Our baby boy Ambrose arrived last night at 2.58am. Weighing 8lbs 5oz. So special!

What's a girl to do......

.......when she's absolutely MASSIVE and ready to pop......well.........

1. Eat cake. Chocolate Fudge Cake to be exact. Preferably more than one slice a day. Calorie overload I know but I'm beyond caring. My dieting days are coming soon enough......

2. Buy wool and knit socks. You too can be led astray here (but I'm warning you this is seriously tempting stuff and pricey - but these are destined for a special pair of socks)

3. Look at "very expensive but lovely" baby changing bags. As we are planning that this baby will be the last edition to our family can I justify spending money on a bag that will contain mostly nappies and is bound to be puked on? Maybe.

I'm still here.....

......playing the waiting game for baby to arrive.

The last few weeks have been a mixture of exhaustion, just coping to keep up with everything - housework, girls, school run (yada,yada.....) my sewing machine giving up, my birthday and our fifth wedding anniversary, a day in hospital for monitoring after the baby was a bit excited at my antenatal appointment and finally a few bits of knitting here and there.

I have managed to finish the 3-6 month moss stitch jacket from Debbie Bliss Eco Baby. Its very cute and I actually enjoyed the moss stitch. Quite a revelation.

I'm now knitting a few hearts to make into lavendar pouches as part of my mum's Mother's Day Gift and then I think I will embark on some socks. Of course I haven't seen my ankles in months but I'm hoping they are still there.......

You Tube Special: Old Men Lightsaber Duel (Return Of The Geriatric)

Nothing to do with knitting or sewing but hilarious and I just had to share it. And we want to move to France? We must be mad......better pack a lightsaber (or two) in the car.

Added to my mental 'knitting to do list'.......

........just this week are the lovely Grownup Hoodie from Magpie patterns. I want one now!

Also going on the to do list is this gorgeous free knitting pattern for a Herringbone Cowl. I know if I made it it would be an instance favourite but the herringbone looks tricky. Plus I have a fear of circular needles. These obstacles could be worth tackling for such a lovely scarf.

Finally, I visited the wool shop and was seduced by some Sublime Extra Fine Merino Wool DK in Dew. Somehow three balls and the new Debbie Bliss Eco knitting book ended up in my basket. I've already started another quick baby jumper. Its a race against the clock.

35 weeks

The photo says it all really. My poor back........(but not long now)

Chartreuse

I can't get enough of this lovely spring colour at the moment. And totally by accident it seems to be in every project I have on the go.....

It features in nearly all of the baby bibs I've made this week.

My much loved tin bought from Habitat years ago that I use to keep my larger needles in.

A couple of lavender bags I made using some scraps.

And finally my new knitting project, a double breasted baby jacket in moss stitch, from Debbie Bliss Eco Baby.

Funny how you can be drawn to one colour so much and not realise until you are completely surrounded.

Half term is just around the corner. Lets just hope the weather cheers up so we can all be out in the garden. I've only got six weeks to go until the baby is due which I'm very excited about (in a tired, pregnant lady way....)

Knitting and gardening....

......but not at the same time this week.

I've been knitting lots of love hearts with any odd scraps of red and pink wool I have and then stuffing them with lavender. They're brilliant at keeping clothes smelling fresh when thrown in a drawer. I plan on giving a whole load to my husband for Valentine's Day (romance is not dead, even when you are eight months pregnant - but only just) If you want to make some in time for Monday you can find them here as a free pattern at Magpie Patterns.

I've also been getting excited about the polytunnel and vegetable patch this week. After trawling through lots of seeds catalogues I've decided to order them all from Sarah Raven. Planning to plant lots of multicoloured courgettes and squash together with salad, fennel, tomatoes, herbs etc. Spring is in air for sure.

Sorry for the lack of blogging of late. Things have been hectic around here as we celebrate Mr L turning 40 (much to his annoyance and I try not to rub it in too much that I am still in my 20's.) We have also been busy painting floors, decorating and organising the nursery (less than 10 weeks to D day) and just the general juggling of everyday life in grey January. Only a few days until February, we are nearly there people......

Anyway, normal blogging service should resume shortly but in the mean time I came across this lovely pattern for knitted dishcloths....

I suggest knitting a stash on one of those long winter evenings. Find the pattern here.

Friday morning baking...

We set out to bake a banana/brandy bread (its a new invention and comes from the fact I have left over brandy butter - if it works I will post about it). Anyway the chickens have stopped laying in protest of being made to stay in their run (we spotted the fox on the meadow earlier in the week) and I only had one precious egg left in the cupboard. So as not to disappoint my daughter we decided to make scones.

I've forgotten how good these are. Simple and delicious. We are supposed to be saving them for coffee with my parents tomorrow but I'm not confident they will last that long. Recipe below.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick/50g butter
• 2 cups /225g all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 oz/ 30g fine/caster sugar
• 1/4 cup/ 50g sultanas or chopped dates
• 1/4 pint / 150 ml milk
• 1 egg beaten with a little milk

Preparation:

• Heat the oven to 400F/205C/Gas 6
• Grease and flour a baking sheet.
• Sieve the flour into a roomy baking bowl then add the butter, baking powder and salt. Quickly rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and sultanas and stir.
• Make a well in the center and using a dinner knife, stir in enough milk to make a soft, pliable dough.
• Turn the mixture on to a floured board and knead very lightly until just smooth then lightly roll out to 2cm / 3/4" thick.
• Cut rounds with a 7.5cm /2" cutter or cut into triangles with a sharp knife.
• Place on the baking tray and brush with the beaten egg and milk mixture. Bake near the top of the hot oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and well risen.
• Cool on a wire rack before eating.

Serve with butter, or lashings of jam and cream.

Ok, so I have to admit buying yet more fabric from Saints & Pinners. This time, in their very tempting sale.

Here is another quilt in the making. My plan is to make this one a little bigger than the others.

New handmade patchwork cushion added to my Etsy shop. Find it here.

new hand knits in the shop....

Happy New Year! Hope you all had a great time. We had a wonderful couple of weeks and have only just emerged from all the turkey and of course the Quality Street tin.

I did get a chance to do some making over the festive period so lots of new hand knits in my Etsy shop. More soon....