Fat Birds Rule.

Meet 'Fat Bird'.
When inspiration strikes you've got to just go with the flow before it evaporates.
So thinking caps were donned and much sketching ensued.

Many prototypes were designed and made and abandoned, then even more head scratching followed.

Fabric was measured, cut, stitched and snipped. Pencils were chewed and tongues stuck out in concentration.Much mess was made as well as chaos organised, I daren't show you the heap of stuff on the floor and the bed.And eventually little 'fat birds' were born and somehow evolved into owlets.

Just large enough fill the cupped palm of your hand and full of wheat should they need to be gently warmed in the microwave to keep those hands cosy.

I don't think this is the last we've seen of fat birds or maybe even fat other things yet.

And in a nod to the date today I managed to fit in a bit of 'yarnstorming' here and there in the village.

Wishing you a happy Valentines Day.

fi x

The best shop in Burford and the phantom yarnstormer of Chipping Norton

Hello all, do you remember I mentioned that Wonderful Man and I had managed a few days away in the Cotswold's? Well we certainly crammed a lot of places into those few days including trips to London and Oxford but lets start with this little gem. This is the beautiful little town of Burford in Oxfordshire. Even on a rainy day in August it is beautiful.
But the best shop of all was the this one!

Are you ready girls?

Embroidery threads and needlework kits...

craft books and patterns...

every available space crammed with stitchy goodness...I've never seen tapestry canvasses this big before! The largest one, which was a small rug size was priced at £1800 but it was absolutely gorgeous and once completed would certainly become a family heirloom.

At the top of the stairs this room contained sewing gifty items like pretty needle boxes and unusual tape measures and around the corner was...

YARN!

I thought I'd died and gone to heaven!

I must admit after the needlework shop I don't really remember much about the other shops in Burford but then... why would you need to? lol.

Next is Chipping Norton and keeping the yarn theme going Wonderful Man spotted this as we got out of the car (as you can see I have him well trained)...

A little bit of yarn bombing. You may remember I've dabbled in a little bit of guerrilla crochet myself in the past.

And then further along a little bit more guerrilla knitting.

and the more we looked, the more we found. Check out the duck feet at the bottom of the post.

Unexpected chunks of woollyness all over the high street.

The cheeky mistress of the yarn had even been here in this cafe window too. And do you know how I know it was a 'mistress' as opposed to a 'master' at work? Well Wonderful Man spotted her speedily stitching a piece onto a bollard!

It turns out the lady in question is the lovely PetaX who you can find on Ravelry. Chipping Norton love Peta's yarn storming after several articles in the local paper had brought the phantom yarn bombing to light. Peta's current yarny exploits had been requested by the local theatre company to guide the route to the theatre and their latest production. OO! It makes you feel all warm inside doesn't it? I must apologise for having no photo of Peta in action, I can't believe I didn't get a snap of her in action, I was so cross with myself when I got back in the car and realised.

I must just mention an absolutely scrummy little shop in Chipping Norton, RosieB's, full of the prettiest gifts and vintage gorgeousness. The lovely lady behind the counter assured me that she would have a website up and running in a couple of weeks. Now then, I'd love to share the web address of this pretty shop with you but at the moment the little card with the info on seems to have been misplaced, a bit like the 7 balls of cream yarn I'm missing!

OOPS!

Edited to add. Rosie B's website is www.rosiebinteriors.co.uk