All romantics meet the same fate some day. Cynical and drunk and boring someone in some dark cafe.

How long, how long.  Have I been busy?  It's been half term, sure, which meant picnics in the park, trips to London to see the stuffed animals, hamster funerals (sob), play dates, trips to the theatre (Simon and I - High Society, so good), trips to the cinema (Simon and I - Age of Ultron, so adequate), dentists, haircuts and lots of running around.  A bit of an experience all round, and we are very much missing our darling little chap.

There's even been some knitting and sewing happening; I've taken to making the girls pants, in the hope that it might, cough, encourage improved, well, hygiene in the younger one.  These ones come from the off cuts of a dress I made for myself.

The pattern is from Kitschy Coo, and is super, super simple and quick; I think they took me thirty minutes each. I'm getting her grown up pants pattern soon to make some for me too. If I start talking about making bras though, do please have a word. Mind you, that's more like metal working than sewing for me, and the engineering is complex, so it's unlikely to happen in this life. The waistband on Lucy's pair is on back to front, but it helps me tell them apart, so it's a design feature, not a maker flaw.

The list is still going on.  There's now a month until the end of this Year of Projects cycle, so I'm starting to think about next year's list, which will be mostly projects I haven't managed to finish yet. 

Hexipuff Quilt - No change. Hey ho.

Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - Done, done and done.  

When Lucy was sad about Charlie on Thursday, she wrapped herself and Hattie in the blanket while they cuddled and watched TV.  Even though I was very sad too, it warmed my heart to see them using my work to cheer themselves up.  I can't wrap them up in cotton wool and keep them indoors, but I can wrap them in love and time.

Wisteria jumper - It needs a sleeve.  Which won't take forever.  She says.

The Weather in the Streets

So close now to being done.  I've sewn together 320, there's 14 loose ones, and I've got less than 70 to go.  Happy days.  I've tried to do 2 a day recently, it's made a real difference.  Who knew that if you actually crocheted something rather than leaving lying on the sofa it would make it grow bigger?

Yellow squares - 120/143 done - 23 to go
Blue squares - 63/72 done - 9 to go
Grey squares - 79/102 - 23 to go
Turquoise squares - 4/11 done
Orange squares - ALL DONE
Pink square - DONE
Purple squares - DONE
Red squares - 8/10 done
Dark Green squares - DONE
Pale Blue square - DONE
Pale Yellow square - DONE
Dark Blue square - DONE
Pinky-Red squares - 8/10 done


Hattie's 4th birthday blanket - Also done, done and done.

Not a great picture, but she loves it to bits and back again, so I don't think I care too much about that. 

Miette cardigan - nearly finished the body.  It's looking good.  It'll go well with my as yet unblogged new Liberty skirt.  Which needs buttons.  Will the chores never end?

I'm keeping these here, with the some of the same notes next to them.  Still no progress.  I've put them in a possible making order.  Just in case.  You never know.

Knitted Coco - selfish knitting project.  Got the yarn, just need to make a start.

Coraline cardigan - I'm going to start this once I've finished the Miette cardigan. It is too pretty to keep on putting off.

Petrie top - I want this for August.  So I'd better get started.  It's June now.  

Peacock Mitten - At almost a quarter of the way through this, I'm quite excited that I might even have it finished before it gets cold again. 

Socks for me - I found some sock yarn. I will take socks with me on holiday with me. Might even get a whole pair made. We're there for two weeks.

Owl Obsession blanket -  I think I'm going to make this as a bunch of circles, with some owls. They'll basically be pretty plain, no mucking about.  That's what I didn't like about the pattern as written, too much mucking about with quite unnecessary lacy bits.

Burton Bear Cowl for Hattie. Autumn project.

Elwood mittens for Lucy.  I'm sure I've started these.  I can't remember though.  Aargh.

Rainbow jumper - this is an Autumn project.

A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - I still need to shred the stash for this. But I'm pretty sure I bought some yarn that didn't arrive. Hmm.

Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - Measure once, knit twice. This is probably an Autumn project too.

Done:

Myrna Cardigan
Hattie's cardigan
A pair of simple socks for the children
Garter Yoke Cardigan
An Owlet for Lucy
Lucy's Cowl
Hattie's Cowl
A Burton Bear Cowl for Lucy
Simon's socks
Boreal
A tiny jumper for Nicholas
Sparkly Owlet for Hattie
Ringo mittens
Aiken
Striped jumper for Lucy
Nicholas' POP blanket

Lucy ripples

Hattie rainbows

The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.

What on earth has been going on?  Where has all my time gone?  It's been WEEKS since I posted anything.  It's nearly the end of Me Made May, and me has been wearing all the handmade clothes, as have the children, and I've been sewing like a demon too.  More on that TOMORROW.  PROBABLY.

KNITTING, KNITTING, KNITTING.  There's been knitting happening, but no photography, as I really haven't finished anything.  Aargh.  It'll be the end of this YEAR OF PROJECTS soon, so the majority of my list will form the basis of next year's list.  Hem.

• Hexipuff Quilt - No change.  Hey ho.

• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - My Lucy considers this to be done.  I'm going to add two yellow stripes to it, and one purple, then an orange border around the whole thing, and then it will be done. 

• Wisteria jumper -  It needs a sleeve.  Just one sleeve.  *sigh*  But, as it is thick, thick wool, and cables, it's not going to be needed for a few more months.  Hopefully.

• The Weather in the Streets 

I've done a couple more squares, but I forget which, and I've not made a note, so these numbers will have to do, and I'll have a count tonight or tomorrow and get up to date.

• Yellow squares - 109/143 done - 34 to go
• Blue squares - 56/72 done - 16 to go
• Grey squares - 69/102 - 33 to go
• Turquoise squares - 2/11 done
• Orange squares - ALL DONE
• Pink square - DONE
• Purple squares - DONE
• Red squares - 7/10 done
• Dark Green squares - DONE
• Pale Blue square - DONE
• Pale Yellow square - DONE
• Dark Blue square - DONE
• Pinky-Red squares - 7/10 done

• Hattie's 4th birthday blanket - currently getting a pink border.  So, so close to being done.

• Miette cardigan - cropped cardigans are not very me, so I'm going to add 6 inches to the body, and then call it long enough.  

There has been no progress on any of these, so I'm going to call them the start of next year's list, despite the tiniest little outside chance that I will complete one of these by the end of June.  Tiniest chance on the planet, but still a chance.  

• Burton Bear Cowl for Hattie. Autumn project.
• Owl Obsession for one of my godsons.  I had a go at making the owls, and didn't really like the way they looked, so I am going to make him a different sort of owl blanket.  Probably one that's like the Repeat Crafter Me blanket I made Hattie.  I'm using the wool I bought for him, so it won't be exactly the same.  It'll be more controlled, colourwise, as I've got a variegated main colour and white for the edges.  I'll need some brown for the owl body, but some acrylic aran weight will be great for that.  
• Peacock Mitten - At almost a quarter of the way through this, I'm quite excited that I might even have it finished before it gets cold again.  
• Coraline cardigan - I'm going to start this once I've finished the Miette cardigan.  It is too pretty to keep on putting off. 
• Petrie top - it's time for a bit of selfish knitting, I think I'll start it, and see how it goes.    
• Knitted Coco - same with this one.  I'm so close to finishing the girls' blankets, I'll need some projects to put on the sofa to wind Simon up.
• Socks for me - I found some sock yarn.  I will take socks with me on holiday with me.  Might even get a whole pair made.  We're there for two weeks.
• Rainbow jumper - this is an Autumn project.
• A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - I still need to shred the stash for this.  But I'm pretty sure I bought some yarn that didn't arrive.  Hmm.
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - Measure once, knit twice.  This is probably an Autumn project too.

Done:

Myrna Cardigan

Hattie's cardigan.

A pair of simple socks for the children

Garter Yoke Cardigan

An Owlet for Lucy

Lucy's Cowl

Hattie's Cowl

A Burton Bear Cowl for Lucy

Simon's socks

Boreal

A tiny jumper for Nicholas

Sparkly Owlet for Hattie

Ringo mittens

Aiken

Striped jumper for Lucy
Nicholas' POP blanket

Uh, Shakespeare in the park? Doth mother know you weareth her drapes?

Good morning comrades.  Well, I'm not in such a terrible mood as I was, so I can face trying to be light-hearted about sewing again.  Me Made May is in full swing, and I've been enjoying wearing all my handmade clothes and smiling modestly when people ask me if I made my outfits.  It's all about the kudos.

Day 1

Miette skirt.  

Day 2

Miette skirt, Aiken jumper

Day 3

Spotty Francoise dress, Luxulite brooch

Day 4

Miss Scarlett top

Day 5

Pink fleece Coco, Miette skirt

Day 6

Garter yoke cardigan, striped Coco dress

Day 7

Grey Coco dress

Day 8

Bird Coco, definitely red scarf

Day 9

Spotty skirt, Miss Scarlett top (all the filters)

Day 10

Raccoon Anna dress, Myrna cardigan (from the outfit along challenge last year)

So there you go.  All the outfits, all the time.  

I’ll have a Manhattan. And kick the vermouth to the side with a pair of steel-toed boots.

I'm not going to mention the election.  I'm simply going to say that we personally will be a lot better off under the Tories, which is a really good thing, because now we can afford to spend even more money giving to the Ealing food bank, the Night Shelter and the Women's Refuge.  So every cloud and all that.  I'm glad London is still resolutely red, and that Farage didn't get the seat he wanted, and that my lovely MP kept his seat - a man of principle, not principles I necessarily endorse, but I'd rather that than the other thing.  I'm bracing myself for the next round of pissing about with education; I suspect all the SEND children I'm going to be co-ordinating will be expected to be less autistic, visually impaired, cognitively impaired and dyslexic.  I'm dreading the fact that the malevolent little meerkat will most probably be in charge again.  I feel strikes coming on.

I'm too depressed to take photos, and I was going to spend tonight sewing, but it's dark and there's gin to drink and Agents of SHIELD to watch, and so I'm going to do those things.  I might even finish my Miette, if I can find the rest of the green wool I've hidden carefully in the stash.

Me Made May pictures tomorrow when I'm feeling less furious and murderous.

Do you think it's possible for an entire nation to be insane?

The General Election is today, and I've done my patriotic duty etc etc, although I was nearly thrown by HAVING TO GO TO A DIFFERENT POLLING STATION, and nearly voted for the wrong person.  I get confused easily.

In other news, I've finalised a title for my next assignment essay: how can a policy be formulated to integrate and embed advice from outside agencies into quality first teaching?  Jolly interesting, but ultimately it will be a work of great fiction and we will carry on doing things the way we've been doing them.

I walked from Greenford to Pitshanger Lane today, which sounds a long way, but is barely 8,000 steps, according to my tracker thing.  It was all cognitive dissonance too - I walked along the River Brent, which is green and pleasant with butterflies and cow parsley and ducks and all sorts, and on my right hand side was the Ruislip Road and the E2.  Bonkers.  Still, more enjoyable than walking along the pavement.  It didn't rain, although it looked like it might several times.

All this outdoor activity and fitness is wearing me out.  I need a couple of glasses of wine and a little rest.  

Oh, I don't think I'm a lot dumber than you think that I thought that I thought I was once

What a terribly busy weekend and couple of days that.  My nephew turned one, I went to Bristol for a day trip to see a friend and spend money at the Outlaw Craft Fair (great), and we spent Monday walking around London, looking for more Shaun the Sheep statues.  So a fine time has been had by all.  There's even been knitting happening.  

• Nicholas' POP blanket - Finished and done and given to the birthday boy, who was predictably unimpressed by it, but my sister in law loves it, which is the main thing really.   30 circles, 30 squares, the blue border made from the remains of my Elsa jumper.  I've only had the kit for 18 months, so that's a pretty good rate of progress for me.  

• Hexipuff Quilt - It's something like 180 out of 250.  Which is great. STILL.  

• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - Nearly done.  I need to finish this now, although I honestly need more wool for it; some more orange is needed as it's her favourite colour. 

• Wisteria jumper -  Still the same.  It's too warm to work on this.

• Burton Bear Cowl for Hattie. I'm going to move this to next year I think; it's really too warm for this too.

• The Weather in the Streets 

Still 98 to go, so no photo.  I'm still pretty happy about it, although I'm thinking that I should really just get on and finish it.

• Yellow squares - 109/143 done - 34 to go
• Blue squares - 56/72 done - 16 to go
• Grey squares - 69/102 - 33 to go
• Turquoise squares - 2/11 done
• Orange squares - ALL DONE
• Pink square - DONE
• Purple squares - DONE
• Red squares - 7/10 done
• Dark Green squares - DONE
• Pale Blue square - DONE
• Pale Yellow square - DONE
• Dark Blue square - DONE
• Pinky-Red squares - 7/10 done

• Hattie's 4th birthday blanket.  This is going really well.  I've made and sewn together 20, and there are another 3 to sew on at some point.  I can finish 4 more of them, but then I have to wait for the wool fairy to bring me some more wool to finish it. I've been putting empty ball bands under my pillow every night, but nothing. 

• NEW: A Miette cardigan.   I've seen lots of these on the internet, and thought it would be just the thing to make myself to go with my soon to be finished skirt.  The skirt is gorgeous; red roses, Liberty print, salvaged from something my mum was getting rid of, which makes it super amazing: vintage, upcycling and handmade.

• Owl Obsession for one of my godsons - it's for his second birthday.  Next up. 
• Peacock Mitten - I'm almost a quarter of the way through the second mitten.  Still.
• Coraline cardigan - I've wound the wool for this, but I need to finish the Wisteria jumper first.
• Petrie top - I should probably start this one soon.    
• Knitted Coco -see above.
• Socks for me - I have no suitable sock wool that I like.
• Rainbow jumper - still depressed about losing jumper 1, and in mourning.  
• A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - still planning.  I need to sort the stash to see what I've got of this.  I might even need to sort out whether I've got the wool.  I think I bought some, but I don't remember.  How awful.    
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - Oh Lord, I keep putting this off.

Done:

Myrna Cardigan

Hattie's cardigan.

A pair of simple socks for the children

Garter Yoke Cardigan

An Owlet for Lucy

Lucy's Cowl

Hattie's Cowl

A Burton Bear Cowl for Lucy

Simon's socks

Boreal

A tiny jumper for Nicholas

Sparkly Owlet for Hattie

Ringo mittens

Aiken

Striped jumper for Lucy

So that's your lot.  There's been sewing happening, but no photos.  Too busy and important these days.  

Sweet April showers do spring May flowers.

Last year's "Me Made May" was so much fun, I've decided to do it again.

'I, Julia from julia's blog, http://juliacroyden.blogspot.co.uk/, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '15. I endeavour to wear at least one handmade piece of clothing every day, without repeating an entire outfit, each day for the duration of May 2015'

Let the month begin. I'm starting as I mean to go on, with my BRAND NEW Miette skirt with buttons instead of ties; made from IKEA fabric, so cheap as anything. It only took me a few hours to make and I learned how to make buttonholes using the super BUTTONHOLE foot, which was terrifically exciting in every way.

I love it, even though it's a bit big around the waist, and a bit long. I'm also wearing it "wrong"; the pattern has a centre skirt, then two big back bits that wrap around your waist and tie in the front, but I have put the front at the back, and used the back pieces as overlapping front bits, which isn't what lovely, lovely Tilly had in mind, but works for me. I knew I didn't want ties, because I really don't need more fabric around my waist; maybe I'll get a lighter weight fabric, and have a go with the ties, maybe making them quite thin. There's always options when you make your own clothes.

It's a brilliant pattern though, clear and very, very easy. Tilly is very good at clear, step by step instructions, which is great for beginners and nervous people; I made a spotty Francoise dress the other day - so quick and clear.  I still need to take photos of that one, and my pinky-red wraparound dress (a wearable toile, it's not great).

Anyway. That's the joyful tidings; I'll try to do an outfit round-up post once a week, if I remember. If you are very interested, I'm @sljuls on Instagram and Twitter, if you are interested in these things.

I STILL don't like the name of the month though.  Me no like it.