Purl and Seam

Mummy squared

April 17, 2010

3 days in to The Boy being home, we are slowly establishing a new routine.

Despite having to take a reciprocal saw to our old sofa to enable us to get it out of the sitting room. Then having to remove the sitting room window to enable us to get the new sofa in!

And despite Button developing chickenpox yesterday.

As I type they are both having a nap, having played happily together all morning. They are as thick as thieves already and totally inseparable. We couldn’t have asked for more.

So, my mind is turning to sewing. Maybe, just maybe, I could squeeze a summer skirt or two into the mix over the next few weeks (especially as Mr S is on leave for another week). Hmmmmmmmmmm, where are my patterns????

The Reunion

April 13, 2010

Button and The Boy were together in foster care for a couple of months before she came home to us.

That was 11 months ago.

Yesterday they were reunited:Today they have been getting used to being at home together:When we dropped The Boy at his foster carer’s tonight, Button’s parting shot was “come back”. We only have two more sleeps until he is home. It looks like we’ll all be glad when he is.

Let’s hear it for The Boy

April 11, 2010

Finally, we have met our little boy. He is wonderful…and worth every second of the wait for him.

We are overjoyed.Tomorrow he and Button are reunited after 11 months. As she says… “how exciting”!

I promise better pictures (not iPhone pics).

Blindz for boyz – FO 7/2010

March 28, 2010

The boy’s room has been looking more than a little Spartan of late.

This week Mr S put the cot bed and chest of drawers into the room. We won’t mention the Mystery of the Missing Cot Bolts.

Today I’ve ordered the mattress and bed linen. And hung a blind:

There is a toning pair of curtains to be made (the last pair for the house…huzzah!), but until I find a pole that matches the furniture, they are on hold. I can’t say I’m sorry not to be sewing them at the moment. I’m beyond bored of making window treatments.

The fabric is from John Lewis (of course) and I love its cheerfulness. However I never cease to be amazed at the difference 1.5 m of fabric and a little stitching can make to a room.

Lucy in the Sky – FO 6/2010

March 28, 2010

Lucy had her first outing today, so we grabbed a quick snap before dashing off to the garden centre.

Sorry for the picture quality at the moment. My little camera has been in the wars and it shows. One of these days I’ll have a digital SLR, but the garden needs landscaping first!

Anyway, back to Lucy. As you know the pattern is by cosmicpluto knits and is knitting in Phildar Oxygene in Flanelle that was in my stash.

I really like this pattern. If I’d had a little more yarn I would have added a couple of inches to the length as I’m taller than the average bear at 5 ft 8, and I like to wear my knits a weeny bit longer. But as it was I only just managed to eke the cardigan as it is out of the yarn that I had.

And whilst there are a bajillion other patterns I’m itching to knit, this is one that I can see myself coming back to as it’s a great basic shape. It also lends itself to playing around with other stitch patterns…maybe a cable or two or a bit of a lacy panel. Who knows? I’ve got socks to finish first!

What’s wrong with this photo?

March 24, 2010

Are you scratching your head?

Do you think maybe it’s that the sun is shining in Lancashire?

Perhaps you’re wondering what happened to the new fringe? (This photo was taken pre do!)

Still not getting it?

Ok. I’ll help you out. If you look to the right of Button…just between her and her Daddy…do you see the gap?

No?

Really…that small gap the size of …ooooh, I don’t know….say…a 13 month old little boy.

Do you see it yet?

Ah…there it is….:-)

Well, that gap is soon to be filled. The social worker meeting we had today was Panel for Button’s brother and they said yes! We’re just waiting for the ratification (and you’ll remember how long that took last time), but if all goes to plan he’ll be home in about 3 or 4 weeks.

We’d hoped to bring him home last year but there were paperwork issues that meant that couldn’t happen. But he’ll be home soon and our family will be complete.

We are overjoyed.

Comfy Cables scarf – FO 5/2010

March 14, 2010

Pattern: Comfy Cables by Gina Bonomo on Ravelry

Yarn: Teeswater Yarn from Higher Gills Farm knit two strands together

This has just been a lovely simple knit. The yarn is soft and cosy. I’d definitely recommend both yarn and pattern.

Finished project – blinds

March 14, 2010

That squeaking noise you can hear is me.

The blinds for the hall and landing are finished.

The one in the picture is the hall…it’s twin is at the landing window.

The fabric is from John Lewis. The blinds are lined and interlined.

I only have one small blind for the small bedroom and a matching pair of curtains, then I’m done. Done, I tell you! All the windows in the house will have curtains and/or blinds. There’ll be tiny blind to do in the loft when we remodel up there, but that’s going to be later in the year so I don’t even have to think about that now.

Squeeeeeeeeak!!!!

What I’m working on now

February 28, 2010

With apologies for the fuzzy pictures…all were taken in artificial light and I don’t (yet) have an SLR camera.

First up is the blind for the hallway.

I really rather enjoy making Roman blinds. These are an easy size to manage and even with the interlining and the trim, this is coming together rather quickly. Hurrah. Especially as I have another one to make in the same fabric and trim for the window at the top of the stairs.

Next is the Lucy cardigan.Just a teeny bit more of the yoke and the band to do here. It’s flying off the needles now I’m on the yoke. And about time too as this has taken far to long. My fault, not the pattern. A bad attack of ennui that has now been shaken off.

And last but by no means least:The yarn is a lace-weight from Teeswater Wools in Clitheroe with two strands knit together. It’s spun from rare breed sheep and is absolutely glorious. Whilst the photo above shows the cable pattern, Comfy Cables, free on Ravelry, it doesn’t show the colour. This is more like it:Just lovely. And a super easy pattern.

New do

February 27, 2010

It’s been a while since I’ve had a hair cut, dear reader.

When I say “a while” I mean several months.

When I say “several” I’m probably talking more like six or seven.

I was convinced that Alice Who is a Cat had been nibbling whilst I slept, but maybe the lack of acquaintance with the hairdressers scissors may have something to do with the tatty lack of style that topped my head.

Button was in a similar predicament. We’ve been growing out her baby hair but it had reached the stage where we were holding her fringe out of her eyes for only an hour a day until she pulled the clip out.

It would seem to be an easily resolvable issue. Get. A. Haircut.

But, dear reader, we live in Backwater Central. And whilst there seems to be eleventy million hairdressers in our small town, there isn’t one of them I really trust with my hair. One of the local ones is renowned for taking the tips off your ears at no extra charge.

But our gym has a rather nice looking salon and I’ve never seen anyone leave there in tears. So we bit the bullet and made an appointment.

At this point I should let you know that Button has only had her hair cut with Mummy’s embroidery scissors to date. So as we arrived at the salon I was slightly nervous. She’s howled like a banshee at the dentist and I was hoping we wouldn’t have a repeat performance.

I needn’t have worried.She loved the hustle and bustle of the salon. And having her hair washed.She hardly wriggled at all and we love the end result:And I got a new do too:

COPYRIGHT NOTICE