Keeping busy

One thing I seem to be doing more of while we're still tweaking our new home schedule is craft.  Not just crochet but plenty of sewing as well and I'm really loving it.

I started to sort through my stash of fabric and decided to make more shopping bags as I really enjoy making them.  I also sold some of them just before Christmas as someone I had gifted some to wanted to purchase a few for Christmas gifts of their own.

So while Master M is doing some school work, I cut, pin, sew and press and keep myself occupied making bags.  While doing it I'm right on hand to help him and keep him on track too which is working out well.

The best thing is that I'm using up my stash and also selling some which is very gratifying.

As well as going through my fabric stash, I've been having a clean out of my yarn as well.  I've got a couple of scarves made in recent months which I don't think I've posted about yet so I'll have to go back a bit further in my photos to see if I can find some to show you.

Since it's been such a long hot and humid summer, working with wool hasn't really appealed so I've piled up all of my cotton and have been making dish and wash cloths.

The ones I use everyday were looking a little worse for wear so new ones have been much needed.  Very few of them are the same size since I'm using up all the tiny leftover bits that I'm never quite sure what to do with.

Even if I'm only making a half size one, I've been finding a great use for them and can whip one up in an hour, sometimes less if there's not much cotton.  They've also been a great small project when we're 'in school' too.

I admit that I did try my hand at amigurumi since I had so many small balls of cotton but I have to say that I really don't think I have the patience for it.  I love the end result but find all the bits and pieces that need joining together too fiddly so I'm not sure if I'll be doing much more of that in the future.

Enjoy your week!

xx Susan

Craft update

Things have been extremely busy and very up and down here at the moment.  I won't go into the details but I will say that I'm not getting the chance to blog or even catch up with my blog reading as much as I would like to.

School holidays start next week so I'm hoping things will settle down a bit and I'm able to get back into a bit of a routine for myself for a few weeks.

I haven't been crafting that much either.  Well I have been doing some but nowhere near as much as I would like.

You will be pleased to know that I've finally finished my table runner.

It was touch and go for awhile even though it was a really easy pattern to work on.  I had this brilliant idea to make some place mats to go with it but they weren't working out how I wanted them to.  After nearly finishing one and then pulling it apart about 4 or 5 times I got the shits a little cranky with it all and placed the table runner out of sight until I was happy enough to work on it again.

I now only have a table runner (no plans for placemats) which looks okay on our scuffed up table but much better with the white tablecloth I think (notice the photo bomber behind the chair!)

As we usually only use the white table cloth at Christmas, this table runner may end up being our festive one.

I've also started another version of my Venetian Shawl.  I honestly tried a few other patterns but when things can go a little haywire in an instant, I wanted something familiar and soothing and pretty to work on.

The green is not my usual colour but it was in my stash and I'm quite liking it.

Those of you with a keen eye may have realised I said Craft update and not Crochet update in the title.

That's because I've also had the sewing machine out and am slowly starting on a few projects.

I won't bore you with photos of my mended jeans as you won't be as excited about seeing patched inner thighs as I am at being able to wear them again. (HaPpy jigs here!)

I have started on a few Christmas gifts though.  Don't gasp at the thought of Christmas like I nearly did.  I realised that the next few months are going to whizz by and wanted to get the teacher's gifts started so I'm not rushing around at the last minute.

I bought the fabric awhile ago and finally got round to laying everything out on my bed and cutting it out.

I now have a pile of fabric waiting for me to piece it all together with some trusty pins and then sew it up.  I'm not planning on doing the whole lot in one day, and have broken the whole process down in steps so I'm not leaving half finished things spread out everywhere if I get a phone call from school and have to drop everything and run.

My next step will be to pin them all together and then I'll sew all the bags and handles of the same colour together first so I'm not changing thread as often.  I'll show you more  when they're finished but in the meantime I'll give you a peek at the shopping bags I made last year.  

I hope you are all having a great week and if you have school holidays coming up, I hope you enjoy the time.

xx Susan

Shopping totes

For many years I've been making shopping bags for the kids school teachers for their end of year/ Christmas gift.  I first began making them for myself to use up some fabric then started giving them out as gifts for family and friends.

This year they have become an even more significant gift since Australian laws changed earlier in the year and there is now a ban on single use plastic bags.  It's an awesome initiative and covers all retail establishments, not just grocery stores.

These bags aren't just quickly whipped up either as they're fully lined and I even add a box like structure to them.  Of course I like them to be pretty too.

With the amount of fabric I had I was able to make two of each of the bags so I have a few extra in my gift cupboard to hand out when the need arises during the year.

Not only are they fully lined but I like to give them a bit of a box shape just like the old brown paper bags.  These are much sturdier though!

So another school year is almost done, gifts have been handed out and I'm trying to cope with the whirlwind that is the end of the school year before I have to deal with the kids 24/7 until the end of January.

I hope everyone's Christmas plans are coming together and that you have a wonderful weekend wherever in the world you are.

xx Susan

Random moments

This last week and weekend has been filled with all the normal family things as well as organising school stuff in the lead up until the end of the year.  Only 3 weeks left before they're home for the summer break and I find myself desperately looking forward to them being home and wondering how long I'll actually cope with them underfoot every day.  Sometimes it's such a fine line.

Until then, I'm busy concentrating on what's in front of me and not thinking too far ahead and I'm finding that I'm slowly getting through my 'to do' list.

There has been sewing in the household of late.  I have finished the teacher's gifts but won't show you until after they have been given as I'm not 100% sure if any of them check in on my blog from time to time.

I also made some little Ouchie (or Owie) packs for one of the kids former teachers.  They're mini wheat/rice packs which go in the freezer instead of warmed up in the microwave (although you could do this too).  

I always had a couple in the freezer when the kids were little for those moments when they would get a little bump and it would be such a big crying drama.  The ouchie packs aren't as cold as ice packs for a bump you really can't see and gives them just a little comfort.

I made some for one of the teachers when Master M was in grade 1 and the other day she asked me to make some more as she loves using them in the classroom for her little charges.

Afternoon play fun has also been had with cousin R.  These two are not only cousins but best mates and are trying to spend as much time together before the school holidays as we won't see R for the first half of them.

A small, basic set of mittens has been made for Master M's school friend.  His friend loves the ones I made for Master M years ago and wanted a pair for himself.  Despite the heat he apparently wore them ALL day at school when he got them.

I've started a crochet commission for a friend too and have decided that some of this project will be worked in the day time only as it's black.  I'm finding that my eyes these days need that little bit of extra daylight to see the black stitches but I'm fine working the other colours at night though, thank goodness.

My lovely Uncle took my sister and I out for lunch the other day.  The company and conversation was wonderful and the food at La Dolce Vita restaurant at Bulcock Beach in Caloundra was superb.  Watching the stormy skies and moody ocean was a bonus too.

The only down spot of our lunch was the fact that I closed my thumb in the car door as we arrived and I sat through most of the meal with my throbbing thumb stuck in a glass of cold water and ice!

A few days later and I now have the loveliest deep purple and black colours halfway up my thumb.  I'm hoping that I'll still keep the nail.

A note from Master M to hubby (and hubby's reply), left on the fridge.

The weekend has been a bit of a revolving door weekend.  That's what I call it when Master M and his mate N from across the road trade their time between the two houses.

Master M spent Friday night at Master N's place then they turned up at ours early Saturday morning and spent the day going between the two houses.  Master N then had a sleepover at our place on Saturday night so I made pies to keep the hordes happy. (I did cheat and used bought pastry)

X-box was played, the trampoline was jumped on, a ball was kicked and movies were watched.  (Miss R is hiding under her well used blanket on the floor)

Despite my sore thumb I have still been able to hold a hook so I've been able to work a little more on my commission project as well as my granny blanket using my stash.  I'm pleased to say that the stash is dwindling rather rapidly.  Yay!!

I hope you've all had a wonderful weekend and the weather is kind to you wherever you are in the world.

xx Susan

Crafty bits

It's been really busy around here over the months and I've let a few things slide.

 

Housework is one but I only get worried about that if I have a visitor all of a sudden, and blogging has been the other. 

 

 I don't know if this post will be the start of many but I hope so.  I hope I remember to take photographs and make the time to blog because I do enjoy recording a little of our lives.

 

 

 

As I said, I've been busy.  So much seems to have been happening and there's been a lot of stress involved so I've found myself trying to alleviate some of the stress by decluttering and sewing.

 

I've decluttered A LOT!  It's felt so good to have a good clean out and to get rid of so much that we really didn't need.

 

My fabric stash needed a good declutter too and even though I did pass a lot of it on, I also decided to get rid of a lot of it by turning it into bags.

 

Christmas is coming up and I usually give the kids female teachers a shopping bag or two for their gift.  This year I'm giving out a few extras to other staff at the school for the extra support and help that we have needed throughout the year.

 

Some of the fabric made 2 or sometimes even 4 bags when I had only planned to make one.  Some have different linings depending on how much fabric I had but my stash is slowly dwindling. 

 

 I didn't want to leave bits and pieces of fabric still sitting on the shelves which is why I've ended up making so many bags.

 

I am now getting quite a stash of shopping bags though but that's okay.  They make nice gifts or hubby suggested I sell them as I think I already have about 15 made and another 8 cut out and ready to sew up.

 

I love the fact that they're all so different.

 

Some days I don't get the chance to sew anything.  Other days I may only get the handles sewn.  Then on other days I complete two or three bags.  It all depends what's going on at the time and I'm making sure I enjoy the process as this is my current de-stresser!

 

Little Miss R has been asking me again to make her a new blanket like her brothers but all in blue (her favourite colour).

 

 

I've still got some yarn left over from when I finished Master M's blanket but I will have to order more of other colours.  I may have to do that very soon and then I can work on her blanket over the school holidays and the Christmas break.

 

I'll let you know how that's progressing too.

 

xx Susan

 



Something new on my blog

So I've been fiddling around with a few things and have decided that I want to develop my blog a bit more, especially with things that are happening in my life.

 

My blog will essentially be a record of my life and won't be made into a specialist blog.  I mean I really do want memories of family events, holidays, everyday things and whatever else I feel like.  It's why I started this blog, it's my life and my blog so that's what I choose to write about.

 

 

 

I am adding a couple of stand alone pages though which you will probably notice under the title picture.

 

Those pages will show images of some of my crafty things.  I've wanted to do this for awhile but have finally worked out how (yep..I'm quick with technology!)

 

 

 

There are two main reasons for doing this.  The first is that I want to be able to go to one place and be able to see what I make all in one place.  It makes it so much easier than trawling through my not very well organised photo library on my computer.

 

The second is that I have been selling some of my creations.  I have been for a little while and things are progressing nicely.  I'm not rushing about making things quickly to sell but am still making things that I really want to make and if people want to buy those things then I wish them well and hope they love what I have created.

 

 

 

The main reason why I decided to sell my work is that I can't wear most of the stuff I make.  I mean I live in coastal Queensland where it's HOT and HUMID so wearing something made of pure alpaca or wool and silk is not going to happen, no matter how much I love my creation.

 

So I make things that I would love to wear myself if I lived in a cooler climate and then let them go with love to someone who I hope will appreciate them as much as I do.

 

 

 

When I finally work out how to link things to my Ebay shop I'll add that to the sidebar too but the shop name is the same as my blog.

 

This will probably be an ongoing, slow development of this section of my blog when I get the time to work out what I'm doing.  Oh and as my computer crashed a couple of months ago I lost ALL my photos (yes that includes all the kids baby photos etc). Luckily I've kept them all on SD cards as I don't delete them when they're full, I just buy a new one. 

 

Thank goodness for that as I have not only previous craft projects but those precious memories of the kids growing up.  It's now a slow process of going through it all and this time BACKING IT ALL UP ON HARD DRIVE. 

 

 

 

Because I'm also a little old fashioned I'm also ordering prints of my favourite stuff as I figure that history shows that hard copies of stuff can be preserved much better than technology.  I mean how many people still have all the stuff they preserved on floppy disc when it was the height of technology.

 

So I hope you enjoy the galleries and remember that I can make things to order, not just what I've pre-made to sell.

 

xx Susan

A cool change

If you know me or have been reading this blog for any length of time you would know I don't really like the heat.  Considering how long summer has lingered on in these parts I really don't think I can be blamed for dreaming of cooler climates even though hubby just rolls his eyes when I mention it (probably because I bring it up A LOT).

Well the cool weather is finally here!   Yay.

Last night it got down into single figures (celcius) and I was warm and snug in my pj's and under the doona.  Thank goodness it was Sunday so we all slept in and didn't get out until we really had to.

It's a gorgeously clear day but quite blustery which is helping to keep it cool.

A few days ago it was still quite summerish, so you can forgive some for dressing up like they're now living in the arctic.

I've been quite busy lately in my sewing room and it's really been lovely to be able to finish some projects.

Another ruffle bag has been made like the one I gave my sister for her birthday.  She says that people ask her about her bag all the time so I've made this one and have another in blues, pinks and purples cut out.

They're cute and the possibilities are endless as to the colour combinations that can be used.

I've lined this one with a pretty red gingham.

I've also started on my first quilting project.  It's made up of leftover fabric from other projects and cut up jeans and 3/4 pants.  I had so many pairs that are worn out in one area but are otherwise in great condition.

I decided to cut them up to make a sturdy picnic blanket and I'll be using the pockets to make smaller hand bags like one I made a couple of years ago and get comments on.

I've also made a couple of scarves.  One in a beautiful blue/green wool and the one below in a lovely soft alpaca.

The stitch for this one is really easy to do and it was so lovely to work on.

Now that the weather has turned it's the perfect time to be able to wear some of these lovely scarves I've been making.

It's also time to start using some of the blankets I've been making over the years.  They stack up brightly on our blanket shelf with the one that my aunt gave me when I was little.  They all sit together quite cheerily I think.

xx Susan

Project Ruffles...

I did give you a slight preview of this project in THIS post but I never explained what it was for.

Mainly because it was a gift for my sister for her birthday which was at the end of March.  She basically told me most excitedly one day that she wanted a handbag with ruffles and could I make one?  

Of course I could!  Not that I thought so at the time but why would I tell her the truth when she was so excited.  Also I thought she was a bit bonkers because if anyone knows my sister they would know that Ruffles on a handbag was something that we never thought she'd ever seriously want.

While waiting for the lighting to strike on my dearly beloved sister,  I googled and reviewed and plotted and did lots of maths things that didn't work out.  In the end I found what I thought would be perfect although I knew it wasn't quite what my sister had been imagining.

What I came up with was something that I LOVED  and something I knew that my sister would love.

 Actually I really intended the bag I made to be a prototype and not the final gift but time got away from me and Sandy did visit a couple of times while I was in the process of making it.  So much for being stealthy and sneaky!

She LOVED the colours and LOVED the strawberry lining so the prototype became her very own bag.

Happy birthday sweet sister!  (even though it was a couple of weeks ago!)

xx Susie

I'm now adjusting the original pattern and making another bag that's equally as fun and useful.