Is this weird?

My name is Felicity and I’m a stash addict.  I have over 100 balls of wool with no predefined purpose, and possibly a mile of fabric which is just too special to cut.  And, yet, I keep buying.  Especially when it’s on sale. 

Am I normal?  Please share you stash stories and thoughts. 

Calling all sewing folk!

Is the word ’sewers’ used to describe sewing folk, as in ’sew-ers’, rather than in the context of poop transporter pipes?  I don’t know and cannot be bothered to shift my lardy butt towards a dictionary to find out, lol!  Anyway, I digress.  Today I am in need of guidance.  I got a wonderful sewing machine for Christmas, and am very excited about it.  I have spent all year ferreting scraps (yards) of Japanese kawaii fabric, cotton bobbins and the like, and am raring to go.  The problem is, beyond a couple of Blythe patterns, I haven’t actually got a clue what to do with the darn thing!  Are there any ‘how to sew’ or small project books that you’d recommend at all?  I am thinking of getting this as my ‘basic manual’, but any other suggestions would be welcomed.  Also, are there any equivalent sites to knitty and ravelry for ‘us’ sew-ers? Again, help and advice would be very welcome.

Sewing aside, how was it for you? Christmas, that is… It was fair-to-middling here. Had fun, but not as much as usual. Ate, drank and was merry, but not as much as usual (in fact, have lost 3lbs!). Slept and generally mooched around much more than usual. I blame my general malaise and lack of enthusiasm on that effing thesis, has been locked away until Wednesday (heart rat quickens at even the thought of it). Oh well, if nothing else, I do feel more revitalised and ready to tackle the remainder. I did get some lovely pressies; as well as the sewing machine (from John’s mum); I was given a Vivienne Westwood necklace by John; some pink patterned wellies and a glittery pink scarf from Dad and Jeannette, the ‘Coast’ book from my brother to remind me of my seafaring roots; a knitting box from Peter, Mum’s partner; and a sewing box, Nigella’s latest book (those 3lb may be making an unwelcomed return ), and various bits from Mummykins. So, yes, pretty spoilt all round. Homemade gifts also went down a treat Mum loved her stuff and has been inspired to take up the needles once more (she’ll have to stop putting in 60 hours a week at work then). Jeannette liked her birthday present and wore it when we went round, which made me happy And Andrew liked Doggie’s jumper (perhaps more that he’d care to admit, lol!). As promised, here’s a photo of the two over-loved toys together.

The New Year will be heralding new projects. The ‘Branching Out’ scarf is underway, but is hurting my head. There is something about lace knitting that isn’t working for me. But it’s so pretty that I’m going to persevere. I love the wool that I’ve chosen too – Rowan felted tweed in pink (yes, I like pink). If this goes well, I’ll be making on for Mother’s Day

Plumbing Pandemonium

As ever, the never-ending DIY train is hurtling on at full speed, stopping this week at Bathroom Central. Yes, I’ve had the plumbers in all week and no, that’s not a euphemism for that time of the month (you know, ‘I’ve got the painters in’, as your Nan might say). Nowadays John and I are posh, fancy types, and have two bathrooms (main and en-suite) so that’s double the effort and double the expense, oh yay. You’ve heard of John ‘Two Jags’ Prescott? Well I’m Flissy ‘Two Bogs’ 666! There was nothing wrong with the old bathrooms – they were white, clean and quite new. But there was nothing right about them either – just complete B&Q cheapy nonsense. Oh, and they were painted blue. Yeuch – I hate that colour on walls sooooo much. If I were the PM, I’d make blue bathrooms illegal. Sorry – I realise that the majority of the world adores blue bathrooms but I DON’T. So there Oh, and there would be a series of by-laws which banned the sale of the attendant nautical-themed accessories. Punishable by death. I have a half-demolished photo to show you, but avert your gaze quickly if your aesthetic sensibilities are easily offended. BTW – those wavy lines on the wall are where some hideously naff wavy Ikea mirrors had been stuck up with no-nails. I told you it was bad.Progress has been okay this week. In the en-suite, the shower cubicle has been fitted and tiled out and the new lav is in. In the main bathroom it is all fitted, and the chrome towel rail has been installed. There have been a few problems – the shower cubicle needed to be re-built because the walls were out, the en-suite sink had been cast poorly so needs replacing and the pipework to the heated towel rails had to be re-routed. Oh, and the house flooded. I kid ye not. It’s Friday night and I’m plonked in the new bath, and suddenly I notice a ‘tap, tap, tap’ sound. Then I realised it was a ‘drip, drip, drip’ sound. John runs down the stairs and water is rushing out of the ceiling into my lovely new kitchen! He shot outside to turn of the water; and I jumped straight out of the bath to start bailing out the water using the bathroom bin into the basin, as I knew that didn’t leak. Fortunately the plumber came back in 5 minutes and the problem was easily fixed (dodgy plug seal). Nonetheless, it was a scarring experience. It could have been a lot worse though and at least I remembered to put my clothes back on admist the chaos!In non-house related news, I’m still plugging away at Mum’s Christmas present. I can’t understand why it’s taking me so long! Curse those 3mm needles! Is there some secret knitting skill that no-one’s told me about? I look at the sites of such talented people as Julie and Jenny and wonder how the hell they do it! Perhaps they have special prosthetic limbs that they wear for knitting to speed the whole process up. Anyhow, I’m so slow that the Christmas WIP list is going to have to be reviewed.Also had a little spend on some fabric. I’m getting a sewing machine for Christmas, so am gathering supplies akin to a squirrel gathers nuts. The spotty cord is going to be used to line Mum’s bag.Right – off to crack on with that bag. We’ve an extra hour today because the clocks went back, so I may get at least an extra centimetre done. If anyone would like to share the knitting secret, please do!

WIP, WIP, Hooray!!!

At last, I have finally finished off the project I started at Easter using the vintage buttons. The crochet and buttons were finished weeks ago, but I just could not be bothered to get the iron out to fix the interfacing. Why is it that so many things fall down at the last hurdle? Anyway, it’s done now and I’m very pleased with the results.

The patter was from Debbie Stoller’s The Happy Hooker (pattern on p. 137). I love this book – I taught myself to crochet from it at Christmas and haven’t looked bag. The patterm has been modified slightly. I did 47 rows, rather than 39 as I tend to take a fair bit of stuff out with me. In the light of this, I also lined the bag up to and around the handles to give it greater strength.

I’ll not be posting again for a few days as I’m going to a conference in Plymouth (and should be packing now, in advance of the mammoth train journey later today). I’m a little nervous about it as I’m delivering a presentation on my work to loads of academic types and I’m the most junior by a long shot. I’m also a little excited as I’m going to a (my) book launch tomorrow! My name in print!!!! Well, a chapter to be precise, but it’s a start. I have worked so hard recently, so it’s lovely to see the fruits of my labour paying off.

Hopefully will have some interesting stuff to report here over the coming weeks as there are massive changes afoot in our household at the moment. I am very excited about them all but am sworn to secrecy. I feel like I am going to burst! Things are finally coming together professionally and personally after a very difficult five years and I’m lovin’ it! Hopefully the eczema under my eyes will vanish now and I can leave the biccie tin alone!

Wish me luck for Plymouth *tightly crossing fingers*…

What inspires you?

In the craft sense?* For me, there’s two things that have always caught my imagination and inspired creative ideas. First of all, my Great-Grandma’s throw. I remember this being draped over me when ill as a child, and when either John or I are ill now, it’s still the first thing to come out. It must easily be forty years old, and there’s definitely loads more life in it still! I always used to wonder how such a tiny crochet hook could make something as impressive (not to metion massive – it’s bigger than a double bed!).

The second thing is my recently-aquired vintage button stash. My dad found these in a house clearance in the early 1980s and I reckon they’re from the 1960s at least. There’s nearly 2lb of them!!! When I was given them by my mum recently, my brother accused me of stealing a ‘family institution’, although in his 23 years I have never seen him with a needle and thread! I’ve a project on the go that is using some of them, which I hope to finish over the weekend.

* On a deeper level, I’m inspired by the thought of ever having to move back to my home town – it keeps me going and pushes me along (google ‘Fleetwood’ and you’ll understand!).

The perfect sewing kit…

…even if I do say so myself!

Not being the most experienced crafter in the world, I like small projects that allow me to try new skills with (near) instant results. Recently I decided that I would quite like to work in felt, and after using the arm of the sofa one too many times as pin cushion, decided that a needle case and pin cushion were called for. Katy Cactus is my first ever felt stuffie – she’s double-lined with felt to stop her innards coming out when pins are driven into her. I am pretty impressed with myself, although I realise that a cactus pin cushion isn’t the most original idea in the world (but it is to me). The sweet little needle case, I am sad to say, is not so original. The hedgehog design on the front was inspired (read ’shamelessly copied’) by a little bag that Isa made on her Crafting with Love site. It was so cute that I couldn’t resist – humble apologies Isa. She did it much better than me!