New Year

well here we are again, another year has flown by
tomorrow its back to work for me Grrr..... i just dont want to work there {bad pay, bad conditions, Bad employers} really new a new job.

the last week & a half i have been pretty productive, it all started with trying to finish off some of the many projects i have on the go......... i did manage to get a whole stack of knitted squares sewn together into a blanket now i just need to give it a crocheted edge.



after that i ditched the half finished projects to start on some new stuff
first up were a couple of tops, the pattern i purchased in Feb last year
its a Simplicity #3835. these tops are so easy to make, however if you have a big bust you will need to adjust the pattern.
i like the colours in this fabric, its a really soft cotton so falls nice
this one is made from a sheet i purchased from Vinnies {cleaned them out of sheets to use as drop cloths over my furniture, when we were doing the kitchen. more projects to come using sheets.} it is very soft from years of washing.

the next 3 items i made come from a Simplicity pattern #4595
i have used the pattern before, when i made an orange short skirt to go over jeans {view E}
i used view D for all three but altered them slightly.


the first one i followed the pattern, the fabric is a cheese cloth, so really light & summery
i added a bright red lace to the bottom hem
the second & longer one using the same cloth also view D but i added 2 of the second section & added another 3 inches to is length so it would also gather & another 5 inches to the bottom frill. i did not hem the bottom as i used the selvage edge.


Skirt # 3 also view D, used cotton fabric & again added the lace to the bottom.

lov the skull & cherry fabric
all 3 skirts had a petticoat added, the black one didnt need it but i like to have one anyway
the pattern for the petticoat is from Kwik Sew View C . so easy to make only uses to pieces.
the petticoat is sewn into the skirt before the waist band is done.

back to that same sheet i used to make the top, i made 2 aprons. the one below is a double sided apron, on the other side i used a yellow sheet. the reason it is double sided is because the fabric is just a little to thin on is own to use as an apron. most spills & what not would soak through pretty quick, making a mess of what ever i am wearing. also made one out of black & white ticking for work.

been watching lots of TV shows & movies, staying up late. so while i was doing that i was also crocheting dishcloths. these are sooo much quicker than the knitted ones i make. i used a 20% cotton 80% bamboo mix. they are really soft, would make better face washers. i must say i prefer to use the 100% cotton as its easier to work with, the mixed ones dont stay twisted like the cotton.


the Phoebe Bag comes from artsy crafty babe blog
http://artsycraftybabe.typepad.com/
i purchased this green fabric form the furnishing section, its pretty thick, sort of like a canvas
i didnt add the flap & clasp. lined it with a cotton Cherry fabric & it has 4 pockets in total
it is very cute


Green really does make me happy so a green work bag might make going to hell [work] a little better. for both bags i used iron on interfacing.




the work bag has a hard plastic bottom inside a fabric slip so it can be removed to wash the bag, it also has 7 pockets. why 7 you might ask? well thats how many i needed.

Blogtoberfest day 10 & 11

well the food got made & frozen the walls sanded & another coat of plaster put on & my floor has one coat of varnish & it looks so silky while all this was going on A & S were up at Silverdale shooting range S did really well, you should see his Target sheet

last night after my shower i sat on the couch & started the washer for a friends B'day next week
she is a purple fan so i will make 2 purple & white face washers using the using the Waffle Weave knit pattern & some handmade soap to go with them

Waffle Knit Dishcloth from Homespun Living

i use 8ply cotton crochet & knitting yarn; additional yarn for colored stripe, if desired.
Size 4 1/2mm needles

Directions:

Cast on 38 stitches.
Knit 3 rows for border.

Row 1: (right side): Knit.

Row 2: K 3, purl to last 3 stitches, k 3.

Row 3: K 3, (P 2, k 1) 10 times, p 2, k 3.

Row 4: K 3, (K 2, p 1) 10 times, k 5.

Repeat these 4 rows, 6 times. If a colored center stripe is desired, change yarn now and work rows 1 – 4, 2 times in desired color.
Change back to main color and work the 4 row pattern, 6 times.

Knit last 4 rows.
Cast off and weave in ends.


this was all i did before putting it down to fall asleep on the couch in front of the fire.

today is all about my knitting, watching movies, green tea & someone else making tea tonight

Day 12- Swaps & Paint

The Weather Forecast
warm & sunny { oh where did the rain go}


i went out into the garden this morning to find this
Grrr bad bad bad possum has found my peas


i also had another visitor today, the very sweet Jacqui from over at http://www.lifeinthedome.blogspot.com/
popped in for a chat, a bad cup of tea {what can i say im not a very good cupper maker} & a swap.
i knitted these dishcloths for Jacqui & in return i got 3 native plants {i think i got the better deal}



put a coat of paint on the new chicken run gate, nesting box & ramp
fingers Xed that ill be picking up some chickies this weekend

Waffle Knit Dishcloth

here is the pattern for the dishcloths i made, it came from the Homespun Living Blog

Waffle Knit Dishcloth
from Homespun Living

i use 8ply cotton crochet & knitting yarn; additional yarn for colored stripe, if desired.
Size 4 1/2mm needles

Directions:

Cast on 38 stitches.
Knit 3 rows for border.

Row 1: (right side): Knit.

Row 2: K 3, purl to last 3 stitches, k 3.

Row 3: K 3, (P 2, k 1) 10 times, p 2, k 3.

Row 4: K 3, (K 2, p 1) 10 times, k 5.

Repeat these 4 rows, 6 times. If a colored center stripe is desired, change yarn now and work rows 1 – 4, 2 times in desired color.
Change back to main color and work the 4 row pattern, 6 times.

Knit last 4 rows.
Cast off and weave in ends.

spring update

the rain disappeared after 3 days & now we are back to the warm spring weather again. Ive been sick since Wednesday with the flu, today I'm starting to feel like myself again except for the runny nose & the hacking cough I'm just peachy.
yesterday afternoon i decided to do a bit of spring cleaning. i dragged down all the bowls, jugs, canisters & other kitchen items from up on top of the cabinets. don't ya just hate the sticky dust that forms in kitchens. I'm pretty bad i usually only clean them every 6 months or so, or if i need to use something. everything was washed dried & rearranged back on the top by about 6.30pm just in time to sit down to tea {chicken legs, baked potatoes, peas & gravy}.


i also took down the autumn/winter wreath from the front door & made a spring bush one. don't know how long it will last, just giving it a mist spray every
morning.


some bush flowers for the kitchen
on the dish cloth front i have finished 5, i am a lot quicker at knitting them now & i don't even need to look at the pattern any more. i found this waffle weave pattern at homespun living blog http://homespunliving.blogspot.com
i lov how they have turned out. i have purchased a few other colours so i will continue on until i am sick of making them or the weather gets too hot.

On Saturday i went into spotlight to get some flannelet & a pattern for some Pjs, they had a buy 1 pattern get 1 free, so i also got an apron pattern {3 half aprons & 2 full aprons}.
Pj pants are on my to do list this week all my old ones are on their last legs LOL.

Baking Sunday* White Choc chunk biscuits * ANZAC * left over cake * & a new old item was Short bread haven't made this in maybe 10 years so it on the new item list.

the Radish & Cabbage that i planted on the 25th Aug, emerged from the soil on the weekend, i think it had something to do with all that rain we had. Praise to the rain gods :o)



Radish Shoots

Pea Flowers


Silverbeet

i was asked to see a pic of the 70s quilt on the bed so here it is.




Working on List/To Do List
Floor Rug* 14 colours down
Knitted Dish Cloths*5 Patchwork Quilt* still about the 1/2 way mark on the top stitching Cross Stitch* still on the list
Hen House* the end is in sight
Pj Bottoms*mmm Red flannel with White spots
Apron*

Finishing Line/ Spring Time

Ah Spring Time again. i lov lov lov winter, the cold crisp mornings, putting on my scarf & gum boots to work in the garden, i will miss these things & many more when we head into the warmer weather of late spring & summer.
as i am new to this simpler life {gardening & such } i am now looking forward to the spring planting & the arrival of chickens, it is going to be a fun summer. there are how ever 2 things i hate about the summer & that is the HOT weather, i dont do well in the heat & the other is snakes, we back onto National Park so lots of bush.

on Saturday we went to the Gardening Australia Expo at Homebush
i was disappointed with most of it. i wanted to come home with a couple of Apple Trees, a Raspberry, Blackberry, Loganberry, some knee pads & a couple of other things, but alas it was not to be, not one of the items on my list were there. if i wanted water tanks or astro turf i would have been set. we did come home with some Lemon Myrtle products, the hand cream & soap smell just Devinne & my hands haven't been this soft in years. also picked up 3 of those rubbery buckets with the 2 handles, 1 is now in the kitchen for the recycling & the other 2 i will use in the garden.
we didn't get a chance to watch any of the talks as there were just too many people but i understand that Peters talk was great. he is a very nice man & he has forgotten more than i will ever know about gardening { i met him when we lived in Tassie, we had a great chat one afternoon in his veggie patch after they had filmed one of his segments}.
this was the first time we had gone to the show & i don't think i will be going next year,not as many things as i was hoping for & the $17 each was a bit steep. my SIL said they didn't have as many things as they had had in previous years.


the finish line is in sight, if the weather is fine this weekend the Hen House will be finished ready for some cluckers.

Red Door & Floor


my queen sized 70s blanket is now finished Woo Hoo
the colours are much brighter in real life, that light colour is green.

so i started a new project on Friday, knitted dish cloths i have already finished 2 i would have finished at least 3 more but i keep dropping stitches or i get interrupted & do the wrong stitches & as im no good at fixing my mistakes i have to unravel the lot & start again.
ill put up some pics next time & a link to the pattern

Working on List
Knitted Dish Cloths {2 down}
Patchwork Quilt {1/2 way through the top stitching}
Floor Rug {10 colours in & many more to go}
Advance Australia Cross-Stitch {just the wording to stitch}
Hen House {on the home stretch}
70s Blanket {Finished}

i was asked about the Hens that i want to get so here is the list:
Rhode Island Red
New Hampshire
Barnevelders
Light Sussex
Silver Laced Wyandotte
the reason i have chosen these breeds is for their egg production & their meat.
i am how ever having a hard time finding them.