I'm Sew Excited

We've had a mini break, not really a holiday, just a break from home.  Grace went to Glastonbury (which she really enjoyed) and while she was away, we stayed at her flat in Sheffield to look after her hamster!

I don't know whether Juno the hamster appreciated us being there because she spent all her time trying to chew through the bars of her pen to escape!

Anyway, we had a lovely time in Sheffield, very relaxing.

Now that I'm settling into dressmaking and feeling more confident, I've been watching The Great British Sewing Bee on TV.  This is the first time I've watched the series, which is now in Season 4.  I really enjoyed watching this and feel that I've learnt quite a few new things.  At the moment, my dressmaking projects can be classed as "Easy" or "Beginner" but I'm determined to branch out and tackle some more challenging projects in the future.

For the time being I'm making nice, simple summer dresses.  Here is the latest one I've made.

(I never look relaxed when my husband is taking the photos!)

I have again used the Simplicity 6262 pattern, but having put sleeves in the previous version I made, I have decided I'm more of a sleeveless dress person - at least as far as summer dresses are concerned.  I added a ribbon around the waist this time.  It adds quite a nice trim, but I could have done with applying it better - next time I'll be able to do it better.

I'm hoping for some warm and sunny weather now, so that I can wear it.

Whilst we were in Sheffield I was looking at the sewing machines in John Lewis.  I thought I should maybe update my machine and I was interested in finding out more about how to do buttonholes.  When I got back home, I thought I would check the handbook for my machine to see what it could do as far as buttonholes were concerned.  I was amazed and overjoyed to find out that my machine does one step buttonholes that are precisely sized to the buttons you want to use.  I've only had this machine a mere 21 years, and who knew that it was as clever as that!  I really need to explore what else it can do, I'm clearly not using it anywhere near to its capabilities.

Tomorrow I'm planning on cutting out another summer dress, pink this time - let's hope my optimism is rewarded with some nicer weather.

New Hamsters and a Knitting Round Up

The previous weekend, we were on our travels again, this time to Sheffield to see Grace.  She has just got two new dwarf hamsters, girls this time, and we were very excited to see them (we were excited to see Grace as well!)

They're very shy at the moment but hopefully will settle in their new home very soon.

It was good to spend time with Grace, knitting and chatting about knitting (my husband's attention is lost as soon as I mention the word knitting!)

Here's a round up of some of my finished projects.  I mentioned last week that I had finished a shawl, so here it is.

The pattern is called The Love of a Pirate and I really enjoyed knitting it.

For full details of the pattern and yarn, please look on my Ravelry project page, here.

I've also knitted up another mini sweater.

It's great fun making these sweaters - the plan is to make bunting with them, but I'll need quite a few more yet.

I've also crocheted another bag using my Handy Dandy Sock Yarn Bag pattern.

I love the colours in this one.

I'm hoping, this week, to get the purple cardigan I'm currently working on finished.  It's 4 ply so slow going, but I feel as though the end is in sight.  So, at last, I feel as though I'm getting on top of things.  I hope you are all having a productive week.

Some Hamsters of My Own

Now that the hamsters are back in Sheffield with Grace, I have a yearning for hamsters of my own.

To see their cute little faces each day, to feel the feather-like touch of their paws on my hand - I let out a sigh of longing.

But no more!  For I now have my own hamsters.

OK - so they're not real hamsters - they're crocheted, but at least they will be clean around the house and almost (but not quite) as cute as the real ones.

I based my hamsters (which incidentally are Dwarf Russian White hamsters I think, Grace will correct me if I'm wrong), on a pattern by Kati Galusz for Newborn Guinea pigs.  I modified the pattern slightly, changing the style of the back legs and the shape of the ears.

Kati's pattern is available as a free Ravelry download, here.

So, I'm off now to play with my hamsters - what fun we'll have!  See you soon.

Holidays Over,Time to Get Stuck In

I've had a busy day today, taking down the Christmas tree and all the decorations.  They seem to have expanded over the holiday period and I had to use up another box to put them all away.  Yesterday we took the hamsters back to Sheffield (Grace enjoyed her skiing holiday).  After two weeks of them being with us, I'll miss the little boys, even if they did sleep most of the time.

So Christmas is really over.

And now it's almost back to normal.  Time to get stuck in to some of the old projects that have been put aside over Christmas.  I've now completed the colourful crochet I started in November.  Here's what I made.

It's a footstool cover, I didn't use a pattern, just made it to fit as I went along.

Lots of jolly colours and patterns.

Here's what's underneath - a rather old footstool, looking sorry for itself.

But now it's got a new lease of life and will add another splash of colour to our already colourful living room!

Bring It On

Yes, I'm ready.  I'm organised and well-planned.  I'm definitely ready for Christmas.

There's just the last minute food shopping to do tomorrow; the baking to be done on Christmas Eve and of course the knitted top to be finished and ready to wear on Christmas Day.  Apart from all that, I'm ready.

Grace's hamsters have come to stay for the holiday.

I have my pile of library books to keep me going...

Although it would be a bit optimistic to think I will be able to get through all those during the holiday, but at least I've got plenty of choice.

I've even started planning what I'm going to start knitting on Christmas Day with the wool that Father Christmas will be bringing me (after all I have been a good girl).

It's all so exciting, I think I need to go and calm down before I start squealing with delight.