we three create

pitter patter

2009-03-17T11:05:00.004+00:00

Still waiting for the pitter patter of the tiny feet of Newborn, now overdue. The wait is driving me slightly mad and to save my sanity, I'm working through all my odds and ends of yarn, churning out bootees. Thankfully for the Newborn's sartorial future, I've met lots of local mums-to-be and had lots of coffees with them already talking for hours about the kind of things only other pregnants could possibly be interested in, so I've had the perfect excuse to make half a dozen pairs - and even the opportunity to add in some pink!... C

sweets (and socks) for my sweet

2009-02-15T19:02:00.003+00:00

Obsessed with baby knits as I may be just now, I did find room on my needles for some Valentine socks for the Working Man. The softest pure wool, made even softer with a good bath, in a lovely ruby red. A simple top down pattern again in moss stitch rib which looks lovely and is incredibly satisfying to knit for some reason. And to feed his addiction, a big jar of home made fudge... a tried and tested (and much loved) recipe packed with so much organic sugar, butter and cream it must be good for you! For me, two lovely red Pantone mugs, perhaps not so homemade, but already filled several times already with lovingly made hot tea... surprisingly good with fudge... C

blanketed

2009-02-07T20:55:00.000+00:00

London spent the early part of this week hidden under a thick blanket of snow. Practically unheard of in this city, and everything ground to a halt except for children released from school for some serious snowballing and snowman-building. Just lovely to look out onto - a clean and very hushed cityscape, but eight months pregnant and with the Working Man in Wales for a conference, I spent two days housebound by unfriendly icy pavements. A good time then to make some serious headway on the blanket I've been knitting these past weeks. For the Newborn of course, and from a sale score of some lovely taupe coloured cashmerino. I chose to keep things simple, elegant and reversible with moss stitch. It should be a great size for the car seat or pram when I finish the final ball I have of this yarn... an end finally in sight! Super soft and very, very cosy as I can confirm now that it's plenty big enough to cover my ever growing bump... C

little steps

2009-02-03T14:47:00.009+00:00

I've got a new addiction - baby socks! So cute and finally a use for all those scraps of yarn you can't quite bring yourself to throw away... kidding yourself you're keeping them for darning (mmm... darn old socks or seize perfect excuse to go shopping for new yarn?). They use hardly any yarn and will hopefully keep Newborn's tiny feet warm in March. Knitted on the hop without a pattern but scaling down a favourite top down sock pattern and satisfyingly quick - I have another pair on the go already... And another small step, I have finally got around to adding a few items to the wethreecreate etsy store! I've even added a gallery over to the right. Not much on there yet, and I promise more to come as I get organised, by it's a little step in the right direction... C

freezing

2009-01-27T18:25:00.000+00:00

We've had bitter weather here in the south of England over the last few days. That and nursing the Working Man's recent illness have kept me even more at home than usual, and I've been putting my time to good use. I've been trying to make more than we need of a couple of meals a week for freezing and making life a little easier when the new baby arrives. This weekend, lasagne, and I took extraordinary delight in a little production line of individual ones. Of course, two were consumed 40 minutes later, and they were delicious, so I'm not sure they'll all last until until March... C

pretty in pink

2009-01-23T11:30:00.002+00:00

Some softer than soft angora, pinker than sky blue pink socks for mum coming to visit for the day next week. Lovely yarn, though it breaks easily and needed some patience and adjusted tension, and they might not last for long, even as comfort socks, but they'll be lovely while they do. A really basic top down sock pattern, inherited from my grandmother. I've fooled around with toe up, but top down remains my first love - even the picking up stitches and kitchener... Knitted in simple stocking stitch (ideal TV knitting) starting with a provisional cast on so I could finish them off from the top up to make the best of every scrap of yarn and finish off with a comfy picot edge. Looking forward to seeing you mum. In the meantime back to the baby knitting... C

little stars!

2009-01-21T11:44:00.003+00:00

Well its been a while but here in Ireland we have been busy - making stuff but not blogging.

There has been a positive rash of babies, so lots of little shoes to make and as we are feeling the pinch, like everyone else, time has gone on making bread, soup and pies! along with warm woolly jumpers for joe - and this year dad making the christmas presents!

Anyway, this is work in progress - the little kimono top from Simple Knits for Cherished Babies - with 3 little star mother-of-pearl buttons (for luck) to be stitched on when the cherished littlest one arrives.

Dad has been busy experimenting with some wood turning. So far earrings and now baby rattles - as you can see! After years of designing and making furniture for Heals in London, this is quite a departure and has already involved some finger injuries. Tiny things for a change! ...A

teeny tiny tears

2009-01-09T13:29:00.005+00:00

When I was a little girl, I was obsessed with the idea of owning a Teeny Tiny Tears doll - a baby doll who shed real tears and even wet her nappy! Stereotyping aside, I loved her and desperately wanted one. Family legend goes that in the absence of the ready cash to make my dreams of early motherhood come true, my parents drilled some small holes in a less damply inclined doll! I not sure if any of us remember whether it's truth or myth, but it's a great story (and I for one think that's what counts!). Either way, it's been on my mind alot recently... is that a worry given my impending motherhood? Finding this softer than soft alpaca silk in our local wool shop, I decided to knit a teeny tiny something for my very own Teeny Tiny Tears. I know this won't last much longer than his trip home from the hospital but I really wanted a cosy fitted something for him rather than something to grow into. It's so soft, knit in the round so there are no nasty seams - or nasty sewing up! - with a cuddly moss stitch collar to guard against the March winds. And with the scraps left, a pair of teeny tiny socks, based on this pattern, but knit with little moss stitch panels instead of garter. And I'd have to confess to a few teeny tiny tears of my own when I first buttoned it up on the hanger... C

new year... new starts

2009-01-06T15:40:00.007+00:00

Lots of new things on the needles - and some back off them again already - to herald the start of another new year. Mind you, the finished ones are almost cheating they're so small... I have some washing and blocking to do tomorrow before I can show off the latest, but in the meantime, and in the spirit of completeness, the Christmas knitting. With knitting for our new person, not nearly as much as I would normally do, but I did manage to make socks for my dad and for the Working Man - the former stashed away much too quickly for me to get photographic evidence, chocolate brown wool in a moss stitch rib which I'd knit again. And a Shibori felted scarf for mum - knitted in ever so slightly sparkly Kidsilk Night and felted and shaped over pebbles from our garden. A magical and pleasing process and one I'll certainly be playing with again.... C

not not knitting...

2008-12-11T13:08:00.021+00:00

Lest anyone should think I've not been busy making in the silence, I counted the projects in my knitting bag today and found no less than five ongoing - that's not counting the ones that will almost certainly never be finished that lurk, guilt-inducing at the bottom... Plenty of Christmas projects on the way - even a horrible cold can't stop them and it's nice to have an excuse to cuddle up on the sofa and feel I'm being useful. All secret of course, but nothing wrong with a hint or two... textures in muted shades and miles of stocking stitch for some fun with hot water next week! And I have been starting to knit for our March arrival and have just finished his first cardigan in the palest lime green alpaca bought in Paris. Based on this pattern though I didn't add the fabric insert and of course included three buttons for luck. Very easy to knit, and just unusual enough to be interesting. I have more of this alpaca in the palest of grey and have spent more hours than I should browsing Ravelry looking for the perfect pattern... And is it wrong to crave teeny tiny coat hangers to hang his teeny tiny garments on? C

home is where the heart(h) is

2008-11-21T16:58:00.004+00:00

With England's "big chill" on the way, and a very definite nip in the air here in London, I decided to stay at home today by the hearth (well, gas fired central heating). We may get slightly hysterical about the thought of -3 degrees, but without real summers as compensation, I think we're entitled... To pass the time, I've been clearing out and making room for March's arrival, but predictably enough I was distracted by the Liberty lawn scraps left over from the top I made in the summer. Having some lovely organic lavender from Neals' Yard Remedies, where in their Covent Garden you can buy herbs of all sorts by the ounce from big jars like an old fashioned sweetie shop, albeit an apothecary one. With a silk ribbon hoop attached with shell buttons for hanging on hangars, and firmly stitched so they can be popped in the dryer for a little summer freshness now that winter is here. Sweet smelling lavender sachets to sooth the mind and heart... C

buns for the soul!

2008-11-18T12:02:00.003+00:00

been a lot of thinking about the past recently and i was feeling a bit blue and decided to make some buns - granny's buns i always call them! they are the easiest buns in the world - 4oz flour 3oz sugar 2oz butter 1 egg - as in 4321 granny buns!

you can add whatever you have to hand - a few raisins, some lemon juice, icing on top and cherries or slice off the top and make buterflies with butter cream!

they really are emergency buns for the soul! ...A

here's one I made earlier!

2008-11-12T22:36:00.001+00:00

okay! okay! I know it was a while since I made this one! HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHLOE! we love you!!

watch this space!

2008-11-11T18:22:00.004+00:00

So the 'other two' are making complaints that I am not blogging enough and if I don't pull up my socks - or indeed knit some! - they might have to make it 'wetwocreate' - well girls just watch this space!!..A

bowling along

2008-11-11T12:58:00.006+00:00

Finally found a yarn that knits and felts and shapes like a dream for my little felted bowls - Cascade 220 - fairly mystical to us UK dwellers until recently, though now it's available here. Knitted in garter stitch for a bit more structure, these felted really well at 60 degrees in a front loader, with the week's towels, so I don't even feel any green guilt!...C

back to my roots

2008-11-04T19:52:00.011+00:00

Before I put my career on hold to stay at home and concentrate on creating a family (due for arrival March '09!), I was a graphic designer. I worked for almost 18 years in the industry, in later years as a design director, but always as a very hands on designer alongside my team. Since setting that aside, I have found it difficult to imagine returning to the discipline. Spending time working on the re:made project with my sister has been fun, but it was with a certain amount of relief that I turned to the graphics we'd need for our enterprise. For the last few days, I've been working on my mac to create our identity and implement it. Still a great deal more hand work than my usual job, punching and hand tying tags, but it's comforting that the crispness, the order and the control my computer brings me still appeals...C

turnips!

2008-11-03T12:17:00.009+00:00

Just thinking back about Halloween when you two were little. Do you remember that we used to make the lanterns using TURNIP!! No fancy pumpkins in Ireland in those days!! Can you remember the smell of burning turnip and scorching string? Ow! Ow! Too hot on those little fingers! A

halloween bugs

2008-10-31T17:13:00.012+00:00

Well, the nursery is full of bugs as usual at this time of the year but most of the kids seemed to be well enough to get to the Halloween party today. Halloween just wasn't such a big thing when we were kids but it's hit us hard in all its American glory nowadays and it's great fun. We're suffering from another bug in this house though - ever since I started to make things for our 're:made' project Joe has been suffering from a serious bout of the 'making' bug - it's an extremely virulent strain so watch out if you've not caught it already! He's had it before but not so aggressively. You can't leave anything lying around or he starts cutting it up to make animals and finger puppets and ponds for plastic frogs. It's wonderful really but we were the only ones with a home-made costume at the party today which is great now but I wonder how long he'll want to do that for? V

finished at last

2008-10-27T10:15:00.006+00:00

Well, I've finally finished the top I started in the summer - actually, considering I pulled a whole side out and re-knitted it, it hasn't really taken me all that long! I've not worn it yet but I think it's turned out quite well. It's a Rowan pattern by Martin Storey but I knitted it in Debbie Bliss Cathay yarn from the John Lewis sale. It's incredibly heavy and as it's knitted in moss stitch it's distinctly like chain mail. The family joke is that I need to get started on the armour to wear over it - is this a good thing I ask myself? Mmmmm.... V

cosy tea

2008-10-23T12:40:00.004+01:00

Would you like a cup of tea with those cakes? More examples of the work for the project, 're:made'... and still having lots of fun. V

tea time take two

2008-10-16T11:43:00.004+01:00

More cake making, though this time courtesy of another kind of alchemy - that of two sticks and a length of string. No less fun to create, knitted fairy cakes, from perfectly coloured Rowan four ply cotton that I bought in the John Lewis sale eons ago and have never found a suitable project for. Chocolate and vanilla versions finished with pretty coloured bun cases and icing, and lovely pearlescent pins for decoration. I made up this recipe as I went along but have finessed it over the last few versions - not quite so easy in a batch of baked buns! Sadly, though satisfying to look at, these ones don't taste so good as my last versions, and I fear that even Green & Black's chocolate icing would do little to help, so I'm off to finesse further - with the help of one of the last of chocolate smothered ones and some hot tea.... C

time for tea

2008-10-14T14:54:00.010+01:00

Chatting to my sister on the phone this morning, discussing my nephew's ability to do mental arithmetic (he's four!), I claimed he must take after the same branch of the family as me - the scientific ones. I love maths - weird I know - mixing my arts education with physics and maths and I consider my brain to be as scientific as artistic. Why then my unfailing awe at the alchemy that applying heat to eggs, sugar and flour gives these? A source of constant amazement to me. These ones destined to be smothered in Green & Blacks chocolate icing, with the first, and quite possibly the second, to be enjoyed whilst still almost too hot to eat with a pot of Earl Grey tea to fortify me for the afternoon ahead... C

small things

2008-10-14T08:51:00.023+01:00

This little bun Joe made just makes me smile - not a very appetising colour perhaps but it was made for me so I had to eat it! A small pair of knitted shoes for my neighbour's third baby when he arrives. The very last of our small crop of blueberries in my very favourite small hand. V

all buttoned up!

2008-10-09T09:28:00.034+01:00

Again following the recycled theme, these are the button pieces I've been making for our joint venture which we're calling 're:made'. So far, I've been really lucky and have found a good local supply of lovely second-hand buttons but just when I needed to find some large dark-coloured ones for the centres of flowers some-one else went in and bought the lot! -Ah well, I suppose I've already had more than my fair share.

I've been really enjoying making these button pieces and also searching for buttons. I'm finding myself running back from nursery to sit at the table with my collections of buttons and listen to Woman's Hour on Radio Four. Last week, I was stitching buttons onto tea-cosies when an article came on about buttons and specifically about this installation of six million buttons that's been put together in Huddersfield Art Gallery. Each button represents one of the six million lives lost in the Holocaust and the sound of the curators wading through the buttons was chilling. V

cheat's felt

2008-10-08T10:05:00.007+01:00

And then there's felt for the lazy folk like me! Actually, I'm trying to bring a bit of a recycled edge into a lot of my pieces to satisfy the forager in me. So, alongside my cards, I am boiling jumpers to make tea cosies and flower brooches in nice soft colours. V