"There's a bear in there..."

... and a person as well [sorry Playschool].

It's turned cold and rainy, which is quite a shock to the system!

But the change has allowed Mr S to wear his bear suit for the first time.

Robert and I bought the yarn at Sunspun after a medical appointment when we were trying to get pregnant. So this little suit is full of meaning for me. All those hopes, dreams and longings fulfilled. What more could one ask for.

Pattern: Teddy Bear All-in-One from Debbie Bliss' Baby Cashmerino

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Wool Cotton

Easter's coming!

But no Lent for me -no stash reduction commitments either! I'm a bad bad woman!!! Naughty, but nice (I hope)!!!

It's stash enhancement all the way!


I'll confess about my recent purchases at the Stitches and Craft Show another time. But last Thursday, after the relief of handing in my entries, I felt I needed a reward - so off to the LYS ...
I've been thinking about making an Easter Bunny for Mr S from this vintage pattern. It came from a very quirky shop in Mt Eliza, who still has the original (where this was photographed).


And so I've started...


The yarn is Freedom by Twilleys of Stamford. It's 100% wool and normally knits as 10st in 10cm on 10mm needles - but the pattern requires 12st in 10cm, so after fiddling around with tension squares I figured out I needed to use 8mm needles. Knitting a bit firmer for soft toys is better anyway.

I've also bought some red 4ply to make this lovely cardigan and hat for winter. It's a new Cleckheaton book that I bought at the Stitches and Craft Show at a reduced price.

Ok, now I'm dusted!

The Red Hill Show's over for another year. It's typical of many country shows - lots of food and local produce stalls; some junk stalls with blow up toys and fuzzy hats; rides; wood chopping; livestock; and arts and crafts.

And of course vegetables - I like the chicken wire. Not sure, but think it was to stop all those feisty vegetables escaping!

And don't you love dahlias - I do actually, but I know they verge on blousy bad taste... some might say they slip over the edge.

The John Deere stand had baby peddle power tractors - Mr S just has to have one of these. The helpful man gave me the JD toy catalogue!

And the elephant in the room... how did the judging go?

Sheep did really well.

My cup cake tea cosy got a second.

Here's what it looks like with it's friend teapot.

Mrs McHugh's blanket also received a second.

The Jaeger jumper with the embroidered design received an honourable mention.

This is the baby jumper that received the first prize.

And here are my other jumpers, an unknown pink one and a lovely little cardigan knitted by kgirlknits. Kgirl also received a first for her tea cosy and a second for her booties. I'm glad we both got some gongs! Not that I think it really matters. Judging is partly about assessing skill, but there's a big subjective component. Different judges, and a high likelihood of different results. Getting a prize is nice, it adds to the fun, but not getting one doesn't take fun away.

I also came across some really lovely yarn by CarolineTaylor at Benambra Blue. She also does lovely soaps (no yarn on the website). The yarn is a beautiful soft mix of merino and silk. It's also hand dyed.

I fell in love with this little hat for Mr S.

Caroline wrote out the pattern on my bag! Very kind of her.

Although I loved the autumn tones of the original, blues look better on Mr S. I bought enough to make a matching cardigan or jumper - just have to decide on a pattern now.

Done but not dusted

Well, after much activity I've finished and handed in nine items for the Red Hill Show. None are perfect, all have mistakes, all could have been done better... but they are FINISHED. Nothing like a deadline to push one along.

Pictured below are

• Mr S' stripy shawl/blanket - I didn't have time to embroider the french knots, maybe I will when I get it back after the Show. The knitted front looks great, but the fabric back is a disappointment. It just doesn't sit right. But the i-cord edging is great. Sorry you cannot see it from the picture ; and

• a Jaeger jumper for Mr S this winter. The design is swiss darned. It's the first time I've done this. After a few rows I wanted to pitch it! But I kept going, and while it's got tension issues and I stuffed up one row of the design, overall for a first go it's OK. I finished it at 2am this morning, praying with every stitch that Mr S would keep on sleeping!

A bit of fun!

Here's my blog's library card.




Thanks Lisette for the link. Although I think others might have posted on this too??

And here is where you can make your own.

On more serious matters, I have realised that I have eight more days before entries are due at Red Hill. OMG... There is so so so much to do.

It's taken me three days just to pick up all the stitches around the edge of the blanket. Goodness knows how long the i-cord will take. Then there is sewing up and embroidering one more Mr S jumper... And then there are the three other items (two pairs of booties and a tea cosy) that I was so very foolhardy to think I could produce. Dream on McDuff!

I like doing Red Hill for a number of reasons - it's a bit of fun, the Show itself has a quaint old fashion community feel and it gives me a deadline to finish things by.

But I think the deadline gave me a rush of blood to my brain that created momentary insanity last Friday when I handed in my entry form. I didn't actually count the days I had to finish things, but it 'felt' like a long long way a way! I think I've been away from work too long! It 'felt' a long way a way?!?! Gesh!

Hey Presto

... one sheep!

Well not quite that effortless, but ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you 'Sheep'!







I've also started the I-cord on Mr S' blanket. It's slow going, but I know I'm going to be much happier than if I'd used piping.

Shopping

I visited Marta's Yarns today. Both a sad and happy experience. Sad of course because of Marta's death, but happy because she lives on in all her fabulous yarns. I was a bit overwhelmed as usual by all the choice and Mr S was quite grizzly, so making decisions was a bit difficult. I will need to go back next week after a bit of a think about what I really want.






The only thing I bought was 70g of red DK to finish Mr S' blanket. I was going to edge it with red piping, but I have decided to knit I-cord around the edge... so stay tuned.



And the sheep only needs its ears sewn on, so hopefully it will be finished tomorrow...



The Red Hill Show entry form is due in tomorrow and I have been doing quite a bit of fretting about what I should enter. I have decided that I am completely insane. I think in addition to the items I am trying to finish, I'm going to try to knit two pairs of booties (which Mr S needs for winter) and maybe a tea cosy. I have seen this fabulous Cup Cake cosy at Laughing Hens On-line Store. I would love to buy the yarn and receive the free pattern, but it would cost a small fortune in Aust$. I just cannot justify it for a tea cosy, so I'm going to make up my own pattern using the Laughing Hens' one as inspiration.

I did a flying visit to Sunspun on the way home. Mr S had had a bit of a sleep in the car, so was much more settled, which allowed me to fuss around making decisions. You're looking at future hats, booties and a tea cosy!




Apologies for the photos, they were taken with me balancing a sleeping Mr S on my shoulder. No time or ability to frame, pose or focus the shots.

And here is how I like to see Mr S. He's gorgeous awake... but asleep... ah! Need to keep working on this sleep thing.

Slow progress, but progress

Well it's been a week since I posted, but I've been doing 'stuff'. Mr S is of course taking up most of my time; however I have done some 'crafty' kind of things... and imagining a lot more...

Mr S has a new cousin, born last week - Mr H!

So I have embroidered some singlets for him. The pattern copies one that my grandmother, Dagar, embroidered all my brothers' and my singlets with. It's very simple. She used to say the crosses were little kisses.

I've been 'fixing' the sheep too. A new head is knitted and it's restuffed. I've left it standing for a few days to make sure that the legs stay robust and upright, before I put the new head on.

And I've been dreaming of a quilt for Mr S. I'm desperate to make a quilt. Getting the time is the challenge.

I'm collecting blues and greens for one quilt, which I have no idea what kind of pattern I will use. Something big, bold and modern?

And collecting blues, reds and greens for this quilt. I will just do simple squares for this one.


And I'm going to use the pattern on the cover of Kaffe Fassett's Quilt Road to make a quilt out of this fabric...