SO WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON......

I sometimes find it a bit hard to get back into my crafty ways after holidays and particularly Christmas. I think we all set ourselves so many tasks that we get a bit overloaded with it. At least I do.
I love making all the decorations, table settings and the odd gift, baking the cake, making mincemeat and mince pies but when you add that to customer orders and family requests, I sigh a little with relief when the big day comes thinking that now I can decide what I want to do, and when!
And so now that things have calmed down a bit and I have decided to take a break from my sewing business, I have been able to pick and choose how I spend my 'spare' time.
I have kept my hand in by making these, for family members and really enjoyed doing them without any pressure.

I have also been busy making this little knitting bag for our giveaway,

 and Ive also made a  knitting needle roll for this lovely lady  Jan from Lemonade Kitty  who wrote out a graph pattern for a knitted cushion I admired on her blog. So very kind of you Jan! Hopefully it will get done before next Christmas and I will be able to show you how beautiful it is!
I have done quite a bit of baking  and trying new soup recipes. Though why when I think of all the food consumed over Christmas I don't know except that in this dismal weather I think we all need a bit of comfort food!

And I have finally got back into knitting. I used to do loads when my children were small, but as they got bigger my enthusiasm waned and sewing rather took over (much quicker for me). I also found that unless I could afford to pay an awful lot out for wool the results never quite matched the effort.
That was until I discovered Phildar!  I know, I know I should support British and I do try but for me I have personally never found any patterns as stylish or yarn as delightful to knit! (Please don't all clamour to beat me up)

Phildar withdrew from selling here some long time ago but  from a chance read on Jorths blog I discovered that they were still in operation and that I could order the magazines and yarn direct from France. Of course I am not only revising my knitting skills here but also brushing up on my not very good schoolgirl French as all the patterns are in this language, so perhaps I get browny points for that!!
I am pleased to report though that I have already completed the back of a new jumper for my grandson, and am beavering away at the front now.

 I am really enjoying it and cant wait to make some of the others in the 3 magazines I have so far purchased. They were all on special offer and the yarn very reasonable.
So that's me for now. I would love to know what you are up to and if you have a favourite reasonably priced yarn you would recommend for ease of knitting and  practicality. Little ones' (and sometimes big ones') knitwear does need to withstand an awful lot of washing, so I'd be interested in your thoughts.

Have a great week. Don't forget our giveaway and if you know someone who likes knitting and a bit of vintage don't forget to tell them too, its free!
 Hope to hear from you soon

TTFN

Jenny xx