Knitting for Me

Since the weather has cooled down and Autumn has started to set in I've had the urge to pick up my knitting needles again.  I've got some obligation knitting, a couple of vests I have to knit for an October birthday, and I have been pretty faithful to those.  But last weekend I suddenly caved and bought two patterns to knit up for myself.  They are both by Jane Richmond, who has put out some great patterns on her website.

First of all there is Georgia, a simple but pretty fitted cardigan.



I'm trying to use yarn that I have lying around, and I had some Dream in Color baby lace in the Gold Experience colourway from a scarf that I'd just frogged.  It's a little finer than the yarn called for in the pattern, so I'm knitting it up on larger needles to get gauge.  It will be a lovely lightweight cardigan when it's finished.  It's knitting up quite quickly considering how fine the yarn is.



And then there is the Ladies Classic Raglan Pullover.



I'm knitting this up in some Bendigo Woolen Mills luxury wool, I had a couple of 200g balls of 10 ply in the Ghost colourway to start me off.



I feel a little guilty knitting these instead of the birthday vests, but I am hoping that they won't take me all that long, and then I will get back to those vests.

Capturing leaves and feet

In the last year I rearranged our art and craft desk, and we have all been drawing and painting more there now there's more space and all the supplies are set out properly.  It's a good big desk from Ikea, and I bought an extension so that three people can sit at it together.



It's in a space in our loungeroom that is long and narrow, and tricky to do anything with.  This desk fits in perfectly.



Actually, most of the furniture in our house is from Ikea.  Even the houseplant is from Ikea.



I've always found it tricky to draw leaves and make them look real.



And I find it even harder to paint them convincingly, so most of my drawings are just in black and white.  I keep buying nice paints though, I have a art and craft supplies addiction.



And I had a go at drawing Miss M's foot - if I draw her face she can't stop giggling, but she can giggle all she likes as long as she keeps her foot still :)

Jumping in again

Wow, it's been nearly a whole year since my last post.  Many things were going on in my life, and unfortunately blogging just wasn't high on my list of priorities.  But I have missed it, every time I read one of the lovely blogs in my blog reader and see their wonderful photos, I have felt inspired to begin again with my own blog.  But when was the best time to start?  The beginning of the new year?  My birthday?  A Monday?  Then Autumn began and as always my favourite season got me feeling creative again, and I looked back at some of the photos I've taken in the last year, and thought I'd just jump in.

I took these photos over the space of the last year, all from the same spot, one from each season.

Spring



Summer



Autumn



Winter



A big thanks to Retromummy for giving me pointers on how to link photos from my flickr account!

20 June 2011

I realised a little while ago that I haven't yet knit anything for Mr O, so I had a look around Ravelry and I found the perfect hooded sweater for him, the Little Hoodlum jersey from the Little Rascals ebook by Julia Stanfield of Just One WIP. My favourite type of knitting - top down, seamless, knit in the round. Easy peasy.


waiting for sleeves

Mr O requested his favourite colour (red) with grey stripes. I played around with the stripes a little as I wanted something a bit different. He is very pleased with it :)


waiting for the hood

15 June 2011

My first post in quite a while, I just haven't had any energy or the inspiration to blog anything. But I have taken to going for a walk every morning after I drop off the kids to school, and it turns out that exercise is good for the soul, who knew? ;)

I am so lucky to live in a beautiful area, and it is particularly beautiful in Autumn. Definitely the showiest season, I think that Autumn is my favourite, closely followed by Spring. And do you know, Summer is my least favourite! The only good thing about it is the fact that Christmas is smack in the middle of it - otherwise I detest the sweaty hot weather.





I have found that after walking every morning and looking at all these colours means that I arrive back home full of energy and just itching to do something creative. I am currently knitting a sweater for Mr O, drawing in my journal, and I'm about to sew up a dress. Plus I have the energy to actually reply to emails and comment on blogs, set up my flickr and pinterest accounts, sort through all the kids' old clothes, paint the kickboards and the cupboard handles in the kitchen... ;)





I took the kids on a much slower walk one weekend at the end of Autumn, and I took the opportunity to take photos as well. I'm so glad that I did as the trees have lost most of their leaves since then. Miss M is a great walker, but Mr O acts as though I've asked him to walk over hot coals - his idea of heaven is to stay firmly indoors with his toys. Although he can walk for hours around Westfield and Ikea - he is a boy after my own heart ;)





There is a nearby street with a few crab apple trees growing on the nature strip, and we collected the fallen apples and took them home with us because they are so lovely to look at.







I have lots of crafty photos to share, I just have to make it a priority to blog them.

03 March 2011

The beginning of Autumn has me thinking of wool and winter fabric, and all the beautiful Autumn colours of one of my favourite seasons. It was a lovely cool day yesterday, although today is supposed to be hot again - Summer doesn't fade graciously in Sydney. I sewed the last button on a Summer shirt for Miss M, and now I'm looking through my fabric stash for something suitable with which to make her a coat.

I completed these toys last year for a little girl's first birthday. I might have to make a second set of the Matryoshka dolls for Miss M.

Big Mumma


all the way


down to


tiny baby.


I have made this little birdy before, nice and quick to knit up and so cute.


Here is an egg in a nest.


Here is a little birdy hatching out.


One wing out -


Ta da!

7 February 2011

I have been working on a hexagon quilt - this is the first time I've made hexagons so I'm making it easy for myself by using charm squares and large sized papers. I think this will still take a reeeally long time though :)



The fabric is Rouenneries by French General.

4 February 2011

What a long time it's been since my last entry, the summer has just been so busy. Miss M started back at school this week, which she is just loving, and Mr O begins in the 3-6 class next Friday, which he is denying :) My baby will have his first real time away from me, which will be strange for us both but once he gets used to it all he'll have a great time just like his sister does. It's a fantastic Montessori school, and every time I drop Miss M off I really wish I could spend the day in a grown up class there ;)







I am looking forward to taking photos of autumn trees, this summer heat is unbearable!















I've been making lots of soy candles - they burn more cleanly than regular parrafin wax, and they smell so good - I made mostly vanilla and coconut.