Getting Down to Business

It has been a bit of a strange week here at Magpie HQ. To start with I have only had to do one night shift instead of the three I had been doing of late, so I have almost felt human again. Dare I say it but there have been no accidents or illnesses either, so another nice change!

Before much crafting could happen, there were a few jobs that have been waiting patiently for me to finish. The first one involved quite a lot of this.

I am in charge of painting around these parts. Pale walls and four children mean that this is almost a full-time occupation in itself. This week I gave the hall stairs and landing a much needed freshen up. It's hard to ignore this part of the house, it's the one space that can't be shut off but at least I can now ascend the stairs without cringeing. The trouble is, some of the other rooms look grubbier in comparison now so I might be plying the brushes and rollers again sometime soon. Ish.

Next on the list was a spot of gardening. I had bought a tray of bedding plants a few (ahem) weeks ago, but between accidents, illnesses and torrential rain, they had remained in their polystyrene tray, taunting me each time I looked out of the back windows. I took advantage of a break in the downpours on Tuesday to transplant them to my pots and gave the decking a little tidy while I was out there.

Thankfully you can't see my 'herbaceous border' in this picture (it runs down the right hand side of the garden) as it too requires a little attention. You might just be able to make out our raised veg patch on the left. The green stuff you can see on it is our strawberry plants, which seem to have benefitted from the rain. We have got a few flowers on them here and there so now need some sunshine to bring on the fruit.

I hadn't made it to either Wednesday morning Knit and Natter or Thursday evening Stitch and Bitch for a while because of work, so this week I actually went to both. I rescued this little project from the bottom of my knitting bag and am now well on my way to completing it.

Unfortunately (well, not really) I was once again tempted by the shelves of goodies I was surrounded by on Wednesday and this little pile found it's way home with me. Spurred on by the success of my blanket, I have got a few other items in the queue for future crocheting and I think these colours will fit the bill perfectly.

On Wednesday evening it was my craft group that I have at home fortnightly. I used the time to start a batch of leaves and stalks that I will need for my fruit pincushions that I will be starting soon.

I also made a start on the cushion back for the crochet cushion covers.

In between all of this, I had a very long catch-up with an old friend I haven't seen for about a year over a lovely lunch, and also had a nice lunch out with my Mum. With such a busy week, progress on the brooches hasn't been as good as I'd hoped but, all in all, it has been quite a productive week and the extra sleep and a few treats have done wonders for my soul!

I know I promised you a tour of the craft room, but to be honest, all the production has messed it up a bit, so you will have to be patient a while longer.

I hope you have had a good week, and wish you all a lovely weekend.

Thanks for stopping by,

Beth x

Some lovely presents and a new skill!

Last week, my Mum came over and brought with her a cardboard box, brimming with goodies for me to go through.

Mum is a sheltered housing officer and told me that a gentleman had been clearing out his mother's house when he found this little lot and hadn't known what to do with it. His Mother was an accomplished sewer and he wanted this lot to go to someone who would appreciate it. Unfortunately he didn't leave any contact details, so I am unable to thank him properly, but I would just like to reassure the universe that I am indeed thankful and will put this little lot to good use.

I was over the moon to go through this lot and there are some lovely things in the box. I'm not sure I dare to use the unopened bias bindings, it would feel like wrecking a piece of history! I am especially pleased with the pinking shears which have been so reverently looked after, wrapped in their original box. I have ruined my own by cutting oilcloth with them and they cost so much to replace. The tape measures are lovely too, I really like the one that is closed with a snap fastening.

Later on in the day that Mum visited, I popped into my next door neighbour for something and she gave me another little bag of sewing goodies!

If you remember, I received another lovely bundle from the same neighbour in this post. Those pieces were perfect for making purses and such with, but this new bag is full of bigger pieces, so I may be able to get to work on some new cushions, and perhaps even my table runner!

Finally, I am very happy to share with you that after much, MUCH practice (and swearing; and throwing stuff) I can now crochet, or sort of. Last Thursday at the evening Knit and Natter which, I am reliably informed is actually Stitch and Bitch (or SnB as I will now refer to it), the ever patient Bex and Vanessa sat with me until I had at last grasped the basics. Bex made me feel better by telling me that as a very experienced knitter she too found crochet quite alien at first, but once it clicked, it clicked and there was no stopping me.

The above samples are in double crochet. I am obviously still doing something wrong as the sides should be straight, not decreasing, but hopefully I'll get there. I used a really ancient book (again given to me by Mum) to get the pattern for Granny Squares, which I have always wanted to be able to make and managed to produce these all by my own self! I am not thinking of anything as grand as a blanket yet, but thought I could aim for a small cushion cover. Another project on the list.

Anyway, thanks as ever for visiting and for all the lovely comments you have been leaving. Any of you lurkers out there don't be shy, I'm quite friendly really and love to find out who you are and what you've been making too,

Beth x

Knitting, Sewing and some more Knitting

This has been a week of trying to finish off some of the projects that have been patiently waiting for me to return to them. A while back, I showed you the mug cosies from Mollie Makes, and some wool I had bought at Knit and Natter to make one with. As predicted, it wasn't too difficult to accomplish, although upon finishing it I realise that I'm not actually that keen on using one, so I might adapt it to cover a jar instead.

Remember the felt I showed you in the last post? Well I have been having a great time stitching up these little birdies that were such great sellers at the fairs last year. As it is such a lovely day again today I thought I'd take my pictures in the garden.

Finally, I used the book Mum lent me (see here) to whip up these little beauties. They were really easy to make and took hardly any time, or concentration, always a bonus!

My middle son was even impressed, and requested a white version so he could have a 'Mario Ghost'. This was the result, and it's recipient was very pleased with it, praise indeed.

Last week I attended a new knitting group, as well as my regular one. The new one is held in a cafe, so no wool temptation, just cake temptation. I'm not sure which is preferable really. A lovely lady called Vanessa who goes to both groups kindly looked up some beginner crochet patterns for me after witnessing my feeble attempts last week and has offered to talk me through it tomorrow night, so watch this space!

Thanks for stopping by,
Beth x

Attempting the impossible.

I don't seem to have found my sewing rhythm again yet, there still seems to be so much going on in everyday life. Knitting has fitted in nicely around the madness and I really look forward to my evenings by the fire, when the children are upstairs. Hopefully asleep, but in bed at least. Indeed, I am enjoying them so much that last week, when an opportunity arose for me and the Mr to go out by ourselves in the evening, I practically had to have my arm twisted to leave the sofa! I was persuaded out though and was glad of it in the end.

At last weeks Knit and Natter I fell in love with some gorgeously soft alpaca wool. It is a bit fatal attending a knitting group held in a wool shop where you are sitting for a few hours surrounded by so much eye candy and I usually end up buying something. With a vague memory of this pattern in my head, and it requiring two skeins, I bought said amount with a view to making myself a lovely cowl.

After waiting a few days for a circular needle, (purchased for a snip from ebay) I was able to cast on my first ever piece of circular knitting. Aside from a  few mishaps at the beginning I was soon merrily away, finding it completely addictive, with no obvious place to stop. This stopping and starting anywhere ought to be more convenient but to me it felt a little like the time I read a novel without chapters (Moll Flanders if you're interested, it was great!) and you keep getting drawn back. Sometimes I like saying 'you'll have to wait until I get to the end of the row'!

So there I was, knitting happily. The pattern is so simple I didn't have to refer to it or keep tedious tallies and notes as I usually have to. However. I was nearing the end of my first skein with the work measuring a mere three inches or so. Given that the finished width should be about eleven inches, I realised that I would need to buy at least two more skeins to complete the project, which would make the cowl quite pricey, but as it is for me and I love it, I decided what the heck. Obviously I had misread the pattern; skeins come in different weights!

Upon returning to Knit and Natter yesterday, I asked the owner of Carly's Crafts  Michelle, for two more skeins, but alas, I had bought the last two in the brown that she had and she thinks it is being discontinued now. Aarghh!!

I tried matching in another yarn but it was too late really, and my heart had been set on the alpaca, so with a heavy heart I pulled the whole lot off the needles and in the spirit of economy bought myself these, at the bargain price of the cost of one skein of alpaca. You can see from the pictures that it is nowhere near as stroke-able as the alpaca, but at least it will be machine washable.

A quick comb of the internet has revealed that I have pretty much no chance of buying any more of the original wool, so I will have to find a pattern that uses a smaller amount.

In other news, there have been other knitted makes happening, and even a little bit of sewing for a friend's birthday, but I haven't got pictures just yet.

I did buy some really gorgeous new 100% wool felt, in a 4mm thickness from Blooming Felt so that I can start making some brooches again. Just setting out all the supplies got my craft fingers tingling, I love the process of deciding what to make and with what colours.

I have started making some brooches, so pop back soon to see how they turned out.

Thanks for stopping by,

Beth x

Knit and Natter

My nanny was a prolific knitter and you only had to mention on the phone that you needed something and it would arrive in the post a few days later. She taught me to knit when I was about seven or eight but over time I haven't progressed all that much.

My Mum knits now and then and my mother-in-law is also a fantastic knitter (as seen here). She is responsible for all the beautiful jumpers and cardigans my boys wear. Unfortunately she lives too far away for the times when I inevitably get stuck with a pattern, so this morning I went to my first ever Knit and Natter. It is held every Wednesday morning in my local wool shop (I can't quite bring myself to say yarn store, does that make me a typical Brit stick-in-the-mud?).

I have made a couple of baby jumpers and cardigans in the past, but never very elegantly. I am currently working on a cardi for a friend's baby and wanted it to be a little more refined, so knew I needed some expert help.

I am fine with the casting on and off, even some of the complicated patterns. My trouble is that I knit quite tightly, so when I come to the part of the pattern that says 'pick up and knit' I get a bit anxious because I can't do it very well.

The current cardi I'm doing  requires me to pick up and knit up the right front, along the back and down the left front all on a circular needle. A lovely lady called Sue from the group kindly showed me how to do it neatly, whilst bamboozling me with all sorts of instructions to ignore the pattern, change the ends and alter the rib. All very well meant but a little overwhelming.

Sue showed me how to pick up and knit, but she only used one needle and I couldn't grasp the technique myself. Eventually she offered to do it for me, which I readily agreed to as now I have a perfect join.

I managed to knit the next three rib rows without trouble, but now I have come to the buttonhole rows. As Sue deviated from the pattern and I'm not confident enough to freestyle buttonholes I think I might just get on with something else and take it back next week.

That being decided, I thought I would get some new wool to make a girls cardigan with, should said friends little one not be a boy.

Some Aran weight also fell into my basket - I want to make a knitted mug cosy from Mollie Makes.

The pattern uses moss stitch (knit one, purl one), which I have never attempted before and wouldn't want to do on a large scale but I think a mug cosy is about right for my talents.

For those of you visiting for sewing related chat, I do hope to be making a return to it next week, it is just that for now, knitting is suiting my temperament and circumstances. I find that if I try and sew when I don't feel like it, everything goes wrong, so sometimes it is better to wait. Just as well I'm not dependent on my livelihood for it! Does anyone else feel like that?

Thanks for stopping by,
Beth x