mid-year resolution check....

Hmmm, well as we race toward the 6 month mark of 2010, i've been thinking back to my new year's resolution of destashing the fabric and yarn here. I'd have to do the math but i think the incomings and outgoings from the stash equal a bit of failure on that one - oops!

SO, i'm officially back on the bandwagon, i'm resisting temptation and being inspired by what i have on hand here again and have heaps planned from my stash. I'm recommitting for the 2nd half of the year!

Got a couple of FO's to show off since my last post - all i think from yarn that i ordered in specially oops lol

A pair of mismatched ulitmate longies - i redid the legs soo many times but i think the colour change was just slightly longer on the tail end of the ball and even alternating didn't fix it. These are now residing in their new home and i wish that i had have just did one leg jsut one more time. They do, however, have a beautiful feel and are made from lovely cestari superfine merino, very soft and thick :)

Also, finally did a dress for Nina she's a tall 6yo so there's a lot of knitting there! It's made to Tikki's Eden's Eve pattern in Anchor magicline of Nina's choosing, it fits great, she mostly wears it to bed though lol! At least it's getting used though and it's the only one of my recently FO's to use stash yarn - oops haha She's also wearing her crocheted hat from her talented Nanny ;)

A purple Rainbow dress for my niece, fits like a glove and is too cute for words lol! Got the ribbon from Spotters for less than $1 and the yarn is BWM luxury 8ply.

Finally i have off the needles my first finished adult garment knitted to Andrea Pomerantz' 'Rosamund's Cardigan' pattern using Cascade ecological wool - this yarn i can't go on enough about, i love it, it's minimally processed Peruvian Highwool. My cardigan actually smelt like a farm animal when it was wet blocking, for some reason i found that exciting lol. It's soo wearable in our mild climate here and will be perfect for winter days here in the tropics :) I'll have to get FO pics when my husband is home but i've got a little teaser - lamo haha

cough, cough....

That's been me all week, bleurgh, i really HATE having a cold, i see it as a waste of my time and energy, and you don't get much sympathy either, not that i really want it haha

Despite being a bag of germs i have managed to push out a few FO's although i have failed my March challenge to sew a softie on time haha. I will finish it cos the fabrics were expensive and it is destined to be a gift for my new niece or nephew to be :)

First up, i'm supposed to be at a baby shower as i type and have spent all last week creating this little masterpiece, knitted to Tikki's rainbow dress pattern, NB size in Bendigo Woollen Mill's luxury dyed by Woolly Butts, 'spinifex' colourway. I love this patter and yarn together - too cute!

Second, for my old friend Buddy, a faithful companion for the last 15 years, he wandered into our yard as a stray and never left, i'm so glad you did Bud :)

Looks like the proverbial sitting there like that but dog jumper's do don't they lol! Knitted in Bendigo Woollen Mills classic 5 ply 'Poseidon' (held double for a bit of thickness for him) to Cosmo's Coat pattern so simple and very adaptable to any dog.

Lastly, a bit of a first here, my first tension swatch haha I bought this wool with view to do a Rainbow for my niece, but alas i think it is just too thick for our climate for a dress, it will instead turn into a vest or similar for Nina who has claimed the wool as her own. I'm in love, it's like knitting a party!

The yarn is Cestari superfine dyed by Ladybug loops :)

Happy weekend!

kez

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

FO drought...

In the middle of a bit of FO drought here and what makes matters worse is i feel as though i have too many things on the go to be 'allowed' to start a new project, i've got some georgeous gradient dyed yarn there that i can't wait to cast on and i've also got a craft swap to get creating on but all these WIPs are dragging me down, they are clockwise from top, piece #2 of a jumper for me, 2 shawls, an ishbel by Ysolda Teague and a Simple yet effective by Lauren Chau, a jumper for Oscar and 20 hex's of the blanket :)

I've commited myself to one hex a day of the blanket - balance not to be carried foreward from previous days efforts lol so in light of that i think i'll tackle the 2 shawls first, that will make some room for me to cast on some of the yummy wool i've got waiting for me!!

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

Finishing fever

And so it seems, i am EXCELLENT at casting on and starting projects but then it seems i get finishing fever and start on something else... hmmmmm

Well i have managed to push out one little FO, a deja vu pinwheel hat which will be making it's way to it's rightful home this afternoon, i'd love to do one for Oscar but since his nanny is so talented he's got an endless supply of cute crochet hats and alas doesn't not need me to add to his collection

Despite the name of my post, when it comes to my sewing challenge, it seems i have the opposite, despite being in desperate need of a new pair of oven mits (i'll post before and afters for full effect) the only thing i have done towards my challenge is drawing up a 'pattern' - oh the shame, i'll sew them up next weekend - i promise!!

Anyone who LOOOVES the feeling of being cleean will looooove Kelly's soap, she's having a giveaway, fingers crossed for me, i've got a drawer full of her divinity but as they say, it won't go off! :)

So that's me for the week, i'll be diligently working on my UFO's but don't put it past me to CO something else, my stash busting has put my creative brain into overdrive and suddenly my meagre stash has turned itself into a veritble paradise of future FO's and it's hard to resist hahah

Happy Australia Day

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.

2010 knitdown first cabs off the rank...

The end of last year brought the need for me to declutter my ridiculously small space, so after taking at least 5 bootloads of 'stuff' to charity and sending probably half that again to the rag bag or the dump my attentions have turned to all the yarn the i 'had' to keep (a huge amount nearly went to Vinnies before my mum captured it first!)

First cab off the rank -

a tiny pinwheel hat in newborn size for an old friend expecting a new baby! I've got until the 14th to finish this gift, i'll be adding some knitted washers and hopefully a changemat cover all to match. I bought this yarn in a fundraiser for juvenile diabetes and admittedly had no plans whatsoever for it - even though i told Rolley i did haha. It's been sitting there unloved until i got the invite for the babyshower - i LOVE the colourway :)

Pattern: Pinwheel hat by Stitchymama

Yarn: Bendigo Woollen Mill 8ply cotton Hand dyed by Woolly Butts

Second project -

A little milo vest for my little niece or nephew to be, not finished and being knitted out of some very horrid acrylic wool mix, but my sister does not share my affinity for lovely yarn and in my destash i felt the need to hang onto it as it was my first purchase of 'nice yarn' - before that it was the really scratchy $3 a ball homebrand acrylic!! It well be cute and is pretty soft even though it's crazy to knit with. Not finished yet but there's something about watching projects climb off circular needles so i love a UFO shot :D

Pattern: Milo by Georgie Hallam

Yarn: Panda Starshine