I'm feeling a bit wooly

Sorry it's been a while girls. 

I've had such a busy couple of weeks. I'm back to work and with my bad back still very much in attendance the days are feeling longer than they actually are.  

Anyway ... that's enough self pity, on to my makes.

To be honest there's not much to show for these last couple of weeks, I have been hookin' when I feel up to it in my spare time, and I am trying to get ahead on the blanket squares swap.  

I am rather slow at crochet but I do enjoy it and I have got myself a small pile of lovely squares on the go.

I think it's a lovely idea and can't wait to see what squares everyone makes and swaps, won't it be nice to snuggle up with the laptop and a cuppa under a real blogger blanket once they are all sewn together.

Working with the wool again I have been itching to make something substantial.  I am a keen amateur knitter and it has been years (23, eek!!) since I knitted an actual garment, it was a 'stunning' white batwing mohair jumper with a large rose pattern on one side, it took me forever and my Mam shrunk it after it's first outing!

I am a fan of Simply Knitting Magazine and this month's issue had a jumper on the cover that I thought I could fancy having a go at, so before I could talk myself out of it I ordered the yarn and have the knitting needles on standby. 

I went for the grey yarn and can't wait to get started with it, maybe it will be ready for next winter, I'll keep you posted.

My Rock and Roll Friday Night

This is my end of week treat. After a long working week Friday night is catch up time. I had a pile of stuff on my doormat when I got home today; my knitting magazine arrived, CK mag and the new book club brochure along with a tourist guide to the Peak District.

We fancy a change this year and are heading to North East Derbyshire in August for a week in a lovely cottage. Have you been here or do you live near here ~ any recommendations of places to visit and things to do, my only sure plans are that I want to visit Chatsworth House any other recommendations gratefully received as I have never been to this area before.

A big cuppa and a biscuit and I made my way through my mags, first Country Homes, I ADORE this cushion, my Dad used to sing this song to me when I was a kid, and how is that for a beanbag?

These wonderful ladies get together in each others homes to craft, oh I long for a home like this:

Now my knitting mag is here, I kind of skimmed this as I am scared to get attached to any new knitting pattern, I have so many things I want to get done before I start anything new. I do love the knitted coat hanger and baby blanket though.

I do like the book club, I fancy this ~ I was given one of these halogen cookers and it is covered in dust on top of the fridge, I've never even plugged it in, it has the instructions inside still. The thing is I don't know what to do with it, I can't quite believe it can cook a chicken ~ have you used one, is it any good?

Last but not least, feast your eyes on this little beauty, there were so many lovely things in the Cath Kidston mag but I loved this most of all:

So there is my night ~ how Rock & Roll am i?

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

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 ♥ ~