A patchwork ball for baby Jack

The last make for baby Jack's parcel


I also included this bonnet and these Debbie Bliss shoes.

And now I am busily knitting for another little baby and her big brother


I'll show him in all his stuffed glory soon!


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Some bandana bibs...

Another make for baby Jack


And just as the ones made for baby Jude I used this pattern from the delightful Mrs. Biddle.


A sweet and happily satisfying make for those oh-I-do-so-want-to-sew-but-appear-to-only-have-a-few-minutes-before-time-to-collect-P-from-school. Thank you again Mrs. Biddle!

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Another ribbon blanket

I do need to think of another word rather than blanket... it's not really a blanket is it?


I think this must be the end of the wool used for Albert's blankets (which Ethel now sleeps on. Good girl). Much fun rummaging through the bulging ribbon box... I do like the tape measure ribbon Clothkits use to tie up their oh so exciting parcels.

Some Cath Kidston on the reverse


Do so hope you enjoy slobbering on it Baby Jack!

See notes about pattern here

Oh, here is Miss Ethel snoozing on her inherited blanket


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A peasant dress for Chess

I knew just how I wanted to use the rest of this sweet fabric... I envisioned a peasant style dress with navy bias trim and a navy casing to gather somewhere just above the waist. Hmmmm, well ish


I started with the Lila Shirred Blouse pattern from Tanya Whelan's Sew What You Love as I needed a pattern to get the basic sizing. I cut out a size 5/6 and possibly length 7/8. I certainly meant to anyway. The pattern has a shirred neck and waist but I wanted to use elastic casing, which worked easily at the neck, but not so the sleeves. There just wasn't enough material where the sleeves meet the bodice to turn over fabric for the elastic casing without getting all messed up with seams. Does that make sense? Anyway I managed to nudge bits around to get a casing, the sleeves are gathered and they look sweet. Next time I'll make the sleeves a bit deeper.

I was so unsure about sizing that I did manage to persuade P to try it on. He was rather good natured about it. I thought he might love it and refuse to take the dress off, but it really does appear that P has a growing sense of what others see as acceptable for boys to wear. But thankfully he was happy to wear it for a moment or two for me to check fit. And I found I had made the sleeve elastic far too tight -quickly remedied - but worse than that I realised how rather short it was. Maybe the title of the blouse, not dress, should have alerted me. Hmmm. So sadly no elastic in a navy casing around the waist as I had imagined, as that would have made what I am now calling a tunic, even shorter. Chess is obsessed with wearing leggings, which is a good thing, as this peasant tunic will be just right. Maybe next time I'll remember and make it much, much longer. Or just do the shirring...


This time parcelled up with one of Patch's current favourites


Do hope you had a happy birthday Chess!

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A pebble vest for Baby Jack

Oh I do so like this pattern as, unlike the still sweet sleeveless top mentioned here, it is knitted in a single piece.


The pattern is for a single newborn size and suggests using a DK. My first knit using this pattern needed to be particularly teeny (see this post) which happily worked by using smaller needles and Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino. I was slightly worried that the pattern could be a little snug for Baby Jack, as by the time I busied myself knitting it, Jack was no longer a newborn. So I used Debbie Bliss cashmerino Aran and knitted the vest on 5mm needles. I needn't have worried - I met Jack for a cuddle for the first time last week and he was looking rather yum in his pebble vest at just over four months.

Teeny white buttons from Great Gran's tin, sewn on with a cheery red


So, the first of some makes for Baby Jack.

I'm trying to reduce my mountain of ironing this afternoon... I try to be the veritable housewife and this is what happens


Oh Miss Ethel! Maybe I'll just have a cup of tea...

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A knightly make for Sir Digby

So far I have used this pattern for Sir Patch, Sir Reuben, Sir Casper, Sir Joshua and now Sir Digby. If you have a knight that needs a new tabard then this is oh so good. The pattern is from Emma Hardy's Cute and Easy Costumes for Kids. Actually, if you have a child that needs any costume then this is a brilliant book.


The tabard is mainly sewn by hand using satisfyingly speedy embroidery floss. I most certainly think it is worth using thick quality felt for this make... I made Sir Patch his costume over two years ago and it is still looking knightly. The pattern also includes pieces for a helmet and boots and recommends a grey jersey. I found a dark grey knit fabric in John Lewis a few years ago, with added sparkle... it was during the festive season! While ideal for the chain mail look it is horrible to sew with. Far too slinky. I must have envisioned dressing many knights as I still have plenty of this fabric sliding around in my fabric pile. And the poor knights I have been responsible for dressing have been left barefoot as I decided that wellies would happily complete the outfit.

Do hope you had a happy birthday, Sir Digby!

Feeling rather glum... missing Patch as term started today and far too quiet at home, and still feeling rotten with a cold and aches that have been around for weeks. Rotten. Just might go and catch up with The Village before the walk to school. Hope all had a fun first day back at school!

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Ems' birthday socks

I promise I was assured that dear Ems did indeed dream of owning a pair of handknit socks...for some reason to give a pair of socks as a present to an uninitiated in the joys of handknit socks seems rather risky. Well, to give the first pair of socks ever knitted by me seemed risky, there are some dreamy handknit ones knitted by others. And this is why I felt rather nervous


a present that looked oh so similar to two old dishcloths.

And as wrong as it seemed to try on these socks before giving them as a present I felt it was an important thing to do, and so I slipped in my - clean - toes. And oh my. Now I see why people knit socks. Here they are looking far more sock like


I used Jenny Lord's Basic Boy Socks pattern, from Purls of Wisdom, and followed the suggestions to adapt to make into a daintier sock. I quite enjoy knitting on many needles (well, four) and liked following the sections of the pattern. The wool is Wendy roam in Derwent, a 4 ply great for socks it says. I'm not sure you could actually do anything like walking in these socks but they are rather nice for lounging in. And so I do see why people knit socks because I too want a snug pair for lounging, maybe the girly cloud-nine socks from Purls of Wisdom. Though this pair took me an age to finish... it somehow felt that I had knitted my first pair of socks when I had finished the first. And sometime during the second I did rather loose the will. Sadly I am no Anna Makarovna (War and Peace) able to knit two socks at once...

Happy birthday dear Ems!

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