nesting

Here's the nappy bag from the Amy Butler book, and it's big - like really BIG. I expect that this will be a good thing though.

The fabric is ex-upholstery samples from Ant's work, this one being a Textilia in a cotton linen blend. I used a blue ticking stripe for the lining. Even though I'm a big Amy Butler fan I didn't think I'd want such a big bag in her fabric, and instead went for something more subdued that will match most of my wardrobe. Sound like a plan?

Despite the heat last week I made some apricot jam. Our tree isn't mature enough yet but a friend had oodles on theirs and I had to make the jam before the fruit turned (on account of the heat). So on a 36 degrees C evening in the kitchen I had the pot simmering and the oven sterilising jars, it was worth it though.

I used the recipe from one of my Christmas presents. Yep, more books! Normally with most jams I just do the kilo for kilo of fruit and sugar but this one suggested adding lemon juice as well. For some reason it turned out a bit runnier than I'd like although the heat and humidity may have more to do with that.

Amongst other sewing on the go, and thanks to the wonderful Alice who gave us the heads up I'll have to make some of these booties. I tried knitting a pair similar but gave up, it was too small and fiddly - sewing them should be much more user friendly. Well to me anyway....

Australia Day style

It was Anthony's suggestion. He's been wanting to launch the Zodiac at the Tailrace for a while now and Australia Day was the perfect excuse for a little jaunt on the Tamar River.

Yep, that life jacket was pretty damn snug!

It was also a first for Lucy, she's never been in a boat before and after a bit of nervousness she seemed to enjoy the ride. It was just like going in the car except it was on water. I love the Zodiac, it's great for scuba diving out of and I never get sea sick (anything bigger and I do), maybe because you're so close to the water.

Cataract Gorge is probably Launceston's most popular attraction, and it had been a while since I had seen it from the water.

Just past the bridge is the original caretakers cottage (I think!). It's now used by artists who can apply for a residency, their stay can be as little as one week, again I think.

We tied up under the bridge here and had a picnic lunch - cheese and Vegemite sandwiches with lamingtons afterwards. Ant had a stubby of Boags but of course I stuck to water ..... *sigh*

We did the more traditional thing in the evening - to a friends place for a barbecue, lamb chops and then pavlova that I made for desert. Yum-o!

little knitting

For a wee one. This was a lovely little cardi to knit, as it was done all in one with only the collar attached separately. The pattern was a free download from Ravelry and I used a cotton/bamboo blend variegated yarn.

I'm one of those people who doesn't like to genderise babies, and if we have a girl she won't be wearing bright pink - especially if she has my skin tone as well. Pink skin and pink clothes do not work very well.

A while ago I bought some of that specially designed sock yarn that produces a type of fair isle pattern as you knit. I'm glad I had enough left over for these booties, aren't they cute?!!

I've started knitting another type of booties, also from Ravelry, and I want to knit a few nappy covers to wear over the nappies I'm making - more on that soon....

Have a great weekend. :o)

when needs must

I had a 'cry for help' of sorts from Tara. She's getting ready for a market (or something like that) in Melbourne and was in desparate need of a couple of skirts assembled, quickly. I received the parcel from her in the post on Friday, with a request to have them returned by Wednesdays post.

Problem was that we were ready to trundle off to Bruny for the weekend, so I decided to do something I had been thinking about for a while....

Take the sewing machine with me.

We don't have any power at the oyster lease (fortunately we do at our shack in Alonnah), so it meant taking the hand-wind Singer. I've finally done some research on it and according to its serial number it was made in the 1960's. Considering it's appearance one would be mistaken for thinking that it's a lot older than that, but it was manufactured in Istanbul so maybe the older style was still the fashion there. It has a 'shuttle' bobbin as well, it's the only one of my Singers that does.

Oh and note to self, take pins next time. I had to use 3 spare machine needles instead, fortunately raw silk is fairly stiff so I managed...... just.

Yes it's technically summer but being Bruny Island I still had to rug up a bit. This was Saturday and Sunday was a lot warmer.

I haven't done any oyster farming work for a while now. I don't have the energy now and as there's a lot of lifting involved I have a good excuse not to. Up till now I've mostly been knitting, which reminds me, I must blog about that too.

And I still had my sewing companion. She got a swim on Sunday too.

the to do list gets longer ....

But like any good sewer I need to be overloaded with projects. :)

So this is one of my birthday books, and the only one I actually requested. Here's a peek at a few chosen pages -
I do so want to make this change table. I like how the side supports are velcroed on so they can be removed for washing, which I'm sure will happen at least once.....

Of course I have to have a groovy nappy bag, or just a groovy bag full stop.

On another note, I whipped up a skirt last night. I wanted a simple A-line maternity skirt in black linen and found this pattern which has a terrific variety of clothes to make (I think I'll make a shirt next). It only took about an hour and a half to make, although it would've taken half an hour less if I hadn't sewn the waist band to the skirt - wrong sides together. We all need little wake up calls from time to time.

I don't want to make too many maternity clothes but a girl can't go round naked can she? Especially me...

cornishware goodness

Here's the Cornishware tea set that my darling husband and a few other conspirators gave me for my birthday, proudly displayed on our old kitchen dresser (another of Ant's auction finds).

I think this colourway is called 'old gold', instead of the more common blue and white stripe that I've been collecting over the years. If you look closely at the gold it looks like it's unpainted clay, as you can see small grains in it - which may well be the case (should have taken a close up photo, d'oh!).

You see, Ant has visions of me serving tea with this set the next time my sewing group meets here, and I don't see why not. Although I feel that I'd have to make some pretty little cupcakes and shortbread to serve with it, don't you think?

You can also just see another birthday present there next to the jugs, a Domino spot jug and sugar bowl from the F parents. These are the first domino pieces I have (they're a bit rarer) and I just love 'em. They found them at the discount basement in the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney on their last trip there. I asked them if they'd be going near this beautiful old building and if so, please please please go to the basement! So they did...... :)

lets see what 2009 brings

This one seems to be suffering from the droops. I think I was in a bit of a rush the morning I took the photo, I can't really remember because it was a few weeks ago. This bag was a birthday present for one of my sisters, I've mentioned Shannon before, and as she lives in Toronto I couldn't blog about it until she received it. She was the only sister left that didn't have a backpack so it made sense that she should have one too.
The pocket for this one is using Of Paper & Thread fabric. It's the only one of her fabrics I've bought but she has some really scrummy designs. I have another backpack commissioned using more of the Pippijoe fabric, must get onto that one......

So Happy New Year folks! Hope you all rang it in right merrily. We spent all last week on Bruny Island at the shack, hence the lack of blogging activity. The weather was cold, wet and windy, with snow on the Hartz Mountains - and here was me thinking we lived in the southern hemisphere. It has warmed up somewhat since, we're off to Coles Bay this weekend so I may get to have a swim yet. Yay!

So how's your 2009 so far?