my-msmagpie2018blog

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

A couple of magpies

When I saw this magpie embroidery pdf pattern by Chloe Redfern on Etsy I knew that I had to purchase and make asap. A super easy and quick make which is incredibly effective. I loved the majority of the embroidery process, my only niggle was around my decision to use sparkly blue thread. This was not recommended or required by the pattern and instead something I decided would be a cute addition…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

Sunny canal walks

Dear darling, It was just too nice and warm and beautiful outside to spend anytime indoors so I made the executive decision to go out and about along our local canal. Further along I found some cygnets hitching a ride on their mother’s back, sadly I didn’t manage to take any pictures but I shall try again another day. Here’s hoping that I haven’t burned and so live to regret this…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

Unexpected outing to a church

Dear Darling A bit of an oops moment when we arrived a bit too late to enter the grounds of National Trust property Charlecote, we were a few minutes past the cut off time of 4pm but had hoped they would let us in for a quick mooch around the grounds. However this was not to be, so instead we wondered into the local church. I’m a bit embrassed to admit that while I’m a frequent visitor to…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

A letter from March

Dear darling, It has been a very busy start to the year, it feels a bit weird to write that since it is now May but the months since 2025 hit have felt utterly relentless so something had to go. Anyway, I’m here and writing so that’s good and productive.I wanted to share with you that for the last month I’ve been watching a pair of magpies building a nest in the tree opposite to our window were…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

Dear Darling, The weather is finger-tingly cold here and the frost is nipping hard on all extremities. Beautiful to look at when inside with a toasty hot beverage. On my recent daily walk down to the local river to say hello to the swans I found an interloper. A black swan seems to have flown in and is trying to fit in with its white counterparts. I enclose a picture for you to view and…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

Thread painting a butterfly

I love spending time flicking through magazines especially crafty ones and about a month ago during one of my flicks I stumbled across a thread painted butterfly within Love Embroidery magazine by designer Emillie Ferris which I just knew I needed to do. My embroidery knowledge is very basic so sewing this was a very steep learning curve and took at least four weeks to make and involved a lot of…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

Larks at the knitting and stitching show

I have had such a brilliant long weekend. I managed to snag Friday off as annual leave so spent the day mooching about Ally Pally in London at the Knitting and Stitching show. It was my first time there and it didn’t disappoint. We arrived as the doors opened and like hardcore fans remained until nearly kicking out time. I was restrained in my purchases, probably due to having a prepared a short…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

Hello, it’s been a while….

Hey there, it’s been sometime since I’ve posted on here. It would be easy to find some exes use or reason for going quiet but to be honest there is none. I just haven’t felt like writing or posting and I’ve that once I stop for a time I can find it hard to get back started. Which is sad because I really enjoy thinking and planning and sharing here. There’s a lot that’s happened I want to write…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

Happy New Year!

Has anyone made any plans for their 2024 or just intending to ‘wing it’? Personally I love plans both the time spent making them and later ticking them off or reflecting. I understand many people don’t really like plans especially when the hoped plans and dreams didn’t happen which can led to many negative feelings and self flagellation. I often feel more grounded and comfortable when I feel…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

An actual finished bag!

Following from my last post I wanted to show a bag which I have finished and been using. This was a ‘no pattern’ bag and was super easy. I just decided upon the size I wanted my finished bag to be then added on a 1cm seam allowance. I also wanted my bag to have a slight flat bottom so followed some YouTube videos to figure out how this is achieved. For my handle, I measured from where I wanted…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

So nearly finished bag

Hands up those who have any sewing or knitting projects which just need one final small touch to make it complete? My hand is firmly up for a couple of WIPS but in particular I’m feeling a bit sheepish about my ‘Hattie bag’. A pattern through Charm Patterna by the lovely Gertie. This bag has been on my ‘so nearly but not yet completed’ list for about 4 months! I’ve done all the hard bits such as…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

Patchwork table mat

My patchwork craze continues. Next I made a patchwork table mat for our coffee table. I used the same technique as with my kindle case, this time I was slightly quicker when sewing them together, yay me! The only change I made was during the quilting phase, with my rather fancy (for me) sewing machine I used one of the more decorative sewing stitches to quilt everything together. This part I…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

Quilted patchwork kindle cover

My very first attempt at any patchwork or quilting and I feel it has turned out rather well. Just some measuring needed and adding on the seam allowances – something which has tripped me up in the past! I used the sewing machine to piece the hexagons together, a process which took longer than expected. I pieced together one long strip then just needed to sew around the edges once and then it…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

Looking over August

August turned out to be a bit of a busy month for me, with lots happening. I’ve been a busy bee with my knitting and sewing, although some are not yet finished. Towards the beginning of the month I attended the National Quilt Festival at the NEC. My first time and it was completely amazing. I feel relatively new to sewing but from my day at the festival I’m completely inspired to make a huge…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

Who doesn’t love a crocheted bag??

I’m feeling quite proud of this colourful crocheted bag. My crocheting skills are a bit so so. I know that progress will only happen with more practice but find that my patience when crocheting and things go wrong tends to be a bit low and I’ll often put the item to one side while also cursing loudly. When I saw the pictures for this bag within Inside Crochet magazine last year I knew that I…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

Hello World

I’m back, but different. I lost motivation in reading and writing so I had nothing to blog about. So I just stopped and there has been radio silence from me for some time. I had thought about starting a new blog since I’ve found my motivation and voice which is around my knitting and sewing, something which Other Half has certainly noticed! So I’m back but my posts will mainly be about my makes…

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

Weekly diary: 15th May

Weekly diary: 15th May #weeklydiary #reading #nonfiction #knitting #sewing #running

It has been a busy couple of weeks, although I am super pleased that I’m making time and space to get out and enjoy some of the gorgeous weather. It has also been lovely to stop and take stock of nature and my surroundings. The swan who had been perched on her large nest has now hatched her babies and I have enjoyed spending some time to stop and watch them swimming about looking for food. Along…