A Little Bit of Time...

Imagine that you had a day when you could do pretty much whatever you wanted. Just one day to do as you pleased. What would you do?

As a result of our lovely friends being away on holiday for a week, I needed to do an extra nursery run and I decided that rather than ask for an extra work-from-home day, I would take a day's holiday to drop C off and then have a little bit of time to myself.

In the run up to my day, I spent a certain amount of time mulling over what I might get up to. I knew that I wanted to do only nice things and to make every minute count. To do things that are hard to do when you've got a little person needing your attention. The anticipation became a treat in itself; what would I do? what could I do? There was no should about it, no sense of duty, because I was only going to do things that I wanted to do.

And on the day itself, I dropped Catriona off at nursery and headed straight to the leisure centre to actually go for a swim. Going swimming with a toddler, means splashing around, jumping in and walking around the pool with a baby torpedo, but no actual swimming takes place. This time was different, I swam thirty leisurely lengths, savouring the silence, and I left the centre properly dressed, with dry hair and even with a bit of make-up on! 

Next up was a brisk walk up to Clarendon Palace in the glorious sunshine (lucky me) and a walk back through the nature reserve at Whitebridge Spinney. 

This ran nicely into lunchtime so I took myself off for an alfresco lunch of wild garlic tart at the very lovely Henderson's Artisan Bakery and stayed on after lunch to read my book in the sunshine with a cup of tea. 

I had planned lots of things for the afternoon – knit, make malteser tiffin, watch a movie, paint my nails – but the weather was so nice that I took a blanket to my nearest park and read my book until it was time to collect little C from nursery.

What a wonderful day. And the best part of that day? Seeing C's lovely little face when I picked her up from nursery and getting those two perfect, pudgy arms wrapped around my neck when I reached down to pick her for a cuddle.

Getting Back to Normal

What a wonderful thing time is. It passes quickly, slowly, imperceptibly, irrevocably. If you can get through it, you can get through anything. And so here we are. After one year, two months and fifteen days, I finally feel as if I am getting back some of my own time, and I have to tell you, it feels wonderful! I love being a mum, but it is not the only thing about me. Today is not a landmark day, nothing major has happened to make me feel like this, but the sun is shining and as I took the time to walk the last part of my journey to work along the river, I realised that yes, I am getting my life back.

Taking time back has been a gradual process, which started with the little lady going to nursery. It wasn't the smoothest process initially and we both struggled at times, but she cracked it and now she loves it. It has enabled me to go back to work, which again hasn't been easy – there's been a certain amount of guilt, my priorities have altered and I have frequently questioned whether or not I'm doing the right thing, but I have (at least today, I think I have), and it's good for both of us. I get to use my brain and can engage in adult conversation about something other than babies; and she gets to throw powder paint onto the snow and feed baby goats from a bottle. I work for three days a week, which means that the majority of my week is spent with her – it's a better balance all round. More than this, it's not just rejoining the world of work that has been a good thing. The time that I spend either side of my working day is a wonderful thing, the commute which used to be a bit of a chore has now become my own precious time to read, knit,  daydream or even freelance. I have read more in the last ten weeks than in the entire year of my maternity leave and I LOVE it!

Most recently, I've been reading a lots of great books. Highlights have been Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield, The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters, The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins the two 'Cormoran Strike' novels by Robert Galbraith (aka J. K. Rowling), Waffle Hearts by Maria Parr, The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell, The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer and Perfect  by Rachel Joyce. I'm currently devouring Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay and can't wait to get stuck into The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman. Catriona is currently reading Hippos Go Beserk! by Sandra Boynton, Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins and Noodle Loves to Cuddle by Marion Billet.

It is wonderful to be back in the world of books, both reading and making. But beyond books,  I've also taken up yoga again and have found a really enjoyable vinyasa flow class in a village just outside of Salisbury. I have picked up my needles again in earnest and am knitting a sweet little cabled cardigan for Catriona's friend Janey. I'm gradually doing the things that I used to enjoy so very much before having a baby. 

To be honest, the baby isn't really such a baby anymore. She is walking (clumsily) and talking (in an almost intelligible way) and full of cuddles and kisses. Developmentally, it seems like there is something new every single day. This week, she climbed the stairs for the first time and last week, she walked over to the fridge, opened the door and helped herself to a punnet of raspberries. This morning, before I left for work she said, "Bye" and gave me a lovely, lovely kiss. I can't tell you how hard it was to leave the house. She has everything ahead of her and she amazes me every day.

Looking forward, I want to carry on keeping the balance; looking after her and looking after me. I want to appreciate my lovely husband more, get out running regularly, make more, read other people's blogs more, get out in the garden more and maybe even go out on a date... (Oh, and blog more – see you soon.)

Hello Again

Well, hello there! I'm sorry I've been away for so long (has it really been five months?) but I've had my hands a bit full with the charming creature that is becoming more and more of a little girl every day. 

Today she is eight months old and eight months wonderful. The last couple of months in particular have been such great fun, as Catriona grows, develops and her individuality shines through. Her favourite things just now are the cat and food. Her adorable little face lights up and she squeals in delight whenever he ventures near. They've had a couple of close encounters and Coleman's patience has been sorely tested, but he turns out to have the patience of a saint and so far they're the best of friends. I really hope that it'll stay that way...

Food is her other great love and I have say that she's a natural born eater! She hasn't turned her nose up at a single thing we've put in front of her. (Though she does pull a brilliant face if presented with anything really cold!) We waited until she was a full six months before embarking on this particular adventure, as we wanted to try baby-led weaning, and she was very, very ready. We hit the ground running with three full meals - and a lot of milk besides - eating together and sharing exactly the same foods. Mealtimes are my favourite times of the day, even if the clearing up afterwards is quite challenging!

When she's not eating or beaming at Coleman, the little lady has a fabulous social life. (Oh, so much better than ours!) Catriona goes to classes twice a week with her little baby buddies and loves to swim at the leisure centre. We like to keep busy so we have our own little adventures, which this week have included a morning out at Mottisfont and a day out in glorious Bath Spa tomorrow with Lois and Janey. 

As you can imagine, this doesn't exactly leave much time for me to create, craft or read, but I do keep trying. I'm currently reading The Apothecary by Maile Meloy and The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson and I'm knitting a fox-face hat and a cloudy sky blanket for Catriona, of which more in my next post. (Which hopefully won't be such a long time coming!) See you here again soon. Nx

All Smiles!

Three months old today and I can't quite get my head round where the time has gone. I don't know quite how it's happened, but a quarter of a year has passed in the blink of an eye. And as fast as it's been, it has been wonderful. Catriona is simply the best thing in our lives and as tough as it sometimes gets, I just can't imagine how our lives would be if she wasn't here.

I had thought that I would manage to post at least once a month, but I guess that was a bit optimistic. We haven't been shirking and every day we get up to something or other. Since I last wrote, Catriona has taken on the following:

• a bedtime routine (complete with two hours each evening for the grown-ups to eat a hot meal together at the same time - gasp!)
• smiles (this makes all of tough times instantly forgettable)
• immunisations (she screamed so hard that we had to remind her to breathe) 
• swimming lessons, baby sensory and sing and sign classes (swimming can be very tiring, but they're all really good fun, especially the ball-pit at baby sensory)
• a trip into London Town to introduce the little one and to visit Daddy in his office
• two trips to the beach to enjoy the spring sunshine
• lots of walking and playtime, but hardly any naps

Since I last wrote, I have managed the following:

• finished her cardigan - just in time for her to grow out of it!
• made (and eaten) countless batches of malteser tiffin
• read nearly half a book
• knitted one pair of socks
• been out for a 5k run
• made a picture out of Catriona's welcome home banner
• had one night out (though I did spend most of the time thinking about the little lady)

It doesn't sound like much and I've had lots of ideas of things I'd like to do but you know, there's no rush. Everything doesn't have to be done right now. Those ideas can stay ideas for a bit longer and the world will not stop spinning on its axis. I don't have to beat myself up about not getting anything done. What's important right now is the smiles - oh, those wonderful smiles - and getting to know the little girl that our baby is turning into. 

 

Time Flies

Our baby girl is one month old today! I can't quite explain where the last month has gone other than to say that it's been a flurry of feeding, changing, cuddling and getting to know each other. Catriona Hazel arrived safe and well at home in a birth pool at 8.11 on the morning of Friday the 10th of January. She was helped into the world by our wonderful midwife Jacqui accompanied by the dulcet tones of Jose Gonzales and illuminated by fairy lights! At a mighty 4.415 kilos (9 lbs 12 oz), she was rather larger than we were expecting and she has turned our world upside down in the most wonderful way.

Nothing can prepare you for the depth of feeling that having a child will create in you and sometimes when I'm gazing at her beautiful little face I find myself almost overwhelmed by love. She is perfect and wonderful, unique and precious; and we are so glad that she has come into our lives. 

However, all this extra loving has rather put the kibosh on any non-baby related activities. I am still reading the same two books that I started before she arrived - the brilliantly clever and starkly witty Symposium by Muriel Spark and the haunting modern fable, A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki. It's strange not having time to read and I miss it a great deal, but as each day passes, I think we get a little bit better at this and I know that there will be more time in the future. Also, I find that I appreciate my reading time all the more for its scarcity. 

Craft has also been put on hold for the time being. I have managed to get to my knitting groups, but unless someone else is happy to cuddle the little miss, it is impossible to engage with sticks and string. I am so close to finishing a cardigan for her (to match the dress that I made just before she arrived too big to wear!) that it's silly. I only have to weave in the ends and we'll be good to go, but even the time for that tiny task seems too hard to come by. Her knitted name is also incredibly near completion - I just need to shape the wire and fix it to a supportive backing. 

I am typing this while she sleeps, curled up like a frog, on my chest. We've both had breakfast and if I can bear to wake her up, we should have a bath before starting the day in earnest. We are going for a walk every day and have visitors or meet up with friends most days and I can't tell you how touched we have been by everyone's friendship, support, kindness and love. (Sorry, will stop being so sentimental now - must be the hormones!)

Magic Moments

The last few months have simply flown by. What with one thing and another this post, which I started after our last holiday, has been resting in my drafts for over two months and it's only now as I find myself thinking about the year ahead that I remember to celebrate the year just gone. Since the end of October, I've had some wonderful nights out with friends in London (who I already miss enormously), made some fabulous new friends through our NCT ante-natal classes, been to a live screening of Eugene Onegin from the Met in New York with D, watched the fabulous Populaire with my good pal Piney and celebrated first birthday cuddles with my very special godson, Toby and much, much more besides. I felt a great need to pack a lot into my last few weeks before starting my maternity leave but now D and I are taking it easy and enjoying some well-earned quiet time at home before we start the next chapter of our story.

Looking back, the end of October was the start of some lovely times with my family. It was my sister's birthday and she rented the most amazing cottage in the Forest of Dean (where we spent many, many childhood holidays exploring the woods and walking along the river) for a week of good food, laughs and party preparation - and what a party it was. D and I followed this with a quiet week in Cornwall, brunching in bed, relaxing, reading, walking along the beautiful beaches and eating some lovely local food during the day and catching up on a box set of of Spiral in the evenings with home-cooked comfort food to keep us going. We saw my family again at Christmas  and I found myself thinking that Christmas and New Year are magical times of the year in any year, but this year, with the impending arrival they've been even more special than ever.

On the needles, I have had to rationalise the number of projects in progress so I'm down to the quilt for her cot, the aforementioned mobile and an i-cord length which will spell out her name when she gets here. Books-wise, I am treating myself to Elizabeth Jane Howard's Cazalet Chronicles, re-reading some old favourites (Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising and William Goldman's The Princess Bride) and reading some of the gems that I discovered unread on the shelves while being forced to condense our book collections into half the space so that there could actually be room for a nursery.

We've really enjoyed getting things ready for when the little one arrives. I can't tell you how much joy I have received from crafting tiny knitted jumpers, hats and boots; what a pleasure it has been making cushions and a mobile and even just choosing paint colours and toys for her nursery. We've only got a few days to go now and I think we're nearly there. I'm not sure you can ever be ready for welcoming a child into your life but we're looking forward to it more than I can possibly express. 

Flapjacks and Fruitfulness

 

Autumn is one of my favourite times of the year and as the weeks fly by, there is a hint of fog in the mornings and there is definitely a wee nip in the air. Yesterday morning, D and I donned our coats and went for a lovely long walk in the New Forest starting out from the fabulously named Nomansland. We're lucky to live near such a beautiful place and when the sun is shining and the leaves are starting to change colour, it's hard to find anywhere lovelier on the planet. We admired the entries in the Landford Scarecrow Festival, heard woodpeckers, saw horses, ponies and even a great big pig! And after our walk we visited the village shop to buy the wherewithal to rustle up a tray of flapjacks to replace all the energy that we'd spent tramping about in the woods! Here's a link to my favourite flapjack recipe.

As the nights draw in, it's a good time for lots of my favourite things, eating, knitting, reading and all-round snuggling in. It's a time for making enormous saucepans full of soup, baking toad-in-the-hole with gravy and mash, and delicious crumbles too. I've just been given an enormous bag of cooking apples and am very much looking forward to trying my friends Robin's oaty-packed crumble topping. Mmm. Yummy!

On the needles, I'm still really enjoying knitting things for the little one. I finished her hat and liked it so very much, that I had to make one for myself. I'm quite sure we will look ridiculous and I never imagined that I'd turn into a match-matchy kind of person, but what can I say? I just couldn't resist!

I've also started a pair of baby jeans for her and a really pretty little vest from Vibe Ulrik Sondergaard's Lullaby Knits. It's a beautiful book and there are some wonderful patterns in it. I'd actually intended to make an adorable cable sweater, but I managed to buy the wrong wool. (Cashmerino Aran rather when it should have been Baby Cahsmerino) But hey, I never mind buying more wool - especially from my local yarn store Born to Knit at Fisherton Mill and I can always pop back in a couple of weeks and get the right wool. The pompom mobile is still a work in progress, but I like the way it's progressing so far! Progress is also quite slow on the quilt - lucky that time is on my side, and I'm pretty confident that I'll get it done in time for her arrival.

Books-wise, I'd been stuck in a bit of a rut. I'd not really enjoyed my most recent bookgroup book and had started a couple books that I hadn't really loved. I even found myself on a train without a book to read, which is as dreadful as it it inexcusable. Luckily, the very lovely Jo (who really does have the best taste in books) was on hand to rescue me from my fiction disaster and saved the day with Alys, Always by Harriet Lane and The Colour of Milk by Nell Leyshon. Thanks, Lovely Jo, now I can snuggle up safely on the sofa with a blanket,  cuppa, a slice of flapjack and a really good book!

Being Thankful

Hello again! And welcome back. I've had a lovely couple of weeks, both on and off the needles and the projects that I had finished the last time I posted here are now blocked, dried and ready to wear. I'm even cracking on with a few more. I'm particularly pleased with my colour block cardigan (that's me wearing it on the left, there) and when it's a bit cooler, it'll be a welcome addition to my wardrobe of things that I can wear with my ever increasing bump.

Speaking of which, knitting for the little one has taken on a new dimension, in that I now know that I'm knitting for a girl!  We found out last Friday and we are both absolutely over the moon. I'd been more nervous than I'd expected before the scan, but the sonographer was so kind and the experience so positive that getting to find out our baby's gender on top of a clean bill of health was like having a holiday, birthday and Christmas all at once.

We'd already booked a weekend away in Oxford so we started our celebrations with a really rather wonderful dinner at the dining room at the Ashmolean museum which was really rather special and all the more of a treat for being a surprise find. If you ever find yourself in Oxford on a Friday or Saturday evening - give it a try, you won't be disappointed. On Saturday, we couldn't resist buying a few clothes for our baby girl and we hit the shops in style! She'll have a lovely little wardrobe and now I'm loving browsing for more feminine patterns. The two little jumpers that I'd made so far were gender neutral so now I can get stuck in to something, not  necessarily pink, but certainly more girly in style. One of the joys of knitting for little people is that it all knits up really quickly, so hopefully there'll be something new to show you the next time I post too.

On top of all this knitting, I've also started a quilt for her nursery. It's going to be a very, very simple hand-pieced hexagon quilt and the fabric that it'll be made of all comes from old clothes of D's and mine. It's mostly pastel colours and has fabric from shirts, pyjamas and tops that we've worn and loved. Unlike the knitting, it's going to take a while to get together, but it'll mean all the more for being a labour of love. I'm also planning a pompom mobile made out of mustard and wool embroidery hoops. I'm not quite sure how it'll work out, but if it looks okay, I'll post a picture of that next time too.

After a couple of big projects at work, I've now had a bit more of my journey time back and have my head stuck in some really great books. I'm trying to clear some space in the house for the new arrival which means that I've been rediscovering some old favourites and unearthing some books that I've acquired, but never even read. A particular favourite was Patrick Gale's Rough Music which had been languishing on the shelves for maybe ten years. I've read his books before but I'd forgotten just how acutely he observes the best and worst in human nature. I also read The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence for work's bookclub (I was the only one that actually liked it!) and I this weekend I have simply devoured Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple. I've also started the charming and peculiar Kitchen by the deliciously-named Banana Yoshimoto and an advance reader's copy of Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo which friends and colleagues have all been raving about.

Thanks to the public holiday, this weekend has been a long weekend too and has been an absolute delight. A leisurely stroll along the beach in Boscombe with yummy ice cream and a picnic at Stourhead with a walk around the lake were real highlights as was lunch in Salisbury with a dear old friend who I hadn't seen for a while. Best of all was the arrival of my best friend, her husband and my godson who arrived with a car boot-load of the most wonderful hand-me-downs for us to pick out from. We have been throughly spoiled and her wardrobe has quadrupled, not to mention the baby-sling, bath bits and bobs, and a gorgeous hammock that we'll be able to put up for her wherever we go. People are so kind and generous I feel quite overwhelmed. Thank you.

Happy Crafting

In a recent, and very welcome, development I finally seem to have become keen to finish things. I've always had a thing about enjoying the process of creativity more than the finished thing and as a result my work in progress pile has always been just a little bit out of control!

In the last couple of weeks, I've managed to finish  not one, but three projects. Really. Three! The first (and way most important one) was a blanket for my gorgeous godson Toby's baptism. Admittedly, having such a definite deadline is a surefire motivator, but I think that making something challenging, learning a new skill (lace-knitting) using new materials (I'd never used bamboo before) and making something for someone so special all combined to make it a really enjoyable process and it really has helped rekindle and affirm my love of crafting.

The baptism itself was a wonderful occasion. Toby was a superstar and on his most charming and cheerful behaviour all day. Everyone had a lovely day and it was a really special time for all.

For my own little one, I have now knit a second  little jumper. It's a sweet little raglan-sleeved pattern by Debbie Bliss from The Baby Knits Book that I have knit for all of the babies that my friends have had. It's not blocked yet, but I'm planning on fixing that this weekend, so I'll post a photo when it's looking its very best!

I've also just cast off the pink and grey colour block cardigan from the Caramel pattern by Isabell Kraemer. I'm really pleased with it and think that it's one I will genuinely enjoy wearing. Again, I'll post a photo when it's all blocked and (hopefully) beautiful.

Looking Forward...

Well, hello there. I'm sorry that I've been away so long. The last few months have a bit of a challenge for me - I've been finding it hard to be creative and haven't really felt like knitting, making, or baking, let alone blogging. And, although it's been hard, it has all been for the best possible reason - D and I are going to be having a baby! It's all rather wonderful and incredibly exciting, but for the last few months, because of a combination of tiredness and having to keep the biggest secret ever, I just haven't felt very creative.

However, the cat is now well and truly out of the bag and the wool is firmly back on the needles. I'm four months along and about two-thirds of the way through a very pretty lace baby blanket for my godson Toby's baptism. I'm really enjoying the challenge of learning lace knitting. It's going pretty well so far and is my first successful attempt. I rather wish that I'd got a bit more time to get it finished, but I've set myself a daily row count and I'm steadily getting there.

I'm also really enjoying being able to knit baby clothes for the new arrival and I have so many plans for little bits and bobs I'd like to make for the little one. The two projects that I'm working on at the moment are gender neutral, but we're looking forward to finding out what we're getting in the middle of August and I guess I can get knitting in earnest from then on.

Not feeling crafty, has meant that I've had a lot of time for reading and I've read some absolute crackers. Memorable favourites are Marina Lewycka's Various Pets Alive and Dead, The Red House by Mark Haddon, Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, Caitlin Moran's How To Be a Woman, The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald and Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner. What a lot of wonderful books! I've also, along with some very lovely people at work, started a new book club, which is proving to be great fun.

Since I last posted we've been out and about quite a bit. A week in Amsterdam for my birthday was a wonderful treat - we stayed in two amazing hotels (The Amstel Intercontinental is quite probably the swankiest hotel I will ever stay in, in my life!) and walked absolutely everywhere. Amsterdam is a beautiful city, packed full of galleries and museums, stylish restaurants, boutiques and cafes and some really inspirational knitting shops. I didn't always feel like eating much which was a bit of a shame as the food was excellent.

The summer, now that it has arrived, is proving glorious and we've managed some lovely day-trips with picnics to the beach, Mottisfont, Oxford and to Henley for the regatta. It's lovely and hot and I'm looking forward to lots more picnics over the coming weeks. In fact, I'd say I'm looking forward to everything at the moment - having a baby must do that to you, I guess. The future is looking lovely!

Hot Off the Press!

This week has been one of very great excitement in the world of The Bookish Maker. On Monday I received a direct message via Twitter from none other than Gathered by Mollie Makes, asking if they could use a photo of my first granny square on the Show and Tell page of their next issue! I can't tell you how flattered I was. Imagine - one of my photos in my favourite digital magazine! Whoop, whoop! 

I could hardly wait for the issue to come out and very nearly ran out of battery through constantly checking for an update on my iPad. I am absolutely pleased as punch to be part of such a great publication, so thanks everyone at Gathered for the honour. It's a fabulous magazine - keep it coming!

On the needles, I've started my little embroidery project and am using all kinds of coloured silk to bring life to a plain cushion cover. I'm festooning it with a border of crafty images - needles, thread, sticks and string. There's even a thimble, a sewing machine and a mannequin. 

Also, I've very nearly finished my colour block cardigan. I'm at the cuffs of both sleeves, and it's looking really lovely. The only slight hiccough is that after having tried it on, I do think it's a little bit short in the body so I'm going to have to undo the cast off edge and add a little bit more length in. It's still cold enough for coats but when it's a little bit warmer, I'm looking forward to actually wearing something that I've made with my own two hands and I want it to be as good as it possibly can be!

One of the many great perks of my job is getting to read books before they are actually published and this week I was lucky enough to be given an advance book proof of The Golden Day by Ursula Dubosarsky. I'd heard about the book in-house and read a synopsis on the notes for Candlewick's covers meeting. It sounded intriguing straight away so I made a note to ask for a rating copy, but then on Monday, the very lovely Jo came to my desk brandishing a beautiful proof, telling me that she'd read it at the weekend and that I must read it. Jo is a great reader and I take her recommendations incredibly seriously - we have similar taste in fiction and I will always be grateful for her introducing me to Patrick Gale. 

And of course, she was absolutely right. It is a brilliant book. It is beautifully written and reminiscent of the nostalgic lyricism and intrigue of Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay or What the Birds See by Sonya Hartnett. It's not going to be published for a little while yet, but when it is - make sure you get a copy. I could hardly bear to put it down and read it in one day over two train journeys. 

I've had a bit of a break from buying books over the last six weeks or so in an attempt to reduce the size of the pile by the side of my bed. It's been a dismal failure to be honest with you as I've swapped or been given books instead, but I decided to treat myself anyway with some lovely new (and secondhand) books to read over the long Easter weekend. Happy reading!

Starting Something New

Spring is one of my favourite times of the year - a time for new and exciting things, for growth and light and enthusiasm. It's great time for starting something new which is exactly what my friend Fiona, also known as the Pine Marten but more commonly just Piney, is doing. She had a bit of a bonkers idea whereby she would take up a gazillion new hobbies until she found something that she would enjoy (and be brilliant at) and she's started a hilarious new blog to chronicle her adventures. 

I had the privilege of being the first person to share their hobby and duly rocked up at her place on Saturday morning with a bag of knitting-related goodies (tea, biscuits, hand cream - you know, the usual stuff). I'll let her tell you all about it in her blog - click on the link to head on over to Piney Gets a Hobby. It felt especially auspicious as I was driving over to hear Woolly Bully by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs on the radio and what I will say is that  she took to knitting like a Pine Marten to woodland - a natural-born knitter. Well done, Piney!

On the crafting side of things, I've started planning an embroidered cushion cover with some fabulous crafty transfers from Sublime Stitching. I'm not sure how it's going to pan out, but I promise I'll post again as it progresses. 

More excitingly, I've been using the very fabulous Meet Me at Mike's, and I've taught myself how to crochet granny squares. It's something I've really taken to; they're easily portable (so great for the train), quick to complete and surprisingly uncomplicated. I've always been a bit unsure of crochet, but it turns out that I really like it. I've also now had two attempts at handwriting embroidery, a Valentine's Day card for D and a first ever Mother's Day card for Shona, so that's another thing crossed off my New Year list. Hoorah!

There's some exciting new life in the garden too; I've planted a raspberry bush and put lots of summer-flowering bulbs in the ground as well as seedlings of tomatoes, peas, radishes and broad beans, which are currently dominating the kitchen table - and there are potatoes chitting nicely on my kitchen windowsill. As soon as it stops freezing and snowing, I'm going to get out and plant some of them - can't wait.

Last new thing for this post which I absolutely must mention, is the joy that is my new toaster! I am a MASSIVE toast fan - toast, crumpets, muffins, bagels, tattie scones, Soreen - if you can toast it and slather it in butter I'm probably going to be a fan and my new toaster does the job perfectly. Mmmmm!

Since I last posted, I seem to have gone through a spate of reading YA novels. Every Day by David Levithan which is going to be published in the UK in July by Egmont and is an absolute must-read, Butterfly by Sonya Hartnett which not technically a novel for teens but is a heartbreaking observation of adolescence; the ingenious Daylight Saving by Edward Hogan and the really rather compelling Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher. I've also started Monkey Wars by Richard Kurti which, from the first six chapters, promises to be absolutely brilliant.

Unravelling

Unravel? Well, that was just lovely. From the moment I got on to the Farnham train, I knew that I was going to have a good day. Surrounded by the gentle chatter of knitters discussing patterns, needles, tension and general swatch-talk, I wound my way through the countryside trying to imagine what Unravel would have in store for me. Arriving at The Maltings, I saw knitted arrows adorning the lampposts, the trees had been yarn bombed and there was an enormous knitted welcome to Unravel sign. My hopes were up and I was not disappointed. My friend Susie had told me that it would be big, but my imaginings hadn't even come close and as I strolled through room, after room, after room I could only wish I'd had a bigger budget!

I started the day with £30.00 to spend - which any of you knitters out there will know, does not go far in the world of hand-dyed, hand-spun cashmere, alpaca and silk but I was determined to make the most of it. My first (modest) purchase was a gorgeous printed card emblazoned with the motto, "Sew, sew, knit, knit, sew" and hot on the heels of the card, I fell completely in love with the button stall. (Which Susie had warned me would happen!) 

Six brilliant buttons and two metres of allium-embroidered ribbon later, I was ready to invest in some sticks and string. I did try to be methodical - I circled the main hall and explored the other rooms. Touching the wool and assessing skein lengths, comparing prices and thinking what I might be able to make. I took some time away from the show to think about what I really wanted and then I went to town. I managed to spend all but 40p and I would've spent an awful lot more if there had been enough network coverage to get the Paypal app to work!

Ultimately I came away with enough to get four more projects off the ground - none of which were on my original New Year list, but never mind! I'm really looking forward to getting started, although I suppose I really ought to finish some of my existing projects first...

On the needles just now, I have three major projects, a February scarf, an Olive jumper and a Caramel colour-block cardigan. They're all pretty big and to be honest with you I'm a bit daunted by how much work each of them will need to get finished, but a day at Unravel has definitely inspired me and renewed my enthusiasm to get some knitting done.

Currently reading: the really rather good Every Day by David Levithan. It's quite a peculiar premise, but so well written that I can hardly bear to put it down. A special mention to Heartburn by Nora Ephron, which I read last week. It is brilliant. Honest, thoughtful, poignant and witty, this is one woman's story of the end of a marriage. From the moment you open the book, you know what's going to happen - you know that it's not going to end well - but the end is still an absolute shocker. Even if I read it again, I would still be unprepared for how desperately sad the last few pages are. I've passed my copy onto a friend who read it, loved it, cried at the ending and has passed it on again. If you get the chance - read this book. I urge you.

A Few of My Favourite Things

I'm a huge fan of mittens and I love the snuggliness of my fake sheepskin favourites. I have to say that there is nothing quite like  pair of warm woollen mittens on a cold wintry day, especially if you've made them yourself. And the mittens that I've just made are possibly the snuggliest pair of mittens I've ever worn. They're like having a hand-hug and I am not kidding. I've been wearing them with pride since finishing them this weekend and have forced quite a few of my work-friends to try them on so that they can share the experience.

What makes these mittens so particularly great is the thrums. "But what on earth are thrums?" I hear you ask. Well, they're a phenomenal Norwegian invention whereby you wraps strands of wool roving around the wool you're knitting with to create a fluffy interior to whatever you are making. The thrums trap air which heats up, giving you the toastiest mittens, or socks, or hat, in the world - ever.

I've also ticked another crafty thing off my New Year list and made an embroidered handwriting card for D for St Valentine's Day. It took a lot longer that I was expecting, and the first word is a little bit ropey, but overall I'm pleased with how it turned out.

Luckily, I won't be needing my lovely new mittens for very much longer as I have the feeling that spring is finally on its way. This weekend has seen the first real sunshine of the year and I've made the most of it by spending a little bit of time out in the garden. I've cleared the veggie beds, cut back the rose and the clematis, pulled a few weeds and generally tidied the place up a bit.

I've bought some seeds, sown some broad beans and started three varieties of potato to chit on the kitchen windowsill. D and I have made a list of all the fruit and veg we fancy eating this year and I'm really looking forward to growing our own. I don't really know what I'm doing, but I do love it!


Away from the garden, I've been doing quite a lot of running - trying to get in shape for the Bath Half in two weeks' time. I'm feeling okay about it, but reckon that another couple of months' training would not go amiss. I've also seen my adorable godson and had a lovely day out in Bath. I've been taking heaps of pictures on my Instagram feed, so thought I'd post some of the highlights here on my blog. I'm excited that Instagram is now available from my browser - if you're not already already on it - head over to instagram.com and check it out. I'm off to Unravel next weekend, which I'm incredibly excited about. Come back next week and I should have posted about my day...

Currently reading: The Post Office Girl by Stefan Zweig (a re-telling of the Cinderella story and a great gift from Lesley in my book club's Secret Santa) and Grey Gardens by Sara Maysles, Rebekah Maysles, Dan Murphy and Albert Maysles (an eclectic representation of two remarkable and eccentric ladies).

Ae Fond Kiss

This week has been a real celebration of all things Scottish. We started the weekend with a delicious Burns' Night Supper at our lovely local, The Pheasant, where Alex laid on a veggie haggis especially. (What a superstar!) It was absolutely delicious and such a treat. I've never really developed a taste for whisky, which is a shame as there were two on offer for tasting, but D was very happy to help me out with mine, even if he did regret it a little the next morning!

Sunday morning saw us hit the road on an epic journey up to Glasgow to spend a week with D's family. It turns out that you can get an awful lot of knitting done in seven and a half hours and after a bit of a knitting marathon, my colour block cardigan is now considerably longer. I sort of wished that I'd had one smaller project on the go so that I could've had a finished object by the time we got up the road, but it was good to make some progress on a couple of bigger things, and I really got stuck into Olive on the way back down. 

The week started with a gig at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall with celebration of the life and work of Michael Marra, one of Scotland's finest songwriters, with two of D's favourite singers putting in an appearance. I must confess that I wasn't familiar with the work of Michael Marra before the music started, but there were some brilliant songs and amazing musicians. Pat Kane and Eddie Reader were everything that D had hoped for and I had a thoroughly Scottish evening!

We continued our time off with more celtic delights, including such greats as tattie scones and the legendary macaroni pie. We took a road trip up to Oban along the beautiful lochside of Loch Lomond, visited friends in Dunshalt and took a glass or two with D's family. On a trip to the West End area of Glasgow, I visited a very lovely knitting shop called The Yarn Cake and invested in some delightful Drops yarn to make some suitably snuggly mittens (with thrums) and a pair of legwarmers too. We stopped off at a great restaurant called The Hillhead Bookclub on our way back into town for a really tasty lunch before a spot of culture at The Lighthouse and a mooch around the shops. It was hard to leave, but so nice to be back home, and we brought back a substantial amount of Scotland home with us in the shape of five kilos of Marshalls macaroni. (Well, macca is the national dish, you know!)

Currently reading a selection of non-fiction which I picked up on my travels north of the border and which I hope will inspire me to get my act together in opening a new Folksy shop. (I just have to decide what I'd like to make and how I want to sell it - minor points.) I'm also unable to put down Gold by Chris Cleave which, if his other books are anything to go by, is going to be a bit of a tear-jerker. Lastly, I leafed through a copy of the Polpo cookbook while staying with friends and there are definitely some recipes that I'm keen to try out. Think I might have to invest in my own copy next payday.

Inspiration

Magazines! I love magazines! As a source of inspiration and food for thought they can't be bettered. I think what I like most about them is that you can just dip in and dip out, take what you like and leave the things that leave you cold. And I like nothing more on a lazy Saturday morning (after breakfast in bed of course) than flicking through the pages of a good magazine. Among my favourites are Mollie Makes, Selvedge and The Simple Things and I love it when I get home from work to find the latest issue waiting for me on the doorstep. You can read them in the bath, you can read them on the train, and the short, snappy, well-written articles with beautiful art and illustrations are just about perfect for when I have a short attention span and can't concentrate on my book!

I love print editions most of all, but I have recently developed a liking for e-zines. The iPad is the perfect format for reading magazines that you can't buy in the UK in print and I absolutely adore the recent emergence of magazines written specifically to be read online. They're clear, interactive and absolutely brilliant - links to where to buy the kit for a special project, video tours of artists' studios and demonstrations of tricky techniques can't be bettered than in a digital format. And I love getting a new wallpaper every week from the particularly gorgeous Gathered. Remind me again - what did we do before the internet?!

Particular favourites are Gathered, Make:Craft, Frankie, Heart Home and I feel like I should give an extra special mention to Pinterest. I'm not entirely sure that Pinterest should really count as it's an app rather than a publication, but I absolutely adore it. It's my second favourite app (after Instagram, of course) and I am pretty much addicted. I can't help checking in two, three, four times a day ... and sometimes I even have to stop myself from browsing late into the night, when I know I should really be getting my beauty sleep! It's just so inspiring and I love sharing things that I've seen on other people's boards. I've cast on a lovely colour-block cardigan that I saw on Pinterest and last week, I made a tortilla pizza that my friend Emily had posted - delicious!

On the needles, I started - and, get me, finished - a lovely little jumper for Toby to go with his baby jeans. I've really enjoyed working on something quick and easy and it's put me in great stead for getting another project crossed off my New Year list. However, this does now mean that I've got to get stuck into some of my bigger more complicated projects. Hmm, good thing I've got a couple of long car journeys ahead of me over the coming week...

Currently reading: I am currently not reading Doctor Zhivago as I have finally managed to finish it. I also re-read a childhood favourite, The Owl Service by Alan Garner and devoured two pretty amazing YA novel from the United States, Wonder by R.J. Palacio and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Both equally brilliant in their own ways but please make sure you have a box of tissues to hand when you read either of them.