Back again

Thanks to a new contact here, All things Crafty & Me, I have found my blog page again.

It is that time in our life when parents get to the age that one or other of them makes frequent visits to doctotrs and hospitals. We are very lucky to still have them around for guidance and company, but it does cut down the amount of time available for this type of social interaction as it is a 4 hour drive each way for each visit.

One thing about needlecrafting is that it is transportable and projects of one type or another have been able to travel with me when visiting the parents. This means I still get some hours of creativity.

Busy at the minute getting stuff ready for craft fairs in Buckie and Dufftown next month. Emma from Scottish crafts and Walkabout Crafts is also kindly taking some of my stuff to the Edinburgh craft festival, oops, must get that box to the post office!!

Have been busy quilting a UFO quillow for a lady and I am sure she won't mind me postin a work in progress photo. I loved the colours she chose. This will be a cheery quilt to snuggle under in the cold winter months.

They survived!

Well they did survive the process. She is now all dressed up with no where to go. She did make a trip down south with us the other week as she was listed on e-bay and I don't like my customers to have to wait once they have purchased. She didn't sell (I should know better about e-bay by now) and I foolishly showed her to my mum. My mum will usually point out the things that aren't right before giving any praise but this time she actually said I had made a good job straight off and I nearly came home without the bear. Still recovering from the shock! The green tweed bear kind of reminds me of Patrick from Eastenders (yes I do watch it sometimes).

Have just heard that we are getting press passes for the Aviemore trade show (an independent newspaper is a hobby we have). If it turns out that we can use the passes I will let you know in case you are going to be there.

The bit they hate

These are not custom bears so are waiting for inspiration to come from me. All too slowly as far as they are concerned. Both were intended to go with a tartan waistcoat I had made but both are too small. I really think I got the cart before the horse there.
The female bear is just about finished. That flower has a pin holding it in place and she has a pin in each of her limbs and her centre back awaiting the handstitching closures. Again cart before horse, the shawl was knitted some weeks ago and sat waiting on a suitable wearer.
As for the gentleman bear. Well, as you can see his garment is almost finished. The sleeves are lying waiting to be attached but I have had an idea that I want to convert this garment into a Jacobite style top and make a waistcoat to go on top.
You can well imagine that they get fed up sitting here in the lounge while I keep glancing at them and waiting for the right idea. Not to mention that Hamilton Hare sits behind my head on the back of the settee making all sorts of remarks.........but that's another story!
Let's you see that we mean "one off" or "original" when we list as such.

Bear fleece jacket

Well, I did promise.

It was supposed to get an airing in Inverness

at the weekend but it was so warm that it stayed in the car.

On return to Moray on the Sunday however, the temperature had dropped sufficiently to put it on.

I lined it in a brushed cotton/polyester mixed fabric and as a result it is really warm. I love the neck as I don't have to remember to take a scarf and it looks just as smart with the collar opened and folded down.

Bear Buchanan

This bright character was sent on his way this morning to his new home.

I sent another smaller one overseas the other day but have been asked to keep it under wraps for the time being so it remains a surprise. Scary how we can be seen now from the other side of the world now.

Off to finish putting together my bear print fleece jacket. Watch out for the picture here soon.

Just finished...........for me

Just finished this sweater for myself. I had two large balls of black watch yarn, each by a different manufacturer. As you can see one is mor blue and the other is more green. Both have a blend of blue, green and black as in the blackwatch tartan.

I love the style of this sweater. It has everything. Long enough to keep the derrier cosy. Pockets for the essential tissues etc. Raglan sleeves for a comfortable fit and the neck line has been knitted from the yolk giving a close fit that is not too tight.I think I will be living in this sweater for a while given the current weather.

I also made up this bag to go with it. Done in the yarn that is more blue and lined in blackwatch polyviscose tartan fabric. The same fabric was used for the strap.

The buttons fastening the front are the second closure, the top of the bag is fastened inside using two magnetic closures.

Burns and Homecoming

New Year, New Rule. Must keep this blog going this year!

As soon as New Year Celebrations were out of the road I started on a tartan pinafore (above)

for a Scottish girl living "down South" who wanted to do a Burn's night for her friends and finished a long promised tartan skirt for a friend for her TWO Burn's nights. Imagine my surprise when checking retailers websites for pricing help and I find a not disimilar skirt in the Per Una range ( well thiers had more fussy detail than mine). An exra bonus for my friend as she had looked in Per Una and apart from not liking the red tartan, the sales assistant had told her it was wool. Well that assistant just lost the sale as my friend is allergic to wool. As it happens the skirt was not wool but manmade fibres and would have been perfectly OK for my friend.