Hooky happenings

It's that time of the year when we are all making secret projects for friends and family. I've too have been busy but i do have a couple of things i can share share with you.









This crochet cushion is for a family member. A plain granny for the back and 9 mini ones for the front, embellished with 9 brightly coloured flowers (flower pattern by Lucy @ Attic 24)

I loved making this one, the buttons i found in my box, a perfect match i thought. I think i am a loose crocheter as you can see the cushion insert through the holes but it still looks fantastic.









One major problem when this one was finished, DH is most upset that it's not for us and that i am giving it away! Here we go again, same old thing, he always wants what is not for us just lately. As i pointed out it's far too late now to be saying these things and i will have to go and hide when crafting in future if he doesn't stop putting the guilt trip on me for giving stuff away he likes.

A little stitching too, my neighbours daughter is getting married on Friday this week. Just a small wedding, but i thought it would be nice to make a little card to celebrate the occasion.

A simple design with just the names and date added. I had the card in my stash already. I seem to be saying that a lot recently, amazing what you find when you have a sort out and put stuff away.

Are you all organised for Christmas?

To be honest, my brain is still not thinking in terms of the festive season, how can it be when i step into the garden and see a rose in bloom and my fuschia is still flowering lovely, very strange indeed.










Venturing down the garden you get accosted by a new addition that has come to live next door, meet Jasper, he is such a little sweetie and desperate for someone to play with outside in the windy conditions we have been experiencing.

I'm sure he thinks we are his second home as he is always trying to sneak inside with my boys. He is adorable though and so cuddlesome and cute.

Thursday is December 1st and that means i'll be able to open my secret Christmas ornament that has arrived here, how exciting! I'll also be able to reveal what i stitched and who i sent mine to. Christmastime does bring exciting and happy things to a stitcher doesn't it.

Wishing you happiness in your life ...

Yiotas Review

I recently received an email asking my if i would be willing to review one of the kits at www.yiotas-xstitch.com

I explained that this time of the year is very busy with gift making and i would not be able to start anything new till next year and thanked Yiota for asking me but would have to decline. I received a lovely reply saying that next year would be fine and would i like to have a look round the site and choose any kit i liked the look of.

There are so many lovely designs to choose from and i spent a long time browsing. Lots of fabulous charts that i have not seen anywhere else. I have a love of William Morris and settled on a kit called 'Hare'

Speedy delivery service and it arrived soon after i requested it.

It was packaged into a sturdy cardboard backed A4 envelope marked 'Do Not Bend' and my address was clearly printed on the front.

I was not disappointed with the contents.

The kit comes in a clear see through envelope and is complete with 14ct white aida and a needle.

The picture design is printed on beautiful quality A3 paper. It also comes with clear instructions where to begin your stitching on the fabric and how many threads to use.

The printing is very clear and the symbols are easy to read and follow. Where the printed sheets run over there is a 2 line overlap that is clearly marked.









The threads are madeira threads, i've never used these before so will be intrested to see how they stitch up. All of the threads are pre-wound onto bobbins which was fantastic as the one thing i hate about kits is when you have to sort out each thread and try to make sense of which one is for which symbol especially if there are some that are very similar. There is also a conversion to DMC should you wish to use these instead if you buy any of the charts only instead of the kits.

I am not a lover of aida so will probably change that to something more to my liking but i am really looking forward to stitching this one up.

Please pop along to www.yiotas-xstitch.com and have a look at the things she has on offer. There are subcategories for beginners, intermediate and advanced stitchers and everything is sorted by theme, it's a nice easy site to follow and use. There are also free charts to download and print.

More Christmas ornies

I've finished off the the last 3 ornaments for the bazaar and handed them over to one of the organisers. She was very pleased with my efforts and thinks they will all be snapped up - let's hope so.

I tried to make each of the six different, these charts are also from a very old magazine. Some of the older designs are so lovely. This time we have a felted stocking, a flat pinkeep design and a small cushion, the wording on the fabric along the bottom of the shepherds and sheep reads 'Noel' it was hard to get a good pic with the recent dull days we've been having.

Today though, the weather is the complete opposite, a crisp, cold bright and sunshiney day. I heard someone on the radio telling how many shopping days were left till Christmas, i'm sure they can't be right, i am not organised at all this year, not sure what's different but i just can't seem to get in the mood to get cracking. I've almost finished a crochet gift for a family member so i'll show you that next time.

A trip to the post office today and my Christmas Ornament is on it's way, this is a secret exchange so no show of what i made till 1st December when we will learn who stitched for who. I'm stalking my postie looking forward to mine arriving, he got such a shock today when i opened the front door before he even pressed the doorbell wondering if he had it in his little mitts, but alas not today, maybe tomorrow. He is such a nice man and knows i am a mad woman when it comes to stitchy post.... aren't we all?

LEST WE FORGET

I'd like to share with you this beautiful poem written by a local 10 year old schoolgirl called Georgia

Great memorials are set in stone now to commemorate the injured and the dead

World War Two was hard and painful, many tears were shed

This is how my poem goes, both pain and happiness it shows...

In 1939 the start of the war was declared, many people hopeful, many people scared

Most women were used to baking a cake and cleaning the home

now they were making a gun, World War Two had truly begun

Ferocious fights and beastly battles...

It wasn't a fairy tale, there weren't any castles

But it came to an end, the blood, sweat and tears were shed

Many husbands, brothers, fathers lay on the battlefield dead.

When for two minutes you stop and think, although to us it is just a blink

compared to the wars where our soldiers fought, let us think how much it has taught

How countries can unite

How friendships can be made

How wrongs can be put right and all fears be allayed

So on Remembrance Day wear your poppy with pride

For all the soliders alive

and for the ones that have died.

God Bless them all

Fundraising

Every Saturday morning i go along to the local church to meet up with friends. They are trying to raise money for improvements to the bell tower and one of the church wardens came up with the idea during the Spring of having a Saturday breakfast cafe to do this. He is the chef there and with his family provide the staff for the morning.

It's a fantastic morning, there are people from the local community there that i only see on a Saturday, friends from the stitch club and Amy comes along with Isabelle too. We enjoy a beautiful cooked breakfast and are waited on by two lovely ladies. It's my little treat of the week and there is no rush to get you to leave as soon as you have eaten, a truly friendly and happy place to spend some time.

This Saturday four of us went on to another local church after our breakfasts. It was having a Christmas Craft Fair with things for sale that the church ladies had made to raise funds for their Baptist church

I asked some of the stall holders if i could take some pics to share with you.





































You wont see these beauties on the pics as i snapped them up as soon as i arrived, so pretty and something that i would like to be able to do myself. Maybe one day, perhaps next years learning project, need to find a pattern for them first though. I was quite surprised at the price they were charging for them though, it was nothing considering the amount of time i knew that had gone into making them. Very talented ladies who can crochet these lovely things with such thin thread.










I've been asked to make something for the Christmas Bazaar that is being held at the Community Centre in early December. Everyone who uses the centre has been asked to donate something to raise funds for the coming years activities that are organised by the Events Group Committee.

One lady at the stitch club has made baby cardigans. Another has been busy making sets of mittens for children. I decided i would make 6 ornaments as my contribution. I've stitched all 6, traditional designs and here are the first 3 i have made up this weekend.

Seeing the price for the lovely crochet ornaments i bought yesterday got me thinking though, if the organisers ask me how much i think each one shoud be priced what would i say? I dont usually stitch to sell.

How much do you think is a reasonable price for a handstitched ornament? How much would you pay for one? I know it's different when you are a crafter, you expect to pay a little more as you know the time and effort that has gone into something handmade, but not everyone appreciates that do they and i do want them to be sold on the day. I would really appreciate your help in deciding what to charge, thank you.

This weekend here in the UK it was Bonfire night - November 5th throughout Britain, we commemorate the capture of Guy Fawkes with bonfires and fireworks, and by burning an effigy of Guy. There were lots of celebrations both on Friday and Saturday night this year. DH and i stayed home both nights as Mr Moe is petrified of the loud bangs and whizzes. We did have our own little bonfire in the sitting room though as we lit the open fire for the first time this year on Saturday night. Both my kittys were very grateful and settled down in front to get nice and toasty warm. I hope all those that went to celebration had fun and enjoyed themselves.