I've been doing this

Both sides are the same length despite what the picture shows!

and this , my first EZ project and I loved every minute of it. I will get a better picture tonight but the camera battery has just died :(
and loads of this....

Saw the midwife today, baby is fine - really active but I could have told her that! However baby is engaged! I can't find my old notes from the girls but I am sure they didn't engage until I was induced. Hopefully this baby will make an appearance this weekend, preferably tomorrow afternoon after the girls have finished all their weekend classes.

Baby's heartrate has been a steady 140-150 every time I've seen the midwife, what would old wives tales say about that?

So, will I have time to blog again before baby arrives? Watch this space!

Can you believe it is October already?

Darling Maisie cuddling a few hours old Madeleine on 25 November 2003.

This year has gone so fast, It only seems five minutes ago that I found out I am expecting baby #3! We seem to have been really busy but not achieved much although things are moving ahead now.

I haven't got much to say today, feeling very tired and low :( I seem to be able to have a busy day but then pay for it the next.

Off now as I don't want to slide into a woe is me post :P

Lotsa Knits!

Here you all are, the promised pictures of my latest makes, I'm on Dh's laptop and he doesn't have any editing software so I haven't been able to crop the pictures. I've posted them as small images but please click on them so you can see them better :)
This is the Amy Butler ditty bag and I absolutely adore it. It took about 2 hours to sew and about 45 minutes to cut out. It's perfect for Emilia's Forever Best Friends and Bratz dolls. Barbie will be getting a bag too!

Here's my youngest ballerina in her new ballet clothes, she's meant to be wearing 'proper' uniform but that would cost £50!!! I think little girls of 3 should be allowed to dress like a ballerina princess if they want to :) Emilia has her show soon, it's costing a fortune! We have to pay £45 for the 2 costumes, we get £20 back but no costumes after the show which I am appalled at. Last week they told me I needed to get her some white tap shoes for the show even though I'd just bought black ones (which is the colour for her tap uniform). AAARRRGGHHH! I found some second hand ones on eBay for £1.99 which do the trick, but aarrggghhh all the same! It's a good job she loves her dancing, her teacher says she is getting on really well this term, remembering all the steps for the show etc. Well done Emilia xxx

Do you like my funky changing bag? I subscribed to my favourite baby/child magazine - Junior - earlier in the month and this bag was a gift for the first 75 subscribers, I didn't believe that I would get one so I was over the moon when it arrived yesterday. I've not had a proper changing bag before, just the free one from the Huggies club! This one is made by Pink Lining and retails between £55 and £75! I'd never buy one in a million years! Exclamation mark!

I made up the pattern for this baby hat, I put the green leaves in using fair isle and it puckers a bit, I'm going to make another one using intarsia and see if it works better.
Another pinwheel blanket, this time in King Cole Aero super chunky. It's about 29" in diameter, perfect cot, pram size. I'm putting this one on Etsy.

This is my oldest WIP, now my newest FO!. I was full of grand ideas to make the Flower Power throw from Debbie Abrahams' Blankets and Throws to Knit but got bored so I stitched the squares I had made together, did a moss stitch border and then backed it with a lovely heavy but soft checky cotton which hides my dodgy intarsia ends. It's got a wonderful weight to it and I can't wait to use it :)

This baby is still back to back no matter how much time I spend on my hands and knees. My poor tummy feels so bruised from all the kicking and pushing. I can't wait to meet this fidgety little herbert! I've been weighing myself once a fortnight just to keep track of things, I've put on 22lbs so far which seems quite good, hopefully I won't put on too much more in the next 6 weeks or so.

Well, take care everyone and I hope to hear from you soon :)

No knits!

I have been knitting though, I've finished a chunky baby cardi in grey blue Rowan big wool fusion, a pumpkin baby hat, a bullseye red, white and blue pinwheel blanket and I have 1 sleeve and the hood to finish on the stripy cardigan for me.

I've started crocheting a Hallowe'en wreath too. Photos at another point as I am on DH's laptop and all the photos are on the pc upstairs.

Mum and Barry are coming to visit next weekend which is great, We've not seen them for a while and I do miss my mum!

Dh is decorating the front room at the moment, all cream walls apart from the one opposite the window which is a semi bitter chocolate colour that echoes the blind material which is chocolate with cream and pink velvet flowers. Looks better than it sounds! I got a bargain on Ebay, a 20m roll of blackout lining for only £47.90 which works out at about £2.40 a metre!

What else can I tell you? Hmm, I'm 33 weeks now and baby is still doing aerobics every minute, especially when I'm driving! It's still head down thank goodness but my poor ribs are suffering. I think I've come out the other side of a bad patch, everything was hurting, topped off by migraines that I couldn't take any medication for. But apart from that I'm feeling good and very positive. Especially as the pushchair and car seat have arrived!

Oh, DH bought me a slow cooker, how did I live without it!? We've had mango and pineapple upside down pudding, lamb casserole, chicken casserole, porridge and last night I cooked a gammon joint in it then glazed it in the oven - yum ! I put a little brown sugar in the cooking water, along with bay leaves, cloves, and onion and peppercorns. I glazed it with honey and chinese 5 spice powder. It is so tender and sweet, really gorgeous :)

Better be off now, take care everyone,

Ali xxx

More sewing

Last night my sewing machine was singing to me. I'd already been up in the loft and found oodles of curtain fabric which was pleading to be sewn into something useful, rather than languishing in brown cardboard boxes. And so, the needle roll was born. I made 2 small ones for DPN's and crochet hooks and 1 large one for longer straights. I'm going to get my thinking cap on and make on for circs tonight.

I've been to the physio this morning. I'm basically doing all the right things to prevent the SPD getting too bad, but as baby grows I don't really have any control over how my body reacts. I'm now wearing a rather sexy support belt which is keeping me tied together and I have to go back in 2 weeks to see how I am doing. I hate having to take painkillers whilst pregnant.

Off into town in a while, going to treat the girls to a craft kit each from the Early Learning Centre. We'll have fun this afternoon!

Take care
Ali xxx

Knitting blahs

Ever had the knitting blahs? I've got too much on the needles at the moment and don't want to finish any of it. Some of it I must finish, but some of it can wait. Time to prioritise I think, and put the fun back into knitting. I just want to be sewing at the moment!
I took E to Arlington court again on friday, they had a free dance workshop happening and she enjoyed every minute of it. She puts everything she has into dance and it is so wonderful to watch.
Here I am, looking dour and yuk! I've got a headache and my pelvis is playing me up no end today. I'm 27 weeks tomorrow, not looking too fat yet...The pinwheel blanket - I've been working on it for months now, it is my car knitting and I really enjoy it. I'm using odds and ends of acrylic/wool mix for it and it is growing nicely. I plan on using a garter stitch picot cast off.This is what I have been sewing! I have also made 2 more Miffy bags but I let the girls have them as washbags. There are also 6 more that I have made in the same curtain fabric as E's blind...hopefully to help her keep all the little things that 6 year olds collect together!I'm selling on etsy again, my username is Faerynuff - funny that!


edited to add - I will be selling on etsy again soon, once I can upload photos again.

Bump....and Maddie

Here's Maddie for you Mum, she was saying 'See you soon Grandma' when I took this xxx We're really looking forward to the weekend :)

Me and My Bump...20 weeks and growing well, I've only put on 8lbs so far and I'm really pleased with that.

Thanks for all your comments on my previous posts, I really do appreciate them even if I don't reply. Right, lunch and then tiny tumblers for Maddie.

Baby pics

I've just had my 20 week scan and everything was fine. I'd worked myself up into a panic about it earlier today. Not sure why, maybe it is because I am older? These sonographers are so clever, they can even tell if baby has a hare lip...but they are not allowed to call it that anymore!

Baby looking at me

Elbow resting on knee

Baby is still measuring a week ahead of my dates, I'm still not changing them though, If baby arrives at the beginning of November rather than the middle then that will be brilliant!

Enjoy the pics, I'll take one of myself tomorrow as I have gained a bigger belly since the last one I took!

Sick of all this rain.

Emilia and Madeleine went to a birthday party this weekend and had their faces painted, some sort of oriental princess I think. Don't they look serious?
This is my big girl last friday on non uniform day. She looked so grown up and beautiful xxx

This is the little set I made for my friend Marion who had her 4th child 2 weeks ago. Eleanor Karen is a little darling, I'll be getting some photos of her soon! The Kimono is from Erica Knights Little Cherubs Book, the bib from One Skein, the shoes based on a pattern in an RYC book and the purse is from a Jaeger book and is for Holly who is now a big sister!

It's been raining for about 2 weeks now. I'm fed up with it, some gentle sunshine would be good :)

Baby knits

The image above is a web album, click on it for more photos. I had so many photos to share with you that I thought I'd tru something different. I wanted to do a slideshow but couldn't work that one out... Mum? These are all my recent baby knits, a couple of hats from Itty Bitty Hats, some of my own design, and some of my socks. The cream and lilac hat and socks are made from Sirdar Baby Bamboo, my new favourite baby yarn. The pink socks are made from RYC Cashsoft Baby. The stripy hat and scarf are a mix of allsorts of odds and ends :)

I've got my 20 week scan this afternoon, I'll post the pic tomorrow. Must go now as Maddie is raiding the kitchen...again!

Goodness me...she blogs!

Hi!

I'm still around, I can't believe I haven't blogged in almost a month. Life really gets in the way sometimes.

I had a lovely birthday, DH and the girls found me some wonderful presents, and even made me a bottle of homemade lemonade concentrate as I crave lemonade constantly at the moment. Mum made me a beautiful bolero from RYC Mother and Baby, it's really pretty in shades of blue/grey/cream and looks great with jeans. Amongst other treasures she gave me One Skein by Leigh Radford which I have been devouring!

Baby is growing nicely, at my dating scan they put me 6 days ahead than my dates. I'm not changing my dates though. They calculate the baby's age (should that be babies or babys') byt measuring the head and my babies tend to have quite big heads! Here's the scan photo taken about 3 weeks ago... I'll get a tummy photo later as my camera batteries have gone flat.

MaryAnnLucy tagged me with the 7 random things about me meme so here they are...

1 - Even just thinking about my nose being touched makes it tingle and hurt.

2- I can't get to sleep if DH falls asleep before me...he makes too much noise!

3- My favourite icecream is pistachio but it's really hard to find nowadays.

4- I live in a chaotic mess, but can usually find important things. Apart from my driving license when I had a speeding fine.

5- I love to bake, cakes, scones, biscuits and bread all make me feel good.

6- My children always hover around me when I am trying to concentrate....Yep, Emilia is here right now!

7- I want to train as a primary school teacher.

I'm not going to tag anybody but if you haven't been tagged yet, then consider yourself well and truly it!

Take care, Ali x

Easter Bonnet Parade Day

It's Easter Bonnet day at Emilia's school today. She has worked really hard on her bonnet this year, doing most of the cutting, sticking and decorating herself. She wanted to be a daisy, last year she was a daffodil! Here's a link to her wearing her bonnet last year, scroll to the bottom of the page.

Maddie and I will be making some Bunny ears for her to wear later, when we walk to school this afternoon for the Parade and cakes! I made some raspberry muffins this morning, but I'd rather have a cadbury's Easter cake!

This me today, I'm 8+1 weeks and having trouble fastening my clothes! These pink trousers are the only ones that are comfortable apart from my tracksuit bottoms and I don't wear those in public! It's not a blurry photo really...it's soft focus! :P

I haven't been idle

See! I've made a pair of baby trews! From Last Minute Knitted gifts, knitted in Rowan Denim. I think I will give these to a friend who has recently had a baby and make some more for me to keep later on. This is Emilia's surprise fairy dress for her birthday. I went through loads of boxes in the loft, got all my material out and had enough to make her this. It's not finished yet but I have a couple of weeks yet.
Something else for Emilia...The Boho Blocks jumper from www.interweavecrochet.com. I'm making the smallest size but adding a row of dc/sc around the edge to make each block slightly bigger. I may have to make a few extra for her long arms!

I googled this jumper to see if anyone else had made one, the only useful link I found was this !!!

This is the beginnings of Maddie's surprise fairy dress for Emilia's birthday. Knitpicks shine sport worsted, this is a glorious yarn, so soft and comfortable in the hands. I'm going to make her a skirt of taffeta, with an over skirt of tulle and net to wear with this top.
Time for bed now - I promise to be more chatty next week. Have a great weekend xxx

I think most people in internet-land have guessed or been told that I am growing baby #3. He or she is due to make an arrival on 13th November, but we'll see, I'm expecting it to be around the 21st.

I'm really excited, and so is DH. Unfortunately I am so tired that I'm finding it hard to show my excitement. Give me another couple of weeks and I'll have some energy back :)

Walking around sainsburys this morning I felt that tell tale dull ache matched with a sharp

jabbing pain every so often in my pubic area which shouts out SPD to me. I was hoping not to get it this time, so I'll dig out my old physio exercise sheet and find my oh so attractive support belt. Bugger.

Also whilst I was doing the food shop, I felt as though I wasn't there. I was walking around but it was like I was watching myself do the shopping. I actually felt like crying the whole way round. I must have looked like a moron.

Anyway, I'm too tired to take a photo today so here's one of my darling Emilia in December last year. She had been to a Royal Academy Ballet workshop and then Mum and Barry took them to Pizza Hut (DH and I were in Amsterdam). I have to say that she is beautiful! Love you Emilia xxx

Phew, I'm tired.

Did you all have a good weekend? I hope so.

Saturday was the usual busy day except DH gave the hallway the first coat of white paint to cover the hideous orange paint that was hiding beneath the equally hideous blue and yellow striped wallpaper. I took Millie to the knitting group in the afternoon and then collapsed in a heap at home!

On sunday I spent the morning tidying up Millie's bedroom and then we went to Woolacombe for a walk, well Dh and the girls went for a walk. I stayed in the car knitting, listening to Radio 2. I can't remember being this tired when I was growing E and M. Hope it goes soon.

Knitting, oh yes knitting. I have got severe startitis and I can't stick at anything! So far I've started Sahara, Ester, a crochet bunny and a pair of socks for DH. Today is being devoted to Sahara.

Yesterday I dyed yarn, 2.5 balls of Patons Diploma Gold DK and 1 ball of Patons Rembrandt. The diploma gold is for socks for DH as he keeps moaning that he never gets made anything. It's not my fault he's 6'3 with size 12 feet is it!

I'm about to upload a few photo's to my photobucket account. These will be of yarn I have to swap or sell. Ideally I'm looking to swap within Europe to keep the postage costs down. I'm after 3 balls of 8 different shades of Rowan All Seasons Cotton, the latest interweave knits, or any of the Rowan RYC range apart from the Silk Aran. The link is now in the sidebar.