knits for Sam and Alex's baby. I'm halfway through the second sleeve, then it just needs the sleeves to be sewn to the body before I choose some buttons and sew those on too.

I gave all the sewn and knitted presents (apart from the -still unblocked- blanket and this cardigan) to Sam and Alex last weekend. They seemed delighted with them which was really nice. It was quite a relief to hand them all over.

It's strange to think the next time I see one of the little knitted garments or the quilt they'll be keeping a new born baby nice and warm.

Nappy Bag for Alex

2009-02-28T10:51:00.011Z

Last weekend I had a strange compulsion to sew a nappy bag for Alex. I'd been looking at patterns online for sometime, but hadn't found anything quite right. I'm still a beginner sewer so I wanted it to be simple to construct, something lovely and fresh to be used in Spring and Summer. The fabric is from Amy Butler's new range, which John Lewis in Kingston now stocks. I'm so glad they stock Amy's fabric, I really love the freshness of the colours.I started cutting fabric according to a free online pattern but I just wasn't happy with the way the instructions were written, or the dimensions of the finished bag, so I decided to make up my own design as I went along.The bag is very simple, with boxed corners and 3 pockets inside, which should fit a packet of baby wipes, a milk bottle and a mobile phone. It's lined with a plain cream quilting cotton and interlined with cotton batting, which makes it lovely and soft, while giving it slightly more structure.I'm so happy with how this bag turned out and how my sewing skills are progressing. I took it to work, along with the quilt in the post below, to show a couple of colleagues. I was so overwhelmed by compliments. My line manager said I should start making quilts to sell and another colleague said he'd pay me to make a bag for his 21 year old daughter. With redundencies rife at work and the strong possibility I will be losing my job in the next few months, it's comforting to know I will be able to turn my hand to something else to bring in a little bit of money if things get really tough. It really isn't a good time to be designing housing!

I am in love with the fabric I used too, and keep imaging a simple a-line skirt to wear in Spring and Summer. I think I might have to add a couple more metres of it to my stash. Watch this space...

Almost.

2009-02-24T22:44:00.004Z

Nappy Bag for Alex.

Blanket waiting for blocking, for the Bean Bairn.

Sam and Alex's Bean Bairn, due in THREE WEEKS. I need to sew and block quickly, or my wee niece or nephew won't have a blanket for the journey home.

Flowers and Birds

2009-01-18T17:08:00.003Z

Bean's Tank

2009-01-17T15:59:00.002Z

Another little knit to add to the collection. A button back tank for the Bean Bairn, who's due in...9 weeks!

2008: The Year of the Sewing Machine

2009-01-16T10:19:00.002Z

I bought my sewing machine back in January 2008. It's taken me a while to get used to it, mostly to get used to the things I make not being perfect!
These were the last two sewn projects of last year. This bag was a Christmas present for my Aunt Fiona. It's made using Amy Butler fabric, with my own pattern, inspired by bags in a few different sewing books.

This bag was for the Secret Santa we did at work. It was a gift for one of the Landscape Architects, and I think she liked it.

She didn't seem that enthusiastic and I sort of gave away that I had made it while asking what she thought of it. She said she really liked it, hadn't realised I had made it, and thought I'd bought it from 'somewhere like Habitat'!!

The pink lining on this bag is Amy Butler, bought at Get Knitted a couple of years ago. The outer fabric is by Moda, and I bought it at the City Quilter in New York, about 18 months ago.

For the journey home

2009-01-03T10:01:00.004Z

Newborn size bolero (from One Skein Wonder by Leigh Radford) and hat, knitted using 2 balls of white Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran and 4mm needles.

The background is the back of the - very nearly finished - going home quilt, which should be finished by tomorrow night, as should the uni assignment I'm currently supposed to working on!

Christmas Gifts for the Bean Bairn

2008-12-31T15:27:00.005Z

Although my brother's baby hasn't been born yet, it seemed only right that it should have some Christmas presents. A few weeks ago, I spent most of a weekend at my sewing machine, making book bags. I had used this fabric previously for Jan's bag, and decided it would be nice for a really simple baby quilt. (Also, I'm trying to use up some of the fabric stash that I have mysteriously acquired during 2008...)I used a piece of fabric approx 1m x 1m and stitched it right sides together to a square of white fleece, leaving a gap on one side. I turned it right sides out, then stitched all the way around the edge, I think about 1/4" from the edge. Following that I stitches vertical lines down the quilt, on every fifth printed yellow line. So the back of the quilt is white with yellow stitched vertical lines about 5 inches apart.The quilt is the same colours as a cardigan and hat I had previously made for the bean's stash of knitwear! Babies can't have too much knitwear, right? I've got a couple more Bean knits I'm trying to get finished by New Year. I'm trying to get ahead on the Bean Knits Schedule (oh yes, this is serious knitting!), so that I can knit something big for myself, because I failed on that resolution this year. Along with all the others really...more on that tomorrow.

Happy New Year to you. Thanks for dropping by this year, hope to see you in 2009. x

Back Tack 4

2008-12-25T18:36:00.011Z

The first set of gifts I made this Christmas were for my Back Tack 4 partner Jan. I haven't taken part in Back Tack before and it's a long time since I did a secret pal swap. I really enjoyed Back Tack. The person you send gifts to also sends to you, rather than it being anonymous, so you can ask your partner lots of questions and get to know them before deciding what to send.Jan told me her favourite colours are grey and yellow so I made a book bag from Amy Butler fabric and filled it with her other gifts: a set of Christmas cards made using photos of my garden taken on a snowy day; cardamon and orange chocolate; star shaped buttons; cinnamon and orange soap and cinnamon chai tea.There was also a clutch purse with a pair of Fetching inside. The button was bought at Woolfest a few years ago and is made from Cumbrian slate. Jan was pleased with her gifts, and the parcel she sent to me was beautiful.Jan made this shoulder bag with bright bird fabric and a pretty floral lining. I absolutely love it. The nice thing about swaps is receiving things that you might not have picked for yourself, but love anyway. I really like the bird fabric this bag is made from, it's so bright and jolly.Inside the bag were lots more gifts: yarn; a book with handmade cover; knitted wash cloth and soap; lip gloss and an Envirosac (which isn't in the photo because I'm using it!)And my favourite gift, some gorgeous garter stitch wristwarmers. Beautiful! Thanks Jan, for making this swap a great experience. More Christmas crafting to come in the next post (later today!)

Cables, Clapotis and Catch Up (scoll down for pics)

2008-11-09T19:26:00.005Z

It feels like ages since I've sat down to write a proper post, rather than snatched a few seconds to upload photos or silly quizzes.

There's plenty going on here, but that isn't leaving much time to blog. I started uni again in September. I'm studying the Diploma in Professional Practice in Architecture (DPPA), also known as Part 3. It's a part-time course that you do while working full-time, and it is really hard work! The actual studying is quite intense: we started by having assignments every week, and now they are once a fortnight but twice as long. Attendence at uni is only once a month for an afternoon and evening, so most of the studying is done after work and at weekends and it's taking up a lot of time. The course takes a year minimum, but the failure rate is high on the first attempt, so many people take two years. If I manage to pass Part 3 I'll be qualified and finally able to call myself an Architect. The construction industry has been hit really hard by the economic downturn so I'm not sure whether I'll have a job when I finish the course, but I guess if I am made redundent I'll have more time to study.

You can see from the last post that I have been crafting, but far less than I'd like to be! I'm mostly making things for my future niece/nephew, but even these are going more slowly than I'd like. I'm busy at work at the moment too, and I'm also doing some design work for the refurbishment of the Guide Hut where I help at Brownies. I'm definitely feeling like I need a holiday, which is good because Miles and I are going to Paris for 4 days in a couple of weeks! I think I'm going to take some self indulgent knitting with me: socks for the train journey there are back, and the 'Tuscany' shawl that I cast on in November last year and still haven't finished. I really want to finish it soon, firstly so I can wear it, and secondly because I want to knit another shawl and for some reason I don't feel like I can have two shawls on the needles at once!

I have a couple of projects I photographed a while ago, that I haven't got around to posting yet. The first is the Clapotis that I finished knitting ages ago. It's still waiting to have the ends sewn in, which is ridiculous given the current cold weather. I found a moth sleeping on it a while ago which was rather scary. I haven't found any holes in it though, other than the ones that are supposed to be there!

This is a little project I knitted in a few spare hours. A friend at work was moving to Australia for a year with her boyfriend (lucky girl) and requested a cover for her ITouch. She was expecting a simple little sock-like cover and was delighted with my version. It's my own pattern, sort of planned and sort of made up as I knitted it. I did rip it out about three times as I kept changing my mind about various details though, so perhaps designing before I begin should be the way forward!

After reading about Glittr and Impressionknits getting lovely shiny new I Phones I'm quite tempted to upgrade to one myself. It'll be the perfect oportunity to knit myself a little cabled cover. (That's a really bad reason to get a new phone, isn't it?)

Right, time for me to get back to the assignment. I really need to write about 1500 more words tonight, about Planning Control, Development Control and the Design and Construction Management Regulations. Fun stuff!

Oh, and I'll blog about the projects in the previous post as I finish them. Hopefully a couple will be finished this week.

In Progress...

2008-11-03T21:51:00.005Z

Bette

2008-10-26T11:57:00.001Z

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Bette!

You are a Bette -- "I must be strong"

Bettes are direct, self-reliant, self-confident, and protective.

How to Get Along with Me

* Stand up for yourself... and me.

* Be confident, strong, and direct.

* Don't gossip about me or betray my trust.

* Be vulnerable and share your feelings. See and acknowledge my tender, vulnerable side.

* Give me space to be alone.

* Acknowledge the contributions I make, but don't flatter me.

* I often speak in an assertive way. Don't automatically assume it's a personal attack.

* When I scream, curse, and stomp around, try to remember that's just the way I am.

What I Like About Being a Bette

* being independent and self-reliant

* being able to take charge and meet challenges head on

* being courageous, straightforward, and honest

* getting all the enjoyment I can out of life

* supporting, empowering, and protecting those close to me

* upholding just causes

What's Hard About Being a Bette

* overwhelming people with my bluntness; scaring them away when I don't intend to

* being restless and impatient with others' incompetence

* sticking my neck out for people and receiving no appreciation for it

* never forgetting injuries or injustices

* putting too much pressure on myself

* getting high blood pressure when people don't obey the rules or when things don't go right

Bettes as Children Often

* are independent; have an inner strength and a fighting spirit

* are sometimes loners

* seize control so they won't be controlled

* figure out others' weaknesses

* attack verbally or physically when provoked

* take charge in the family because they perceive themselves as the strongest, or grow up in difficult or abusive surroundings

Bettes as Parents

* are often loyal, caring, involved, and devoted

* are sometimes overprotective

* can be demanding, controlling, and rigid

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

Some very good news...

2008-10-02T22:26:00.003+01:00

One morning when I was on holiday in St Ives in July, the sound of my phone ringing woke me up. It was 7.40am and it was my brother, Sam, calling. My immediate reaction, being the optimist I am, was to panic that something had happened to my parents. The phone reception was terrible, the line kept breaking up, and I had to half hang out of the hotel room window in order to hear what Sam was saying. The news wasn't bad. And it was totally worth hanging out of the window for.Several weeks ago I was chatting to Sam's wife, my sister-in-law Alex. We discussed how she was feeling, how it was all going. 'You know', she said, 'it's the size of a bean now'. 'Oh', I said. 'A bean'...'that's amazing'. All I could think was 'what kind of bean?', because a baked bean is very different to a butter bean. Four weeks ago, the bean made it's first appearance on camera. A blurry, grey and white beanylooking blob. With teeny-beany arms and legs. And a heart. A teeny weeny beany heart, that made my own heart want to explode.
This week 12 weeks after I had the phonecall in St Ives, the phonecall in which my brother said, 'you can start knitting now', I checked with Alex whether she minded me blogging about the news, about the Bean, who now has a capital B and is due next March. She said it was fine as long as I didn't post photos on here of her after the birth!
So, this has been my long, roundabout way of saying, 'I'm going to be an Auntie!'. News I've been wanting to shout from the rooftops but had to wait a while to do so. The quilt and blanket in the previous post, along with the tank top and socks in this one, and several other things on the needles/sewing machine or in the planning phase, are for the Bean. This is going to be one very warm baby!

A Change of Plan

2008-09-29T11:09:00.005+01:00

I was supposed to be in Newcastle this weekend, staying with Glittr, catching up with old friends who I haven't seen for too long. My plans were thwarted: on Thursday I received an email from university to say postgraduate enrolments were taking place between 11am and 12 noon on Saturday.

After queuing all morning, I got the train to Hampton Court and walked to the shops in East Molesey, to 'Creative Quilting'. I was looking for some lining fabric for an Amy Butler bag pattern I want to make for myself. I couldn't find anything suitable, but did find some lovely fabric for my next cot quilt.

Yesterday morning, the fabric was cut and laid out and looked like this:Last night it was pieced in strips and looked like this:
And this morning, the strips have been pieced together and the whole thing has been pressed:
I've got a day off work today, so I might take a quick trip back to Creative Quilting this afternoon to buy fabric for the border and back of the quilt. I'm also knitting a co-ordinating blanket to go with this quilt. I only cast on yesterday so haven't got much done yet, but it's a nice knit. It's almost 30 inches long though, so I think it's going to take a while to finish it!

Recipe for a Wonderful Weekend

2008-09-22T20:57:00.005+01:00

Take one house with incredible views of the beach at Whitstable...and a lovely sculpture garden:Add three fabulous friends (this ingredient is hard to find. When you find it, do not let it go):Add two beautiful children. Specifically, 5.5 months of Lincoln and 3 years of Leila:Cover Lincoln liberally with new knitwear... and warm gently under handmade quilt:
Pour in one birthday girl and 9 chocolate cherry cupcakes:Sprinkle with pebbles using Leila sized fishing net. Alternatively, a small yellow bucket and blue spade can be used:Leave to cool in the fading light of a glowing sunset:
Leave to rest for 24 hours. Enjoy.

Birthday Socks...Happy Birthday Dad!

2008-09-15T21:43:00.004+01:00

It was Dad's birthday on Friday and I actually had a knitted present ready to give! Dad loves wearing hand knit socks, and while I'm a very, very slow sock knitter, he's always delighted when he receives a finished pair.The yarn for this rusty orange pair is Koigu KPM, purchased at Purl SoHo during my trip to New York last November. Dad loves the colour of these and was more than happy to pose for photos in the garden with his beauftiful maple tree and co-ordinating tweed trousers.I don't have enough holiday left this year to be able to go to New York. I'd love to go again soon, it's such a fantastic city. I showed Dad the Koigu KPM colours on the Purl website yesterday; he's picked a lovely rich shade of olive green for his next pair of socks, which I'll have to order soon if I'm going to get them knitted in time for Christmas!
Sam and Alex bought Dad the new Ipod Nano for his birthday. He absolutely loves it. So does Mum's friend Julian the Herdwick sheep.
Julian was desperate to get in on the action, so Dad let him pick the next track. Dad isn't usually this blurry, but something was making him laugh. I can't think what.
Happy Birthday Dad! I'm glad you like the socks!

Busy bee

2008-09-01T22:50:00.004+01:00

I spent 3 days last week on Pack Holiday with the Brownie Pack I help run. It was my first Pack Holiday as a Leader, my last Brownie Pack Holiday was about 18 years ago! It was a lot of fun, but very tiring, even though only 10 girls out of the 3o Brownies in the pack came along. There was some of this:and lots of this:and plenty of baking, cooking, crafting, trampolining, assault courses, singing songs around the campfire, toasting marshmallows and generally running around having fun.

Sunday was Miles' birthday. He had a work night out at the rugby in Bath on Friday and I got the train down to Bath Spa on Saturday afternoon. We had a nice afternoon wandering around the town and yesterday went to the Thermae Spa. I can't recommend it highly enough, it was lovely.
We also had fun spotting the pigs which are forming an art installation all around the city. These are two of my favourites.

Last Minute Simple Bag

2008-08-25T08:40:00.004+01:00

Yesterday was my sister-in-law Alex's birthday. I had been planning on making her something, thinking it would be knitted, but after the successful sewing of Emilie's little clutch purse in the last post and realising far too late that it was her birthday yesterday, I decided to sew something instead. I looked through a few sewing books at a couple of different simple tote bag patterns. The pattern I took most inspiration from was the 'Simple Bag' from 'Last Minute Quilted and Patchwork Gifts' bought last year from Purl Patchwork during my trip to New York.

I altered the pattern slightly: the pattern calls for the straps to be made using a bias binding maker, but as I don't have one, I simply cut two straps measuring 21" x 4" pressed them in half lengthways, then folded the long edges in towards the centre crease, and then in half along the centre crease. I then topstitched 1/8" from the edge along each long edge. This produced a stirdier handle as the fabric in four layers thick. I also added a small pocket inside the bag, about 2.5 inches inside the bag.I used two Amy Butler fabrics, the pink and white is called, 'Coriander'. I'm not sure about the name of the green dots fabric. They were both bought from Get Knitted last year.
I love the combination of colours; they looks so bright and fresh together. I will definitely be making more of these bags in the future: it's so satisfying to be able to make something personal, rather than going shopping for a present, and while knitting will always be my first love, it's great to be able to make something relatively quickly in a birthday present emergency!

A definite hint of Autumn

2008-08-23T19:33:00.002+01:00

Katherine's Birthday Cardigan

2008-08-18T20:07:00.002+01:00

I can't believe Katherine is two already. It was her birthday last Friday, and yesterday she had a little party, with friends of her parents and some of her friends from nursery. I'd completely forgotten her birthday, until I found an invitation to her party in my inbox last weekend. I immediately felt compelled to knit her a birthday present. This is the Baby Shrug from 'Simply Baby' by Debbie Bliss. I had to go down two needle sizes to a 4mm needle, with 3.75mm for the edgings. It fits really well, the sleeves were about the right length, but were quickly rolled up to avoid them being covered in cupcake crumbs and purple icing!

Fetching for Pumpkin

2008-08-16T14:05:00.003+01:00

Fetching has become my default pattern when looking for something to knit as a gift. I'm currently knitting my third pair in two months, from my new favourite yarn, Dream in Color Classy.
This pair now belongs to purple obsessed Pumpkin, and was knitted from the same skein of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted as Isabella's hat in the previous post.

Ready for Autumn

2008-08-12T21:09:00.002+01:00

Isabella, ready for Autumn (which seems to have started already here in London today) , wearing the beret I knitted her with some left over Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted.

There'll be more toddler knits later this week; it's Katherine's 2nd birthday on Friday and her party on Sunday, so I'm knitting as fast as I can to get her presents finished on time. I'd better get back to the needles...

I'm Wireless!!

2008-08-10T10:58:00.001+01:00

Let the regular blogging re-commence! Woooooooooooooooooooooo!