Would you believe it.........

In my last post I was preparing for the dentist.  That appointment was post poned because the dentist didn't get here until after my appointment, so I'm off to see him today.  (I know this because the flight has just gone over).

I was hoping to post pictures of my craft stand AND my wool - said wool has still not arrived & I get really anxious waiting for things in the post (I thought it should have been here last Friday).

So, at least I can show you the craft stand.....

I've attached the clip on magnifier (and the white thing is it's cover - just in case the sun gets on it).  Works very well & I've resumed working on the Family Tree cross stitch.  The stand was fun to put together - probably should have videod it - haha. 

Queen Anne's Lace

The little scarf above is Queen Annes Lace - I spotted this on A Spoonful of Sugar (http://www.aspoonfulofsugardesigns.com/2011/05/queen-annes-lace.html) and just had to get the instructions.  I've done another one since - just nice little neck warmers without looking like the Michelin Man (or should that be woman) with a big clunky scarf.   This Scarf was done in Bendigo wool Rustic 8ply with a 4mm hook - matches my recent cardigan.  I think when I do my next cardigan, I'll do one of these to match - be a nice touch - that is when my wool gets here.

Wish me luck for today at the dentist..........

Enjoy your week.....

~Karen~



yet more crochet.........

Multi colour 3 ply

Little red riding hood - in 3 ply

8 ply blanket

Have to admit it, I've been enjoying creating these little jackets & boots.  The jacket & hat pattern is from book 3 called Layettes, by Ruth Layfon Blythe & the boots from a Craft Moods publication, available from crochet Australia.  All are done in 3 ply.  Now the hat is a hybrid of the book pattern, because I thought that some shaping in the back would look better & hopefully fit better.  The rug is in 8 ply acrylic & modified from a design in Crochet! mazagine.  The red wool has been around since the 1980's and finally crocheted up and was in the inherited baby yarn.

I've been wanting to buy a floor frame for a while now, so finally took the plunge, and from the Fox Collection ordered a frame to put my larger cross stitch frames into.  Can't wait for it to get here & then I may get back to the Family tree cross stitch.

So, not looking forward to today - off to the dentist for some more work on the teeth (yuk).

Have a great week

~ Karen ~

Another finish.........

Before I go any further, I didn't watch 'the wedding'.  Not because I dislike royalty, romance or anything else, but I objected to having very little option by the television channels of what I could watch on a Friday night.  Having said that, I do wish them well & hope the press now leave them alone to get on with it.

So, instead of watching TV on Friday night, I made up my new crochet hook holder.  I bought a set in a vinyl case in the 1970's & have bought other odd hooks since & the case was looking very sad.  I do have another full set I inherited form my mother, but that case is in much better shape.   At Christmas I got a new fat quarter of Kermit (I love frogs & the Muppets), so here it is......

Crochet hook holder-outside

Crochet hook holder-inside

I made the openings for the smaller hooks a bit narrower and depending on how many hooks of each size I currently have made the openings for the larger hooks wider.  I have seen some similar rolls for pencils & the like & you can buy crochet hook holders (but I think they only hold one of each hook), but this is my version to suit my needs.  If your interested in the measurements etc, leave me a comment & I'll create some notes on how it was done.

Have a great week..........

~ Karen ~

Tired..............

Wow, it's over 2 weeks since I last put anything up here.  We had a great Easter, catching fish & going to different places, plus a houseful of 20 somethings who have too much energy lol.  The house is strangely quiet............

I was saddened to hear of the Gum Tree Designers going their own way, but that I guess means 5 blogs to look at.  Wonderful of them to share their BOM so we can continue :).

GUM Tree Designers - Block 3

I did this block in Cottage Garden Threads for the cat & the words.  Very nice threads to stitch with too - just need to save to buy some more lol.  A variegated DMC was used around the mat. 
Now to plan the remaining blocks & perhaps create some of my own...........

Hope your Easter was as good as ours.  Not forgetting ANZAC day - lest we forget.

Off to work.....and a short week too :) 

Enjoy your week

~Karen~

more crochet........



3 Ply white jacket with green variegated border.  From the 'Array of Layettes' book




3 ply variegated jacket with white edging - from 1980's Cleckheaton baby book



4 ply mittens - from a Sirdar leaflet

As you can see I've been doing some more crochet.  One pattern I tried was so hard, I undid it in favour of the white jacket at the top.  Besides, I'm thinking now simple does look better (and it's less irritating when the pattern doesn't work).  I much prefer jackets for babies on a yoke - no seams and because they don't really have shoulders, a yoke seems to sit nicer.  The mittens were a special request (first time I've tried this pattern) so these will go of in the post today.

Not a lot else is happening - just getting ready for Easter - a chance to have a few days off & a rest (11 sleeps - not that I'm counting though).

Have a good week!!

~ Karen~

What made my week.......

No pictures today, but I've had a great week, albeit it tiring.  My job has been sooooo busy, but during the week a book order arrived that I'd been waiting on.  Ordered a few weeks back & 3 great books arrived (and all at good prices too) on the Battle of Fromelles, Stories from the survivors of the Thai-Burma Railway & Constructing Australia.  Can't wait to look at the Fromelles book - so much detail.

Then a towel rail arrived on the same day - not a big deal, but it was just like Christmas, with lots of new things.

And yesterday a thank you card arrived from one of the quilt owners, with a very nice thought to treat myself.  All I wanted was to just get her quilt put together & see her enjoy it.  So nice and unexpected.  So I bought 3 new Cottage Garden Threads yesterday in the blue tones as a starting point.

And about 10 days ago we had over 100mm rain in less than 24 hours - and when you don't have mains water, rain like that is a bonus.  Must take some photos of how everything is now so green (and not just one shade of green either) - looks a bit like a DMC palette of green.

3 weeks to Easter too - I'm looking forward to some family visiting & spending some time with them.

I hope your week has been filled with nice surprises or at the very least nothing has gone horribly wrong.

Thanks for reading - ~Karen~

Feeling good.......

Why am I feeling good.......well, the quilts arrived safely (Australia Post has delivered) and the owners are thrilled.  This is particularly important for me, as the green one was the 4th complete quilt I've made and the other was an assembly.

Secondly, Katherine from http://katherinescreations.blogspot.com/   has listed me as one of her 7 blogs, so a big thank you :). Now to pass the mantle on, (and some of these Katherine has listed, but here are my favourite 7 and in no particular order) and most of these blogs I read without being a follower.

1. http://katherinescreations.blogspot.com/ 
2. http://californiastitching.blogspot.com/
3. http://www.gumtree-designers.com/
4. http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com/
5. http://countrycrafting.blogspot.com/
6. http://sarah-redgingham.blogspot.com/
7. http://margaretmyblog.blogspot.com/

 The 3 cross stitches above were done some years ago for my late mother in law.  I decided not to hang them in their frames (3 holes in the wall), but opted to put them into a quilted panel & hang from the curtain rail on my sewing room wall (no holes required in the wall).  (I've had a curtain rail put on the wall to hang small projects such as this, with a pocket at the back of them & then I can change them easily if I want to.  I borrowed this idea from someone else, so cannot take credit for it).

3 ply baby jacket-Sirdar leaflet 3178 (leaflet cost $1 in a 2nd hand shop)

  

Another little baby jacket  - this time I quite like this little pattern and would probably do it again (and no I didn't read it beforehand again either lol).  I did add some colour to the ends of the cuffs, bottom & neck as it was so very stark.  Another one for the stockpile.

And finally, I got back to the family tree cross stitch.  Not worth a photo yet, but next post I will include one.  I seem to have found the enthusiasm to pick it up again & continue.

To finish off, Vale Elizabeth Taylor.  A huge screen presence & campaigner, who I'm sure will be missed.

Have a great week where ever you are......:)

`Karen `