A wrap up...

A wrap up of the last couple of weeks a few FO's sneaking their way out of here and some stash busting as well :) I'm really starting to notice some *ahem* room, in my wool basket which is VERY exciting!! Got a little ways to go yet and my 'queue' is getting longer by the second!

I've got some secret squirrel stuff off the needles and from under foot done as well but i won't post pics yet just in case!

First up - my first pair of longies for Oscar! Done using Shannon's pattern from Crafty Desire's and using her gorgeous gradient split yarn. I think they look pretty awesome and have already been put to good use as trackies in this cold rainy weather we're experiencing all of a sudden. They aren't lanolised yet and i haven't managed to get an action shot but, my, they are sooo soft and look completely funky!! I like them sooo much that i'm knitting another pair the same with plans for a third pair too all out of stash! I'v had this 'alien' yarn sitting around for aaages. It was the last ball left from a stocking at Woolly Butts a while back, i'm so happy with how it's knitting up, perfect for little boy's pants :)

Also i've cracked the whip on myself with the March sewing challenge, i made a start the other day as soon as i got my drool-worthy selection of fabrics from Kelani, but i finally interfaced it all and started sewing it together today, i'll do all the handsewing this week and then the finishing next weekend to come in before the end of March! That's the grand plan anyways lol

Back to my knitting now, i can't waste a perfectly good rainy day on the puter when i could be curled up knitting on the lounge mmmm even the thought is warming!

til next time

kez

2 arrivals this week...

Yay for me! The slightly mad quilt lady held a giveaway earlier in the year and i was the lucky beneficiary! It's a georgeous little toddler dress made with the most georgeous fabrics, it's little recipient - my niece - is winging her way around Aus right now and the weather hasn't permitted me to get a decent pic of this little beauty but isn't it precious! Thank you sooo much ms Lottie :D

Also the arrival of a bundle for me from crafty mama's, this gorgeous knit fabric chosen by Nina will be turning into a farbenmix Olivia dress as part of my February sewing challenge from My Favourite, i've traced off the pieces and cut it all out now to find the time to put it all together! Never really sewed with knit before so i'm looking foreward to this challenge :)

Friends and FO's... and when inspiration strikes!

Friend being my sister, she came around today and did a bit of stash busting for me by making herself a zippered pouch like the one featured in "The Crafty Minx" book, i didn't get a pic of it but it looks totally cute in purple gingham and blue paisley and i've discovered a novel way of shifting fabric out of my stash to make room for new stuff, let someone else at it lol!!

A few FO's today, i bought this cute tea towel at my local oppie a couple of months ago and i knew it was going to turn into an apron cos it's kinda special, i don't know whether i've finished tinkering with it or not, maybe an embellishment in the girl's hair to tie the contrast fabric in better... The blue paisley used to be the most unflattering 'dress' i've ever seen in my life - honestly looked like a theatre scrub dress and i could NOT imagine it being worn anywhere else, it wasn't homemade either lol!

The little pinwheels - i think this is my favourite knitting pattern and the best $8 i ever spent haha The pink is for my niece or nephew to be, there'll be a blue one joining her and the blue hat is for a lovely lady at work who is expecting a new bundle very soon, i'll try and squeeze out a change roll between now and the end of the week if the mood takes me but seeing as i just made part of a birthday gift not due til April today hrmmmmmm..... lol!

Back to my title - when inspiration strikes, last night i decided that my very good and wonderful friend 'needs' a beautiful crochet blanket for her birthday, seeing as it took me 3 years to complete my last crochet blanket even the 9 month deadline could end up being shaky lol

I can't decide between this and this but i'm leaning toward the Babette and spent the better part of 2-3 hours last night going through many, many online yarn stores to find the right yarn for the job, stay tuned, this could get exy bwahahah

kez

In the nick of time!!!

In true "Kerrianne" fashion, i have raced the deadline for my January sewing challenge and just beat the buzzer!

I had promised to deliver oven mitts and i have only upheld half of that bargain, mainly due to a dramatic undercalculation of exactly how much batting i had on hand lol! But i do have one mitt to show and will endeavour to make the other sometime in the near future! The pattern comes from my new book "The Crafty Minx" by Kelly Doust.

To make up for it i made not one but 2 theatre hats for myself to wear to work, now that i'm officially a working girl again, this fabric has been sitting in my stash going mouldy for at least 3 years haha At least i got it cheap! Fits the bill perfectly and if i chance to meet you at work, i'll be the snazzy one in the 'cool' hat hahahaha

Check out everyone else's efforts here, it's been great sifting through them and great for us all to spend some well deserved time working on something for ourselves (gasp) Thanks again Carolyn for starting up and hosting this great meme!

Now i can start thinking about next month's "knit" challenge.....

Kez

A few bustin' FO's

I'm trying with all my might to get some fabric and yarn moving from this place haha My efforts over the past week have culminated in a few measly offerings lol. I've decided to start weighing my FO's and counting how many grams of yarn i'm knitting, i feel that yardage would be a more accurate indicator of how much time etc is going into a piece but it's way easier to get out my flash digital Tupperware scales and weigh stuff as it flies (*cough*) off the needles hahah

FO this week to date are the back of a jumper for mee - not photoworthy yet but an accomplishment none the less. A Leafy shrug for Matilda using bedigo woollen mills 8 ply cotton in inferno, pattern by stitchymama, a boxy pouch for me using this tute - totally awesome and soo fun to make, Nina's going to do one too - can't wait to see how it'll come out and a change roll for Rolley's cousin due for a bub very soon :) I'll try and squeeze out a pinwheel hat for her as well, my arm 'might' have to be twisted haha

Lastly a little gem from Saxon's exploits with his mum's camera - a lovely angle of myself that i rarely get to see, thanks Sax, come Sunday i won't have my heart in my throat every time he makes off with the camera, the big boy is turning 4 and as such will be getting his own haha He's gonna love it <3

Ta Ra

Kez

a stash busting we'll go.....

Ok, so 6 days into my stash bust new year's resolution, i've had a little bit of output lol, today i attacked the extra bag of fabric that won't fit in my designated fabric storage box but i didn't want to get rid of. I've got an upcoming baby shower to help the creative juices along!

First a little swing top made out of a pillowcase which i think is adorable despite the gaudy buttons! Even though the little girl told me she wanted it and chose and sewed on all her own adornments she now admits to me that she didn't want it after all grr lol. I will likely leave the ric rac on, place a smaller pattern piece over the top and make it into a baby top :)

Pattern from Madquilter

Second sewing effort of the year is a naff little change roll, it's so cute i want one for Oscar, have to get around to that, i used a pillowcase as a template for sizing and a layer of batting for a bit of softness, some stretch french terry and some soft flannellette. Topstitched in zigzag contrasting thread.

Knitting knews - the little vest is done, too cute and my sister predectably loved it, not sure if it will ever get worn as i'm predicting a boy for her lol, the vest's brother is just a bit nicer IMO, done with lovely hand-dyed yarn and a pleasure to knit :)

Pattern: Milo by Georgie hallam

Yarn: BWM luxury 8ply dyed by whimsical wool and panda starshine in pink.

January sewing challenge

I absolutely love the idea of this new meme :) Challenging myself each month with something i haven't done before - or need to polish. The first challenge being to sew something for yourself. I have chosen to sew myself some humble oven mits out of my new book The Crafty Minx, by Kelly Doust. Although i imagine they won't be too challenging in themselves to sew, racking my brains to think of what i would like to do for myself was challenging enough! Why is it so that ideas come easily when i'm creating with someone else in mind?

In addition to the above challenge, i'm also conducting my own challenge to knit and sew down my respective yarn and fabric stashes. Although they are quite modest compared with some, i do feel the need to get them into order and USE stuff instead of letting it sit there, so in light of this i'll be making my mitts using fabric and notions i already have :)

Can't wait to see what everyone else will be doing for themselves!

Goodnight

Kez