getting by

I posted recently on the virtues of frugal comfort. This fortnight some things popped up which meant my income dropped by 30% and I suddenly found I had live totally by those ideals.

The really frightening thing is that it has been possible. I couldn't sustain it for a long time, cause that means not enough wine!, but I could definitely manage it much more often than I have been.

And it has come at one of my peak birthday gift times. Which is rather good as it has given me the opportunity to practice my handmade pledge using all kinds of things from the stash.



firstly I made the pinni for Edie



Then the 2 days, which turned into 2 week, scarf for Jo

and yesterday the handwarmers for Karen

And now for the details.

The Pinni is taken from the wonderful 'Absolutetly A-line' book. It is a little shorter than planned, which happens when you are using left overs.

The scarf for Jo was knitted using Cascade Heritage Yarns -a totally divine soft yarn.
The pattern is a simple one I made up. I like the body of it, but the edges are very wonky, even after blocking, and it hasn't held any shape at all. In fact blocking for two days seems to have been a complete waste of time. But having said that I think it will be lovely to wear.

The pattern is
1st row k*yo, k2tog* repeat to end
2nd row Purl
continue with row one and two till it is long enough. Though I threw in an additional purl row a couple of repeats in at either end for effect. I am wondering if I had a k2 at either end I might have ended up with something more stable, or if I had used smaller needles, or....? Any suggestions are very welcome.

Finally the handwarmers are the easiest thing I have ever made and look totally lovely. They are made from Bendigo Rustic 8 ply in Red Currant - an old favourite. Pattern can be found here.

I really want to make so many more things than handwarmers to comfort my lovely sister. I may have mentioned before she has MS. This week she found out that it is worsening even with the wonder drugs she has been on. So now her only option for keeping or improving her mobility, and keeping out of a wheelchair in the next short while, is a bone marrow transplant. We are all scared. I have this need to make her shawls and wraps and things to snuggle into. I would love some suggestions for easy but beautiful ones I can complete in weeks rather than months.

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.