Miss Aine

I knitted a horrible misshapen stocking for Smem last year so I thought I'd better make her a nicer one this year. And as I've been doing so much knitting recently I decided to take a break from that and make her a quilted stocking. I think it turned out quite cute so I though I'd share the pattern. Materials: cream cotton for stocking, wadding, cream fleece for inside of sock, some green gingham (or other fabric of your choice) for angel's dress and top of sock, gold fabric for the wings, peachy felt for the head, some 4-ply yarn for the hair, embroidery floss in gold, pink and blue, sewing needle and white thread, some scraps of trims and beads for embellishment, some fabric stars to sew on. 1. First off print off the pattern pieces. I haven't learnt yet how to attach files to my blog so I've just uploaded jpgs of the pattern pieces. Print them out to cover an A4 page each. Cut out all the parts, and join the top and lower halves of the stocking together. ...

This week has been really tough. Sunday night Smem barely slept and she's still not sleeping right. We were nice to her at the start of the week and stayed in the room with her when she was upset but we've had to move to 'controlled crying' as we were both getting too tired. And its too cold to be out of bed for half the night! I think she's making us pay for leaving her! I have managed to get a bit of crafting done, although it hasn't felt like it. There have been two nights this week where I've just watched telly in the evening and not done any knitting - shock, horror! Its my god-daughters birthday next Friday so I'm getting around to finishing her present. I made her Eloise a while ago so I made a little dog (from Jean Greenhowe's Little Village Men) and am now making a little bag for the dog to go in - hopefully with a hole for his head to stick out. So this is my attempt at really simple hand quilting. I just stitched little stars over al...

Last night I realised that I hadn't mentioned that the third issue of Irish Quilting had come out. I got my copy on the Monday before I headed down to Wexford and had been so busy since then that I just forgot. Smem got her modelling career started in this mag - she's in the reader's letters section! I also had my bib pattern included. Smem didn't get to model for this one. They used a younger baby. It turned out quite well.

This is Mr. Squirrel so far. He needs some clothes - a scarf or something. The tail took a few goes to work out but is quite good in the end. He will definitly be finished by the middle of the week so November's giveaway will be next weekend, for anyone who would like a chance to get a free pattern. In quilting news, I've finally got to start quilting my quilt. Its taking longer than I thought. It took about 3 hours just to baste it all together. And now I've figured out that I need to pin each square before I quilt it. So its slow. But I managed to get a bit done today. At least now that I've started it half the battle is won. On my blog reading today I saw a lovely post by Melissa at Day to Day She's posted a little art video from Utube. Check it out 'cause its super cute!

Since I last posted I have done major work on my quilt. All the embroidery and applique are done. Now I just have to sew on the border and quilt and bind it all. No problem! But it will have to wait a few days. It was my beautiful god-daughters 'happy birthday' this week and there is to be a fantastic party tomorrow down in Wexford. Its fancy dress to Smem will get to wear her fairy princess outfit again. Yeah! I had knit Jemima-Jane over the summer in anticipation. However her hair wasn't quite right and I hadn't done her hat so I spent yesterday evening and today at that. I think she looks quite pretty now.

Yesterday was busy as we had another panel meeting for Irish Quilting. Turns out my quilt is to go in issue 2 , not issue 3, so I need to have it finished by the end of November. Woops! I might not be making so many handmade presents for Christmas so! I did take the time yesterday evening to finish off the cardigan I was making for Smem, as most of the ones she has are getting a bit small. Still need to prep her for a photo-shoot.

Don't think I mentioned it yet, but one of my quilt designs have been chosen for Irish Quilting. It will be in the third issue which will be out around March/April, i think. So on Friday, on my way down to Wexford, I called in to the shop that is to sponsor the fabrics for the quilt - Threads of Green in Kilkenny. Its a shop in an IDA park on the outskirts of Kilkenny and was a virtual Aladin's Cave for me. So hard not to spend all my money! I can't give away the design but below are the fabrics I got. On the knitting front, I am working away on designs for Christmas. Hopefully I will have a leaflet for sale by the end of October with a few designs on it. No christmas tree up yet so the mug tree has been called into action!