Knock knock, Who's there?

Thank you all for you lovely comments on my Bright Stripes, I'm still very much loving this project and I'm really happy with the colours, even if I've been leaning towards blues.  The blanket itself is still leaning but hey ho it's fine.

I'm very excited to share with you the finally finished Dr Who!  Don't get me wrong because I'm definitely a fan of science fiction but I'm really not into Dr Who.  I do feel like a bit of an expert on Matt Smiths hair now however!

I actually quite enjoyed making him but I probably won't be doing another any time soon.  My Uncle is pretty knit worthy (yeah, I know it's crocheted, it just doesn't work!) so I was happy to oblige his rather random and specific request for a "raggy doll Dr Who, the one played by Matt Smith"

He was rather fiddly being made of different pieces sewn together, which isn't something I particularly enjoy, and I did the legs so many times!  One set were ridiculously long, the other were different lengths, in fact these aren't quite right which is why he's wonky!

His little jacket is detachable and so is the Fez but it probably needs sewing on, I think my Aunt is going to sort that out.

Now lets talk about his hair...  I LOVED this part

I am blubberingly proud of the fact that his hair actually looks like hair.  His head's a bit tilted back so it doesn't look quite right but it's not bad.  You start out with a sort of wig (just a brown crochet circle really) and then sew the hair into place.  Dr Who number eleven has a side parting which is fine when you look at him from the front, but what on earth does the back look like? 

 Awesome!!  I realised J also has a side parting so he became my muse, and now thinks this looks like him.  Erm... yes.

The pattern was $6 from  Allison Hoffman on Ravelry which only worked out at a couple of pounds, for the detail I think it's quite good value really.

Here he is atop a camel, because all Uncles have living rooms full of camels right? 

The drive to see my Uncle and Aunt was as spectacular as ever, it usually is but I think it looks even better with snow, even just a little bit.  I remember my first drive over the Snake Pass being really magic.  I'd set off early in the morning to avoid the inevitable traffic in Glossop.  It was cold and frosty and mist was coming off the lake (reservoir?) and light was beaming through the pine trees.  I just remember thinking 'this is amazing!' 

This weekends journey wasn't quite as magical but it was still nice, and we nearly got caught in a blizzard on the way home, which was exciting but perhaps not so nice.

It snowed the tiniest amount here on Sunday and didn't settle so I was really disappointed.  It says it might snow tonight but I'm in a hump with the weather and I don't believe it.  If it's cold I want my monies worth and I want snow.

Much love

x x x x

Bright Stripes

I'm really excited about this new project.  Our friends are having a baby soon so I've started a new blanket.  I'd planned to start in January anyway but I hadn't realised they're due a little sooner than I thought!  I didn't really have a design in mind and wanted some inspiration so I looked through my favourite blogs and hit upon Heather's pram blanket for Tiny Tin Bird on her blog Little Tin Bird, it's just lovely!

I headed into the City to buy the same Debbie Bliss colours she used, because why reinvent the wheel when I loved everything about it, but alas Abakhans don't stock it!  I'm not sure why I thought they did.

I tried to remember what shade each colour was and tried to substitute with Sirdar Snuggly DK. They didn't have a yellow I wanted in that range so the one I bought it from their Country Style range instead.  As it happens Heathers yellow was much paler but I quite like the brightness of the one I bought.  There also wasn't a green that I liked, although I found some Merino later in the sale section ♥

When I got started I decided the darker red, which I'd intended as a sort of pink to off balance all the blue, didn't work and the dark blue was too dark.  I found a tiny amount of some pink Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, which isn't going to go very far but it might just help.



I started by chaining 100 using a 3.5mm (E) hook on Saturday, following Heathers method of not turning the work because I also like the "front" of the stitches.  It really hasn't taken long at all to get this far at all.  I hope it looks fairly neutral, although there's a lot of blue in there I'm hoping it's not too blue.

Now lets talk about not turning.  I already know from making my Muriel blanket that if you don't turn your work everything ends up leaning to one side (the right if you crochet from right to left), and that's exactly what Heather says happened with hers, although you couldn't tell once she'd added a border.

I thought I'd try and be clever and every so many rows I'd join the next colour slightly to the left and then increase at the end of the row, but it hasn't really helped.  After trialing a border on the stitches I have I'm not too worried because it really didn't look as bad, but I had to rip the border back because I'm no where near ready for that.  At least I know what I plan to do!

Not even sure what shape this is trying to be, and urgh to all those ends to sew...

As usual I had some assistance...  They really love this piece of cardboard!  For some reason it was left by the previous owners of our house but it's really handy for taking photos, but here you can see the reality of my livingroom; handbags on the floor, instruction manuals waiting for a home...  Real life stuff ♥

Time for another cup of tea before getting on with more stripes.  Have you started any new projects this year?

x x x x

Little vinyl bags

I was going to start off by linking in with a very old project (2010 old to be precise) but it looks like I never blogged about it, so why not now?  Once upon a time I found a lovely tutorial on a blog called Three Bears which you can find here.

I loved it and with some vinyl fabric, which I think I bought from John Lewis, I made my very own Little Box Pouch!

It's one of those projects which has been in near constant use as it holds my darning needles, stitch markers, measuring tape..  Basically it is crammed with little things!  I'm surprised and very happy that after 4 years it's still as good as new ♥

I haven't quite perfected matching the zip with the seam but I think this was quite an early sewing project, and because the vinyl was sticky it stuck to the sewing machine.  I ended up putting kitchen roll paper between the vinyl & the machine and had to pick it out of the stitches after.  Not my favourite thing.

For Christmas I wanted to make something for my Mum, who is a big appreciater of craftiness.  She also wanted a wash bag to leave at our house for her collection of lotions and potions.  I Googled "Diy Wash Bag" and literally the first link which came up was perfect.  So back out comes the fabric.

It was actually a tutorial on Mollie Makes and very easy to follow, but when the instructions say that "top stitch is optional they lie, it's not optional!  They said it might be tricky, so I thought "Nah" I'll skip it then if it's optional.

When I finished the zip wanted to be all on show, "look at meeeee, I'm supposed to be inside" so that's why I went back and did a row of top stitch but only across the middle (because I couldn't actually get to the edge of the bag!!)

It's fine though, I mean who really minds, it's a wash bag!  My mum certainly didn't notice but for some reason I told her anyway.  I wrapped up a few presents to put inside and stuffed it with tissue paper.

And that's it, the last thing to come off my sewing machine in 2014.  I think I'd quite like to make a pencil case with the left overs for my silly collection of Sharpie marker pens.   I don't know why I love them so much!

Happy New Year all!

x x x x

The end and a start

I can't quite believe that it's January, but I feel that 2014 has been packed full & I'm happy to say that I don't have many regrets.  We finished decorating our bedroom in February which I never thought we'd see the end of.

We also put up blinds and curtains in our living room, painted our bathroom (put up another blind) painted the outside window sills, painted the yard and made a planter

I personally had a brilliant time at Glastonbury and couldn't have wished for a better week.  Ok there's one regret, we haven't (yet) managed to get tickets for 2015!

We had a lovely family holiday to Italy in the Summer, our lesson learnt will be to print maps as well as use a satnav...

We adopted Diz and Mogs ♥

And this happened...  But we got through the first few weeks and we have a well adjusted cat, Mogs was always perfect hehe

I made a lot of stuff!

And as a Christmas / Birthday present to me I've ordered a dressmakers dummy (which should be here by now) so I can get down to some proper sewing, I can't wait!  

I've got a blanket or two lined up for 2015 and I need to finish Dr Who, but mostly I plan to sew if possible and get builders in to rid me of my 70s fireplace...

I hope 2014 saw you right and that 2015 sees you even better

x x x x

Christmas and wrapping up

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas or festive season this year



It's not been so nice out there recently...  The grey gloom reminds me that January is almost here and all the twinkly decorations will soon be gone, my least favourite thing.

Without a doubt staying indoors is the best plan but we're going to have to venture out later, although we'll be spending it in someone elses indoors so that's ok.

We spent Christmas down at my parents this year.  I treated myself to a Christmas Cactus and inevitably it flowered while we were away, but it still looks lovely!  I made a fairly nice table setting although as usual forgot to take any photos of us!



Some of my favourite decorations came down from the loft.  I love unboxing them and remembering the things put away from years ago which I'd forgotten about

And some new!



Last year I made this for my mum but completely forgot to take any photographs of it.  I can't remember where I first saw it but I've been able to trace the design back to this blog and discovered she has loads more adorable embroidered hoops!  I'll definitely be making some of these for the house...



I think there's just time for one last cup of tea before getting ready to face the cold and New Years Eve! Stay safe & keep warm!



x x x x

Not bad for a morning!

I'm definitely not what one would call a morning person, but since having the cats I've forced myself out of bed at least once a weekend to feed them, resisting the temptation to lie in.  I even fed them last Saturday while nursing a nice hangover!  If I get up, I usually stay up, so this morning between 8.30 and 10am I got down to some knitting...

They're knitted up from a lovely simple pattern on a blog called Flowerpot. I've made them in the 3 and 3-6 month sizes but I wanted something in between so I cast on 20 stitches and improvised the decreases.  The yarn is Cygnet Kiddies Couture Aran.

These were for Nephew#3 but I've made two sizes for one of my best friends babies and as they're super quick to knit I can see more on the horizon...

I've finished my Christmas wrapping, apart from one thing that I'm still waiting to arrive.  Hmmm.

One of my presents to a friend is the Death Star, in all it's crochet glory!  Kinda appropriate as there's a trailer out for a new film.

My friend asked for one but I don't think he thinks I've made it (confused?) so I'm hoping it's a bit of a surprise.

I just have to say that I'm laughing at I type this, I've been feeding Moggie her favourite Dreamies and she's licking my fingers clean. And then she typed this to you all (I think it means hello)

C47 X9000DFR

She also has the last laugh as J dressed her brother up like this...

Merry Christmas if I don't post before Thursday! 

x x x x

All of what's been going on

I feel a bit like I've lost my blogging-mojo and I want to find it.  I've been really busy when it comes to making things but when I look at my photos I'm not feeling inspired...  I'm just going to give it a go.

I've finished my Solstice cardigan but I haven't managed to take any photos of it yet, although it's been in almost constant wear since casting off.  I think these were the last photos I took but it shows you something I guess...

I had to do the sleeve again because my needles were a size smaller than the pattern said so it was too tight, but I'm really glad I did and I'm very happy with the fit.

I made some rather cute baby mittens for a friend and I forgot to photograph them.  I'm one hand into making some mittens of my own and I've only got a WIP photo to post ,but lets have it anyway

Lets see...  Oh yeah, my Uncle wanted a rag-doll style Dr Who so this is something else I've been hooking

He is meant to be the Eleventh Dr Who, although obviously he shouldn't be bald and hopefully at some point he'll have a mouth and a fez.

Christmas decorating began in earnest on the 1st, I've heard a lot of people say the start of December is still too early to think about Christmas but I want to make the most of it, so there ♥

I also wanted to see whether the cats would destroy the tree so for the first week I only put a few Ikea baubles on, but low and behold we have ANOTHER cat success story and that is they're not remotely interesting in destroying my tree.  Huzzah!

I've even managed to bake some mince pies (and I remember to do them in cases instead of straight into the tin...)

And I've been enjoying hot chocolate in my varying festive mugs.

And as with most years since discovering them I've been enjoying the Christmas Markets in town, made even better by the fact that I only work down the road now...

And a couple of weeks ago I got reaquainted with my sewing machine and made a cushion from an lovely off cut of fabric I found in John Lewis.

I realise that's a bit of an info overload but I think I needed it!

x x x x