Month: April 2009

craft, fabric stash

Happy mail

I’ve mentioned before how much I love our Australia Post contractor.  Always friendly, leaves parcels in secret spots out of the rain if we’re not here, and receiving packages is always a bit like a birthday!  I was lucky this week – I got two packages.

Amitie Blog VIP Mailout April 09 by you.

Lots of cute ribbons and a challenge in Amitie’s VIP Blog mailout, and in the other parcel was this:

Gift from Tamara - Bluebird makes her nest by you.

Lovely Tamara sent me this gorgeous Heather Bailey fat quarter after reading my Sunday Stash post about my planned queen size quilt.  It matches the other fabrics I have perfectly!  As well as including a very pretty postcard, she added some lovely clips from her hair accessories shop Ella and Kate.  They are so pretty, and both Clare and Stella pounced on them as soon as they spotted them!  Stella is very keen to emulate big sister at the moment, so hair clips and hair ties are all the go in our household (not that she leaves them in her hair for very long).  I’ll be back to buy more of those bows at a later date – they are very well made and stay in hair beautifully, even’s Stella’s fine curls.  Thank you thank you Tamara – you are very sweet and we all appreciate your generosity. 

by thornberry
craft, knitting, sewing

Knitting needle roll

Despite being an obsessed crocheter myself, I am not completely averse to making things for knitters.  Such as this knitting needle roll.

Knitting needle roll - Chestnut Hill by you.

I promised I’d make one for my friend’s mother absolutely ages ago (well over a year ago, I suspect).  Finally it’s done.  However, I need to say no more often when others ask me to make something for them – there are so many things I want to make for myself, the girls and for gifts that those little jobs for other people really add up and become duty sewing rather than enjoyment sewing.  I don’t like that feeling – sewing should always be fun!  Anyway, I made this following this tutorial. The outer fabric is from Joel Dewberry’s Chestnut Hill line (a couple of seasons old).

Knitting needle roll - inside by you.

Looks wrinkly when it’s unrolled, doesn’t it!  The inside fabrics are a mix from my stash.  One of the best features of this design is the flap at the top to stop needles from falling out.  I hope that she likes it, now that it’s finally done!

by thornberry
craft

Rock-o the Gocco!

What fun we had at Brown Owls last night!  Pip and Gemma ably demonstrated the Gocco – and even let us all have a go at printing with it too.

Rock-o the Gocco! Brown Owls April 09 by you.

There are more photos here.  Lots of fun – I had always wondered what a Gocco really was and how it worked.  And it was a great venue, cosy and warm with the rain streaming outside, lots of yummy home-cooked treats, and good company (I definitely saw some crochet action taking place too).  Thanks Pip and Gemma for another fun evening!

by thornberry
miscellaneous, musings

Remembering

Today is Anzac Day, when we remember the Australians and New Zealanders who have served and who are currently serving our country in combat.

Pa - First World War by you.

My Pa fought in France in the First World War.  He never spoke much about the war, but I was aware that he had fought and had schrapnel wounds and deafness partly related to explosions. 

My uncle (Pa’s eldest son) fought in New Guinea in the Second World War, and his son has a senior role in the Australian Armed Forces today.

Listening to the Anzac Day dawn service and parade on the radio always makes me cry.  We are remembering.

by thornberry
craft, crochet

Hip hooking in April

Sarah London runs Hip to Hook, where each month you receive two balls of yarn – colours chosen by Sarah to inspire, with suggestions of what other colours they work nicely with – and a pattern for a motif and a stitch.  This month’s motif was the rose granny.

Hip to Hook April 09 by you.

A few hours in front of The Bill and Silent Witness on Saturday night and I had four squares and the beginnings of a stitch pattern done (and considered whether I had time to add a couple more rows to last month’s stitch sample, the ripple stitch).

Hip to Hook April 09 - four rose grannies by you.

This is such a sweet pattern!  I’m going to do nine squares and make a cushion.  I love the join as you go technique too.  There are plenty of ends to weave in when changing colour for every row, but I don’t mind doing that – I find it rather therapeutic and pleasing to watch the final product come together.

Hip to Hook March 09 - Ripple by you.

March’s colours were the acid yellow and mustard – this month we received fuschia and pink.  Such a terrific pink!  I’m mixing them with oddment balls that were in my stash and some new balls of acrylic from KMart and the Reject Shop.  It’s fun to play with colour.  Although I definitely prefer the feel of wool, when playing around and learning like I am with these motifs and stitch patterns, the range of colours in acrylics is terrific and affordable.  It would be lovely if I could use Rowan Cotton or Debbie Bliss Cashmerino for their beautiful colour ranges in natural fibres, but at the price?  Not likely, even with Kevin’s incentive arriving today.

Hip to Hook April 2009 by you.

Thanks Sarah!  I’m enjoying being a hip hooker – it’s the most enjoyable monthly homework I’ve ever had!

by thornberry
craft, crochet

Sunburst granny square

Pip has started a granny a day, and there are some extra gorgeous grannies being created!  You would think that knowing my penchant for crochet I’d have been grannying along, but I’ve been a little strapped for time.  I have made this one, a sunburst granny square.

Starburst granny by you.

Look at all those lovely vibrant (ie acrylic) colours!  I SO want to make more grannies, especially after making a start on this month’s Hip to Hook motifs and seeing the gorgeous squares that other people are making.  I had fun at Brown Owls on Monday night helping people with their granny squares – photos are here – very satisfying to see the “aha” moments take place!

by thornberry
children's clothing, crochet, kids clothing

Stella’s Soft Haze Hoodie

It wasn’t until I entered the details of this project into Ravelry that I realised that I made Stella’s hoodie in just one week!  Gasp!  Long car trips certainly help with that.  So without further ado, here is Stella’s Soft Haze Hoodie.

Stella's hoodie C by you.

It took about five balls of Patons Soft Haze (acrylic, wool and bamboo blend) with a 5.5mm Clover Soft Touch hook.  The pattern is a freebie from here.  I made Stella the medium size, but had to add quite a few rows (about six?) to both the sleeve and body length to get the proportions right.  Luckily, this is crocheted from the top down, so it was simple to add the extra rows.

Stella's hoodie A by you.

Hopefully it should fit right through winter.  Stella has had a bit of a growth spurt lately (about time too) and I suddenly had to locate the box of Clare’s toddler clothes.

Stella's hoodie B by you.

I really like the hood, and it was very easy to do!  I’d recommend this as a good project for a new crocheter who feels happy with the basics and is ready to progress a little. 

by thornberry
fabric stash, planned projects, Sunday Stash

Sunday Stash #21

I recently raved about how much I like Heather Bailey’s Freshcut range of fabrics.  Next thing I knew an email arrived from Quilt Home informing me that all Heather Bailey’s fabrics were 20% off that week.  It was meant to be.

Heather Bailey Freshcut fabrics - divine! by you.

If only the Aussie dollar was worth more!  Good thing that only 6 yards fit into one international mailing envelope, or I’d have been sorely tempted to buy more of the range.  It is even more lovely in real life – the fabric is soft and smooth, the colours saturated but not garish.  Although it’s a few seasons old now this is definitely one of my favourite fabric ranges.  At this stage I’m planning on combining these with other fabrics to eventually make a queen-size quilt for our bed.  Don’t hold your breath though as to when!

Thanks to Tamara for hosting Sunday Stash.  Clearly I haven’t yet run out of stash to show…

by thornberry
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