Summer shrug

I have still been working away at 1 of the 3 blankets this week, but this afternoon I decided I need a little break and thought I would try a crocheted shrug for my little miss. We went to a birthday party last Saturday night and it was quite cold after the sun went down so I thought a little shrug would have been good over her sundress to keep her shoulders warmer.
To find a pattern/idea I googled and checked out pinterest (of course) and I came across a lovely idea using a shawl pattern but shorter and adding a little stitching to make 'sleeves'. The actual shawl pattern is here and I am tempted to make one for myself later on. I am using 4 ply merino wool and a 4.5mm hook. I decided I didn't want it to be too 'lacy' as I wanted it to give her some warmth, hence I chose a slightly smaller hook.

So far I have done 18 rows and I will check out the size on her tomorrow morning (half tempted to wake her now to check, but I know that would be silly!). If it's okay then it will just need some finishing off with stitching and single chains around the neck .... and maybe a shell edge to make it a little frilly! I have another ball of the same yarn and am contemplating making another for a friends daughter. Her birthday is coming up so it would make a nice gift and we are seeing them this week so I can have a little look to check if sizing will need to be similar or bigger/smaller than this one.
Hope to share some better pictures of my blankets soon!

Happy New Year!

I have finally logged on again! So many times I have thought about it in the past few months, but I just haven't turned the computer on. I found I was using my phone so much more for googling and reading blogs, facebook, pinterest and emails as well as banking and paying bills that I hardly used a real computer at home the last few months. While that has it's advantages of being more portable and being able to do those things wherever I am and whenever (waiting in the car at school pick up!), it also has it's disadvantages. I found I was spending too much time online and yet achieving much less than I used too :( This year my plan is to limit my phone online time and make sure the time I spend online (computer or phone) is productive and not just mindless trawling for ideas!
So, what did I end up creating in the last few months of last year .......
August - my 'baby's' 1st birthday party - favors, decorations, games, cakes, etc. A little pink cardigan for my little miss.
September - it didn't seem like much!! But thankyou cards did get sent and there was also a second cardigan for my miss and then I started some squares for a blanket using the left over wool ...... and they are still in the basket :/ I also made 16 flat sheets and 16 fitted sheets for my children's childcare centre! That was a learning experience for sure! I have never sewn with fitted sheet elastic before and my wrists ended up sore from the continuous tension required to stretch the elastic as you sew it on.
October - School holiday activities and I went back to work :( .... But I joined in a dishcloth swap hosted by Mel from One Crafty Mumma and received some gorgeous ones in return. I also made 4 dishcloths for my MILs birthday and a couple of others for myself and for gifts.
November - Another dishcloth swap with Mel and this time I used some gorgeous cotton/microfibre blend yarn, nice and chunky. I also tried my hand at making some homemade cordial - lemon, lemon and orange and strawberry (with vanilla and black pepper).
December - Christmas card making and lots of baking for Christmas gifts and for my little miss who turned 4 the week before Christmas!
That's kind of it for the end of the year. I didn't end up doing much sewing other than the sheets as I discovered my machine was in dire need of a service! Both spool holders dropped into the machine, luckily I caught the second before it disappeared, but I ended up having to use a rubber band to hold it in place which did not help the spool spin well. Since the service I have not got it out again, but soon hopefully!
So .... plans for this year ....
Well, so far in this last week, I have started 3 blankets! Lol! note I say 'started' not 'finished'! Two are using the Beachcomber Baby blanket and are progressing well. I ran out of yarn while working on the first one and while waiting for my online order to arrive I decided to start another. It's a lovely pattern and with the second one I decided to use 3 strands of yarn together and a bigger hook (8.0mm) which is making a superthick blanket, just perfect to use for tummy time on a hard floor. The other blanket I started is a granny stripe one. I liked the look of all the ones I saw last year and had picked up some yarn in a sale, so thought I would start it off. My brother and his fiancee are moving soon, so I hope to be able to give it to them as a housewarming gift, something to snuggle up with on the couch.
And, the other thing I have started is a bag! I saw a great pin on Pinterest where you blanket stitch along the edges of a zipper and then crochet in the stitches. I have a selection of zippers I was handed down and one of them matched some bargain cotton I have a few balls of, so ...... off I went! I think this might be a good project to keep in my handbag for those times when I am sitting and want to keep my hands busy.
No photos today, sorry. If I waiting to post until I had photos then I would never start again! I will try and remember to take some in daylight and share them soon.
I hope your year is starting well!

First Christmas Project for 2013!

Yes, I have started a Christmas project! (please don't ask why I haven't concentrated on finishing one of the other zillion projects already underway!! lol! It's just what I do!!)
After checking out this lovely table runner by Samelia's Mum the other day I decided to have a go and to use it to try machine quilting too. My machine isn't fancy, and I am not all that crash hot on the straight neat stitching, so we shall see how that bit goes soon, but for now, here is my pieced top

Not too bad and all from my stash, so that is a good thing. The instructions were really easy too and I think I may add it to my list of projects for other leftover fabrics, non-Christmas themed. I hope to also have a go at the Snowball Topper too and use the same Christmas fabrics so they will kind of match and they can be for the hall stand and the coffee table at Christmas. If I can get the wall hanging don that I mentioned last post, then I will have that to match too with them all using the same selection of fabrics .... well, that's the plan! ;)
Have a great week! K x

July plans ....

Well, I have a few plans, but of course the school holidays take up the middle 2 weeks of July, and we are half way through them already, so I am not sure how successful I will be at completing all my plans. We shall see .....
Knitting/Crochet: Still going on the jumper. Started a cardigan for A2 and a Larksfoot blanket for my Grandpa (in his footy team colours for Father's day)
Sewing: Still need to piece that cowboy quilt, then quilt it and the foursquare quilt that has been basted for a few months now! oops! Need to make some fruit shaped beanbags for A3's birthday games too.
Papercraft: Preparations for the little guys birthday with some food signs and drink labels and maybe some thank you notes to have ready to send out soon after.
So, not too much really! ROFL!!! sure!!!
I was also checking out the And Sew We Craft Christmas in July Linky party and I have seen a couple of nice table toppers/runners (thanks Samelia's Mum!) and I know I have a stash of Christmas fabric from *cough, cough* 13 years ago! Actually that is another UFO guilty secret! I have a Christmas quilt/wallhanging that I started at a one-day workshop in 2000 and finally finished pieceing about 3 years later .... and yet it is still not quilted and bound! Something else to add to my list ;)
Anyway, I think I might give one of those projects a go to use up some fabric and also to try machine quilting on them. I usually handquilt because I am not sure I can sew straight enough for machine quilting, but on a small project I might be okay. It might be a nice gift for someone too. And there is also this lovely wallhanging from Blossom Heart Quilts that I might add to my list too ....
All right, that's all  from me, back soon to let you know how I am progressing!

PS I will also be doing the July block for the Modern Blocks QAL too! I haven't forgotten that one!

He is VERY cute!

Something I did get finished last week!

Yes, I made him a very hungry caterpillar beanie! I used a beanie pattern I have used before (2 strands of 8ply to make it chunky and warm) and then adapted some free instructions I found online to create the eyes, nose and antennae. Lots of fun and this photo featured on his birthday invitation too. I will also be creating a few other VHC themed things in the next month, so I hope to share them too.

Knitting update

Slowly, slowly! I have finished the back of the jumper and an almost up to the shaping on the front, yay! I decided to do the jumper not the jacket so I had one less 'piece' to knit and also no band with buttonholes ;)
Here is a photo of it from last week, so it is a little longer now.

I know it is going to look nice when it is done, but I can certainly see why the pattern is marked 'P' ... for patience!!! the pattern is certainly time consuming! I will keep plodding along, though with the hope my little guy will still fit into it when it is done!

1st Birthday planning

Yes, I know I am 'supposed' to be keeping on with my knitting, but in the back of my mind I have been planning little one's 1st birthday party and I decided I would like a picture of him to put on his invites which means getting organised soon. We are going with a Very Hungry Caterpillar Theme - not all that original I realised after trawling Pinterest lol! - but cute and colourful and perfect for our little guy.
Anyway, getting back to what is delaying my knitting ....

Can you guess what it is? Hope to finish it on the weekend and I can share a proper photo next week :)
Other than that, I am having an open house this Saturday for my stamping customers, so I have been busy setting up for that, but I have enjoyed getting to play with new stamps and colours .... if only there were more hours in the day!!!
I have to admit to myself that I am not going to get my cowboy quilt pieced by the end of the month, but it will be top of the list for next month ... and I am getting excited about the July block in the Modern Blocks QAL!!! Lots to do in July, that's for sure!
Back soon! K x