Made by Loulabelle...made by you - now in shop

Ages ago I posted about the Trapeze Sling Tote pattern developed for my first workshop. Well, finally I've got round to adding the pattern to my folksy shop - yippee! The pattern includes detailed step by step instructions and clear diagrams to help you create your very own bag. If you want to check it out - here it is.

Knitting work in progress

I've taken the plunge with the most complicated knitting pattern I've attempted so far - not really sure now is the time for a challenge, but hey ho, the great thing about knitting is you can always unravel it and make a scarf!


The 3.5 centremeters pictured here is the product of four evenings - this may take a while! If it avoids the scarf fate and acheives its ultimate purpose, this frothy, minty green yarn will end up as a delicate, lacy, vintage inspired balloon sleeve top designed by Rowan... just don't hold your breath!

Letterpress memory frame

Freya stayed over at Grandma and Grandad's this weekend (never thought the prospect of a lie-in could be quite so exciting!) and when I picked her up, this wonderful gift was waiting for me. Dad's background and passion is in printing and his prized letterpress collection now resides at the bottom of the garden. Every time I look at this beautiful letterpress frame, I'll be thinking of the time Dad spent in his shed adding varnish, backing and a perspex front, and can't wait for Freya to understand why this frame has such special meaning.


I've been meaning to start a memory box for ages now, but this is sooo much better! The first thing going in this frame will be her hospital tags, booties and a few special photos, but we're going to take our time adding other photos and bits and peices that each mean something.

I've found this post about making a letterpress box into jewellery case - maybe Freya will use hers that way one day too!

The much more successful easy-peasy skirt

After weeks of time spent on the aforementioned crochet monstrosity, I've cheered myself up with a super easy sewing project. Now that we have a walking toddler on our hands, skirts are a wardrobe possibility, so I thought I'd whip one up.


Take one length of fabric, fancy it up with a contrasting strip and a bit of ric-rac, sew into a tube, make a casing and insert elastic and hey-presto! I love the fact that this took about 30 minutes including time choosing fabrics and it looks really cute on.

Ah, feeling good about my skills again!

The not so successful crochet project

You know that feeling when you start off all enthusiastic about a project and then, weeks later, you just want it to END? Well, I'm sorry to say, me and this crocheted top definitely fell out of love. Having now tried it on its new owner, I know why - it's because despite being a 12-18month size, it has turned out to be ENORMOUS. Particularly in the arms - and our family have pretty long arms, so one can only imagine what it would be like on the less orangutan-ular.


Anyway, there it is, in all its enormous pink and purple-ness (see, I can't even bring myself to like the colours now!). Should just about fit in time for the hot summer months - I'm going to have one hot toddler this summer!!!

William Morris was right!

I bought this Orla Kiely poppy meadow butterdish a couple of weeks ago when I was supposed to be buying gifts for other people. It felt very naughty at the time but whenever I make my toast I feel a quiver of pride that this little beauty sits in my kitchen cupboard. This little butterdish is my personal testament to the quote from William Morris: "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

Here's another late Christmas post! Inspired by an episode of Kirsty's Homemade Home in which she made a beanbag with Manda from TreeFall Design, I decided to make a toddler-sized version as part of Freya's Christmas present.

Manda's pattern was sold out at the time so I hunted about and found this free version which has a child and adult size. I raided my fabric stash and used a combination of vintage sheets and curtains in golds and oranges. This was really fun to make - like stitching together a giant chocolate orange!

So far, Freya doesn't quite seem to know what to make of her new bedroom furniture - I had visions of her clambering all over it to read her books, but at the moment she's more interested in the fun rustling sound it makes when you hit it than sitting on it!

The other newest addition to her room is also in this photo - Dobbin the Rocking Horse was her Christmas gift from Grandma and Grandad and was originally the equestrian friend of yours truly! He's a very noble chap with enormous amounts of patience and good listening skills!

Bow-tie bonus

Ever finish a project and feel there's something missing? The batch of mini chain purses I posted about back in October were all finished a week or so later, but somehow, they weren't quite right. Then, while chatting I absentmindedly picked up a bow hair pin, clipped it to the front of one and... "haaaaaah"... (that's an angel singing, by the way) finally, it was complete!

So now, my mini chain purses all have their very own bow-ties. Here they are - all jaunty and delicious!
They're all sold out at the moment, but I'll definitely be working up another batch soon - I'll keep you posted!

Wavy baby blanket

Just catching up on some of the projects I didn't post about before Christmas. Here is the completed secret project I posted about here.

It's intended owner was born in early December and has hopefully been keeping nice and warm througout the snowy weather in his snuggly and very bright pram blanket. It's the first time I've tried a wave pattern in crochet and was surprised at how simple it was. I'd definitely recommend it!

I used a treble wave pattern that requires a foundation chain of multiples of 14 plus 3.

First row: (RS) 2 tr into 4th ch from hook, 1tr into each of next 3 chs [tr3tog over next 3 chs] twice, 1tr into each of next 3 chs, *3tr into each of next 2 chs, 1tr into each of next 3chs, [tr3tog over next 3 chs] twice, 1tr into each of next 3chs; rep from * to last ch, 3tr into last ch, turn.

Following rows: Ch 3, 2tr into first tr, 1tr into each of next 3 tr, tr3tog twice, 1tr into each of next 3 tr, *3tr into each of next 2 tr, 1tr into each of next 3tr, tr3tog twice, 1tr into each of next 3tr; rep from * to turning ch, 3tr into 3rd of ch-3, turn.

Repeat for length required.

I finished a (very) late Christmas present for paul's neices this weekend. These cute little birdy purses are based on a pattern from this book by Clare Youngs and were a perfect way to reduce my ever-increasing stash of fabric scraps. The first attempt at the bird-softie was pretty disastrous - more dinosaur than dicky-bird!


Hopefully the necies will like their purses as much as Freya does - she's recently discovered zips and loves putting things in things so she's been finding these irrestible!

A new shoe addict emerges...

A momentous beginning to the year: yesterday, we bought Freya her first pair of proper shoes.

We now have a very proud shoe owner on our hands - and possibly a tap dancer (oh the joys of the clipping clopping sound of hard soles on a kitchen floor!)

Today they made their maiden voyage outside to the playground. An exhausting buiness, all this walking...