Being Mrs C

Crafting books

Things are finally getting a bit more organised following our move and it felt great to today get all my craft books in one place on some new (to me) shelves in my study. Over the last few years I've been picking up various books either when I've seen them in sales, or in charity or secondhand book shops. Getting them altogether made me realise what a collection I've been building up covering knitting, crochet, embroidery, dress making and patchwork.

Although new books are always lovely and very inspirational, there's something about finding ones secondhand that give me a real thrill. Knowing that other people have learnt from them over the years and probably cherished them into their old age as well. My recent trip to Barter Books provided me with some such treasure. 

 

I first heard of Mary Thomas when I joined my mum at an Embroiders' Guild event last year. Someone was talking about how it's a shame that books like her's are so difficult to get hold of these days as they were fantastic at teaching people all the embroidery basics. As soon as I saw Mary's name on the shelf in the craft section I therefore jumped on these two volumes. 

Mary Thomas's Embroidery Book covers all the different embroidery types in detail, including some of the history and examples of its use. Some instructions are included, but it often references out to the second book in the pair: Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches or as it seems to be commonly known, The Dictionary. This really does as it says on the cover, all stitches, in alphabetical order are included, with instructions and diagrams to have a go yourself. Looking at the Embroidery Book it seems that it was first published in 1936, with the Dictionary preceding it by a couple of years. My copies are 1980s re-issues and looking on Amazon I believe that later versions have been released, although not within the last 10 years or so. 

 

Whilst Mary Thomas concentrated on embroidery in her books, Agnes M. Miall was much broader in her writings. Complete Needlecraft, originally published in 1943, covers a wider remit of all needle based crafts. 

 

It's lovely to see all of these things covered in one book, and although the styles of some of projects in the gift-making section had me laughing out loud. I think some of my friends and family would thing I'd totally lost the plot if I turned up with something made following these instructions - shampoo cape anyone? How times change!

Growing slowly

It's taking time (and I do have a small blister on my finger!) but the socks are growing. Just in time for the cold weather which is likely to return very soon. Now on to the difficult bit...

Time without a laptop

For a variety of reasons I've had some time without my laptop this week. I'm not at all sure as to whether or not it was a good thing though. I missed being able to look things up when I wanted to know them. I missed popping in to read other people's blogs and get that insight into their lives. I missed chatting with friends in forums as well. On the flip side though I did get so much more time to do other things. For the first time since we moved here I got to knit properly for long periods of time. The amount of reading I did also went through the roof.

Possibly I just need to be a bit better at time management. In December I am leaving my job. There are a several reasons behind this decision and I don't as yet have anywhere new to go to in January. I am looking, but no successful applications yet. Whilst the idea of some time at home is a fantastic one, I need to really make sure that I don't just fritter my time away. I'm yet to find a way of paying the mortgage whilst just staying at home doing the things I enjoy (although any suggestions as to how to make this work will be gratefully accepted!) Discipline and structure will need to become part of my daily routine yet this may be easier said than done unless I start thinking about it now.

So 2010 is likely to be a year of change, but looking out of the window there's a fair chunk of winter to get through until we're there. One of my knitting projects has been to get into the swing with a pair of new socks using yarn I picked up at the Knitting and Stitching show earlier in the month.

 

The yarn is Regia silk color in shade 0189 (nairobi color). I fell in love with the colours as they felt so warm and autumnal without being the traditional shades of orange, despite the name actually suggesting that they are more African. I think Regia silk is new and it certainly feels lovely to knit with, much softer than the 100% cotton sock yarn I've used before. The addition of 20% silk makes a huge difference. Unfortunately I am so out of practice with the knitting that this first attempt had to be frogged, but luckily after doing so I'm now back to where I was before and loving being back in the knitting rhythm!

Missing mojo

Since we moved house I seem to have lost all sewing and knitting mojo. I'm not really sure why as I keep wanting to do things, but have just not been motivated to do so for the last couple of months.

I'm hoping that this is going to change as I am missing not having something on the go. A trip round the shops on Saturday resulted in one purchase that may help and to make things even better a parcel waiting on the doorstep upon my return.

 

In the last couple of years I haven't actually made myself anything to wear on my sewing machine. Plenty of bags and household items, but not clothing at all. I'm hoping this is going to change though. I've always liked Amy Butler's fabric and recently spotted some of her sewing patterns in my local John Lewis and I'm afraid I couldn't hold back any longer! The fabric is Sweet Jasmine and the pattern is barcelona skirts. I think a couple of Amy's books may make it onto my Christmas wish-list this year!

The package from the postman contained this year's Rowan International members gift. I've received a couple of these before, but I have to say that this one look very nice, and possibly may get a bit more use eventually than the denim bag that I started last year. 

 

This time round there are a couple of patterns - a unisex scarf or a pretty lace one. I've not really done much lace knitting before, so I'm looking forward to making a start, the only problem being that the pattern requires 3 1/4 mm knitting needles, which to my utmost horror I don't seem to have a pair of! The yarn included in the kit is Rowan's Pure Wool 4ply (which strangely doesn't seem to appear anywhere on their website!) in a lovely shade called Eau de Nil, which, as an aside, reminds me very much of the colour of new kitchen walls.

This week I've also got a day out planned at the Knitting and Stitching show in London. It may turn out to be expensive but I'm pretty sure that I won't be able to come away from there without inspiration (and hopefully a new pair of knitting needles!)

V&A Knitting for Victory

I always look forward to receiving e-mails from the London Stitch and Bitch group. They're normally funny and have useful likes in to various knitting resources or other knitting related things that are going on in and around London. Today's e-mail was very much the same and one particular thing caught my attention.

When I initially read the title V&A Knitting for Victory it sounded like the sort of thing that would be right up my street. Something that combines knitting with my interest for all things war-time. I clicked through and was even more excited to see that it was a knitting course and that S&B members could get a discount.

I clicked through to their website feeling all excited. Initial disappointment hit me when I saw that it was taking place on Tuesday afternoons during work hours. Further disappointment when I saw the price - £230! For a beginners knitting course. For 15 hours. You can get one of the Rowan one day courses at a John Lewis store for about £35, and that includes lunch. 

Accordingly to the blurb on their website this course will "help you kick the credit crunch!" I'd seriously recommend that if people do want to learn to knit and kick the credit crunch then they can save quite a bit of money by looking to do it another way. Attending one of the (free) Stitch and Bitch sessions for a start!

Planned excitement

Still feeling rough from a cold that I seem to have picked up, but to cheer myself up I've this morning booked tickets for a couple of things that I'm planning to do over the next couple of months.

Firstly I'm going along to the annual Knitting and Stitching show at Alexandra Palace. This is an event that I've been along to many times over the last few years. I normally spend most of my time going round the stalls, but this year their theme is make do and mend, something that I'm always interested in. The demonstration parts of the day may therefore be of more interest to me than they sometimes are. Although the show is only a couple of weeks away it still counts as an advance ticket booking so I should receive a "savings book" with some vouchers in to help me save some money on the day as I know I won't be able to not buy anything!

The second outing is to the Country Living Magazine Christmas Fair. I've not been along to this before (or to the Spring fair) but having recently discovered the magazine, fallen in love with it and started subscribing, I thought it may be the kind of thing that I enjoy - and it might also give me some good ideas for decorating our new house for Christmas (I'm already getting excited about now having the space to have a real Christmas tree!)

Two lovely days out to look forward to!

Completed anniversary socks

It's taken me nearly as long to blog about these socks as it took to knit the second one!

In the end it was only slightly over a month to complete the whole pair after starting them whilst on holiday in Cornwall. They were significantly easier to make after the practice on the first pair, although there are still a couple of techniques that I need to master. It was certainly nice to be able to sit in some strange hotel room earlier this week and know that these handmade beauties were keeping my feet warm. 

The only problem is that Mr C's now after a pair of socks, and seeing as his feet are somewhat bigger than mine, it may take a bit longer next time!

A knitted village

Whilst catching up on world events I found this video showing the Kent village that locals decided to knit as a way of raising funds for the village. Certainly a very cute, if time consuming, idea.

A sock update

After setting myself a bit of a challenge I thought I'd better give you a progress update.

This is the status of sock number two, just one month after starting the pair, after a mad knitting weekend. I'm totally thrilled at how far I've managed to get!

The one thing that I'm not at all thrilled about is the blister that I now have on one finger as a result of my extreme knitting. I've never had a knitting related injury before and my finger hurts so much that I'm having to have a couple of days off knitting to recover.

Quiet sad.

Anniversary sock

Before Mr C and I went away to celebrate our first wedding anniversary I bought myself a little anniversary present. I figured that with us going away in the UK in March the weather was likely to be lousy and that we'd end up spending quite a bit of time in our little cottage. I therefore bought myself a couple of balls of sock yarn, Regia colour 4-ply to be exact, in colour 5025.

As you'll have seen from my posts we actually had the most fantastic weather whilst we were away - and although I got to start my socks I certainly didn't get as much done as I expected to. I'm delighted to say that I have managed to finish the first sock though - less than a month after I started. Quiet amazing when you consider just how long it too me to knit my first pair. 

Now the challenge is can I start and finish the second sock within the next month and therefore have the whole pair finished within two months? Only time will tell!