The Librarian

I've made excited exclamations about the Made in France series before. I love the way they put these craft books together, the styling is beautiful, the craft ideas are gorgeous, and I'm always inspired. Cross-stitch samplers by Marjorie Massey is as stylish as all the others, and with a focus on linen, and white, blue and red, it has a distinctly french feel. I've never managed to complete a cross-stitch project (I still have the unfinished rooster I was cross stitching for my older brother's 10th birthday, and he just turned 40. I did contemplate finishing it for his birthday this year, but I decided the time had well passed since it was appropriate to give my brother a cross-stitched rooster ), but if  I ever get inspired to start a new cross-stitch project, I think I'll begin right here with one of the loose leaf patterns in this book.                    x Library Girl

 I have found the perfect company for my knitting projects this week: Lark Rise to Candleford   by Flora Thompson and Cranford   by Elizabeth Gaskell are two of my all-time favourite classic books, so it is pure happiness to snuggle and knit in front of the fire, brew of tea at my side, and watch them brought to screen in these BBC productions.  And thanks for all your enthusiasm about my helmet project...it's all finished and packaged off to it's unsuspecting recipient, and now, fired up with the excitement of accomplishment, I am starting in on another fair isle project, a pair of warm, winter socks.  I heart winter knitting. x Library Girl

I got this idea in my head about a baby's hat I wanted to make. A helmet style with an extra front flap to be fastened up with a button....and a bit of fair isle thrown in too. My freestyle knitting confidence is not peaking right now, but I knew I had to push myself to bring the idea to fruition, else I may regret it for ever . So I gathered several books from the library, and between them, and with a bit of extra experimentation thrown in, I am getting closer to the finished object. I've never done fair isle knitting before, but by following the little grids in the book Icelandic Knitting by Helene Magnusson (I guess it's not technically fair isle then? but I love it no matter!) I nutted things out, and was delighted when I saw real deal knitted snowflakes starting to form! I think I'll have to make the most of the long weekend and head down the garden with my knitting and thermos to enjoy the last of the autumnal sunshine, and finish this thing I've starte...

The other day on a car ride home, I got to talking with my daughters about star signs. My eldest daughter, a cancerian, started with; "I can't see much good about being cancer, like, it's a crab , yuk, and cancer isn't a nice word either!" So, I gave her a run-down of the many talented, inspiring, wonderful people who are cancerians like her. She was placated. Then my second daughter piped up with; "That sounds like the best star sign, what about us Pisceans then mum, are we beautiful inside and out too?" I remembered quite liking being told as a teenager that as a Pisces I had a mysterious chic allure, so I put a spin on that. My eldest thought about it for a while and then said;             "yeah, well, I agree with that. I mean, when I look at you Mum, I wouldn't think you belonged to a knitting club!!!" The tone in her voice made it very clear that my cool 14 year old is not joining up with the knitting club any time soon! I g...

This weather is still so contrary - yesterday I was outside luxuriating in the sunshine, today I am admiring our big pile of wood that has just been delivered and reaching for the snuggly blanket as I settle in to knit baby booties. And plan. Winter craft projects. Oh, how I love planning winter craft projects. My projects mostly seem to be knitting this year (with a bit of quilting and embroidery thrown in too). Knitting has taken first place in my crafting world. I like to remind myself when I struggle away at learning new things (my french classes, my violin lessons, my attempts at surfing are all slow progress!) that not so long ago I longed to be able to knit, and now, it is one of the things I love most in life. My English teacher was right - perseverance has its happy rewards! Getting the hang of cable stitch - it's quite exciting And beautiful books help, don't they. I am still loving this book Baby Booties by Caroline de Hugo . Not all of the patterns have had ...

October went by without me finding a book that I felt deserved the mantle of being a bookchat book :(. But happily I found just the one for November. It is a darling little book that I came across at a library that I don't usually visit. I'm so glad I did. It is called The Knitter's Home Companion - a heartwarming collection of stories, patterns, and recipes by Michelle Edwards. ` Published byMelanie Falick books Everything about this book appealed to me: the size (little), the illustrations, the inclusions of patterns, the book recommendations, recipes, and the writing. The writing (a collection of essays primarily about knitting, but encompassing the full richness of life: of mothering, being part of a community, and of humanity at large) is just beautiful. After enjoying the book so much I just had to google the author, and seek out more of her work to read. What I came across on her  website , and the browsing that followed, reminded me just how steeped in...