Tomas' Blanket....

As promised here is the wool that Tomas chose for his ripple blanket

and here is the cardigan that inspired his choice!!!

and I've just realised that I haven't got any yellow wool, I can't remember whether we (the shop lady and I that is not Tomas) decided that the yellows were not quite the right shade and so we opted for more cream or if i just forgot???? - I feel another trip to the wool shop coming on!!!!


Anyone have any tips on random crochet?????

more February Makes

Heather over at Pink Milk has now received the travelling craft box which means I can show you what I made for her...
Heather as most of you will know loves to crochet and has been recently showing us her latest WIP, a  double crochet cushion cover, so I thought I would make her a project bag to keep her latest project in.
I found the perfect fabric with lovely bright spring colours and large flowers and this is the result....
,

please excuse the mess in the background!!!

and the mess here too!!

Because there is just too much mess in my workshop I thought I'd take some pictures outside!!!

Fresh pink marbled cotton lining.

A Big Bottom!!!

and some top-stitching to finish off.

Inside I added a large flower pincushion using a flower motif from the same fabric as the bag, a pouch filled with pretty spring coloured buttons and the obligatory chocolate...who can resist Galaxy!!!

I'm really enjoying making bags again and have been looking through my modest VAST fabric supply and  re-finding some lovely fabrics..now where did I put those scissors!!!

February Makes

I obviously didn't give myself a hard enough kick up the bum as its been over a week since my last post so its time to get the steel toe capped boots out!!

Although I haven't been blogging I have been busy making, some of which I can show you and some of it I can't as it is for swaps which haven't been received yet.....

Half term for us last week was a quite affair lots of lazy days, staying snuggly and warm inside, with the occasional day out. Rachel had the busiest week with a trip to the zoo and a meal out for a friends birthday and this is what I made as presents for the birthday girl...

A drawstring wash bag

A make up pouch with showerproof lining

 I was really pleased with how this turned out as I made it up as I went along using the very last bits of this fabric that I have..

 Rachel and her friend have a bit of a joke thing going on with Iggle Piggle so I made this lavender hanger with some In The Night Garden curtain fabric that I have, it's kind of cute isn't it...

I'm going to put these in for the February Makes on Annie's Monthly Make Challenge and must remember to add them to the flickr page this months makes are being hosted by Natalie over at the Hungry Hippie

I've also been getting on with my crochet, which needed another trip to the wool shop so that I can finish Rachel's ripple blanket and also to start another one for Tomas. It was Tomas (aged nearly 4) who on the second day of half term asked if we could go to the wool shop so that he could choose the wool for his blanket, so off we trundled on the park and ride bus and into the wool shop we went where we picked up the extra supplies for Rachel's blanket and bought lots of lovely wool in blues, greens, browns, creams, a little berry red, a little tangerine and a little yellow. He choose these colours because he has a favourite cardigan which is cream, blue, green, orange and beige, so I'm hoping that the other colours will brighten it a little, it all sounds a bit gaudy in the list but I will take a photo tomorrow to show you all. I am also going to try random stripes (says the person who doesn't do random!!) we shall see how that goes or doesn't go as the case may be....

We left the shop much with a huge bag of wool and he even let me go into two charity shops before getting completely bored and saying "you go in and I'll wait out here" that's men and shopping for you, needless to say we left the charity shops rather sharpish and headed for the bus stop taking the long journey home for added bus riding excitement!!

Sunday was by far the sunniest day of the half term holidays and we enjoyed a day in the garden (sorry no photos as I was far too busy) clearing leaves, branches and twigs which Paul put on the bonfire, what is it with men and bonfires, ours seems to be permanently alight. The garden is now looking a lot tidier but there's still lots to do now that the weather is starting to get a bit nicer.

So far this week I have been able to spend some quality time sewing and I have been busy making for swaps so once they have been received I will post some pictures.

Okay I think that's enough for tonight if you have managed to get this far then thank you and enjoy the rest of you week.

The Travelling Craft Box

Thanks everyone for their comments on my question about swap etiquette it would seem most of us would be happy to re-gift a present and also wouldn't mind a re-gifted present either as long as it doesn't go back to the original gifter!!!

The travelling craft box organised by Lynda over at Hookin' with LaaLaa is on it's way around the UK.

I was lucky enough to be the first recipient of  Lynda's box which was full of lovely crafting bits and pieces (I haven't added a photo as I don't want to spoil the surprise). Lynda also included a lovely CK drawstring bag full of goodies just for me which I can show you.

All my lovely goodies from Lynda

This included

a fab DOTS & SPOTS postcard

A very cute sewing set

Heart card toppers

Butterfly sticky notes

Cath Kidston buttons and badges

A Yankee Candle spiced orange candle

as well as some spotty fabric, a notepad (which I am using for my to do lists) and some incense sticks.

Thank you Lynda for organising such a fab swap idea and for all my wonderful goodies, I have taken something from the box and added some more bits to it and have sent it on its way to Heather at Pink Milk.

Back in the saddle and a question?????

Okay so I've given myself a kick up the proverbial no more moping around waiting for Spring, I'm just going to have to accept this dreary old cold weather pull on another jumper and get on with it!!!

Mmmm as you can tell by my absence and my opening sentence the last few weeks have been a bit Bleurghhh!!! But now I'm ready to get back into crafting, blogging and my photography.

I have been lurking in the background, reading all your wonderful posts and even commenting on some but just haven't felt like writing anything myself and then I found the longer I left it the harder it became to write anything, now I don't want this post to be all dreary like the weather so I'm not going to dwell on what I haven't done but I do need to ask you a question about swap etiquette.....

We all love taking part in swaps and I am always amazed at the generosity and talents of my swap partners and we all agree how lovely it is to receive a beautifully wrapped parcel in the post..... 

BUT......

Is it okay to pass on something that you have received as a swap gift onto someone else who you know would love it even more than you do?

I'm not talking about passing something handmade off as your own or doing the aged auntie thing of giving back the present you received last year but how would you feel if you saw one of the smaller gifts that you had given to someone as part of swap being received by someone else as part of their swap parcel. 

Would you be offended or would you think of it as recycling????

I'd love to know what you all think about this so please feel free to leave a comment.

This passing on of gifts has reminded me of a comment made to me once by a friend in the school playground (not known for her tact or diplomacy!!!)

"I've a really ugly brooch at home I think would suit you" ????? it was a good job I knew her!!!