Frisian Frillies

To get some sewing done! First, there was the idea to make an advent calendar, with 24 little felt mittens. I started a week before advent, giving myself plenty of time until Xmas eve for the last one. It started out according to plan, but, like all the best-laid plans, this went horribly wrong. It was just way, way, way too addictive!!! Honestly, as soon as I had a pair done, I was cutting a new pair, and just ate, drank and slept colour-coordinated mittens. Sad really. But FUN! So, numbers 1 and 2 were quickly followed by numbers 3 and 4. And before I knew it... I was a third done. Wait. Hang on. Three more nights before December 1st? I can do this!!! All done!!! And now it's December 7 and the first 7 are up. Enjoying this immensely!!! Actually, I enjoyed that small-scale stuff so much, I got out the scraps from Jamieson's of Shetland and the sewing machine... and then this happened... Step 1... Try and fit your shell pieces onto scra...

Do you remember that media silence, the months of very little activity here on the blog, because I was working 'on something big'? Well, the boycot has been lifted by the arrival of a little boy: Bram. I think you can see that I'm actually rather proud of this wee fella. My sis did very well! A superspeedy delivery of a supercute boy. As is quite normal here, we as relatives make up new-born boxes, with gifts for mother and baby for the first ten days. I wanted to include a few home knits, so the hunt for cool things to make was on. I wanted to make a toy, an outfit and a blanket. The first two were fairly straight-forward, but the last one required a bit more thoughtwork, and time. It all started with a post in our my Ravelry-threads early February, where someone mentioned she had started 'this blanket with Escheresque fish'. I was immediately intrigued, and without even looking at what it would entail, bought the pattern . Boy, was I in for some hard wor...

After a day like yesterday, I was again convinced of how untalented the talents on shows like Holland/Britain/insert country Got Talent are. Because these are the real talents of this world. This is hard earned, crafted, refined talent, not just talent that entertains the masses.  Talent which makes you think differently about how fabric can create form with folds and absence. That makes you wonder how it all fits together... Talent that renders you speechless because of its simplicity and elegance. Talent that uses pattern in ways that just blow your mind. And talent that wants you to get your machine out to make one of these. But where on earth can you buy zippers that long??? After only an hour in the company of the great creations by Azzedine Alaia (and of Iris Herpens, whose work is also remarkable!), I've learnt more about talent than from watching two weeks of mindless television*... Everyone who needs a bit of talent, go see ! *Although the gu...

Yeah, the second instalment in the series! I got a lot of knitting done this weekend. And a lot of housework. Because, however much I love knitting, whenever there's jobs to be done around the house, it always feels like I'm playing hookie if I just sit on the sofa all day. So I cleaned the fridge and defrosted the freezer. Did 5 loads of laundry. Cleared out and rearranged three drawers in the kitchen. Removed the last beetroots from the garden. And looked at the garden helplessly, as there was nothing to do (especially with a week of severe frost coming up). And then I got back to knitting. It started out quite innocently, my knitting efforts, with only a few rows done on Monday, then finishing off the ribbing. Which I had to knit twice, as apparently me and reading don't go together. I had read (I thought) 3 rows each of each colour, where it said 5. And if you find that out after you've finished? ... Not nice. So rip rip rip I went, and back to the start... And h...

The sewing machine has been whirring like mad in the Moss house over the last few weeks. Little Mister Man decided that he wanted a Ninja outfit, and when we arrived in the store, he immediately ran to the most flashy red and gold fabric they had. The girls at sewing class had a laugh last Monday when I showed the fabric to them, but I persisted, cut the pattern and then yesterday evening put the serger and sewing machines to work and three hours of work, two broken needles and a few 'comments' at silly stitch dropping later: voila, our own little Ninja - Hugh Hefner - Iron Man in pj's. He was deliriously happy with it when he saw it this morning! Unfortunately, he was NOT allowed to wear it to school (he will on Friday, I'll better warn the teacher in advance... ), but he has been running around in it all afternoon. Strike a pose, Mister Ninjaaaaaa! Little Mermaid has also finally got her coat: Happiness all-round :) Also a quick peak inside, as the lining is almost a...

Christmas started early this year... On Ravelry, I was part of a 'Glitter & glamour' exchange, which meant a whole group of grown-up women decided to send each other fun, useful or just plain beautiful gifts, simply because we want to ;) This was what hit my doormat one afternoon (well, actually, the postman had to ring the doorbell...) And inside? A whole pile of packages, and chocolate coins. My own little helper was on hand to help... See that look on his face? That's him begging if he can please, please, please have one of the chocolate coins... And after we unwrapped all the gifts... I had a desk full of yummies, a soft scarf, black soft yarn, a new circular needle and glittery body lotion... And as luck would have it, we drew each other, so while I was unwrapping (blogless) Cloudhead's package, she opened mine... She got some of the snowflakes I crocheted over the last few weeks... Snowflakes were crocheted galore over the last few weeks, as some were also ...

I had enough of the yarn used for Mermaids gloves left to knit hubby a pair of man gloves as well. This time held double with some purple Drops alpaca. And yes, the fingers could have been a bit longer (one will never learn...), but they're warm, they're funky and they're going to be nice and handy on the bike. The combination of the purple alpaca and the stripey homespun gives a fun effect. Although, hubby did say he'd have preferred matching gloves... Tssss... These are BOTH one of a kind! Onward with other things... such as sewing... After trying on my dress, it turns out to be too WIDE in the waist, so there's some work to be done there... And Mermaid's coat is coming on leaps and bounds. I finished off the pockets yesterday, sewed on buttons and sewed the sleeves and collar. The sleeves can be put in next, then it's time for lining! Ten of these shiny buttons for only a Euro. That was a bargain! There were similar buttons in the shop, which cost 1....