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

HOME AGAIN

Hi lovely bloggers

This is a very short post today as I have only just arrived back from a little break in glorious Northumberland.  I have oodles of pictures to share (hope you won't mind), but haven't got round to sorting them yet.

We walked miles, the weather was dry though sometimes a little chilly and our pad was out of this world!
However before I can get down to that I have to make some little shoes to post off tomorrow because.......

Fan fare here..ta da da daaaaa..... I have at long last sold a pair not only on Folksy, but also on Etsy....!!!

Mary Jane Union Jack slippers/houseshoes

Personalised cowboy slippers

Needless to say these are priority, so will be back later in the week to catch up with all your news and tell you more of our trip...

TTFN

Jenny xx

IM SO GLAD THEY LIKED THEM........AND 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME'

I am feeling quite perky at the moment because the little gifts I have just sent out seem to have been well received.  As all my 3 PIF winners and the  'Pass the book' winner have now received their parcels, I can show you what I sent.  You may have seen them on their blogs if you follow them, but just in case you haven't here they are.....

First of all I made this for Fiona of Tizduster .......

As she had won the 'Pass the Book', I made her a little reversible book bag.

For the 3 PIF winners I thought that a bag each would also be pretty useful, so they received the same style bag in a different colourway.  Em from Garden Peas and Fleas and Jane of Marigold Jam who seemed to do more knitting and sewing also received a covered tape measure and Sue from @home received a little plant marker as she seemed to love her gardening (although she seems to turn her hand to many other things too!). Go say hello if you haven't met them already....

As my part time employment is about to end, I am concentrating now on returning to my little slipper business which I hope to relaunch very soon .

This is the sample of the latest pair I have made which with a few minor adjustments will be available.  They are more house shoes than slippers being made completely of cotton. I am even toying with the idea of making a few matching dress and shoe outfits...but thats still just an idea at the moment.

Will be back again later in the week to show you what we got up to this weekend and which tele celeb we rubbed shoulders with!!. Blogger was not playing with photo upload or I would have done 2 posts. It seems to be OK now but  I've wasted so much time I'll leave the second one and do it later.

I will console myself with reading some of your latest offerings, and the fact that it's my birthday tomorrow and perhaps I'll get to have extra wine.....and cake!!

Have a good evening and I hope the sun shines for someone tomorrow!

If you can't be good, enjoy being naughty....and don't apologise.....

TTFN

Jenny x x