Sweet Fabric [Search results for slow down] 

Jessie Jamieson on yet another adventure. Her travels have taken her to Lakes Entrance in Eastern Victoria.

This image shows the Entrance to the sea.

How exciting Jessie's life was. I can't even imagine what a big deal it would have been to go on a holiday to Lakes Entrance in the 1920s. I've found it challenging enough to get down to Lonsdale for a couple of days!

I've mentioned before that things are very slow down at Lonsdale. If I owe you a visit - I'll stop in when I'm back in town. I'm not patient enough for dial up...perhaps a bit of Jessie's influence would do me some good.

Edit: Bricolagelife has pondered about Jessie's camera. Now I NEED to know what sort of camera it was. Anyone know how to find out?

My true love sent to me:

8 plates for turkey
7 twinkling lights
6 stuffed mushies
5 glowing gifts
4 waiting sacks
3 chrissy trees
2 drinks with bubbles
& a sp...i...i...i...i...ng santa

We made these as Christmas gifts a couple of years ago. Each year they get brought out for our Christmas feasting. Somehow, I've become the custodian of a couple of extra plates because certain people (& you know who you are) insist on living thousands of kilometres away in the stickiness that is Darwin.

In other news...the light tour didn't disappoint.

Each house was rated by the tour leader:

c. best viewed at high speed
b. slow down & maybe brake a second or two
a. park car & mill about admiring the months of work by the owner/operator of the show

The kids had their own rating system:

Action scored points
Quantity of lights scored points
Appearance of cartoon character scored points
Bonus points were awarded for the appearance of "baby Jesus"
Mega points awarded if owner of house was handing out lollies

"TOP JOB" was awarded to this house:

This pic shows the small girl jumping for joy in the "snow" which cascaded from the balcony onto the crowd below at 30 seconds intervals.

on the beach this morning belonged to this little guy & my Asics.

There is something really exciting about being up when no-one else is & "breaking in" the sand for a busy day.

Things are going to be pretty quiet in this little corner as we slow down. Dial up does my head in.

that got me thinking.

When I read this little bit in the Sunday Life magazine today it really got me wondering if I might be one of these people.

I have to admit to not always re-reading emails, checking grammar, spelling, punctuation & the like. I confess that more often that not when I send an email with an attachment I send before I've attached the file & then have to send an Oops email as well. I do use capitals but usually when I LOVE something.

I think that I have become too "quick to click" & I need to slow down & not just with the tap, tap tapping on the keyboard or the click, click, clicking with the mouse. I need to be more aware of my impact on other people.

I really hope that I haven't offended anyone.

Eeeek...I taught the big girl to granny square. She's really, really good. Her granny square is lovely & square & even.

Pt Lonsdale is home to a beautiful shop called Wildpurl so the lucky girl learned to crochet using Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. This was absolutely the perfect yarn for a small person to learn with. It doesn't separate at all.

Our break was really lovely.

The pace at Lonsdale is super slow & the only planned activities for the day are the run, coffee & the dog beach.

I devoted my down time to crochet & was feeling quite pleased with my efforts until I laid these squares & the 21 I had at home out & realised that I'm probably only half way to my goal. I really think that I'm going to have to revise the original plan & just make it big enough to drape across the foot of the bed. That would be OK wouldn't it?

Did you know that I'm part of the Down Under Doll Quilt Swap? It was organised an embarrassingly long time ago by the gorgeous Kate.

In true kootoyoo style I've left it & left it & left it some more. Don't get me wrong...there's been plenty of think time & in my head the finished quilt is really, really beautiful. In reality I have one (yep 1) block pieced and another cut out. Not a fabulous start eh?

No more new anythings until this piece is finished so I'm going to share my in progress shots. If you catch me wandering off course do you reckon you'd prompt me with a comment like "Hey Kirst, haven't seen much on the white quilt front...what's up with that?".

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In other news...
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I've been included in Kidspots Top 50 Bloggers which is hugely flattering. Considering this is a "just for fun" gig for me & there are heaps of professional writer types included I'm quite chuffed. Thanks a bunch Kidspot.

There's the opportunity there to win a holiday to Dunk Island which is pretty cool so maybe check out the list, see if you're favourites are there. If so - click to vote.

I've got to say that I think that the craft blog community is pretty under represented on the list. So many beautiful, thoughtful, productive, positive, creative women I love who haven't been represented.

A big hearty thanks to those of you who have voted for me & saved me from left-on-the-shelf embarrassment. Muchly appreciated. x

Things are progressing pretty well with the sampler.

Some of these will certainly be added to my stitching "vocab".

I love...
up & down blanket stitch
pekinese stitch
feather stitch
chevron stitch
& open cretan stitch

with practice I think I'll like...
cable chain
knotted buttonhole

This certainly has been slow going. I was unpicking lots & then of course realised that isn't really the aim of the exercise. This isn't about perfect it's about practice.

It's Leonie's wrap.

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

Happy weekend all.

It was so nice to have a bit of time to myself yesterday.

I've had a few emails asking for pointers on stem stitch & again I think that this is the kind of thing best learned by watching & listening rather than still shots or sketches.

I stitched a bit of lettering & thought that I'd share the video. I've kind of adapted my traditionally taught stem stitch over the years. Vick...if you're reading this - click away now. This is my "go to" stitch. I use it for lettering, for outlining & for anything with a curve. I love the flexible nature of this stitch. You can very easily rocket ahead on straight sections & then slow right down & do teeny tiny stitches around sharp turns. It's a forgiver...I like that.

Hoping that this helps you out & you become a (sort of) stem stitcher too.

Now that I watch this video...is it any wonder my stitches are so tight. Just look at how I "correct" each stitch.

the keys!

We made it back from the beach on Sunday without our house keys. We'd separated the car key to make things easier when we were down the beach & of course left Lonsdale without the house keys.

Luckily we'd left a spare key out in the garden so we could get ourselves, the kids, the dog & the overloaded car unpacked but we were locked out of the office (& the computer) & the laundry.

I feel I've forgotten more than just the keys in my rather hasty exit from Melbourne & this little patch of web space.

The reading list is long & I'm dying to find out what you've all been up to but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I think it's going to be a bit of a slow return. The wave of new posts is so inviting but the water feels a bit foreign & the view from the beach is pretty. I was forced to dip my toe in this afternoon to offer my congratulations & the water felt pretty good so I'll look forward to a few splashes in the shallows before I tackle the swell looming in deeper water.