The Magpie Hop

After an un-expected break from sewing, where I was beginning to seriously doubt my own sanity, I managed to make another version of the Three Bears Sleeping Bag. This version uses an Aneela Hoey fabric, something I have been wanting to own and use ever since reading Aneela's blog.

Although I am pleased with the finished bed, the perfectionist in me isn't entirely happy with the binding, I'm not sure what I did differently from last time and I used the same size, but there you are. It just confirmed to me that perhaps I'm still not in quite the right mood for sewing yet!

I do definitely feel the urge to create from fabric coming back; I have been making a little list of things I need to and want to make and it keeps growing. Oh, and I did run this up, any guess what it might become?

Knitting is still high on the agenda. I returned to the knit and natter group on Wednesday where the ever-helpful Sue instructed me on button holes and also rescued the sleeve I had been increasing along only one edge. Ooops.

I will finish the cardigan before starting another knitting project, but I have been eyeing up the infinity scarves I keep seeing. For the un-initiated, these are a long continuous loop of knitted loveliness that you can wear either loose or doubled up to keep your neck cosy. Longer ones can even be worn over the head too. I have saved about a dozen patterns on Ravelry but suddenly remembered some lovely wool I bought in  a Hobbycraft sale a few years ago and thought it might fit the bill. I had to cast on a few stitches to see if it would work, and I think it might.

Also on the list is a lovely beanie hat from Jane Brocket's Gentle Art of Knitting. I had been fretting over the suggested yarn (!) for the pattern, as it costs £9.20 for 50g. (as seen here)  Kelli, who has made her own lovely version (see here) assured me that hers was made from plain old  Bonus DK, which comes with a far purse-friendlier price tag of about £1.80 for 100g!

Kelli bought hers here, but it is widely available and since I have some in my stash already my purse can remain firmly closed.

Yesterday, my Mum came over and we had a lovely time looking through some little books she has bought, one of which she kindly lent me. The only thing stopping me from casting on is a lack of teeny tiny DPN's, so I can feel a charity-shop trawl coming on.

In return, Mum left with some wool and a pattern that I had been intending to make up for, ooh about ten years (gulp). The finished cardi won't quite fit my older son now, but I'm sure we can find a home for it somewhere.

I am really having to reign myself in from flitting about between projects. It seems to be in my nature that I spend a concentrated amount of effort on a certain thing before zooming off in a completely different direction, but I am trying to curb it and have started to take action to decrease the amount of un-finished work I've got lying around. I'll let you know how it goes!

Thanks for stopping by,
Beth x