My first FO (zippered wristlet) and my latest FO (drawstring bag with pocket)

FO Photos :) and the cats enjoying the stash!

My First Sewing FO!

So I inherited a Bernina sewing machine from my Granny. I have been meaning to use it for the last couple of months but the summer holidays were over too quickly. Plus DH was hogging the conservatory where the sewing machine lives because it has the best natural light.

I was given Sew What! Bags by Lexie Barnes for my birthday and decided to make the zippered wristlet from this book. After a disastrous first attempt, I realised that this project was a 'pro' project rather than a 'newbie' project. Trust me to rush in!

I threw my little disaster across the room in disgust and started again from scratch, this time I had a lot more success except that I got my lining and exterior fabric mixed up so my finished wristlet is not I envisioned but hey I did it! :)

THE BIG KNIT

My clear out has gone really well. The local charity shops and the people on freecycle are loving me right now!

Giving to charity makes me happy, so I have decided to set myself a new knitting challenge! Knit 100 hats for Innocent Drinks THE BIG KNIT 2011 in aid of Age UK
http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/bigknit/.

That's 100 hats by October, easy peasy..........erm yeah. It's a challenge.

I am going to Knit Nation in a couple of weeks and have been very good and not bought any yarn for 2 months so I can save up and buy some wollmeise there (and hopefully discover some other gorgeous indie dyers).

Major Spring Clean

I've been really upset about my Granny over the last few weeks. But one good thing that has happened is that it's made me want to clear out our house big time! Clearing out her house is going to be a huge job, everything she owns seems to be beautiful or functional though. Something I aspire to, and I want my house to be lovely and tidy and fit for the things I have inherited from her to live in!

The amount of 'stuff' that people accumulate over their lifetime is mad, and we have so much stuff that our house is never ever tidy and I'm ashamed to have people over.

So the huge declutter begins and this time it's personal! I've tried this many times before but now I'm being really ruthless :)

Any tips? xx

Nobody knows but you, my dear

My granny passed away on Monday 9th May at approx 11pm. It was a huge shock and I'm so upset about it, it's hard to type this.

The above phrase is what she used to say if you answered "I don't know" to her questions :)

The funeral is on Monday 23rd May, I'll have missed almost 3 weeks off work but will try to go in after the funeral to show my face before half term!

I had been telling her about the BSJ because she had a cutting of it from a knitting magazine. The magazine must have been from the 80s or 90s. I was going to knit it and see if she could work out how to make it into a sweater :) I finished it but can't bring myself to seam it up just yet. I'm thinking of taking it with me to the funeral home to show her.

I've also been photographing some old FOs and some stash to fill in those big white gaps on Ravelry.

AAaaaaah that's better :)