Handmade 365 + 9

OMG. I forgot to blog yesterday. 'Twas a bit of a strange one though. It was seven years ago yesterday that my lovely dad was taken from me. Cancer is a nasty bastard and can even take the fittest, healthiest ones no matter how hard they fight. 

Anyhoo...on a more cheery note I did wear a little broochette made by the loveliest of friends Maria. 

She is a truly creative soul who bakes amazing cakes, makes scrummy jams and a mean sloe gin, crafts like a demon and teaches belly dancing making mini-goddesses of all of us.  <3 

So that was day 9.  I will post day 10 a bit later on. I know what I'll be wearing/sharing but, coincidentally, it will be for my belly dance class rather than day wear.  Need to go and chose some cosy layers now. Today has really heralded the arrival of autumn. There's a definite nip in the air and boots were actually brought out of hibernation last night. 

Have a fabby day. 

ttfn

x

Handmade 365 + 8

A real cop-out today. We've been very busy at the shop today. A big delivery to unpack and put away, a workshop this afternoon and another this evening.  So I'm posting my promised picture of my pinny from yesterday plus the 'ethel and edna' badge that now lives on it. 

As you can see it's a tad roomy. I've now pinned the side seams to take it in a bit and I think it may need a couple of darts as well. 

This is the little L badge on the pocket. L is for lovely and lime as well as Lindsey.  Love a bit of green. 

Right. It has been a mad day. I'm now waiting for iPlayer to finish cooking Bake Off so I can catch up on tonight's episode, with a bit of hooking on the side.  I've sustained more hooking injuries - frozen shoulder and sore elbow - but I so desperately want to finish my Granny cardi.  Yay!!  It's ready. Aaaannnddd baake!  

ttfn xx

Handmade 365 + 7

Oops. Forgot/ran out of time to take a photo today. And it was an actual item of clothing.  I will be able to show it you tomorrow though. It's a fab new apron/pinny to wear in the shop, made by the lovely Kim. We have some gorgeous shot cotton chambray in our shop and she has made mine out of the turquoise one and Sandra's from the ruby red. They are great. 

I am taking it easy tonight with a smallish glass of loveliness also handmade by another lovely friend. 

Maria's sloe gin from last Christmas. Yummy. Cheers!

It is well deserved after the stress of the last couple of days. A member of our family has been missing since Saturday afternoon and we've been distraught. Finger tip searches have been carried out. Sleepless nights all round. However, we're ecstatic tonight as he's back. 

Welcome home Pebble. 

Bless him. He got wedged behind some paving slabs...somehow. We'd looked there several times but managed to miss him. All's well that ends well. 

I'm also cracking on with my Granny squares. 

I'm loving these vintage shades. Not me at all but it's great for a change and will fit in with so much of my wardrobe. 

So tomorrow I will post and tag two pictures. 

ttfn

Handmade 365 + 6

Just a quickie today as I've been teaching all day but not feeling my best. 

On my new cardi...a cute little felt brooch made by Sandi of Honeypips. Sandi uses felt and free machine appliqué plus great findings and brads to create jewellery and giftware. 

We're going to be seeing a lot of her in the next three months I think. She has her work included in a fab pop-up shop a few doors away from ours. So of course we have to pop in and say hello...

I know I've posted a lot of jewellery and accessories but I'm working on garments. Honest. 

Back to crocheting my Granny 'gansey'. The sooner I can get that baby finished the better. Can't wait. 

ttfn

Xx

Handmade 365 + 5

Meh. Feeling grotty and sorry for myself. I have a sore throat and am germ-ridden courtesy of my kiddie. 

While she is at scuba training with her dad I'm snuggled up on the sofa with trashy Saturday night TV and some crochet. Just have to write up some notes for my P&Q Class tomorrow then I can wilt. 

And my handmade garment of choice for your desecration today...?

Socks!  Of course. I spotted this pattern on Pinterest some time ago and wanted to give them a bash. The actual pattern us a freebie via Ravelry but only for ankle length socks. I kind if fudged the longer bit by copying from the Pinterest plumbers photos. Joining the sole in was also a bit of trial and error. The result is a smidge too big but they're fine for slobbing in or wearing inside boots when it's really chilly. 

Right. Back to my Wonky Star instructions then more work on my Granny square waistcoat. This is my colour palette courtesy of Lucy (Attic24).  Fourteen gorgeous vintage shades if Stylecraft Special DK. 

I'm working towards an oversized sleeveless cardi type thing. Another idea spotted on Pinterest. Can't wait to get it finished. 

ttfn x

Handmade365 + 4

Day four. I dug out my denim jacket this morning and an old favourite was lurking on the front. 

Back in the ethel & edna days I made loads of these badges. Letters Bondawebbed to felt, a bit of free motion stitch then out with my badge making machine. Once they're all put together I add teeny delica beads stitched on by hand with a very skinny beading needle. I did try adding the beads first. The result was a pile of powdered glass. Oops. 

When we opened the shop I sold lots of them. Letters and hearts and even hot air balloons. I've not made any for a long time but maybe for the run-up to Christmas...  They'd be nice little stocking fillers. Hmmm...

I'm getting quite inspired to get sewing some actual clothes having seen Rachelle's first week round-up. I bought a lovely piece of Italian tweed from the fabric stall on our market today. Tony dies fave some little gems and his prices are great. 

I've been back on my Pinterest and looked at the Skirt Love and F-rock On boards.  Itching to get stitching.  And as I'm off tomorrow I may just have to have a little dabble. 

Ooh nearly forgot part two of my little review of Yarndale. 

Having spent all of our cash (no cashpoints at the Auction Mart) we decided to venture into Skipton town. The bus dropped us on the high street and we wandered along to Coopers cafe 

or, more importantly, the Open Studio event upstairs.  This studio belongs to Tracey of Handmade Over Yonder and Lucy of Attic 24.

This is the ever-so-slightly-star struck Mrs H sitting at Lucy's desk. It's a lovely bright space for such a small old building and the staircase...  Narrow and steep and twisty.  Only a fraction of the population could get up and down those steps. 

There were several lovely ladies selling their goodies beside Tracy. I bought yesterday's brooch from The Beady Bird. I also bought a fab bundle of Liberty loveliness from Tracy.  It's too dark to post a picture tonight but they are great. Teeny prints and some very old ones amongst them. Perfect for my titchy hexies. 

Well after that surreal little visit we toddled back into town for some lunch. After much indecision we did classic pub grub - scampi and chips. But we sat outside!  It was so warm. Fabulous stuff for the end of September.  I couldn't wait to get hooking so I cracked open my new Proknit hooks and some chunky yarn and started a huge foundation chain for a ripply idea I have. 

So - to sum up - Yarndale was fabulous. The weather, the food, the venue, the planning, the whole shebang was perfect. Next year we will be back as customers definitely and, who knows, maybe as vendors...

ttfn

Handmade 365 + 3

So although it's only my second day playing it's really the third day of Handmade365. Maybe I should photograph two items one day to catch up. 

Today's little treasure was only purchased at the weekend but I loves it. My precious. 

It was made by The Beady Bird and purchased from her whilst I was in Skipton this weekend. She was selling her goodies from The Studio shared by Lucy (Attic 24) and Tracy (.   ). 

And why was I in Skipton?  One word. Yarndale. 

This amazing little woolly shindig was dreamt up by Lucy and six of her Knit and Natter chums and developed into a fabulous yarn festival. 

Three Sewing Shop hookers (me, Sandra and Laura) sallied forth, spent a night in Keighley then caught the train to Skipton. At the station a special bus was waiting to pick us up and shuttle us to the sheep pens at Skipton Auction Mart. Cute. Inside it had been yarn-bombed, as had much of the venue. 

How fabulous is this?!?  What a spectacular entrance. Crocheted bunting from literally all over the world. 

Everything about the show was perfect. Even our sausage sarnies for breakfast at the auction cafe. The ladies who fed and watered everybody there deserved medals. They worked so hard and the food was scrummy. None of your pre-packed, over-priced NEC fayre. It was 'real' food. Yum! 

Highlight of the day?  Meeting the lovely Lucy herself.  Sandra almost shed a tear, she was so overwhelmed to meet her.  And she is such a humble, 'normal' person to chat to. She still doesn't seem to know quite what an effect and influence she has on the world of crochet. 

Sandra made her day (I think) by being the first person to ask for her autograph. It was fab to see all the blankets, cushions and other work we know and love from Attic24. And even the green cord Boden coat was there!  

Despite it being a busman's holiday, we did shop. When you're a yarn addict and surrounded by stalls what's a girl to do?  

These chaps weren't for sale but I did buy some alpaca yarn...amongst others. 

Other faces from the show:

 

We persuaded Mr Hillard to drive over and meet us for tea and a catch-up which was fab. We've really missed him since our weekend away. 

He truly 'kept it real' this time - pasty and mushy peas for lunch!!  Sauce bottle on the table. Mugs of tea. Tee hee. He did look fab in his purple tweed waistcoat with matching man-bag though.  We let him autograph our bags as well. 

Can't wait to get him back to Lichfield for a workshop or two. 

Right.  I'll blog Part two of our adventures in Yorkshire tomorrow. 

ttfn x

Handmade 365 + 1

October 1st saw the start of Handmade 365 over at Ted & Agnes and I decided to sign up and play along. 

Basically you have to wear something handmade every day for a year.  Not necessarily made by you but crafted by some clever creative bod and not a sweat shop in The Far East.  You take a photo of yourself wearing your daily creation and then you can share your pictures with #handmade365 on Instagram, in the group on Flickr, on your blog and anywhere else you fancy. 

I failed on Day 1!

In my defence we have been revamping the shop so we have been closed for two days. I have worn joggers and t-shirts whilst on my flat-pack building, shelf-humping, fabric bolt shifting, yarn re-arranging marathon. Lovely clothing, jewellery and accessories would have git trashed. 

But today I'm on it. 

Today, in honour of the new, improved shop re-opening I'm going to treat myself to a spot of Rob Ryan. Or put another way, the weather has turned crappy overnight and I need warmer clothes on. Either way you look at it I'm rocking my cord Clothkits skirt - as made by me!  

This is the fabric on the front of my beloved. Unfortunately my boudoir is so dark this morning the flash keeps cutting in and reflecting off the mirror. So here, instead, is a shot of my lap. 

ttfn xx