Stash check-in

These are 2 shelves at the back of my wardrobe, I don't have so many clothes, so I have sorted space for my fabric stash, it's great because I can see what I have, top shelf is Christmas fabric, felt squares and tea towels,  plus a beautiful white baby blanket, knitted for me by an elderly neighbour, I cherish it as she passed away as few years ago, bottom shelf has loads of cotton fabrics and my finished Christmas socks.

 Bottom shelf has 2 baskets with bits in, plus 2 plastic baskets with material in, in these I have loads of fabric for recycling. My bag next to the baskets have a store of fine yarn for weaving, my loom is behind. 

 In the spare bedroom, I had these shoe storage boxes, it's a handy hideaway between the wardrobe and the window wall, the curtains fall here and hides everything. I have now turned this into a yarn store, Lots of different types of yarns all together. Here bottom section.

 Top section, my yarn stash is not as big as my fabric stash. 

 Inside wardrobe I have 3 hanging bags, 2 for sock projects, which are ongoing this year, and the 3rd is a jumper I knitted, I have unpicked the sleeves to re-knit, they were to baggy. Under neath is the poppy yarn and my camera bag. 

 Top shelf in wardrobe is my hexagons, all tidy in 3 boxes, the bottom 2 boxes are handmade hexagons, I have used fat quarters, you can get a good number of hexagons from each fat quarter. Top box is my working box with templates and uncut fabrics in. 

 In my office on top of my sewing work box, (a man's big plastic tool box) I keep my knitting bag, bottom right, the yellow and black bag has all my sign class paperwork. Back left with the bag covering all my cross stitch projects, I have a few here to finish. 

 Lots of squares for my knitted blanket,
stored perfectly in this old candle box. 

 Yarn ready to start my Tunisian crochet blanket, 

I hope to start this next week. 

My last space is by my chair, this lovely basket (charity shop find) holds all the projects I am working on, so at the moment there are socks and my cardigan 'in' there. The basket is far too small, but I love it so it stays. 

I do have 2 under the bed plastic storage boxes in the attic, these have some larger amounts of fabrics, I have fabrics for 2 big projects, which who knows one day might be made. I also have old pairs of jeans.
I think I have too much time on my hands, we have been taking stock of things in the house. My stash is now around the house, rather than stuffed in bed drawers, I can see most of what I have, and hopefully use some of it.
I have glass fusion and card making, but these are all in drawers in our office space, we have a tall file storage unit, which we have had for years, the deep drawers are perfect for card craft.
I do love crafting, and it's good to have so much choice, but  I do need to use more of my stash.

Dare to show your stash.....

What I remember, some days were lost.

Eldest daughter got married on 27th, 

here in a photo with her 2 sons and new husband and his 2 sons. 

 Youngest daughter, with hubby and Will

 Myself and youngest daughter.

Izzy, Javier and Paula.

 My loom is out, I packed it away whilst friends were here.

 I have matched most of the colours, just two to purchase.

 My Spanish friend purchased this book for me, 

I normally do not buy new books, preferring to read 2nd hand books.

The past 11 days have rushed by, the bug I had left me very weak and unwell, at one point we feared it was the Norovirus, we think it was the same bug I had earlier in the month, youngest daughter had it twice as well. We spent loads of days apart to ensure it does not bounce between each other again. We are now bug free. I cut out coffer for 9 days, so I am trying to ensure I now only have 1 or 2 cups per day, plus my eating is still not back to normal, some days I just don't want much at all.
Our friends from Spain arrived as I recovered, but we managed to have some fun. Took a trip to the Spinnaker tower in Portsmouth, it was a perfect day to look out over all the local landmarks, we walked along our local shore, went to Portchester Castle and also Lee on the Solent. I love how when showing friends our local sights, you realise how lucky we are to live in a lovely location, with so much to do close by. Even with our pound being weakened by all the Brexit issues, prices here in UK are still much higher than in Spain, so we walked through shops but did not buy much. I got a couple small stocking filler toys for Will's Christmas stocking, I looked at loads of clothes but happily walked past everything.
We ate loads of British meals and had loads of treats, Javier has never been to UK before, so it was fun seeing he discover so many new things.
My plan for the rest of this week is to do very little, we sorted the house yesterday and most of the laundry is done, the spare room is all tidy and the bed is remade ready for our next visitor. I would like to do more stitching, it feels great not to have to do things every day, and have time for ourselves, back to our slow pace.

Crafting

I can basic crochet, but I would like to make more items than just blankets, I do enjoy crocheting a ripple blanket, but there are only so many you can use. My daughter gave me this beautiful box kit to make a cockapoo, I have made the body, which was fiddly, I just have the smaller head and limbs to make. I hope to get this done quickly and try something a bit more challenging.

 I got my loom out, I am using a 3ply yarn, I was thinking to make a scarf for a Christmas gift, but I'm not sure I will have enough yarn to make a decent length, I have seen a bag design, which these shades would look good. I will work a bit more before deciding. 

I have been pulling out patterns,

 I like the small square box, 

I might make a couple. 

 These are all 4ply patterns, all very old, the cost printed on is shown as imperial, we went decimal in 1972, so they are really old. I have the Alpaca yarn, I do like the soft styles of these tops. I could make a couple of designs. 

Finally after over 4 dry weeks we have rain, it rained last night and it's due to rain most of tomorrow, perfect timing my water butts are almost empty. 

It's good to be doing craft again, Wimbledon is wonderful to watch, but it takes most afternoon and evenings for two weeks, matches are often tennis at it's best. 

I do have a book to read, but I want to finish my little crochet dog before I start to read, I also have some material out to make a couple of beanbags for a neighbour. I also have some spotty material, I want to enhance before sewing, so loads of plans. I can do which ever craft my mood takes me to, but I do want to bring on my crochet skills, which means getting to grips with pattern reading, my hope to make a couple of small things to boost my confidence.
At some point we should see Will today, he is unwell with a bug and will saty with us, whilst mummy gets a few jobs done. 

Sunday I am home alone, so I plan to get my sewing machine, and make a few items. 

Finish, so I will start another.

Another matching pair, with glitter running through

 Love the stripes

Another start, I'm loving the shades in this yarn

 I enjoy knitting with the German Opal brand. 

I should really be knitting the sleeves of my jumper now I have finished my socks, but I was so tuned into sock knitting, I put another pair on my needles, it does help these knit up so quickly. But after all the glitter I decided to go for a softer shade.
I am itching to get working on my loom, at the weekend I ordered another 12 dent heddle bar, which arrived yesterday, it matches the one I have, now I can try either using much thinner yarn, and making a piece which looks more like linen, or I can try double the width of my work, linking both heddles together. Both ways has it challenges, but I do want to try both, I also purchased a couple more stick shuttles, so I can use 4 colours in the same work and a couple of pick up sticks, these will help me tidy the beginning of my work and also help when creating designs in my weaving. The cost has been added to my stash list, but I feel I have everything I require for my weaving.
We had Will yesterday, we could not go into the garden, it was far to wet, but we had fun with inside toys, he slept on our spare bed for the 1st time, normally we put up a travel cot, but he's in a bed at home, he was good and slept well, the spare bedroom is on the ground floor so we could leave the door open, he woke up and came to find us.
We had a few hail storms yesterday, at one point the ground was white, March is here with it's crazy weather, but as my mum always said, March in like a lion, out like a lamb, I do hope so.

Blooming wonderful

I have read online in a few different places how good this book is, so I decided to get a copy. It is perfect to take me up levels, I have already seen a couple of things to make, exciting times. It's an easy book to read, passing loads of tips on, with good instructional photo's. 

 A couple of cheap books to read, £1 each, I have never read either of these authors.  Thirteen is a brilliant read, I could not put it down, my taste in books is changing. 

 I got this plant last November, knowing all the buds would fall off once I got it home, they do not like any change in their environment, it now lives on our downstairs bathroom window sill, I can't wait for the 1st proper blooms to form. 

Amaryllis time again, these flowers are stunning

 With 3 buds I feel spoilt, so much joy to come.

 Hubby got me these on 14th and they are still healthy and bright, he purchased them from our Wednesday market garden stand, they are lasting much longer than the supermarket flowers and they did not have any plastic around them, a double wins for us. 

None of my Orchids are in flower at this time, but as you can see I do have loads of colour in the house, outside the Magnolia tree is full of pink buds, I am keeping everything crossed the windy weather does not remove them all from the branches, the garden has swathes of yellow from both large and small daffodils. 
It's raining here, which I don't mind, I am hoping it stops enough for me to walk to the village this morning, if not I will have to go Monday, I hate being cold and wet. Tomorrow the rain is going to be really heavy, we have decided it will be a day at home, crafting for me.
We popped to Lidl's yesterday to for a few things and some bottles of wine, we again did not buy anything non edible, afterwards we popped to our local Co-op and picked up a few yellow stick meat joints, two being boned and rolled shoulder of lamb, I did comment my mum would be shocked at how much we now pay for this cheap cut of meat, but in the slow cooker it's a great meal. We are keeping the freezer and our store cupboards well stocked just in case, we don't use much milk, so we could go weeks without needing to shop.

Stage 1

2nd project is off the loom

 I have worked this so the colours will match on both sides of the bag, with the burgundy at the top, the stripes won't be at the same height, that's a bit much for me to complete at this time. 

 No need to weave the ends in,

I am going to sew the sides together

 Perfect size for the heddle bars

 Few of the lines are wobbly

but I'm happy with this.

 Lining fabric, this will also be hemmed over the top edge of the weaving, so it will be visible on the finished bag.

I used 78grms of the yarn, so the cost per 100grm ball is £6.89, and the cost of the yarn used was £5.38, which I am happy with, this is never going to be about saving money, any craft using yarn is expensive.

I am now getting my sewing machine out to make the cotton liner, the bag will be straight in use, ensuring I do not damage my heddle bars or they collect dust.
I am still planning the big bag for the loom, I have the fabric, I will have to purchase some wadding to pad it out, my hope is to get it done soon.
I have been watching more youtube to get the most out of my loom, I want to weave a finer fabric, but I am holding off buying the 2nd heddle until I am sure I will use it, they are not cheap.
I have one sleeve and the bottom of Will's jumper to finish knitting, and the second sock, my jumper is on hold for now.
In my next blogs I should have a finish or 2, plus I will draw the winner of my giveaway, if you have not entered, please visit here.

Weaving a bag

After reading my weaving book, 

I have started a second project

 Neat lines of colour

 Loom threaded for weaving,

the colourful Christmas table cloth cut into strips are wound on the back spindle, to keep the threads from tangling, it works perfectly.

  Making the design

 Really neat edges

  Neat start row

 Loving this design

 Neat rows, watching to ensure no mistakes

 Measuring for width.

For my second project, I decided to make a long thin bag to keep 3 heddle bars in, I will make a cotton insert, for strength, with 3 long sections, each for a heddle bar. I do intend to purchase another 12 dent heddle bar. So this design is long and thin, once finished I will sew the sides together and form a bottom.
It much easier to work when I know what I am making, the yarn I am using is German sock yarn, 75% wool. Regia, Schachenmayr, 4 ply, I used it on my 1st project threaded on the loom, this time I am using it for the weaving as well.
For the width, I required 58 dents threaded, I wove, 13 White, 6 Burgundy, 2 White, 6 Navy, 12 White, 6 Grey, 13 White. Each hole has 2 threads, so a total of 116 across the width of the fabric
With the weaving I am doing white for as many rows are I feel I like then I do 6 rows Burgundy, 6 rows White, 6 rows Navy, 6 rows White, 6 rows Grey. I think by making the wide white rows different widths each time gives the fabric a feeling of free hand.
I have sorted the issue I had with the edges this time, I just need to ensure when I beat the last row, I keep all the rows the same.
I am again excited about this weaving, once I have finished I can sew it to make the heddle bag, I always prefer to be able to make something with my crafts, rather than packing it away.

On my needles

A second knit for Will, I started this at the end of January, unpicked it when I realised it was going to be too small for him. It's very simple and relaxing to knit. 

I have started on one sleeve using 4 pins, I have ordered a circular set, which will be easier to use. The colours on this jumper is very easy to knit with. 

 Hubby's socks, I've finished all the knitting, 

just the toes to do and stitching in the ends.

 Enough yarn left over to make myself a pair,

switching the colours

 The yarn for weaving on my loom has arrived, I am forming a design, to use more colour. I have been reading the weaving book I purchased, and I'm impressed how many designs can be made on my loom. 

Loads of knitting, no crochet or sewing, and plans for weaving, busy time, but I spend so little time outside, so plenty of craft time. I have yet another small yarn order arriving this week, I have purchased some 3ply yarn for socks, my daughter makes such fine socks, I thought I would have a go.
Monday Will was lovely, we walked to the village and he went into the barbers to say hello to the man who cut his hair, he was given a lolly pop, it's still here on the side, not sure if Will really likes them.
Yesterday we had loads of fun at sign class, we all had a test, we were split into our two groups, and each group was asked 5 questions, the lower group only had to answer their questions, our group answered all ten. I got all the lowers questions right as did all our group, our questions were much harder, and whilst I did not get the whole of the question, I understood enough to be able to give an expected response. It does feel a step forward. We sat and chatted for ages after, loads of laughter a perfect morning.
Today is market day, so we will walk to the village, hubby wants to get me a plant for Valentines day, instead of flowers. I will give him the socks I have made.
I have noticed a third bud on my Amaryllis, it's only tiny, so I am hoping to have another flower.
It is a lovely sunny day again today, and hear people say spring is on it's way, but I never start anything much before March, and then only in my greenhouse, I have tried to get ahead at this time of year and almost always the weather becomes cold and even snows, or the plants become leggy trying to get to the sun. So as much as I am itching to get out in the garden, I am waiting, but then in my tiny garden, I don't have much to do.