(I really love our Nativity set. Here is the not so traditional ‘villager bringing bread’.)

Even when I was a university student, my mother would buy my sister and I chocolate advent calendars and post them to wherever we were (which makes it sound like we were half a world away – we weren’t. We were a train ride away in London in my case, and Edinburgh for my sister. but anyway…) It was a lovely, thoughtful gesture and it meant a lot to me, especially when I was battling deadlines and crowds of christmas shoppers in my retail job.

Now I’m a parent of two small children I’m trying to work out how I want to celebrate the run up to christmas. There are lots of great ideas in the craft/parenting blogging community.

Thing is, we live in a small house and we’re still trying to find homes for all our stuff. I don’t want more stuff.

So this year we’re going to decorate the house, bit by tiny bit. FB we be slowly building up the decorations on the wooden christmas tree (another thoughtful advent gift from my mum when I was in my early twenties – it sat on my dest in the games company in the insane run up to christmas 2003…) and he and LR will be helping me find good homes to show off a picked decoration for the house each day. Starting with the christmas gnomes, which hang off the internal doorknobs.

I wanted to make an advent candle log – I tried to get it do last advent too! – but we went to see family at the weekend and so it didn’t happen. We still have the first sunday’s candle, but on a plate, and that’s ok. That’s just how we’re doing this year. Even as a non-religous family it’s lovely to count the passing of time in this way. Or at least it is for me. And hopefully for everyone else too.

In conclusion – No to more stuff! Yes to enjoying our decorations even more!

Happy Advent!

Look at the cakes! Aren’t they amazing? (You should see the notes that came with them – there is so much love for this shop.)

The shop’s new layout looks great! I love the rainbowing of the supplies.

We could play spot the OxfordKitchenYarns – there is some sock yarn in there. Yay!

FB got a bit attached to the bear and carried him around the shop for a while. Tempting. Very tempting. :)

Jo at Darn it and Stitch has been a huge supporter of OxfordKitchenYarns – it’s hard to put into words how much this has helped my confidence, though a simple place to start would be to say that it has helped A LOT.

It’s a wonderful place, and if you’re ever in Oxford you really should go check it out. (I am unable to leave the shop without buying something – even when I’m just delivering yarn. (On saturday it was velvet chartruse ric rac and knicker elastic in mauve and wine. Score!)

Anyway… HAPPY BIRTHDAY Darn it and Stitch! We love you!

Let’s have a couple of random things -

1. LR is six months old today! Go LR! (How has it been six months? How has it only been six months? We all love her so!)
2. Oxford Kitchen Yarn news: I have been doing lots of dyeing and have more yarn arriving in the next day or so! I’m hoping to get enough dyeing done over the next couple of weeks to re-open the shop after the May Bank Holiday weekend. But I’m hoping, rather than promising.

And on with the post…

Before FB was born I bought Small but Real Clothes and then – as you sometimes do – didn’t actually make anything from it. Luckily the sizing goes up to 3 so I still have the summer to make FB a shirt or two – possibly – and I’ve traced out a few things for LR.

However the first thing I did was combine two of the dress patterns to get this dress:

(Check out all the Grape Hyacinths that are in bloom! W dug all those out and planted the hundreds of bulbs by hand last summer, before the shed of great joy was built.)

The main fabric is a 70′s pillowcase and the edging came from Fabric Rehab and is left over from the lining of a bag that I need to show you. The trousers are (yet another!) pair of BBBPants, made from an charity shop teeshirt find.

In the first photo you can just about make out the bias-binding trim on the inside of the arm hole and neck line – they were a bit of a pain to do, but look so lovely. And though I originally planned to use buttons and button holes, so that LR could wear it during our trip to London (I went to see Frankenstein and it was outstanding!) I ended up sewing on press-studs while we were on the bus. But actually they work fine and it all looks very neat.

I have been busy making clothes for the warmer weather – we are having beautiful weather in Oxford at the moment. So there are more pieces to show you very soon. :) And more yarn!

(I haven’t talked much about FB’s birth, or this pregnancy – 32 1/2 weeks already, can you believe it? – but this time around we have decided to go with an independent midwife. This wasn’t an easy decision financially, but we believe it’s the best one for our family, based on our previous experiences, and our hopes for this birth. Therefore the current threat to independent midwifery in the UK is one of personal significance to us as a family. That said, even if it wasn’t, as a mother, it would still be of vital importance.

Therefore I am asking all the UK residents who read this blog, to consider giving a few minutes of their time to write to their MP and support the important work done by independent midwives so that their work can continue.)

Dear Clients, Friends, and Family

It’s crunch time and we really need your help if independent midwives are going to be able to practise in the UK in future. If you recognise the value of personalised, high quality midwifery care throughout pregnancy, birth and after the baby is born that an independent midwife is able to provide, then please could you let the government know NOW.

For several years the government’s new policy that all healthcare professionals have indemnity insurance has been put on hold. Last year the government commissioned the Finlay Scott Review to look at the feasibility of indemnity insurance as a condition of every healthcare professional’s registration. The Review has now been published and recommends that indemnity/insurance should become mandatory and a requirement for registration.  However it also recommended for those groups for whom the market does not provide affordable insurance or indemnity (independent midwives), the relevant Departments of Health in the four countries of the UK should decide if the continued availability of this service is necessary; and, if so, should seek to facilitate a solution to the problem.

The Departments of Health are due to respond imminently to this Review – and their responses will be a perfect vehicle through which to address this anomaly with solutions from policy-makers.

Can you please send an email to your MP and copy it to your relevant Department of Health (see attachment for draft that you may wish to use)? Could you also print your letter and send it as a hard copy to your MP and Department of Health as although slower, receiving lots of letters is more effective?

Find your MP by clicking on: http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/ and click on his/her website to find their email and constituency postal address. Don’t use the House of Commons address for MP’s at this time of year as it is in summer recess.

Departments of Health:

England:

Mike.Lewis@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Mike Lewis
Senior Policy Manager
Professional Standards Division
Department of Health
2N10 Quarry House

Quarry Hill

Leeds.

LS2 7UE

Scotland:

Catherine.clark@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Catherine Clarke

Regulating Unit

Chief Nursing Office

St. Andrew’s House

Regent Road

Edinburgh

EH1 3DG

scottish.ministers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Nicola Sturgeon Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Wales:

correspondence.edwina.hart@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Edwina Hart Minister for Health and Social Services

Welsh Assembly Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

Northern Ireland:

private.office@dhsspsni.gov.uk

Michael McGimpsey Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Room C5.10
Castle Buildings
Stormont Estate
Belfast
BT4 3SQ

Please forward this email and the accompanying attachment to as many other friends, family and supporters such as local NCT groups, Women’s Institute, etc as possible.

Without positive government intervention independent midwifery will become illegal in the very near future. If a solution is provided, it could benefit maternity services in the UK for decades to come.

Please write to your MP and to your relevant country’s Department of Health.

Thank you for your support.

Find out more about Independent Midwives, visit
http://www.independentmidwives.org.uk/?node=556

Aurantium Blossom by Alice Yu
My Ravelry Post: here
Yarn: Oxford Kitchen Yarns Sock Yarn in Antique Ribbon (1 skein) and a small amount of Raspberry for the border (because I decided half way through to knit the larger shawl.)
Needles: 4.5mm addi lace. <3
Notes: This shawl really grows. I’ve been knitting lace for about 6 years now, and usually I’m pretty calm about knowing they’ll turn out ok, but the complexity of the stitches meant that the shawl felt really bunched right up until it hit the water. Then it really did blossom, and turn into something larger, and more beautiful.

I love that lace is still surprising. I guess it always will be. :)

I finally got to give it to my sister on sunday, when they came over. A belated, but hopefully useful birthday present.