Slowly moving along

November arrived and the leaves carried on dropping along with the temperatures, the first of November we were greeted with a frost, which was a bit of a surprise! 

One of the many November frosts

And we had many more frosts in November, it was was a bit of  a shock to the system after all the mild weather we have had.

              Well what happened craft wise, well not a lot and that's the Truth!

slow crochet and Cake eating

And the crochet got slower and slower, it actually got to the point that it was becoming painful.

On the turn

Well it became so painful, that on December 13th I flogged it and the yarn is now in the waiting pile to see if it is either going to go into hibernation, or be made into something else. But at the moment I think it will be hibernation under the stairs.

Frogging session 

Things got so bad that I got the blanket out that I started to crochet eighteen months ago and finished it. Also I did some more granny squares for the ongoing granny square project, because they are the ideal small project to have in my bag when I'm travelling, the blanket is more of a snuggle up on the sofa with and listen to book, for it's a cold day again project.

Time to snuggle up and listen to a book again 

The blanket is now finished but the book isn't (maybe the book was the wrong choice) well that's it for now I'm off to think about my resolutions for next year and reflect on this year's resolutions. xx 

Big plans that never happened

big plans 

At the beginning of October I had big plans, my husband decided that he needed some man time away from me and the girls, so he was off to the Shetland Islands for a week. I decided to have a making week, in the week leading up to his departure I got some pieces of fabric ready for this big making week. The day of his departure came round, that morning I got up felt a bit rough, in the afternoon I started to feel a bit worse and when he left that evening I felt really bad, I had got the mother of all colds and I did nothing all week,  well let's say nothing in craft terms, in being a mum terms I just carried as usual as if there is nothing wrong with me.

This photo is not taken in the Shetland Islands 

Husband came home from the Shetland Islands with all his tales and photos of his adventures and also brought home presents for the girl's and me, 

A very nice knitting book

And Guess what else he bought home, let's just say that I wasn't expecting this much

how much more yarn!!!!!!!

                         He had teased me in the week by sending me this photo

Which to me in yarn diet terms is equivalent of a large chocolate bar which isn't going to cause too much harm, is it?

What next?

What happened next then? Well I decided to have a try at doing some quilting, which in a way is a bit foolish thing to do the week  before half term. Then it's half term and nothing gets done, because I'm either too noisy or in the way! But let's finish with some photos of what I have done so far.

A slow return to normality

down to earth with a bump

I always think that it takes a while for things to return to normal after a holiday, because first there's the long journey home which isn't as exciting as going on holiday journey, then there is the unpacking, washing, cleaning and putting everything away jobs to do which can take for ever! And I have the added extra of my husband turning feral while I'm away, he wasn't too bad this time.

Still in holiday mode

It's only when the girls go back to school in September I can start to properly clean and sort the house out. While that is still sort of on going, along with the slow de-clutter even now, sometimes I think that I've got too much on my plate along with the UFO pile, the yarn and fabric stashes, I now think that that I need to go on a fabric diet along with a yarn diet as well.

So what did I do craft wise in September Then?  Well a few things,  finished my summer holiday knitting project, did some more of the ongoing granny square project and started another smallish crochet project,

Summer holiday knitting project 

This is now sitting in the waiting to be finished off pile with all the other bits.

more granny squares in the wrong Order! 

Granny squares and Cake! 

These are now back in the basket that they live in, I don't know what I'm going to eventually do with these. 

and finally the started project 

With this one I'm not sure if I actually like this project, but I really like the yarn.

Well that's it for September.

Can I call this one part three or not?

Let's move onto August then, the school holidays are in full swing and the weather is good! Which makes a change, normally when the school holidays begin the weather takes a turn for the worse.

Let's put the flags out it's not raining 

The only sewing project I did in the summer holidays was making some bunting  (see above) the girls have been wanting me to make some bunting for quite a while. So I found a nice easy tutorial online and set about making some, first I made a template using an old cereal box, then used it to cut the fabric triangles out, I used some pretty pastel floral fabric

all cut out ready to sew

Set about sewing them together, then turned and pressed them and that's where I had a small mishap,  I caught one slightly with the iron

ouch with the iron

But it isn't a big major problem, it's only a small thing it won't destroy the whole finished effect. Next was to attach to the bias binding which sounds easier to do than it actually was to do

all pinned and ready to sew

Then it was under sewing machine and hope that I have got enough thread on the spool, guess what I won and not the sewing machine for a change. The finished item is pictured at the top of this post.

itchy feet time

As August progressed on I got itchy feet (which makes a change from itchy fingers) and the girls were restless,  it was time for a holiday for. I decided to be very brave and take the girls camping on my own!!!!! So it was load the car up and off to Cornwall for a week. The start of week was very stormy, then the weather was brilliant for the rest of the week.

fishing boats pulled up high

But we did do a lot of exploring and had lots of picnics, which the girls thought was fantastic, and they didn't moan that they bored all week!

Mousehole 

very atmospheric view

Yes I did take two small projects with me, one knitting and one crochet. I did do some knitting/crochet while the girls were off playing, or foraging for blackberries,with their new friends around the campsite.
So what shall I end this post with, a picture of a sunset or a rainbow?  I know, how about both

summer memories 

and if you look closely you can see its a double rainbow 

Started but not finished part two!

June and July

it's June 

OK let's carry on, June arrived it started off very warm and sunny, then the weather went very wet and everyone said "well that's summer over with, now back to winter!"
Well June was the month that I decided to take on my biggest sewing project to date, make a dress, which is something I've never had the courage to do before (I know scary), well I did have a bash at trying to make one about 2 years ago, but it all went very horribly wrong! I made the worst mistake possible, I cut the the wrong size out, I only realised what I had done was when I had sewn the shoulder the seams and decided to try it on to see what it would look like when finished and that was then I found out that when those side seams were stitched it was going to be a very tight fit, the sort of don't breath or move and most certainly don't try to touch your toes Fit! So what had I done wrong? I hadn't measured myself I just looked at the back of the envelope and thought "yep that size will do!" Choosing my ready to wear size as if I was buying clothes, big mistake! Oh well it is now hiding in a bag somewhere in my stash.
So what was I going to make Then?  Well I decided to make this

The Simplicity dottie angel pattern view A without the pockets because I didn't want to look like a toddler. And I made it in

Black cotton fabric, pictured here with other bits of a fabric haul from Abakhan. So off I went, measured myself correctly, chose the correct size, used the correct pattern layout, checked, then cut out and then started sewing. Also I got very adventurous and decided to make matching bias binding, which is very brave of me.

Getting  there slowly 

Of course I made too much bias binding, I rather have too much than not enough. But I can use the spare bias binding for another project, especially if it is a plain fabric I'm using I can jazz it up slightly with patterned bias binding!

Well I took my time making it, there was a bit of swearing (from me), a bit of unpicking, also some put everything down and walk away from the sewing machine before you destroy it time. I persevered and eventually finished it

Ta dah one finished dress

Not bad for a first attempt, well first complete dress. Ok next question is would I make it again? Or make any sort of Dress? Most probably yes, but next time I think I will use a lighter coloured fabric, black was the wrong colour for a first (proper) attempt at making a dress.

It's a bit dark here even with the light on

Well what next, after making the dress I felt that I was on a crafting roll so I set about making a draw string bag for smallish knitting or crochet projects, out of two fat quarters from my stash. It only took a day, unlike the dress which took alot longer than a day. And this is it with no swearing, no unpicking and no timeout from the sewing machine.

One very useful bag

I use the same method for the drawstring ties that was used for the ties on the dottie angel dress, because they were quite simple and easy to make, I also fully lined it as Well! Which I'm very proud of.

one fully lined bag

After that not much happened, I had another go at my knitting  again, which I started at easter, finished one sleeve still got the other one to do and all the other bits as well. Also did some ongoing crochet as well.

Let us move on to July, to start with July is not a good month for us ok. Not much gets done then a lot is going on at school like sports days, school trips and also I feel like I'm on the countdown to the school holidays, which any parent will tell you are tough, if you work you've got sort child care out which costs a fortune if you don't have someone to look after them for free, if don't work you've got to get through the holiday without spending a fortune because your kids keep uttering the words "I'm BORED!!!!!!!"

Well what did I do? Tried to do some knitting,  but got bored (it's those sleeves), I must try and make sleeves more interesting.

getting in a twist 

Also did some crochet of the ongoing granny square project, or I'm trying to use this yarn up because I am sick of the sight of it project!

more granny squares 

and more, a little bit artistic this time 

July was also a month of a first for me, I visited Fibre East which was a wonderful day out, even my husband found it interesting. The only thing that spoiled the day was my youngest daughter who just moaned all the time "I'm BORED, I'm hungry, I want a ice cream, we've already been in here!" Just a few of her moans. And yes I did buy yarn.

yarn diet has definitely gone out of the window 

yes we did see sheep too 

I will admit one thing, the only time my youngest daughter didn't moan was when she was looking at the sheep and watching sheep shearing, if she had her way that's all we would of done all day. Well one positive thing about doing that I wouldn't of bought any yarn.

Started but not finished!

Part 1

All this yarn and what to do with it *

I think the post title sums up everything at the moment, I seem to be doing a lot of starting and not much finishing. Sometimes I think that I've got loads of energy to start things, but I run out of energy to finish the project. So let's start with what I've been upto in the last few months since I last posted, well summer came and went.

Lovely summer evening sky

And now it is autumn, it took a while for it to get going, but it certainly is here now, it's cold grey and the trees are shedding leaves everywhere!

this seasons fashion 

Well what has happened Then? A lot and not a lot, my yarn and fabric stashes have not shrunk, in fact they have got bigger. Not at the point of out of control yet, but nearing that point if I don't do something about them soon ( I'mtrying), the UFO pile is even bigger and I don't seem to be doing anything about it! My crafting area, to me, seems to be getting smaller, I just wish that I had my own craft room for all my craft stuff, I've even started a dream craft room board on Pinterest and when I say dream I mean dream, there's no way my dear husband will give up his train/ junkroom. I feel I need somewhere away from him, the girls and my most hated emeny the TV. It's not so bad when they are not here, I just have the radio on in the background, which is nice. But when they are all in it's TV on, then the girls start moaning that I'm either in the way or I'm making too much noise with the sewing machine, or husbands worst habit is to put the TV on and then go into the dining room and play on the computer!!!!!! My only question is Why??????

My ever decreasing circle of a craft area!

Well that's enough of that rant, what has actually been happening, let's start with May, which is where I left off. Well last time I posted I was trying to have a bit of a May Making Madness! It start off a bit badly as the first week had to be written off as I had both off the girls off with a sickness bug, one child was sick in the car on the way home from Buxton and then in the School playground when we were dropping the other one off. The other one was sick in her bed twice in night and twice on the sofa (great), so that was week one no sewing or any sort of crafting, just the washing machine on permanently.

victims of the sickness bug

It got to the weekend and things started to go back to normal, so I decided to get busy and make some pyjama bottoms for myself (I need them) so I found a nice pale blue piece of cotton poplin fabric in my stash and my go to pyjama bottoms pattern, laid fabric on floor, got first pattern piece out and realised I hadn't enough Fabric!!!!!!!!!

nice fabric and pattern 

So instead of sitting and crying over it I decided to make this a summer top instead, the weather was warm and sunny.

The summer top that should of been pyjama bottoms

But I still needed pyjama bottoms, so Wednesday morning of that week I decided to pop to Chester on the train to visit Abakhan and bought two lovely big pieces of brushed cotton fabric, plus some interfacing for the summer top. Also two other pieces of fabric, which we won't talk about at the moment as they are hiding in my stash somewhere. So I set about making two pairs of pyjama bottoms, of which I'm very pleased with!

Pair number one

And pair number two

Also a near perfect pattern match

After that things started to go down hill a bit, I made a pirate costume for youngest daughter (sorry no photos) and then it was half term, not much gets done then because I'm the entertainment staff around here. We did a day trip to Chester in which I managed to sneak a visit to Abakhan to add more fabric to the stash. But we did do some crafting together, we painted some sun catchers which had been hanging round the house for awhile.

sun catchers on a hot sunny day 

* this is only a small part of my yarn stash.