Bloglovin

With Google Reader being retired in the summer, I've moved over to Bloglovin! I imported all of my blogs over from Google reader, which was much easier than I expected. You can find the option in the settings on Bloglovin.

You can follow my blog on Bloglovin here :) 

What about you? I've seen a couple of other blog readers around, but I'd already signed up to Bloglovin ages ago.

My new nail blog!

I've decided to start a new blog, where I can share my manicures! As most of my followers here are ladies, I thought you might be interested.

If you'd like to check it out, you can find it here - Jellybean's Nails. I'd love to see you over there! I'm still in the process of making it look how I want it to, but it's very similar to this one, except the content :)

Woollies and Wellies

Hello! Just a quick post to show off a couple of projects that have been seeing a lot of wear lately. Both patterns are by Ysolda Teague, Ripley (the hat) and Ishbel (the shawl). They're both 100% wool, which is exactly what you need in this weather we're having at the moment. The photo's were taken on Sunday, when we went for a walk. We kept coming across patches of snow in the wood and fields, and the wind was icy cold!

We've been walking further and further each weekend, and managed 6 and a half hours this week. We've got a map and a compass, but there was still about half an hour where what we were seeing didn't seem to match up with the map. Thankfully I recognised a path we had come down earlier, and we soon knew just where we were. The last hour or so walking back home was so tiring, we were certainly glad to be home! We warmed up with a home made mocha and chocolate chip brioche :)

If you'd like more info on the projects, Ripley is here and Ishbel is here. I'll be back with photos of Ebony's bag soon. I'll leave you with a photo of me enjoying my wellies :)

Ebony's Project bag - progress

Main piece

Main piece, inside

Lining, reads 'Made with love'

I'm liking it so far, though I'm not sure about the 'made with love' stitching. I love my sewing machine, but I think it should leave the alphabet embroidery to the fancier machines! I almost did it in red thread, but I'm glad I stuck with white. I still have the bias binding to make, which I fear is going to take me forever! I have found some cute buttons though in my button stash :)

The pattern and instructions are great, I love that the pattern pieces are full size. I don't mind tracing, and there are only two pattern pieces!

Ashley x

Hello again!

Hello! I'm still here! Just haven't felt like blogging. I've still been reading all of your lovely blogs, and I've been knitting away but haven't touched my sewing machine even though it right there all set up on the desk. The poor thing is actually dusty!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas/holiday. I'm still looking for a job, which is slowly driving me mad. I haven't felt like sewing at all, even though my Chantilly is almost finished.

However, it's my youngest sister Ebony's birthday in a couple of weeks. I've taught her to knit, but didn't get a chance to teach her to cast off. Every time I see her she asks, but there's never time. So for her birthday, I'm going to pass on my copy of Knitty Gritty and my first ever pair of knitting needles, the ones I learnt on when I was about 12 or 13. To go along with that I'd like to sew her a project bag. Yes, I finally want to sew! I'm going to make her the reversible bucket bag from the Bag Making Bible. It's the one on the cover. I plan to make a patchwork from the fabrics I won in a give away from Very Berry Handmade and then line it some pink fabric I have.

I've got some pretty scraps for the bias binding too. I'm hoping it will be pretty, but even if it isn't I'm sure she'll love it. If you're a long time reader you might remember I made Ebony a princess dress two years ago. It seems I made it at the perfect time, since then she has grown in height but not in width. So she still wears it and adores it! It's just not as long anymore :) I just realised I never got around to taking photo's of her in it, so here is one my mum took for me with Crunchie the cat. (You might also remember Crunchie nearly died from a blockage in his intestines. He recovered well, and is doing fine :) )

This was taken not long after I gave it to her. She's taken great care of it, and always hangs it up carefully. Mum has told me she still wears it all the time two years later!! She looks so young in that photo, I'd not realised how grown up she's gotten. A couple of months ago, mum and I were setting up Skype. We got it working so mum shouted for everyone to come and see. So they all come running into the living room and what is Ebony wearing? Yep, her princess dress! So I think she'll really appreciate a bag for her knitting :)

I'll try and post on my progress on the bag, and maybe some recent knitting projects. I'll try not to stay away so long. 

Ashley x