Autumn 'hug'

Exchanges are always a fun thing to take part in and as stitching has been difficult for a few members of Needlecraft Haven in the last few months, Clare (she runs the forum) asked if we would like to have an "Autumn hug"exchange.

I read the rules carefully to make sure I could do everything asked, and opening day was to be 31st October - great for those that don't celebrate Halloween.

The parcel needed to include :-

A card on the theme for friendship, love, hug etc - it could be stitched, bought or handmade - to be signed anonymous 'From all your friends at Needlecraft Haven'
3 skeins of thread
Pamper treat
Munchie treat

An email popped into my box with my partners details - someone I know well and a lightbulb popped on in my head.   This lady is so talented with her craftwork and I could make something for her parcel that I was sure she hadn't made for herself.

Here's the parcel I sent off to Christine (I'm sure most of you know of her talents and the stunning things she creates).  I had everything together for the package, and I was looking for something in the fabric drawer and came across a fat quarter of this perfect autumnal apple fabric so decided to wrap the goodies in it.  Christine would find something nice to make with it and the autumn themed ribbon I tied it with would be useful too.

 

Inside fulfilling the items asked for was :-

 

Card - shop bought friendship theme

Threads - Ozark sampler, each with a name that made me think of Christine

Pamper treat - A lovely smelling rose bath bomb and handknitted socks in a teal blue variation - one of her favourite colours, to pamper her feet during the cold weather months (these were the item I didn't think Christine had ever made for herself before)

Munchie treat - bag of Cadbury's roses chocolates

 

 

The parcel delivered to me arrived in plenty of time for opening day.  It sat on the table watching me saying 'open me' but I was good and held off till October 31st.

 

Inside were these wonderful goodies - a Caron cake of wool complete with scarf pattern on the ball band, 2 delightful smelling bath bombs and chocolate covered nougat. 

 

 

The card itself was beautiful, the words were so special.    I didn't know who had sent to me, some ladies I recognise their writing on parcels but they could have easily disguised it or got someone else to write it?   I had to wait until the reveal to know that Rachael was my sender.  

 

 

Many thanks Rachael for a beautifully perfect parcel for me, I loved it. xx

 

In the rollercoaster of life, there's always something to smile about.

 

Love and blessings

 

Julie 

 

 

 

Season 3 of 4

Over at Needlecraft Haven there has been a Four Seasons SAL running this year.  The ladies have been stitching some lovely designs, all so very different.

My autumn has been stitched for quite a while but only finished this week.  

I chose to use Prairie Schooler Four Seasons from the Gift of Stitching magazine.  It's been printed out waiting to be stitched since it was in the online magazine many years ago.

 

 

Here it is with Spring and Summer

 

 

A little knitting finish as well.  Barb asked a while back if I could knit one of my bunnies for a friend of hers who is not too well.  This little lady went off in the post and made someone smile - result!

 

 

Remember this embroidery gift I had from the craft club ladies?

 

 

We all had a gift and one of the ladies who knits toys received something really gorgeous.  One lady decided she wanted one for her granddaughter.   She asked, did I want one ordering as well to save on postage .... silly question ... of course i had to have one as well for mine.

 

It arrived in a very smart posh box

 

 

Let's open the box and peek inside. 

 

I'm sure the little doll wont mind you seeing her prior to her wardrobe being created .... **any gentlemen visiting please avert your eyes and move down the page**

 

 

I'm looking forward to making her little clothes and giving her some hair.  A little stocking filler for Isabelle - if I don't decide I can't part with her when she's dressed.

 

Tonight the clocks go back here in the UK, darker nights will definitely be upon us.  I've actually picked up a needle and stitched a little yesterday, the first time in ages, and just in time for the longer evenings, what good timing that was.

 

Sending love and blessings to you all

 

Julie 

 

 

Using up the leftovers - Oct GG

It's nice to listen to others good news....

A friend came and was so happy.  She told me she's to become a grandparent for the first time, a baby boy is expected, exciting times to come for her and the family.

Peek into the stash drawer ..... 4 half balls of wool, 3 of them leftover from a little blanket I previously made and a darker denim shade to compliment the others.

The little guy is due to arrive just in time to meet Father Christmas.  They've kept it very quiet till now as the new-mum-to-be has not been well throughout the pregnancy.

I wasn't sure if her son and his partner liked hand knits so I'm using these 4 half balls to make a blanket, same pattern I used previously - a complimentary one from Deramores.

I've made a start, it was growing quite quickly and suddenly it's finished and ready to pass on the lovely lady.  

 

This month i'm in plenty of time to post for this months Gifted Gorgeousness.  Have you seen it on other blogs?  You post details of something you have been gifted or gifted yourself to others. It's hosted by Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching.   If you are unfamiliar with GG, hop over to Jo's blog and find out more about it.

A little wander outside in the autumnal sunshine and these little beauties caught my eye.

 

A little hiccup on the health front, blood results were not good so there was no chemo this past week.  A visit to take more blood at the end of last week and I am back for a visit with the consultant tomorrow for the next plan of action.

Love and blessings

Julie

A couple of September finishes

It's been a month again since I posted and like a lot of you are saying September seems to have whizzed by at supersonic speed. 

We've moved into autumn and now that Strictly Come Dancing has started on the TV that always makes me think of the run up to Christmas and the weeks fly by with each show up to the final the week before Christmas.  With that in mind, it's time to be thinking about crafting things I hoped to make as gifts for the festive season.  Oh no I've said the 'C' word.

Talking of gifts, today is the final day to get a GG post in for September.  I have only a couple of gifted things I've worked on in September, no other craftwork happening here recently.

I finished the scarf DS bought me as a kit for my July birthday.

 

 

It's going to be nice and snuggly for the winter months and i'm looking forward to wearing it.

 

 

This sock wool has a little story behind it.

 

 

I saw some on the internet when browsing, a bargain I thought and ordered it.  The details read Kroy Sock Yarn (sold as pack of 6).   I could get 3 pairs of lovely socks for the price of 1 pair and a lovely colour too.   It was coming from the USA so a little wait for it, but that wasn't a problem. 

 

Three weeks later a parcel arrived - a small parcel - with only 1 ball of wool inside.   Emails back and forth to supplier and they advised an error by amazon it shouldn't have read pack of 6 it was for one ball only.   They offered a full refund and I keep the one ball supplied, but I asked if they would just keep the payment and send me a second ball so I could make a pair of socks and I didn't know any one legged people I could knit one sock for with the ball they had supplied!  It wasn't happening, their emails were getting quite rude in the end so I emailed amazon with a little complaint explaining what had happened.  A reply came back, take the refund and accept the free ball, you are better off and nothing we can do.

 

My brother works in retail so when he came to visit I was ranting about internet shopping and bad service etc and showed him my 1 ball of wool and then stuck the ball away with my other stash. 

 

A few weeks later he came to visit again and gave me an envelope I wasn't expecting.   Inside there were 3 balls of the same wool - he'd sent pics of the ball band etc to someone he knows over the pond and they had found some the same .... the serendipitous thing is that it is the exact same shade number and dye lot so I now had 4 balls.   It was a gift, what a smashing brother he is.

 

Being a good sister I've been knitting up a pair of socks for him with 2 balls of the wool and gifted them to him when I saw him last week. 

 

 

The craft group I belong to had some funds and the ladies who run it bought us all a little gift.  I received an embroidery kit to try.  It's uses organza for the coloured parts and you fix it to the backing using embroidery stitches to make a pretty country scene.  

 

 

Thank you so much for the messages and emails I've received from some of you asking how I am.  With my condition being so rare its a trial and error of what is the best medication to help and halt the progression and find something that suits and works for me.  As well as the steroids, I started chemotherapy earlier this month and have been getting used to the effects of that.  With lots of medical appointments and rest there is a different normal in our home right now.  On a positive note, I have come into contact with a lady who was diagnosed some years ago which has helped me see things more positively recently.

 

Hoping to have a blog reading catch up session and stop by your blog really soon.

 

Love and blessings to all

 

Julie   

 

 

 

 

Better make this Augusts GG post ....

.......... before the stroke of midnight and we head into next month!

Oh dear, has it really been a month since I posted here?

Charged up the camera and upload pics to see what I had to share with you since last time.

A late birthday gift from a dear friend - afternoon tea at the garden centre, her treat.

 

The July challenge at NH, quickly stuck into a little frame and given to a cat loving volunteer at the community garden with DH for her birthday.

 

Two very tiny prem baby cardigans for one of the knitting group ladies to give to a charity she volunteers with.

 

Ssshhh ..... don't tell DH these are his Christmas pressie socks, now safely put away out of sight ready to be wrapped up and sent to Santa.  These have been on the knitting pins for a while and secretly knitting when DH has not been at home.

 

A lovely gift arrived in the post from our dear June, beautiful threads and holder and some Christmas buttons.  Many thanks June for your kindness.

 

A vintage knitting gauge/counter - gifted to me from one of my knitting group ladies, she works in a charity shop and when it was donated she purchased it as she thought I would like it.  She knows I love old items and do use them not just put them in a box for looking at.

 

 

My granddaughters school cardigan now being worn for the new school term.

 

 

A challenge at the craft group - decorate a small hat - mines the one with the red ribbon and the heart shaped buttons on the right hand side.

 

 

and my granddaughters doll looks very pretty wearing it.

 

My birthday gift from DS (shown in the last post) - I've made a start knitting the lovely scarf he bought me and the wool is sitting in the yarn bowl gifted for my birthday last year from Barb.

 

and finally DH came home from the community allotment with some goodies they harvested to be given out at the community centre, some of the seniors benefited from these fresh veggies and all for free.

 

 

A month of gifts, gifted and received during August.  

 

Love and blessings to you all

 

Julie x