Winter Woollies ---

While I was down at Mum's, my sister's and/or the hospital, I kept any idle hands moments at bay with some knitting. 

I'd been given a couple of balls of wool which didn't/wouldn't really go with anything else. I thought they would be good for beanies for the kids but wasn't sure if there was quite enough in each skein for a full sized one. I hunted around and found a pattern that started from the crown. That way, I could just cast off at the brim when I ran out of wool.

The first little bit was a bit tricky with few stitches, 4 needles and lots of stitch markers, however as it grew, it got easier and easier.

It was hard to get an idea of the colouring of the yarn from the unopened ball. I fully expected there to be a lot more turquoise  than there was (only some at the start) so it was an 'interesting' knit!

I ended up making two 'short' beanies. 

While the design was fresh in my mind, I found some more yarn and made two beanies with a fold over brim. 

The pattern was 'Top Down' by PurlJam/Kevin Haggerty - found *here* on Ravelry.

If none of the kids claim/need them, I will be happy to donate them to charity.

Last winter was a funny old one for me; I got little crafting done but really enjoyed spending my time crocheting a jersey.

I used 'Highlander Heathers' wool from Skeinz, in the colour Scotch Mist. I loved the smell of it - it still smelt like real wool - and it was lovely to use. And the motivation was spotting the design, Low-rider jumper by Iron Lamb. As soon as I saw it, I KNEW I had to make one.

This was a well written pattern that started from the top so that you could easily fit it as you went.

I learnt some new techniques - yes, the 'ribbing' is crochet!😲!

And it fits perfectly. I was a bit concerned I might overheat in it but the open weave style of crochet must help and I find it a comfortable cosy wear.

Once I finished the jersey I was still in crochet mode. Inspired by Miss Tammy's cuteness and her love of things cosy and warm - 

-and also by friends in blogland making Afghans at the time, I decided that Miss Tammy needed her own blanket. In a moment of brilliance, I decided to make it yellow to match her colouring, and contrasted it with a blue. I didn't purchase anything new for this, I went through odds and sods that I had accumulated over the years (including some from when Mum cleaned out her cupboard - Oh how good it is to have a daughter who also crafts!!!). 

(Helping Ganma make her afghan)

I finished the blanket at the point where I was having trouble finding enough of the right coloured remnants to use, and it turned out to be a perfect size.

(There was one yarn that could have been made for heavy duty carpets (!!) which was really horrible to use - after finishing the round, I decided it could be biffed - that's very unlike me, so it must have been bad!)

So it's a fun little rug to have on the floor in front of the fire for Tammy Cat to sleep on.

While I was in oddment using mode, I found some acrylic yarn which I made into peggy squares for the blankets kiwikid Sue puts together for the Kogo organisation. I delivered those in April when I went over for Scrub Stitching.

Well I think that is my knitting and crocheting caught up with for now 😀

See you next time, 
Raewyn

Trying again!

There's been a flurry of activity in my world lately...I've been getting ready for my annual pilgrimage to the Scrub Stitching retreat in rural Australia.

Naturally I'm taking more than what I will have time to sew but it's always nice to have choices, isn't it?!

Tomorrow I fly to Melbourne where I meet up with kiwikid Sue and we will start this year's tiki tour heading north.

I haven't done a huge amount of sewing lately so, as well as the seeing the sights, having some fun, and of course catching up with girls at Scrub Stitching,  I'm really looking forward to some concentrated sewing time.

Last year at SS we received a kit for a wee sewing roll. I pulled it out this summer and was super motivated to finish mine before attending again - and here it is - 

(This is a design by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched.)

Something else I made sure I finished before I left home was a wee Sashiko bear. Sue and I bought one each on our travels last year and challenged ourselves to complete it for this year. 

Another one ticked off my list!

What didn't get ticked off my list was all the quilt finishes I had hoped to take over for Show and Tell! Never mind, there is always next year!

I have to get to the airport quite early tomorrow morning, so will sign off now.

See you next time,

Raewyn

Small Bag Makes

I nearly headed up this post with "Ditto" .....referring to a repeat of my last post, however I won't subject you to that again!

Yes time flies so there is plenty to chat about...

Some of you commented on the wee bags which I showed photos of in that last post so that is what I will start with here —

I had an urge to make some drawstring bags for knitting and crochet projects; just small ones to hold a few skeins of yarn for small projects.

I had a couple of FQs I had been hiding away for this purpose. This was the first bag I made —

I used *this online tutorial* - altered a little as I had fat quarters to play with, not yardage!

And I added a little zipped pocket for stowing away the tools that are always lost at the bottom of a bag!

I made the second bag a few weeks later and had completely forgotten what battings I had used for the body. I had improvised with what I had at home. The second bag doesn't stand quite as well as the first but it will do!

I did improve the zipped pocket though; it's not quite as bulky as the first. Both zips were in my 'zipper bag' and were ones that Mum unpicked from garments years ago. The grey one is from Dad's workpants and I think the red would have been a skirt!
I was impatient to complete the second so instead of purchasing some cord for the drawstring, I used a pair of long shoe laces that had also somehow ended up in my sewing room!!

Family photo - 

(I haven't measured these bags but I see the instructions say they are approximately 10"x6"x5" - not huge but a good size for what I wanted.)

Another bag I made was one for Miss Lily for her birthday.

It turned out pretty cute.

I hadn't made one of these frame bags before but it was very straightforward 😊

The base and main part are made as two complete parts - 

And then hand sewn together. It seems strong enough - time will tell!

The young lady was delighted and set about filling it straight away!

Still arranging things several days later - 

I have some of these —

— needing attention, so I'd best be off.

See you next time,

Raewyn

January---

----comes to an end.

While it seems such a long time since Christmas and the New Year, I can't quite believe we are one month into 2024 already.

January has been a mixed month. We've had some long hot days, the odd cooler day, a lot of humidity and then none. We had a little rain at the start of the month but have missed out on much of what has fallen in Northland lately - even though we are only 45-60 mins west OR east to the coast, we have quite a different climate at times - they've had a good amount of rain this month. 

Which means things are drying out on the farm. The grass has changed and the MOML has started feeding out from our big stack of silage bales. 

(The kids have really discovered the bales this summer. The two older girls used to play on them a lot,  singing, acting and dancing.  The younger kids are now making their own games and fun on them.)

They'll be out of bounds soon as the bales will get moved around for the cows.

Soon the MOML will stop milking at night (just in the mornings) to reduce stress on the cows and the milker. Things change a lot in a month!

It's been a month of family busy-ness with visits from relatives and close family. We've child minded when parents returned to work. And dog-sat while their family went to the beach for a week.

The plums are never-ending, although I think, after this morning's pick, there will be just one more big pick of the main tree for the freezer. Add in the courgettes, cucumbers and tomatoes and I've made jam, pickles and chutney. The windfall apples are starting, and the Damson plums are ready to pick.

I've continued on with my daily hill climbs, just missing three days in January, and this morning I clocked over the 100kms mark for this month! Almost one seventh of my goal for the year.

It's always rewarding to get to the top of the first hill to see these great views —

I've fought with wee Tammy in the evenings trying to do handwork but have managed a few wee finishes. (She is slowly learning to do the cat-thing and nap in my lap instead of scragging and playing with everything I try to do!)

I had started this singlet back in November. A group of the ladies who belong to the stitching group at work are making singlets for a premature baby unit. 

It is my second one, and I have enough wool left for another, plus some beanies.

In my last post I shared that I started a wee Pin and Scissorkeep set, a pattern that I acquired up while at my Scrub Stitching retreat last April. I haven't yet made the scissor fob but when I get an empty night or two, I will 'whip it up' - it will be a fairly quick make.

My first make for this challenge was the pouch —

I had a big enough scrap left over from making the bag to line the scissor keep, so that was nice :-)

The pins are poked into the 'gusset' of the pin keep as the stitcheries are gathered around cardboard circles. I've filled it with crushed walnut shell. Check out those tiny cute scissors!

It was good to start the year well by meeting my Chookshed Chatterers challenge goal #6 of finishing these items.

I will link up with Deana's end-of-month link-up when I have posted this- there are a lot of people who have joined in so that's pretty exciting. 

There's been a bit of block sewing happening lately but I'll stop here as this is more than enough photos for one day!

'til next time,

happy stitches, 
Raewyn

The First...

The first hugs of the year went to these two who decided that 4.26am on New Year's day would be a good time to wake up —

(I told them Gandad wasn't even up to milk the cows yet and sent them back to bed. But it's too exciting being at Ganma's so they didn't last long!)

First wearing of the year of my new (Christmas) t-shirt — 

First walk of the year —

First and most decent Fernbird (Mātātā)) photo of the year (and ever). These little-known birds are pretty non-descript but are quite common in the bush areas around us (they're a wetland type bird, I think). They are easily identified by their straggly tail and they appear to struggle to fly and get a decent lift off. And hard to photograph. They have a very cool tk-tk noise which I always enjoy hearing —

First bottling of the year. It's a case of Plums-Glorious Plums around here —

First sewing of the year. Hmmmppfffrrr not so happy about this as it was mending!!

(Farm overalls are too expensive NOT to mend!) (No frills with my mending as they all get thrashed anyway. If I can, I match fabric. No quilting fabric is harmed in the mending of farm overalls!)

First proper sewing of the year - 

I'm pleased that the first drawing of the Chookshed Stitchers 2024 Challenge was #6 which was my Scrub stitching Retreat project. It's an ideal project to ease me back into my sewing. Plus I want it done before I attend Scrub Stitching again this year.

AND First Finish Of The Year —

This was a cute wee bag by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched. She put together a kit for us - as you can see it was personalised with 'Scrub Stitching 2023'.

There is no batting in this wee pouch but I decided to put a layer in the bottom to give it a little body. I looked around and saw, lying around, a test sample my Sewing Machine Man made when he serviced my Sweet 16. It just needed a little trimming, and then I inserted it between the main and the lining fabrics —

Which of course meant some extra stitches to hold it in place. I decided wee buttons would look cute —

'til next time,

 happy stitches,

Raewyn