frugal comfort

I once heard an expression of a way to live. It was about the past but it is something I aspire to. Frugal comfort. Now we would call it a sustainable lifestyle. For me it comes with images of warm fires, wholesome simple meals, friends, family, home and, especially, making do.

In the spirit of frugal comfort I have been on an unofficial and rather healthy break from buying sewing supplies. This has meant working through the stash of fabric and finishing off some long overdue projects, instead of spending all my spare time and and money shopping for supplies and not actually getting to the projects themselves. The pile of fabric is going down. It is a nice thing to behold.

So what have I been making? this past couple of weeks a bag for a gift from a felted opp shop jumper. I love making things from felted jumpers, but the right ones are very hard to come by.

And my new favourite cord pants, in what has become my favourite pants pattern. The cord has been hanging about for years waiting for me to get to it. I love the wide legs and making use of scraps of other fabric as a contrast (which was not only nice but necessary when I didn't have enough red cord). I have had them only 2 weeks and worn them just about all weekend for both weeks.

Now I am onto my first quilt using an old sheet, stash fabric and a vintage chenille bedspread. More on that later.

And about the scarf. I was still sick and didn't make it to Sydney, developed knitter's forearm and took a break. I am still only about 30% done, shamefully. Luckily I have a couple of weeks before the next visit to finish it off.

scarf

Now I know it isn't complicated, or radical or completely amazing, but I made up a pattern and I am feeling a little pleased with myself.

You see, I had a dilemma. My sister suggested at 9pm last night that I make her partner a scarf as a 40th birthday present. I wish I had thought of this sooner. The party is tomorrow.

Then I had a yarn crisis - I just don't have anything at all in a colour that will suit.

Zip.

So I put in an emergency call to my friend just around the corner. She has a magnificent stash. Lucky for me we are both home sick with a cold - perfect for stash raiding and knitting. We greeted each other in beanies and woollens this morning, looking not very glam at all. But she did have the perfect yarn.


It is a Cascade Heritage sock yarn in colour 9872.

Now for the pattern. I only recently made a scarf that would have perfect, but this was for someone special and has already gone. Making another scarf in similar shades with a similarly easy and simple pattern didn't sound like much fun. And repeating a pattern feels a little impersonal. So I decided to waste time and devise a different pattern based on a scarf a friend bought.

I will let you know how it goes. I particularly like the bottom - which was a mistake to begin with. I just have to work out exactly how I managed it when I get to the other end. I estimate I have at least 10 hours of knitting time and only 3 hours till school pick up, a couple of hours tonight when kids are settled and then, provided I can convince someone to drive, 3 hours in the car to Sydney tomorrow.

I had better get off the computer and back to it!

stealth scarf

I have been working on a quiet little project. By stealth.

Now it is finally finished and turned out beautifully I think. Just the right amount of interest in the pattern for someone who does not like a lot of decoration. It drapes beautifully because of the lace detailing and the fine yarn. It feels gorgeous to wear.

The specs:
Pattern: one row lace scarf
Yarn: Jolly Jumbuck Hercules 4 ply.
Yardage: about 2/3 of a skein

the search ends

I have invested so much time in the great cardigan hunt.

It has been so frustrating. But I think I now know what I want.

Sort of.

I am quite keen for something with a collar. Either fitted or swinging. Can't decide. It has to be able to cope with the country silk that is in skeins all over my lounge room, waiting.

I got a bit excited about this.

It isn't too bad at all in a librarian kind of way (no offence Jodie!). I could change the collar to make it a bit more my style. I quite like the shaping and the detail along the bottom. It is Jo Sharp's Essential.

Then I looked at the pattern - would you believe it only goes up to a 95cm bust! I have my Grandma Ethel's bust line and I will only say it is substantially more than a waif like 95cm. I'm not at all interested in trying to resize this pattern at the moment. So I am back to the 'other option'.

The 'other option' will be a dull knit - that is the only thing holding me back.

But it will look pretty fine in deep green and I think it might just suit me.

And I do love a big luscious button.

This one has the enticing and romantic name 'Jacket with collar and set in sleeves'. Makes you just want to rush out and make one doesn't it?

Thanks for the suggestions - it did help me work out what I was attracted to.

first you need the tools

The lovely Canberra snb are having a cardi knit a long. Its a good opportunity to make another other cardi. It is a good opportunity to enhance the stash.

If you haven't been working really hard to save some money.

And I have enough stashed away for two caridgans.

But both stashes were bought because they were a bargain, not because they sang.



In fact neither gets me too excited.

The problem has been solved through a little colour work to the Cleckheaton Country Silk.

I tried to cheat first - and was reminded of one of those life lessons that things should be done well - not half-arsed.

What should have been a one hour project ended up taking almost all day. But then I did it a better way.


But now I have some really nice yarn.


Except I have spent hours on Ravelry and can't find something I want to wear that will work with the yarn.

Nothing.

I can't face knitting something I can't anticipate loving. Could you?

a rescue mission

A few days ago two friends and I had a night without children. On such an evening conversation turns to all kinds of things and, of course, at some point leads back to the school our children attend. This time it was particularly the dire state of the craft stall at last year's fete. There was a lot of stuff that just did not sell. It was heartbreaking for me and I can't even imagine how it must have been for the organiser.

We talked about what would make a truly great craft store and at one stage I was even pondering volunteering to coordinate before my friends talked my off the ledge. Instead we would make things, starting now.

One of of my friends had seen a wonderful little knitted toy made by a workmate. She thought it was a seller and even offered to learn to knit for the cause. I never pass up an opportunity to cultivate knitting friends.

The first thing we did when we got home and dispatched the babysitter was a Ravelry search.

It was this sweet little thing.


and then we followed the link to the book and all the other patterns

and before you could say 'how cute is that!' we were on the bookdepository site buying the book.

less than a week later we had the book, the knitting lesson was given and we are off and making.

Any more volunteers out there?

umm....

I don't know about you but a blog break makes me all anxious about where to start. I was computerless for a couple of weeks and now I have things to share that seem so old news.

I have been doing a mindfulness meditation course these past few weeks. Last week we were discussing depression. How simple things can become when they are broken down, as my teacher did explaining depression as a conglomeration of emotions - including, particularly for some, loneliness. I had never thought about it this way before, but loneliness was put simply as a need to share.

Simple.

Essential.


It struck me how blogging is important for me as a place to share a part of myself and to be encouraged, as we all need, and for me to take a step out of the way of depression.


And a gorgeous handmade wool covered one at that.

Thank you for sharing.


The photos are of recently FOs - Hedera Socks, French Press Knits slippers finished, and seeing as they are so very good, a second pair, which were sent on their birthday way without a completed photograph. Sometimes giving is just too exciting to remember the photographs.

pfing

I love my new Pfaff.

Love it. Love it. Love it.

After seeing them at the Sydney Stitches and Craft Fair I ordered a bag pattern from Nicole Mallalieu Design.

My Pfaff and I made one for a friend.

She liked it.

what a weekend

My lordy I had a busy and productive weekend.

We had the first mate and family here and lots of pirate action. The pirate was in character almost all weekend practicing his Jack Sparrow mannerisms except when we went to the markets when the pirate and first mate were star wars characters in their capes. I wish this dressing up would never end. It is magnificent.

We had the kind of weather that just makes you want to be outside in the garden. I finally built a vegie garden.

I mowed the knee deep back lawn, extended the chicken run, weeded weeded and weeded.

I got to play with my new toy - and yes I was all a quiver!

The clothkit dress for my niece. Cute isn't it?

A couple of little sacks - one for the lovely woman who sold me the machine. The other for ???

And on top of that I knitted, cooked a dinner party for 8 adults and 7 children, did all my washing, collected straw and chook food from the produce store, cleaned eggs, socialised, and, and..... I am way to tired to go to work today!

take a jumper

First you find an old jumper at a local op shop

then you throw it in the washing machine on a hot wash

Next you cut the arms off the now felted jumper and sew up the base and neck

and finally add a little something cute

and what do you get?

what next in my creative space?

This week my creative space is still, except for knitting of course. I have about a million sewing projects I want to start right now. But I am spinning in circles trying to decide which way to go.

Will it be the purchase from this site ? When I came across it I immediately rang my sister - the one with more income than me and a very cute 2 yr old girl - I had to get my hands on this and I knew she would love it and happily indulge me so I could indulge her daughter. The kit arrived yesterday. I would show the really really cute packaging ..... but I didn't stop long enough to take a photo.


Will it be the Day Bag for my friend, using some blue corduroy and some fabric I picked up in Melbourne?


or a bag from the felted op shop jumper hanging on the line?

or perhaps a cute softie from tthe softies book the girl across the street just got for her birthday and we are all so excited about,

or more pants for the pirate - like these ones, which I am told are 'to weird to wear mum'

or, or, or ?

it's OK, I guess

I have finished Amelia.

She is nice but she does not set my world on fire like Flair did.

She is a serviceable and comfortable cardigan - but no fashion statement.

Maybe it is the yarn - Rowan felted tweed.
Maybe it is the pattern
Maybe it is the colour - brown.


she is rather unexciting.

don't you hate that?

tales of seduction part 4 - a creative space

I am enthralled by skirts.

After thinking I might never wear the cute one I made recently, with your encouragement, I did.

It felt very fine.

so I made another -to a slightly different pattern, one I made up myself.


I am not sure how far this will take me, but I am enjoying the ride for now.

Amelia

Amelia is lovely.



Amelia is nearly finished



Amelia is too big to leave the house.

(and for those clever people who noticed - yes the twisted rib is all wrong. Next time I must read the instructions)

Time to start something portable. Something to take to the city snb tomorrow
(oh please let me be well enough)



And it shall be ....



Hedera in Araucania rancho.

tales of seduction part 3

I have been buying books - like this



Now I need more time to make things.

like this



I have the perfect old velvet curtain I picked up at an op shop a hundred years ago

and this



This may leave you with a mental image you don't need - but I have a big head. I usually can't get hats to fit. The ability to make a cute cloth hat that fits my head without inflicting pain fills me with happy thoughts.

and so the seduction continues.

My creative space

I'm new to this game.

it looks like fun - I love popping around and seeing what all those clever women out there are up to.

Tales of Seduction Part 2.

My creative space is given over to quilting after a 25 year absence - makes me seem old a very early starter. All those new books on craft and quilting have me lusting after projects. Then I discovered Addicted to Fabric. Love.




For more creative spaces visit the very crafty Kootoyoo.

tales of seduction, or folly, part 1

they are everywhere

beautiful

easy to make

fun

I couldn't help myself

I had to try one out



But, I don't wear skirts. I thought I could get past that. I suspect I won't ever wear it out.

oops

le crash

This is my 100th post. To celebrate I am offering a little gift - see the end of the post for details.

I entered the Tour de France knit along with the hope that the expectation and competition of it all would get me to complete a cardigan in three weeks - I knew it would be a challenge, but was ready to push myself. And I wanted that cardigan.

I started it in the frantic lead up to going on holidays, but thought I could catch up in the time away. I missed two whole days stuck in the air without knitting needles. I took it camping - except we forgot to pack all forms of light and so plans of knitting around the campfire once the kids are asleep were scuttled. I snatched a little time.



But then tragedy struck. An over exuberant small person jumped on my knitting and broke my needle midway through our holiday. I didn't have a spare. I ordered on on the net hoping it would be here when I got home. It wasn't. When I finally got to my emails I had given the wrong credit card info and IT HADN'T BEEN SENT. The replacement arrived on Thursday - but knowing I was so far behind took the fun out of it all and I let myself get distracted. I am still only a third of the way through.

Amelia might just be ready for the end of this winter, but I suspect she is now more likely to be a next winter wear.

And the lesson learned is always carry a spare.

And for post 100 I am offering a skein of my hand dyed 4ply yarn. A lovely semi solid apple green in merino and nylon 80/20.



all you need to do is leave a comment and I will randomly select a winner and make contact. edited to add - you have till Saturday this week when I will draw a name sometime in the afternoon - good luck

some crafty action

I did say I would show more from my orange swap projects. It was wonderful having a reason and deadline for trying out some things I have been wanting to do - but could never quite prioritise. While I sit here in front of the fan, in the darkened and closed off house, desperately avoiding 38 deg C outside and my melancholy mood, it is a good time to catch up on some show and tell.

First up a small project bag I made using a pattern I found here. I had some lovely fabric from Saffron Craig and other bits from my fabric stash which were perfect. Personally, I think the bag is a little on the small side and would make another inch bigger all around next time. however, it is very cute and was good fun to make.

And to complete the home made package bits I made up some stitch markers - which are so easy it is ridiculous, and of course the hand dyed sock yarn I am very proud of and have talked about over and over.


It was very, very hard to part with those vintage buttons - but I did manage to in the spirit of generousity. And would you know my swap partner sent me some in my package - I would consider this karma working for me.

Next post will be on spinning, I believe -and a chance to giggle at some very wonky yarn.

In the meantime I am going to stop listening to Alain de Botton's The Art of Travel - he is just making me more miserable with all his talk of going away somewhere magical only to find you have taken all your unhappiness with you. I will, though, continue watching series 3 of the West Wing. Love it.

we have a winner

Oh people - here and on ravelry - thank you for the dyeing disaster suggestions. Of course you were right. It was all to do with not dissolving the dye. Look at this magic.

Ignore the slight white fluff on the yarn. It is this stuff we have been given to practice on from the spinning class I have been going too. I swear the house looks like I own a huge white dog - or even bear, it gets everywhere.

Of course I did manage to make the same mistake again, with the dyeing that is. This time I really really thought the dye would have dissolved but was using a different colour and, well, it hadn't, dissolved that is. Not enough. It was awful too because I could see it happening and even though I frantically tried to mix it in all I ended up with was slightly tangled yarn.

I am thrilled though - and thrilled with the subtle colour change I am getting, thrillled. Did I say thrilled? I can't wait to do more of this now what I know what to do. My next challenge is green.

This first black spot -less skein of gorgeous orange is for my orange swap spoilee. As is this little project bag I have made. This is a taster - more details once the package is received.