Juggling.....

quite literally!

Owen has been teaching himself to juggle the past couple of days. He quickly got fed up of eating bruised apples so moved onto these:

Oranges! Hmm, weird photo......

Fortunately for us, unfortunately for him, we go through many oranges a day for our breakfast juice so he needed to find an alternative. The soft balls were too big, the outdoor balls, well, they were out of doors, in the rain and snow, and the pool table balls, hmmm, have you landed one of those on your toes? So mama had a plan. We whipped out the sewing machine, cut out 12 equilateral triangles (maths lesson see?) and stitched them into 2 pyramids filled with lentils:

See charity shop-found Swiper? Heather is obsessed with Dora. Haha, did that distract you from my shabby sewing....

 

Only 2 pyramids from 12 triangles, is that what you're thinking? Haha, mama had to make a boobie stop halfway through and forgot what she was doing - sewing 2 triangles fully together doesn't make a decent juggling ball!!

Two is hard enough to start with ;)

Sew So there we are, maths, drawing, problem solving, PE,patience, and craft all covered in one day. We love homelearning :) And mama got to give the sewing machine a dusting over too.....

-x-

Smiley things

Way, way back, an eternity ago, before this little babe arrived into our arms I bought a wonderful kitchen larder cupboard off eBay. As I was very, very pregnant at the time (just a few days pre-birth), I didn't view the cupboard as I couldn't face the car journey. I spoke briefly with the seller on the phone and sent John and our neighbour off to pick up the cupboard. Now John is one of those people who talks to anyone, helps everyone and is generally just all round nice. So he chatted with the seller, admired her home, told about our excitement at soon meeting our new baby, and how I loved to sew, and knit, and all things crafty. He came home telling me what a lovely woman she was and how I would have enjoyed meeting her. He also had a bag of goodies that she was including in the sale, just because she thought I would like them. And such goodies they were. Would you like a peek?

There was a bag stuffed with pieces of fabric:

I shook them out and discovered that the two floral pieces on the bottom right were very pretty, but old, half pinnies, and the square motif fabric was a pair of vintage barkcloth curtains. The baby pink is a length of quilted fabric destined to soon become a quit for Heather's baby and the other fabric pieces were all at least a metre length each and so pretty I'm sure they'll be used, just no idea what for just yet....

There was a paper bag with a piece of white fabric poking out. As I tipped it gently out I discovered it was a heavy linen tablecloth partly embroidered, with a huge collection of embroidery threads hidden beneath it:

One day the love and care put into this piece will be continued, maybe by me, maybe by someone else, but it will be beautiful.

And then another bag to empty, this time containing a mishmash of sewing goodness:

Press studs, and needles, and threads, and bias bindings, and hooks ad eyes, and elastic, and needle cases, and darning yarn, a huge bundle of fixings and trims. And some still carrying their pre-decimal price tags!

Yet another lovely thought was in how this lady had wrapped the glass shelves from the cupboard - in heavy vintage cotton embroidered bedsheets! So lovely, and just what I like, crisp and white and beautifully trimmed. Unfortunately no photos of these as they are living in the back of the wardrobe for now until such time as I have a bed to just my man and myself, rather than two little girls, an occasional boy and an assortment of cuddly toys, odd socks and crumbs....

The final gift from this kind, sweet lady was these:

A riot of colour and fragrance picked in her garden and sent with John to become the first thing displayed in our lovely new unit.

A reminder of the old saying - A stranger is a friend we haven't yet met.

-x-

Cuddling up.

Take a (4mm) hook and start making these:

Squishy Debbie Bliss baby casmerino and James C. Brett pure merino - mmmmm.

Reverse the colour sequence (more than once!):

Run out of lemon when edging the last square and make an emergency trip to the LYS for some more, feeling extraordinarily pleased to discovered that two years apart the dye lot is the same! Use the same lemon to join the squares AND edge the whole thing:

Find some pretty co-ordinating soft cord and try to avoid too much pinning and sewing by machinestitching the backing to the inner edge of the outer round (confused??) and so making a pretty little trim:

Stuff with a pillow and place not-so-artfully on the mama made throw on the Papa revamped chair, and admire:

Yes that is a potty with an L plate - a certain little girlie is finding it a bit cold up there using the toilet ans likes a potty downstairs just in case......

Aaaahhhhh, lovely........... the cushion, not the potty!

Now back to the Hitchhiker.

-x-

Creative spaces.

Oh there are so many lovely creative spaces around blogland, sheds and craft rooms and attics and all sorts of hidden little nooks where all kinds of creativity whirrs on. So today, in complete contrast to all those wonderful spaces, I thought I would show you one of my creative spaces.

Most of my knitting and hooking happens in the living room on the sofa but sewing is different. Sewing needs it's own special place. All those sharp scissors and needles, and cutters......yes, they definitely need storing away in a safe place with all these interested little ones around. So where is this sewing space? Well it's here:

In the bedroom! Or part of the bedroom. My beloved one found this bureau in a recycling shop a while ago and thought it would be perfect for my sewing machine rather than the wobbly old side table I had complained about for so long. So he happily parted with his £10 note (he's got a great eye for a bargain you know), and loaded the bureau into the car. Back home he sanded down all the dark wood stain and then painted it a fresh bright white. He hoiked it up to the bedroom, placed my sewing machine on it and toted away the rickety side table. What a lovely surprise that was.

 And then a few weeks later he did it again, finding this cool mirror in the car boot sale for only £2, although it was again finished in a dark 80's mahogany stain. So he sanded again, whipped out his trusty paintbrush and turned the mirror into the beautiful thing it now is. Isn't it shocking how so much stuff is unloved and unwanted when all it needs is to be seen through a new pair of eyes?

So that's my sewing space, my little area of creativity. Not an attic, or a room, or a shed, but a cosy little space just for me. All my scissors, needles, pins and cutters hidden away in the top section, along with jars of buttons (aren't washed out spice jars just so handy for button storage by the way?), patchwork templates, hole punches and various keep-away-from-small-people things. The drawers are just the right size for my stash of ribbons and trims, and the little cupboard section at the bottom holds my stack of felt and a big bag of washed fleece for toy stuffing. And best of all the pull down front means a fab surface to work at the sewing machine:

Unfortunately the bureau isn't big enough to store my sewing machine in but I'm quite happy for that to stand there looking pretty in it's very own cover on top of that big wicker chest where, if you peek inside, you will find all my favourite fabrics hiding. And whilst I'm telling you about my little bargains I have to let you know that the chest there was another fabulous car boot sale find for only £8. I snapped it up and when I opened the lid I found another 2 chests hidden inside! How wonderfully happy was I? The two baby chests now live downstairs and hide away some of my yarns along with just about every other piece of furniture in that room...........

Oh just one more little thing to share. Do you see that little vintage sewing box standing next to the chest:

That was yet another of our lovely car boot sale finds. I am so envious when so many bloggers show off their latest bargain vintage fabric finds as I never find any, but I think I have been oh so lucky in the furniture finding, don't you? My lovely sewing box was only £2.50 although I would gladly have paid a lot more! It's looking a little out of sorts though don't you think? Hmmm maybe that's next on the list for a makeover......

So what kind of creative space do you have? A super big and bright area all of your own? Or a tiny but cosy little snatched piece of your home? I do so hope you're happily crafting away in a space that inspires you.

Oh and in case you thought I'd forgotten - the knitty thing is done! But it definitely needs blocking before Ican show you looking as good as I am hoping it will look. So tomorrow then?

-x-

Settling for a bit of this.........

 and a bit of that:

Going one step further than the patchwork cushions:

And dipping my toe in the world of quilting:

Even the beloved man got to join in this little patch (boo!!) of creativity by tidying up this sad little thing:

Loving it's transformation:

And for the grand price of........

wait for it...........

£9!!!!!

Wicker chair from the car boot sale, the seller swore blind it was a genuine Lloyd Loom but I don't think anyone believed him as he couldn't raise his £10 asking price. The beloved one bargain him down to six whole pounds. Wandering around we found another stallholder selling cans of spray paint for £1 so bought three to transform the chair from it's sickly lilac to a lovely antique white.

The fabrics are leftovers from assorted makes - the obviously Ikea birdie print and the deeper green was left over from the bathroom blind, the light green used to be Owen's bunk bed curtains, the tiny scarp in the centre was one of Heather's slings, the granny floral was left from making the caravan curtains and the pinky satin trim was the lining of another sling. The reverse fabric is Craig's old duvet cover, he's far too grown up for a mama made wild floral bedroom don't you know? As for the crochet flowers, well surely you recognise that yarn? Yes, it's the half skein left over from the cardi I just made Sophie. 

So there we go - super happy with my bargain recycled piece of loveliness, and doubly happy with my first little foray into quilting. Not a patch ( I know - again!) on some of the beautiful quilts I covet daily on fabulous blogs, I wouldn't want you thinking that! The stitching is a bit on the wavy wandering side, and the placement is a bit skewiff in places creating a few little ruffles when the ends were reached, not to mention that a little of the lining is held in place more by luck and repeated hemming than by any level of skill, but hey it's my first attempt and it certainly won't be my last. And now I know why those books are so detailed......and to follow them too!!

Another project finished, no more to be started until I finish the ones in progress. Back tomorrow with another completed...........I hope!

-x-

Decisions, decisions.........

Which shall it be?

Getting on with this:

Or this:

Perhaps I might get another row or two done on this:

Because there's a house full of people who can do the dishes right?

-x-

Bathing beauties.....or a gift idea!

Many, many weeks ago I posted a giveaway on my other blog to celebrate: my 40th birthday, my 3 year blogiversary, and my 400th post. Well this week I finally sent out the mystery gift. How lax am I? I can't excuse why it took so long. It wasn't a difficult make. I didn't need to specifically buy anything. I didn't need to think up an idea. I guess I was just too forgetful, the bane of my life. My memory isn't so great any way but I'm sure turning 40 has made it even worse ;) Funny how I can remember where I acquired virtually every scrap of yarn in my stash, but I can't remember something as simple as carrying a parcel to the post office!

But hey, it's done, and should certainly be in it's new home now. So you want to see what it was that took so long:

It involved my default craft - knitting:

And a little cross stitch:

A bit of sewing too:

A handknitted bamboo/cotton facecloth, an all-nasties-free handmade (not by me!) lemongrass soap in it's own little knitted bag, a hand rolled beeswax candle, a little cross stitch trimmed lavender sachet:

All packed away in a pretty little cross stitch trimmed drawstring bag:

I hope it's well liked, especially as I have a few more in mind for yuletide gifting! Always on the lookout for more inspiration though, so what do you have planned?

-x-

Mice? Owl sort it!

The natural way to solve the mice problem - call in an expert mousecatcher:

No fee necessary, just a good meal will do.

Hang on a minute - they're not what I expected:

Aaargh I'm off, sort your own rodent problems.

Ok so I promised a knitty post, but I'm not happy with the knitty thing just yet. If it improves with blocking I'll share later ;-)

-x-

Having a mice day!

Oh dear, we appear to have mice.

Today we spotted two huge ones up in the bedroom. 

 

Twitchy noses, long tails and huge ears, pretty things they are. 

Owen is very taken with them and wants to keep them to himself.

Their names are Pinky Whitenose and Whitey Pinknose. Can you tell which is which?

And something that won't be snaffled away by one boy or the other - another in the set of pretty patchwork cushions.

The mice are inspired by an old issue of Sew Hip magazine, adapted slightly as I can't find my tin with toy eyes and noses, so I made stuffed noses and used buttons for eyes instead.

Hopefully a little knitty finished thing to share too later.

See you soon.

-x-

Catching up.

Ooh, it's been a long time hasn't it? Shall I give a multitude of reasons, or shall I just get straight on with showing some of the things that have been keeping me busy? Well aside from family, work, and general life that is!

Plannig lot's of projects using vintage fabric and bargain yarns:

Rowan Purelife organically grown 100% wool natural plant dyed only £1.50 per skein here but very limited now

Ebay bargain - over 2m of pretty barkcloth fabric

  Sirdar Click aran £1.39 per skein from the same place - love this shop, and it's not too far away for a personal visit either.

Crafting gifts for lovely mama's:

Knitted bamboo facecloth, soapbag, cross stitch trimmed scented sachet, and a trim for the carryall.

Starting on the christmas gifting:

Knitted dolly for Heather with removable clothes, just a couple more outfits to make.

Knitted cardi for Sophie with yet more of the bargain Sirdar Click

Sewing pretty cushions:

Enjoying patchwork and getting to grips with zips too.

Preparing for winter:

Granny stripe blanket 200cms wide, 110 treble clusters, 50cms high, another 130cms to go. And the edging.

Oh yes, I've been a busy crafting mama lately, with lot's more makes all jostling to show themselves off.

Sorry it's only a flying visit but maybe the changing weather will mean more time snuggling inside with the hooks and needles, and lot's more idea's to share.

-x-

Ring a rosie.

 

A change of crafting this weekend. I don't want to get frustrated over the spinning, slow but steady is the key there I think. John spent the whole of Saturday evening, around four hours, dismantling, waxing, and rebuilding my Peggy and it now has it's own little corner in the living room. He also helped me to work out the problem with the Saxony wheel, the flyer and whorl kept locking up. Between us we found that the maidens weren't lined up properly and after a little repair work they now spin independently and it appears to be doing what it should. It still needs a new tension knob but I already have details of someone who can do that for me.

So the crafting? Still with wool but needlefelting this time:

Sorry about the photo quality :( The camera is in limited use right now and the I had to choose between overbright flowers or overdark leaves!

And how about this for a way of using up scraps of fabric? Initially spotted and admired here, and with the addition of a scrap fabric patchwork lavender filled heart, it makes a lovely wall hanging don't you think?

Did you spot the row of crochet flowers just above the wreath? 

I made them a while ago using lot's of scraps of yarn but wasn't sure what to do with them. In the end I glued them all around the edge of the bedroom mirror just to see what it looks like. Not sure I like it and I'll properly take them off again but I like the "idea" so might try again with some different colours. And paint the mirror first!

So that's about it for this post. It's a rainy day here so the children are already getting stir crazy, Owen is telling Cain that they aren't brothers any longer so I think it's time for mama to suggest a few ideas. Hope you're enjoying your day whatever the weather.

-x-