Beautiful Bonnets

I was lucky enough to be asked to test knit a new pattern by Aussie Designer Amanda Keeys.

I have her wonderful book and have knit a lot of the beautiful beanies in there so was super excited to have the chance to test knit for her!

This photo won't show off too much, I will let Amanda's photos speak for themselves when she releases the pattern.  Keep an eye out for it, you will want to knit this one :)

Baby Maya in Norway will get this lovely bonnet, I hope I get to see a photo of her in it soon!

I bought some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran from Tangled Yarns because I could not find any 10ply locally. Tangled Yarns is worth a mention because I love any store with a good online shop and super fast postage.  I loved the Cashmerino too!

With the left over Cashmerino I made another Bonnet, also an Amanda Keeys pattern called Sugar or Spice.  Two balls of wool, Two bonnets.  Perfect!

This one will be gifted to baby Adelaide, or Baby Hadelaide as Possum calls her.

Adelaide's Mum Bonnie told me I needed to knit something for them so I hope this is a nice surprise in their mailbox this week.

My Creative Space ~ Solstice Week

Two weeks and counting down until the big move!

We are starting to feel the clock ticking and the fact that the Winter Solstice is upon us leaves me feeling a little extra robbed of time.

We have still been having our daily walk, just a little earlier these days all leaving home at 4:30pm to give us time to set off and get some fresh air.

~ ~ ~ ~

I know we have been here before, but this time I mean it, honestly.

I started a new blog, because the other new blog that I started had a name that never grew on me. 

I can't take ownership of blog and publish a bit of myself if I don't love it all.

So now I have Possum Blue. 

Named for the two children I love, Possum and Baby Blue.

This one I love.  Why I didn't think of it at the time is beyond me.  I had this blog sitting there empty and waiting for a special project.  With Little Blue 10 months old I 'spose it is too late to be blaming baby brain?

Anyway, all simple living, permaculture and renovation blogging will be done at Possum Blue and all Crafty and family blogging will stay here as always :)

For more Creative People visit Kirsty.

Two and a Half

Hard to believe we have a 2.5 year old in the house. 

Both delightful and stubborn, full of fun and a giant imagination.

Fearless, mischievious and loud too!

***

This pictured beanie is the Flour Sack by Amanda Keeys.  Details in my Ravelry Projects. I love all of Amanda's patterns so you can just imagine how happy I was when asked to test knit her latest cute creation!  I am off to town this morning to buy some wool!

Wordless Weekend ~ A Lazy Sunday Morning

My Creative Space

House sorting for the move has begun and for the small people in the house this is very exciting.  Treasures have been found underfoot and Mum (being me) is into something that they must be a part of.

To try to keep them amused elsewhere I pitched the tent in the backyard.  This worked well for the first little while but I didn't realise that the tent might be fun, but it would be more fun if Mum was in it too.

We all spent a bit of time camping out for some quiet time yesterday and it may not have been in my plan, but it was fun.

With the house sorting has come extra washing as spare beds are pulled apart.  Possum now loves to help and I love seeing how she pegs things on her small clothesline.  Each item does indeed have a peg, even if it acts as ballast rather than an actual anchor point...  Lucky it was not a windy day!

I found that little person's line at a garage sale for $10 and I am glad to see it is starting to be put to use by someone other than me on a big washing day.

For more creative spaces visit Kootoyoo

Circle Around

The Around the block quilting bee this month is very exciting. 

Firstly, it is my month too so I have been having so much fun watching Wonky Log Cabin inspired blocks pop up into the group pool, and now back into my mailbox!

Secondly, Annie asked for circle inspired block, yikes!

Once I had calmed down at the thought of sewing a curved line in a quilt block I used this great tutorial to create the block pictured on the left.  Then I was inspired by this raw edge circle block to create the second block for Annie. Talk about being tested, but in the end the circles were fun, even if I am not rushing off to make a whole quilt just yet!

Knit in Public Day

Yesterday was World Wide Knit in Public Day which is just an excuse to catch up with friends and drink good coffee.  A small amount of knitting happened and gifts were exchanged which makes it the perfect day really!

On the way home I got out of the car to buy some lunch which led me to buy Spinning Wheel #3.  I may have only just bought Wheel #2 but this one was beautiful too and had to come home with me.

It is a small upright wheel but I don't know what brand as I can't find any name or identifying marks.

It has a cast iron wheel which I love.

The strike plate for the tension knob is a threepence which adds to the charm of this old wheel.

Brrr, look at the frost in those photos!

The maidens have leather tabs that hold the flyer.  They are just nailed on.

A close up of the cast iron.

She also came with four bobbins, a lazy kate, niddy noddy, orifice hook and small set of combs.

I just wish I knew what she was...

edit: Tara's best guess is it's hand made using Ashford Gear and a Singer Sewing Machine treddle wheel which I think may be right. 

I Love This...

From here

  I can picture this in the new house's lounge with it's high ceilings. 

My brother is doing his Electrical 2nd year so the wiring part of this is doable for me. 

I just need to work out the best way to drill the holes in the cup and saucer...

Guess who will be op-shopping for supplies to try this out over the weekend!

My Creative Space ~ On Holidays

My Creative Space has been on holidays around here in that:

1. I have been on holidays

2. So has my desire to see a creative project through to the end...

I could show you photos of my barely started scarf that I thought I would finish in the car while tripping about, or the barely touched man jumper that I should be working on.  There is still a half knit felted bag and a mostly knit beanie that I could show you too...

I can't show you anything in the house, 4 weeks out from the move I have not bothered to start packing, but cleaning has not been high on the list of jobs to do either so you don't want to see any of that...

I have quilting blocks to sew, and mending to do, but none of it has been done...

I am instead going to slip in a few photos of my little one taken last weekend while we were away.

10 months old!  Hard to believe he is growing so very quickly.  Also hard to believe that last night he pulled himself up onto his feet for the first time.

He has five teeth and still mostly says 'MumMumMum', the Mr has said that 'Dad' has featured in there too, but I have not heard it yet ;)

So there you have it, holiday wrap up and Creative Space all in one :)

I am off to clean my house, and then sew something!

Catching up with Friends

On the weekend we drove South to catch up with friends at Burrinjuck Dam.   They are like family and it has been too long between catch ups.  Four of the boys managed to avoid being in this photo so we were quite a large group in all.

There was plenty of time for fun in the park and fun feeding the birds and kangaroos that were all so quiet they would eat from your hands.

Possum could not skim rocks, but loved watching them splash.  She was not put off by the amount of time in the car to get there as she keeps asking to go back to the small house (cabin).

My Creative Space

I have been busy learning how to crochet, and as such accidentally started a Granny Square blanket I think...  They are better than I thought they would be given some early failed attempts to learn this new craft and they are a great way to use left over grams of wool.

I have also been shopping.  It was not my intension but Courtney teased me with this photo on her blog so I had no choice...  What would you do with 100g of 4ply?

I have also started a NEW BLOG to celebrate the fact that our block has exchanged and we are now waiting on settlement with barely concealed excitement.  It is lovely to sit here and picture all this rain falling on acres that are soon to be ours!

The new (and exciting!) blog will be to record our Permaculture/Simple Living antics and I will keep this one for the Craft and Happy Kids sort of stuff.  There won't be too much action on the new blog until we move but it seemed like a great rainy day activity to set it up :) I have added a button to my side bar so feel free to pop in and check on progress whenever and often!

For more creative spaces grab a cuppa and head over to visit Kirsty