Giveaway time!

I'm a little bit excited - today is blog post 100!  Seriously!  100 pages of my rambling on here in cyber space - thank you if you've stayed with me from the off!

In celebration, or should that be commiseration, of this momentous occasion, I'm doing my first ever giveaway!!!!!

Squeal!

The lovely folk at Search Press have kindly said that I can offer a copy of Jelly Roll Scraps by Carolyn Forster which I blogged about a few days ago.

All you have to do is to leave me a comment, between now and Friday 7th March 2014 and then I will enter your names into the draw and pick a winner!  I think that sounds right?!


Good luck, and thank you for entering!

G x

The making of a cushion cover

Morning all!  It's dry and there's a bit of sun in the sky - am wondering how long it will last though! 

I finally finished my first cushion for Enid van this week, though it didn't pan out exactly how it was meant to!

The design is called (I think) a Circle Motif Granny Square from the Granny Squares book by Susan Pinner.

This is the design

Hubby decided to point out that he believed it needed a cream lining between the crochet and the cushion pad, so I envisaged sewing, by hand no less, the crochet piece, onto the cream piece, onto the backing and then finishing it all off with a row of buttons to fasten.

First square completed

It went well until the very end when I realised that I needed to fasten the cream lining onto the crochet piece and then sew it all together else the lining would move and spoil the cushion.

I didnt' do that! I sewed the whole bloomin' thing together and then added the buttons for show.  If it needs washing I'll just have to unpick the last row!

For my first crochet cushion though I think it looks okay - bright and cheery; definitely what's needed in the caravan!

I'm almost finished with the second one only I've run out of the wool that I was finishing off with!  Typical.  I'm hoping that my mum has a spare ball of it as that's where I got it from - fingers crossed!

Ta-Dah!

I don't know if you have noticed but this is my 99th blog post!  Where has the year gone?  As promised, there's a giveaway for the 100th one!  Exciting!


G x

Jelly Roll Scraps

Jelly Roll Scraps by Carolyn Forster

Published by Search Press

27th November 2013

Paperback Edition

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was very lucky to be asked to review this book from Search Press.  They are the leading art and craft publisher in the UK and have some amazing books in their catalogue.  This book is from their series of  '20 to make' and is very well priced at £4.99 - that's pretty much the same price as buying a magazine at the moment. 

 

 

A 'jelly roll'  is the name given to a roll of pre-cut strips of fabric designed by Moda, an American fabric manufacturer which I hadn't heard before, but any strips of fabric remnants will do perfectly well for any of these tasks.  It's an excellent idea for using up those scraps of fabric we all hold on to - just in case!

 

 

 



I love these Russian dolls

 

 

 



Inside there are tons of ideas, here are just a few of them:

 

Patchwork dog

Tissue Pouch

Mini Bunting

Tabby Cat Cushion

Thread Pot

Needle Book

 

 

The instructions are clear and concise and the photographs are set out so you can see both the finished project, and a close-up of some of the detail.  I think this book would make a great gift, or project book as I think most people would want to make most, if not all, of the things in here, which unfortunately is not always the case with some craft books.

 

 

There will be more from Search Press shortly - and hopefully, if I ask nicely, a giveaway!!!!!

 

 

G x



 

 

 



It's finished (almost)!

Slightly excited - my shawl is almost done!  Yes, less than a month after starting it, I finished the last row this afternoon.  Now there is just the boring task of sewing the ends in.  However, I did get the 7 year old to take a sneaky peak of me holding it against me this afternoon for your viewing!


So... from this

To this

To this!

And I finished it with some shell edging, which I've never tried before.  I used my Mollie Makes Crochet book and it was the easiest thing ever - just took hours to go round the whole thing!  It's almost big enough to be a blanket!

Thanks to the wonderful Pixie for her inspiration and help with getting me started.

Stay safe, and warm, in this awful weather


G x

Happy things

Things that have made me happy this week

A pot of happy daffodils

I love gerbras, especially pink ones!

Look what I found in the charity shop!

Now I just need to find some time to be able to read it!

And also, something that made me very happy was a blog post mention from my pal Daisy Jones about my book blog Miss Chapter's Reviews which had over 100 views yesterday - yay!


What made you happy this week?


G x

This Week

This week I've been working every day again, so not much time for anything else - unfortunately!

The shawl is still growing, I think I'm going for 50 rows in total, and at the moment I'm on about row 36 so the end is in sight!  I also finally wore my handmade frock for the first time this week to school.  I made it from a curtain gifted by a friend - Liberty of London no less!  The pattern is a Simplicity one recommended by Rachelle over at Ted & Agnes.

I'm also trying to finish my blankets for the caravan as we've already booked to go away in it over half-term and they aren't finished! Mind you, they aren't going to be finished by the end of next week so I guess we'll have to go away without them!  I've managed 40 out of 80 squares of my variegated blanket, but then I've got to do the edging and sewing together!

I started some wristwarmers today too.  I found the image on pinterest and found the free pattern here.  I managed the first one during an episode of Father Brown this afternoon!

I've also managed to get a guest blog spot on another crafty blog which I'm really excited about - more when that occurs!

I'll also have lots more craft books to review on here too as Search Press have signed me up as a member of their review team which I'm really pleased about.  Lots of crafty treats coming this way soon I hope, and maybe a giveaway or two?!

My bag from Society 6 arrived this week too.  It's a Dottie Angel design, though I really couldn't decide which one to choose.  In the end, I went for the house design.  Can't wait to use it!

Black Sheep Wool are having a sale at the moment, so I sort-of bought 10 balls of wool and a pattern book for some Connemara wool by Sirdar.  Just got to choose what to make with it now, but it was less than half price per ball so a bargain really!

 

 

Hope you're all okay and not to wet or windswept.  We have had one dry day in the past few weeks - it is truly dismal at the moment.

However, on a positive note, apparently knitting is good for you so pick up those needles!

G x

Knit Your Own Zoo

Knit Your Own Zoo by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne

Published by Black Dog & Leventhal

February 11th 2014

Hardback Edition

 

 

 

 

The Best in Show series is an outstanding global success. Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne are back - this time with designs for 25 wild animals. There is something here for everyone, with instructions for knitting spots, stripes, fur, scales, trunks, wings and beaks! The animals are surprisingly easy to make. It will only take a few evenings to create yourself an exotic pet or reproduce your favourite species. These knitted animals in miniature are much easier to look after than the real things - they don't need feeding, they won't make a mess and they take up hardly any room. This book is a real zoological tour of the globe with animals from all over the world. Patterns include tiger, crocodile, penguin, cheetah, anteater, ring-tailed lemur, camel, giraffe, panda and kangaroo. Idiosyncratic descriptions of the various species accompany beautiful photography, making this book irresistible for both keen knitters and wildlife enthusiasts.

 

 

 

Who isn't a zoo animal fan?  In this new book by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne, there is definitely something for everyone, from cheeky monkeys to scary (or not so scary) crocodiles.  What better way to be able to own your own zoo animal than by knitting it?

 

 

 

 

 

The layout is clear and concise, as are the pictures.  The only problem for me is that most of the patterns call for the use of double-pins (or dpns) and despite having been knitting for decades (!) I still haven't found the courage to attempt this.  However, if this sounds like you too, then fear not, for there are still patterns within the book that call for the normal two-needle method.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also liked the way that the book goes into detail about the actual animals themselves, making it more than just another knitting book.  This is the extract from the pattern on Orangutans:

 

Orangutan means 'person of the forest'; along with chimpanzees and gorillas, orangutans are apes.  You can tell an ape from a monkey as apes have no tails.  There is a legend that orangutans can speak, but they choose not to for fear of being made to work.  King Louie, one of the stars of The Jungle Book cartoon, wasn't in the original book, but popped up in the film to sing 'I Wan'na Be Like You' to Mowgli.  Bornean orangutans are endangered, and Sumatran critically endangered, largely due to deforestation.

 

 

 

My husband is a huge giraffe fan but I think I'm going to have to call on all my skills to be able to knit this beauty!

 

 

 

 

This review is for the Canadian publication of the book, but it is also out in hardbook in the UK.

 

 

Visit your wild side!

 

 

G x



 



Reading Matter

It's going to be a busy old week this week as I'm working every day!  Unheard of, as I normally only work two afternoons a week, this week, it's my normal afternoon sessions, added to three mornings!!!! 

I'm still progressing with the shawl, thankfully, and I've bought some new needles after the disaster with my mint green ones (though that turned out to be a complete farce - took the 7 year old there last Tuesday, got there with 5 minutes to closing time, they had already locked up but opened up again for me, grabbed needles, got home to continue cardigan, only to realise I'd got 7.5mm ones not the 6.5mm ones I needed!  Had to go back the next day to swop them over)!

On a brighter note, there seems to be lots of nice reading matter here at the moment - I think I've crossed the line of the 'subscribing to too many magazines' again, but I try to justify it by reminding myself that it's by far cheaper that way than buying them every month!

And I found this in the supermarket today for a bargain £3!

I've also got so many books to review for my other blog - over 50 and it's only January!  I guess I must be doing something right if the publishers keep sending me them which considering it's a new blog is something to be proud of.  In fact, after my last review of the Honeybun's cookery book, they contacted me to say thank you and that they were sending me a little present in the post!  How lovely, it made my day!

Current reading!

What's made your day?


G x

Honeybuns Gluten-Free Baking

Honeybuns Gluten-Free Baking by Emma Goss-Custard
Published by Anova Books

5th December 2013

Hardback Edition

 

 

 

Gluten-free bakes can be every bit as delicious as traditional treats. With a little know-how from Honeybuns, you can enjoy gorgeous cakes, muffins, brownies, flapjacks, biscuits and puddings that contain no wheat or gluten. You'll find all your favourite teatime bakes, from Lemon drizzle cake and A very chocolatey cake to Baked apple muffins and Heathcliff brownies. There are lots of puddings too, including Baked lemon cheesecake, Chocolate and raspberry tartlets, Peach and raspberry roulade and Chocolate lime pie. Packed with practical tips and with a with a guide to ingredients, this book gives you all the inspiration and advice you need to make your baking gluten-free and gorgeous!

 

 

 

This has the most gorgeous looking treats to make, and all gluten-free by the founder of Honeybuns, Emma Goss-Custard (what an apt name she has)!  It's beautifully laid out, with the most tantalising photography that makes you just want to grab the food right off of the page and eat it there and then!

The book is divided into the following chapters:

·        Cakes

·        Muffins

·        Traybakes

·        Brownies

·        Flapjacks

·        Cookies & Biscuits

·        Puddings

There is also a great chapter on what ingredients you will need, as well as ways to adapt the recipes.  If you can't source the ingredients, you can also visit their website here and order online!  Hubby was very impressed as there are lots of recipes involving his favourite ingredient, almonds, and mine, chocolate.  But if you are after something healthier, well there's lots more to choose from!

 

Custard Creams

 

Chocolate, hazelnut and cranberry cake

 

 

My biggest dilemma is which recipe to try first?

 

G x

Blogiversary

Oh me, oh my!  It's my blogiversary!  I can't believe that exactly one year ago today, I was typing up my very first blog post and all because a fellow blogger decided that I needed my own blog!  The lovely Lazy Daisy Jones got a bit fed up of my commenting on her blog of all the things I had been doing, and so said, 'You need a blog'.  'Oh yes,' relied I, 'but I have no idea, nor time to do one just now.'  'Fear not,' said she, 'for I will do one for you' - and she bloomin well did!

So thank you so much to her for that, and to all those of you who stop by.  I've gone through three blog image changes in the year, learnt to crochet, made a dress, or two, and set up another blog and there's probably more to come!  I don't know who the majority of you are, as you don't follow me, or leave comments, but I hope you are real people and not some stupid spam-bot thingy.  Knowing that people look here, and even more so through leaving a comment, really does make my day, so thanks.

Yesterday was another sewing day with Lottie.  She helped me to finish the dress that I started an age ago, from the Simplicity pattern that Rachelle over at Ted & Agnes recommended.  I only had the sleeves, neckline and hem to do but I'd got all in a muddle over it.  Turns out I was trying to sew the sleeves on upside down - I can be so blonde sometimes!

Not quite finished here but almost!

Anyway, tis complete.  It's a little thick but that's because I made it from a gifted curtain and not dressmaking fabric, but it'll be ace for when it gets colder.  Turns out it's actually Liberty of London too - what's not to love?!


The shawl is coming along too - not looking forward to sewing in those ends though!

I need to catch-up on the new Interior Designer programme too - did anyone see it?  My bloggy pal Emma from Oooh Betty is on, on Thursday's show.


I hope you are keeping warm and dry.  Thanks again.


G x

Crochet and Pixie Love

Well my plan to not start any new projects was foiled this week by this incident!


Yes, my trusty, and only, pair of 7.5mm needles have reached the bitter end of their life and are no more!  This means, as of the current time, I am no longer able to continue with my blue cardigan - and I'm on the sleeves already!

Of course, I could easily have moved to one of my other WIPs in order to find something to keep my fingers amused, but that wasn't going to happen - was it?!


Oh no siree bob (whoever he is), I used this opportunity to start on the crochet shawl inspired by the delightful Pixie over at The Crafte Nook  I found it on pin interest and immediately wanted to make my own.  She wonderfully sent me a sample and a diagram to help me on my way.

The picture that started it all!

I'm not the best at decoding patterns though, so pondered a while about how to make said triangle.  Then I remembered, for my birthday I had this wonderful book bought for me - and inside were triangles!!!!

Last night I made this beauty

I was very proud and went to sleep dreaming of crochet shawls.


Then at 3am the 5 year old woke me up and I couldn't go back to sleep, there was something wrong with my triangle! I spent 30 minutes looking at it, and studying pin interest and then realised, I needed to make a two-sided triangle instead!

Pixie's shawl

This would have to wait until the morning but I went back to sleep happier knowing that I could find a way to solve my problem!


This morning I used the fabulous You Tube to find a how-to for a half granny square (for this is what it's called) and began.  This is where I got to before having to go to work today.  I think it's looking mighty fine!

I also got some fantastic post today, I ordered this beautiful broach from Pixie and it arrived this morning.  Gorgeous isn't it?!

As modelled by Pixie herself

As modelled by me on my furry gillet

Did you get any nice post today?


G x

A dressmaking we'll go...

So...one of my New Year's Resolutions (from last year and this) is to try to make a dress.  I've already made one, which I wore on my Granny Chic sewing day with Rachelle from Ted & Agnes and Tif from Dottie Angel, but I've hampered over doing more - but properly, from a pattern, not just winging it as this one was.

Oh yes, we chortled, that is definitely a hand-made frock!

Therefore, using my birthday pennies wisely, I ordered two Japanese dressmaking books in the hope that this would occur.  A trip to the fabulous Abakhan for fabric and I was ready for the off.

I've been sensible, doing the pattern drawing and cutting one day, and the sewing another so as not to rush and mess it up.

The chosen dress

 Today was the sewing day, and it's been eventful.  I was doing okay until facing got involved - I always sew it wrong, but this time, did it correctly and then realised I'd not attached the straps!  I unpicked and re-did it!  Then, and only then, did I try said garment on!  Oh dear!  Whilst the dress is fine, the straps are probably only half the length I'm going to need them to be.  This means unpicking all of the facing again, re-cutting and interfacing two new straps and sewing them back on.  My dress will not be finished today because soon I will have to go on the school run, walk my dogs, cook a Shepherd's Pie, eat it, take the 7 year old to Brownies and then put two girly girls into bed.  I think by then I will have lost the will to re-make my dress.  I think this is a project that will have to be finished next week.

Am thinking one side of dress looks more A-line than the other here?!

Whilst I am a little downhearted about this, at least I am over half-way to finishing it and hopefully it will be wearable once I do.  It's not perfect, but it's mine and I did it all by myself!

I think that deserves a 'Yay'!


G x