Monday, 29 June 2015

WITH THANKS ...

... to all who voted .. the winner of the mini competition at www.blacksheepwools.com was Jo .. who I swap blocks with each month xx She made the bright and cheerful bag x

You know when you only have a small amount of thread and you sew faster? WELL it seems that when you only have a small amount of wool left you KNIT faster too! I found a ball that that had some used from it .. wasn't sure how much.. but thought there would be enough left for a first size cardigan ... I was making the bands as it was running out!!..


as you can see I had just enough ... and NO worries about the button holes this time ... because I forgot to put in .......ANY !!!! ...


I was too worried about running out of wool!!!!!! lol x I have to go and see the nice lady on the wool stall on the market to get some more for animals and baby cardigans xx

I received this ..



beautiful block from my June swap partner It is just so lovely I will have to make it into a special cushion x

When I was searching for fabric last week I found some small zips .. they are only 4 inches... so I have begun to make some little purses for the stall... I made one with wadding but it was a bit too thick ..


so then I made some with out ...


and they are much better. They are the ones I will go with I think.

I spent AGES thinking about ... and then eventually writing the pattern for the July fund raising idea for Sandbach Quilt group .. but NOW its done and all the packs are ready to go ... PHEW!! I think it was the relief of having that done that lead to the rather strange (for me!!) colour choices I made for this months mini blocks..


either that or I was inhaling "funny" smells!! .. AH! its been a funny old week xx lol x

Diane x

Friday, 26 June 2015

I HAVE BEEN...

... using that "special" sewing technique of .... fudging and fiddling ... and now the little cardigan has buttons..


and an extra ..


WELL it works for me xx lol

The plan that I made for the knitting went "off" a bit because (I got distracted!! ) I made the cardigan ... BUT.. there is NOW a new occupant of the snake bag...


My son said ... "what is it?....." !!!!




I saw this little bee this morning ...



.......the news is always saying they are dieing out .. but they seem to be inhabiting my garden in BIG numbers ... I must keep my flowering plants going for them xx

I made the fish panel into the pocket..


of a little bag..



mmmm wonder if Chris will want to back now? lol xx

Diane xx

Wednesday, 24 June 2015

THE TIME HAS COME!!!......

.... to VOTE VOTE VOTE ... for me!! NO not really x ... you can view and vote for your favourite item on the Black Sheep Wools ( www.blacksheepwools.com/blog ) web site for your favourite item from the sewing bee xx

They have also put it up on Twitter and Pintrest .. I don't do them so cant help (sorry!) and Face book.. www.facebook.com/blacksheepwools

AND I have once again extended my birthday !! lol x Last night was Congleton Quilt group meeting .. Mary (who I give a lift to) and Sheila gave me these beautiful flowers..


plus a silly .. and very funny card...


We had a session with using Markal paints I have used them before so didn't do the session .. BUT I must have a neon sign on my head!! Because one of the ladies "gifted" me her sample ..


as she did not know what to do with it!!... why can I just not say NO!!!!!

I did not do the session but I did sew ...I put together this little cardigan..


after the MAMMOTH knit on Adams jacket I had forgotten how quickly these little ones are done x Just need some buttons ... mm wonder where I might find some xx lol

(just looked at the picture .. then at the cardigan ... I have missed the button hole in the bottom rib!!!  tp late as not undoing it .. so will think of a solution xx lol xx)

Diane xx

Monday, 22 June 2015

MY FRIEND ...

.... Sue, has a lovely new job ... and could not get my birthday as a day off ..... SO... as she was off  .. TO-DAY we extended my birthday celebration .... and this morning we took our selves off to Chester (if you don't know it .. it is a walled city ..is the  county town for Cheshire .. has a lovely cathedral. . and has LOTS of black and white buildings) .. wonderful x

We managed a bit of shopping ..


we HAD to go in Lush .. and could NOT come out with out a little "something"...


I LOVE the smell in there x ... I kept singing "mine smells better than yours!!".. but Sue disagrees lol xx

THEN ... drum roll .. we went for afternoon tea ...




... we were at THE GROSVENOR HOTEL !! OH MY xx .. www.chestergrosvnenor.com its FIVE stars ! Don't know how we got in ...lol... but it was FABULOUS they looked after us sooooo well x



 
I am not sure I can stretch it out any longer .. shame .. but what wonderful time I have been having xx

Diane xx 

Saturday, 20 June 2015

THIS IS A BIT OF A ....

.... rabbling blog post to-day ... so if you have not got much time you might want to skip along and come back later xx lol x

I had some fabric donated (YES again!!) and yesterday I decided to cut it up to put into the packs for the July fundraising idea .. for Sandbach Quilt Group... THEN I remembered that I had also been given some fabric for the little hangings we made for May ....


WELL... I know I have that fabric .. SOMEWHERE.. ah!Grrrrr I turned the house and the craft room UPSIDE DOWN!!!!!!! .. no I cant find it!! .. however you may remember last year I lost a new rotary cutter blade .. found it xx ........AND I found this fabric ..


....now I know I DID NOT  buy this as I HATE snakes .. so maybe I was given it .. I don't know  ...BUT I was thinking about it .... AND yes dreaming about it!!!! SO... this morning I made a bag! NOW the reason I made the bag was for a home for ....

 

 

AND I remembered that in the zoo book is ...


SO know I have to make the crocodile so that all the reptiles can live in the bag together xx HOWEVER I have my jacket on my needles...... the last couple of days there have been A LOT of Drs appointments for mum and dad that have involved me WAITING around ... so I took along the jacket .. the sleeve is finished and I have set on the front ...


SO ... I have decided that I will finish the front ... then make the crocodile .... and then do another sleeve .. and then make ... another animal xx SORTED xx ... that's the plan today anyway xx lol x

Diane x

Wednesday, 17 June 2015

THE BIRTHDAY....

... celebrations are continuing as today the postman brought me a wonderful parcel ... all the way from Australia x Sue (www.kiwikidspage.blogspot.com ) sent me a birthday parcel .. I have a new book..


and these beautiful threads ..


AND we went out for dinner too xx Yaay xx

After I finished Adam's jacket I still had an itch to knit so a new project was cast onto my needles ...and some knitting commenced ......


 the back and half a sleeve were done ..... THEN I got side tracked and made a bag..



NOW the reason I made a bag was because I need a home for the reason I was side tracked in the first place ..



and ..




AND MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE....



...they are for my new grandbaby ... if I can bear to put them in the post !! However James .. youngest grandson .. has fallen in love with the giraffe and I LOVE the hippo!! .... Maybe I need to make some more xx lol x mmm .... I will have to think about it .....lol xx

Diane xx




Monday, 15 June 2015

THIS WEEK I HAVE......

... a birthday that involves a SIX and a NOUGHT ...


lol x So yesterday we started the celebrations off by going to Tatton Park www.tattonpark.org.uk which is not to far away from us x It was a bit (!!) wet in the morning .. but it stopped raining as we got there .. the weather gods were smiling on us I think .... because the sun came out as well x We had a lovely time which finished with us having afternoon tea ..




there was a cake .. of course xx It was a HUGE cup cake xx lol x....


I had another cake to-day ... that was a fruit cake .. HOWEVER.... mum and dad helped me eat it before a picture could be taken !! lol x

I also got some flowers today..



.... from the Australian contingent xx They are sooo beautiful x I got some beautiful earrings from the boys ...



and a "promise" of a meal out at Panama Hatties ..( regular readers will know I LOVE that restaurant ).. we will be going to the Manchester branch that I have not been to before .. so that will be exciting xx .... and a trip to the theatre to see a musical later in the year ..


LOVE IT xx I will be Skyping my youngest grandson (in Australia ) tomorrow a well... then on Wednesday I am going out for dinner ... AGAIN  xx I do like this stretching the birthday fun out as long as possible xx lol x

I MIGHT even get some sewing done xx

Hope you are having some fun in your week too x

Diane x