Room on the Broom

My niece Caitlin is just brilliant. Anyone who'd like to argue with that can take it up with her proud aunty.

And, so, I shouldn't sound so surprised at the stunning Christmas present she (with a little help from her mum - also brilliant) for my little girls.

But remember, she is 13, and has owned a sewing machine for less than six months.

She made them a book bag, based around a book by one of their favourite authors, and a title which she knew they didn't yet have (thoughtful girl, my niece).

The bag was full of things she had made, aimed at bringing the story to life - plus a themed puzzle and some colouring for them to do, too.

I think the attention to detail Caitlin has taken throughout this project is just brilliant. The girls were absolutely thrilled when they delved into the bag, and it has been the present they have wanted to show off when friends have popped round to play.

I think the cat is my favourite!

Knowing how to grab the limelight, the central character of the witch is what they all fight over. Well, my girls do, at least. Other children seem to have slightly better manners in the task of sorting out the pecking order of who should be what.

They love wearing the hat and bow, and, waving the wand around in such a way that seems to ensure at least one out of the two other siblings gets accidentally whacked.

Oh, the frog. Maybe he's my favourite...

The dragon has been a huge hit with any boys that have come to the house. Which is also the point at which it all gets a bit noisy, as they break out into roaring contests.

So, a massive thank you to Caitlin for taking so much time to think up and make an utterly brilliant (there's that word again) present that we've all had fun with.

I may just be pinching your idea in the future. Or, commissioning you to make more...?

Owls, bags and a bobble hat

"Where's Wally?"

 Ta-dah! Here I am, proud owner of a bobble hat I KNITTED ALL BY MYSELF. Hurrah.

It fits me properly and everything. And, the best part is, it only took an evening's TV viewing to make last Friday night. Big needles and big wool are the way forward I tell you.

Spurred on by my beginner's luck at knitting, I bought a bit more wool whilst we were having our Saturday morning mooch around town the next day. But, didn't you have a big pile of other wool already, intended for Sang's scarf? Well, yes. But doing things in a set order is so dull, when you can behave like a child in a sweetie shop and be distracted by something else pretty.

What's this - cabling? Yes! Not my favourite thing, as I kept dropping the little cable needle, but glad I gave it a try. And not too shabby a result. If you have child sized wrists, that is. Lesson here appears to be use the wool and size needles the pattern suggests, and the thing you are making fits as it should.  Oops!

Never mind - they are finished now, and I think I could adapt the pattern a bit next time (get me, eh?) to make them big enough with the same type of wool and needles. In the meantime, I can think of some potential candidates to receive these wrist warmers. I would have taken a picture of the biggest girl modelling them, but feared I would have had to wrestle them off her afterwards.

And so, onto Sang's scarf. Back to the winning big wool and needles combo here. Really like the wool I used on the bobble hat and scarf - it is 100% merino wool, and feels so soft.

And finally, some hand made loveliness by other people in the last week.

First up are these cute owls. Made by my very clever niece, Caitlin, for my girls, on the sewing machine she recently got for her thirteenth birthday. Aren't they gorgeous? And my girls love them. Watch out for this girl in the future!

I count myself extremely lucky to spend an evening or two each week teaching other people to sew. The best bit is when people move from being a bit nervous to go near a sewing machine to seeing them leave as fellow fabric addicts with finished projects they are buzzing about and the confidence to give things a go. Love it. 

This week saw the final sessions of a couple of courses - and here are the finished bags made by the Complete Beginners' Sewing Course. Thanks for coming, ladies - and (in a tweaked version of Bruce and Tess), "Keeeeeep sewing!".

Charlotte's bag - made with Amy Butler fabric

Lydia's bag - fabric from Dunelm Mill

Katharine's bag - made with Cath Kidston fabric

Tracy's bag - made with Echino fabric

There's just one more sewing course I'm teaching this year now - I wanted to slow things down in the run up to Christmas to get going on preparations for my two Christmas Workshops, and, more importantly, to give the elves a chance to get working!

All the details of what's in store next year are here - in the meantime, back to my knitting...