Sashiko Sampler.

This was such a lovely piece to make.



Small and simple, the perfect summer thing.

Wool and buttons.

I think that it is too hot to knit here at the moment but I am now on the sleeves of featherweight so a little is getting done.

I have got some lovely wool for the sleepysnake pattern. It is Lett Lopi from Iceland and the colours are amazing. I couldn't wear it next to my skin as it is proper wool but its perfect for the toy.



Look what my Dad gave me ages ago and I have just rediscovered it at the back of the bookshelf ....



Inside there is the history and descriptions of the most wonderful buttons, like these ...



These 18th century copper English ones ...



These 19th and 20th century Japanese ones ...



There are button collections to view at:
Waddesdon Manor, UK,
the Victoria and Albert Museum, UK, the Musee de la mode et du Costume in Paris,
the Cooper-Hewitt National Museum of Design, New York,
and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

I am sure there must be more somewhere ... but not here as mine are mostly plastic!

I am ...

... so pleased that so many (I make it 14 people but there is room for more if anyone else wants to join in) want to take part in the notebook swap! Thank you. x

*** What I need now is your postal address so that I can send you the blank notebook. Please email it to me.
I promise that I will not give proper names or addresses to anyone ever.

*** I also need to know if everyone wants to know their swap partner before they begin making the notebook, so that it can be personalised.
If so I will draw names. I will put the blog name of the person you will need to make the notebook for in with the notebook when I send it.

*** When you have finished the notebook and want to send it should I give the address out (only with your consent) or would you prefer to contact your swap partner yourself?

*** If anyone has any difficulties or life crisis that prevent them continuing in the swap please contact me and I can then make arrangement so that your partner doesn't miss out. Sometimes things happen so don't worry if you need to pull out.

*** The deadline for the notebooks to be recieved is September 30th 2009. Please let your partner know that you have recieved it and if you want to blog it!

*** There is no need to send anything with the embellished notebook, unless you really want to, as this is designed to be a simple swap.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So many things to think about!

Anyway, I have been exclusively knitting Featherweight as its such an easy knit and so soft. I am half way down the body. I was trying to finish it for the weekend but as usual that is one of my unrealistic goals!



I am so lucky to have bought one of these tea cosies from poshyarns new shop. Its beautiful and I have dragged out the teapot and made tea just to use it. And no, I haven't removed the tag as that is too nice too!



It inspired me to sew too and I have made some more sewing rolls. I love green spots!



Totally unrelated to the sewing, my knitting pattern got accepted for the book!!!!!!! Off to lie down now ...

Notebooks.

Apart from my crafting and yarn "problem" I also have a notebook problem.

I LOVE notebooks of all sorts and often buy them with all good intentions to use them for something specific.

But when it comes to it I just can't use them! I don't want to spoil them and they end up on my shelf being plain.

I have 11 of these ...




...and I have an idea!

Would anyone like to participate in a swap with me?

I thought that we could each embellish a little notebook with favourite knitting tips, a recipe, art work, poems, pressed flowers, quotes ...(anything really that you like)... throughout the book, on occasional pages so that there is room for it to be used by the recipient as a note book when they recieve it as well.

I could pick names out of the hat as to who sends their notebook to who. We would then have a little thing to use and treasure from someone else that doesn't cost anything to make apart from a little time and thought. (I have 11 14cm x 10cm plain ones to send out but can get more)



I thought that it would be nice to connect with each other in a different way!

The deadline for finished and posted notebooks could be the end of September so plenty of time.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think and if you want to participate. Or email me to queenofthefroggers (at) googlemail (dot)com

Not so little anymore ...

Today my not so little boy went off on a school trip and won't be back until Friday. I was more nervous than him.
I shall worry until he is back even though the school will be fantastic at taking care of them.
They grow too fast, even his feet are nearly the same size as mine.




So I cast on for another knit ... a special treat to myself ... ignoring all the other things that are half finished and on the needles. Featherweight.

In love!

I must be the luckiest ever knitter! I won a competition for a draw with Pure Purl ... look what I got ...



5 skeins of Malabrigo laceweight (destined for Featherweight and Whisper, I destashed the other yarn as it was too fine), some stitch markers, a Mochimochi sleepy snake pattern, the best little bag in the best colour, and this gorgeous brooch ...



I also finished my Baktus scarf.
Its lovely and I could make a hundred of them.



It just took 1 skein of Manos del Uruguay silk blend in shade 6610 on size 4.5 mm needles. I divided the yarn into 2 balls and worked 2 rows from each ball, alternating between the balls, to avoid pooling.

Did I tell you I love it and my prize?!

Yum!

I poppped into town this morning on my trusty bicycle and found this lovely Banoffee mini pie in the farmers market.



I had it for breakfast!



If you wonder who Linda is who is commenting on your blogs or Flickr photos, it is me.
I have been wanting to be more me for a while. I used to be afraid of being too me online for ages and so called myself Lin which is totally not me. No one in real life calls me that!

You may see different aspects of me here too, not just the knitting. I have the most wonderful new camera ... early 40th birthday present ... which I have a lot to learn about.

Have a great weekend.

Linda x