Block 1 - Babette

I've actually not been too well for the past few weeks. One of the side-effects is that I can't really do anything that requires much thinking, or time. So I've mostly been working on Babette squares.



There are a lot of different granny squares of different sizes, but it's just the same stitch over and over again. But it's not as boring as you'd think, since making up the colour combinations is fun. The pattern uses Koigu Wool designs KPM, but I am using a comination of 8 ply yarns - Cleckheaton Country Naturals 8 ply, Spotlight Harvest Pure Wool and Spotlight 8 ply Pure Wool. I picked the colours by matching the Koigu colour names with a similar colour in the 8 ply yarns.



I have now completed Block 1 of the blanket (with lots of various squares from other blocks) and have now started to sew them together. I've never done this before, well, really this is my first proper crochet project, so I used the instructions in The Happy Hooker by Debbie Stoller.

Just a minute...in August

I did do something like this a couple of weeks ago, but I'll try and do it every month. This is from August Street, it's a meme called 'Just a Minute'

Watching... Old Simpsons episodes
Reading... Hungry Hill by Daphne Du Maurier, one of my favourite authors.
Eating... natural Greek yogurt with raspberries and blueberries

Planning... our trip to Hawaii in November
Making... a lot of crochet squares for the Babette blanket

Sew Hip skirt

I finished this skirt last week, it is from the Sew Hip magazine, in issue 8.

I'm fairly pleased with it as it is the first thing I've sewn that I could actually wear. It is the first time I've made button holes on my sewing machine and the first time to do pleats. I did stuff up the pleats by only making them half the size, which meant there were twice as many. I also think the skirt would half fit better if I had fit the waist band to my waist, instead of my hips (which is where I would usually wear my skirts). It is a bit boofy around the hips, which I really don't need, but I think that is caused from the extra pleats.

The instructions from Sew Hip were set out well and were very clear. There was no actual pattern, you just cut the fabric to measurements.

I used a fabric from a local fabric shop - My Hung in Hurstville. I think it was $7.50/metre and the pattern asked for 1 metre. It is bright and colourful, and has a shine to it. The buttons are plain navy and from My Hung too.

Hopefully I'll be brave enough to wear it, despite the mistakes, because it is still a pretty skirt.

Here is a full length pic, excuse my white legs and sock marks!

Stitches and Craft Show

Today I went to the Sydney Stitches and Craft Show.

My purchases you can see above - I got the latest Mixtape Zine, and a glasses kit from Amitie.

Overall, the show was good - not as crowded as I expected, so I could actually look at any stall I wanted. The Incubater section was really inspirational - I saw a few stalls from blogs I read, and recognized a few from Finders Keepers.

The best thing about the show was the screening of the documentary Handmade Nation. I've wanted to get the book for a while now, and after seeing the movie, I think I will get it! It was really interesting to see all the different crafters and their reasons for creating. Most of their crafts were very 'non-traditional', and different to mainstream products, for instance, a latch-hook rug with a naked woman on it. I remember doing a butterfly when I was a kid! What was also interesting was hearing about the companies that acted as a go-between for the crafters and the customers.

I had just bought a coffee, to sit down and check the guide to see what I had missed when they announced a fashion parade from BurdaStyle so I watched that too, the clothes looked unique, yet fashionable and very professionally made - I hope to one day be close to that level!

I didn't do any of the craft bars or workshops, I had wanted to only be there for a couple of hours, and Handmade Nation was an hour itself. One more comment - I caught the free shuttle bus from Parramatta station. There was a sign at the exit to say catch it from Darcy Street, but once on Darcy street there were no signs for where the bus actually departed. I stood and waited with a group of people, all feeling a little nervous because we weren't sure we were in the right place. But the bus arrived and the bus driver was so friendly, saying hello to each of us and wishing us a good day!

This is from Meet Me at Mikes!

Making : Babette crochet blanket
Cooking : nothing - eating leftovers!
Drinking : gin and tonic
Reading: Wild Mary - the life of Mary Wesley, by Patrick Marnham
Wanting: the new Frankie Magazine
Sewing: Skirt from Sew Hip magazine
Wishing: I could work part time so I could do more craft!
Enjoying: the gorgeous weather in WINTER!
Waiting: for the Stitches and Craft show (I'm going tomorrow)
Liking: these yoga socks - maybe they'll stop my cramps in class
Wondering: what I will make next
Loving: dip for dinner
Hoping: tomorrow will be another beautiful day
Marvelling: at my AMAZING bargain, the Sew U home stretch book for $6.95!
Needing: to sort out all my clothes
Smelling: coffee
Wearing: my warm hoodie
Thinking: about our trip to Hawaii!
Feeling: a bit more relaxed
Giggling: at my silly Boy - he always makes me smile!

plodding along

I've been doing a lot of crocheting recently, working on theBabette Blanket from Interweave.

My Noro sock is still coming along, I'm now on the foot, so should just sit and do it for a few hours, that's all it would need!

Today I went into the city to pick up my passport (I lost it at the airport), and in a bargain book shop I found Sew U home stretch very cheap! I was so excited as this book was next on my to buy list, and I was even thinking about it this morning!

Felt mascot

I've finally got a new camera, so will try to post more on this blog!

I have actually been doing a bit of crafting recently, I made this felt mascot, mostly to use in my header and avatars.


I just played around with felt, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, it makes me smile!

This weekend I've been knitting a new beanie for The Boy, sewing a dress for myself, and thinking about a cover for The Boy's DS.

I've got some photos of projects that I created just before my camera broke, so I wasn't able to get them on the computer.

This is a glasses case that I made with fabric, wadding, fusible interfacing, and sewed up on my sewing machine.


I also went to my first Brown owls meeting, and tried some paper piecing, which was really fun, but I keep on forgetting to take a photo of my first attempt - a hexagon flower.