Miette cardigan by Untangling knots Andi Satterlund

I was just getting ready for Sunday lunch at my mum's when I realized I had never blogged about this cardigan.

I love the fit of this. Andi's patterns usually use negative ease and I worry it will be too small but this is just right. I think it's because the pattern says to use 5mm needles for DK wieght yarn when you would usually use 4mm, it gives it more stretch.

I love this cranberry colour. The yarn is Sirdar Country style 40% nylon,30% wool, 30% acrylic. A very cost effective yarn that has a nice feel to it but is machine washable. 

It was knitted top down on the round and the pattern was not too complicated. I knitted full length sleeves but the pattern is for 3/4 length. Nice for spring but I wanted more all year wear. In the UK the cosier the better with our weather.

Happy knitting

Tina

Corinne Lapierre felt bookmark

 I was looking at  Pinterest  and I saw some lovely  felt bookmarks.

 So I had a rumage in my stash and pulled out some fab felt from Corinne Lapierre at create and craft TV.

 I cut out 2 hearts the same size ,using the corners of the felt so it will fit a book page.

 I then chose some spare thread from my x_stitch to use to decorate, with some buttons from my jar.

 Any design you like . I just attached the buttons and then added swirls freehand.Next blanket stitch around the top of the heart.

 Then put hearts together and blanket stitch together around the bottom.

 The page should fit nicely between the hearts.

Quick and fun to make. Great to keep kids entertained and great presents for grandma.This is all mine though I love it. I will be making some more bookmarks, it's such a relaxing useful way to spend an hour.

Happy stitching

Tina

The miniaturist by Jessie Burton book review

The miniaturist is a fantastic book and I look forward to reading more Jessie Burton in the future. The story is set in Amsterdam in the 1600's. An  18 year old girl is married off to a 40 year old wealthy man, and moves into his house to start her new life. As a wedding present she is given a miniature of the house to furnish. Soon it becomes clear that not only all is not as it seams with the household but also with the miniature house too. If you enjoy history then this is an interesting look at Amsterdam at that time. I would recommend this book ,dark in places but a good read.

knitting a make do and mend cardigan

I had some odd balls of yarn that I wanted to make use of, I thought the colours looked good together

So I pulled out an old favorite magazine that I used for my red cardigan (knitting april 2010)

It is very cropped with 3/4 sleeves but I am making it in a larger size with full length sleeves for extra warmth to use in spring (I hope).

I started on the sleeve so I could see how I was going to use the colours. I have mostly pink so this will be the most prominent shade. Fingers crossed I don't lose any colours before it's finished.

Happy knitting

Tina

sew serendipity bags by Kay Whitt

foxy little shopper

Sew serendipity bags by Kay Whitt

I thought this was going to be a good sized shopper !

Not so,  I made the small ....................and it was !

I do love the fox material though , bought at the NEC christmas crafts show last year.

Luckily I have more material , so I will be making a mummy bag to go with this cutie.

This book has a lot of good bags in with full sized patterns. It was an error on my part to look at the pictures and not go by the sizes given. Another lesson learned . This is a nice little bag to fold up in my work bag to use for buying fruit, eggs, tins etc on the way home.

Happy sewing

Tina x

Button it

 What do you do when life gives you buttons. Make a family name picture.

All I did was draw the letter on some spare fabric . Then I started playing with the buttons. Great fun to do.I used an old necklace that had broken and used it for the gaps.  Because of the shape the the picture was one sided, I embroidered the name in backstitch for balance. After a rummage in my craft stocks I found a little pack that was a freebe in a magazine with little flower shapes. The frame was also reused.

So if you have a lovely pot of buttons, have a play and see what you can make,

Happy sewing

Tina x

All our yesterdays x-stitch finished

 Last children's x-stitch completed finally.

This is the set all together.I am really pleased how they have turned out.Next will be our wedding or a cats one.
Nearly finished the family wall now.I hope to be painting the wall in my holiday in February and start to put them up.

Happy stitching

Tina

Third girl by Agatha Christie

It has been a long time since I have read an Agatha Christie. I am a huge fan and never miss a Miss Marple on the TV. As a teenager I worked my way through the shelf in the local library but by the time I had left school my interest had moved on.  I think it is the history contained in the writing that is drawing me back. The third girl is a later story set in the 60's I have since read reviews that thought it not up to the normal standard. I however loved it and can't wait to start another. The story is told in a voice that pulled me in as the mystery unfolded. I could have read it in one go and often went back to work after lunch a little late because I couldn't put it down.

If you love a mystery and have not read a Christie in a long time, give yourself a treat, and remind yourself  what you have been missing.

Happy reading

Tina 

HIdden treasures by Fern Britton

Hidden treasures was an unexpected good read. I picked it up at the library. I wanted a Christmas book that was light and funny and it was. I would never have bought one of her books and that is why I love the library. I can try different authors for free, what is not to love about that. So back to the book. It is set in Cornwall ( another reason to pick it) , about a woman starting again after her marriage breaks up. All the normal chic lit stuff  set in a backdrop of making a tv drama. I will be looking out to read another from Fern in the summer. I think reading Ms Britton will do an excellent job of transporting me from my back garden to the cornish seaside in about 2 pages!

Happy reading

Tina

Tilda fabric table makeover

   These are the old tables that just looked drab and boring.

So I found some Annie Sloane off white paint and got to work. I love this paint no prep, no sanding, no primer, just slap it on and it covers everything. I did 2 coats to be sure and then used wax to seal.

I then found some Tilda fat quarters and made up some mats.

The smallest table I just used part of 1 fat quarter.

The middle sized table I just cut some squares and made up a pattern I liked.

The largest table I cut stripes. This is the best I think, more my style.

I have never tried patchwork before so it was fun to have a play with the fabric and see what happened.

I wanted them to all be different but randomly go together. They are used in different areas of the room.

They have brought a brighter fresh feel to the north facing room.

I would like to make more in the future to go with the seasons and occasions like Easter and summer would be fun.

I have nearly finished my third x-stitch. I hope to have pictures up on wednesday , I am on the back stitching at last.

Happy stitching

Tina 

Tilly Walnes Margot pyjamas

Hi,

I had some fabric left after the cherry dress so my thoughts turned to Tilly and the buttons PJ trousers.

I have a problem with shop bought pj's , being tall the legs are too short. Even when they start long after a few washes they start to turn into peddle pushers. 

                                          So I made these cherrytastic trousers nice and long.

                                      Nice and roomy on the leg, and a good fit all round.

If you make these go with your measurments , I thought they looked too big but no I was wrong .

I'm looking forward to bedtime to testdrive them. I think I might slip into them now ......

Happy sewing

Tina x