End of the Bumpy Road

Finishing things

2011-05-06T20:33:00.000+01:00

I love getting a project finished - and I've finished two things since I last posted. I completed my cowl, but it's been far to warm to wear it - we're having an early summer here in the UK. And I just finished the baby quilt in time for her due date, then she was 2 weeks late.
Okay, cowl pics first:

I didn't free motion quilt Imogen's quilt in the end, but did a curvy pattern using my darning foot with the feet dogs up. I'm pleased with the result and will try something more adventurous next time - maybe with more time, less pressure.

Anyway, Lucy and Al loved it and that's the most important thing.

I love listening to crafty podcasts and one of my favourites is Green Stitch. I was delighted to win one of Anne's competitions and received these lovely felted squares:

I'm not sure what to make with them, so if you have any ideas, let me know....

This may be my last post until the autumn as it's getting to the time of year when I have tons to do outside - check out my gardening blog to see what goes on there. But I will be doing some craft stuff if it rains. I'm on the home-straight with Keith's waistcoat, the next knitting project is those socks from the last post, and I'ce designed the new girl baby quilt and bought the fabric. And I will get the last wallhanging of the seasonal series done soon....

Quilt for a new baby

2011-02-22T20:38:00.001Z

So, I've been working on the quilt for Al and Lucy's new baby. She is due on April 6th. I have the top pieced and the backing fabric purchased. Once I've done this blogpost, I'm going to tack the three layers together.

The idea for this pattern came from RetroMummy - but hers is much larger. But like hers, I plan to free-motion quilt it. It'll be the first quilt I've done that to, but I think I can cope. Then I'm going to make a binding by chain piecing lots of the different fabrics in it together.

My plan was to try and get a quilt for a baby boy and a quilt for a baby girl stashed away so I always have one ready. But this one is spoken for, for Al and Lucy's new baby. So I need to get straight on to another girl quilt once this one is finished. I bought a jelly roll of lots of these pretty pink and pastel fabrics, so I thought I'd try this pattern described on GreenStitch.

I've also been knitting - and going to a knitting group, KnitWits in Coventry. So far it's proved very useful as I need lots of advice since I don't really know what I'm doing. It's also made me realise that what i really like to wear are the kinds of knitting that take an age to make - not big chunky lacy knits, but slow plain fabrics with lighter yarn and small needles. Also, I've decided to try knitting patterns that are meant to go with the yarn for a while, as I think that will be more successful. I'm going to start with these socks from Easy Knits:

I've also finished this cardigan for the new baby:

And been working on a cowl for me:

Keith's waistcoat is still ongoing but I'm on the second front now. So on the home straight.

Often at this time of year, I like to make a craft plan for the year ahead - but I'm less sure this year than previous years. Still, here goes:

finish set of cross-stitch wall hangings - just Summer Solstice to do
new baby girl quilt
improve quilting skills generally
finish cord skirt for me
blouse muslin with fba for me
knit some fancy socks
knit me a cardigan
finish Keith's waistcoat
knit me a lovely hat for next winter

Other ideas include knitting some fancy scarves inspired by Carol Klein, making a quilt for our bed (yeah, right), knitting gloves and more quilts. Well, we'll see - watch this space!

November quilting

2010-11-18T20:55:00.000Z

I did actually get round to practicing the free motion quilting and managed to more or less crack it. I made a couple of Christmas stockings for me and Keith - I bought some lovely Christmassy fabric from Kisko - a wonderful shop/club in Leicester that my neighbour told me about. Then I free motion quilted all over them. It was pretty quick and I'm pleased with the results:

Meanwhile, the baby cardigan is almost finished and Keith's waistcoat is growing slowly. At Kisko I also bought fabric for a new girl quilt. Oh, and I got my new skirt cut out. The list of sewing projects by priority is

1. make cushions for our bed - need to get my rotary cutter back from a friend to do that.

2. corduroy skirt.

3=. girl quilt.

3=. blouse with FBA.

Meanwhile, knitting continues in the evenings.

October 2010

2010-10-20T20:56:00.000+01:00

I didn't think I'd done much crafty since last post - but when I think about it, there's quite a bit.

I finished the penultimate wallhanging - the winter solstice one. I'll photograph the full set together when they're all finished - and that will be by summer solstice 2011!

The waistcoat I'm knitting for Keith is coming on well - it's a bit boring to knit, so I try to do 2 rows before I go to my more interesting project which is....

I've started knitting a baby cardigan with some lovely wool I bought at Yarn Gathering in Coventry, before that all went pear-shaped. It's in a new born size and the yarn is pink and beige - it will go into my 'Hope Chest' until someone has a baby girl. Here's piccie of work so far:

I need now to check I have the right needle for the next bit - if not, I need to find an online supplier as my new job is nowhere near a knitting shop, and there's not one in Rugby either.

I've also been doing some dressmaking - I made a skirt, but out of scrap material. It's okay for gardening in, but I'n not going to stick a photo up here. I've bought some navy corduroy to make a nice skirt from the same pattern, but that I can wear in public. My main problem with dress-making is that standard sizes don't fit me - big boobs, narrow back, no waist, skinny hips. I altered the skirt pattern and was dead chuffed with the outcome. I've also bought on Ebay, a pattern for a blouse. This will need a Full Bust Alteration (FBA) so that's the next trick I plan to learn.

I'm not sure it counts as craft, but I spent a jolly Friday creating an amazing princess bed for Maddie. There are fairy lights on the ceiling, then a canopy hung below this so the lights twinkle through it. Then Maddie had added pink Christmas decorations. It's completely OTT and very girly - but she loves it and it was fun to do.

The final thing to talk about is an idea put forward on the At The Kitchen Table podcast - the idea that the enjoyment of crafty things is something that should be shared within a community, that joining a group is a good thing. My problem is that all the groups I'm aware of are single craft groups - so there's several local knitting groups, a local quilting group etc. I almost went to a knitting group last month - but it was the one at Yarn Gathering in Coventry that I'd planned to go to. Hmmm - something to think about.

Well, that's all for this month. Plans are to finish the baby sweater, make progress with Keith's waistcoat and actually get organised to practice the free-motion quilting, because that hasn't happened yet. Maybe I could get that done tomorrow night?

September 2010

2010-09-16T20:32:00.001+01:00

It's been a long time since my last post. I've been working full time all summer, and am about to start a new job - a full time one. I haven't worked full time since I moved in with Keith in 1991, but I think I've got used to it now. And I am finding time to knit and sew - even if it's just a few hours each week.

So, the blue green scarf I talked about last time got ripped and put away - the pattern was supposed to go with the yarn, but I bought it at a busy show and I think the woman gave me the wrong pattern because it just wasn't working out at all. Someone helpful on Ravelry, suggested that I need to use much smaller needles with that yarn - so it's gone away until I'm ready to try again.

Keith's waistcoat has also been put away - but only because it's too warm to knit in summer. I'm currently working on the penultimate wall-hanging (for Winter Solstice), but the waistcoat will be picked up again after that. I hope Keith will be wearing it before Spring. We'll see.

I did get the Multnomah scarf knitted and I'm really pleased with it. Here's some piccies:

I also finished the boy quilt. Now I need to get started on a new girl quilt so I have one of each ready for any new arrivals. My daughter in law is expecting a new baby in April, and my brother and his wife are having IVF treatment, so I need to get on with things!

I've been experimenting with free-motion quilting as I want to use it on the next cot quilt. I'm not very good, but all the tips say practice is the key to it. So I guess I just need to do more. My trouble is, I hate to throw anything away, so I keep thinking that I'll practice on pan holders, or Christmas place mats or .... Then, I think 'don't make a project of it, just get on with it'. So I need to just dig out some cheap fabric (I have some old sheets for just this purpose) and some batting and get on with it. Here's a piccie of an early attempt:

That's all for now - not many projects, but quite a lot of work. More (hopefully) next month.

February 2010

2010-02-28T17:24:00.000Z

Yay - my shoulder is better and normal life has resumed. Well, kinda - I've been working full-time for the first time since 1992, so that's been very strange. I'm coming home from work exhausted - mostly because the reason I'm full-time is to get a particular piece of work done, so there is quite a lot of pressure and I'm very busy.

But the quilt has a border added now, and has been quilted. Just need to bind it and it'll be finished.

Keith's waistcoat continues to grow - I've finished the back now, and the pocket linings.

Yesterday, I went to the opening of a lovely new yarn shop in Coventry, and spent almost £50 on yarn! Some of it is intended for a Multomah shawl - I want to get better at lace knitting. So, I intend to ban myself from this simple, mindless stocking stitch project until I've finished the blue/green scarf I started month's ago. Hopefully I will have some progress to show by the end of March.

Oh yes, one more thing for February was that I finished the wall hanging for autumn equinox. I'm not going to post a pic now as I want to post all 8 together when I get to the end of this massive project - 2 or 3 still to do, I think.

January 2010

2010-01-30T17:13:00.000Z

It's been a frustrating month for craft as I've developed a problem with my back and shoulder and been told by my osteopath to limit the amount of sewing and knitting that I do. I can knit for about 10 minutes but then have to stop.

So this will be a very short post.

The waistcoat I'm knitting for Keith is growing slowly - I'm up past the armhole shaping now. That's the main knitting I've been doing as it's just stocking stitch so no concentration required. Hopefully, next month I'll have the back finished and photographed.

The main accomplishment for January is that I've finished piecing the top of the boy cot quilt. It still needs the border adding, then the quilting. Not sure how much I'll get done tho' as machine sewing tends to fit in the winter when I'm not gardening - and winter is on the way out now.

Anyway, here's a piccie:

I'm going to try sewing instead of knitting tonight so see if that's any better for my shoulder. I'm still working on the set of eight wall hangings that I posted about zonks ago. I'll post pics of all eight when they're all finished. I think the one I'm working on is number six - it's an autumnal themed one to be hung around the time of the autumn equinox.

As I said, a short post.

Crafting in December

2009-12-30T18:09:00.000Z

Well, obviously December is a VERY busy month but it's a good time for craft projects. Things have been a little manic here but I seem to have got quite
a lot done.

First, knitting - lots more pics on

Ravelry - find me as Home on the Hill

I've finished the drop stitch scarf on the right.

Keith's waistcoat is

coming on well but it's full of very boring knitting - which is just

what I need right now:

I also made a Christmas dress for Erin and a stocking (inspired by Kirsty Allsop on the tele)

Other crafting was at my herb group

meeting where we made natural wreaths - more on this at Home on the Hill

One thing I try and do at this time of the year is make a list of projects I'd like to complete for the following year. I haven't done that yet as I've been too busy. Hopefully, now I've started thinking about it, I'll be able to compile a list later this evening (got to go and organise our evening meal in a few minutes). When I have a new list, I'll come back and edit this post.

Right, now to get that Moroccan lamb stew on the table.

Craft List for 2010

The list isn't everything I plan to make in 2010 - just some stuff that needs finishing and things that I want to do in the coming year, that can't really but put off for long (like making Erin a rag doll).

Autumn equinox wall hanging (wip)
Summer solstice wall hanging
Winter solstice wall hanging
Rag doll for Erin
KT's waistcoat (wip)
Lace scarf for me (wip)
Cushion covers for dining chairs (wip)
Boy quilt (wip)
Girl quilt
Dressmaking - clothes for me
Knit cardigan or jacket for me

That's it for the list. I also would like to knit me a small shawl or triangular scarf - but it's not on the list because it's not a 'must do'. Other plans include knitting a bowl and fulling it because I like the look of them and I've had the yarn for ages - but it might turn into a Monmouth cap instead. I want to make a summer dress or two for Erin and hopefully make some Christmas gifts for next year as I didn't do any this year. More knitted dishcloths (for us) would be nice. And I just might buy a spinning wheel!

Not sure if it should be listed here or on my gardening list, but I want to make some willow plant supports before Spring.

So that's it. Let's see how much I actually do in 2010.

November 2009 - a new beginning for End of the Bumpy Road

2009-11-26T19:47:00.001Z

It's been ages since I posted here and it's been a busy year. But I have been working on my business and gardening blog over at Home on the Hill and have decided that this is the place to post about my crafting activities. This isn't really intended fr public consumption - although it's not private - but is more a place for me to keep track of what I make and to act as a diary or journal for me.

Since I last posted I've probably completed quite a few projects, but I can't remember what go finished when. So I thought I'd start with a quick round up of things in progress. My plan is to update this every month, like the other blog, but realistically, more crafting gets done in the winter, and more gardening in the summer so we'll see how things pan out.

I've been working on a new cot quilt for a baby boy. Al and Lucy had Erin back in May, and I made a cot quilt in pink for her. This is a matching blue one to be put in the Hope Box. The idea is to then make another pink one (different pattern) so that whatever flavour baby gets born next, I have a cot quilt ready. The design is a rail fence one that's very simple but effective. Here's some piccies:

I've also got a couple of knitting projects on my needles - a scarf for me that is almost finished, and a waistcoat for Keith that is destined to take ages and ages.

That's all for November. Hopefully I'll post some more progress around Christmas time.

New focus for this blog and a new quilt

2009-04-13T20:18:00.001+01:00

I have now started a gardening blog at Home on the Hill so this blog is now for crafty, home-type stuff only. I post on the gardening one at least every month, but I'll only post here when I have something new to say.

So what's new now? Well, Al's wife is expecting a baby in about 5 weeks and I have just finished a cot quilt for them. I actually planned to make a blue one too, but won't have time before the baby is born. They are 70% sure it's a girl. If not, he'll have to wait for his cot quilt until after my RHS exam in July!

Anyway, here's some pics.

Jethro's room after the clear out

2008-10-28T16:47:00.001Z

Maddie's room after the clear out

2008-10-28T16:41:00.000Z

Jethro's room before the big clear out!

2008-10-28T16:34:00.000Z

Maddie's room before the big clear-out!

2008-10-28T16:29:00.000Z

Manic May

2008-05-18T20:29:00.000+01:00

There's more to do than time to do it in at this time of year! I have been weeding lots as the weeds grow so fast in May. But the new bed near the house is looking good and I'll take some pics for this blog when everything's in flower.

Keith has been busy getting the veg plots ready for planting.

The spuds are growing well - hope they don't get wiped out by blight this year!

Finally, Keith, Al, Jethro and Maddi spent today making a see-saw.

Wall hangings

2008-04-13T19:31:00.000+01:00

I've been sewing seasonal wall hangings for our sitting room. I've done 2 so far (there will be 8 eventually). Here's one for Imbolc (early spring) and one for Beltane (May Day).

Lots of gardening

2008-04-13T18:54:00.000+01:00

Loads has happened in the garden since my last post so here's an update and some piccies.

The main news is that the greenhouse is up and glazed. Putting it together was slow but not too complicated. But then we mislad a vital part and spent the day we both took off work to glaze it driving to Norfolk to get a new part! Anyway, it did get glazed the next day despite the rain. Thanks to Alex for being tall!

The new willow fedge is sprouting well.

We are behind with the veges because of the greenhouse, but Al helped this weekend preparing a bed for potatoes. Keith did lots of other digging too. Here's some before and after pics of the potato bed.

I have far too many tomato plants as usual. The seeds are so small it's hard to believe they'll ever be huge plants!

We also made a raised bed for the cut flowers. It's where the flowers were last year, but with edging so it's easier to keep tidy.

Finally, here's another gratuitous flower piccie.

Hedges

2008-02-24T20:33:00.000Z

Last post for today - then it will be up to date. The reason we haven't got the greenhouse up yet is because we still had some hedges to plant before spring. Yesterday we planted hazel, and today we planted a willow fedge with the trimmings from the willow arch. I know it's not up to exhibition standard but it will do the job and only took two hours. There's just another similar piece of fedge to do next weekend before we can get on with the greenhouse.

Space for a new greenhouse

2008-02-24T20:28:00.000Z

Yay! Ian finished the new base for the new greenhouse - I really miss my greenhouse, although it's still a little early to sow most seeds. The greenhouse itself is like the world's biggest piece of self assembly furniture - we plan to focus on getting it up next weekend.

Ice picks

2008-02-24T20:24:00.001Z

For a couple of weeks in the middle of February we had brilliant warm days and freezing nights. One morning, I found this pretty ice by the swingy chair in the garden.

No more greenhouse

2008-02-24T20:19:00.000Z

Quite a bit has happened in the garden since I last got round to filling in this diary thingy, so here's a few posts all together.

In late January we had a few friends round for Farmhouse Breakfast Day - fed them a massive breakfast then took them outside to dismantle the old greenhouse.

Here they are getting the glass out.

Pruning Day

2008-01-12T17:55:00.000Z

I've pruned three trees today - the Indian bean tree in the back garden, and two apple trees, one of them a rather large Bramley. Here's some before and after piccies.

Woolly gardening hat

2007-12-30T16:51:00.001Z

My first knitting post. Here's a piccie of Keith wearing his new gardening hat.

Sad News

2007-12-30T16:50:00.001Z

I did manage to deliver the last quilt to my mum in time. But sadly, the baby boy, Luke, was stillborn shortly before Christmas.

Making Christmas decorations

2007-11-26T21:39:00.000Z

Had a fun evening with Anna making Christmas tree decorations. Here's some piccies:

Finished the second cot quilt

2007-11-26T21:29:00.000Z

Quite a long post this time because I have lots of pics. Apparently the expectant mum for this quilt has been having lots of contractions even though she's not due for a least 2 weeks - so that made me get on and finish it. Here it is.

Here's some close-ups of the fabric.

In the making of this quilt, I finally decided on a new sewing machine - and it's great. Here it is

Top piece

2007-11-13T21:26:00.000Z

Have finally managed to get back to some sewing (manic time at work stopped play for a while!).

I've finished piecing the quilt for my cousin's baby. Next is the border which is in the yellow check pattern.

We've also done loads in the garden but no time to post about that now. So here's a lovely picture from Batsford Arboretum showing what a fantastic autumn 2007 was.

Finished quilt for Lucy

2007-10-04T20:46:00.001+01:00

Whoo hoo! It's finished!

Here's the back. but that's much less interesting.

There was a bit of a crisis on the way when my sewing machine broke down! Luckily, my Nan had just given hers to my daughter so there was a spare one in the house. Trouble is, I don't know what to do now 'cos I was thinking about getting a new machine soon - maybe Christmas. Do I get the old one serviced, or buy a new one now as I still have the quilt to make for my cousin's baby. And I wanted to make a herbal moth repellent sachet to go with the Lucy quilt that will keep it safe from attack if it gets stored at some point in it's life.

Think I'll go and look at new machines online.

Gratutitous flower pic

2007-09-25T17:44:00.000+01:00

Took this at work today and thought it's rather lovely.

Bother

2007-09-25T17:39:00.001+01:00

The quilt was going so well - border on and all sandwiched together ready to quilt. Then I looked at how much thread was left!

So I had to go all the way to the shop in Weedon to get some more. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find the right stuff more loaclly and decided it was probably quicker to just go straight back to the shop that I knew stocked it. Stupid thing is, my mum bought twice as much for the other quilt that I've got to make - but I said I was sure the smaller reel would be plenty!

Oh well, planning to do the quilting later so may post again later with an update.

Lucy's quilt

2007-09-18T21:25:00.000+01:00

I've finished piecing the top together and I'm rather pleased with it so far. Next part is the border, which is in the yellow fabric. Then I need to get the one for my cousin to the same stage before I move on to the quilting part. No time this week tho' as I have a manic week!

No more Kerria japonica

2007-09-18T21:18:00.000+01:00

I finished clearing the dreaded Kerria and the Lonicera nitida yukky stuff. The space will have a new fence put up and fresh new planting - spring bulbs on the dark side of the fence by the drive, more colourful summer planting on the light garden side. But first, the roots need removing and the whole area covering with black plastic for a year. These are the 'before' pics!

Garden destruction

2007-09-13T15:55:00.000+01:00

I've just chopped down loads of Kerria japonica and Lonicera nitida. Very satisfying as I hate both plants and their removal is to make space for some lighter new planting.

Here's the big pile of stuff I have to clear up at the weekend!

Beginning

2007-09-12T22:20:00.000+01:00

The idea was to have a blog so my mum could see how the quilt I'm making for her godson's new baby is coming on. But she's gone on holiday and the quilt might be finished before she gets back!

Still, it seemed like a good idea to help me keep a record of all kinds of stuff.

So, we went last week to my favorite patchwork shop, The Bramble Patch in Weedon and chose some fabric - it took a while but we got there in the end. I also chose some fabric to make a cot quilt for my friend, Lucy, who is expecting her first child in November. My cousin's (mum's godson) child isn't due until January.

I've started cutting and some sewing - the one for mum is in pastel blue, pink and yellow, very traditional. The one for Lucy is in autumnal colours of red, green and gold because I like to work with them and the baby will be born in autumn (like my son was - lovely time of year to have a baby).

Here's the cut out pieces in my sewing drawer, and also the plan I'm working from - so you can see where this is going.

More soon....Carrie