studio tidying and a little knitting project...

it's such a joy after what seems forever to be back in my studio...my lovely WARM studio...out of the cold and icy weather which is so welcome as it bring sunshine...and beautiful wintry shapes...full of inspiration...

it may be a total mess in here...a creeative mess but it's all a pleasure to sort out...so much nicer than tidying the house somehow as I can play with fabrics as I go... and hatch plots of such great creativity and craftyness...designing here...artwork there...the only thing is not to get so diverted no tidying actually happens!

  

outside today is bright and sunny so a chance to sit out in a deck chair...swathed in hats, gloves and many fleeces...just bathing in the golden rays and feelng happy in the moment...Basil sleek and handsome cat that he is... joins me for a while... 

I take the opportunity for some playing in my sketchbook... I so want to just play around and see what comes, so I'm trying to do a little something each day... 

and here comes Emilia the cheeky chicken...my favourite but don't tell the others...

and here's a little knitting project you might like...I love to knit simple bags...bung them in the washing machine and ta da!

these are so simple to knit, choose a nice 100% wool and knit a biggish oblong, I cast on about 38-42 stitches with a nice thickish yarn say a chunky or Icelandic, and make about 30cm of i-cord for handles which I sew on...you can look on u-tube here if you don't know how to do that... I cast on 6 or 7 stitches and keep the tail ends for sewing on...knit the i-cord first and use the rest of the ball to knit the bag...just remember the knitting will shrink so make everything bigger than you think!

why not have a go...

I love felting in the washing machine as you never quite know how things will turn out...here's a lovely cardi all felted up and ready to turn into a bag...seem a shame somethime to cut them up but often they are sad and neglected and I can give one jumper a new life as bags, brooches, maybe put in a picture...ooh I do love it!

hope this inspires you to get making and playing...or just enjoying the moment you're in, have a great week...
love Emmax

wild times

been pretty wild and windy and cold round these parts of late...but still there are brave flowers brightening up the garden and hedgerows and the lambs are growing bigger...I love the little black nosed ones with black stockings (rather St Trinians in a bizarre way...)

well-wrapped up I try to get out along the road for fresh air each day....a neighbour has some glorious wallflowers...fantastic colours just glowing against the grey stone wall...

a gift from the hens pressed into my hand this morning by husband of patience... fresh clean warm egg...so beautiful and perfect...so satisfying that we are supplying a few friends now with eggs on a regular basis which means daughter mine earns a little for her endeavors (mucking out!!) and we know we are making sure a few more hens have very happy lives...and we can all enjoy delicious cakes and eggy dishes made from really fresh eggs

a rainbow appears like magic over my studio...wherein lies the crock of gold... no...so much better than that...my stash of all kinds of colourful fabrics and textiles, cottons, silks, felted wool...threads....buttons and beads...sewing machine and gorgeous books and lots more lovely goodies!

so beautiful...and then the rain and hail came lashing down... 
and in the studio...a hive of activity as I prepare for a craft fair and for Woolfest...so many things to do and sort and sorce and decide...labels...packaging...labels...leaflets...how to set up the stall...a big sign to make...oh and stitching some crafty creative stock for the stall...but do you know what? I am LOVING every minute of it because I am doing it all for myself and no one is dictating when or how I do it!and I had a lovely machine embroidery workshop yesterday which just makes my heart sing!

  

 

and tonight in the kitchen we are keeping warm and snug....husband of patience has been alone with his willow again and now we have a giant basket and some new bases drying by the Aga...it's so good that he too is now making and creating and has found something he loves to make...and we can grow it too. He harvested a little this year and there will be more to come. Very simple and satisfying!

hope its a lot warmer where you are...have a creative week xx