Patterns and a Giveaway

I often get emails asking me if I will write patterns for my toys so I have spent the last few weeks writing and organising patterns. I am starting with two that I had pretty much ready to go. The platypus was in Homespun Magazine in January and the elephant was in The Australian Women's Weekly about 18 months ago.

Although it's not super hard to work out how I made my windmill quilt I have had a few emails from people wanting the pattern. So I have written it up as well.I am going to be listing some in my etsy shop soon, hopefully today or tomorrow, but I also want to give away one of each with a few scraps of fabric as a thanks to everyone who has left messages here or on flickr about my toys and my sewing. Just leave me a comment and I will draw 3 winners on Sunday evening - Western Australian time. Yes I will send them anywhere in the world.

Magic Loop

I am still knitting the sock I started the other day using the magic loop technique. It's going slowly. Very slowly. No more huge tangles so I will stick with it. I think it helps that I am knitting No Purl Monkey Socks and I love this yarn - Socks that Rock in Dutch Canyon.
I had completely forgotten how dirty crawling babies can get, especially when it rains. Their are a few pairs of corduroy pants cut out and I managed to sew up one pair this morning.

The Week

• Amelia and Grace are home after 2 nights with Chris' parents. It was so quiet around here without them and we got a bit done but it is fantastic to have them home again.
• I stopped procrastinating and have started writing up some patterns
• I am trying again with the magic loop sock thing. I nearly have one cuff done. It managed to get so tangled last night and I felt like I was knitting with an octopus.
• The weather has turned cold so it was pea and ham soup for dinner (I love soup weather).
• Cut into some fabric and started a new quilt

Nemo Socks

Finally finished the never ending Nemo socks. I did kind of follow a pattern, but I didn't really look at it much which explains why the socks are all different sizes and lengths. Luckily the girls had to do some weird dance in them and don't stand still ever so no one will ever see how different they are.

I saw this on Loobylu last week and now this gorgeous song is stuck in my head.

Pleats

More pleats - this time a little top for Eva. I can't seem to find the patterns I used when the girls were younger so I just measured, cut and amazingly it fits. I didn't realise until I finished that I ironed and top stitched the pleats in the wrong direction, but I will fix that next time.

Corduroy

The nights have are becoming colder and the days are cooling down too - time for some winter clothes. I found these pants half made from last year when they were way too big for the girls. I hemmed them and they are perfect for this year. Well perfect for Grace. Apparently they won't be perfect for Amelia as princesses and mermaids only wear skirts and dresses.

I really like pleats at the moments and I love the non symmetrical ones on the pink skirt.

Easter

Easter is over and the girls are slowly coming down from their sugar high. It was a busy weekend with the market on Saturday (great to meet some people like Nicole for the first time) and a trip to my sisters to collect the big girls on Sunday. I am hoping for a few quiet days and then we are off to Perth this weekend.

A picture from my stall at the market.

Happy Birthday Eva!

Made On The Left

If anyone is anywhere near Bunbury this Saturday pop in and say hi.

Hot Non Cross Choc Buns

I had a go at making Hot Cross Buns yesterday using dough from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I made a batch of white bread dough and added a few tablespoons of sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon (couldn't find the mixed spice) and choc chips as I really don't like sultanas. Nothing was measured - just added until it looked, smelt and tasted right. When it came to baking I put 8 small balls of dough in my baking tray and cooked them for about 20 minutes. No crosses as I just couldn't be bothered. When they were out of the oven I glazed them with really good apricot jam. Perfect - I see more of them being made (and eaten) this week.

Windmill Quilt Finished

It has been the week of the never ending binding but it is done and the quilt is officially finished.

Corduroy Bags

I have been wearing my new bag everywhere. It is definitely heading into corduroy weather now so I have been making a few more for the market next week.

I have finally joined twitter - you can find me here.

Computers

I don't know how I would live without a computer now, but they are the most frustrating things. Mine has been at the computer fix it shop again this week as it wouldn't turn on again. They can't find anything wrong with it. Apparently is just doesn't like the cold and won't turn on until the day has warmed up. Not much good down here in winter. It was 1 degree yesterday morning so I turned it on last night and now I don't want to turn it off. Not much good for the carbon footprint. Think I might have to really save for that laptop I have been dreaming of.
On the other hand when they aren't being frustrating and I haven't been swearing at it I have been playing with my new toy - a Wacom Bamboo. Definitely makes pattern writing a much more pleasant experience.

I am still sewing for the market next week. A poor little pile of toys waiting to be stuffed.

Windmill Quilting

The windmill quilt is quilted. I decided to machine quilt it. I was originally going to handquilt around the windmill with bright colours of embroidery floss but there are only so many hours in the day so I decided to machine quilt it. I think I was just getting the hang of it by the end. The stitch length is not very even and the quilting is not that smooth, but I did get the tension right so the back doesn't look too bad. I've chosen a fabric for the binding so I've just got to cut it out and sew it on.

Running and Patterns

The goal I made for the year in January was to be able to run 5km without stopping. Today I ran 3.5km without stopping so in my mind I'm over half way to my goal. The crazy thing is that I quite enjoyed it. I never thought I would say that about running.
I have been making some platypii this week, nice and bright. I love these colour combinations. I have also been working on rewriting the platypus pattern and also my elephant pattern so I can get some printed out to sell. Another very steep learning curve.

Meet Me At Mikes

I'm just a little bit excited today - more head exploding in a really good way. This fabulous book just arrived in the mail. Pip has done an amazing job and I am so excited to be a part of it. All sorts of wonderful crafty projects. I think it should be in bookshops now.
I think I have the borders to the windmill quilt sorted. I have sewn, ripped, recut and resewn and I think I am happy. Now to think about how to quilt it.

I think my head might explode

One of the things that sticks in my mind from growing up is Mum saying 'I think I'm going to explode'. She never did explode. We always used to watch and wonder what it would look like if she did. I am sure the three of us used to drive her crazy. And now I think she has payback.

I have had a week of 'Milly/Grace won't be my friend', 'She said I can't skip properly' and 'No'. No to everything I ask. This combined with Evie being at the whingy I can't walk yet stage and I am going to throw my food everywhere stage. The separation anxiety is back too. I was just at the stage of safely leaving her at the creche at the gym without worrying, but this morning they had to come and get me again. I think my head might explode. Thank goodness the girls are at kindergarten tomorrow and Evie should sleep. That small bit of peace and quiet is keeping me sane. Yes laugh Mum - I know you will be.

This is the other thing that is making my head explode. My parents are building a holiday house and I said I would make many quilts for it in exchange for holidays we are planning there. I have been planning quilts using this fantastic book and EQ6 that Chris gave me for Christmas and I think my head might explode with ideas.

I finished these little fish last night. Less than 3 weeks until the market - eeek!

Slowly

The windmills are slowly progressing. I have been stuck thinking about borders but I think I have a plan so back to sewing.

More Windmills

I've finished all the windmill blocks and they are ready to be sewn together. They are not hard to put together you just have to make sure you sew them the right way or your windmills will go backwards so there has been a bit or ripping.
This is what my desk has looked like while I have been doing it. I really prefer to sew quilts on my Pfaff but toys and bags on the Janome. I owned the Pfaff first but out in the desert once in the first week of term it had a breakdown and so I was stuck out there for 9 more weeks without a machine. The first thing I did when I got back to Perth was get it fixed and buy another one and it was Chris who suggested I have two. I don't think he wanted to live with me for another term if I didn't have a sewing machine.

Four

Today is the day - they could hardly believe it after weeks of waiting and asking "How many minutes until I am four?" They received exactly what they wanted a skipping rope each. Apparently this is the bestest present ever when you turn four and Milly is going to grow up to be the bestest skipper person ever and we will all have to watch her.
They headed off to Kindy (kindergarten for the person wondering the other day - we have one year of kindergarten and one year of pre-primary before you start year one at school) with their new fairy wands and they took a very bright green cupcake for everyone for afternoon tea. (Must remember not to mix icing colours and ice cupcakes after a few glasses of wine).

It is amazing to think that they were so small when they were born. This is one of the first photos I have of them together. I think they were about 4 weeks old.Happy Birthday Amelia and Grace and happy skipping!