Blanket Update

Just an update on the blanket. :) I love this pattern.
This is a much more accurate photo of the colour. Even if it is STILL raining! It never rains this much in Townsville!!!

Some crafty goodness

I finished this crochet snake for Bodie ages ago, I just kept forgetting to take a photo. He's only half as long as I would've liked, but I couldn't get any more cotton in the same colourway so he's a shortie. It's a door stopper for his room.


Bodie's monkey has been finished for a while now too, I kept forgetting him too, poor thing!


Close up of his cheeky face.


Had my second go at a sewing pattern yesterday. Didn't turn out too bad, although I can't stick to a pattern. I shortened the legs and didn't do the pockets that were in the pattern.
I think my brain just isn't the sort that likes following instructions with sewing. I'd rather read a tutorial and work it all out as I go. I'm going to draft my own pattern up now, I don't like the way they sit. But I'm pretty happy with them for a 2nd go at using a pattern.



I'm making the Radiating Star Blanket for a gift, here is the start of it. I love this pattern, it's easy to remember and works up quickly.

The colour isn't accurate in this photo. It's been raining constantly, not good photo weather! It's a more forest green rather than this mossy green. I will take another pic when it is a bit bigger. :)

Felt friends

I've been working on these little felt magnet animals for a while now, slowly doing one by one when the fancy takes me.

Here's what Bodie has to play with so far:




I've got an elephant nearly finished and plan on doing more plants, a tiger and a zebra... and I'm sure I'll think of more.

I've been wanting to make him a whole animal set for a while. I took inspiration for some of the animal's shapes from this talented lady on Flickr.

Amazing Op Shop Bargains!!!

My heart skipped a beat when I saw these beautiful dresses in an op shop today. They're all brand new and hand made, with the tags still attached.

This is my absolute favourite, a wee little dress and hat set in size 0.
It was only $7.50 and the original price tag says $65!




Spread out:


Back:


Close up of the little tags, so sweet:


The little hat/bonnet:
It ties around the back with a velvety ribbon


Back:


Gorgeous little dress and pants set in size 1, for only $9.50, with an original tag of $50.


Matching pants:


Another little size 1 dress, for $7.50 with an original tag of $50!


And lovely little shoes, for $3.50 with a tag of $15.


The tags:


I can't believe it, $27.50 for $180 worth of hand made goodness!!!
Everything is beautifully made, with quality fabrics and hand stitched buttons and ribbon details and little tags. All so beautiful and will be put away for a future girl baby, hopefully ready to join our family soon. :) Maybe finding them was a sign.

I wonder why they were donated? I've done a search on the brand and have only found a store on Ebay, where they don't have any stock at the moment. They're in NSW, so I wonder why it was donated here? Maybe an unwanted gift, although I can't imagine giving them up!

I also discovered this lovely coral pink velvet in another shop. It's over a metre square, and was only $4. The photo doesn't do it justice, it's so soft and lush.
I'll save it for a little baby quilt.


And found these little wooden spinning tops, in a pack of 6 for $1.50. :D

Planning Bodie's Doona Cover

Now that it has been pointed out to me by the lovely ladies at Crafty Mamas that the AUD is finally over 70c again, my options are wider for fabrics I want to purchase - I can choose from American sites again (!!!) and have more choices with the Jungle Babies line that I was interested in.

I know on the back side of the cover I want my favourite spotted fabric from Spotlight - the one I used for the bibs in my last post. I got a few metres of it when they had their Boxing Day 20% off everything sale. It ended up around $5 a metre. Woo!

I am still undecided on the front though. I want one of the following 3 Jungle Babies prints:








I can't decide if I want just the print on it's own, whichever print I end up choosing... or if I want it broken up a little by some of the leaf print from the same range:



... or some marbled greens, or browns, or turquoise...







I think the marbles would be too strong and overpowering for the first print, but might be ok for the second two.

Gah, it's so hard to decide!!! Especially not being able to see them all in real life first! Having them all laid out here should help me decide, hopefully!

Two hours and too much caffeine and chocolate fudge later, I'm still awake...

I'm thinking maybe these two, with the leaves as the main middle part, taking half the space; and the print using a 1/4 of the space on either end. If that made any sense at all out of my own head! haha



I think that will go well with the spots on the back. I was a bit worried that the leaf fabric co-ordinates "too much" with the print, being from the same line... but I don't know... I think I was being silly.

I'll sleep on it. ;)

Today's Crafts

I have found my knitting again today, after having a rest from it over the last few weeks during holiday season and all the running around that entails.
I'm currently making a my modified version of the Spare Ribs Shoaker pattern, for the second time. My version is bigger, with extra roomy legs. I'm going to dip dye this one when it's finished.

Yesterday my knitting was attacked! It was sitting on the floor, minding it's own business, waiting for some love and attention, when the vacuum decided to pick a fight. The beginning tail was ripped off, and the working end was ripped away from the ball. I am so glad the beginning was already weaved in, and that I only had to fix a few dropped stitches where the working end came away. I was expecting a lot more carnage.

Here it is today, after being repaired after the vacuum incident.
I'm just about to start the increases for the legs.


I also have a crocheted monkey for Bodie in the works.


I did start it last year, meant for his birthday in June! Then it was meant for Christmas... then it just kept getting put aside. I didn't have enough wool, and Spotlight kept getting all the other colours of the same type, but not the one I needed. Finally I have it and am nearly done the little monkey, just one or two limbs to finish and sew on and he's done.

I've discovered a new forum, Crafty Mamas, and I'm totally in love. I found it at the right time, I'm all motivated and wanting to branch out and try some new things.

Bodie will move to a big bed soon, so I have a single bed quilt for that in the planning stages at the moment, and then I'm going to try my hand at sewing with actual patterns (eeek!) again.

For now, some nap time quick sewing gratification, 2 simple bibs.
The spotted quilters cotton is my favourite fabric at the moment, and is already in use in a few mama made goodies around Bodie's room and will be included in his quilt.