The cat had to go

Today, I took a healthy cat to the vet and asked for her to be put down.

Our four legged friend had a history of violence - the girls were all nervous around her to the point that they wouldn't walk past her on the stairs when she was (deliberately) sitting in the middle of them, and, almost all children visiting the house were scared of her as well, due to the fact she had a some point taken a swipe to them. This, along with all of her annoying habits, was tolerable (albeit embarrassing), as I told myself it taught children to respect the cat's preference for space and understand that animals are not like toys to be played with. (In actual fact, I think the cat used to purposely put herself in the middle of a room with small children in it so as to provoke a response from them. She was not stupid. She knew that small children cannot resist trying to stroke a furry moving thing - she just liked to flex her claws as their reward for clumsy displays of affection towards her.)

But last week, the cat attacked baby Charlotte on two separate occasions. After the second occasion (the baby was in her happy, post milky feed state, kicking her legs on our bed at the time), I noticed afterwards that Charlotte's ear was covered in blood. Enough is enough, I thought.

I got on the phone to various animal charities. All of them were heaving with cats awaiting new homes, and I was told that there would be quite a wait to get our cat taken off our hands. The RSPCA have a hotline for reporting cruelty (to animals), but were not very interested in helping me prevent any further attacks on my children, and lectured me on my responsibilities as a pet owner. This annoyed me. If she were a dog, the law would view things differently, I thought. And given that we had taken her on as a rescue cat, having had her violent streak downplayed by owners keen to get rid of her because she `would be happier in a house without children' (as ours was back then), I started to have my doubts about whether anyone would want her if we were truthful about our reasons for giving her up.

Thankfully, our local vet had a different perspective. She was sensitive to the fact here was a cat that had been a family pet for more than a decade, and also reassured me she was fully behind the decision I had reached. `It's too much,' she said, referring to the cat's latest wild behaviour. `I think you're doing the right thing.'

The act of being there whilst she was put down was not too difficult, to be honest. The vet was very compassionate, and made the process as easy as possible on me and the cat. I was given the choice of whether or not to be present - the vet would have taken her out the back (`...to hit her over the head with a hammer?!' I wondered) had I chosen, but I declined this offer. I think it eased my guilt to agree to be present and hold her while it happened. Having told myself I wouldn't cry, I did.

Far worse has been the rest of the day. Three little girls - and a baby who has picked today to cry more than usual - who have all been hit by waves of grief and the repeated tearful `Will the cat be coming back?' and `Where is the cat now?' from the littlest big girl at different points from me coming back from the vets until they went to bed.

Some TV, they all agreed, would help them in their grief. As would some tea and toast (with jam on, please).

We had talked to them about the cat situation over the weekend - and prepared them for what was going to happen. They even agreed with our conclusions. But now. Well, Mummy is the cat killer in all but name, because (and they have each in turn now declared this to be the case) this is not what they wanted to happen at all.

It'll be interesting to see how this pans out. Even though they have watched me lose a friend to cancer, losing their cat means more to them, because she was much more of a daily part of their lives. Today has provoked some big questions about the subject of death for them, and the emotions are far more raw this time round. Even though they were scared of her, they loved her.

Spectacles

Today, my sewing life has coincided with real life -  in the form of spectacles.

Spectacle embroidery WIP (inspired by latest Mollie Makes)

I went into town first thing this morning to collect my new specs. This made me happy on two counts - walking into town (pushing Charlotte in her pram) under my own steam, and, the specs were free. My loved ones have been wonderful to me during the back recovery period, and have saved my bacon by turning up day in day out and lifting Charlotte on my behalf while I couldn't. But it feels lovely to be independent again, and a relief to be pain free, too. And so, whilst the weather today has been a bit Jekyll and Hyde, and it was raining whilst I walked, who cares. I am on the mend, and I have nice new specs that have not dented my pocket (thanks to generous deal at Specsavers for contact lens customers). Hop, skip and a jump!

Charlotte did not earn her Perfect Baby badge today whilst we were out - she was awake when I decided to grab a tea (okay and a totally unnecessary chocolate twisty pastry to eat with it) before heading home. Gone is the convenient sleeping newborn for such occasions - hello wriggly baby with a newly acquired loud voice and lightening fast grabbing skills to go with it. That will be a paper cup for my tea please, then, so I can leave everyone in peace and drink the rest on the way home...

Never underestimate the pleasure of a cold can of Diet Coke (enjoyed in peace)

All was soon forgiven. She does have the cutest smile, after all. And (more importantly) fell asleep in time for me to enjoy a bit of time to myself before collecting her big sister from pre school.

And look what I am doing - plans afoot for making the front room all nice and homely. A pile of newly washed fabric that will become a sofa blanket (am hoping this will go down well with the man of the house who likes to keep heating bills as low as possible), with (hopefully) enough for Something Even More Exciting as well. And, some almost finished embroidery. Or, rather, bespoke one of a kind art for the wall above the sofa. Sounds much trendier to say the latter - a lot less like a little old lady's pursuit, I think. For, although I have resisted taking a Selfie of me wearing my new specs, they make me look and feel about ten years younger. Hurrah for spectacles that are miracle working (and free).

The littlest big girl's first sewing picture (ice cream) in a frame, ready to join the rest of the picture collection about to go up on the wall above the sofa

One final thing that made me happy today - after nervously holding off committing to anything until reaching the 6 week post surgery milestone, I published dates for restarting my courses yesterday. And some are already full - yippee! I cannot wait to get started on some lovely new projects with the people who come along to join me for some sewing.

Squirrel Dress (and a mini rant about clothes for girls)

Those plaits. I love them.

I bought this fabric a year or so ago, totally on a whim.

It is a lesson if ever there was one on the dangers of the internet and a Paypal account when in the hands of someone like me who is prone to impulsive buys when lovely fabric pops up before her eyes on the Fabric Rehab Facebook feed.

This fabric was used to make a pair of pyjamas worn by Taylor Swift. (Not that I would have had a clue about this fact had it not been for a dealer dangling another enticing prospect under this fabric addict's nose for her to be tempted by. In no way did I then see myself inserted into the picture below, every bit as cool as soon as I was sporting my own pair of pyjamas with squirrels all over them.)

Shortly after my fabric arrived, I found out I was pregnant, and, well, any inclinations I had to spend time making myself a pair of pop star pyjamas (because wearing them would have made me cool, right?) left me. Instead, I eventually made a Roman blind for what would be the new baby's room out of some of the fabric I'd bought.

Squirrel Blind

And then (knowing I had blown enough of the fabric to rule out the pyjama option), I made a little covered notebook for the littlest big girl. And then, a little purse to match (which she proudly pulls out of her monkey messenger bag every Saturday when buying her sweets).

My simple tutorial on how to make your own covered notebook is here

And finally (for now anyway), a dress. For the littlest big girl again. Well, she is so incredibly sweet in her appreciative `thank you Mummy for making me...'s. I cannot resist spoiling her a bit. Not least because she exhibits pure delight without any of the constructive design feedback her two big sisters are sometimes prone to dishing out. And besides, I'd recently bought the bigger two a few new clothes - and the littlest big girl had a new t shirt and that was about it, due to all the hand me downs available to her. Time for something just for her.

This came together pretty easily. New Look 6016 is a favourite and well used pattern of old. I have made about ten versions, and enjoy seeing them passed down as each owner out grows one. For me, this simple design works beautifully well and is exactly the sort of dress I want my girls to wear. It is loose fitting and comfortable for playing in. It looks like a dress for a little girl, not a mini adult. And, it is great for showing off some funky fabrics and big buttons. Perfect, if you ask me.

So, big corporations who make clothes for kids, please take note. This is how I'd like to dress my daughters. And, I don't think I am alone. Just because they reach the age of five, I don't want them to be clumped in with fashion conscious young teenagers, made to look like miniature grown ups, stuck in styles that restrict their movement, that come in depressing greys and blacks with token bits of sparkle. I want their clothes to be fun and with plenty of room to run/jump/hop/spin/leap around in. Oh, and with a pocket for the endless stream of tissues they get through (and all the random treasures they collect throughout an average day).

So please can we have more children's clothes in shops that have animals all over them, and lots of bright colours (not just a million different shades of purple and pink) and, well, spell fun, I guess.

The dress lives on...

Here is another quick little make from Crafty Creatures (by Jane Bull).

Not a lot to say about it really, other than I am still using up little scraps from the baby dress. And see the trunk - already thoroughly chewed.

Must not waste any more time here for now, as (fellow Brits will appreciate this) the SUN IS SHINING. The girls are due back from swimming lessons in less than ten minutes, and then we are going to head straight to the park. With some brownies and a flask of hot chocolate. (It may be sunny, but it's not warm.)

Have a lovely weekend, everyone.

Jolly the Giraffe

Jolly the Giraffe - pattern from Crafty Creatures by Jane Bull

Remember the lovely purple dress I took the scissors to so I could use it to back my chevron crochet cushion?

I am still making things out of the dress scraps, and, this time it is something to give back to the original wearer.

Mum has just been up for the week, on `Grandma duty', while my back recovers after surgery (am now into the sixth and final week of not picking up Charlotte - hurray!). It has been lovely (having Mum here, that is - not picking up your own baby is as frustrating as you would imagine it to be).

We made quite a few things between us - some finished projects which I'll post about in time, and others that are still works in progress. This giraffe was one of several things from a book Mum bought with her - Crafty Creatures, by Jane Bull. I can definitely recommend it.

No prizes for guessing where the pictures were taken. Well, it would have been rude to let Mum go home without at least one trip to my favourite place for cake, wouldn't it?

And while we tucked into our treats, Charlotte chewed her way through each of her giraffe's limbs. Very soggy. But she most definitely likes her new toy - and so gone is any guilt I may have had about cutting up her beautiful little dress. It is bringing her more pleasure this way than if I had kept it in a box for her to bring out and glance at when she is grown up.

And that is all I have time to say today. Soon the girls will come bouncing home from school, and the chaos begins again. Yesterday, inspired by the book Mum gave us, we started making three little ponies. On a whim. I think our house is a mad house. Most parents in their right mind do not decide to embark on a crafty project after school just because their children have spotted something that `might be nice to make'. But, dinner was in the oven (my new favourite lazy but surprisingly healthy dinner of roast chicken and jacket potatoes), and all was calm. More about that when we have something finished to show you...

Babies with Moustaches (and crocheted booties)

Crocheted booties (pattern by Quartered Heart)

 As I type this, my four year old is busily arranging a photo shoot of all her toys wearing moustaches. Who would have guessed how much fun an investment of one pound at Poundland can buy you...

We decided on the French style `tache for Charlotte's contribution to the Babies with Moustaches photo challenge. Scroll down, and you will see I didn't escape, either. Not sure what message to take from the fact the four year old gave me the Chinese Emperor one to wear. Still, I might yet keep it on for the school run to bring amusement/embarrassment to the other mums and my daughters later on.

Here are my latest crochet makes - booties! I was so chuffed when I successfully made the first one that I emailed Sam from Betsy Makes to tell her. (I think she understood my glee more than my husband when I waved it under his nose.)

Here is Charlotte modelling her latest footwear. Delightedly, it has passed the wriggle test, as she kept them on for an entire afternoon. If I tell you that socks and many other booties we've tried in the past have lasted about thirty seconds, you'll know why this latest pair please me so much.

So happy was I that I made another two pairs. I am sure Sam (and plenty of other crafty people reading this) will relate to that, too. I found the pattern nice and easy to follow - once I converted it into English terms - and simplified it by stopping after row 11 and making them into Mary Jane style booties.

And finally, a couple of pictures the four year old has taken and requested I put on here. Her rates are very reasonable and (as you can probably tell), I would be grateful to be freed from the role of being her subject, should you need a photographer for the afternoon.

Chevron Cushion

Chevron cushion from Issue 30 of Mollie Makes

Here is something I finished at the weekend.

I made the top back in the autumn while we were on holiday in Seahouses, so it will always evoke wonderful memories of seeing baby seals, and, sitting in the lovely family run cafe on Main Street doing some crochet.

I'd been waiting for Charlotte to grow out of the dress I wanted to use for the back!

I love it.

It has pride of place on my sofa (until the girls come along and destroy my careful cushion arrangement with whatever game requires them to throw all the cushions on the floor to be jumped on for that day).

The front room already had some nice purple stripy wallpaper up on either side of the fireplace when we moved in last May, and so I am going with that colour with the little bits and pieces I am gradually making for the room.

I used the same yarn as recommended in the pattern. Four balls of Rowan Handknit Cotton got me this cushion and that dolly for Charlotte. Not exactly cheap, but not bad either, for two items that will (hopefully) both be cherished for years to come. The dolly continues to be her favourite toy to chew, by the way. She particularly likes sucking the hair - which not only gives her pleasure, but has stopped the middle girl from wanting the dolly now.

If my home looked like the ones in the pages of Mollie Makes, I might have gone for the colours they suggested. But this is much more me, and I like it.

I have just made another fabric purchase for this room from Fabric Rehab. They have a sale on at the moment, which my friend Pamela alerted me to. Somehow though, a big pile of non sale fabric dropped into my cart. Oops. Still, thanks to the latest Mollie Makes, I did get 10% off the final cost (use the code MM1 if you want to be cheeky and do the same). And so now I am waiting for the postman to bring me a lovely parcel. That is definitely something that will cheer up a rainy January day when it arrives.

For now, I am counting myself flipping lucky to be having peaceful sofa time while baby sleeps, resting my back, drinking tea, Radio 4 and crochet.