Pirate Update

Here is the first photo of my pirate jumper, so far so good. Although needles do hurt my fingers, especially on the purl stitch! I'm giving myself c2 years to get it done!

Blog Book Inspiration

The other day I was looking at Soule Mama and Glittergoods and they were inspired by each other with making books for their children to draw/ write in. Daria on GG gave a fantastic step-by-step instructions, that I made some up too.

If you're British then use normal A4 card and paper (from my child's art and craft stash I have built up - so nothing too fancy) and basically cut the A4 card and paper in half, to give you A5 size, (fold this in half, A6,) and stitch it together using embroidery floss. I just used a large needle to pierce the card and paper, which worked just fine. For a neater finish (as Daria says) trim the inside paper down so it doesn't spill out when folded.
No 1 child was v happy with his new books just for him. He's only just starting to read and write. You can see how I did it below, but check out Glittergoods for the professional way to go about it!


Needle piercing the card and paper to make holes (just 3 on the spine)


Start in the middle hole going down into the book


Come back out at one of the ends, then bring the needle over to the last hole (the one so far untouched, and push back down into the book.






Bring needle back through central hole.


Tie off ends, and cut.


The inside of the book.

job done, v happy and impressed child.

Plus nice to do something in minutes for once!!!

From Cakes to Pirates

Cake bit:
I don't think I have mentioned this, but in October I started a cake decorating evening class. I felt it was time to improve my efforts for my children's birthday cakes. Anyway, our first project is decorating an Xmas Cake (I used the Delia Smith recipe for an 8" cake - you can't go wrong with Delia, IMO.) We are following our teacher's design, which is quite traditional. A tree, to be decorated with Xmas Roses, Holly, Ivy and Red berries. I had to make some at home, as I'm never going to get it all done in the class, I'm not that fast at doing it. But I am enjoying it very much.


Pirate Bit:
And I am going to aim to turn this:




Into this:






Yes the wool just arrived, in the end I had to cancel the Navy yarn, and find another shop who actually had it in stock, instead of pretending they did!!! Is it that hard to update your website, or advise customers of stock issues??? Never mind, it's here, and I shall get knitting tomorrow. I'm knitting a few sizes bigger than I need for my son, as I'm going to take my time!!! I've never done anything like this before, you see. Any comments/ advice very much appreciated.

yarn update

Just incase you thought I was being v lazy, only 2 of the 3 colours of yarn has been sent, so I cannot start (as it's the main colour that I'm waiting for!!) Most annoyed with the shop. I have started cutting out the pieces for the bag I'm going to make from Bend the Rules Sewing book etc!

How to Make a Doorstop

I have finally finished (well nearly) my fabric doorstop tutorial. And you can find it here. As I started it in October, that is where it has been filed!! So I thought I would write about it, plus if you look to your left, you'll see it in my left hand sidebar. Super Duper!!! I will be addingan extra photo or 2, of the template. I was trying to be clever, to give a v detailed template, and I can't convert it to a PDF (PC probs) so will just take a photo!

stasis

where is my yarn?
why is my husband still here?

So neither project can start (jumper and bag).

Autumn Leaves

We have been doing lots of Autumny things, picking leaves and seeds (acorns and conkers and sycamore seeds). So we have had a few make and do sessions (myself and our 4 3/4 year old) and have come up with some leaf prints and a leaf inspired felt garland (I saw a few on the web), now proudly hung in his bedroom. All we did to make it was draw out some leaf shapes with tailor's chalk onto the felt, cut it out, make 2 little parallel cuts on the leaf, using scissors, and then threaded ribbon through. V simple.

My blog name, Make and Do, is inspired by Doodle Do an arts and crafts programme on Cbeebies.

Birthday

Just thought I would inform you that my birthday cake was a "slice" of chocolate cake from choccywoccydoodah. We shared it between 3 of us, and I still had to eat it in 2 stages, it was v v rich, and I can only face their cakes once a year or less!!!

Remember, Remember

The Fifth of November,

Gunpowder, treason and plot.

I see no reason why gunpowder, treason

Should ever be forgot...

From http://www.rhymes.org.uk/remember_remember_the_5th_november.htm : -

"On the 5th November 1605 Guy Fawkes was caught in the cellars of the Houses of Parliament with several dozen barrels of gunpowder. Guy Fawkes was subsequently tried as a traitor with his co-conspirators for plotting against the government. He was tried by Judge Popham who came to London specifically for the trial from his country manor Littlecote House in Hungerford, Gloucestershire. Fawkes was sentenced to death and the form of the execution was one of the most horrendous ever practised (hung ,drawn and quartered) which reflected the serious nature of the crime of treason.

The Tradition begins...The following year in 1606 it became an annual custom for the King and Parliament to commission a sermon to commemorate the event. Lancelot Andrewes delivered the first of many Gunpowder Plot Sermons. This practice, together with the nursery rhyme, ensured that this crime would never be forgotten! Hence the words " Remember , remember the 5th of November" The poem is sometimes referred to as 'Please to remember the fifth of November'. It serves as a warning to each new generation that treason will never be forgotten. In England the 5th of November is still commemorated each year with fireworks and bonfires culminating with the burning of effigies of Guy Fawkes (the guy). The 'guys' are made by children by filling old clothes with crumpled newspapers to look like a man. Tradition allows British children to display their 'guys' to passers-by and asking for " A penny for the guy".

The picture is of the 'Gunpowder Plot' conspirators. Starting with Thomas Bates, Robert Wintour, Christopher Wright, John Wright, Thomas Percy, Guy Fawkes, Robert Catesby and Thomas Wintour

In a local town to hear, Lewes, they have a load of Bonfire celebrations. The whole town is closed to cars, and they have lots of processions and burnings of the Guy and of course Fireworks.

Fireworks

I took my eldest son to a Firework display at a local school, last night. It was great fun. There were 2 fire performers on first. Which didn't seem to impress anyone too much, until one managed to set fire to his waistcoat! And then they did do fire blowing, which looked cool.

The fireworks were gorgeous. but v v noisy. It was really good and as always a great time of year, although v warm compared to normal!

Strictly Come Dancing/ Dancing with the Stars

I thought I would plug the Dancing with the Stars game which my husband's company Zoe Mode have made for the PS2 and the Wii. In fact our good friend was the Lead Artist on it. It's been made for the American Version of the show, but 2 of the British judges also judge the American Show (Len and Bruno). It is going to be released on the 13th Nov, so please please buy it it!!

Crumpets, Warm Jumpers, Vests, Bonfires and Fireworks!

I'm probably not even going to touch on half the things in my title, but I was just thinking what November means to me. My birthday is on the 5th, which is Guy Fawkes Day, so I do love November. Except, for the last few years, it doesn't seem cold enough. (Global Warming - do watch the Al Gore film - An Inconvient Truth if you can).

Anyway I can't help thinking of knitting and my lovely set of knitting needles from Cath Kidston that I got a few months ago, and that I picked up a book, that I have been looking at for well over a year now, in the local library called Adorable Knits for Tiny Tots by Zoe Mellor and thinking a bit of knitting might just soothe away all my hours of sewing, as this would be for my youngest son and not for sale! Although he has only just turned 1, I will be knitting it a few sizes bigger. This is because I have never knitted anything like this before, and feel I need the time to get it done. Plus I don't want him in and out of it in 3 months! I do like the jumper on the front cover with the star, but I'm actually going for the pirate sweater, as my first project, using more than 1 colour! (My blanket I knitted was slightly different so doesn't count as knitting with many colours). I've just had a look on the web for comments on peoplemaking the pirate sweater, and now I' put off!! No I will give it a whirl. My biggest annoyance is the price of yarn (it'll cost c £26 to buy) Knitting is not cheap.

I've still got to do my doorstop tutorial and crack on with my bag too. I think I'm going to give the sewing machine a rest. My husband is away in 2 weeks time, so I'll probably get it out then. He was moaning quite a lot about it being permantly out!

Anyway, this weekend there'll be fireworks, bonfires and toffee apples all round the country, and the odd burning of a Guy (although that doesn't seem to happen as much as it used to).

I'm actually wearing a t-shirt right now, no vest or jumper in sight!!!