Let’s start with some Oxford Kitchen Yarns news: Yesterday I took a whole load of DK and Aran to Jo at Darn it and Stitch, which has pretty much cleared me out of both weights for the next couple of weeks. So head there if that’s what you’re looking for.

In other news the super secret Darn it and Stitch EXCLUSIVE yarn has arrived and is being dyed as we speak. Hopefully Jo will have that in the shop in about two weeks time. (More details as the skeins start to dry off and the collection comes together.)

(After that I will go on a DK and Aran dyeing bender. There is talk of a third dye vat even. 🙂

More soon…

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October is always a very busy time for our family. It is a month filled with good things, a month when good things happened.

Firstly W and I were married (7 years ago!) on the 1st. This year we went off for a fancy lunch, just the two of us and it was wonderful just to spend some time together since neither of us are having much in the way of evenings at the moment.

Then further in the month are FB’s and LR’s birthdays, close enough for a joint party to be the only sensible option.

Usually this means that my crafting in September and October are birthday themed. This year most of the work got pushing into October due to pregnancy tiredness. At times I didn’t think I would get everything done, but the big days both happened, and everything some how ended up ready in time, and each small person had a good birthday.

(And yes, of course the list of things I got done was from a drastically reduced ‘omg I only have a few days left, what *has* to get done?!’ list. Let’s be realistic here.)

Anyway this year the big craft gift was LR’s waldorf doll. This is a tradition that started just before LR was born, when FB turned 2 years old. (LR got the smaller doll at the front of the photo for her first birthday.) I’m hoping to continue said tradition for the little one inside me (and the nieces and or nephews that might come along.)

I only make about one waldorf doll a year and each time I’m intimidated before I start and then I get stuck in and it’s totally fine. In fact I would say they are really fun to make. As ever I used the basic stitch in Grrr to knit the wigs, which leads to a full head of hair that is very hard to pull out (since the stitch actually tightens when you pull on it.)

(The yarn is, as with all three dolls, Oxford Kitchen Yarns sock, doubled up. In this case however it took nearly all 100g, and she had a huge head of hair.)

I’m planning some doll related items for Christmas this year, too, including a mei tai so that Dolly can be carried around much like LR’s new sibling will be in a few months time.

Apart from the above doll, there were also birthday tee shirts with their ages on, and birthday pj bottoms, in collaboration with Debbie from Monkey and Bo who was happy to feed my fabric habit, rather than buy my children more toys. (She’s a true friend, that one! 😉

Oh and Duplo. This year there was a lot of duplo too. 🙂

It is birthday season in our family (one down, one to go) so I’ve been crafting away trying to get presents sorted (and made).  Hence the knitted wig on my knee in the above photos.

I do love a good, small, knitted wig.

The crafting has been hampered by being a bit cold and very tired. Getting back out of bed once both children are asleep is a bit of a herculean effort right now, and not one I always manage to be honest, and that coupled with trying to keep everything a surprise has really cut into the time I have to get these things done. And yet, some how, I think I can see the finishing line and the present should actually get finished on time.

Hurrah. And thank goodness.

In other news…

I have just finished reading Back Story by the comedian David Mitchell. I really enjoyed it.

Due to my general lack of energy at the moment, I have been watching Tales from the Green Valley, which everyone has really adored. FB wants to be a farmer, and has found the whole series fascinating. Unlike the subsequent Victorian, Edwardian and Wartime farm series, these are 30 minutes an episode so it’s easy for us just to watch a bit at a time.

This pregnancy is continuing in a straight forward fashion, for which I am extremely grateful. I am on a hefty hormone roller-coaster though, (very tearful, easily overwhelmed at the strangest times) and am already waddling, and achy as if I was at 30 weeks rather than 20. I suddenly feel like I am living off spoons, and have to think quite carefully about what can get done. (Walk too far and I’m in pain, walk with LR on my back and I’m in pain, carry too much… etc etc.)

However I can now feel movement inside, and that’s wonderful. It’s worth all the hard work, definitely, but more than either of the others this pregnancy feels like hard work. (But that is the last I’ll talk about it. Promise.)

There is a new Oxford Kitchen Yarns yarn on the horizon. In fact I am ordering it from the mill today. It will exclusive to Darn it and Stitch (at least initially) which is very exciting. I’ll tell you more when I actually have some in my hands. 🙂

It’s nice to be back here. More very soon.