Sometimes I miss being a crafty blogger. Sharing post after post about dresses I've sewn, tee-shirts I've printed and blankets I've crocheted.

Way back then when I started this blog, four years ago this month, my girls were much smaller and needier but somehow I seemed to have more time for the making. I was always making. And always planning my next make. My world and my blog revolved around it.

Piles of fabric, pattern pieces cut out, overlocked, seams sewn, pockets, appliques, trims, details...

I made enough to clothe my family, to give away as gifts and to even have an online store to sell the excess.

And despite my productivity, I'm sure that way back then I dreamed of a day when the girls would all be at school and I would have interrupted time. Uninterrupted time to make. Time without any helpers, time without any interruptions and time to sit down and work on a project of my design from start to finish. Imagine that?!!

But somehow now that I'm there, I have less making time. How is that even possible?

Before my last baby started school this year I made my self feel better by thinking about how much time I would have to sit at my sewing machine making dresses. I thought I'd be able to finally get to work on some of the printing ideas in my head. And I dreamed of cozy crochet sessions over cups of tea with friends in the afternoons.

But none of this has happened. Today I actually sat down at my sewing machine to sew Miss Pepper a dress for the first time all year. Only to find it was a disaster when she got home and tried it on. And it's such a shame because it was so cute and denim and had appliqued buildings on it. But she declared that it made her look like she was wearing a tent and she was right!!

I'm waaaaaaaaaaaaay out of practice.

Somewhere along the line, I lost all my crafty time. Well all except the knitting time and the time for stitching up bunting to go in some book shops that will stock my book.

That's what the top picture is about. Fabric and cotton to make the bunting, little knitting needles to encourage the little girls to keep knitting and a choice of two yellows for Miss Indi's new beanie (she lost her last one).

And then there are the three bear beanies I knitted on the weekend.

The green one was too green for the birthday four year old.

The pink one on top of it was too big for the birthday four year old.

And the third one I cast off ten minutes before the pony party on the weekend and was juuuuuust right, (thank goodness).

Ravelry deets here.

I wish I had time tomorrow to have another go at sewing a dress. I even think I know how to fix all the mistakes I made today. But we're spending the day picking olives. We have to get them off the trees before the birds get them all.

Maybe I'll sew when the girls leave home....or when we retire....

How come the slow life is such a busy life?

xx