I've got a little list...

My bookmarks folder is huge, so I'm going to start giving myself a crafty to-do list, starting in February! I write lists for everything else, but my "crafts" folder on my laptop just seems to grow without any Finished Objects to show for it!

1.Finish my 3rd Bibbity Bobbity (pics to follow once we've been out skiing in a bibbity bobbity trio!)

2. Start on this lunchbag to incentivise packed lunches and saving money.

3.Knit up the gorgeous Estella, from the pattern bought from Ysolda - proceeds donated to Médecins Sans Frontières working in Haiti.

4.Cook up something delicious for my "man of the house" on Valentine's Day...he's a veggie so it's all about the non-meaty foods in our house!

5. Finally get round to knitting a Stripey Tweedy hat...this has been saved in my favorites for 18 months!

6. Take some tips from India Knight on saving money...and start reading all the other lovely books I was given for Christmas!

I think 6 is good list to start with...it's achievable at least!

Aaaand I'm back...

It's been a crazy-busy week; between business meetings 200 miles down the road, visting relatives & my sewing classes, I've hardly spent a minute at home. Tonight I'm having a night in, mainly packing for my skiing holiday on Sunday:

Deciding which of my many knitted hats/headbands/neckwarmers to take...

And loving my new leopard print ski socks!!

Coming up: my to-do list for February!

Xxx

On the needles...

Sewing on a grander scale...

Last week I started my 6 week course of sewing lessons, arranged by my Dad as a Christmas present. On Thursday evening I trundled down the hill (everywhere is "down the hill" from us, we live approx 1/2 mile from the highest point in Kent) to The Sewing Club, to start improving my sewing under the watchful eye of Angela, the course director.

Now I'm not a complete beginner, but due to a lack of funds throughout University and beyond, my machine thus far has been a 1960s Harris:

Very sweet though this may look, it has one stitch (straight) and one speed (fast!). Therefore my lessons were always going to be on a modern machine that would take some time getting used to. Angela has named all her machines, mainly for the use of keeping track of servicing, and I was set to work on "Keith", a Brother LS 2125, practising zigzag stitches and threading up the machine.

I was hooked - this machine could not only sew more than one stitch, it didn't make the crackling-and-blue-lights display on the back of motor (I'm not sure my Harris is the safest thing in the world!)... And being someone who takes her "crafty education" very seriously, I spent Friday morning researching where I could buy my very own "Keith". And with a bit of price comparison and searching, I found my very own...

I usually do all my crafting at our dining table, but as I intend to use my new machine a lot, I hauled in an old table from one of our stables and set up an mini crafting/sewing area. My boyfriend has agreed that if I use my machine on this old table every night for 2 weeks, he'll build me a proper crafting desk with storage...wish me luck!

Using the Force for a second time...

Yesterday I finished my second baby cardigan for the Saunders-Young clan.

The first cardigan went to Archie, now nearly 2, and this one will go to their newest addition, Olive Honey, born in December 2009.

Using the same pattern, a similar yarn (different colour this time!) and another short deadline, I've been hurriedly knitting through my lunch breaks this week. I've checked the pattern once, then twice, then downloaded it from Ravelry a third time to check again, worried that the 5 week old recipient will notice that I didn't exactly follow the pattern for the collar...

The proud parents were really pleased with their first-born's handmade sweater; apparently very few people knit for babies any more, and my cardigan for Archie was their first (and only) knitted gift:

Archie wearing his blue version

The pattern is Cari Luna's "Baby Yoda" found here on Ravelry. I really enjoyed knitting it up; as quite a distracted knitter, the pieces knit up quickly and before you know it, it's finished! The wrap design is perfect for wriggly littluns, as a quick pull on the I-cord ties removes the sweater easily. I did make some modifications: erring slightly from the ways of the force, both versions were made in machine washable yarn for ease, and on version 2, I left out the last 3 rows of garter stitch for a neater edge. You'll also notice that in Archie's version I omitted the outer I-cord ties and used a small button - this was due to a yarn shortage more than anything. Olive's version does include I-cord ties, though at the time of photographing (while pressing it on the Aga!), the ties were yet to be sewn on...

Graham & Katie have promised action shots of Olive in her new clothes, so I'll keep you posted!

Looking out at my front gate...

The snow has just about stopped in Kent, and now we're forecast some more tonight...

No.1

What to write, type or think?!

If you haven't already guessed, this is my first post.

Please bear with me while I get my camera up and running to bring a bit of colour to my blog...

I've got loads to share, but as I type this, my boyfriend has gone to bed, and I doubt he'll be pleased if I go into the bedroom now, tearing the place up in search of some pretty pictures!

Sleep well,

A Xxx