Wednesday 12 November 2008

you know that your child has been living with a blogger for too long when...

...the first thing she does upon receipt of some postal goodies is dash off immediately in search of the best available light and arrange them ready to be photographed...


...goodies from Helen at Angharad, there was also an old fashioned peg ready for some peg dolly action but the apprentice blogger decided to omit that for a reason known only to herself...

I had no idea what Ms Reva was up to, quite thought she'd lost her marbles in fact (now I know how my overmilkwood-mates must feel about me on a regular basis) until the penny finally dropped. Then I just felt an overwhelming sense of pride...(ahem, you know I'm kidding, right?...right?)

Thanks Helen, for the unexpected goodies for the kids as well as for my lovely giveaway prizes, which I have so far managed to keep for myself, thanks in no small part to the distraction of the peg dolly goodies.
If you planned it that way it was both cunning and immensely successful!

A word about the fabric in the background there: it is a piece of 50s barkcloth I managed to pick up in Jubilee Market one Monday morning - I LOVE 50s barkcloth - we had a wooden holiday chalet on the Irish coast in the 1970s which was still rigged out from the 50s with curtains and cushions etc in this and it always takes me back to those really happy times - if anyone knows a good source for the stuff PLEASE let me know...(cos, like, I really need to start collecting something else you know...)

Apart from photo shoots with the baby blogger I've been engaged with making a doll quilt for the Doll Quilt Swap No 5 (first one I've joined in with)


I used some of my favourite fabrics and made an attempt at a flying geese pattern. Don't look too closely though as if you do you'll see my geese are a little random and not so keen on flying in military style formation


Pesky birds!


I enjoyed making it though and have great plans to make quilts for the girls, and even one for my own king size bed one day. Whoa...hold on there girl...

(you can see more DSQ5 pictures over on flickr)

What else? oh yes...every cloud has a silver lining...as you may recall I lost my fancy dangled harmony option needles on a train from Liverpool and so have been a bit stumped on the knitting front (well, until yesterday when the replacements finally arrived - Hallelujah!). I was forced into using some old plastic ones from the days I used to buy up lots of vintage knitting needles on ebay which brought me the very pleasant experience of knitting with red malabrigo on pretty green needles...



...was almost worth losing the needles to enjoy those contrasting colours together...

In the background there you can see my lovely Cath Kidston bag sent by my even more lovely friend Katy when I moaned about not being allowed to be in her draw due to being a UK resident. Always worth a little moan I reckon. Thanks Katy. Mwah!

The knitting ended up as a tea cosy for my old school friend Siobhan. She had requested a red one as recently as November 2007 (my ability to procrastinate knows few equals) and I managed it in time for a belated Birthday Present this year. Happy Birthday dear hope you like it!

The weather in London this month is a strange mix of beautiful, clear crisp Autumn days and dark days of non-stop miserable rain. Last Sunday was one of the former and we got out to the woods, taking coffee and bagels with us.

It was a lovely little excursion and one I hope to repeat often this Autumn and Winter.

Hope you are managing to enjoy Autumn (or is it officially Winter already? I always get confused) wherever you are, or Spring I guess, if you happen to be down southerly ways...

13 comments:

Unknown said...

that child is so well trained. I can see you are actually really very proud. When will she be starting her own blog, I wonder?

Your geese are flipping brilliant. I have never tried flying geese, the measurements scare me. Are they easy? Could I manage it?

My DQS5 is almost done. Not that I like it much....but that's the fabric's fault, not my sewing! (honest)

Glad the green needles have been delivered, finally.

Anonymous said...

Love your tea cozy! I surf the net for inspiration and here I found a lot!

Anonymous said...

That's a mega quilt annie b - and i did inspect it closely for you! You're smokin!

Anonymous said...

fabulous quilt, such great fabrics too. The vintage knitting needles are brilliant too, never thought to look on ebay.. maybe I shall pop over now and have a look.

Joanne said...

I love the quilt - I've never attempted one but perhaps doll sized is the way to start :)

Unknown said...

Oh, that made me laugh so hard! It is the same way here! My daughter knows that she has to wait to open things so that I can photograph them first!

wonderful gifts and the geese are delightful! So lovely to visit you and see everything you have been doing.

x vInTaGe VioLeT x said...

ooohhh - lovely lovely stuff!
what a lovely and well educated girl you have! glad to hear you're getting the nice crisp autumn days as well as the DEPRESSING grey drizzly ones - i love the autumn.

Ciara Brehony said...

What are we like us mother-bloggers! It's the same here in the house on the Irish coast. And speaking of which I know that fabric so well! I actually found some similar scraps of wallpaper in this house when we moved in. I'll keep an eye out. In various forms it was everywhere when I was a kid and some of it has to still be knocking about!

Anonymous said...

ahh, darling, always love to pop in and catch up with the fabulous stuff you've been doing or getting, your writing and great photos; and do let me know next time you go to the woods, would be great to share some coffee and bagels there! much love from Ms D

Chloe said...

I am LOL at Ms Reva going to find good light. That is funny.

The quilt is really lovely. I love the colours you have used. Gorgeous.

Cait ni Clic et al said...

Loved reading your post - as usual...love when I look in and it has been updated! I'm very happy for you and Ms Reva and your quest for good light and fine photos! It's a lovely connection to share and grow. Awhhhh! May there be much good light ahead of you both and many more fine photos for us all to enjoy! Think my visual brain must be a bit limited at the moment though...I CAN'T SEE THE GEESE! Please advise! Promise to look again when not so bleary eyed!

Things Hand Made said...

I love the colours in the quilt. Tea cozy would make a fab winter hat! Why do tea pots get all the best outfits?

angharad handmade said...

ha ha - you have trained your blog protege very well! I'm glad the little bits and pieces went down well.
Love your doll's quilt. There's something so very appealing about quilts on a tiny scale.
I have a serious case of yarn envy after reading this post - that malabrigo looks gorgeous!