Evie, Author at Purl and Seam

The terrible, thrown together, third toile!

August 13, 2009

Try saying that after a couple of glasses of vino!

However, today, whilst Little Stitch held a very in-depth conversation with Benjy the Bear, non of which I understood, I finally quickly stitched up the third toile:

: Crikey! Shoot the photographer!

The sewing is shocking (for which I take full “credit”) and the pictures are pretty grim, but Mr S was working at the time, so very kindly quickly snapped me before going back to some hideously dull, but hugely important document.

Now, I know the gathers need some work, and this toile doesn’t have the back darts in that will give it more shape, but overall, I think it’s good to go. I know I need to add a little length because if I turn up a hem it will be too short. And don’t forget there’s a tiny stand collar to add as well. But I think any remaining faults are with my figure rather than the blouse.

I have to admit to being more than a little relieved. I’m beyond bored of fitting this blouse, and had this toile not been as near as this one is to being usable, the pattern would have been shredded and the fabric turned into picnic napkins!

Merry Christmas, Ma Stitches

August 10, 2009

I suspect anyone who has read recent posts is now thinking “Wow…she’s really lost the plot this time”.

But no. You may recall me posting about this skirt I made for Ma Stitches-in-Law for her Christmas gift. Well, I’d also promised Ma a skirt for her Christmas gift, but with everything that’s been going on, we’d not had the opportunity to choose her fabric.

This was rectified during her recent visit and I’ve been slowly pootling through it a few stitches at a time. It really shouldn’t have taken as long to do as it has, but, voila: 008

its finally done.

This is just a simple self drafted A line skirt. The fabric is a cotton batik print from John Lewis, lined with cotton lawn. It’s been a nice change from fiddling with the now dreaded wrap blouse and I’m pleased with the finished result.

So, Ma, Merry Christmas!

(Mr Stitches will deliver the skirt and the pattern for you with the other bag of goodies on his next trip to London.)

This is why you always do a swatch!

August 10, 2009

I swear that sometimes I could kick myself for being such a dummy.

I was so excited to get going with the little multicoloured cardigan for Little Stitch that I chose the size, cast on, and knit, knit, knit.

Fool.

I cast off, and tried the resulting garment on her, only to find that, surprise, surprise, it didn’t fit!

I frogged the yarn back onto the ball and today sat down to cast on again. This time I did the swatch:

: That’ll explain it!

As it’s half an inch out on the swatch it’s no wonder the finished result was way too small.

So the moral of this story is always do the swatch. I know they get in the way of starting your new project but they’re worth it in the long run. I’m off to work out exactly what size needles I need to use to get the right size this time.

What a difference a (few) day(s) makes.

August 9, 2009

Well, I feel like a different woman….but where would you find one on a Sunday evening? I know, terrible joke.

Seriously though, Alice arrived late on Thursday morning, just in time for us to bundle Little Stitch into the car and go out for lunch. We had a great time, Little Stitch mostly enjoyed flirting with the waiter. In the afternoon I was pummelled by Ryan the magic osteopath and came home feeling (and, I’m told, looking) about 3 inches taller. The evening was spent knitting and chatting with Black Purl, Himmelbjerget and Tallie the Polar Dog. In fairness Tallie and Charlie didn’t do much in the way of knitting.

Friday was a quiet day with Mr and Little Stitch as Alice had to work, but in the evening I found my cooking mojo enough to make us all a pea and asparagus risotto.

Saturday we were joined by Kelly and decided to head off to Lytham for a stroll by the sea. It was only when we got back to the car that I realised that I’d managed to walk for several hours without any difficulty. It seems the osteo is working.

Picture courtesy of www.visitlythamstannes.co.uk

Another relaxing evening, lots more sleep and lunch out with the Stitches-in-Law and, though I’ve still quite some way to go to being back to my normal tiggerish self, I’m feeling better than I’ve done for quite some time. I’m blessed with the best friends and family a girl could wish for.

Crazy

August 5, 2009

Image courtesy of http://www.patsycline.com/

I’m having a Patsy Cline moment. And not in a glamorous way.

This exhaustion thingy is driving me crazy.

Obviously Little Stitch is numero uno priority Chez Stitches and then everything else gets a cursory glance.

So the house is clean enough that you’re probably not going to get MRSA if you pop by for a cuppa, but for goodness sake don’t look under furniture or at the skirting boards. And step back if you open a cupboard. Concussion can be a nasty thing.

The ironing is done fairly regularly but only when prompted by Mr S who’s down to his last white shirt for the office. I know this makes him sound like some South American Dictator, but the prompt is usually him sneaking off to iron a shirt himself, which sets my guilt gene in motion.

A 15 minute walk to the post office takes me about 45 minutes. Thankfully Charlie likes the slow pace.

I’m getting good with leftovers. And am blessed with a fiance who is just happy to have homecooked food in whatever guise it comes in.

To add to the idiocy of it all, my back has reverted to type and I’m seized from calf to ear. I feel like my back is 3 inches shorter than my front. I haven’t sewn more than two stitches on the machine in the last week, and we won’t discuss the knitting, which has just been completely frogged back to the beginning. Or the incredible increasing waistline as my cortisol levels send my need for cake through the roof.

I have lists up the wazoo for things that I need to get done, stuff I want to get done, a really cool study plan for my French, and ideas for my Autumn wardrobe. If my Autumn sewing is as (non)productive as my Spring and Summer sewing, I’ll be hobbling round in my dressing gown for the whole season.

It would appear that something had to give and the something was me. Even typing feels like my fingers are running through treacle. And it’s nearly midnight and I can’t sleep so here I am!

Crazy!

I’m off to see Ryan the magic osteopath tomorrow, and have Alice-who-isn’t-a-cat and Kelly coming to visit for the weekend. Mr S is taking Friday off and we’re having a family day. Hopefully that will be enough to break the cycle and start me back on the road to some energy and enthusiasm to get done the things I want to get done, as well as the things I need to.

Waiting. Again.

July 27, 2009

Well, the adoption papers were submitted to the court today. In quadruplicate. Is that a real word?

Now we wait for a court date for them to be approved. For probably about 4 or 5 months.

Don’t worry, we’re used to it by now. And she’s worth it!

Next…

July 25, 2009

…from the ridiculous to the sublime. A total change of quality of yarn from the Sirdar Just Soya to this little beauty that was a very generous gift to Little Stitch from Black Purl: 016 009 The picture doesn’t do the jewel like quality of the colours justice, nor the wonderous softness of the yarn, but I’ve cast on and knit the first couple of rows of Chloe from Never Not Knitting and already its looking like this: 018 Glorious. Thank you, Black Purl!

Cabled raglan baby sweater

July 24, 2009

We had a little Swine Flu scare Chez Stitches this morning…fortunately it’s turned out to be just a case of Man Flu! So we’re all on the sofa watching Madagascar and I’ve taken the opportunity whilst Little Stitch (and Mr Stitch for that matter) is sat quietly to finish off the cabled baby sweater.

It’s knitted in Sirdar Just Soya, which is without doubt the splittiest yarn I’ve ever used. However it creates a soft, drapey fabric which is lovely for the shape of this cardigan.

: Hot off of the needles – not blocked or even washed!

I quickly snuck it onto Little Stitch for a try on. As planned it’s big on her. As it’s going to be a couple of months before she needs woolies on a regular basis, even though she’s growing at the moment there’s plenty of room to make sure this sees her through the winter. 003 Next!!!

10 weeks

July 23, 2009

What is it they say about the best laid plans?

Whilst I’d intended to get to work on the gingham wrap blouse this week, I’ve been absolutely floored by exhaustion. The doctor tells me I need to rest and I can just about summon up the energy to laugh at that notion in a world weary way.

He seems to think I’ve been completely overdoing it for the last year physically, which, coupled with the emotional roller-coaster of the last year or so, and particularly the past 11 weeks, has resulted in my body whimpering “enough”. I have no idea what he means. Said with wry smile

So Mr S has put his foot down and I’ve been banned from the workroom this week. And to be fair, I’m not really missing it. I’ve not even done that much knitting either, although I do only have about eight rows of cuff to do to finish Little Stitch’s cable cardigan. I’m determined to finish that this week.

The good news is that we now have in our happy hands the paperwork we need to complete to finalise Little Stitches adoption. As we’ve completed the obligatory 10 week period, we just need to fill in the form in triplicate, hand over a cheque, and wait for the court to squeeze us into the schedule. Then she’ll be our little girl in law as well as our hearts.

Ooooooooh weeeeeee!!!!!

July 17, 2009

The plan for today was a visit en famille to the zoo as Mr Stitches has a rare day off from work.

Unfortunately we had forgotten to take into consideration that we’re in the middle of British Summertime. Which means that today we have torrential rain and weather warnings for flooding and high winds. Of course!

So in a last minute change of plans we went to the aquarium instead. I can’t say that I was particularly enamoured with the idea. I didn’t really think that oversized fish tanks was my idea of a particularly good day out.

How wrong can you be?

089 We had such a good time. All three of us. 043 Little Stitch was mesmerised. All we could hear was ooooooooooooohhhhh weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

All in all a good alternative to the zoo, I think.

AND we’ve got an appointment next week to draw up the application for the final adoption order.

Ooooooooooh weeeeee indeed.

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