FINALLY there's a bit of action on the landscape front.
I had a picture of the type of thing I wanted in my flickr favourites but this is so much better than I could have imagined. I can't wait until the "sashing" is planted. Just hugely exciting really.
I'm going in search of an outdoor table top this arvo & then catching up on some creative spaces from yesterday.
I packed the kids in the car & headed up to Mansfield. I managed to drag the rain with me & it teamed all day yesterday. The ponies weren't very co-operative!
BUT...
I stopped at Pemberton's on the way up just to scope things out. You see this is where we used to keep our own ponies when we were kids.
Anything texty is going to get me everytime & what's not to love about black & white with hint of brick?
I took a little detour with the girls the other day & found myself at the Abbotsford Convent.
I really love that place...it's like stepping into another world.
I'm not quite ready to step back into the creative space thingy but if you're keen say "i" & I'll fire it up for next week OR happy to cruise a couple more weeks. Up to you.
I had planned a little TTFN post last Friday & then I kind of faded to black without warning...sorry.
It seems I've just slipped quietly into holiday mode...watching trash on the teev with my big girl.
It's been a big year & I'm looking forward to a bit of downtime. I'm going to take a bit of time off to really enjoy the break with the fam.
I might be back with a holiday something or I might not. I'm just going to let the summer of 2010/11 wash over me.
Thank you all for your very valuable contribution to this space during 2010. If you've read, commented, laughed or just nodded along...you're totally ace...it's why I keep showing up & hoping that maybe something in my sometimes-cheaty-sometimes-serious makings will make you want to make something too.
Despite the week long threat of rain & thunder storms, Saturday was the perfect day.
We all trundled out to the Yarra Valley for the wedding of my gorgeous cousin & her gorgeous fella.
My smallest was not officially in the bridal party but she's got a fair bit of spunk & kind of wangled her way in anyway. She did actually look like she belonged which was a happy coincidence.
The little dress was picked up at the Op Shop a few weeks ago. It's raw silk & still had the tags on it. OK so it's a size 4 & she's so not 4 but I think she looks super cute.
is still filled with the "ask me no questions" craft from last week. It's inching ever closer to completion.
I seem to be ridiculously busy & pre-occupied at the moment. This usually lends itself to a total kitchen rebellion but I'm loving being at the stove at the moment. Last night I made these delicious (& really bad for you) potato stacks & today I'm planning on whipping up some banana bread & white chocolate cookies for the school lunches.
Happy Thursday folks.
Do pop in & add your link if you're playing along this week.
OK so this is really more about my homework than the making of bunting. The chips just needed to be glued to a piece of paper but there's no fun in that is there? So I made two...one for the homework & one for the smallest.
I think the bunting's super cute & will be making more. The robot is of course by Jodie.
Not really sure if these guys are happy or running for their lives...
I'm a glass half full kind of girl so I'm ... choosing to see them as happy ... choosing happy for me & for my lovely family too ... & choosing a happy weekend for you all.
This is a little something I made for a giggle & for you.
I'm hoping that I'll give Pickering (mine's safe for work folks - I promise) a run for his money & grace the back of toilet doors globally...nationally...locally...ok at least at Claire, Christie & Shazza's places because they encouraged me to take on this project in the first place.
I've been tinkering away on this for a couple of months...since you first got a laugh out of my noticing & beret shots. All crafty "disguises" have been fashioned by me, some especially for the project & some were just loitering about the house in various states of completion.
I dragged the little guy in to check out my "folio". He watched in horror as I flicked through the images & then we had this conversation...
Little guy: "Mum, this is terrible. Nobody is going to want this." Me: "It's free buddy." Little guy: "Even then Mum. Only your friends will look at it, because they'll feel sorry for you."
I'm confident that anyone who reads here regularly will enjoy the calendar & take it in the spirit in which it's intended. For any new-to-me folk who are saying to themselves "This girl's got a touch of the Warren Beattys about her." - well, there's something in there for you too. x
This is the result of my speed crafting session yesterday. I was lucky enough to be gifted some Liberty recently. I know, I know - pea green you should be. Stylish cuff to be worn to work, out to lunch or out on the town...
& if the mood for hand piecing strikes - you're good to go.
I wonder if maybe you could wear it inside out & fix your arthritic wrists too?
pin toppers. For the stitcher in your life. Just another little thing that's been keeping me out of mischief.
I had planned on sharing the crochet cuff how to today but the Flip ran out of batteries halfway through the filming.
Today's a huge day with kid's activities so I won't get to it today. Assuming I can make them all be quiet for half an hour over the weekend then it'll be Monday.
It's been an amazing week in my neck of the woods.
Just truly gorgeous things have been happening over the last seven days...
My sister & her family are coming home!!! You can't even imagine how insanely happy this has made me.
An amazing, amazing person sent me THE NECKLACE in the mail! Just a totally inspiring act of generosity.
I've received sweet handwritten notes, posts & lovely, lovely emails from internet mates. You know who you are and I thank you from the very bottom of my heart.
Finally, yesterday for no particular reason Auntie Pat gifted me a box of lambswool/angora Anny Blatt. This is an incredible treat.
All those years ago when I worked at Woolcraft I used to spend far too long "tidying" the Anny Blatt shelves so that I could enjoy the luxury of this yarn. I imagined that one day I'd be able to make something amazing with it.
Totally inspired by Assemblage & Aunty Cookie I've cast on a few stitches.
I hooked it like Michelle, Kate & Tania ... I'm way to slow on the sticks.
I followed Leonie's directions for the measuring but I left it a bit shy of where I want it to sit as I expect it to drop with wear over the next couple of days.
I'm calling it the Chameleon because it looks completely different in different light & depending what you're wearing underneath (or if you stand against a rust wall I've discovered).
Just as I did with the slashed vest, the armholes are set a little higher to give more flexibility. It can be worn upside down, inside out & round about. You can check that out here.
Details... Yarn - Cleckheaton Coutry Paintbox 8 ply Col: 31 Hook - 9mm (yep 9 - I was going for drape) Stitch - I used double crochet (Aus/UK) or US single crochet
Edited to add: I used 6 balls & my wrap was 23 inches x 34 inches
Totally should have been on the vac but made this instead.
Just completely ridiculous but certainly smile worthy.
Hoping that you had a cracker jack weekend. I finished off a couple of things & started a couple of new things & generally lazed about in very fine company.
Seriously love this. I wonder if Len might have been a frustrated electrician? I love the fact that these lights were strung in such a temporary way & yet they are hard wired and appear to have been in situ for at least a couple of decades.
Things to love about this shot... -yellowed masking tape -vintage christmas lights -glitter -woodgrain contact used as wallpaper -christmas in July (all year, every year for that matter)
How It seems that the mulberry granny shrug has inspired a few of you to have a crack yourself. That's super exciting & exactly why this patch of web space exists. Over the weekend Lara & I have worked together to present to you the whole box & dice for the granny shrug enthusiast.
There's something for everyone. This is the master class...for lovely folk who like to follow a pattern, or maybe you need the visual (like me) or perhaps you'd like to watch a dinky video.
If you know how to make a granny square then you know how to make this shrug. Just crochet yourself a couple of lovely granny hexagons.
You can just skip over the "instructions" & make the granny exactly as you always do. Maybe you slip across to the next chain space...ripper knock yourself out. There is no "right" way to make it.
You'll just end up with a lovely curly hexagon...good, that's great...exactly what we want. Just keep checking your sizing after each round to decide when you're done.
Mine have been 9 rounds (in the Wilderness) but depending on your tension & hook size yours might be 8 or 10 or more. Keep folding the curly hex in on itself until you're confident that the fit will be right for you.
the pattern My very favourite crocheter is Lara. She's one of the reasons I picked up the hook in the first place. She likes to be good at stuff & works hard to make sure she gets things right. Well, guess what? She's written a fabulous, fabulous pattern (it might not have posted yet...be patient) for you to print & keep. And spared you all from my effort at a written explanation. Thank you Lara, you're the very best & it was lovely to share the making of the how to with you.
& the video Just so you know it was really hard to crochet standing up stradling a tripod & keeping (or trying) the crochet in the frame.
Australian/UK terminology
Yarn You've got a HUGE amount of flexibility here. You want to achieve a good deal of chunkiness & you'll just adjust your number of rounds accordingly so pick something that suits your style. I did make the suggestion the other day to use stash yarns crocheted together to make up the chunky style yourself.
I used Patons "Wilderness" 14ply. I like it...A LOT. It's a blend so purists might like to check out other options but I think it's just the perfect yarn for the job. Here's why... (& where to buy too).
OR you can have a go with 2 balls of 8 ply held together or whatever else takes your fancy. You'll just adjust your number of rounds according to tension & fit. Go nuts. Lara's using two strands of 12ply & is very happy with the result.
Hook I'd say 15mm. I'm really happy with the result I'm getting with the 15mm hook. You need it to be loose so that you get a nice drape with the finished "fabric". We're not going for sturdy here folks...we want the pretty drape.
Making Up I switched to a 2.65mm hook & just used double crochet up the centre back seam.
Then I doubled along the top sleeve seams & single crocheted along the back of the neck opening to give extra strength.
Again if you know how to do it your own way...do that. It will be great.
What, haven't had enough? Here's the steak knife! A round by round for the visual learner. How to make a granny shrugView more presentations from kootoyoo.
Other Stuff There's a flickr group. If you make a shrug we'd love to have it added to the group.
HAC class? There have been a couple of requests for a HAC class for the shrug. If you still think you need it or would like to make it up with a bunch of other girls over tea & biscuits, I'd be happy to run it over two evenings. If you're keen please email me kootoyooATgmailDOTcom & if we get enough interest we'll go ahead.
