Green Quilt

I finished this little quilt last night. It is probably a good size for a cot or a pram. It will be sent off soon and will make its way to a survivor of the bushfires. If you are looking fot ways to help there are fantastic ideas at Handmade Help. I love the idea of making a cook book out of everyones family recipes. Copies will be distributed to people who lost everything in the fires and everyone else can buy a copy with proceeds going to the Red Cross. So if you have any old family recipes go here to find out where to send them.

Valentines Day

The girls made chocolate heart shaped cakes for Chris, except he is not allowed to eat them yet. The girls said he might be allowed to share with them. Maybe. Lucky I made a back up cake as well.

More ways to help

There are some amazing people in blog world doing what they can to help out the people of Victoria.

If you are a knitter Serendipity has organised a lot of yarn donations you could win if you donate to the Red Cross. I've donated some yarn and a sock bag and I just saw that there is Sundara and Wollmeise.

Also have a look at Hand Made Help with great info and links to Ebay auctions and Etsy listings where the profit will go to helping out those that need it.

I started a quilt that hopefully will make its way to someone who might need it this winter.

Fires

Like most people in Australia today I can't stop thinking about the fires in Victoria over the weekend.
If you are looking for ways to help donating to the Red Cross seems the most effective (and easy)way to help at the moment.
I am also going to do some sewing. Rach has volunteered to collect clothes and The Toy Society is collecting handmade toys.

Mmmm

This is what happens when you make the second sock months after the first one and you make major pattern adjustments that you don't write down.
Lucky I still need to make 2 more socks so hopefully I will end up with matching pairs.

Kindergarten

The girls survived their first day of kindergarten and had a great time. There was painting and stories and games. Eva and I had a great time too, going out for coffee, a walk and a little peace and quiet.

Quilt Blocks

I have 9 big blocks completed using the quarter log cabin blocks. I was just going to put them together and quilt and bind, but I think they needed to be broken up a bit with a lighter colour. So I will add some sashing and a border and see if that helps.

Vegie Patch

The vegie patch is still growing even though it has been very neglected over summer. We have had lots of (oddly) shaped Lebanese cucumbers, zucchinis, beans and the tomatoes are just starting thanks to a very cold December.
Only 3 more sleeps until the girls start kindergarten. They are getting very excited. Poor Eva is not going to be that happy when they go - she gets very sad when they are not around and looks for them all the time. I have plans for our first morning, she is still happy to be in the pram so we are off for coffee.
We need to child proof the house again, everything was just getting back to normal now the girls are older, but Eva has been commando crawling to anything that looks vaguely interesting so my days are full of screams from the girls that Eva is touching their lego, house, cars, animals, dolls.....

Good recipe alert: the banana bread from the last Donna Hay Kids Special - the best banana bread I've ever made - no pictures as it's nearly all gone.

Softies Only A Mother Could Love

I've just discovered that Softies (the first one) is going to be released in the US. You can pre order it here.

The Waifs

It was fantastic. I really miss live music.

If only I wasn't tone deaf I'd buy a tambourine and runway to join a band

Jaywalkers

Finally finished these Jaywalkers I started last May. Made from Lorna's Laces in Desert Flower. Ravelry link here.
Just packing up for our last little trip for the year. We are off to Albany again to see the Waifs and Ani di Franco. I can't even remember the last time I saw live music so i am just a little bit excited. Then I think I am going to be very happy to stay in the one place and not have to pack and unpack for a few months.

Another trip to Perth

We drove to Perth on Saturday morning taking a few detours due to the fire. Driving back last night near town I couldn't believe how lucky it was that some houses were still there (and so unlucky that some are gone). So many burnt out farms and forests. I hope that is the last one for the summer.
I've been making some quarter log cabins. Simple and fun.
My sister brought this back from London. I think this could be the prettiest piece of Liberty ever.

Fire

There are so many good things about having a treechange, but there is one thing that isn't. The threat of fires. It has been hot today and a fire that started yesterday flared up. This is what it looked like out the back this afternoon. We watched it move the whole way around town. It seems to have died down a bit and moved away. I can't hear as many fire fighters or the water bombers but the car is packed and we have checked the gutters and have a plan just in case.
I'm hoping there is not too much damage and I haven't heard of any injuries - Chris hasn't had an ambulance call out.
Thank goodness for and thanks to all the people that volunteer and have been fighting it for the past few days.

Sock Yarn and New Book

The wonderful Pip from Meet Me At Mikes has been writing a book which will be out at the end of March. I'm can't wait to see it as I know anything from Pip will be fab and also because there is a little something from me in there.

I am a little bit excited that The Wool Shack (a wonderful WA based internet store that sends stuff sooo quickly) is now stocking One Fat Slug sock yarn!

A New Hat

I started off making a tulip style hat for myself last night and it just wasn't working. So I cut it all up and added a little band and brim and I think it is much better. Milly seemed to approve.

I used the same fabrics in a different order on the inside.

I finished some frilly pants for Grace before we went to Albany. They put them back on as soon as they are washed and dried so I'm sure I'll be making more of them soon.

My house has been a little quieter since Christmas. A trampoline now takes up a big chunk of lawn which is quite handy as it was getting brown and is not that pretty in summer. I have found a new good thing about daylight saving - when the children are all asleep I can go jumping.

Red Shoes and Square Feet

I can spend all day in a shopping centre in Perth and never find something I want, but wandering around some little shops in Albany I found so many great things.

Red Birkenstocks - I can never go past red shoes and these days I only seem to wear Birkenstocks. I never expected my feet to change so much during my pregnancies, but they did. If they get any wider they will be square.

My sister bought me these fabulous beads. Its amazing how new beads can make it seem like you have a whole new wardrobe.

Summer

We have been going to Albany for holidays in January for years. The beaches and the scenery is amazing. Unfortunately it is usually very cold down there and last year it rained the whole time we were there. This weekend however we had amazing weather. I only pulled out warm clothes once and that was to take photos of my sister with Eva. Gemma knitted this gorgeous cardigan so we popped it on for a few minutes. Evie didn't seem to mind.

This was about the only picture I took. There is none of the beach as this time we were all in the water and the girls just loved it. Sandcastles, shells and little waves what more could they want?

We also managed to catch up with friends and go out to dinner without children (thanks Mum and Dad) and drink a few cocktails. Now back to the reality of washing clothes full of sand and thinking about what to cook for dinner, but I'm planning to a little rest later to look through these fabulous magazines Gem brought me back from Amsterdam.

Homespun Magazine

I was so excited to see the January issue of Homespun magazine in the newsagency today. In it you will find the pattern for my platypus and also a pattern to makes babies.
Thanks Homespun!
I finished the twirly skirts for the girls and I think they are happy with them. They looked happy twirling around the lawn this afternoon.

The skirts seemed to take forever - a lot longer than my normal version which involves a hem and some elastic.

Amelia was desperate to use this pink and red spot fabric so I whipped up some frilly pants. Much quicker than the skirts.

Baby Surprise Jacket

Even though there are only two little seams the thought of sewing them has meant Eva's Baby Surprise Jacket has sat unfinished with only 4 rows to knit for months. We are off to Albany this week and although the weather says it will be warm it never is in Albany. I'm sure it will be cold and drizzly and Eva will need warm clothes so I finished this last night.
Baby Surprise Jacket (pattern can be bought here)
5mm needles
Noro Kureyon (purchased here)
Colour 154
3 balls

Summer

We finally have summer weather and two little girls obsessed with swimming. Chris has been taking them to the pool each day leaving me time to sew or even just sit in peace. Eva can sit up which means much less yelling. She's not that interested in crawling. She manages to roll or slide around and get what she wants, or yell until a big sister gets it for her.

I finished this hat for a custom order today. It uses some of my favourite vintage fabric.

Next are twirly skirts. I have just been negotiating colours and fabrics. Grace loves purple and green and Amelia loves pink and red. Not my favourite combinations. I feel like I am in Project Runway trying to make the client happy and making something I like.