Downfall...

Hello

This is quite a nice little cross stitch chart isn't it?

 A few fairly simple little cross stitch designs of spring flowers, ideal for me to make 

another of these little spring hanging ornaments, like the chick below. 

I found this chart in one of our local charity shops, for the bargain price of 25p!

But this innocuous looking cross stitch chart has been my downfall...

Now, I am not someone to make New Year's resolutions, but I do find myself taking stock 

of my life as the end of one year approaches and a new one is beckoning. 

And for 2105 one of the thoughts I had had was that I should try not to buy anymore
crafting materials such as wools, ribbons, buttons, evenweave,
embroidery threads etc. etc. for at least one year. 

I had been managing this restraint very well (although I admit it isn't much of an achievement 

given that we are not even at the end of January yet).  When I was in town about 10 days ago
 I congratulated myself on avoiding the charity shop which has a healthy supply of crafting
materials but ... oh dear, oh dear, I went into town on Friday and found myself happily
heading for said charity shop, all plans for 2015 completely gone from my mind, and a short
 browse through the patterns found the little beauty above - I couldn't resist it!

Now I know why I don't make New Year resolutions - 

I would probably break them every year and feel a failure!!

The sock below is my current project.

 This is a phone sock for my friend. 

I knitted us both phone socks a few years ago and my friend recently replaced her phone

 and asked for a new sock. We measured my phone against hers to give me a rough idea of size - this method had worked well last time. I quickly set myself to the task, using the pattern notes I'd carefully recorded last time, but of course I'd forgotten that we now both had larger phones - doh!! 

The phone sock was too small! Silly mistake! Thankfully I had only knitted the rib but that is the trickiest bit I think - getting the 4 needles going untwisted. So I had to unpick my rows and start again - I hope it fits this time!

It's an easy project to knit sat in front of this on a cold day.

Apologies for yet another photo of our fire but we LOVE it!

Keep warm and have a good weekend

P.S Boys are back to University tomorrow - I'm convinced there is no point cleaning and tidying the house this weekend until they have gone - I'm sure you would agree ;-)

xXx

Hello 2015!

Hello,

Happy New year to you all and I hope you all had a cheery, peaceful Christmas.

The boys returned home from University a few days before Christmas and as you can imagine it has been great fun having them home again - despite the 7 loads of washing they brought home with them (this did include bed linen!).

We had a relaxing Christmas, but alas the snow arrived one day too late to make it a white Christmas. The snow fell heavily on Boxing Day evening  - we had tickets to the theatre and when we finally arrived home late in the evening our car struggled the last few hundred yards to our door.

The snow hung around a long time, it didn't melt until New Year's Eve. However, the roads and pavements were very icy, so hardly pleasant conditions for venturing out either by car, cycle or foot.

Oh dear, that means we will just have to sit in front of the fire - what a terrible shame!!

(A grainy photo taken late in the day)

We have had some beautiful clear days with lovely bright sunshine - and this is the view

that greeted me several times when I opened the curtains in the morning.

Please excuse the washing line and football goal that completely ruin the charm of this

 photo - we have a hard working garden and thankfully you can't see the football goal

 and the huge rebound net on the other side of the garden!

(And talking of bright clear days - did you see the International Space Station whizzing by on Christmas Eve? Incredible to think men were flying above us at such speeds!!)

I do find that at this time of year I feel a bit guilty though, because as the Christmas
holiday rolls on, I tend to get lazier and lazier. 

My excuse is that this is the only time of year when I am quite so sofa-bound. This inactivity culminated in me spending much of New Year's Day sat in the armchair cross stitching - this was pure, unadulterated luxury, a whole day spent stitching - how often does that happen?

And you'll never believe what I was making?

Christmas decorations!! Nothing like getting myself prepared for next Christmas!

On New Year's Day I completed this Santa...

... which would partner nicely with the snowman I had completed just before Christmas.

 I find these little kits ideal for making into Christmas cards and are great when you

wish to complete a project quickly or want some small stitching to take on

 holiday with you. The kits come with everything you need but when I'm making little

decorations I substitute the aida for evenweave fabric as it is much softer and more pliable,

making it easier to work with.

I had already purchased some gorgeous backing fabric - a rich blue decorated with white

 snowflakes - and spotty ribbon and buttons.

So this afternoon I hauled out my sewing machine from the bottom of my wardrobe,

set up station on the kitchen table and set to.

 Santa was completed first.   

Then it was time for Snowman. 

I couldn't take a photo of them in situ on our little tree because it was too dark by the time
 I had finished.

Sadly these two will be taken down and packed away tomorrow but at least I've

 finished them in plenty of time for Christmas 2015!!

On to the next project....

Happy New Year!!

xXx