What does this colour remind you of?

Drover Wristwarmers (Sarah Hatton Knits) using Rowan alpaca yarn

I attracted some odd looks from passing school children as I knelt at my front step to take this picture. But the Victorian tiles make a nicer background than the living room carpet, and so, for the sake of keeping this blog looking all pretty and nice, I am willing to become known by some on the street as the Slightly Strange Lady who takes pictures of stuff. 

I have also made a special effort on the nails, knowing they'd be on show as I modelled this latest make. In real life I cannot be bothered with keeping my nails looking pristine. Who really manages to keep beautifully polished nails, I ask you. Not those of us who do the washing up and prise apart teeny tiny parts of Lego on a daily basis. Any pretty nails I paint quickly become a chipped source of annoyance to me. 

The alpaca yarn I used on these wrist warmers is just about the softest I have ever touched. 

But these cosy wrist warmers are not meant for me. They are for my friend Sang as part of our now annual knitting challenge. We'd agreed to try cabling this time round, and thought wrist warmers (rather than gloves) would be easy enough for us to do. 

The only surprise in store for either of us on the exchange is the choice of wool. 

I chose the wool for its lovely texture and colour. Now I have actually knitted the darned things, I am not sure if she is going to like it. But I do. Even though the colour distinctly reminds me of Charlotte's nappies before she switched onto proper food. Being my oldest and best friend in the world, Sang will be honest with me and let me have them back and knit her a different pair if she is not keen, so it is win win either way for me. Perhaps I'll miss out telling her the bit about them matching Charlotte's nappies when I send them to her. 

I think the next make is going to be another bobble hat. The middle girl is the only one not to have a mummy made bobble hat, and as she has requested one, who am I to refuse something like that for my favourite five year old (given how much I like both the making process and then seeing it on the child). Selflessness personified, that's me.

She is currently enjoying tormenting her daddy with regular mentions of her boyfriend, who, she says, she loves more than daddy and plans to marry. The middle girl and John Henry love each other lots and have therefore decided they are going to marry each other, apparently. Her poor father is finding all this impossible to take, even though he knows she knows he finds it impossible to take and that he knows this makes her put on her `I am in love' tone of voice and say it all the more (whilst grinning at him).

Competition Winner

Why do I feel like I am back at school, sheepishly handing in some very late home work?

Sorry this has been so slow in coming.

Being a small, cosy type of affair, I haven't even attempted to work out how to do the clever computer generated pick a winner thing on here. I appointed the biggest girl to organise the competition draw for me (got to fill those grey January afternoons somehow), and here is what she came up with.

It was so long ago, that even Joanne has probably forgotten what she'd written on her entry in the Christmas wish competition - she wished for a mountain of fabric ready for plenty of new year makes. I hope she got it!

My current makes are still yarn based, and happening on the sofa, with the TV and fire on.

Now the postman has been, and provided the necessary second ball of wool needed to complete this project, I might be able to send Sang her Christmas present soon. That isn't as bad as it sounds. Honest. We made an agreement that this year's knitting swap was going to be a January gift.

And the purple wool is another ball of the magic colour changing stuff from Black Sheep Wools, only this time I knew to wind it into a ball before starting knitting with it.

Bye for now!

Bobble hats

I have been knitting whilst on the sofa. Here's the first two things I have made - bobble hats. And, if I do say it myself, they are pretty damn cute.

Extra helpings of Smug Cake after making these hats, as I invented the pattern all by myself. That is, entirely all on my own with no help from Knitting Grandma or the internet.

this is the wool

The wool is super duper soft, and the clever kind that changes colour all on its own. A ball of wool with magical powers, then.

I bought it from Black Sheep Wools - and they still have some in the clearance section. My sheer fluke, the skein I bought was exactly enough to make bobble hats for my youngest girls.

The ball put me in mind of this favourite book from my childhood.

I am so glad my mum kept this book - along with a few other Ladybird classics I used to enjoy, as my little girls really like these stories.

And, being a novice knitter, who had never before bought a twisted skein of wool before, I was clueless about needing to wind it into a ball before starting to knit. The mess that happened was not too dissimilar to that underneath the table after the naughty kittens had been at their mother's wool, and it took me ages to undo the knots.

The second hat was less of an instant success on the size front, and needed a bit of shirring elastic carefully sewing into the inside to stop it falling over the littlest biggest girl's eyes. But she loves it now, as shown by the fact she continued to wear it throughout her drawing session.

Although she hasn't come out and said it in so many words, I am in no doubt that she would prefer it if the smaller version was donated to her teddy.

Fat chance, darling.

Knit, knit, knit

flowers from mum

The last three weeks have been pretty much dominated by my bad back. Thankfully, I seem to have turned a corner with it this weekend, and am back on my feet and functioning more normally.

I won't bore you with the details - but it has made me feel grateful to be surrounded by so many people who care about me and have helped me get through it by giving plenty of practical help and support.

An upside to all that time spent resting, and not able to do much, is that I could knit. Knit, knit, knit. And more. Admittedly, at times, I'd only knit a couple of rows before feeling overcome by drug induced sleepiness and dozing off.

But (fanfare please) I have finished the second sock!

Has it changed my life? Not really. And the toe on the second one is very ropey. I didn't really understand the instructions, and was keen to just plough ahead and finish the flipping thing. Hence the odd pixie like pointy bit at the end, which, I like to think adds to the home made charm. Ahem.

And there are some other mistakes you can spot...

But there are pom poms.

Oh yes. Pom poms. Me and the girls have been making them, and it only seemed right that my socks should have some decoration.

Here's the other project I've been knitting. Much less taxing on the brain, and one that I can do whilst watching TV.

Now that my back is on the mend (and the shooting leg pain of sciatica doesn't seem to be troubling me every time I sit down any more) I am looking forward to getting on with some sewing in the coming weeks. I have one or two things in mind, but that will have to wait for another time. (Don't you just love a cliff hanger?)

What happened to the second sock?

I have had cold feet all week. This jogged my memory to think about the sock I knitted around a year ago. Probably prompted by cold feet. You can read all about it here if you're vaguely interested.

What happened to the second sock would make an excellent metaphor and base of a sermon or assembly, if I was in a position to need to write either one. Luckily for my former students, I'm no longer in a position where I have to think of something to inspire/bore them with each week. My girls get the luxury of my wisdom imparted to them in little regular bite sized chunks. Lucky little ladies, I know.

Here is the second sock. I picked up my needles a few days ago and inspected the pattern to see how much more I need to knit. A lot. In fact, the journey to the heel is going to be long and slow, if current progress of a couple of rows a day is anything to go by.

Just as well the hubby and the girls bought me some slippers when they went into town today. Now my feet are toasty.

Grandma's knits

10 weeks today

The weather outside is miserable today. 

I am not going to even attempt to pretend that today's post is anything other than a collection of photos of Charlotte - vaguely under the guise of showing off a lovely little cardigan and hat my mum knitted for her. 

And here is the pattern link for the Rose Field Baby Blanket that Katy made for Charlotte. When I was walking her about in the pram this morning, the blanket got as much attention as the baby under it. It is so soft and gorgeous - and now I've glanced over the pattern, it has become even more clear to me just how much love went into making it. 

She is ten weeks old today - how time flies!

See those cheeks?

Squeezable and very kissable.

And the thumb sucking gets me every time. Too cute.

And there is a mutual love affair starting between her and her three big sisters, as they exchange smiles. (Please don't start crawling and grabbing their toys too soon, Charlotte...)

Oh go on then. Just one more picture...

The super sensitive motion detector

Liberty square, shawl from Grandma and cushion from Sang

Why do newborns come with a super sensitive motion detector?

Mummy cuddles her to sleep standing up. Happy newborn. The instant she gently, ever so gently and slowly lowers the sleeping baby into the cot. Waaaaaa, waaaaaaa, waaaaaaaa.

How do they know?

I have even tried the patented bottom jiggle as I lower her into the cot. But this baby has the super sensitive motion detector and is not fooled by the clever tricks that Mummy used on her siblings. Or, perhaps I have lost my touch. Or, maybe just forgotten they were all like this once.

Two pleasing things have happened lately to help sleep (apart from baby just getting bigger and more able to sleep for longer, that is). The discovery of her thumb, and, more importantly being able to suck it properly without it teasing her by slipping out of her mouth. And, a friend. She actually smiles and acknowledges that little zebra now each time she goes into her cot awake.

Onto the crafty stuff. Here is the cushion me and the littlest girl finished yesterday. The bulk of the creative credit should go to my friend Sang for knitting the squares, and my mum, for crocheting them together. We just added a back and toy stuffing.

The cushion was an unexpected bonus, which came out of the fact they arrived too late for the project they were originally intended for...

It is hard to think of what to say about this blanket and the friends who knitted it for me without sounding cheesy.

It is a wonderful blanket made by a bunch of friends, who, I hope already know how wonderful I think they are. And, thank you of course to my mum for managing to crochet all the squares together!

Sofa time

Remember the crocheted cushion I started making in the last week or so before Charlotte was born? After a good few weeks of being ignored in an unfinished state (hmm, I wonder why), I pushed myself a bit and finished it.

Back then, I was feeling grumpy about being too hot, and that I had gone over my due date. With all the baby preparations done, there was not a lot for me to do but make the most of the opportunity her being overdue gave me to relax on the sofa, sip a nice cold Diet Coke with the tennis on and do a spot of crochet.

I finished the front of the cushion, and then Charlotte was born a day later - so unsurprisingly, the cushion was left untouched for a good few weeks.

You'll notice that I have cheated a bit and backed the cushion with some fabric instead of crocheting a back for it, which was my original intention. I decided the only way the cushion was going to be saved from a fate of an unfinished project under a pile of other stuff in a cupboard, and take pride of place on the sofa, was to go for the easiest possible option. And who looks at the back of a cushion, anyway. Well, that is my justification and I am sticking to it. Maybe one day, if I become super fast at crocheting, or, have more time on my hands, I will do a proper crocheted back. But for now, I like it the way it is - and this way I get to enjoy looking at it every day.

Will I make another one? Yes. When comparing it to other projects that have taken me loads of time to make - this dress comes to mind - this is more of a slow burner. I think the pleasure I'll get from the cushion will be more of mild pleasing "I made that" thought when I look at it on the sofa, rather than the undeniable thrill I feel when I put on a nice dress I have made. But, being in pride of place on the sofa means I will look at it a lot more often than the dress - which is currently squished in a sack of clothes that don't fit.

I have already bought some more wool for my next cushion. Different from this one, but the colours will also fit in with my front room, meaning that hopefully it will one day also have pride of place on the sofa.

Crocheting is not about to replace sewing for me. Neither is knitting, for that matter. But, recognising the former two offer me a very satisfying sofa based crafting thing to do, they are going to be an `as well as' part of my crafty interests.

As well as wool for a cushion, I have also just bought some gorgeous, love at first sight fabric. I saw it yesterday and just knew what it needed to be turned into. But more about that tomorrow, as there are no photos to show you yet, due to the fact I am being good and doing the boring thing of washing it before taking the scissors to it. There will be some proper sewing happening soon, I promise!

On a final note (tenuously linked to the topic of this post because we do it on the sofa), me and the girls have been loving reading the following books together this summer - Stig of the Dump by Clive King, and the amusing and very much of the moment Don't Wake the Royal Baby by Martha Mumford, and The Royal Nappy by Nicholas Allan. All brilliant reads, if you happen to be in the market for a book recommendation or two to enjoy with young children. 

Tiny Toes

The house is currently silent. All I can hear is the sound of the cat purring next to me.

I think this is the first time this has happened in almost a month. And, for that reason, along with the fact that, as any parent of a new born knows, the silence may be broken at any moment without warning, I am giving myself ten minutes to update my blog. Before I return to the other thing sitting next to me. A mug of hot tea.

Charlotte will be four weeks old tomorrow. 

What a happy - if busy - time it has been. I am going to risk sounding smug and say that I think this is probably the time of my life. I almost want to slow down this period of time, so it lasts a bit longer. (Only maybe with more sleep factored in.)

Mum came to stay for the first week, and helped with a whole load of things whilst I staggered back onto my feet after birth and had most of my energies taken up with responding to a tiny little person whose sole aim in life was (and still is) weight gain.

On that front, I am pleased to report there are now several gorgeous and squeezable rolls on each of her thighs, and the girl can also boast several chins, too.

Whilst Mum was here, she mainly took care of the three big sisters, including making sure they got to school on time. Being smitten with Charlotte, it wasn't long before they persuaded Grandma to let them take turns to push her in her pram to school, singing to her all the way there. So keen were they to show off their new little sister to the world. Well, their school friends and teachers, anyhow.

On the final day of her stay, Mum returned home from the school run and announced that she thought "Charlotte's extremities were getting a little cold" in the footless romper suit she had on that day, and that some booties were needed.

By the end of the afternoon - in time for the final school run of the day - the little lady was wearing a pair of her own specially made and very freshly knitted up booties.

Aren't the booties - and those tiny toes that fit inside them - adorable?

Crafty Friends

Who's hands are these?

There has been a lot of sunshine about this week. Hooray for that bag is all I can say. Oh, and the inevitable start of spring.

Last week, the postman came with more goodies, well timed to coincide with the visit of my friend Stacie, a sewing buddy who was then able to coo over the contents of the pink parcel with me.

Getting married in wool?! No, WI members are not entirely batty, I promise you. I was very taken with the pictures of the wedding dress in question as they appeared inside this magazine. Were it not a complete afterthought now, I'd have taken a picture for you. But alas, the arm chair is so comfortable, and the camera and magazine all the way upstairs, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

Anyhow, this little selection of fat quarters is what I opted for following the disappointment of the bag fabric that never turned up.

I'm going to try my hand at some simple quilting for the bambino. Just squares, nothing more fancy, with the hope of making a cot quilt to go with the knitted blanket.

Last Friday, I invited a few fellow mummy friends round with their toddlers. We had some lunch together, after which the children ran loops of the house and played, and we got the chance to chat a bit (in between the usual interruptions and chaos that happens when a small crowd of toddlers invade your house).

And look at this! A couple of the girls just couldn't resist getting their needles out and showing off their new found knitting skills.

They had a starter lesson with Monster Yarns last week, and now (with some gentle arm twisting from me) they have been overcome with an urge to knit some baby blanket squares.

At the last count, I think there are ten lovely crafty friends now knitting baby blanket squares for me. What can I say - a big thank you, girls. As you can see from the pictures above, the finished blanket will be big enough for a cot - and lovely with it.

Mum came up at the weekend. Here we have a beautiful hand knitted blanket, just the right size to be baby's first blanket in the little Moses basket. And people wonder why I am so lazy with my own knitting, when mum just seems to trot out lovely things like this after just a few evenings of TV time.

"Oh, I like the way you have stitched your squares together", I said. "Would you like me to do the same to yours?", she asked. "Oh, yes please!" Subtle, aren't I?

Actually, the offers of crafty help didn't stop there, either. With talk of a house move on the cards, mum has kindly said she'll come and help with blind and curtain making. There may need to be a shopping trip for fabric first, of course, she said. Hurrah to all that, is all I can say. It definitely beats this morning's joyless moving related task, which was clearing out a decade's worth of rusting paint tins (and other similarly appealing tat from the shed) and having an outing to the tip.

And now for the next task from the list of joy. The loft.