All Fingers and Thumbs

After my patchwork quilting course in January I haven't felt the pull to do any more patchworking, those small squares and neat lines are not where my hands and heart are right now. The thing that I really loved though was the machine applique we did and so for the last few weeks I've been working away on a little applique quilted hanging. It was meant to just be a practice piece but I find it almost impossible to be patient and spend lots of time practicing. I know I could get better results if I did but my craft time is so limited that I always get sucked in to making it in to something . Luckily this type of piece is very forgiving so it has nicely combined lots of learning with an end piece fit to gift.  After appliquing hearts  to a piece of calico and embroidering some text on I trimmed down the piece and bordered it with some plain deep blue cotton. I then made a sandwich with batting and some more of the calico. To quilt the piece I sewed a button heart and then ju...

  If you could make it out of wool then I think you could find it at the Wool House   exhibition just finishing up at Somerset House this weekend. A wool loving friend and I had such a fun day out there on Thursday.  The attention to detail and commitment to the vision of the showcase was truly impressive. From the courtyard colourful sheep statues and topiary made from fleece guide you to a wing that has been lavished with amazing creations. Stepping foot into the lobby brings delightful surprise after delightful surprise as your eyes are being drawn to a crochet life size bear or a hug of a chair, you think you are about to step on to a checkerboard floor of marble until you sink into a deeply luxurious carpet. The best of everything that wool can do from high fashion, through every style of furnishing and decoration for the home displayed in meticulously designed room settings to a craft room full of delights. I was so proud to feel pa...

Have I ever discussed my unnatural love for craft kits before? I swoon for a little package that promises to have all supplies and instructions in one place and make crafting something easy. Sometimes I even get tempted by knitting kits with yarn and needles. I've so far resisted those as it would be like carrying coal to Newcastle. (Though I did learn to knit by buying a kit so perhaps that's the root of all of this passion for packaged bits of stuff that I already have.) Now there are kits and then there are Kits.There are some kits that I am almost powerless to resist. The kits from Alicia Paulson . Oh my. These are the Rolls Royce of kits, fabulous design, quality contents, personalised note, so much promise that I too can craft like her! I know I should buy the PDF and use up some of the supplies I already have or get stuff I need locally but oh then I wouldn't have the delight of opening them up. Of staring a while, turning it over in my hands without even opening...

An actual FO. Wha?! Thought those didn't happen round here any more. Second one of the year. Like the first it's a two colour Honey Cowl. Love it. I was spurred on this weekend by news of a cold snap and cold and snappy it has been. It's had three days wear now and so I am pleased to say spring can shuffle right along in now please. I'll happily wash this sweetie and put her to bed to wait for next winter. Though it's been ridiculously mild really overall this winter we are getting the coldest bit at the tail end and I am ready for springing gaily in the daffodils stat. Anyway, it is not spring we are here to discuss it is the woolly lap companion that is now a wearable neck companion, here are the details: Pattern:  H oney Cowl - MadelineTosh Yarn: Dye for Yarn - Wool/Silk DK in Peacock butterfly taking a dirt nap and A dark storm is coming near Needles: 5mm, 100cm circ Started: January 2013 Finished: March 2013 Ravelry page Fourt...

So all that talk about tidying craft supplies this weekend? Well as it got closer I knew all I wanted to do today was CRAFT. I was all talk yesterday evening, "I'm going to POWER CRAFT tomorrow, sew this, knit that, make cards, jewellery blah blah blah". Probably an entire new craft could have been learned as well... Turns out the power of the craft was in the pace it got me too. No more capital letters here now. All is mellow and right with the world after a bit of knitting here and there. I kind of sewed some hearts, thought mainly I played with fabric. Just  finding time to stop and stare, letting the power of craft have its way.

In a rare turn of events I seem to have been doing dutiful things such as cleaning and tidying this weekend in place of more creative pursuits. I'm not sure it quite qualifies as spring cleaning but I admit I feel a little lighter for how organised my wardrobe is now. If only I was naturally a tidy person! Still it's all secretly just preparatory work for what I hope I'll get to next weekend - sorting out the craft supplies. Yay! It should also be noted that the squock and I have had a fair few quality moments  together and I may have had a couple of nice lunches out with the Mr. Hmmm not quite chained to the kitchen sink after all :)