Category: craft

Cats · Christmas · craft · Life

Decembery Goodness

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It’s the first of December – like you needed me to tell you that!

I was away for the weekend with my mother and her guild of the ICA  and I had great fun.  We were doing a weekend course in hand stitched Christmas decorations.  We headed off on Friday and came back yesterday after dinner.  I have to say it was great and you came home with something to show for it!

This is the wall hanging that we did, it is also a introduction to patchwork.

Christmas hanging-1

Santa part of hanging-1Tree part of hanging-1

I am having visions of this house getting overrun with fabric as I have taken a shine to this.

While we were away we went for a walk on Saturday morning after breakfast and before class and I happened to have my camera with me. So as we were coming up to the top of the road this is what appeared before us.
church-1

It really was lovely. However this morning December seems to have kicked in with the weather. As I type I have the heating on and the kettle is boiling for a cuppa ’cause when I got up this morning and looked out the window this is what greeted me:
opposite with frost-1
upper with frost-1

If I’m being honest this is the kind of weather that I’d like to see on Christmas day – wake up and it’s all white and then forget about it as it gradually goes – yes I’d love snow but that really can cause havoc so for safety I’ll sacrifice my dreams for a heavy frost 😛
Mind you even with that frost it can be dangerous – I’m expecting my mother over to me this morning as we are going to get an artificial Christmas tree for me (I think with cats in the house it’s the wisest choice) – anyway mam is coming over but I’ve a feeling that the roads will be slippery so I hope she will be alright getting over.

While I’m waiting for her to arrive I think I’ll hunt out my advent calanders and start opening windows!

Books · craft · Life

Knitting & Stitching

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I know that it’s been a whole week since we were at the Knitting & Stitching show in the RDS here in Dublin but it’s been a busy week.  Anyway I managed to pick up treasure!!!!!  I saved up my money so I could have lots of carefree spending.

The carefree spending turned into :

A Drop Spindle Kit – I’ve no idea how to use it but I’ll figure it out.  Although this comes with some stuff to spin I also picked up some red felting wool which I can also use for spinning.  I also managed to fill out my collection of Brittany Crochet Hooks so I am very pleased with this.  I am now getting to the point where I’ll have to keep a note of the sizes I have – they are so pretty that you make an effort not to lose them.  I know I tend to pick up the other hooks willy nilly.

So back to the shopping – I also picked up a copy of Traditional Blackwork Samplers by Lesly Wilkins and lots of aida fabric for what the book inspires.  In the stitching end of things I also picked up a cross-stitch Christmas Stocking – I don’t think I’ll start it this year as I’ve one or two things to finish up – however it’s for himself and should be ready for next christmas.

After that it was bits and bobs – a victorian advent calender – but as I haven’t figured out how to use the sewing machine yet it will be project for a later date – mind you I have my own notions on how I’m going to do it and if it turns out right -yippee if not it’s a lesson.  I also nabbed a spiced mug mat – put warm mug on mat it releases spicy aromas (apparently)  However I do love the instruction – hit with hammer to reactivate scent.

There were two non-shopping treats one of them was when we came in himself wanted coffee and there was this stall type thing standing in the middle of the coffee area and it was full of jars of buttons!

undefined Go through the link to see what has to be done with all of the buttons

The other one treat was the crocheted coral reef.  I sat down for a little while and did a twisty bit of crochet which will be attached to the reef for a later show.  I can now point at that and say – I did some of that.  There are a few pictures of the reef here.

Now it’s time to get busy with all of my new treasures because that’s what Autumn and Winter evenings are for.

craft

Craft Plans

MsWalsh1 Comment

I have decided that for next year (2009) I am only going to do 2 cross-stitch projects.  Like my reading I’m a slow stitcher so I’m not going to put any pressure on myself.

I’m going to get something from this page:

Dimersions Cross Stitch Company

And I’m going to give this a go:

Cirque Des Cercles

Actually I’ve a notion about what I’m going to do with the one just above so we will have to wait and see.

I don’t know what I’m going to do about crochet for next year – no doubt it all depends on what’s happening and patterns I come across.
However I do plan to complete my collection of Brittany Hooks.  They are absolutely gorgeous and I’ve 4 already.

Anyway them are the plans and we’ll see where we get with them.  Right now I’m making a hat so I’d better go and finish it.

craft

Sewing Patterns

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I must say thanks to my friend for spotting this site – I really does make me want to get better acquainted with my sewing machine.  Better acquainted?  acquainted maybe. formally introduced, causally introduced?  Ok figure out how to use it.

Isn’t that typical now that the long weekend is over I’ve just thought of something I should do in order to get into the swing of using the machine.  Ah well there’s always next weekend – actually there isn’t but that is a whinge fest I will save for else where.

Anyway the site in question is:

Folkwear Sewing Patterns with Timeless Style

craft

That Blanket

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Is Finished!!!!!

After 4 months and only doing it in spurts I’ve finished it – my sister can now safely have the baby.

full1

Phew!  I didn’t anything from the post below just sat and finished this – I’m stiff from sitting all day 😦

craft

Blanket update

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Well I’m really proud of myself – I’ve 11 rows left (not counting border)  I wonder what is on the telly tomorrow night?  Ooops can’t crochet tomorrow as we’re going to see The Dark Knight -hoorah!  So telly for Wednesday – I must investigate.

Back to the blanket – I’ve started the last diamond row – I have the bottom bobble row completed and I’ve one more row to complete the second bobble row.  As mentioned I’m really proud – expect a photo next week hopefully of a completed blanket.

Bedtime!

craft

Sisters Blanket

MsWalsh1 Comment

Ok I’ve about 18rows and a border left on my sisters white blanket and 25/27 days left to finish it.  Yes it’s doable but will I?  I’ve been putting this off for I don’t know how long – eek and time is running out.

With that in mind I’m going to watch the end of University Challenge, Chinese Food Made Easy & New Tricks down in the bedroom where it is a cat and clutter free zone and hopefully there I will get some of those rows completed. I shall update my progress at the end of this session.

Cooking · craft

Weekend Endeavours

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This is the blanket that I’ve almost finished – the ball finished before the pattern did with two more rows so roll on tomorrow for a little shopping spree:)

Merry-Go-Round Blanket

When we came back from shopping I got the notion that I wanted to make buns/fairycakes.  I don’t know why and I don’t think I’ve made them since school so that makes it at least – 15years.  So a quick search of the kitchen gave up most of the ingredients so a little cobble together was done and here are the results:

I have to say that I’m really chuffed with these and there could be more where these came from but without the silver balls.

So Three Cheers for ME!!

craft

Yet Another Blanket

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The other day I caught out in the rain getting some new wool.  Actually I’ll back track to the previous day when I bought a book 100 Crochet Projects.  I spotted a blanket that looked lovely so I decided I had to get wool and hook and start straight away – roll on to next day lunch time – weather fine, went to Hickeys didn’t see anything that took my fancy so off to Woolen Mills – was the rain I felt??  Ah sure I’ll only be a few minutes.  I spent the rest of the afternoon going around in my bare feet as my shoes and socks were soaked.  However I’m almost finished the blanket.  I wasn’t sure about the pattern at one point so decided that what I was doing was good enough and continued on trying to decide should I give it to my sister or should I keep it.  So she is getting it – now that I’ve figured out where I was going wrong I’m going to buy more wool on Monday and make a bigger version to put on the bed.

I will post a photo of it tomorrow (along with photos of the fairycakes I made)

craft · general

My Sisters Blanket

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I seem to be procrastinating all over the place!

I am making a blanket for what I thought was to be my new niece/nephew (they are 90% sure it’s niece but we’ll wait for the day itself to confirm) when my sister spotted it she has decided that she is going to be the owner of this blanket and baby will have to ask nicely if it wants to use it.

I am in the final run of the pattern with a reduced repeat to follow and it looks like I’ll have to get more wool.  This has seen me put off doing any more until I find the band for the ball so I can get more (procrastinator & disorganised).  When I was in work the other day I found that I’d left the pattern behind me so that was when I changed the story in my head – the reason I’m not doing the blanket is that I don’t have the pattern and not ’cause I need to get more wool.  Ok I’ve the pattern on the computer but the paper one has all my notes – like which line I’m on etc.

Isn’t it mental the stories you will tell yourself just to avoid having to do things?  I exactly the same when I was in school.

No photo this time – when I have it finished I’ll put a picture on my craft page which is decidedly empty at the moment.