Craft actually

Lucky Clover Pattern Out Now

Lucky Clover Shawl pattern is now available, quicker than I thought. Auspicious beginnings indeed!

 
$5 from every pattern purchased will be donated towards fundraising for my annual Race for Life.

In a burst of enthusiasm I signed up for the 10KM version this year so please support the craziness by purchasing my pattern or donating to my sponsorship page.

As usual it is a bit of a last minute fundraising dash but I'll continue the donations from the pattern for the month of August as well.

This button will take you to a paypal page to buy the pattern.

Some more info about the pattern:

Fresh and modern, this shawl also has magical powers. It will envelop the wearer in a sprinkling of the luck of the Irish.

This shawl is triangular construction knit from the top neck edge down. It can be knit from one ball of sock yarn and the size can easily be modified.

For my sample pictured I used approx 440 yards of sock yarn in Posh Yarn Elinor. The pattern has been written with one less repeat than I did for the sample to allow it to be made from one ball of sock yarn. However you can do as many or as few repeats as you like to match the amount of yarn you have.

Pattern includes both written and charted instructions.

Thank you to my lovely pattern testers, photographer Kirsty Barton and graphic design by Noa.

  

Easter weekend

A four day weekend....bliss. We didn't go away again this year but enjoyed a quiet staycation.

Friday: Easter egg hunt for the babes and bubbles for the grownups in the park followed by lunch at the Herne for all. Sophie managed to find the biggest, muddiest puddle and fall over in it. It didn't slow down her chocolate eating one little bit. Thats my girl.

 

Saturday: Swimming (for S and S) then lunch at familytastic Pizza Express. Sophie took her first bambinoccino VERY seriously. 

 

While they were swimming I took the opportunity to make up this cute Clothkits dress I've had for Sophie for ages.

 

I made it in the 2yo size with 3yo length! I'm hoping its going to last more than two months like most of her clothes at the moment!

 

Random photo:

 

In the evening Smithy and I went out for a date to a trendy Japanese restaurant in the West End and had some amazing food. It was nice to talk!
 

Sunday: A lovely Sunday roast with friends. In the evening I started this Oscar pattern from Pauline's book for a new arrival due on Friday. Am loving the design P!

 
Monday: A walk to the park for a swing. A way too short nap (S not me) so couldn't do very much and a trip to the supermarket with Daddy where S picked up a new "toy".

 

The magnolia is about to bloom! It must be spring!

  

First Birthday Bags

I know that blogging has been very sparse around here. I try not to put pressure on myself to blog but I do want to get back into it. There is something that makes me want to share what is happening and what I'm creating. But I've been letting it slide for so long that whenever I think about writing, a little explosion goes off in my head with all the things that I have made, everything that has happened, amusing little anecdotes. And then I think, "maybe later".

But am going to attempt to kick off again with a project from last year when I decided to make book bags for first birthday presents for the babes in Sophie's gang. It took me awhile to choose fabrics. I had most in the stash and supplemented the pretty prints with some grey suiting fabrics and blue denim. In retrospect perhaps wool wasn't the most easy care fabric to choose but it has fantastic body and texture! Last week one of the Mum's said she was going to get hers dry cleaned which I took as hugely complimentary.

 
First I chose fabrics that I thought suited both the Mum and the baby. I chose different fabrics for the lining, the pocket linings and the back pockets so that took a bit of coordinating and cutting out.

 
Then I used MS word to select a font I liked then hugely enlarged the letters for a template for each of the initials. I ended up using two different fonts depending on the letter in question! You can see the "I" is serrif whereas the "W" is sans. It also depended on whether it was for a boy or a girl.

I cut out the bags to maximise use of the fabric I had ensuring that enough was available for the handles. The size is roughly 28cm X 35cm.

 

I used with double sided iron on interfacing for the letters to stick them to the pocket then appliqued around them with zig zag stitch. 

 

I had so much fun making these. I ran out of steam before I did a sixth one for Sophie but I will hopefully make one for her one day.

 

First finished object in 2010

I started this Debbie Bliss garter stitch jacket for Sophie thinking it might be a birthday present. Then I decided to do the Grey Hoodie instead. Then I got distracted with a couple of little Christmas present projects. But then I just wanted to get it out of the way because I didn't really enjoy knitting it all that much and knew that if I didn't finish it soon she would have grown out of it and any effort I'd already put in would be wasted!

 
Anyway the end result is pretty cute - if a little big. I did the 12-18 month size and so at the rate she's growing at the moment it will probably fit in about a month.

 

Sitting on the kitchen island inspecting some interesting things she found up there....

 
Making a break for it.....

 
And the great escape is complete. Sometimes a photoshoot just gets a bit boring.

 
Details on Ravelry. 
  

Two tops

One knitted and one sewn.

A polo top for a new arrival expected late next week. Debbie Bliss pattern and Baby Cashmerino yarn.

 

 

Buttons bought a couple of years ago from the amazing Entrée des Fournisseurs in Paris. They've just been waiting for the right little garment to show them off.

And because I couldn't quite manage the Ottobre pattern yet I bought a Burda pattern to try (9645). I made it in 18 month size though so it will be for spring. I haven't done the buttons on this one yet. I'm need to decide whether I will do this one again or attempt the Ottobre one for her birthday outfit. 

Pretty Party Frock

There has been a little bit of crafting happening here lately....just not by me. My sis Soozie whipped up this gorgeous dress for Miss S. 

The pattern is from Amy Butler's book and of course fabric also by Amy. We love you Amy.

It had a debut at the baby BBQ on the weekend. All the babes (and mums and dads) came over for feasting and paddling. We had a lovely warm summer afternoon.

Capotis

I finished this Clap for Robbo recently and posted it off to Aus. Apparently it's now getting some use in Brissie as they're having an unusually cold winter.

I only used 4 balls instead of the 8 I had calculated I would need. Unsuprisingly, it is only half the size I expected it to be. Funny that. I quickly regrouped and decided a lighter, smaller Clap would be fine for a mild Brisbane winter then immediately cast on another one with the remaining yarn for myself. I've joined a knit-a-long...technical details there.

 

Pattern: Clapotis from Knitty

Yarn: Blue Sky Alpaccas Silk Alpacca (what else?!)

Needles: 3mm addi Circulars (not great for this yarn have swapped to bamboo for #2)

And then there were two

I finished the second falling leaves sock this week. Am very happy with them - its a lovley lace pattern, although I didn't follow the pattern for the toe and heel.

I've started on another pair using some of the Opal yarn I bought in Lyme Regis for my next bus project. I'm going to do these plain so I don't have to think.

I did the CancerResearch UK Race for Life today  - it was a great run in Deer Park at Richmond . Nomes, Caroline and I managed quite a credible time of just over half an hour for the 5km. Thanks very much everyone who sponsored me.

Japanese Pillow

What do you get when you cross a rainy weekend and a lot of rugby on TV? A Japanese pillow!

Don't worry there is absolutely no pun in there and it doens't make all that much sense. But we have new sofa adornment! I went for a wander down Lordship Lane on the weekend and reached the fabric shop. The owner was glued to the mini TV, vocally cheering on Liverpool. I capitalised on his moment of distraction and he sold me a couple of meters of the cream background fabric cheap(ish). So there may soon be a series of these. I was looking at some floral Cath Kidston scraps I have with a bit of a glint in my eye - maybe next weekend.

In the meantime the dreaded cardy is slowly growing some sleeves and I've even cut some "noodles" aka strips of fabric for Flibbertygibbet's swap. Different fabrics for my two swappers and both rather nice (I think).

Craft-off ctd...

so after the suspense of the cliff hanger yesterday...

After much musing I indulged my yen for some Japanese quilting (geddit). Ages ago I had posted this picture in my inspiration file. As hoped it was quick to make and involved log cabin so couldn't really go wrong.

 

When I look at this I think of croissants, orange juice and capuccino on the terrace in the sunshine.

 

Happy February guys! xo