more learning to crochet

I've been pracitising my crochet and am dying to get hold of some nice yarn and get started on a blanket.  Below is my first granny square from the other day, I just kept going and practising my trebles until I ran out of the camel coloured yarn.

I've been going back and rereading all the blogs that specialise in crochet and seeing which of their tutorials I could understand and attempt.  My first stop was Attic 24 where I had a memory of a really cute granny square tutorial.  I was so thrilled to find that I could understand the directions and even managed to teach myself the 'bobble' stitch.  So I've been practicing my regular granny square and now my flower granny square.

the central part has the bobble stitch, then the grey is the first round of treble crochet

the top is done on a 5.5mm hook, the bottom on a 4mm, trying out different sizes

I think I might try the Japanese flowers next!  I am going a bit crochet mad, but it's so exciting to be learning something new that's really firing my imagination.

 

learning to crochet!

Aunty has been 'threatening' to teach me to crochet for ages but we've just never co ordinated it properly.  So today with no work and no child and no other distractions we settled in with crochet books, patterns, an instructional DVD, a pile of yarn and several crochet hooks.  We did try to get the fire lit for real ambience but we lacked the appropriate size kindling.

But there was cake and coffee and sandwiches.  (And a little bit of knitting and talk about quilting on the side).

To my total shock after watching the instructional DVD just once I was chaining up a storm.  After a second viewing I was slip stitching and very soon double crocheting.  After our lunch Aunty showed me how to treble crochet and make a granny square.

I was so surprised that I was able to follow the instructions in my crochet book and sucessfully create my very first granny square!  This is what my granny square looked like when I left Aunty's house this afternoon.

And this is what it looks like now!  It's a bit loose and a little rough but could I be any prouder???

This is Aunty's granny square, cute bold colours that will probably wind up as a cushion or a baby blanket.  Apparently though I'm now getting the blame for adding to her WIP!


I love learning new things!  Especially something I've wanted to learn about for ages.  Have you learnt any new skills lately?  Or what new skill would you like to learn?

two treats and some garden

I got two treats on Friday.  Firstly I treated myself to some of these cute Art Viva knitting needles.  They are made from Tasmanian Oak and have a funky little bauble on the end.  I purchased them from Biome which is this awesome store all about sustainability and making a difference in the way we live.  Something I think is very popular amongst the handmade/blogging types.  They also stock the beautiful Woolganics yarn as well as several craft and knitting books and some cool craft kits for kids.  The needles are awesome but the little bauble does add a tiny bit of weight to the end which you have to get used to.

Then when I arrived home in my mail box there was a treat from a quilty/bloggy friend.  It is the cutest little quilt you've ever seen.  So tiny and intricate.  

Here it is beside one of my knitting needles for comparison.  These are pretty short needles mind you.  

Just look at the size of these nine-patches.  Each little square is about 1cm.

And a litte update of the garden while I'm here.  I was sitting on my front steps in the sun knitting and thought how lush my veges were looking.

lettuces

the perfect truss

butter beans - yum yum

Don't you just love the patterns that appear in your yarn ball as you work through it?

 

vintage linens - part 2

Here are some more of the vintage linens I unearthed yesterday.  These range from placemat size to table runners.

embroidery detail from runner above

this is a cushion cover

edge detail from above

embroidery detail from piece below

a very, very long runner

 

vintage linens

I've had these linens stashed in my linen closet, scrunched up in plastic bags (*gasp*) for many years.  They were scavenged from my Great-Aunt and then from my Granny's houses.  I love having things around me which are from my family.  Our kitchen table and chairs are the original ones my grandparents had when they were married about 65 years ago.  Beside it stands a kitchen dresser which was my great-grandmother's.  In our bedroom we have a meat safe of the same vintage as a bedside table.  There is glassware and kitchen goods and various other things hidden away and on display.  My sewing desk is my Granny's sewing table.

I've had this strange urge for a few days to find the linens I knew were in my house somewhere.  I found two bags but I know there are some little beaded milk jug covers and more doilies somewhere.

This is a crochet rug, I'm not sure who made it.  Mum or Aunty do you know?  It just needs a little wash and it'll be great - Mum you're on wool washing duty :)  And would you look at what shape it is ?? Spooky hey!
 

Here are the doilies that I found so far.
  

I think some of them are hand made but some were probably purchased.  I love the crochet ones.

Now my next question is, any tips on washing the doilies and linens?  They have some yellow marks on them, mostly just from age and improper storage.  I want to clean them all up and press them flat and either store them properly or use them in some creative way.  Any suggestions on creative ways to use them?  

 

sewing for the little Guy

My little Guy is very familiar with the concept of sewing with most of the women in his life being sewists.  A great activity for little kids to do is threading cards - he calls it his sewing.  It's very good for their hand eye co ordination and other brain related development.  You can purchase pre made cards but my Mum decided to make some for Guy using the letters from his name (he is also in the process of learning his letters).

Mum printed out the letters and laminated them then just punched holes with a hole punch.  You can use shoe laces or wool with a bit of sticky tape around the end.

housekeeping

I thought I'd better show you some photos of things I've had hanging around for a while now.  A little bit of housekeeping if you will.

Firstly this is the quilt I received from Wendy in the first round of Christine's doll quilt swap.  

Wendy - I don't think my emails to you are working but the quilt is definately here!  The detail and the hand stitching are amazing.  I notice more each time I look at it.

Secondly this lovely parcel arrived from my friend Frances in Sydney.  Frances and I met several years ago through work, she at our Sydney office and me in our Brisbane office.  We worked together on a lot of projects over the years and kept in contact mainly through email and a few business visits.  In a funny coincidence we wound up having our first babies within 3 days of each other (Fran is a few years older than me :)  Since we've both now left the organisation we've still kept in contact and our creative pursuits have blossomed together.  She credits/ blames me for her new addiction to all things fabric!  I sent her a bundle of scraps and some 1 inch hexagon papers the other week to help her in her hexagon swap.  In return Fran has sent me this wonderful package containing one of the Vignette magazines, a beautiful card and the most amazing framed hexagon.

Thanks so much Fran!  I love it all and you are a treasure!

Lastly, mostly due to a 20% off sale, I went off to Spotlight the other day to acquire some of the Denise Schmidt fabric.  I came home with just a little bit!  Not my fault my local Spotlight had just about every fabric in the range in stock!

I got a half metre of each of these.

And a full metre of these.'

Now if any of you are desperate to find these Picnics and Fairgrounds fabrics, I could be pursuaded to return to my Spotlight to acquire some more ;)  Drop me an email.

Hopefully that's cleaned out a bit of  my housekeeping and I should be back soon to show you the finished Sunshine quilt, I'm just finishing off the binding now.
 

gifts for Miss 5

Our friend Miss 5 had a birthday the other day.  I knitted her up a cute pink scarf and made a sweet and simple skirt from some flower fairies fabric.

I was worried the skirt was a bit babyish for a five year old but her Mum has reported that she loves the fabric in the skirt and was wearing the scarf already.

new project - Grandad quilt

I've started a new quilt project today.  I figured since I'd posted off my prizes, finished my doll quilt swap and tidied up a bit I was entitled to start something new.  The quilt is a present for my father in law, his birthday was in April but I'm not known for delivering these gifts on time!

I'm stepping out of my comfort zone with the fabrics.  It was the first time I'd really even stepped into the 'civil war' section of the quilt shop!

And the idea for the design has come from the latest Better Homes and Gardens magazine.