The weekender returns

A little while ago I posted about my new weekender bag and was really pleased that it went down a treat! In fact, it's led to a couple of commissions which I thought I'd share with you.  Here is Weekender #2  - made using a fabulous Heals barkcloth (formerly a venetian blind) with shoulder strap modification...

Next up is a smaller shoulder bag version - also with shoulder strap modification and extra interior pockets - which was commissioned as a nappy bag.

I made this for a friend, so added a little extra  in the form of a baby wipe and nappy pouch from the Butterick B4560 pattern.

Baby #2 should be making an appearance any day now, so I have a feeling I may not be making more bags for a little while.  Better get cracking with listing all my stock on Folksy!

38 weeks - the countdown begins....

warm weather knits!

The weather has been so glorious this past week that it seems a bit strange to be thinking about keeping warm, but I've been saving this post for a while now, so thought it was time to share the latest in my Baby Number 2 knitwear preparation.

I really enjoyed knitting this blanket - it uses a chunky yarn so grew quickly, and the pattern is different for every other row so although the finished blanket is pretty large, it doesn't get too repetitive. The pattern was the Baby Chalice Blanket by Karen S. Lauger  (aka Lykkefanten), available as a free download via Ravelry.  As you can see, I went BRIGHT on the colour front - maybe a bit to much, but at least it won't get lost at playgroup!

These leg warmers were really easy to knit using the easy Baby Frog Legs pattern from Ruthie Pearl  The pictures in her post are so cute, I can't wait to have a baby to model them! I'm trying to convince myself that they are a practical knit for Spring as they should hopefully work well with a vest and baby knickers combo. This was my first introduction to the magic-loop technique and I'm now a definite convert!

As we don't yet have a real baby to try them out on, Freya's baby (who goes by the imaginative name of "Baby") offered to do the honours...

One pattern three ways

I made these two tops and dress a little while ago, but have only just managed to get photos of all three from my sometimes-reluctant model. The pattern is McCalls M6388 - pretty simple, but be warned - there's lots of gathering involved in the dress, particularly if you go for the long sleeves version. I saved up an episode of Mildred Pierce and pinned the gathers in one big batch while thanking the heavens that my daughter is not a Veda (well, not yet anyway!).

Version 1: the short sleeved top

 Version 2: long sleeved vintage fabric top with pockets

Version 3: the dress - perfect for eating cake with Daddy

The pattern also includes a really quick and easy pair of leggings, which I'd definitely recommend - you can see one of the pairs I've made just peeking out in the photo above. They turn out beautifully - I just added an extra couple of inches to the length.

Vintage Flea Market Finds

Last weekend was a real winner- Saturday was spent feeding ducks, waving at trains, playing in sand and eating icecreams the size of our heads.

 On Sunday, I made a solo voyage to Bethnal Green for the Vintage Furniture Flea market from Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair.

Ooh, what a haul!  I found the perfect 70s lamp that we've been wanting for ages - complete with original shade - a fab rug and a set of 3 italian mugs. Here they are, proudly displayed in our home after successfully surviving a trip across London on the tube and a bus ride back to Oxford!

On the textile front, my vintage fabric stock was boosted with these 3 little beauties... 

and lastly, Freya now has a funky "pinny" for playing, cooking and mealtime fun...

Some of the vendors that particularly caught my eye were (clockwise from top):

• E.W. Moore & Son Ltd who specialise in vintage wallpaper
• Oh so Retro! Some fab homewares
• Your Vintage Life - Gorgeous homewares and textiles - including my new blue fabric above which was being sold on the roll. I met the very helpful Kate.
• Etcetera - Based in Margate, the lovely Shelly and her partner have a frequent spot at Spitalfields market and were very kind to me! I bought the German lamp from them and was so pleased that  my fab new lamp came from such lovely people!

If you're close to London I'd really recommend a visit to the next market - just the right size, reasonable prices and lots of lovely vendors - not to mention some delicious homemade cakes!

Action Man Chic

This week my collection of vintage knitting patterns and buttons quadrupled in size, thanks to a wonderful legacy left by a colleague's aunt. I'm looking forward to sharing some highlights in the coming weeks, and thought I'd start off with a little taster taken from a Wendy's Dolls pattern book.

Here is Action Man, enjoying the simple pleasures of outdoor life in a handknitted aran sweater (is it wrong to find him strangely attractive? The beard is definitely working for me)

And here is Action Man, putting the action into the man with his steel stallion and some lethal judo moves

Maxing it up

Maybe it's something to do with my expanding waistline, but I've recently become a massive fan of all things oversized... well, okay, that's an (oversized) exaggeration... to be honest, it's mostly just bags I'm talking about here! Anyway, what I'm working my way up to is an introduction of the new "Stella" maxi fold-over clutch. She's big and beautiful and the perfect showcase for some fabulous vintage fabrics. Check out my folksy shop for more.