Not dead

Why is it that I am so bad at sharing whats going on? I did think that I was doing better but no.

Anyhoo this is a flavour of what I have been getting up to.

Just in time for the weather turning lovely and warm we decided to rip old fire

and replace it with one that matches the furniture.

 

This has been something that I have hummed and haarrd about for 5 years. Its done now!!

I have been inspired to make a new super colourful blanket for picnic season, its huge and has been nice to be underneath during the chilli spell but we are having a heat wave here, well less freezing snap.

I love it, bright colours are not really me neither do I do random colours, far too stressful so I have copied Attic 24. I say copied I did leave out the Fondant colour, didn’t fancy it.

Granny gorgeous but oh heck all those ends!!!!

I have also made some baby clothes

               

My friend Louise and I also did a Valentine inspired swap, my things have yet to materialise Stateside but look what I got……

Pretty stamps

Gorgeous wraps

Fabric, buttons and stickers.Drum roll please brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

The most lovely HAND MADE quilty hanging. I swear it is so perfectly made, the hand sewing is microscopic. I want to hang it next to the new fireplace so I can look at it always. I’d love to have a go at a simple (ish) quilting project as Louise has sent me other fabrics in the past too and I would love to do justice to them. Anyone got any good ideas?

I will try not to let it all stack up and attempt one a week, hope you have enjoyed the catch up.

Lou

If its in the house it MUST be pretty

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Pin cushion tutorial

I trawled  the internet the other day because I needed a new pin cushion, the old one is a bit worn.

Would you believe that I came across a picture for a booby pincushion and a uterus one! No I am not going to show the link (I cant remember it) just Google uterus pin cushion, I bet its there.

An idea that did come up was for a handy ring pin cushion. Not only that but its an up cycled bottle top.

Here is how I made it

Punch 2 holes. I had a tool but a hot nail would do it. Be sure and hold it with pliers.

Put a bit of elastic through and knot it inside the top.

I cut out a3 inch circle of felt, gathered it with a running stitch, stuffed it with toy stuffing and tied it tightly.

I covered the top with ribbon, filled the top with hot glue and put the cake on the bottle top, decorated with a few more ribbons (cheeky CK ribbon)

A wooden bead and some coloured pins finish it off. This is a seriously handy pin cushion, its right where you want it while crocheting and so cute to wear. If you have a go let me see!!

Fab Friday

A while ago I looked around for new blogs to add to my reading list. One of the ones I found was In the sky. Lucy’s blog is so creative and I have truely enjoyed investigating her blog. I was especially glad that I found her blog when I won her ----tieth birthday giveaway!!!

Wow Lucy thank you. Afternoon tea will be an occasion. I am going to wash my hair and put on a frock!! Fingers are my ultimate, I could and probably will eat the entire box.

I am also grateful to Lucy's blog as it has enabled me to finish a UFO and that was one of my resolutions this year. I had made this colourful coffee cosy but had no idea how to attach it so it stayed on. Lucy drew my attention to Kumihimo-Japanese Braiding . It is such fun, so quick and the result is amazing. I used acrylic yarn but the finished product has (I think) a cotton texture to it. Great stuff thanks.

Other things I have been doing (between gradual spring clean of the glory holes and extreme dust bunnies)

More baby boots for my Aunts friends daughter, free pattern here

A knitting project because I am actually ashamed of how badly I knit. These are to cover creme eggs but they take me ages. They are Jean Greenhowe creatins and are also free Go get some!!

Finally I found this on tinternet  here its a great tutorial and quite easy to make. Its up to you how to decorate.

The best bit is the handle detail, I LOVE this. I have already made several to fill with easter yummies and give to lovely friends

 

I can feel that I am in a manic phase of crafts as I have just spotted a new crochet blankie idea, it calls for Noro silk garden and Kureyon. I bought some silk garden a while ago (£12 what was I thinking) Its awful!! So I am looking for an alternative (cheaper version) It is going to be a Riot of colour. I will share this with you just as soon as I have had it sanctioned by the reigning in police. Have a smashing weekend, I am off to crochet, what else!!

The mail MUST get through

Saturday we had snow, sorry no pictures as it came and went so quickly but was enough to delay postie till well after lunch. Did she not know I WAS WAITING FOR A PARCEL!!! None to patiently either. My dear blog sister Louise and I have exchanged handmade items for the aroung Valentines time of year.

 

Look at these goodies. I am in awe. Louise you are such a needlewoman. Far better than me. Your hand stitching is so neat, precise and wonderful.  You see this was the reason for this activity, we would both appreciate the work and love that goes into such gifts. Not everyone does. Plus this is such fun.

My fave is the quilt that depicts her house…

  

 

 

 

 

 

and mine

I call it Louise street

 

 

The scarf was a near identical match for what I was wearing at the time of receiving it.

 

 

The felted purse!!!! OMG (as the kids say)

 

Lovely Louise, Thank you, from the bottom of my heart and please start checking your home e-mail at weekends cos I wanted to chat!!! No worries I will bother you at work. Ha ha

All the best

I will be back after the break but wanted to wish all the new friends that I have made a very happy Christmas and a peaceful new year.

 

I have just finished the clear up after a particularly nasty burst pipe in the loft. My nerves are shattered and I am badly in need of a bath. That nasty hum in Oz, NZ and the US is me, sorry folks. Quite a few of my neighbours are in the same boat due mainly to temperatures of –12 for a prolonged time. Please don’t tell me how you all cope at minus 97, I realise that brits are soft and I’m not in the mood quite yet. (give it time and 3 bottles of fizz)

 

I was cheered up by the fact that I received a swap parcel from a Christmas in July project that I took part in. The parcel has been on its way since 29th Nov… Wow.

 

I got this

 

I sent this

Pray for my pipes. Mr H is super lagging as we speak.

This has been the best year ever, no really, It has been my greatest honour to meet you all and I look forward to more shenanigans in the New year (dry ones only)

 

Much love

Lou ( I only let friends call me that)

Do bears live in the forest?

Is what T asked me when I asked to use his forest creatures? I did titter but did NOT explain my mirth. Seriously, it would not have ended well. He did ask why I wanted them, “photo shoot” says I. I am concerned to report that this response did not even result in a raised eyebrow. Has it come to this? Are all my crazies normal now?

Anyway please enjoy the results of a very pleasant morning. I really think you should try them, especially if you have children at home for the hols. I would say that 7 up could manage with help and the 10’s or more could get on with it unsupervised. The 43’s and over got glitter EVERYWHERE, you’d better watch them.

 

Click on the picture to take you to the instructions

Mount youfoe

As requested my lovely friends, behold my shame………………..

Here are a selection of the latest ufo’s. My most spectacular ufo is as old as my son and I believe that the statute of limitations has passed on that one.

These are some finished christmassy things that just need to be put together into a thing or something.

This is a yarn  eater cardigan  made for a friends baby, a bit fussy maybe. Just needs finishing. The baby is 2 so it wouldn’t fit her. I did finish another jacket so don’t go thinking I let babies shiver.

 

A toddler shrug for my niece ( she starts school soon) It has sequins and beads and is gorgeous. Only needs a cuff, more beads and buttons. Embarrassed about that one.

This is some crewel work I did and want to make a cushion. I have the innards ready for it. Just need to do it. Hmmmmm…..

There is also the union flag blankie, granny jacket, socks (they're hard), wavy scarf (nearly done how's yours Louise?), wavy bag,baby blanket ((more chilly babies), 2 Christmas table runners and Wavy Davey the bedroom blankie that I will tah dah soon and feel better about myself as I feel pretty ashamed just now. I’m off to stand in the corner, look sad and say doh.