My Weekend

I had a very busy weekend which included doing some tapestry and visiting Birmingham & Stafford with the other half. I found this hand knitted cover in a charity shop that will be gracing my studio hot water bottle in preparation for winter (today is the summer solstice, so the winter evenings will gradually be drawing in from now on!).

Out Foxed!

Well, here are my latest offerings, you're probably thinking - an elephant and a penguin???. Alas, I wasn't aiming for either of those wonderful creatures, no infact I've begun the slow (but rewarding) process of creating a pattern for a fox hopefully. There's probably a better way of doing this than my trial and error method, but I haven't come across it yet!I quite like urban foxes, I know they get bad press, but so do wild bears and mad dogs (and a few bothersome people for that matter!) - It hasn't stopped me from liking some of them! So this is my current project, to create a pattern I'm happy with because I've got some gorgeous fabric waiting to be used.....

It's a stick up!

48 Bus Watch

Check out these strides, spotted on the No 48 bus today. I can't even begin to imagine how you'd create those tiny denim heart scrolls - Go Lady Denim go!

Let The Stitch Off Commence!

Wool, wool, I love looking at and touching glorious wool! So you can imagine how excited I was to receive this fabulous tapestry kit from Emily Peacock. I bought the partner to the above kit for my daughter's 21st, she has a big 'Hug' to embroider and I have the big 'Kiss'. It is sooooo big that I'm working on it at home as I don't think it would be practical on the tube unless I had half a carriage to myself! We're having a friendly contest to see who will finish first. Mmmmm, I wonder how competitive that daughter of mine is! I'll keep you posted.......

Hello Sweetie!

I made this little bag for Noortje, a lovely lady from the Netherlands who has been working with us at Ryantown for the past 3 months - safe Journey home!

Another Baby Blast From The Past!

Here she is, I can't believe that she's 21 today!

It looks like she's on the beach, but it was actually taken in St James's Park when they used to have a huge sand pit with absolutely no shade anywhere near it, hence the squinting child!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIA! From mumsie x

Applause to Applique!

I couldn't resist taking a photo of Amaia's fabulous skirt.

Inside Job

I made these bags yesterday, they weren't lined with calico like my first bag but with gingham and I managed to find magnetic fastners on a great handbag site called U-handbag, it's the first time I've ever used them hence the wonkiness! I thought it would be handy to have inner pockets too for small things - just happened to have some spare knocking around!

Sing To Me Baby!

My studio mate Clare kindly let me use her wonderful old industrial sewing machine today. It sews like a dream and unlike some machines I've been on in the past doesn't zap along at a zillion miles an hour! It's very manageable for a beginner like me, so now I'm on the look out for something similar to stitch my denim with.

On the Way Back Home From Work

In contrast to this mornings nightmare journey, this afternoons trip back home was like being on holiday! No waiting for the tube and a seat straight away with only a few tourists to fight off!

On The Way To Work

The trains were so crowded today that I didn't get on until the fifth one! Even then we were all packed in so closely together that I could see the pores of the next persons skin. Gradually the train emptied until I was able to sit down and get my knitting out - phew.....

Saturday Afternoon

It's drizzling outside, hubby is tackling a tricky sudoku, daughter has gone window shopping in the West End and I am sitting here unpicking waistbands.....

Bag It

I needed a bag, the posh one that the other half gave to me is getting worn and grimy due to the daily pounding it was getting, so I thought I'd better save it by making an everyday bag made from a durable and washable material (no prizes for guessing the type of fabric I chose!). This is sample one - poor Bernina struggled, going over 6 layers of denim at times made the stitching a bit iffy in places.

I am going to have to face the fact that I now need to get an industrial sewing machine and a bigger studio to keep my growing collection of sewing and knitting machines and other paraphernalia in! (jokes!)

Wotcha Lookin At????

Physic Garden Knitting

It's getting warmer at last, we haven't got a garden or balcony, so on Sunday we went to the Chelsea Physic Garden and sat in the sun, well me in the sun, other half in the shade. He tackled a challenging sudoku and I added a few rows to my knitting. I'm using a stitch called Ribbed Garter Stitch, it seems that I have a thing for rib patterns at the moment, is that because I am a city lass and am more comfortable with vertical lines? Mmmmm.....

Bernina in Town

My sewing machine collection has grown. Today I bought this Bernina Minimatic, it's probably about thirty years old and is the exact model we had at school! I've been peeking at it every time I walk past the local sewing machine shop, I had to go in and stake my claim. It has made me so happy! It makes such a lovely sound when you sew with it - so different to my clunky plastic machine.

Bring it on Bernina!

Baby Blast From The Past

I made these a few years ago, the baby is now 18, the denim settee cover much older and passed on to a friend. Happy birthday Barbara!

Finished!!!!!!

I still haven't spent time in my studio apart from popping in to pay the rent! But I have finished the last scarf I showed you, as I finished the third ball of red wool I got a hankering to use a different colour so I popped into Peter Jones and got a ball of Royal Air Force blue as a nice contrast as well as buying wool for the next scarf! As I was finishing the scarf it reminded me of some two-colour pencils that I bought for the girls from The Frick Collection in New York a while back. They are very similar to the ones I used when I was very young - I thought they were brilliant then, especially when they'd been sharpened down to the very last double-ended inch.

Scarf 2

I have finished the last scarf I showed you - complete with tassels, and now I'm on this number, it's worked in a stitch called Brioche Rib. The shorter needles work a treat on the underground, so now I don't have to think twice about getting my knitting out. I'm quite happy most days when I travel with my knitting and my i-pod on, I can block out all the tedious aspects of inner city travelling.

My denim work has been neglected lately, but no worries I am gearing myself up to some new work, I think the bears and dogs are going to have a little rest for a while.....

Bear Blast From The Past

Here is one of the first denim creatures that I ever made using an overlocker, a sort of an owl- bear, he sits in our bedroom, next to the manic looking fox featured in one of my Christmas postings .

Patchwork Dog

It was going to happen sooner or later.... patchwork creeping back into my work! I've had a long break from piecing together bits of fabric that I can't bear to throw away, so here is the first of a few dogs that I plan on making (the cat in the background is looking a bit worried!).

Hooray For Hollywood!

Hey, I forgot to show you these photographs taken by our friend Marc, we gave his sons a bear each before they went on their adventures in Los Angeles last year. Here are Sonny and Marmaduke's bears in Hollywood having their pics taken in front of the red carpet - how glamourous is that!

More Knitting...

Did I tell you that I hand knit too? I knit at home in the evenings and weekends and also when I travel to work on the underground, although sometimes these long needles poke my fellow passengers if it's a busy time of day! I've already bought a pair of children's short needles for tackling my next project. I'm making a scarf, a scarf is a manageable size to carry around whilst travelling, a jumper gets a bit too big and bulky to take to work unless you plan on taking a suitcase! The stitch I am using is called Harris Tweed stitch, its a kind of fancy rib - fancy eh?

You aint nothing but a hound dog!

I got out the old knitting machine and starting experimenting with some houndstooth check designs, I'm quite happy with the last one I knitted - the red & green number.

Sleep Walking

I dressed a few bears using my denim scraps, that's the long and short of it!

Heart

It's an old heart but it's still true to you my Valentine xxxxx

Long Time Coming

More draft excluders, this time made out of denim.

Bargain Bear Bonanza

It's getting rather crowded here in Barbarabearo Central, I'm up to my eyeballs in bears. It's time for a sort and clear-out! Over the next few weeks I'll be listing bears that have been keeping me company here in my studio, including a special offer - half price Bits & Bobs Bears (see photo), yes only $35.00! I need to make space for new projects so if you need a little gift for a friend or want to treat yourself to a cuddly friend, just click here.

Teacher's Pet

I found an old photo album that Maria our daughter made when she was a dot. I hope the bear offerings didn't affect her education in an adverse way!