A busy time

Sullivan is Thomas mad at the moment. He has tantrums if he has to wear anything other than his Thomas Tshirts (although he seems to be happy with Mr Men this weekend, saying Bum Bum and pointing to his tshirt with Mr Bump on it). I bought him these jimjams from Sainsbury's yesterday - it was so busy, they even tannoyed that they had every till

open and would serve us as quickly as possible. It's not even that busy at Christmas! - He didn't want to get ready for bed but when I told him he had new jimjams he was up the stairs faster than a supersonic rocket. He loves them and has been carrying them around all day today. At least we know what to get him for his birthday...

On wednesday I attended an event hosted by NiftyThrifty at Lillico's here in Barnstaple. It was a great event featuring a diverse range of Devon based designer makers. I did really well, having only 4 bags left at the end of the evening. It was the first time I had sold my felted bags down here and it was great to know that people like the things I produce. I'm surprised that this bag didn't go though, but Halloween isn't such a big even over here as it is in the States, yet!

I'm next selling at the Barnstaple Children's Centres Christmas shopping evening on 13th November at St Johns Hall by Tesco and then on 22nd November in Barnstaple Pannier Market. Drop by and have a look!

Anybody getting Christmas excited yet...?

I won!!!

The lovely Kerrie at Hipknits had a competition on her blog to name the latest yarn from Hipknits. She wanted Shakespearean womens names and I suggested Emilia, as it is a beautiful name for a beautiful yarn! I'm not biased at all :) She chose my suggestion above all the others and check out what she sent me! It is so beautiful, and the skein of silk was a totally unexpected and very welcome surprise! I have a red winter coat and thought I may make a muffler with the silk. I can't wait to make the capelet with the lilac Emilia yarn :) Thank you so much Kerrie, you've no idea how happy your gift has made me.

When I told Emilia about all this she said 'When the yarn arrives I'm going to have to keep cuddling it.' I think we have a budding yarnographer in the making!

I made these bags last night, only 8x8" but perfect for treasure. The flowery one is a gift bag and has a pair of socks and hat in for a friends baby.

This is the material for the front room blinds, It's so heavy and strokable!And finally as I really muct go to school and get Emilia, my nursing pillow. It's so squooshy and really comfortable! I wonder if I'll use it?

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 :)

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.

Chalk + 2 girls = ?

Just to prove we are starting to have summer now...a sunflower that the snails didn't eat!

As the weather has been wonderful today I shooed the girls into the garden while I had 'some' peace and quiet. What do two little girls do with jumbo chalks in the garden? Not colouring stones and rocks it seems....

It was too funny for me to be cross with them, my little punk rockers!
I made these 2 bags over the weekend, the green/brown is made using scarps of Kureyon, Silk garden,Texere Jamaica and Cascade 220. I have enough pinky/red/orange scraps for a larger one.

The purple pink one is made from yarn I bought in New Zealand, JJ's handpainted 8 ply which is a slightly heavy DK, light worsted I suppose?

This is what else I've been working on, but I can't say what as it is a secret...

Look what Mr. Postie brought me this morning, 4 balls of the most delicious bamboo yarn. I don't know what to use it for, any ideas? I love it! Thank you Faerlywell!