acting like a granny

when i was younger, well quite a bit younger, being called a "granny" was the ultimate insult. it meant you were poking your nose into things you had no business poking your nose into! secretly i've always rather liked grannies, even the scary ones in fairy tales, and i especially like all the stuff they have crammed into their  homes.

granny china

my own grannies always had nick knacks on display, colourful blankets and highly coloured paintings in ornate frames. their homes smelt of potatoes cooking on a kerosene stove, wood polish and coffee, such a comforting blend to all the kids. even the whiff of an old book can transport me back there now.

granny painting

all this nostalgia goes some way to explaining my love of second hand shops. i can always find some granny goodness there like the dinner set and the painting, and like all grannies i love to save a few pennies while i'm shopping!

the honorary granny - dottie angel

the next best thing to finding original granny gear, is creating it yourself. i love nothing more than making piles of crocheted blankets, hand knitted jumpers and bags to stuff all those projects into. strangely though, all this activity never seems to reduce the yarn stash, another granny habit i'm happy to adopt...

granny string bag

back to normal-ish

"they were the best of times and they were the worst of times"

i always like it when the festive season is over and things start to quieten down a little. it's not that i'm a grinch or anything, i enjoy catching up with the people i love at this time of year and there's nothing i like more than giving them thoughtfully chosen or handmade presents. it's just that living in a tourist town, it's hard to handle the extra busyness that summer brings and i have to confess my tolerance level goes down a few notches (sorry).

we are family

so, on to a new year and fresh thoughts. all those days to be filled with crafty happenings, exciting possibilities and, (gulp) resolutions. this year i have planned a major resolution, in fact it's a revolution for me, although many other bloggers have successfully done it. this year its the year of restraint, a challenge of the utmost kind first carried out by the lovely dottie angel and then many others following her example.

make do and mend

as i'm a hoarder of the worst kind, i additionally pledge to avoid new fabric and yarn purchases, only allowing pre-loved or gifted items to increase my stash. i'm quite lucky that i can make most of my clothing, so it's a little easier for me, although the lack of quality clothing in my local op-shops is a bit of a hindrance. i'm looking forward to a reduction in the stash, an increase in the bank balance and best of all, a lovely "new" wardrobe made by me. what better impetus to sew could there be? 

wish me luck everyone, and if you see me skulking around the fabric shops, be sure to encourage me to go away empty handed, tears or no tears!

summer hideaway

granny goodness

i am totally smitten with my new book granny chic. created by two people whose blogs i love, they give an honest insight into the life of thrifting, hoarding and making that has many similarities to mine. most crafters would know all about burning the family dinner when you need just five more minutes to feverishly work on a project!

op shop treasures

anyway, i've unwittingly joined the ranks of "grannies" the world over, fiddling with bits of yarn, thrifted sheets and crochet hooks, scouring op shops for unwanted ornaments, kitschy kitchen wares and combining the lot into a glorious mash-up of colour and pattern. some people would want to scratch their own eyes out rather than have to endure this kind of decor, but as a maximalist, i enjoy it. the beauty is that you can't copy the look exactly; you rely on your own local finds, dependent on other people's throw-aways. it's the ultimate in creativity!

granny apron

when i saw this project in the book, i couldn't resist making my own granny apron to wear while crafting or cleaning, whichever one wins on the day. once again, the instructions are clear and concise, leaving room for customising to your own tastes. i used an old tea towel, a pretty tray cloth and added a little embroidery to inspire my blogging day! i don't know if i quite have the nerve to wear it out of the house like Tif does, maybe when i get a bit more grown-up?!

a weekend round-up

last Friday was the start of the local Agricultural Show, always a good day out providing the weather is fine. this time we weren't disappointed, it was fine and sunny with a maximum temp of 30 degrees. i love looking at the handcrafts shed to see what the locals have been making through the year, and the kids love the animals. Abby's favourites were the horse jumping and the chooks, as she is hoping for one or two in her own backyard (chooks, not horses!)

show jumping

of course, after walking through the agricultural part of the show, it's always fun to go on the rides. the bumper cars are an old favourite, but i just couldn't say yes to some of the more scary rides! the kids are far braver than i ever was when it comes to that.

bumper cars

too scary for me!

after a long hot day, we dragged ourselves home for a cuppa and a rest. i had been saving "granny chic" until after i'd finished wrangling my accounting studies, but i couldn't resist having a little peek. i found a tiny reserve of energy to make a start on a roundie cushion for a thrifted cane chair that has been in dire need of comfort. once i got started i wasn't tired anymore!

this cushion is so quick and easy to make, i used an old sheet found on my op shop jaunts. i even made the insert as i haven't been able to find round ones at the local shops. i was hand stitching on a doily as i heard the fireworks from the show that night, and it was all done. i must say, i've been a bit distracted by my doily stash ever since...

when life gives you lemons...

normally i would go directly to a lovely fabric or yarn shop to cheer myself up, but as i'm on a self-imposed stash diet, i decided other measures had to be taken:

number 1: buy a book.
under advice from Di, i went to a really good bookshop to get a crafty magazine. it's good in theory because you get some fresh ideas to use what you already have.sadly there was nothing new that caught my eye so i wandered to the books for a browse, and whoops, i bought myself an early Christmas pressie, not one but two books from some of my favourite bloggers.

gerties book for better sewing

i've always loved vintage clothing, especially from the 1950s, so Gerties book was a must-have. i particularly like all the information on couture sewing details, as that's what makes dressmaking so worthwhile. when you pop on a handmade garment that's been well finished and fitted, you feel utterly spoilt. years ago i hand tailored coats and jackets without any qualms about time or effort, so i'd like to get back into that frame of mind.

granny chic

if you've read this blog before, you'll know i love dottie angel and her granny ways! recycling fabrics and making do with found objects is a subject close to my heart, so buying her new book Granny Chic was a no-brainer. i have "high hopes" of starting the new year with a challenge of the utmost kind, and have already put some rules into practice as a bit of a test to see how i go. wish me luck everyone!

number 2: drag yourself into the 21st century.
although i have a large number of commercial sewing patterns, i'm not that keen on using them. i've used Burda and Knipmode sewing magazines for just as long, and i prefer them for fit and style. however, it's all too easy to get stuck in a rut and forget to explore all the new exciting options out there. i've never used a pattern download off the internet before or joined a sewalong, entered a pattern contest or used an online video teaching resource.

basic knit wardrobe

when i was offered a really good discount on a class with the online resource Craftsy, i thought i'd give it a go. the course is called "Sewing with Knits" and includes patterns for five basic items. so far i've made three of them and i've enjoyed re-learning how easy knits are to sew. in my opinion, the use of an overlocker or serger has only made sewing with knits more stressful. in this course you go back to basics, using simple stitches the way Mum used to sew knits years ago.

simple stitching

there's not much that can go wrong with a line of basic zigzag and there's more control with a normal sewing machine. it all fits with my new motto: "simplify".

back to school and back to crafting!

after an enjoyable two weeks of sun and surf, the kids are back to school today and well, it's a bit of a relief. i do love the holidays for the outdoor fun we have together, but the whole time my fingers have been itching to get stuck into making something.

middleton beach

i did finish off some knitting (details on Ravelry) and swatch some new summer yarns in between all the holiday activities, but i really want to start some new stuff! i hear Christmas bells around the corner and the shops are stuffed with all manner of tinsel and sparkly decorations, so it might be an idea to trawl through my magazines and blogs for some gifty ideas? i will be begging for some wish lists soon because there are a lot of birthdays coming up as well, five family members between now and Christmas!

wintergrass cardigan

middleton pine sweater

last week Abby and i converted a corner of the "playroom" into a small studio space for us to share. it's right near some big windows so its full of light and i can look out at the garden while crafting (not a good idea when the weather is so lovely!). so far its been great because i'm right there to help her thread needles and show her how to do all those amazing things she has in her head. i crocheted a little garland to inspire us based on one that dottie angel made for her sweet liitle dog Olive. i think we are all set for back to crafting now!

crafty corner

crochet garland

new blocks and a bit of a brag

crown jewels

i've finally got my crochet bug back and have been whipping through the BAMCAL blocks, only two more to catch up. what i love about doing this crochet-along, is that i've been learning lots of new techniques and stitches without it being an overwhelming challenge. i'm normally a granny square king of girl, probably due to laziness more than anything, although i do love the retro look!

schoharie spring

eyelet lace

some of these blocks would be lovely in an afghan if repeated in the same or matching colours, i would love to make a throw using the crown jewels block in a dark gypsy colourway. others would be great as washcloths like the eyelet lace one above; it has a nice squishy texture due to the double stitching. i'm saving all these patterns for future use when i've run out of things to do!

birthday pressies

now i just need to have a little brag about the beautiful cowl Di made me for my birthday. it's made from a yarn i have eyed off for years - Noro wool and silk. now i know why there's all these Noro addicts and knitting groups, this yarn is supremely comfortable to wear, and the dyes are amazing. i love this a lot, it's a tie with my Dottie Angel book that Di also sent me. i was very lucky this year! hop over to Di's blog if you want to know more.

feverish friday

today finds me feeling a little overheated. i know it's odd, what with the mercury refusing to go above 15 degrees the last few days, so i've boiled (!) it down to one of two things:
1. could it be that the awful flu that's been laying low all the rest of the family has got me at last?
2. could it be the use of superhuman strength needed to crochet this?

heavy crochet wip

well i have to say i prefer the second option, and have put my feverish ways into action to finish this popcorn stitch crochet cover for a 'dumpty' i stole from Mum. it's crocheted in Moda Vera "Beetle" used double throughout with a 7mm hook, making it very weighty but also lovely and crunchy! thanks go to the lovely dottie angel for inspiration and instructions on the making of this cover.

crocheted dumpty cover

crunchy popcorn stitches

it seems i have covered my laptop with fluff while feverishly crocheting and trawling blogs at the same time...

anti-perfectionist strategies

sometimes i suspect i have a split personality craftwise. i can whip up a fully lined tailored jacket or an intricate aran jumper, but then find myself knitting a garter stitch scarf or sewing a raw edged top from two pieces. i used to be a bit of a perfectionist and prided myself on it; after all being a perfectionist means that your points always match, your stitches are even and the toilets are always scrubbed!

 however, on the cusp of a big birthday ending in 0, i feel that i've learned a lot from my years on this planet. being a perfectionist also means procrastination over not having the right fabric, thread, yarn or enough time. it means solitary hours, heartbreak and general unsociability when even a word can disrupt the all important concentration. now i save these projects for when i know i've got nothing else on, or i do them in blocks of time instead of trying to get it done in one session. life's too short to miss out on family, walking on the beach or having a cosy coffee!

autumn bunting

so, what does this have to do with bunting? well, i found this tutorial on the lovely dottie angel's blog for a recycled "whatnot garland". dottie made hers for christmas, but i thought an autumn theme would suit just as well, so i gathered up bits and bobs in the right colours. what i really loved was dottie's rule that you couldn't use measuring tools or pinning to make this garland, but just chop away at the fabric and use up old bits of lace and braid for the "string". in other words it was a "anti-perfectionist strategy"!

hello sausage!

vintage fabric

sentimental words

so if you feel a need for a strategy, collect up some favourite fabrics, trimmings and buttons, put on some music and with beating heart, gleefully chop up some freehand rectangles, raw edge applique scraps and stitch! don't forget to add a saying, you know the sort of thing that makes your family want to puke when you say it to their faces, but secretly smile when they read it later and no one's watching. i just drew my words freehand with pencil and stitched over them with backstitch.

this bunting won't change your life, but it might encourage you to make some misshapen biscuits, smile at a stranger or like me, change all your furniture around. that perfectionism is creeping in again, i'll have to look for another project to keep it at bay...

beetle bug and a ufo!

well its still rather steamy in the southwest of Australia at the moment. as much as my fingers are itching to knit some winter woolies, the humidity will not allow it. my mojo started to slip this weekend but as always i could rely on the kids to perk me up. abby suggested making a softie, brought me all our pattern books and a cup of tea; she knows just what i need sometimes and is very wise for 11 years old!

beetle bug

beetle bug is made entirely of recycled materials from sheets, clothing and a doily. i think she is cute and had to wrest her away from my kids for the photo shoot! with mojo firmly back in place and a cool night breeze helping nicely, i decided to finish off a ufo.

zigzag "missoni" throw

i've been working on this zigzag crochet blanket for a while and all it needed was an edging and the loose ends to be woven in. i saw the idea for this blanket on dottie angel and loved the fresh retro colourway she used. she has generously provided a tutorial for this and another equally lovely blanket on her blog.

finished throw

i am very happy to have this finished as i think it may come in handy in the next month or so, the leaves in the garden are starting to turn all those lovely colours now...

take another little piece of my heart

hello there...i know Valentines Day is fast approaching but like dottie angel i try to avoid the sickly commercial stuff available in the shops (except for the chocolate of course!). i still like any excuse to decorate my home to reflect the latest holiday so when i saw this tutorial on dotties blog with the promise it only took 15 minutes, i whipped it up after brekkie.

paper hearts

it might have taken me slightly longer than 15 minutes, i had to type my sappy message and rifle through my daughters craft box for the paper, but its worth the time don't you think? bonus points for using a recycled book i got from the oppy recently.