Tuesday 15 July 2008

MORE new books!! (and trims)


HURRAH! picked up my copy of the latest Rowan magazine, 44 and very fab it looks too although I've not had chance to study it!
Wish I'd seen the latest Studio, 11 sooner as I'd have picked that up too, some SUPER designs in this newest issue but sadly I didn't spot it until too late (shop closed! boo!).

At the same time, I picked up from discount shop, The Works, the easy beaded crochet book a fab BARGAIN at only £1.99 after reading about it here! from Make do and Mend which has a super pic. of Martha from Rowan, 37 on todays home page; I've been reading this for ages now and its a good read sew give it a go if you've not already.


The bunches of trim, were a bargain at 5ms each in length, and cost £1.50 per bunch; goodness only knows what I'll DO with them, but they look nice! Thought they might look nice as a sort of trim for bags, what do you think? (they are nicer in reality than the pic reflects, sort of like bunches of flowers).

Sunday 13 July 2008

A Grand Day Out at the seaside!

We had a Grand Day Out on Saturday to good old Skeggie! A coach trip organised by dh's works' Social Club Committee, we've been before about 4 or 5 times and think we've about exhausted all its attractions but we did enjoy the day out, nonetheless.

Here we are having just arrived we sat down for a welcome cup of tea and got our bearings before heading off for the seaside for a walk. We arrived about 10.30am and left at 5pm, weather was mixed including lovely sunshine and rain! mostly grey/warm though.

The lads enjoyed a game of crazy golf which Andrew lead until the last hole whereupon he lost the plot and promptly lost the game to his brother! (who was delighted!). We think they enjoyed it! they didn't protest too much although there was a fair bit of mutterings about it beforehand in particular the early rise of 6.30am! (having said that, there was a lot of mutterings about that from MEE too!).

Had a nice meal while we were out and enjoyed some live music on the front for the last 1.5hrs before catching the coach home which the lads, at least, seemed to enjoy and dh was rather pleased he didn't insist we all returned to the Tower Gardens for the brass band ..

(ps! did you notice my newest bag got its first outing? handles slightly too long and tad wide for complete satisfaction, but dh didn't protest too much at carrying it about, least, not to me!).

New Magazines (Rowan 44) (Threads)

Absolutely LOVE this latest issue of Threads magazine! Loads of stuff I've got to read again, its so good, had planned to take this away with me on hols next week but couldn't resist diving in!

Can't WAIT to get my hands on my copy of Rowan 44 - it looks FAB!! I love it already and I've not properly studied it!! We had a sneaky look at it on Friday when it came in, my copy is reserved and ready for me to pay for on Tuesday when it goes for sale to all; noticed a few lucky Rowan International Members have taken possession of their copies already. Do take a look if you want a sneaky peek ... !

not SURE whether to get Studio 11 - has lots of Bamboo Tape patterns featured, might be handy for the batch I've got sat here waiting to be knitted up .. ?

yum-yum! lots of yummy reading!

Thursday 10 July 2008

Grocery bags - shoppers!

Today I had a mad shopping bag making up day!
Two reasons: one to continue my quest to use up my extensive stash of fabric many of which pieces are very well aged! and two, to try and be a little more "green" when doing the household grocery shop in not using those plastic bags which while you CAN re-use them a time or two after, they don't really hold up as well.



I've used a selection of fabrics including some which I've been sent in the past from swaps or gifts from cyber pals (faux patchwork fabric bag above, and the super wolf print in the bag below) and some is from my Late Mother's stash (the white super strong! fabric in the bag below and lining the bag above).



The blue check fabric below is a well aged piece of fabric I must have bought around 12+yrs ago! I have made boys' shorts, rucksacks, a bag for myself that I can reliably remember, maybe more! and this is the last of it! I've lined it with some super outerwear peachskin waterproof fabric and made up a double zippered pocket with the idea that this will be a general shopper while the others are strictly grocery shopping!


The patterns for both the bag and the handy pocket are from my cyber-pal-Carol's own design and is a complete WHIZZ to make up as it so very nearly doesn't work until the very end and is in fact the larger sized variation of the tiny project bags I've made before. The best part about the pattern, is that it DOES work! and is easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy once you've mastered the "maths" part. Construction is a breeze and the really BEST part is the base and joining of lining!

All I have to do to complete, is topstitch around the upper edge.
I have one more bag not quite complete and plenty more fabric to cut to make further ones!
Hubby announced he is NOT going shopping with any of these, or at least wouldn't be seen dead carrying them! (he will! however!!).

The blue bag has an opportunity for first outing this Saturday as we are off on a grand trip to good old Skeggie as part of a coach/works trip although I suspect it will be my job to carry it!

Wednesday 9 July 2008

Happy birthday and Good luck wishes

Happy birthday wishes to my younger brother, David, for yesterday!
(he telephoned last night to thank me for the gift box set of Jack Daniels, adding that we'd not had the security tag removed from the bottle inside! - bit annoying that! - while he contemplated taking a hammer or a hacksaw to it, our stepfather turned up with HIS gift - also a bottle of JD! luckily without a security tag! thus saving the day!).

Good luck to David's Dad, John, too for today as he undergoes the first of his treatments for his stomach cancer and for later on end of month when he has a whole replacement of a shoulder (which sounds enormously painful!! but which hopefully won't be!).

Monday 7 July 2008

Summer Project Bag



Well they'll certainly see me coming with this bright summery bag!
Another brilliant stash buster, I had a piece of fabric just big enough to make a small project container for knitty things and quick to sew too!

I've made this pattern up before as part of a "lesson" and I wanted to refresh myself of the assembly as I plan to make some quick and easy "shoppers" now that the local supermarkets are starting to make noises about their plastic bags and we're beginning to feel like we're the only ones without shopping bags!

You can just see my knitting inside, I've completed most of the first half of the front to the start of the cap sleeves, t'other side to go and then the neck and arm bands - I shall be glad when its done and I can move on to projects more exciting!

I was canvassed, this week, about a new knitting magazine for the experienced knitter! This ought to be exciting, I enjoy reading magazines and I shall be watching with interest signs of publication.

Watching, too, closely for signs of the newest Rowan magazine, I've had a sneaky preview already and am sure I read that its release is to be early this season (although that might have been overseas!) either way I shall be looking for it in local shops to purchase as I've decided not to renew my membership; mainly because there weren't, apparently, any benefits for me personally and I object to having to wait for my "members copy" of the two main magazines ahead of my non-members pal's who were rushing to show off their copies purchased WEEKS ahead of mine in local shops! Added to that, I read, again, that they are having supply problems with their membership gift and I just can't be bothered with it all again as it just makes me all cross!! I'll miss the Rowan member's forum, but catch up (and some more!) easily on the fabulous Ravelry for knitty-gossip!

Wednesday 2 July 2008

Super New Bag!


Absolutely LOVE my super new bag!! Made it up yesterday and finished off the top stitching today. Lovely and bright! it will be just the thing for my holiday. The lining is the same fabric as the top part; a magnetic button keeps it closed just below the top upper contrast section and two deep inner pockets are just right for keeping books and sunglasses etc.

(and my cyber-sew-pals can keep their hands OFF! its MINE!! all mine!!)
SUPER pattern.