Yesterday Newcastle...Tomorrow Stay at Home

My season of travelling for work is at an end. I am not scheduled to go anywhere now until November, by when I will hopefully have left. Ha! My last work trip was an overnighter in Newcastle on Monday and in the evening I had time to indulge in an orgy of pinning on Pinterest and favouriting on Flickr. I have obviously been blogging more about sewing than knitting for a few months now but it's not like I haven't been doing both. It's just that vanilla socks in commercial yarn - which have been my companion during all the travelling - aren't that interesting to report. So on to the good stuff.

My love of hexagon patchwork continues but I have been thinking heretical thoughts recently about it not being 'enough' just to stitch them together endlessly. Then I saw these:

(Click on mosaic for links to originals)

So cute and in fact they reminded me that I have seen this before (it may even be the same person). Essentially you trace hexagon shapes onto a sheet of fabric and embroider them using a hoop before cutting them out (since if you cut them out first they'd be too small to embroider). Isn't that sun adorable? I can think of all sorts of things to put in them.

The embroidery transfer groups on Flickr (I belong to two) are another endless source of inspiration and these in particular caught my eye on Monday night.

(Click on mosaic for links to originals)

That top middle pin-up - I think it's best to assume that's a lipstick and the scale has gone a bit wrong. I do not do a lot of embroidery but I enjoy what I do and a lot of my collection could probably be adapted for those little hexagons. You can see my other favourites on this Pinterest Board.

Then of course there is the patchwork.

(Click on mosaic for links to originals)

So divine. I am pretty sure I could keep myself entertained all day everyday making patchwork. There is something so socially acceptable about the schizophrenic way you cut up fabric only to reassemble it into something smaller than the original. More other lovelies on this Pinterest Board.

I hope you enjoyed looking at these favourites! And beware of what I realise I have big problems with...Procraftinating.

Weekend

Last weekend was a very busy one for me. Two social activities! I don't know how I coped. The first was with my favourite little boy - provided courtesy of Nickerjac who has not been at all well. I am always so grateful to friends who provide me with little people to play with. They (the little ones) are so much less judgemental when I decide to be a dinosaur for a while or win the grand national.

I was quite amazed to see one of these in  the Park.

I am not saying it is the exact same one as appeared in Herne Bay playground circa 1983 but it must be a close relation, and I've never seen one anywhere else. The pelvic thrusting necessary to get it to move was probably good for my back too. However, after no less than two playgrounds, a McDonalds, several buses and an ice cream I was shattered and regretfully dropped him back home. Then later that day my littlest sister arrived Chez Byrne to stay the night and eat one of Pooch's roast lunches on Sunday.

While looking for my first-past-the-post picture I found a couple of others I'd been meaning to share. When I wailed to Pooch that I had discovered Pepsi Max was not sold in Japan (SERIOUS issue, people) he told me maybe I'd take a liking for the sweat they drink instead. Sweat. I assumed he was joking.

No, I didn't taste it. Then finally on this, the day of my sister's birthday, I give you Jasmine who is rapidly becoming the little scientist I intend to mold her into. You can tell from the outfit.

Another small child provided for me by someone else. My little niece models a handknit cardigan and hat. The cardigan is shaped a la Pigeon Street circa 1985 and has side buttons. The matching hat has two of the worst pom poms the world has ever seen on it. I know not about the jeans but the shoes are a source on controversy.

Pooch, you will not be surprised to hear, is not so good with babies. He likes children once they start doing stuff but until that point he is uneasy. It is fortunate I do not have a hankering for my own since Pooch would be a positive hindrance during the birth and during the first 18 months. He would need gas and air throughout. However, I do my ex-wifely duty by buying things on his behalf for the children of friends which he can then hand over. The kermit shoes are one of these items. My sister frequently talks about how they are her favourite item of Jasmine's wardrobe and how wonderful and thoughtful it was of Pooch while all the time I sit there hiding my tooth grinding behind my rictus of a smile.