Inspiration

Since I started knitting I basically discovered blogging and have got so much inspiration from other people. Something that's important to me is getting comments from other creative people, as not being in an environment where you are constantly evaluating your work and getting feedback from others means you can sometimes get stuck in a rut or maybe not see other options or routes. I'm very blessed to have a rather creative family though - my husband is a product designer, MIL is a kind of interior designer (as in she doesn't do it for a job any more) and she is always making things, sewing, patchwork and generally beautiful things. Actually she sent me this beautiful box of fabric last week; here are the contents on my dining table.



Loads of little pre cut cotton squares for patchwork, and some heart coasters and little drawstring bags full of mini eggs and marshmallow bunnies for Easter. She is lovely :)
My mum is really creative too. When I was little she was always doing cross stitch or patchwork. She loved these American Leisure Arts counted cross stitch of Victorian scenes of dressing rooms with dresses hanging from a wardrobe with a Singer sewing machine, or French doors leading outside. I didn't realise quite how many she'd done but the other week I went home and she had a load of them rolled up that I could hardly remember seeing. She also did loads of samplers with little trees and birdies and things - really sweet. As well, she made these little Victorian sewing boxes called Etui's. They have a lid which holds everything together but when you take it off the four sides fall down and they are padded for keeping pins and needles in with an extra section inside for a reel of cotton. Very cool and very clever!