it's nice, different, unusual...

Have been dying to post pictures of a couple of projects that I completed this week!
Firstly, remember I told you about a new project involving size 25mm needles?
Well, it's finished.... and I love it!

Mavis is seen here modelling my new top...
I am going to wear it over a purple skivvy with jeans, or maybe over leggings, depending on how cold it gets! I just love the colours and the pics really don't do it justice.

The loose knit means it will drop and that is a good thing as I am always keen to cover my butt!
I am also thinking of putting a wide belt around it, just for something different!

I will try to get a piccy of me wearing it over the next couple of days!
The second project that I finished is this gorgeous little handbag...

I am so pleased with how this bag turned out!
I used 1 ball of 'big wool' by Lincraft for the bag and about 1/3 ball of some 12 ply leftover I had lying around, for the handle. It only took me a couple of hours.
Love it!
Let me know if you would like the pattern...
Have a lovely weekend xx



pretty in pink

Being caught in the midst of a very rainy long weekend, gave me the perfect opportunity to get stuck in to some projects I have been putting off through lack of time and also to finish off a few things that had been giving me the beady eye...

 My niece Melanie lives in the Blue Mountains and has two beautiful little girls aged 2 and 3 months. These days you can buy childrens clothes so cheaply at places like kmart, big W target, best and less...to name a few, but they don't last like home made things and as I have said before, little kids love to get a mysterious parcel in the mail!
Remember last week's post about the pretty little silky scarves I sent down to my little great-nieces in Canberra?
Well, I am happy to report that they haven't taken them off and my niece tells me they are writing me a letter to thank me! I can't wait to read it...


I picked up some lovely 8 ply pure wool on sale about a month ago. On the back of the label was an interesting pattern for a child's beanie which incorporated a turned up brim and featured a simple fisherman's rib pattern (by who's standard...).... so yesterday I hooked into it...
It looked easier that it actually was and at one point the Husband became quite concerned as I fiercely fossicked through my basket of knitting needles, looking for a very fine needle to pick up the stitches 8 rows down and when I was knitting with 3 needles, even Saffy the cat took off....

Now being the stubborn person that I am, I was not about to let it beat me, so I persisted with it and finished it!

You just can't beat pure wool! The beanie is very stretchy and thick, so when little Emily has outgrown it, it should still be good for her little sister Clare to wear.

Meanwhile, I am almost finished another project that I mentioned in an earlier post, using huge 25mm needles....

I should have some pics later today if my eyesight holds out...

have a beautiful day xxx

crafty girl: better than watching tv!

crafty girl: better than watching tv!: "Well, rather than sprawling out on the lounge today with the knitting, I thought I might have a go at making a top with some knitted fabric..."

better than watching tv!

Well, rather than sprawling out on the lounge today with the knitting, I thought I might have a go at making a  top with some knitted fabric.
The basic idea was to make a top to go over a skivvy or high neck jumper, but something long enough to wear with leggings and boots...



the fabric was very difficult to work with...



the fabric itself was very difficult to work with as being knitted, it just wanted to pull and unravel. So there was a lot of overlocking of every edge and twin needles were necessary.

Pressing it also proved to be a nightmare as the cool setting on the iron wasn't hot enough to get rid of the pesky wrinkles, but any hotter and ....sizzle...sizzle...

thank goodness for a pressing cloth...

On another topic, I made (yet another) scarf on Thursday night. It is in lovely brown tones and amazingly matches the top I just made....hmmm... me accessorising !  who would have thought!

Now I think I will sprawl out in front of the idiot box with my next knitting project...to give you a hint, I am using 25mm needles, so expect something BIG...

Enjoy the rest of the long weekend xx

wrapped in love

I am so glad I started my knitting season early this year!
With an ever expanding family, there are a lot of very cold necks and heads, I can tell you!
This week I turned my attention to my two little great-nieces who live down in Canberra.
These delightful little girls are lucky enough to have a french/English heritage.
My niece Nanette is married to a gorgeous Frenchman who only speaks french to his daughters, so they are lucky enough to be growing up learning two languages!
It comes perfectly natural to them and they are able to switch between English and french as it suits them!
These little girls have wonderful imaginations and spend endless hours playing games like dress ups, as only little girls can...
Seeing as how the winter is really starting to set in here on the coast, I can only imagine how cold it must be inland...and Canberra can be icy this time of year.
so I set about knitting up two more of those lovely silk like scarves that I made for the Husband's nieces.
I finished them last night and posted them off today. There is something magical about receiving a mystery parcel...

I just love the colours and textures of this wool. It is perfect for these two little girls! Although, I do have to admit that I wouldn't mind one for myself....

matching set

Just a quick post tonight as I have so much to do and my eyes are giving me all kinds of grief today so staring at the computer screen is not doing them any good at all!
My great-nephew Nathan turned 12 on Monday! He is a big rugby league fan, so knowing that he is a huge fan of the Eels (Parramatta for us oldies!) I decided to knit him a matching scarf and beanie in the team colours of blue and yellow... Hope he likes it!

I also had enough time this week to make a black and white scarf for my niece, Jesse. I posted it off today, along with a birthday present for my sister.

I just love posting off parcels... I always like to imagine a big smile on the recipient"s face when they receive it....

hope you all have a lovely weekend  xxx