Pendlestitches, Author at Purl and Seam

Back to school

September 27, 2011

The Chaos Monsters have been back a nursery (which they call school) for a couple of weeks now.You have no idea the esteem in which I hold their teachers!

Now it’s my turn to hit the books.Obviously the very best place to study is your local coffee shop.

Especially when it’s analysis of the English language that you’re stuck with.

It’s a dry topic.

It needs lubrication.

And even I can’t justify wine at 9.30am.

The only problem occurs when you pass the newsagents on the way to said ~~study hall~~ coffee shop

Oh temptation!

With the kids back at nursery every morning you’d think that I’d be getting lots of creative things done here, but it feels quite the opposite. I do have a couple of things to show but simple haven’t had the time to photograph them…I’m hoping to rectify that this week so I can share them, but am less than optimistic!

It’s all good stuff, just a bit bonkers.

That said, I did get to spend some time on Sunday afternoon revisiting these trousers:Well…that’s a couple of hours of my life I won’t get back!

Honestly, they just went from bad to worse to “crapsticks, these are beyond salvaging”.

So they went in the bin.

And I’m back to the drawing board. And strangely sanguine about the whole experience.

Once upon a time, and not so very long ago (with apologies to The Carpenters) I would have been angry or miffed or just generally bemoaning my lack of skills. With these trousers I could see what the problems were and feel energised to try again.

The biggest problem was poor fabric choice. It was so promising as a piece of fabric, and so disappointing as trousers. Too little recovery, not enough structure, very snaggy. Just generally unpleasant.

We live and learn.

However the biggest learning point from all of this is that I now have a very clear idea of what I want these trousers to look like.

First up they need to be slim, but maybe not quite as slim as Clover:

: image courtesy of http://www.colettepatterns.com

They need to be versatile so I can wear them either 7/8ths length or full length:

: Image courtesy of www.anthropologie.eu

They need to work in multiple fabrics and with style features like different pockets or an added cuff.

: image courtesy of www.anthropologie.eu

Yep…it’s a trouser block I need. And it’s a pretty tall order, I think, but one I’m definitely looking forward to working on.

It’s on the back burner for a while as apparently there is a significant date in December* for which I have a pile of unsewn gifts and towards which time is swiftly marching. So October is my major festival* gift sewing month and the trousers can wait.

Although they’re a good incentive to crack on so I can get back to them as soon as possible.

*I’m loathe to mention the C word…it seems so early!

Ludlow

September 21, 2011

This time last week we were on our mini break in Ludlow.

How Bridget Jones is that? Mini Break!

Anyway…LudlowFabulous architecture.Fabulous food shops.A 40 minute drive from beautiful Hereford with it’s spectacular cathedral.

And the opportunity to buy the. most. adorable vintage style pyjamas for 2 small people! I couldn’t tell you the name of the shop but I can tell you it’s in Valentine’s Walk in Ludlow and owned by the most adorable lady. If you can, go visit. The children’s clothes are to die for.

We stayed with Elaine and Sandy at 35 Lower Broad Street and cannot recommend them highly enough.

The welcome was warm but not remotely intrusive.

The accomodation spotless and comfortable. Fluffy towels. Comfy bed. Luxury toiletries. Tea, coffee, biscuits and bottled water. Magazines. Wi-fi. Books.

We were a 5 minute walk from the town centre so for once we could share a bottle of wine without having to worry about taxis.

And the breakfast!

Oh My!

I died. and. went. to. heaven.

I think we may go back again.

It was perfect.

Café crème Sorbetto – FO 23/2011

September 16, 2011

I know that pretty much everyone else in Blogland has made one of the lovely Sorbetto tops from Colette, but in truth I wasn’t completely convinced it was a shape I could carry off. And everyone else’s was so amazing I didn’t want to let the side down.

However, I took the plunge and made this one from that lovely café crème fabric of unidentified fibre composition purchased from Abakan. I knew I had enough spare from the dress I’m planning to make and as the fabric was really quite inexpensive I could afford for this not to be a huge success.

I needn’t have worried – it seems it does work for me after all.

And I’m much happier with it than my face would suggest in that picture!

In my defence I was trying to squeeze a quick photo shoot in before breakfast, which I could smell cooking and was more than a little distracting.

“Cooked breakfast” I hear you ponder.

Why yes. The Husband and I have been away for a couple of days. More on that later.

But back to the Sorbetto. I like it so much I’ve got a second one on the table now. Hopefully it will be finished fairly soon.

So close….

September 4, 2011

and yet still so far! There are 3 main problems with these trousers.

1. The fabric, whilst lovely on the roll, is shocking in real life. It has no recovery and so as soon as you wear them the trousers lose their shape pretty quickly.

2. They are too long in the body.

3. They are still too wide in the leg.

As a result of this I’m still getting smile lines at the backSo I think I need to take the waistband off and take some length off the body. I also need to reduce the leg width at the thigh and see where that leaves me.

Whilst the fabric means these will never be perfect, with a little tweaking they will be perfectly acceptable for everyday wear, running errands and the school run. To be fair, even as they are they are a better fit than RTW, it’s just that I really need to work this pattern to make it even better as I live in trousers for everyday and need a perfect pattern.

So, not a finished object just yet, but hopefully not to far from it.

PS. The top shows the other problem I have with RTW…look how short that top is. My next post will showcase my solution to it.

More cosy – FO 21 & 22/2011

September 3, 2011

Obviously I couldn’t leave it alone with the woolly raspberries to Winter.

And I did have some of the green Artesano aran left.

So I made these:

: Woolly Wormhead Propello

: Sherwood Mitts by Ashley Knowlton

These are gifts…sharing the woolly love…and you can find the patterns on Ravelry. Of course.

Oh! And that’s the last of the green. Thankfully!

PS. I’ve now made more things this year than I did last year.

And the year ain’t over yet.

And I’ve got two more things to share.

Sweet!

Lancashire Skies – FO 19 & 20/2011

September 2, 2011

Hey, Winter, you can’t fool me.

I’ve lived in Lancashire most of my life.

I know these balmy days heralding the onset of Autumn won’t last. That unceasing rain and high winds will follow and that will just be the start of it.

I know that come January then you’ll jump out from behind a tree with a resounding “Boo” of snow and negative temperatures.

Well, I’ve got to tell you, Winter, this year I’m ready for you!

You may scoff at me wearing the biggest woolly hat in the world in September. Or at me wilting slightly under the all encompassing warmth of that scarf.

But I tell you now, Winter; I’ll have the last laugh. My ears shall not freeze this winter. Oh no!

And I’m going to tell anyone who’ll listen that they too can keep cosy warm. They just need to knit Urchin by Ysolda and Breathless by Linda Lunn from Knit and Wrap.

I’ll also tell them that they can get both of these out of 2 balls of Rowan Big Wool Fusion in colourway 06 Soot. And they can easily knit the two of them in a day. Or a couple of evenings. Even if they are painfully slow knitters like me.

So, Winter, we’ve got you licked this year.

PS. I call this set Lancashire Skies because more often than not that’s the colour of them.

Although today they are clear blue.

Just to prove me wrong.

Whitfield – FO 17/2011

August 29, 2011

Finally! Pictures of the elusive Whitfield jacket.

The Husband absolutely loves this jacket. And it’s been worn quite a bit since I finished it. Just never when I’ve had a minute to take a half decent photo.

To recap, the pattern is Whitfield Jacket by Knitspot.

The yarn is Freedom Spirit Chunky by Twilleys of Stamford. The colour is 808 Dignity.

And whilst I made a mini-me version using a different pattern:

you can now get a junior version of the Whitfield from Knitspot!

image courtesy of www.knitspot.com

Just. Too. Cute!

Gruffalo hunting

August 29, 2011

Our part of the world is not the epicentre of the social whirl, but we do have a great public park that we use several times a week.

The kids love it.

It’s a great space.

And it has a Deep Dark Wood.

So obviously there must be a Gruffalo, no?

Button runs faster....she's already through the gate and heading for the Deep Dark Wood

Button and Daddy bravely lead the way. Archie works hard sniffing out those pesky Gruffalos.

Where can he be hiding?

I'm not afraid of a Gruffalo!

Come on Daddy....keep up! He's got to be here somewhere!

Do Gruffalos live under bridges...or is that Trolls?

Gruffalo hunting is awful tiring!

Gratuitous shot of my handsome boys.

The G Team! I LOVE these guys!

Brambles

August 24, 2011

I love autumn.

It’s hands down, no quibbling, absolutely definitely my favourite season of them all.

What’s not to love about crisp, misty mornings, starry evenings, sweaters and boots?

And blackberries.

Today we visited Black Purl to drink coffee, eat croissants, discuss aprons and measure up for wardrobes. There was also some discussion about Farrow and Ball paint colours.

Kids and dogs ran amok. Archie made friends with Nino and Roxy (after some initial barky nonsense).

It was a pretty perfect morning.

Especially as BP’s lovely neighbour, who’s garden is a little on the wild side, had invited us to come in and pick the blackberries.

So we did.We had a ridiculous amount of fun. And ended up with two large trays of blackberries, 8 stained hands and two very proud small people.

Who the hell needs a PlayStation?

Not us.

The blackberries are currently freezing and next week some of them will find their home in an apple and blackberry crumble cake, which will form the centre of a morning of knitting with friends.

We shall, of course, send a piece to the generous neighbour who shared his bounty with us.