Finished!

Many moons ago when my eldest daughter was about 7 years old, I started making a cable knit cardigan for her. I made the fatal error of not getting anywhere near enough yarn when I started, and it took me so long to do that by the time I was half done the yarn was out of production and the cardigan was never completed. So I thought now that I am knitting again I would have another go, and after many happy hours of knitting, here is a brand new and rather cost cardi, albeit with several minor technical errors. And I have 2 balls of yarn left over! Happily for me, daughter (now in her 30s) decided it's not quite her thing now, so this one's mine and together we're planning another project for her.

Happy little hexagons

Very happy to have finished my hexagon quilt - a labour I loved, bright colours and random patterns with many of the fabric scraps a reminder of other projects. The border could be better, but it's a quilt to get snuggled up in, not to put on show, so I'm content. Maybe that's my measure of a successful quilt - one that keeps my loved ones cosy and comforted. 

Bits and pieces

One of my little pleasures in life is creating something out of scraps that would otherwise end up in the bin - upcycling  and recycling are so very satisfying. I had a bunting-fest a little while ago, to pretty up the garden for a family get together, which looked lovely on the day and is now safely tucked away, ready to pretty up festival tents and garden parties of the future. So simple to make and so very satisfying.

This little piggie

After what seemed like hours searching Pinterest for a flying piggy pattern, I gave up and made up my own - needs a little adjustment here and there and a lot more care to keep it neat, but I think it has potential. This little prototype will be winging its way to the daughter of my lovely friend Jane, who gave me the fabric that inspired the project. A nice way to spend the afternoon - and a nice break from the never-ending hexagon quilt!

I'll bet not many people have got one of these...

Inspired by this pin on Pinterest, I set about making something similar for my friend's birthday.  Not too shabby and quite chic at first look.

However, it seems one needs a whole lotta zipper to make your average size make up bag - and all I had was about 6 inches!  So it turned out to be a teeny-tiny make up purse:

Not your average sized make-up bag.  What to use it for?

Ta-dah!  Possibly the world's first make-up-pad-remover-overnight-stay bag?  I await with interest the look on my friend's face as she upwraps it. But hey, as ever with home-made gifts, it's the thought that counts, right?

Here comes 2015

At last I have succumbed to a rather clever phone, so here's my first attempt at blogging on the go! Christmas crafty activities were somewhat limited and those I did manage I forgot to photograph... But here's a card I made for our lovely neighbours, which I wanted to do to make up for forgetting to deliver their Christmas card :-/ 

Feeling feisty and full of resolve for a very crafty year ahead - bring it on!

Stitchin' up a storm

Well what a lovely long summer it has been - sunshine, holidays and high-days (not literally, but that natural high I get from the fabulous Standon Calling), and to top it all off, the shiniest sugariest cheeky cherry of all time.... the man (or woman, I know not) from Canadian immigration s/he say YES!!!!  So our Nova Scotian holiday-dreaming-home-away-from-home home will pretty soon become our homestead-crafting-glamping-gorgeous-gorgeous-permanent home, and the UK will be our holiday destination to spend quality time with family and friends.  So, so happy. Cue much writing of lists, and a little scratching of head when I discovered how expensive it is to ship goods - what to do with my humungous fabric stash?!  Mental switch from bargain-buyer to e-bay-seller as a hobby, and a determination to stay home and stich instead of go out and spend.  Starting with some fabric purchased several months ago for 1. glamorous fifties trousers from this pattern ....

 

.... which I am rather pleased with and planning to wear to the next Lindy Hop social, and 2. homesteading dungarees, from this pattern.  I have a bit of an obsession with dungarees, a result of spending far too much time in the perfect world of Pinterest  and deliberately ignoring the knowledge that I always end up covered in muck even doing a bit of ladylike potting.  I was a  bit worried about the outcome being more 70s throwback than vintage lady gardener, but I like them enough to maybe try another pair in a more suitable shade of mud-brown.  But with a few flowery touches here and there of course.

 

 And I couldn't resist stitching my little label where no-one can see it - if the next pair turn out well, maybe I'll be brave and stick it on the outside.