We put the Christmas Tree up...

We put the Christmas tree up yesterday...Just thought I'd share this cute pic. We went out to a BBQ for tea so I grabbed the opportunity to get a photo of them with the tree while they were all dressed up.

It's Raining...It's Pouring!!

We have had so much rain in the past few days, about 65ml so far and it's still raining. We just had another thunderstorm go through not long ago. All our tanks are near enough to full, which they haven't been since we put them in 5 or 6 years ago. The orchard and vegie garden are just sheets of water, at least I won't have to water anything for a while!

Alister got out in it this afternoon, it took a bit of convincing him that it was OK to get his bike dirty...there's plenty of water to wash it in!! He had a ball riding through the puddles, then he got bogged...

...and WET...

...and ended up totally SATURATED from head to foot!! After this pic, he decided to have a swim in the puddle...lying down...

My memory card filled up so I couldn't get a photo of how he finally ended up but you get the idea, it was straight into the bath then!!

Finished another knitting project...

Yep...another Vanilla Soaker. This one was made using 12ply BWM 'Rustic'.

Finished!!

How's this? I love this pattern and I'm impressed how my dyeing job worked. I think I may have done an extra couple of rows in the body of it...oops...doesn't matter. And I also knitted less rows on the leg bands than the pattern says (I meant that). I will get a pic of them on a bum, they look much better on a 'model'.

Knitting it up!

Thought I'd better show you how the wool I dyed is knitting up...I am knitting a soaker called "Vanilla". It's such an easy pattern, although I was a little daunted by some of the techniques when I first read the pattern, especially the PCO (Provisional Cast On), but I did a practice and it wasn't as scary as I first thought.


I love how the red & yellow is knitting up together. Now I am up to the bands and realised I don't have the right circular needle for them, so...I have started another one!!
This one is in 12ply Bendigo Woolen mills 'Rustic' & the colour is 'Midnight Tweed', it's a very nice wool to knit with and is knitting up quite quickly...only catch...I don't have the correct circs to do the body for this one...so...when I finish doing the bit on straight needles, I will just have to...


...start another one!!
Yes, I have ordered the needles I need and hopefully will have them this week.

On another subject completely now...
I made a new nappy for my tractor mad little boy the other day and took some pics.


Pity it needs a cover to go over it though...not to worry, I do have some John Deere fleece sitting here too waiting to be made into a cover, they'll make a good pair!
Look closely at the second photo and you can just see some of Hubby's model tractors in the cabinet behind!

I've been Dyeing!!!

How easy was that!! This morning I dyed these shorties that I knitted from some wool I have literally had since 1990! I was originally going to make a cream coloured Aran jumper out of it and do have some of it knitted up but I lost interest (I think it actually went out of fashion before I got to finish it!!).
Anyway, all these years the wool has been sitting around (attracting moths!), so I thought I'd use it to make a pair of shorties for Harry...just to try out the pattern (this one) before I got some nicer wool to knit up. Mum actually knitted up a pair for me, just to see how easy the pattern was, and then I had a go...this is the result...



I wish I had taken a pic before I dyed them...you can just see some of the original cream colour on the cuffs (yes, I meant for them to be a bit mottled.). I must say, they were VERY boring before I dyed them. I love them now.
I used this method using food colouring and the microwave. Very easy and you can just do small quantities at a time.

...Then I decided to have a go at some other colours with a couple of unused balls...



The colours came up so nice & bright, now I can't wait to knit something up with this lot.

It's finished...almost!!

I've just finished sewing the ends in. I'm really pleased with how it's turned out, and still have to get some buttons for it.
Only problem is it's ended up too small for Ella, the couple of extra rows of pattern added extra length, which is great, but it needs to be larger around the middle for her.
I keep forgetting that she is a growing girl!!
Not to worry, I have more cotton to make another one (in pinks) so will just have to have a go at upsizing it...Perhaps I'll tackle that one another day...stay tuned!!

Still Knitting

Just thought I'd post a progress report on my knitting...I'm up to the back ties now. Wow, I'm loving this project...



I went to the Bendigo Woollen Mills yesterday...WOW...I was impressed to say the least. I loved the Bargain room where they have heaps of wool on special, I came home with some 12ply in odd size balls for a fraction of full price, it'll knit up nicely into some shorties for Harry.

My next knitting project...

Here's a sneek peek at my next project. It's another pattern by TiKKi called 'Tropical Lily'. Hopefully it will fit Ella. I'm using Anchor magicline 10ply cotton, really nice to knit and is kniting up very quickly. I'll post more picks as I go along.

It Rained Last Night...

It hasn't rained enough here to form puddles in a long time. Last night we had it all...Thunder, Lightening, Hail & rain. The kids decided to have some fun in a puddle in our driveway this morning...

...needless to say, they needed a bath afterwards!!

Yet another 'Milo' Vest

Here we go again...another 'Milo' vest.

This one is knitted using 'Sirdar Baby Bamboo' 80% Bamboo and 20% Wool. It's nice to knit with but there were at least 1 or 2 joins in each ball and you can't splice it so I ended up with several ends to sew in and it's really hard to get it to look neat on the right side. It drapes really nicely and would make a nice cardi or top to wear. I think it'd be nice for that in-between weather. This one's actually going on display for a while at the local craft shop as a sample to hopefully help them sell the yarn...

Our New Chooks started Laying...

About a fortnight ago, our new pullets started laying...yay...this was our first egg (the big one) I do feel sorry for the poor young chook who had to squeeze that one out...enough to put her off laying ever again I reckon!! I cooked it for lunch today and yes it was a double yolker.

Here's a pic of Meg & Kif...Meg (in front) is nearly 12 years old and Kif is her son, he's nearly 10, they're mini fox terriers. They are both in desparate need of a bath...but they are farm dogs so as soon as you bath them, they just go off and find something else dead to roll in...ick!!

I also have another 'Milo' vest to show off, knitting's finished but I just haven't sewn the ends in or blocked it yet...I'll post here as soon as I get around to doing that...I have also started knitting another one too...

Another Milo for Harry...

Here's my second Milo vest for Harry.

I'm having fun knitting these and soon he's going to have a whole wardrobe full of Milo vests!!

Harry's Milo

I just finished sewing in the ends on my latest project. It's a 'Milo' vest for Harry. Knitted on circular needles it's such an easy pattern...I'm keen to do another one now, just need to get some more wool...and give my wrists time to recover!!
Here's a link to the pattern : Milo Vest ...created by the very talented Tikki

Knitting Counter Bracelet

Went to craft yesterday at the Benjeroop Hall. We meet twice a month and just take along whatever we are crafting at the time. It's just a great social meet-up with other women in the area. Usually there is about 5 or 6 ladies there but yesterday was only 2...not to worry, this is what I managed to make for the morning:

It's a Knitting Row Counter Bracelet. I reckon it's not bad for a first effort and with just beads I had in my stash!
Now I'm keen to have another go with some different beads...stay tuned!!

Alister's Bitrthday

Alister turned 4 yesterday and here's a pic of him on his flash new bike.

Old Sewing Machines at Jeparit

Last weekend (Queens Birthday) we went over to Jeparit to have a look at the Museum. Just thought I'd share this photo of some old sewing machines they have there. This is only a few of them, there were heaps more...
The one at the front is a Werthiem, there were a few of them...there are also heaps of Singers + lots of other brands.
It was hard to take the time to look at everything with 3 kids in tow...I'd love to get back there and have a much better look one day.

Sew-Along Fabric Bucket

Just finished another item for the NC Sew-Along. This month (June) we have the option of 2 projects, a fabric bucket and/or an apron. I know it's not June yet, but i just couldn't wait...

I made my bucket to match my pincushion...

Here's the link for the Fabric Bucket Pattern

A Recipe for All Mothers...

I got this at an ABA meeting ages ago and have had it on the fridge door, just thought I'd share it...

Today I seft some dishes dirty,

The bed I made at 3:30,

The nappies soaked a little longer,

The odour grew a little stronger,

The crumbs I spilt the day before,

Are staring at me from the floor.

The fingerprints, there on the wall,

will likely still be there, next fall,

The dirty streads on the window panes,

Will still be there next time it rains.

"Shame on you old lazy-bones," I say,

"And just what have you done, today?"

I nursed a baby till he slept,

I held a toddler while he wept,

I played a game of hide & seek

I squeezed a toy, so it would squeak,

I pulled a wagon, sang a song,

Taught a child right from wrong.

What did I do this whole day through?

Not much that shows, I guess it's true...

Unless you think that what I've done

Might be important to someone

With bright blue eyes and soft blonde hair

If that is true, I've done my share.

(Joanne Green)

That's my house all over...right down to the blue eyes & blonde hair!!

Sew-Along Pincushion

I just finished a pincushion for the Nappycino 'Sew-a-long' - Here's my attempt at it. It turned out huge (approx. 18cm across) It'd be nicer if it was a little smaller though but I'm not going to make another one...it was quite fiddly so if the pattern was smaller, it'd be even fiddlier and I don't want another one that desparately!!














Here's a link to the pattern if you're interested:
Wild flower Pincushion

The Kids went fishing with Dad...

Here is Ella & Alister with a Murray Cod they caught with Dad this weekend. Only about 30cm...not big enough for the pan!!
Ella caught a nice Yellow Belly last weekend...haven't got the pic of it on this computer, I'll have to find it and will post it another time.

Welcome

Hi,
Welcome to my new blog page.
This will be interesting as I really have no idea what I'm doing here!!
I'm not even sure what I will write about or what I will post but I guess time will tell...
Now I'm off to see what else I can do here...
Cheers,
Sandi