Brown jumpers

Brown autumn jumpers. Here, two 1970s families model a variety of shades of brown, from yellowish to deep russet. Perfect camouflage if you are planning on hiding in a pile of leaves and jumping out and scaring people.

Children always look slightly uneasy in knitting patterns like these. You can tell that those people aren't really mummy and daddy. That little girl on the Templetons pattern is thinking "I'm holding a stranger's hand!" The little boy on the Ladywood pattern is having to pull off the double whammy of putting his hand on a strange girl's shoulder while looking amused that fake daddy is looking at fake mummy. Give him an Oscar!

Christmas orders

Last posting date for Christmas from the UK to the USA is 9th December, by airmail. I'm already getting busy so if you'd like a custom knitting or cross stitch order, please let me know as soon as possible, I would hate for anyone to miss out!

Fingerless mitts

Here's an evolutionary dead-end from the Glove family tree. These fingerless mitts from Bestway have an opening for a thumb, the index finger, and then the remainder of the fingers. The modern evolutionary forms of the fingerless glove have only a thumb-hole and a finger hole, or finger-holes for every digit.

Why did this form of glove never really catch on? I suppose there's no real advantage in having just one finger enclosed. Unlike this scooter glove, where the enclosed finger gives you more control over your throttle, the poor Bestway fingerless mitt had little to offer humanity and can now only be found, stuffed, in museums.

Tip-toppers hats

I couldn't resist these little spring hats from Needlework Illustrated magazine. Yes, I know it's the autumn, but at this time of year I think a pretty, colourful hat is just the job to lift the spirits. So here are "Tip-Toppers to knit and crochet with that May Morning air". No date on the magazine, but I think we're in the late 1940s or early 1950s here.

From the top right, working clockwise: "Sally the teenager wears a horse's tail of tambourine bright ribbons a-swish from the top of her knitted cap."

"Helen comes to town smartly hatted... in a fetching little model of crunchy knitting made with lustrous cotton thread."

"Joanne the sophisticate suits the set of a knitted Jelly Bag to occasion and mood - here formal, informal."

"Rosemary frames pretty head in curving crochet. Easy-to-make style in wool... Good in bright, decisive colours."

Is it just me, or was Needlework Illustrated's copywriter hitting the gin by the time she got to Joanne? Isn't that just random words?

Captain Jack Sparrow doll

The very talented Simon Dack came and took some photos of me and my Pirates of the Caribbean dolls yesterday. Here's a few of Captain Jack enjoying a windy day on the beach in Worthing - I think the bluster gives his hair a real action hero look.


Which is more than can be said for my hair, in most of the shots I looked like Professor Trelawney's unkempt cousin. But I like this one of me and Jack hanging out in a rusty beach shelter on the prom.

I'm working on the pattern for Captain Jack at the moment and hope it have it in my Etsy shop very soon.

Etsy likes cake

Over the moon to have my Facebook Cake button cross stitch sampler promoted on Etsy's Twitter and Facebook feeds yesterday. Loads of lovely comments and new followers on Etsy and Twitter! Fantastic.

Like Cake cross stitch

Like cake? Like Facebook? Then you will definitely like stitching this cross stitch sampler.

The Cake button in the photo is worked in cross stitch, with a half-cross stitch background, on 14 count aida fabric.

You can buy the pattern from my Etsy shop. And you can buy the awesome cakes in the photo from Parklife Cafe, Bath Place, Worthing, UK. If you're ever in Worthing, don't miss Parklife's cakes... very special.