Mothering Heights

Snow!

2012-02-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

Yes. Along with every other blogger from England, I too am reporting snow! It seemed to take an eternity to reach us, but it finally came!

Moomin was, obviously, very pleased by this (for the first ten minutes). After that, she was too cold and wanted to come into the warmth again. Not before making snow angels, of course!

The BBP was a little surprised by the snow, as she was too little to remember it from last year. When she hasn't been out playing in it, she's been stood by the window anticipating more to fall, or simply shouting "Snow!" Minus the 'S'.

Smells good, Mama!

I'd like to say that this particular spraying of snow didn't land in my face, and on my camera, but it did. Never mind, snow comes but once a year, right?

I've been spending all of my time making something very special for a friend, but I can't put any evidence up online in case my friend finds it. Sneaky, sneaky! So for now, I shall say this: It's very, very pretty and I'm jealous that I can't keep it!

Oh, some photos from Moomin's birthday!

She was lucky enough to get a 'Wiggle car' for her birthday present. The idea is that you swish the steering wheel from side to side as though you're turning a corner, and it drives you forward really fast! If you want to turn a corner you just pull really hard on the side you want to turn to. I'm explaining it badly, but it works so well! And it's great for those littlies that are just that bit too little to get their head around pedals on trikes/bikes. Moomin loves her wiggle car.

As you can see!

She was a little overwhelmed when she got her birthday cake. Her favourite colour is blue, so she was very happy with her Mama's efforts. Because "Blue stars are the bestest kind of stars, Mummy" apparently.
My baby, another year older already. I might just squeeze her a little tighter tonight, as we read "Jack and the Flumflum Tree" by Julia Donaldson, one more time.

One little girl with a song in her heart...

2012-01-15T12:29:00.000-08:00

Oh yes, my little Flower has a song in her heart. Some days that song beats so loudly that she cannot control it, others it is a little melody that quietly continues on in the background, but it is most definitely ever present. She's a patient, quiet soul who is only too happy to take a back seat and watch everyone around her, breathing them in. I try to bring her to the front, whenever I can, to prevent my middle-born baby from feeling lost in the crowd.

We had a Flower and Mama day. For one day, her Mama's world revolved around her and no one else.

We talked and cuddled; we sang very loudly, and very quietly. We ate well; we baked coffee cake, cinnamon soda bread and even made our own butter.

Everyone shared the produce of our day, but we kept those moments just for us. So that when she's feeling just a little lost amidst the chaos, she can reminisce about the day when someone's world stopped moving, just to hear her speak.

Moments...

2012-01-07T17:30:00.000-08:00

I'm having a moment, a Mama-moment. My children are growing so fast and I just don't know where the time goes. I think about the days when they are grown and how much I know I'll miss these sweet-smelling days. These days that are filled with home made popcorn, strawberry scented shampoo, talcum powder and that smell they each have that encompasses everything that they are. It's indescribable to anyone besides us Mamas. We, each of us, know that smell. I wonder how I'll feel when I can't hover over my babies when they're busying at the table and just sneak a quick smell of that insatiable whiff.

Tonight has been one of those oh-so-trying nights where the BBP has been rather more booby focused than usual. I found myself longing for just five minutes to breath that were just Mama-minutes. It's times like these when I reflect on those feelings and remember what's important in life. After all, soon enough I'll have constant Mama-minutes without my babies. I figure I can wait until that time comes to take my breaks.

I have, on occasion, found myself wishing that Bee's question of vital importance could wait until the washing has been hung. Or that Flower's drawing could wait to be put on the fridge until the hoovering is finished. Why? What's so important about these things that they must come before the most beautiful creations in my life? Nothing. They aren't more important than my babies; they can wait until tomorrow, if necessary, and the more of these days that pass us by, the more I begin to understand that. Little by little I begin to flower into the Mama that I want to be. Free from the constraints of a tidy home.

In the midst of this contemplation, I have begun to think about what it is that I want to achieve this year, Not exactly resolutions, per say, but some things that I'd like to work on for various reasons. Firstly I am making a pledge to spend less time on the internet. When I think about the hours I have wasted doing nothing very productive, I cringe, just a little bit. That must change, this year, life must become more interesting and I have to do that for myself.

I've been taking a look at my 101 list and discovering how much I'm getting through. I mean, I've got an entire lifetime to do these things, but it'd be nice to know how much I'm achieving already. I'm still learning lots about photography. I'm far from 'there' yet, but I am learning and that feels good.

I've totally nailed sewing, oh yes I have. Big pat on the back for me!

And the biggest achievement this year? I passed my driving test! That's such a huge thing for me and I'm so incredibly proud of myself for seeing it through to the end. That really makes Mama happy.

Now, one of the things on my list has just knocked me sideways. Breast implants. It's amazing how much can change in your life when you're feeling more content, isn't it? I have absolutely no desire for breast implants, which is comforting. Perhaps I'm further along that long and winding road than I imagined, huh?

I have a kindle and I'm reading more, we did grow our own vegetables this last year and I did figure out how to use the programs on my pooter!

There are lots of other things on the list that I probably should address at some point (in my life) but overall I'm fairly taken aback by how much I have achieved, and the transition I've made as part of becoming comfortable in my own skin.

For now, I am making more of an effort to appreciate every moment with these ever-growing babes of mine, appreciate the small things that are so easily overlooked in this somewhat hectic household and loving myself that little bit more with each rise of that big ol' sunshine.

Feeling better, feeling brighter; flourishing, one day at a time...

And yet, no snow...

2011-12-27T08:11:00.000-08:00

You'll undoubtedly notice a missing Bee. She was... otherwise engaged, shall we say? She loved her present so much that we barely saw her all day. That's okay, though, I know we'll make up for it with oodles of snuggle time.

I find myself quite relaxed, considering the manic time we experience during these winter holidays. Although a little early, I took down the decorations today to move things around and prepare for the new year. After all, the piles of toys that we accumulate from four children are no little thing! I was beginning to feel a little smothered by the chaos, and so we began to prepare for the new year.

It's quite refreshing- the thought of a new year. I look forward with a hopeful heart for the happiness we hope to experience in the coming year. New year festivities are always the most exciting part of the year drawing to a close, for me. It signifies so much in such a short time. I find myself willing the days to pass so that, once again, I can begin to feel renewed.

It's quite cold here, but not as cold as you would expect for the end of December. And yet- no snow! My little darlings stare out of the window each morning with anticipation in hopes that they'll be welcomed by a white, glistening blanket. Alas, they will have to wait a little longer.

It seems strange to them when I explain that snow is a rarity in our town. Growing up we barely had snow through the winter but the last two years we've had an abundance. Naturally, the most recent years are all the children can recollect with ease and seemingly expect the same this time around. Hopefully we'll see snow this year, I do so very much enjoy making snow angels with my babies.

I hope you enjoyed your holidays.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T08:47:00.000-08:00

Or Yule, or happy holiday, or happy no-different-from-any-other day, however you choose to celebrate it. I don't anticipate that this will be a huge post because I'm super busy just now. I thought I'd update with what we've been up to during this festive period. Remember my to-do list? Forget my to-do list. It all went out of the window when I realised I was being just a little too optimistic. I did what I could, we're still doing what we can but, ultimately, I'm trying to just enjoy this time, whether everything gets done or not. 'Cause that's what its all about, right?

I managed to get three stockings made; I suspect I'll make the fourth tomorrow if I find the time:

The little ones have been making wrapping paper (naked, obviously):

And tree decorations:

We went to see the reindeer:

And, of course, we had to visit Santa!

Now, if you've never been subjected to one of my Disney-inspired rants, then you'll know how I feel about that. However, it's Christmas and I'm feeling a little more forgiving than usual, and a little more relaxed about the evil that is the Disney enterprise ;) So when I saw these guys, I snapped some photos for the memory box.

The BBP learned a new face!

And, well, that's about it from us! We went to a Christmas festival with a lovely craft fair there, but it was situated in such a place that the crosswinds were dreadfully cold and my camera didn't come out all day! Not one photograph! Can you believe that? We did, however, purchase the most delightful fruit vinegars that have inspired me to make my own next year. I'm currently searching out ideas to use the vinegars for. Thus far, we've simply dipped pancakes in them and revelled at its deliciousness.

Wherever you are, whomever you're with and whatever you do: enjoy the rest of this festive season. Happy Christmas from us all!

Ready, steady...Go!

2011-11-18T13:42:00.001-08:00

I have got to get started on Christmas presents. Can you believe we're midway through November and I haven't even started yet? Eep! Of course you know who's to blame, right? The BBP. She is rather more booby crazy than usual and suffice it to say, I'm getting even less done.

So, I'm compiling an online list of things that must be done in time for Christmas. That way, I figure I have to do it because I said I would, and I can keep track of it a little better. Here goes nothin'...

1. All four little munchkins will be getting at least one pair of these scrummy jammys:

Img from sewingpatterns.com

2. Ooh, this one should've gone first really, but never mind. Four of these stockings on the Martha Stewart site:

Img from marthastewart.com

3. I'm going to be using this tutorial to make candy canes and lollipops that look like this:

If anyone has any tips for pulling 'taffy', please let me know!

4. Four (scoffs) of these:

Img of pattern Nicolette (clicky)

Yes, I do realise I'm being rather optimistic here...

5. One of these sets for Flower:

Pattern and image from Alison Hoffman here (clicky)

6. Three hot water bottle covers using this tutorial:

Img and tutorial here

7. Various teddies/plushies/ragdolls for all four of them.

8. Lip balms and bath bombs for the biggest three.

So there we have it. Optimistic, much? In the meantime, I'd better finish up the woolens!

The Humble Mother

2011-11-12T13:16:00.001-08:00

I am a mother of all sorts. I'm a patient mother, I'm a peaceful mother, I'm a loving mother, but I don't think I was prepared for becoming a humble mother. Of course there are many instances in my life that are humbling for countless different reasons, and I am so very grateful for each and every one of them. They have, at times, given my life a different purpose. Or at least, clarified the original purpose, in a way.

Alas, I am but a humble mother. I'm sorry, sweetheart, Mama doesn't know exactly why the sky is blue. She has a fairly good idea, but it's not what she'd consider to be concrete evidence. I don't know why the grass is green, or who created democracy. I don't know why the bus stops are spaced in the fashion that they are, or why the tap won't stop dripping, no matter how much you squeeze it.

I don't know why, when we have cupboards bursting at the seams, children are starving all over the world.
I don't know why people abuse children, or animals.
I don't know why people are discriminated against because of their gender, race or sexuality.

But I do know one thing: You, my love, have wisdom far beyond your years. And I have a feeling that if more little people grow to hold your beliefs, you just might find out. Then, I absolutely believe that you'll do your best to change these things, because you have more integrity than any person I have ever met.

I may be a humble mother but I am happily a humble mother, because I'm clearly doing a wonderful job, to have raised such conscientious, kind little people.

Yes, I'm happy to be humble, for as long as is necessary.

To Swatch, or not to Swatch...

2011-11-10T11:15:00.001-08:00

I've been swatching like a crazy lady. Swatching for mittens, swatching for scarves, swatching for hats- I've been swatching more than is normal, I think. I know lots of knitters who refuse to swatch, because it's time consuming and more effort than most are prepared to exert. I understand- it's an annoyance, but it's a necessary annoyance, if you ask me.

I'd rather spend a couple of hours swatching than possibly weeks knitting something only for it to not fit correctly when it's finished; that's my idea of knitting hell. Besides, my friend had the cleverest idea to save all of these little swatches and by the end of the year, you'll have enough to make a blanket (or three) depending how much you knit.

I could never knit a blanket in a million years; I just don't have the time required. But to add up lots of little squares at the end of the year? I could totally manage that! Then there's one less Christmas present to worry about, right? Don't look at me that way, you know it makes sense! Okay it doesn't have to be a big blanket, just a pram-sized affair- better? Now you can stop giving me the thousand-yard-death-stare!

Guest-Posting!

2011-11-02T05:18:00.000-07:00

I'm guest-blogging over at Be your Best Mom today. You can read the post here (clicky). Milena runs an awesome blog about parenting that covers many topics including birth stories (my favourite part!)
I love reading birth stories don't you?
I'm working on another pattern, and have to get photos of two hats I've made before I can post the patterns for them. I have so much to do! Here's a picture of one of them from the back:

BBP with baby Maggie, also known as "Bear"

She's the cutest, isn't she? She takes that little doll everywhere with her. It makes the strangest barking noise when you drop it, kinda freaks me out a bit, but it makes the BBP happy, so I'm happy.

Happy Hallowe'en!

2011-10-31T09:12:00.000-07:00

I hope you're enjoying your Hallowe'en as much as we are! We've carved pumpkins, watched scary movies and made some yummy (if somewhat gruesome looking) food.

Ha! Look at our awesome icing skills! In fairness, I did figure that it's supposed to look messy- it's Hallowe'en! Blood, guts and wiggly worms, right?

The kids seem happy enough, so I suppose that's all that matters. Enjoy the rest of your day, and don't watch too many scary movies!

Boo!

Four Little Things

2011-10-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

Today is about...

Knitting little people sized hats.

Sleeping baby feet.

Little girls discovering Mary Poppins for the very first time. If I think really hard, I'm sure I remember that magical feeling...

And this recipe. Cream of wild mushroom soup, oh my. We haven't eaten it yet, but that smell from the kitchen is distracting me enough from the site redesign to warrant the claim that it will. Be. Scrumptious.

Now, back to what I'm supposed to be doing.

Don't Panic!

2011-10-25T07:03:00.000-07:00

If things go a little squiffy over the next few days, there's no need to panic! We're moving to a new domain (a proper domain, in fact!) The reason is that I need to have more freedom over the site design, and future additions to the site.

It's a good time for a name change, my career has evolved since the blog was born and so it's only fitting that we go with the flow. You'll automatically be redirected to the new domain, so you won't miss out on anything that's posted.

Thank you for your patience!

Of Tradition...

2011-10-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

There is something very special lurking in the darkness of my pantry. Something that somehow encompasses tradition, family, warmth and love within its dark, syrupy self. Affectionately known as the "Jar of gloop" by my brood, the mincemeat we've made this Autumn is the same mincemeat we've been making for as long as I can remember.

My Great-Grandmother was only in my life for a short while, but I remember her as a very robust woman; the kind that expressed her wartime survival in every aspect of her life (probably a lot to do with her German ancestry, I suspect). I don't recall ever seeing her without an apron on and a rolling pin in her hand. My Mum used to tell me stories about how she would plait her hair so tight that she was sure her eyeballs were protruding from her face. If she dared to whimper, she'd be stopped in her tracks with a quick whack on the back of the head.

A very stern woman indeed, but oh my was she full of love. Love and warmth and family tradition. Similarly, my Nanna was pretty much the same. My brother and I would spend some weekends with her, sharing a pull out bed in a box room. We'd both go to bed at 7pm sharp, but after Airon, my brother, had fallen asleep she'd let me creep out to watch crime dramas with her. Oh how I loved that very grown-up privilege. So much so that we share that tradition with Bee.

Nowadays, as I see the leaves beginning to turn, I can feel the excitement building. I know that it's time to carry on our tradition; to prepare for a family Christmas. Those smells! The orange and lemon and cinnamon and nutmeg... there's nothing quite like it. Funny how we can eat oranges all summer and think nothing of it, but add in those vital spices in one delicious combination and it really is quite something. It's a tradition I couldn't live without; one that I want my children to share with their children; one among the many other traditions of our family.

It's Autumn again, and cripes am I happy about it.

Happy birthday, Flower!

2011-10-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

Have you got us on Facebook? Keep up to date with new patterns more conveniently!

You can find us here:
Little Ladies' Facebook Page

It was Flower's birthday yesterday. My little girl is six already! I can quite believe how the time flies, sometimes. Daddy took her fishing and we'll be going to the cinema at some point as planned. I made her a cake with a salt dough figure of Max from Where the wild things are.

It's far from perfect, but you should have seen her little face light up when she saw him. Oh my, she was a very happy little girl indeed. Another year gone by so quickly, maybe we'll slow it down for just a little while...

Leija

2011-10-18T16:17:00.000-07:00

I really wasn't kidding when I said it's we're all about the hats right now! Here's Flower's addition to the growing pile of outerwear. I still have Moomin, BBP, Mr LLC and myself to knit for. Well, that's assuming I find the time to make one for myself. It's that time of year again, which means I'll be a very busy bee!
Anyway, on to the pattern of the moment...

You can print the pattern from here

If you found this pattern useful, please consider visiting one of my sponsors :)
Thank you!

älva

2011-10-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

It's all about the hats here in the Little Ladies household! I was given strict instructions to create new winter wear for them all following a discussion about various misplaced items that they've had over the years.Moomin would like a hat with pom poms "down here", she says as she points to her ears. Bee asked for something with pretty colours and Flower shrugged her shoulders as she usually does. That's not to say that she doesn't want one, crikey, there'd be uproar if she didn't get one...
As for BBP, she'll get whatever I deem to be the cutest (I have the right, I've 21st birthday photos to consider here...)

Alas the making has begun. Here is the first of many winter garments to come, though how many of them I'll be writing patterns for I'm not sure!

Enjoy :)

�lva -

Edit: For those of you struggling to print from DocStoc, you can definitely print from here (clicky)

Having said that, do let me know if you encounter any difficulties!

Eimíle

2011-08-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

Eimíle -

As promised, here is the pattern, available for free download! Please don't sell my pattern, but you can sell the items you make using my pattern :) Oh, and don't forget to show me your finished items!

It's ready (Big Grins)

2011-08-18T02:46:00.000-07:00

I finished Moomin's jumper and I'm just ironing out the creases with the pattern. Besides, I'm going to start offering my patterns as PDF downloads; mainly so that I can keep a better record of how many people there are actually using them!
So, without further ado; here are some pictures...

The yarn is Rico Essentials soft Merino Aran in light blue. Also, for simplicity the whole thing is knit on 4.5mm needles. It's possible to do the sleeves via magic loop method with a long circular needle, but I'd advise using DPNs if you value your sanity at all :) I should also probably add that I made age 3-4 and Moomin is, at best, sized to fit age two clothing; so it's a little bigger than it would be ordinarily. What can I say? It's expensive yarn and I wanted it to last through the winter.
Pattern to follow!

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Knitting Tragedy...

2011-08-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

We all have them; those moments that make you wish you'd never learned to knit. You throw down those needles and swear you'll never knit again. Or at least, you threaten to never undertake such a mammoth task; never work in that yarn again- you get the idea. Well, I had my moment, and boy was I miserable.

I decided, in my wisdom, to make myself a jumper. My wardrobe is thinning and with winter on the way it seemed like a pretty good investment; a timely one at that! I hadn't set anything in stone as I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted from my jumper. The possibilities, after all, are endless. I had reached the decision that I wanted something with a seamless yoke in a pretty yarn; overall a very simple design. That is, until I discovered a pattern at my local market.
I wasn't sold on the design, if I'm honest. But I loved the yarn it was made with, oh my, it was beautiful.
To add to that, at £4.00 per 100g it was a steal that I couldn't ignore...

To cut a long story short, the pattern just didn't work. The sleeves weren't the correct length when combined with the body, causing the whole thing to slip off of my shoulders and generally provide me with untold irritation. The nagging question in my mind: Why oh why did I not just write my own pattern???

I don't know if it's that I'm an awkward body shape, but this seems to be a reoccurring issue; every time I attempt to make myself something from a pattern, this happens. I thought I might be able to get away with it; to put something together for myself with relative ease and in a timely fashion; not so, it seems.

Naturally, I threw a wobbly and the jumper remains in the corner of my room, untouched. I will get around to frogging it, but I'll be working my own pattern- that's for sure!

So right now I'm working on a jumper for Moomin in the prettiest shade of blue merino I have ever seen. On my, she will look simply scrumptious in this one, I can guarantee. Pictures to follow in the next couple of days (along with a pattern that fits- Har har)

Google Plus, the Dawning of a New Era...

2011-07-17T08:23:00.000-07:00

Is anyone using Google plus, yet? I got an invitation and signed myself up to see what all the fuss is about.What can I say, except "Whoa" this is gonna be big...
If you're not familiar with Google Plus, let me explain how it works. Basically, imagine Facebook and Twitter merging, that's it in a nutshell. I can follow inspirational people without the need for them to add me as a friend, because I'll only be able to view the content that they set to 'public', as such, they keep their personal content personal, and anything they want to share with the world is shared.

Already bloggers are using this fantastic tool to generate 'circles' of people who interest them. 'Sparks' mean that you can keep on top of your interests easily, updating yourself on the latest information available in any specified topics. For instance, my 'sparks' include Knitting, sewing; crochet, crafts-and many more. I can see new designers/patterns emerging as they become popular, and find things out more easily, without the effort.
To all of you out there in Blogland that are already using Google+, you can find me here.
If anyone would like an invitation, please do get in touch! We'd love to have you!
Here's an introduction for those of you that would like to find out more: Google+

Must See Makes!

2011-07-09T10:55:00.000-07:00

This week the little ladies and I have been surfing the net for the prettiest ideas we can find. Here are some of the things we found on our 'travels'. We hope you love them as much as we do!

Photo @Craft Passion

These cute little shorts are just perfect for the current season! And what gorgeous fabrics, they go so well together! You can find the tutorial over at Craft Passion

Photo @Huntergathercook

Home made ice cream, anyone? How about a home made ice cream machine? Now that is clever. Head over to Huntergathercook to see how to do it yourself! Go on, it's good to push yourself, and a new craft is the perfect way to do it! Besides, cold toffee ice cream sounds delicious right now...

Photo @Luckypennymake

Want to learn how to make yarn from old t-shirts? This cool tutorial at Luckypennymake shows you how!

Photo @Honestlywtf

I think we'll be doing this one ourselves this week! How cool are those friendship bracelets? Imagine the designs you could come up with! And the colours,oh, the colours! The kiddies are going to love this one! To learn how to make your own, head over to Honestlywtf now!

Hope you enjoyed this week's finds, see you again soon!

I've Been Crafty...

2011-06-06T04:13:00.000-07:00

For a long time I was terrified of the idea of sock knitting. The words "Turning the heel" sent shiver down my spine and made me close the laptop, back away slowly and make the sign of the cross as I left the room. I guess it's both understandable and baffling, because it's a new technique (I'm bound to be a little nervous) but it's nothing I can't handle. I mean, it's not like learning to knit in the first place was easy...

Lily's socks:

The pattern I used can be found here: Bamboozle

The little ladies have been making masks and painting them:

I made an owl jumper, hoot!

Pattern here

BBP got some new attire, namely a pair of reversible jeans recycled from a pair of my own, and a kimono style top that I made my own pattern for. I'm clever like that, you see ;)

Oh, and she got these, too. Again, my pattern:

The big girl got a new top in big girl fashion, of course:

Again, one of my own patterns. Well, not so much pattern as a piece of shirred fabric with a halter neck added to it. I guess it's not really rocket science...

And my little hippy got a polkadot dress:

I also made pyjamas that I haven't photographed yet. And I'm working through the sizing for a pattern for you guys :) So yes, this is pretty much the reason why I haven't been around much. I've been super, super, super busy!

I will be back (hopefully) at some point in the week with another pattern.

Catch you later!

100 Fans on Facebook, new beginnings?

2011-05-08T05:44:00.000-07:00

So, do you think it might be about time for a giveaway? I do! But first, what to actually give away. Any ideas? Suggestions are very welcome both here and over on Facebook if you find that easier. Remember that it can be knitted/sewn/crocheted-the shy is the limit really.

And what else? Well, I've decided to open a little shop! A virtual shop, but still a shop. I'll be selling children's items and maybe a few other bits and pieces, all made by hand. I haven't quite decided on a name yet, but hopefully I'll have it all set up pretty soon.

Naturally, I've been pretty busy making things for the new venture, so that's why I haven't been around much lately. Finding time to do things generally has to be whenever BBP allows me to do so. It's been pretty hectic in the Little Ladies household!

So yes, a giveaway and a new business. Drop me suggestions for what to make an I'll get cracked on with it!

Hasta Luego!

Mobile Phone Case Pattern

2011-04-11T05:14:00.000-07:00

Picture the scene...You're stood at the checkout in a cafe with four small, hungry, tired, irritable children. You're about to manhandle a tray full of drinks, sandwiches and coffee to your table (which happens to be right at the back of the cafe, next to the toilet) because in your wisdom, you chose to hit the town centre right in the middle of rush hour. Now, you've managed to keep your cool thus far, being the regular cool, calm and collected mother that you've trained yourself to be over the years. Then it happens. Right at that moment, the straw that broke the camels back appears. A simple phone call, nothing special, but it's there...

So you reach into your handbag (one of the children just sneezed and now has snot streaming from her nostrils, by the way) the others are tugging at your trousers, because now they need a wee. Delving into the depths of said handbag, you begin to question why you never bothered to clean this out before. The presence of half the contents of Blackpool beach from last year's holiday only confirms the extent of your procrastination. Like sifting through layers of sedimentary rock, you finally grab the phone and...It stops ringing.

<---Insert nervous breakdown.

I hear you! Thus, the inspiration for my latest project.

No layers of sedimentary rock...Just one simple button. Can you feel serenity being restored? I do, and it's full of yarny goodness. Aaaaand relax.

Time needed: About an hour

Cost: Well, the good news is, it's a stash buster! If you don't have a stash, then roughly around £3.00

Complexity level: Easy

You will need:

3 balls of double knit weight yarn. I used Acrylic leftovers that I had from various projects, 2 bluey colours and a lime green.

Size 6mm crochet hook

5 buttons

Yarn needle

Pattern

Waistband

Measure around your waist and work out your stitch tension. I chained 85 because I wanted a little growing room. Hey, it happens to the best of us, right? ;)

Once you have your measurement, it's pretty easy to figure out how many chains you'll need. And it's flexible, too. If you make too many, just adjust the placement of the buttons at the end so it fits perfectly.

So, using all three strands of yarn, do your chains.

Insert hook into second chain from hook

double crochet in each chain

Turn

Chain one, double crochet in each double crochet

Turn

Chain one, double crochet in each double crochet

Fasten off.

Simple, huh?

Phone case

Chain 8

Insert hook into second chain from hook

Single crochet in each chain, working all the way around in an oval shape.

When you reach the start of your round, join with a slip stitch.

Chain one, then *half double crochet (HDC) in each single crochet and join with slip stitch. In English terms, a half double crochet is a treble stitch. *Wrap yarn around hook, insert into stitch, wrap yarn around hook, pull through stitch, wrap yarn around the hook, pull through all three stitches.

Repeat until piece is tall enough to compensate for your mobile phone. Mine measures around 5 inches (give or take)

Now, begin another round, stopping when you reach the half way mark

Turn

Chain one, HDC in each stitch until you reach your starting point

Turn

Chain one, HDC in each HDC

Repeat until your flap is large enough to reach over your phone and fasten to the front of your case.

Fasten off.

Strap

Chain 11

HDC in each chain

Turn

Chain one

*HDC in each HDC

Turn

Chain one*

Repeat from * to * until piece measures 4 inches

Fasten off

Make up

Attach strap to rear of phone case, in a central position, taking care to ensure that you have a tight fit around the waistband, preventing the phone holder from drooping when weight is added.

Sew on buttons. One to the phone case so that the flap can be secured and the other four to the waistband so that it won't fall off! You can play around with the placement of the buttons if you like, I just placed two at the very edge and the other two a few inches in.

Weave in all ends-ta dah! Done! Simple eh?

You have just prevented yourself from any impending nervous breakdowns that happen to be mobile phone related, sorry, but I can't be of any help with the snot...

It's Spring!

2011-04-10T12:55:00.000-07:00

Should we start with a photograph of the little ladies? I think we should. Well, two of them anyway:

I love this time of the year; when I clean out the house it feels like an old, dusty oak tree is stretching off his legs after a long winter. I love opening the windows and letting nature into my home. It feels good, it feels right and I can begin to notice all of the negativity harboured for many months begin to drift away with the breeze. So today I decided to sort out my stash. It is Spring after all, and a rather appropriate time for cleaning and sorting.I don't know about you, but don't regular, off-the-shelf balls of yarn annoy the heck outta you? I buy lots of acrylic yarn (having four children) and most of the balls I buy aren't in skeins, just factory wound. I find that they tangle beyond belief and I always need to sort them at that critical moment in my crafting. So, in an attempt to be preemptive and organised, I pulled out the wool winder and made my yarn stash more manageable. Here's some of it:

(Excuse the fingerprints on the windows. Heaps of yarn tend to attract many more littlies than is desired when photographing for blog purposes...)

I've decided to have a go at spinning natural fibres this year. Initially I plan to grow some cotton; moving on to hemp if everything goes well. Here's the start of my teeny weeny plants:

So what's in the basket this week? Well, I'm still working on my blanket. I have to admit, it's the first blanket I've crocheted and though it's much quicker than knitting (yay!) I had forgotten how time consuming blankets can be in general (boo!) Still, I won't let it beat me! It's turning out so beautiful already, I guess that's my inspiration. I wouldn't be happy if it didn't grace my sofa with its loveliness at some point.

And before you say anything, the tails are frightening me, too. *Runs to hide under a pillow*

These are in my basket, too:

The photograph really does not do this yarn any justice. It is still an Acrylic blend but it is beautifully soft and the colours are yummy. It's sort of like a tweed-type effect; very different to the usual pinks in our house! They will be bloomers for BBP and I plan on sewing on some brightly coloured crocheted flowers when they're done, as I'd be rich if I had a pound for every person that approached me and said "Isn't he beautiful" despite the obvious presence of pink...

Should I give you a sneak peek at the next tutorial? Hmmm....Maybe I should. I need to find the elusive bag of buttons that has once again evaded me before it will be completed, but for now, a quick nosey will suffice.

Look at the absolutely stunning yarn I managed to find hiding away in our local yarn shop! It is gorgeous.

I don't know if you can see, but it's quite fluffy and soft. I don't know what to make with it. As it's £5 per 50g I only bought 100g to begin with, mainly because I didn't really have a clue what to make with it, I just knew I had to have it. Any suggestions? I was thinking maybe a nice pair of longies for BBP, but I'm not sure.

Well, that's it from me for today. I'm off to the land of slumber as winding yarn has given me sore arms!

Poetry

2011-04-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read something that completely shook you? Not just your average "Oh, that's quite good", I mean totally shook you; made you really think about things?

I have; several times. In an attempt to shake you in similar ways, or at least encourage you to find some of your own shake-provoking poetry, I'm going to share some of my absolute favourites with you.

Title: Unknown

Author: Unknown

I hope my children look back on today and remember a mother who had time to play,

there will be years for cleaning and cooking but children grow up when you're not looking,
tomorrow I'll do the chores you can mention,

today my baby needs time and attention,

so settle down cobwebs; dust go to sleep,

I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.

Title: Still I Rise

Author: Maya Angelou

You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Shoulders falling down like teardrops.

Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?

Don't you take it awful hard

'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,

You may cut me with your eyes,

You may kill me with your hatefulness,

But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?

Does it come as a surprise that I dance like I've got diamonds

At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame

I rise

Up from a past that's rooted in pain

I rise

I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise

Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise.

Title: Warning

Author: Jenny Joseph

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple

With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

And run my stick along the public railings

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

And pick flowers in other people's gardens

And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

And eat three pounds of sausages at a go

Or only bread and pickle for a week

And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

And pay our rent and not swear in the street

And set a good example for the children.

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

Wow, once again I'm inspired for the day! I love the top poem because it makes me appreciate every moment I have with my children; I wish I knew who wrote it. Maya Angelou amazes me with her ability to splash her emotions onto a page without difficulty. You can visualise everything she writes, and she does it so beautifully! The last poem reminds me of myself in many ways. I sometimes feel as though I'm behaving appropriately to keep up appearances, when really I wish I could be more like the person I am inside. If you have any suggestions for great poetry out there, let me know!

Pictorial Loveliness

2011-03-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

Wow it's been a while since I was last in blogland! I need to remember to post more often! I'm finding it difficult to keep on top of everything right now; my brain seems to be resident on another planet.

Firstly, I have a new toy:

Isn't she positively beautiful? I think so. Her name is Betsy :)

So what have the little ladies been been up to? Well, lots is the short answer, but somehow I think pictures provide a more accurate representation!

B has been spinning! (She's actually better than me!)

Moomin has been enjoying the fibre-prep process and sits carding rather happily for up to an hour each time we get the kit out.

Ooh and check out what I found!

Littlie sized cups at Asda for 69p each! They're somewhere in the middle of a teacup and a mug; definitely my bargain of the week!

What have I been doing with all of my excessive spare time *sniggers* I hear you ask? Well, I've been decorating the living room with the hubster and also making these:

Lots and lots (and lots) of these. I need 144...
Uncle Peter came to visit:

For cuddles with BBP, and whatnot :)

And excuse me whilst I bother you all with my moment of maternal madness! Look at my babies! They're all growing so fast!

Well, now I'm going to cry! Maybe not, but still...

I have to be very careful right now. You may have noticed that all of my children are around 2 years apart. Lily is now coming up to the age where I would *usually* be conceiving again. As much as I want more children, I don't want them yet. Feeling like this tends to make me a touch more broody, though!

We are still breastfeeding! Go us! We totally rock, yes we do! I can't believe she'll be one this June; where has the time gone? She's cut two teeth now, and I suspect more are on the way. Oh my gosh! How did I forget to write this! She took her first step yesterday! Her first, completely unaided step. Then she refused to do it for Daddy...(You can't win 'em all I suppose)

There's a stitch 'n' bitch at a bar in town that I'm thinking about going to. I really do need to escape for an hour or so once every couple of weeks. I realised the other day that I hadn't even left the house for bread in six weeks...

Needless to say, we went out soon after! I'm not too great with new people or crowds, though, so I'm not too sure whether to go. I really should, because a lady that goes has home-edded kids around the same ages as the little folk so it could be good to get to know her. She's actually asked me if I fancy meeting up with the kiddies, but again, she's "new".

I need to pull my head out of my backside and get out more. This can't be healthy, I don't think. Anyway, I think that's it for today! A quick 'heads up' on life with the little ladies, and hopefully I'll be back later on to drop off some pictures of the newly decorated living room :)

Please help me find my dog!

2010-12-29T12:40:00.000-08:00

Mika has been stolen, we need to do everything possible to ensure she gets home safely. She was taken from our back garden early yesterday morning, and we were subsequently burgled last night. It is for this reason that we believe Mika was taken to prevent her from barking and waking us during the break in.

If this has happened, she has probably been dumped and has gone without food or shelter since 9.30am yesterday morning. Please tweet and retweet, share on your Facebook, email it as a circular-get this post out to everyone you know. My children have lost their dog, their Christmas presents, and the feeling of safety in their own home.

Please help to restore some of their faith in humanity!

As you can see, Mika is a tri-coloured Border collie with blue merle spots on her face. She is wearing a red collar and is roughly six months old. She was taken from the Wheatley area of Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

Join the hunt to find Mika on Facebook here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Find-Mika/134537763273555?

Autumn Waistcoat

2010-12-19T16:50:00.000-08:00

Autumn

Size: 6-12 months

Gauge
13 stitches/22 rows=10cm in stockinette

You will need:

150g chunky yarn

Needles: 6mm

Crochet hook: 4mm

Yarn needle

2 buttons

Back

Using 6mm needles, cast on 33 stitches. Work 2 rows of knit 1, purl 1 ribbing. Change to stockinette, and continue until piece measures 17cm. End with purl row.

Armhole Shaping

Next row: (right side) Bind off 3 stitches at beginning of row, then knit to end of row.

Next row: (wrong side) Bind off first 3 stitches purlwise, purl to end of row.

Continue in stockinette until back measures 29cm

Cast off

Left Front

Using 6mm needles, cast on 17 stitches. Work 2 rows of knit 1, purl 1 ribbing. Change to stockinette, continue until piece measures 18cm, ending with purl row.

Armhole Shaping

Next row: (right side) Cast off 3 stitches, knit to end of row.

Change to stockinette until piece measures 29cm, AT THE SAME TIME dec 1st at button edge on every alternate purl row until 10 sts remain.

Cast off.

Right Front

Using 6mm needles cast on 17 stitches. Work 2 rows knit 1, purl 1 ribbing. Change to stockinette until piece measures 18cm, ending with a knit row.

Armhole Shaping

Next row: (wrong side) Bind off 3 stitches, purl to end of row.

Continue in stockinette until piece measures 29cm, AT THE SAME TIME dec 1st at button edge on every alternate knit row until 10 sts remain.

Cast off.

Make up

First sew shoulder pieces together, then stitch front pieces to back piece at sides using mattress stitch.

Crochet edging

Using a 4mm crochet hook, attach yarn to seam at base of armhole. Ch1, sc in each stitch around armhole. Sl st in 1st chain to join. Tie off.

Repeat for second armhole.

Attach yarn anywhere on outer edging. Ch3, sc into 1st chain, sc, *sc,ch3 in same hole, sc in 1st chain, sc.

Rep from * to end.

Attach 2 buttons evenly on left front, using crochet as buttonholes.

Weave in ends to finish.

If you enjoyed this pattern, please help to keep the content free by visiting one of my sponsors. It only takes a minute and really makes a big difference! Thanks :)

Sari Shrug

2010-12-19T16:27:00.000-08:00

Here is my latest pattern, available for personal use.

Sari Shrug

You will need:

6mm Knitting needles

6mm Crochet hook

Yarn needle

2 skeins recycled sari silk

50g mohair (Bulky weight)

50g Bulky acrylic yarn

Co 35 sts

Commence stockinette stitch until piece measures 28 inches

Fold in half lengthways

Sew seams for 4 ½ inch

Using 6mm crochet hook

*Attach yarn at seam

Ch1 sc1 in same hole

DC18 around sleeve

Slst into 1st sc

Tie off and attach new yarn at seam

Ch1 sc1 in same hole

DC in each dc around sleeve

Tie off*

Rep from * to * until sleeve measures 20 inches (or desired length)

Rep from *to* for other sleeve.

Spreading sts evenly (around 1cm apart) sc 86 sts around edge in red

Next 2 rows: *sc in each sc, slst in 1st sc*

Change colour, next 3 rows: rep from * to *

Tie off and weave in ends.

If you enjoyed this pattern, please help to keep the content free by visiting one of my sponsors. It only takes a moment and really makes a difference! Thanks guys :)

There's a new widget...

2010-10-30T17:20:00.000-07:00

There's a new widget somewhere over here--->

Yes, it's the "NaNoWriMo" one. So what's it all about? Well, being the mad woman that I am, I've decided to participate in "National novel writing month" which is, essentially, the writing of a 50,000 word novel in one short month...

Why? Because I am mad, and because it helps to raise money for writing workshops for kids, and helps them access things that they otherwise would not be able to. It's a fantastic resource and a great way to get the creative juices flowing in future generations.

Yes, I am going to be so bold as to ask for sponsorship! Why not eh? Even if you're not in a position to donate right now, pop over to the site to see what we're about. You may even choose to participate yourself, next year! (If you're as mad as me...)

Well, here's the site:

NaNoWriMo Donation Page

If you go down to the woods today...

2010-10-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

...You'll never know we were there!

So we went on a woodland walk today and really enjoyed it! We took tons of photographs and here are some of the best. I hope you like them!

Photography...

2010-09-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

I've been really getting into photography recently. I'm not especially fantastic at it, but I'm getting better with every shot! My favourite photograph is one of my friend's children but I'm not going to put it on my blog without her prior permission, so I may get around to putting that up if she says it's ok. But for now, here are some of my children from various recent events. I hope you like them! And if there are any photographers viewing, constructive criticism is always welcome!!!

You'll have to excuse the random sizing, I hate Blogger for that very reason! I can't for the life of me get them to look right! Never mind, that's reading for another day...

End of an era...New beginnings

2010-08-01T15:10:00.000-07:00

Well before I get into what I mean, let me first say the book is here!!! It's called "Contagious", I can't wait to start it! It was lovely to see Katie and Chris today but I must admit that I don't think I was being very sociable, considering how tired I've been today.

Onto the topic title! I have made the decision to pull Bonny out of state school in favour of home educating her myself. I've been considering it for some time and seen as it's now the summer holidays it seems appropriate that she doesn't return in September.

She doesn't want to go anyway, so that helped me reach the decision. Bonny is Dyslexic and has continued to fall behind whilst her peers thrive. I have come to realise that this is having a very negative impact on her and seems to be hindering her progress even further. I fail to see how in a class of thirty she will ever receive the one to one support she so desperately needs.

In addition to the above, I'm not convinced that the national curriculum is in fact the proper course of action in reference to her education. She is extremely artistic in many ways and struggles with anything more academically based. As such, she finds regular education very mundane and uninteresting.

I know that I can encourage Bonny to learn Maths, English and Science by teaching her these subjects in a way that she finds stimulating. That won't happen in a school that are still using learning resources from 1945...

Overall, I'm excited about the transition and feel very positive about the prospects Bonny will have as a result of my dedication. I must admit, though, I'm a little apprehensive about my ability to teach.
Another of my concerns is that for the moment, Lucie has specified that she would prefer to continue attending public school. What if that changes? I may be able to home educate Bonny, but what if they all follow suit? Home educating four children would be a very labour intensive task indeed...

Introductions

2010-07-12T07:27:00.000-07:00

Wow it's been a while hasn't it? If anyone has been wondering where I tootled off to I was busy having my beautiful baby girl. We were blessed with her appearance at 6.06am on Saturday 26th June, we named her Lily-May and she weighed in at a grand total of 8lb 3oz. Here is a photograph of my darling little angel...

Isn't she darling? D'ya want to know the best part? I've been successfully breastfeeding since her birth! I'm so proud of myself! After failing three times before it feels like I've managed to conquer a mountain. She's thriving and it's all because of me! I can't even begin to express the absolute pride that beams from me when people ask how I'm feeding her. It's particularly rewarding when people are surprised, I think they're more shocked because I'm juggling the four girls and breastfeeding-plus I'm a pretty young Mummy.

So far I've only had one really bad experience, I was out in public feeding her and an old lady actually gasped, tutted, shook her head and stomped off in fury! I felt pretty bummed out by it at first, but then I realised how ridiculously she was behaving. I had done absolutely nothing wrong. My child needed feeding and I fed her, just as nature intended.

Anyway this was just a quick one to update you all! Things are pretty hectic here at the moment as I have appointments coming out of my earholes and Luke's been pretty busy with new clients being added to his list every day! So I promise I'll get uploading some more tutorials soon, I'm actually working on a baby sling tutorial and a couple of other things. I did start something just before Lily was born but can't for the life of me remember what it was-or where it is for that matter!

Ciao for now!

Finishing Week

2010-06-15T01:44:00.000-07:00

This week has been my 'finish everything off week'. I've had quite a few projects that have stalled for whatever reason and I've become somewhat determined to see them through. I'm thinking it might be an alternative form of nesting-though I have been crazy busy tidying the house too!

I now have 4 days left to go and there's still no sign of her coming out any time soon. I'm pretty much convinced that my uterus has been prepackaged with memory foam pillows...

We have a new kitten, his name is (obviously) Felix. How could we call him anything else? I don't have any decent photographs of him yet but I'll have to remedy that later on this week. So without further ado here are the projects I finished this week!

Lucie's "Chunk"

This is a chunky knit cardigan that I made for my little Lucie! Although it's summer here we still have some very cold, rainy days and as such she'll get plenty of wear out of it. Plus, our little Lucie is quite dainty anyway and doesn't seem to grow much! So even though she's almost five she still wears age three to four clothing. Making it pretty obvious that she'll still be wearing it well into the winter!

My only disappointment is that because the wool is very, very chunky you can't see the detailed pattern very well. It's a nice cabled effect that looks really lovely. It's a shame because it would have been nice to be able to see it, as it did take me a while!

She is deliriously happy with it though, she won't take it off for toffee! I've never seen her so happy with something before. I think it's just the excitement of knowing that Mummy has made something especially for her. Bless her!

The wool was a tad more expensive than I like to admit. Generally speaking I'm quite frugal when it comes to making clothes and I always shop for bargains before committing to an expensive purchase. That said, I hadn't stumbled across this particular wool prior to that point...

It cost me around £3.75 per 100g ball and I used 4 balls, so if I ignore needles and add the cost of the buttons the total make probably cost around £16.00. I think that's still cheaper than I'd have paid for it from say...Next or Debenhams. So I feel the end justifies the means!

Isabelle's "Ice Cream"

This is one that I've been meaning to finish for a while. I had knitted it up some time ago but not being convinced that the colours were all that great I didn't bother sewing on the buttons or adding the ribbon until this week. I don't know what it is but somehow the pink looks rather more garish now it's all knitted up. I loved the wool when I first bought it. It reminded me of ice cream and I thought it would be a welcome addition to Isabelle's wardrobe (when she finally arrives that is). I'll see how I feel about it when she arrives-it's not as though she doesn't have a wardrobe full of alternatives 'just in case'.

Emily's "Pretty Posy Overalls"

I'm absolutely dying to share this pattern with you guys! These dungarees/overalls are absolutely amazing. I love them to death. My little Emily looks so adorable in them and they're so practical it's unbelievable! I love little girls in dresses just as much as the next person but the little floral design makes them just as (if not more) pretty than a dress-without the worry of creasing, scuffing knees or generally ruining a pretty dress. They have an extra large pocket on the front for carrying general toddler "stuffs" around, which on her first outing happened to be mud and Mummy's flowers for Emily. Cute huh? I made them from a simple poly-cotton print that cost me around £2.00 per metre and still had leftovers from the metre that I bought. So all in all they were an absolute steal! How often can you make your little one look this cute for £2.00? In my experience-never!

So that's about as far as I've got for now. I'm just in the process of finishing a nautical/swing themed outfit for Bonny. It's so adorable! I can't wait to get it finished and show you the pictures!!!

So for now I'll bid you adieu and be on my merry way, as I have plenty to do and very little time to do it in! Story of my life it seems...

Ciao!

Some great free patterns I found online...

2010-06-10T12:57:00.000-07:00

I've had a bit of a lazy day today because I'm feeling rather rough. So I've had chance to have a browse on the net and source some nice knitting patterns. Here is a list of my favourite sites to find free patterns on:

Knitting Pattern Central
Knitting Pattern Central is an online directory featuring thousands of links to free knitting patterns.

Simply Knitting
Knitting magazine online, some nice free patterns on there.

Craft Town
A variety of free craft patterns.

Free Patterns
Again, plenty of free patterns.

Enjoy!

My 101 List

2010-06-08T15:03:00.000-07:00

Ok so this is a neat idea that I thought I'd like to share on my blog. The idea is that you write down 101 goals you have for your life. I guess it's sort of like a bucket list...in a way. I think 101 is a huge number to fulfil but nevertheless I'm going to have a try!

Be sure to have a go yourself and then leave the link in the comments section to share it! (You don't need a blog, do it on facebook as a note and then tag all of your friends). That way you get to see other people's goals too!

Ok here goes...

1. Learn more about photography. I've noticed that I'm actually not all that bad at snapping pics but it'd be great to actually understand how to use all those gizmo's, gadgets and filters at some point.

2. Become an ultimate seamstress whizz kid. I want to know all there is to know about sewing, simply because I can!

3. Become less critical of myself. I really need to cut myself some slack!

4. Gain a qualification. I'm not too sure what qualification I'd like to obtain, but as you can probably tell, knowledge is something that I hold in extremely high regard. I think I'd feel pretty proud to be certified in "X".

5. Conquer my fear of spiders. (I shudder at the thought, but feel it has some relevance to this list).

6. Make my own wedding dress. I've always dreamed of the perfect dress and I know the only way it'll ever be the way I want it is to make it myself... If I ever manage to be brave enough to spend that much money on fabric that I could easily destroy. (Believe me, I have a way of attracting fire...even in the bath).

7. Build my own house (preferably sustainable). I'm aware that the natural progression is to get married, buy a house and then have kids-but I continue to rent my home because somehow it just doesn't feel right buying a house that I haven't made myself. Ideally, I want us to have an "Eco home" because I think it's extremely pertinent for us to pass on knowledge to our children that may one day save our planet.

8. Become more patient. I'm very uppity about things at times and seem to lack patience...

9. Ban myself from Facebook. I can't ever see this happening as I'm pretty much addicted to it-but I feel that I do need a break form Facebook and the... Trouble? shall we say? That it causes.

10. Learn to drive. Yes, after having three children and number four on the way-I still don't drive. I know, I must be crazy right? I actually consider myself to be doing the general public a huge favour. Especially when you consider that my approach to conquering my first roundabout was to close my eyes and hope for the best...

11. Visit the following countries (in no particular order):
Africa
Russia
Australia
New Zealand
Japan
India
Norway
America
Egypt
Prague
France
Germany
Switzerland
Hmmm....I think that's it. (I'm lying, I know there are more places I really want to visit I just can't remember them right now).

12. Get a book published. I know it's a little far fetched...but I'd love to have my own book published.

13. Spend more time doing the things I love, and less cleaning the house.

14. Make a boy. I love my girls dearly...but a boy really would be nice.

15. Own my own business. I've had several ideas in the past but haven't really stuck anything out for too long or got cold feet when I thought it would fail by default. I'd quite like to be my own boss...nothing huge, just enough to make me happy.

16. Mend all broken bridges. In reality, there are many instances in my life where this just isn't possible and it would be very unrealistic of me to expect it to happen. It would be nice though...

17. Say "Yes" to Luke more often. I feel as though I'm always having to be the voice of reason and sometimes I end up feeling like such a nag. It would be nice to just say "Sure, go ahead" and have done with it.

18. To be able to put my hand on my heart and say "I have no debts".

19. Stop feeling guilty for needing new pants. This is a long standing joke that I have with Luke. I'm terrible, even when my nickers are threadbare I'd rather spend the money on the kids. Then when I do finally submit and but something I have shoppers guilt for days. I always feel as though the money could be better spent elsewhere. I end up walking around hoping that I don't get hit by a bus...simply because I'd be dreadfully embarrassed if they saw my decrepit drawers...

20. Get breast implants. I know, I know, they go against pretty much everything I stand for but still...a nice perky set of boobies would do my self-esteem wonders.

21. Buy a VW camper van. I'm such a hippy but I really, really, really, really, really want one. The problem is that even a restoration project is an expensive purchase around these parts. Might have to resort to grand theft auto...that's a bad idea.

22. Watch more TV. Yes, I know it sounds a little strange-but I'm starting to convince myself that I must be missing something. With all the effort that goes into producing quality television shows worldwide, you'd think I'd manage to find something I like. I just don't watch TV at all...unless I'm ill, and even then I have to be so ill that I can't sit at the computer.

23. Stop being quite so nomadic. I'm like a gypsy...I move around so much it's crazy. I think because we rent it doesn't help matters but still...eleven houses in two separate countries over the space of seven years seems a little excessive to me...

24. Go to Glastonbury!

25. Sing in public. Luke keeps trying to get me to and every time I think I'm going to I chicken out at the last minute! I'd love to do it...one day.

26. Finally figure out how to use the range of programs that I have on my computer. They include (but are not limited to) Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, Fireworks, Macromedia Flash, and my most recent addition, Optitex PDS 10. There's a hell of a lot of money's worth of software installed on my hard drive. Now if I could just figure out what any of them do...

27. Read more books. I always set out with such good intentions in this department-but never seem to follow through with it. I'd love to be one of those people who reads all the best sellers and knows intuitively who is worth a read and who to avoid like a bad case of piles...

28. Grow my own vegetables. I have the seeds ready, I just don't seem to have the time required to plant them! It would be nice to be somewhat self sufficient but I fail to see how I'll ever have the time.

29. Own a Steiff bear. I have to own at least one. I know they're very expensive and as such I'm happy to settle for just the one, but he will be very appreciated and take pride of place on my bed...

30. Ride regularly (and preferably own my own horse). I used to ride very often and had two horses, unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances I had to give my horses away and stopped riding as a result. It would be lovely to have that back again.

Well I've decided to do this in installments. It's taken me ages to think of 30! So I think I'll leave it for tonight and come back to it.
On the plus side, I've managed to find some pattern making software! So I shall be uploading some patterns in the very near future...assuming I can figure out how to use said software. Bear with me, this may take some time.

The mind wants what the body can't give...

2010-06-05T15:29:00.000-07:00

So as you can see from my post below, I made my baby's crib bedding today. Whilst it's a big "woohoo" for me, it damn near killed me. I know I'm nearing the end of my pregnancy but I swear if I hear one more person tell me "It's not long now" I think I'm going to do bad things to them with a ball point pen...

Yes I only have two weeks left. So today I sorted through and arranged all of her clothes, made up the crib and finished off the bedding. What I'm struggling with at the moment is bending, or getting into any position that doesn't involve being laid down. Even when I manage to lay down I end up like a stranded turtle and can't get back up again.

It's been great weather here for the kids but for me, jeez I'm on fire. I keep kicking myself every time I think about how many fans I've walked past without buying one. I kept thinking aah it's ok I'll buy one later. Now I don't have a fan-and damn it's hot! I'm considering smothering myself in wet flannels, but then I know when they warm up it'll be a nightmare getting up to dampen them again.

Listen to me moaning on and on...and on.

I'm just at that really awkward stage of pregnancy where you can't seem to figure out what you're going to do to get to the end of it with your sanity still in tact. It doesn't help because I have friends who are just that little bit further forward. My friend just had her baby a couple of days ago, I have another friend who is a week over her due date and Luke's friend had her baby yesterday.

So everyone around me is either very close to having or has already had their baby. I just want to see my feet again...

Here's my list of things I miss about not being pregnant:

1. The ability to see my feet (Yes, the repetition of this is absolutely necessary)
2. The ability to hold in certain gusts of wind that are best left to restricted areas of the home
3. The ability to sleep for longer than ten minutes without waking up in a blind panic because hey, I might have gone into labour and not realised it.
4. Slim fitting dresses-well, clothes in general to be honest. I haven't bought any in ages.
5. Conversations that don't start with "How are you feeling today?"
6. Conversations that don't end with "Keep me updated"
7. The ability to bend
8. The ability to play with my kids, you have no idea how much I miss playing with my kids!
9. Wiggling my hips when I walk. Waddling has never been, nor will it ever be, seductive.
10. SEX

Ok I believe I'm done moaning for today. Be warned, if you come back within the next few weeks you're likely to be greeted with more moaning. I'm not generally a moaner but I'm so damn miserable I just can't contain it any longer...much like the aforementioned wind...

Crib Bedding Set

2010-06-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

In this tutorial I'll show you how to make a crib bedding set. It'll (hopefully) look somewhat like the set above, and contains a bumper and blanket. I would include a pillow tutorial however I have no need for one until my baby is older and it's pretty similar to the blanket tutorial anyway so you can just adjust the sizes if that's what you want to do.

I used around 1 metre of fabric for this but if you're unsure ask your local fabric store owner to help you work out how much you'll need. They usually don't mind helping out-in my experience anyway.

What you'll need:

(Roughly) 1 metre of your chosen fabric. Cottons and polycottons work well for this type of project.

Cotton Wadding. Depending on the time of year you may want to increase the tog value to add warmth. As it's summer here I've opted for 4oz wadding because it's lightweight.

Thread, either contrasting or matching-your choice.

Sewing machine (ideally you want one that can convert to having a free arm, but it's not a complete tragedy if it doesn't.)

Scissors

Tape measure

3 buttons/zipper

Quik unpick (just in case!)

Pencil/Tailors chalk for marking

Knitting needle (Trust me...)

We'll start with the bumper because that's the hardest of the two, but don't panic, it's really not hard at all.

First thing's first, I'd recommend ironing your fabric. I haven't because I'm lazy but it really does make everything much easier if you do.

Once you've done this (or ignored me because you're just as lazy as me) you can measure out your fabric. You'll need to take measurements from your crib to get this as accurate as possible. You need to measure the width of the crib...

Then measure the depth/height...

And then measure along the side to where you want the bumper to end, or all the way around if you want a continuous bumper.

Now you can take your measurements and measure out your fabric! Remember to double the height measurement so you have enough to cover both sides of your wadding. Cut it as one whole piece so you don't have another seam to sew later.

It should look something like this...

Next you need to measure out your wadding. You can lay it on top of your folded fabric and cut it to the correct length for convenience, or if you're a perfectionist you can measure it out separately...

Depending on the thickness of your wadding, you may want to fold and pin it now just to check that you've compensated enough for the added thickness...

Mine fits ok so we can move on to the next part.

So what you want to do is set aside the wadding and turn your fabric inside out so that the right sides (patterned sides) are facing eachother. Then you need to sew up the two smallest ends, leaving the longest edge open.

Once you've done this you can set aside this too, as you now need to begin making the ties for the bumper. I've made 8 (which is good for 4 ties along the top). If you want to have ties along the bottom too you'll need to make 16 separate ties. If you're using ribbons, you can skip this part.

Basically what you're going to do is cut out 8 long, thin pieces (to whatever length you'd like them) some prefer them long, others prefer them shorter. It's entirely up to you...

You're then going to turn them inside out again and sew up the longest edge and one of the ends, leaving one edge open. This is where you're going to be glad you listened and found a knitting needle! You need to push the fabric back through the tube you've just created to turn it the right way around-like this...

Don't worry about the raw edge that's left, it gets sewn into the bumper anyway so you won't see it.

So then you want to pin your ties into place, taking care to check them against the crib to make sure they're situated correctly. You need to pin them inside the open edge of the bumper, we'll sew over them later to secure...

Once you have them all in the correct place, you need to turn down the edges of the fabric so they're smooth and not frayed and top stitch it all together! Here's the finished product...

Now we'll move onto the blanket, which is unbelievably simple!

First take the measurements of the crib interior to make sure your blanket will be the perfect size, then measure out your fabric. I forgot to mention earlier that a top tip for cutting fabric is simply to make a small incision where you plan to cut it and then tear the fabric in a swift movement. It'll tear along the thread line and as such it's easier than measuring constantly to make sure it's right.

Don't forget to cut it all in one piece!

Then measure out the wadding as before...

Set aside the wadding and turn the fabric inside out, then sew up the sides leaving the last edge open.

Then turn over the raw edges on the open edge and sew them up...

Next you'll need to either install a zipper along the edge or put in three buttonholes. If you don't have a buttonhole maker on your sewing machine I'd consider the zipper option, purely because I don't know any way of making button holes look smart without one. Last of all you need to sew on the buttons...

Et Voila! The finished product...

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2 Weeks and Counting...

2010-06-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

I have two weeks to go! Well, it's actually two weeks tomorrow but I think I can be forgiven for scratching off the extra few hours for the sake of my sanity.
~~I'm not at all scared about the birth and I'm completely prepared for her arrival~~. In actual fact I'm terrified. For some reason I can't seem to shake this irrational fear of labour that I've developed. I have absolutely no idea where it came from or at what point it began to surface. As it's my fourth I'm sort of expected to be "shelling them like peas" by now, as my neighbour put it. Nice lady eh?

I still have the crib bedding to make but that should be finished by the end of the week, I'm awaiting the arrival of my wadding from Ebay. I just finished Emily's dress:

Which I did intend on smocking-but I didn't have enough fabric. So after spending four hours hand marking and subsequently hand pleating the damn stuff I was close to tears when I realised there wasn't enough...

Anyway I'm planning on uploading the pattern/tutorial for this dress at some point because if you take out the pointless hours of smocking preparation it's actually a really easy dress that looks cute too!

I was really annoyed to get 3/4 of the way through Luby's cardigan only to run out of wool. Considering the stuff costs £3.50 a ball and I've already used four it wasn't necessarily the most frugal of choices...

Well that's it for my 'actual post' today. I'm going to be giving "Friday night leftovers" a go though, sounds like fun!

Free Leg Warmers Pattern

2010-06-03T10:03:00.000-07:00

This pattern is one I made for my youngest daughter as although it's coming up to summer the weather still isn't great and her little legs get cold when the sun goes in. Alas, the pattern for leg warmers was born.

This particular pattern will fit a child up to the age of 2. BUT it's so simple you could easily add more stitches and rows to suit any age. You may need to measure your little one up to make sure that these will fit perfectly.
Please note that this pattern is NOT knit on the round and therefore pretty simple to follow :)

You will need:
50g double knit (I've chosen cream, but any colour would work).
4mm Needles
5.5mm Needles
A Yarn needle for sewing up

For the embellishments:
Ribbon for the Picot row
Contrasting thread for whatever pattern you'd like to make (optional)

Abbreviations:

K= Knit
P= Purl
St St= Stocking stitch
Beg= Beginning
Inc= Increase
Tog= Together
YF= Yarn Forward
Rep= Repeat

Measurements: These leg warmers are 8 1/2 inches long, they're 5 inches wide at the ankle and 8 inches wide at the thigh. My little one has quite chunky thighs but you could always fix this by doing the top rib inb 4mm needles instead of 5.5mm as shown in the pattern.

First Row: Cast on 30 Sts
Next Row: Commence K1, P1 rib for 8 rows
Next Row: Change to 5.5mm needles and commence st st beg with a knit row for 13 rows
Next Row: Inc 1 st at each end (32 sts)
Next Row: Pattern 7 rows
Next Row: Inc 1 st at each end (34 sts)
Next Row: Pattern 7 rows
Next Row: Inc 1 st at each end (36 sts)
Next Row: Purl
Picot Row: (*K2, K2tog, YF) Rep from * to last 2 sts, K2.
Next Row: Purl
Next Row: Commence K1,P1 rib for 8 rows (change back to 4mm needles if you want to reduce size at thigh)
Cast off loosely
Sew up seams to the rear and embellish as desired!

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