Finished Jaywalkers!

I have finished them!

Jaywalkers - the larger size

Jigsaw sock yarn

2.25mm needles

My Jaywalkers and my new Docs. What a combination.

It was basically one year ago I made it a goal to learn to knit socks and this is my fourth pair. So maybe it is time for a new goal. I think I want to knit these

Tiit's Socks from Folk Knitting in Estonia. I should probably learn how to do colour work first and continental knitting might make it easier so I think I might need a bit longer than a year. Maybe it should be a two year goal. Maybe I'll get back to you with an end date.

A bug

I really like to read posts about how people's designs evolved. ( Abby does it really well).
So I am going to try to explain where this little bug came from .
As you can see I am not the best at drawing, but I do keep a sketchbook I try to sketch in it and write down ideas so I can remember them later. I first thought about making a bug last year.

It is still floating around the house somewhere in the girls' toys. That was as far as I got and I moved on to other things. Lately I have been trying to make Australian softies and have been really stuck on making an echidna.

It has become a challenge, which I can't let go. The last few weeks I have been trying to make one using a base and two upper pieces - much simpler, it is still not looking like an echidna though, but it did get me thinking about making a jewel beetle.

I bought some lovely natural linene a while ago on special and have been trying to find the right project for it. I didn't want to use it on some of my other toys as it does fray a bit and I am not so confident using it on tight curves, but it is perfect for a bug shape. I thought about designs or embroidery for the back, but I really liked the spots I put on this skirt. I was not keen on sewing 6 very small legs and turning and stuffing them so different legs. The tails I use for my other animals and my giraffe horns become antennae and here you have it - a bug!

I love how designs evolve to form a new animal and I have a plan to modify this pattern to make a mouse and maybe a crocodile.

Hot

It has been so hot here. We have spent most of the days indoors venturing out in the late afternoon so the girls can sit in their paddling pool. We had a thunderstorm last night which I don't think has made the weather any cooler. Funny how half the house can sleep through it - and the dog barking at it - and the rest are wide awake.

The heat hasn't made me stop knitting - have to finish the second Jaywalker - or spinning. Some pics of what I'm doing.

I have a massive pile of toys cut out which I will slowly work through. Here are a couple of giraffes which can be found here soon.

Moo!

Another crazy day - still trying to get used to Chris being back at work and he was away last night too. So we had another treat today - chocolate banana smoothies. So glad the price of bananas has come down. Here is a description of Fairy bread for those that aren't familiar with our treat from yesterday. What do people eat at kids parties if you don't have fairy bread? The girls are having a party just so I can eat it.
I finally had a good nights sleep after a week of stress. The order I did for minifashionista has arrived. The night after I sent it last week I woke up at 2am thinking that I hadn't stapled the parcel shut and I couldn't remember the post office doing it. So for a week I had visions of soft toys lost between here and Adelaide. But all is well and I think they should be open for business soon.
These finally arrived last week. Very cute Moo cards.

A couple of balls of wool I bought on my trip to make some gloves. I'm thinking Fetching from Knitty. And a book bargain from the second hand book shop.

Holidays

The holidays are at an end. Chris has gone back to work. The house is an absolute mess and the girls keep calling for Daddy. So I gave them some fairy bread and put them to bed.
We just had a great few days in Albany and the weather for the first couple of days was wonderful. We went to the beach and the playground and the girls eventually went for a paddle. The only time I took the camera out the weather turned cold and rainy so this photo doesn't really capture the nice time we had at the beach.
I did have a really good find on the way home. We went via Kojonup and The Loony Pin - great yarn and fabric not far from home!

No title today

The girls' hair is growing and I don't think I could ever cut off their curls so I tried to do something with it so it's not always in their eyes. They weren't that impressed with me pulling their hair.

A new platypus. Now for sale in my shop.
Has anyone seen McNaught's comet? It was so impressive the other night. So clear without binoculars. I was much more impressed than when I saw Halley's Comet which was just a speck in the binoculars.

Weird

I Have been tagged by Soozs. So here are 6 weird things about me (or at least what I'm admitting to!).

RULES: People who get tagged need to write a blog post of 6 weird things about them as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says "you are tagged" in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

1. I have piles of books that I want to read, but I still can't leave a bookshop without a new book.
2. My first two cars were old Volvos and I loved them. I would buy a new one in a sec if I had the money.
3. I can't stand hearing people chew or slurp, and I can't stand talking while you are eating or eating with your mouth full.
4. I write a lot of lists. I write them all ove the fridge. I can't function without lists.
5. I am a snob about some things, textiles and fibre, but not about others. I'll drink any Scotch or red wine.
6. I love living in the country. Living with lots of neighbours makes me feel claustrophobic.

I am tagging Melissa, Jhoanna, Ali, Shula, Rachael and Tiel.

Garden Pixie

Look what I found in the garden yesterday. My very own garden pixie. Thanks Mum for your help!
Thanks to Mum being here I finished off some sewing. I made a few extra dolls. Some of them can be found in my shop here.

Fabric

I never seem to find anything decent at op shops or garage sales. So today I was excited to find this at the local markets. Enough for a couple of bags I think.
My order of more Heather Bailey Freshcut fabric and some other wonderful fabric arrived.
I know I don't have the best cooking presentation, but the taste made up for it. An upside down plum cake, using the yummiest plums from the market this morning. I don't usually make a lot of cakes. It is so much more fun eating them when you don't know how much sugar or butter is in them. The syrup on top alone had a cup of sugar and 75g of butter. We decided it had past the point of being really unhealthy so we poured half a carton of cream over it and ate it. It did have fresh plums though, that has to count for something.

What I'm up to

A peek at some works in progress. I am slowly getting through the long list of things I need to do while Chris is on holidays.
Sewing when the girls are here is nearly impossible. They are so loud and so busy. In the cupboard, jumping on the couch, drawing on something, pinching stuff from each other. It is so nice and quiet when they have all gone for a walk or are at the park and it is amazing what you can do with an uninterrupted hour.
The girls did help me clean up a chest of 'stuff' yesterday. Undoing fabric and throwing wool. The girls instantly knew about the "good stuff" - rubbing really soft wool on their faces. I couldn't find a little ball of silk and really needed my sister Gem. She swears she can walk into a shop and sniff out silk clothes, but I eventually found it, so at least one thing around here is all organised and I know what is in there.

Vegies

We seem to be drowning in zucchinis and tomatoes. I am not sure why I planted so many again this year when we had this problem last year and the year before. It is just one of those things I think - as soon as they have finished and you have to go to the shop and buy one of those tasteless disgusting things that pass as a tomato in winter you forget how you were sick of the sight of them only a month before. So by spring you plant enough to feed the entire neighbourhood.
So we have zucchini pickle. Very chunky and rustic, perfect for eating on fresh bread.
Dinner tonight was barbeque with fattoush using my own tomatoes, lebanese cucumbers, mint and parsley. Now it is back to my little sweatshop in the spare room to keep working on an order.

Mud

I think Dad had everything planned. Gemma was coming over from Melbourne to visit. Jane and I would come to the farm to visit. I would bring Chris. That's when he'd organise shearing for. One small problem - lots or rain and freezing weather.

There were two happy little people though. I think jumping in puddles must be an instinctive thing.

Moo!

I can't believe it is summer - cold and raining here. At least it will be good for the garden.

I finished Clarabel while watching old episodes of Cold Feet yesterday. She can be found here.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2007 is a wonderful year for you.

I am not really a new years resolution person. I like to make goals, short and long term, but I tend to do that when I'm in the mood to and I never seem to want to do it over New Years.

I do have a few craft (and cooking) goals for January.

• to turn a few sketches into new softies
• to try some new recipes - already tried zacutti curry and paella this week
• try some recipes to use the produce from the vegie patch
• read some of the books in the very large pile of books I have
• to make some practical things I need like a sewing case, a dpn case and oven mits
• start a present I want to make for Dad which I want to do for his birthday, but maybe for next Christmas

My final bits of crafting for 2006. A frog and a sheep. My Dad collects pottery sheep and while staring at his collection I finally figured out how I wanted to make one. The face is definitely influenced by the lambs face in The Splendid Soft Toy Book.