Winter Nights

I had a relaxing hour on Sunday just reading my new magazines with a cuppa (one of my favourite things to do) ~ please ignore the chunky chocolate cookies they are a figment of your imagination!

There were lots of lovely things to see, I scan them quickly at first then pour over them in depth at my leisure for the next few weeks or so, they travel round the house with me.

On scanning the knitting magazine I came across a couple of bits that jumped out at me. I have been buying this magazine monthly now for a few months, I am a novice knitter but want to do more and this magazine has been a great help, there is always at least one thing every month that I need to knit.

I thought this was quite quirky a knitted wreath :
But this was something that I was drawn to immediately:

How cost and toasty and soft does that look? With the weather the way it is I wanted one of these to wear all the time until Summer comes again.

It’s quite a simple pattern, even for me, it does involve cable knitting and if you are not scared of that then it’s a doddle.

I couldn’t help it so I ordered the wool immediately and it arrived today ~ yey ~ just look how lovely and soft it is.
The thing is, I couldn’t wait until the wool arrived so I knitted this on smaller needles with the wool I used for the wrist warmers, (as one keen eyed knitter noticed it was Sirdar Crofter Chunky). It’s not quite finished so here is a sneaky peak.

I can’t wait to make my chunky cream one; I will get right to it as soon as I finish some Christmas makes (it’s 5 weeks on Saturday ~ flippin heck!).

On the subject of Christmas, this arrived yesterday

ohhh there are lots of lovelies I want from here but mostly these:

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Uncommon Crochet

I blogged about this book a while back Uncommon Crochet, and picked it up earlier this week to find a simple make for some string that I picked up from B&M Bargains this week (4 balls for £1).

I made this little container, isn't it sweet ~ I think these might make nice little gift boxes for Christmas or birthdays for smaller bits of jewellery and this used about 1/3 of a ball of string - so apart from my time it cost me about 33p (and sore fingers).

When finished it was the exact right size to hold a ball of string, my husband was staring at me and finally exclaimed - "tell me you haven't just made a box out of string to hold string?!?!", he is very observant :)

I have been making some wrist warmers too, I am rather proud of these, I made them from scratch using my own pattern (that I made up as I went along :) ) and I am rather pleased with how they turned out, the yarn is quite autumnal too, I have a few balls left so might attempt a matching scarf.

Em, still not Christmas makes are they? Well the boxes are I guess, well kind of, by proxy... mmm must get cracking...

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Crochet Hook Rolls

This is an idea I adapted from the Crayon Rolls that I have seen around it's a crochet hook roll. This was mega simple to make I simply took the dimensions of my hooks and added a bit at the bottom and the top, just enough so that the measurement on the hook was not obscured. This is my little drawing from my little black book that I carry everywhere with me, it's full of ideas and little sketches and pattern instructions:

Please forgive the imperial meaurements as a Q.S. everything at work is in metric but for sewing and knitting I always work in imperial.

And here is what came of it:

This brown one is my favourite - I just love brown and pink together.

These were so quick and easy to make the bit that took the longest was sewing in all the ends of the cotton, now back to tackle the Chrismas makes ... eek, I am running out of time!

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Lest We Forget x

Armistice Day (also known as Remembrance Day) is on November 11 and commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918.

Every year at the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month we remember the end of the First World War and all who gave their lives then and since.

photo credit

THE EXHORTATION

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

When you go home tell them of us and say -For your tomorrow we gave our today

~ ♥ LEST WE FORGET ♥ ~

A day off and a little Shopping

I have taken the plunge and despite being run ragged at work I have booked an ad hoc day's annual leave, as I was in desperate need of a day off!!
I intended to quickly take something back to the shops and post a couple of parcels off as I had an appointment in the afternoon and I intended to craft for the rest of the day for Christmas but the charity shops called me in.

My local charity shop has just recieved a bit of a craft haul donation this week which I quickly snapped up:

My favourite was the Fiskars pinking shears almost brand new for 50p, I have been looking for some reasonable pinking shears for ages. In addition to these beauties was an assortment of vintage buttons, needles,trim, zipper foot, bias maker and bits and bobs - the whole lot came to £2.75, I am a happy bunny.

I came across this little tea set for 2 for £2 so snaffled that up too, they wrapped it in so much tissue paper that it will last me forever!

Ain't the little flowers sweet?

I spied this bracelet under the counter and fell for that too, 80p - its from Tunisia apparently

Then on to Evans and had a quick shuffle through the sale racks and bought floor lenght black sleveless maxi dress (£15 was £35) and I love it but ... in November - mmm I haven't thought this through have I?

Ooohh and this morning, my soaps turned up, there were a few more that are pressies so I didn't photo them as the recipents might see em here. The smell from the box was devine.

I have spent a good hour sorting and wrapping my Secret Santa Swap goodies and I am starting to feel all excited about Christmas now.

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Sorry to brag but...

You know I hate to brag but, LOOK WHAT I WON:

How beautiful is she, wonderfully hand crafted by Jackie of Sew Special Bears, she is one of only 10 created especially for Breast Cancer Awareness, Jackie also donated £15 to the charity, and I have myself donated directly too.

In addtion to this wonderful bear were some other gifts, a 2011 diary (I adore a new diary) and a Christmas notebook, where I shall make all my lists.
I collected the parcel from the post office this morning and opened it at work at my desk, before I knew what I was doing I had already started munching through the chocolate Jackie sent, I quickly stopped and took a photo before it disappeared (as any good blogger would).


Oh wow, I am in love...just look at that little face

Thanks so much Jackie I will treasure her always!

p.s. Thanks for all your comments on my last post, I did look at each and every company you recommended and in the end I went with BOMB. I had coconut and raspberry in mind for two of the soaps I was looking for (the coconut is for me; well I deserve it... honest) and the price of the soaps at BOMB were very reasonable which was a factor to consider as I had lots to buy. The also did free postage when you spend over £25 so that was a bonus. Thanks for the recommendation ladies I knew you would come up trunps for me xx

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

I need your help please...

I have been trying to stick to my handmade pledge and have been making bits and bobs to give as Christmas Presents, one thing I have made are these cotton facecloths:

I followed the pattern that Bethany blogged about, it is for a dishcloth, but with the added crochet flower I think it will pass for a nice facecloth.

Now, I have made a few of these and I want to give them with a nice bar of handmade soap all tied up with a ribbon. This is where you come in, can you recommend any independant handmade soap makers in the UK that I can buy some wonderful soap from. I love the Lush soaps but would prefer a smaller independant supplier, any recommendations?

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~