Friday 15 April 2011

Freebies


Where oh where does time go? I have had a great first half of the week off with Alice and then went back to work yesterday having booked her into an art workshop yesterday and holiday club for today. We have done some cycling and picnic-ing, went to see the Smuggler's caves in Hastings Old Town which were really interesting and have done a lot of arty crafty things together with some charity shop browsing! Needless to say the above jam jar hugged by my knitted "mug hug" knit is starting to fill up with more old/vintage colourful needles like these beauties I found for 50p a pair


Oh sweet joy! I love knitting with these older/vintage needles, find them so much more comfortable to click click away on .... all pretty in a row.


I've just realised that if you have just arrived on my blog for the first time, that it may seem that I have a rather sad disposition in life, finding joy in old grannies knitting needles. Well the truth of the matter is that YES I do find great joy in the finding a bargain, recycling things, giving to charity, being an old romantic at heart and thinking of the past ... yet to mention what my hands can produce from such beauties :0) So welcome to my kooky little world and I hope you stay a while xox

Now... the charity shop I bought these needles from was my local hospice charity shop and as I was leaving I spotted a box full of coat hangers "going for free" to passers by and much to my great delight, out of the corner of my eye I spotted these 2


Ooooh the thrill of an old wooden coat hanger just waiting for some hooky charm! So out came a hook and some leftover DK cotton from my stash


I've been dying to get my hands on some old fashioned coat hangers and knew the moment would arrive sooner or later. So I chained 10 (2 to count as a htr) and zoomed up and down in htr to make a cover for the first hanger



 And decorated with some pretty simple flowers





The second, thinner hanger still needs decorating with a blossom or two. Really simple, quick and easy to make and celebrate!


Hoooooray for freebies xox  I was also the very happy recipient of some old curtain fabric this week from one of my friends' from work, she saw this at a jumble sale and thought of me...


I love love love it, all soft and romantic and gorgeous. Thank you so much Yvonne xox Kerching another freebie! How blessed am I ?

So, before I go today I'll leave you some pictures of our Easter tree we arrange each year. The twigs are from a friend's allotment and I use them at Easter and Christmas, last Christmas Alice and I decided to spray some silver and gold on part of the branches, not appropriate for Easter I know but I think we can just about get away with using them xox It was of course an opportunity to hook up some little flowers  for the branches and for Alice to blow out the inside of eggs and decorate. This year she decided to do her own form of decoupage on 2 eggs.







Thank you all so much for popping in.
Wishing you all a peaceful and gentle weekend xox

12 comments:

  1. Beautifully transformed coat hangers - don't you love the instant charm of a quick bit of crochet? :) And that fabric - so pretty. And your easter tree is just lovely. I've never done one. Maybe this should be the year? Have a good weekend! Jane x

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  2. I too get excited at the coloured knitting needles - I have a jug of them on my dresser - brings a splash of colour even when there are no flowers about.

    Hopefully I am going to do my easter tree tomorrow - tis just a matter of finding the right branches/twigs.

    Have a good weekend xx

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  3. I am 26 and i to love old knitting needles and as i knitt i love to imagine what was made on them i have to jar full and a drawer full as well as crochet hooks.

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  4. I love your Easter tree, it's gorgeous, and what a great idea!!

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  5. What a glorious post, I love your Easter tree all decorated with your beautiful crafty makes.
    I have a couple of pairs of vintage needles too and love to bring them out to look at them, am now thinking I should put them in a jar and display them as they look so pretty. I have some coathangers that have satin material on them and my clothes slip off, I am going to take the satin off and see what sort of hanger they are, fingers crossed they are wooden ones.
    x Sandi

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  6. Oh how I love your vintage needles, so beautiful! Love the coat hangers too, they turned out more than great with your talent! And did I tell your Easter tree looks very lovely? Yes it's so lovely, as much as your posts!!!
    Hope you have a gorgeous weekend! x

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  7. If you are kooky then I must be kooky too!
    x

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  8. What a lovely post Penelope! Your knitting needle collection is growing beautifully! I'm a bit jealous of those 4.5mm needles, I'm on a hunt for some that are nice and light and pointy, I think I need to return to my op shops! The vintage ones are so much nicer and pointier than todays needles! And the crochet hanger covers are just lovely, how lucky to find some freebies! And great to do some upcycling!
    Have a lovely week XXX

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  9. Just found your blog and totally get your knitting needle love I have lots in a vase on my craft bench. I also love freebies and charity shops and have an easter twiggy tree. I must live in the kookie world too. Actually I always tell my hubby I live in a world of red spotty toadstools with tiny furniture and pink fluffy bunnies and drink tea out of acorn cups. Whoops I am sane really.

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  10. Loving your Easter tree - not enough is made of Easter compared to Christmas and it's a very important event so nice to give it some consideration.
    Very envious, but in a good way, of the freebies you got in the Charity Shop. I've been 'attempting' to do some hanger-covers a la Dottie Angel where there's a little tutorial that I can actually understand but it's coming out a bit small. And there's that sweet little cardi again ...

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  11. BEAUTIFUL in everyway...
    Wishing you a Blessed Easter
    LOVE PEACE enJOY
    Julie
    x

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  12. Lovely Easter tree. We still have ours to decorate. You were so lucky to find those freebies. The fabric is gorgeous and the crocheted coat hangers are so pretty. x

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