Bootie Mayhem

It seems like a long time ago I did anything other than crochet booties, I am really not the most organised person but at least try to fake it! My sister is having a baby in a couple of weeks  and I really want to make something for them, my niece is 6 next week and still I want to make something for her - maybe a silversage to go with a little peasant dress??

In the meantime, bootie orders keep coming in - I've managed to pay for our ferry in the summer from my business account, so I know that all this crochet actually has a tangible outcome! I'm really grateful for all the people that have ordered and while it can be a bit repetitive I have no inclination to stop making them any time soon!

In amongst the booties has been a couple of sewing projects. Sewing is so gratifying, it happens quickly (in comparison to yarn crafts!) and the results are great. One of my regular customers needed a crayon roll and a girl from Alice's birth board wanted a cross back dress in the Magical Garden Flower Fairy fabric by Michael Miller - it's such beautiful fabric I could fill my house with it. Not that the husband would approve however - he says it's a bit 'Mildred'

Busy Busy Busy

Feel like I've had my head stuck in the craft sand recently, busy busy busy -which, I'm sure you can imagine is a GOOD thing for a WAHM to be. 

Booties have been flying out the door faster than hot cakes. I think I've done 10 -15 pairs this month and more being ordered near enough every day. Some of the yarns I've used have really looked gawjus made in to booties and I'm glad that people seem to like the yarns I already have in stock.

There's been the odd hat too!

I'm expanding my skill set to include yarn dyeing at the moment, which to date has meant dyeing my own yarn to use for Dino Sling Rider booties. I'm hoping that now the holidays are over there'll be sufficient nap time (someone needs to tell my daughter about naps) to do more and more yarn dyeing, it's fun, and you mess with chemicals and stuff - crafty geekery at it's best!  

More Sling Riders

The orders for sling rider bootees are still coming thick and fast which is great. Here's the latest batch which are awaiting buttons and sending off to their new feet!

I had a slight problem last week as we were away visiting family and Miss Alice came down with yet another ear infection and then got a sickness bug :( poor baby girl. I spent most of 3 days holding her while she tried to sleep it off so things went a lot slower than I'd hoped, but I'm back up to speed again now (as us Alice thankfully!)

Sling Riders

So, what was a quick request to make some booties suitable for use in a sling has turned into a craze! Yay for crocheted booties!!

See, loads of booties!

Here we go again

I was thinking about the blog the other day and realised that it had been an absolute AGE since I'd updated it. I could make all sorts of excuses but I won't. I'm pretty shoddy at keeping up and an ad hoc posting schedule (see, even the word schedule sends shivers down my spine!) is evidently what works bets for me!

It seems like an age since I was doing the embroidery I posted about last, I found it really therapeutic and since then have got a few more hoops for more embroidery for Miss Alice's bedroom. Her owl applique is still ongoing, just need to do the eyes but have been procrastinating too much.

I have had a peek through my photo's since the beginning of December and there's lots I have completed. Christmas has been and gone, we went on lots of woodland walks, and I've even finished (and submitted...scary) my first ever tax return!

I finished the tea cosy I'd been working on for ages. It was my first stranded knitting project and was defnitely worth the hassle of those tangled wool moments, I also managed to FINALLY knit up some sock yarn I had from the lovely Jill at Knittybots. It was a custom dyed gradient yarn that I asked for and I have knit a lovely Kuura shawl from it. I haven't blocked it yet however - must find time for that! My sister was the recipient of the purple Route Call Cowlette (pattern and yarn from Michelle at Woolly Wumpkins) and the apron and squirrel embroidery went to my lovely friend Jo as a secret squirrel Christmas Gift. I got some lovely stitch markers and a sewing book from my secret squirrel. I love the whole secret gifting thing. Such fun!

Until next time, get your craft on!

xx

I might be a little bit in love

with hand embroidery....

Seriously! It's awesome, get yourself a hoop, some thread and go go go. I'm in a little gift exchange with some pretty lovely friends of mine, we have a very close affinity with squirrels and I found this fabric which I am in the middle of embellishing with hand embroidery.

 I love it, like totally love it. I can envisage myself doing this for years, until my eyesight fails and my hands are too arthritic to use a needle. Of course I will be curled up under some crocheted blankets by a real log fire.

Christmas is here pretty much, I need to dig out the mini stocking advent calender I made a couple of years age and find some gold coins to go in it. I love it when the house starts to get all decorated and festive. I haven't been able to find an advent candle this years so far, I'll have to look this weekend and hope that there's one out there. I love advent and everything that goes along with it, we thought about going to the Advent service at our nearest cathedral, but I think the children are just a little bit too young. Maybe in a couple of years. 

I was checking the fabric stash in the week and found a fat quarter bundle I'd bought last January, I have always wanted some Christmas bunting in the conservatory and this time I think I've finally got the size of flags right, (nb. LOVE my rotary cutter and mat!). I think I'll make some more soon, it's so satisfying.

We have a rope  light all round the conservatory in a little groove thing. I think it looks lovely reflecting off the roof :o)

What to do when your yarn takes over the lounge

Well, that's the question I pondered last week as I looked down the side of my chair and saw LOTS of woolly goodness. My husband was getting slightly alarmed at the mess (and probably the amount of yarn I seem to have acquired) so I thought I ought to do something about storage. Most of it is yarn in use, or yarn have just finished with so it's kind of separate from the main yarn box (I'm not painting my yarn stash hoarding habits in a good light here am I?). A quick browse on Pinterest and  found it, the perfect yarn box. I delved in my fabric stash (fairly large, but not in a room take over kind of way)  and whizzed up this little beauty. It matches my project bag too - Hurrah for IKEA Rosali fabric and it's yummy floral cheapness!

The tutorial I used to make it can be found here. My box is 10 inches square, it's so easy and obviously I need to make another one judging by the picture!

In hooky news I have been making a couple of Owl hats for customers, this is one of my favourites. I love the sleepy eyed look and loooong beak!

And I finally finished Alice's hummingbird longies, they look lovely knitted up and she wore them to a party last week (pre-lanolising) so they've already been out in public.

I'm also part way through a Mystery knit-a-long on Ravelry. It's being done through this group and s by designer Elena Nodel. She has designed some beautiful things, I particularly love Wild Vanilla. I think one of those will be perfect for Miss Alice in the spring! Here's a picture of the MKAL so far after clue 3!