Planning and organising and lots of jam making

This week has been all about...

:: lots of jam making. I've made up 6 kg of nectartine jam in four days to ensure the cheeky parrots don't eat them all.

:: planning my daugther's return to school (uniforms, sticking name labels on stationary, and contemplating how her school lunches can be healthier).

:: thinking about what to do with Miss 5 on her last day before school (ideas include going to Lunar Park or the museum??).

::organising a reward chart to go on our fridge . Am thinking school starting will be a good time to set down some new rules (Miss 5's keen so far). New rules around TV watching, the use of our new Ipad, her chores (feeding the dogs), piano practice and doing her school work (which really only involves doing her reader every night as she is still only a grade oner!).

::buying some Stylecraft yarn from Deramores (with a nice 15% off). I've been wanting to embark on a new crochet blanket so I indulged myselft and bought the style pack that matches Lucy's Attic24 Granny Stripe Blanket. I sooo love online yarn shops.

::progressing on my Patchwork bag. I've joined the squares together and done the handles.

I'm stuck though on which fabric to use to line the bag. I have some vintage sheets that would be perfect, though I'm not sure I'm ready to get the scissors out and start cutting them! I'm sort of tempted to go with the pink and purple fabric (it's a light cordoroy) as no vintage sheet would then need to be cut! But the yellow floral fabric looks lovely too, as well has the pink on the right. My favourite is the green on the left....but its a double bed size and I'd really like to keep it intact.

Do you have a favourite? I'd love to get some advice on this as am seriously stuck.

Cheerio. Lori

Year of Projects patchwork bag



 

  

My patchwork bag has been coming along slowly. The postie delivered the scrumptious yarn (Rowan Belle Organic DK) in late September, and I have only just finished crocheting the 27 granny squares. I've been away from blogging for a while but have been busy with work, family, life ... and illness. It has been a busy time for me, and only now do I feel like I'm able to recharge.

 

I've made the very sensible decision to take some extended annual leave to recharge my batteries, spend some quality time with my daughter while she's on school holidays and spend some time pottering around my house doing fun stuff like cooking, preserving and making. I've also started reading again.  

 

I've started crocheting the patchwork bag squares together, then onto the handle and making up the lining. I think I will use some of the vintage fabric I have been collecting. Ravelled here.

 

Ive also been working on covered clothes hangers from The Gentle Art of Knitting by Jane Brocket, another project on my list. An easy and portable project.

 

Here is my list for A 2nd Year of Projects.The list is part of Come-Blog-a-long, a ravelry group where we commit to our projects and share our progress (or lack of!) and challenges.



Thank you

4 months have passed since my last blog post. I am well now and am keeping myself busy with everyday life....family, friends and work. And of course a lot of crafting.

I've found crochet and knitting to be a wonderful healer...keeps me occupied while waiting for my appointments and keeps my hands busy and my mind free.

Having a project on the go is also a great conversation starter....

I have continued to keep up with all the exploits of my favourite bloggers and am keen now to join them in blog land again.

The pics here are some of the projects I've done over the last few months.

My Flowers in the Snow pillow...ravelled here, and the footstool cover is ravelled here.

Hello cowl

Issue 14 of Molliemakes magazine had a lovely Quince & Co knitted lacey cowl. I've been wanting to knit a cowl for a while - and our cold winter makes it perfect to wear.

It involved some new knitting techniques for me - a provisional cast on and a picot cast off. I loved doing this project (especially using the lovely cashmerino yarn) - and it's divine to wear. Think I might knit one or two up for a christmas gift.

Hello?! I always feel a bit shy about putting pics of myself here or on instagram, but sometimes its good to get outside one's comfort zone.

Ravelled here.

And this is my progress on my intarsia strawberry. All I need to do is add a few black seeds. Then I'll have to make it into something practical...it measures 10cm by 18 cm. A glasses case? Or a little purse?

My initial thoughts are to knit another strawberry the same size and make them into a glasses case. But can't quite figure out what to do with the opening. Do I just leave it like a pocket, or thread some ribbon through it like a drawstring? What do you think?

Cheerio. Lori.

Year of projects

A while back I completed one of my projects - in my Year of Projects list. Thought I better post about it before I forget! The list is part of Come-Blog-a-long, a ravelry group where we commit to our projects and share our progress (or lack of) and challenges.

The project was Floral Curtain Tiebacks from Cute and Easy Crochet by Nicki Trench. I chose this project from my list first as its quick and easy and made me FINALLY put up the curtains in my daughter's room (it's been a year since I painted her room and purchased the curtains...me bad). The curtains look lovely (a Spotlight purchase) and the tiebacks cute as. Ravelled here.



I'm already planning my next project on my list - and have made a very exciting yarn purchase. I've ended up purchasing the yarn online from Deramores as it would seem no Australian yarn shops stock the range of colours I need. It's a British yarn so not surprising.

I'm hoping my yarn package arrives soon...as would be nice to have a new project and new yarn to keep me occupied over the next few weeks.  I've been diagnosed with an illness that will require surgery and 4 weeks off work. So I plan to knit and crochet to my hearts content while recuperating on my couch at home.



I've been keeping myself busy (while waiting for my new yarn) by trying something new - a bit of Intarsia. Have you ever tried it? It's highly addictive. This book has been very helpful in teaching me how.

Cheers. Lori

African flowers

My progress on my one a day project has been slow.  This is partly due to being busy doing other life stuff, and also cause I've been doing other crochet projects.

To get a bit of motivtion, I've pulled out a pillow fill I had in my cupboard, that is a perfect size for my african flower pillow. I've pinned it on, and am slowly joining up african flowers.

I've propped it up on my piano so you can see my progress so far....

I'm linking up with all the other one a day projects on Gingerbread Girls blog. You must go and check out some of them, maybe you'll find the inspiration for your next crafty work.

Sweet booties

I never got the opportunity to knit any baby booties for my daughter - my knitting skills were not much then (but I did knit her a baby bonnet that was so small it would only fit a dolls head...)

Crea in the City put me onto this lovely bootie pattern that uses easy peasy garter stitch. While my tendency to not read patterns properly got me in a bit of trouble this time, it is an easy pattern.

This is a gift for my daughter's piano teacher - who had her baby about 4 weeks ago.

Ravelled here. I should mention there is a slight error in the pattern instructions - for the sole - 1st row should end with K3 (not K4) and the 5th row should end with K1 (not K2).

Year of projects blog a long....

I've always been a bit of a list writer, and the thought of having a list of knitting and crochet projects I want to finish this year really appeals to me.

I'm joining in with the Come-Blog-a-long ravelry group - where we commit to our projects and share our progress (or lack of) and challenges. I've decided to compile a list mainly from my knitting/crochet books, and supplemented by some of the projects in my ravelry queue.  I have sooo make crochet and knitting books that it's about time I used them.

So here we go....

Covered clothes hangers from The Gentle Art of Knitting by Jane Brocket

Why? I'd love to have them in my wardrobe and use up scraps of yarn. And I've yet to knit any of the lovely projects in this book.

Patchwork Bag from Cute & Easy Crochet by Nicki Trench.

Why? When I bought this book 6 months ago this was my favourite in the book. The thought of carrying around a bag like this fills me with awesomeness.

Floral Curtain Tiebacks from Cute and Easy Crochet by Nicki Trench.

Why? Quick and easy, and a must for my daughters curtains that are waiting to be put up!

Metallic Tunic Top from Plus Size Crochet by Margaret Hubert.

Why? This is the only one in the book that I like, most of the others are not quite my style. And its about time I crocheted something wearable other than a scarf.

 Cassia dress by Georgie Hallam.

Why? I've been wanting to knit one of her designs for ages...and she lives not far from me.

Sakasuma Jacket by Olga Buraya-Kefelian

Why?  It uses 2ply /lace yarn which would be a first to knit for me, and I'm almost finished knitting my first jumper/sweater for myself, and this would be a perfect next project. And I love wrap knits.

Chunky Roll Neck Sweater from Easy Kids Knits by Clare Montgomery

Why? I want to knit a new jumper for my daughter every year and this one has a nice chunky yarn.

That's 8 projects in total...5 from books and 2 from Ravelry. I've tried to keep my list reasonable, with a bit of room to do other stuff that grabs my crafty imagination.

Now I just need to decide which project to start first. Maybe the floral tie backs - this may get me moving on putting up the new curtains in my daughter's room. Do you have a favourite?

School holiday highlights

School holidays have been all about new experiences for my little one.

We had a day trip to Lake Mountain - the closest snow resort to Melbourne, where we could happily ride our toboggans, have snowball fights and build a snowman.  Her first visit to the snow.

The area was burnt out by bushfires only two years ago, the damage still evident in the tree scape. The trees in the resort area are a type of eucalypt that re-grows from their bases, so the burnt trunks stay bare of any leaves.

We had a lovely picnic in the snow with wares from the most fantastic french cheese shop in Healesville. Sooo much better than the greasy junk food available at the resort cafe.

The weekend was finished with some Pho Bo from Footscray and some kiddie yarn craft. The yarn weaving is now swinging in the breeze, providing a bit of colour in my vegie garden. I got the idea of this project from Linda at Natural Suburbia. I've made these things  many times as a child, but it has been over 20 years since I last did one! It was nice being reminded how. God's Eye is one name for them, do you know of any others?

Cheerio...am currently watching Pride and Prejudice with Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson and will now get back to it, it's quite a fun version.

Right now

Right now I'm...

:: loving being on leave from work for school holidays

:: planning activities and adventures with my daughter (think rollerskating, circus workshop and craft)

:: missing chocolate and sweet tea (as I'm challenging myself to eat no sugar in July)

:: watching Whip It for the first time, an awesome chick flick

:: flagging patterns in my many knitting and crochet books for A 2nd Year of Projects

:: packing snow clothes for our day trip to the snow (and little one's first EVER snow experience), think snowmen making, snowball fights and tobogganing.

:: mapping out my planned jaunt to Bendigo, to include op-shopping and a visit to Bendigo Woollen Mills factory...and some serious yarn buying

:: joining up my 43 african flowers into a pillow like this

What are you doing right now?

I'm linking in with gingerbread girl.

Johnson and vintage embroidery

My week of visiting op shops was not too fortuitous, but I did find some lovely johnson cups and saucers. I'm loving the orange saucers especially. My collection has really reached a point where I'm going to have to show some discretion about what I grab. A hard ask as I find it very hard to leave behind any johnson crockery, especially the beautiful retro ones. I do have the excuse that I'm on the look out for johnson plates for an instagram friend so am grabbing some stuff for her too.

My weekend has been busy with the usual stuff - housecleaning, kiddie games and a bit of dog walking. As well as the usual crafting. I've continued to do my one-a-day crochet project of african hexagon flowers.

Today I pulled out one of my vintage embroidery kits and stiched away while snuggled on the couch  watching this movie.

Yes, it's radishes. I've always had a thing for botanical prints.

I found this on ebay quite a while ago (there's plenty more of these type of kits on ebay now if you're on the lookout for one).

What about you...did you spend your weekend out of the rain and cold? What sort of things kept you busy? Or maybe you has some lovely sunshine enticing you outdoors.

I'm linking in with Her Library Adventure's flea market finds. Cheerio!

African flowers

I'm loving doing my hexagons and posting a pic on instagram each day. 

37 hexagons done, maybe around 15 more to go. The challenge will be joining them all into a square pillow shape. I've sort of worked out in my head how to go about it, hopefully it's as easy as I think it will be!

I'm linking in with Gingerbread Girls one-a-day meme and the lovely one-a-day projects. Cheerio!



Vintage crewel embroidery

I first posted about this vintage embroidery kit I bought on Ebay back in August and I've finally finished the last little puff flower. The orange is as bright and orangey colour (garishly retro?!) as it looks in this photo. It's quite small, and was mostly done in a couple of weeks. But I sort of forgot about it for a while and it sat unloved in my sewing basket.

It's now sitting on my bookcase, between The Godfather and Groundhog Day.

It can happily sit there until I find a permanent home on a wall somewhere. I've got a nice little pile of other vintage crewel kits to work on ...  stuffed away in a drawer. I'm off to investigate and select one. Fun fun.