A making frenzy and indecision...

It's getting closer and the days are not getting any longer.  I'm in a tizzy of indecision and projects.  

There's the granny square blanket I'm making from all the odd bits and pieces of yarn I have. It's coming along nicely and rather addictive as I try out new colour combinations.  (Not another blanket, Mum, my youngest cries - and looking around the lounge he may have a point so I have put a couple away for now).

The knitted/crochet blanket I'm making for son number 1 (he doesn't want one but I'm making him  one anyway to see if I can convert him to the wonders of homespun!)  It should also be interesting to see his 'thanks, I love it' fake face when he opens it at Christmas :)  This one is a mixture of knitting and crochet - only another 24 squares to go.  On reflection, this may have to be a Christmas present for next year.

There's the blanket I'm making for son number 2 (he does want one - he loved his Baktus scarf I made for him to wear when he goes to NYC soon) and I found some lovely wool/acrylic/alpaca mix yarn that is soooo soft and chunky.  It's called Peru by Katia and is very reasonably priced which is good news for a blanket project as I am knitting this on size 6mm needles and one square has taken one ball.

There are the crochet stars I'm making from Yvonne's Yvestown blog post.  I've used thin crochet cotton and a 1.5 hook and 4ply white Patons cotton with a 2.0 hook - not a project for nighttime as I  go practically cross-eyed!

And the Copenhagen pillow, also from Yvestown.  This one will have to be a gift - my sons and sister are afraid that one day they will find me dead in a sea of crochet cushions!

Not to mention all the yarn for scarves just waiting to be made up.  Yikes.

Son number 3's girlfriend wants mittens for Christmas and I can't find a pattern I like.  She's tiny so if anyone has any suggestions I'd appreciate them!  Son number 2 also wants a cowl scarf - I've got the wool and the circular needles but this project is on the back burner as I really hate circular needles.

My sewing room (formerly known as the dining room) is awash with 'stuff' - lots of works in progress and ideas waiting to come to fruition. 

And yes, the poor old quilt is still waiting to be finished, bless ....

How am I going to fit all this in?  I'm considering giving up cooking and housework - that should buy me some extra hours.  Now, if only I could do without sleep. 

 So, what to do?  What to do?

I know....

Ah, that's better. 

 Now for a spot of Kirsty's Homemade Home (please don't let there be too many new ideas on tonight to add to my list of things I absolutely must make)!

Wishing you all a tizzy-less week.

Jules

x

Addendum:  I am posting this the next morning as there was a photo uploading embago on (must have been some crucial point in the death and destruction that is Black Ops for the XBox) and then we had to interrupt Kirsty to work on Will's personal statement for uni applications.  A little disappointed with Kirsty the last couple of weeks except, I may have to go and buy some fabric fixer as I used to be the queen of stencilling in a former life and have loads of lovely stencils that could be used on fabric......

Blimey O'Reilly....

... it's cold!  It's only mid November and we've had sleet, gales, fog, freezing fog and nitheringly cold nights and days - the cold soaking right into the bones.  Good job I've plenty of lovely blankets and cushions to snuggle up under/against.  At least my son's girlfriend appreciates my efforts:

I've been quite busy in the evenings with my wool stash but can't show anything until nearer THE TIME.  Went for a little bimble around Helmsley on Sunday with sister, Anne and bought a spiced plum candle - every time I light it Will goes 'mmmmm, smells like Christmas'.  I'm so thrilled that my boys love all things Christmassy as much as me.  We decided to have a Sunday off from the crafting although I did make us an apron each from all the throw and bunting scraps.  What do you think?  I feel festive just looking at it.

Anne just wants to know if Santa's going to bring her a waist for Christmas.  Me, I suspect that my waist is gone for good so I am dressing accordingly (am soooo loving the leggings/woolly tights and boots look at the moment.  Long may it last, although I think the elasticated waists (both mine and the leggings) may be responsible for an ever increasing waistline).  I dread the day I have to put my jeans back on!!

Thanks to Kirsty I now want to make a Kiss cross stitch cushion

http://www.channel4.com/4homes/christmas/christmas-gifts-over-50-09-10-13_p_16.html

 (although Anne and I both agreed that it seemed more like tapestry than cross stitch) - where am I going to find time to fit that in?

Hope you are keeping warm and well.

Jules

x

Naked trees and hearty stews...

The nights are drawing in and the weather has taken it all to heart - howling gales, torrential rain, black clouds scudding across glorious sunsets.  The trees are rapidly shedding their leaves and will most likely be completely naked by the end of the week.  I have to confess to rather liking the Weather - at least it is definite and leaves you in no doubt about what to wear: as much as possible!  I don't like driving home in the dark but there's something very comforting about closing the curtains and turning on the lamps, lighting candles and hunkering down.

  So what better way to spend a cold dark evening than with a choice of new wool?

I took a little trip to the wool shop looking for wool for making Christmas presents.  I came back with some more Mirasol Miski (top of the pile in the guise of a half finished scarf), some Debbie Bliss for fingerless mitts (bright pink), some Debbie Bliss silk (pink skein, for nothing in particular, just 'cos I liked it!), some beautiful Chilean Araucania hanks - camel and silk mix (purple, grey, green mix) and some 100% Merino (purple) - all for scarves.

I'm really enjoying my knitting but do like to mix it up with a bit of crochet, making some 9 round grannies with the leftovers and Sunday afternoons are currently devoted to sewing with my sister.  We had quite a family affair going on with Mum involved too.  More on that in a later post nearer the time of the grand reveal although some of our makes can already be found on Anne's website.  I don't think we'd make much on a piece rate but it's a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

No more photos today - youngest son had to go out at midnight to buy the latest X-Box game that has just come out and I don't think my nerves can face the possibility of an all out tizzy turn as my uploading interferes with his game!  Oh, the joys of parenting teenagers.

Hoping you are all keeping warm and well.

Jules

x

Fall back...

An extra hour in bed tonight - whooppeeeee!  Although, if tomorrow is anything like today it would be a shame to waste time in bed.  What a glorious day.  Autumn at it's finest, crisp, fresh, sunny and dry.  A true delight.  After a week spent in airports, meeting and hotel rooms it was great to get out in the fresh air.  Met my sister and Mum to head to Cheryl's Homespun and Vintage fair at the Quaker Meeting House - a lovely place in its own right but truly beautiful bedecked with lots of gorgeous lovely things.  I didn't take any photos inside - it didn't feel right to be honest but we had a lovely hike up Brant Hill steps to get there.

Phew - managed to make it up to the top without the need for oxygen or a sit down.

The leaves are turning and looked resplendent against the clear blue sky.

How true!

Of course, I had to have a little spend.  I went with a view to doing a little Christmas shopping but I ended up being the main recipient :)

This gorgeous cushion made by Gale & Temple.  I don't have enough cushions.......

This vintage apron which I think I am going to incorporate into a brown linen dress that has been languishing unworn in the wardrobe as I always feel a bit like a novice nun when I wear it.  This would definitely cheer it up.

The work is amazingly neat and even.

And another vintage apron - I'll be ready for next year's War Weekend!

No time to stop for a cup of tea as Anne had to get back to the shop so I walked back to Mum's.  She lives near the castle and has amazing views.

Back to town to do a little mundane shopping but still time to stop and marvel at the lovely town I live in.

The station - a little bit quieter than last weekend!

Oh, what's this?  Only the nicest shop in town! 

We have been busy little bees, Anne, Mum and myself and here are a few of our Made creations amongst the Found

Did I mention that I don't have enough cushions?  Well, here's the latest addition - a bright version of the round cushion I made a while ago.  

Front:

Back:

I was just waiting for the cushion pad to complete this as I finished it a while ago.  I've got a few knitting projects on the go at the moment - three scarves and a bag.  I need more wool for two of the scarves, hence why I moved on to another scarf.  I took the bag with me to Finland and managed to get it finished (minus the handles) on the journey.

A mixture of garter, moss, stocking and double rib stitches which should give an interesting texture once it's felted and I made eyelet holes for some ribbon embellishments later.

Just the handles to make now!  

What will tomorrow bring, apart from an extra hour in bed?

Jules

x

Be careful what you wish for!

I've been laid low with various ailments since my return from the States.  I think exhaustion has played it's part and perhaps working flat out for war weekend was not the best idea as I fought off a fever.  The lurgy got me good and proper last week - flu, shingles and tracheitis (infection of the trachea).  I know I push myself a bit too hard sometimes and as I get older I realise that I can't do as much as I used to do - or accomplish as much in a given time but when I said to myself that I needed to rest and catch up on my sleep I didn't mean I wanted to be struck down!

I'm about rattling with the number of pills and potions I've taken and have been listening to my very sad and sorry for itself body.  I didn't do much of anything but wanted to show you my latest creation -  a commission for a friend's niece in Canada as she loved the one I made for Anja.

This one is made from linen with Liberty lawn for the letters and some of the butterflies and trimmed with Liberty lawn piping.  I must confess that I love it and am thinking of changing my name so I can keep it!

The zingy blanket is also finished - it has been for a while but I was waiting for a sunny day to photograph it so that it would do justice to the colours.  Well, I gave up waiting as it seems to have been nothing but grey of late so here it is anyway.  Sideways and not very artfully displayed but I was in a rush to get the photos uploaded before my ride to the airport turned up.

The edge was a round of treble clusters and then 4 rounds of single trebles into each stitch and finally a round of doubles.  It's very bright and cheerful and very heavy!

And lastly, a few cushions I made a while ago from some of my gorgeous Tilda stash.  I quilted the fronts and embellished with a heart and a bird which don't show up too well in these photos, sorry.  Hiding in the background is the flimsy - now edged and backed and stuffed with a duvet - it's getting closer to being an eiderdown but it's not quite there yet!

So, I am on the road again - Finland this time for the week.  It's cold (minus 1 this morning) and there is a light dusting of snow on the ground.  I'm taking this lot on the trip with me - I feel a bag in the making.  This is the wool I bought in Finland ages and ages ago - it's knitting up beautifully but I don't think I'll get time this trip to buy anymore.  (I did bring the labels with me though so I might be able to prevail on one of my good colleagues to help me out).

Wishing you all a happy and productive week.

Jules

x

Wartime Weekend - the professional view

Really too tired and feverish to post much but wanted to share this link with you for some amazing photos of the weekend taken by a proper photographer.  He took some photos of the 'girls' behind Madge's Whistle Stop Cafe - not sure if they are on the blogpsot yet as I haven't checked...

Wartime Weekend 2010

Anne and I worked alone today - almost as busy as yesterday and we were too tired to even converse in complete sentences by 6pm tonight having cleared up and put the shop back to some semblance of order.

We'd served up another load of cakes, washed up soooo many vintage china tea cups, saucers and plates, used 250 napkins and consumed one bottle of sherry!

Fortunately, we didn't need to have our papers checked by the Home Guard! (yep, same dirty windows - note to self and sis  - clean windows next year!)

The sun shone again, the air was crisp with the tang of Autumn and the visitors continued to parade in honour of those who lost their lives on the railway and in battle during the 2nd World War.

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend.

x

Exhausted - my feet think I hate them!

sooooo tired - my feet, knees and back are not cut out to be waitresses but it was a fun day all the same.  A deep hot bath was the perfect antidote.

Yesterday I was elbow deep in a cloud of icing sugar ....   cream cheese frosting by the tonne for the red velvet cup cakes...

but my feet were happy feet in my new slippers .... one of the best points of autumn, being able to wear slippers again...

The night before the morning after - furniture moving and a transformation from gift shop to tea room

Last minute planning ...

and ta da ... we're ready

More tomorrow on the weekend but first,  a sneak preview of a special blog friend some of you may know en famille looking every bit the 1940's part

...

It was a chilly day but there was dancing in the street and the sun shone (the photos are lying, the sun really was shining - the windows are very dirty!)

More tomorrow.  For now my bed is calling me.

x