Where did all the time go?

I'm not quite sure how it's got to be nine days since my last post. Things have been pretty hectic since I got back from my vacation at Craighall Towers. The boyfriend arrived back first on January 2nd, put the car away and then discovered that the garage door wouldn't open*, then I got back on January 4th to a ton of laundry and discovered that the washing machine had taken the decision that draining out the water should be an optional part of its program. So there has been lots of ringing of repairmen and the landlord (on my part) and waiting home for them to come (on the boyfriend's part).

And in the midst of all that there has been work and knitting and sewing.



This is my newest toy. My Mum and I chose it at John Lewis back in November and since then it's been sitting in the spare wardrobe wrapped up in blue paper with robins on waiting for me to get back after Christmas. I had a little difficulty fitting the quilting foot. Despite the fact that Janome (who made the foot) apparently make John Lewis' own brand sewing machine the line in the foot is a millimetre out of sync with the needle position. I've found the right size washers to shift the foot over a smidgin, I just need to have a play with my dad's tools this weekend to see if I can customize one so that it all fits together nicely.

Even with this technical hitch I still managed to make my first quilted project with the new machine using leftovers from the baby quilt.



The needle roll is kept closed by two (slightly off centre) press studs.



Behold, needles and snails! I still absolutely adore these fabrics from Anna Griffin which I bought from The Quilt Room. I kept stopping whilst sewing up the binding by hand just to stare at and admire the different patterns next to each other.

On the knitting front my Dad's Christmas socks are almost done. Hopefully Dad will like the reversed colourway on the second sock as much as I do. He has been warned so there shouldn't be any exclamations of "but they don't match!".



I've also squeezed in this gorgeous little bonnet which turned out to be the quickest thing to knit ever. One evening and all it needs is ribbon and a one inch seam to be sewn up.



Pattern: Feather and Fan bonnet by Larissa available here.

It looked a little on the small side when I'd finished but I think it will block out quite nicely.

* I should say "wouldn't reopen". If the boyfriend had been actually locked in the garage we would have got it open in sooner than a week!