Christmas is coming.....

I've realised how difficult it's going to be to blog as we enter the run up to Christmas, all my crafts are related to Christmas presents. Mmm, there is very little I can show everyone. I can admit to you all how addicted I have become to Pinterest, go have a look. I have seen so many great ideas on there for presents but then again I can't tell you about them either! I go straight to the DIY and Crafts Categories and spent ages just clicking away. Now I see how people become addicted to the internet, never understood before.

One thing I can show you all is this idea I had for a Christmas banner, I found some Christmas fabric with gorgeous stocking, cut out the stockings, sewed a backing on, embroidered names on with my sewing machine, sewed them all on a ribbon and Ta Da we have a family banner.

Found a great place for the Christmas banner.

One thing I can update you on is the knitting group, we have met a few times and thoroughly enjoyed it. The three beginners are doing very well, we have discovered there are many ways to accidentally add and take away stitches. One of the biggest issues has been splitting the stitch as you put the needle in and therefore making one stitch into two. One of our knitters has come back to knitting after 30+ years and she has discovered that its just like riding a bike, you never forget. I have nearly finished the brown sweater and I am very happy with the feel of it, fantastically soft wool.

I have every confidence that the person this is a gift for will never find the time to read this blog....so we are safe!

Lastly, the sewing room has had a Christmas update. I really am getting into these banners.

lets hope I have more to show you all soon.......

Knitting

Maybe it's the change of weather that has brought on all this knitting. I am happy to announce that we have started a knitting group here in Frankfurt through ToyTown and we had our first meeting last night. The turnout was good, we had 4 accomplished knitters knitting a variety of things including a very complex Fair Isle pattern dress, a pair of socks and a dishcloth, then we had 3 brand new knitters who went away with homework after a very successful start. They all managed to get the hang of Garter stitch and next week we will learn how to Pearl. It has to be mentioned that a couple of them accidentally learned how to Pearl last night, although they don't know how they did it!

Look at that concentration!

All smiles!

               

                

Last weeks mission was playing with all the ties that Richard kindly donated, what a great way to learn how to sew with silk without the expense. I recommend changing your sewing machine needle after every project because the sharper the needle the less likely to snag. I had an arty farty moment and made a picture for a frame, not my usual thing but it was worth a try. I have hung it upstairs so no one will see it anyway!

Arty Farty!

This will be a silk pillow when finished

Sent this off to Richard to remind him of the times he had to wear them.

.........and now the time has come to put away our Halloween things and get serious about the next big thing, CHRISTMAS is coming everyone. Start the panic now! I made a Japanese gift bag in Christmas fabric to replace my Halloween one in the Sewing/Guest room, these can be used as ice bags, pop a rice bag in and warm in the microwave and use as a heat pad, Potpourri holders....all manners of things. I think I will make more as the big day approaches

So, off you go and start a project, get creative, go visit a wool shop anything that gets your creative juices flowing! I am signing up for another swop, my Halloween one was so much fun. I received my package with lots of goodies in, that we ate on the way home from the `Post Office, and a gorgeous handmade bag that was perfect for my gym things.

Enjoy your week everyone and thanks for your opinions on the fabrics, all will be revealed at a later date.

Still knitting.....

Well, Andrew is back to college after a wonderfully busy week at home. it was super to have him home but I must confess to being so happy to be back in my sewing room. I am still frantically knitting away and now I have found a baby girl to knit for. It's so nice when people have babies on command for me! I am using the softest wool on the planet, it knits up so soft and snuggly that I think babies sleep better when snuggled in a blanket made from it. I have knit this same wool for over 20 years now, I was once asked to knit a mini version that a baby could carry around because they had grown so attached to their big one that it had to travel everywhere with them and that was often uncomfortable in the Florida heat. This pink blanket is for a baby girl, Tess, here in Germany so the heat will not be a problem. 

My easiest task this week was to make some doily jar lid covers for my brother's jam and chutney making day on his blog. All that's needed for these is a circle and a pair of pinking shears. I sent him some ribbon to wrap around and then as a treat I used my machine embroidery to embroider ...chutney... on a couple. 

Easy but stunning.

Next week's task is a different one! I am trying to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as I can, remember the quilt made from old shirts, so I was thrilled when a friend dropped an unusual gift in my lap! All he wants back is something to remind himself that he actually had to wear ties in the bad old days. If any of you wives, girlfriends, daughter or moms would like to get rid of some awful ties this would be a great opportunity, just say that Amanda needed it! So a big THANK YOU to Richard and watch this space!

Now, last but not least, I need opinions. Look at all the fabrics below and pick your favourite, just one quick look, one quick decision.....go with first choice. There are 10 swatches there, the bottom green one is number 1 and the top spotty one is number 10. Let me know your favourite by comment on the blog, email or Facebook.

till next time.........

Halloween

Halloween has come early to the sewing room, I love the bright colours and couldn't resist making these up. The banner was so easy to make, I cut out 2 triangles, sewed the two long sides together, turned them in the right way and sewed them all onto a ribbon. They really brighten any room up.

Halloween Swop

I have been so excited about the Halloween swop through pink stitches, it's the first blog swop I have participated in, although I have been tempted many times. There are many versions of swops but in this one I have to make my pieces for a blogger and then a different blogger was picked to make items for me. I have sent mine off already because my swop partner is in USA and I would prefer it to be early rather than late. I made a couple of coin purses and a potpourri holder then threw in a bag. I designed the bag to hold knitting needles and smaller knitted items, I have been knitting the Debbie Abrahams Mystery Blanket this year and that is just a series of patches all to be sewn together at the end of the year. I found the normal knitting bags too cumbersome so I designed this one and found it really useful to carry around and it fits in my handbag too.

The potpourri holder was more tricky, it's a patchwork bag with a lining and drawstring. Let's hope my swop partner enjoys receiving the package and finds some use for the items. I will keep you all informed.

Last week I shared my knotty knitting dilemma with you all, I was having a problem with a cable knit sweater, the good news is that I see the pattern developing but it will be a long process. I'm glad the cold nights are starting to draw in so that I can sit with knitting on my lap and enjoy the benefit of the warm wool. 

Finally; a note of caution! Blogging is infectious!

My little brother, not so little anymore, has started his own blog Cooking with John. His first mission was to pickle everything in his fridge, dad's garden and wife's cupboard. 

Another note of caution: one of my followers has decided to cover her sofa, no previous experience but she has found a great fabric. Good Luck Penny!

.....and last but not least; here is a gorgeous baby enjoying his snuggly blanky!

So...you think you can knit!

Have you missed me? I have been away on a shopping trip in an attempt to fill up my UFO box, I found some great stuff and found some wonderful shops. My favourite shop was Ready Steady Knit, a wool shop in Northumberland. I had every intention of taking photos in there and posting some up here but I forgot my camera. They had polka dots all around the walls and triangle banners, I am going to steal the polka dot idea for my sewing room. I got some Snowflake chunky wool by Sirdar, the softest wool on the planet, I planned to knit up a girly blanky in case Coach David had a girl instead of a boy, but ....drum roll....he is now a proud Daddy to a baby boy. The blanky is all ready to mail, wish we had touch and smell vision on here, I sprayed with lavender sleepy stuff and its so soft and snuggly, lets hope it helps Davone Tom Ronald sleep well. Anyone we know having a girl?

Now for confession, it's meant to be good for the soul, I am having the hardest time with the knitting part of my Gap Year and I thought I was good at it. I am making two sweaters, one is a nice easy one and one is definitely testing my patience, I have knitted a few inches and taken it out 4 times. The wool is a Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran and so I really don't want to give up on it because it will be so comfortable.

Wish me luck!

Here is the easy one, it's a Rowan all season cotton mix. I think everyone should take themselves into a wool shop and see the different wools that are available now, this is NOT your grandmothers hobby. I love feeling them all and trying to think of ideas for them all.

Easy as it looks

Look how soft the pink one looks

My next mission was to find some Quilting/Fabric stores and that was a great success too, hard to pick a favourite but if I had to it would be Village Fabrics, in a little village called Wallingford in Oxford. Do you all remember that I have signed up for that handmade gift exchange with Pink Stitches, well I found a pattern for a Japanese gift bag that will look great in Halloween fabric. I am feeling a bit more comfortable about participating now.  Here is a small selection of the fabrics I picked to fill my UFO box:

On another subject: something I found in the VERY bottom of my box was a ribbon embroidery kit. I have started it but am so unfamiliar with this kind of embroidery that I don't know if I am a raring success or a dismal failure.....any ideas and opinions welcomed!

So next week lets hope I have some knitting to show you all.

Oh la la!

Unfinished Objects 

I am surprised to blog this but 4 - 6 weeks into my Gap Year I have emptied my UFO cupboard. the few things I have left in there are long term projects, such as my Debbie Abrahams Mystery blanket and a few embroidery samplers. Sooo.....I am off to London and Newcastle to do some shopping, there is a knitting shop in Prudhoe, Newcastle called ReadySteady Knit  www.readysteadyknit.com  that will be my first port of call, then I need to find a great fabric shop. Wish me luck, the great thing is; I can speak the language!

Last week I left you thinking about what we could make with an old pair of jeans. Chelsea flew home to model this apron for me and we love it. I made it for a certain friend who had a birthday last week and she is really tough to make things for but I am committed to making all my presents this year so she cannot be an exception. 

Is this the cutest thing?

Wonder if it will ever see the inside of a kitchen?

The most exciting news is that one of Inverness Blitz American Football www.invernessblitz.co.uk  coaches is going to be a daddy soon. That gave me a wonderful excuse to make a Shannon design blanket that I have been holding on to for a while. Lets hope he has a boy! Although, if it's a girl I will have to go shopping again soon! 

love these colours

finished blanky

In celebration of Halloween I decided to do something scary, I have signed up to do a handmade gift exchange with a blog I follow, www.pinkxstitches.blogspot.com

I need to come up with an original idea and make something handmade to send out to a randomly selected fellow blogger. 

On another note I'm sure you will have all noticed that I have figured out how to add a link to my blog, I may have gone a bit overboard but it's all good practise. Blogging is getting easier every time, I think a lot of you could do this with a subject more interesting than this. What about all you wonderful photographers and travellers and sports persons.....if I can do this then you should too.

Byee thanks to my 3 followers.

Friends

Doing this blog has been the hardest part of my Gap Year but I have had some help from techno friends and to them I say an enormous 'Thank You, Danke." The first week I dealt with all my blog instructions in German, that had some hilarious moments, but now it seems easy because its all so clear in a language I claim to understand. I have therefore decided that I will try and make something for everyone that has contributed, signed up or commented on my blog. I have found it difficult to leave the sewing room because I have so many ideas that I want to try out, so I can make all the things I want to and then I can sent the finished product off to a friend. Great plan, I get to play all day and then mail the finished article out of the house so I have room to make more. lets hope my friends look on this as a good idea! The photo at the top contains two items that have been mailed out this week. I made a memory game for all my favourite people at Work & Life, Zug, my favourite people are usually 5 year olds, and then if she looks carefully my friend of 20+ years will see I have made her a pencil case. I hope they all get some use out of their gifts but the important thing is that I have room to make more, more more.

This week I found some wonderful fabric that was calling out to be made into a memory game, I especially love the cow. For the back of the squares I picked an Autumn fabric to go with the season.

Look at the cow, he looks so curious.

I also made a container from the cream farmyard fabric to store the game in. I had to make 2 games because it's a bilingual kindergarten so one for the German class, one for the English class.

Cutting out was so much easier because I bought some more new toys; a rotary cutter and a protective board for my table, it works just like a pizza cutter and I have a lot of experience with one of them.

All ready to play.

The most difficult part of my week was putting the zipper in the pencil case, but it went pretty well considering I have only tried it a couple of times. Once again I used my favourite fabric.

Now then......next weeks mission: what to do with an old pair of jeans. Stay tuned and watch this space.

Bags, bags and more bags.

I have been so busy trying to learn all my new skills that I nearly forgot to keep up with my old ones so this week I gave myself a break and made my favourite things: bags!

First bag I ever made.

This bag scared me because it has 2 zippers, the instructor in my class was amazingly helpful and I conquered it with ease. I am attending a sewing class here in Frankfurt taught in German, the plan being that I improve my German along with my sewing.  www.stoffwerktaunus.de

The ladies are all so friendly that language hasn't really been an issue yet although some words are very tricky; a zip is Reissverschluss! 

This was the second bag and my favourite pattern, I love the way the straps work out. so simple to do but so effective.

First cut out two straps in length desired, one 3.5 cm wide and the other 5.5 cm wide. Sew down both edges with co ordinating thread.

Take the safety pin through the middle to turn the strip in the right way.

Press the strip with a hot iron and then sew seams down both sides.

Finished product.This bag is going out as a Christmas gift, lets hope she doesn't see it! I have started early on my Christmas presents because I want to make homemade ones. If anyone has any ideas for Teenagers ....let me know!

Here is my favourite fabric made up into a cute little bag that is useful for hair brushes, spray etc. I have sent it off to a very sweet lady who will be very surprised to receive a birthday present from me but she deserves so much more. I liked the way the straps buttoned onto the bag. I am working on something else with the same fabric and have decided just to buy a boatload more. It really is a cheerful print.

So......the dog is still waiting for her quilt but she will be happy to know that my sewing class is covering quilting on 11th and 30th September so her quilt will not join my basket of U F O s. 

sewing, sewing, sewing

Loving this gap year.

The shirt quilt is coming along nicely and I have learned so much from it, very glad that I used scrap material instead of buying fabrics. the star performer of the week has been my number 1 toy:

it does all sorts of wonderful things but I am taking things slow, why rush in when I have a whole gap year to get to know it. 

First I picked the pattern and then assembled the strips of fabric, I have to get better at cutting out the shapes, I will have to look for a new toy to help with that, some of my squares are a tiny bit bigger or smaller than they should be.

I think its coming along quite quickly, sadly, it has been so hot here in Frankfurt that its not so much fun having a lot of fabric draped on my knees but its addictive so I haven't noticed so much.

All finished!

The next task will be layering the three layers: patchwork, lining and backing and then the exciting task of quilting! That really will be a new one on me. I know you can quilt by hand or with a machine, you can follow a pattern or do freehand and if you have a very special quilt you can send it away to a shop with a long arm machine. This quilt is not getting sent away anywhere! I have deliberately left some special details on such as cuffs, buttonholes and buttons, then I realised that the dog may not thank me for buttons in her blanky so I am cutting them off as I see them.

Details

Another task on my Gap Year was to complete my Debbie Abrahams Mystery Blanket. I am thoroughly enjoying it! Once a month I receive my package of wool and patterns to knit up my monthly  selection of patches and now we know the Mystery subject: A Celebration of Sport. Debbie obviously chose this to go with the Olympic Fever that swept us all up recently.

Loving all the colours. This is especially fun for me because I love flags so much, just ask anyone who plays Draw Something with me.

Hope you are all managing to stay cool in this heatwave. Till next week......

My first post!

My reward for getting to the grand old age of 50 is a Gap Year!
This is a different kind of Gap Year; I am going to stay home. I have bought some new toys: a Bernina artista 630, an iPad and I have subscribed to Debbie Abrahams Mystery Blanket Club. my plan over this year is to finish the Mystery Blanket and make a patchwork quilt. This blog was another idea to tie in with my iPad, lets see how it goes! All helpful comments, especially regarding technology will be gratefully received.

First thing was to raid closets and find some fabric to attempt the first quilt, I want to use Free Fabric until I am sure my skills are good enough to warrant spending money on beautiful fabric, and the lucky recipient will be the dog, she is not fussy.  I found 6 dress shirts that need a new life, the colours may not all go so well together but this is a practise and the dog is colour blind anyway so she won't know.

Here are the squares all ready for their appearance in my first ever quilt, I have tried making one many years ago with some gorgeous Laura Ashley fabric, it sat in my UFO box for years until my Mom took it out and finished it for me. Thanks Mom! I only used 5 of the shirts after all, the missing one really was too ugly! 

Here she is, waiting for her Blanky!