Christmas at Mum's was great. We had a really good time and it was definitely a "merry" Christmas. :-) It was funny listening to my family all saying how difficult it was to buy small and portable presents for us!
I was so hoping to get some time to finish off a couple of UFOs which I deliberately left out of my belongings going on the container, but that didn't happen and so they are still UFOs and will remain so for a couple of months to come... :-( However, I have managed to make one thing... I joined the merry throng and have bought a couple of pairs of knitting needles and used the wool I bought on Goldhawk Road when I went back in November and have made the infamous snood as first mentioned on Did you make that's blog!
Now I think the last time I knitted something was about 25 years ago and trying to remember even how to cast on was interesting, but I'm pleased with my efforts. I'll get no prizes for tension or anything like that, but my snood is cosy and warm and brilliant when it's windy!
I've kept a few me made items back, but I'm decidedly lacking with warm me made clothes, so they will only come out for special occasions or warm days! So for one special occasion out came the following:
Each year we hold a Burn's Night Supper and it's normally the full affair with speeches, dressing up in black tie, etc. We held ours last Saturday the day after 12th night, so we relaxed the Burn's Night stuff (no speeches) and had 12th night presents instead! It was still a brilliant night. Even the wee timorous beastie (ie the haggis) was finished! Normally we have some left which I can turn into Balmoral Chicken or have with baked beans and mash, but not this year!
I wore a dress I made eighteen months ago. This is a pattern from Prima magazine. The original pattern I think was for a wedding dress, but I decided it would be fun to have a red dress. It's got a red cotton lining and a red sheer fabric on top. I went for a cotton lining because it's cooler in the summer than polyester. I can't show you the patten, since that's in the container, I'll endeavour to put up a photo once it arrives. In the meantime here are some photos! The tarten stole I made from some lovely tartan silk I found in John Lewis. I've used a brooch to pleat it in the middle to sit comfortably on my shoulder.
So... that's about the limit of my sewing so far. I'm really missing not having a sewing machine. It was my form of relaxation. But thinking about it, I've had so much other things to think about, sewing just wouldn't have got done!
So this will be my last post for a few weeks I think, plus I think very few comments will be made on other blogs, an enforced absence of a couple of weeks. 99% of our belongings have already gone sailing away. The remainder I need to pack into suitcases to take with us, some to go in cargo and the rest to stay behind. We finally leave the UK next Tuesday and after a few nights in the USA seeing friends and partying in Vegas we will arrive in our final destination on 31st January.
My next post will be written from our new home 12,000 miles away in Wellington, New Zealand. Am I scared? Yes, definitely apprehensive. Both of us are yet to find work, but at least I have an interview!
So here's to safe journeys and new beginnings!
