Oops! Another month bites the dust!

I am finding this year has just flown by. Now that my second-born has started school, I am really struggling to spend enough time with them (for me....they are perfectly happy, I just miss them!). It is a day of just the youngest and me, then at 3pm all hell breaks loose and I try to fit in phonics and handwriting practice for DS2, reading with DS1, generally entertaining DS3, plus dinner, and then bedtime! It is manic!

We are now on the last day of half term, and I have loved it. I have loved just sitting for an extra hour in the morning snuggling my babies, and not having to be ANYWHERE! Ok, so my sister was visiting and staying at my mum's, so we spent a fair amount of time there, and it was Halloween so we have had pumpkins and parties and sugar overloads! Then fireworks for bonfire night, and two friends' birthday parties this weekend.......OK.....so not exactly relaxing!!!! Gosh!

What have I worked on since I last posted pictures?

I joined a KAL on the Mamapacks forum, to make a cowlette. This will be a gift for a family member for Christmas!

Then it started to feel a bit chilly, so I made some hats!

I made myself a Faberge Cowl (pattern on Ravelry) 

Then my DS1 won some yarn in a poetry competition on Ravelry, and requested some 'fingerless gloves with a flappy top on', so I made him some flip-top mittens!

I made MYSELF a hat!! The pattern is Torsion, on Ravelry, and is double sided. I added beads as well. Then I made some gloves to match!

So.... there's a mammoth catch up!

I am now getting seriously into the Christmas spirit, it is really pathetic! I am bouncing off the walls with excitement!

Until next time....

Stash rules!

I have noticed recently how my stash of yarn has exploded.  I have put myself on a 'yarn diet' in a bid to stop the madness, but as is the way of diets, there seem to be a growing number of 'rules'.

Rule 1. 
If it's going to be made into a gift, it doesn't count.

This is very important in the run up to christmas. It means that I can buy erm..... lots.

Rule 2. 
If it is for the CHILDREN, it doesn't count.

I may have snuck in a few skeins for winter hats/mittens/scarfs for 3 small boys. I'm not really sure why I think they need another 4 sets each, seeing as how all their stuff from last year still fits, but heyho.

Rule 3.
If it is cheap acrylic, it doesn't count.

I am a yarn snob. What can I say?

Rule 4. 
If I have a specific project in mind, it doesn't count.

Well I do! I needed the yarn for a knitted dress I wanted to do. And the next reason leads us to Rule 5.

Rule 5.
If it bumps me up to free postage, it doesn't count.

Because of course it's saving money if I spend an extra £10 to save on £3 postage *rolls eyes*

Rule 6.
If I pay for it by paypal, when I have paypal balance so it doesn't come out of my bank account, it doesn't count.

Speaks for itself!

Rule 7.
If it is Limited Edition, it doesn't count. 

Rule 8.
If some of the money goes to charity, it doesn't count.

Rule 9.
If it is on sale, it doesn't count.

Rule 10.
If I sell a skein of yarn from my stash, I can immediately replace it to keep stash equilibrium. 

Bonus Rule.
If I spin it myself, it doesn't count



So you see what I mean? With all these rules, my stash isn't really getting any smaller!!

Ah well, I live in a cold, draughty 18th century house and I need the insulation!

Gosh, two months have gone by!

Since my last post! I got distracted by the summer holidays! So anyway, I destroyed a jumper made from a handspun wensleydale yarn and turned it into this:-

Which will become a jumper for my dad for Christmas!


I made some shawls:-

Did some spinning on my wheel!

and made a hat from the handspun (plus two of the shawls above!)

So all in all a pretty productive two months!

Now if only I could post more blog posts..... 

It's the summer holidays!!

I LOVE the summer holidays! Ok, so outside it is actually cold and wet, and it's almost as if OCTOBER has made an early appearance, but heyho!

I love spending time with all my boys together. It takes a few days (a week....maybe 10 days!) for them to settle down, but it's so great. I miss the eldest when he is at school, it seems like the weeks pass in a whirlwind and I barely see him!

My bathroom is still not finished, but we do have a working (and more importantly....not leaking) shower. The floor is being fitted on friday afternoon, so need to get cracking with the painting.


I am now going to use a swear word. Christmas. Yep. I went there. I am making Christmas gift preparations already. I am going to get my little darlings to make some gorgeous tealight holders for everyone (great-grannies, grandpa's girlfriend, grandma (mooms) and auntie) as they went down really well when they made them for teachers. 

I can't remember where I saw them, whether it was somewhere on t'internet, or on a tv programme or something, but anyway, it involves glass jars (I always save mine when they are finished!), pva glue, and tissue paper.


I have already finished the first gift, for one of the great grannies. A Magrathea shawlette (on Ravelry) in some beautiful yarn from The Knitting Goddess.

Now on with the rest of the Christmas list! It will take me a while.....

Is there an end in sight??

To my bathrooms being finished?? I don't want to get TOO excited, but I think so!! Plumber started the shower yesterday (which ended up needing some floor replacing first....) then it's just a little bit more woodwork. Then painting. Then floor can go down!! I am so fed up of it all, it has been 3 months now. My entire upstairs is just full of stuff. stuff out of the bathroom, stuff from the airing cupboard, paint, tiles, wood! It's chaos, and I wanted it all finished so I could sort the mess before the boys are off school for the summer, but that is NOT going to happen as it would seem to be the last day of term on FRIDAY! EEEK!!!


My latest finish:- Sweet Dreams by BooKnits on Ravelry . Made using a beautiful handspun yarn by a friend of mine (SpinSpunSpins shop on Etsy), and using a lot of beads!

Must remember to do this more often....

...as in once a week or fortnight maybe, not once a month!

The last month has seen me getting increasingly frustrated at the lack of work being done in my bathrooms. I found out that my house is watertight again thanks to a new roof and some serious gutter clearing. Which is good as we have witnessed some serious downpours in the last week or two!

On a lighter note, here are some of my projects from the last month:-

Ribbed Sweater

Fleurette Cardigan

Strawbs Socks

All patterns can be found on Ravelry

It's the weekend

And a long weekend at that!

I am planning on winding some yarn for a KAL with Sarah @ craftsfromthecwtch . I finally finished April's KAL shawl and blocked it this week

I am really pleased with how this one came out, it's HUGE!

The home improvements are ongoing, as per, but hopefully some progress will be made this weekend.

I am hoping to get out and have some fun with the kids and the dogs, and maybe even the husband as he is off work, but we shall see what the weather does!