Why I haven’t been blogging….

Their are two reasons for this….

Number 1)
All my knitting was for Christmas gifts for people who read the blog now and then….

A scarf and mitts set for one of my sister in law, Sarah, that I am VERY proud of, yet more proof that I can finally knit lace.

Two pairs of mitts for my other sister in law, Leah, with a third pair half finished but put aside to knit a baby gift.
I’ve also finally finished two baby jackets started many months ago that need homes, which I am sure I will find soon, the pink one is handspun by me and I love it…even if I did put the button holes on the boy side…oops.

The other is an adaptation of a basic matinee jacket, made far more modern with the use of chevron and bright yarn…the jury is still a little out on this one.

As for the baby jacket I am making for a friend who is due soon, homespun of course, dyed by me and using the February sweater by EZ, same as the pink one. It’s for a baby boy, I think the lace is still ok, hopefully the Mum does too. Here’s the yarn mid-spin

Number two)

We did another round of IVF a little over a month ago and well as you can see it worked!!!
I was going to wait to say anything on here so if you happen to know me in real life and I have not told you yet please keep it to yourself. I’m only just over 6 weeks so it’s VERY early days. We have a scan on the 15th and I’ll fill you in after. So fingers crossed.

Craft shows, FO’s and graffiti?

I’ll start at the end…graffiti…the very immature ‘tag’ people’s property type, not the ‘wow how amazing is that piece of art’ type. A couple weeks ago Dan and I headed back to Melbourne for a weekend to go to Dan’s 10 year High School reunion. We were away for three days, had a ball, spent a bit of money, drank a bit of beer and chilled out. When we got home at about 7:30pm on the Monday everything was as we had left it. The next morning I dragged myself out of bed and was leaving home at 6:30am (the joy of starting work at 7:30 in the morning sometimes), as the roller door on our carport shut behind me I was kind of…suprised…to see a big silver ‘tag’ on the roller door!!! When I got home that afternoon I went outside to take a photo of the paintjob just so I could prove it had happened. While I was outside I got talking to the neighbours, we worked out that the little bugger had done it in basically daylight!!! We had as I said got home about 7:30pm, no graffiti, our neighbour got home about 9:30pm, graffiti…it’s daylight savings so it’s light quite late now. Brazen. THEN the neighbour from the otherside came out, and told us her car had been sprayed as well, all over one side (inlcuding the windows) as well as the bonnet. Luckily she had taken it straight to a crash repairer who cleaned it off without any major trouble. Dan on the other hand contacted the local council who de-tagged us within the week…and cleaned the roller dooor in the process. Heres the before photo…excuse the dirt…there’s a drought you know.

I’m feeling a little inspired at the moment, I have finished two project in the last fortnight and have almost finished a third.
I finished my Aunties socks.

AND my friends shawl, see my last post… but I didn’t manage to get a finished photo as I literally unpinned it from being blocked as I raced out the door to work on the morning before the funeral. I’m really happy with how it turned out, it ended up quite big. About 180cm x 130cm x 130cm (6′ x 4′4″). From start to finish in a fortnight…not bad, not bad at all. She loved it BTW, well as much as you can love a gift made to remember the saddest moment of your life.

The almost finished is my February baby sweater, all that is left now is to weave in the ends and find buttons…oh and an owner.

This weekend just gone was the Stitches and Craft show, I hadn’t been for ages so volunteered to help out with the Knitters Guild, opting for the afternoon shift so I could spend the morning wondering and then help pack up (well that was the plan except that silly me wore sandals which are a big no-no when the forklifts start dismantling the event). Luckily I had won one of the Melbourne Cup sweeps at work so had some guilt free money to spend at the show. I got beads and purse frames…

Tencel yarn for a lace stole (this stuff is SOOO soft)…

A couple more purse frames, one to replace the one I originally got for my SIL wedding purse as I prefer the square shape. And a little one in the same colour just cause. Oh after dyeing crochet cotton grey in desperation…I found silver/grey #8 pearl cotton!!! I gave in and got it too…better colour and what I wanted to start with. Plus a new set of fine (1.25mm) needles for my bead knitting, Addi’s with much better points than my old cheap pair of fine needles.
Plus they have cute little read ends!

All in all I had a good time, got ahold of a few things I had not been able to find in my normal travels and enjoyed interacting with MOST members of the public that came to the Guild stand. Next year I promise I will wear closed shoes…even though my sandals are super comfy.

Oh and one last thing…Dad has just been to Sweden for the second (I think) time in 6 months for work…so I decided to be cheeky and asked him to visit a yarn shop for me. I asked for sock yarn and found some that is not available locally as far as I know. I figured sock yarn was good as it’s not a huge commitment like enough for a sweater and won’t kill your luggage allowance. Dad came home with enough for three pairs, the two pictured and a third one I forgot to take a picture of thats being knitted into socks as we speak. It’s colour 672 in Drops Fabel.


Gotta love a man who buys you yarn!!!

One more star in the night sky….

I spent yesterday in hospital with a close friend and her partner. a few weeks ago all their dreams had come true, engaged, happy together and a baby only a few short months away. It was the happiest I had seen her in a long time and I was just so glad things seemed to be working out for her after a rocky few years. All she has ever wanted (like me) is to be a Mum. We had a dinner party, them, us and another couple, we three girls had worked together several years back and become close. It was such a happy night with so much hope for the future. We were all rubbing her belly and talking to her baby.
Yesterday my friend left a message on my phone to call her in the evening, when I heard her voice I knew it couldn’t wait. I know when something is up no matter how she tries to hide it. Everything went through my head, except what had actually happened. Her little one, so wanted and so loved already had been born that morning. She was induced after a routine check-up turned into every Mothers nightmare. Her precious little babies heart had stopped, 23 weeks into pregnancy, when this is not meant to happen, when it’s all supposed to be ok.
Yesterday we sat, we talked, we laughed and we cried. I drank a lot of coffee and still felt like a fog had drifted in. I went back to work today and struggled through, thinking of all three of them all day.
Last night I cast on a shawl, a warm hug when I can’t give her one. Deep red homespun merino/alpaca/silk with lovehearts to remember her Valentines due date.
To a beautiful little girl who will never feel pain again.
We love you and we miss you.

When all else fails…shop…

To be honest nothing has ‘failed’ but I have shopped…most noteably a new spinning wheel, after wrestling with an old ashford traddie I went to ‘look’ at wheels a few weeks ago. I knew I wanted something portable and user friendly…and I wanted something that was new, I have a couple secondhand wheels and none of them are ever quite ‘right’ and I am sick of working at them to try and get them working well only to find new issues everytime I fix something. I just don’t have the time to stuff around with a wheel that needs lots TLC rather than just general ‘maintenance’ anymore. Between working full time and running a small dressmaking bussiness my spinning (and knitting) time has become very precious, which is obvious to me in the drop in my knitting work rate over the last few months. So anyway back to the new wheel.
I gave Bella at Walking Wheel Studio a call one Saturday, almost a month ago, and headed over to try her stock, she had just got in the new Majacraft Pioneer, I was not immediately sold as I had never used a double treadle before and had the Ashford Joy in mind. I was a little concerned about the orofice height of the Joy though, as it turned out Bella had sold the shop Joy a few days earlier so I did not get to even have a test spin, however having sat with the bag in front of me I could see that the orofice was going to be a problem. I tried an Ashford Traveller, but didn’t quote like the way it felt when I treddled, then I tried a Louet S10, but it didn’t like it because when I spun fine which I tend to do the flyer shook…not fun! Plus it was a lot bigger than what I had in mind. I had already sat at the Pioneer but went back and having tried the other two I started to see what made that baby good…I fiddled with the ratio’s, I changed my position and with every change I made I loved her a little more. My mind was still wondering about the joy…then Bella told me the price of the Pioneer, about $200 less than the Joy and with an orofice at a good working height. I was sold…so now I have the new Majacraft Pioneed, I got her 3 days after she had hit the shops and we are still in love, though I do have my eye on her big sister ‘Alpaca’…maybe in 5 years or so…
Anyway here she is in all her glory:

Fittingly my first project to show you all this time is the first garment I made from yarn spun on the new wheel. I knitted it for a friends neice who is just the most adorable little one. I even got sent a grainy mobile pic of her in the cardie…so cute! The flower at the neck was crocheted from a vague memory of how crochet flowers are made but I am pretty happy with it. Plus it covers up where I put the buttonhole on the wrong side when I was trying to be clever and knit the garment top down rather than bottom up as I was worried I wouldn’t have enough yarn (I have 43g left BTW)! I think it was a good save and actually looks nicer than just a button.

I’m working on knitting up some yarn I spun on the old wheel, but plied on the new wheel (Very badly plied I might add). It’s going to be EZ’s february baby sweater/baby sweater on two needles depending on who you talk to. I am really liking it so far, the subtle stripe is just lovely in my opinion. Now I just need someone who is having a girl AND will treat homespun as homespun should be treated to give this one too.

I have pretty much finished, except for weaving in the ends and choosing buttons the rainbow matinee jacket, just need to find the motivation to finish and knit some matching pants…oh and find a home for the finished product which I have been realiably informed is not suitable for a boy…

Just for fun I knitted a little beaded purse recently that will make a pretty good gift for someone come Christmas, who I am yet to decide…mayby my kris kringle at work if I get a girl.

I’ve also made a tentative start on my SIL wedding handbag after having to dye crochet cotton as I was unable to find anything even close to grey in either crochet cotton or perle cotton. I won’t be posting much about this one now until after the wedding as I want to keep the design at least a little bit of a secret and I know the bride reads this…Hi Leah!

My Auties socks and jumper are still going, I only knit the socks on the bus and the jumper at work so I have no progress shots of the jumper to show you as it lives on my desk. I will need to bring it home soon though as we are getting really busy at work so my knitting time is getting less and less.

Oh and I haven’t forgotten me in all this, I decided it was time I do myself some summer knitting. I am yet to cast on as I am making myself wait till I have finished at least one of my Aunties things!!! Gotta be tough on myself sometimes. Though I can still look at my new cardie…

I think thats it for now…see you all next time I get off my bottom and blog!

That was close!!!

I’ve finally finished Alexi, it’s been a long term project to get this one finished. I started it way back in mid March, I changed a lot along the way with this one. First I decided that the orginal sleeve setting was really not me, so they became raglan sleeves…then I decided that I should knit it as a jacket rather than my usual cardie (the jury is still slightly out on this decision to be honest). BUT my favourite alteration…the big wide, short row shaped shawl collar…isn’t it gorgeous? Don’t ask me to write out my alterations in any kind of usable way, this one was very ‘organic’, I decided to trust myself and just knit (with a little maths along the way). Overall I am happy with this jacket, even if I think it may need a couple more alterations (the dressmaker in me coming out). Oh and the ‘close’…15grams left from the 20 balls I started with…..

Oh and the beret in that second pic, Mum bought me some sock yarn, but the colours were far too nice to hide away in shoes, so I knitted this beret which I then wet blocked over one of Mum and Dad’s random plates (all of ours were either too big or too small). It was great car knitting, easy enough to not need to be watched too much but with enough interest to keep me knitting…oh and I have enough yarn to make some matching fingerless gloves.

I’ve also recently made myself a new black beanie, my old one was an acrylic thing from target that was going all furry….yick! I kept meaning to make one, for 3 years, then I found some old totem in the bargain bin at the wool shop, 2 balls at $3.50 each…perfect! So this hat was born, I will have to write up the pattern, it’s an EXTREMELY modified 70’s patons pattern, basically the only thing that I didn’t change was the stitch count. I’m really happy with this one, wish the weather was a little cooler still so I could get some wear out of it THIS year.

I’ve finished one nutkin and the other one is slowly taking shape at the moment, I really like this pattern, hopefully my Anutie does too!

Recently ACS ‘launched’ a site for the Wangaratta Woollen Mills (where patonyle is made)called Mill Shop…and I could not resist a 700g cone of four ply crepe, dyed in the same colours as the rainbow merino bambino. I’m designing/knitting a matinee jacket at the moment out of it and will without a doubt knit MANY other baby garments…there are as always several babies on the way, including a (happy) oops for an old work friend…February is going to be super busy on the baby front, can’t wait! All those snuggles I get to have in a few short months time!

Oh and let me leave you with my new shoes…well soon to be new shoes, they are on layby…I am IN LOVE with these!!! btw, the wedge on mine is black)

I knew it had been a while…but this is ridiculous!

I knew I had not posted in a ‘while’ but didn’t realise how long until I got a message of encouragement on Ravelry and thought I better go and take a look at the old blog…oops…nearly 2 months without posting. I guess I have been having too much fun. Since we got the new car we have been making good on our resolution to get out and do stuff before we do our next round of IVF. A litle over a month ago we went for a drive in the hills, to visit a micro brewery, while we were there I found some fibre from one of my fave dyers.

Which I have since spun, knitted and worn…a lot…

Somewhere along the line I also spun and knitted some fleece that I had dyed and ended up with a baby bonnet, which I have no use for…

The two weeks ago we took a trip to the Barossa for the hell of it and got hailed on…
It was the weirdest thing, we came out of the dried fruit place at Angaston and I said to Dan that it felt icy, as we walked along it started to rain. nothing major…we went in search of a toilet and when we met back up on the ‘porch’ of said toilet block it was hailing, we were stuck on the porch of a toilet block…so what did Dan do? He modelled his new socks…complete with hail and cigarette butts. Classy!

Sometime along the way, before this trip I finished Helena from Knitty. I even had just enough yarn to crochet a VERY tight coathanger cover. I’ll be gifting it in a few weeks when we have a mini baby shower for my boss before she leaves us for a few months. I’m actually really happy with this one, my Grandma reckons that I should make it ‘mine’ cause it’s got my name so I should make it for everyone…maybe…but then I love trying new patterns so much.

Then last weekend we took a trip up to Murray Bridge, then to Mannum and along the river to Angaston before heading home. I knitted, we chatted, visited the river boat museum and ate a deep fried lunch that was great at the time…not so great 6 hours later when I could still ‘taste’ it…really not a fan of fried food. The scenery was amazing, and Dan enjoyed the cable ferrie’s back and forth to the towns along the way. I hadn’t realised that he had never been on them, let alone known they existed as I have been to Mannum so many times I just assumed he had as well. I think he just liked the idea the car on the water.

And me doing what I do best while sitting in the car on the ferry…

This weekend we headed to Mount Pleasant for the Fleece and Fibre festival, we went with my friend Trish, her husband and baby boy. I got a EZ’s Knitters Almanac from Colonial Lake Books, some more spinning fibre, a scarf pin, some fudge and some vintage buttons (they came from the market at Loberthal). It was one wet old day, and cold as all. but lots of fun and I have already started spinning ready to knit EZ’s February baby sweater. We had a yummy lunch at beirhaus in Loberthal next to the market, unfortunately Dan had had a big night last night so was pretty miserable company most of the day. Then we headed home, and I spun while he slept…surprise surprise!
Other than that I have done the back and sleeves of my Aran up to the armholes and am halfway through the fronts. I really want to have it finished before the last weekend in August when we are headding to Clare for a couple nights in a cottage (can’t wait), I’ll take loads of photo’s!
I finished a hat for Dan the other day, same pattern as my cousins hat of a couple months ago, only this time I can write it out…and I will…promise. I have not got a photo yet as it’s been pretty wet and we are barely ever both home in daylight, I leave in the dark and he gets home in the dark, great system. I’ve also started some socks for my Auntie, and a jumper for her as well…don’t judge the colour of the jumper too harshely, we are not colour blind or crazy. My auntie works for in the mining industry and has to wear ‘hi-visibility’ clothing on site, she’s actually one of the most stylish people I know…promise. As for the socks, I love this pattern, I love this yarn…I’m a little nuts about nutkins to be honest.

No progress pics of the jumper, but check out the colour, not for knitting in public thats for sure!

I’ll try not to leave it so long next time, but I’m not making any promises….

…so hi, do you come here often?…

Pretty much sums up my blogging of late….basically finding the time to sit and make an actual post is a real challenge these days…I’ve even given up knitting on the bus. I’m just too tired by the end of the day at the moment (not helped by starting work at 7:30 am, working overtime most weeks AND still running the dressmaking business) in the end a blog is a real luxury and not for the time poor…How do all those amazing blogging, working Mum’s do it is what I want to know!!! Don’t worry though, to my few regualr readers I have not given up…just not as regular as I once was (that sounds bad…)…hmm think I may be a little delirious with lack of sleep tonight.

I’ve got plenty to show you all so hopefully you can forgive my blog neglect…

To start, I finished Mum’s socks weeks ago and ever since she’s been asking ‘where are my legs?’…so here they are Mum…your legs, well your feet anyway…

To be honest I’m not a big fan of this yarn, it’s tofutsies, I dunno nothing really compares to wool for me…except maybe cashmere and thats not so much compares, thats exceeds!

Next up is my cousin Jeremy’s 21st Birthday hat, I made him an ‘earflap’ hat when he turned 19 and he has worn it constantly ever since. It was and is a great hat that I’m very proud of even now…alas no pics, but it’s cream, camel and brown striped with a cream cable band at the base and a little bit of i-cord in each of the three colours poking out the top. He still refers to it as the ‘hat of love’ cause it was ‘made with love’. We got the invite for his 21st with just over a week to prepare…so based on the success of the last hat I headed straight for the yarn shop and the Zara yarn again, but in a very different colour choice to the last hat. Somehow I had to equal or better the last hat, I cast on with plans of a plain striped hate, then I remembered the hats at outdoor shops that double as neck warmer/scarf things and knitted a tube, with some holes near the top with i-cord threaded through…and the ’scat’ was born! After I had given it to him it was straight on his head and everyone that came through the door was shown the ‘multi function’ hat. I wish I had known a bit sooner it was almost his 21st, I would love to have knitted him a jumper (sweater for the US readers) or at least a vest…but a hat it is. Jeremy is a great guy, he’s talented (animator), sensitive and kind. He also holds a special place in my heart…he was the first baby I ever held, I still remember that so vividly, I was 5 years old and I sat on a beanbag (so no-one would need to worry about his head being supported), he was placed in my arms…in a blue wondersuit…I was in love! My frist cousin on my Mum’s side, I was no longer alone…AND I can honestly say that he started my love affair with little people just by being him.
Unfortunatly the pics I got of him in the hat are pretty bad so instead you get pics of Dan wearing the hat…check out the sky! It matches the hat!!!

The last couple weeks I have been knitting a hat for one of the girls at work on and off…scuse the pic’s it’s hard to look good at the end of the week when all you want to do is sleep. I made the pattern up as I went along and used up some left over homespun from my cardie. I am pretty happy with this hat and might make something similar for myself soon….who am I kidding!

I’m still working on my aran cardie, but it does not photograph at all well using the flash so no pics to show. Progress is slow as half the time I am too tired to concentrate on aran knitting…I can imagine what I would do to the cables.
Dan’s latest socks are coming along and I am back to knitting them between phone calls at work as of today. One is finished and the other is close to knitting the heel, so hopefully by the end of next week I will have a pair of socks rather than only one…

A couple weeks ago the latest knitty came out and I was in the process of short listing patterns to knit something girly for my boss…well the short list went out the window…cause there is a pattern with my name! Helena!!! So I am knitting it in pale pink, to the taste of the Mum. Really once their is a pattern with your name you have no choice but to knit it! I chose good old totem cause I know it will stand up to washing and kid style wearing…hope she likes it!

Not much to show at the moment, but I am now two rows into the lace and I understand how it works…I’m really getting there with lace this year!!!

Oh and I have done a little stash enhancment….

Some Ranco for socks for my Auntie Helena

And some Suzie Horn handdyed yarn I am yet to decide on the destiny of

So thats me for now…I won’t make any promises about when I will nest post…but I will post again…

Me as a meme

I’ve been tagged by the lovely peaceful knitter, who I met through the wonders of ravelry and hope is doing well as I write this…lots of happy house moving thoughts coming your way!

The rules: Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1) What was I doing ten years ago?
I was a few months into year 11 at High School, yes I am that young. My Dad had just left the Navy so for the first time in my life and my parents marriage my Dad was a ‘civilian’. We had just got the internet at home (I thought I was so damn cool to have access at home) and I was the usual 16y.o hormonal mixed up mess…in a good way.

2) What are five (non-work) things on my to-do list for today:

Well it’s Sunday so they are ALL non-work….
1. Finish the housework
2. Start on some sewing work I have waiting
3. Do my handwashing…
4. Maybe go for a drive/visit the pub and knit while Dan drinks beer
5. Go to be nice and early so I can be functional at work tomorrow morning at 7:30am

3) Snacks I enjoy:

-Chocolate
-Those little tubs of fruit people send their kids off to school with…they don’t get bruised in my handbag so are way cooler than real fruit…
-Vegetarian Vietnamese cold rolls from the sushi place near work.
-Almonds
-Anything homebaked

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

-Travel
-get my dressmaking qualifications
-By a slightly larger house with a studio and employ a cleaner to leave me free to create
-Look into adoption/long term fostering as I would not need to work so could spend the time these children so dearly need

5) Places I have lived:
Sydney,
The USA, Seatle..ok Mum come and finish that list…
Sydney(again), Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, Melbourne (again), Adelaide…in all about 18 houses, the house that Dan and I live in at the moment is about the longest I have lived anywhere in my entire life and thats only just over 4 years in the one house.

6) Jobs I have had:

Part-time, full-time and manager for Lincraft (major fabric/craft ect retailer), 2IC in a manchester store, casual in a button shop…and now…Full-time in-bound call centre employee for a major world-known insurance company…the best bit? I can knit between calls!

7) Peeps I want to know more about:

Joystitch (Joy)

MIYO (Sarah)

Knitter Bunny (Kelli)

Sweet Little Things (Ummm I know your not Billy…but Billy!)

Retro Mummy (Corrie…and the two little people on board that I can’t wait to see pics of!)

A nice nights work…

Yesterday Dan was feeling a little less than great and he went to bed long before me. I stayed up but didn’t feel like knitting my socks or my aran cardie, I wanted something quick and mindless, I wanted to have a sense of achievement without the investment of time. So I wracked my brain and searched ravelry then I remembered Calorimetry and the ball of Debbie Bliss ‘Cashmerino Aran’ I had picked up at the guild exhibition in the $1 basket (YES REALLY $1!). Now I had planned some sort of kids hat with this, but in my heart I really wanted it’s softness for myself, but one ball doesn’t go all that far and besides I am not a big fan of beanies (I own one that I wear now and then but it’s acrylic and came from target) plus I had been thinking about knitting something like this for a while. So I set to and had it all done by the time I was ready to go to bed. Dan woke up feeling much better and we took a drive out to Moonta for the day, I wore my headband and now I love it! I even got a comment on it from the lady in the local craft co-op. While in Moonta we went into a book exchange and I found a copy of Debbie Bliss ‘New Baby Knits’ for $3 and a Harmony stitch guide for $2. Now all I need is some new pregnancy anoucements and I can get knitting. We took a walk along the jetty at Port Hughes and my headband kept my ears warm and my head free of cold wind headaches (which I suffer from very easily, the reason I have the Target beanie is that I had such a bad one oneday that I ended up crying).

Oh and of course the usual ‘lets take a photo of ourselves’ shot. Look at Dan’s jumper, I knitted it a couple years ago and he claimed it was too hot, but the last few weeks he has been wearing it, so he must be cold. I think he looks good in it, great colour…excuse the goofy face, the sun was in our eyes.

Less craft more work…

My regular readers will know that I have recently started a new job, which I love. But it’s taken away from my crafting time which I don’t like so much! Thats ok though. For the first time in a long time I am looking forward to the future and am even coming to terms with the idea that maybe our life is meant to be just the two of us. Plus it’s nice to be working full-time again and bringing in a useful wage! Since I last posted we have brought a new car(at 18y.o we figured the old one was ready to leave home), I have sorted out my wardrobe (no longer avoiding buying clothes just in case I get pregnant) and I feel like I have a marriage again instead of just being two people going through the motions of IVF while living in the same house. Dan has also given up teaching karate and it’s great to get to spend time together during the week. So as I have said life is good, and it goes on.
Oh and in the absence of a ‘real’ baby….this is our new ‘baby’…isn’t she gorgeous!

This week I finished my first garment in my home spun yarn. I dyed it myself as well and am really happy with it. My spinning has got a lot finer since I spun this yarn. This one is about a 14ply equiv. and now I spin at a 5-6ply equiv. I knitted it up at about 16sts to 10cm and used a Cleackheaton vintage hues pattern with some alterations, mainly a higher neck as the original looked like it would spend half it’s life falling off my shoulders! I also had to re-knit the yoke at one point as the change in yarn meant that my row tension was a bit off so it ended up feeling like it was trying to cut my arms off. I also did my first knitted pockets, normally I don’t like pockets on knitting but these ones are so cute (and totally useless) that I just had to make them. As always I am in love with my choice of button, must be something about being an ex-button shop worker…

While I was waiting to start my new job, but had finished at the old one, I cut out a bagsket and then left it to marinate in a corner of the sewing room. Finally last weekend I wanted to make it. To be honest it’s only the 2nd thing I have made on my new machine that is for me and I really should have been working on Mum’s skirt (sorry Mum). I made it as I wanted a middle size knitting bag, I have a giant one that can hold an entire mans jumper with room to spare and a little sock size one but nothing in-between for parts of garments. I found the tutorial via the ’sew obsessed’ group on ravelry and just knew it was perfect. Then I had a dig through the fabric stash where I found the main pink fabric which I think was meant to be shorts (what was I THINKING) and a couple random fat quarters I had picked up along the way, together they made a much nicer bag than the plain pink would ever have made shorts.