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

Saturday night round our place...

January 5th and all's well, in fact getting better and better after a low energy slump before and during Christmas I am feeling much more lively, we've been clearing out and tidying and sorting all sorts of dark piled up corners and today I had a day out to Carlisle, lunch with a dear friend and then a little sales shopping...oooh the joy of buying wire baskets and a set of galvanised drawers for more tidying and organising!

...and home to find a lovely smell of baking and daughter mine a busying herself in the kitchen...and producing a delicious apple pie with apple decoration and lots of brown sugar...can't beat it with a bowl of dear old Birds' custard!

so a cosy Saturday night in, husband of patience working away to finish stuff for the start of term...daughter and moi in the warm fragrant kitchen with music playing... reading magazines and cooking tea...and joy of joys a lovely spring like Country Living arrived today..I know it's still only dark January but we can dream of sunny days and spring flowers...and I can feel the nights getting lighter...we even had some sun today!

and as well as The Sales I did some charity shop visitng...and came home with booty...this rather nicely made cardi with delicious detail...I think this one's maybe for wearing as I don't think I could bring myself to felt it!

  

three jumpers in total and a fab pink linen shirt for husband of patience...not a bad little haul...

...and some really fun new fabric from the wonderful Superior Sewing Centre in Carlisle...where Paul works wonders with your machine...and he is kindly advertising my workshop leaflets there too...

 

Making is in the air! Can't wait to meet some more lovely people at my workshops and get creative together...learning free machine embroidery and much more...

click on the poster for more info...

happiness all round...new workshops...apple pie...new magazine...tidier house...a wee stash and my gorgeous new mug...thanks Emmie!

and here's blogging in progress...hot of the press...any minute now!

and did I mention Woolfest...a trifle early but never too early to plan for a trip to Cumbria...28th and 29th June...for a wonderful feast of wool and craft and knitting and so much loveliness...I have just sent in my application for a stall so fingers crossed...my sewing machine has been resting over Christmas and she's raring to go...

hope you're having a great weekend...and a fine start to your new year too!