Craft City Melbourne

What a brilliant idea, I LOVE Craft City Melbourne! Go Gemma, go Pip. Another to add to the blogroll, I dare say.

Pattern, patterns everywhere

I have been obsessed with lino floor patterns and tiny old tiles for a long time, but I can't stop seeing patterns everywhere.


Things in the real world are so much better than things on the computer screen - they've got scratches and rubbed off bits and lots of character.

Stitching

The other day I realised how long it had been since I'd done any follow-up stitching since my attempt at a Mike's craft night ages back ... and in the same thought an idea for what I could stitch popped into my head. So with my Clover iron-on transfer pencil in hand, I got to work and days later here it is. Do you think I've been spending too much time in the kitchen? Hmm.

Think I've said this too many times before, but when you work on computer it's sometimes difficult to adjust to the fact that things in "real life" can't be undone so easily, but that's part of the charm of handmade stuff, of course. Therefore wonkiness=charming.

Speaking of wonky, here's my final batch of pottery (for now at least), fresh from the kiln. Not that you can tell from this snap, but the one on the far left is a jug and the rest are about the size of a mug.

Nature

My sporting superhero partner and I had the pleasure of spending the weekend out of town, due to his desire to participate in a half marathon. Each to his own I guess, but you'd never catch me running at all, let alone running for 23km! I'd probably die.

Anyway, once that part was out of the way we got to hang out in Apollo Bay and surrounds, which is not a bad place to be in near-winter conditions (howling wind, lots of rain etc). And with a pot-belly fire at the place we stayed, it was all rather lovely (yes, there was also lots of obsessive knitting going on in front of the fire).

Also got to go on some walks, seeing lots of great things including wild mushrooms (yes, those are bite marks in the top left mushroom!) and more excellent leaves. What a great time of year autumn/fall is.

Knitting and walking

I have a rare day off today (rare at the moment, anyway) so took the opportunity to go for a bit of a walk, as it's quite nice weather - sunny and kind of spring-like, even though it's almost winter. I took some photos, too, something which I don't seem to have done much of lately for whatever reason (too much bike commuting, not enough strolling, probably).

Also took photos of the knitting mentioned in the previous post - the top one is the work in progress - a curled up, skinny, knit/purl scarf using wool I got a little while back, and below that is the completed knit/knit scarf. They are both so easy to knit but it still seems to take me forever to complete!

Autumn Tree

Have been addicted to knitting lately, and have completed one scarf, and another is 1/3 complete. Think the addiction has something to do with the chilly autumnal weather, which inspired the collage tree below. There are so many great coloured leaves around, I can't stop collecting them (another addiction).

OK, time to wake up ... here I come, coffee.

Birds on boxes

Have been organising, cleaning, culling and doing other spring-like things lately. Odd, as it's virtually winter (and rather cold) here. One of the things I've been putting off for ages is re-covering a small but sturdy box that once held fancy mint chocolates (like After Dinner Mints but even fancier). So that's one of the things I got to cross off my list of to-dos yesterday. The paper is from Zetta Florence and the box has already put to good use, holding various little note books.



Speaking of being organised, my current desktop wallpaper might just inspire more orderliness, also created yesterday in a flurry of computer-based organising.

It's Anzac Day, part II

What better way to spend the afternoon than trying to figure out how to make a much needed pin cushion, and one which you've decided must be square (thanks to this sticking in my mind from when I first saw it.)

It took a few shots to get it right (ie: actually square - well, almost square) but it seemed to work out OK in the end, and has been put to use already. And now it's dark outside and it's not even 6pm - darn the fact that the days are getting shorter.

Oh, and the fabric is a mix of a couple of brilliant Aunty Cookie designs, that just happen to be printed in the same colour ink and with the same basecloth (totally matching). The bottom is a woolen felt, a mottled grey (my fave, not that you can actually see it!).

It's Anzac Day

Finally finished a batch of elephants, here are the last two. Not a bad way to spend a public holiday morning, but now it's definitely time for a coffee.


And I got these the other day:

Saw them when in Tassie earlier this year (they're made from Tasmanian wood, I believe), but failed to buy them and have regretted it ever since. Fortunately Wilkins and Kent - which is a little closer to home - also stocks them. It'll be nice to knit with wooden needles, which I've never tried before. And, of course, the polka dots rock.

Land of softies

Had the urge to make some mini-softies yesterday, inspired by some Auntie Cookie fabric I got recently, and some old screen printing of mine that I found. Welcome to the land of mini softies, it looks like a fun place to be. These guys are small (think: pin cushion size), and backed with polka dotted fabric.

And this is Elephant #34, made from some lovely Japanese 'letters, numbers and keys' fabric from a recent fabric shopping expedition.

Potting and poaching

OK, so the reason I starting this blog in the first place was to kinda document the sewing/printing I was doing, so I didn't forget it all. I don't seem to have done any of that for ages and ages (or not much, anyway) - I wonder if that's because I spend too much time doing other things, like poaching delicious seasonal fruit (this time: helllo quinces) and working on my new-found love of pottery. Hmm.

Wool wool wool

Last weekend I went along to the open day of Fibre Red in Fitzroy, home to lovely handmade knitted clothing. The studio is amazing, as you can see below, and along with a skirt I picked up some more wool. Love the colour, it might end up as a scarf and arm warmers.


Another elephant also made an appearance over the weekend. Love the polka dots.

New & old

Elephant #32

Elephant #33

These are made with lovely Aunty Cookie fabric & polka dot ears (top) and delightful Lotta Jansdotta fabric (bottom) and I don't think they're going anywhere in a hurry as I want to keep them!

Now I need to get onto some orders, to be made with recent purchases from Patchwork on Central Park, just about the best shop ever.


And I recently found this tea towel I made, stashed away with a heap of other stuff. It serves as a good reminder that I need to get on to doing more screen printing. It's messy, yes, and things go wrong, yes, but it's darn fun. Now just need to find some good cotton, non-drill &/or linen fabric to print onto - no easy task, I'm sure, based on previous searches.

Pottering around

Finally got some of my pottery back with its final glaze. I like it it all its wonky glory and have already put it to use.


And I am happy to announce that after conking out a while back, my old and trusty sewing machine has been nursed back to life and given a good service. I'm happy with that - it means I don't, yet, have to venture into the world of new sewing machines, with there fancy menus and plasticness (mine is all metal and ox-like).

In celebration I figured it was time to venture into the world of patchworking, and below is what I came up with last week - a pot holder courtesy of the Lotta Jansdotter pattern from her Simple Sewing book. The best part was picking fabrics that work together - I used a heavy cotton for the main bit (blue and white), a lighter cotton (polka dots), a woolen felt (grey) and the hang tag is grey linen.

Thrifting finds

Went to the Camberwell Market on Sunday for the first time in ages. I'd forgotten how fun (and big) it is. I had to stop myself from buying more, but got these lovely small things.


And Scarlett finally got her bunny on the weekend. How cute (and tiny) is she? Yep, that bunny ain't big but it sure does look that way next to her.