chunky basket

A quick project to make. I have had this pattern printed for some time, and with other projects done, I dug up the pattern. Made with double strand, and a large size hook, it whipped up rather quick.

just perfect to hold another current WIP.

PatternLink: chunky basket

 

L.

 

 

mail: bendigo mills

After a quick email, I got mail - in the letterbox.

(I really miss getting handwritten letters in the mailbox. Those days are really gone...)

 

 colour choice aplenty

 Alpaca. One day. Something special I think.

 

(look at all those nice 100% cotton colours...)

Thanks Bendigo Woolen Mills. You shall be hearing from me as I plan my bedrunners.

Have you ordered from Bendigo before? Love to hear from previous Bendigo shoppers. What was your experience? How did you find the quality and how about pricing?

L.

Lego post #3

Two weekends ago, I managed to finish off my lego project that I started in the holidays. This is the last photo to finish off my Lego post from a few weeks ago.

A piece of jarrah skirting board found in the back corner of the shed, some satin varnish, 6 packets of cup hooks, measuring tape, pencil and a drill (not to mention the sore fingers!) resulted in a nice hanging shelf to hold all the instruction booklets.

Put on the wall in our dining/playroom, it makes easy access for the children for their daily lego-burst.

I also share with you two photos from Ruth, who was busy with this project sometime ago, and passed the bright idea onto me.

 She has used two IKEA Brundtal towel rails to hold their lego booklets..

 

Thanks again, Ruth... :) We now have lego booklets which will hopefully last out our children's lego-lifespan



L.

made for you: summer dress

With summer almost popping its head around the corner, and the purchase of those Red Shoes, I completed my WIP on friday. Our little miss-2 loves any skirts or dresses, and will only wear shorts or pants if she really has too. She calls them a wee-skirt or a wee-dress, because when you do twirly-whirls, you say "weeeeeeeeee". So I had to look for a pattern with frills. More frills the better. I borrowed a childrens sewing book by Ottobre and used the skirt pattern from a dress that I liked, and altered it to fit the bodice.

 

 

My sewing machine had a bit of a belly-ache at first, and wasn't happy stitching for once. After a bit of oil, new needle, lint removal and some good thread, it was happy to go again. (its is in dire need of a service) With it being my first project to use fabric and crocheting together, I am very happy how it turned out, and so is little miss.

 

Here is the link to the bodice pattern. I did alter it slightly - I made the straps a little longer, and also added more rows at the bottom where it joined the dress - top pic. A very simple pattern, and quick to make too.

 

I machine stitched the bodice to the skirt, and surprisingly you cannot find the stitching back!

 

 

 With the bodice made from 95% cotton, 5% silk, and the skirt being open and loose, it is going to be nice and cool for summer.

 The hems of each frill was finished with a small, close zigzag.

 

 A matching headband quickly whipped up from here, thanks to Bec for the link!

 

pretend play yesterday - heels just finish it... :)

and for a two-year-old, it does the perfect 'weeeeeeeee......'

 

and what I like best about this dress... is that it isn't pink. or purple. and it is still so ever girly. must be those frills.

Its ready for the wash. I really dislike washing things for the first time.

L.

LMCG: granny pillow

With what started off as a simple granny square... another member of LCMG has finally finished her first project too. My Miss 10. The last bit took extra encouraging to get it completed and not be a UFO. (unfinished object)

 

With a visit to Spotlight the other week, I picked up some especially-requested-had-to-be-green backing material and a pillow insert. With me coming home with that, renewed desire to finish it kicked in, and she did.

do I, or don't I?

Look at those ends. They still need burying. I am so tempted to do them for her, but on the otherhand, she has done all the rest by herself, and it is all part of completing a project....

...my pondering thought for the afternoon...

This was my first attempt at stitching crocheting to material using my machine. Very happy and a whole lot stronger then handstitching.

 

This morning while she was at school, I backed it, and it has turned out rather nice. It is now competing with the blooming flower cushion on her bed, waiting for her to come home. I think I see a ripple pillow requesting to be made, to bring the two cushions together.

Am I being a nasty-teacher not to finish the threads for her?

L.

made for you: millie (monday) monkey

Meet Millie. Monkey Made on a Monday Morning.

 

 

Made for a special friend, who I got to have a catch-up visit with. I chose to make Millie out of a pair of Explorer socks (nice thick socks that are generally worn inside workboots) because of her love for the outdoors. **So happy I could find female coloured Explorers - and striped at that!  And to be honest, I will make future sock monkey's out of Explorers too. I am so much happier with Millie then Rio. I think it is because of the thickness of the socks.

 I wanted to have the Explorer sock tag visible so made sure that I cut the right sock for the legs. I also wanted to leave the fluffy-rolled top that Explorer socks have, visisble.

 

 

It is a relatively easy pattern to follow, using machine and handstitching, with beautiful clear photos.

 Rio and Millie

pattern link: Sock Monkey from CraftPassion.

**photo update: during cooking dinner time last night, master 8 comes into the kitchen and proudly tells me that he has "found a pair of socks in his cupboard, that would make a nice sock monkey for his birthday" (it's not till next October.) This morning I found it pinned up on my board. Thank you son. Consider it done. Another one to join Rio coming up.**
 

L.

red shoes: WIP

 These were just too cute to leave behind, while enjoing some op-shop browsing time with just my youngest last week. Brand new, not even a scuff mark or a crease line. Leather with white stitching. How could I leave them on the shelf?

 

This was just calling for me to make a summer outfit to go with them. Okay, she will not be wearing these shoes in the middle of summer, but it kicked my brain into sewing mode.  So I share my current WIP with you.

 

the ingredients: my type of baking I enjoy :)

 

and really looking forward to modifing the pattern to include some crocheting.

 

L.

made for you: sock monkey (RIO)

Another handmade gift from last week.

Rio, the sock monkey.

 

 

 

With little miss 5, we managed to get Rio made in an afternoon. She helped by pushing all the stuffing into his arms and legs, and loved seeing him being put together.

Pattern link: craft passion

 

 

Rio was made from a mens sock: 11-14. Different sized socks make different sized monkeys.

And I have a few more pairs of socks set to the side, ready to be made into more sock monkeys.

 

L. 

 

 

made for you: blooming flower

My Blooming Flower is finished. 24 hours before deadline.

An overload of spring-colour photos

Pattern from Attic 24



Finished just in time for our daughter's 10th birthday - and she loves it.

This is my first back of the pillow. After a gentle press with the iron it finally laid flat after trying to take on the shape of a teacup for majority of the rounds.

Disaster struck about 9:30pm one night, when I was so looking forward to joining the two together. The front petals and the back row of petals didn't match.

Dissapointment was all over my face. Ask hubby. For the next 10 minutes I struggled to find where I went wrong. It was the third row on the back. I had missed this row of increases. Arg.

So I pulled out my scissors and cut the row out (at least I could reuse the centre two rows.)

 (sorry - phone photos)

After folding it and putting it aside to pull apart for a fellow crafters scrappy blanket, hubby had a wise suggestion: make it into a poncho for the girls dolls.

So I did.

and well-loved Tammi looks rather pleased.

At least a big boo-boo can be reused.

Sorry Emma, you missed out on a bunch of 'ends'...

 And so my crochet WIPs are all done. Actually, one isn't. The ripple blanket. That is what I have pulled out the last two nights, till I work out what I would like to make next. (my to-do list is rather long).

Lee.

xxx