Oz-tralien

Creative Day (for a change)

2010-11-07T17:07:00.011+11:00

The days are gallopping by & I seem to get less & less done each week.

It is only 3 weeks until we go on a holiday with the family. There is much anticipation & organisation going on. Flights, accommodation & all the rigmarole that goes with travelling times eleven people.

I'm sure MOTH thinks this will be like our previous holidays with our adult children, he seems to have forgotten that activities are not quite the same with a 7 month & 6 year old in tow. No drinking until all hours of the night or doing exactly as you please, when you please. This is the first family holiday with the grandchildren & hopefully there will be a few more in the future.

My knitting is progressing well. It would seem I've had a bit of a 'thing' for shawls of late having knitted 7 of them & 2 scarves. There was a pair of socks in there for our GS-so I did at least have a change!

On my needles at the moment is a 'coral' top for my DIL-its progressing quite well- only 1cm to go & then it's the bottom band & finished, this has been a quick knit & hopefully it will fit. The problem of knitting for someone when they aren't nearby to try things on as you go.

Today I managed to get some sewing done. Mostly I have just done little dribs & drabs of it & not produced anything much at all.

First up was a minky wrap for DD's GF who we did up a baby bundle for & she liked the wrap so much she's asked me to make another one. Heidi's request was for the same XOXO Cat fabric I had used for DD's change mat for her baby but there wasn't enough, so I pieced 6.5" squares of the cats & a purple fabric, bordered the whole thing in a lime green & then did the binding in what was left of the cats, hopefully this will suffice-all on hot pink minky as requested.

Not long after DD's baby was born we spent a lovely morning in at the Glebe Markets & DD liked some little singlets she saw. The lady who was selling them had done a great job embellishing them, but like a true crafter I knew I could do them just as good & save money as well.

It was a few months ago.

I did not think to take pictures, well you don't do you? Would be a bit rude!

Thing is, I don't remember what she did to them that made DD like them so much!

Out came all the ribbons, trims, laces & whatever I could get my hands on & I think I came up with 3 little cute tops that will bring the humble singlet out from under the outer clothes & be its own fashion statement. I will not be making these to sell. They were lots of fun but very time con summing & more than fiddly-especially those babooshka applique dolls- lets face it I did shrink the design significantly!

Yesterday I embroidered on 3 tea towels. I purchased the linen for these back in June when in Melbourne. Used a simple design & heavy weight cotton thread, no stabilizer in the hoop & hooped up the fabric. The back looks as good as the front & with no stabilizer to pick or wash out they were quick to make up. Certainly not a cheap gift, so I'll have to choose who I give these to.

Last weekend saw MOTH & I out in the garden taking a few pics. I managed to get one of a rather large blue-tongued lizard in the garden- he had gone by the time MOTH had found his camera, changed to an appropriate lens & generally pfaffed about!

Until next time,
Happy Crafting,
Oz-Tralien

Knitting & Life

2010-09-05T17:19:00.007+10:00

We have a new grand baby! She's beautiful. Then, we are biased, she's also now 18 weeks old-so not so new.

I think I must have sewed myself out before her birth & knitted everything I could think of & then, nothing. Not a thing really. Got very slack.

The machine just wasn't calling to me. I've knitted a little. Life took over.

After the jubilation of the arrival of our grand-daughter we were shocked (doesn't even come close) to find she has a rare genetic disorder. You know the heel prick test all new borns get, that no one ever hears anything about? That one. Its called PKU and there is lots on the web about it. Missy was only the second baby born this year with it in New South Wales.
Life has settled down somewhat. Blood tests & changes in her formula (which smells shocking & she has for life) & breast feeding amounts. Her parents seem to be coping well with it all (not that you get a choice)-might be easier when solids are introduced. Fruit & vegetables is basically what she'll eat.Guess I'll be learning to cook all over again. I wonder if gluten free (me) & PKU can be blended (wouldn't be much choice there). The specialist unit at Westmead Children's Hopsital have been wonderful.

Missy is now smiling, laughing & 'talking' & today she rolled over, twice, just to show her parents it wasn't a fluke the first time! What a delight they are at this age & even better as a grandparent that you get to give them back when they start to cry too much. It's wonderful having them live so close as well-we don't miss any of the action this way.

Today I made Missy some new shoes-the ones I made her before she was born, she has grown out of, she may be small but she has big feet! (they are on another blog post further back). These ones were from www.embroidershoppe.com and are so cute and girly. I made a size 3-6 months but aren't too sure that these will actually fit her. No matter I have another expected girl who they can go to.

On the knitting front I've made my Grandson some socks (special request as he had grown out of the last ones I knitted him) and have moved onto scarves and shawls-these have been sent to my DIL. I've found something else she likes and I'm only too happy to oblige! (it seems I have misplaced the pics on both my computers...hmmmm) Done some dishcloths & more baby tops for Missy-the needles are really empty these days.

A new position at work has also had me busy. These days its all day in the office, although I do escape sometimes to do the odd call or 2. A new challenge, in more ways than one!
Happy crafting
Oz-Tralien

Simple Changemat

2010-09-05T15:16:00.016+10:00

I have been missing for months.

Not that I haven been idle all this time, life just got in the way.

As promised here are the instructions on making a very simple change mat for baby. These make excellent gifts & I'm always being asked to provide one in a baby bundle or asked, how do I make them.

So here goes.

This is a SIMPLE change mat, designed to be folded up fairly small & taken in a handbag or baby bag, to be to be washed frequently & user friendly, it's not all singing all dancing. Also makes an excellent play mat when older and you need somewhere to sit bubs.

You could add all sorts of variations to this basic idea. Machine embroidery, applique to the outside, piping, PUL or vinyl (I don't find this practical cause if baby pees, or worse, while changing, it runs off- more than likely onto something you were trying to protect in the first place), also bubs sticks to vinyl- that's just me.

I am presuming that you do know how to sew a basic seam & have a little bit of sewing knowledge & you at least own the basics -sewing machine, scissors, thread etc.
You will need all these things.

Let's get to it.

Outer fabric.You'll need about a yard in length of 45" fabric or a metre of 115cm (even though I'm Australian & work in metric I'm not converting all the measurements, you'll get a bit of both more than likely- convert, its not all that hard.)

Cut the fabric in half length ways (down the middle on the fold)- you'll have enough for 2 change mats or matching bibs/ burp cloths or something else with the other half.

I use quilting cotton as there is such a huge choice & it launders well. You could use lightweight furnishing/ dress fabrics as long as they wash well.
Pellon- the iron on one- its not thick- you don't want thick if you want it to fold up small. By all means if you want lots of padding, go right ahead, just remember the thicker it is, the bulkier it is when folded up.

You need a piece as large as the outer fabric 22x 36" or 56 x 100cm, if you bought a metre of fabric.

Lining- I use interlock stretch cotton-its soft, very washable & adds little bulk- also comes in lots of colours, if you want a colour, and it is 'all season friendly'. Same size as the pellon. Flannel would work too-will make the mat a little thicker when folded up.

Velcro about 2"

All the usual stuff to sew.

Putting it all Together.

Iron the pellon to the WRONG side of the outer fabric (the quilting fabric).Press well, so it sticks.

Lay this piece of fabric so the pellon is underneath & the right side of the outer fabric is uppermost. Pin the RIGHT sides of the lining & quilt fabric together. You have a rectangle with the wrong side of the lining & the pellon on the outside & the 2 right sides together.

With me? You haven't sewn anything yet, so if its wrong you can easily fix it. Trim any excess fabric so all edges are even (I tend to cut my lining a little larger so it's easier to match up- I'm lazy when it comes to sewing!)

Flap/Headpiece

You are now going to cut 2 pieces of fabric out of one end of the rectangle- this makes the head piece which is also the flap that folds over when its all folded up and not in use.
Every time I make one of these I cut out slightly different sizes so mine are all truly OOAK (ha!). As long as the flap width is no less than 8"/ 20cm it'll be fine.

Fold to find and mark the centre with a pin on one of the shorter ends. That means you fold long sides together-measure out about 4.5"/12cm either side of the centre pin. That will give you a total length of 9"/24cm. Measure down about 6"/15cm on the long (side edge). I use chalk to make my markings then cut this section out. Check it looks right before you cut it out. Pin the new raw edges together.

Sew all the way around, using the edge of the presser foot as a guide to where to sew (about 0.5cm or a little more than a .25"(that's not an accurate conversion-just do a seam that isn't too wide ).

Leave a gap to turn it through -4" will be plenty-10cm-the lining is stretchy so its easy to turn. It doesn't matter where you leave the gap. To make nice corner stitch up to within a stitch or 2 or where you would pivot- do 2 stitches across the corner at an angle, then pivot & go down the other side.

Clip off the corners-don't cut the stitching. Make a snip in the seam allowance fabric on the flap inner corners, so it will turn through nicely.

Turn it right sides out. Press. Push those corners out. Tuck in the fabric where you left the opening. Pin it closed.

Top stitch all the way around close to the edge & then again the presser foot width apart (or where ever you want)

Fold the flap in half so you can place the soft part of the velcro centrally on the very top edge & stitch it on.Goes on the lining side.

Fold the mat up as per pictures & pin the grippy part of the velcro to the outside where they will meet up.Stitch in place.

Fold Up
Fold one long side in so that long edge is even with the flap width.
Repeat for other side.
Take hold of lower edge and fold in half. lower edge even with the top edge of the body of change mat.

Fold in half again.

Fold flap over and velcro in place. easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

Admire your handy work.You can make these to sell, give away or whatever. You may not sell these instructions (who would want to) as your own or claim them as your own (again, who would want to!)

Go forth & multiply!

Happy Crafting
Oz-Tralien

Holidays,Hotels & Home.

2010-03-14T17:21:00.009+11:00

I love to travel. There is nothing I like doing more than catching a plane to faraway places & seeing new people & places, but, there is nothing like being home in my own bed again! What is it that no bed in any hotel is like the bed you leave at home?

We flew off to Singapore & spent 3 days catching the sites, shopping & eating, more shopping & more eating. Our DS No2 & his GF/partner came with us & I think Hanh was on a mission to improve Singapore's economy on her own & try every food available. We stayed at the Novotel at Clarke Quay & the bed was HARD, Hard, hard! the location was great, the hotel was good & we'd all stay there again. MOTH was itching to get to Newton's Circus for his usual Tiger Beer & 40 satays- I've never seen anyone put away satays like that man! When eating at Newton's Circus you must beware that the stalls will try & rip you off on the seafood- buyer beware- the price they give for sea food is usually 50 or 100 grams-get them to weigh it before you agree to eating it- the seafood is excellent, just make sure you know upfront what its going to cost!

While we were in Singapore we caught the last of the Chinese New Year celebrations- there was much banging of drums & dancing of dragons! Makes for good shopping as we picked up some really good bargains.

We moved on to Penang after Singapore-here we stayed at the Shangri-La- talk about staying in the lap of luxury- this place was amazing, the attention to detail was incredible. I think this would have to be the cleanest hotel I've ever stayed in anywhere in the world- the staff were great & amazingly they had GF food on the breakfast buffet. The bed was good here!

I managed to fit 2 treatments in at the day spa- this place was amazing as well-had a Chi Balance Massage & a caviar & lotus facial- I should look a million dollars after that but I wasn't expecting miracles!
We'd walk down the street each night & visit the local places to eat-we certainly got a variety of foods. After dinner we'd walk back up the main street through the night market they set up each night.

We had such a great time here we are now proposing this hotel to be our next family get together. MOTH is reluctant, as he is the one paying!LOL

After 3 wonderful days in Penang we flew off to Langkawi to stay at the Sheridan Beach resort. Never again. The hotel was isolated, you had to ring the main desk everytime you wanted to leave your room as it was too far & too hot to walk the place is so spread out- the rooms needed refurbishing, the linen was tattered & threadbare, the bed was comfortable- got to give them that, but the service was so mean you only got 45 minutes internet per room per day free- on their computers up at reception & they didn't even give you a daily paper to read. MOTH missed his paper!

Their one saving grace was the Captain's Choice restaurant had the best food- we all gave it topmarks & a family of 6 sea otters scampered across the beach to go fishing as we were eating- that was worth it! there were also monkeys all around the resort as well.

Then home. My own bed. Bliss.

Since being back home I've booked our Girls trip to HK for Easter-only 4 of us going this year- and we are only going for 4 nights due to changes at work- but hey, will still spend plenty & see plenty in those 4 days!

Yesterday I went to a Craft Fair at Olympic Park Homebush- it wasn't bad but the venue is awkward to get to- we drove & had to pay $20 to park the car- no other craft fair we attend has paid parking- this gives it a BIG thumbs down.

The exhibitors weren't too bad-we all bought yarn (like I needed more) & we all bought patterns. One thing I that astounded me was when my sister was buying yarn to knit her 7 year old GD a cardigan the yarn was to cost $75- now I don't know about you, but I find that excessive for a child who will grow out of it in one season! My sister asked for an alternative yarn ($35 approx cost) & the stall holder was such a snob about it- you'd have thought she had committed a social fo-par or something!

We then headed off to DFO, which is nearby.

We all spent more at DFO than we did at the craft Fair-MOTH fared well, I bought lots for him on sale, even found DD a maternity swimsuit as she's grown out of what she was wearing-only cost $50 which was even better!

I think I spent more at DFO than I did when shopping on our recent trip!

Today I played with some designs on the embroidery machine-I tried my hand at digitizing, well auto trace, & was quite pleased with the results- will have to play a little more now that I've had some success.

Until next time,
Happy Crafting
Oz-Tralien

Baby Shoes. Whose Shoe Fetish?

2010-02-21T14:55:00.009+11:00

What fun I've been having this weekend-I've been making baby shoes & seem to have produced a wardrobe of them for my expected GDTR-is this how girls develop a shoe fetish?

When no1 GS was born I was in Canada just prior to his birth & picked up a pair of ROBEEZ shoes-they were so cute I couldn't resist them ,but boy were they expensive for what they were. (I don't begrudge anyone earning a living, just that sometimes you have to wonder at why we pay so much for something so small & that you know will only fit them for 5 minutes!)

After doing a bit of 'surfing' yesterday I came across this site that gave a pattern for free shoes very similar to the Robeez ones.

I also ordered a pattern form this site. I'm still waiting for the pattern to be sent-has been nearly 24 hours which I think is a bit slow in this age of instant gratification. Their tutorial is excellent & well worth a read.

I took the free pattern from tacky living & re sized it on the printer by 75%- I felt this gave me a good size for a new born-it would appear that an average newborns foot is about 2.5" long- give or take- the pattern as printed straight from the site gives a finished length of about 5.5" which looked way too big for a newborn.

After rummaging about in my stash I found some 'cow print' fake fur- this would do to experiment with & to see if they would look any good.....all went well, so then it was off to do some deep mining in the stash (I still cant find the lovely red & navy suede leather I've put somewhere safe!)-I came out with ultra suede & leatherette- both furnishing fabrics-you don't need much on the little sizes-about 13" x 10" is ample.

The next pair I tried a little machine embroidery on, then another pair where I made a flower embellishment & then a fourth pair with scraps stitched on.....I decided I better stop before yet to be born GDTR has a wardrobe of shoes & not enough days to wear them before she grows out of them!

While making these little shoes I can see so many different ways of changing them & when they only take about 30 minutes to make-you can soon sew a wardrobe up of them! I can see this will be my new gift for the babies being born this year!
Happy Crafting,
Oz-Tralien

Blankie, a Free sewing Project

2010-01-09T15:59:00.012+11:00

Our second child had a "Blankie"-he took it everywhere & I can only be thankful that it was only bassinet size, as in my years as a pediatric nurse I saw kids toting all manner of things, even full size single bed blankets, their mother's nighties & even one child had the bits you pulled off the band aid!

Babies & children are very tactile & so I've made this little "Blankie" in honour of my No 2 son as that's what he called his. My adaptation of the security blanket is a lot smaller & more manageable to carry around.

My daughter, whose friends are now having babies, love these little "Blankies" & I would suggest if giving as a gift to make 2 or even 3. One for home, one for the car & one for the Grand Parent's house- there will be no dramas if one gets lost or left behind!

They are quick to make & I make them up 6 at a time-they use up those smaller bits of fabric & all those ribbons you have in stash.

BLANKIE

What you need

Paper or stabilizer to draw your pattern on. Pen or pencil.

2 pieces of fabric 30cm x 30cm ( 12")- one a satin or silky fabric the other minky or polar fleece (make sure they are washable)

Assorted ribbons 20 pieces x 7.5cm (3"). Vary your widths & textures.

sewing machine & thread

Note on fabric & ribbon choices:

Lingerie fabric & minky or polar fleeceare a good choice- both are washable & readily available.

Ribbons- largest width should be no more than 4 cm (1.5") & only 1 or 2 at this width & the narrowest is 10 mm. Have all sorts of textures & colours-as long as they are washable, they will be OK. Ribbon with wire edging should have the wires removed before using. Coloured cotton tapes work as well. Textured nylon ribbons are another good choice.

No little bits that can come off, like pom poms.

Have 20 different ribbons for maximum sensations for the baby.

Let's Get To It:

Draw a square 30cm x 30cm (12").Use your paper or stabilizer, whichever you have on hand. Cut this out.

Now measure in 1cm (7/8") around all the 4 sides- seam allowance.

Fold the pattern in half, finger press, do it in both directions & place a mark with pen where these folds are.

Measure 4.5cm (1.75") either side of the centre marking, then again from those 2 markings- you should have 5 marks along the seam line- do this on all sides.

These are the ribbon placement marks.

Cut out your minky & satin fabric using the pattern you have just drawn- 1 square of each fabric.

Take the ribbons & fold in half, matching the cut edges of the ribbon to the cut edge of the fabric on the right side & using the pattern markings as your guide, pin the ribbon to the fabric, centering ribbon-if you put a wider ribbon on an end, then use a narrower ribbon on the next side which will be the closest to it.

Repeat until all ribbons pinned on.

Stitch around all 4 sides within seam allowance. Stitch again close to the first stitching- or even on top of it. Its important that the ribbons can not be pulled out.

Lay the minky/polar fleece right sides together to the satin fabric & pin all round- place 2 pins together about 9cm (3.5") to remind you to leave a gap for turning. Stitch together using a 1cm seam allowance (7/8")

Trim corners. Turn to right side. Push out the corners. Pin opening closed. Stitch around outer edge, close to seam edged using a 3.5 stitch length. Repeat stitching approx. 1cm (7/8") from first stitching.

Admire your Hany Work!

When I sew 6 at once I chain piece each side- clip apart, then do the next side- as you do in quilting.

You could embroider on the Blankie, if you like- but remember that will change the "feel" of the Blankie & another may not be able to be substituted unless you use the same design!

These are great little sellers if you have a market stall, great for baby showers & to pop in with another gift!
Please leave a comment if you enjoy my projects, so I know that someone is reading them!

Happy Crafting
Oz-Tralien

How to Machine Embroider on a Onesie

2010-01-05T19:30:00.016+11:00

Machine embroidering on a Onesie, on a domestic embroidery machine, has got to be one of the most difficult items that most sewers will attempt.

Here is a tutorial on how I manage this tricky feat. This is neither the only way, nor the right way, just my way, & hopefully by me sharing my method you will have success in your endeavours.

Firstly, the easiest way to embroider on these items would be to make your own & put the embroidery on before construction.

Failing that, the next easiest way would be to undo a shoulder seam & give yourself more room to manoeuvre around in that tiny opening!

Let's face it,neither of these options is very appealing to most of us-they are cheap to buy ready made & we hate, in the main, undoing & re-doing what is already done.

That said, lets look at how we can do it without unpicking or sewing up any seams.

What You Need:

Onesie -it does help
Embroidery Sewing Machine (stating the obvious, but its in case you started to read this thinking it was for hand sewing)
Smallest hoop you have (my smallest is 120mm x 120mm)
Tear away stabilizer or heavy weight wash away-enough to fit in your hoop
Lightweight wash away, to use as a topper.(Solvy)
Iron on backing for knit fabrics (Totally Stable or similar)
Titanium needle or ballpoint/stretch needle size 70
Design, threads- usual stuff.

Just a few things here:

Ballpoint/Stretch needles will need to be changed every few garments if sewing a lot of these- the thread begins to shred as the needle blunts very quickly.

I found the titanium worked the best & while there are perforations in the fabric when I remove it from the hoop, these disappear after a launder.

If you like to adhere your item with spray- go right ahead- I personally hate the stuff & what it does to my hoops so never use it,ever. You could also use a sticky back stabilizer in the hoop, but it will gum up fairly quickly & its harder to remove after you finish. As I said- this is the way I do it, feel free to add or subtract with whatever you are comfortable doing.

Designs.

Choose designs that are fairly small in size, not too stitch intensive-its hard enough getting around the neckline & the arms without having to struggle with it as well.

Designs that don't matter if they are a little crooked work really well. Butterflies, bees etc (see pic)
Do not leave the machine while it is stitching out-no matter how you pin, peg or hold back the Onesie from the sewing field they tend to keep falling in on themselves- mostly when you aren't watching & then its disaster if it sews over what it shouldn't!

Turn down the speed of the machine- you don't need to sew like a bat out of hell & it gives you more time to avert disasters.

Let the Fun Begin.

The easy stuff.
Pick your design-transfer it to the machine, pick your thread colours. Change the needle- you know the drill.

Hoop up your tear way stabilizer into your smallest hoop.

On my machine I can do a baste around of the design-if you don't have the ability to do this download a free one (google it) & add it to your design- its important you know where the design field is & how big it is.

Set the machine to do the baste of the design field (see pic-I did a darker colour so you could see it)

Remove the hoop from the machine.(do not remove stabilizer from hoop)

With some pins mark the centre of where you want the design to be on the right side of the Onesie. On the pictured one its to the left of centre.

Turn the Onesie inside out-it stays this way until you are finished.

Cut a piece of Totally Stable slightly larger than the design field- fold it in half,finger press to give a crease line,unfold & match the folded line with the pins on the Onesie. Press in place-the waxy side goes to the wrong side of the Onesie-this holds it in place & stabilizes the knit fabric.

The Tricky Bit

Leaving the Onesie inside out, place the Onesie over the stitched out design field so the right side is uppermost- you will be working through that small neck opening.

Pin the Onesie in place- make sure the pins are out of the way of the stitching line. You can pin the Solvy (topper) at this point as well but I hold the topper as I do the second baste around, just sewing slowly.

Put the hoop back on the machine & do a second baste around to hold all this in place-you may need to stop the machine to move the excess fabric out of the way-there isn't a lot of room. I hold the topper with my hands at this point & stitch it down as I go-do whatever you are the most comfortable with.

When you have basted the Onesie to the stabilizer in the hoop & the Solvy is on top- stitch out your chosen design- watching carefully as you sew, as the Onesie may creep into your design field, where its not meant to be.(ask me how I know this).

The Home Run

When the deign is finished stitching out, remove hoop from machine (don't go pulling it out or you'll end up with holes in the Onesie). Turn the hoop over & clip the basting stitches- trim any long jump bobbin threads & all other threads that need trimming.

Turn over. On the right side, trim jump stitches. Taking hold of the topper pull it up carefully so that the stitches that you cut on the wrong side release- then pull the thread out all the way round.

Tear the design away from the stabilizer after the basting threads are removed-it should come out clean. Now pull away the excess Totally Stable & you should be left with a very clean back to your work.

Check the front, remove stray bits of topper & admire your handiwork-see it wasn't all that hard after all.

Hope this has helped you understand how you can machine embroider on these tiny items & if you like you can iron a no- show backing to the reverse side of the embroidery- although I've never had a new Mother tell me the embroidery irritated the baby's skin.

Happy Crafting,
Oz-Tralien

New Year, new beginnings.

2010-01-03T17:00:00.009+11:00

Wow, what happened to the nearly month since I blogged....the time slips away so quickly. It has not been from a lack of anything happening- more likely too much.

By the time I packed up the quilt & samples & posted them off to the magazine it was well & truly Christmas time & I hadn't done any shopping or any of my usual sewing-with less than 3 weeks to go.
Running around like a headless chook I managed to order a couple of gifts online-coming up with the brilliant idea of a touch screen monitor for the MOTH- who is a gadget kinda guy- that was a great choice, he loves it, but at this stage is still having trouble with the touch bit of it.....guess he'll figure it out.

I went through my handy stash of items purchased through the year & bundled them up with hastily embroidered tea towels & ran up a few very neat looking aprons & managed with cash in envelopes make a gift for everyone!!

I even wrapped up 2 of the pieced, but unquilted, quilts & gave them as gifts with the promise I would quilt them & to beat me with a stick if I didn't deliver in a timely manner!

Pass a large Bailey's please.... I deserved it.

Our No1 Grandson & his Mum arrived the Tuesday before Christmas & No 1 son arrived Xmas Eve- to complete the gathering my friend, Marge, from Wagga Wagga arrived on Boxing day & that filled the house.

There is something about having a small child in the house for Christmas- it made it all that more exciting-even if I had to work the 4 day weekend of Xmas-everyone was here when I got home.
The visitors are gone, the house is quiet, back to the Old Fart & Me & life continues on much the same as it did before.

Managed to knit a dishcloth for my DIL while she was here- who'd have thought everyone would like them so much & want more of them, have downloaded 4 patterns to try, to start another stash of them for Xmas this year!

Knitting for the expected grand-daughter continues-a little hat & a romper that seems to have taken a back seat since Xmas as well.

Today I put a quilt on the largely un-used quilting frame down in the garage. MOTH had broken one of the rods & then told me he 'fixed' it- well it worked for a little while then broke again- didn't like any tension on it!. MOTH is no handyman that's for sure. I had planned on doing a quilt a day for the next 4 days that I'm off- guess that's not going to happen now. The one I did finish looks quite good as long as no quilt police come looking at it! they'll get rotary cutters at the front door if they approach!

MOTH finally got his way yesterday when we went to look at new flooring for the lounge/ dining room-he ordered a new TV- all the bells & whistles- mind there is nothing wrong with the TV in the bedroom other than its not digital- that's what he wanted- I don't care he paid for it!
Looks like after 3 or is 4 years of haggling we have finally agreed on a floor covering-now lets hope the limited stock is enough to do the 2 rooms-timber flooring we've gone for-fingers & toes crossed that it eventuates this time. I'm sure carpet would be warmer- but one thing is for sure timber floors are easy to keep clean.

Nearly time to pack away the Christmas decorations for another year....seems like only yesterday I finally got them up.

A New year begins & so do my projects- hopefully I'll manage to do lots more this year!

Happy Crafting
Oz- Tralien

Doing the Happy Dance.

2009-12-06T18:34:00.010+11:00

Today I let out a big sigh of relief & did the "happy dance". My latest magazine article is written,samples sewn, pictures taken, article edited & changed & now it's finally ready for submission, right on the due date. Will have to plead with MOTH to brave the crowds at the PO to send it off through the week, he complained bitterly about waiting in line to buy postage stamps the other day!

Today I made 2 burp cloths. I purchased a design for an 'in the hoop project' from here. I do like the zig zag trim-I can see dresses done with this....but I'm way ahead of myself on this.

I have never been a user of the burp cloth, when my children were babies I used bibs or grabbed a cloth nappy if they were big spitters & caught spills with that. On thinking about the advent of the burp cloth I guess its come about because you can't really hold a disposable nappy up under a kid's chin to catch the spit!

The first one I made looked too small to me.If dad was holding it his hands could well be larger than the cloth-not a nice feel to have a handful of baby spit-up in your hand, even if you do own the kid!

The second one I lengthened the design to fit in my 360mm x 200mm hoop- I did widen the design but not as much as I lengthened it- this is a way better size, something to get your hand around & for catching those more serious spills! I played around with my shapes & made a love bug of sorts by using a heart shape turned upside down & adding a musical note I morphed slightly in edit for the antennae, hopefully it looks something like a bug should. I am sure I'll be making a few more of these, in the larger size.

My knitting is progressing well. I've completed a pretty pink jacket & a gorgeous cream one. The pink one was a design called "Puss" from a very old Patons knitting book for babies. I changed the pattern & knitted it from the neck down- I'm finding this a quick & easy way to knit baby jackets. Next on the needles was a merino yarn I bought in KL last month- Gedifra Merino De Luxe. This yarn is spectacular to knit with- the finished article looks spectacular- not because of my knitting but the yarn- I'd love to get my hands on more of this. This jacket is Elizabeth Zimmermann's February sweater from her Knitters Almanac.Tonight I'll start on a cherry red top in a larger size- this baby is going to be well dressed that's for sure.

Christmas is just around the corner & I'm not at all organised. the tree is not up, there isn't a decoration to be seen in the house-at least the cards have been done & posted. I just can't seem to get the motivation to get to & do the rest.

Good news in that our No. 1 son & his family are coming up for Christmas- took some persuading so they'll arrive, with the cat from hell in tow as well.

Koshka is not a friendly cat- she made the trip out from the UK when they moved & many a time over the years has she bitten or scratched me for no good reason- not your cuddly type of cat at all! When GS was little he even had to learn that the cat would win every time he got close to her & he bore the scratch marks many a time to prove it!

No quilts on the quilting frame, no presents made....nothing......need to get a move on & do something before the big day arrives I guess....will anyone notice if I don't?

Happy Crafting,
Oz-tralien

Silly Season

2009-11-22T18:55:00.010+11:00

OMG- has it been hot this weekend-today was the hottest November day in 17 years! We are supposed to be getting a storm later on this evening, so far, absolutely nothing-just heat.

MOTH has a 'thing' about using the air conditioner-he turns it off as fast as I turn it on-he maintains its cold-I personally feel its just right & so we continue with the on/off regime!

This morning, while it was still relatively cool I managed to clean out some cupboards & drawers-3 large bags full of things to take to the charity bin & one smaller one full of shoes & handbags-I sometimes wonder how I amass so much!

In true MOTH form he rummaged through the bags & kept on saying "why are you throwing this out... and THIS?"- I told him in no uncertain terms to get out of the bags & just take them up to the bin! Honestly he is the only man I know that will run after the garbage truck in case I have thrown out something he may want/need! sheesh- it wasn't as if I went through HIS things- it was all my stuff!

While cleaning/tidying up the linen cupboard I was able to take stock of my towel stash, which has grown considerably in the past few weeks- there were some 25 towels all tucked away for gifts when I embroider on them- along with face cloths, hand towels,bathmats & miscellaneous sundries in the bags as well!

My sewing room got a good going over as well-now its so tidy I won't feel like sewing & messing it up again. Hopefully now its all sorted out I will be able to sit & write the magazine article this week-its due in the following week! Yikes!!!

The Christmas cards are all written-another tick off my to do list. This year I've handed MOTH all his friends to write the cards for, I think its only fair that he write some of them. I have suggested that he write them all, that met with a death stare & you have to be joking!

Finished a baby jacket this week & started another one. Decided to knit this one from the neck down as well. The pattern is a very old Patons one- the book is falling apart, but I'm sure it will hold up until I sort out what I'm doing with the pattern. The pattern is called "Puss"- I am always intrigued how they came up with some of the names they gave these patterns.

Guess the next thing will be to do some Christmas shopping-I'm not that enthused about that, but its something I can't really escape!

Until next time,
Happy Crafting,
Oz-Tralien

On being Productive.

2009-11-15T18:28:00.007+11:00

My weekend was most productive- just the way I like it!
There was an order for 13 bath towels to have names embroidered on them- all done- one LARGE tick on my TO DO list for that one.....I caught up on my ironing....how does it mount up so fast? I'm sure I didn't wear ALL those clothes! Another tick!

Did the usual household chores, it seems MOTH is incapable of doing any of these off his own bat through the week, which leaves me to run around & get them all done when I'm home. Are all MOTHs like this- or just mine?

Played around with some red work designs-these are to fit in the Aida insert on tea towels- there are absolutely no designs suitable out there (if there is please email me & let me know where!)- there is a market out there for some clever digitizer to produce designs in this size.

The wedding in Kuala Lumpar was lovely- the bride looked gorgeous- the groom was sporting a fractured clavicle- the dog (a rottie) knocked him over the night before-he had a matching arm sling to his tuxedo at least!

I spent my week getting over the 2 flights in quick succession & the jet lag from doing a red eye flight.....I'm disliking the flights more & more these days, but love visiting when I get there.

There is no service in economy anymore. Throw your meals at you & disappear, if you can call them meals- breakfast for me was 2 dry rice cakes- I handed them back. I dislike eating polystyrene even when it has something on it- but naked- no thank you! Even the orange juice- the only choice- was that powdered stuff you add water to. Talk about cost cutting. I've said to MOTH its time we moved up into premium economy on these longer flights, if only to have a little more leg room.I doubt the service would be any better.

I did buy myself a 'little something' while we were away, I'd been hankering after a Sony Vaio for a couple of years now & MOTH always buys me Acers. I have nothing against the Acers-I love my Acer.....but....I really wanted a Vaio....its just a mid size one for travelling. My friend, Carol ,suggested I call it Goldilocks-not only is it gold, but its 'just the right' size as well.
Ah.... then there was the new flash ring for the camera-hopefully to give me better illumination of my macro shots.

Not done much on the knitting scene- the baby jacket is progressing ever so slowly-guess at some point I will finish the body of it. Oh, & I did buy some lovely yarns in KL as well. Italian pure wool. This will be one well dressed baby, if I manage to get anything finished for it.

Back to work tomorrow- there are days I'd love to be retired, but then I doubt if I'd get much more done than I do now- when you only have 2 days off. you know you have to get things done! That's what my retired friends all say!
Until next time, Happy Crafting,
Oz-Tralien.

Embroidered Sheet Set

2009-10-29T14:31:00.005+11:00

Finally I can show off the matching sheet set that I made back in March-have been eagerly awaiting the publishing date.
The pic is courtesy of Australian Machine Embroidery Mag published in edition 16/3.
I'm not sure who will be the recipient of these- I just love them & think I'll keep them to use for my lady guests, men just don't appreciate embroidered bed linen.
This week is a muddily week- have had 3 days off work on sick leave- day one was the prep day- I started it 2 hours earlier & was still running to the loo an hour before I was going to the endoscopy unit! Day 2 was the day, and day 3 to recover- my head has been giddy for most of the day, so no driving.
I was wanting to go to the Sheridan Factory Outlet sale-this is where I buy most of my sheets & towels-when they are on sale,hopefully I'll get time to nick in there tomorrow after I finish rounds-I'll just make time!
This weekend I'm working, then I fly off to Kuala Lumpar next Thursday to attend a friend's wedding-just a quick stay, be back on Tuesday,ready to go to work on Wednesday.
I'm eyeing off a new laptop to bring home on this trip-I've been coveting a Sony Viao for some time & I think its now time to get it. MOTH bought me a new laptop last time he was there but its useless to travel with- it weighs a ton & is hardly portable.
Now with a 2 bag limit on cabin luggage, including laptops everything has got to fit in my carry on bag & this big laptop certainly wont!
I can see the time in the not too distant future where we'll be charged excessively to take any luggage with us on a plane besides a carry-on weighing 3 kg! regardless of how far we are flying.
Lucky I can pack light.
Have been busy making bright luggage labels for the suitcases- hopefully they will be more noticeable on the carousel- thing is you tie it on one end & that's always the end that's hidden under all the other bags!
Happy crafting,
Oz-Tralien

This & That & a Little of Nothing Much

2009-10-25T17:11:00.008+11:00

Today it has rained. After the rain is a wonderful opportunity to go & take pictures in the garden-especially when MOTH has left his macro lens with the converter right where I can see it & I can play around while he is out- otherwise he grabs the best lenses & then follows me around, always saying he has taken the better pictures-he probably has, but he needed remind me of the fact!

I seem to have done a lot of fart-arsing about this weekend. When I look at what I did get done- it doesn't seem all that much, although I have been far from idle.

Firstly I finished the little kimono jacket I downloaded from Ravelry-I knitted this in a cotton/bamboo blend- it knitted up really quickly & I'm sure it'll wash like a rag & be very easy care.

The Christmas pudding was next- that was early Saturday morning's job-I can't believe it's already that time of the year again where I have to think about making it & as we have a few hectic weeks ahead this was the only weekend before December that I knew I was free to get it done. It is hanging under the stairs, aging until Christmas Day, complete with 25 old sixpences & one three penny bit!

Multi- tasking, I made fabric postcards while I refilled the pot every hour as it boiled away for 6 hours. These are for a swap, & one extra for my GS who loves to get his own mail (what kid doesn't!?),now just waiting to be posted.

In between this I managed to buy a few embroidery design sets online. (Its great that our $ is so strong, but I'm managing to spend way too much as a consequence!)- that's where the pfaffing about occurred- looking at & playing with the designs- it wastes so much time!

Made 2 tags-one for my bag & one for a friend (she was part of the reason I was pfaffing about as I was going to make her something for her birthday & couldn't decide what, in the end I have made her the recipient of the pale green edged & embroidered towels I have pictured in a previous post). I know she'll love them.

This morning MOTH decides it would be nice to go for breakfast-so up to our favourite eating place-there goes another few hours & the rest of the day saw me do nothing much at all- embroidered 4 names on 4 towels that were an order & made my friend an embroidered birthday card, using a pic I had put through Kaleidoscope.

The sum of my day-not really that productive at all, in the scheme of things-although not completely wasted either.

This afternoon I made some pikelets for afternoon tea- had them with strawberry jam & cream- oh, what memories of my dear departed mother making these on a Sunday afternoon, or, having them at the school fete when they served afternoon tea. Shame I had no one to share them with, MOTH too engrossed in a movie to want to come join me!

The weekend is coming to a close- I can't believe it has gone so fast-let's hope I can get some sewing done on Tuesday, as I'm home to start the prep for my colonoscopy on Wednesday-I don't know anyone that enjoys the prep for this procedure, there is something really off when you get to the stage of 'peeing' out your bum!

Then that leads to Thursday which I have off as well, because, no driving post anaesthetic-so I'm hoping to get a little something done then. That's the plus side of all of this-the extra day off!

Until next time

happy crafting,

Oz-Tralien

Throwing in the Towel-or All Wiped Up.

2009-10-18T18:33:00.014+11:00

There are many 'rules' for sewing monograms on towels- 3 inches up, 4 whiskers to the side & his before hers & don't forget to hold your tongue in the right position while you sew it!

For me- rules are meant to be broken-push the envelope I say & experiment- who says they have to be in a certain place anyway?

Gone are the days when to buy a mongramed towel the name was sewn diagonally across the corner-please- no more of that!, there are many more creative ways of embroidering on a towel.
Towels are the perfect gift for all ages. One size will work for anybody- it doesn't have to 'fit'-white or cream & it will go in any bathroom & lets face it-unless you live on the street - everyone uses them- from a newborn to a 100 year old. It's the perfect gift when you don't know the recipient all that well & perfect if you do.

I'm always putting names on towels-mostly for gifts & I think I've come up with some novel ways of doing just that, without it being all boring & definitely no names on the diagonal in the corner.

Most people opt for centering the name on the towel above the header. Consider if the towel will be hung up open, or folded- not everyone has the room to have the towels at their full width on a rail.

What about putting the names on the side-just above the header in a nice clean font (like the art deco one shown)- or below the header if the lower part of the towel is wide enough-this is perfect for the males in your life- they don't want all flourishes & flowers, well mine don't, that's for sure!

The fashion for towels at present is a wider towel end before the header- this lends itself to being embroidered quite easily & is a nice change from above the header. (the header is the fancy band on a towel, that on cheaper towels always shrinks & makes the towel go all out of shape, after the first wash!)
Can you incorporate something in the name -mice, flowers, small animals poking out of 'A's, Os's or Y's', all work well-or a small lion's head as with the Rory towel?

One request I had was just for the first initial of each family member in the corner-they didn't like the idea of anyone being able to see the children's names (or theirs) on the line-but wanted to make sure everyone used their own towels.
I've put frogs on baby's towels for a frog themed nursery, a monkey for jungle themes & everything else in between- a favourite of mine is Amazing Designs Bathtime alphabet-takes a bit of editing to do a whole name in it, but looks great when its finished.

For those pre-teens & young girls- you can't go past a curlz font- use a large single, applique letter behind & the full name in front of it- don't forget to change your settings in your software so it doesn't take out the overlap.
Boys towels can have a sport or an interest incorporated into their name-soccer balls, foot balls, sail boats, baseball bats-they will all go through a letter, at the end or beginning of a name, or sit behind the name.

For couples I use classic fonts- a large first letter & a more simple font for the rest of their names, I repeat the first initial on the hand towels & face washers.
One of my favourite towels is using a fairy & then sew out the design in variegated threads- the one shown is a licensed design so can only be given as a gift- Amazing Designs has a fairy that will work just as well & you can then use it on items that you wish to sell.
There's been names on musical scores for the musical ones, Chinese symbols for my Chinese friends, names that twist & turn-I've only shown a small sample of all the names I've done over the years & no one has not liked what I've come up with-they all get used.

Sew, have some fun, put the names in different spots- & sometimes it's fun to incorporate a little surprise, like the single bee at the other end of a towel for a friend who wanted bees, please!

HappyCrafting,
Oz-Tralien

Variations on a Theme

2009-10-15T17:48:00.005+11:00

When I made the blue towel set which was published (see pic in previous post) I was so pleased with the results I made 2 more sets.(when you're on a roll!)

The flannel flower set are designs from Ellen Jaye Designs- I bought this set quite a few years back, when, I think she may have just been starting out & was selling on EBay- the set she sells now is a little different to the one I have, but I just love the elegance of the pale green & cream-the design is simplicity itself

After completing the flannel flower set I then had an idea that white binding with a coloured, corded bias trim inserted would look really classy- the instructions are the same as the other sets- you insert the bias cord trim when stitching the binding down- this is a Jenny Haskins
design-I like the boldness of the poppy & its simple elegance.

Three very different looks all from the same idea- I'm sure many of you can come up with lots more of them.
When I've shown friends & family the 3 different sets they can't decide which one they'd like (not that I'm making them en mass! LOL)-there is no clear favourite....but let me know which one you like the best.

Happy crafting
Oz- tralien

Embroidered towels

2009-10-14T18:28:00.006+11:00

I can't believe it's been so many weeks since I managed to write on my blog. Time escapes when you are having fun!
My Grandson, his parents & grandmother from the UK have been visiting for the past week-it's so much fun to have a small child in the house & he is such a delight, having just turned 5-give him a few years at school & all that will change!
The week before their arrival I was busy embroidering designs for a quilt & writing up instructions for another quilt & a place mat project which will be published next year but have to be to the editor long before they are published. I often think her house must be like Christmas everyday with so many lovely projects arriving daily at her door from all over the country.
My towel project has been released & now I can share pictures, which I've been eager to do since I created them back at the beginning of the year!
The photo is courtesy of Express Publications' and directions can be found in Machine Embroidery edition 16/2. I would like to thank Yvonne, the editor, for allowing me to use their photo from the magazine (far nicer than anything I took!).
I've been sewing madly the last few weeks & it looks like it will continue until Christmas as I've already received orders for towels for monogramming from 3 people!
Have started a gorgeous set of bears- they come to life as you stitch them out!
My knitting has changed from socks to baby clothes- its been a while since I've knitted any of those-a few when DIL was expecting No1 GS. looks like I'll have plenty to keep me busy over the next few months.
Happy Crafting
Oz- tralien

Counting the days

2009-09-22T17:36:00.007+10:00

I have been slack & not written since MOTH & DD set off on their adventure. Much has happened since then.
DD came off a horse in Mongolia & was taken to the hospital to be checked out- all seems to be OK but she is complaining of a sore tail bone & pain through her hip- guess it will be a trip to the LMO when she returns home to make sure she didn't actually 'do anything'.
MOTH managed to get food poisoning in Moscow- DD is feeling very guilty about this as she bought him the sausage to try- mind you he probably ate the whole thing instead of just a small amount & is it no wonder it went through him faster than a Bondi tram!

DD enjoyed the ballet while in Moscow-they sound like they have had the most wonderful time & I'm so jealous I was not able to go with them- they both love Moscow & would like to go back again & spend more time. They are due home this weekend- I'll be glad to have them both home.

I've been busy sewing-have managed to get 2 projects done & accepted for publication- so that is my goal for this year-4 projects accepted, in one year. The next is to have 4 published in the one year & to make a front cover on the magazine....not sure how you get the project on the front cover but I'll keep on working towards that.
It would appear that all my plans to quilt while MOTH was away have not come to fruition- I certainly was not idle, just didn't do the quilting as I thought I would. I know that at heart I'm a topper, not a quilter. The 14 quilt tops I have waiting to be quilted would attest to that!
My socks are still on my needles- I started this pair back on 30 August & I'm still going-can't wait to get them done- after this I'm having a break from socks & will do some baby clothes for a change. There are a few babies on the way so I'm sure they will be welcomed gifts.

It would appear after asking on Ravelry that today's mums like no fuss garments- not lacy-in bright colours- pastels seem to have fallen by the wayside & after looking at some of the suggested & well loved patterns I can see why- the knitted's are so much more fun. Another thing is they are knitted in heavier ply yarns- that should make them quick to knit up as well. Managed to order over $140 worth of yarns from Bendigo Woollen Mills this afternoon- its not like I don't have enough yarns! I can only hope it will arrive before MOTH arrives home so I can hide it away!

Looks like it'll be quilts, towels & baby garments in the next 12 months for me!
My picture taking has been on the back burner as well-have hardly snapped a thing except for my sewing projects and a few wounds (too gross to post pics of!)....maybe next weekend....or not.
Looks like the storm is on its way- lots of rumbling out there.
Until next time,
Happy Crafting
Oz-Tralien

Countdown to Free Time.

2009-08-30T17:53:00.007+10:00

This time next week I'll be home alone & MOTH & DD will be on their way to Moscow! Boy has that time come round fast-I'm not game enough to ask if all the paperwork is finally in order-last I heard- it wasn't so I'm not asking again!
MOTH always gets very uptight before he travels- he hates take-off & landings- but insists that he will not let this get the better of him (he was in a plane that hit the deck in Vietnam, so he has a reason to be tense during landings!)

We travel very differently -he likes to be wherever he has to be at least one hour early than the suggested time to get there-which means about 4 hours ahead of time for a flight-I prefer to get there at the suggested time- neither of us have ever missed a flight from being late-but we always argue when its time to leave!
Some years back MOTH rushed me out the house-got us both to the airport with hours to spare only to find he had us there a whole day earlier than needed. The gal at QANTAS changed the flights for us-saying that it gave her the laugh for the day & for me having to put up with such a dickhead! (I agreed whole heartily! on that point)
DD keeps him in line- she'll take no nonsense from him even if he is her father-from all accounts they travel well together- I think its great that they do have trips away as father/daughter time.
DD's dog, Ella, had surgery through the week-MOTH has been visiting her everyday as she has been quite out of sorts- I suggested he take her a 'get well bone' to cheer her up-my suggestion was not taken kindly! Seemed reasonable to me.
This weekend I've managed to get 2 quilt tops pieced-that's 3 down-2 to go if I make it to my goal of giving everyone a quilt for Christmas.
Good news on the project front- the last project has been accepted for publication- this one won't be out until the middle of next year some time, but submission is in October-so gives me a few weeks to get it all together & write up the notes before I have to post it off.
The days are getting longer- no getting up in the pitch black in the mornings now- I much prefer to have a little light when I have to get out of bed - its bad enough that I have to get up when MOTH is sleeping soundly....and my alarm is telling me its time to get ready for work! The alternative of staying home everyday with MOTH is just not worth contemplating at this stage- work is preferable!
My raspberry socks have been waiting most of the week for me to finish them off- only have the rib to knit, but I just never seem to get there with them- perhaps tonight if I don't get my nose in the photo shop manuals I've been reading....even if my pics aren't perfect I'm learning how to cheat to make them that way!
Until next time,
happy Crafting
Oz-Tralien

Sewing, Snaps, Selvedges & Socks.

2009-08-23T17:50:00.008+10:00

It seems I missed last week-I kept on meaning to blog but never got around to it.
I was busy.
The past 2 weekends I've been madly sewing to submit a project- hopefully to be published-its surprising how much time it takes to get a project together. Fingers crossed, now I just have to wait.
The weather has been absolutely glorious the past week- very warm days, cool nights for sleeping & even a soft breeze on a few days- perfect- who would want to live anywhere else than Sydney! Not me.
My socks are progressing- that was one of the reasons I haven't blogged I was waiting for a work colleague to take a pic of my GS's socks I knitted on one of her children's feet-so I could post a photo of them....maybe she'll take them this week for me.
Yesterday I attended the stitches & craft show at Rosehill- there are 3 of us that go together every year, since it started.
The past 2 years I was not too happy with the exhibits & wrote to the organizers & complained about the lack of sewing-it was all beading & paper-that sure doesn't float my boat.
Things had changed this year- they had some young designers upstairs with their wares & blogs & sites to sell their wares- really interesting & trendy stuff-yeah! what a wonderful change.
We did notice that a lot of the old faithful stall holders were missing-its probably got too expensive for them to take a site as I know they charge pretty heftily to exhibit here. That's a shame as they were missed.
All in all we came home with very little- I purchased a knitting pattern, a shirt pattern & a small piece of wool blanketing to do sample on for another project I've had on the back burner for quite some time.
I did come home & make a little purse after seeing a dress, chair & an umbrella covered in selvages- what a clever idea- although they used to make smoking jackets from these & the idea came from a blogger called ricrac- so its not my idea, but I loved the look.
My socks are progressing slowly but surely- am just about to the gusset on the second sock in the raspberry wool- they are very pretty- wonder who'll nab these.
My DIL tells me her Pilate's class are very jealous of her new socks & have asked if I'll knit them & sell them- not bloody likely! who would pay $50 for a pair of hand knitted socks? & that wouldn't even be a good return on my time.

Through the week I had a birthday-another candle in the cake- I'll need a fire hose to put them out soon....not too sure I like the changes as I get older- there are more wrinkles- the boobs are lower (thank heavens for good bras that keep the girls up there!) & I'm not as flexible as I used to be either....and we wont even mention the extra weight!!!
The kids have bought me a couple of books on photo shop so here's hoping that I actually learn how to edit the pics I take to make them look even better- although the key to getting a good photograph is easy- take lots to start off with & get it right pre-edit!
DD & MOTH are still busy organising their trip to do the Trans Siberian Railway- I bet it'll be cold in Mongolia-sleeping outdoors in a tent!
While MOTH is gone I'm hoping to get some quilting done- although he still hasn't fixed the frame...not sure what is so hard about getting a piece of dowelling that will fit inside the tube.
Until next time,
Happy Crafting,
Oz-tralien

This & That

2009-08-11T18:15:00.007+10:00

The house is all quiet-I'm not at all that sure I like it this way, it's much more fun when we have a 4.5 year old in the house!
Our eldest son, his wife & our GS have been visiting the past week & returned home today-its all eerily quiet-no small boy to come running down the stairs, excited that I'm home from work or wanting me to share some special treasure he has made or found during the day.

The pirate cave under the stairs is gone, the blankets packed back into the cupboard, until my little pirate returns in October for his birthday.
I notice that my baby doll is still on his bed- he took quite a shine to my re-born doll when he was 3 & looks for her every visit now- he has named her "Cuddles" & is quite happy to carry her around & 'mother/father' her. She weighs about 5lbs- so is no light weight doll!

On this visit we used the sewing machine together- he made 3 little bags, which he has taken home with him, as he told me he could put his 'treasures' in them-its a start & hopefully he'll progress to more projects as he gets older.

During the week I started a pair of toe up socks for him- didn't have a pattern so am winging it-finished the first one today-the great thing about these toe up socks is being able to try them on! Also progressed with the raspberry coloured one I started last week- am up to the heel but have put it on hold to make GS's socks.

Made GS a little pair of soft slippers after he arrived as our tile floor is very cold in the mornings- used a red quilted fabric & lined them with purple wool felt-he was delighted with them & happily put them on each morning after his morning cuddles in our bed!
Took lots of pics of him while he was here & even had a few enlarged to frame.....great subject to work with as he was happy to chat to me while I snapped away at him!

Sunsets have continued to be spectacular the past week as well & have a few more shots of those - DS no1 took the screen off the upstairs window & we lent right out over the roof to snap shots across the bush!

Back to sewing next weekend- the following weekend is the Stitches & Craft Show- sure hope there is more variety this year than last year...didn't buy anything other than lunch last year!

The wattle trees are starting to bloom- poor DIL developed terrible hay fever while she was here from them-they may look pretty but all that pollen sure sets lots of folks off at this time of the year!
Been blogging a year now- wow, hasn't that time gone quick!
happy Crafting,
Oz-Tralien

17 weeks til Christmas....

2009-08-01T17:36:00.008+10:00

Don't you just love a sale?! Especially when you know the prices aren't jacked up to pretend to give you a discount & you know bloody well that they are. Not one of those sales- but a real good, genuine sale.

The Sheridan factory outlet is quite near where our work office is located & they had a sale-ended up making 3 trips & buying stacks of manchester- but it was sooooo cheap couldn't resist (& here I was thinking the other day that I more than likely did not need to buy any more manchester for the rest of my life as I have more than enough!) Oh well, bit like saying I'm not buying anymore fabric! Ha!!! as if that is ever going to happen.

I bought 3 of my adult children sheet sets after they messaged me that Yes , please we'd love more bed linen (especially as they know that Mum is paying!)- picked up some sheet sets for my Grandson, new sheets for the single, spare bed & new sheets for our bed- lots of towels (lots of towels!-most for my stash, as at that price they make fantastic gifts- just put a name on them & away I go!). I worked it out that on a lot of the items I saved about 74% & a few of the goodies were closer to 90%!!

One set was delivered this morning to a patient who had requested, if I could, an embroidery on some towels she wanted to give as a gift- they were easy enough-that's a few towels out of the stash already.(2 down 20 to go!!)

Tuesday its Lizzie's birthday & I've put a lovely L on a gorgeous eau de nil coloured towel for her- there were matching face cloths & bathmats with this colour- no hand towels- so she's getting what I was able to buy-I know she loves this colour so its a good choice for her. I picked the Queenie alphabet to use from Francine's embroidery- love this alpha- its really classy & it comes in a really huge size which is nice to put on a towel as a single letter. I'm off Tuesday so I'll leave that parcel on her chair at work for her as a surprise (unless of course she happens to read my blog in which case its no longer a surprise!)

We had a magnificent sunset the other day- I lent out over the balcony to get as much of it as I could-I'd like to be able to get up on the roof for photos- but I don't suppose that's going to happen.

All ready for our Melbourne family's arrival tomorrow- GS rang while I was at work this morning to tell Grandad that he was so excited he can hardly wait!LOL don't you love the enthusiasm of a 4 year old?

I finally finished my sock- I knew this one would knit up quicker as the pattern was much more interesting. So both pairs that I started in Montana are now done....the yarn is already with the pattern for the next pair-have been itching to try these since I saw them in my knitting book & bought the yarn while in the USA-shame I couldn't get the colours I wanted, the pattern is Flame Wave Socks & I'm using Cascade's Fixation yarn in bright red! Should be eye catching.

MOTH managed to break one of the rollers on my quilting frame through the week- not sure what he was doing- so now I will need to get that fixed before I can do all the quilting I have in mind for Christmas....did you know its only 17 weeks until the BIG day? I have a lot to get done in that time.....maybe I need to write a list like my friend Ruth does (for everything) it might just keep me on track!

Until next time

Happy crafting
Oz-Tralien

Call to Action.

2009-07-26T17:06:00.012+10:00

Sometimes I wonder what it is that finally urges us to DO something about things that have been niggling at us for ages. We put up with them for so long, then ...WHAM...we can't stand it any longer & we have to do something about it! The straw that breaks the camel's back.

My sewing room has been driving me nuts-I can't stand it when it gets too messy.

I know I have plenty of friends who can only be creative when they have a mess around them- not me. Its not like I want my room to be pristine all the time, in fact I find this counter-productive, in that, I don't want to mess up my nice clean room again, so I don't sew.....go figure.I just like it to be tidy enough so I can cut things out & have most of my things away-not in piles all over the place.

Saturday I played around with double folded mitred corners to make a 'window' in a chalk board place mat I was making for our Grandson who is coming to visit next week. Took me most of the day measuring & playing around to do what I wanted-I realised after I cut it & folded it I needed to allow 12" instead of 8" to get the size window I needed- lesson learnt & then I had to do my window a different way so as not to waste the space fabric I had bought for him in the US as I didn't have more....where there is a will there is a way. No mistakes in this house just a new way to make something!

This morning I was going to start on DIL's quilt- the aim being I'll make everyone in the family a quilt for Christmas....at this rate maybe 2 will get them,if they are lucky, (only because I have the top already made for one of them!)

And that's when it started. The towel I throw over the chair I have up here in the sewing room, slid to the floor, as it usually does-it slides off & I pick it up & throw it back on,constantly. I decided that I'd just recover the chair-just like that, I'd picked up the towel once too often. It has been doing that for the past 2 years....it never really bugged me that much, but this morning that was it- time to do something about it. I pulled out some fabric that was sitting in a pile on the floor & chop, chop, stitch, stitch...2.5 hours later I was the proud owner of a very swishy looking chair- covered beautifully- couldn't believe how well this all went together....why didn't I do this sooner?

That was then I decided that the room could do with a bit of a tidy up, thorough vacuum & all the surfaces wiped down & ALL the piles of fabric from my recent trip be put away....I'm not sure what happened along the way but the curtains came down- I decided that the roman blind wasn't going back up again ....now that I look at the new curtain (yep, I just sewed a new one- back into that stash again!)-I'm sitting here in my very tidy sewing room & looking at the new window treatment & thinking 'why the hell didn't I do this 2 years ago when the curtain started to bug me then?'- even washing the sheer curtain has made a difference!

My room is looking all light & airy & its so tidy- everything is away-including my old sewing machine that has been sitting here on the desk since I bought the CV (anyone want a loved 2140 with more hoops & gadgets than you'll ever need- I have one for sale at a very cheap price!) Incredibly tidy. Oh, I love it!!!

Now what prompted all this action?-I never set out to make chair covers, pull curtains down & wash them- re-arrange the sewing room & make new curtains & put everything away.....I wish I could bottle this urge to action- I would make a fortune selling it to mothers of teenagers who never want to do anything......imagine putting it in the MOTH's morning coffee & getting all the odd jobs done around the place.....in a sewing slump?- just 2 lumps in the coffee & off you go! No more waiting for the final straw.

My neighbour rang this afternoon to let us know she'd been burgled last night-they got her wallet with her cash & cards-they have already tried to use the cards....but what was more upsetting was they came in while she was asleep & she never heard a thing, even after breaking a glass door to gain entry- she's feeling somewhat violated . This will be a reminder to us to be more vigilant with where we leave things when we go to bed.

MOTH can very lax in leaving the doors open when he is out doing the gardening in the backyard-I'm always asking him to lock the doors...maybe this might prompt him to lock the door! Our suburb is not immune as he thinks it is, to being burgled.

I finished a pair of socks this week- oh, have they been dragging on, I never thought I'd get them finished- these were the gainsey toe up pair that I started in Billings....but I can now tick them off as finished! Have started the second sock to match the purple one, also started in Billings-this one shouldn't take so long as I like the pattern better-its more interesting. Not sure what I'll start when I finish this one- more socks maybe, I have much more yarn!

All in all a productive week-I can feel good about everything I managed to get done-even managed to get 5 patients onto the new computer system at work- we won't even go there with those changes!

Happy Crafting
Oz- Tralien

Machine Embroidery- Embossed Designs.

2009-07-19T13:05:00.011+10:00

For the past 12 months or so there has been quite a buzz in machine embroidery circles over 'embossed' designs, it seems that a lot of digitizers have released sets of alphabets, shapes, dog breeds or animals to join the band wagon of supplying keen machine embroiderers wanting these designs & lets face it- if enough people ask, then you'll find that the digitizers will supply!

These designs work best on a napped fabric so make them perfect for putting names on towels-or initials for a monogram-this is where you see them used the most often. ANY fabric with a nap will give the desired effect, but, some fabrics work better than others & are these designs all what they are cracked up to be?

Here is what I found in my experimentation with these designs. Other machine embroiderers may have completely different experiences & outcomes to mine-I'm relaying my experiences & maybe these will help someone who is about to try their hand at this technique or is curious about how it all works.

The majority of these designs work by giving you a shape- say a rectangle & the letter is 'cut out' from the background. The background has all the stitching & the letter has the nap show through, thus giving it the embossed look. By giving an easy shape to start off with- letters can be arranged together to form names, words or monograms-easy enough.

I trialled a few of these designs & before stitching out read a few tutorials. Initially I tried the word Guest-which came from a fairly well known digitizer as a freebie. The letters were too small to make much of an impact on the towel-I tried it with Solvy as a topper & without-having read 2 tutorials where one had stated that it was imperative that you use a topper & the other said it was better not to have one. Personally I found with the size of the design it made little difference- the one with the Solvy has washed slightly better over time- but neither of them is readable after a few washes.

Size does matter-the larger the cut out area the better it will look-but then with size comes the problem of fitting enough letters in the hoop to do a long name- Christopher- would certainly take 2 hoopings & not everyone is happy about re-positioning to continue a design, especially when its critical that you line it up.

Another problem I encountered was the enormous stitch counts involved in making these designs work- the background is pounded into submission with 10,000+ stitches & you repeat for each letter- not much fun & it all takes time-too much time for the end result at this point! They look good, then go to pieces after washing- hardly the result you are after when spending that much time at the sewing machine.

The areas of embossing are stiff. Let's face it- if you are going to put that much thread into that small of an area it will end up stiff....some will say they don't mind that & that's fine- just be aware that it does do that.

I've tried different threads in my quest to have these designs look like the real thing (most often found in trendy or up-market hotels with the name embossed on the towels-either done with heat or when they make the towels in the first place & loom a lower loop. I have not gone into the intricacies of how the original idea is done!) They certainly do not stitch them. These designs are trying to copy that effect.

Thread. I've tried machine embroidery rayon, polyester,heavier weight threads,variegated threads & a matching coloured thread to the item (which is the more traditional method). I found the type of thread did not matter greatly in the scheme of things, although I do like the finish when I use Gutermann Sulky Cotton 30. This thread has a lovely sheen-slightly heavier, so gives a better fill & is 100% cotton.

After playing around with these designs & still not satisfied with the outcome post washing I decided that I would try a piece of organza as a topper. The organza has held up through washing- the letters are still readable,but this method is not for the feint-hearted-you have to burn the open areas out when you are finished- the organza will melt- the nap will pop out & you can then launder it to make the nap bloom a little more. I use a soldering iron. This method will not work well if the letters are too small- it is awkward more than anything.

Variegated threads work well, but are hardly what the original idea is about- but at least you can read what the letters say post washing- a big plus. I also used solid colours for the word "baby"-as these reminded me of baby blocks.

Fabrics. This is what I found with all the different towels & fabrics I tried. The lower & denser the nap- the better these designs work. On some super thick Egyptian cotton towels the result looked really good, it also washed better-on a longer looped towel & not as dense pile the design tended to 'wash out' over time. Polar fleece works well.....I would think that velvet would work well, although I have not experimented on it.

I did test some designs for a digitizer friend & her designs, even though they have a lot less stitches in them than a lot of others for sale- perform equally with the densely stitched ones-the up side of this is that the fabric doesn't become stiff, you use less thread & spend less time for the same results.

My conclusion for embossed designs. Well worth playing around with- I would not give them as a gift for fear that they wouldn't look good after a few washings-unless I'd used the organza method. The better quality the towel you use the better the result in most cases- use a topper-whether its a water soluble one or something like organza-the water soluble at least gives some definition for a little longer than without- the organza works the best for longer use.

The heavier thread gives a slightly better coverage- although it would be hard for most people to pick the difference. All in all, I'm not completely sold- but then it was fun to play around with.

Everyone that I gave one of my experiments to -loved the look.....so its definitely a winner!

Happy Crafting

Oz-Tralien

On a Roll & Loving It

2009-07-12T17:56:00.010+10:00

Boy, did we cover some ground this week.

Tuesday saw us out with friends from Malaysia for his Father's B'day. We went to a Chinese restaurant-not my choice but I could hardly say no- although I did try to get out of going. Chinese food & coeliac just don't go together- I ate boiled rice.

Wednesday we had a wedding to attend- the bride & groom & his DD from a previous marriage had been staying with us since or return- hardly saw them-great guests to have! Again this was at a Chinese restaurant-2 nights in a row & I was nursing a massive gluten reaction & really didn't feel like going. Everyone was insistent that I eat more than rice-my poor gut was screaming that rice was enough & let's face it- Chinese food with no sauce is pretty boring & bland. I was fed steamed fish & green vegetables. I was thankful that the cook had made an effort-but to me, the rice is just fine. I insisted, in some strong undertones, that MOTH help me eat the food they had brought for me as I really wasn't feeling up to anything much & it had to look like some of it was gone!

Returned to work on Tuesday-I wanted to go back on leave after the first day-I really didn't have my heart in it it & struggled to get up in the dark each morning- I find the getting out of bed in the cold the hardest. Things had changed at work.

Lizzie whom I have worked with for 22 years has cut back to part time- I'm sure she feels she'd like to cut back, but I will miss her being there for the full week- what is it about change that we don't like?

In Nursing its nearly unheard of to work with the same people for as long as we all have- its like an extended family- all our kids have grown up together, got married together & even started to have babies together.....most of us are at the same stage of life. Ready to retire. So I guess change will be inevitable over the next few years.

Out for dinner last night with our DD & her MOTH- they are always good company-they were talking baby names (this is the on again off again baby)-seems she's thinking about it, but I'll believe it when I see it-would love another grandchild-especially one that is closer-but time will tell.

Made a lovely huge pot of soup for the weekend- MOTH had been complaining that I didn't put barley in it- not that I do put barley in pea & ham soup- he is eating it anyway & I mentioned that I would take a bowl for Larissa at work tomorrow & you should have seen his face....what, my soup-you can't take that to work...so much for the absent barley.

Having house guests sure ups the laundry..must have done 8-9 loads yesterday- I truly was the washer woman!!!, but in true female style I multi tasked all day & managed to get quite a bit done.....why is it that men do not seem capable of doing more than one thing at a time. MOTH is lucky to do one household task a week & that's only if I leave a note with explicit instructions on how to do it & where to to find everything to do it!

Friday was our DIL birthday- had a lovely chat with our Melbourne based family- even had a chat to our grandson who told us he missed us (he now has lots of brownie points in his favour!LOL)-I'm trying to get them up as I'm organizing a 'girly' day out when she comes up-4 of us to the day spa for all their best treatments-hopefully it will make some improvement on me- but I have my doubts!

My sewing machine was going flat out all weekend- managed to get a baby towel done- in anticipation of the birth in August (this is the best thing about knowing the sex & the name- I can be organised ahead of time!) Also managed to make 2 quilts. One is completely finished & the other has some free hand quilting to be done in the centre panel & in the white borders- but I'd really had enough by the time I got the backing on & did all the stitch in the ditch on the second one. Seems I have a few baby items to make as DD has put her order in for her girlfriend's who are expecting at the moment as well!

I certainly made making these baby quilts quick & easy-I found in my stash (this is where a good all round stash comes in handy)-a couple of minkee like blankets, bought on special at the end of winter-last year- the year before?- who knows, they have been aged appropriately! I backed the quilt top with the blanket- not worrying about batting- cut the backing about 3/4" larger than the finished top- folded it to the right side & zig zagged it in place- talk about easy peasy lemon squeezy! The baby gets the soft,cuddly minkee & it goes all the way to the edge & over- saved me doing all that binding & hopefully the quilts don't look too pristine that the Mother's wont use them.

Don't you just hate it when you make something & you are told its too good to use.....I just don't get that.

My socks are coming along as well-started on the second one to match the first toe up I did as an experiment & finished the purple one- although Lorna, at work, tried to pick all the coloured flecks off it, till I smacked her hand & said that they were meant to be there-sheesh!LOL

My friends are saying the Alien is back- I feel like I'm on a roll & loving it!

Happy Crafting,

Oz- Tralien

Montana & Home

2009-07-05T10:22:00.010+10:00

The last leg of our journey was with Sammi & Mark- we stayed at their place back 2005 when Sammi & Mark hosted the Ya Ya gathering that year-no qualms about the MOTH here - the beer flowed freely & the politics were the same!

Montana is a beautiful place-the skies are big & blue, the people friendly & plenty to see & do.

By the time we reached Sammi & Mark's we were still reeling from the whirlwind tour with Vi & Bruce so were just looking to catch up with old friends & have a relaxing time.

On our last trip here we toured through Yellowstone & Cody- did the Custer's Last Stand out at Harden & managed to see lots of the touristy things-this visit was a catchup with friends.

We were going to go onto Bryce canyon after leaving Montana but MOTH had had enough of being on the road, there were things to sort out at home & visitors, arriving early from Malaysia. The extra 4 days didn't matter-I am glad to be home & to be able to recover from the jet lag before returning to work.

Sammi & I did a shop hop of fabric stores-I can't say my resolve was that strong- purchased patterns, chalkboard fabric to make our GS a portable drawing mat, & fabric for a quilt (yes, another one) & yarn- more yarn.....lots of it! (well, it wasn't fabric!)

I managed to pull my knitting book out while visiting & work out the cast on for the toe up sock-easy peasy lemon squeezy when I managed to apply it correctly-I even managed to knit one whole sock- the rest of the yarn in that colour had been shipped home in a box, luckily I did have more yarn to keep me busy!

Cast on a second sock in purple & knitted like a mad women possessed & got to the ankle before having to pack it away for the trip home- I am not attempting to travel with short needles again.(see previous blog on having them confiscated)

So, 2 new techniques learnt- toe up & on 2 circular needles-love the fact that there is only to yarn ends to darn in at the end & no grafting!

I must say that after seeing Sammi's stash of yarns & fabric-I think I'm just a novice at this stash building- I thought I had a lot- it would seem mine is much smaller than what Sammi calls 'stash'! Now I can tell MOTH that all my stash is nothing in compared to what my friends have!LOL

Another thing I discovered was that if you don't take pictures of the roses first thing in the morning- the sun burns them by day's end- literally cooks them! Sammi told me when they were blooming as she knows I like to do flower pics!

We did do a bit of driving around Billings to take some pictures- they had some spectacular sunsets while we were there....the week passed very quickly & off we went... to return home to Sydney-exhausted & in need of a holiday to recover.

What wonderful friends I have made through the Internet & even better that we can visit them- now to convince them to come to visit us! It's something about that 13 hour flight that scares them off...

Vi & Bruce's- Virginia

2009-07-05T08:54:00.015+10:00

Welcome to Virginia!

Wow, we were exhausted by the time we left! Vi & Bruce had us out everyday showing us the sights of their beautiful little neck in the woods.

When staying with friends where the MOTH haven't met before, there is always some trepidation that they won't hit it off- for all my fellow forum friends- its easy for us- we all have sewing in common-there is always something we can do together & look at together-but when the men come into the equation, one is never sure-especially with my MOTH who follows US politics as much as our own & has strong views on it all & isn't afraid to say what he thinks- even though I warn him to tread carefully until he is sure of the lay of the land.

I had stayed with Vi & Bruce 2 years ago & had enjoyed myself so much with them, and was delighted to be able to return again when they asked us both to come for a visit- they live in an idyllic little spot & are very proud of the rich heritage of the area where they are situated-this time I had MOTH in tow.

The equation changed.

I need not have worried.

These MOTH were like twins separated at birth- boy did they get on- too well at times! There was lots of talk of politics & Bruce being keen on the history of the area & MOTH keen on seeing it (being a bit of an American Civil war buff) was only too happy to be taken to any & all battlefields! I must say I do not share his interest in battlefields but thought it would be a great photo opportunity none the less. I'm just not that into massive loss of young lives & the strategy of the battles fought.

Vi & Bruce had us out every single day-did we see the sites. Antietam, Harper's Ferry, Stratford Hall, Roanoke Mountains (I sure hope I have the right range-their house look out onto these mountain ranges & the sunsets are awesome!), D.C. & down to Potomac Beach.

MOTH wanted to see deer & 'wildlife'- he felt cheated at Terry & Ruth's as he didn't sight anything more than a few squirrels & chipmunks....he was after bigger game to 'shoot'.
A trip up to the mountains soon fixed that.
Deer-lots of them, even some bears- he managed a shot form the car window-not all that great a pic, but you can see it is a bear. I saw a mother with her cubs on the other side of the road but they were in a heavily wooded area- not much good for snapping pics! & more deer! By the time we got home he was indeed a very happy chappy! Both of us saying we had the better picture. I do concede he did get the only bear shot (my excuse being I was on the wrong side of the car to actually shoot anything recognizable).

We visited Antietam & Harper's Ferry on the same day- the loss of life was shocking but the battlefields have been left as they stood-a reminder to all of the great losses suffered.Stratford hall was another visit along with Potomac Beach- boy don't you see the sites on a beach. Some sights should be well hidden!

We did a trip into D.C. -I must say the traffic is frightening on those freeways- sheesh, no one slows down, uses an indicator to change lanes & they hurtle along, ignoring for the most part, any speed limits! I found the best way to cope with this was to sit in the back & close my eyes! Even when it's pouring down rain & visibility is lessened- no one would think of driving at a lesser speed!We did see the White House,the Vietnam Memorial, Korean war Memorial, Lincoln's Statue- the place where Forrest Gump ran through the crowds in the water (I can't remember the name of it- but do recall that scene)-the Smithsonian (what a gorgeous building- this was a drive by as we were running out of time) & a lot of other notable landmarks in the area!

Vi & Bruce have a pair of geese that return to their pond each year to raise their family- this year there were 6 babies- there were 7, but the snapping turtle got 1 on the first day out.

It was amazing to watch these parents with the babies-father keeping a watchful eye on his brood while they walked along the grass eating & mother goose up front keeping them all together. Off they'd go in a line & then all be on the pond & each night they would return to the pontoon in the middle of the pond to sleep in safety.

Their flying lessons were so funny to watch-the babies just weren't sure what to do with these huge wings as they ran along the grass-the first day they got lift off- 2 of them managed to get off the ground & land, not too delicately, back in the pond!

Each day the flying lesson was done & each day they got better, by the time we left they could all fly & land without too much trouble. Vi tells me the following week they were doing water take-offs, so the time for them to leave would be coming soon.

While at Vi's I bought a book on Knitting Socks from the toe up- hmmm, I wasn't too sure about this- the cast on looked weird, but I'm willing to learn & I did like the look of some of those socks!

I refrained from buying fabric (I felt I had bought enough-well, maybe not,but I did show some constraint while I was there!). I read the instructions a few times & thought maybe when I'm not so knackered I'll give this a go.

We fell, exhausted into bed each night....the knitting could wait.

Next stop, Montana with Sammi & Mark.

Perth, Ontario

2009-07-05T07:52:00.008+10:00

One thing I have discovered on this trip is that I don't get time to keep my blog up as a travel diary when we're staying with friends-always too much to do! I also decided that I do not like the little laptop MOTH gave me to travel with- its too bloody small to see anything, and, as for editing any pictures, nearly impossible- especially after a large Baileys or 2!

This morning, while its quiet- we are home again now- I'm doing the catch ups on our trip-so will have to do a few entries, hopefully all today.

Here's a little more on our visit with Ruth & Terry.

After leaving Ya Ya I drove back with Barb to her place & caught the train to Ruth's-where I met up with MOTH, whom I hadn't seen for some 2 or more months-he'd been off travelling through Asia & the UK on his own-the reunion was uneventful, not even mildly exciting-he was much more interested in the loss of his baggage (another one for the bags getting a better holiday than its owner), having a beer with Terry & watching a hockey game....does 30+ years of marriage do this to a couple? Oh, hi dear, nice to see you- hand us a beer while you're up, will you.....

We have stayed with Ruth & Terry quite a few times now & its like coming home- we catch up with friends we've made through them- a social round of outings, meals out & gossip with the quilting group for me & catching up since the last time I saw them all.

We spent 2 weeks with Terry & Ruth, driving around the countryside to take pictures, or Ruth & I heading off to another quilt shop- seems that even with all the overload of Lancaster we were not quilt shopped out! Even managed to buy more fabric & order some online to have posted home!

While browsing through a magazine I happened upon "Fresh Vanilla" quilt & thought it would be perfect for our DIL- I had asked her before if she would like a quilt- she said she'd like a 'white one'- I mentioned that I 'didn't do white ones' ( I am not that crazy to be attempting a whole of cloth quilt when I hate the quilting part of making a quilt in the first place!).

Initially I was just going to order it & make it as a surprise for her, then thought what if she really hates it, then feels obliged to use it because I made it-so caution got the better of me & I sent her the link! Yeah- she loved it- said it was perfect-it has taken me some time to get to know my DIL's tastes but I think I have her pegged now.

I showed the quilt fabric & quilt to DD on our return & she loved it as well- only, can I have it in blues please-& would you believe it they do a blue colourway in the exact same fabrics- looks like everyone will get a quilt this Christmas- if I can get my act together & get them all done in time. I have ordered a whole 30 yard roll of batting from Zooks in Lancaster-hopefully it will arrive soon.

While at Ruth's I managed to get a pair of socks knitted- I had ordered some new needles & 2 packs of socks yarns from Knitpicks which were waiting for me at Barb's when I got there. The packs come with a mix & match recipe for making all sorts of socks- cafeteria style I call it- you just pick what you want & voila! you have a pair of socks.

Madeline showed an interest in the socks & so she was the lucky (?) recipient of the latest socks-pretty blue/green colour with a lacy pattern, spiral toe-fitted her perfectly & she even has yarn for patching.

Terry seemed pleased with his red 'ladder of life' socks- he even modelled them for me so I could take some decent shots of them- now lets hope Ruth doesn't wash them in hot water or throw them in the dryer! It would appear that the newly taken pics of the socks have disappeared from the folder-I'm not sure where that could possibly be.....but lets hope they are at least still on the other laptop.....

I started a second pair of socks while at Ruth's, then frogged them- they just weren't doing anything for me......next stop Vi & Bruce's.

Travelling On

2009-06-17T12:29:00.007+10:00

Tomorrow we move on to Virginia. The 2 weeks here at Terry & Ruth's has certainly flown by.

The cameras have been snapping madly- I know I have over 600 photos in my Ruth file- many will be deleted at a later date- but they all still have to be reviewed.

We've seen the local area, caught up with old friends we've made on previous visits, & had the most wonderful time, like we always do when we come here to visit.

The competitive streak between MOTH and me is still very strong-which one of us could snap the best squirrel/chipmunk pic & the hummingbirds. The hummingbirds have proven to be the most difficult-boy are they like miniature fighter bombers-never still for more than a few seconds & then off again, probably to their nests in the trees nearby.

Yesterday evening driving back we saw a thunder cloud- had never seen one of these before- it was huge & quite amazing in its formation as well.

One of the things we have been doing most nights is watching 'Dexter" on DVD. What is it about this character that has us watching 4 episodes a night to get through the 3 series before we leave?

The men were initially not interested at all in the series but have been as avid watchers as Ruth & I in the end....and now the long wait until series 4....we are all well & truly hooked on it!

Enjoy the few pics I have added to the blog- its hard to pic just a few!

Until next time

Oz-tralien

Shop Hopping in Lancaster County

2009-06-02T07:48:00.009+10:00

Today was another big shopping day-a quilt shop hop through Lancaster County-we don't actually get to a lot of shops, but we sure do manage to buy a lot!

Show & tell will be later this evening after supper....but I know I spent the most today as I ordered a roll of batting & will have it shipped home-even with the $150 to ship it-it still works out about half the cost per metre than buying it in Oz....and the ranges of fabrics....it's just so hard not to buy a yard or 2 of everything you see!

The Amish were out & about this morning- someone said it was a holiday for them-I did manage to get a few snaps with the telephoto lens-although its hard to be discreet with that great honking thing out at full length! (mostly I hid behind a sign to be discreet & waited until they came into range).

Connie is cooking Chinese food for dinner tonight-wonderful smells are already coming from the kitchen-not sure what she has started to cook, but it smells fantasticl!

The weather has been fbeautiful for us-clear blue skies each day-makes toting all those shopping bags just that much easier!LOL

Barb & I are sitting back , sipping a very large Baileys, checking our days photos & me writing the blog while the other 4 are still out & its still relatively quiet! They have just arrived home-peace is shattered!-they seem to be singing-I wonder what they have vbeen drinking!LOL

Happy Crafting

Oz-Tralien

Ya Ya 2009

2009-06-01T22:18:00.007+10:00

Ya Ya 2009 is officially underway & what a wonderful time we are having-lots of laughter, shopping & sharing....life is good.

We've shopped till we dropped, walked miles- only in fabric stores- the variety of quilt fabrics is amazing-no 2 shops seem to have the same fabrics-just how many quilt fabrics are there?

We will have to keep looking to make sure we have seen them all, would hate to miss any!

Some of the gals have bought huge amounts of fabrics- you can tell they don't have to fly home & are limited to 23kg in their baggage allowance.

I've already posted a box home....this year I decided to be more organized & just send the surplus home rather than be worrying about excess baggage all the time-even sending it home is lots cheaper than buying quilting fabric at home.

The average price of quilting cottons here is about $5.95 (or less) a yard....a far cry from our $22 a metre or more!

Yesterday Barb & I drove around the back roads & came across the Amish having a Sunday get-together-50 or 60 buggies parked-the younger ones playing volleyball,long trestle tables laden with food & all of them dressed in their Sunday best.

Off to go shopping!

Happy Crafting

Oz-Tralien

The Autumn Garden

2009-05-23T18:06:00.011+10:00

I should be packing. I don't seem to have the energy nor the inclination to, at the moment. There is no choice , it has to be done-its one of those necessities you have to attend to if you want to travel with clothes.

The important things are in my carry on- to be sorted at a later time- Passport, currency from the last time & camera....I may have thrown a book in as well.

There is a pile on the landing, here at the top of the stairs, of 'stuff,' to go down to my suitcase (which has been returned to me, fixed, after I jumped up & down & said it had to be returned, fixed or not, as I was going away again).

There are no clothes in this pile of "stuff", but, rather gifts & items I've been asked to bring with me- Tim tams (that was so wicked of me to introduce all my Ya Ya friends to these little decadent morsels & to teach them how to suck up through a Tim tam, coffee laced with Baileys-2 bad habits I have given the American & Canadian girls!). Darrell Lea licorice which all my friends have requested-I must admit it is very good-shame I can longer eat it, or the TT's due to my Coeliac disease. Hopefully I will pick up some Cadbury's chocolates tomorrow to complete the care package!

I have packing down to a fine art after all the trips we've done- I'm a very light packer-especially when I'm on my own & I'm the one dragging luggage off carousels & through airports to get connections-its much easier when MOTH can do the heavy lugging for me! (Men have to be good for something!)

Mostly I can travel with about 4 changes of clothes-inside to outside-layering & swapping them around to give a slightly different look- I'm not looking to be trend setter or a fashion plate & needing 30 changes of clothes to achieve this-if I need something desperately & I didn't pack it, then I'll go buy it, is my motto.

I'll take a lightweight jacket as I know the weather in the USA at this time of the year in the Northern states can still be a bit chilly for me. By the time we leave in July it should be quite hot-so this is where those layers come in handy.

I'm not one of these women that needs a hair dryer, straightener, 6 types of shampoos, a full range of skin care products & a separate bag for the makeup-I've even learnt to par this down to the bare essentials as well- mostly I can fit all of this into a small bag-only taking the few items that I prefer to use everyday.

Even down to my shoes is bare essentials only- I pack a pair of joggers or walking shoes as extra shoes to the ones I wear-even these are carefully chosen to be the type I can slide on & off easily on the plane & through all those security check points in the USA ,which drive me nuts, but it is a necessity these days.

There is another reason I pack light- its so I have room for all my purchases-especially when I go quilt & fabric shopping with friends- there has to be room for all the important things I will be bringing home with me- no matter that I have not sewn up one bit of the fabric I bought last year when we stayed here! (well hidden now so MOTH has no idea of how much fabric I do have stashed!) There are always more colours & designs to buy-they call when you look at them, so I just have to take them home with me. (Only those that sew know the secret call of fabric)

This week has been very wet- not much good for taking pics- maybe OK if I owned wet weather gear for the camera, but I don't, so I've not had that much opportunity to get outdoors.

Also work has been hectic & I've not really had the time to get the camera out other than to take some shots of a patients leg ulcer-not the type of pic I'd put on my blog-YUK!

I love dead flowers in the garden-they make wonderful subjects to photograph-spider webs spun & draped around the dying flower head , the withered petals drooping down-the stamens still sitting proudly upright in a naked stalk....sunlight highlighting their beauty-it doesn't always have to be the perfect new bloom that gives nature its beauty.

Happy Crafting
Oz-tralien

Jaywalker- or Jayded walker

2009-05-17T17:01:00.010+10:00

Hooray! I've finally finished the Jaywalker socks. What an absolutely boring pattern I thought this was. I truly struggled to complete them. The pattern just didn't keep my interest-although I do like the effect of the diagonal striping it created.

Many a time over the past few weeks I've been very tempted to start another project, but, me being me, I knew they would become a UFO at the bottom of the basket. If I start a project I must finish it before starting something else, or nothing ever gets completed.

I admire these knitters & sewers that can have 3 or more projects going at the one time-when they get bored with one they just pick up another one & so the cycle goes until they have a project finished & have already started on more in the meantime.

Not me. If I don't slog it out & finish it, no matter how bored or frustrated I am with it, it just won't ever get finished. It'll be bagged & eventually given to someone to finish, if they like it, or put in a clothing collection bag for a charity shop.Get rid of the evidence....what socks? I never knitted purple socks, surely you must be mistaken! If its not in the house it can't be classified as a UFO. Simple.

Took some of my shots from last weekend to work to show my workmates & one of them asked if she could get a blown up copy of one of the prints to frame & put on her wall.....one of my pictures? WOW- no one has ever wanted something I took to frame.

After having the pic blown up to a 10 x 8 photo & thinking how good it looked, I decided to try a few more at being enlarged as well-I was amazed at what they looked like. It was no doubt all a big fluke of me getting the shots in the first place! Even the guy at the photo shop commented on them (in a positive way)....watch out MOTH I'm out to catch you with the picture taking!

I've pulled some intercostal muscles after a coughing fit the other day- one is supposed to ingest water, not inhale it-the upshot of this is my ribs feel like they are broken & it has been hell to breathe more than a shallow breath most of the weekend. A sneeze nearly made me pass out from the sudden stabbing pain.

I am now breathing somewhat easier- my ribs are still definitely "there"-but at least I can now inhale!

So, with my ribs being so sore & not being able to breath fully for most of the weekend I've had a very quiet weekend- had to knock back a walk to 'The Peak' with DS no4, at sunset, to take pics-I knew my ribs just weren't up to it! (he's the one in the pic above)

Called into Myers this week to see if my new Samsonite bag was back from the repairers- can't say I'm too pleased that the buckle inside the case broke on its first flight-I'm just hoping it will be back this week, if it's not, this will leave me with no luggage to take to the USA Monday week.

Just my trusty carry on bag is all I have left! Both my Qantas brand bags were trashed after last years around the world flights & have been ditched- not that I could have taken them, with the handles ripped out & the extension handle broken off-I should really have claimed them when I got back, but didn't notice all the damage until later on.

On one of our trips home MOTH's zipper stop got caught in the carousel, by the time he freed it he had undies & socks all over the place! He was most embarrassed by it all- we did put a claim in that time. Nothing like chasing your dirty laundry around the carousel with hundreds of people watching!

Next weekend I'm working, then its out of the house for an early start at the airport-am so looking forward to this trip & to catching up with all my friends....oh, and MOTH as well-although he tells me he's off to Germany tomorrow to catch up with his mate who is there travelling with his daughter-great life if you can get away with it.

To Bee or not to Bee

2009-05-09T18:55:00.007+10:00

Today I decided that I would try to capture that elusive shot of a bee. Not just 'A' bee, but, a bee in focus. This proved to be rather more of a challenge than I realized.

With camera & lenses in hand I ventured into the backyard where there were lots of bees-ah, this shouldn't be too hard- I only had to get one good shot.

Yeah, right.

Snapped off about 30 pics & came inside to have a look- deleted most, there were a few hopefuls.

Returned to the backyard-snapped off a few more-back inside, and a look on the computer & there were definitely some better shots in the next lot.

I then decided why not Google 'taking bee photos'- there were many who had tried before me & some of the shots were absolutely awesome-I just wanted a good shot- I'll go for awesome when I understand what I am doing.

One photographer was a font of information- suggesting a tripod, wait patiently as bees tend to return to the same flowers & communicate with each other where the best nectar is to be found (that's something I didn't know)-also to focus on the flower rather than chasing the bee around.

Hmmmm.....all made sense. So out I went again this time with the tripod, set myself up & waited-it seemed all the bees had disappeared- there wasn't one to be found! Perhaps they were camera shy or something.

I waited & waited & sure enough they returned & as I watched the bees did indeed return to the same flowers-almost in the same order & I snapped off a few more pics.

Then I thought I'd give RAW a try-I mean to say I have this feature I might as well try it & learn about it at some stage.....back inside for a preview of all I'd taken & even I was surprised at the detail I managed to pick up-I was truly amazed!

I've promised my family & friends that I will not send them any more bee pics-I'm happy with what I achieved- far from perfect that it is, but at least I'm learning more & trying more with the settings.

One thing I noticed while sitting quietly in the garden, was, that, the Willie Wag Tails have returned...I've missed their little chat chat sound & their higher pitched noise when defending their territory-they are a cute little bird that looks to me, that he is dressed in a tuxedo! You know that autumn is truly on its way when the WWT's have arrived!

As for a picture, in my dreams- they are so quick in the garden it would truly be a lucky snap!

Understanding the Threesome

2009-05-03T16:48:00.009+10:00

I have been madly snapping pics over the weekend, trying, in vain, mostly to get my head around the photographers threesome; F/stops,aperture & ISO. How they relate to each other & affect the way a picture turns out.

This reading also lead me to bokeh & discussions on this technique- I am way too much of a novice to have much of opinion or to even profess to even know what is or isn't acceptable as a bokeh example, but I do know what I like & what appeals to me.

There were many opinions on different forums about it & some quite heated discussions-some interesting pictures & some, that to my untrained eye, just looked like a complete picture out of focus.

So when is a blurred image, artistic & when is it just a blurred image, and probably should be given the delete button? Its all very subjective & very much in the eyes of the beholder.

I've trolled through many an album in my quest to find what constitutes a great picture or just a very ordinary one-my pics, in the main, fall very short of fantastic shots and the vast majority should be given the delete button-but I do know I have to keep on practising to get any better, if I'm ever going to get a really great pic!

I've played with aperture & shutter speeds-left the ISO alone at this stage- and had a lot of pics that didn't work & a few that did-looked at my depth of field & generally played around, this is the wonderful thing with digital, you can takes lots of pics & just get rid of them-no expense or waiting to have them developed to find none of them turned out. Oh, how I remember those days.

I've chased bees around the garden-boy are they quick! & found lots of bugs on lots of flowers-it's truly amazing what you see with a macro lens....so much more at another level that we pass every day. Even the minute centre of a geranium is quite amazing & barely 2mm in size!

Hopefully I'll understand how the threesome works at some point in time, in relation to camera settings..... in the mean time I guess I can just set it on auto.

Hong Kong & Shenzhen- the Girl's Weekend Away

2009-04-25T09:19:00.015+10:00

Each year I take from the Tuesday before Easter to Easter Monday off work & I travel to Hong Kong. I take along with me anyone who wants to come, as long as they are female, not a child & are physically capable of shopping & walking pretty much all day!

I love Hong Kong-its a great destination,especially if you travel further afield than Nathan Road. There is so much more to it than Kowloon.

When I take the groups over we stay in The Kimberly Hotel, in Kimberly Road, this hotel has reasonable rates, is about a 3 minute walk to the closest MTR station, the rooms are a reasonable size, they do a good buffet breakfast (we are never there for any other meals, so can't comment) & they are close to the night markets & the action of Nathan Road.

There are much cheaper hotels & much more expensive, depending on what you require, but this one ticks all the boxes for our needs.

There are hotels with much cheaper rates over on Hong Kong island & I have stayed in these at other times, but if you are going to shop you need to be on the Kowloon side- it is a PITA to have to travel back all the time. Not much night life for shopping there either.

I make sure everyone in the group has an Octopus card- oh how I wish we had these here in Oz. We put credit on it on the first day & hop on & off trains, buses & ferries with the swipe of a card- you don't even have to take it out of your bag.

Hong Kong has an excellent public transport system & if you need to take a taxi, they are cheap as well. The octopus card can be used to buy MacDonald's, if you feel the need & in plenty of other retail outlets as well-very versatile! I have been using mine for nearly 10 years-I keep it safe & make sure I pack it when going there. You can get the credit back off it by returning it to an MTR station.

First stop on the day we arrived was a trip down Granville Road to my favourite bra shop- Bod Bra (they used to be called My Heaven)- they have bras from A cups through to K & they are pretty as well- I had packed light so needed to get here as a first stop! They fit you, most discreetly & the staff are always helpful- well worth a visit if you need new holders for the 'girls'! & you require larger cup sizes.

We wandered up & down Granville Road-in & out all the shops & had noodles with the locals-you can eat really cheaply, if you eat in the local restaurants- we just pick one that is well attended & point to what we want on the menu! Some of them even have forks, so, if you struggle with chopsticks, try asking. Sometimes they give you a fork instead of chopsticks just presuming you can't use them!

Sasa was next on my list- I had not brought any skin care or make-up with me & wanted at least some face cream. I use Decleor & find it's very expensive here in Australia so stock up when I'm over there-I came away with more than face cream!LOL I love looking at all the products & gadgets they have & all at very good prices compared to here. They are like 7-11's- just about on every corner & you'll find each one has slightly different stock.

Sue & Ashleigh decided they wanted more shopping so headed off to the night market-my sister & I headed back to our room- it was after all after 10pm & we had been up since 430am to get to the airport-we were exhausted!

Next morning it was up for a leisurely buffet style breakfast-& then the train to Lo Wu to do some serious retail therapy in Shenzhen. We boarded the train at Tsim Sha Tsui East- we walked in the labyrinth of walkways under the roads- it's all well sign posted to where you need to go- the other place to get on is Kowloon Tong. I always pay the extra for first class- you get a seat & its far more comfortable- its about $66HK each way- standard fare is about that for the return fare- but after a hard day shopping & with all those parcels in tow its nice to sit down!

We head up to Shenzhen on the Wednesday as we all had tailoring to be done-we then pick it up on the Saturday-this is where real savings can be made.

I have been using Cindy Nancy as my tailor- she's great-its 2 sisters & the husband of one of them- they remember us when we return & we tell new customers to tell her "Pauline & Sue came here & you made clothes for them!" I had packed a lot of fabric into my suitcase (hardly any clothes) & a couple of items I wanted copied- this is where they excel-I ended up with 21 items of clothing being made & Nancy was good enough to rush through 2 pairs of cropped pants & a top so I had something to wear in between our visits! A shirt or trousers costs about $12 to have made- I wouldn't be bothered sewing for that! You can find her on the 5th floor booth no 46.

The 4 of us all had a stack of clothes made- Ashleigh had a beautiful soft leather jacket made to measure & her formal dress for year 12- along with about 20 other items!LOL

If you are into sewing this is the floor to visit- there are thousands of fabrics to choose from- all individual little stores- bargain hard-trims & notions. They tell me if you need curtains it pays for the trip over-even if you post them back (because of the weight).Just take a picture of what you want & the measurements.

Things have changed at Shenzhen since last year. The crowds were much less- the border checks were more efficient than in previous years-especially on the Chinese side.

For Australians travelling you need your passport (Australian) & you can cross without any hassle. You do not need to get a visa prior to going to Shenzhen. I do not know about other passports so please check if you are reading this & you do not travel on an Australian passport.

After you get off the train- just follow the crowds to clear the turn styles -use your Octopus card-head toward the immigration lines- you need your departing Hong Kong slip- if travelling with a group- one go get the forms & then the rest get get in line, pen in hand & fill in as you wait-waste no time-serious shopping is at hand!

You need to go upstairs to Chinese immigration-the forms are outside the office-get 2 for each person so you can have it filled in ready for your return trip if you are coming back. You only need one ticket if you are travelling in a group. The Visa is good for only 1 entry.

You need RMB to get the visa & there is a money exchanger right there outside the office- his rates aren't all that great & it costs about $160 RMB for the visa-only exchange what you need with this guy.

Once you have everything in order its time to go downstairs & go through Chinese immigration-both times we went up on this last trip they were very quick- but I have waited nearly an hour to get through immigration here in the past.

As you follow the crowds to the big shopping centre there is a HSBC auto teller in the corner-right hand side, before you exit- this is where we got our money & if you are returning keep enough for the visa-you only have to pay the money exchanger once! You used to be able to shop in HK $'s- not any more- you need RMB. You can pay large amounts with credit card- but your bargaining power is lessened & they'll charge you 5% of the total in commission to do it!

Beware of pick pockets from the moment you get on the train & all the time you are there-they are a problem & I know first hand what it is like.

I was here with my GF some time back & she had her purse stolen- lost her passport, HK ID , her credit cards & money- the police were of no help & you can't get back without a passport- we stayed the night in a hotel & luckily her purse was returned the next day, minus all the money, but thankfully with her passport & cards untouched. It was a very nasty experience. So beware!

You will be bombarded by touters as you exit- they pick the tourists- this is illegal & if you give them the time of day they will harass you ALL day- I kid you not. They work on a commission to bring customers to other people's shops. We have one girl, Julie, who remembers us & she is very hard to shake & gets irate when we tell her we are not going with her! This is not shopping like at home- its very much in your face. "Missy, Missy you want........"- they will tap you as well, which by the end of the day has you just about screaming! They will also tell you this is my brother,sister,mother- they aren't related at all, mostly, they tell you this so you think they are bringing you to someone trustworthy!

There are a couple of ways to escape this constant bombardment- this is what we do on our return trip to pick up our tailoring- while any final adjustments are being done- we go for a manicure/pedicure- no one does these like the Chinese- they are heaven. We visited Fang Fang Mei Jia Shop 3332B shop on the 3rd floor.

Not only did I have the manicure & pedicure & an hours foot massage, I had false eyelashes done again (these cost next to nothing up here) & I had my eyebrows tattooed on as well! What a great job they did-my sister ended up having hers done as well- they look so natural no one has been able to pick them- other than you have beautiful eyebrows! Now I don't have to draw them on every day! Don't go to Shenzhen & miss the experience of the a manicure & pedicure with a foot massage. I highly recommend them.

Time to take our beautiful selves off to lunch- we ate with the locals again- as long as there are lots of people inside we feel the food cant be too bad- I have even learnt what dishes to pick with my Coeliac disease & never have had a problem with the food- not one reaction!

Time then to look around the shops- pick up some wonderful bargains-the copy industry is still very much alive here- although they have some great designers of their own that aren't copy at all-you just need to look- which can be difficult with "the come into my shop" & "Missy, Missy" all the time!

By the time you pick up your tailoring you are ready to make your escape & sit in first class, exhausted from a day like no other of shopping.

On this trip we did the train ride up to the Peak- well worth it if the weather is clear-we missed it the last 2 trips, as it was just too cloudy.

Catch the bus to Stanley Markets- sit at the top on the front seats for a really incredible experience- you may wish to sit downstairs for the ride home!LOL You need to do the upstairs, front at least once! Not much bargaining at Stanley anymore- but its worth the trip out there to say you've been.

The jade Market was another place on the to do list this time- this place is fascinating & there are 2 buildings so make sure you go to both- everything from precious stones, jade & junky jewellery- if you know your stones then go go with your loupe & check out the quality before buying. Bargaining here- which is half the fun. I took pics here the others came away with all sorts of things!

The Ladies market & the night market we found had much the same as what you can get in Shenzhen, only dearer & what you find in Paddy's markets here! These places are very crowded- watch your bags- bargaining here is getting less & less.

We all needed new glasses so a trip to our favourite Optometrist was in order as well. You can take prescription with you or you can have your eyes tested there- but glasses in HK are much cheaper than at home. I can get designer frames, plastic lenses, photo sensitive & my reading glasses or bi-focal cheaper than I can get one pair here with glass lenses with the photo- grey! I can't claim them on health insurance- but they are so much cheaper I don't care. They also do a super fine lens- they don't look much thicker than paper- he was telling me the cost of these varies depending on the correction needed- but boy they looked fantastic! No thick lenses. He'll even mail new glasses to Australia for you-just email him what you require. Sunrise Optical Co Ltd, 6D Carnarvon Road Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.

I have never been able to buy shoes in Hong Kong but have found an outlet over on HK island that has big sizes (up to a 42). Vickie Shoes Co 6 Li Yuen street east, Central, Hong Kong. I went in looking for a pair of shoes & came out with 2 pairs of sandals- I didn't need sandals- but they fitted so well I couldn't resist!!LOL Li Yuen is 2 streets with markets- make sure you look behind the shops & go downstairs to the bag shop as well-hidden away down in the basement- they usually have some nice bags down there.

Don't forget to catch the ferry across the harbour- you can't go to HK without at least one trip across & back- very pretty at dusk & there is a laser light display down there about 730pm each evening.

If you want to buy a new camera or computer gear- know your prices of the newest models before you go & stick to what you want. I found prices comaparable to Australia in a lot of cases. I did buy a new camera but had all the prices prior to my leaving home.

Our bags weighed between 23 & 20 kilograms coming back- just made the baggage allowance! The grouped them for check in -what a great trip! We came back all shopped out!

Next year the girls have asked for a change... looks like Saigon will be our girls weekend away-now I need to reseach that destination- luckily our daughter & MOTH have been there recently.

Oatley Park

2009-04-22T19:14:00.011+10:00

Today saw me with a little bit of spare time in between calls & no where to go for coffee, so I grabbed a take away & headed down to Oatley Park -for some peace & quiet & a few quick pics with the new camera.

Oatley park is beautiful. Well maintained, lots of walking tracks & picnic areas & the bird life abundant. As I sipped my coffee I heard the plaintiff cries of crows overhead, the answering calls of the Currajongs, the raucous screeching of the low flying cockatoos, the tinkling calls of the Crimson Rosellas & the unmistakable song of the Laughing Kookaburras. What a wonderful way to spend some time.

The park was relatively quiet today as it had been raining on & off all morning but this did not deter a few serious walkers & runners & even a couple of swimmers down in the fenced off pool. Personally I thought it a bit nippy to be braving the cold water of the George's River-but there are always a few who seem to be immune to the cold.

I managed a few pics of the cockatoos, while they dive-bombed me & some of the kookaburras. The noisy minor allowed me to come quite close to take its picture!

There were a family out fishing- they managed to tell me, in broken English, that the fish weren't biting- the kids seemed to be having fun!

This park has become a favourite haunt of mine when I have 20 minutes to spare- there is always something to photograph. The birds are so used to humans that they don't always fly away, but allow you to come in quite close or dive bomb you in the case of the Kookaburras & the Cockatoos!. I have been told that the Kookaburras are to be watched if you are B-B-Q'ing- they have been known to swoop in & take the sausages right off the BBQ plate to the astonishment of those doing the cooking!

Happy Crafting

Oz- Tralien

Short Attention Span.

2009-04-19T19:39:00.006+10:00

It would appear that my attention span for knitting socks is about 1 week. I am struggling with the socks I started prior to going to Hong Kong, back in the week of Easter.The first sock is done & looks quite good & I am one pattern repeat from starting the heel on the second sock, but I am so over these socks! This afternoon I wound the 'sunshine' coloured sock yarn in readiness for the next pair & can't wait to get started on them-haven't even picked a pattern, I just want to move on.

Once, when travelling through India an old man read my palm-he said I liked to travel- well, that was a no-brainer-I was in the backwoods of India & obviously not Indian! but he did tell me that I had a mind that flittered like a butterfly-once I learnt how to do something I then flittered off to learn something new.....that describes me pretty well much to a tee! And this sock is holding me back-its time to move on with it! He told me lots of other things that were pretty accurate as well-I sometimes wonder how they do it-read body language, guess,or is it really in our stars, our palms or our numbers.....

Its taken me all week to get back into some order after the very hectic week in Hong Kong-a separate blog on that, hopefully through the week. Suffice to be said we had a great time-spent lots, saw lots, did lots. I think most of my stuff is now packed away & the laundry caught up- the downside of having to return home at some point.

MOTH is still in Kuala Lumpar- he leaves tomorrow for London-appears he is having wonderful time-he must be, he isn't phoning me every single night telling me he feels guilty for going away & leaving me at home, again.....this guilt is always good for a guilt gift.Diamond earrings, laptop computers, handbags-he always buys me something when he gets to feeling guilty about his travelling-I can live with it!LOL

This weekend saw me do some sewing-all requests-an apron for a birthday present, 2 towels for a couple & a baby towel. I do have one more baby towel to do-if its a boy it'll be Joe & I have the name all done to transfer to the machine....if its a girl, then they haven't picked a name. This couple have 2 girls already but didn't want to know the sex prior to the birth. The baby will be delivered tomorrow at 10am, so I'm told,-she has a C section, so its all arranged.

It is much easier for me if I know the sex ahead of time at least then I can do things that are gender appropriate! Thirty years ago we did not have this luxury of knowing the gender prior to the birth.

Thirty years ago we didn't have ultra sounds as a routine exam in a pregnancy. I remember that I had to have one when I was pregnant with our twins (they are 27)-the first one was done to give dates as I had no idea the month, let alone date of my last period, I just wasn't paying attention & I did have an IUD in!!! Can imagine every one's surprise when they found 2, not 1 foetuses in there! Even when I had the second scan to check weights I never even thought to ask if they could tell what sex they were-mind you I told everyone that it would be 2 boys as that is what my family had always produced for some reason. Nothing changed. I produced twin boys as well-didn't need an ultra sound to tell me! These days everyone gets scanned & a lot find out the gender-I find it difficult not knowing these days if I'm sewing for the baby....ah well-there are always those non- gender colours of white, lemon & green!

Happy crafting,

Oz-tralien

Sock it to Me!

2009-04-05T17:22:00.010+10:00

I finished another pair of socks today & started yet another pair, the needles hardly have time to cool down!-this will be my 7 th pair this year-I certainly seem to have caught the sock bug!

Socks are so easy to knit, they are very transportable, you can try out different patterns on not too many stitches & everyone who doesn't knit is fascinated at what you are knitting.

This last pair I have started are from Jeanie Townsend- sock knitter extraordinaire-they are called Lilac socks- but mine are blues rather than mauve.

Some weeks back I ordered 4 balls of Patonyle sock yarn in white & I have it in hanks ready to dye whatever colours take my fancy-it was blue-y/turquoise the other night. If I keep knitting at this rate I may even knit up all my sock yarn stash before the winter is out. That would be something.

I really don't think I'll get too much knitting done in the next week as I leave for Hong Kong very early Tuesday morning & wont be back until the the following Monday morning. This year there are 4 of us going-a nice small number for me to handle as the 'tour guide'.

During the past week I have researched prices on cameras & lenses-its always best to know your prices before striking up a deal with those shifty Kowloon salesman. One thing I have learnt is that they will tell you they have no stock if they don't want to bargain with you- if the price offered is too low for them. This is a change from many years ago when they'd rob you blind if you bargained too hard with them!

Hong Kong is a great destination- I think this is my 18 th trip there- I've really lost count these days. Its safe,its interesting (especially if you leave Kowloon & Nathan Road & get out a bit) & its a shoppers paradise.
We will travel up to Shenzhen on the Wednesday- hopefully we will still be able to get special visas to go over the border there. I know things have changed since last year,so it will be interesting to see what is going on there. I was told that all shopping there now is in CNY$ not HK$- so that will be a change for us.

My bags are not packed- although I do have some fabric pulled from my stash ready to pack to take to the tailors if we are able to get over the border. Last year I had tailored pants made for $12 a pair-this year its more trousers & tops. I do find it better to take something that fits well & have it copied- this is where they excel.

Baggage allowances have also become stricter since we were away this time last year. I was told by someone who works for an airline that they now get bonuses if they get lots in excess baggage from the passengers.....hmmmm...seems unfair!

I remember last year a very nice gent at Heathrow told me that my bags were 15 kg over weight & that I would have to pay for the excess. I reminded him that I was on a RTW ticket & had gone through North America first, which gave me 2 bags at 23kg each. There was no charge. Seems unfair that they will still carry the excess but charge you excessively for it-in my case there may have been no charge, but unless I knew this bit of information I would have been charged! I need to check the allowances prior to the USA trip this year.

MOTH has finally come around on the camera- I have done lots more research & will buy the Nikon D80 or a Sony A200- I have decided it is time to change cameras. The prices are on my notepad to pack with me.

Hopefully I'll get lots of pics while we are in HK-not that I don't have lots! but there is always something fun to see.

Until next time, happy crafting,

Oz- tralien

Bits 'n Pieces

2009-03-29T17:53:00.008+11:00

It's not often I have a lazy weekend- doing nothing-but this weekend has been one of them. I was just not in the mood for doing anything much at all.

Not that I did 'nothing'.

My list of 'to do' things before the trip to the USA-now has lots of ticks on it!

I checked out Knitpicks & placed an order- that will be delivered to my GF's & I'll pick it up when I visit in May. In some ways I'm glad they don't post to Oz or I'd be done for-you'd find me buried under a pile of wool & fabric.

I certainly don't need anything in the parcel before then- its more sock yarn (which I find hard to resist) & a ball winder. I do have a ball winder- well, really, technically its a cone winder & the balls tend to collapse on themselves as I don't keep the plastic cone in there.....

Next on my list was embroideryonline, after I had gone through all my machine embroidery threads, to see which ones need replacing-that took me the best part of 3 hours on Saturday . The up shot of that is that all the threads are tidy & sorted. Seems I need a few threads-I've sewn more than I thought I had in the past 12 months.

Sew, when I arrive at Barb's it'll be like Christmas for me- all these parcels that I have delivered to her place prior to my arrival.

I played around with a Flickr album- I seem to have albums all over the place with pics in them-but I'll keep this one for my sewing & knitting.

My knitting is certainly progressing well. After I gave Gemma her pink socks I then completed the blue, Embossed Leaves, pair- they are really gorgeous & I love the heel & toe detail in them-a little different to what I've done on other pairs. Very classy looking.

Today I started a pair with my yarn cafe shimmer yarn-it's a variegated yarn & patterns do not show well with all the colours. This is my improvised pair- I'm making it up as I go- hopefully when I finish I'll have something wearable & that fits a foot as well- you never know what will happen when I start to knit. I am now ready to turn the heel.

This afternoon I sat & watched 2 movies on DVD- I rarely sit & watch anything at all-its a good excuse to knit. The first one was a Helen Hunt one- 'then there was you' I think was the name of it- lovely girlie type movie for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

The second one was Indecent Proposal-I wonder how many people, in a similar situation, would do the same thing. Hell ,I'd have 'slept' with Robert Redford for nothing!

MOTH leaves for Malaysia on Wednesday, then onto UK-we don't catch up again until I get to Canada around 3 June.

Tuesday week I'm off to Hong Kong with the gals for our yearly shopping trip-this is when I might buy the camera I've been after- no DH saying to buy a Sony! Looking forward to our 6 days away- no guys-no meals- no dishes!!!! The perfect holiday!

Happy Crafting

Oz-tralien

Knitting, Travel & Airport Security

2009-03-25T19:20:00.008+11:00

We flew to Melbourne this past weekend to catch up with DS no1, his wife & our 4 year old GS-it's so nice to see them more often these days, without the long flight to London! They all seem to be settling in very well. GS can tell you where all the trams are going by the number & even remembered to tell me that on the weekend they ran a No.3 so we could get that is we missed the 96! Not sure what they'll teach him in school next year!

On the flight down I sat & knitted my socks on my small DPN"s without a hitch- no one said a thing. They cleared security with no problems & the knitting was sitting in the top of my bag so anyone could see it.

On the flight home our plane was delayed for take off & I sat & knitted again-many of the flight staff walked passed me without comment....then it only took one.....Excuse me, you can't knit on the plane. I'm not sure how you cleared security with them.....I'll have to confiscate them.

You can imagine my surprise as I'd been knitting for the previous 30 minutes & no one had commented, indeed I knitted around the USA & back to Oz from the USA & no one said I had a dangerous implement on board.

So take my knitting they did- to the Captain & Security meet me at the plane after we landed, walked me back out of the airport & handed me back my knitting! As most of the Flight Staff commented- not sure what I could do with them- I said- not even pick your teeth as they aren't sharp enough! looks like I'll be packing them on the next flights! Sure passes the time if I can knit.

While we were on St Kilda beach with the wild child one day we came across a group of Indigenous People dancing & someone taking a video of them- I snapped a few pics-not sure what it was all about.

I have completed the Lacewave socks & given them to Gemma-I think she was rather pleased to be a recipient of my knitted socks & now I've moved on to Embossed Leaves from the same book. I have completed 1 sock already & down on to the leg of the second-so well & truly underway with them.

Socks are so easy to knit-doesn't take long to get to the end of a needle & at 64 stitches all round -they knit up very quickly. The Wild Child has asked for matching socks to his fingerless mitts & beanie which he calls his rainbow lorikeet outfit!

DIL is wearing the socks I gave her for Christmas & is very pleased with them- I never thought in a million years I'd ever be knitting socks!

Ramblings of Mad Woman

2009-03-15T16:31:00.006+11:00

My knitting has progressed well through the week. I have completed one of the socks of hideousness & am at the heel of the second one....perhaps I'll finish this one before we leave for Melbourne on Thursday morning.

We are off to visit with No 1 son & his family- namely the 4 year old GS. Apparently he has been throwing hissy fits & his parents are not amused-especially when he is out & does it. There is lots of advice on dealing with temper tantrums & small children & we do know they grow out of it-but at the time you'd like to give them away until they can be returned to you as reasonable young persons- about 25 years of age- give or take a few years!

Thankfully, none of ours were real hissy fitters-they may have thrown the odd one ,but it wasn't a regular occurrence- mine learnt pretty quick they never got their own way with me if they did resort to temper & tears. I also only fought the battles with them that were necessary- I never worried if they wanted to put a blue T shirt with the orange shorts- I let them pick their their own clothes from very early on-at least then they felt like they had some control over their own lives.

Lets face it, when rearing kids, by the time you know you stuffed it all up ,its too late! Some children should be born with an instruction manual- & not written in Chinglish either!

On the camera front, I wish I had never gone there. MOTH is getting very insistent that I buy a Sony- he even offered to buy me an A200 to see if I liked it or not-the more he pushes the more I want the Nikon D80-at this stage I'm not buying anything-I just can't stand the angst it is creating! I wonder what happened to free will in this family.....obviously not when buying a camera!

My sewing has been productive- I have written up the instructions for both my articles that are to be published, done the samples, photographed what I needed to & sent it to the editor! YEAH- even the articles are ready to be boxed & posted, hopefully tomorrow. Well before my deadline date.

DD dropped some fabric in this afternoon to make a slip for her to wear under a sheer top-that must have taken all of 45 minutes from drafting to finishing-only cost her $5 for the fabric a far cry from spending $45 to buy one.

As I was making this little slip up I was thinking that when I was her age we wore the sheer things without anything much underneath them ,funny how times have changed- we flaunted it all back in the day- these days it is better left hidden away- no one wants to see what I used to have any more! Lets face it- it isn't even where it used to be , anymore!! LOL

It would appear that many people are returning to sewing & crafting with the recession- great for all of us who have always done so & good for the businesses that sell the items- hopefully it will bring about a resurgence of crafting & sewing.

Until next timeOz-tralien

Flying Needles

2009-03-08T17:44:00.007+11:00

During the week we changed areas at work. We do 3 months in one area & move on. This area I am now in will not go fast enough! Lynda, whom I follow at work, said the same thing!

One of my visits is eye drops.....3 times a day.....every day.....to be given 5 minutes apart.....and there are 6 of them.....sometimes 9...........it's very tedious, to say the least.

The first few days I suffered through Antique Road Show, I Love Lucy, Elliott Ness, M*A*S*H & Gunsmoke, willing the minutes to hurry by. This lady is blind & turns the TV up very LOUD.....she's not deaf at all, so I wonder why the TV has to be at full volume, perhaps to compensate for not having the visuals.

Larissa suggested I take my knitting in, to fill in time. What a brilliant woman she is! I've knitted a sock, the fingerless mittens to go with the hat & a bow tie scarf all this week! The 5 minutes between each drop is now flying & so are my needles & I'm not bored whit-less by the inane TV.

Knitting also is a conversation starter-my lady asks me each day what I'm up to , and how much more I've done.

Yesterday I went looking at new cameras. I like the Nikon D80. MOTH has been pushing me toward a Sony A350 because he has the A700 (& is coveting the A900) & he says we can share lenses. This sounds fine in theory but I have my doubts that it will work in practise. I also have to decide if I really want to start carrying around camera gear, as opposed to "a" camera.

This week I completed the red Ladder of Life socks for my GF's DH (scroll down to see pattern)-I'm sure he will love them & my GF will tell me not to encourage him!LOL

The bow tie scarf pattern was done with an odd ball I picked up at Spotlight. Patons Soft Haze in a very delicate pink. I knitted the scarf bit longer than the pattern as I found 12" choked me! The pattern is a free download from Ravelry.

Next were the fingerless mittens, to match the hat, all done in the wool I dyed with food colouring a couple of weeks back. I found these instructions difficult to follow- the mitts look like they should be longer to me-but hey, I have more yarn I'll try again with a different pattern!

Last night I started another pair of socks. What can I say- they are easy, very transportable & they knit up quickly. These ones are called Socks of Hideousness , have started these with some yarn I bought on EBay a few weeks ago.

I did start a shawl from my knitted lace of Estonia book, but felt I couldn't concentrate on the graph with the TV blaring & my lady talking to me!

Happy Crafting

Oz-tralien

Thanks for the Memories

2009-03-01T12:19:00.014+11:00

Yesterday I went on my Redballoonday with Sydney Photographic Workshops.
This was a day that my family had paid for for as birthday present for me-it turned out to be a great gift!

What an excellent day I had.

My camera was by far the oldest & the least fancy- most of the group were sporting Cannon's with more lenses than a photographic shop & the professionals that took us!

We started out at lunchtime with harsh over head light & snapped all day until the sun had gone down & we had a lovely model, Annabelle, who posed for us & did the fire poise for us-spectacular on the darkened beach.

This is where my camera was limited as I don't have the shutter speeds like the full digital cameras, but I got a few decent shots off. The professional photographers were really great with me- trying different things to get the best from my camera & a lot of it is composition & the lighting-it might be nice to zoom in & get the fly on a nose, but at this stage I can live without it-I'm still not prepared to carry 6 KG of camera gear around with me when travelling!

MOTH had a look at my shots- declaring that he could do better & that a few of them were too postcard-y....but to me they are 100% on what I was taking 4 weeks ago! AND, lets face it- he would never say I took a better pic than he did!

La Perouse was an interesting place. I've lived in Sydney my whole life & never been there, that I can remember. It is obviously a popular venue for bridal photographers as there must have been at least 6-8 bridal parties there during the time we were there, all dressed in their finery, clambering across the rocks & rock pools. They, had at least removed stilettos for easy to manage thongs!

I came home exhausted & happy & had taken over 500 shots- this would never have happened back in the days of film- I'm also sun burnt!, but thankfully not too badly....

I'm sure a great day was had by all....and I may just go off & do a few more classes now!

Madly Snapping!

2009-02-26T17:50:00.008+11:00

Week 3 of the photography class was last night. I am learning so much about my camera-let's hope its enough to get me by with the big cameras on Saturday, when I attend the Red Balloon day out with a professional photographer, for travel photography.

Each week in my basic digital photography class we have been given homework & not all of us produce the correct pics either! Last week I got the people pics right, but didn't get the night time, no flash one exactly how the teacher specified-all in the interpretation! Maybe I can do a better shot through the week.

No more pics on auto....lots on Program Mode & adjusting settings. I was surprised at the number in the class who had never turned their camera sideways to take a portrait shot! At least I had done that, many times.

We've taken pics without the flash, changed ISO's, changed the white balance, EV changes, learned about DOF & moved on to file types & sizes- boy have we covered some ground- the whole class has been great fun & informative & hopefully at the end of all of this I'll be taking much better photos! I find I am understanding my manual a whole lot better as well after doing the class.

I've added some pics to the blog, of a few I've taken over the past few weeks-let me know if they look any good or not! After all this time of having the camera I've finally figured out how to do a decent macro shot on it- the geranium buds are VERY small!

This last one was taken in the dark, with no flash,long shutter opening & no lights! Amazing- I did use a tripod!

Huskisson Triathlon

2009-02-22T19:40:00.006+11:00

Only that our DD looks so much like her father, I would wonder these days if she had not been swapped at birth.

DD & her DH have taken up marathon & triathlon running. Our SIL has even competed in the gruelling Iron man event -saying to all that he hoped to complete the event in under 12 hours....12 HOURS!!!! can you imagine swimming, cycling & running for 12 hours straight? Not me- I get tired just thinking about it! (he completed it in 11:45)

DD & SIL have been in training for months-they tell me they have a 'down' time- I'm not sure when that was as they always seem to be running off to do squad training, cycle somewhere or 'just go for a 20 K run'.

DD even ran the legs off the dog & now she is no longer able to run with them-she said "I never ran her further than 10K!"-poor Ella, I bet she wishes she was adopted from the puppy pound by people less active!LOL

Anyway today was the Huskisson half iron man or long course triathlon- the weather was pretty well perfect- overcast, hardly any wind & just warm.

Only dedicated parents & followers would get up at 6am on a Sunday to go watch the start of the race- those less dedicated could lie in bed & get up at a more reasonable hour & just watch the ending.....but, no, we get up & gee them along at every stageIt amazes me the determination & guts of these competitors-you could see on the run section that a few had taken tumbles off bikes or had fallen while running- they were sporting bleeding knees, arms & even one poor fellow was running with a cut on his face! They just get up & keep on going! Or those that had cramps & were still trying to run with a hobble or a jumping motion, just so they could finish the race.....not me I'd have nearly drowned by the time I had to make it to the first buoy on the swim!

It was a great day & both of them did us proud.....and SIL tells us its only 6 more weeks to the Iron Man event this year- he's going back to do that one all over again!

Dye me a rainbow

2009-02-20T18:23:00.010+11:00

Through the week I tried my hand at dyeing wool. To be more specific- dyeing with food colouring. How much fun was this & how addictive is it......I'm now looking at my yarn stash in a whole new light!

I scrummaged through my yarn stash & came up with some Cleckheaten 8ply wool I've had stashed for a good many years, in a winter white colour- just 2 balls & 2 smallish left overs, and, the hank of pure merino wool my MIL plied for me at least 22 years ago....still sitting in the stash- both perfect for the job!

Reading everything I could on how to attempt this new project-from here , here & here. These were all helpful, along with this one as well.

Armed with all my information I went shopping for a large container of white vinegar & some bigger bottles of food colouring- I bought 2 of each colour plus a rose pink & black for good measure- just the Queens brand in the supermarket. Scrounged around the $2 shops for clear squeez-ie containers but came home with sauce bottles- these were coloured (more on this later).

My technique was

1. soak for 30 minutes in warm water & a good slosh of vinegar,was maybe 1/3 vinegar to 2/3 water.

2. Squeeze out the excess soak ( I re bottled the water/vinegar mix to use again next time).

3. Mix food colouring, water & vinegar in the sauce bottles & pour onto the yarn that I had arranged on a tray & a microwave dish. I used the water/ vinegar in proportions that were suggested in the tutorials.

4.Microwave for 2 minutes, rest for 5 & repeat until I had zapped it for 10 minutes in total-the containers were covered in Gladwrap.

5. Leave it alone until it cools, although the desire to play with it & look at it is extremely strong when you first finish 'cooking' it.

6. Rinse in warm/cool water with a little detergent-squeeze it all through to get rid of any excess dye (there wasn't any in mine) & to get rid of the vinegar smell in it.

7. hang to dry & admire it every time you walk past it

8. Rope some poor sucker into holding hanks for you so you can ball it...many thanks to Grahame at work, who actually offered to do this for me

9. Accept all the wonderful comments that you will receive when you show everyone you can grab- even your non- crafty/arty-farty friends will be amazed.

10. Take pics.

What I found

All the tutorials on how to do this were very good & I took from each one & from my reading online what appealed to me most & did it as a combination of techniques.

The sauce bottles were hopeless as you can't really see the colour in them- I have purchased small popper bottles for $2.50 for 6, mine have apple juice in them & I figured even if they tasted terrible & I tipped them out, it was still cheaper than buying a plastic container of some sort.

I need to get more experience with mixing dyes to get the colour I really want- not just 'however they turn out'! My purple is nearly black & my orange is more a lime green- but hey! it's my first attempt & I'm sure a beanie for my GS out of the 8ply will be well loved!

Now I'm looking at the roving I've had stashed for years as well-this looks like it could be added to the dyepot as well.

Happy Crafting,

Pauline

Time Flies!

2009-02-20T06:34:00.007+11:00

I can't believe I haven't posted any blogs for so many weeks! I kept meaning to but just never got around to it.

I have been busy sewing & I can't show pics of what I've been the busiest on at this stage....but will share later on.

MOTH has been gone for the past few weeks- travelling from Perth in Western Australia to Adelaide in South Australia with an old army buddy-they towed a caravan & stopped along the way....I'm sure hoping this has not re-kindled his desire to have that bloody caravan again!

He arrived home yesterday sporting a mo! Now, I don't dislike facial hair on some men- not just mine-I refused to kiss him hello & then said while it was on I wasn't cooking any meals for him either-his choice....I think the clincher was that I told him he looked like an aging porn star....funny, he shaved it off last night-to get me back he refused his kiss at bedtime last night-but came in for one when he got up this morning! Normality has returned.

My camera class is fantastic. All of the things I'm learning to do on my camera that I had done by accident, but didn't know how to do them again -all explained- in easy to understand terms. We even get homework which is fun as well.

During the week I finished my Mockery socks-I'm so pleased with them & have now started Ladder of Life ones for my GF's DH as a fun gift- in bright fire engine red!

I also tried food colour dying through the week- this is so much fun & now I can't wait till my 4 yr old GS comes for a visit so I can play with him doing it-I'll do a whole blog when I get time & show how I did it-now I want more yarn to play with to change the colours on!

This weekend we are off to Sanctuary Point- our DD & her DH are competing in the half iron man event- personally we think they are mad, & we must also be that way to get up at 530am to go watch the start of the race at 6am. They competed last year as well- a gruelling 2.5 km swim, 90 km bike ride & a 22 km run just to round it out nicely...I'm sure you'll agree...must be crazy! I get tired thinking about it!

Happy crafting

History of a sewist

2009-01-29T06:13:00.009+11:00

This week I've had a project accepted for publication by an Oz magazine-submission of the project is in May but it won't be published until October-that's a long way ahead they work. Would appear that if I want to submit for the Christmas edition it would have to be in in July! Even the MOTH was impressed, finally realizing that all the time spent up in my sewing room is not my way of avoiding him all weekend!LOL I think he was even pleased for me.

This is not the first time I've had a project published, but it is the first time I've submitted off my own bat & been accepted & I'm the one that will get paid for it-getting paid for doing something you really enjoy, is wonderful!

Two years ago I had a bag published in Jenny Haskins's magazine & I am still getting requests for my Egyptian Goddess tote- readers had to email me direct for the instructions-I was really surprised at the response I had from that publication, it was a single page photo.

My real break came when I was asked to fill in a slot that the person had not submitted the project for in another magazine and I produced another handbag with the instructions & managed & 5 page spread in the magazine-I wasn't the one that got paid for this but I felt it was wonderful just to be published at the time. Funny I never even expected to be paid I was so astounded that anything I made would be good enough to be published!LOL.

I sent these new project pics to the editor, hoping that it would be a project that would appeal to them & they accepted it- what a surprise for me....now I'm thinking, what else can I make?

Sewing to me has not always been the passion that it is today. In fact, I hated sewing early on & was removed from the sewing class for a year.

All school children back in my day were either taught to sew (the girls) or craft (the boys) & never the lines shall be crossed!

I was taught to sew & knit from a very early age- it being considered a beneficial thing for a young lady to know how to do.

At school we were started off in Kindergarten threading embroidery thread through huckerback to make pretty patterns & sew we moved on through the years adding to our repertoire each year. I mucked up from the word go-I really wanted to learn to basket weave & build things & I figured I did enough sewing & knitting at home-but NO....there was no way I could do 'boy's crafts"- I should have been born 10 years later.

By the time I was 11 I was pretty disruptive, my mother mortified at my behaviour, as the sewing teacher, Mrs smith, was a good friend & lived up in the next street-so she told my mother what I got up to. I was persistent in my desire to learn to basket weave & do woodwork & the education system was determined I should sew a fine hem!

The year started out pretty much the same for me but I refused to pin & tack side seams before using the sewing machine- I whizzed up seams on my own at home! I felt there was no reason to do french hems by hand when a sewing machine could do it far better than me....Mrs Smith after all those years finally told me I could not join the boys craft class & I could leave the sewing class- I grabbed the opportunity & said I want out of here! I spent the rest of the year in the quiet class room, on my own- I had the best books in the grade & I didn't care I had finally escaped sewing class!

When I reached high school, not only did I have to continue to sew, but they added cooking & household knowledge to our essential 'girl' knowledge- those damn boys got woodwork & metal work & I still wasn't allowed to join!

At about this time I discovered boys, parties & going out My mother, most unfairly, would not provide me with a new outfit each time I was invited to a party, what was a young social butterfly to do? I pulled out the sewing machine & started to make my own clothes, my own way & I never pinned & tacked a seam before sewing it- ever! So through necessity I started to sew-my babysitting money was used to buy fabrics & I had the wardrobe I needed....my mother was astounded & I bet you anything she told Mrs Smith who was left behind in Primary school.

My sewing continued through my years of nursing & then when my children came along I started sewing for them- we couldn't afford 5 designer outfits so I'd copy them & make them at a fraction of the cost.

Enter the era of stretch sewing & my sewing took off again- now I even sewed for DH-he had tab front tops, T shirts & track suits....who could believe I was doing all this sewing? At one point I even taught stretch sewing-me the teacher after being the most horrendous little brat for all those years in sewing class!

When the twins were about a year old I enrolled to do Developing Creative Craft at the local TAFE-I wanted to learn to tat & smock....I ended up doing just about the whole course over a couple of years-what fun I had! My mother shook her head in disbelief- saying Mrs Smith would be rolling in her grave if she could see me now. (she, unfortunately, died from a malignant melanoma when she was not all that old).

The sewing has continued & I've made everything from bras to lampshades- I never did get to learn to basket weave or do woodwork, but I seem to have found my own niche along the way.

These days I have an embroidery machine that keeps me busy & what fun it is to play with-I still don't pin & tack my seams or do a lot of those fiddly hand finishes that I was told I had to know- but lots of what I was taught holds me in good stead even today, with today's much more relaxed methods of construction.

Yesterday I was out pegging the laundry on my little clothes airer & looked in the tree that is near the back door.....and thought...what has DH hung in the tree? On closer inspection it was a snake skin-a complete skin from head to tail. Now, where has the occupant gone is what I'd like to know? There are great advantages to having cats it seems as we never used to have snakes that close to the house before! I now find it all a bit un-nerving when I venture up the back yard to water, hoping some slippery, legless thing isn't going to drop out of the tree onto me! I phoned DS no4 to come over & get it down for me (it was too high for me to reach & I've given up climbing trees)-I now have it sitting in the kitchen & every time I go down there it gives me a start as I forget its there!LOL I have decided I'll post it to my Grandson- he should enjoy taking that to kindy.

Does fabric breed like rabbits?

2009-01-18T17:13:00.013+11:00

Through the week I worked out if I sewed 10 metres of fabric a month, on average, & I bought no more fabric, (that's impossible), I could sew up my stash in 7-8 years! My fabric stash is getting out of hand, again.

The last time I felt that it had bred uncontrollably, like rabbits, in my sewing room, I purged the stash & gave about 30 kg away! It hardly made a dent.

I spoke to myself harshly at the time & told myself that I would control my fabric buying & only buy what I really needed....thing is I always need it! Its a compulsion & it seems that every time I go into my favourite fabric shop- I buy more fabric. I rarely come out of there with out something. Usually its a huge bag full which I hide in my car until DH goes out & I can sneak up to the sewing room unobserved & hide it away, bit like 2 of my sisters with their shoes! I thankfully missed that compulsion.

At one point I even tried to avoid going in & looking as I knew I would have to buy something. I lasted 3 weeks.....I needed a fabric fix. Is there something they put in the fabrics that is addictive, that wonderful new fabric smell & it works on our brains telling us to buy it?LOL

This shop now sells roll ends- you have to buy what's on the roll- they won't cut it & its upholstery fabrics- really good quality fabrics & boy haven't I picked up some great bargains for $4 & $5 a metre-I know I don't need 4 metres of it, but at that price who cares? And so the stash grows.....and grows!

Now for all this huge stash of fabric when I went to find fabric to make some boomerang (V) pillow slips I had nothing in enough length that was suitable. So what's a gal to do?....you just HAVE to go to the fabric shop. In my defence I was very good & only bought what I went in to get-fabric for the pillowcases. Mind you I over estimated what I needed & had enough to make myself a nightie out of the left over fabric from one lot!

Before I got the embroidery machine I used to sew less & use more fabric. These days I sew more & use very little fabric, but I keep on buying it.....I may just need it.

This weekend I made myself a winter robe (so who cares that its 35*C outside- it WILL get cold again!)-from stash fabric- bought on sale at Lincraft at the end of last winter for this very purpose. That used 4 metres. 6 V pillowslips- that was about 12 metres- not from stash, I had to buy fabric to make these, so no reduction there and the nightie from left over fabric. At least I managed to sew up what I bought within the week-to me that's a bonus.

So, after sewing all weekend I have managed to reduce the original stash by 4 metres- hardly a dent in the 13 crates I have stashed away.

I was even nice to DH & took up his jeans that he asked me to do.....mostly he gives up & wears them long! Mind you with all his snoring he did last night he was lucky not to be strangled by his jeans-sheesh give that man a curry & a few beers & can he snore! There is much to be said for separate rooms as you get older!

The scarf is now finished-I am so glad I got to the end of it after all the problems I had doing the pattern- I hope my DIL likes it! DD liked it as well but I'm doing a different pattern for her.There is no way I'm knitting that pattern again! This was a freebie from Lincraft- I did a knit stitch each end on the purl rows so it wouldn't curl.

I started the Mockery socks from wire d for fibre this week-have done 3 pattern repeats ,I think I should have checked the yarn's tension (I never check tension) as the yarn I'm using is a little finer than the ones in the original pattern. They'll stretch. Hopefully.

I'm one of these people that has to finish one project before starting the next-if I stop & move on I know I'll never go back to it....I don't have a cupboard full of UFO's thankfully.
Since joining Ravelry I notice my yarn stash is increasing as well- I hadn't really bought much yarn for years. I did the odd edge around something or baby item, even did 4 pairs of socks, but I bought the yarn for each project as I needed it.

I now find I'm looking at more yarns & buying them as well-heaven help me if I end up with a yarn stash as big as my sewing one! I think I can control this one a little better than the fabric obsession!

This year my resolution is to use up at least 120 metres of fabric from stash & not to buy anymore unless I need it to complete a project & only to buy what I need.

Well, that's the goal.....we'll have to see!

New year,new projects, new ideas

2009-01-11T15:42:00.010+11:00

Visitors have gone, the house is back to its Darby & Joan status, the tree & trimmings away & Christmas is done & dusted for another year.

DH prior to Xmas kept on commenting on the itouch every time it came on as an ad on TV- I thought he was dropping a huge hint as he had extolled its virtues after seeing a mate use it one day. So, from a lack of knowing what else to buy him I purchased him one & stuck it under the tree.

Christmas day arrives & DH is handing out all the parcels & he hands me one & says "if you don't like it, I'll have it". Moments before this DS no2 had mentioned reading an article that a lot of couples buy the other the gift that they really want......I thought I hardly want some electronic gadget & pack of 5 undies.......

I opened his gift & you can imagine my surprise when I found......an itouch....hmmmm....right, this is, um, just what I wanted.....no, I don't think so. DH is already saying how wonderful it is & how I can use it. Truth be told I'm flat out using the laptop most of the time.....but he was excited.....& I'm thinking this is going to be hilarious when he finds wrapped up in his undies the exact same present for him!

I must say he showed much more excitement than I did when he found his & mine has been returned as I knew I wouldn't use it...bit like all the gadgetry on this laptop that he said "I couldn't be without!"- we won't even go back there!

Now after using his itouch for the past few weeks it has just rekindled his total dislike for anything apple & my guess is it won't get used that much either- but thankfully we only have one in the house!

I am still waiting for something for Xmas.

I did get 2 really neat gifts...one from the kids who bought me a set of DPN from knitpicks- their harmony ones- I had bought the interchangeables last year & love them, so now I have all the DPN's as well!

Also a surprise gift- I won a competition. I never win an argument, let alone a competition! Its a hank of yarn a month for 12 months from the yarn cafe -this is much more useful than an itouch any day! Now why couldn't DH buy a gift certificate for something like this!? I was much more excited about this than the itouch as well! DH just didn't get my excitement, but then no one who doesn't knit, would either.

I was also given a bottle of Baileys- I love a Baileys every once in a while & had none so this will go down very nicely!

It was wonderful having a little one in the house for Christmas- they had so much more to it all by their sheer delight in it all & the excitement over a pack of pencils & the fact that half the carrot & cookie was missing. 4 year olds are a delight- especially when they aren't calling you Mum!LOL

Have been knitting the past few weeks-started a scarf in alpaca & have progressed quite nicely but I seem to rip more than I knit most of the time. AND I'm not sure why. It's a super easy 9 stitch repeat pattern- done over 4 rows & both pattern rows are essentially the same only one start knit3 & the other knit 2, but I keep messing it up & have to keep pulling it out....my friend who was staying at the time I started it said she's have tossed it the second time I made a mistake-one thing I do do is persevere.

last night I started a bow tie scarf- a one ball project & thought it would be perfect for the gorgeous jelly dyed yarn I got in the Xmas stocking swap-but there wasn't quite enough yarn- so much for one ball.....I have ripped this back to the beginning & will try again on larger needles-its such a quick little project & I love the idea of making something from 1 ball of yarn.

On the sewing front- all the towels I made for Xmas for gifts & for others to give as gifts were received very well & it has given me an order to do 8 towels for someone else. I've done 2 of them already but am waiting for final approval on the designs of the other 6.

Also did a gorgeous towel for a workmates new grandson who arrived through the week-Charlie-this may well be my new baby towel for 2009.

This weekend I've been test sewing designs for a friend- can't wait to share with you, but I have to wait until the set of designs go up for sale......not even a sneak peak at this stage!

This year when I return to the USA have been asked to demonstrate a class at a local sewing store. I taught a handbag class last year- it can't have been all bad if they have asked me back again!

While looking in the post Xmas sales I came across the most stunning bath towels with the most jaw dropping price- $69 for a guest towel & $89 for the bath mat- $139 for a bath towel! After a (very) close inspection I came home & had a go at my own idea on this theme & have decided if the store thinks this will be well attended then this will be my class (no, not how to rip off designer labels for a fraction of the cost!).....more on this later as it progresses into something you can follow. How do they justify these prices & more to the point who pays them?Someone must as they wouldn't stock them otherwise.

After 2 days relief from the stinking,hot weather we now look like we are back to stinking ,hot again- at least I managed 2 decent nights sleep in the week- this is how summer is! Hopefully it won't be too bad tonight & maybe my cough may give up so I don't bark all night either!

More next time....happy crafting

Oz-tralien

Crochet Bag- Happy Holidays

2008-12-23T19:38:00.007+11:00

As promised, here is the crochet bag pattern, before Christmas......just.

Why does everything become so hectic at this time of the year? The days rush on by, the weather mostly heats up & so do the tempers of the drivers & shoppers- so much for good cheer to all men- more like look out for No.1 or I'll run you over if you get in my way!

I am watching a storm cell move in, from my sewing room window-the sky an eerie colour, with the occasional flash of lightening & roll of thunder in the distance, looks like it will be quite a storm, if we get it.

Tomorrow our 4 year old GS, his father (our no1 DS ) & his Mum arrive for Christmas-the little one has more of an understanding this year just what this is all about & told me it was only 4 more sleeps when he rang me the other day. There is nothing like having a little one in the house for Christmas.

I may have thought I finished all my sewing but some friends & DD had different ideas- they had me doing towels with names on them-these are turning out to be very popular , especially as they don't have to pay for the monogramming! Makes for a really lovely gift for them to give. While I was at the sewing machine I decided I needed to have a few gifts in stash so embroidered 8 silk covers to slide on over satin (cheap) coathangers- these look lovely when finished & I've found they make a good stocking filler.

My friend Mary gave me a good belly laugh the other day- I have my bra class on her site (http://www.andsewitisnet/ ) & when she gets questions relating to making bras or fitting problems she sends them onto me.

One lady wrote that she was a size 34 K & was having problems getting a bra to fit or even a pattern to make her own. What could she do?

Mary's DH has the same first 4 letters in his name as mine & she thought she forwarded the email onto me with her added "Any suggestions?"- it went instead to her DH- who replied back to Mary

"keep away from sailors"-talk about laugh, it gave me my belly laugh for the day!, I was so glad I didn't have my morning toast or tea in my mouth at the time!!!!

Happy Holidays to you

Here's the pattern I promised you: If you look at my pic you can see the change in colour- this is what you get when you crochet in bed with a lamp- you don't see what you are grabbing!

Crochet Shopping Bag

Requirements

2 balls (50g) 72m/78 yd cotton 8ply (or similar)

6.0 mm crochet hook

Ability

read a pattern

crochet

Abbreviations

sl-st- slip stitch,

dc, double crochet (or single crochet for the Americans)

Dec- decrease. worked as follows over 2 stitches

hook through st of previous row, yarn over hook, pull through, insert hook into next stitch of previous row, yarn over,pull through, yarn over, pull hook through all 3 loops on hook.

Tension- its not that important, as it after all a bag-as long as its not too tight or too loose.

Don't get too worried if your stitch numbers don't exactly match mine- just don't do the decreases over the handles.

Base

with 6mm hook & yarn either start with a knot or slip stitch, make 3 ch,join with sl-st to make a circle,

Row1. 2ch (counts as stitch), 7 dc into ring, join sl-st to top of 2ch

Row2. 2ch, 1dc in same stitch, 2dc in each st to end of round, join sl-st to 2 ch (16 sts)

Row3. 2ch,1 dc in next stitch, repeat to end,join sl-st to h

Row4. as row 2 (32 sts)

Row5. as row 3

Row6. as row 2 (64sts)

Row7. as row 3.

Pattern. Body of bag.

place marker if desired (I never worried about it)

5ch,miss 1dc, sl-st into next dc, repeat until end of round reached.Do not 'finish' round, just keep going.

Continue with 5 ch, sl-st into ch loop of previous round until length desired.

20 rounds if you are tall & want a biggish bag

15 rounds if you are short or want a smaller bag

these bags will hold lots & stretch in both directions!

Mine is a few more but its HUGE! (probably a little too long)

Top & Handles

when you've reached the length you want after last sl-st, continue

2dc in same loop as sl-st, 3 dc in next loop, continue to end of round, join sl-st to first sl-st of round.

2ch,1dc into each dc of previous round, join sl-st to 2ch. repeat this row.

next row.

2ch, *1dc in next 4 dc of previous round, decrease on next 2 stitches* repeat to end, join sl-st

Handles rows

Row1. 2ch, 1dc in next 10 dc, 25ch,miss next 20 sts, 1dc into next 20 sts of previous round,25ch,miss next 20sts, 1dc into next 10 sts, join with sl-st to 2ch.

Row2. 2ch, 1dc in each dc & ch of previous round.

Row3. 2ch, 1dc, decrease over next 2 stitches, repeat (decrease) to handle, 1 dc in each dc of previous round along handle, then dec (as before) to next handle, 1 dc in each stitch along handle, dec (as before) to 2ch, join sl-st. Tie off.

Finished.....well, sort of.

2008-12-14T17:57:00.007+11:00

I've finished! Not a gift for anyone left to make- I can't believe it....never before have I been this organised....and probably won't be ever again, either!

Not only have I finished, I've cleaned my sewing room up & tidied it as well-completed it off with a thorough vacuum through as well. It must be a full moon or something.LOL

This week I wrote my list out of everything I needed to get done & as we had a function Friday night & then backed up for another lunchtime one on Saturday I knew I had to be well organised to get it all done.

Larissa, one of the RN's from work ,asked me to put an initial on some bath towels- seems her DH doesn't like the thought of sharing his towel with his young sons in case they wipe their backsides on his towel- apparently his backside on his towel is OK!.....so that was 8 towels as she brought me in 2 sets to do. Nice & quick & easy as I multi hoped them. One thing I did find out was that the embroidery arm does not like the weight of 2 bath sheets & 4 bath towels on it- it made some terrible noise & I quickly removed the hoop & started again for the last 2 bath sheets!

Next were the Xmas serviettes- 20 of them to have a design in the corner. I found a design I had in my emblibrary collection- edited it & came up with a simple, lower stitch count design. Took me a couple of nights to complete these-did 4 to one hooping-and managed to strip bed & clean up while I had the red colour going through.

My machine does not like RA thread. I'm not sure why it doesn't like it, but it doesn't. Every time I tried to use the RA it would shred & break constantly,so I slowed the speed down-which makes the whole process take longer, but then the trade off is I can multi task while its doing its thing!

Saturday saw me finish the serviettes, make 2 tablecloths, 3 tote bags, 2 receipt book wallets & my GS a pillowcase!

Sunday I had an easy day- made my MIL an embroidered bag which I filled with goodies for Xmas & a V pillow case for my friend, Marge, as part of her Xmas gift! While the machine was stitching out the design I wrapped all the Xmas presents & started making a list of everything I need to pick up.....

Even though I'm this organised I still haven't actually gone shopping to buy any one a gift....not even sure when I'm going to get time to go.

Do I get up at sparrow fart next Saturday & brave the crowds for that mad rush of Xmas shoppers, do I order online & hope whatever I order is in stock & is delivered before Xmas-or do I just give them all money & tell them to go buy their own....sounds perfect to me!

DH likes me to buy him something. I have suggested many a time that we buy what we want for ourselves- give it to each other to wrap & put under the tree-we'd get what we want that way-but no, he likes to do it the traditional way.

I thought I had his gift all worked out. I'd been sneaky. He had wanted a macro lens for his camera & I was with him when he was asking about it in a camera store. I picked up the brochure & marked the one he was after....ah, the perfect gift.....just had to order it & surprise I got you what you wanted.

Well that was the scenario.

He went & ordered it 2 weeks ago! ARGHHH!!!! I could have shot him. When he showed me the new lens I told him I was going to order him one & showed him the brochure.....he back tracked & said I could pay for that one (no way) or buy him another type (done your dash)....so now I have to come up with something else.

A ticket to my friend Ruth's place is looking perfect.....she lives in Canada! he always wanted to see real snow! He'll get it there!LOL

My crochet bag is making slow progress-I'm nearly to the top-so not long now before I have the pattern worked out. Should be done by the end of the week.

The week that was

2008-12-07T17:37:00.010+11:00

What a sensationally productive weekend I've had. Embroidered names on 10 towels (not all mine)-designs on 8 place mats (gifts), 2 more of those huge designs for cushions & managed to sew the 3 cushions up as well (gift to my DD), wrote all the Christmas cards out & had my hair done as well! what a woman!LOL

Oh, I sewed all the ends into the dishcloths I'd knitted when we were travelling- one of those little things that kept on being put off! Have even managed a bit of tidy up in both the rooms where my sewing stuff is as well!

Writing the Christmas cards has to be one of my least favourite tasks of Christmas-its mindless in a way. I have often said that I was going to stop sending them but DH gets up in arms about me not doing them......but he refuses saying he hates doing it & is flat out doing the 5 I insist are his to write! So how come I get saddled with it & he escapes it- doesn't seem fair to me!?

For a number of years I used to include a family newsletter- writing a little bit about each one of the kids & what DH & I had been up to through the year as well. Then a couple of years ago I thought this is so naff-it sounds like I'm bragging about this wonderful family as you only ever get the good bits- let's face it- who wants to hear the bad?

And as for DH & I it sounded like we were on one eternal holiday somewhere exotic or exciting in the world, which is far from the truth- we travel, yes, but not ALL the time! So I stopped writing it-I have had a few comments from friends that they liked the newsletter but I'm not going back there-my family is not the Brady bunch of perfect kids & I truly don't think everyone wants to know where we travel each year.

I have friends that still do their newsletters- now its the addition of Grand children,marriages, elderly parents passing, them retiring & thinking about touring Australia in caravans & 4WD's (I can only be thankful we have put that notion to bed, never to rear its ugly head again!).I love to hear their news, but I won't be tempted again.

So my Christmas cards are empty- just a scrawled message to each friend & maybe a sentence or 2 at the most on a very few of the cards.
Monday night we put the Xmas tree up-it is supposed to be a family affair-a time spent together in each others company.....yeah right. Two of the boys had put it up -mostly no4 son with DH & no 2 son watching-when I came down to see what they had done DS no2 tells me we are going for the minimalistic look this year (that means he was too lazy to put all the decorations on)-I said its a Xmas tree- it needs lots of decorations & you will put them on & enjoy this wonderful time together while we're at it! In the end I told them to bugger off & I'd do it-so much for the Christmas spirit! The tree now looks beautiful ,although I keep forgetting to go put the angel on top of it!

My moon flower (the flower is the pic at the top of my blog) has buds all over it- so far I've counted 10 & it looks like they'll all be out on the same night & I bet anything it'll be a night when we have a function!

This cactus only flowers of a night time- the cutting came from a patient some years back & the last couple of years it has produced an amazing number of blooms-I'm sure moon flower is not its correct name but it flowers only when its dark-I never tire of taking pics of the blooms or looking at them- they are absolutely amazing to see flower over the few hours it takes for the bud to open.

I have a black agapanthus coming into bloom at the moment- this is the first year it has flowered & although they call it black its really a very deep purple-it seems to be taking forever to open out completely- should make a stunning display when it finally does come out.

Both our accident victims are coming along OK- GS is very sensitive about the loss of his tooth not wanting to talk so you cant see it & DS's GF is now out of traction but not allowed out of bed as yet.

Started a crochet shopping bag through the week- don't seem to be getting as much done as I hoped I would- progress is slow but for those waiting on the pattern it should be done before Xmas!

One thing I learnt this weekend was don't walk away from your embroidery when you are using a topper & you have the ceiling fan on- what a mess it made & I was lucky that the machine didn't get damaged-it also took me all night to soak the solvy out! Lesson learnt!

Lets hope all remains quiet & peaceful for a while...a long while!

Pauline's easy shopping Bag

2008-11-30T19:47:00.000+11:00

For all my friends that wanted to know how I made my bag, here is the pattern- easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Its shown here holding 2 queen sized bath towels & it's not even at full stretch!

Pauline’s easy shopping bag
This bag is very flexible in what requirements you need & what you knit it in. You could do it in 4ply if you like or even heavier yarn. There isn’t a tension that is critical- it’s not like it has to fit. If you want to do a really big bag then get another ball of yarn, but be warned this bag stretches & stretches & will hold lots-so you don’t want it too big or it will be too heavy to carry.

Great thing is it fits in your handbag without taking up much room & can be pulled back into shape when you take everything out of it.

Requirements
2 x 50gm balls of 8ply knitting cotton or similar. Craft cotton would work.
5.5mm crochet hook (use bigger or smaller if you change the yarn weight)
5.5mm circular knitting needle. (use bigger or smaller if you change yarn weight)

You need to be able to;
Crochet
Knit in the round

Tension
Not important, but should be looser than you would normally knit up your chosen yarn.
The instructions are very easy-& can be adjusted to suit your requirements- on how big or small you want the bag.

Abbreviations
Sl-st slip stitch
dc- double crochet (single crochet for the Americans)
ch-chain
k2tog- knit 2 stitches together
yfwd- yarn forward

With 5.5mm crochet hook & chosen yarn make a slip stitch start & do 3 chain, join with a sl-st to form a circle.
1st row: 2 ch,7 dc into circle, join with a sl-st into top of 2 ch. (2ch counts as a stitch)
2nd row: 2 ch, 1 dc into same space , 2 dc into the top of each dc of the previous row, join with sl-st to top of 2ch. (16dc-first 2ch counts as stitch)
3rd row: 2ch, 15 dc into top of dc in previous row, join sl-st into top of 2 ch.
Repeat 2nd & 3rd rows, increasing every second row until the base of the bag has at least 64 dc’s- you can go to 128 but you’ll need more yarn & this is a really big bag.
Take loop from crochet hook & place on circular needle-knit up 1 stitch from each of the dc’s of the last row. You should have the same number of stitches as you had dc’s & you need an even number of stitches to do the knitted pattern.

Continue as follows:
Mark beginning of round.
K2tog, yfwd-repeat to end.
Repeat this row for as long as you want the bag- about 55 rounds. Do more rounds if you want a bigger bag-you need to have about half of your last ball of yarn left (if using 50gm balls).

Either cast off REALLY loosely or chain cast off with a crochet hook- it needs to be very loose or you won’t get your goodies in your bag easily! Do not cut yarn. Leave last loop on knitting needle & transfer to crochet hook.
2 ch to commence round, 1dc into each stitch of cast off row-if you had 64 stitches then you’ll have 64 dc’s in this round. Join with a sl-st.
Next row: 2ch, 1 dc into each dc of previous row, join sl-st
Repeat this row twice.

Make handles:
Mark the top of the bag roughly into quarters.
2ch, dc into each dc of previous row until you reach the first mark (I used pins).
Make a chain adding about 5-10 extra chains than the stitches that are between the marks (if you have 17 dc between the pins then do 25 chains)-dc into the next marked spot on the bag. Dc to next mark & repeat chain, dc to beginning of round & join sl-st.
Next row: 2ch, 1 dc in each st & ch to end, join sl-st to beginning 2ch
3rd row (handles)-2ch, 1 dc in each to end, join sl-st to beginning 2ch
Repeat 3rd row once (you could do another row, but if you make the handles too thick they will be uncomfortable to carry)

Tie off. Sew in end. Admire bag. Fill it with goodies. Expect comments wherever you go.

Few things to note.
If you make the handles too long then when the bag has stuff in it they tend to get longer & longer. This is not a shoulder type bag- more like the string bag my mum carried but the holes are closer together so things don’t fall out as easily.

This pattern is really just a basis for you to work on- add or subtract as you like to give you the size you like.

Please send me a pic if you make this bag. If there are any massive mistakes in my instructions please let me know- this if the first pattern I've written for anyone but me to follow!

Oh, what a week

2008-11-30T17:04:00.000+11:00

Oh what a week it really was.....apologies to the song.

Last Sunday I got the phone call that all parents dread......I knew it couldn't be good when I saw which son it was that was phoning. We hadn't heard from him for quite a few weeks (for various reasons!), so I knew, as most mothers do, it wouldn't be good.

The first words out of his mouth were. "I'm OK, but we've had a car accident, a massive car accident." Hmmm, great, you think-he's alive & talking, so who isn't....

You see, this same kid rang me at work a few years back & asked me if his tetanus shots were up to date.....I enquired (as all mothers would)- was there a reason I should know about, as to why he was enquiring this at 10 o'clock in the morning. "oh, nothing much...I cut my finger at work, needed to check."

I never thought any more of this until I got a phone call at about 6pm the same night. "mum, me again. Can you come get me?" I asked where exactly did I need to come to get him & why (as all good mothers do). "Oh, I'm in hospital- I've just come out of surgery- they said I needed to be picked up."

YOU WHAT?! (mild hysteria at this stage)-you better back it all up a bit & tell me why you are having surgery (he was 18 so didn't need parental consent). Turns out 'the cut' on his finger was more like a slice & dice with a Stanley knife & he cut the side of his finger off & had to have a full thickness skin graft done! sheesh this one kid of mine always plays things down then you get a massive shock later.

So you can see my concern over 'a massive accident,but I'm OK.'

To cut a long story short- they rolled the car, several times, at what appears to be high speed, missing the oncoming traffic & going off into the scrub. His GF was not as lucky- she sustained a fractured hip-he dragged her from the car. The dog also escaped injury but ran off into the bush & wouldn't come back for some time. I feel this son of mine has a guardian angel sitting on his shoulder.

We drove straight to the hospital & spent Sunday night in the trauma unit. DH is not good at hospitals & I really wanted to leave him at home & take DD or the twin of the one that had the accident (although he always faints)- but no- he felt obliged to come & then I had to listen to him whinge about hospitals & can we go home yet- his tolerance level is about 1 hour- I knew we were in for a long night!

Thursday I received a phone call from our DIL asking me what she should do- our GS had had a fall at kindy- tripped on a mat. After discussing what symptoms he had I suggested a dentist & then get them to look in the mouth & see if anything else needed treatment by a doctor.

Turns out our GS tripped on a mat- fell onto a balancing beam- putting his teeth through his tongue & through his lip.

He needed surgery at Melbourne kids hospital to remove 1 tooth- he still has one very loose & 2 more that may have nerve damage- they stitched up his tongue & lip. He looks like he's been kicked in the head! After he slept most of the next day when he & his dad finally got home- he woke up & told his parents it looked like a nice night to go for a walk. Kids recover so fast & leave their parents in a heap behind them!LOL

We will leave this week behind- I need no repeats of it!

I managed to get my stockings knitted for the stocking exchange- I did little ones. I found some very old silk yarn in my stash & knitted one in that & trimmed it with holly leaves I made on the machine. Stitched the leaves onto organza, trimmed the excess away, then melted the rest to make them free standing. My parcel is already to be posted now.

I did a towel for my daughter for her Kris Kringle gift- the girl she drew likes fairies apparently,so I obliged by doing her name on the towel & adding a well known fairy- who is very naughty & changed the colours in the name to all bright ones!

DD likes this variegated thread so much she's asked if I'll do her some tank tops with any old word embroidered on the front- just for fun. She better tell me what words or I may put something inappropriate on there!

Yestserday I tried out the Grand dream hoop for my machine- it's been sitting in its box since I got the machine, waiting for me to try it out. I have a GF in the USA that has been nagging me (with my permission) to use it as well.

Found a large design for the GDH & loaded it up- put it on some lovely decor linen I bought the other day & used guitermann sulky cotton 30wt variegated thread. This is a beautiful thread, with very subtle changes in colour & as its slightly heavier gave a lovely texture to the design. I am very pleased with the result. Happened to show it to DD when she was here today & she has asked if there is more of that fabric, can I please have a set of cushions made!?LOL I do enjoy the fact that she loves what I make.

So looks like I need zippers now to put in the cushions! Just the excuse I need to go back to the fabric store!

I have a feeling I should be doing Christmas cards & pulling out nativity scenes & decorations-just not quite into the mood as yet!

And it's not that many sleeps to Christmas!

Productivity

2008-11-23T16:32:00.000+11:00

This weekend has been a very productive one, sewing wise, for me-I always feel that if I finish lots of tasks on my weekend, it's been a weekend well spent.

The weather has certainly helped. We've had gusting winds & rain on & off with intermittent bouts of sunshine-it has been one of those 'wait 5 minutes & it'll change' type weekends. Its also cold-it's not meant to be cold at this time of the year- we are meant to be warming up-have had to pull out the fleecy top & pull up the duvet this weekend. Guess in another few weeks we'll all be complaining about the heat!

Yesterday I embroidered names on 2 towels- these will be gifts for my DD & SIL-I haven't embroidered anything on the hand towel/face cloth/ bathmat-think that can be a bit of overkill with monogramming!

Also did 4 little hand towels that I had in stash with Christmas designs- one of these is to go in my stocking swap. These were so much fun that when I started sewing this morning I decided to do a few more- managed to get 5 into the one hooping, so now a few friends will get a towel as well. The designs I used were an old Amazing Designs set- Christmas Collection IV-apparently it is now not available- these are the cutest designs & really quick to stitch out as well.

Then I made another water bottle caddy. All week I had been trying to think of an alternative to embroider on the caddy, rather than a name, I'm not to keen putting names on things that kids use. I thought of H2Go- then someone told me that was already used by someone who sells bottled water!ARGHHH- why is it that I come up with these brilliant ideas & then find someone has beaten me to it!

After much thought & playing around I have come up with an alternative- EAU2GO-someone will probably tell me that's already in use as well!

Started my stocking for the stocking swap last night- why is it that I always decide to do things the difficult way? Picked out a cream pure wool to kit the one stocking in & its barely a ply of wool....it's super fine- the stocking is going to be very small by the time I finish it! Just the right size for a diamond ring perhaps?LOL

Also finished my string bag- but still need to write the pattern out for it-its one of those patterns that is very flexible.....

Received another postcard through the week, from the postcard swap-one left to come now & then the swap will be complete. I have such a lovely collection of postcards from all over the world & no 2 are alike.These are one of my favourite swaps as they are so quick & easy.

While I'm not using my laptop it switches over & randomly brings up pics from all my photographs-Today I have seen flashes of places visited, family & friends & wonderful holidays-what wonderful memories the pictures remind me of.

This week I had a student nurse with me for a couple of days. A male student nurse. A very good looking, young ,male student nurse!

You should have seen my oldies-the old girls! I need to take him with me more often! One old gal that I was going to give a shower to asked if Jason could do it instead....then said (after I said I was doing it)... well he can do my back!!! The next day I was back at her house as we visit her DH everyday & she calls out to him to come & chat to her in the bedroom while I fix her DH's pills up!!!

Shortly after we visit a very old gent who is about 96 & his DD, who lives nearby, is always at the house when we are there. Instead of handing me the undies & towels around the bathroom door-she is off giggling with Jason. When I go in search of what I need- she comes a running- chucks the things at me & high tails it back to keep chatting to the student!!!

This type of behaviour was evident all day with the old girls! Makes one think- how old do we have to be not to notice a good looking bloke!!!LOL-we aren't dead yet!

Well Under way

2008-11-16T17:17:00.000+11:00

Today I finished my Kris Kringle gift for work. The person who I drew had me a couple of years back & bought me the most inappropriate gift for a KK I could ever imagine-even my co-workers were stunned.

Don't get me wrong- I have a great sense of humour,but, I don't think sex toys was appropriate for this type of exchange. If I'd have kept them I would have given them back to her-but I gave them to another staff member who I'm sure had fun with them.

Mind you, deep down I almost felt like returning the favour, but I just couldn't do that so made her a gift like I have made others in the past-maybe I should slip in a dildo or something as well...a gentle reminder that I know it was her.

Anyway the gift is done now-a towel that has her name on it, a bag-which I made more beachy as I know she likes to head off to the beach-a little zippered matching purse & a water caddy to keep her drink cool.

We have a $30 limit on the gift (can't be less)-but I know that everything I have made so far has not come to that- unless of course I add in my time for making it, then it would be more than that. The towel & fabrics have all come from stash- this is where I find having a well rounded stash of everything sewing/craft related to be so handy (I'm sure DH would not agree)-I can usually just put my hand on whatever I need at the time!

My hunt for the elusive machine cross stitch designs lead me down a different path today-I came across some smocking designs- the sort with picture smocking in the middle-it was like a light going on.

Hmmmm.....I think I can get that to work in my Aida cloth bands- its a simple stitch-shouldn't be too hard to set up....so I downloaded 2 designs. (I know I said I wasn't going to buy anymore while the $ was down-but this was an emergency!LOL)

I lengthened the design & decreased the width slightly to fit it within the confines of the band & it turned out beautifully-I'm really pleased with the result. Never even test sewed it first!

Yesterday I went to the Gluten Free & Allergy expo- what fun we had-(I went with my sister & her friend)- we ate or way round the expo-everything was gluten free, which is great for me & gives me the opportunity to see what's new out there & what's available locally or online. I came home with lots of free samples, lots of purchased goodies & an electric pizza oven! I certainly didn't go with the intention of buying much at all!

Tried out the oven at lunchtime today with one of the bases the vendor gave me when I bought the machine- OMG was that pizza good- nice thin, crust that was crisp & not a soggy bit in it! My white corn tortillas should work well in there!

Tried a recipe I downloaded from the Morning Show (channel 7)-it was for a banana bread-I had rescued my 6 over ripe bananas from DH many times through the week when he thought they needed throwing out.

This recipe was a disaster- threw the whole thing out. The recipe called for 150mls macadamia nut oil-I think it should have been way less than this-it was just an oily glob, no matter how long I cooked it for. Guess you live & learn.

In the early days of my cooking GF- just about everything ended up in the garbage-was all pretty terrible- these days its a rare occurrence....oh well, I won't make that one again!

Beginning to wonder if summer will arrive anytime soon- the weather certainly hasn't been hot has warmed up on a few days,but no HOT days as yet.

Christmas preparations are well underway & I think I may even be organised this year!

What do you get if you eat Christmas decorations? Tinselitis

Christmas Traditions- the pudding

2008-11-08T13:40:00.000+11:00

Its 6 weeks to Christmas, time to start preparations.

Firstly, my great-grandmother's Christmas pudding.

Today is the day I had to marked as the day to get it done. The fruit has been soaking in brandy since last Monday night-I'd given DH instructions to give the bowl a shake each time he walked past it- I doubt he remembered, just not on his radar-but when I was at home I did give it a good going over.

My DDM (dear departed mum) cooked this recipe every year from before I can remember-my father's mother cooked it before that & her mother before that....it's been a family tradition for a good many years.

My Grandmother, when we were all younger ,used to put a brand new 2 shilling piece in the bottom of our bowls, put the pudding on top & then load the whole thing up with custard & cream. I remember the excitement as we found the 2 shillings (20 cents in today's money) along with three pence's & six pence's....our money was worth something back then & the coins were all silver so they could go into the pudding. On a good slice of pudding you could get enough money to last you the 6 weeks of the school holidays as a big bonus to pocket money.

I well remember my next older sister digging her spoon through the pudding- on a second slice- declaring that there was no money in it & she didn't want it then-she still laughs about this even today!

Some years back I showed an interest in repeating the family tradition of cooking the pudding & my DDM shared the recipe & the tips for making it with me & then presented me with a set of coins to go into the pudding as well. By this time we were well & truly into decimal currency & the new coins are not suitable for putting in it.

Over the years my coins seemed to get less & I've had to beg & buy some replacements to keep my numbers up......but a few years back I came up with an idea that sees the return of all my coins-in fact it has my sister doing what she did as a child in her quest to have a slice with a coin in it!

I trade scratchy lottery tickets for the coins. I put 25 six penny pieces in & 1 threepence (seems those are the ones I find harder to get more of). For the 6d piece I give a $1 scratchy, but the lucky finder of the 3d gets a $5 scratchy (I call this inflation!)

I also have to keep an eye on the family who will sneak up into the kitchen to see if they can find some stray coins sticking out of the pudding & claim them as theirs! It has created a lot of fun & the safe return of my coins. No one gets to take pudding home with them as I can't be sure that it's a moneyless slice or that they will return the coins for the scratchies.

My DDM used to do a Christmas cake as well & I did for a number of years but it seems they all prefer the pudding to the cake & as its left for me to eat I can well do without it.

Mum used to plan an at home day to do the pudding & the cake- it would take her longer to prepare- I can only guess how long it must have taken my GM & GGM who would have done the whole thing by hand! It takes about an hour to prepare everything then 6 hours to boil it- I have never trusted my DH to watch it after the pork episode some years back.....we don't even want to go there, other than to say- Summer, roast pork left to cool with no cover & Aussie blow flies when you leave the doors open.......he didn't eat roast pork for years after that episode!

The pudding is now hanging under the stairs where it stays until Xmas morning when it gets its final boil-I'm pretty sure you could just zap a slice in the microwave but I prefer to boil it as the coins arc in the m/wave.

Some 10 years ago I was diagnosed with coeliac disease & the pudding wasn't suitable for me the way it was, so, after playing around with it I now make it GF & no one can tell the difference. I tried making 2 puddings for a while but I missed grandma's-its just so good!

So here is the recipe for my G-Grannie's Xmas pudding-if you make it please email me & let me know how you went with it.

Grandma's Xmas Pudding

*halve or quarter quantities for a smaller pudding-reduce cooking time to 4/2.

Ingredients

250gms plain flour & breadcrumbs

500gms butter, brown sugar, currants & sultanas

250gms mixed peel & raisins

125gms slivered almonds

9 eggs

150mls brandy

1 dessertspoon each of nutmeg & mixed spice

1 level teaspoon carb. soda.

Extras.

1 metre of calico to tie the pudding into & some silver trinkets or silver coins if you want to add these.

Be careful if you are giving the pudding to littlies & check their slice before you give it to them. Do NOT use decimal currency coins in the pudding.

Large boiler & trivet or saucer for the bottom of the pot.

Method

put all the fruit & almonds into a large bowl- pour the brandy over, mix well, cover with gladwrap & leave at least overnight-shake the bowl when you think about it.

In a large bowl (I use a kenwood chef & it all just fits)-cream the butter & sugar. Add the eggs one at a time. Stir in the fruit mix. Add breadcrumbs, sifted flour, soda & spices. Mix well.

Tie in a cloth & boil 6 hours the day it's made & 3 hours on the day served.

TIPS- these are most important to ensure it turns out- the family secrets to a great pudding!

Dip the calico/cloth into boiling water & wring it out (gets rid of the size if its new fabric & helps in the next step- you need the cloth wet)

Place the cloth in a colander (I have one of those large green tupperware ones- absolutely perfect size)-drape the cloth over the colander then rub the inside with some of your plain flour- this helps form a skin on the pudding.

Place the mixture in- don't forget to add your coins or trinkets if you are using them, gather the cloth up, tie tightly using string, leave room for expansion above the pudding & where you tie it.

Make a loop out of the ends of the string & tie the corners of the cloth together- these are what you'll hang it by.

Have the water in the boiler BOILING (I can't stress this enough, it must be a rolling boil)- only fill it about 1/3 full- you don't want it spilling out when you immerse the pudding (ask me how I know).Place the pudding in- note the time.

Check the pot every half hour or so & add more water as the level drops-add boiling water each time (I bring the kettle to the boil & add that straight away).Always keep the pot on the boil.

After 6 hours remove from the pot- its hot & heavy, so be careful. Hang until you need it.

On the day that you are going to eat it. Add water to the boiler, put your trivett or saucer in the bottom first ,bring to a rolling boil, add the pudding & cook a further 3 hours-adding more boiling water as needed.

If the water is not boiling the pudding will absorb the water & will make a soggy pudding-its still edible, but soggy.

Enjoy with cream, brandy sauce, custard or ice cream.....

For the GF method

Use GF plain flour & breadcrumbs & add 1 dessertspoon of xanthum gum. make as above.

All Wiped Up-Tea Towels

2008-11-06T17:52:00.000+11:00

This week has seen me embroidering on tea towels....it started while we were travelling-I managed to do 3 by hand- applique Christmas ones from the Heart to Art series by Nancy Halvorsen. I had picked up the Peppermint & Holly Berries book when in the US earlier this year and had ear marked the 3 teat towels to do. I love to decorate the house at Christmas time & always have Xmas themed tea towels & hand towels out.

Then while we were in Wagga Wagga I found 2 really lovely tea towels with Aida bands on each end of them....so I thought I'd give machine x stitch a go on these. The 2 towels were a bit pricey at $14.90 each, so you'd not be getting a set of 3 as a gift from me!, but for someone special-absolutely perfect. The shop owner had one on display & I thought how lovely it looked- little did I know that this would hook me!

Picked up 10 cotton ones in Melbourne & found I had a stash of tea towels, after embroidering on a whole lot a couple of months back!

When we returned home from our road trip I managed to get a few free days to get in & get some done, by the time I returned to work I had done 17 tea towels.....I ordered more from a really great shop in Queensland- ordered them Thursday & they arrived Friday-6 more with an Aida band at one end...what is it with me that I just have to keep on adding to what I have?LOL

I have scoured the net for simple machine x stitch borders & have found nothing- they are either too wide for the band or way too involved with a million colour changes, which I'm just not into.

Machine x stitch was one of those things I tried when I first started with the embroidery machine- found it too tiresome with all the colour changes & jump stitches & never really did more than about 2 designs.

Now that I want simple kitchen borders I can't find any anywhere- even had my friends looking & asking for me as well. There is a market there I'm sure for designs for the machine that will fit in the width of an Aida band.

My attempts at producing x stitch designs in my software have been a dismal failure-so many stops & starts it drove me crazy & it never looked any good when I finished- I knew there was a reason I didn't digitize! Just proved it with this attempt.

I found a couple of designs & played around with them & was really pleased with the outcome, mind you not enough to do a large x stitch at any time in the future, but definitely on these towels!

One thing I did do was a piggy back hooping with 3 of the tea towels. I have done this in the past with small terry hand towels.

This technique works when you are doing small items or long narrow ones like the borders. I have not done it with bath towels simply because the weight of the towel tends to pull on the stabilizer & its too much bulk to deal with around the machine.

You need to hoop up your stabilizer only-load the design into the machine & with tea towels-move the design to the far left of the design field-baste out the position or check if you have an orbiting feature for placement.

The bulk of the item needs to feed over to the left or to the back of the machine if you have placed the design at the top of the hoop. So make sure the design orientation is correct. baste the item to the stabilizer.

When I'm doing the Aida insert ones I do my basting stitch in a dark colour on the stabilizer as it will show up through the little holes & make placement much easier from the right side. If you line up the needle with a hole in the Aida it will stitch out pretty much like hand x stitch- a blind man on a galloping horse would be pleased to see where it doesn't go in the little holes! Stitch out the first design.

Send the second design to the machine & move the design so it stitches out next to the first one but not on it-check with the orbiting feature if you have one,baste onto the stabilizer, then baste the item to the stabilizer as above.Pin the excess of fabric back out of the way to leave the stabilizer clear before you start.

The next design should come in on the far right of the hoop & you repeat as above- the bulk of the towels will go to the left, the fabric under the machine border will be pinned back out of the way.

Doing it this way saves re-hooping after each stitch out & saves on stabilizer as well-when you are only using such a narrow strip anyway. I did try patching the hole with a sticky stabilizer but found that the tension on the stabilizer was not as taut as I like-so played around & worked out this way. Anything to save time!

So my stash of emroidered tea towels is growing- the cotton ones are all embroidered as well-just with designs I had purchased & never got around to using at the time....so now I have lots of ready gifts on hand!

Driving miss daisy....

2008-10-29T11:43:00.000+11:00

We've been on a road trip! this was all quite unexpected & done in haste, as I was told I had 8 days too much leave (I found that hard to believe when I just had 10.5 weeks off & only came back to work in august!) but who am I to argue about going on holidays-so rather than be paid out for them I checked out the roster, said there was enough staff & I'll have 10 days please & off we went-all that quick!!!

We left Sydney & drove to Wagga Wagga where we stayed with my friend Marge (of the cupcake postcard) & spent 2 days with her.

Wagga has certainly changed since the days when we lived there- the main street is so pretty with trees planted up on the footpath & lovely wide pavement to walk along. The gardens are looking all a bit sad since we lived there- with all the water restrictions no one has the lovely green lawns that once adorned all the homes- more dusty & dry looking these days. Its hard to maintain beautiful green lawns on water restrictions.

After leaving Wagga we headed down into Victoria leaving the freeway & meandered across country through the top of Macedon, passing Hanging rock & the Organ Pipes (beautiful countryside through here) winding down towards the coast to Warrnambool where we stayed the night in readiness to the Great Ocean Road drive.

The great ocean road is one of those trips that everyone should do once in their lifetime- Wow!!!

we pulled in at all the little vantage points along the way to take in the view, see the rugged coastline & have a break from the driving & to take many pics....many, many pics.

The twelve apostles (I think there are not 12 anymore as a couple fell into the sea-I certainly couldn't count 12 of them) were quite amazing- bus loads of tourists here & it was well set up with parking & an under road walk to get to the coast & the view.

One place where we pulled in had a boat ramp-the sign said only 4WDs beyond this point...sheesh it was nearly a shear drop into the water from the cliff above (we walked to have a look)-I think putting the boat in & out could be quite tricky at this place! It was so steep I didn't even try to walk down the ramp!

Our next stop was Melbourne to visit with our son & his family- they are living in St. Kilda- an interesting mix of people to say the least & we did many trips on the trams. I did not drive in Melbourne- just couldn't come to grips with driving with the trams beside me or behind me- maybe next time.

While in Melbourne we went out to the Dandenongs to go on Puffing Billy- what a fun trip that was- I'm sure its the only train where they encourage you to sit on the window ledges & hang out of the train. Our Grandson was in his element- he choo- chooed all the way & sang his train songs! Took some coaxing by his father to get him to sit on the window ledge with him.

After leaving Melbourne we drove to lakes entrance- not my favourite place of the trip- although DH was sure he saw a penguin- he insisted it was (yeah, right!!!) I took some pics with the zoom- penguin, shemguin -it was a cormorant!!!!LOL

Once I headed the car up the coast towards Syney I was like a horse given its lead to go home- instead of staying another night on the road we drove right on home-long drive, weather overcast & drizzling most of the way-but its so good to be back home again.....until the next time.

One thing we did decide on was that we don't travel by car well together & Dh's idea of buying a caravan & touring Oz in it has been finally put to bed (not that I ever wanted to do it).

I've told him he wants to drive long distances, go right ahead- I'll fly & meet him there!LOL

Fabric Postcards & a yarn or 2

2008-10-11T16:15:00.000+11:00

Today I've been making fabric postcards. These are so easy to make & so much fun-little mini quilts. The one of the cupcake is for my friend, Marge's birthday-she'll be 82 next week- she'd shoot me for saying her age, but I know she'll never read this blog!

Marge & I used to work together some 30+ years ago- I was a newly finished RN & she'd been working for a long time-she has been a wonderful friend over the years. I have decided to make her a bag similar to the one I made Sandie & fill it with Crabtree & Evelyn products as I know she loves nice, pretty, smelly things!

Marge also appreciates what I make & with any crafty person- show some appreciation & you'll get more handmade things than you know what to do with.

In the s wap I am participating in, I had to make 4 postcards to send-there are lots of tutorials & blogs on the Internet on how to do them, in an in depth way, so I'm not repeating instructions here.

A quick explanation of how I go about making them-I just play with fabrics, trims, threads, whatever grabs my fancy at the time- place them on some fabric a little bigger than 4x6 & play until I'm happy-then stitch it down with whatever stitches & threads I feel like. Some of my sewing friends say they never know if what they are doing is right, or what to do- I think these get over thought a lot of the time- unless you are doing some really arty swap & have a theme.

I use a postcard back that I downloaded years ago, & add all the details for posting- I also always give my work a name. Marge's is "Eat dessert first, Life's short!" I put the back through the printer & use June tailor's Quick Fuse-these are the perfect size to make postcards from. Sandwich it all together & satin stitch or serge around the edges to hold it all together & they go in the mail as is-never had any problems with them being posted 'naked'.

The Aussie $ certainly took a dive this week & as such I have curtailed my spending on US sites- I'm not even buying from Aussie sites that sell in US$'s- boy has it made a difference.

Pay pal is giving a shocking exchange rate, so I'll be avoiding them as well. Looks like my bank account will benefit from all this upheaval. I'm sure a lot of ebay sellers will notice a difference & those that sell in US$'s here in Aus.

Thankfully I ordered fabric & a book a couple of weeks back when the exchange rate was reasonable-now just waiting for them to arrive.

The book I ordered is by John Deere and although there are times I'd really like to know how to digitize for the embroidery machine, I bought the book to have a better understanding of how its done. One day I may start to do my own designs but at this stage I want to edit in a better way & understand all the software a bit better.

My knitting is progressing-slow but sure. I'm at the stage where I'd like to start a new project but I prefer to only do one at a time, that way I don't have UFOs all over the place.

Socks are calling me.....I really enjoy knitting them & have a few patterns saved to try over the hotter weather. Ravelry has certainly re-sparked my interest in knitting and on the downside has given me access to more patterns than I could knit in 10 lifetimes!LOL

In my yarn stash I have some beautiful silk lace weight yarn to knit up (bought while the $ was still up, thankfully!) Not sure what pattern I'll do with it- but it has to be something special. One is Schaeffer Andrea pure silk in Virginia Apgar colour & the other is Handmaiden lace silk-I think the colour was lily pond or water lily- something along those lines. Both are beautiful & feel wonderful.

Did you know its only 11 weeks to Christmas this Thursday- time to start thinking about a few handmade gifts. These days I make everyone in the family something-I never used to- it started when I did them all monogrammed towels one year. Now each year I try to think of something useful that I can make for them all-just a fun gift more than anything.

DD has told me they need some more bath towels, so they'll get a set with their names on them-easy peasy-not so sure about the boys they did mention that they did not need more towels!

DGS- I found the most adorable pattern in a get creative magazine for a tee pee-what fun for a 4 year old! Hopefully I'll find enough fabric in stash- if not I will just have to go to the fabric store! More on this as it progresses.

King Parrot & Cockatoos

2008-10-02T08:17:00.001+10:00

I was out in the garden early this morning & look what I found at one of the feeders- a beautiful male King Parrot. The colours on these parrots are just beautiful & although wary & watchful I did get some nice shots of him before he flew away......now hopefully he'll call again & we'll see the return of the rainbow lorikeets & rosellas.

Once they get used to the feed being out we can have 30 or more of these birds in the backyard at once ,they make a lot of noise ,but oh, so worth it.

The cockatoos seem to know when I fill the feeders- it's almost like they have a sixth sense that seed is about-this morning there were 4 in the yard, swinging on the feeders, sitting in the trees & dive bombing across the backyard- they even get in the covered feeders that are really too small for them! There have been times when we have 8-10 of them in the yard- the noise level is horrendous with them all squawking & fighting over the feeders. I did notice that one of my geraniums has been be-headed again. I'm not sure what it is with my geraniums this year, but the cockies have taken a like (dislike) to them & keep stripping them!

I took a couple of pics of the one cockatoo coming down the rope of a feeder- sneaking down, thinking I wouldn't notice that he was heading for the seed- talk about a poser- he stopped half way down, more or less to give me a photo op with him!

After he made the move to the feeder his mates all flew in for a go as well-no doubt now that I have left the backyard it will have many more out there!!!

Yesterday we had our DD's dog, Ella with us for the day. DH picks her up & brings her around for the day- I'm not sure who is keeping whom company but they have a mutual adoration society going! Ella hates cockatoos. You only have to say "there's cockies in the yard Ella" & she's outside chasing them out the yard-doesn't bark- just bounds about frightening them. Mind, if one bit her she'd know it! Funnily enough she leaves the other birds alone for the most part- it's just the cockies she chases!

Here is Ella- with a flower on her ear! LOL no telling me she hadn't been in the flowers!LOL For all her size she is a big sook- although you wouldn't want to come in the yard on your own! her size alone is enough to frighten most people off.

Today is our GS's 4th birthday. We have spoken to him this morning- they are flying up from Melbourne tomorrow & we are having a bit of a get-together to celebrate. We've also promised a trip to Symbio to see the animals & a visit to Toys R Us to buy a birthday present!

GS was explaining to me how he could stop the kangaroos from scratching him.....you see the last time we were there an over zealous wallaby wanted all the grass clippings GS was holding & scratched him to get at them- mind you it didn't really hurt him ,but, not being used to them it frightened him. All the while Grand dad is saying move out the way- what a great pic this will be- not realizing poor GS was being 'attacked' by the wallaby! You can see where his priorities were! I told GS that he was a year older & a year taller now, so he'd be bigger than the wallabies this time! He has a plan, no doubt he'll want to try it!LOL

Yesterday I made GS a pillow case for his stay here-this may become a regular gift as I remember doing this the last time for his arrival, then another one where he picked the fabric. (see previous blogs)

Now he is into space & astronomy in a big way so I found some suitable fabric, in my stash,a design & made him another one-he can take this home with him. Pillow cases make a great gift for little kids I've found.

I have a chuckle to myself when I look at the pic-all you see is a snippet of the bed- the rest of the bed is waiting for me to tidy up before they arrive & looks a mess!!! No pics though!LOL