Month: May 2007

craft, miscellaneous, musings, planned projects, sewing, work in progress

Computer Woes

No, I haven’t stopped posting because I’ve been off having a baby (incidentally, baby is now 7 days overdue) but because my computer has stopped working!  Disaster!  It simply wouldn’t turn on.  It’s now at the computer man being “looked at” and apparently needs a new motherboard and something or other chip but it’s an old computer so he has to find one somewhere . . .  ring back on MONDAY and see how it is going . . . I’ve been computerless since Tuesday so far and am suffering awful withdrawal symptoms!

Luckily hubby’s computer is fully operational, but there are many things that are stored on the hard drive on my computer that aren’t on his.  For example, all my email addresses, documents, photos, passwords for Flickr etc . . . yes, a good lesson learned, we need to do more backing up!

 Hence this photoless, craftless post.

I have been crafting though (won’t there be lots of photos once I have my computer back again) – I’ve finished hubby’s hat, am almost finished a crochet hat for Miss Clare, have completed two seamstress aprons, reorganised all my craft and sewing reference folders, and have cut out a winter cape for Miss Clare.  Then there’s the cushion covers for Freya that are cut out but need assembly . . . so it’s not as though I’ve been doing nothing!  Still plenty of projects planned as well – Tracey needs a knitting needle roll, I’ve got some great fabric waiting to be turned into tote bags . . .

Have fun everyone, I’ll blog as I’m able.  I now realise how addicted I am to being able to access information quickly and easily and how reliant I am on technology. 

by thornberry
craft, crochet

Snuggly scarf

I finished hubby’s crochet scarf today.

Rather than weaving in all the loose ends along the sides from where I changed colours each row (whose idea was that!) we decided to cut them all to the same length and leave it “fringed”.  It looks quite effective and has saved me lots of work (although I suppose that I can always go back and sew them in later).  Now to make a start on a matching beanie!

by thornberry
craft, crochet, sewing

Still rolling along

Today’s project: crochet hook rolls for Mum and her friend Irene.  These ones are slightly different to the one I made myself.  Instead of just having the top of the roll turn over to hold the hooks in, I made a separate flap to keep them in place.  Also, Mum didn’t want hers tied with a ribbon, so I’ve done a strap that wraps twice then closes with velcro.  Hopefully it will be secure enough!  Here’s photos of them both open and rolled.

They were going to be identical until I realised it was possible that both Mum and Irene could be crocheting in the same place at the same time – and we don’t want confusion!  Hence one is bound in pink and the other in green.

I rather enjoy remembering the original item made of each of the fabrics that I utilise later for craft.  For example, in these hook rolls the black floral print is a pleated skirt (mine), the white floral linen a long-sleeved, loose shirt (originally mine, then it became Mum’s), and the pink and white print is a top and shorts (belonging to Miss Clare). 

And obviously, still no baby!  Four days over now . . .

by thornberry
craft, crochet, knitting, miscellaneous, sewing, sewing room, tutorials

On a roll

Of the crochet hook and knitting needle variety!  Once I started working with yarn, I quickly realised that I had no adequate storage for my hooks and needles.  A little googling later and I had found some excellent tutorials that helped me to make these:

A crochet hook roll:

 

A knitting needle roll:

 

And both together all rolled up!

I’m certain that I’ll find it handy to have the crochet hooks separate, as I have an inkling that I am much more likely to be doing crochet than knit.  Although you never know what fad inspiration will strike me next!

I keep trying to figure out where the time has come from to do all the crafting that I’ve been doing lately – I’m possibly neglecting my poor husband and child.  Although I think that it has mainly substituted for watching TV (I’m completely behind on about every program now, so can’t have been watching much) and of course, now that I’m not going to work I have some time while Miss Clare is at kinder.  I do get up earlier than the rest of the household as well.  Does it sound as though I am trying to justify anything?

One of the things that probably makes the biggest difference in finding time to sew and craft is having a dedicated sewing room.  The machines are always set up, everything is easy to find and on hand, I can open the cupboard doors and stare at the piles of nicely stacked fabric for inspiration.  I am even keeping the mending up to date.  The ironing board is permanently set up with iron, pressing cloths etc.  Knowing where everything is has made it all so much easier.

by thornberry
craft, crochet, patterns

Scarves – simple and satisfying

Two scarves crocheted!  And both are for me!  Firstly, the chevron crochet scarf in Patons Jet.  I used five balls of yarn for this one, and it’s nice and long for wrapping around in anticipation of the Melbourne winter ahead.

And a treble sideways crocheted scarf, also in Patons Jet:

This one only took two balls of yarn – although a third probably wouldn’t have gone astray (it would be better a little bit longer, but you have to think about that when you start, since the final length is determined by the length of the chain that you work at the beginning).  It was amazingly fast to crochet – one evening in front of the TV and it was done!  But I am starting to have dreams of crochet – now that is a concern! 

Both scarves are from the Patons Learn To Crochet Guidebook which has 20 easy projects, and excellent instructions (in Australian crochet terminology, with a handy conversion chart for US to Imperial measurements).  It’s great for beginners (which I am).  I also really like having crochet patterns in one spot, not scattered in tiny quantities through knitting books.  The patterns in this book are all in Jet or Inca.  I am still partway through hubby’s scarf, and will also crochet him a matching beanie.

Obviously, no baby yet!

by thornberry
children's clothing, kids clothing, refashioning, sewing

Another pillowcase nightie

Mum found this lovely pillowcase for $1 – so it too is transformed into a nightie!  I suppose that it could be a dress, but it is made of flannelette.

The ric-rac, bias binding, elastic and thread cost more than the fabric – that’s typical when sewing though; the notions are almost always the most expensive part!  The bottom frill is made from fabric cut off the top to shorten the pillowcase a little (Miss Clare is a short girl, like her mother) with the hem bound in bias binding.  I also bound the neckline and armholes in bias, and used it for the shoulder ties.

And obviously, no baby yet!

by thornberry
craft, miscellaneous, sewing

Tissue Cozy Frenzy

This is getting ridiculous – how many of these did I think I needed to make?  And awful lot, obviously!  I used this great tutorial from Craftapalooza – thanks!  Do use the Kleenex travel tissues for them – they open down the centre like the cozies do (it’s annoying when you buy another brand and discover that it only opens at one end . . . I found out the hard way)

Guess what everyone I know will be receiving as gifts for the next few years . . .

My theory was that they’d come in handy for school fetes etc in the future, and I’d just make them a couple at a time as I went along sewing other things.  They are a great way to use up scraps of fabric and trim, however I think that I’m being just a tad obsessive . . .

By the way, no baby yet!

by thornberry
craft, miscellaneous, sewing

More Criss-Crossing

Another set of Criss-Cross Coasters!  These were a special request from Miss Clare – it seems that whenever I make something, I need to do one for her as well.  She chose the fabrics from the stash.

All very girly!

I also did a set for Mum (I think that I’ve just mucked up that surprise by blogging them):

 

Yes, five is a weird number – but the fabric is from a quilting pack I’ve had for a while, and this is as many as I could cut out from the fabric available! 

Some people go into a cleaning frenzy when pregnant; obviously I go into a sewing frenzy.  I’ve also cut out numerous covers for pocket packs of tissues.  It probably won’t be long before I blog them as well!

by thornberry
craft, crochet, miscellaneous, sewing

Criss-Cross Coasters

I found this tutorial for Criss-Cross Coasters some time ago.  Well, I’ve finally used it! 

They’re very quick to assemble once all the cutting out is done, but the cutting takes a little while.  I think that it would be much faster with a proper cutting mat, ruler and rotary cutter (which I think will be provided by my mother as my birthday present soon)!  They’re also a great way to use up left-over pieces of fabric, and I think that they’ll make nice gifts.  I will continue to make these in between other sewing projects.

By the way, the lovely cloth in the photo was embroidered by my mother many years ago (during her nursing training) but has been waiting for it’s crocheted lace edging.  Mum recently picked up the crochet hook again and look, it’s done!  And lucky for me, it’s mine!  Thanks Mum.

by thornberry
craft, crochet, planned projects, work in progress

Crochet has begun

I’ve made a start on a ripple scarf (I figured that would be a good way to get used to crochet in preparation for a ripple blanket) and I’m really enjoying it!  It’s very simple, of course, and very meditative.  Still quite a way to go though:

I’ve also bought some yarn to make a striped scarf for hubby:

And to make a scarf for me that will be crocheted lengthwise rather than across:

It is so nice to work with good yarns!  Aren’t they such lovely colours!  The scarves for me are both in Patons Jet; the one for hubby is in Patons Inca.  Wool/alpaca is such a soft mix.  Miss Clare has put in an order for a scarf as well (but I think that I’ll need her input in yarn choice – hmmm, potentially pink?).

It is taking me ages to update posts at the moment – we have reached our internet upload and download limit this month, which has NEVER happened before (we usually use very little of it) so the internet has slowed down dramatically.  It looks as though some “enterprising” person is connecting in to our wireless internet and is using up our bandwidth and downloads – we’re not impressed!  The cable guy is coming this evening to remedy the situation.  In the meantime, blogging is more difficult!

by thornberry
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