Sweet Swingers

This is my latest finish, Sweet Swingers from a knitting pattern by Debi Birkin.  I fell in love with her patterns after seeing them on Ravelry. It only took a few nights and I changed the colours of the right hand budgie so it looks like Dudley.

I have just finished a course on Craftsy on joining and finishing crochet and learnt so much.  This is the class project below. Each segment in the throw was attached using a different stitch and then the whole lot joined together with one ball of yarn so there was only one end to sew in.  Brilliant.  When I think of all the hours I used to spend sewing projects together.  Never again 

When deciding how to join the segments I laid them out first so I achieved the right balance of colour.  Then as I laid it out to photograph, Higgins decided he wanted to Christen it.  I think he approves.

I finished putting my Christmas cuties ornaments together.  This is my least favourite part.  I really struggle to get them looking neat no matter how I try.  These are a bit better than some of my previous efforts but they could still be better.

 With the time for Christmas visitors coming up I will be definitely by making these cheese straws.  The recipe was in the Co-operative Supermarket magazine and they are delicious.

I don't really know why I put them in a tin as they never lasted very long.  We all love cheese in this house, including the boys so they were soon polished off!

 

 

Mr Fox Stole My Heart

That is the name of my latest knitty finish - an animal friendly fox stole.  The pattern is from Stephanie Dosen's book, Woodland Knits.  I used Aran weight yarn doubled so it was very quick and only took me a few days.  I love him and look forward to wearing him now the weather is turning colder.

I always have numerous bags throughout my house with either part-finished projects, ones that are finished and need putting together and sometimes just the materials for a new project.

The amount of bags has been getting out of control recently so I have been trying to finish some projects off.  This crochet wrap scarf jacket was started about 18 months ago but my tension was not even on the pieces I'd finished so I ripped it back and restarted.  It didn't take long to crochet and I even made the buttons to match.

One of my longest UFOs has to be this Rupert the Bear, it took me 12 years+ to sew the pieces together and finally finish him.

 The Airedale Terrier Amigurumi also took about 18 months, it is the sewing together that does my head in although I am pleased with him now he is finished.  The crochet pattern is available as a download from Planet June.

As if I don't have enough crafty projects already, I recently enrolled on a scrapbooking course.  Although I have been scrapbooking for years I thought it would give me the impetus to finish some more pages and maybe learn some new techniques at the same time.  The course included nine pages but I have only managed three so far.

 This one reminds me of when we had the four boys all together and the fun and happy times we shared and the other is my first page featuring Dudley.

 

Talking of pets, there was an article in the paper the other day that said one in four women love their pets more that their partners.  Now, I am not saying that is true in my case but the cartoon next to it made me chuckle:

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

As most crafters know, you can never start your Christmas projects too early.  In fact many, including me, make them all year round.

I have made a few new decorations this year including these three, I just have to decide how to finish them off .

 

 I like to try any new craft magazine that comes out and no. 1 of Love Patchwork and Quilting is a good one.  It came with a kit to make a patchwork Christmas bauble but with careful cutting and stitching I was able to make two from it.

I don't make so many cards these days but was determined to make a few for special people this year.

Of course, no Christmas is complete without some sweets and this recipe is one of my favourites.

 

 Unlike many recipes this one uses milk instead of cream or condensed milk so as long as you have a bag of dessicated coconut in the cupboard you can make it when the mood strikes.

I even spotted the ideal Christmas jumper in a magazine, no not one of the corny reindeers or robins type and when I went to Wallis to buy it there was 10 pound off  too.  I didn't go for the matching trousers though, head to toe leopardskin may be a bit too Bet Lynch from Coronation Steet or Kat from Eastenders! I will wear it with my skinny jeans instead.

 

The boys love all their presents at Christmas although it is pretty much Christmas every day in our house with all the treats they get.  John got them a bag of giant sausages (about 18" long) although by the time I went upstairs to get my camera this was all that Higgins had left.