A Long Overdue Post

Long time no post. I have a very active toddler and are pregnant with our second, leaving little time for anything for myself. I have been trying to squeeze some craft into my life. Mainly a bit of knitting and some crochet. I am desperate to complete some sewing, especially as I brought a new sewing machine in August (and it's still in the box, ahem).

Last year I failed my self imposed challenge of completing a UFO per month. My mum did a fantastic job with her UFO's. She finished quilts, unlike me who tried to claim changing buttons as completing a UFO.

I did finish a few small projects last year and continued with a few longer term ones. Bellow is a wrap up of all the photos I planned to post but never got around to in 2011.

Wool from the Bendigo woolen mills

My purchases from the Bendigo sheep and wool show

Purchases from the craft fair

Now not so new craft books

Beanie for my friends daughter

Jumper for my little man (too small for him when I finished it, from now on I will complete a tension square)

Crochet squares for a baby blanket, it's a slow process

Skirt For Me

I finished this skirt a while ago, but I hadn't got round to photographing it. The fabric was from spotlight and the skirt pattern is from Weekend Sewing, by Heather Ross. I like the pattern, but would make the ties longer next time. I also added a button to hold it all together when I wear it. I dont trust wrap arround skirts. No one needs to see my knickers. So here it is. Better late than never!

 

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Marathon Effort for the 2013 Beanie Festival

When March arrived and I hadn't made a single beanie for the beanie festival, I had pretty much decided that I was not going to send any this year. Then my swing tags arrived. Needless to say, 2 and a bit months later, with slightly sore hands and hardly any UFO's completed, 10 crocheted beanies were completed. I am pleased with my beanies. I tried to make them fun and funky.

Here they are...

10 Beanies finished, phew!

Poppy

Curly Whirlybird

Mavis

Glamour

Daffy

Hoot

Sorbet Colours

Flowers

Panda Bear

Flamingo

I posted them off to Alice Springs. I hope someone likes them enough to buy them.

 

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Thrifty Crafting

A few weeks ago mum and I went to the op shop. This is what I found. The red t-shirt I plan to cut up to make yarn and turn into some new dish cloths. The Bendigo wool was only $1.99. Bargain!

Total spend $9.95. Awesome!

 

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2013 UFO Challenge - April Completed

Another late post for the 2013 UFO challenge and another poor effort for the month. I still have been madly working on beanies to send to the beanie festival. I have one more to complete. My UFO finish for the month didn't even get photographed. This month I finished the chair covers for school.

The March project summary:

UFO's completed: 1/2.

New projects started - beanies, beanies and more beanies.

Total projects completed - 6 1/2, 1/2 a UFO and 6 beanies.

I am glad that I have made the effort to make beanies to sent to the beanie festive, but I am looking forward to working on something else when I finish the last one.

 

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2013 UFO Challenge - March Completed

Another late post for the 2013 UFO challenge and a poor effort for the month. I have been madly working on beanies to send to the beanie festival and knitting warm jackets for my baby boy. Well, that's my excuse anyway (also i am having trouble getting into my sewing room at the moment as it has turned into the place where I put everything that doesn't have a home). My finish for January fits into the rules, just! After I said to my mum that she could not frame my embroidery from last month and call it her finish, I feel a bit guilty about this one. I completed this jacket a couple of years ago, the buttons I chose for it were completely impractical. So my finish was changing the buttons so it can be used now. 

The March project summary:
UFO's completed - 1
New projects started - 6 (5 beanies and a baby jumper, oh dear!)
Total projects completed - 5, 1 UFO, 3 beanies started last month and a baby jacket
Next month I would like to finish some of the sewing projects in the UFO pile. Wish me luck, my track record so far is not so good.

Knitted Cotton Jacket

Hot off the needles this week is a cotton knitted jacket. I had the red cotton in my stash. It was destined for a shawl for me, but I find knitting children's clothes more motivating. The pattern is from Debbie Bliss' 'Baby Knits for Beginners.' This is a fantastic book full of really useful and lovely patterns. I enjoyed knitting this jacket and it has already been used. 

I picked up the buttons at my local wool shop. I love them. In order to use them I needed to remodel the button hole slightly to accommodate the larger button. Red is such a hard colour to match, but these buttons work really well.

I have already started another knit for my baby, which is not in keeping with my self imposed challenge to completed already started projects this year. Oh well whats life without a little variety, happy knitting.

First Bithday

Late in January was my baby boy's first birthday. We had a fantastic day celebrating with our families. I made him a few home made goodies. First a birthday crown made out of some cross stitch and some wool felt. It was inspired by the ones that Soule Mama makes. I hope that he will wear it for may birthdays to come. I also made him a cross stitched card and I hope to make one of these for every birthday.

 

Finally was the number 1 cake form the women's weekly children's cookbook. Everyone of my age group I know loves this book as we all used to look through the pages imagining what birthday cake we would ask for come our next birthday.

I have already started thinking about what cake I will make him for his second birthday. Happy birthday beautiful little man. xxx

2013 UFO Challenge - February Completed

I've also left Februarys UFO post till the last minute. I finished 1 UFO's this month. I nearly did not get there this time. I've been a bit naughty, stating 4 projects (and not finishing any of these, ahem).

I finished a small embroidery for my mum. She was given this as a present and asked me to complete it for her. I stared it last January and had only finished one of the leaves. It's a small project, but it's still a finish.


The February project summary:
UFO's completed - 1
New projects started - 4
Total projects completed - 1
Terrible effort this month. Have added 4 new UFO's to the pile. Must try to be better next month.

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Shepherd's Bush Christmas Stocking

Just before Christmas I finished the Thomas Stocking by Shepherd's Bush for my little ones first Christmas.

I loved this project and I am very pleased with the results. I now want to make one for my husband and for me.

2013 UFO Challenge - January Completed

Ive left January's UFO post till the last minute. But I did it. I finished 1 and a half UFO's this month.
The first one is a vest for my bubba. I'm not sure it will still fit come winter. Although he may be wearing it tomorrow as its only surpassed to be 19 degrees here. The wool is some that I got at last years craft fair.

The second project is the half. I was asked to make some curtains and chair covers for school. I have finished the curtains.

This month I have also finished a couple of new projects. I will show you those in the next few days.

The January project summary:
UFO's completed - 1 and a half
New projects started - 3
Total projects completed - 3 and a half
Not a bad effort. Now to decide what UFO's to complete next month.

Challenge Extended

I have been meaning to write this post all month. Time is moving to fast for me to keep up with at the moment. After Christmas I as thinking about new years resolutions and the large pile of UFO's I have. I said to my mum (over at The Witch on the Barn, who also has a substantial pile of UFO's) we should aim to complete one UFO a month and post about them on our blogs.

Rules...
1. UFO must have been started in 2012 or before.
2. The size, type and how much work is required to complete the UFO is irrelevant. It's about finishing things.
3. When the UFO is completed post about it and then complete a monthly tally of UFO's and other completed projects.
Come and join us in the 2013 UFO challenge. The more we finish the more we can start (and that means new supplies)!


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(Image is free clip art, found on google).

Another Family Wedding

On the weekend my other brother got married. It was a beautiful garden wedding and reception. It was the third family wedding in 2 years and it was such fun. I made them a wedding keepsake. I made this one red as this is the color that reminds me of them.

Congratulations beautiful people.
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