Sew, sew, sew your boat

Silly post title, I know. Ridiculous in fact. I have sewing-withdrawl as the Machine is in for her service, and I have boats on the brain as my Sister-In-Law will be rowing for Australia at Beijing. I can't keep quiet about this any longer! Anyway, we are very thrilled (Congratulations Aunty Rower!!)

Anyway, here are some quick pics of things I want to be doing:


Old, old, old Tupperware toys I found at an oppy. They might become a mobile for The Youngest Niece, or become Play-Doh toys. They are rather lovely.

Speaking of The Youngest Niece, these two fabrics became a doll-crib set of quilt, sheets (top and bottom), and pillowcase recently. I forgot to take the After shot before they were sent!

The knit on the left will be a wrap/shawl/shrug, and the mushroomy/mocha stretch will be pants.

This is to celebrate getting more work To Help The Family. I just need some non-mummy clothes!

Off to settle the herd - great to have the bloggy feelings back!

j

Great things to do - where do I start??!

Just returned from a road trip of a few days, which started badly and ended up in delicious, warm and fuzzy relaxation.

I have perfected the art of knitting in the car, and so made a few crowns for dress-ups based on this pattern, but modified as I thought I could do mine without thinking...

I cast on 100 stitches, garter stitch (plain knitting) as many rows as you want the base of your crown to be. I did 6 the first time, 10 the second, and am thinking 12 might suit better. My needles are 6mm bamboo, which mean I knit quite loosely on these... Wool is scraps, generally 8 ply.

I then knit 20 stitches, turned the work, and knitted the same 20 again. Then working with k2tog at the start and finish of each row on the right side of the work until 14 stitches remain, then k2tog at the start and finish of each row. When 2 stitches remain, k2tog, break off yarn, and tie off. This is point one. Just keep this up until there are 5 points, sew in loose ends, add buttons, baubles as per original pattern, etc, and there's a crown! Mine are 100 stitches as Master 6 and his band of merry mischief makers have big heads.... Photos will come when they are adorned.

Also, found some lovely oppies on the road, where this little table cloth was found for $5.


I love it. It's destined to stay a tablecloth for the time being.


The pillowcase was 20 cents and reminds me of the Lovely Holly Hobbie and Mary Kaye designs of my fave swap cards!

LOVED a little town named Canowindra, where we came across the best country hospitality of the year. The kids were actually acknowledged, and we were able to properly relax. It was magical. We want to go back and stay here. Canowindra is Australia's hot air ballooning capital, which appeals to me too!

Came home to many blog posts to read, emails galore, and NO RESPONSE from Paypal or from the seller unfortunately. Lovely offer of assistance from Bells, just love blogland niceness. LOVE this mail from Shannon too:

It's being saved for a Special New Friend who loves red, knitting, and handmade. I hope it will be for a Project she is Working On at the moment...

Love the idea of a Knit Along - Bells alerted us to this here which is linked to the Tour de France, which I hope to join. There are only 108 places, so click the link here if you are interested in a reason to knit! (Just found out by email I am IN, and on TEAM QUICKSTEP, led by Angie from Riggwelter.wordpress.com!)

I have also almost finished the I-Spy quilts for the kids, now just waiting for the machine to come back from its service ($$$$$).

Another little game I am joining in on is Nicola's Week of Decoration. Following on from her gorgeous week of colour, she is hosting a week of decorations through photos we take daily. Today is spots, dots, circles, etc, and I am off to take some pics!!


Join in !!! These are all I had - I really need to learn how to do those photo mosaics Nic is so good at.

Phew! Busy morning...

x

Desire.......

Ninja earrings by hobbity

Volta air guitar by redmag

Rabbit brooch by melissabeal

Birdcage bag by tabidesigns

cute crochet bear weather patterns
First Hammer baby rattle by fede

Best Bud necklace by limeblue

Peacock or Poppy sketch silk-lined clutch bag by redrubyrose

If only I could get Paypal to work for me!!!

Grrrr

Just a little gripe that I need to get off my chest...

I LOVE etsy. I have only made a couple of purchases, but yesterday I tried again, and paypal seems to have disinherited me! I am not even getting emails back from them regarding my issues!!

GRRR

OK. Done now. I'm all for direct deposits anyway...

j

For the baby

I went to school with a Most Lovely Gal who introduced me to the delights of Williamstown, and miss her very much now we don't live in Melbourne.

She is about to become Mum for a second time, and I am very thrilled to be making some little lovelies for the baby.

She has always loved kids' books, and so I want to make singlets for the baby based on The Very Hungry Caterpillar. (Click for cool links for kids' craft).

I am working on 'On Tuesday he ate through two pears' in embroidery and with applique. I love it! Maybe every birthday and Christmas I can do the next page in the book in the appropriate size!?

Photos to come when it's finished.

I'm also finishing this quilt for the baby, my first proper attempt at quilting (photo from a previous post). It's just going to be a pram one or a floor quilt as I was using fabrics in the stash:


I have to read some tutorials and discover how to bind it... Maybe I can be Beki when I grow up! Her quilting makes it all seem so easy... And maybe I'll finally use the Clover Bias Tape Maker Curlypops inspired me to buy!!


x

Ethical sewing

It has been a while since I blogged about anything, I am spending less time doing craft, and more time being Mum.

This morning I read a post here that rang my bell (anyone remember Collette/Colleen? 'you can ring my be--ee---ell, you can ring my bell'!)

Sherrin does amazing craft, and I think I want to be focussed like her when I grow up. I love her fabric designs that she is developing and her original designs. I was in the Oprah a-ha trance when I read about her quest to source ethical craft goods and cotton in particular.

I have often referred to the ethical arguments concisely put by Eilleen on her blog, (link to one of her series on Made In China), and am really interested to read that others are having similar experiences.

I am also really interested that I don't know the answer to Sherrin's question.

Do you? Does it interest you? Do you think about these issues? Do you try and source Fair Trade chocolate and coffee? What about other crops?


What do you think?



j

Mum's Sticky Date Pudding for Lois

I am more than happy Lois to provide you with Mum's sticky date pudding recipe. It is delicious. The secret is that mum does hers in an old, lidded, pudding steamer. This steamer has magical powers and produces brilliant results. I have memories of a long-ago jam pudding in this steamer. Mmm. I could each steamed pudding EVERY night.....!

Please note that Australian Metric Measurements vary slightly from USA and UK ones. This article cleverly discusses and summarises this.

"The moist, sticky texture is as important as the taste of this nostalgic pudding. The sauce should be poured over the top when the pudding comes out of the oven so that a little seeps into the cake and forms a glaze on top. Serves 6.

185g dates, pitted and cut into small, even pieces (I use my kitchen scissors to do this)
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
1 cup boiling water
45g butter
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup self raising flour
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Sticky caramel sauce:
3/4 cup brown sugar
45g unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces
1/2 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Grease a cake tin about 16-17cm square or 6 ramekins and preheat oven to 180 degrees.

(Mum cooks hers as a steamed pudding, in a steamer, in a saucepan of boiling water for about 45 minutes, then she turns it out and immediately covers it with 1/3 of the sauce).

Pour the boiling water over the dates and stir in the bicarb soda. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar.

Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Sift the flour over the top and add vanilla and dates, stirring well. The mixture will be quite wet.

Pour into prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes, or until just firm to the touch on top. It is important not to over-cook it.

To make the sauce: put all ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer very gently for around 3 minutes, then serve over squares or wedges of date pudding with thick cream. The sauce can be reheated.

Yum.

j