fun...

I have finally managed to photograph the tank top and mittens. Now for an admission, I managed to knit and sew up the tank top and then realise that I have inadvertently knitted the cropped version! Now if I was a size 10 ok but hey as I can't airbrush my self you can see the result. The mitts are for my mother, as she loved Miss T's pair.

With all the work on the house finally moving again (all too awful to talk about but if I manage to get this right you will see a really funny youtube clip). I am now on site (current word for home) every day and haven't been able to move, but am hoping to pop over to buy some new wool for my next project. Also for some more freedom spirit or bright dk for yet more mitts as Miss T's friends loved hers and she would like to give them all a pair for Christmas!

Seeing as its getting closer to Christmas Miss T and I went over to Lavenders and bought a ream of tissue paper and reels of ribbon to wrap presents, she found these adorable robins and wreath. Florest wholesalers are such a fabulous place to go too, full of allsorts of delights not just fake flowers. We have also been baking for school, lots of fund raising and community out reach projects. Jane's book has been fab, the Bruce Bogtrotter chocolate cake was brilliant, so too Chalet school apple cake and scones. Its a book where so far all the recipes have been successful, as I have had a few disasters (said with Craig R-H accent!) with other books most notably |Nigella's coke cola cake. But as I am shuttling between to places didn't have the camera in the right place at the right time. But we have another Bruce cake planned for school this Friday so will try to be more organised. Now to get back to making some more mugs of tea..

knitting...

I have almost finished knitting the Freedom Spirit tank top, just the neck and arm ribbing to do. I am never too confident on picking up stitches, having in the past manged to add some really lovely frills by accident! But hope to get started on this today as I have to stay put at the house as the gas men have left leaving me with lovely hot radiators and new boiler but also lots of very shinny copper pipe work! While wondering whether I should seek help on picking up stitches, I have knitted a pair of fingerless mittens from the Freedom S book. The pattern works well and includes a hole for the thumb making sewing the seam a lot quicker, also tried knitting a flower, that was fun, quick and effective. But photo's will have to be posted in my next post as I have somehow managed to leave the camera at the flat in my hast this morning.

In my e-mails this morning I received the new Erhman catalogue, I used to do lots of their cushions and still adore them, I really like the English Eccentrics design maybe one to put on my letter to Father Christmas.

Keep and share have also launched some very cute kits for the first time, I just love their knitted designs and adore the Gladys cardigan!
PS. I found the image of the Erhman cushions though google and it was from an article on decorating with out breaking the bank, great idea so have attached the article, its from the Daily Mail in July this year.

Christmas workshop

I have signed up for Martha Stewart's Christmas workshop along with 71,453 I think it was when I looked this morning! Thought it may help with inspiration and ideas as Christmas is now apparently 6 weeks away; and with my trusty sewing machine having gone into storage I am left with knitting or completely hand sewing a project. I have also finished my Christmas decoration swap and just need to post 'it'. I really enjoyed making for the swap and hope my partner loves 'it'. I've been asked by my daughters school if I will take a table for the Christmas fair in early December so will have to start very soon if I am to have anything to sell. Does anyone have any experience of selling at a school fair, any advice would be gladly received.

I had a wonder to escape all the work being done today on the house, the Gas board are finishing off today and the windows are being fitted, so its still freezing but with a slight wind! I discovered a shop called Tiger and it was full of fun things, craft stuff and stocking fillers somewhat of a glorified pound shop really. Anyway I better get back to the most important task today, yep that of tea lady!

cake and knitting

This is the first delicious cake from Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer, I have forgotten its name but it is a coffee and walnut cake and taste's as good as it looks.

Just before I headed out to find the new wool shop I read about on Ravelry, I popped into the library and discovered from one of the lovely librarians about another wool shop not very far from where we are staying. So after consulting the trusty A to Z I drove down to Battersea Park Road and discovered Honner Parry at n' 206. What a find and free parking outside for an hour. It is a lovely old fashioned knitting and haberdashery shop that still closes for lunch, full to the brim of wools of all description. I decided on a pattern book (yep I think its a decease!) and the yarn is freedom spirit by Twilleys, its 100% wool and made here in England too. The balls above are for a tank top for me and for the first time ever I bought more wool for a second project, I am planning on making some more wrist warmers and a pair of leg warmers too. I understand that they are back in fashion but I am so ancient I remember wearing them during the 80's, Miss T thinks they are cool!

books and knitting

This morning I wondered up to the High Street and was waylaid on my way back home by Waterstones. I somehow found my self looking at the craft books especially knitting books and had to tear myself away and what should jump into my hand but Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer by Jane Brocket! Miss T will be delighted as we braved the Westfield centre to find Foyles to buy it on Friday last week, only to find out they didn't have it in stock. The Chalet School Apple Cake sounds really good as do most of the recipes!
I have searched the Ravelry site and have almost chosen my next project (thank you Helen for your advise), its a little like being a child in a sweet shop! I have discovered a new wool/knitting shop via Ravelry called Stash Yarns and hope to investigate in the next few days, as I tend to buy all my yarn from Liberty. Getting to I Knit or Loop for me is a little awkward, as I like a nice easy not too many changes journey and have found driving around town since the summer difficult. Especially as I am meant to be a cool calm cookie not a mad raving loony! I have also nearly finished my Christmas Decoration swap and have really enjoyed it. Hope you all have a wonderfull week.