New Do

Got my haircut using a Groupon.

I'm really quite happy with it - not that you'd know it from the picture. Managed to capture my grumpier side. Note the Randy Orton poster in the background. Nice looking man.

I spent this morning replacing the lining of my coat. It's been torn for about a year but it's been getting worse AND the pocket had split so...

I left the top bit since I didn't fancy tackling the sleeve inserts and there was nothing wrong with that bit. Plus I thought I could make it still look ok with the addition of some fancy tape.

I'm quite pleased with it.

I also used my rare daylight-hometime to choose buttons for my Buttony.

They are a little less dayglo than the pic suggests. My camera does seem to have gone a bit wonky with it's brightness settings recently. I'm thinking of getting an upgrade. Which brings me to Quidco.

This strange website gives you cashback on stuff you would have bought anyway. And you can get cashback just normal high street shopping. And you get money for clicking the 'check in' button on the free app while loitering in the doorway of closed mobile phone shops. I earned 70p walking from Bank to the hairdresser. It's not megabucks but it's 70p more than I normally get for walking past shops. They keep the first £5 of savings you make (check-in money doesn't count though so that 70p is mine boyo) then the rest is yours. Seems too easy? That's what I keep thinking. Time will tell.

The SpotBot Dream Dashed

My venture into business has not got off to such a great start. I managed to choose a name which is already a hoover. Farewell SpotBot. It was fun while it lasted. So I am back to needing a shop name. And I think this is a clear sign that "Lixie Makes It" is my true home. I've also been considering my photography skills, wonderfully displayed in this very post. Would you buy this woman if she was photographed like this in an Etsy shop?

It was my attempt to capture my new outfit and clearly it didn't go so well.

Then there is my attempt to capture the samples I dyed last night for my cloud jumper. The real problem is lack of daylight.

I'm thinking I might need a daylight bulb and one of those pound shop diffuser cube things unless I want to wait to photograph things until the weekend and I pray for good weather. Sadly none of them seem right. It would be ok for a mediterranean sky but not so much for a UK one. I've ordered some more dye in two different colours so I'll see how they work out.

Then lastly I even managed to take an out of focus photo of Betsy modelling my sleeveless jumper.

The neckline ribbing is wrong. It looks OK at a distance but it's not centred properly at the front and it makes the rest of it look really amateur. I definitely have to rip it out but I'm not sure whether to redo it or go for an icord edging.

I went to see The Artist this week.

It was amazing. If you have ever seen a silent film then you can imagine the style - it actually is a real twenty-first century silent film. The storyline is brilliant. The acting is incredible - the lead male is so believable - and for those of you who like that sort of thing there is a really astounding dog. I was completely caught up in the story and at one point - and remember this is a silent film - I jumped. I would definitely recommend it. It is something you will regret not seeing on a big screen if you only watch it at home. But you should still watch it. Oh, and it has John Goodman in. And he is really good.

No More Shopping

I swear this is my last splurge. For the first time in aeons I took myself down to Brick Lane. If you have any interest in vintage clothes and are in london I would recommend Beyond Retro. There are now several branches, including one just off Oxford Street, but the one in Shoreditch takes some beating. Behold the spoils...

My goal was 'office wear'. This little jacket seemed to tick boxes. Light enough for warm weather, smart yet quirky, aubergine coloured, right size. It was coming home with me. Next up...

This dress is one of those that proves one of the key rules of vintage shopping - you just can't tell from looking at it on a hanger. On the hanger in the shop it looked like a big lumpy bag of a thing. It also said it was a size 4. Once on it looks like some lovely little french number - perfect for wearing with low heels and an up-do. Possibly some little black framed glasses perched on the nose? I don't have any but...you know. I love the unnecessary button detailing.

Then finally I slipped. This does not fall within my shopping remit but....BUT....IT'S RED POLKA DOT.

Again, this looked very odd on the hanger and had some *enormous* shoulder pads which are now languishing in the bin. I may take an inch or two off the length but look at those pockets! Perfect for keeping kittens and other such equipment in.

My final purchase is what I may well wear to my sister's wedding in December and is not of the 'vintage' variety. As well as more vintage than you can believe there are lots of little designer boutiques and young designer pop-ups and so on in the area. This one is from The Laden Showroom where there are lots of little niches and each niche is a different designer. It's well priced too - plus there is a sale on!

It's a very dark maroon thin stripe corduroy wrap dress with a black cotton sash. It has proved almost impossible to photograph but you get the idea.

In between all this activity I've been beavering away on this.

I actually woke up at 7 this morning and had the armhole and v-neck steeks stitched and cut by 8.30am. By 10 I'd joined the shoulders, sewn down the steeks and steamed it all flat. Neck line and armholes will begin at the Romford knitting group this afternoon. I got most of the patterns and all the inspiration from my sister's xmas present to me - Alice Starmore's Charts for Color Knitting. Excellent book - even if they have misspelt it.

My next jumper is going to be using one of her all-over designs. So inspiring- I do like fairisle. 

I got an exciting email last night from a friend I've blogged about before who is am AMAZING textile artist. It opens up several avenues of fun and as a hint as to what one of them is I leave you with this video she has made. It is only a minute long and very beautiful.

New header

I am going to leave it as it is for a while to remind me that "standard" size is not always the "right" size.

 

On the 10th day of Christmas...

As well as all my other lovely presents I got a bit of money and so decided to invest in a proper sewing box. It arrived yesterday!

I was slightly shocked at how orange the wood is. The picture suggested more of a pale ash coloured veneer but then we all know those warnings about monitor colours. Besides, it has grown on me.

I've tried to be terribly organised and give everything a proper place.

I know it won't last though! I had thought of covering it in stickers - like the sewing machine.

But somehow it looks a bit too prim and proper to be stickered.

I thought Angry Kitty looked like she needed some cheering up so I stopped off at Thorntons on the way home to find her a friend.

He didn't seem to make her any less angry so I ate him. Let's face it - he had it coming.

The man in the shop asked me what name I wanted on it. "Angry." I replied. He slowly raised one eyebrow. "This is someone's name?" he said. "More of their state of mind" was my reply.

Traditional Christmas

Christmas at Mater's is a strictly traditional affair. There is a strong hint of the Victorian while food is at Edwardian, or possibly even Henry VIII, standard.

One of my favourites are Marzipan Fruit.

Nom. Mum even put them on the Christmas Cake.

Since I was born this amazingly retro crib has played a large part of the festivities.

I decided this year that the lamb wanted a better view so stuck him on top of the ox. Seemed fair enough to all concerned.

Things were enlivened by El Diablo.

She has fads. Her latest is sitting on the backs of armchairs instead of anywhere flatter. This would be fine but she has awful balance. She wobbles back and forth like a ship at sea. And when she jumps down she jumps from the back to the arm and then to the floor. Except last time she kind of missed the arm and belly flopped to the ground. Dignity is not a friend to this cat.

I got some lovely presents including the new Alice Starmore chart book but then I also got...

Just what I always wanted - me in wood form. I'm going to tuck it into the 'guest' side of the bed tonight. I've been thinking of naming her. I don't generally approve of naming inanimate objects but I'm thinking "Betsy". As in "heavens to". My dad made it for me from a paper template I made. It's varnished and everything so wet blocking will be a breeze. Hoopla!

Christmas

Merry Christmas to you all.

I see the Pope has condemned the commercialisation and 'glitter' of christmas. I know what he means, but sometimes people need a little glitter in their lives.

Thumbs eh?

I never realised how much i used my right thumb until I started getting what I suspect is RSI. I've moved my mouse to my left side at work but it's still getting worse. I suspect it is my iphone. Very annoying.

Despite this I was successful in completing a Fat Kittie yesterday. Mine is an angry kitty.

Each time I look at him I smile so it seems to be working quite well.

I finished the first of my lovely socks the other day.

I do love how it has turned out. Which brings me onto a touchy point. I have not yet packed any other knitting to take down to Mater's. One sock is not going to last me five days.

There were some very good points made in comments on my last post. I guess Christmas is always going to be a difficult time. I'm really looking forward to heading off in...eeek! Too few hours. I'd better go and pack.

It Only Takes a Minute...

I have brung myself low.

I was clearing out old emails today and found one from Pooch which ended with "I love you Byrnington". Instead of pressing delete and moving on I lingered which dug the foundations of the hole (I know what I mean) and it then got deeper as the day wore on.

Steve from work (not only mentioned as an excuse to show a gratuitous santa shot again since it is indeed he) has been talking about buying a house with his wife. I am very happy for them. BUT...

It also reminds me once again of how close I was to buying a flat with Pooch, having a baby with Pooch, having security with Pooch...when all of a sudden I overhear a conversation and it's "Syonara". Of course it wasn't 'all of a sudden' but that's for dramatic effect and so the plot doesn't get bogged down in detail. It's not like I didn't blog about it all ad nauseum anyway.

What really enrages me though is not that I am so far off the housing ladder I'm actually in a hole next to the ladder (although that is really annoying) but that I still miss him! It's absurd. Ridiculous. Insane.

Even while I'm thinking about everything he did - the cheating, the lies, the drinking - I still miss him! It's so fucking annoying!

Does anyone have a solution? Actually, I did just buy a new bottle of Tia Maria. Maybe that's all there is to it.

While looking for pictures for this post I came across these awesome Fat Kitties.

She has an etsy shop here. Looking at the angry fat kitties has actually made me feel a bit less angry. Or that could be the second shot kicking in. My MIL who I miss so much sent me a cat calender yesterday. Nope, I'm back in the hole again. Pass the bottle...

Forward Planning

Slow day at work today. I happened to be catching up with a few blogs when I came across this post at Skein's Blog. The IntSweMoDo (basically knitting a sweater a month) continues in 2012 and she discusses signing up. She also then ponders what she might make.

I've always admired people who sign up for that kind of thing. I am just not a joiner. As soon as I feel obliged to make something I'd rather do the washing up or clean the windows or a million other things. But then I do crave that feeling of achievement. Difficult. I think instead I might be better off with a list of "strong intentions".

1. Paper Dolls
I want mine to have a different motif and sleeves though.

I have played with a cheshire cat motif....not sure.

2. Harvest Moon
I pretty much like this the way it is.

3. Buttony Sweater
I have twice cast this on and twice frogged it. I think it's the yarn - I haven't found the right yarn for it yet. I really like this one:

4. Circles Cardigan
This is to be like the socks I've been making.

But with the pattern on the yoke and tops of the sleeves like this one I made aeons ago and have worn consistently ever since.

5. Spode Jumper
My Mum has all this blue and white spode china which is just beautiful. One of the saucers inspires me.

Over christmas I'll be charting this for a fairisle jumper. That's the plan anyway.

I think that's enough. I don't want to get carried away and convince myself that 12 sweaters in a year is achievable.

I got my first christmas present last night - a copy of the Quantum Mechanics book I blogged about before. That's my holiday reading sorted! Which reminds me - if you are not aware of Knitting on the Green I would go there. As well as gorgeous knitting and crafting Liz does excellent book reviews. I've read a couple this year on the back of her recommendations.

But Why Not?

A couple of years ago I went to a kind of general wellbeing fair with my sister. There were gurus and coaches and motivators aplenty. I had a freebie 5 minutes with a career coach.

She asked me to think of my ideal job and of course (of course) I talked about knitting and pattern designing and dyeing and accessories and so on. "But" I said "there's no money in it."

"Do you know anyone who does make a living from it?" She asked me.
"Oh yes, lots of people." I said.
"So...why couldn't you earn a living from it?"

Of course (of course) I know it's not that easy and that if it were we would all be doing it. But...

I keep thinking there is no money in writing patterns - even while I am paying to download the occasional one from Ravelry. I have written patterns - they are on Ravelry and one even has 332 likes and has been made 54 times. I made this cardigan a while ago.

Yeah, I look kind of ill. I was quite mental around then. BUT the point is I was going to write up the pattern. I don't think I could remember it now. And I used to make stitchmarkers. And I sold them. People bought them I mean. I didn't just list them on etsy. Why did I stop doing that?

Over christmas I have printed a couple of things to take to Mater's so I can design a jumper and cardigan while I am down there. I am definitely going to keep notes as I go along so I can share them, even if it is just for free on this blog. I know it's a long way from casually writing up a pattern to earning a living but then from tiny seeds do giant vegetables grow...

As I type I am being taunted by the wholesome smells emanating from my slow cooker. I cannot recommend these strongly enough. Less than half an hour in the morning and by evening a delicious meal without any stirring, turning, adjusting etc. Plus if you are single you can make batches and then freeze portions for other days. Definite bonus. At the moment I have Irish Stew in progress using some of the chicken stock I made using my slow cooker 2 weeks ago.

A lot of people seem to have one but are not sure where to start. There are a zillion recipes online but I would recommend this book:

It's very cheap and quite small but really does explain the basics as well as having yummy recipes. The irish stew is from there and I've made loads of others in the past.