Carmen Miranda tea cosy

If you are going to have a cup of tea, you might as well decorate your pot with a cosy that looks awesome!

Chuck sent me the most wonderful "wild tea cosies" by Loani Prior... an Australian with a passion for weird and wonderful tea cosies. Some are utterly barking mad and some are just truly awesome, crying out to you to pick up your needles and go for it!

My friend Rory and I have our two boys in the same class at school and Rory was desperate for a tea cosy "with a difference." Out came Loani's book and, hey presto, a few weeks later, an adaptation of her Carmen Miranda was created. I decided that a bunch made of individual grapes had to be made and a tropical flower was a must.

The result? A fabulous tea cosy that makes you laugh at its silliness and keeps tea incredibly warm. And Rory thinks its "WOW!"

And next for Rory... a cafetiere cosy to match...

Why is it when you go to buy buttons...

... you end up with 2 new balls of yarn, a 'Sublime accessories to knit book' (for extra fine merino silk dk) as well as what has to be described as the ultimate purchase for the knitter of socks, bootees and shoes.... Regia ABS Latex!

Oh yes, harmful to aquatic organisms it might well be, but a finishing touch, none slippy bonus to the rest of us.

Now I can knit to my heart's content, happy in the knowledge that the application of grippy latex to the bottom of toddler's knitted shoes is going to stop them slipping about the kitchen floor.

All I need to do now is check out the website to make sure I apply it and leave it to dry properly. Watch this space.

Welcome to the Sunday morning chill out!

At last I have done it... I have a free day to do as I please so I thought, I know, I'll create a Booteelicious blog. Been meaning to do this for an absolute age and at last, it has arrived!

Here's some background to me: I have been knitting since I was 5 years old when my Mum taught me. The addiction has developed gradually with a complete overdose in 2003 when I realised just how fabulous knitting really is. I have always been a knitter; there is always something on the needles, but it was only in 2003 that I realised just how important it was to me! Maybe it was something to do with being pregnant!!

Well, I'm now 41 and the "bump" is now 6 years old and 'sometimes' wears my creations, but I primarily knit for friends and their new babies. I have also had a go at a craft fayre which was a fantastic success and I loved every moment of it - a full weekend of knitting; heaven!

The Booteelicious Blog will be my opportunity to share what I am doing with like minded knitters. Some people don't leave home without their phone, lipstick or keys... I don't leave home without my knitting.... or phone, lipstick or keys. Friends are used to me turning up at their home with needles and a ball of some gorgeous yarn or another; so far I have encouraged 3 others to pick up the needles with fantastic results.

I hope you enjoy the Blog. It will be good to know what you think.