My Week...

Such a fabulous week. It started with a visit to see Lucy Rose, supported by Billie Marten and Jake Isaac. They were all really very talented and had such pretty songs. 

Monday was our trip to London, to deliver the Big Knit hats, followed by a whistle stop highlight tour of the British Museum and the National Gallery and a couple of cake stops! 

Aside from the big adventures, there was a Christmas shopping trip to Liverpool, and lots of lovely time spent at home. The cosy dark evenings are bringing out my usual need to make blankets and read books in front of the fire, the typical late autumn/early winter hibernation thrill that will no doubt quickly descend into cabin fever. For now though, I'm enjoying it. 

Month in Makes - October

October has been such a busy month, full of hat making and pompoms for the Big Knit, as well as a bit of Christmas Robin making, but I've managed to find some time to experiment with some cross-stitch jewellery, first playing with some Cath Kidston patterns, and progressing onto my own little bee design! I like the frame brooch, but I think the necklace maybe needs a little more work... 

Of course I have continued with my Granny a Day blanket squares,  I've just passed the 300 mark, and my favourite make of the month - my special Halloween Pumpkin Brooch!

Hat Delivery Day

On Monday, we woke up early and packed up 5830 little tiny hats and went on an Adventure to the big city! 

 We were made to feel so welcome at Fruit Towers, and I was so pleased to be able to take my lovely mum along! We were shown the pen where all the hats will be kept, and had photos taken, and we were loaded down with lovely juice for the journey home. 

 (The hat pen - Before and after our hats were added...)

We also had a little mooch around London. It was just a lovely day.

My Week...

Last week was dominated by one thing - going to see Jack Off Jill. I have loved them since I was about fourteen years old and it was the most amazing experience to see them live on their final tour. I still just don't have the words to explain it properly.

The other highlight was my lovely dad's birthday, a splendid afternoon spent with my dear family, chatting and laughing and munching. It was just lovely. 

Taking Stock

Thanks as always to lovely Pip at Meet Me at Mike's for this bit of inspiration every month, it's been good to stop and think in a month that has been so very busy!

Making : jewellery, little robins, granny squares and my 2015 blanket
Cooking : autumn comfort food
Drinking : tea - regular and Twinings Strawberry and Mango
Reading: Nick Frost's Autobiography "Truths, Half-truths and Little White Lies"
Wanting: to go and see Jack Off Jill again every night for the rest of my life...
Looking: at my diary and seeing how alarmingly little time there is between now and Christmas!
Playing: Jack Off Jill constantly
Deciding: what to put on my lovely board in my studio
Wishing: I could be in two places at once
Enjoying: My lovely dad's birthday and spending time with my family
Waiting: to go to London to deliver over 5000 Big Knit hats!
Liking: my lovely yellow PlayPurse
Wondering: what to read next
Loving: cross-stitching
Pondering: "Back to the Future" day!
Considering: planting wallflowers in my lovely raised beds
Buying: mini Sunjellies bags
Watching: "Brooklyn Nine-Nine", "Heroes", "Big Bang Theory", "Agents of SHIELD" and "The Blacklist"
Hoping: everything works out...
Marvelling: at how much a tiny cut on my finger hurts!Cringing: at people...
Needing: quite a lot of sleep
Questioning: 
Smelling: Autumn
Wearing: wintery-woollens and cosy tights
Following: every opportunity!
Noticing: that photography is harder than it seems!
Knowing: that things are ok
Thinking: that I'm going to try out the new Italian Bakery in town very soon
Admiring: polka-dot fabric for Christmas Robins
Sorting: out the arrangements for Christmas Crochet Crafternoons
Getting: excited about the future
Bookmarking: The Lazy Daisy Jones Crochet Hookup on instagram (#ldjcrochethookup)
Coveting: Beautiful Cath Kidston dresses and skirts
Disliking: the dark evenings
Opening: my studio door for visitors!
Giggling: at silly things that I see
Feeling: a bit of pressure about the festive season, but excited too!
Snacking: all the time, I'm hopeless...
Helping: where I can as always
Hearing: the sound of Jack Off Jill ringing in my ears...

Little Lessons

My favourite part of being a full-time crafter is sharing skills with lovely people. I know I've said it before, but I get so much from seeing people start their crochet adventure. 

I had a visit from Sharon on Wednesday, she came along to try out some new stitches, we had a go at crocheting rows, and varying with front and back loops, and we did a mitred square. 

Rita came popped up with her lovely daughter Jess, and we went over granny squares, then onto Sunburst squares. They are both naturals!

I was thrilled to hear that they'd spent the afternoon practising...

And on Saturday Tarloke visited for a beginner lesson, and made his very first square. 

 The days fly by when I have such lovely company. 

My Studio

My beautiful little studio is taking shape, starting to feel like a work space, wearing a little of my personality and becoming comfortable and homely. My name is on the door, my work is on the walls, my lovely magazine bits and bobs are framed and my desk is starting to look busy. 

My little corner is full of pretty pictures, postcards, colour samplers, and jewellery bits that I've been working on. It is bright and inspiring, I have my notebooks and crochet and my head is full of ideas. 

I introduced the first visitors this week - I hope they will be the first of many.