What to Make Next?

Hi! I'm Still Here...

2011-12-19T12:52:00.000+13:00

In case you haven't noticed, it's that festive time of year again.

Which means that the girls are on holiday and I have a-million-and-one things to do and organise before J's three week holiday period off work.

During any school holidays, most of my time is spent juggling between entertaining the girls and finding babysitters for them so I can still work and internet time is always the first to suffer as it's really not that important (then the housework - it's about as unimportant isn't it?)

So please forgive me if I seem a bit absent from this space for the next month or so. Though I do have several things I've made lately that I plan on posting about when I can, as well as a new design I released earlier this month.

I hope you all have a great family time this Christmas and, if you don't hear from me sooner, I'll see you all again in the new year!

Tickled Pink

2011-11-24T08:30:00.000+13:00

In need of a new summer top, I let MiddleMiss choose a skein of yarn from my Vintage Purls stash. She chose a variegated pink called Tickle Me and I decided to design a t-shirt for her.

By the time I could try it on her and decide I didn't really like the look, I'd got all the way past the sleeves and several rows into the body.

It got put in the I don't like you pile until I felt like spending more time working on the design some more.

MiddleMiss noticed I hadn't been working on it and asked me when I was going to finish her top. She was a little shocked when I showed her a re-wound ball of yarn and empty needles the next morning!

I'd changed my mind that night and decided to use a ready-to-go pattern instead.

(I cast it on that next night.)

This is Hine (another Kelly Brooker design).

But, in my usual fashion, I had to re-work the numbers as it's not written for 4ply.

I started on Thursday and have got this far already. I've done the ribbing on the sleeves, sewn in all the ends and sewn on the buttons which are all the jobs I hate doing when I've finished.

Only the stocking stitch body to go to keep MiddleMiss happy.

(Need some movies to watch - always makes it go fast!)

March of the Elephants

2011-11-22T12:30:00.000+13:00

My big brother had a little boy just before MiddleMiss' birthday last month. And a new family member means an excuse for teeny tiny knitting.

And not wanting it to take me forever to design a special, for-the-new-baby knit that would only just be gifted before it was too small like I usually do, I decided to just knit someone else's pattern.

This is the Puerperium Cardigan pattern by a fellow Kiwi designer, Kelly Brooker.

The free, NB size pattern is written for 8ply/DK yarn but I wanted to use up some of my Vintage Purls sock yarn stash so re-calculated the numbers to suit. Though, if I wasn't such a cheap-skate, I could've just bought the full Beyond Puerperium pattern which is multi-sized and written for three different yarn weights (including 4ply).

In my defense, I didn't even think to check if the full version included 4ply until after I'd knit it anyway!

Details:

Yarn - Vintage Purls sock in 'Chaff' and Patons (I think? very old, missing ball bands) crepe wool

Pattern - Puerperium Cardigan by Kelly Brooker (free NB size pattern)

Elephants - stranded knitting (my first attempt!) using this pattern
Buttons - umm, still to come?

Rose Red

2011-11-21T21:03:00.000+13:00

Look what J gave me this weekend.

I won't say where he ~~stole~~ got it from.

The wine bottle makes a good vase. It's all I had besides a drinking glass.

More Clothes

2011-11-15T09:06:00.000+13:00

I seem to be on a roll with the sewing lately.

I made this for the BigMiss over the weekend:

Well, actually just the skirt and leggings as I'd made the tee a week or so ago. (I think the tee makes the outfit look a bit busy - I didn't intend for it to be an 'oufit', she just put it on anyway.)

Pattern details:

Tee - Ottobre 3/2010 'Funky Sisters' design 31

Skirt - Ottobre 1/2011 'Indigo' design 18

Leggings - Ottobre 1/2011 'Cinnamon' design 17

Unisex? Yeah Right!

2011-11-10T08:56:00.000+13:00

Take one "unisex" (meaning: boy style) t-shirt:

Attack with an un-picker:

Add one "Funky Sisters" Ottobre* t-shirt pattern:

Mix it all together with a sewing machine:

I had to put the tag back in!

And you now have one very happy little girl!

The tee was a birthday present from J for BigMiss (from way back in June!) and it really was unflattering and big. She liked the idea of it, but didn't really like it so it got put in the drawer and forgotten about.

With the rearrangement of the bedrooms (when the carpet was finally in) there was also a rearrangement of the drawers and I found this tee back. J had originally said that I could 'just take it in at the sides', but this tee pattern was a better idea as I'd made it before and knew it looked good on BigMiss.

I'm very happy with the result and BigMiss has worn it every day after school, claiming it's her favourite t-shirt now!

Joining in with other creative types.

*This is from issue 3/2010, pattern #31

Naked No More

2011-11-04T12:11:00.000+13:00

In the build-up to the birthday I was busy crafting away in the night hours on two little items for MiddleMiss' doll.

A cute little skirt to match the one I made her (she still wears it!)

Pattern: Mini Coconut Ice by Deanne Ramsay

Yarn: Bendigo Woollen Mills Cotton 8ply in Teal & White

And a cardigan to go with it

Pattern: Poppy Cardigan by Georgie Hallam (aka Tikki)

Yarn: Bendigo Woollen Mills Cotton 8ply in White & Teal

I only just got them finished in time too - the last sleeve was knitted and finished the night before!

The Birthday

2011-11-03T08:30:00.000+13:00

So, MiddleMiss turned 7 on Sunday.

J told her that I hadn't really had time to make a fancy cake so hopefully she wouldn't be disappointed as she was just going to have a plain round cake.

She was impressed with the pink glittery sprinkles and fancy squiggly candles and said she liked it anyway.

Then J cut her a piece and she was even more impressed that it was a Rainbow cake!

It was loads of fun to make and even tasted good too!

Idea from here. Recipe and instructions from here. Other creative types over here.

Blogtober Fail

2011-11-02T12:44:00.001+13:00

You might have noticed I missed posting the last 10 or so days in Blogtober.

I really did mean to and even had posts planned in my head, but computer time didn't happen as there were more important things going on.

Like...

A long weekend where J got an extra day off work so we painted doors.

Then the 'real' day off work where we spent a family afternoon at the beach (after putting another coat of paint on the doors).

Even the dog came - she's part of the family too!

It was too cold to swim so we didn't take togs, but they still got very wet anyway (went home in the car in their knickers!)

And don't forget the sand castle building!

And then school holidays were over and it was back to work during the day and homework every afternoon and tidying the house in the evening and planning the MiddleMiss' birthday and a new nephew to knit for and, and...you know how it goes.

So I didn't complete Blogtober, but it's not the end of the world!

Though I did get up to lots of stuff over the last week which I fully intend to catch up on in the next few days.

BigMiss' Baking

2011-10-20T20:11:00.002+13:00

BigMiss was invited to a surprise birthday party and was asked to make the birthday cake as her present.

After looking through the birthday cake books and not really choosing anything, I suggested making a number cake (the birthday girl was turning 10, which I figured was an easy number-shape to work with).

We made a chocolate cake, which she mixed up by herself - the recipe I always use is a 'put it all in the bowl and turn the mixer on' type which is really easy for kids!

The '1' got lollies put on randomly, but I suggested more of a pattern for the '0'

I let her choose a bag full of lollies from the 'pick-n-mix' at the supermarket to decorate it with and she wanted five different icing colours. She mixed the food colouring into the icing while I iced the cakes (she found it a little tricky to not mix the colours when putting it on).

She had great fun, and the birthday girl was impressed she had made it herself!

Embellishing

2011-10-19T10:30:00.000+13:00

If you look close enough at the photos of LittleMiss' jersey, you might be able to see the picture stitched on the pocket.

It's a unicorn done in duplicate and chain stitch.

The talented Tanja from Watermellish designed this chart specially for the Red Riding Hood Yarn's Winter Yarn Club that I took part in. It was the first time I'd done a duplicate design like this and I'm really pleased with it (so was LittleMiss).

Make sure you check out her website for more designs (including free ones!) and lots of tutorials to help you out. If you're a knitter and never tried duplicate stitch before - it's a lot easier than you think!

Ain't He Cute?

2011-10-18T10:00:00.000+13:00

I noticed that I hadn't posted any photos on here of my nephew wearing the vest I mentioned yesterday.

And he's too cute not to.

More cute pictures on my Ravelry project page.

One for LittleMiss

2011-10-17T20:25:00.000+13:00

You might have noticed in my photoshoot post that there wasn't just the new Sweet As Cardi and Amphitrite vest being worn.

I've been working on a very cool simple jersey/sweater design. This one is along the same construction idea of the Elisaac, in that you start with the collar and then work down from there. But it's a proper fold-over, ribbed collar (like a polo shirt).

You might also remember the vest I made for my newest little nephew. It's basically the same base pattern but done with full-length sleeves (and not button-through).

I've included a kangaroo pocket too, which LittleMiss was excited about. I'm expecting the pocket to get very stretched out of shape over time!

Kiwi Crisps

2011-10-15T15:11:00.001+13:00

Saturdays I usually do baking. Today it was biscuits (cookies).

This is one of my favourite recipes.

Kiwi Crisps

Ingredients:

1/2 of a 400g tin sweetened condensed milk

225g butter (softened)

1/2c sugar

2c flour

2tsp baking powder

200g chocolate

Preheat oven to 180deg C.

Cream condensed milk, butter and sugar together.

Mix in sifted flour and baking powder and then mix in chocolate.

Shape spoonfuls, place onto baking tray and cook until lightly browned (about 10-15mins).

Cool on a rack and enjoy!

If you're like me and prefer soft biscuits, take them out just as they start colouring. When cooked to golden brown they're crisp and crunchy when cooled.

You can use any form of chocolate in these biscuits - chocolate chips, buttons, a chocolate block broken in chunks, mixed white and dark, mini M&M's (as pictured above), and you can even add 1/2c of nuts to the mix also (roasted cashews are yum!)

And because it uses half a tin of condensed milk, I usually make a double batch so I don't have the other half a tin sitting in the fridge waiting to be used! (They freeze well.)

Curls and Plaits

2011-10-14T13:22:00.000+13:00

I still have to work even in the school holidays, but that means the girls get to go to Nana's!

Yesterday I picked them up looking like this:

Their fantastic Aunty T had done their hair in fancy curls and butterfly clips.

And even Nana had a turn with LittleMiss getting a head full of little plaits!

I'm very lucky that my MIL can look after the girls for me when I still have to work in the holidays.

More Sweetness

2011-10-13T08:56:00.000+13:00

If you're a regular reader, you might have noticed that I've been working on a cardigan version of the Sweet As... t-shirt. MiddleMiss was wearing it for our photoshoot in the park.

It has the same heart motif down the side and puff sleeves, but also features a shaped body, pockets and sleeves done to full length.

The pattern's in the testing* phase at the moment so should be ready for release mid-November. Just in time to whip one up for those heading into Winter in the Northern Hemisphere!

For more craftiness look over here.

*I'm still in need of testers for sizes 9yrs and 10yrs. Let me know if you're interested through the thread on Ravelry.

And Summer's just round the corner

2011-10-12T18:34:00.001+13:00

I wore shorts for the first time today.

And it hasn't even been sunny!

Looking forward to the Summer holidays up North already.

Taken on our last Summer holiday to Northland, that's J in the water with LittleMiss.

Spring is so good...

2011-10-11T10:35:00.000+13:00

...even the flowers are smiling!

No, I didn't use photoshop.

I was mowing the lawns so had to pick it to show J.

Photoshoot Fun

2011-10-10T11:26:00.000+13:00

A couple of finished tops needed photos taken. Normally I just find a good spot in the backyard, but this time I thought it might be more fun to take them at the park.

And of course that meant they got to play also!

It didn't take long before they'd had enough of the sensible photos.

(I needed some better photos of my Amphitrite vest on LittleMiss, but BigMiss didn't bring a jersey so she got cold and put it on)

Yes, I DO Knit Other People's Patterns!

2011-10-08T09:20:00.000+13:00

I get so caught up with my own design work that I don't seem to knit many other patterns.

But the other day there was a callout for testers of a new shawl pattern that looked simple and quick. Though I commented that I didn't have quite the right yarn for it and wasn't too sure about the time to commit.

Then I got a message saying that the designer's yarn supplier was willing to give the yarn for free to the testers and I decided that, yes, I did actually have time to knit it after all!

This is the yarn I got:

A beautiful silk-merino 2ply/laceweight by Spinning a Yarn in a gorgeous pink colourway (it had no tag so I don't know the name).

It was such beautiful yarn to work with and so soft!

Here is the finished shawl, modelled by BigMiss:

It's called Beach Shawl by Charlisa Anderson.

I love the zig-zag detailling that decreases in length. You can see how at the end it's only a small zig-zag here:

I'm not much of a shawl person myself and when my Mum saw it last weekend she thought it might be just right for her!

I did mean to give it to her to take home, but forgot so it might have to be sent up for her birthday in a couple of weeks instead.

A Year Ago

2011-10-07T10:03:00.000+13:00

This time last year we had just started our (major) renovations. It seems that after Blogtober I slacked off in talking about it all.

Maybe it was because it was so busy, maybe I didn't think anyone was interested, who knows?

But now, a year later, you might be wondering what it's all like (and if it's finished!)

We went from this:

to this:

It appears we're rather useless at taking before and after pictures and this was the only one I could find that showed the same end of the house.

And are we finished?

Almost.

The only things missing are curtains. And there is all the outside/landscaping we want to do, but that's another story!

Yeah, I know, the pictures don't show you much. We did a lot of internal rearrangements also, but the full extent of it all is a bit hard to show in photos. If you really want to see, let me know in the comments and I can show the before and after plans to give a better idea.

Yet More Yarn

2011-10-06T09:36:00.000+13:00

Isn't it gorgeous?

It's Cascade Heritage Silk and, wow, is it soft!

This is from Tangled Yarns, dyed by Kelly in 'Wasabi'. Destined to become (yet another) new design.

Make sure you check out the other crafty ones!

Just Once Isn't Good Enough

2011-10-05T09:08:00.000+13:00

This is my latest design:

A cute little girl's cardigan.

(Worked bottom-up for a change)

Now, you might be wondering why I have the needle threaded through the middle of the chest?

It's because this is what I did next:

I ripped back an entire evening's work.

Yep, knitting something once isn't good enough - I have to knit the exact same object twice.

(Incase you're wondering what was wrong with it - the buttonholes were spaced too far apart for what I wanted.)

I'm just pleased I left my waste yarn in place on the sleeves, it would've been a bit tricky otherwise. I think I've learnt not to underestimate my fussy-ness!

Check It Out!

2011-10-04T13:52:00.000+13:00

Do you see my new header?

I now have an 'official' logo!

Blogtober Fest!

2011-10-03T19:47:00.002+13:00

It's that time of year again.

October.

For us that means that work is slowing down, school holidays are here (or, thanks to RWC, here after this week) and it's time to start thinking about MiddleMiss' birthday.

But it also means it's Blogtober! That time of year where you challenge yourself to post every day for a whole month. (Though don't expect me to do it every day and I'll admit now that I fully intend to cheat and make good use of the scheduled posts feature!)

I may be a few days late joining the game, but as there aren't really any rules, except to have fun, I'm sure no one will mind!

Make sure you click the picture to link to the page showing all the participants. It's a great way to find blogs you wouldn't otherwise!

Duck's Disease

2011-09-29T13:22:00.001+13:00

Once J said to me, as he saw me from behind doing dishes, "You look like you've got Duck's Disease."

"What's Duck's Disease?"

"It's when your legs are too short for your body so your bum's too close to the ground."

Not much of a fair comment coming from him as he's around 6'4" anyway, though sometimes I do tend to agree with him.

Like any time I buy a new pair of jeans. They're all made about 2" too long for me.

I always have to take up the hems. But I hate when people can tell you did (or worse, you make them too short). So I take ages making sure they're the perfect length and look just like shop-bought whenever I do.

It's a job that often gets put off and I usually go around like this:

Yep, rolled up hems instead.

Which looks worse than a badly sewn hem (it's like wearing a sign saying 'I'm short').

So, with my latest pair of jeans I would'nt let myself wear them until I'd shortened the hems. Almost three weeks after buying them I got an unexpected afternoon off work (computer died) and decided that was the day I'd do my jeans!

The perfect length - just touching the ground when not in shoes...

and not touching the ground when wearing shoes.

The only problem is that now we're into Spring and the sun is rather warm on black jeans so I'm thinking a pair of light-coloured jeans would be a better idea!

What sort of necessary alterations do you have to make when buying clothes?

Joining in with other creative types over here.

A Creative Space, but Not Mine

2011-09-23T09:10:00.000+12:00

The other day, my girls asked me about putting my knitting 'on the internet' so I showed them my Ravelry project page.

They then proceeded to ask, "Can I put mine on the internet too?"
"Sure, when you have a bit more to show." I replied.

So the knitting and crocheting continued with more gusto!

And here's what they've been working on:

LittleMiss is doing an excellent job with her knitting, so much so that I think it's time I taught her how to purl!

MiddleMiss didn't want to do her knitting anymore (I think because LittleMiss picked up on it quicker and better than she had!) so I showed her how to crochet instead. Just a basic granny-square type stitch, but she's taken to it excellently.

BigMiss did a bit of knitting a while ago, but acrylic yarn on plastic needles was not much fun! So she picked up her French Knitting and has been having fun trying to make stripes with that. I did try to teach her crochet but that just ended in tears, so I think we'll go back to knitting - this time with real wool and metal needles!

What crafty-ness do your kids get up to?

A bit late, but joining in with the crafty fun over here.

How was Your Weekend?

2011-09-19T14:43:00.000+12:00

Mine was pretty busy!

It started with a squishy package in the post:

A bit of knitting on a new design:

While watching J and his team win this:

Having fun with cousins:

While letting the three-year-old take photos:

Cheesy grins from the cute niece & nephew:

A little bit of embellishing:

And finally, two finished knits drying and almost ready for the pattern photo shoot:

What did you get up to this weekend?

All Wound Up

2011-09-16T14:58:00.000+12:00

Gorgeous red yarn ready to be made into a new design.

What's your crafty plans for the weekend?

Please ignore the fact that my photo-manipulation skills leave a lot to be desired. The colour is so much deeper in real life - it's Max in Valentine by Vintage Purls.

Love It!

2011-09-13T13:28:00.000+12:00

Look what I got in the post:

Gorgeous buttons from Buttons by Benji

Custom-made by the very talented Nicci to match MiddleMiss' Sweet As...Cardy

MiddleMiss is quite excited!

And if you want to nab your own Buttons by Benji, head on over to her website. She just did a stocking last night of a whole lot of Ready Right Now buttons and some Custom Slots if you want something specific. But be quick, they always disappear so fast!

A Bit of Bag Making

2011-09-08T10:00:00.002+12:00

It's amazing how easily life gets busy and next thing you know it's five weeks into the school term and we're half way out to the next school holidays!

Friday just gone was my last sewing lesson for this term. Maybe you remember the bag I talked about making with the girls in class? It was a fantastic pattern to use with them and there was great satisfaction in having a cool bag they'd made themselves. Thanks, Meg! (The pattern was kindly donated to me by Meg McElwee of Sew Liberated for use in class. Make sure you ckeck out her website for more great patterns!)

This is my bag in it's current everyday-use state (you might notice I changed it a bit from when I first made it - I swapped the front and back around and shortened the body so it wasn't as deep.)

I decided to give the girls a bit of a challenge (and save the parents money on fabric) and told them to find old clothing and sheets to use for the bag. I wanted to encourage the idea of re-using materials for projects.

This bag was made from an old denim skirt (dark fabric), a pair of jeans (light fabric), and two shirts (red and patterned fabrics). We used the back of the skirt as the back outer panel of the bag, leaving the patch pockets as they were so she has two funky pockets on the outside!

This bag was made from an old denim skirt and a couple of shirts. The button sewing was an extra skill they got to learn. For some of the girls, when I had them last time it was the first time they'd ever sewn before!

I could see that some of the girls would finish with time to spare so had asked them to bring along some extra fabric to whip up a quick and simple bag using the basic concepts they'd learnt with the first bag. It was encouraging to see how much they'd taken in and that I only needed to point them in the right direction or ask "What do you think you do next?"

Looking forward to next term when I get to do it all again with the other four girls in the class! (I only have half the class at a time while the other half does cooking and they get the option of sewing or woodwork so I didn't have any boys!)

I don't have any photos of the other two girls' bags - one finished the week previous and the other hadn't finished by the end of the lesson as she'd had two lessons off sick.

Check out the other creative folk over here.

I Was Interviewed!

2011-09-07T21:17:00.000+12:00

The lovely Jill from Creating My Way to Success hosts the Australasian leg of a worldwide blog hop tour every Wednesday on her blog and guess who was featured this week?

Me!

I've never been interviewed before about my crafting and it was a lot of fun answering the questions. If you want to know a bit more about me and my crafting, make sure you pop over and read the interview here.

Blog following is such a great way to "meet" new people! Have you made friends through blog reading/writing?

And Knit Some More

2011-09-06T21:03:00.001+12:00

Plain stocking stitch, though very boring, is rather satisfying. In that it's really quick.

I'm halfway through one sleeve on the jersey I showed in my last post (and I did have to re-do a bit of it because of the pocket needing to be bigger than I'd first done) and already thinking about the next one.

But first I have to finish my Sweet As...Cardigan for MiddleMiss as today in the post I got this:

Photo borrowed from Red Riding Hood Yarns' facebook

I'd run out of yarn to do the long sleeves as there'd been a mix-up between the 10ply and 8ply yarn so I'd asked Hannah to dye me up some matching trim to do contrast sleeves. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go lighter or darker so asked for both and the one I don't use can always turn into a matching hat or scarf.

But, of course, now that I'm going to finally get the desperately-needed-warm-cardigan finished, the weather is beautifully warm and Spring-like! Not that I'm complaining - I love Spring!

Now all I need is some free computer time to type up the pattern ready for testing!

They Call Me Crazy

2011-09-01T15:52:00.002+12:00

Actually, the more polite word patient is used, but I know they really mean crazy.

Because I specialize in re-knitting the same thing over and over.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist and, especially when designing, like it to be just right even if it means doing something several times until it is.

If you've been reading here for a while you might remember my top with five sleeves.

And, the observant among you might also have noticed a slight difference between the pockets on the first

and finished

pictures of the Billy I've been working on. (Yes, they're a little bigger in the second picture. But I won't say how many times I redid that section - mainly because I didn't count! And, yes, it really does matter, it looks so much better now.)

And now I'm doing it again.

This jersey used to be a different jersey.

An almost-finished, just-have-to-do-the-sleeves jersey.

Then I decided that the idea of working two sleeves in mostly purl really didn't appeal. And I wanted to make a jersey version of Billy for one of the girls but didn't have enough yarn in one colour.

So I just undid the cast off, cast on the new jersey and unravelled as I knit!

At least this way I should be able to tell when I'm at the right length. The first jersey was worked in the same manner (raglan, top-down) to a good length so when I run out of yarn this jersey should be ready to cast off at the perfect length too!

Though, I am hoping that I've got the placement of the kangaroo-pocket right first time so I don't have to go back and redo that.

For more crafty kinds go here.

Satisfaction

2011-08-25T10:42:00.000+12:00

There's a great sense of satisfaction when you finish a design, lay it out flat and it looks just like you wanted it to!

Now to find the perfect buttons, sew in the ends and visit the cute little nephew for photos. Pattern available soon, hopefully!

This turned out almost perfect too. Due to a mix-up with 10ply/8ply yarn I ran out before I could do full long sleeves. Working on a contrast sleeve instead.

For more creative types, check out here.

And it Snowed Some More...

2011-08-18T22:20:00.000+12:00

BigMiss and LittleMiss jumping the snow off the tramp (they took their gumboots off and got very wet socks!)

This time we got the real stuff. And it lasted for more than a day!

So what does BigMiss do?

Gets out the motorbike and goes for a skid round the back yard.

MiddleMiss built a snowman.

It got rather warm when the sun came out inbetween it snowing.

Then we all went for lunch to the SIL's where out came the tractor.

Even I had a go (we just won't say what happened to the clam shell).

My Creative Space

2011-08-04T09:48:00.000+12:00

I've been doing a bit of knitting (and designing) lately.

A previous design being remodelled in a cardigan version.

And a new design in the process.

Joining in over here.

Sweet As, Baby!

2011-08-01T16:26:00.000+12:00

Another design, one that was waiting patiently for finishing touches to the prototype so I could take photos.

The baby size pattern of my Sweet As... tee.

This version is worked in 4ply/fingering yarn as the hearts work up too big in 8ply/DK for babies. It still features the cute puffed sleeves, the same as the larger version.

I'm fortunate to not be lacking in cute little models for baby sizes!

Sweet As, Baby! Pattern Details:
Sizes:
Approx age/chest measurement
NB 38cm/15”
3mth 40.5cm/16”
6mth 43cm/17”
9mth 45.5cm/18”
12mth 48cm/19”
18mth 50.5cm/20”
2yrs 53cm/21”

Yarn Requirements:
4ply/fingering yarn: approx 210-360yds/190-330m

Gauge/Tension:
28sts x 36rows on size 3/3.25mm needles over 10cm/4" in stocking stitch

Purchasing details:
Price: USD$5
Purchases are made via PayPal and a downloadable pdf link is emailed immediately.

Let It Snow!

2011-07-25T20:42:00.000+12:00

New Zealand in winter is not a very 'white' place, especially in the lower North Island where we live. But today we woke up to a light dusting of the white stuff and the girls thought it was great!

They managed to get very wet making a little snow pile (not a man, just a pile). Fortunately, I made them hang up their jackets and gear in front of the fire to dry as soon as they came in, because the lots-more-adventurous-than-me Aunty T phoned at mid-morning wanting to go to the snow and take the girls for company!

(If you want to get to decent, make-a-snowman snow around here, you just drive to the foot of the Tararua Ranges at Holdsworth which is only about 15-20mins from our house.)

Being school holidays and all, everyone seemed to be out there, including Aunty N and the cousins, so the girls had a great time.

I quite enjoyed staying dry and warm at home (and it was nice and quiet too).

Purr, Purr...

2011-07-16T21:57:00.000+12:00

I made a bean bag for BigMiss' birthday last month.

It's been getting a lot of use, and not just by the girls.

Oh, and the dog got a new basket too - preparing for when we finally get carpet and she won't be allowed inside except straight through the door and into her basket (this has a bit more room than the last one).

I think I need to get more beans for the bag as it was just perfect, but it seems they might have compressed with use - I can't sit on it without hitting the ground. It doesn't bother the girls though, they still find it perfect for jumping off the couch onto!

How Do You Spell...?

2011-07-15T20:09:00.000+12:00

Today was the girls' last day of term. Now we have two weeks of holidays!

At the end of each term they bring home an assessment folder showing examples of their work, various tests and general 'this is how your child is doing' information on the main skills (reading, writing, maths) for the term.

MiddleMiss had a spelling test in her assessment folder. Both J and I found it rather entertaining:
beutiful
ogrestra
equaly
materaly
permament

Only minor mistakes with those ones, but the next few take a bit of deciphering:
apresheate (appreciate)
signatrer (signature)
espeshly (especially)
fimiler (familier)
sematery (cemetery)
garanty (guarantee)

But these ones I love:
enthooseastick (enthusiastic)
sicksesful (successful)
politishen (politician)
misalanese (miscellaneous - this one took a bit of figuring out)

And there's a few that I can't make out what the word is supposed to be.

I'm sure you're probably wondering why they even give those sorts of words to a 6 year old to be tested on. Basically, a whole list of words are read out, starting with easy ones (on, the, go, me) then getting harder and the kids spell as many as they can and they're graded based on how many they get right. As the classes are mixed grade (three year levels to the one teacher), the words are a broad range.

So, we're not too worried that she got all these big words wrong, especially as her spelling level is that of a 10 year old according to the words she did get right!

Lina Mitts

2011-07-12T08:50:00.000+12:00

One of my little niece's had a birthday last week.

This is the little niece that has an abundance of toys to play with and spends as much time as she's allowed out on the farm with her Dada anyway. So what do you give for a present?

A knitted hat and mitt set of course!

Done in a nice bright red - easy to spot in the paddocks if she decides to go wander off to meet Dada without telling Mum first!

She was very excited when she opened them and nicely posed for photos.

And, if you want to make your own pair of mitts, I've put the pattern up for free here on Ravelry. (The hat pattern is not my own, but it's free through Ravelry too - Lina.)

Lina Mitts Pattern Details

One size - to fit an average child (approx 2-10yrs)

Only uses scraps of yarn - 83m/90yds of DK/8ply (mine is done in Vintage Purls Max)

Guage: 22sts x 30rows over 4"/10cm on size 6/4.00mm needles in stocking stitch

download now

Help Me Out Here, Please?

2011-07-04T10:26:00.012+12:00

If you visit my blog often, you might have noticed that I've change the colours, yet again.

I wasn't really that happy with the last template I'd used, though I don't know if I'm that happy with it all now either.

I would love to have my own logo to put on the header and that I could use for on my patterns. But I'm not a graphic designer, or even have any software to do it with, let alone know what I actually want.

I love the logo for Red Riding Hood Yarns and how simple, yet perfect for the name it is.

Does anyone know of a cheap (or free) graphic designer? Or have any ideas of what would be a good picture/logo idea to go with my blog name - What to Make Next?

To Reminisce

2011-07-01T13:26:00.000+12:00

We used to be one of those fortunate people who lived on a 10 acre block at the very end of a country road. Our house was up on a hill, nestled in the shelter of bigger hills, with views to the far distant ranges.

Unfortunately, it was a fair distance from town and the daily travel to work was a bit of a drag. So, with BigMiss nearing school age and not wanting to make a 1.5hr round trip twice a day (no bus), we made the hard decision to sell up and move to town.

We had always wanted to have a photo enlarged of the view from our lounge window to remember the place by, but never got around to it.

Recently, I won a competition on a blog and the prize was a free enlargement of a photo of your choice. Guess what J suggested? (I was thinking of one of the family/girls.)

Click to enlarge

This one.

It's the view from the top of the hill behind our old house (you can see the house near the edge of the hill shadow just to the left of centre near the bottom of the picture).

It's up on our wall already, looking fantastic.

Thank you so much, Angela!

(Make sure you stop by Angela's blog, Striking Keys, if I was forced to choose a favourite blog - I hate having to choose favourite anythings as it depends on mood so often - it would be hers!)

My Creative Space - More Bag Making!

2011-06-30T09:41:00.019+12:00

I seem to have quite a collection of circular needles in a combination of interchangeables and fixeds. And I never seem to be able to find them when I need them! So I decided that I would have to make myself a case to keep them in order.

Ages ago I had seen someone selling interchangeable needle cases on Felt and then heard that she was developing a pattern tutorial for sale. I eagerly awaited for the pattern to go up and bought one. I went out and bought my supplies (spent a dangerous amount of time in the local Quilt shop) and cut the pieces out, ready for sewing it together.

But while I was making it, I couldn't help but think how big it was. I had wanted something compact, similar to a cheque-book sized purse that would fit nicely in my knitting bag. Instead it turned out slightly bigger than my A5 notebook. It's a fantastic design and has room for lots of stuff, complete with plastic pockets to keep the needle tips from falling out while still being able to see what's there.

I was a little disappointed as the pattern never says on it what the final size of the case will be. And it doesn't come with pattern pieces, just dimensions to cut pieces out to without actually telling you what the pieces are for until you've put it all together (which by then is too late as I found out). Normally, I adjust patterns as I go to suit exactly what I want, which I would've done in this case if there were pattern pieces showing how big the final product was. So, I sat down and drew out a full size pattern of a new case in the size I wanted it to be and ended up with a completely different needle case.

This got me thinking, would anyone else be interested in a more compact sized interchangeable needle case for their knitting supplies? The one I've designed is approx 4.5"x9", can fit up to 14 pairs of tips, lots of cables as well as fixed circulars and has two zipped pockets (plus an optional third). I have the pattern drawn out to size on disc, it's a relatively simple construction and super easy to do up a pdf pattern for it. All I have to do is take photos of the process to demonstrate and I can have it available for testing. Is it worth doing, anyone interested?

Don't forget to check out all the other fantastic Creative Types over here!

Sewing Class

2011-06-27T12:40:00.000+12:00

Do you know what the best thing is about the sewing class I teach at school?

Planning what to make!

I've taught two terms now, and as I only take half the class each term (the other half does cooking), I've been able to do the same project (a skirt) both terms. But I have the first group of girls back again next term so had to plan something different to make.

The front - minus the button

It had to be something simple, but not too easy that it would be finished before our time was up. And I really like the idea of something useful and fun (hence why we did a skirt last time). I decided a bag would be perfect.

The Back

I had several ideas and went trawling the internet to find suitable patterns. But I kept coming back to one particular bag that I had stumbled across ages ago and always liked. It was the Mischievous Gnome Messenger Bag by Meg McElwee of Sew Liberated.

See the fancy internal pockets? Zip pocket on one side and patch pocket, with compartments for a pencil or two on the other

Now, I thought it was bad manners to just purchase a pattern and use it in a sewing class without asking permission from the designer first so I emailed Meg, telling her about what I was planning on doing with the pattern. And she emailed back with the amazingly generous offer to send me a pattern for free to use in my class! (This was not a downloadable pattern - it was a printed pattern she had to post international that she was giving me for free!)

Close-up of the bug 'patch' detail (excuse the flash!)

So the pattern arrived very quickly and I started planning what I was going to make my 'prototype' out of (to show the girls what we were working towards). J had commented that my current knitting bag was rather 'Nana-ish' and I should really have a nice plain black one. I always have denim in stash so that was decided for the outer fabric. But I do like to take advantage of the funky prints available so spent some more time on the internet trying to decide what I liked best.

Bug Party by Saffron Craig used as the main lining

I had stumbled upon a fantastic Aussie designer, Saffron Craig, via a fellow blogger and she just happened to be having free shipping on all fabric purchases in May. So I ordered my fabric and waited for it to arrive!

Snails & Ladders by Saffron Craig used in the pockets

The package arrived nice and quickly and I got the pattern pieces cut out and ready to sew. And then, finally, last week I got a chance to sit behind my machine and put it all together.

Beetle Bugs by Saffron Craig

I made the bag as per the pattern with only a few modifications. I only made one outside pocket panel (the pattern has one on the front and the back). I used fusible fleece to back the lining with to make a softer inside. I added an extra internal pocket with a spot to put a pencil or pen. I made a button loop instead of the 'wrap around the button' ribbon (though I am yet to put a button on!)

Check back next term to see how it all goes in class!

If Only I Didn't Have to Sleep!

2011-06-15T09:39:00.001+12:00

A fellow blogger, Bethany from Sweet Bee Buzzings, makes and sells some awesome bags.

I can't exactly remember how I found her blog (maybe through Facebook?) but I do remember it was because of a very cool bag that she designed herself:

I fell in love with the beautiful curves as well as the colours in this bag.

Then, just recently, she mentioned that she would be doing a Sew-A-Long to make this bag and I decided that I would have to do it to (I'm sure I need another knitting bag, right?)

The supplies list went up the other week, complete with the pattern so we could all cut out our material, ready to start in on Monday. But do you think I was ready?

Hmm, no. I've been busy depleting my PayPal balance with fabric purchases for other projects, not to mention the fact that I have a long list of sewing-to-be-done:

- Next term for my sewing class I'm planning on making a bag - a simple satchel/messenger bag - so I have to make one first to show the girls what we're aiming towards and familiarise myself with the pattern. I have the fabric all ready and pattern cut out.

- I am constantly losing track of my interchangeable knitting needle tips and cables and need to make a bag for them. Pattern purchased and fabric all ready.

- J's cousin is getting married and needs her wedding dress altered. (That's what happens when you take you own measurements and put the tape across the wrong spot for the hips!)

- I still have a pile of material not put away because the girls really need clothes made for them and if it gets put away then it means it's not happening for a while (but sitting on the floor for several months means it's happening soon?)

- As the days are getting dark by 4.30pm I'm starting to want curtains made for the living area so the neighbors can't see in (this is due to the renovations we've done - more windows). I don't have fabric yet and the one I like is not the cheapest.

So I might just have to leave the bag sew-a-long for now. Maybe I can make it when my list is a bit shorter!

My Secret Revealed

2011-06-11T12:41:00.002+12:00

The Red Riding Hood Yarn Club packages went out last week and have all been received, which means I am now free to tell you all about my latest designs!

Poseidon

I was so excited when Hannah wanted to involve me as a pattern designer for one of the month's installments and it was great fun working with her to produce a pattern to fit her yarn and theme.

Amphitrite

The overall theme for the Yarn Club is 'Magical Creatures' and my month's installment is Mermaids and Mermen. I was to design a vest pattern along that theme - one for the boy's club and one for the girl's.

The boy Club package

I wanted both vests to be similar, with the boy one done in cables and the girl one done in lace. The vests both feature a central 'fishtail' panel done in a cable for boys and lace for girls. To either side on the fronts, the vests feature ribbing with cables or lace to invoke images of grand pillars with seaweed and ropes similar to what might be found in the underwater city of Atlantis.

The girl Club package

The pattern names I’ve taken from ancient Greek mythology - Poseidon and Amphitrite. Most people will be familiar with Poseidon as the god of the sea, but maybe not so much with Amphitrite who was a sea-goddess and wife of Poseidon. Amphitrite was a daughter of Nereus so is also known as a ‘Nereid’ which is the name I used for the central lace panel for the girl’s vest. The name for the central cable panel for the boy’s vest, Triton, is the name of their son who was also a merman.

The package also included some gorgeous handmade buttons from Buttons by Benji which are perfectly colour-matched to the yarn Hannah has dyed.

Fantastic quality - I will be purchasing more!

And I think Hannah did such a fantastic job dyeing the colours! They are both perfectly suited for the mermaid/man theme, conjuring up images of watery worlds and fishscales.

Now my job's done, I'm quite excited to see what surprises the other two months will hold - I already know who the other two designers are so I know they'll be good!

All but the modelled pictures have been 'borrowed' from RRHY's Blog or Facebook - Thanks, Hannah!

These patterns are club-exclusive for 6months at which time I will make them available for purchase.

We have a Winner!

2011-06-10T19:41:00.000+12:00

I wish I knew how to show a snap-shot of the random.org thingee to show the winning comment number, but it picked comment #3. So...

Congratulations to Sarah of Kiwi Gets Crafty!

You chose to win the Sweet As... tee pattern and Honeydew cotton yarn to make it in.

I will send you an email for your details to send out your prize!

Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3...

2011-06-08T13:51:00.001+12:00

With my latest design finally finished, printed and sent off to Hannah at Red Riding Hood Yarns I felt like a little break from the mind-work involved in pattern design. And what better way to do that than a complete change in focus?

I had noticed that a fellow designer on Ravelry was testing a new skirt pattern. I had previously tested one of her designs a while ago and really liked it. But I didn't want to commit to a test while I was still in the process of my own work so didn't offer.

When my design work was all finished, I checked up on how her testing was progressing and noticed she had no one for sizes 6-8yrs - exactly the size for all my girls! So I offered to whip one up for her as the girls always love new skirts (and LittleMiss was in need).

And as a change, it's crochet!
I love the clean lines and finished appearance crochet has while you're still working it.

This pattern has been pre-released on Ravelry as the designer, Deanne Ramsay of Addydae Designs, is hosting a CAL (crochet-a-long) in one of the groups I belong to.

So, if you're into crochet and have a little miss of your own to crochet for, join in the CAL and you could win yarny goodies! Deanne has several designs to choose from too.

PS. Don't forget to enter my 100th post giveaway. Just scroll down for details or click here.

A Century!

2011-06-07T13:50:00.000+12:00

I finally made it to 100 Posts! That means it's time for another giveaway.

The last two giveaway prizes were for something I made so this time I thought I'd give something for YOU to make - one of my knit designs and the yarn to make it with!

And because I now have a few designs available, I thought you might like to choose your own prize.

So, you can win the Clara singlet top pattern and 100g of either Treehugger or Maize 4ply Superwash Sock from Vintage Purls (this is enough to make up to a size 5 or 6 years)

See the beautiful detailing in the lacework

Treehugger

Maize

Or, the DK version and 150g of either Rosebud or Cranberry Classic 8ply from Bendigo Woollen Mills (this is enough to make up to a sze 5 or 6 years)

Rosebud

Cranberry

Or, the Sweet As... tee pattern and 200g of Honeydew Cotton from Bendigo Woollen Mills

I love the cute litte hearts!

Honeydew

Or, the Elisaac jersey/jumper pattern and both 150g balls of Rosebud and Cranberry Classic 8ply from Bendigo Woollen Mills. (I don't have any boy colours in stash, but these two go together nicely for a girl. You can either use a third colour of your own for the bands or just do the bands and a stripe the same colour.)

What a handsome young man!

And all you have to do is let me know which prize you want in the comments below!

I will do the random thing on Friday afternoon/evening to pick the winner.
I will send the yarn in the post, but the pattern will be gifted via Ravelry (or emailed in pdf format if you're not on Ravelry). And please make sure I have a way to contact you!

Is it You?

2011-05-27T19:43:00.000+12:00

Who are the winners for my two giveaways?

The winner of the hand-knitted shawl for my Birthday Giveaway is:
H2Ogirl of Fiber of all Sorts who chose to have it knit in Matrona

And the winner of the bag for the Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway Day is:
Andria of McGreen Experience

I will send you both an email and have your packages posted away as soon as possible! (the shawl I have to knit first so don't expect it immediately!)

Thanks for all the helpful and interesting comments on what you like seeing in a blog!

Now, you might have also been wondering "What is it that keeps people interested in a blog and gets them commenting?" Because, like me, you don't want to bore people with stuff they won't read anyway.

The biggest thing is to write about stuff people can relate to and are interested in. Considering most of the commenters came via the Sew, Mama, Sew! giveaway day, it was anything crafty!

The next biggest thing is to be honest. People don't want to see everything perfect and in order in your world (because who really does live in a world like that?) They want to see the mistakes you make. They want to hear about the chaos surrounding the creative process.

People like to see tutorials, steps taken to make something, or the process of choosing fabrics or colours for a project also, even the occasional recipe is good! Regular posting helps too.

Try to add a bit of variety - people also want to hear a little about your family, pets and other activities mixed in with the craftiness.

And pictures! People love pictures of what you've made or are in the process of making, etc.

If you want people commenting, ask questions! Interact with your followers (read their blogs and comment too). Giveaways and freebies always get comments!

And on that note, this is my 99th post, which means that my next post will be my 100th post! Keep an eye out sometime next week for details of my celebration competition!

It's Giveaway Day!

2011-05-23T12:03:00.000+12:00

May is my birthday month so I'm having a few giveaways to celebrate!

Today's giveaway is being hosted by Sew, Mama, Sew!

If you're here for the first time, you probably want to know a little about me and my blog.
I'm a busy mother of three girls, living 'downunder' in New Zealand. I design knitting patterns for children's clothing, constructed seamlessly from the top down (my patterns can be found here). I also love to sew, mostly clothes for my girls, and currently teach basic sewing skills to a group of 10-12year olds once a week at the small school my girls attend. This blog is a way for me to showcase all the crafting and creating I get up to.

But what you really want to know is: What is my prize for Giveaway Day?

Last year I made myself a knitting work-in-progress (wip) bag that is used constantly.

My wip knitting bag

I loved the pattern from the first time I saw it on the U-Handbag blog and since making this one I've wanted to make another one just for the fun of it. I decided that it would be a perfect bag to have as the prize for my giveaway!

I thought it might be a bit too big and bulky to post so I shrunk the pattern to approx 3/4 size and left out the fleece padding to make a cute compact handbag.

The bag measures approx 24cm wide x 20cm high (approx 9.5" x 8") and the handles are about 18cm (approx 8").

I've put in a handy little internal pocket (approx 7cm/3" x 12cm/5") and the bag closes with a single metal snap. I can't remember the name of the fabrics used as it was a stash-busting project, but the main fabric is light pink with swirls and the lining is a lavender mini floral.

The bag is fully interfaced, including the handles, which is a bit stiff when new, but softens up nicely with use.

Now, how do you enter?

It's really easy. All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me what it is that keeps you interested in a blog and makes you want to comment on a post?

I will draw the winner on Friday evening (27 May) so you have until then to enter. Only one comment/entry per person and there are no extra entries for facebooking, twittering, etc but you are welcome to anyway!

This giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere that I can post to.

PLEASE include a way for me to contact you in your comment or your entry will not be valid.

PS. I will be celebrating my 100th post very soon with another giveaway, so make sure you become a follower so you don't miss out on hearing about it! Also, scroll down (or click here) for a chance to win a hand-knitted shawl in my Birthday Giveaway!

Just a Little Something I Made...

2011-05-21T08:50:00.000+12:00

LittleMiss was desperate for new pants. She only had one pair that were not ripped at the knee or too short and they were just trackpants so not very suitable for wearing out.

So I sat down with the pattern books and sewing machine and made her a cosy pair of new pants.

I used chocolate brown baby cord which is just perfect for heading into winter with. They are made using a pattern from the Spring 1/2011 Ottobre magazine #13 called 'Plum'. (The exact same pattern is used for the boys pants #29 called 'No Kung Fu' but dressed up with the knee patches, so I decided to put knee patches on these too - hopefully they won't wear out as fast as usual!)

Never one to make plain things, I had to dress them up with contrasting fabric on the pockets and knee pads. I used some green gingham, printed with little green daisies that I had in stash. I love the way the back pockets are made into the yoke of the pants. I've accented it by using the green gingham as the pocket lining.

She especially loves the ties on the cargo pockets. I was planning on just putting snaps on them, but she saw the picture and said "The ribbons are what I like best" so I had to do them!

My only problem with them is that I made them just the right size, so she'll probably outgrow them this season. That's if she doesn't wear them out first - she hasn't taken them off since I made them, except for school (uniform). So next time I'll be making the next size up!

Make sure you scroll down to the previous post to enter my Birthday Giveaway. And check back on Monday to see the Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway Day prize I've got up for grabs!

(And just a small secret, I'm coming up to 100 posts very soon so was planning yet another giveaway to celebrate that too!)

Birthday Giveaway!

2011-05-18T16:04:00.001+12:00

It was my birthday yesterday. But I thought it might be nice to give you a present!

In the Summer Sock Yarn Club from Vintage Purls the first installment was a beautiful shawl pattern called Connie:

This is a club-exclusive* pattern.

I've been doing so much pattern-design related knitting lately that I feel the need for a mindless knitting project (meaning a pattern that I just follow the instructions for without having to think about). I was thinking that Connie would be the perfect pattern to do.

So, if you would like to win your very own Connie shawl, all you have to do is leave a comment telling me which of the four Vintage Purls colours below you would like it made in. It's as simple as that!

Maize

Tree Hugger

Matrona

Orion

I couldn't find a suitable picture of the skein of this, but here is a picture of it knit as gloves to give an idea of the colour.

The deadline for my latest design is Friday, 27 May which means I will be ready to start my next knitting project then. I will close this giveaway and draw a random winner that evening, so you have plenty of time to enter! This is open to anyone, anywhere (that I can post to!)

Please note that I will be knitting this shawl FOR YOU so be aware that it may take me two weeks to make after I know who the winner is and what colour to make it in.

Feel free to blog, facebook, twitter, or whatever you want about this competition, but only one entry per person will be counted. Please make sure I have a way to contact you through your comment (link a profile, email or something).

Also, check back on Monday to find out what I'm giving away for the Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway Day for your chance to win something else handmade by me!

*club patterns remain exclusive usually for 12months when they become available for anyone to purchase through Ravelry

I am Loved

2011-05-09T11:03:00.000+12:00

Yesterday was Mother's Day.

When I was pregnant-almost-due with BigMiss I joked with J that I should get to have my first Mother's Day as I was technically a mother already. He laughed and it never happened.
So neither did Father's Day.

Since then, it hasn't really been a big deal in our house. No breakfast in bed, flowers, cards, special attention or anything.

But now the girls are older they've taken their own initiative (though I think it was helped by the junior class doing art with a Mother's Day focus).

It started with both me and J being given an 'invitation' each (basically as soon as we were awake!)

They were planning on doing it after lunch (we usually go to Nana & Pop's house) as they thought we wouldn't have time before Church, but we said if they got dressed and organised quick enough then we would have time.

When we were all dressed and ready, I was told I had to find my presents in a Treasure Hunt and they would tell me if I was 'hot' or 'cold'.

Here's what I found:

Two wordfinds from BigMiss

(She said they were tricky ones because there were some words that weren't in the wordfind!)

A vase of flowers from BigMiss

(She had made the picture at school on Friday and put the base on it to turn it into a vase on Saturday. MiddleMiss helped with the flower making as they were modelled on some she'd made last year in the junior class at school.)

A 'pattern' from MiddleMiss

(Can you see the picture of the skirt and top? She drew them - and labeled the colours - so that I knew what she wanted me to make for her!)

A letter from LittleMiss

(This was done at school. The picture is of me and her with a flower.)

A flower in a vase from LittleMiss

(This was also made at school.)

Then we all had to sit in a circle in the lounge and play Pass-the-Parcel together. LittleMiss provided the music (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star sung very cutely) and directed the proceedings. Every layer unwrapped had something, even if it was just a blank piece of paper, and I had to get the last parcel - a special note from LittleMiss 'To Mama' with her signature flower drawn on it.

The morning ended with the girls all giving me a special 'I Love You' hug.

Commercial gifts and cards can't compete with that!

May is my Favourite Month

2011-05-05T21:46:00.001+12:00

I think that a person is partial to having their birthday month as their favourite month of the year. May is my birthday month. (And it's a change of decade - 30!) So what better way to celebrate than to have a giveaway?!

I have been thinking that it was coming up time for me to have another one soon as I enjoyed the last one so much. Also I'm coming up to 100 posts, which is always something else worth doing a giveaway for!

So it seems fitting that Sew, Mama, Sew! is having another giveaway day later this month too! I'm thinking about joining in again as it really was great to meet so many new people and I loved all the comments.

This time I'm thinking I might make something to giveaway rather than the yarn and pattern like last time. Maybe I can do two giveaways if I'm feeling ambitious! What sort of prize would you like to see me giveaway?

All the details on the Sew, Mama, Sew! giveaway day are here. If you feel like joining in as a fellow giveaway-er then sign up too! Or else just bookmark the date to check out all things that will be on offer.

A Change...

2011-04-20T16:15:00.001+12:00

...is as good as a holiday.

Or so they say.

What do you think of the look now?

Squishy Packages

2011-04-16T11:21:00.000+12:00

I love couriers! They deliver stuff and it's always good!

This week I got a lovely squishy package that contained:

and

Aren't they gorgeous?

Maybe you don't think so because they just look shades of grey*, but in real life they are!

Now to knit furiously so my Red Riding Hood Yarn club patterns have lovely modelled photos in the colourway to go with it!

(Don't forget, signups are happening May 1st!)

*You didn't really think I'd post colour photos and ruin the surprise, did you?

A Different Kind of Stitching

2011-04-15T10:10:00.000+12:00

Before the days when I knitted and sewed I had a more leisurely pasttime - Cross-stitch.

I have done a variety of different cross-stitches, so many that I have finished ones un-framed and framed ones with no wall space to display them (though that might change with the renovations giving us extra wall space - when it's all finished and my house is back to normal!)

I was only 10 when my parents gave me my first large project. It was the Summer Carousel Horse from Teresa Wentzler. This was a big investment for them (this as a kit these days would be worth around $120+). That was just the start.

I have since completed a Sara Moon, a Nora Corbett, another Nora Corbett, one from the Dimensions Gold Collection, a birth sampler for each of my girls (yet to be framed!), several little quick designs and my favourite, a huge 1m (bit over a yd) long lounging clown which J got framed for my birthday a couple of years ago (I'll have to get a photo when it's back up on the wall).

And then I started knitting. Which just seemed a lot more practical than doing cross-stitch. It was a lot quicker and the finished object was more useful than yet another picture to go on the wall (that was out of spare space anyway).

Lately, though, MiddleMiss has been doing a bit of her own cross-stitch and everytime she needed help it made me realize I missed doing it myself. So, finally last weekend, I dug into my large wooden chest where I keep my cross-stitch stuff (and other craft stuff) and pulled out a partially completed cross-stitch to work on. (This in itself was an undertaking as the chest is in the shed and has been since we moved to this house - nowhere to fit inside - and was piled high with boxes of stuff-in-storage that I had to move first!)

So, here is what I am working on at the moment:

This is an Anchor kit of Elliot and Buttons called 'A Family Portrait'. I've made a slight change to the baby elephants so they all have pink dots and stripes (instead of the first and last being blue) to match my girls. Though it is a little out of date for my family as LittleMiss is definitely not a crawling baby!

This will be my 'weekend' project (or just when I need a break from knitting). I've finished all the baby elephants and am almost completely finished the mama elephant with bits of the papa elephant done also. Maybe I'll get it finished by the end of the year?! (It was started over two years ago and is not a particularly big design.)

But in the meantime, the knitting still continues...

Lost

2011-04-14T11:35:00.002+12:00

Guess what MiddleMiss lost this weekend?

Please excuse the grubby, playing-outside-in-the-garden-all-day clothes!

All of a sudden it got very loose and as it was getting close to bedtime she wanted me to pull it out so it wouldn't come out in the night and get lost.

It's always a little sad when the top teeth come out. They completely change in the way they look with adult teeth.

Oh, well, I suppose they have to grow up eventually!

Thank YOU!

2011-04-04T11:18:00.008+12:00

I thought this had been posted last week. Seems it only got saved as a draft instead! Oh, well, better late than never...

After a tally up of my sales for the last several weeks, converting to NZ$ and transferring the balance I was able to make a donation to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal of $180!

Thank you to all those that helped make this possible by purchasing any of my patterns during this time.

It may only feel like a small amount when you consider how much more is needed, but really, it's lots of small amounts that add up to big amounts eventually.

There is still a long way to go and the effects of the earthquake will be felt for a long time by the whole country as even the budget allocations from the government will have to come from somewhere.

Donations are still being accepted thorugh various means. Please donate any money you can to help.

Red Riding Hood Yarns

2011-03-31T23:02:00.000+13:00

A talented mother-of-two that I know from a couple of forums I read (I'm not much of a conversationalist in forums except Ravelry) started up a yarn dyeing business last year. Hannah's colours are always fantastic and sell out relatively fast. She always uses quality yarn in a range of weights (4ply/fingering, 8ply/DK, 10ply/worsted) and I love the creativity of her dyeing themes!

If you haven't already, check out her blog to get an idea of her great colour ideas and if you're keen to buy, keep up to date with her yarn for sale over on the Facebook page.

This year Hannah is planning on doing a yarn club over winter and I'm fortunate enough to be one of the designers for a month's installment! Her plan is to run it over three months - June, July & August - and each installment will include 200g of hand-dyed, superwash merino yarn (8ply/DK weight), a corresponding pattern and other special goodies. She will be doing both boy's and girl's options and the patterns will be aimed at approx 3mths-5yrs. Check here for more details.

I won't be ruining the surprise for those that take part, but I have to say that I've been working hard on my two patterns (boy and girl versions) lately, with testing already underway. It's all very exciting for me as I've never done designing like this before (designing for a theme and having a deadline) and I don't know how people do it all the time for magazines and books!

So, make a note in your diary to stalk Hannah's Facebook page on May 1st so you can grab your spot when Hannah makes them available as there are limited numbers - you won't be disappointed!

Sweet As...

2011-03-28T11:43:00.006+13:00

'Sweet as!' is a common saying among Kiwis (New Zealanders) which can be used in a variety of ways, usually in the place of words like 'awesome' and 'great', is also used to show agreement and to express that something is 'no problem!' (easy). (Guess why I chose it for my patttern name!)

She didn't want to oblige when taking photos - but I think it gives a little character!

Sweet As... was my best-selling pattern on it's first day of release. Probably because it's such a simple, yet versatile, pattern. The lace-work hearts look great with a contrast-coloured top underneath which means you can knit it a size larger to be worn over a long-sleeved top in winter, then it can be worn again the following summer as a t-shirt by itself!

My favourite part of this top is the sleeves. It took me a while to get the puff 'just right', but I'm quite happy with the result. I do love the simplicity in knitting top-down raglan style tops, but you just can't get the same 'professional' look as you do with set-in sleeves (and in my opinion, a raglan, puff-sleeve just doesn't look right). And those that might be worried about having to sew in those sleeves - don't, because there is no sewing or seaming required! (If you're curious about how I do that, you'll just have to get the pattern and try it out!)

Baby sizes will be available soon written in 4ply/fingering yarn (the heart lace pattern worked out too big when done for smaller sizes in 8ply/DK).
I have plans to make this into a long-sleeved version at some stage also.

Sweet As... Pattern Details:
Sizes:
Approx age/chest measurement
3yrs 56cm/22"
4yrs 58.5cm/23"
5yrs 61cm/24"
6yrs 63.5cm/25"
7yrs 65.5cm/25.75"
8yrs 67cm/26.5"
9yrs 69cm/27.25"
10yrs 71cm/28"

Yarn Requirements:
8ply/DK yarn: approx 370-550yds/338-503m

Gauge/Tension:
22sts x 30rows on size 6/4.00mm needles over 10cm/4" in stocking stitch

Purchasing details:
Price: USD$5
Purchases are made via PayPal and a downloadable pdf link is emailed immediately.

A Note from the Sporadic Blogger

2011-03-25T11:22:00.000+13:00

Isn't it funny how you think you'll have all this free time to get things done when the youngest starts school? I think that must be why it feels like you have less time and things get neglected.

I had so many plans to be organised and have a 'routine' to my week so I would be able to get a little done on each thing I had planned with my time. But that hasn't happened.

My days seem to disappear before I've realised they've started and by the end of it I feel that nothing planned was accomplished. I have lists of sewing I want done, lists of knitting and designing I want done, painting the house that needs doing, general daily housework that needs doing, and all of it seems way behind schedule.

One routine that was planned has been happening - I'm the dog's best friend as she gets to go for a good walk around the block first thing once the girls are on the bus to school. She's quite funny about it and sulks if we don't go (like on Tuesday when it was pouring with rain and I got wet enough just going to the bus stop and back!)

The knit designing has happened, but really only because I have a deadline.

The painting has been minimal (at my rate it will take several years to paint the interior).

But the sewing hasn't happened. (Though I did make BigMiss a skirt, only because it was the same one I was doing with the sewing class at school and I needed to show them what we were working towards.)

And the housework only gets done if we're having visitors.

So if you don't hear from me for several weeks (as seems to be the case lately), I've just been rushing through each day trying to get a little of everything done and some things just have to wait. (Though I might make use of the auto-post feature when I have a good stretch of free time.)

Holland Road Yarn Company

2011-03-08T19:01:00.000+13:00

Sometimes I think it would be nice to live in a city. You have access to so much more like all the large chain stores (like Spotlight) and the smaller boutique shops.

One boutique shop I wish I was a little bit closer to has just opened in Petone.

Holland Road Yarn Company is the 'bricks and mortar' store of Tash from Knitsch. I'm super jealous of all the locals that can stop by whenever they feel like it and am just waiting for a spare day to head over that way for a nosey myself. I think it must be every knitter's dream to run a yarn store and Tash seems to be doing a great job of it so far from all that I've read on Ravelry and Facebook. She stocks a large range of yarn brands, Knit Pro needles, books and other yarn related stuff. Check out the thread on Ravelry for all the details of the opening day they had and such.

If you happen to be in the Wellington area, make sure you stop by the shop. Or, if you're like me and it won't happen for a while, you can always shop online!

Crafting Adventures

2011-03-07T10:08:00.000+13:00

Please excuse the lack of photos to go with this post - my camera went on holiday (without me!) to Australia with the BIL (it can take underwater photos) and it only got back this weekend but hasn't made it's way home just yet.

I seem to be one of those "sometimes" bloggers lately. Sporadic and not altogether interesting.

I suppose that's what happens when life gets busy. Updating a blog (that you wonder who reads anyway) gets put at the bottom of the list.

So as I have a little spare time (procrastinating, actually. I should be painting but I'm just waiting for my hands to thaw out - must be heading to winter) I thought I'd jump on here and update on my crafty adventures.

So, first up.
A lovely friend of mine mentioned that their boss' little girl was to be a flower girl at an uncle's wedding. The dress was to be organized through a shop in Wellington (a good 2-2.5hrs drive from their house in the country) which is a bit of a hassle for a school aged girl. It was mentioned that I have made wedding dresses and might be interested in sewing a flower girl dress for her. So that is one thing I have been doing lately - sewing a cute flower girl dress in white dupion silk. All I have left to do is put in the zip and it will be ready for picking up this Friday.

And along with the flower girl dress...
The bride-to-be rang me up last week and asked if I could hem a dress for her. I said, "Sure! Bring it round and I'll have a look at it!" (I was thinking it would be a simple shorten the hem by an inch or so.) Turns out she was to be a bridesmaid at her friend's wedding the weekend before her own wedding and the (full-length with a shaped front overlay) bridesmaid dress she was to wear needed to be made just-above-knee length! And, if possible, can it be done by Tuesday? (this was Thursday afternoon) No worries! I had nothing much planned for the weekend and managed to get it all done.

I had to have it all done on Saturda as I didn't have the Monday free to sew, because...
My SIL and I went shopping for the day in Palmerson North. It was also tied in with a visit to her SIL who had recently build a new house and I wanted inspiration for what colours etc to do our new interior. We had a good visit to Spotlight (I wish we had one here - or at least a greater choice of fabric shops!) where I spent too much money and have a huge pile of fabric all intended for certain projects for clothing for the girls. So I have more crafting planned for the near future...watch this space!

And the other crafty news I have...
Is that I am taking a sewing class. As the teacher. It's a little scary really. The girls' school (which goes from new entrants to Y13, but only has about 100 students in total so isn't very big) asked if I would be interested in taking the Y6-8 (girls only - the boys weren't interested as they could do woodwork) for sewing once a week. It is only to be half the class for half a term at a time so not too much hassle. So with not much idea of what to do or where to start I took my first class last week Friday. There were only three girls (which makes it easier to help individually when needed) and I spent the first lesson teaching them how to thread the sewing machine, what the parts were called, how to sew in a straight line/curves/corners and getting a general idea of what level of sewer they were (so I could decide what would be a suitable first project to make). I wanted to make something useful for them and not too boring so decided on a basic elastic-waist skirt. So the next lesson was spent learning how to place a pattern, cut fabric and start sewing it together. I only have two more lessons with them so I'm hoping we get it finished in time!

And, lastly...
I finished my first Sweet As, Baby! prototype. This is the baby version of my Sweet As... pattern, which I released on Ravelry last week (I will do a separate post on it later this week). I'm partway through a second one at the moment and I'm hoping to get some cute photos of the them being worn by two gorgeous little 1yr olds!

I do also have some other exciting knitting/designing news. But it's still a little bit secret at the moment. I'll let you all know when I can!

Helping in a Small Way

2011-02-23T21:41:00.001+13:00

For the first time in the almost three years since we've owned it, we plugged an aerial into our tv screen last night (it's only been used for watching dvds via the computer) and spent the evening watching the news.

If you haven't heard already, I'm sure you must be out of touch with current events. Christchurch has been devastated by a massive earthquake that cannot be compared to the last one in September.

This is one of those things that will affect every New Zealander in some way, whether directly or indirectly.

I live far enough away that I didn't even feel the earthquake when it hit, but that also means I am limited in the help or support I can give to my fellow Kiwis. I've decided to follow the initiative of some other Kiwis on Ravelry and donate from my pattern sales.

From now until the 15th of March I will donate half of all sales to the Christchurch earthquake fund. I'm not entirely sure yet to which charity I will give, most likely the Red Cross, but I will look into it over the weekend. As my patterns are in US$ I will convert it to the equivalent NZ$ and donate weekly (depending on sales).
I currently have available for sale - (Ravelry links) Elisaac, Clara, Clara DK, Clara Doll & the Clara Collection. Check out My Designs page also. And my newest design, Sweet As..., is finished with the testers and just undergoing final formatting then will be available after the weekend.

If you want to make your own donations or want information on other ways to help check out this page. There are also other ways to donate, such as a softies appeal and charity auctions (via facebook).

Passing on the Crafting Love

2011-02-22T12:20:00.000+13:00

J was away motorbiking in Norsewood on Saturday so just us girls were home. I asked BigMiss what she wanted to do and she promptly replied 'Sewing'. She's been asking me for ages if she can make a toy or some clothes for her doll or other stuff like that and I'd always put it off as it was never a convenient time to teach her. But Saturday was.

I remembered about a donkey pattern I'd saved from Ottobre ages ago and thought it would be something easy to make by handsewing (I'm not ready to let her loose on my machine just yet). So we printed it off and she cut out the pattern. I had to cut out the fabric as that was a little fiddly for her. I threaded the needle, showed her how to do it and let her loose! There were tears and tantrums and a need for time out from it at one stage but she managed to sew the ears and two legs. (Sorry, no photos of her working as the only one's I've got have her with tears on her cheeks.)

Of course the other two were not to be left out. MiddleMiss picked up her cross-stitch that she'd started sometime last year (and hadn't looked at since) and LittleMiss decided to make the kitten sewing kit she was given for her birthday.

It had pre-punched holes which made the sewing up very easy for her. She stitched all the features on the body (except the buttons as those holes weren't pre-punched).

Can you see the walls are now plastered? This is in the new lounge.

She had to take lots of photos of the finished product like I always do of my knitting. There were some interesting photos - on the car bonnet, on the dog, in the dolls buggy with the doll, etc.

This is MiddleMiss doing her cross-stitch - it's a butterfly, if you can't tell. Artsy photo taken by LittleMiss.

I had hoped to get some sewing of my own done, but ended up spending it on the couch with the girls so I could give them the right amount of attention as needed. I did manage to get some knitting done, in between helping.

By the time J got home it felt like I'd done nothing all day, but it was guilt-free as I'd spent quality time passing on crafty love to my girls!

FREE Yarn!

2011-02-10T10:14:00.002+13:00

I love giveaways! I'm sure everyone does.

I've been following a blog that had one every week! (She's just slowing down this year to every fortnight.)

Yarn on the House is a great place to hear about new yarns, patterns, designers and other interesting knitting-related stuff as well as a chance to win something from the latest sponsor.

February 1 marked Veronika's 1 year blogiversary and to celebrate she's giving away a basket load of yarn each to two lucky people! All you have to do is be a (public) follower of the blog or a member of the YOTH Ravelry group. For more details on the giveaway, check out this post.

(I don't mind if you don't become a follower or join the group - it'll give me a slightly better chance of winning all that yarn! Though if you do win, you can share with me...please?)

Five

2011-02-09T22:10:00.001+13:00

On Saturday my LittleMiss turned 5.

She started school on Monday. Apparently school is "super easy!"

I'm going to miss keeping company with my little companion. (Referred to by the builder as his "radio" for her constant chatter while he was here working.)

The Clara Collection

2011-01-28T13:43:00.002+13:00

During testing of the first Clara, I was asked quite a bit for an 8ply/DK version as it seems that some people are a little scared of 4ply/fingering - or at least the time it takes to knit compared to using 8ply/DK. I had planned on doing this, but wasn't too sure how it would look in thicker yarn.

I was quite pleased with how the prototype knit up.

As it was for a birthday present, I had a great idea to knit up a doll version of the pattern also in the left over yarn so the recipent and her dolly could have matching tops.

I decided to write up the pattern for the doll version also and released it at the same time. This is available in both 4ply/fingering and 8ply/DK so you can make one to match either Clara version!

The DK version of Clara has all the same features as the original except without the beads and fitted body options. (Beads can be added if you can find suitable ones to fit over 8ply/DK, though they really do look best in the finer 4ply/fingering yarn.)

All three Clara patterns - Clara, Clara DK and Clara Doll - are also available together as the e-book Clara Collection.

Clara DK Pattern Details:

Sizes:
Approx age/chest measurement
3mth 40.5cm/16"
6mth 43cm/17"
9mth 45.5cm/18"
12mth 48cm/19"
18mth 50.5cm/20"
2yrs 53cm/21"
3yrs 56cm/22"
4yrs 58.5cm/23"
5yrs 61cm/24"
6yrs 63.5cm/25"
7yrs 65.5cm/25.75"
8yrs 67cm/26.5"
9yrs 69cm/27.25"
10yrs 71cm/28"

Yarn Requirements:
8ply/DK yarn: approx 200-600yds/183-549m

Gauge/Tension:
22sts x 30rows on size 6/4.00mm needles over 10cm/4" in stocking stitch

Purchasing details:
Price: USD$6
Purchases are made via PayPal and a downloadable pdf link is emailed immediately.

Clara Doll Pattern Details:

Size:
To suit approx 23cm/9" chest doll

Yarn Requirements:
8ply/DK or 4ply/fingering yarn: approx 65yds/60m

Gauge/Tension:
22sts x 30rows on size 6/4.00mm needles in 8ply/DK

28sts x 36rows on size 3/3.25mm needles in 4ply/fingering
over 10cm/4” in stocking stitch

Purchasing Details:
Price: USD$1
Purchases are made via PayPal and a downloadable pdf link is emailed immediately.

Clara Collection:
All three patterns - Clara, Clara DK and Clara Doll for one special price.

Purchasing Details:
Price: USD$10
Purchases are made via PayPal and a downloadable pdf link is emailed immediately.

A Top With Five Sleeves

2011-01-19T21:33:00.001+13:00

What do you think I do lots of when camping? (Besides getting sunburnt because I forgot to put sunscreen on.)

Knitting of course!

My latest - 'Sweet As...' ready for testing soon!

Though I think the sisters-in-law think I'm a bit crazy. I knit and frogged (un-did), knit and frogged, knit and frogged, then knit and frogged once more the same sleeve. I basically did one each day - each time I finished one the girls were in bed so I couldn't try it on to see how it looked.

But I had to get it perfect! (At least it was a short sleeve so it didn't take too long to do each time.)

It had to have just the right amount of 'puff'. Not too little (like the first one), or too much (like the second one), or started and ended wrong (like the third one) but just right!

Do you think I got it right?

In case you're wondering, the 5th sleeve was the one on the other side once I'd got the first one right!

Camping Kiwi Style!

2011-01-18T17:00:00.002+13:00

So what does camping look like for our family?

We had directions from J's sister (she knew the farmer and organised the campsite/paddock use) and ended up about 10 minutes drive along an almost dry riverbed into the hills off the road between Cape Palliser and Ngawi. All of J's family were there - a total of 14 adults and 11 kids, plus some dutch tourists and their 6mth daughter that were staying for the week with J's parents!

Here's our tent with the smaller tent the big girls used just in front to the left.

There were nine tents arranged around the edge of the paddock and J's two brothers (being more adventurous, or maybe they just wanted to be further away from the night-waking babies) were over the fence in the bush.

We took the girls' bikes with them which got a LOT of use being shared amongst the cousins also.

We ate in style, even though most things were cooked on the BBQ! Here's MiddleMiss 'whipping' the cream for our pancakes.

There was an array of quad bikes and the 4WD landcruiser to provide transport around the farm tracks and along the riverbed.

The landcruiser all loaded up to go to the beach!

Swimming at the beach.

Thursday afternoon was very windy. A good test of who has the best quality tent! The girls got a little scared at night worrying about their tent blowing down, but the next day (the wind had died down some) was great for kite flying.

No kites with us, but a plastic bag and fishing line works just as good!

Friday (our last day to do stuff) we went to the Crystal Pools, a secluded, natural swimming hole further round the coast past Ngawi towards Ngapotiki.

You can climb up (with the help of a rope) above the waterfall where there is a great swimming hole, about 7m deep.

The more adventurous climbed even further up above the next waterfall.

The view out towards the ocean.

On the last night we raced out to try and watch the sunset, but were a little bit late.

That's the top of the South Island you can see through the haze.

Goals for 2011

2011-01-11T22:04:00.000+13:00

I've never been one for the 'New Year's Resolutions'. All that 'starting this' and 'stopping that'. If you really want to improve your life with new habits or losing old ones, then you don't need a new year to motivate you. I prefer to set goals or have plans for a new year. It gives you a sense of direction and achievement rather than failure like 'resolutions' tend to do.

This year is going to be a year of change for me. The cause of this being that my LittleMiss will be starting school in 4 weeks time! I keep getting asked what I'll be doing (with all that spare time) but I can only see me being busier, mostly due to increased work hours.

I have plenty of personal goals and plans for the coming year, but so I don't bore you all with that I'll focus on my crafty goals for the year.

I've been doing some alterations to a wedding dress for a workmate of J's brother. It's reminded me of a couple of things. Firstly, how much I really enjoyed making wedding dresses. Even though there was a lot of work in drawing up patterns and making 'practice' dresses until finally getting the pattern perfect and making that first nervous cut into the expensive satin or silk, I still loved the whole process and the final product was always so gorgeous! J has started saying I should just start advertising, but all my other commitments would make it too demanding if I did it regularly. (Though if you're local and want a dress made, let me know - ball gowns, bridesmaids, flowergirls, wedding dress - I could definitly fit in one customer this year!) And secondly, how much I enjoy sewing in general. Which is a good thing for one of my goals for this year:

Goal 1 - I plan to not buy any clothes for the girls this year (except school uniforms as I don't have a choice there) but to make everything instead. (I'm undecided yet if it will extend as far as underwear and socks.)
This is not driven by any eco-conscience (I do have one) but mainly due to financial reasons (I have a lot of materials in stash already) and the simple fact that I cannot buy clothes that fit my girls.

Goal 2 - I plan to not buy any more yarn this year unless I have the funds in PayPal to pay for it (from my pattern sales.)
This is another financial-driven reason, though I might be able to justify buying yarn if I need it for a specific design...(maybe not as I just purchased that huge lot from Bendigo Woollen Mills, all of it earmarked for planned designs - enough to keep me going all year probably!) This leads onto my next goal:

Goal 3 - I plan to knit from stash as much as possible.

Goal 4 - I plan to always have a design-in-progress on the needles.
This won't be too hard as I have at least six design sketches in my notebook just waiting to be calculated and knit up! Not to mention all the suggestions and ideas floating around my head...

Goal 5 - I plan to only have one project at a time on the needles (of a certain type - i.e. small knit, design knit, large knit.)
I've already been trying to do this as much as possible lately.

Goal 6 - I plan to make myself a bag/pouch to keep my interchangeable needle tips and notions organised.
This might be a long way off as I don't have fabric I want to make it in yet.

I think that will do for now...

Happy New Year!

2011-01-08T21:51:00.000+13:00

Yeah, so I know I'm a little bit late, but better late than never, right?

We had a great time seeing the new year in with family. It was the first year the girls have stayed up for it too and they had a great time with all their little cousins.

I intended on doing a '2011 goals' post on Monday but our plans for this week changed and I never got the chance. All of J's family were going camping/tenting, leaving on Monday, for the week and we were going to join them on Wednesday. Our builder was planning to put up the gib ('dry wall' to those in the USA/Canada I've been told) in the old part/new bedrooms area on Monday/Tuesday with J helping, but he couldn't make it those days anymore. So the decision was made on New Year's Eve that we would be leaving on Monday for camping too.

This was a problem for me as I had planned on having Monday and Tuesday to get ready. I had no food in the house (end of the grocery week anyway). My washing needed to be done. And we hadn't looked at any of our camping gear since the last time we'd used it (four years ago!)

So Monday was spent washing clothes (at least it was a hot sunny day and I got three loads washed and dried in time to take what we needed with us), planning meals, shopping for food, getting gear together and packing it all into the ute. Needless to say I forgot things, but nothing that important we couldn't go without!

I'm still hoping to get in a '2011 goals' post (maybe this Monday), and I have over 300 photos from the last week to go through so there should be some in there worth sharing so you can see what we get up when camping in a farmer's paddock in the middle of steep hill country near the Cape Palliser/Ngawi coast with 16 adults and 12 kids (all under the age of 7).

A Break from the Rain

2010-12-22T14:36:00.000+13:00

Living in an area of NZ that has a great proportion of dairy farmers makes you more aware of the benefits of rain. Especially when most of your family and friend-base live rural/are dairy farmers. We were getting near drought conditions, but I don't think that's much of a concern anymore. The paddocks are long and lush and the water tanks are filling up.

But in all reality I was a little sick of it. (Our little 'Piece of Paradise' is in town and doesn't need grass to feed stock or water tanks filled.)

It wasn't just rain, it was hot and humid to go with it. The sort of rain that makes things grow like the tropics. I love it for the garden, but not for the lawn. I had to mow it this morning. I'm sure it took me almost two hours. I had to empty the catcher after each down-and-back length (that's about 12 or 13 times) and the trailer was already full to start with.

Though you should see our strawberry patch!

But today is finally a rain-free day and not the burning hot summery kind. It's a breezy overcast summer day, perfect for a photo-shoot.

This is LittleMiss in the DK/8ply version of my Clara pattern.

It's not for LittleMiss, it's a (rather belated) birthday present for her cousin who is the same age.

Though she did have fun posing for me.

It's currently with the testers and hopefully will be ready for release mid-January 2011.

This will most likely be my last blog post before Christmas if not for the year. So I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and holiday period, and I'll see you again in the New Year!

And the Winner is....

2010-12-18T16:49:00.000+13:00

...Comment 99 - Seaside Siblings who said:

Cool giveaway! Just discovered your blog- fellow kiwi.

I have a bit of a thing for cardigans at the moment, just love them on little girls, oh and dresses, they just look adorable!

Congratulations Lou!
Let me know which yarn you would like and your postal address and I will have your parcel off to you on Monday (hopefully!)

Thank you to everyone else who entered my giveaway. I loved all your comments and wish I could reply to them all! It's been great to know what you like to see in kids clothing and given me good ideas of where to go next with my designing. There were a lot of requests for dresses, socks, mittens/gloves, hats and boy styles.

I've already got a few ideas up my sleeve that will cater for some of those requests so keep reading to hear the latest!

Don't be too disappointed if you didn't win this time, I'm sure to have another giveaway at a later date 'cos I enjoyed it so much!

(P.S. You can always purchase the pattern for yourself either through my blog here, or through Ravelry here. And watch out for the release of the DK/8ply version sometime in January - I'm planning a little surprise to go with it...)

New Clothes

2010-12-17T17:40:00.001+13:00

Hi to all my new followers! And thank you to everyone leaving comments for my giveaway - it's really helping with design ideas!

There's still time to enter if you haven't already. I'll be doing the draw sometime tomorrow afternoon and will blog who the winner is straight away, so you have until I post again to enter!

Last week I did some tracing and cutting which has slowly been sewn together (as spare time appears amongst the mess that is our renovations). Today I finally finished!

These are the jeans I made for MiddleMiss. I used the 'Clarabella' pattern from the latest Ottobre magazine. When I got this issue and read that these pants are specifically designed for slim-hipped girls I knew it would be a well used pattern for me. MiddleMiss never fits any shop-bought bottoms (pants or skirts) unless they have adjustable waists and then they have to be so bunched up it's uncomfortable. Whenever I sew her pants/shorts/skirts I have to modify the pattern so much to fit (usually 2-3sizes difference between the waist/hip and length).

And, never one to make a plain pair of pants, I had to dress them up a little. The back pockets are just cut from some cotton I had in stash (I interfaced them to get more 'wear' out of them) with a strip of pink velvet ribbon across them. The front hip pockets are lined with the same fabric with the edge showing (kind of a faux-piping look) and the same ribbon to accent. All topstitching is done in matching pink, too.

They fit her perfectly and she hasn't taken them off all afternoon!

As the jeans only had the hems and belt-loops to sew, then the button to put on, I still had enough time left to finish off the other half done project.

This is using the same pants pattern, but cut down to short length.

Even though I had planned on sewing completely from stash, I ended up having to buy more thread for these shorts for BigMiss. But that's not too bad anyway is it?

I did the same with these back pockets also.

I could have done a size bigger for BigMiss as they're a little tight round the waist.

I think the problem though, is that the pattern is very high-waisted. These shorts fit LittleMiss also but the button can't be done up because it goes right across her belly button.

I'm going to change my traced pattern so the waist is 1-2" lower and see how that turns out. If I can get it right I think this will be a well used pattern for my girls!

It's Giveaway Day! - CLOSED

2010-12-13T14:50:00.001+13:00

This giveaway is now closed, thank you to all that entered!

It's finally here! Sew, Mama, Sew!'s Giveaway Day! I'm so excited as it's my first giveaway too!

So, what have I got to giveaway?

The Prize:

I've just released my Clara pattern this month on Ravelry (if you're a knitter and not a member, you so should be!) So I thought I would give away a special, signed copy of the pattern and a skein of Vintage Purls superwash merino sock wool to go with it. If the winner is on Ravelry, I will also gift a pdf copy for free (if it's already been purchased, I will refund the purchase price).

And because I couldn't choose what colour yarn to give away, I'll let the winner decide from the four pictured below!

L-R: Glacial Stream, Buttercup, Whispered Thoughts, & Love Lies Bleeding

(Click on the name to see a better picture of each colour)

Make sure you check out my other designs and keep an eye out for the 8ply/DK version of Clara early in the New Year! I'm also (mentally) working on several other trans-seasonal designs I plan to release in the coming year too!

How to Enter:

I'm always after ideas for new knitting designs, so leave me a comment on this post telling me what children's clothing you like to knit or if you've seen an interesting item of clothing (sewn or knit) that you'd love to make (pictures - or links to - would be great!) or even just a motif/design feature you like.
Or, if you've just spent hours commenting on 101 other blogs' giveaways, just say 'Hi, me too, please!'
(Only comments on this post will count for the giveaway, though feel free to comment anywhere!)

For an extra entry, become a follower - make sure you are a public follower or I won't know you are and it won't count! (This also guarantees that you'll be one of the first to hear about any new designs as they progress too!)

Please include an email address or link to a Blogger profile, etc to contact you by, otherwise make sure you're a follower so you can contact me when I announce the winner.

The Details:

I will ship to any address, so international entries are welcome!

The giveaway will be open until Friday 17 December, but I will randomly draw a winner sometime on Saturday afternoon/evening to allow for time differences.

The winner will need to make contact by 20 December or I will re-draw.

I will try my best to ship the prize as soon as I have an address but because of Christmas and school holidays I can't guarantee getting to the post office easily so please be patient with me (I will let the winner know when it has gone.)

The prize is as stated above and there are no exchanges - if you don't want it, don't enter!

Time for Giveaways!

2010-12-08T20:50:00.000+13:00

I had my last child-free day at home today. There won't be another one for almost eight weeks as tomorrow is the last day of school for the big girls before the Summer holidays. So instead of the tidying I should have been doing, I spent it tracing patterns and cutting out material.

(Imagine a picture here of two piles of cut & folded material - the camera is in J's truck and he's at soccer so I couldn't take a photo!)

I'm doing some alterations to a wedding dress so had to put my office/sewing room back in order as the change of sleeping/bedroom furniture arrangements messed it up (renovations are still progressing so we've lost two bedrooms to the extension). The clear desk and easy access to my machines inspired me to get onto the sewing I've been talking about for ages - making shorts for the girls for summer. But I'm only making shorts for BigMiss first, as J took LittleMiss shopping on Saturday and bought her some and MiddleMiss has a pair of jeans that are ripped at the knee that I can cut off to shorts (I'm making her jeans instead). And I'm quite pleased to say that these shorts & jeans will be made completely from stash - I don't even need to buy a zip!

Now onto the subject of giveaways! I have wanted to do a giveaway ever since I started this blog but haven't yet. Mainly because I didn't know what to give away or a good way to advertise the fact or a decent enough reason. Then I heard about the Sew, Mama, Sew! giveaway day back in, um, was it May? I was a bit late finding out about it and didn't really know what to give away, but had fun entering as many giveaways as I could (and found lots of fantastic blogs to follow in the process).

(Click on the image to go to the giveaway info page to find out how it all works)

Now they're doing it again, and this time I intend to be included! So make sure you check back here on Monday to see what I'm offering and leave several days free (yes, days - it takes that long!) to browse the hundreds of blogs doing giveaways through Sew, Mama, Sew!

Clara

2010-12-06T13:34:00.000+13:00

As promised, details on my latest design:

Just in time for the Southern Summer and with time to whip one up for Christmas pressies too!

I have a favourite yarn supplier, Vintage Purls, that discovered that a certain batch of superwash sock wool hadn't been properly superwash treated. This meant that the wool had the possibility of felting with wear/wash/use. I had 10 skeins of yarn (each a different, limited edition colourway) that were affected and would no longer end up as socks. But what can you make with 1 skein of fingering yarn? Something lacy and light, that's what! And so 'Clara' was made...

The original design was made in the pattern's namesake colourway, Clara - a pretty, girly pink, yellow and peachy-orange yarn.

I wanted to design something with beads in the lacework and settled on a staggered fern lace design for the main body with beads placed at the beginning of each 'fern'.

The pattern is written with lots of options, including a square or shaped neckline, lacy straps, a fitted or full/babydoll body shape and several different hem options.

Here's the Ravelry link. If you're a knitter and not on Ravlery - you don't know what you're missing out on!
And for those that wish they were knitters, you can always gift a copy of the pattern to your knitter friends for Christmas and hint strongly that you'd like one made!

Pattern Details:

Sizes:
Approx age/chest measurement
3mth 40.5cm/16"
6mth 43cm/17"
9mth 45.5cm/18"
12mth 48cm/19"
18mth 50.5cm/20"
2yrs 53cm/21"
3yrs 56cm/22"
4yrs 58.5cm/23"
5yrs 61cm/24"
6yrs 63.5cm/25"
7yrs 65.5cm/25.75"
8yrs 67cm/26.5"
9yrs 69cm/27.25"
10yrs 71cm/28"

Yarn Requirements:
4ply/fingering yarn: approx 200-600yds/183-549m
4mm beads (or size to suit): approx 42-192

Guage/Tension:
28sts x 36rows on size 3/3.25mm needles over 10cm/4" in stocking stitch

Purchasing details:
Price: USD$6
Purchases are made via paypal and a downloadable pdf link will be emailed.

My Creative Space

2010-12-02T11:33:00.000+13:00

It appears that after the marathon effort that was Blogtober my blogging has taken a back-seat again!

But that doesn't mean I haven't been busy...

My Geodesic Cardigan before the sleeves (one down, one to go!)

LittleMiss in her new top - my latest design, Clara, just released yesterday (more on that in a post to come!)

BigMiss in the Clara I made for MiddleMiss (which stretched when blocked and doesn't really look that great on MiddleMiss now)

The original Clara made for BigMiss - it finally has a ribbon!

A series of catch-up posts will be coming in the next little while, but in the meantime check out what the other crafty people are up to over at Kirsty's...

I Love Post!

2010-11-15T22:13:00.000+13:00

I've been expecting a nice big box on my doorstep any day and it finally arrived today!
(Well, actually, there was a ticket in my door when I got home from a morning at work telling me I had to go collect the box as I wasn't home when the courier called.)

So, with the help of LittleMiss we emptied the contents, ticking off against my order notes, and then piled it all up for a quick photo.

It would be very nice if it was all mine, but it's not. There was a sale on at Bendigo Woollen Mills over the ditch in Australia and to save postage two of my SIL's, a friend and I went in together with a very big order. There were 49 in total 200g balls of wool and cotton in various shades of purples, pinks, blues and greens (and a few neutrals too).

And I now know when you have to pay customs and GST charges for an international parcel and how much that all is... let's just say that our savings on postage was cancelled out by the GST and customs charge.

Every single one of the yarns I ordered is intended to be a prototype for one of the new designs I have floating around in my head or sketched in my notebook.

And in other news, my next design, Clara, is nearing the finishing stages of testing and I'm hoping to have it up by the beginning of December! So all those Southern Hemisphere knitters will have it available this Summer.

Elisaac

2010-11-01T21:39:00.001+13:00

It's taken ages to get here, but here it is!

My first for sale pattern.

Are you one of those people that has almost-finished projects just waiting to have collar stitches picked up and worked then it can be worn? (not to mention the sewing of seams!) I definitely am.

So when a friend had twin boys and I offered to knit her a pair of winter jerseys for them, I decided that I was not going to have an almost-finished jerseys waiting to be out-grown before being gifted just because I didn't get around to picking up stitches to knit the collar. So I designed a pattern where you knit the collar first and then work the rest of the jersey from there.

Elisaac is a loose fit, v-neck jersey that is knitted in one piece starting from the collar and worked down. The thick and thin stripe pattern is written into the instructions or can be ignored for a solid-colour body.

Pattern Details:

Sizes:
Approx age/chest measurement
3mth 40.5cm/16"
6mth 43cm/17"
9mth 45.5cm/18"
12mth 48cm/19"
18mth 50.5cm/20"
2yrs 53cm/21"
3yrs 56cm/22"
4yrs 58.5cm/23"
5yrs 61cm/24"
6yrs 63.5cm/25"
7yrs 65.5cm/25.75"
8yrs 67cm/26.5"
9yrs 69cm/27.25"
10yrs 71cm/28"

Yarn Requirements:
8ply/DK yarn in three colours
Contrast (hems/bands): 45-160m/50-180yds
Main (thick) Stripe: 120-520m/135-580yds
Contrast (thin) Stripe: 45-280m/50-310yds

Guage/Tension:
22sts x 30rows on size 6/4.00mm needles over 10cm/4" in stocking stitch

Purchasing details:
Price: USD$6
Purchases are made via paypal and a downloadable pdf link will be emailed.

Blogtober - Day 29 - 'Twas the Night Before...

2010-10-29T23:21:00.000+13:00

No, not Christmas. But for MiddleMiss it sure feels like it! The long awaited B-Day is tomorrow.

At least with it being Saturday, we won't all have to get up super extra early to do presents before the morning school routine. But I doubt we'll be getting much of a sleep-in anyway.

I've also managed a bit of a cop-out with the birthday party affair and we're just having an extended family BBQ tea. Saves a lot of baking fancy party food and sugar overload! I've done a cake at least, and prepared for a pass-the-parcel game with the cousins so it will still be a little bit of a party. And MiddleMiss will still get presents from everyone and feel special which is the main thing.
If I don't get back on tomorrow with an update, then I'll try catch up on Monday to round off my last Blogtober posting.

Blogtober - Day 28 - Feeling Ancient

2010-10-28T21:32:00.004+13:00

The conversation at the dinner table last night:

BigMiss (examining the fine print on the placemats): "When did you get these mats?"

Me: "We've had them since we got married."

BigMiss: "It says 'Jason Products Ltd, August 2001'."

MiddleMiss: "Mama, was there ever a two-thousand-and-zero (2000)?"

Me: "Yes, but you just say it as two thousand."

MiddleMiss: "Was that in the Bible times?"

Blogtober - Day 27 - Watch it Grow!

2010-10-27T22:19:00.000+13:00

It's been another busy day where it feels that nothing has been done. And the next couple of days will feel the same I can tell!

This Saturday is MiddleMiss' birthday, which means baking and decorating and wrapping and preparing. But all I managed to get done on my list today was washing and groceries, tomorrow I have to work so that only leaves me Friday to do all the birthday stuff!

But, on a more positive note, here's the progress on my Geodesic.

Please excuse the terrible night-time photography

All that travelling got a lot done on the knitting front! I've done all the waist decreases, halfway through the increases and have done the first 'tuck'. And according to the pattern I'm only several rows away from the underarm cast off!

I have just over a month to finish this. Morag from Vintage Purls (the wool supplier that inspired this KAL) has said she will be doing a random prize draw of all those that finish by the end of November. Not that I ever win things for my knitting, but I don't mind having a deadline to work to (and I'm enjoying this 'selfish knitting' so much I've got the next project all lined up ready to go - wool and all!)

Blogtober - Day 26 - And life carries on...

2010-10-26T23:13:00.000+13:00

The holiday is over and routine is back - it was school, kindy and work today.

At least the girls didn't mind - BigMiss even said that it was a good thing that we came home on Monday instead of today as she had so much fun at swimming today (and the rest of school).

I've managed to get a lot of knitting done on the weekend and am about half-way through the body of my Geodesic. Though I wasn't happy with how the first tuck was looking and had to rip it back. That was just when J decided that it was my turn to drive (only because he was paying for petrol and saw a new DRD magazine that he had to buy to read the rest of the way home - normally he hates being a passenger). I'll have to take some photos and update here and on Ravelry where I'm up to. It's rather exciting to think it might be finished in time to be used this Spring/Summer! The fabric is really nice and light, but still has warmth to it.

Blogtober - Day 25 - Home again

2010-10-26T22:54:00.000+13:00

The last catch-up post, promise!

After a bit of playing in the sandpit (just a sand path, but worked just as good!)

And a bit of turn-taking on the tree swing

We got in the car and headed back homewards again.

It was another beautiful day and we stopped again in Taupo

This time for a bit longer. We had a brief shop, a quick visit to the Taupo Bungy (just for a look to show the girls - not to do it!), went for a swim in the heated outdoor pools and had a nice sit-down McDondald's lunch (instead of the eat-while-driving we did on the way up).

We decided to take the scenic* route home and took the Napier-Taupo road. It was a nice change from the usual drive, but looking at the map when we got home, it looks like it would have added and extra 1/2 hour travel at least!

It was such a nice family time and are already planning the Summer holiday back up that way again!

*All of NZ is scenic, though sometimes it can get a bit boring seeing the same thing everytime we travel. Though there really wasn't that much to see all the way to Napier (over an hour travel!) other than a lot of native bush and plenty of holiday traffic. But the Hawke's Bay is a nice area to drive through - as much as the Central Plateau and Rangitikei are too.

Blogtober - Day 23 - Party!

2010-10-26T22:31:00.000+13:00

This is another catch-up post...

Saturday was Mum's half-way birthday. At least she's hoping it is!

The girls had spent several days beforehand crafting all sorts of interesting things and then wrapping them up, so present opening had to happen without waiting for the everyone (well, just the one brother and family as it was just a very small party) to arrive.

And here is my present:

This was the secret knitting I was doing.

Then the big brother arrived and the food was put out and the relaxing began.

As it was my SIL's birthday the next day, I had also (finally!) blocked the shawl I'd made for her at the beginning of the year.

I didn't have any photos of it so had to quickly take this after she'd unwrapped it!

And I got lots more knitting done.

Blogtober - Day 22 - Travelling

2010-10-26T22:04:00.000+13:00

This is a catch-up post...

Lake Taupo looking out to Mt Ruapehu

Friday we drove non-stop (except petrol, toilet and buy-lunch quick stops) for 6 1/2 hours to get to Mum's.

The kids were great, the traffic boring and the weather not too hot.

And we arrived with plenty enough time to relax before dinner.

(I also got lots of knitting done.)

Blogtober - Day 21 -

2010-10-21T21:12:00.000+13:00

It's been all excitment round here since the girls got home from school.

Labour weeked starts early for us as we're off up the country to visit my Mum for her birthday on Saturday. It's a special birthday, but she'd prefer not to mention the age as it makes her feel old (doesn't having grandkids mean you are old?)

So we're going to drive all the way to the Waikato - a 6hr drive when there's good traffic and short stops. But the bags are all packed already so we can leave nice and earlyish in the morning and just take our time and be there by dinner.

The girls are so used to long drives that it's never too big a deal for us. We've always travelled with them to visit my family (who're spread out all north of here, the closest a minimum 6hr drive away) so to them it's normal.
It was funny the last time we visited with my family. It was my brother's 30th, and he lives 10hrs drive away (north of Auckland too, so sometimes just getting through there takes ages!) We went up in one go on the Friday then broke it up on the way home by stopping at Mums overnight Sunday, but still took most of Monday to get home from there. Then about a month later, we were visiting J's Oma in Upper Hutt (about 1 1/2hr away which everyone goes on about how far away it is), and the girls very innocently commented that "you don't live so far away, do you, Oma?"

I'm thinking of taking the laptop so I can keep up with the blogging etc, but we'll see what happens. Though I noticed, reading Hannah's blog today that you can set things to auto-post. It sounds interesting...

Blogtober - Day 20 - The Height Issue

2010-10-20T20:48:00.000+13:00

The problem with being "average" height is that they don't sell jeans long enough to fit.
I had to take 3" off my new pair of jeans. It's really scary cutting into them, hoping I've measured correctly and drawn my lines in the right place.

I am yet to try them on for size.

There's nothing worse than jeans that are too short - except maybe jeans that are too long...

BigMiss is hoping to take after her father and be taller than me by the time she's 10. I don't think she'll quite make it then, but she probably will eventually.

Blogtober - Day 19 - Progress

2010-10-19T20:50:00.000+13:00

The builders are back this week. Today they had to join the new trusses for the extension with the old roof. That means that the roof above our bedroom is a little open and exposed.

It's supposed to snow on the ranges overnight. The clouds are black and moving fast.

I think there will be extra blankets on the bed tonight.