I've Been Knitting Away

I have been working away on two large and secret projects.

This is one of the projects that was knitted in secret. I finally finished it and was able to post it to the UK last week. It is a wedding present for my sister who got married at the end of June this year.

 

The blanket is huge (her husband is quite tall) - the blanket measures 6.5ft x 7ft.

It is a much larger version of a baby blanket I made back in November '09. The border is another continuous cable border with 3 simple rope cables in it.

In the bottom right hand corner of the blanket there is a cable heart (adapted from a book I love - Continuous Cables) and in the heart (after much experimentation and pondering) I added some cream felted wool in their initials combined over a heart.

I used Cascade Ecological Wool in Natural. I love this wool - it is soft, easy to knit with and the hanks are just enormous. Now I just need to write the pattern down! I'm so glad I finished the blanket before the new baby arrives - the other project will have to be completed in a haze of new born madness ...

A look back on 2009

Where has 2009 gone?

Here are a few little highlights of my year.
I haven't achieved as much as I would like crafting wise - but the year been SO fulfilling in many other ways. I was so scared of becoming a mother - but now I can't imagine life without (what I consider to be - although I might be biased) the most lovely, peachy cheeked little girl ever (no no - I'm not biased at all!)

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and best wishes for what I hope will be an exciting 2010 for all of us.

A Little Baby Bunny Break

NOTE: This post was typed up earlier in the week and scheduled to post automatically on the 12th March. So yes - I spent my anniversary and birthday in the hospital - but with perhaps the best birthday present ever!

Today I have been blogging for two years. It is also my birthday. It is also my 4th wedding anniversary! Lots to celebrate! I can't believe how quickly time flies by.

I'm going to take a little break from blogging for the next few weeks to prepare for (and recover from) our new arrival - but I promise to let you know once the little bunny has arrived. Thank you all so much for your best wishes - I'm scared - but curious to meet the little lady.

In the meantime here is a really cute picture of what I looked like as a little girl. Do you think she will look like this?

Nesting with my Needles

The count down is officially on for the arrival of the new baby bunny - and it seems I am refusing to slow down. I had planned that I would spend these last few weeks as a 'resting' period. Where I could curl up on the sofa, watch movies, generally pamper myself and the large bump I'm hauling around - most of all stacking up on some extra sleep that I won't be getting for the next 3 months. However it seems that I am still running around doing things at full tilt, brisk doggie walks in the park - like the most energized pregnant person you have seen - occasionally I might pass out for a quick 'nap' (of a couple of hours or so .... hum.)

This week, ignoring all the baby orientated things I should be doing, I spent a day pulling together my first knitting needle organizer. Before I could begin on my pattern I had to first sort through the pile of knitting needles I kept loose in this bag. The bag had done a sterling job for a while - but as my knitting needle collection has grown it has become harder to find needles quickly - or even know what needles I have. For example I had completely given up on trying to find my beloved chunky cable needle and my naff blue plastic needle I love to use to sew knitted pieces together. But once the bag was emptied properly I discovered that they had been hiding in there all along! Some time ago my mother had also given me a large collection of old knitting needles. I did discard the bent ones but I was still left with a whole array of different lengths and sizes. How would I measure all these strange unmarked sizes? Luckily I had an antique bell gauge in amongst the collection as well ... ... which I soon learned was not that helpful as many of the old UK sizes do not really exist anymore. So I have learnt quite a lot about old knitting UK needle sizes and in the process I discovered the crazy (yet impressive) art of miniature knitting.

I decided to make my needle organizer from some left over pieces of Amy Butler's Lotus fabric, some left over cotton batting and some left over bias tape (I tend never to throw any fabric bits away - believing it will come in useful at some point!) It was a super easy and fast project.
Unrolled it measures 21"h x 23"w. Rolled up it measures 15"h x 4.5"w (depending on how many needles you have stuffed in there of course!) It has 4 layers of pockets for different length needles. The bottom pockets are extra wide to hold your circular needles. In total there are 50 different pockets.There is also a crafty 6" flap at the top of the organizer that folds over and secures with cute side ties to stop the needles falling out once it is all rolled up.
This all means that now I have a full inventory of my needles and I can waste yet more hours, put aside for baby stuff, on the Ravelry needle page! Being able to deny that your life is about to change in a momentous way can be a fabulous thing!

Celebrate with me with Cupcakes and Tea?

This idea was inspired by Kathy of Lizzie Jane who said it was a shame we couldn't get together for cupcakes and tea.

1 year ago today I left full time employment to concentrate on my love of making things. I have absolutely no regrets and now practically no income but I don't think I could ever go back to working in an office again. My biggest thank you has to go to my husband who has supported me (quite literally as well as emotionally) but I also want to really thank anyone who has ever left a comment on my blog or sent me a lovely e-mail. The support and encouragement has meant more to me than words can express.

I think it is a pity (and really amazing) that we (in the crafting blog-o-sphere) are so spread out across the world - and that distance prevents us from getting together on occasion for a yummy cupcake and tea. I can't imagine the amount of cooing and aahing we would do over each others work - the endless conversations about the latest 'it' craft technique - the ideas we would come up with - not to mention the support and encouragement!

So to celebrate my anniversary I am inviting you to join me for a 'Cupcakes and Tea' swap. If you would like to join in please send me an email to rachael@rachaelrabbit.com with the following information;
1. name
2. email address
3. postal address
4. website/blog details (if you have one)
5. favorite color
Sign up by June 20th, and I will send you your swap partners information by the following Monday. Your cupcake themed craft item will need to be made and sent (with your favorite type of tea) by Friday 25th July, so that gives you over a month of crafting time. Please make your cupcake goody out of anything BUT food! Here are some ideas from flickr ....
1. Felt Cupcake Ornament, 2. Holiday Swirl Cupcake Ornaments, 3. felt club: cupcake from sew darn cute, 4. felt cupcake, 5. felt cupcake birthday card/pin, 6. Glass Cupcake Earrings, 7. cupcake, 8. Handpainted CupcakePlaque, 9. Scatoline #1, 10. cupcake pins, 11. petit four pin cushion, 12. cakes, 13. Cupcake Pillow (front), 14. Chocolate, Ms. Darcy's Knitted Cupcakes, 15. Strawberry Swirl Cupcake, 16. Birthday Cupcake - knitted