The 52 Marvellous Makes Madness Challenge - Weeks 41-44!

The sun is out today and with a hint of shock I am ignoring all inside jobs and forcing myself to sit in the garden, it may only last a day and it's still a bit on the chilly side but I'm determined to act like it's summer. My Biscuits' finish up school on Friday so I will enjoy the quiet whilst I can and a wee bit of sun on my toes. 

I heard last night, to my dismay, there had been a heatwave, must have occurred elsewhere....

Anyways...

More marvellous madness folks, hope you like...

Week 41

 Mummy bear

Made with a pattern from this amazing book...

 (image from amazon.  Click here to take you for a looksee)

which I borrowed from the library and after renewing and renewing I realized I needed to have a copy of my own.  It contains many things I want to knit and is old fashioned in a very nice way.  I love this teddy and want one for me too.  It was knitted for a first birthday and hopefully will be loved for many many years.  I couldn't resist adding a wee something of my own to the design...

Too cute, if I do say so myself.  I also added a bell inside it's tummy in homage to my own 37 year old panda who has one in his.  He jingle jangles every time I pick him up and I wanted to share the joy of that.  Made with very luxurious (and expensive!?) baby alpaca and the reason I am making noises about the price is the pattern only calls for one ball so seven pound a ball seemed reasonable for a whole teddy but a whole teddy it did NOT make.  I had to buy another just to finish off the arms and was not happy as the pattern said tension didn't matter etc, very frustrating but made a beautifully tactile and soft ted.

Week 42

Eldest Biscuits 10th birthday cake.

I've used this giant cupcake tin a few times and have of yet to be satisfied with the end result.  Tis very tricky to get the inside done without the outside being overdone and being the perfectionist I am, this winds me up. I've tweaked and tweaked and will keep on tweaking until I get it perfect.  Also tricky to make this requested cake as non girly as I could and I think I pulled it off.  I have to add this image as the birthday boy's face fills my heart...

watching his daddy singing 'happy birthday' and his wee brothers face is so happy to be joining in.  Family joy!  I am usually on cake carrying duty and Mr Biscuit on the camera but on this occasion, with my clumsy ways, was not to be trusted.  Fair play!   Now this cake was no where near as complicated as other ones I have made but it can never be underestimated how long they can take to create and at what late hour you tend to have to be creative.  That, my friend, goes hand in hand with birthdays in our house.  Me being exhausted just comes with the territory but as the above photo shows, it's worth it.

Week 43

Birthday biscuits.

It is a real shame I forgot to take photos of these biscuits as they were the best I've ever made.  I really went for it with piped then filled in icing, polka dots, hand made sugar daisies and blossoms and lots of pink.  Very frustrating that I have no image to look on my handy work.  They were greatly appreciated (along with Mummy bear) though and scoffed and that is the most important thing.

Week 44

Poppy Treffry Egg Cosy.

I had a discount code for Poppy's shop and thought I'd get a kit for the above cosy and have to be honest the sewing instructions were far easier to follow than in her book.  I am flat out rubbish at following written instructions ( I may have said it before but I even struggle with Kinder eggs.  I am that bad!) but managed to sew one up.  I am thinking tea cosies will feature highly this Christmas so this was really a good way to have a go to see if I am up to it.  I am (even after many years) not as comfortable with a sewing machine as I am by hand.  I'd like to be, think in many ways I should be by now but alas, I am not.

I love the style of Poppy's work and by that I mean I love that it looks a wee bitty untidy and suits the fact that in machine sewing, I am not neat and therefore cannot be perfect. I can easily lift of my own wee hat of pressure for perfection and enjoy the flow of sewing.  Click here for Poppy's shop.  It's pricey as hell but nice to look at and be inspired to get her book and make your own versions.

Back to enjoying outside, if only I could block out the sound of my neighbour boaking with his morning smokers cough.  Is it a man thing to make that much noise?.  The previous tenants were the same, although they liked to go in the garden and spit, MINGING!!!!

X