Layette for Baby Annabel Doll

Mummy Christmas has been busy crocheting. Well every little girl should have a baby doll and my great grand daughter got Baby Annabel for her 3rd birthday in October. The store bought clothes are ridiculously expensive so I thought that she ought to have a new outfit for Christmas. I downsized a very old baby pattern by using finer wool (Hayfield 3ply) and a finer hook (3mm). I have a lot of experience of altering patterns to fit as when I first started crocheting patterns only came in about 2 sizes so I had to learn fast how to adapt.

I started a knitted pram coat for Baby Annabel last night and have leggings and a pram blanket to make before her layette is complete. I am using a white flecked wool for these, I hope to finish them off by the middle of the week.

I have been a bit slower with my knit and crochet over the weekend as I am trying to get some housework done. I have been dusting since my operation but real heavy tidying and cleaning has been left. Now that I am feeling better I am allowed to hoover in moderation. The house is starting to look desperately untidy and needs a good clear out. I do try to be ruthless and throw things away but I guess at heart I am just a collector. It's my mother's fault, I inherited it from her. She always stocked up as if there would be another shortage like during the war. She should never have introduced me to the "Borrowers" books as I can see a potential use for everything in my home. I guess I was into recycling long before it was fashionable. I have always cut up and reused dresses and blouses when I used to sew and never quite got out of saving the too small old fashioned outfits just because I like the material! I regularly recycle hand knit sweaters and cardigan and give them another lease of life. I have my eye on two in my wardrobe to riippppp after the New Year.

My childhood was all about make do and mend. I spent hours cutting up old coats from the jumble sales into little pieces to hook rag rugs. Every sweater I possessed was re knitted on the sleeves to mend the elbow holes and were lengthened as I grew. My bigger cousins hand me down dresses were altered here and there to fit me as I was such a skinny little thing. Funnily enough I never felt deprived it any way and was so excited when the bag of clothes would arrive from my aunt. It's no wonder I grew up to knit and sew from a very early age. No TV back then so it was common for everyone to have something to make in the evenings so I just joined in. When I see how kids today are cossetted is makes me smile, I was sewing on a treadle machine at the age of 5. I learned the hard way not to put my fingers anywhere near the needle. I did sew my finger once and just got told to suck it and stop crying! Ah times were tough back then! I also used to iron hankies and small items with an cast iron heated on the fire. I have burned myself more with an electric iron as an adult. I can't ever remember doing it as a child.

Woolfest and The Borrowers

My Knitting Noras group have gone on a coach trip to Woolfest in Cockermouth today. I wish I was going with them but I know that it would have been too much for me. I would have held everyone up with my slow walking and constant need for a seat. I will be seeing a lot of them tomorrow at the monthly Knit Out so hope that they all have wonderful tales to tell me and bring the goodies that they have bought. It is a yearly event so I will have to save my pennies for next year. There will be different dyers, spinners and wool manufacturers there. I think it's mostly the "little" people of the industry rather than the moguls but I will find more about it tomorrow. I am with them in spirit. You lucky girls.

I always read Doris Chan's blog http://doriseverydaycrochet.blogspot.com/2008/06/forgiven-not-forgotten.html
and today I dared to leave her a comment. No - not that kind of comment! I know I don't always understand her crochet instructions, as my former posts will tell you, but I do admire her as a designer. Her taste is not always exactly my taste but that is the whole point of designing. To make something different than the norm. To please everyone all of the time would be boring. I don't think Doris would be too unhappy with my adapting her designs anyway. I think she would be rather pleased that she has encouraged me to do my own thing using her themes.I always credit her with the inspiration when I make something.

Anyway today she was talking about the book "The Borrowers" by Mary Norton from her childhood. I have always been blessed with a vivid imagination and as a child I loved that book. I read it, and it's follow on books, until the covers wore off them. I also imagined that I had a family of little borrowers living invisibly in my house who made use of small household items like sewing cotton bobbins to make their furniture etc. As a 7yr old I would try to stay awake to see if I could catch them as they came out from behind the skirting boards on their evening excursions. I never did of course but that didn't stop me from believing they were there! Hey who am I kidding I still believe they are there. I live alone, apart from Buster, so who else pinches the little things that I leave lying about? I thoroughly recommend the book to anyone who has imaginative little girls - or if you still love reading children's books.

I had a wonderful afternoon yesterday. I got invited, with a couple of King's Arms knitters, Rachael and someone whose name eludes me ( I really am getting terrible at remembering names) to an afternoon of knitting/crocheting at Charlie's house. We were made very welcome and the afternoon just whizzed by and I was truly surprised to find it was almost 7pm when I got back home. I hope I didn't wear out my welcome. Her husband was unfazed by the sight of 4 crafters in his lounge when he arrived home from work eating a table full of nibbles. Now that is one good husband. My ex would have freaked out! Charlie has one of those kind of houses that make you feel at home from the minute you enter. I am very sensitive to atmosphere etc and I won't stay long in some of my friends houses. Not because I don't like my friends but there is just something about their houses that makes me feel uncomfortable and I cannot relax. I don't tell them of course. My mother brought me up better than that! P.S - Charlie don't ever throw that sofa out. It is far too comfortable.

Today I have food shopping and cleaning to do. I really hate the way cleaning eats into my crocheting time but Buster makes it a must. He is a very hairy dog who despite constant brushing and hoovering (please don't report me to the RSPCA - he loves it) sheds all over the house. I have thought of collecting his hair and getting it spun but am doubtful if I could wear a dog hair scarf as I think it would be very itchy. Buster is wearing his sad expression today as he gazes out of the window watching the rain. He didn't get a walk yesterday and boy did he let me know. He won an Oscar for sulking performance last night! I am trying to persuade my son to come and take him for a run with his dog on Sunday whilst I am out on the Knit Out. He really enjoys being with them for a few hours. I feel that he needs the companionship and exercise of someone younger and more energetic from time to time.

I have finished crocheting all of the squares for my second granny square shawl and so will hopefully finish that off later today. I still haven't made a decision on the next project but I need to make some squares for the Oxfam appeal and make some kind of contribution to the knitted chandelier that the King's Arms ladies have been working on. I thought perhaps some crochet flowers or a lacy trim for the edge. Everything they have made so far is a silver grey so I will have to search for something suitable in my bit box. Maybe a bit of very pale blue will fit in with the colour scheme. That will occupy me until I make a decision as will the toe up socks if I ever get around to finishing them.