in pursuit of organised-ness

Pattern : Mug Cosy (not yet published) Yarn : Sirdar Supersoft Aran Needle Size : 4mm crochet hook Started : 27th September 2011 Finished : 27th September 2011 I can't believe it's time for another FO Friday! This is just a small one today as I am working on some quite big projects at the moment, though I haven't done very much knitting or crochet this week. I was asked to test out this pattern (to be published soon) which took me about an hour or so to crochet. It's quick and straightforward and would make a lovely personalised Christmas gift. Stick it in a hamper with some nice coffee and biscuits....not forgetting the mug! The one thing I really did want to show you finished was the cardigan for Evie as part of my September Challenge . However, once again I have managed to keep putting it off. Having said that I still have 6 hours of September left....maybe there's still time..... This post was inspired by Tami's Amis & Other Creations .

As the end of the month is approaching it dawns on me that I am highliy unlikely to finish the crochet blanket as part of my September Challenge . Partly because I have changed my mind in how I want to finish it & how big I want it. I want it to be big enough for me and Evie to cwtch together underneath rather than it being a pram blanket and I have decided to crochet it all instead of adding a knitted border. I want to add a bit of colour & am in need of some instant gratification pieces - as I have decided that the Beekeeper's Quilt isn't really for me, not right now - so will be adding a granny square border. Small projects I can do in between feeds & while I am expressing. Crochet Blanket progress so far The colour scheme will be based on the Hodge Podge range by Mamas & Papas that adorns Evie's nursery. A lovely collection of colours including red, purple, orange & green - nice & bright & autumnal. Blanket from the Hodge Podge range - beaut...

As the title says - today I went shopping. And in town there is a rather fabulous shop called Knitters & Sewers world, that holds lots of yarn, buttons, thread, patterns, everything you could possibly need (or want) - a knitter's dream shop. I can quite happily spend hours in there deliberating over yarn colours and patterns. I even went in with a specific list of what I wanted in the hope I would be quick while hubby was shopping elsewhere - but no. I was completely distracted by knitting possibilities! I went in to get yarn for my first ever commission - a baby sleeping bag. I chose Sidar Supersoft Aran...but couldn't decide on a colour scheme. So planning a couple of swatches tonight to see what looks best. Colours look a bit odd in the photo below....but you get the gist. I also bought some sock yarn, to attempt my first pair of socks for Socktoberfest . And this fabulous Big Bamboo yarn from Sirdar, a little bit inspired yesterday's FO Friday post by AutumnGeisha ,...

Pattern : Greemy Baby Booties Yarn : 4 ply baby cotton. (From my stash - can't remember the brand.) Needle Size : 3mm straight & DPN Started : 20th August 2011   Finished : 23rd September 2011 Well, I just about made it to this weeks FO Friday!  Apart from not changing yarn colour and using different yarn to that specified, I followed the pattern exactly. This is a quick and straightforward pattern, and I could happily make a few pairs to match Evie's outfits. Best of all, they stay on her feet - unlike the socks that she managed to kick off before I've managed to get the second one on! This post was inspired by a linky set up by Tami's Amis & Other Creations .

I always wondered what happened to people when they had a baby (yes, I am referring to the Dads as well) as they would often discuss things I considered to be private matters. Poo being a fairly popular topic. However, since having a baby I have noticed I am doing the same thing. I have no problems at all now discussing the state of my nipples, for example. So, if you don't want to know me in THAT much detail I suggest you stop reading now. For those of you that have had a baby you know what it's like. You have people pearing in to check your most intimate areas, people manhandling you (by the way, by 'people' I do mean qualified doctors and nurses, not just any old random....), asking you questions - and they don't really care who else is with you. So you get a bit de-sensitised to it all. When Evie was born, she was given to me straight away for our skin-on-skin contact, and we tried breastfeeding where she did have a bit of a go. However that was all we man...

It's time to get back on track with my list of 101 things - starting with trying 1 new meal a week. This could be from a book or magazine or an invention of my own. I confess, part of this is to prove myself to be a wonderful housewife so that hubby will want me to stay home & look after Evie instead of going back to work. ;) Part of it is because I have watched so many cooking programs in my 3 weeks of maternity leave I've been inspired to get back in the kitchen.....which is actually where I am blogging from right now. I will warn you, I am not very good with quantities and tend to be a bit slap-dash (unless I'm baking) so any recipes I post are probably going to need some interpretation of your own. Having said that, if you do try them, I'd love to know what you think. My first recipe is sea bass fillets roasted with sweet potato and tomato, served with creamy spinach . Serves 2  Ingredients -- for the sea bass -- 2 sweet potaoes, peeled & chop...

Following my discovery of Crafts from the Cwtch I have found a load of new blogs to read and things to try. One of them being Elsie Marley's Kids Clothes Week Challenge . This challenge takes place during the second week of October, the premise being that for one week you spend 1 hour a day making clothes for kids. I would love to be able to make clothes for Evie (& myself). I have great memories of my mum's friend making clothes for me and sister and we'd have great fun picking the fabric. I've tried making clothes before, but not really with any degree of success and I have have no idea how (or if) I'll be able to work it around baby duties, but I want to give it a try. So, this is me signing up. Wish me luck! (And if you can recommend any basic/getting started patterns - that would be great.)

Pattern : Baby Cocoon Sack by Bernat Yarn : Lamb's Pride Worsted (Pistachio) & Cascade 220 (Cream), approx 1 skein of each for sack, plus oddments for flowers Needle Size : 4.5mm, circular, 3.75mm crochet hook for flowers Started : 20th July 2011 Finished : 16th September 2011 I didn't follow the pattern exactly as I just wanted the stripes rather than texture. I added the little crochet flowers & a button to make it a bit more girlie, and lined it with a light fleece blanket to make it super soft & cwtchy. Crochet flower embellishment Super soft & cwtchy fleece lining It was a pretty easy project as it was knit in the round and, apart from the lining & flowers, there was no making up to do. I am not entirely happy with the flowers, they look a bit thrown on at the moment, but I'm not sure how to improve this. Maybe by adding some leaves? (Any suggestions appreciated.) I will definitely experiment with the general shape of this bag and plan to make anot...

It's been a strange, wonderful, busy, emotional, amazing few weeks since my last post. All thanks to the early arrival of our little Fidget. :) Our beautful daughter, Evie Grace, arrived on Sunday, 28th August 2011 at 12:28pm weighing 6lb 7oz. She was 3 weeks early and apparently in quite a hurry. I won't give you all the gory details, but it all happened quite quickly. Hubby & I were due to be hosting a cheese & wine event at the rugby club on Sunday. My waters broke at 7:30am, but following all the advice we had been given about not rushing in, and because I wasn't in any pain and expected to be hours, if not days before we had any sign of baby, we decided to carry on. I phoned the midwife who said she'd call in later on in the morning, and hubby popped out to pick up some last minute supplies for the event. I started having pains at around 10am, and by 10:30 they were lasting 45 seconds and were about 5 minutes apart! When hubby returned we call...

One thing I have been looking forward to since I found out I was pregnant is creating memories and family traditions. I love looking at the albums I have from when I was younger and the little traditions we had at Christmas time and birthdays, and I can't wait til Evie is old enough for us to start making our own. I also remember the granny square crochet blanket, made by my Mum, that we used to cwtch up underneath when we were ill, or to watch TV together. So, when I saw the gorgeous Beekeepers Quilt by Tiny Owl Knits , it was love at first sight and I definitely have to make one for our own cwtchy nights in.  This blanket has been designed to look like a quilt with little knitted hexagons that are stuffed and sewn together. Each little hexipuff (as they have been named) is a tiny little project in itself, and will hopefully appeal to the crafty side of me that needs instant gratification. As they only need a few grams of yarn each, this is also an ideal stash busting project - f...

Every month I plan to set myself a challenge, so that I have something to aim for. The first challenge is to complete some of the UFOs (Un-Finished Objects) I have started. I am great at starting projects, not so good at finishig them off, which is probably why I get so disillusioned and tend to have a bit of an on/off relationship with the crafting world. My finishing techniques also really need some practice. I have a few projects I started while pregnant that I am determined to finish before Fidget gets too big for them. Sleeping Bag This is a little sleeping bag for Fidget, knit in the round then lined with fleece. I've cut out a lining from a very soft, dimpled fleece blanket and need to sew this in to finish it.   Cardigan I have done all the knitting for this cardigan, again I just need to join the seams to finish it. I've been putting it off because my finishing technique isn't great and I'm afraid of spoiling it.  Booties This cute little bootie needs it's ...

Hello. Welcome to my new blog, a new online home for all my craftiness. I have always been a bit crafty, but the recent onslaught of the handmade revolution has brought it out in force, reminding me how much I like making things, and how much I have yet to learn. There are so many things I want to try and skills I want to improve.... and I'll be documenting it all here. Just under two weeks ago I gave birth to my first child - a beautiful baby girl we've named Evie Grace. (Though from here on in we'll call her Fidget, which was her nickname while I was pregnant.) I'm hoping that maternity leave, and such a gorgeous model, will give me some time and encouragement to spend more time making and doing. I've been knitting since I was about 16, have more recently started to crochet and have dabbled in felting. I have done a bit of cross stitch and patchwork too, and have attempted making clothes. I have a background in graphic design, and love to bake. I'll be combi...