British Thr-ewe and Thr-ewe

So many pretty shades…

This collection of yarn has been specifically commissioned and designed by Susan Crawford, the diligent genius behind A Stitch in Time and currently working on A Stitch in Time Vol 2… Excelana Yarns are fleeced and spun in the UK with the colours inpired by a 1930s shade card. You can read about its provenance and the process in more detail here…

At £4.99 for a 50g ball, it’s about right for a luxe yarn and, though only available in 50g balls at the moment, I’m sure, with the enough interest, the range will be expanded to DK and beyond…Buy it in great big bucketfulls here

And then get them worked together in the MOST AMAZING fair isle…

Images copyright Arbour House Publishing 2011 and taken from justcallmeruby

Pretty. Tasty.

They Draw and Cook

Don’t they just…

Just gorgeous… I’d love these as a set of Moo Cards to give out attached to jam jars of the ingredients…

Found via Etsy blog

Crafty Business

What I’ve been making…

Pretty things to sell in the local cafe…

 

More Peg Bags and a few little purses embroidered with old textiles…

 

A funky little tanktop for a friend’s new arrival to the world, little baby Sebastian. (This is it pre-blocking…)

The beginnings of a Summer Flower Granny Square for a old friend turning an old age…

I’m being cruel. She’s turning 30!

Only problem is, she’s the first of a ‘batch’ of friends starting a new decade, and I fear for the precedent… Delusions of King Size Bed throw have rapidly reduced to Lap Quilt.

And one migraine continues to grow…

This was typed and thankfully saved just before the laptop died. Turns out excessive chewing by little people does not equate to functioning charge-leads… Now fixed, and so apologies for little delay in transmission…

Online Inspiration: Knitwear

 

Anything in Ruth Cross. I’m not fussy…

Anything by English Weather…

See, really, I’m quite amenable to these things…

Cooking Apple, handknit childrens’ knits from the Cotswolds…

 

Pale Gray Retro Cardigan from Quinton & Chadwick

I came across an acronym the other day…

STABLE: the hoarding of fabric, yarn, or other craft materials in quantities more than are possible to use in your crafting life…

STAsh

Beyond

Life

Expectancy…

Unfortunately, as I’m so very penniless these days, the evils of Ravelry are causing me to QUEBLE instead – Queue beyond life expectancy… Less risky, I suppose… But still… sad times.

Online Inspiration: Childrenswear

Classic fabric, classic shapes, turned upside down, around and over by very talented and artistic designers… click on the pictures to go the links and sources of the designs… Most, but not all, sourced via Hannah, again.

Gotta love a bit of post-modernism in mademoiselle's wardrobe…

French & Floral pinafore dresses

Train cardigan

Cashmere Kitten Cardigan

Reversible Hand Crafted Prairie Dress

Peak Princess – handmade (by one lovely lady in her attic in the Peak District!) clothing in Liberty fabrics – everything from daywear to bridal wear – I feel a separate post coming on! Particularly loving this needlecord jacket with puffed cuffs and gorgeous red lining!

Folk Flower dress by Helen Gordon

All oh-so-pretty… and all just a little bit pricey. Looks like I’m getting out those knitting needles and sewing patterns again…

Online Inspiration: Crafty Goodies

I know I’m heinously out of season, what with there being no call for Christmas presents and the like any time soon, but wandering fingers have led me (via this fabulously tasteful inspirational blog) to find these little beauties…

 

Folkface Cushion £89

Capucine Lavender Scented Dollies £215

Monsieur Lapin £99

and thus this website, which I have linked to before, is a treasure trove of tutorials, ideas and instructions to have a go at some crafty goodness yourself!

Blinded by the blanket…

Thought I’d show you a bit of my current hook-in-progress…

Those of a nervous disposition may want to look away or dim their monitors…

It started with a few squares

And a few little granny borders around them…

Then a few corner squares and some more borders…

And still it will not calm down

 

And I’m sure (I hope) I’ll run out of yarn soon… At least in shades that come close to keeping up with what has gone before…

I’m left with lots of little yarn ends, so I think a slightly more eclectic round of granny squares may be in order shortly, albeit one calmed with ivory borders...

Fifteen Months

I like bathtimes and splashing and playing with my ducks and bath books…

I like sticking my tongue out and making funny faces

I like exploring in the garden

   

I like gardening and tending to the flowers…

I like running around and negotiating steps and slides

But most of all I love playing PEEPO with Mummy around chairs and tables…

It is a very serious business indeed.