Knitting and Crochet

I am a bit of an obsessive. I get 'into' something and everything else falls by the wayside. This time last year I had just bought a new sewing maching and was sewing for England; I taught myself to crochet in September and I have the crochet and knitting bug at the minute.
I am sure it's something to do with the fact that you can sit and knit or crochet in front of the TV whilst being with the family and making relatively little noise. Machine sewing takes me away from everyone with my machine going ninety to the dozen it is not great for conversations.
I have been doing some hand sewing over the Christmas break, I was between knitting projects and picked up my hexie tin.

Each time I recieve some fabric from swaps and friends, I snip a row of it off and add it to my hexie tin. This means that the fabrics I use to make up a cushion will have nice people sewn into it too. When I look at the individual hexies I can remember where the fabric was from and the person or project connected with it, which adds another dimension to the finished article. This will be another cushion when I get back to it.

Back to knitting; if you are a knitter you will know all about Ravelry, if you are new to knitting and crochet you might not, so pop over and check them out, there is loads of help and patterns there for all levels of experience and I have found it a great resource. Just recently I was inspired by the lovely Lynda - Hookin with LaaLaa to join the 'Crochet a Long ~ Block a Month 2011' on Ravelry with the purpose of making a block each month and at the end of the year joining them all up to make a blanket. So this is what has just fallen off my hook, it's a mess and it's very wonky, I am sure I missed stitches somewhere or perhaps even added extra, but it will do for a filler square ~ I will try harder for the 12" version (as my Nanna would say "a blind man on a fast horse won't notice it"):

I am a novice knitter, I was taught to knit as a girl but never persued it and now I wish I had; but like the crochet I am practicing and teaching myself as I go. I have been buying this magazine for a few months now and have eventually given in and subscribed as I would be gutted to miss an issue, it's been an invaluable help to me.

There is at least one thing I want to make from this mag each month and usually do, remember the big chunky cable scarves, they were from this mag.

Here is my latest make from this month's mag these little hearts (top left above), I didn't turn them inside out to seam them, I tacked around the outside as I liked the finish better and I added beads instead of buttons, and added lavender to the stuffing, but it's close enough. Oooh and I finished off with the sweetest little bows, courtesy of the lovely Alex ~ thanks again honey!

I did tackle a knitted purse from a previous magazine which came with a free purse frame, it turned out nice but was such a pain to do, I will show you that later this week.

Oohh, can I ask you seasoned knitting and crochet ladies, how do you store your yarns? Mine is taking over the house and it's so bulky I don't quite know what to do with it. It's current home is stashed in multiple carrier bags behind the couch, under the bed and wherever I find a crevice~ this can't be the best method???

p.s. don't forget my little Stitch giveaway, it closes on Friday.

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Finishing Off My Little Makes

I have had such a sporadic craft time lately I feel like I not achieved much at all. I have been decorating at home though and now have a freshly painted bathroom, but painting = not making nice pretty things.
Some things I can show though are these; picture the scene, you have a really long day at work you have just attended a meeting in the Wirral a 7 hour round trip for a 2 hour meeting and you finally reach home and spill in the door only to find a parcel waiting for you! I forgot all about my day as I ripped into this, I won a gift from Pene's lovely Giveaway, I was over the moon with this little lot, just have a look;

(please forgive the bad washed out photos, I have had to take them at night)

Beautiful handmade cards, a wonderful fleece doggie and some love hearts, yum!

How wonderful is he? Thanks again Pene you lovely thing you!

Some more bits I can show you are these, my swap gift for the Autumn Swap, I have shown what I received this is what I sent:

Besides this I have been knitting and crocheting little peoples clothes, a cute little crochet hat and knitted mittens from one of those 20p patterns from the 1970's, these will be for my lovely friend's baby due in February:

I have been obsessed with knitting and crochet for a couple of months now, but I think I have my sewing mojo back, my fabric stash is growing and I've been looking at it instead of using it.

I have had these cut out for weeks now just sat in my sewing pile, I finally made them up last night all hand sewn and stuffed full of french lavender, I actually fell asleep quicker than usual last night I am sure it's down to these:

Oh, and I finally finished my crochet lavender bags, I made a felt insert stuffed with French Lavender again, I am pleased with these they are really lovely:

I am terrible for finishing things off, I have lots of in progress items and keep starting something new. I decided that I would behave myself and make one thing at a time and this week I started a fabric teddy bear but got to the eyes and realised I didn't have any so I started a new crochet cushion cover, and then some felt Christmas decorations ~ will I never learn!!

Am I the only one with lots of WIP (Work In Progress)?

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

150 Followers Giveaway

~ ♥ GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED ♥ ~

Well lovely ladies, here is my 150 Followers Giveaway to say a thank you for the encouragement and words of support you leave me to continue making my bits and bobs and to try new things.

I love each and every comment you leave and take heart in the fact that I have met and am in touch with likeminded people. If I could I would send you all a gift but I can't so here is a little thank you from me, as the heart says, with 'love'.

I made these from lovely Tilda fabric and they are stuffed with the softest filling and a little bit of french lavender.





I made the brooch from some vintage lace and added a recycled rose earring to make it into a brooch.





Simple Rules:

• To enter the giveaway you don't have to follow me but I do need to be able to contact you. If you don't have a blog please leave a valid email address.


• Just leave a comment on this post and I will add you to the list.


• If you have your own blog and if you wish, please add me to your sidebar and link to this giveaway and I will add you again. Please let me know if you do and I will add you twice.


• I will draw the winner in two weeks time on the 15th September.

Good Luck x


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Little Commission

I was asked to make something for my lovely friend as she wanted something of mine to give to her sister as part of her birthday present.

My scope was, make a couple of little things for her bedroom, perhaps a little lavender mouse and a lavender heart. There was no definite colour mentioned and her bedroom is mainly creams, so I opted for delicate pinks, in these lovely Tilda fabrics.

I love making these little mice they are cute, this time I gave them cream whiskers instead of the thick black ones and before I added their ears I thought they looked like a little pile of shrimps (admittedly the shrimps from the Muppet Show Tonight).

Anyhow, this is them all done and dusted, not sure how many are needed but I usually make a few of the same thing once I have the machine out.

I also made a couple of simple lavender hearts and hand embroidered a little patch for the front onto a lovely cream silk fabric with the word Love, quite appropriate we thought as a sentiment from one sister to another.

I hear she really liked them, Happy Birthday Amy! Xx

p.s. I have noticed that I am creeping towards 150 followers, how amazing thank you all! You know what that means, another giveaway... if there is something you would like to see in my giveway please feel free to let me know and I will rustle something up.

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

More beautiful things from beautiful people...

After a tough day at work I came home to this one night not long ago, I was not expecting anything so was really suprised to find this;

A beautifully wrapped gift from the lovely Sue, this was a thank you gift and just look what was inside;

A most lovely vintage patchwork cushion, I adore it and it is currently pride of place on my bed, as if that was not enough there was also a lovely lavender heart in there too which is on my bedpost.

Thank you so much Sue this arrived just at the right time when I needed it most, isn't it funny how that happens?

You remember the Tilda book I won from Lynda, well she went mad and sent me extra gifts, she forgot to add one and sent it later and I love it loads and wanted to show you, its a beautiful brooch:

Thank you lovely friends!

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Little gifts of kindness and Happy Fathers Day ♥

These last couple of weeks I have received several packages in the post which made my day. It is amazing how something as little as a handwritten note can cheer me up, but I did so much better than that.

Look what arrived this morning from the lovely and talented Tina:

Those partylite candles smell divine, the little heart smells wonderful and the beautiful pouch is full of handmade greeting cards.

This hand crafted card made me gasp, it is soooo beautiful and I don't think I will take it down again. Thank you so much my lovely!

Another parcel received recently was from lovely Vicki. She send me these scraps from a bunting project she was working on, I had been lusting over the fabric she was using and she kept these off cuts and sent them to me. Thanks again Vicki, I have already started trimming them up and I will find a good use for them soon I promise.

I received a little thank you card from another lovely, Karen, and she included some fab polka dot ribbon and brooch backs for me. I can’t wait to find a use for this ribbon its beautiful ~ thanks! The brooch backs were used immediately as I was in need of some, I will show you what in a day or so once the glue is dry!

I feel so spoiled, it's like having a birthday every couple of weeks. Blogging has been such a wonderful experience for me, making friends with likeminded people!

Totally unrelated to sewing but due to the special day, I just had to say Happy Fathers Day to my lovely husband who is a fabulous father to his two boys and a fabulous step father to my two boys, he is everything a father should be and the kids are so blessed to have him in their lives. I would also like to say happy fathers day to my ex husband, who is a great dad to my two boys and they love him to bits.

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Shabby Union Jack Coin Purses

I think I have become obsessed. I have a thing for union jack stuff at the minute.

I recently made some union jack makeup bags with fabric that started life as a pillowcase. Following this I made some union jack coin purses with some denim that started life as a skirt. Well this week I noticed one of my husband’s work shirts was looking a little frayed at the neck so I confiscated it, cut all the buttons off and used the light blue fabric to make some pastel union jack coin purses.

Amanda ~ recognise the spotty ribbon you kindly sent me?

After making these I made a little lavender heart to match because... well just because.

p.s. thanks for all the kind words regarding my Mum, I brought her home from hospital on Wednesday and she is healing really well and is looking much brighter already.

Back Soon ♥