The Story of a Jumper : WIP

A long, long time ago I was reading a lovely blog and came across this picture....

With permission from Nicola at Frontierdreams.blogspot.co.uk

The sight of this jumper did something quite strange to me; it made me wildly excited and happy!

After getting some info about the jumper from Nicola, I found out that it was manufactured and not home made...but that was ok, as I wanted to recreate it anyway for Little Miss....One day.

This has been at the back of my mind for some time and I kept thinking "I will make that some time".

The the other day, I found myself at a bit of a loose end and wanted to start something new.
Now, Hubs and I have just started a new diet/fitness regime and I'm feeling really positive about it (Ive already lost 5lbs !!) So I wanted to make an item of clothing for me to wear when I'm a bit smaller....Something to motivate me, if you like,

So I went searching though Ravelry for a Jumper/pullover pattern that I could adapt to fit these stripes.

I found this...

From Ravelry: Hodded Pullover by Julie Farmer

Simple and easily constructed, and suitable for DK yarn.
And so it started....

This is just the front and front pocket so far. It is difficult to get a real sense of the colours...they really are lovely and not quite as "in your face" as they seem here!
I think I might omit the hood and change the neck edge to a yoke or similar...I haven't decided yet.

I will keep you posted on the progress of my "motivation jumper"!

Thats all for now. Until next time, you take care now x

An Easter Bunny

Happy Easter!

Ok...actually, Happy Bank Holiday Monday After Easter....!

So I'm a day late, but this little one was actually finished yesterday.

I decided, quite late in the day to do a bit of knitting...my first in a few weeks actually....and wanted something Easter/Spring themed. So I raided my box of Little Cotton Rabbit bits and found a little lady bunny only half finished, with a Spring dress I had knitted for her last spring!

With her gorgeous little face, already filled with personality, (as they tend to be once you make them...) I set to work finishing her legs and making her arms...

Im really happy with her, but my gosh! I can tell that I haven't made one of Julie's creations for a while!

This little one has made me want to make another though...Mouse maybe this time?!
They are very, very addictive!

(And these are just some of them!)

That's all for now. Until next time, you take care now x

My Sewing Room: A Transformation

What a few weeks it been!

I haven't really done much knitting at all. In fact, Ive be so preoccupied with our home improvements that by the time I get to sit down in the evening and whip out a WIP (see what i did there?!), im so tired, it a bit of telly and bed!

We are slowly trying to make our house a home.

So whilst the bigger projects are on hold until more time and money allow, i decided to concentrate on a little area just for me!

We have now moved both the children into the two biggest bedrooms, and that meant that the smallest room was now free...apart from some old and unused furniture and the computer.

What the room should become was a no-brainer. A sewing room!

I blame "The Great British Sewing Bee" entirely for this! Also, the fact that i has to create an outfit for Little Man for World Book day last week. So after a trip to my local charity shop, this is what happened:

So! On to the transformation...
From this drab, pink, unused room...

To this....

Im so pleased with it!

Lets take a closer look shall we....

and one more:

Its still a work in progress of course, but I can see many happy hours here creating!

Thats all for now. Until next time, you take care now x

Socking Happy!

This is sock themed!

My addiction to socks is continuing, and I'm so pleased to say my sock yarn collection is actually growing!

These are my latest finished socks, and I simply refer to them as "The 5th's".

A lovely simple vanilla sock in self striping yarn!

Im currently working on these colourful things:

They are called "Broken Seed Stitch" socks and you can find the free pattern by clicking on the name. They are a great way to use up a coloured yarn you might not be that happy with and give it a new lease of life with a solid colour. You can see loads of great examples on the project page from the link!

Several months ago, I posted about my immediate passion for some amazing Pumpkin Socks I had come across...you can read that blog post and see the pictures here....

Then finally, I had some yarn delivered that will be perfect for them:

And I really don't think I will be able to wait until this October to make them!

On top of all that, I have been enjoying a major "surf" on Ravelry, and have gathered quite a few favourite socks that I would love to work my way through...

Photo: Ravelry

I had some lovely sock yarn delivered the other day to make the Leaf socks that are on the second row there (Click on the name for the link).

Photos from Ravelry: Patty-Joy Wright and myself

Could be perfect for a Spring KAL?!
I've also been looking up suppliers of UK hand dyed sock yarn. My current favourite is The Knitting Goddess.

And her sock yarns are the dye (haha!) for!
Feast your eyes on this bundle of pure joy, which I ordered as soon as I laid my beady eyes on them:

It came in the most beautifully wrapped purple paper and the colours are beyond gorgeous. It is a wool and Nylon mix 4ply sock yarn and the colour name is "Flower Power". Now to decide on a pattern to do that colours justice....

Ah! So much yarn, so little time!!!

Thats all for now. Until next time, you take care now x

Presents for Princesses

Hello all!

I've been away far too long - I apologise!As a result, I have so much to tell you, but instead of putting it all in one very long blog post, I will do several short ones.

Todays post is about some girly presents I have been beavering away to complete. Just one left to go now!

A few months back, I showed you this  "Top Secret" post.
I am now delighted to share with you what was so top secret: I have another adopted niece! My older brother and his wife have an adopted little boy, who has just turned two, an now they have his biological half sister too!

So these were the blanket and booties I made her:

The blanket is crochet on one side and patchwork fabric on the other. The bootie pattern can be found here.

They were gratefully received!

The second new niece is on the Hubs side. His brother and partner are expecting their first daughter (they already have a son), and two things were requested. One gorgeous coat, for this coming winter and a spring cardigan she can wear when she is born (end of April)

This is the new born cardi, and the free pattern can be found here. 
The coat I am making is this:

Photo from Ravelry: OEG Knitwear Designs

Mine is a slightly more pink/lilac colour and I only have the collar to do now, but I'm very pleased with it and if it comes out anywhere as beautiful as this picture, then I will think myself proud!

I hope to show this finished by tomorrow and maybe do a "FO Friday" post!

That's all for now!
Until next time, you take care now x

Full of promise

Hello all!
I hope you have all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas and you're all looking forward to New Year...

I love New Year.
Not the party side...we never do that. But the anticipation of things to come.
To me, New Year brings so much possibility and excitement; wonder, even.

Like my blooming Hyacinths (above),  there is so much promise of times to come.
Its a wonderful time to reflect on what has been and what you wish might occur in the future.

I've had an unbelievable year.
We bought our own home, for one thing. That was something I thought would never happen (or at least for another 10 years or so!). My sister has remarried, I have a new best friend whom I feel like I've known all my life, my health is still great and although we nearly lost my mum this year, she is getting much better now.

I love the concept of New Year Resolutions.
Last year, they were to Lose weight, get organised, Learn to knit socks, learn to cable knit and knit an adult item of clothing.
It does make me chuckle that only my knitting resolutions got fulfilled!

I have some more/new ones for 2015:

1. Take up Yoga (the idea of relaxation/lots of stretching/not sweating involved very much appeals to me!)

2. Be healthier (Not Losing weight, but just be healthier inside)

3. Try to be more organised (yep, that old chestnut again!)

4. Knit more socks/get more sock yarn

5. Make a left-over sock yarn blanket with left over sock yarn!

6. Keep a diary...of sorts. (I figured if I physically write stuff down on a daily/weekly basis that I might stick to things! - I will always have this blog, but there will be somethings you lot just wont want to know!)

7. Grow things. (Whether it be veg, flowers or even fruit; I want it to be home grown!)


....Blimey...that's a list and a half!
Well, here's to the New year and all its possibilities!

That's all for now. Until next time, you take care now x

A very Christmassey day!

Last Saturday was a day that I had been looking forward to for weeks  months.

When it finally arrived, I was far more excited than the children!

Please allow me to walk you though it!

First off, we went here...

With this lovely lot...

Then (with tummies full), we went to Frosts to do this...

But while we waited our turn, the kids did a little of this...

and the Hubs did a little of that...

But finally, we got to...

And then this was taken...

After that, we drove to place with these...

Armed with a saw, and two little helpers...

After being chopped, wrapped, strapped, hauled home and decorated, we had this....

Add some more decs around the house...

and with the rest of the house now all crimbo-fied, I am now thoroughly planted in the festive mood!
...Ok, one more of the tree...just coz!...

How are your festivities coming along?
That's all for now. Until next time, you take care now x