RE-prieve For Overworked Needles at Christmas

Yet again (what I surprise!) I find that all those Christmas stitching projects for friends' gifts just aren't going to happen in time - not without some significant time-warping, at least. Then I remembered a wonderful place I had visited in Corbridge called Re-foundobjects full of inventive items inspired by vintage patterns and objects. Lo and behold - they are now on the internet and you can buy on-line.

I just love, love these vintage tea-pot cosies - just like my Nan used to knit. We girls would be allowed to make the coloured pom-poms or long chains on our Knitting Nancys - home made from an old cotton bobbin stuck with 4 panel pins. We felt like we had made a huge contribution and were immensely proud to see our embellishments incorporated in the finished articles.

The heart in hand design always moves me with its simple and potent symbolism - I really enjoy the comfort of seeing these around wherever I happen to be and I always want to give them as presents to anyone - even strangers!

Remembering the Pearly Kings and Queens we used to enjoy seeing so frequently in magazines, papers and on television when we were young (where are they now?) these cushions take me right back to way back. And what a clever thing to do - to substitute each cross in a charted graph for a neat little pearl shirt button...this has me thinking! Pearly Quakers anyone?

And these cotton knit wash cloths are just the bees-knees - simple and textural - could you bear to use them?

Well, that's polished off quite a bit on my wants list - what next? Oh, I was supposed to be buying gifts, silly me, forgot. Well another pot of tea and another visit then.