A little winter warmer

Tis frosty cold out there, and although we've escaped most of the snow, we've just come back from a weekend at my sister-in-laws where there was plenty of it. It was almost touch and go as to whether we'd make it back, but it was fine once we got west of Leeds.

I picked up some snuggly brushed cotton at Abakhan last week, and I loved the colours so much I bought 2m so I could make Munchkin a few things from it - the first being a Kitschy Coo tunic. I was a bit concerned the neckline wouldn't sit right as the fabric's a bit heavier weight than I would normally use, but it turned out fine. I used a scrap to make a matching hair clip, which both I and Munchkin love. It's a little bit of a girly touch, but I like it :)

Munchkin was very warm in it, and needed to be with the snowy exploits her and her cousin Juliet got up to. She's still making good use of her snowman hat, and Juliet was very admiring of it*, so I'll make her one for Christmas. Next May there'll be a terrible trio of cousins, as my other sister-in-law is 16 weeks pregnant :) I don't know if the world is ready for such levels of cuteness...

*stole it repeatedly from Munchkin's head :)

Hemming a-go-go

I've finished my skirt for Kitschy Coo's sew-along, a little bit late, but I had the pleasure of this lovely little lady's company for the weekend, along with her parents and grandma, so I was a bit short on time.

Once I'd finished oohing and aahing over my lovely niece, I took your advice and kept the length to match my boots, and finished the hem with blind stitch. I've got a special blind stitch foot for my sewing machine, and it was delightfully easy to use. It took a bit of concentration, and I don't think I would attempt after a glass of wine, but I'll definitely use it for any other skirts I make, it looks really good.

I'm pretty amazed I've made a piece of clothing I'd actually *wear*. Mr pickledweasel was also impressed, and has decided this means I never have to buy any clothes ever again.

Apologies for the crappy photos - it was late, our bedroom's a mess, and mr pickledweasel is no Mario Testino. I look bizarrely lumpy, but I'm blaming mr pickledweasel's lens angle, rather than my svelte form. And the facing is peeking above the waistband because I haven't tacked it into place yet, naughty me.

I'm going to buy the Cal Patch book next payday, so hopefully I should be able to do any future sew-alongs properly, rather than some sort of market stall rip off version :) Although saying that, I am liking Sew U and am going to make the skirt again. Grown up clothes are exciting!

Sweet Dreams

Sleep. Mmmmmmmm, sleeeeeeeep...... I don't get nearly enough of it. And it's not Munchkin's fault, she normally sleeps through from 7.30pm to round about 6.30am, although she does sometimes wake once in the wee hours. But I can't bring myself to go to bed at 10pm like I know I should. Sleep just feels like wasted craft time :)

I resent sleeping when I could be sewing. So I end up going to bed around 11.30 ish, normally closer to 12, and 6 hours sleep really isn't enough for me. The consequences? For the past few weeks I've craving sugar and fat big time. I think my energy reserves are so low my body just keeps putting in requests for emergency power supplies so I don't fall over. The results aren't yet visible on my hips, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time :(

So I'm trying to go to bed earlier in an effort to feel a bit healthier and stop stuffing my face with junk. I think it would help if someone made me a blanket like this. It's for my niece, who's nearly 6 months old (doesn't time fly?). The blanket was from a bargain shop that sells offcuts of fabric and household lineny things - towels, sheets, that sort of thing. It was only £1.50, but it's quite good quality, nice and soft and snuggly. I raided my scraps bag and found some bits of pink for applique, and then printed off the letters to use as a template. I used the font Franklin Gothic Heavy, which is perfect as it's nice and blocky and has no fiddly bits to sew around :)

We're seeing some of the pickledweasel clan next week for four lovely days of relaxation at Centre Parcs, so I'll be able to give it to Juliet then. Munchkin is very much looking forward to it, although the last time she saw her cousin she spent rather a large amount of time determinedly trying to take Juliet's tights off, so I hope she'll find a better way of interacting with her :)

P.S. Apologies for the grim green back yard in the top photos. As it's always raining in Lancashire our paving stones develop a lovely slimey texture, and despite scrubbing with a bristly broom I can't seem to get them back to grey again. But frankly, there are more important things in life to care about, and I'm too tired to do anything about it anyway :)

Altogether now, 'Awwwww!'

Here's my lovely little niece, Juliet Rose. She's a little bit Mediterranean looking as she has a touch of jaundice, but apart from that she's in fine fettle.

Munchkin didn't quite know what to make of her. She liked her, as far as I could gather, but I think she expected her to 'do' more :)


She was much more impressed with the nice outdoor space at grandma's house where she could practice her newly acquired riding skills. She's still not walking yet, but give her some wheels and she's fully mobile :)

'...you and me babe, how about iiiit'

That was me singing. I've had the Dire Straits song 'Romeo and Juliet' in my head for the last couple of days, since my shiny brand new niece was born late on tuesday night :) She's called Juliet Rose, and the whole pickledweasel family are very excited about meeting her tomorrow.

Technically she's mr pickledweasel's niece, as it's his sister who's popped the sprog, but I get to call her my niece too, right? I'm not sure about the rules on these things. Is she my niece by marriage? Anyhoo, goes without saying that I've had to make her some presents. Her big present is a travel cot, which is very very boring, but very very useful, and the sort of thing that new parents appreciate.

I've made her a sleeping Bimble, which has a bell inside, so when she bats him with her little waving baby hand he'll make a noise.

And I've made her a bib (obviously!), modelled here by the lovely Big Ted.

I'll be clucking and cuddling and getting broody all weekend, so I'll not be posting for a few days, but there will be baby pics a plenty on my return :)