tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71714727065050576972024-03-14T07:12:00.091+00:00lucy locket recycled her pocketLocket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.comBlogger427125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-31493000245083025852014-09-18T20:12:00.002+01:002014-09-18T20:12:51.548+01:00Looky looky!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We have a delightful new arrival in the Locket household!</div>
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Pip the Puppy!</div>
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8 and a half weeks old and utterly adorable.</div>
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We are all smitten :)</div>
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Happy days!</div>
Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-32209523848748323212014-05-21T21:46:00.000+01:002014-05-21T21:47:49.973+01:00Oh golly!I really, really didn't need a new obsession but one seems to have jumped up and got me anyway!<br />
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There I was, minding my own business at work the other week when a lady phoned with some things she wanted to put to auction. Nothing unusual there. Most of my phone calls are from ladies wanting to bring things in to sell. But this one was exciting! Well, it was exciting to me - I don't think the auctioneers' quite got it but I was buzzing!<br />
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You see, she had a spinning wheel to sell. And she had mentioned the very important fact that it was one she had spun on 30 years ago, so it wasn't just a decorative item. She asked me if I thought it would sell. Normally I advise people that they should really speak to the auctioneers but this time I was able to confidently tell her that I was sure it would sell because if no-one else bought it then I certainly would!<br />
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I've been interested in spinning since <a href="http://moogsmum.blogspot.co.uk/">Moogsmum</a> got started (and now I'm interested in weaving since <a href="http://moogsmum.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/warped.html">she took that hobby up too</a> - I'm a copycat, what can I say!)<br />
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When it came to the sale day I was beginning to doubt the wisdom of buying a machine I knew nothing about for a hobby I knew nothing about, but then temptation got the better of me and I snuck out of the office and bid for it, next thing I knew she was mine for the grand sum of £25 plus commission. I then spent about three hours regretting my purchase, thinking I'd bought a white elephant that I would never be able to use. But then I sent Moogs a photo from my phone and she instantly identified the make, model and age of my new wheel. I was now the proud owner of a 1980's Ashford Traditional for which I could still buy parts! From then on I got very excited!!<br />
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I went on to Ravelry when I got home and asked a local group when their next spinning meeting was (4 week's time), but then someone commented that there was a spinner's gathering about 25 miles away on Saturday with stalls selling fibre and an Ashford supplier who would have the parts I needed for my new wheel. <br />
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To say I was excited was an understatement. My colleagues all found it very amusing.<br />
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So on Saturday I went to the gathering of lovely people and the Ashford dealer set my wheel up for me so that by 11.30am I was making my first tentative attempts at spinning! Everyone was really helpful and I got a lot of invaluable advice on how to do it. I made plenty of mistakes and broke the yarn a good few times but gradually it started to feel do-able.<br />
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So then I went and bought lots more fluff!<br />
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I'd started with some undyed Corriedale which was very reasonably priced<br />
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then I bought some beautiful packs of dyed Blue Faced Leicester<br />
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followed by some undyed Masham<br />
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and another bargain plait of BFL<br />
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followed by some bright blue BFL that I spun before I could photograph it.<br />
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I've had a lot of help from the Ravelry forums and today I managed to ply my first skein and a half of yarn. It's undyed Corriedale twisted with blue Blue Faced Leicester.<br />
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Very lumpy and bumpy and variable but I absolutely love it!<br />
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Spinning is just the best thing! Why didn't I do it before?<br />
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And as with all of my obsessions, I really am obsessed! So all things woolly and sheepy are now very firmly on my radar. So when I saw this postcard of Mr Locket in the future I knew I had to buy it for him as something to aspire to! ;o)<br />
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Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-87653021838618905212014-03-23T20:49:00.001+00:002014-03-23T20:49:31.720+00:00Going potty! ;o)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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That title is silly but would have had double meaning if broken arms were still set in "pot casts" rather than the clever stretchy/hard bandagey jobs they use nowadays.</div>
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Poor Fred broke his right wrist at school the other week - but as you can see by the photo he is in very good spirits about it. In fact, he has been absolutely brilliant and hasn't complained once!</div>
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He even managed to paint with his broken arm when we went back to the pottery to glaze our creations last weekend. We then picked them up on Saturday.</div>
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His pots were rather inspired by monsters and Pokémon and he is delighted with the end result</div>
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Daisy's were more stylish and are already on display on her bedroom shelf complete with shells</div>
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and Dot was influenced by some bold Moroccan style pottery we had seen last summer.</div>
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I didn't use paint for mine but instead used 3 different two tone stoneware glazes where the stronger colour comes out where you paint thickly. <br />
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I'm a bit disappointed with two of my bowls but I love this one with the Topaz glaze - and fortunately it's the best shaped bowl too.<br />
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Today I have been making more birthday presents and Daisy liked this fabric combination so much that she now wants this for her birthday quilt instead of the brighter colours I had bought previously!</div>
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This is a late 50th present for my friend and comes complete with Jelly Babies as she always has them in the car when we go to running club - and they are VERY welcome!<br />
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As far as the swap is concerned, I think it is probably best if I leave it this time as there weren't enough people interested to make it viable. I expect everybody just has too many other commitments at the moment. I did try to contact those of you who had expressed an interest but unfortunately I don't have your email addresses - sorry.</div>
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My next challenge - after a few more birthday presents, is to turn these</div>
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into quilts.</div>
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More later!</div>
<br />Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-90337540131018324002014-03-18T13:27:00.000+00:002014-03-18T13:27:00.914+00:00Swappity Swap!<div style="text-align: center;">
Would anyone be interested in a "Sewing Stuff Swap"? </div>
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Catchy title, isn't it?</div>
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What I was thinking was something like a pincushion as the main thing then a couple of other small pieces to make it fun - a bit like I made for my friend's birthday but not necessarily the same stuff - just useful sewing-y thingummies - along with maybe a few bits of fabric or sewing kit like thread or ribbons or buttons.</div>
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What do you think?</div>
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Would you play along?</div>
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Leave me a comment if you would be interested.</div>
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Lucy xx</div>
Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-4875677942273642182014-03-12T09:53:00.001+00:002014-03-12T09:53:57.917+00:00The last mini quiltsMy very late mini quilts have finally arrived at their destinations and I've had absolutely lovely messages from both<a href="http://honeybees-buzz.blogspot.co.uk/"> Stephanie</a> and<a href="http://scrapnstitch.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/in-nutshell.html"> Jo</a> who seem very happy with them.<br />
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I also included some fabrics from my stash and a little rainbow hexie pincushion.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KxXN9KjzGWE/UyArlwsjuhI/AAAAAAAAIiw/Zl1tQ8KIbgU/s1600/SAM_2316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KxXN9KjzGWE/UyArlwsjuhI/AAAAAAAAIiw/Zl1tQ8KIbgU/s1600/SAM_2316.JPG" height="320" width="309" /></a></div>
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This is the "Spring will come" quilt I made for Stephanie - inspired by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blueelephantstitches/6887237589/in/photostream/lightbox/">this glimpse of a cushion by Blue Elephant Stitches</a> and my own <a href="http://lucylocketrecycledherpocket.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-max=2014-01-23T22:06:00Z&max-results=7">seedling wall quilt</a> that I started last year (and still need to baste, quilt and bind).<br />
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And this is the "Spools" quilt I made using the instructions for <a href="http://thimbleblossoms.bigcartel.com/product/mini-spools-pdf-pattern-169">Thimbleblossoms mini quilt</a> - which is actually quite big so I made it slightly differently.<br />
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It's so good to have got them done and I really enjoyed making them and packing up the parcels to send. I'd like to do some more swaps in the future - has anyone got any suggestions?<br />
Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-9613268215699662062014-03-06T19:54:00.000+00:002014-03-06T19:54:03.797+00:00Patchwork PresentsPatchwork presents for one of my closest friends:<br />
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She is coming here with 3 other close friends to celebrate her birthday in about 20 minutes so I think it is safe to show you her presents (especially as I have tidied the house just about enough!)<br />
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I chose her favourite Tilda fabrics - and I did such a good job of choosing them that when the two of us went to the fabric shop a few days later she went and chose almost all of them herself for her own projects! I'm so clever!! ;o)<br />
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I really enjoyed making these presents for her<br />
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I used <a href="http://nanacompany.typepad.com/nanacompany/2011/10/needlebook-tutorial-by-nanacompany.html">this tutorial for the cute needle case</a><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HnG4wxOQge0/UxjQItZDjvI/AAAAAAAAIiQ/1aHQVFXHVo0/s1600/SAM_2514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HnG4wxOQge0/UxjQItZDjvI/AAAAAAAAIiQ/1aHQVFXHVo0/s1600/SAM_2514.JPG" height="178" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://lolosinclair.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/how-to-make-cute-quilted-zipper-case.html">this tutorial for the boxy pouch</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.incolororder.com/2011/10/lined-drawstring-bag-tutorial.html">this tutorial for the drawstring bag</a> (which is filled with chocolate mini eggs)<br />
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and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Patchwork-Please-Colorful-Projects-Stitch/dp/1596685999/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394135617&sr=1-1&keywords=patchwork+please">the pattern from Patchwork Please</a> for the pincushion.<br />
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If I hadn't had to go to work I would have carried on making her things as I was having so much fun! I would have made her<a href="http://retro-mama.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/home-for-holidays.html"> this mini house decoration</a> as well!Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-64924989643608758002014-03-03T18:00:00.001+00:002014-03-03T18:05:14.471+00:00keeping it simpleNow two fabrics I can cope with...<br />
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Or using one designer's fabrics - like Tilda (although I can't show you more as it's a secret project)<br />
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These are decisions that are easy to make - but is it cheating?<br />
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Maybe, but I'm still pleased with the results: <a href="http://www.incolororder.com/2011/10/lined-drawstring-bag-tutorial.html">a bag for my boss</a> (late Christmas present with a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/lucylocketpocket/susies-reading-mitts-archived">pair of mittens</a>), a matching one for myself, <a href="http://sotakhandmade.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/drawstring-bag-tutorial.html">a pouch for daisy's new camera</a>, and a selection of presents for a friend's birthday.<br />
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We've also been trying out new crafts.<br />
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This is what you end up with when four Lockets get to play with clay and a potter's wheel<a href="http://theyardstudio.co.uk/"> (here).</a><br />
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I wasn't very good at it!</div>
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And Daisy thought Fred would like to wear clay on his face. Actually, she thought we all should ;o)<br />
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We will be going back in a couple of weeks to glaze our pots. The children thought it was the best thing they'd done in ages and daisy and Fred have both asked if they can go again instead of having birthday parties. (This was Dot's belated 16th birthday treat). So it was a very successful day out.<br />
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And other good news is that I finally posted out my extremely late mini quilts to Jo in Tas and Stephanie. That made me happy - I hope they make them happy too.<br />
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<br />Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-30477148641935283922014-02-18T19:55:00.000+00:002014-02-18T19:56:28.533+00:00making decisionsAs much as I am loving being even more creatively inspired than usual, I find myself struggling to make the necessary creative decisions of my own.<br />
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Exactly which of my fabrics should I put together?<br />
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What colours of yarn should I use and in which order?<br />
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I have been seeing so many gorgeous combinations on blogs and on pinterest but this inspiration has almost crippled my own imagination through the fear of not getting it quite right.<br />
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I only seem to be able to cope with different fabrics of the same or similar colours.<br />
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I think this is why my rainbow hexies were so appealing, and why I was pleased with my diamond mini quilt. And when I made my first project from<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Patchwork-Please-Colorful-Projects-Stitch/dp/1596685999/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392752747&sr=8-1&keywords=patchwork+please"> Patchwork Please</a> I followed Ayumi's design and went for a single colour scheme - and it does make me happy, but it's not very brave, is it.<br />
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I almost find myself unable to imagine how MY fabrics will go together when they are not the exact same ones that I am seeing being used elsewhere. I know I can't go out and buy an entirely new stash (although it is tempting!!) just to match something I have seen online so I need to find some way of making the best use of what I have. But what if I get it wrong and end up making a mess?<br />
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I had to abandon a pair of <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fair-isle-armwarmers">fairisle wrist warmers</a> for my boss because I kept repeatedly getting the colour choices wrong and having to rip it out endlessly - until I was thoroughly sick of the sight of them when I have previously loved the pattern. In the end I had to compromise and knit her a nice safe pair of <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/susies-reading-mitts-archived">Susie's Reading Mitts</a> in one solitary, safe colour.<br />
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I find myself craving some simple sock knitting for it's basic decision-free round-and-roundness - when this would have seemed too boring a week ago.<br />
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Does anyone else have this problem? Where brilliant inspiration leads to a complete loss of creative confidence? If so, how have you overcome it?<br />
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Answers on the back of a postcard please!Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-14647253314329532982014-02-13T22:19:00.000+00:002014-02-13T22:19:17.764+00:00PlayingThis week has been when I only have to work two days (every other week I work 3), so I have had lots of fun playing with sewing on my days off.<br />
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I can't remember what I achieved on Monday, but yesterday I spent the day making these fabulously quick pouches for the little Lockets using <a href="http://lolosinclair.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/how-to-make-cute-quilted-zipper-case.html">this tutorial</a>. I love the dense quilting on them. Bizarrely my special walking foot makes straight line quilting bunch up instantly whereas my standard foot lets me quilt beautifully - does anyone else have this problem?</div>
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I am giving them to the children tomorrow for Valentine's Day and have filled them with Jelly Babies and chocolate so I know they will be pleased! I bought Mr Locket <a href="http://purplepoddedpeas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/a-song-in-my-heart-and-skip-in-my-step.html">a pair of beautiful cards</a> from Celia and I can't decide which one to give him - maybe he will get both :)</div>
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I also made this pouch for my mummy so I hope she doesn't read this post before I get it sent to her.<br />
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I like the bottom the best - even if it does look strangely misshapen.</div>
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Today I wanted to play with half square triangles so I made a batch of 2.5" and laid them out in a couple of different ways.<br />
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I decided I liked the diamond best so I pieced this panel <br />
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and then quilted the life out of it - and I have to say I absolutely love it.<br />
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I love how the colours and fabrics work together and I love the quilting.<br />
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I had been going to make it into another pouch but it was such a shame to fold the diamond in half and lose the effect of it so now I have another mini quilt to bind.<br />
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Daisy has said she would like a quilt for her birthday in May and I'm thinking this combination of blues and diamonds would be perfect for her - but she is keen to play with other layouts too which will be fun, especially as she isn't normally all that interested in my sewing shenanigans :)<br />
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I really don't have time to go to work tomorrow! I just have too much sewing to play with!<br />
<br />Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-83374467975266093672014-02-03T20:18:00.002+00:002014-02-03T20:18:44.313+00:00Inspiration overloadIt's official. My brain is going to pop!<br />
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There are so many amazing sewy creations out there in blogland - I find myself staying up until the early hours reading post after post and getting so many ideas that I can't get to sleep! Maybe taking my Kindle to bed with me is a bad idea.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sEGRdmJFOME/Uu_zWo9qQzI/AAAAAAAAIeQ/EQo7aTywECo/s1600/SAM_2288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sEGRdmJFOME/Uu_zWo9qQzI/AAAAAAAAIeQ/EQo7aTywECo/s1600/SAM_2288.JPG" height="260" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nzeFh5WsjFw/Uu_zHRZvtCI/AAAAAAAAIeI/z9-VR-fQjfo/s1600/SAM_2285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nzeFh5WsjFw/Uu_zHRZvtCI/AAAAAAAAIeI/z9-VR-fQjfo/s1600/SAM_2285.JPG" height="320" width="209" /></a>It got to the point when I didn't think I could actually make anything because I just had too many projects whizzing round my mind, but I have managed to focus and although my <a href="http://lucylocketrecycledherpocket.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/my-rainbow-hexie-obsession.html">hexie obsession</a> is on the wane this week (because I think I overdid it a bit!) my passion for mini quilts and rainbow colours is still going strong and the children (mostly Dot) and I also made Aunty Mo a hexagon bag and card for her 80th birthday.<br />
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These are some more of the blogs I have been reading: the appropriately named <a href="http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.co.uk/">My Quilt Infatuation</a> (in the school holidays she makes a quilt a week and doesn't start a new project until that one is completely finished, bound and labelled - no startitis here), <a href="http://camilleroskelley.typepad.com/simplify/">Simplify</a> (and I have bought her most recent book and some pdf patterns too - they are lovely) and <a href="http://mamalovequilts.blogspot.co.uk/">Mama Love Quilts</a> (her colour wheel mini quilt is gorgeous).<br />
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I've been reading through lots of old posts on these blogs and a common theme seems to be fabric storage which has left me unsettled about the fabrics I have and the way they are sorted.<br />
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I have a lot of fabric. At the moment it is sorted in (quite large) plastic boxes by colour and then there is a box for novelty fabric (and various other boxes too if I'm honest).<br />
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A lot of the fabrics were bought years ago when I made appliqued fleece blankets, so I have the perfect colour and pattern for a lion's mane or a sheep's fleece for example, but my tastes have moved on. Then I had a phase of making wallets with novelty fabrics - but again, I have moved on. <br />
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All these no longer loved fabrics were getting me down and making me feel guilty so on Saturday I had a massive colour by colour sort out and pulled out all the pieces that I could no longer see myself using. It was very therapeutic - but the box of cast offs was pretty large. So I offered them to my sewing friends who chose the pieces they would like, then I plan to show two other friends as I think they would like some too - but what should I do with the rest of it? My ultimate plan is to donate some to the children's school textiles department but do you have any suggestions first?<br />
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And how do you store your fabric? My sewing room is out in the garage but having read all those inspirational blog posts about fancy storage, I would love to have the fabric stacked by colour on my shelves in the house (that's not going to happen though!) but maybe instead of having them stuffed in boxes I should iron and fold them and have the boxes facing outwards on the shelves so I can see the fabrics and be inspired.<br />
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Here's a final photo of a project I stitched before Christmas </div>
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Miss Maggie Rabbit from the design by <a href="http://www.aliciapaulson.com/collections/sewing-patterns/products/miss-maggie-rabbit-softie-sewing-pattern">Posie gets Cozy</a> - she was fun to make :o)</div>
Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-17214068812443000572014-01-27T17:37:00.004+00:002014-01-27T18:06:31.860+00:00My rainbow hexie obsession<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Oh the pictures in this post make me so happy!</div>
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From the little piles on the side of the sofa</div>
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to the work in progress as I sit by the fire in the kitchen stitching while Mr Locket works on the computer</div>
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to the rainbow gloriousness of all the colours together</div>
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and the growing collection of flowers </div>
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This is such a happy project! Inspired by all the new blogs I have been reading from <a href="http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.co.uk/">Crazy Mom Quilts</a> to <a href="http://quilt-it.blogspot.co.uk/">Quilt-it</a> and <a href="http://www.stitchedincolor.com/">Stitched in Color</a> and <a href="http://blueelephantstitches.blogspot.co.uk/">Blue Elephant Stitches</a> and specifically by this<a href="http://quiltbarn.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/happy-new-year-and-new-hexies_6.html"> quilt here</a> and also <a href="http://aquiltisnice.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/rainbow-geese-quilt.html">this one</a> (although that's now another rainbow quilt I need to make!!)</div>
Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-26211228657119671042014-01-23T22:06:00.001+00:002014-01-23T22:40:07.697+00:00a humble confession............all those years ago when I organised my great big mini quilt swap where everyone had a swap partner and I then set about to do individual swaps with a whole load of wonderful crafty peeps it all got a bit overwhelming.<br />
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And I have to confess that there were about three mini quilts that I didn't end up making :(<br />
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I had complex spread sheets about which person was getting which quilt etc but when it all fell apart I kind of (totally) hid my head in the sand and gave up. Since then I have had several computer crashes and wipes and no longer have those spread sheets to tell me who I owe mini quilts to - just massive guilt about defaulting on a promise.<br />
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So..........if you are still reading and you know I owe you a swap gift could you please let me know so I can make amends.<br />
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I would love to tentatively dip my foot in the water of swaps/quilting bees but really want to clear my debts first.<br />
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P.s I hope you are not too disappointed in me. XLocket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-35958024916947039342014-01-20T23:11:00.000+00:002014-01-20T23:28:05.579+00:00Mum and Dad's Golden Wedding Quilt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Three and a half years ago I pieced my most complicated quilt top for my mum and dad's Golden Wedding anniversary...........and now I have finally had it professionally quilted, finally stitched the binding on and finally given it to them.<br />
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Fortunately they are very patient and now they - finally - have it, they absolutely love it!<br />
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P.s there's a Fred-sized body hiding in the first photo!Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-52574273146227732342014-01-16T21:34:00.002+00:002014-01-16T21:34:22.617+00:00Scrap Happy!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I bought this fabulous book last Thursday and ever since have been dreaming patchwork and scrappy fabric creations!<br />
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My sewing mojo had well and truly disappeared months and months, maybe even a year ago. I'll have to look back on the blog to see because I really can't think of the last thing I sewed on my machine. It didn't help that the sewing room was a tip and I couldn't find my sewing machine cable anywhere - it turned out it was in a drawer in the kitchen!<br />
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Anyway, a trip to a <a href="http://www.highstreetquilting.co.uk/">new local quilting shop</a> last week found me buying <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sunday-Morning-Quilts-Amanda-Nyberg/dp/1607054272/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389907929&sr=8-1&keywords=sunday+morning+quilts">Sunday Morning Quilts</a> - and oh what a gorgeous book it is! I have read it cover to cover and just love the projects in it. I have also been obsessively reading <a href="http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.co.uk/">Crazy Mom Quilts' blog</a> archives on my kindle late into the night!<br />
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Dot and I spent last Saturday afternoon sorting the sewing room (again! it tends to be where all the furniture and "stuff" goes when we try to tidy the house)<br />
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And now my head is totally bursting with colour combinations and ideas that I want to try and projects that need revisiting.<br />
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This morning Mr Locket suggested I made a list as there was just too much going on in my head and I couldn't think where to start.<br />
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So here it is:<br />
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<li>make a yellow and white log cabin quilt - I've been planning a yellow and white "some kind of quilt" for a while and have collected all the fabrics</li>
<li>sew some scrappy hexagons</li>
<li>finish my Spiderweb quilt - <a href="http://lucylocketrecycledherpocket.blogspot.co.uk/2009/09/perfect-antidote.html">started in 2009</a> then abandoned. I've actually been working on it this week and I love it all over again</li>
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<li>make a ticker tape mini quilt or canvas from the book</li>
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<li>make an up, up and away mini quilt - the pattern uses the tiny triangles you get when you trim the corners off binding strips! How fabulous is that? I don't actually have any of those triangles but the concept is brilliant :o)</li>
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<li>bind my most clever quilt that has just been professionally machine quilted (I'm picking it up on Saturday afternoon, binding it on Saturday night and giving it as a Golden Wedding Anniversary present on Sunday morning - 3 ½ years late!) More details and photos next week </li>
<li>quilt and bind my seedling wall quilt</li>
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<li>sew a cushion with yellow hexies on a grey background</li>
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<li>quilt and bind my pinwheel quilt</li>
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<li>finish my Lucie Summers pinwheel</li>
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Today I went back to the new quilt shop for a sit and sew session and asked lots of advice on the quilting for my pinwheel and seedling quilts and had my first play at free motion quilting - golly, it's hard when you are first starting out but I hope I will improve with practice. I have ordered the right foot for my machine and plan to keep trying. I would like to free motion the seedling quilt but I will probably hand quilt the pinwheel.<br />
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And I couldn't help but buy some more strips of fabric to add to my scrappy collections........<br />
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It would have been rude not to buy them, honestly!</div>
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But now I need to do a friend a favour and knit the borders for a blanket she has been making for her mum's 80th birthday next week. </div>
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So much crafting to do - what a nuisance that I have to go to work tomorrow! ;o)<br />
Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-33395163419024776002014-01-13T21:43:00.001+00:002014-01-13T21:46:14.903+00:00The next obsession is comingThank you all so much for the overwhelmingly lovely comments on my last post - I've been beaming from ear to ear!<br />
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I've found that since I have overcome the real OCD that was making me ill, I am actually much more aware of the milder "obsessional" trends in my attitude to my hobbies. When I get passionate about something it is really all I want to do and think about - whether it is running, or knitting, or sewing, or gardening (and very occasionally housework!)<br />
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I would love to be able to multi-task but it just doesn't seem to happen although I am managing to keep running while being obsessed with knitting although it is hard to drag myself outside in the cold when my instincts are to sit by the fire and knit! The two hobbies seem to be totally opposed!<br />
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Since the middle of last year I have been fascinated by fair isle knitting and have bought loads of books and patterns and have knitted a fair few projects too including three pairs of the same <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tortoise-and-hare-gauntlets">tortoise and hare mittens</a> as Christmas presents which started getting a bit boring I have to admit!<br />
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I've found that I prefer traditional fair isle to picture colourwork as I like the rhythm of the stitches 2,3,2,4,2, etc rather than having to keep looking at the pattern to see what to do next. So I don't mind that I am on the third pair of <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fair-isle-armwarmers">these mittens</a> - especially as they are dk so much quicker to knit!<br />
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Even Dot has been converted to the new fair isle frenzy and has knitted herself and Daisy a pair of mittens too - I never cease to be amazed at how quickly she can pick up a new knitting technique with very little advice from me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dot's mitts for Daisy</td></tr>
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My Christmas presents included the Jamieson and Smith Shetland wool to knit <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/scatness-tam">this hat</a> by Kate Davies and also her kit for the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/toatie-hottie">Toatie Hottie</a> mini hot water bottle (Mr Locket may have had some strong advice on present choosing here!)<br />
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But the family are always aware that my passions will change again and Dot teases me about what might come next.<br />
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After many months of doing no sewing at all a new book purchase last week seems to be having a big influence.................more details next time!Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-6015694192637808242014-01-02T13:33:00.000+00:002014-01-02T21:00:58.813+00:00A very happy New YearHappy New year everyone! I hope 2014 is a fabulous year for you.<br />
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I'm starting this new year in a very different place to previous years. So much has changed - and definitely for the better.<br />
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After over 18 years of living with debilitating OCD that totally dominated my life I am now completely free of it - which is something I had never dreamt possible - I thought I would be shackled to it for the rest of my life. I can now do anything I want and the sense of liberation is overwhelming. I am so buoyantly happy and can enjoy life with my lovely family without the tyranny of rules and rituals and constant anxiety.<br />
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It hasn't been a sudden change but has taken years of hard work as I have painstakingly unlearned all the OCD ways of being. To use a knitting analogy, I haven't been able to rip out rows and rows of flawed knitting in one fell swoop but instead have had to carefully unpick and reknit each faulty stitch one at a time.<br />
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Although I have mentioned my struggle with anxiety and depression on my blog I have never publicly admitted to having OCD - but now I am so proud to have beaten it that I am shouting it from the rooftops!<br />
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2013 was a good, good year with many fabulous family camping trips (unthinkable with OCD) and lots of running - including a half marathon!<br />
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And the running combined with Weight Watchers means I am starting 2014 five and a half stone lighter! It has taken over 3 years but I'm now at my goal weight (well, I was until Christmas!!) and I feel fantastic! Now my new year's resolutions don't have to start with 'lose weight' as they always have. Ideally I'd like to lose a little bit more - but I don't HAVE to which is brilliant.<br />
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So now I am fit in both body and mind, and thin for the first time in 20 years, the world is my oyster! 2014 here I come!!<br />
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<br />Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-91375912212821588542013-11-15T21:58:00.003+00:002013-11-15T21:58:39.949+00:00Good Week - Bad WeekLast week was really good.<br />
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Lots of lovely things happened.<br />
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It was our 19th wedding anniversary and the children spent 3 hours cooking us a gorgeous surprise meal with lots of delicious dishes that didn't blow my diet and were still super tasty. <br />
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They had gone to the shop and bought us flowers and had also made little flags for the nationality of each dish - it was so lovely.<br />
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Then we started getting some work done on the house.<br />
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Our super next door neighbour Malcolm laid new flooring in the hall and sitting room and a stone hearth in our fireplace that had previously been concrete with holes at the corners. Our previous stripped wooden floors were nice in theory but in reality they were draughty, dirty, broken and patched, holey and access for slugs to get in the house - nice. <br />
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Our new laminate floors are so much easier to keep clean and the house already feels warmer :o) and amazingly the children have taken an interest in cleaning them too!<br />
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Daisy now has a part time job cleaning (or "bleaning" as she used to call it when she was tiny) for us - although we have set the maximum she can earn to £12 a week or she would clean us out - literally!<br />
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And the other really lovely thing that happened last week was a surprise parcel of gorgeousness from Missus Moog to make me smile.<br />
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Beautiful, beautiful handspun Shetland wool (which I am currently knitting into a hitchhiker scarf).<br />
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A gorgeous flower brooch that I wear everyday.<br />
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And most excitingly, my very own draw-string bag for my fair isle knitting! <br />
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Isn't it fantastic? I love it so much - and it was all such a surprise.<br />
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This week has been less good.<br />
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I've had to work every day - normally I do a rotation of two days one week and three the next which is positively civilised - but this week it's been pretty much full time. Now I love my job, but I would much rather be at home knitting!<br />
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And then today poor Mr Locket got scammed by some computer hacker people so we are having to fix all of that. :o( Not a good day.<br />
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Hopefully from Saturday things will improve. It's Mr Locket's 50th birthday on Monday so this weekend we are going up to the Scottish Borders for a night at a B and B in Jedburgh. The B and B is on a farm and looks lovely. We have managed to book a room that has an adjacent room for the children and I think we are going to be the only guests - and the owner is going to bake Mr L a birthday cake for when we arrive!<br />
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Then on Monday Mr Locket has a rare day off for his birthday and we will then be able to reveal his secret birthday surprise that we have been working on for the last few weeks - I'm looking forward to being able to spoil him as he's one of those men who never buys anything for himself.<br />
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So I will be back next week with happy news again. xxLocket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-66681255652296947932013-10-21T16:31:00.003+01:002013-10-21T16:35:28.719+01:00Autumnal colours and "ancient" inspiration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On Saturday we all went for a lovely family walk with our friends Sally, Peter and Billy to Thornley Woods near Newcastle. It's a lovely place to walk and we have often had fun expeditions with our friends. I'm sure if I was patient I could trawl through old posts to find you previous trips - but I'm not patient enough :o)<br />
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The river photo is actually of a fisherman who caught at least 10 fish while we were watching but let every single one go again.<br />
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The colours weren't as deeply autumnal as I was expecting but it was still beautiful and I got some nice photos - including lots of the children but I don't think they'd let me post them anymore :o( If they agree I'll update later.<br />
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My fair isle obsession is still in full swing - I'm just so delighted that I now have the confidence to attempt to do this type of knitting. I don't get perfect results but I have all the fun of the patterns to play with.<br />
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The plain grey hat that I had knitted for Mr Locket wasn't deep enough (because I'd mis-measured, although initially I thought it was the pattern's fault - I should have known better!) so I decided to try again so that it would have a deeper fold over for the brim - only this time I was going to include colour work.<br />
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The first attempt: I didn't like the colour combination - so I ripped it back<br />
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The second attempt: Again the colour combination was wrong........<br />
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The third attempt: I put the colourwork band in too early so the brim would cover it up completely<br />
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Finally I knitted a hat that was roughly the right size, had a colour combination I was happy with and had a deep enough brim. There are still problems - like the colourwork is now too far up the crown and the brim could have been a bit deeper but on the whole I'm pleased with it and feel confident that I can develop further hats for the children - especially after all that ripping out. Happily Mr Locket really likes it and was very kind and modelled it for me - now he just has to wait until his birthday next month to be given it - unless he has any cold days on site planned in the meantime when I'm sure I'll relent.<br />
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The whole time I've been knitting Mr L's brown, grey and cream mittens and this hat to match I have had a hat in my memory from when I was a child. I remember loving the pattern on the hat despite it's not very childlike colours but I always found it a bit scratchy to wear. I was fairly sure Mum and Dad still had it in a drawer some where so when we went to see them yesterday I had a quick hunt and there it was...</div>
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..... a real McCoy Shetland hat from Tullock of Shetland that I'm sure I have had since I was about 6!<br />
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The ages spent with Dot in the wool shop a couple of weeks ago trying to decide on the colours for Mr Locket's mitts would have been much easier if I had remembered this hat earlier instead of part way through the knitting!<br />
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Did I mention I love fair isle?<br />
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Thank you for all the comments on my last post - sorry I haven't replied yet. I'm not sure if I told you before, but the archaeological firm that Mr Locket worked for closed down in July so he set up his own consultancy firm with two colleagues. He is now based at home and working hard - which means I very rarely get on the main computer where I can reply to emails! Not that I'm complaining in any way - I think he is a complete star and as soon as I can I will reply to your messages :o)<br />
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P.S. Squeee! I've just ordered some more Shetland wool from <a href="http://www.shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk/epages/BT2741.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT2741/Products/%22Yarn%20-%20Jumper%20Weight%22/SubProducts/%22Item%3A%20Y2PJ%20-%20001B%22">Jamieson and Smith in Lerwick</a>!Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-82331631771454288232013-10-14T22:18:00.001+01:002013-10-15T20:09:38.233+01:00Too many projects <div style="text-align: center;">
This obsession has gone too far! </div>
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I have so many active projects on the needles that I don't know where to turn</div>
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I'm knitting socks for Mr Locket's 50th birthday next month</div>
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Mittens for Mr Locket's 50th birthday next month</div>
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A hat for Mr Locket's 50th birthday next month</div>
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- well that's one thing finished at least</div>
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Secret mittens for a Christmas present</div>
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and a lacy Baktus that I forgot to photograph</div>
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Not to mention all the other dormant, very dormant and very, very dormant projects on the needles.</div>
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So the obvious thing to do today was to knit a little bit of three of the projects, sew in the ends on others and then cast on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mini-christmas-stocking-ornaments">something entirely new</a>!</div>
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Well I had to. It was entirely essential that I test out my new Jamieson and Smith Shetland wool to see if it really was better for fair isle knitting - it was - but it's not soft and schmooshy like my angora - it just looks ten times better.</div>
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This is my secret project before blocking</div>
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and this is it afterwards</div>
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Still bumpy and uneven but a bit better - and they are lovely and soft so I think I can live with it. I've decided to try knitting the second one with different needles.</div>
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The first was on some slippy metal knit-pros but for the second I'm trying some blackthorn dpns that <a href="http://littlecottonrabbits.typepad.co.uk/my_weblog/">Julie</a> kindly sent me last year</div>
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I spent half an hour sewing in ends and tried to take an arty photo of the cut offs - but photos aren't my strong point so it doesn't look arty at all but you know where I'm coming from</div>
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Then I photographed the insides of my mittens - because they look nice too </div>
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but I don't understand the current fashion for fair isle cardigans and jumpers where the wrong side is worn on the outside and the lovely fair isle pattern is hidden inside! Bonkers if you ask me!<br />
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Tuesday: ETA just cast on another 2 projects!<br />
The inside out cardigan was in Peacocks <a href="http://www.peacocks.co.uk/womens/shop-department/knitwear/lds-cardi-fairisle-fluffy-crew-dark-blue.html">here </a></div>
Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-64156302454338220172013-10-11T18:15:00.002+01:002013-10-11T18:15:23.227+01:00ObsessionYou know you are obsessed...........<br />
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<ul>
<li>when you are still sitting in bed knitting 20 minutes before you are due at work</li>
<li>when you persuade your lovely husband to give you a lift to work - half a mile away - partly because you are late (because of the knitting in bed) but mostly so you can knit on the way there - for all of 3 minutes (because you know that it will all add up if you count the journey home at lunchtime and again at the end of the day)</li>
<li>when you plan to go to your favourite wool shop to buy duplicate needles as you HAVE to cast on yet another project NOW - and you fully intend to knit at least 4 things at once (not counting the dozens currently hibernating in various places around the house)</li>
<li>when you refuse to do the weekly supermarket shop even though there is no food left in the house because that would be an hour and a half of knitting time wasted </li>
<li>when you find yourself knitting while standing in the queue for food at IKEA and really don't care if anyone thinks you are odd</li>
<li>when you make an improvised mitten blocker out of cardboard and cling film (inspired by <a href="http://moogsmum.blogspot.co.uk/">this friend</a>) because you are desperate to see if your stitches will improve</li>
<li>when your new sock wool arrives in the post at work and you ask your
boss if you can just leave it on your desk so you can look at it while
you type </li>
</ul>
I'm really enjoying knitting at the moment - can you tell? Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-68960014569761850652013-10-07T18:38:00.001+01:002013-10-07T19:48:07.720+01:00Some things I discovered today<br />
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<ul>
<li>That being stung on the leg by a wasp while still in bed is not a good way to start the day - no photo</li>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F9Wxt1NhCtk/UlMBy4dGieI/AAAAAAAAISw/NS0WCKf47Kw/s1600/SAM_1727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F9Wxt1NhCtk/UlMBy4dGieI/AAAAAAAAISw/NS0WCKf47Kw/s320/SAM_1727.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>That Dot's plum crumble may not be on my diet - but it's very delicious and I'm going to end up eating it anyway</li>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-td3dxfn9FoM/UlLt287VjzI/AAAAAAAAIR4/4wNb-kv0NW0/s1600/SAM_1723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-td3dxfn9FoM/UlLt287VjzI/AAAAAAAAIR4/4wNb-kv0NW0/s320/SAM_1723.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>That photos of white ghost biscuits on white plates don't really stand out - but they taste really good</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i7Pz40zN1_w/UlLuERUOQUI/AAAAAAAAISA/7SEO0g9VUK4/s1600/SAM_1731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i7Pz40zN1_w/UlLuERUOQUI/AAAAAAAAISA/7SEO0g9VUK4/s320/SAM_1731.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>That when your eldest daughter starts to study the International Baccalaureate at sixth form college your parcels from Amazon become heavier and slightly less interesting - but you are rather proud of her for being such a clever clogs</li>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_xrva2aqnWo/UlLuZJn4IjI/AAAAAAAAISI/tL4UUFCEOKM/s1600/SAM_1733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_xrva2aqnWo/UlLuZJn4IjI/AAAAAAAAISI/tL4UUFCEOKM/s320/SAM_1733.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>That the plan to write a post about the official races I have run this year just didn't come together - but the medals look good</li>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QguqbmLXsRk/UlLuk-MEpEI/AAAAAAAAISQ/9lzwdgxjdPo/s1600/SAM_1734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QguqbmLXsRk/UlLuk-MEpEI/AAAAAAAAISQ/9lzwdgxjdPo/s320/SAM_1734.JPG" width="224" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>That you can't photograph 4 un-ironed participant t-shirts for the above races and make them look good - but I still ran a half marathon!! </li>
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<ul>
<li>That I'm not allergic to my new alpaca yarn (phew) - but that my secret knitting with it doesn't look very good - uneven stitches galore - do you think it will block out?</li>
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<ul>
<li>That if you improve your tension on your second fair isle wrist warmer and stop pulling the strands so tight it is going to end up quite a bit larger than the first one - but hopefully only you will notice</li>
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<li>That it isn't very easy to take a good photo of said wrist warmers - but look, my rings fit again now that I've lost over 5 stone so I don't care ;o)</li>
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Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-25847521160275170532013-09-30T19:25:00.001+01:002013-09-30T19:25:49.984+01:00Today (and a bit of yesterday too)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Daisy rejected the flowers I had picked for Dot to welcome her home from her Duke of Edinburgh practice expedition yesterday.<br />
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She then scoured the garden for alternatives. Largely unsuccesfully. This Japanese Anemone was the only flower she could find. So you can imagine her disgust when a petal fell off when she was arranging them.<br />
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Her solution? </div>
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To glue it back on of course!</div>
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And she did. And it worked!</div>
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I wonder if it will still be hanging on there when all the others have dropped?</div>
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This is just the kind of mad Locket moment that I want the blog to record - because I know I'll forget otherwise and that would be a shame.</div>
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Today I made my first ever attempt at chutney. I absolutely LOVE chutney and over the summer Mr Locket, Dot and I made a point of buying new chutney and local cheeses on our (many) camping trips (more on them in another post) - so we ended up with about 7 jars in the fridge! I don't care that it's not really part of my Weight Watcher's diet - it's just too good to resist. So I don't know why it has taken me so long to make my own.</div>
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It's Old Dowerhouse Chutney from Delia's big black cookery book and it used up all the plums I carried back on the train last week after a lovely day with mum and dad and my BIG sister. (I had so much garden produce in my bag that I felt like the Town Mouse returning from the country)</div>
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The apples came from the tree in my garden - and were picked by Dot, who unfortunately got her crochet jumper rather tangled up in the tree, so she took it off and threw it to one side where unfortunately it landed in a big yellow bucket of slimy weeds and rainwater!</div>
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The only problem with the chutney is that I went off to watch a film and left it bubbling - and burnt it.</div>
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Hopefully the rather bitter caramelised taste will become something we learn to appreciate over time.</div>
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My knitting is going a little better.</div>
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I have finished another of <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/seasonal-dresses-pattern">Julie's Seasonal Dresses </a>so now I need to knit the fox to wear it, and I have got a bit further with my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/alfredo-gloves">Alfredo mittens</a> although I'm finding the thumb insert really tricky to work out. I've tried looking at the other examples knitted but no one else seems to have had a problem so maybe it's just me.</div>
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And finally, here is another gratuitous photo of all my new alpaca yarn - just because it looks so lovely!</div>
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Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-54453649068465765332013-09-28T20:08:00.001+01:002013-09-28T20:08:03.653+01:00Better late than never...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I seem to have given up on blogging which is a shame. And a real life(!) conversation today with the lovely Jo of <a href="http://frenchknots.typepad.co.uk/french_knots/">French Knots</a> reminded me why writing a blog is such a good idea - because it is the best record of daily life and makes for fascinating reading when you look back over the years and are reminded of all the little things you had forgotten. <br />
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I had thought it was pointless blogging now that people aren't really reading or commenting so much - but I had missed the point entirely. I should be blogging for myself and gratefully receiving the lovely comments, if they come, as a bonus.<br />
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So over the next few days or weeks I am going to try to catch up a bit with what we have been doing in Locketland - and I'm going to be trying to read and comment on more of my friends' blogs too.<br />
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So this is going to be out of order but I'm starting with today...................when I travelled down to <a href="http://yarndale.co.uk/">Yarndale </a>with friends from my knitting group.<br />
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It was busy and crowded but lovely too with loads of great stalls (when you could get near them!) and I got to meet <a href="http://frenchknots.typepad.co.uk/french_knots/">Jo </a>too which was lovely.<br />
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Since knitting <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bunny-girl-in-a-dotty-dress">Julie's Little Cotton Rabbits</a> and <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/girl-fox-in-a-flowery-frock">foxes</a> and <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/seasonal-dresses-pattern">the seasonal dresses</a> (see above) I have discovered colourwork which is something that had previously terrified me. Now, I'm still not very good at it but it is my exciting new "skill" - almost as if I had learned to knit for the very first time. So naturally I am obsessed, and naturally I spent rather a lot of money buying all these shades of Drops Alpaca 4ply so I can "fair isle" to my heart's content!<br />
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I have so many plans - all for little to middling projects and now I just need to hone my skills as my tension isn't great. <br />
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This is the first of a pair of wristwarmers - it's a bit lumpy and dense but I'm pleased with it as a first attempt at multiple colours - and it's really warm.<br />
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Today I cast on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/alfredo-gloves">these mittens</a> (on the bus home from Skipton so it was slow progress) in the blue/grey and brown yarns at the top right of the photo above. I'm onto my second glass of wine now so I'm not sure how fast the progress will be this evening but I'm looking forward to sitting in front of the fire with my knitting for the rest of the evening :)Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-81705036206747713992013-06-28T14:35:00.003+01:002013-06-28T14:35:27.851+01:00Catching up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Once again it has been a long time since I last posted but lots has been
happening in Locketland. We have had two birthdays and two birthday
camping adventures in the wilds of my mum and dad's beautiful garden! We
are SUCH intrepid adventurers. This was glamping at its most luxurious
:o) We are currently planning a more adventurous expedition to camp in a real campsite soon....<br />
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Fred is modelling his new birthday slippers and is obviously very pleased with them - although 20 days later they are looking rather worse for wear. I don't know what that boy does to his slippers but they NEVER last! Or maybe it's his new dart board he is pleased about?!<br />
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There has been lots more running as I am trying to increase the distance I can run each week. Mr Locket and I have been having lovely Sunday runs along the coastal footpath and I managed to get up to 8 miles a couple of weeks ago. <br />
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The last few weekends have had camping trips or official runs like the Bupa Great North 10k that I did on Sunday (in 1.07.47 which is nearly 3 minutes faster than the Sunderland 10k in April) I have also been going to three running clubs each week although this week I felt rather tired and stayed at home instead! Maybe I've done a bit too much running...............<br />
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......which leads into my more recent activity - KNITTING! Yes! I have finally picked up my knitting again! All that running had really got in the way of being creative. I have found, as I've got to know myself better and better, that I really am a very "passionate" person - by which I mean that I get great enthusiastic passions for certain things and pursue these new hobbies obsessively and everything else gets left behind. So when I'm in a knitting passion all I want to do or read about is knitting, likewise with gardening (although that hasn't happened this year), and I've found it particularly the case with running. Instead of carrying my sock knitting and craft magazines around with me my bag is usually full of running books and magazines and my training journal for The Great North Run.<br />
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What I need to learn to do is be more balanced about my hobbies (and the housework, if I'm honest) but I can't see my personality changing any time soon!<br />
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I joined a sock KAL a month or so ago and knitted one sock using <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/socks-on-fire">this pattern</a> but then got bored with it and gave up on the second sock during my knitting drought. But I have picked it up again and I am now knitting the second one in <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vanilla-latte-socks">this pattern</a>. Completely different but the yarn is the same and I don't expect anyone will be inspecting my feet that closely! <br />
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I bought Julie's <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/little-cotton-rabbits">Little Cotton Rabbit patterns</a> as soon as they became available (even though it was during the knitting drought) and then I started reading the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/little-cotton-rabbits">Ravelry group</a> posts about them and when her new <a href="http://littlecottonrabbits.typepad.co.uk/my_weblog/2013/06/little-cotton-rabbit-dresses.html">Seasonal Dresses</a> became available Dot and I hurried to cast on. I have pleased myself no end by printing Julie's patterns and feeding them into poly-pocket document holders so I have two new "books"! I can't get over how beautifully written and presented the patterns are.<br />
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Yesterday we snuck up to Newcastle on our own (Dot has finished her GCSE's and is on an 11 week "Summer of Freedom" holiday now!) and went to <a href="http://www.theknitstudio.co.uk/">The Knit Studio</a> in Blackfriars.<br />
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We received a warm welcome and a lovely cup of tea and spent a happy hour or so choosing yarn for our bunnies and their clothes and knitting with the other shop visitors for a while.<br />
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Anne Makepeace, the owner, was so helpful, searching Ravelry for worsted weight patterns when I was choosing wool for socks for Grandpa Biscuit and advising me on my tentative first steps with fair isle knitting.<br />
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And today poor Fred is off school poorly, Daisy has gone to Flamingoland with school and Dot is volunteering at the Infant School so now this post has been written and the house has been tidied (a little bit), I'm going to sit and knit for the rest of the afternoon with my poorly boy. <br />
<br />Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171472706505057697.post-74964386203172469092013-05-18T18:21:00.001+01:002013-05-19T11:44:32.113+01:00More socks and more running. ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just a quick post to say hello and thank you for all the lovely comments on my last post. I really hadn't expected anyone to read it and I'm sorry I haven't had the chance to thank you all individually.<br />
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I've been knitting more socks and doing lots more running and I still can't quite believe it, but I've signed up for The Great North Run in September!<br />
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Me doing a half marathon!<br />
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That's just ridiculous.<br />
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But I'm hoping it will become "possible" and that I'll raise lots of money for The Red Cross by doing it. <br />
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So, I know I promised a more crafty post this time but running seems to be taking over and I'm just managing a bit of knitting here and there. <br />
Xxx<br />
Locket Pockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689704503844595835noreply@blogger.com4