Meadowgate 6 - Knit Club Holiday in Devon

We're here!  I don't like to name-drop but I am writing this post from the living room at Kirstie Allsopp's 'Handmade Home'.  Ha!  It's my third time here but it still strikes me as weird that I am spending the week in a house I watched Kirstie renovate on the telly.

Lisa and I travelled down together yesterday and, despite the awful weather on Friday, we had a really good run.  No traffic jams, no storms and no diversions (that's our return journey jinxed then!). 

Last night we sat around chatting, knitting, crocheting or sewing and drinking wine or tea.  Stephanie cooked spaghetti bolognese, Suzie started the Meadowgate Olympics with a ten lap obstacle course around the house and Erin did a riverdance.  We tend to mostly gather around the huge wooden table in the kitchen; there's a big AGA at the far end of the room so it's very cosy and 14 people can be seated in the room comfortably.

We've been to Cowslip today for lunch and shopping followed by tea and cake.  Suzie hadn't booked our table so we missed out on Sunday roast.  It wasn't a problem because the menu there is gorgeous and all food is properly homemade.  Deb, especially, was not impressed and tried to pretend she was with an 80th birthday party in order to have access to the roast menu.  She was busted and settled for beef casserole.

Cowslip goodness

I love the shop at Cowslip; well we all do.  It's only a small shop but is packed to the rafters with fabric (quite literally) and loads of quilts, wall-hangings and cushions.  It is a massively inspiring place.

I was forced* to buy a bundle of 39 fat quarters and I'm going to make a quilt with them.  I might even make it this week - I brought my sewing machine for such emergencies.

I'm going to join everyone back in the kitchen now.  Lucie's crocheting a blanket and Lisa is hand quilting the patchwork she finished here in September.   June, Stephanie and Jean are all knitting various items of clothing, Erin is stitching a Julie Arkell inspired brooch and Suzie is making a cuddly bomb.  I have started an Alicia Paulson embroidery sampler.  

Helen, Deb and Rachel are in the playroom to drink wine and watch TV.  It's all very chilled.  Tomorrow we are having a photo shoot for Suzie's patterns and there will be a swap-over of knit clubbers (some come for the weekend and some come Monday-Friday).  

Wish you were here.

Nicki 

x

*sort of

Three top tips for moving home without a hiccup

Moving into a new home is something we all look forward to. It doesn't matter whether you're moving into your first home, into something bigger or are escaping to the countryside, embarking on a new property adventure is always a pleasure.

The moving process itself, however, can sometimes be troublesome. Whether you're doing all of the moving yourself or are enlisting the help of professionals, it always pays to be one step ahead of the game.

Here, we go over several tips which will help make your move run smoothly.

1. Label your boxes

When we're moving home, there are always a surprising number of identical boxes. One practice which is essential to the efficiency of your move is ensuring that all of your boxes are moved to the right place at the right time.

In order for this to happen, you will need to be sure that each of your boxes is labelled clearly and thoroughly. Not only will this make life easier for you during the move but it will make the unpacking process easier at the other end.

2. Know your route

More often than not, it takes more than one trip to move all of your furnishings and belongings from one home to another. With each added trip it becomes more important that you select your route carefully. If you're moving into Linden Homes in Peterborough, you'll need to ensure that you are familiar with the route and that you're travelling at the right time of day.

If the first trip doesn't go well, consider alternatives which might save time or avoid traffic hotspots.

3. Plan the order

Seeing that all of your belongings arrive at their new destination in the correct order is one of the most important aspects to a successful move. Not only will you need to plan which items are the first and last to arrive at your new home but you will also need to take care to see which are the first and last loaded onto the van at the beginning of each trip.

Moving your belongings in the correct order will dramatically reduce the time you spend at your new property organising boxes. You're sure to be at your most tired towards the end of the day so the more work you can get out of the way at the day's beginning, the better.

New Year Bunny: Miss Maggie Rabbit by Alicia Paulson

After Christmas I always start to dread the new year.  I am not filled with enthusiasm for a new year, I generally feel a bit wistful that another one is over.  I feel flat at the thought of three whole months spent broke and on a diet in miserable weather with nothing to look forward to but [stinky] daffodils and Easter eggs.  Spring always seems to be a long time coming here in England.  

Feeling tired and stressed in the build up to Christmas, I chose not to be maudlin at the start of 2014 and vowed to myself that I'd do everything I could to make the last of the Winter more enjoyable.  I decided I would eat exactly what I fancy (no diets here yet, thank you) and keep the house as warm, light and welcoming as I possibly can.   

Pies and stews have been cooked and eaten, woodburners have been lit and my favourite candles have been filling the house with the cosy scent of nutmeg and spices.  I have been feeling very unwell - absolutely worn out - and have needed time to recharge my batteries. 

I have kept my weekends generally clear and undemanding to allow me to spend as much time as possible curled up in an armchair with nothing to do but knit and stitch.  

I bought the kit for Miss Maggie Rabbit a while before Christmas and deliberately saved her for my new year project.  I was a little anxious about starting as I wasn't sure I'd be able to do a very good job, but I was surprised by how simple the pattern is.

The felt that Alicia chose for the rabbit is a joy to work with and I enjoyed every minute of stitching it.  The instructions were easy to follow and the little dress was fun to make too.  I especially liked stitching the little pair of felt boots.

I made the rabbit for myself.  I planned to sit her on the shelves in my craft room where I could admire her daily.  Everything about her pleases me; her ears, particularly, which are made of my favourite Liberty print.    Unfortunately, my niece saw a photo and immediately declared she would like Miss Maggie herself.  I smiled non-commitally and deliberated for a couple of weeks about whether a five year old would *really* appreciate her as much as I do.  

But you know the end of this story.  Miss Maggie has been renamed Mimi and is now sitting, minus cape and boots, on the pink pillow of my little niece who, it turns out, loves 'Mimi' even more than I do.  I am going to have to make another for myself and have been pondering what fabric I'll use next time for Miss Maggie Jr's dress. 

Nicki 

x

Miss Maggie Rabbit is an Alicia Paulson creation and the kit can be bought online at Alicia's shop.  I popped over to the blog for this link and noticed a little rabbit on the table in a hot pink duffle coat.  Oh my, I'm hoping that the pattern is released; it's adorable.  

Change your bathroom - how to update your home without spending a fortune

Facing a bathroom overhaul can be daunting, especially if it involves changing fixtures and fittings as well as a new lick of paint.

However, considering how personal the time is that we spend in the bathroom, it is worth the best upgrade possible.

The bathroom is actually a room which can bring out a great deal of your creativity as you get inventive on how to best utilise and decorate the space.

Stick to the theme

Decide on a style and colour theme and stick to it. If all of your decisions are based on a theme, you will find them a lot easier to make.

Once you know what look you want in your bathroom, choosing colours, fixtures and fittings will be a walk in the park, taking away the anxiety that often accompanies home upgrades.

Quality shower fittings

If you enjoy a strong shower which blasts out water at the desired temperate, it is a good idea to ditch the shower curtain and invest in a shower screen.

Find shower screens at Mira Showers from a wide selection including bi-fold doors, side panels, pivot doors and corner entry varieties in durable and attractive glass.

Bathroom experts

It is important to deal with the professionals when it comes to getting advice for upgrading your bathroom.

Mira Bathrooms has nearly a century of experience in the business of bathroom fixtures, fittings, designs and technology.

They are well versed tailor-making solutions to any bathroom regardless of shape or size.

Colours

Don’t hesitate to get out the paint brush to give your walls a new lick of paint if it will make a difference. One way of giving a bathroom a sense of space is to paint the ceiling a lighter colour than the walls.

If you go for wallpaper instead, go for a water-resistant and washable type.

Wall hangings

Do you have the ideal mirror in your bathroom or have you just become used to it?

If you want to create an illusion of greater space, invest in a larger mirror. Depending on the style theme of the room, you can finish it off with an ornate or minimalistic frame.

Take a good look at your bathroom walls. Now that they have been repainted or papered, would they suit some pictures or wall hangings?

Bathroom items

A simple way of giving your bathroom a fresh look once all of the basic work has been done is to purchase a new set of towels.

What’s hanging on your towel rack right now – or would you rather not think about it?

Invest in a set of towels which match your new bathroom. They really are the final touches.

Being an Auntie

I have always *always* wanted to be an auntie.  Never wanted my own children, but always wanted a niece or nephew.

In my teens I would joke with my sister that I was going to be the cool, fun, auntie who would screech to a halt outside her house in my little red sports car, toot the horn for my delighted niece to join me then whizz her away for a day of fun, treats and general spoiling.  Then I'd drop her off at the end of the day, exhausted and happy, and roar into the distance, to a glamorous party full of interesting people and gorgeous men.

My life isn't the glamour-fest I imagined in my youth (although, let me tell you, I can ROCK a fleece onesie) but I have the most lovely little niece that I could ever have wished for.  She is cute beyond words, funny, bright and extremely loving.  I adore her, even if she is a cheeky little madam and too used to getting her own way!  She's a pretty little thing, too.

This year, for the first time, she chose and wrote my birthday card all by herself.

When we met in the restaurant on my birthday, she rushed up towards me clutching two pink envelopes:  "Auntie Nicki, Auntie Nicki, we've got two cards for you.  This one's from mummy and this one's from me."  She proceeded to tear open the envelope.  "Look, isn't it cute?!   It's the cat's birthday and the birdy is giving him a flower." As she said this, Izzie clenched her fists and pressed them excitedly against her mouth; her eyes were sparkling and she did one of those quick little knee-bend bobs that people do when they are really excited and can't stand still.  "Isn't it so pretty, Auntie Nicki, is it your favourite?"  

I don't like to pick favourites but, yes, this card really is my favourite.  I will never forget the way she presented this little card.  She was unbearably cute and her enthusiasm was contagious.

I know that when she wrote the card out she would have concentrated *really* hard on writing each letter, asking her mummy how to spell 'Nicki' (I'm guessing she included the 'y' herself as she is learning phonics at school and this would have made perfect sense to her.)  The little kisses at the end are an extra little flourish she would have added herself.  It is the most perfect specimen of writing ever.

I realise that to most people this is all sentimental nonsense and that scribbles from your little ones are probably ten a penny.  But, to me, this is everything.   It is evidence of a little person in my life that I have always wanted and a relationship that I treasure.  

With love and fluffy stuff,

Nicki 

x

Homemade labels for your handmade pretties

I have always loved the paraphernalia that comes with taking up a hobby.  As a child my great-grandmother taught me to embroider and I kept a beautiful sewing box with all of my embroidery floss and patterns stored nicely stored inside.  As a teenager, I chose to study art and loved collecting the tools of the trade; the pencils, paints and technical drawing pens for my creations.

This year I have fallen for sewing again in a big way and have found that there are never-ending ways in which to stock up on supplies.  I love it.  Glass-headed pins, safety pins, sharps needles, quilting needles, gold eye needles, pretty (and functional) scissors... sigh... I love it all.  And don't get me started on the fabric.  (I am currently amidst a very intense stash-building mission and I take my missions very seriously.)  I seem to have developed a particular passion for pin cushions, needle cases and embroidery scissors.  I had been wanting to make some needle cases for a while and decided to make a couple as Christmas gifts for the lovely crafty folk in my life.  I made two and packaged both of them up to be opened on Christmas Day.  I was delighted with the results but started to wish that I'd made one for myself.  It was niggling at me all over Christmas and yesterday I decided to just blinking make one.  Just for me. 

Red is my favourite colour and so, unsurprisingly, I have lots of red/pink mix fabrics in my scrap stash and I found a few odd bits that were the perfect size to make these needle cases.  The pattern is from A Passion for Quilting (great book - you *need* it).  You basically just cut a piece of base fabric to size and then piece together the fabric scraps, attaching them to the base fabric, one by one (I think the method is called Foundation Piecing but please correct me below if I'm wrong).  

Inspired by another pattern in one of my other [many] patchwork books, I made a little label for the front.  

Despite being a stickler for proper grammar, I do love to make labels without a capital letter in sight.  Feels rebellious.

I bought some printable cotton from Amazon and set about designing some labels in Word.  I used the auto format for address labels because I knew that I wanted to make some very small labels and [at £12 for 5 sheets] I wanted to be sure to use every inch of space on the fabric that I possibly could!  I did a test run on regular A4 paper and when I was happy I printed straight to the fabric.  It's basically a thin cotton fabric attached to a thin sheet of card.  I have an ordinary Hewlett Packard inkjet printer and it worked perfectly.  When you've given the ink a few minutes to dry you just peel the backing from the fabric and cut each piece to size.  Easy peasy.  It is, of course, possible to print onto other fabric that you baste to a piece of card and I totally plan to give that a whirl some other time.  It would be cheaper but, more importantly, give way to even more options for the finished item.

I began by making some gifts for Izzie's teachers.  I made lavender hearts for them from Christmassy fabric and sewed on labels saying 'Happy Christmas, love from Izzie x' on them.  I printed a few of these labels at the same time and so I still have some for next year if I need them.  Whilst printing, I fiddled around with fonts and sizing to get the exact look I was after.  The beauty of preparing them on your own computer means that you can print them in any colour, size or style that your heart may desire! I know that some people use the fabric for printing photographs and using that fabric for personalised cushions.  The possibilities are endless!  I like the simplicity of an old-fashioned typewriter font (I mostly used American Typewriter or Courier) and made lots of different sized 'homebird' labels for future projects.  I couldn't resist it and attached one on the back of my needle case... 

I should point out here that I attended a Julie Arkell brooch-making class at the beginning of September and my makes to date have been very much inspired by her.  This needle case is made from a selection of new and vintage fabrics and is supposed to be a bit scruffy and scrappy-looking.  Honest!  The vintage fabrics have the odd perforation where they were previously sewn and you can just see from this picture that the fabric with the basket of roses has a small scuff at the very top.  I like it this way and tried to sew the labels roughly so that it has a 'loved' appearance rather than seeming brand spanking new.  

I gave them as gifts with a selection of cute pins that I sourced on Facebook and Etsy.  They aren't especially practical but are very pretty and there's a little room in all of our lives for beautiful but useless things I reckon. 

Pretty pins from Teeny Tiny Vintage; find her on Facebook

My beloved Jessie Chorley pin cushion bought at the Selvedge Winter Fair, home for pretty beaded pins from Etsy.

I love the printed fabric that Jessie Chorley uses for her creations and I am going to try printing some vintage labels onto fabric to achieve a similar look.  Hope Jessie doesn't mind.  (I'm going to one of her classes at Hope & Elvis in June so I will run it past her then.  Ha!)

For Christmas, I asked Santa for an oilskin sewing roll from Merchant & Mills that I had been coveting for, like, ever.

I must have been good because there it was, lovingly wrapped, under the tree on Christmas Day.  I think it is my favourite gift.  I love it (*said with clenched teeth and fists*).  It is so beautifully utilitarian (almost an oxymoron).  So tactile and so old-fashioned.  

It came filled with a tape measure, wide bow scissors, a selection of needles and a box of pins.  I have bought lots from Merchant & Mills here and there.  I love their styling and, although a bit spenny, their products are really well made.  You definitely get what you pay for. 

This sewing roll has ignited a burning desire for an apron in the same oilskin with big tradesman-style pockets.  And maybe I ought to wear some small half-moon wire-rimmed glasses.  Like Gepetto, but a seamstress, not a carpenter.  Yes, that's exactly the look I'm after.  I've always loved Gepetto.

Nicki 

x