Three Amigos

It's a windy, cloudy Saturday in Tauranga. Cleo went to play with her friends next door - where we live that means over three fences and a couple of paddocks - while I scuttled about tidying the house in preparation for The Husband's return from a business trip. I wouldn't want him to think I had been sitting around on my bum knitting for three days, which of course I have!

The sight of three happy little people running up a hill with a kite filled me with joy and gratitude for the simple things in life - green grass and good friends. I sent a heartfelt Thank You to the Powers-That-Be.

Have a great day!

Thoughts of a milkmaid

Today I completed the third dress in my Seven New Frocks project (see left). 

Made over two afternoons, using four men's business shirts from the op-shop, at a total cost of $8.50!

I just need a bonnet, a pail and a cow...

xxx

Symmetry

Look! SOCKS!! I finished the second one. It was Remarkably Painless. They are very comfy. Hmmm...matching socks though....not like me at all! The teenager has now requested a pair. In Purple.

Small is coming home from camp today, I can't wait to see her, it's been unnaturally quiet around here! 

Happy Friday xxxx

Creative Overload

I seem to have rather a lot of projects on the go at the moment.

There's my Seven New Frocks project. I'm not sure if this pattern counts as a 'frock' exactly...

...and this one is a bit of a cheat as I made it years ago and it's now too big, so I'm going to chop it up and revamp it.

I've fallen in love with this one, although I haven't even bought the pattern or fabric yet!

Next in the project list is this blanket for my little niece who is turning one in a few weeks. 

And this cardigan which I can't seem to put down, it's so enjoyable to knit! The wool is from Creative Outlet in Tauranga, hand-dyed in beautiful tourmaline colours. The pattern is from Ravelry.

I am going to be a very busy bee!!

Have Blanket, Will Travel

Well, I packed my little daughter off to camp this morning, complete with NEARLY finished blanket! I got the body of it all stitched together, but ran out of time for the smaller squares around the edges. Still, it's big enough and blankety enough to keep Small warm in her wee camp bed.

Frocked!

I finished the lemon dress!

I'm very pleased with it, AND I have some fabric left over for other lemony projects.

It's raining like crazy today, somebody decided to come inside for a bit of warmth and some cat biscuits. I hope they're not chicken-flavoured...that would be SO wrong!

This was my view on Sunday afternoon..

...closely followed by this.

Bliss!

Happy Tuesday.

Emu

Who remembers Rod Hull and Emu in the early 80's? I have spent the past week constructing an Emu puppet for my son.

He's a bit naughty (the bird not the son)!

Lemony Dress

I couldn't resist this lemony fabric at Spotlight the other day, especially as it was reduced to $8 a metre! Love a bargain. One gin-and-tonic frock coming up!

I'm always thrilled to bits when I find violets in my garden, they smell divine, and look slightly untidy, which appeals to me for some reason...

I made myself a new pincushion, and solved the problem of it rolling around by weighting the stuffing at the bottom with some large ball bearings I found in my son's bedroom....he can always be counted on to hoard Useful Contraptions. Although at some point I'm sure I will be asked if I have seen them while tidying his room, because he needs them for something Very Important...

Sock

Here is a sock. You may notice it's singular nature. I think I'm suffering from Second Sock Syndrome...who can be bothered knitting another one Exactly The Same when there are so many new and exciting things to knit?

Mrs Nesbitt

No I didn't crochet this. Mrs Nesbitt is my husband's new hobby, he and our son Spencer are going to restore her to her former glory. I've offered to do the upholstery, so maybe there WILL be some crochet involved...!!!

In the Dead of Night, Art Happens!

It isn't all fun and games you know....sometimes I actually work for Real Money illustrating stories for children! How dull!!

(Okay it's actually the funnest job in the world and I feel horribly guilty assigning the title "Work" to it...!)

Inspiring Friend

Here's my neighbour and friend Kate (http://greedyforcolour.blogspot.com/) painting papier mache birds in her studio. She has inspired me to make one of her gorgeous Christmas wreaths...

My little papier mache birdie looks like he's had a bit too much Christmas Spirit already...!

Shrink wrap

I've been collecting old woollens from op shops and...quelle horreur! ...deliberately shrinking them to make felt pieces. Here they are all laid out in a blanket for my daughter Cleo. I have two weeks to crochet them all together so she can take it to camp!!

Cuddly Husband

I finally finished this lovely snuggly cardy for my lovely snuggly husband. Doesn't he look adorable?

Unfortunately, I finished it just as spring arrived! Would it be bad form to hope for lots of rain and cold weather......?!