New knitwear and felty things.....

So at least it has not been a year since I last posted so I am improving just.  I've been busy knitting baby sets once again and also been hard at work making felt christmas decorations.  

I didn't use to sew in felt but I discovered it watching the old create and craft channel and tried it and find it very therapeutic and enjoyable plus the felt doesn't fray which is always a bonus.  I've done mainly santa stockings and snowmen at the moment but am going to be doing gingerbread people and xmas trees later today.

I've also be doing lavender houses in all different colour combinations.  I love making these little houses with their windows and doors and I fill them with polyester stuffing and some french lavender.  They smell lovely.

I've also been busy sewing up the knitted sets I have been doing too.  I don't know about any of you knitters out there but I just hate the sewing up bit.  It seems to take so long and I am a bit particular so is sometimes fiddly but its a job that has to be done.  

I have these sets up for sale at the moment.  If you are ever interested in anything I blog about please feel free to contact me on facebook at www.facebook.com/oodlesofstitches and I will be only too glad to help.  I have four sets for sale at the moment and another four to sew up along with finishing my xmas felt deccies so its all go as they say. 

Once I've finished sewing up then I will be starting on some machine sewing.  Still haven't taken piccies of my machine yet but I will ..... eventually lol.  I want to design a craft bag that has loads of pockets for bits and bobs plus is square so can store lots of material or wool etc., but something that stands up on its own but you can fold down so that it can be washed as it will be made of cotton material and will have handles.  I have an idea but am working on the design, might take a while though, I just want it to be useful.

I was watching Debbie Shore on Create and Craft the other week and she has a new book out Half Yard Home.  Its a great book with lots of useful items in.  As it was my birthday the other week I decided to buy a little birthday pressie to myself so bought one and it was signed by Debbie too.  I also have her book Half Yard Heaven which I love too.  Great for ideas and a lovely book just for pleasure to read.  I love Debbies books and she does lots of tutorials on You Tube. You don't have to follow complicated patterns.  Its mainly measuring squares etc.  and she explains everything in plain english and not complicated sewing terms that I may know what they are but not what they are called if you know what I mean.

So thinking towards Christmas is my next thing I guess.  I suppose its on everyone's mind now as the Xmas adverts are on tv etc.  I can't put up my tree this year as I don't have room at the moment as the front room is also my work room temporarily but then there are only adults in the house so we aren't so bothered.  I think xmas is more for the kids anyway but still am looking forward to it.  All the movies and the boring tv lol.  Lovely xmas dinner and choccies and mince pies and cakes.  Ooops think I've just put on weight thinking about it.  Don't know what to get hubby this year, he's so difficult to buy for and my mum in law so will have to get my thinking hat on.

So until next time tatty bye.

Caroline. x

Five Years Of Blogging

Well its been five years of blogging and I'm still no better at being a regular blogist lol.  In fact its been nearly a year this time so I have severely repremanded myself, all wrists are slapped and I've written hundreds of lines and grounded myself lol.  

Life has changed so much since this time last year, some of it good and some of it bad.  Don't want to dwell on the bad too much as I'm sure you are here to have a good read and not to get depressed but will only say both hubby and I lost our evening jobs four months ago due to change in management and they just wanted new staff so even though we had been there six years we were called into the office one night and within ten minutes both of us were out of a job!.  I've never been treated so badly in my life, we were officially made redundant but funny enough they were interviewing the same night!  We took it to Citizens Advice but were told it would cost about £1,200 to take them to a tribunal with no guarantee of winning and well we just didn't have the money so that was it.  It seems this day and age part-time employees have no rights.  So after reverting into myself, lots of crying etc. and licking wounds I have now come out fighting.  Well you have to don't you when you have a mortgage and bills to pay.  Unfortunately I don't qualify for any state help apparently because I don't have children and I'm married.  Was told to live off hubbys day job earnings which aren't much. 30 years of paying taxes and when I need help I don't get any, so I've decided to go full time into my knitting and sewing business.  I guess its time to sink or swim!.  (Stands down from soap box).  So after my bit of a rant lol I promise that I will be all sweetness and light and back to my craftiness.  

Luckily at the end of last year I bought a sewing machine must have been having premonition I'd need it.  Its a Singer brilliance and does 80 stitches, needle threader, all dancing and singing makes the toast etc!.  I've only ever had a simple sewing machine before and when I started to make cushion covers for the craft market it took me only a short time to sew but ages to thread as it didn't have a threader and the old eyesight is going.  I was putting so much in the swear box that hubby suggested why didn't I buy a new one so I did. I bought it from Create and Craft as it allowed me to pay in four payments with no interest so it made it doable for me.  I've also bought some patchwork templates, cutting board, rotary cutter,  rulers etc so am ready to splurge into my sewing.  I haven't actually used my machine yet so I'm going to let you know how I get on.  I've bought a sewing table off evil bay which has drawers and a cupboard for the machine itself.  Looks like a 1970s job but it does the job.  Also bought loads of material from same site that a sewing shop was getting rid of.  £10 the lot and it included 3 rolls of fabric and a bag of bits and bobs which when sorted turned into 5 storage boxes of material.  I reckon there are a couple of hundred pounds worth of material in there.  So I'm all set up and raring to go.  

I've not been to any of the knitting or stitching shows this year as budgeting is tight and I've also had to get rid of my website as it was too costly but I have had a real rethink and am now going to be selling on facebook, etsy, ebay, and www.stallandcraftcollective.co.uk. a new website not just for buying but also useful if you are looking for events to for visitors and stallholders.  I've been working like a mad woman knitting baby sets and hand sewing felt lavender houses and there are a few other things I'm going to be doing over the next few weeks including craft bags so will keep everyone informed.  

The only other thing that I did will off air as they say was my tax form.  Kept putting it off but finally did it online about a week before the deadline.  It was really quite easy in the end.  I just filled it in where needed (didn't take a lot as hadn't done much) and it told me I owed no tax yippee and that was it job done so not so scared this year.  Although I need note to self not to leave it to the last minute lol.  

So If you have got this far thank you for persevering and to those that haven't I'm sure are having a nice nap by now lol.  I have a knack of putting people to sleep.  Sorry no pictures at the moment but will be adding some of my sewing machine and my makes etc. as and when.  So I'll leave you for now with lots of good news hopefully in the future and I will make sure its the near future as I don't want to have to ground myself again lol.

See you soon.  Caroline xx