Latest FO

Geez, I haven't written since January. That's terrible. I've been busy though. I've been trying really hard to find time in between running after a crazy toddler to make things for the shop. It's all about patterns now - I think what I like about making patterns is that you do it once maybe twice and then you're onto something new. I'm not much for making the same item again and again.

So the latest thing I've made is for bub - the cute skirt you see above - and I'll be writing up the pattern for it and putting it on the shop really soon.

A room of one's own

One of the benefits of moving out of a teeny flat and into a big house is that I now get to have my very own sewing room. All for me. Girls only, no boys allowed - hmmm...I wonder if I can find a sign for the door that says that. One of the things I liked about being single is that you can have a whole house to yourself, so living with a partner, it's a real luxury to have a space of my own, and now I finally have it.

Cutting table and craft supplies galore on one side. And you can see a mannequin in the corner - that was a gift from Hubby for mybirthday just the other day - 36, oh my lordy. And this morning I received a parcel from Hubby's parents with a craft tote in it. These people know what I want! That will come in handy as a good friend of mine who lives just round the corner has been getting into quilting, and we've decided to spend Fridays together sewing at her house and swapping inspiration. So far she's loaned me some great books that you should get a hold of if you are sewing inclined:

• Crafts for Baby by Alison Jenkins


• Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol (of Angry Chicken fame)


• Softies


• Romantic Home Sewing by Christina Strutt


• and my fave - Midwest Modern by Amy Butler (I loooove her house)

So now I have plenty of patterns and no excuses to use up my ever-growing stash:

Wish me luck :)

Nice booty

I've been a-purchasing again after a few months of trying to save my pennies. I guess it was a withdrawal thing - hysteria finally set in and I found myself being drawn to things I can technically live without. It all started with this bag I found at Midas - not only an awesomely scrumptious bag, but also the perfect size and shape for my knitting. A pair of needles can fit flat on the bottom and the base doesn't sag so no need to worry about bamboo needles breaking.

Perfect for knitting on your lap on the bus:

The second thing came from a trip to a new store I've been meaning to visit since it opened up a couple of months ago - The Funky Junk Shop on the corner of Sydney Road and Wanganella Street, Balgowlah. I've been hunting one of these down for ages - a grannymobile for shopping. I've seen a lot of the brown swirly 70s fabric ones but they're not really me. Also found a nice bit of pre-loved fabric.

The buying frenzy finished with a collection of subdued hues from my pusher in Dee Why. I'm think of turning the flowery stuff into a dress, so am now on the hunt for patterns suited to stretch fabric:

On the drawing board...

It's weeks since I posted but rest assured while I've been holed away in my den I have been up to some crafty things. My Mum gave me a pile of her old sewing patterns for children's toys at Christmas time. Things I remember her making when I was a little girl. Saggy-bottomed frogs with beady little button eyes. Stuffed rabbits and hand-puppets made from scraps of fabric that I recognised from my old worn-out dresses and in new quilts she'd also made from them. When it came to craft, and most things in fact, my Mum was nothing if not resourceful. And still is I might say. So it was no surprise to find her paper patterns cut from discarded architectural drawings made by my father years before.

It's going to be a challenge to make some of these though, to say the least. Most of the patterns have been designed by Mum herself, or copied out of magazines sometime in the seventies. There are no instructions for how to put the pieces together, and in some instances it's hard to tell whether something is a leg or an arm, an ear or a belly section, or what the finished product should resemble. On the phone to Mum I tentatively announced that I would try out the pile of pieces labelled "March Hare". Her response was "Yes, I found that one a little tricky". This coming from my crafting mentor is a foreboding message. Nevertheless, I'll give it a burl. The pieces are cut and ready to go - I just have to figure out which bit to start with first:

Now, to knitting. I haven't really been into it lately. A few months back I got myself into an absolute tizz trying to get through my first piece of lace. I've abandoned that now, and whilst I might one day go back to the complicated stuff, for now all I want knitting for is a bit of fun. Something mindless to watch telly by. And when I say mindless I really mean it. Here's the start of a tea cosy. It's just gonna be two squares stitched up. If I get really crazy I might shape the top but don't bet on it. For now I'm going to be the girl who makes stuff from squares.

I won't get much of it done for a few days though as I'm sick again - nothing serious, but just enough to make me curl up in a ball and feel sorry for myself instead of doing stuff. And enough to stop me going to Stitch n Bitch, which means noone egging me on to knit more. I'll get there in my own good time. But don't hold your breath.