tea, buttons, original beauties...

First, the tea :: gift from my lovely friend Clare who was lucky enough to be whisked off to Paris to celebrate her dear love's birthday and who managed to drag her mind from thoughts of romance, wine, riverside walks and other such Parisian delights long enough to buy me this tin of truly delicious tea. I don't think Clare reads this blog but if she does :: THANK YOU CLARE!

Someone mentioned they liked the button's on Isaac's Kimono cardi.

Well, let me tell you, those are some very fine buttons and they are from creamrose if you fancy scoring some for yourself. I happen to know that incywincy does some lovely fabric covered buttons too (thanks again Apryl!)

Now, I got myself to Origin at Somerset House last Friday (before attending a leaving do for my lovely friend Ellie at work at which copious amounts of bubbly were consumed - just as well I didn't hit Origin after lunch - I wager I would have managed to offload some serious cash (or rather credit) had I done so)

And these are some of the things I'd have invested in had I done just that (all these images are from the designer's own websites):

A Globe ring in cellulose acetate and silver from Lesley Strickland, probably in Oyster Pearl...or maybe in Deep Ocean...then again possibly in...


A waffle blanket from Wallace+Sewell :: warm, very tactile and beautiful colours - what more could a girl ask for in a blanket?



A teapot and maybe some nice cups from Virginia Graham who recreates beautiful vintage china but with a very contemporary twist


Something pleasant for my wall from Gina Pierce whose "Peeling Paint" digitally printed fabric panels quite made me swoon. They recreate the effect of walls in the process of being restored, with hints of peeling paint and wallpapers layered over each other.

I love the hint of history, the patina of age and suggestion of lives lived and gone that this design suggests.

Finally I would have certainly picked up a pre-official publication copy of Sew It Up by Ruth Singer.
I flicked through this new sewing manual at the show and was really impressed by the quality and extent of the illustrations. I think even an instruction-phobic like myself would be able to follow these and had I not already been burdened by a pushchair, a recalcitrant 3 year old and a shortly approaching date with Ellie and the prosecco I'd have hefted it home there and then. Ruth is doing signed copies from her blog even though it doesn't hit the shops until the end of the month.

Now, I just have to get my darling beloved reading this post in advance of the festive season. Ahem...

Thanks to everyone for the commiseration on the knitting disaster. No sign of the bag so I have officially given up and am trying to piece together its contents again. Could have been worse, could have been my forecast in there (yes, still going since last March...that's bad eh?! second thoughts maybe I should hope it will be lost...)


PS Jane (who was supposed to accompany me to Origin but got unhappily detained elsewhere on a less pleasant pursuit involving the outpatients department at our local hospital) I hope you are feeling better now, shame you missed it!

October is a pleasant, pleasant month...

Figgy Goodness from Borough market...

following a trip to the Rothko Exhibition at Tate Modern...

(for once I agree with the hype... "Rothko is the must-see exhibition of the year"...it is quite something)

Ms D and the Wolf were good enough to take our delightful children overnight Friday (so we could party) and all day Saturday (so we could recover) and so we managed to fit in a fine day out Thameside. Crowded exhibitions and Borough market are so much more fun without smallfry, I have to say it!

October also brought me wonderful gifts from Katy...

Ms Reva is besotted with the "bambi" fabric in the centre - it's super cute

there were also a couple of gorgeous tissue holders (which are now masquerading as a doll pillow and a receptacle for sundry small items while the running noses go unchecked) and two wonderful wooden dolly making kits...all squirrelled away now far from mummy's prying lenses...

but best of all...

A new son, Isaac, for my sister Catherine...(officially part of September but artistic licence permits inclusion in this post)

parcel of knitted goodness is on its way Kate, hope you like it

i LOVE October!

wemakeLondon...a roving report...

your intrepid Milkwood Times roving reporters (ed in Chief AnnieB, cub reporters Ms Reva and Ms Bester) braved the depths of central London last weekend to bring you this exclusive report on London's finest craft fair, the one and only WeMakeLondon...our main aim was to meet the infamous Angharad and check out her lovely wares...we found her in a pleasant corner, penned in by beautiful bags and purses and had a first hand report that the fair was fun. Helen certainly looked joyful as she sat on her perch next to Ms Clothcat (lovely felted items) and surrounded by her handmade goodies. Her purses were almost too pretty (ooh, they are gorgeous, and they are for sale on etsy too) for my slovenly lifestyle (shame that...) but I did score this wonderful tissue holder...


...now complete with inaugural Cath Kidston polkadot tissues...we'll degenerate to lidl multi-packs shortly, as soon as this initial flurry of good taste and throwing caution to the wind with regard to paying almost a pound for a couple of sheafs of paper that you will wipe children's snot with wears off. It won't be long.

After that it was one sort of crafting wonderfulness after another until I thought my head would explode.

The Milkwood team's faves were, in absolutely no order at all:

Cub Reporters Choices
1. Buttons by creamrose
ooooh, we spent a lot of time on this stall, and re-awarded our favourite button award many times over. In the end we made some choices and walked away with two sets, but I know we will be back for more.
They will be perfect for the many baby kimono cardigans that will be gracing my needles for Autumn 08. The Creamrose team were simply delightful and acted as though they weren't put out in the slightest by the cub reporters tactile approach to the sport of craft-fairing. Thank God!
2. creatures by siansburys
we didn't take any of these home (had we not just had a birthday and lots of cub reporter spoiling I am pretty sure defences would have been lower and we'd have snagged at least a brace) but have our beady little eyes on them for the future - they were fab
3. sock critters by millimoomi
the cubs invested heavily at the shrine to sock critterdom that was millimoomi, walking out with not one but two tiny sock rabbits. These are currently taking pride of place in the cub reporter's staff room, although the pink one has hidden and refused to come out for the photo [ed's note - photo now lost also...will be included at later date if photographer not sacked for negligence] - the choice of this pink one struck me as strange, as usually my girls profess to hate pink, but Ms Bester let her love of sock bunnyness overcome her hatred of the colour, as it was the only one left once her more senior colleague had snaffled the yellow...

Ed In Chief's Choices
1. Angharad, obviously. Such beautiful work, such gorgeous fabrics, such an eye for detail and colour. I loved them, and cherish my tissue holder and the opportunities it may yield for an all round fresher faced reporting staff. Do Not Hold Breath. I May Never Use A Polkadot Tissue. They Are Too Cute.
2. I second the cubs' choices above. Those are damn fine reporters.
3. I fell head over heels and totally in love with...wait for it...some knickers. Not just any knickers you understand, ooooh no. These are Greygoat's handmade silky ones. Oh my word they are gorgeous. And she does matching camis too I hear. I have updated my Christmas wishlist already...scratched out all the teflon coated bakeware previously inscribed (well, the oven doesn't work anyway so who needs them, frankly) and replaced with these. In unscratchable ink. Roll on December...

after all that hard work the reporting team repaired to the nearest pizza express and had some damn fine pizza, swiftly followed by a trip to the British Museum and much hilarity in the Egyptian rooms ("there's a dead one" "Ooooooooh, there's another dead one" "Mummy, Mummy, there's a Mummy, Mummy" and my favourite of all, when faced with a Mummy case with a beard painted on the external representative figure "Is that one a Daddy?")

(note: it is past midnight on Thursday night/Friday morning and I have been seeking a moment to write this post since Sunday night...is it any wonder I am on an average of one post a week...)

(note 2: Thank You all so much for the birthday wishes for Ms Reva. You rock!)

what a busy week that was...postal goodies and some flowers...

I can't believe it is over a week since I last posted...no matter how good my intentions I don't seem to manage more than 1 post a week, if that...still, I have a good excuse...it was a busy busy week.

Postal goodies came and were ooohed over...

from Marie as part of the lucy locket quilt swap I received this little beauty...



I oohed (and aahed) over the amazing stitching and will be contacting Marie for hints and tips (I dream of doing such beautiful stitches)




as well as a ball of deliciously soft cashmere mix yarn (I feel so spoiled - I love cashmere, how did you know Marie? did a little quilt fairy tell you?)

and last but not least, ooooh noooo, this delicious and delightful extra strong Lancashire tea, it comes in square teabags (it says so on the box).

No-one in the house is allowed this tea, except ME!!!

Thank you so much Marie...

I also received these two amazing photos in the Scent of Water photo swap. The theme this time was reflections...beautifully captured by Christine (for whom I have no blog address unfortunately).

Thanks Christine...

so, what else have I been up to...

why Chelsea Flower Show, of course...








all those lovely gardens inspired me to revamp our own the minute I got home...

Mr G (photographed here with his lovely helper Ms B) was simply thrilled, as I am sure you can imagine, especially when the rains began to fall

but I did make up for it with a proper afternoon tea...I even let him have a cup of Lancashire's finest...just that once...

(no sweet treats put out until tea was poured, otherwise the gannets swoop)

swap goodies, an exhibition and a meeting...

On Friday myself and Ms Bester met with the lovely Katy from imagingermonkey and her son, ginge ( obviously that's not his real name). We visited the Skin and Bones exhibition at Somerset House where I was delighted to bask in Katy's reflected glory....the woman was only wandering around the show with one of the exhibition items on her back...I tried to persaude her to hop up on the plinth and be done with it but strange as it may seem she managed to resist. The show was great. Lots of very sculptural fashion pieces juxtaposed with interesting architectural models, designs and photographs. I was most interested in the clothes: think Junya Watanbe, Yohji Yamamoto et al etc along with Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood from closer to home. Well worth a visit, if only to see Mc Queen's amazing appliqued skirt with leather bodice - I almost wept. Don't go expecting pretty floral prints and a fashion trends to follow for this season, this is serious stuff, imprevious to such paltry concerns...

We then retired to Gabriel's Wharf for some lunch and swapping of our sewn goods.

Katy produced a beautiful Astronoughty for Ms. Reva's fifth birthday in a couple of weeks time



and a great bag for all the child's bits'n'bobs...

how cool is that, it's even got a tag with her name on...she is going to love it!

and for me a really lovely little tea coaster...

Katy has obviously been paying attention to my interminable ramblings on the subject of that fine beverage. Ms Reva set up the following shot, to showcase both the lovely new coaster and my favourite vintage teacup as well as the teapot she helped me paint when she was two years old.

See that blob inside the lid? That's Reva Girl's thumbprint...

Thanks so much Katy - you are a star!

I mentioned to Katy previously that I was thinking of making an owl and pussycat mini-quilt, she said it was her favourite piece of nonsense verse and I didn't need any further encouragement...


here's the back:

difficult to see much with all that Michael Miller stripe going on but as I was making the quilt I reflected on the fact that I actually sometimes like the backs of such things more than the fronts. After I had done the appliqued front with the owl and cat on I just loved the wrong side with the stitched outline (before I added the striped backing). It reminded me that when at art school most of my drawings focussed on negative spaces rather than positive, there appears to be something about what is absent rather than present that attracts me...hmm, may need to give this a little more reflection...

other swap news:

sneaky peek of my actual Lucy Locket mini-quilt swap for Marie


I really hope she likes it...

and a finished Functional Felt Swap pincushion and needle-roll soon to be off to a surprise recipient

These are made from a thrifted felted scarf (the blue) and cashmere sweater (the pages in the needleroll) along with some really pretty vintage trims that were in my stash. I really want to keep them for myself as I need one of each (well, I actually do have a needle book but the cashmere pages in this one are just gorgeous so I want it!). The pincushion was inpired by this tutorial right here...I didn't follow the tutorial right to the letter (far too lazy for that) but the end result is pretty much the same.

next up - the doll swap...am nervous about this one I must say, never having made a doll before...wish me luck...no, more than that send me inspiration...

interested in knitting, sewing or the creation of open-source software? ...plus, news of a popster after my own heart

would you happen to be interested in knitting, sewing or the creation of open-source software? if so, I have just the exhibition for you ...Open Source Embroidery:Craft and Code

The blurb says: "The project was developed by Ele Carpenter when working as an artist in residence at Access Space in Sheffield and Isis Arts in Newcastle upon Tyne" and it sounds fascinating, in a geeky kind of way (I'm allowed to say that you see, as I've done my share of software crafting in my day and so consider myself a kind of latter-day geek). There is an evening preview on Friday 16th and some knitting and embroidery getogethers to be announced...

Other random news is that I donned my old punk-rocker hat last Friday night and went to see Vic Godard and Subway Sect (Mr G is a major fan, and our daughters request some Vic everynight as part of the bedtime routine so it's a bit of a family thing now)...they were playing this tiny venue "The Arts Theatre Club" in Soho...there were about 50 people and Vic with four musicians on a stage I wouldn't have thought you could fit four mice on...it was hilarious. The music was great and Mr Vic proved himself to be a man after my own heart by interrupting the set to request........." a cup of tea"....well, that knocked the wind from the bar staff's sails so much that my dear Mr G had to step across the road to Bar Italia to get the man a takeaway cuppa...so there you go, my brush with celebrity and fame couldn't have gotten much better really...


The rest of our evening out was pretty great too - we went to see Duchamp, ManRay and Picabia at Tate Modern. An exhibition I could have missed to be honest, all that misogynistic posturing of certain strands of the 20th century art scene leaves me cold (though I do admire some of the more conceptual work by Duchamp in particular), but we did fit in a very pleasant drink in the bar afterwards, followed by some conveyor belt sushi in Soho at a tiny place we used to frequent a lot, some espressos and a shared nata at the aforementioned Bar Italia, then the gig and the last train home.

Our aim had been to somehow recreate the aimless wandering around Soho we did so much of a decade ago, and by jove I think we did it...and 'twas just as wonderful as I remember it being...

right, here are some sewing pictures...English paper pieced patchwork technique - I love it. My craftastic sister Marion made a whole double quilt out of our old summer dresses using this technique, I remain in awe to this day. I managed something slightly bigger than a coaster...

important dates, that WIP and some project365s...

Realising I needed a new diary a week or so into the new year I went on a quest. Nothing could I find in my price range (post kicking my heels up in Switzerland induced poverty!) apart from this little horror...

makes your heart shudder, huh? ...but beggars can't be choosers

so, after a bit of humming and aahing, some cutting and stitching (and a number of nice cups of tea, at least the household budget can always run to that) , the unpleasant little brute has been transformed into this...

now I'll be the first to admit the stitching isn't all perfect, and I hadn't really thought it out properly before I made it so there are some rough edges but you'd have to say it's a darn sight better than that mock-leather-monstrosity...
(next time I cover a notebook in fabric, and I think there will be a next time as I do like it, I may just read a pattern or two first!)

meanwhile, the le slouch was progressing nicely until I tried it on last night. Hmm, I think it had somehow slipped my mind that I have a rather large, nay, an enormous head...

(see my head poking up through the top there? that's a mere two rows from the end my friends)

so it looks more like a beanie on my noggin...a very pretty moss stitch beanie but not the desired effect AT ALL. So I'll be ripping that one back tonight (unless I can come up with a foolproof way to shrink my head!)

Meanwhile I've been busy project365'ing* and here are some (personal) highlights from the weekend...

Saturday - a trip to Tate Modern to see the Louise Borgeois exhibition (it closes on January 20th and I urge anyone in London who hasn't seen it yet to go, it's simply incredible, and thought provoking and and and...)

this made me laugh, step - what step? you step over that little baby and you are on the tracks!

nice curves huh?

paint, windowsill, what more can I say


"London's famous St Paul's Cathedral"


Millenium Bridge

beautiful trees oustide Tate, remind me of this painting
(bad reproduction, sorry)

great to see two women artist's names up there on the TATE where we are so used to seeing men...you'll often find a solitary female artist's name in amongst the men's but it sent shivers of pleasure up my spine to see this...it's a first!

Sunday, at home

* I know it's supposed to be one a day but I'm enthusiastic ok?!