My Creative Space

Along with my on-going creation, this week I've been working on a beanie for our 4 year old niece for Christmas. I think it's going to be a bit big, I'll have to get El to model it once it's finished. She can always grow into it! I wanted something girly, just cause I don't get much excuse for girly, but not too girly. So a lovely creamy colour with a couple of soft purple stripes and trim is perfect!

It's a really simple pattern from a Lincraft pattern book. Knitted flat and then sewn up, with a simple knit edging and pom pom and braid details. Easy peasy and pretty quick too!

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My Creative Space (a day late!)

I've been living in a bit of a 'what day is it' bubble the past week or so. I've been about a day behind the rest of the world. I swore Tuesday was Monday, I forgot Book Club on Wednesday night and even thought to myself that evening 'book club tomorrow night', and I completely forgot about My Creative Space Thursdays.

So this post is a bit of catch up for yesterday, not that anything exciting has been happening, creativity-wise. Just keeping on going with the cardigan. I'm really getting there, the end is in sight! I've now done the back, both fronts and one sleeve. The other sleeve is very close to being finished and then its just making it up and knitting the bands ie all the tedious bits. I have made one (kind of big) mistake that I'll have to unpick, but it should only be a few rows (all going to plan, fingers crossed!).

Oh, by the way, do any other knitters end up with bits of paper or notes all over their patterns that look like this? This one is exceptionally neat for me, it is usuall scribbled all over the pattern but that can get confusing the next time you want to use the pattern!

Don't forget Thursday's regular My Creative Space at Kootoyoo.

My Creative Space ...

... is really not very exciting this week. To be honest, I can't see it being very exciting for a while.

I've just been chip chip chipping away at the cardigan for Archie's baptism. I've got about three weeks to get it done. Now, I'm one that normally works best under pressure but I'm starting to get nervous. I've completed the back and left front and I'm halfway through the right front.

So, only 1/2 a front side, two sleeves, front and neck bands,two buttons and all the seaming up to do. In three weeks. Yep, not much pressure!

For some less-stressed creative spaces visit Kootoyoo!

Edit: I just remembered that Kirsty is on hols, lucky thing! I hope you head over and have a wander through her space anyway!

My Creative Space

I'm a bit late with my post today, I had a killer (I'm assuming) migraine this morning. Awful headache and very nauseous. Thankfully the boys both had a sleep today (a rarity in this house) so I had a rest on the lounge with my book and am feeling much better, still a bit of a lingering headache though!

Well the slippers are all done and will be in the post tomorrow so now I'm onto my next project!

I'm working on a short sleeve cardigan type thing for myself! I've never knitted anything for myself before so this is very exciting! Archie's Baptism is coming up in a month or so and the dress I've chosen to wear is a bit, how should I say it, revealing in the boob department! It also shows off a fair bit of upper arm and they're not in the best shape. :)

It is by far the biggest project I've undertaken so there is a very real possibility it won't be ready in time for the Baptism. The bottom section is double moss stitch and the top and sleeves are in an eyelet stitch so it's not overly difficult, just the time consumingness of knitting! I'm doing it in black and the buttons are round, white and mother-of-pearly.

If it's not ready I just suppose I'll have to be all boobie and flabby armie!

Don't forget to visit the other creative spaces today!

My Creative Space

I'm so happy to report that our first Craft Circle went really well! We had two knitters, two sewers, a knitter that became a sewer after she saw the amazing things being created and one lady who sat nursing her sleeping baby because he wouldn't let her leave the house without him. I was so pleased she even came, when Archie was at that stage (he's only just grown out of it mind you) I was too scared to leave the house! It was a lovely night, we chatted craft, sewing, knitting, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, parenting, schooling, husbands, the election. You know, all those things women talk about when they're together, uninterrupted by children! We're still working out the details on where and how often we'll get together, but I'm pretty sure some people are coming round to mine tonight.

I've finished these slippers and have started work on the next pair, a gift for a friend's birthday next week. In my true style, I've left it until the last minute and am having to adjust the pattern because the pattern is sized US 7-9 and they're pretty big. I hope now this pair won't be too small! If they are I'll have to dash off to Lincraft and buy another two lots of needles to make an in-between pair.

Elliot too has been creating! Taking a page from his Mum's book he's been "knitting" something for Daddy. Even though his "knitting" is more like putting-the-needles-into-some-wool-and-moving-them-around-a-bit-ing the sentiment is there and that is the main thing. He's been asking me on and off over the past week or so to teach him to knit but I'm just not sure he's got the fine motor skills, I mean, he's three! Maybe we could work on a project together.

 All his supplies packed into the boot of his car, ready to go around to his 'home' on the verandah and get knitting.

Sitting at his 'home' on the verandah deep in concentration. Archie and the car are in the garage.

Any suggestions for a three year old interested in knitting?

Don't forget to visit the other creations at Kootoyoo!

My Creative Space

Today is a very exciting day for me because tonight is ... wait for it ... our first ever "Craft Circle"!!!!!

Over the past few months I've developed a lovely circle of womenfolk, most of whom are crafty or want to be. After talking about starting a formal 'craft time' last week I decided to take the plunge and really get things happening! So tonight is the night! We decided evenings would be better because the children would be asleep, therefore less distracting, plus we could legitimately indulge in wine and dessert! Bliss! In fact the catalyst for these nights was a lovely night a friend and I had one Saturday evening when she came around for a knitting lesson and brought the most decadent chocolate mousse!

Anyway, there should be about 7 or 8 of us which I'm sure will make for an enjoyable evening! Some are knitters, some are crocheters, some are sewers and some are beginner knitters! One lady is even bringing a lino tile that she is designing on. I'm so excited to learn new skills and share my (somewhat limited) skills too.

As well as this, My Creative Space today is continuing on these slippers I've made as a bit of a prototype. I tend to practise on cheaper wool when projects contain new elements, just in case I stuff it up massively. I want to make another pair of these (in decent wool) for a friend's birthday coming up. Luckily for me they're really quick to knit up. I did the first one in a couple of days, so could easily whip up a pair in a week.

I'm really happy with how they've turned out! It's been a steep learning curve because I've never knitted in the round before, nor have I knitted an attached I-Cord. Both went off without a hitch I'm pleased to say! I can also say it was a pleasure to not have to sew seams at the end of the project. That is definitely my least favourite part of knitting!

 One more thing for those mums reading, I should have listened to that Mother's Instinct when things were too quiet yesterday. Elliot and I were on the verandah. He was doing puzzles, I was knitting. I thought Archie was inside playing in El's room. I thought I'd better go and check, just in case. This is what I found:

I knew it was too quiet! I just relieved he didn't put it in the toilet!

Head over to Kootoyoo to check out what some others are creating!

Happy creations!!!

My new new project

I'd love to be crafty, but I just can't be bothered. I don't have the patience for scrapbooking, the knack of sewing, the talent for painting or drawing or pottery. So, I knit.

I started when I was pregnant with Elliot. I knitted a little matinee jacket in lovely pale yellow (we didn't find out the gender of either baby until they were born). And in true 'me' fashion I never finished it. My mum is a good knitter (though she rarely knits, only when babies are about!) and she made a couple of much nicer matching sets of booties, jacket and wee little hat. So he wore them a couple of times and then within a couple of weeks they didn't fit because he'd turned into the Michelin baby!

I started using cloth nappies when he was about 5 months old. I always wanted to use cloth nappies but got talked out of it by everyone (why would I want to make all that extra work for myself?). Once Elliot was born I thought I'd give myself time to get over the c-section before venturing into the wide new world of cloth nappies. I started off with the old school terry flats and pilchers but after a week of horrible plastic pilchers I started looking around on-line for some alternatives for waterproofing. And I found wool! Sounds insane, but it works! I got out the old knitting needles and gave it a go!

Woollen covers only work if they are made from pure wool. A blend of no more than 30% acrylic will still work, but the more wool the better. The woollen pants absorb the wee and evaporate it away. Despite being made from pure wool, soakers, shorties and longies are incredibly easy to use because they only need to be washed and lanolised every 6-8 weeks depending on how much they are used. Obviously if they are dirty ie toddler food messes or those delightful poo-plosions they need to be washed more frequently. It is such a simple process too, and in a week or two I'll take some pics of the process in another post.

Getting started on Archie's brand new, never worn by anyone else longies.

My first couple of pairs were a soaker style, and I quickly realised they were ok, but not what I was after. I wanted something that El could wear out as shorts with a t-shirt, and I quickly found this easy and cute pattern for little shorties. The pattern is basic, so it is so easy to customise with stripes, different cuff and body colours, patterns within the knitting etc. The pattern was also really easy to customise into longies too! Awesome!

I've since found a great pattern for longies that is made by knitting two identical pieces and sewing them up the middle. The only copy I have though I hand wrote from the net somewhere and now I can't find the link! Oops! One should always bookmark anything of interest!

I've been feeling like I've been neglecting Archie a bit lately, he has so few new clothes (Elliot just got an entire wardrobe full of the next size up) and I've not knitted anything just for him. I recently found this pair of longies I made for Elliot but he never wore them because they were too small, so he's been wearing them. But it's not the same, poor wee man.

He's such a happy little man, he obviously loves his hand-me-down longies!

So I'm putting aside my previously posted about shrug for myself and I'm going to concentrate on making him a few pairs of longies to wear over winter, and maybe some matching hats/beanies too!



The Australian Nappy Network has heaps of info on cloth nappies. Can you tell I love cloth nappies?

My new project ...

I don't really have the energy or inclination for a big post tonight, but thought I'd share the project that I want to get onto next! A lovely cabled shrug for myself for next Autumn/Winter. I found some lovely soft creamy/beigey coloured wool that I'm pretty sure would look lovely. I'm aiming for next year because then if I finish it early I'll be ahead of schedule! I'm also very good at starting projects and not finishing them so I'm hoping that by giving myself plenty of time I won't get too over-enthused at the start and then burn out.

I also have a few other knitting projects I want to get done, a couple of new pairs of longies for Archie for winter (I'd really better get cracking!) and finishing off a vest I started last year for Elliot that is still not finished. I'll probably have that one done in time for Archie to be in size 2's!