WOYWW...

 Here we are catching up with all our creative friends around the world and checking out what is on their desks this week...I love my Wednesdays.

It's been another bear filled week for me and I'm loving life....

I made these 5 for a friend in memory of her mum.  They are to be given to the 5 grandchildren and are made from their Grandmother's favourite clothes.

This one was made from the same clothes but is being kept for a birthday present...I love the bright colours of this one.

I've finished my knitting and have sewn a piece of elastic to join the mittens so Louie doesn't drop one and lose it when he's wearing them.  I really love how the little Ugg boots have turned out and am sure they will keep his toes warm.

These are my desks this morning...I have 4 more bears to cut out and make today...and they all need stabilising with interfacing so that's 32 body pieces needed...as you can see I cut out the interfacing in batches ready for when the fabrics arrive [the black bear shapes].

The top three are for a returning customer [always the best ones] and the bottom pic is a fairisle jumper to make a bear out of...I think that one will be rather nice.

I am really enjoying the Christmas surge of bears to make but have also had 

• a really pretty bride to have her wedding dress fitting this week...it's needing major alterations and the wedding isn't until August so I will be doing the sewing in the New Year.
• a lady to have 2 skirts shortened and
• I have 5 pair of trousers to shorten and a zip to put in a pair of gents trousers!!
• Oh and I have to get my christmas cards ready for posting...they are all made now :-)

So, as you can guess, I'm keeping rather busy and I'm loving life.  I hope your week is as good as mine. Stay well and happy.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Happy Wednesday to you all.  It's been another busy week here st Sewing by Annie's but I'm pleased to say I have had the work cos it's had to pay for my new glasses [ over £330!!!].  

 I had another huge bin bag full of factory trousers needing repairs and new zips....all done now thankfully.  I ended up with blisters!!!

I've made more Memory bears...these ones are in memory of a much loved Mum and are for a returning customer...always my favourite to make.

These Memory bears were made in memory of a special man who had been in the Welsh Guards from his blazer and ties...smart bears or what?

The lady who said she was coming Friday wanting 7 Memory bears making didn't turn up and hasn't replied to my messages...very annoying and I would say rude!!

When Theo was born I made a first Christmas star to hang on their tree and, when I found the material I had made it from this week, I just had to make one for little Louie :-)

My other desk this week is the one in front of me while the football has been on...I'm knitting a pair of mittens and a matching pair of knitted Ugg boots for Louie :-)

Knitting and me don't really go together any more because of the arthritis in my hands but I can manage short burts of knitting and these wont take me long.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit this week.  If you leave me a little message so I know  you've called by I will do my best to pay you a return visit.  Have a great week all.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

 Here we are back at our Wednesday sharing of desks from all around the world and looking at what I have to share this week says I must be feeling more like myself now....there's lots to share so I will quickly do it in photos for you.

I've finished the baby blanket I was crocheting.  I found a neat edging stitch that was new to me [and I love to try out new stitches] and I really love it.

The little lap blanket and cardigan I knitted left part of a ball of yarn so I....

....knitted a little hat with a top knot to match.

The 6 Advent calendars that I started before Christmas have sat idly draped over one of my machines since Christmas because I was just too poorly to feel like wadding, backing and finishing them off....but Monday I set to and have now finished them all off ready for selling next Christmas.

The one on the right at the front with trains on is for the next little Grandson :-)

This is what is actually on my desk today...it's a pile of Tshirts that were favourites of a much loved Grandad.  I have to make 3 Memory bears for his Grandchildren, today using these so I have to work out how to fit some of the dragons, eagles and wolves on the panels that make up the bears....quite a challenge for me.

As you can tell it's been a much busier week for me [a bit more like normal for me] so I'm glad to be feeling rather better....apart from my deep sexy voice from time to time.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

 Here we are at another Wednesday catch up with our WOYWW freiends from around the world....my fav day of the week.  It's been another busy week for me and today I will be plouging through another pile of factory trousers to put new zips in....not my favourite job but the funds will go towards Christmas and I have enough of jobs I love doing to balance it all out thankfully.

On my desk today is the last 4 Christmas cards I have left...they are all made and posted now so I can move onto other things.

The pile of fabrics at the back are 5 more advent calendars to make ready for next year....if you saw my post on Wednesday you will have seen that I will need to make at least one by then :-)....exciting times.  

I try to make a few each year for others that don't sew to make memories with the little people in their lives and this year I sold the 3 I'd got within an hour of putting them on my Sewing by Annie Facebook page.

There is also a teddy cut out to make for my Christmas gift draw over on my Facebook page...I do this every year as a thank you for my followers so keep a look out if you'd like to get your name in the draw.

I'm doing a bit of knitting....it's slow progress as I can only do it when my arthritis allows but I'm loving the colours and there's no rush.

The other thing I can now share with you is the baby blanket I'm crochetting with my new hooks.  Every row or two is a different pattern and I love the way the colours are working together.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit and will leave me a little comment so I know you've called in.  I will do my best to pay you a return visit in between my sewing jobs.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Phew....it's been another of those weeks when there's been lots of change and not a lot on my desk that I can really share with you except this....

I've finished the little hoody and made a start with a little cardigan in a cream wool with pretty flecks of colour.....looking good so far :-)

My other 'work desk' for this week has been the living room.  We have put a plain wallpaper on three walls and the fire place wall is now a feature wall with the poppy wallpaper on it....you all know how much I love poppies don't you?

We have new matching red curtains now too and we both really love how our new home is taking shape.

I have other really exciting news to share with you too.  Yesterday I went for an interview at a Wedding dress shop that is opening a few miles from us.  They were looking for a seamstress to alter their preloved top designer dresses and they are happy for me to join the team.  The brides will be bringing their dresses to me, I will be doing the fittings in my sewing room and will be able to take on as much work as suits me so I'm thrilled to bits......so I may well be sharing some really posh frocks with you some time soon.....I'm doing a happy dance here and hope you will all feel excited for me.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Hello all.  To say it's been a busy week is an understatement but it's been a great one.  All the flooring went down to plan and our visitors arrived from Holland and after 5 wonderful days together over Easter they went home Monday after lunch.....life should be filled with days like that.

For those wanting pics here is a collage of our new flooring......

 It's the same neutral coloured carpet on the living room and bedroom floors and then the rest are fitted with a tile effect vinyl flooring.....we are thrilled with the results and it will all look really lovely when we can get the papering and painting finished now.  I think we are actually able to see the light at the end of the tunnel now.

Of course what you really came to see is my work desk isn't it?  I have to say my sewing room has seen no action over the last week so this is the desk I'm sharing today...

There is always knitting on the go here and of course I now have a little reason to knit for.....I can't have the next little family member arriving with no Nanny Annie knitting waiting for it can I?

That's all from me for today so if you leave me a little message to let me know you've called by I will do my best to get over to yours as soon as I can.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW......

What's on my work desk today?......Nothing at all because.....

Between the sitting room and my sewing room is where our new kitchen is going to be and those of you who call in on a Friday will see that my builders knocked the wall through last week so to get to my sewing room I have to climb over all the building materials and get in the builders way.  Plus this morning when I popped through, before the builders arrived,  this is what I have leaning up against the door and window outside making my sewing room dark and gloomy.

Also the builders use my sewing room to access the rest of the bungalow so there are dust sheets on the floor.....and a lot of dust on my work desk!!

Before I can get in there to sew I will now need to dust and clean it from top to bottom so for now I'm......

Back to knitting squares on my lap in the sitting room  :-)  It will be a baby blanket when I have made enough squares....not that I have a baby in mind just yet  :-)

It's what I do to keep me awake in the evenings :-)

So that's it from me for today.  Short and sweet just how Julia likes it.  Please leave me a little hello message to let me know you've called in and I will pop over to yours to see what you've been up to this week.  I'm certain it will be more interesting than mine.  :-)

Have a great week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Another week has passed and it's been another week of twinnie fun and juggling life/work to fit in and around our special times together.  Great Aunty Jo joined us for fun on Monday and she will be back down again today for more fun all being well.  This allows me to keep my sewing shop open so that customers can drop off and collect.....there will be more important things to be done today than actually sewing....like drawing, jigsaws, reading etc etc  :-)  My little munchkins will be all grown up and gone to school before we bat an eye and the sewing can wait  :-)

So for those that have called in to see what is on my desk today.....

I snapped a quick pic of the little cardigan I was knitting last week for those that asked to see it....Little Noah Timothy has now been allowed home with his mummy so tiny cardigans will be needed  :-)

And this is the next project I have on the go.  As you can see I have knitted two sleeves, two fronts and half way up the back but alas I wont have enough wool to knit the hood!  The ball band was tucked inside when I started knitting but alas I can't find it now.  These were two balls I had left over from another project and I thought it would be enough but no!  I ordered what I thought the wool was and guess what?  It was the wrong colour!  So I have ordered another one now....lets he hopeful eh?  I could end up with lots of new balls of wool all different colours....or should I say......I could end up with a lot more balls of wool all of different colours cos trust me when I say I have two boxes full of it already!!!  

See.......

Jo suggested making a quilt....or twenty  :-)

Thanks for popping by today.  It may be tomorrow before I can get to pay you a visit this week but if you leave me a little hello comment I promise I will do my best.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Yes, it's Wednesday again and so very many bloggers now link up on this day and expose their messy cluttered disorganised creative spaces so us nosey folk can have a good snoop into their lives.  If you want to find out more or would like to join in with the madness fun then please pop over to visit our queen of snoop Julia.  She is the jam that keeps us all together  :-)

So folks? What has been happening in my world this week.  I've done a 'mainly picture' blog today...so it's quicker for you to read and quicker for me to type cos life is manic here  :-)

I've made two red seat pads for the munchkins to use their other grandparent's two single buggies.  I've made these to measure with slits so the straps will go through.

....they will be more comfy now :-)

My latest little 'fish and chip baby' jumper.  I'm now making the beanie hat to match  :-)  Please follow this link if you want to have a go at knitting one....they are very easy to make.

My 'to do' rail looks like this today.  Jo and I had a 'Munchkin Monday' this week.  :-)  

• Normally when I have a day looking after the twins I am here alone so I shut up the shop for the day.  
• Often when Jo is here on a Monday for our normal Funday Monday we have no customers.  

I had a bright idea this week that cos there was two of us here to look after the munchkins and cos I was sure we could also cope with the odd customer I would stay open.....this week I had 7 customers!!! Plus they all came with more than one item needing doing and most of them needed fittings!!!!!  If I say that I spent yesterday catching up and my rail still looks like this today then you will understand if I struggle to get round many blogs this week  :-)  I will do my best I promise. 

Also you will all know how much I hate curtains and here is another reason why.  I hate spiders much more!!!  These curtains have come to me really dirty for shortening and the inhabitants were still in situ!!  Arghhhhhhh.

 

So, today I have NO not one pair of curtains to shorten, NOT two pairs of curtains but THREE pairs!!!   I may be a while.

So there you go.  As you can see it's another busy week over here at Sewing by Annie's.  I would like to say a huge thank you to all who called by here last week.  I popped in to visit you all but was unable to leave comments on a couple so I'm sorry for that but I blame blogger!

I hope you all have a fab week and thanks for calling in.  Please leave me a little hello comment before you leave and I will do my best to do a return visit.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

What a wonderful week I've had since last Wednesday.  Not only have we had all the Easter celebrations, we have also had our little Lulu's 2nd birthday party.  

Happy Birthday Lulu for yesterday....My, how you've grown since we took this pic :-)

I've really enjoyed 4 days off work with lots and lots of wonderful family times.  

We took our little twin munchkins to see our old neighbour in her care home as an Easter treat.  I'm sorry to say she isn't too well at the mo and old age really is taking it's toll on her [she was asleep on her bed and still in her nightie and dressing gown at nearly lunch time  :-( ] but her face really lit up to see the little ones.  I'm not sure she would remember we had been 5 mins after we left but for that moment alone the effort was all worth while....thanks M.

What is on my desk today?.....

This is the latest little hoody that I've knitted for my friend's expected first Grandbaby.  It's sat on my table waiting to have it's buttons sewn on.  

Here are the latest 3 little dollies in the making.  They are to be bride dolls for the three little flower girls at Michelle's wedding in July hence their silver shoes. 

This is one of them in the next stage of the making.  I've made her a little ivory satin dress and firmly stitched a little posy of flowers on the front.  She still needs lace edged pants [can't have a girl getting married without her pants can we!!].  Not sure if I will give her a veil or quite how I will do it yet and I still have to decide on hair and facial features too.  Can you tell just how much fun I'm having?

This morning I plan to be working on the real Wedding dress if my customers stay away long enough so will call by to visit your desks in between jobs.  Do leave me a little hello message to say you've called by before popping over to see Julia and I will do my best to do a return visit asap.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

So, another week has passed and we are creeping closer to the big day.  My 'to do' rail keeps filling and getting in the way of the seasonal preparations so every spare minute I seem to be playing catch up.

Here you can see the beginnings of my next batch of Christmas cards.  I've used bond a web to attach Sari silk ribbons onto a base fabric and will work on this with machine embroidery etc  before cutting it up and embellishing it further to decorate some cards with.  Watch this space as they say.

This is the latest little knittie I've made with some wool M bought for me to knit for Sam.  It's knit up a bit small so not sure whether it will fit but if not one of her best friends had a little boy on Sunday so it will go to a good home.  :-) ....welcome to the world little Oliver.

Jo[zart]....take note of the fab buttons....we all love them.  Thanks so much x

I treated myself to a 'comic' last weekend for being a good girl and just know the knitters out there will love it if you have littlies like mine to knit for.  It's the Woman's weekly special collectible series and it has some real favourites in it to knit/crochet such as Angelina Ballerina,  Peppa Pig and Raa Raa the noisy lion and in total it has 39 great pattern in it so I felt it was well worth the £9.95 I paid for it.  I am trying to make a few special knitties as Christmas pressies. [wonder if you can guess which ones I'm knitting?....I won't share then til after the big day but will take some pics].

Another stocking in the making.  I'm taking orders now  :-)   Sooooooooo many new babies during this year in my life.

I have two little elves who are desperate to decorate our Christmas tree.....Amy has always loved doing the tree and this year she has two little helpers [Stephen will prob sleep through it...he's such a good baby].  It was far too soon to bring a real tree into the house so this year we have treated ourselves to an artificial one and here is is waiting for the elves to arrive  :-)

So folks, that's it from me today.  My heaving 'to do' rail is calling me to clear it [....again!] so I shall pop over to see what you've been up to in my coffee breaks....if I can fit one in :-)  Please leave me a little hello comment before you pop over to join in the WOYWW fun at Julia's blog and here's hoping you all have a really great week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Good morning to one and all.  It's another of those wonderful days when we all buzz round the world dropping in on our blogging friends who have exposed all to share their space with others.  Our wonderful leader Julia is still doing a brilliant job of linking us all together so I thank her for that.  Before you pop over to Julia's please leave me a 'hello' in the comment box and I will do my best to pop over to as many of you as possible to check out your spaces.

So? Whats been going on in my space this week?  The answer is lots...as always :-)

As promised yesterday this is what is now on my desk today thanks to an industrial weekend and a very busy Funday Monday.  The lovely Jo from Jozart sent me several fabric panels to make up for my new grandchildren and I have been preparing them all...the ABC bags have 26 little pockets for 26 little toys to fit in and each has two sides to cut out, the Noah's Ark has lots of pairs of little animals to make too so it's taken quite a while to get this far  [I need 4 x16"zips, lining fabrics, wadding, some 1/2" foam and some stuffing to complete them so will get to work on these soon].  I have also now nearly finished making one of the new Advent calendars that I bought on Saturday...it just needs wadding, backing and hanging loops. 

This is the latest little knittie I have finished...it just needs a button.  Isn't it pretty wool? It's a Sirdar Snuggly Baby Crofter wool and I love the Fair Isle effect it gives.

This is a new top I made this week and a little pic of the machine embroidery detail on the front....of course you will have seen that I have now bought 3 more pieces of fabric to make some more in my spare time.

These are two more little African dresses I managed to make too this week.  These are numbers 86 and 87 for me.  I will soon reach my 100  :-)

 

This is my 'to do' rail today so I will have to clear this before I can enjoy catching up with you all but I will get there as soon as I can.  Hope you all have a really great week.

Hugs,

Annie x

Wooly wellies!

Most of you will have seen on yesterday's post what I would have classed as a knitting failure....and here's the proof.

"Oh Nanny.  What have you knit me now?  They won't fit me 'til I'm ready for school and they let in the rain!"

WOYWW....

Actually on my work desk [ table ] today is....

Nothing and on my 'to do' rail is....

Nothing  :-)  Shhhhhhhhh  I'm hoping to get some little dresses made today for the little African girls.

 What I will show you though is this gorgeous wool.  We all need a little passion from time to time don't we?  :-)

I ordered 3 balls from Cari Crafts and it arrived last Wednesday morning.  It was to knit two little body warmer type cardies for Amy's two big girls so they had a little parcel to open when their little brother arrived....best made plans eh?  Of course you will all know by now that 'little' Stephen arrived rather rapidly later on last Wednesday so I had to knit rather more quickly than planned.

Amy brought her little family here Saturday morning and by then I had knitted two rather gorgeous knitties for the girls....and they loved them  :-)  [Yes, it did mean some rather late knitting but it was worth it to see their little faces]. Here is one just before I put the buttons on....doesn't the wool knit up lovely?  It really lends itself to this knitting 'on round needle' pattern and they looked even better when trimmed up, one with purple buttons and the other with turquoise buttons. [I forgot to take snaps of them both finished...basically cos I was still wrapping them as the girls pulled up on the drive!!]  If anyone wants to have a go at this pattern it can be found on Ravelry.

The other thing I would like to share with you is a parcel that arrived yesterday from my blogging friend Jo.  She sent me parcels for the little twinnies and has now also sent me another gorgeous fabric panel to make into an ABC bag for 'little' Stephen  :-)  Thank you so much Jo.  You really are such a generous lady....I promise I will get them made as soon as I am able  :-)....I really love your card too.

Now folks that's all from me today.  I'm hoping to get my head down to make some little dresses but will do my best to call in as many as I can.  Do pop over to Julia's blog and join in the WOYWW fun but leave me a little comment before you go  :-)  Have a great week everyone.

Hugs,

A x