I think I've been in this position before

If the position we're discussing is the night before Halloween. 

Maybe next year I'll get my act together earlier? Don't hold your breath. 

Last minute crafting

Right, this is going to be a quick drive by posting to show you that the wee walrus for my wee nephew is proceeding well.

I've finished all the brown pieces, and now need to dig out some white sport weight for the tusks. I might just use the white I used for the potholders/baby blanket now that I think about it...next step after the tusks is to sew the whole thing together. It should be done by the beginning of next week. Hooray!

However, the tusks will not be done tonight. Because tonight is all about digging out my sewing machine and the cutest dog fabric ever, and making Boo a birthday pillowcase.

Oy. As if Halloween weren't bad enough, now I've moved on to last minute birthday gift crafting? Someone shoot me now.

Wool + 28 degrees = never mind

After loads of grey, wet weather, the sun finally burst on to the scene here in southeast England, bringing with it steamy temperatures and vast fields of newly exposed pale skin. The weather also made working with wool something of a trial, so my crafty energies have been redirected for the moment. After a trip to Dorney Lake in the sweltering sun, I decided that the girls needed new hats for the summer. Enter a bunch of cotton scraps and a lovely free hat pattern (link will download the pdf).

I managed to whip up a couple of these, including the cutting (which I hate with the firey passion of Mount Doom) in an evening. They were so quick and easy, that I've cut out pieces for three more, two for friends of the girls, and one for an impending baby addition to our circle.

Getting photos was a bit tough. First, the bad nighttime shots (I love that these are reversible, and that frog fabric gets me every time).

Then, the unwilling children shot.

And finally, a few candid shots.

Of course, having finished these, the past four days have been grey clouds interspersed with pouring rain. Just the thing for new sun hats and the half-term holiday!

Phew!

Time stamp: 09:14:34 am 30 October. Wiktory!

Bollocks, I did it again

The Pros: I only have to make one costume (Snow White), because Boo is vacillating back and forth between going as Ariel or Cinderella, both of which we already have.

The Cons: it's Friday, costume needs to be done by teatime tomorrow when we go to M and T's house to carve pumpkins, eat sugar, and imbibe copious amounts of adult beverages (with their parents that is, not the girls), and I am absolutely shattered by several days of ~6 hrs sleep, getting up before dawn* and getting everyone back on to the whole school/work continuum. This ought to be an interesting evening night.

I have been doing a wee bit of spinning as well - onto the second bobbin of merino/silk for a Christmas present, but my stellar walking skills*** have made the wheel a less appealing tool. However, I need to get this yarn done ASAP (like, by the end of next week), so I may have to SIUC**** and treadle through the pain. Ahhhh...the sacrifices I make for my family and my wool!

* which, to be fair, is pretty late** these days. But it still sucks to have to get out of bed when it's dark.
** 7:48 am this morning. Crap. We're practically leaving the house before dawn! WTF is up with that?
*** I turned my ankle walking down a perfectly reasonable sidewalk two weeks ago today, and it's still swollen and bugging me*****. Ehem.
**** Suck it up, cupcake. Or buttercup, if you prefer.
***** Speaking of which, anyone irritated by excessive footnoting yet?