Spoil

Hello

Firstly, I need to say a big sorry to you each of you who have left comments for me these past few months.  I am sorry for not replying.  I can't blame it on a large volume of comments, as I don't get many.  But I have been under the weather for a few months now and have neglected you.  I have really appreciated every comment.  I have been thrilled to read your encouragements and advice.  Sorry for the silence in return!

So today's post is titled Spoil.

 These are the first fruits of our tiny crop of butter beans. I think we have a delightful and surprising early spoil.  They were going to be eaten last night, but we were invited to a lovely Thanksgiving lunch which filled us up nicely.  But tonight, their fate is consumption!

And at the risk of spoiling the surprise of a christmas gift, here are the slippers I have knitted for my beautiful step-daughter.  I am worried they are going to be too small, but they are easy enough to knit up so I can always whip up another pair.

I used the pattern from this book and then ravelled it.

And for my step-daughter's step-daughter, (my step-step-granddaughter?!), I knitted up a smaller pair topped with a crocheted flower.  Poor Liam is modelling them for me, but I have saved him the shame of photographing his face in the pic! Ravelled here.

I seem to be starting more projects than finishing!  I really am not one to like having too many WIPs/UFOs, but right now I do.

This blankie
This dress
This jumper 
This jumper

Then add to that a knitted necklace, more pj's and another baby's jumpsuit.  Oh yeah, and christmas decorations.  Star garlands!  I'm also seeking inspiration for an advent calender.

And I have a head spinning with plans for more quilts, sewing tops for me and zippered bags.  When I review my boards on Pinterest, I am giddy with excitement at all the crafty plans waiting to be hatched.  But where is the time for it all?  I'm starting to think that these so-called Nanna-crafts are done by Nanna's because they are retired and have more time on their hands.  Pah!

As I type my boys are quietly watching a spot of telly.  I think I will seize this opportunity to finish some projects!

xxx

Blocking block

No, I'm not swearing!  I really have blocking block.  I don't know how to block properly.

Look at this latest effort for example:

Doesn't look much like the pattern creator's wonderful version

Doesn't help that whilst under the pump to make a gift for my Mum I thoughtlessly did not marry the yarn weight to the appropriate needle size.  Nor did it help that I did the classic blunder of not testing my gauge (I'm too lazy . . .  I think I must rethink my ways here!!).

I soaked it in water then towel dried it before placing it over a dinner plate, leaving it to the magic of evaporation.  Definitely gives it that beret look but not what I was really looking for.

It is for my Mum.  She is a forgiving kinda lady.  I could draw her a picture in crayon and she would love it and probably put it on the fridge.

I popped it into the hexagon bag I made her and handed it over to the perils of Australia Post.

Ok, so it will arrive a week after her birthday.  I figure it will be a nice little surprise and an extension of her birthday blessings.

How do you block your hats?

Do you do a gauge test before starting a project?

Ravelled here.

xx

Unemployed and Knitting

After a day of business door-knocking and presenting my most positive and professional self, in the hope of making the sale - yes, buy ME businesses of Hervey Bay! - I knit.  My knitting mojo has returned but not without a false start.

You see, this has been a trying time and my stress levels are doing odd things to my mental wiring. . . I am getting people confused, forgetting what day of the week it is and in this case, skipping 40 rows of pattern.  At no point in the decreasing and weaving in of ends did I realise that this beanie was more like a fancy skull cap!

When I cast it on, my intention was to knit up a butterfly beret like I did for my stepdaughter - oops, I never showed you the finished product!  This picture is not how it finally looked as I blocked it into a loose beret shape, and not so much like a fancy old ladies' swimming cap you see here below!

This fairy-floss pink yarn is not wool but a nylon acrylic mix and therefore can't be blocked into a beret shape.  The original recipient will have to wait . . . I'm guessing it may not be for this winter. 


So this little pixie beanie is perfect for a doll.

Annoyed at my stress-related error, I decided to do what all stressed out knitters do and start another project slightly more challenging! 

My four year old neice said "I like pink and red" when asked what colour beanie she would like me to knit for her.

So pink and red it is.



I've Got Knits :: Wet Blocking

In the short amount of time that I have been knitting again, I think I can say that I have moved from beginner to advanced beginner!  I didn't even know about blocking until I knitted this top and even then I didn't really block it or the red and the blue ones I knitted.   But I can't avoid it any longer! 

This hooded vest is also a Harumidori design.  See the beautiful little 'star tweed' on the hood and front?  Just adorable (and easy) but it is a smaller gauge/tighter tension than the rest of the garment and would benefit from wet-blocking.

I googled wet blocking and found that this is pretty much the process:

First step is to soak the vest in mildly soapy water (look at yarn label for water temperature) over night or at least a few hours.  Then roll vest up in a towel to remove excess water.

Lay vest out on towel and preferably over something firm that you can stick pins in (I'm using some foam)

Gently pull vest into shape and pin to the measurements given in the knitting instructions.

Allow to dry and there you have it!  The 'star tweed' is now not so tight and the vest is ready for buttons.

I wasn't so sure about whether there was a correct way to sew on buttons to a knitted garment.  Google, being my new library index, helped me out again by showing me this tutorial.

Sorry about the dodgy photos!

I would also like to mention that all the sales of this knitting pattern are going to raising funds for the designer's family in Japan who were affected by the devasting tsunami.  If you are a knitter please purchase or if you know a knitter who can knit this for you, purchase it.  I bought it before the tsunami because I really like the pattern.  It is so good to know that proceeds are going to a worthy cause as well.

And now it is all finished. I was hoping to give it to the young man I made it for over the weekend but alas that did not happen. It is amazing what one little text message on a Thursday can do to ruin one's weekend. I've been dealing with the fall-out from that message since then and was unable to attend the little man's party!

Gosh, been really feeling like I am letting everyone down lately.  Well, it is times like this that I recall Miss Stacy telling Anne Shirley of her own saying "Tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes in it".  I wish I had Anne of Green Gables on DVD! 

xxx

O Wow Thanks! :: Cushions

Hello!  Thank you for your responses to yesterday's post.  I really appreciated the comments here, on my facebook page and for the personal emails I received.  I have been truly blessed with your kindness.  Did you have a good Easter?  What are you doing today for ANZAC Day?  I have been a bit lost in my bubble of melancholy . . . . to think of all the lives lost during war is a bit much for me right now.   So, I made more jam doughnuts last night, and have just eaten one (after a nuke in the microwave) . . . with a cuppa . . . one son is sleeping the other is watching Toy Story with Rick.  A rainy day with family . . . God is good.

Let's talk about something happy!

My husband says I have too many cushions, even after I have culled two thirds!  I love the promise of comfort when you look at a plush cushion.  I love what one cushion can do to a room; inject colour, tone and comfort.  Cushions can make a dull room come to life!  And if you are like me, you can use cushions to change the feel of the room at a whim.

How much more do I love cushions when a talented friend makes them for me!  My generous sweet friend Lesley (of the Ninjabread cutters fame) made these.  Isn't she clever?

It looks like there are 12 cushions but there are actually 6!  Clever Lesley put a different fabric pattern on the other side so that I can mix n match til my heart's content! (she knows me soooo well).

In return, all I could make for her was my Lemon Curd which she loves (thank goodness).

You know, it is a real blessing to have material items but I love these cushions because they are a reminder of my friend, of our friendship.  I cherish her friendship and will do long after these cushions have lost their plushy-goodness, when they are covered in food stains and childrens' vomit although I will do everything I can to stop that from happening!

Do you have something that you cherish because of who gave it to you?

xxx

I've Got Knits :: A top for Ella

If you have stopped by here before, you would recognise this knitting pattern. 

I have run out of little girls to knit this for so this is the last one until that changes!  I gave it to Jen's little princess, Ella.  I thought her auburn hair would look lovely against the grey-blue of this yarn.

Ok, so now I am knitting for the boys . . . will show you more soon

xxx

A Gift :: punchbowl

I never used to really appreciated the bowl of punch.  But now, I feel a summer's party is not complete without a bowl of icy, fruity, juiciness . . . I just don't think about who may have sneezed in it!

Back in January we had a party for my baby Dean to celebrate his turning a whole digit - 1!  I had all the ingredients for punch but no punch bowl.  In steps my gorgeous friend, who whipped home and grabbed hers (60+ min round trip).

And again, only a couple of weeks ago, whilst tripping in Orange, Her Gorgeouness found this in a little op shop for $10!  Complete with cups and a proper punch ladle (not like the soup ladle I used previously)

I am indeed a blessed woman to have such a wonderful friend.

Here was my list punch ingredients:

grape juice

tinned fruit salad

lemon slices

mineral water

ice

I vary it depending on what's in the cupboard. 

What's your favourite combo?  A bit of dry ginger ale or gallons of lemonade?

xxx

I've Got Knits :: a beret for Niamh

I made a beanie for Niamh's little brother recently and thought that I would like to make one for her too.  Having never met Niamh, I asked her Mummy what her favourite colours are.  Yellow!  But I only had a small amount so I worked what I had in as best as I could (I'm still a beginner!).

My husband doesn't look at my blog, when asked he said: "I don't have to, you tell me everything".  Which is sad but true!  I told him that I can't speak in pictures so he will have to venture into my blog at some point!  And therefore, he doesn't know that I made our son model a girl's beret! Robyn-doll also wanted in on the action so she insisted on posing with it too.

I was recently told by a lovely lady who is teaching me sewing that a sign of a great seamstress is unpicking.  I hope this translates to knitting too. I knitted this beret Friday afternoon, then packed the kids up for a weekend in Forster.  When I came home Sunday afternoon I looked at the beret and wasn't happy with it so I unravelled about one third and reworked.  Now I feel much better.  This project was not on my list so I better stop deviating and get focused!

xxx

I've Got Knits : a beanie for a birthday boy



modelled by Liam


I knitted up this little beanie for friend's 3rd Birthday.  Such a quick knit and fun to do.  I have never done an i-cord and was delighted that it was very easy (don't you just love how it curls over at the top- makes a good loop to hang on a hook!).  And yes, like my other beanies, I got the pattern from this book.

Happy Birthday Ezra!  (Your party was heaps of fun too!)

xxx

My Creative Space . . .

I've been trying to put this post up all day - what a day!  I won't bore you with the details as I pledged to never whinge here.  Better late than never!

I never used to be such a sucker for sales, but this week I was!  I went to Spotlight - need I say more?

I have that many knitting projects on the go that I don't know where to start!

Little Boy's Beanie

My darling step-daughter's beanie

My nephew's beanie

A little Lady's Capelet

A Little Boy's Hooded Vest

Another Little Boy's Hooded Vest

Here they all are in their 'before' state.  I'll share with you the 'afters' as each is finished.  And yes, they are all gifts - my little kids lucked out!

Oh, I have finished one - please excuse it's 'pre-blocked' state.  I hope it fits the little princess it is destined for!

Ooo, and I couldn't go past these little gems, seeing that they are my favourite colour combo and named after me!

Now to see what everyone else is creating . . . .

I've Got Knits :: A beanie for a little girl . . .

This knitting bug has really taken hold of me.  How easy are beanies?!  Yay for beanies, a knitting-junkie's quick fix.  As I don't have daughters, my long time friend Robyn-Doll said she'd gladly step in as a model (what a good friend! She was a little dismayed at not being able to find her eye lashes though . . )

I got the pattern from this book.

I really like that three different stitch pattern combos, (rib, seed stitch and stocking stitch) make this simple beanie look fabulous.  But the cherry on the cake is the knitted rosette, no?  A very quick knit in the front and then back of the stitch creation.  I am feeling inspired and hope that this little feeling grows into full-blown creativity as I would love to design my own beanies!

I hope the little girl it is going to loves it as much as I do!  I might have to make an adult size version for myself.

Anything taken a hold of you lately?