Teenage Mutant Ninja Jumper Bunny....

So I have wanted to have a go at a jumper monkey for a while and I have had a jumper waiting to become one hanging out in my box for a few months.  In the end I decided to make a rabbit/monster/YES it is totally intentionally weird looking :o)

so here he is...

He didn't take very long and I think I could get at least one more out of the leftover jumper so I might have another go and at least see if I can get it to look a bit more intentionally monsterous.  Plus Pip's nephews can have one each then :o) - guess who is their favourite "auntie".

In the meantime my cheeky purchases from eBay have arrived:

ooooh they are so pretty!  The seller didn't list the sizes but they don't seem to be too far off so hopefully my first forays into pattern alterations won't be too scary.  The pieces are cut already so I will have to retrace them anyway - back to eBay for a roll of pattern paper then...  I just need to make sure that my fingers stop "accidently" typing vintage singer sewing machine again.... heeheehee.

I finished the back of the jumper and cast the two sides off together and am now working on the sleeve- if only I could make my fingers go a little bit faster (and I didn't loose valuable knitting time during my commute getting off a bus and waiting for a train.)

I'm off to the posh part of town this weekend (friend's workload pending) for a trawl through the high quality charity shop donations round that way - they have some good junk shops there too, and I found a vintage shop that has fabric - right opposite a little knitting shop!!!  pure bliss!

see you later alligators!

Natalia x

a fantastic first week!

One week of blogging in and I have 6 followers already (Hi Guys! :o) ) and I have won a lovely blouse pattern.

I am feeling very enthusiastic today despite the fact that the trains were absolutely horrible this week and helped to scupper my plans to have something exciting to show you.  So I have ended up with a much more "do" than "make" week - culminating this morning in LEARNING TO CYCLE!!!!  Yep you read right, I am a rare breed in that I never learned to ride a bike when I was a child.  I've always wanted to learn and finally got over my embarrassment at starting at such a late age and bought myself a second hand bike in the summer.  I found a place that does subsidised lessons but my boyfriend anounced that I need not waste my money and he would teach me.  Well in 5 months I managed to persuade him to take me out with the bike once.  So he got me a voucher for a lesson with the professionals for christmas which I put to use ASAP.  Apparently I pretty much got on the bike and started cycling more or less on my own straight away - to the point that I have homework of practicing on quiet roads/cycle paths and starting to get ready for road skills (lifting a hand off, glancing over a shoulder etc...)  I am really pleased with myself anyway especially as my boyfriend (I call him Pip) was stood at the window as a cycled up the road :o)  I like a little show off now and again.

So anyway in lieu of crafty goodness I thought I would give you a little introduction to my little craft corner and some of the projects I might finally get on with soon... (Apologies for the poor photography, I will have to get practicing that too.)

My sewing corner! The basket if full of arty paraphanalia and that hessian you can just see on the right is the beginning of a rag rug.

 The crafty books I got for my birthday and Christmas (they are 2 weeks apart)  Best in show was my secret santa present from work - Amazing!!

My lovely wooden stash box (the awful pink gloss was stripped off earlier this year and tinted wax applied with my own fair hand.  I do DIY too you know!)

Goodies inside!

My first ever dress pattern with the turquoise satin I have bought to make it with - I think I got carried away with the bargain quality of that one, maybe I will do a version in a fabric that it is a bit easier to sew with first...

my collection of silk scarves that may be a shower curtain or cushion covers - depending on how much longer I can put up with the glass shower screen really.

THE jumper so far - I am about 2cm away from finishing the back and then I can do arms - hopefully they will be a bit smaller.  Made using this pattern

jumper detail - neat huh?

The sock wool calling out to be my next knitting pattern - I think the jumper will have given me knitting fatigue though so these may be waiting a little longer.

Next weekend I will definately have something to show you - possibly even something that you have not glimpsed here.  The in-laws are visiting for the weekend this week a good little craft project will be the perfect diversion :o)

See you again soon!

Natalia

blogging cherry...

So... as is traditional I have spent most of the first week of this year thinking about resolutions.  I have decided that drawing up a list of things I really out to do but don't really enjoy doing is no longer the route for me - no more January guilt for me!  So this year I have decided that my one resolution is to do more for myself - this means looking after myself properly (I still managed to fit in the perennial exercise resolution then) and taking the time to do more of the things I really enjoy.

And this is where the blog comes in.  I have been reading a lot of other blogs for quite a while, mostly on sewing/vintage/craft/interior design, but hesitating to start my own despite finding them all very high quality and inspirational.  But this week I have been thinking about all of the things I would like to do and wondering how I can keep myself motivated and make sure I don't slip back into my lazy bad habits and Shazam; I put two and two together and here I am!!!

My plan is to start off by picking up all of the half finished crafty projects I have lurking around the house and documenting my progress every week. I am hoping that I can get into some new stuff as well fairly shortly - I have my first ever dress making pattern I am looking forward to having a go at and am already eyeing up another one (or 20...) lovely vintage patterns on ebay that might have to come an live with me.  I also got a book of sock patterns for Christmas so I'm hoping to learn a few new knitting "skillz" there too.

This week I have been making a concerted effort to finish the jumper I started making for my fella (ahem) months ago.  It is a lovely green Guernsey and I am hoping it is actually going to fit when I finally finish.  Once I work this thing out I will be getting pictures up - hopefully there will be one of him in said jumper very soon!

So there I have it; the first ever post!  Hopefully there will be many more to come and I will be able to get my blog into somewhere near as good shape as some of my favourites and people might actually enjoy reading it!

Au Revoir!

Natalia

xx