I love this time of year, especially since I now have a 3-year-old who is essentially experiencing his first Christmas. Christmas lights; Christmas trees; Christmas carols and songs; nativity plays and parties; and of course a most fabulous Christmas jumper, hand-crafted by my very talented mum.
But – and it’s a very big but now – I have felt festively challenged in the jumper department owing to my eight month bump which will not accommodate anything ‘non-maternity’ anymore.
So I was thrilled to be invited to Woolly Wonderland at Westfield Stratford last Wednesday. I literally dropped all plans and waddled to join the jolly team outside John Lewis, sewing fingers at the ready.
Now it helps that as I become more expectant I feel an overwhelming need to sew things. So to be able to create my own Christmas jumper, without the frustration of a pair of knitting needles, in the company of some lovely ladies (and a few gorgeous kids), was my idea of festive and nesting heaven.
The event is all in aid of Save the Children. With this Friday, 13th December, being designated Christmas jumper day (all festive woolly wearers are asked to donate a pound or more to Save the Children). So if you fancy something different to trudging around the shops and want some ideas for your own masterpiece, I would encourage you to head on down to Woolly Wonderland to find out more. The team will get you set up with everything you need to get started.
Admittedly I only managed to sew on two of Rudolph’s eyes in an hour but after another couple of evenings sewing on the couch, my Christmas woolly was all ready for our first visit to see the big man in red!
The finished article!
Karen Laing is a pre and post natal exercise specialist and journalist. Karen teaches Pilates (including pregnancy specific classes) in Epping, Essex and London and blogs about fitness, women’s health and wellbeing at http://www.alittlefitter.com.
Karen co-directs Fit School with her husband Chris. They run fitness classes, ladies only training camps and Pilates classes in Epping and Essex.
TWITTER: @fitschoolessex
FACEBOOK: ccfitschool
WEBSITE: http://www.alittlefitter.com