Well, I sailed cheerfully into February with high hopes to use this month to complete my unfinished knitting and crochet projects, which are -ahem- numerous. As it turned out however, life had other plans.
My ‘Finish it or Frog it’ plans hit a couple of snags very early on in the month with temperamental health and an unexpected funeral, the combination of which took the wind completely out of my sails.
My February tally so far:
Finished – 0
Frogged – 0
Yep. Nailed it.
But c’est la vie. 🙂 Now the breeze has slightly picked up again, I have been really craving cheerful colours. I finished a little sewing, firstly a purple linen dress.
And some Thai silk cushions to brighten up the lounge, made out of vintage serviettes my MIL rescued from an op shop for me.
More bags for sale, including sock knitting kits.
In the knitting/crochet arena, I’m still working on my yellow cardigan, known variously as the pineapple, banana or mellow yellow cardy. It is, in fact, almost a finished object. But it needs pockets. And possibly a collar. The pattern is Quick Sand by Heidi Kirrmaier and the yarn is Rowan Creative Linen. I even did this huge gauge swatch. So proud.
My grandmother’s flower garden blanket is growing and growing, my Japanese crochet top is coming out too small so I’ll have to add a few more rows along the way, and I’m also crocheting the Vermillion Cardigan, from Inside Crochet magazine, out of Drops Lima. Only the sleeves and buttons to go. I’m hoping it will come up nicely with a good blocking.
Oh and I crocheted this simple ear flap hat too, not quite finished, but nearly.
I went to make a Pom Pom for it from cardboard (haha, I love that Pom Pom is automatically capitalised), and remembered that I had a Pom Pom making kit when I was a child. I had a vague memory of seeing it somewhere in the train last year and went searching…..
Woohoo! Even with all the bits inside still! 🙂 this is exactly why I don’t throw any crafty stuff away. So satisfying. In yo’ face, people that call me a hoarder!! 🙂
I have two projects in the current issue of Handmade magazine, a journal cover and a lace hat…
In my hunt for the Pom Pom maker, I also uncovered a pile of cross stitch and tapestry and long stitch kits, collected over the years from various sources who were throwing them out. I have never actually bought one. People give me a lot of stuff. Usually with the line ‘I want you to have it because I know you’ll finish it.’
Whoops.
But I have lately, in my confinement to extended periods of inactivity, been desirous of comforting, old fashioned embroidery-style projects. This one appealed to me, a lovely little Australiana cottage which reminds me of our place. And a cross stitch tapestry cushion cover of a hazelnut bush. These things are so kitsch, I just love them. It is essentially colouring in with yarn and I find it extreeemely relaxing. 🙂
Around Ravensridge…Our baby shrike thrushes in the hanging basket hatched, grew and flew the nest.
A typical Queensland huge summer storm threatened to hit us, but passed by quickly slightly to the north of us with only light rain. Phew.
The summer rain has brought out a scattering of fungi.
And I received a lovely ‘Valentine’ from M, Scrivener writing software for my new computer. Ironically, I am in love with it. Totally. In love. Where have you been all my life, Scrivener? ❤
And I mustn’t forget this, a little cheer up present from book depository. I am So. Excited. To make this. :)))
You may not have finished anything, or frogged anything – but you have been prolific – hunting, gathering and sewing. I’m amused at how you feel nothing much has happened and yet so much has – it reminds me of me! 😀 As J. Lennon so famously said ‘Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans’ I think he meant that to include our handcrafting……….. Love your cushions – and those knitting bags – where do you sell them?
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Thanks Pauline 🙂 yes and the flip side is we both probably feel mega productive when all the half finished things get completed at once :)) woohoo! I used to sell bags on etsy but found them too frustrating and expensive, now just locally and on eBay…I cannot for the life of me work out how to link my stuff on eBay here…Sweeps06 if that helps…But just let me know if there’s ever anything you like, I’ll work out post to nz etc. 🙂
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Ah, yes, I had the same feelings with Etsy which was why I opened my store on my blog. I’ll email you.
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(Also get the WEIRDEST questions ever on etsy…I think my favourite being ‘if I knit this pattern do you think it will it suit me?’)
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😀
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As Robert Burns said:
“The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley…”
It looks to me as if you accomplished a great deal, even if it wasn’t according to plan. Your sewing, knitting, and crocheting are, as usual, to be envied by me, but I also got a kick out of those kits of different kinds….especially the pom pom animals! I’m guessing from all this, that things are looking up, and hope the wind is back in your sails. Thanks for a tour of your works; I so love to see beautiful craft.
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Thanks so much Cynthia 🙂 I did double check gang aft agley to make sure I was interpreting that correctly 😀 yes thank you better all round at the moment, kits are great aren’t they, Sometimes it’s nice to just have it all there in front of you without having to hunt for all the different bits. I had a huge collection of those pompom animals from that kit when I was about 8, though I remember I was often frustrated they didn’t look like the ones on the cover. 🙂 Am a little perturbed at just how ‘vintage’ the box looks now…Time certainly flies. 🙂
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I’m sorry it’s been a difficult month for you. You do have some finishes there, just maybe not the ones you were planning. 🙂 Don’t you just love simple embroidery projects? There’s something so peaceful about them. Love the yellow sweater and the bird pictures are amazing!
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Thanks so much 🙂 roll on the change of seasons! 🙂 yes those embroidery projects are just so relaxing aren’t they? I made the mistake of looking at more on eBay…eeek! So many nice ones! I’ll stick to what I have for now though 🙂 those little birds were adorable and we were actually sitting outside when they decided to leave the nest, so that was cool to see their very shaky first flight 😀
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I am sorry for your loss. I’m glad you didn’t frog any of your projects. I love your linen dress. I have one just like it in green but it’s much bigger. It used to be on my Gravatar image. I wish you a quick recovery and continued good health.
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Thank you so much ❤️ oh I would have loved to see the green dress! 🙂 I haven’t got a green one yet, that is my fifth version of that dress, it’s one from a Japanese pattern book – one of those where you have to spend three hours trying to trace your size from the impossibly complicated pattern pack….:/ but I finally got the size perfect and it’s my favourite shape so I keep making them 🙂 thanks for your kind thoughts and wishes, much appreciated 🙂
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I totally understand the feeling. I admire your determination. Best wishes with more warm hugs. ❤
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It cheers me to see you with so many more unfinished projects than I have 🙂 However I do hope whatever had been holding you up has passed and you’re on top again. I see you really love craft 🙂 For a little while I almost finished everything I started then I panicked and started a whole lot more. I think I actually like having unfinished projects.
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Hahaha that made me laugh because I am the same Mary, other people’s UFOs are immensely cheering to me 😀 I guess it’s a bit like gardening in a way, there is never really an ‘end point’ where you just do your big harvest and it’s done, it’s just a little work here, a little there, pick a few things now and again, forever and ever. Not such a bad thing 🙂 yes much better now thank you 🙂
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You said it so well; yes, it’s like that.
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I trust all this excellent creativity means all is well now
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Thanks Derrick, yes almost back to normal 🙂 by which I mean surrounded by a gazillion projects 🙂
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Hey, hope things are looking up again for you now 😃 I’d say that when you finished writing this post you were actually surprised how much you got done this month! I love your sewing projects, especially the dress and the throw pillows. Oh, and I had such a “small world” moment when I saw your Christmas village kit… We were selling that in the store where I work over the holidays!
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Hahaha it is a small world! Thank you very much 🙂 yes I had been making the little glitter houses out of cardboard from patterns I found online, but when I saw that kit on sale I couldn’t resist! 🙂 I dream of having a fireplace mantle with a magical illuminated Christmas village all along it…. 🙂
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Yes, that would look amazing! And you still have winter to look forward to where you are… Perfect timing 😀
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Lovely to see what you have been up to. Sorry to hear you were unwell, and about the funeral. I love the stitching you have been doing, specially the embroidery work. So neat and pretty. 🙂 Congrats on having articles in the Magazine again, I adore the book cover. Love your sock kits, its a perfect idea.
Thank you for the pictures of the rainstorm clouds and fungi! They are so delicate and pretty. You live in such a beautiful area, enjoy every day.
Take care. 🙂
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Thank you for your kind words, I do appreciate it 🙂 I love snapping pics because they make you look at your surroundings as if they are fresh and new instead of ‘same old same old’ out the window 🙂
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Absolutely. 🙂 And these “happy snaps” as we call them in our home, is always the best. Some brings back the most special memories.
Have a good weekend and enjoy. 🙂
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Beautiful pictures. The purple linen dress is stunning! Thanks for sharing a bit of life.
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Thank you very much! Glad you liked the dress, I really appreciate you commenting! 🙂
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For someone who claims not to have done much, you seem to be awfully accomplished. I hope you are well now–or well on your way. I like the purple dress (which will look good with the yellow cardi). Glad to hear from you again!
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Thank you very much Lisa, yes almost back to normal now 🙂 haha yes I put the cardy and dress together in my head too, it’s a very cheerful combination! Reminds me of pansies :))
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I love the pillows and the dress and the project bags… and the journal cover looks gorgeous! where can we find that pattern? is it just in the mag for now? 🙂 I hope you are feeling better?
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Thanks very much Noemie :)) yes much better now thank you. I will be able to publish the pattern myself later on so I’ll let you know 🙂
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Great! I love your flamingo project bag! it’s gorgeous!
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Thank you! I have to admit that was lucky purchase as I ordered a different flamingo fabric online and they sent me that one which was a lot nicer! 🙂
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Where are the projects bag for sale? I didn’t see them in your easy shop?
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No I don’t sell them on etsy anymore (it drove me nuts) just eBay (sweeps06) or locally.. (if you’re interested in any I’ll work out the international postage rate…just email me, wolfberryknits@gmail.com)
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You are astonishingly productive and creative. The cushions are delightful! The stormy photo is amazing. I would love to be in that storm. We had 51 cm of snow here on Tuesday and the thought of a warm rain is delicious.
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Thank you Susanne! 🙂 we do get to see some pretty amazing storms as we are right on top of a hill, although we bear the brunt when they hit us too…I agree there is something about the summer storms that is really cleansing, usually they occur here at the end of a scorchingly hot day when everything is limp…have had one every evening for the last week your snow sounds AMAZING and I am longing to be cold- half a metre, I can hardly even imagine that!! 😀
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Wolfberry – so many talents, so many finished and nearly finished objects; again I’m so jealous! Really love your yellow cardie, is that knitted top down? Beautiful silk cushion covers from serviettes – yes pls, I’ll have some of those; purple linen dress – yep, I want one of those as well!! And you made all these whilst feeling unwell .. LEGEND!!!
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Haha thank you so much, oh you made me feel so good! :)) yes the yellow cardy is top down, Quick Sand is a really nice pattern, super fast knit, although she uses right and left lifted increases which I could not for the LIFE of me work out how to do without leaving big holes, so I just stuck with M1L and M1R 🙂 hope you’re still enjoying your lovely travels! 😀
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Forget the F.O.’s Christmas? REALLY?! I think I need to go and hide under the bed now (if I could even possibly entertain the idea that I was thin enough to do so and not burst out laughing in the process that is 😉 ). OH I love that yellow jumper. It’s sunshine and hope and possibilities all rolled into one. This summer has been a real trial. I can’t remember another one that has almost broken me like this one has. It has forced me to make some serious decisions about Sanctuary, watering and learning from past mistakes. I am very excited to be moving forward with some water wise ideas that should make Sanctuary incredibly easy to maintain from next season on. We never get to see the shrike thrushes in any shape other than adults who are cadging cheese from the kitchen window ledge. Usually there is a bit of an hiatus of them coming but I think they have just kept having babies all summer long and there are most probably a cheese fueled army of them poised and ready to take over Serendipity Farm. After this summer I am almost ready to let them have it! By the way, next time you Queenslanders think it might be a bit of a “yuk” to send your usual summer down to Tassie, Think again. Just sayin’… ;). You should put a link to your shop/page under each one of those scrumptious bag and wool combo’s. I am seriously tempted to buy one and fandangle those 5 needles in an attempt to make a sock. I am saying “a sock” in the singular, as it is most likely going to result in one sock, much like my friend who, for years, only had one earring after swearing the first piercing was “TOO BLOODY MUCH TO BEAR!” and hightailing it out of the piercing studio casting money behind her in abject terror. Life is excellent now that the weather is starting to cool down. I have an hammock, a better attitude and hope. All of which tend to go with autumn. Glad to see you are recovering from February. It tends to be a bit of a bollocks month most years to be honest. March is lovely. “Roll on March!” 🙂
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Hahaha thank you dear narfie, you gave me a good laugh :)) the earring story is gold!! yup bollocks to February for sure. This particular year has seen so many of us collapse under its bastardness! I am really glad you have made it through and feeling positive about gorgeous autumn :)) can’t wait either 🙂 water is such a big big issue and I’m glad you’ve got a plan for the next drought. We’ve been lucky over summer but our dry is coming up…fingers crossed for a mild one….haha yes my Christmas addiction is a complete and sad one (as evidenced by me getting excited in February) but never fear I have no expectation of anyone else joining me in it! 🙂 I will try and sort out a shop soon, I might try and incorporate it into the blog…here is a link to one bag on eBay and if it works, from there you could find the rest but I’ve had so much trouble linking things on here, so apologies if it doesn’t work.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/322011600533?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
Enjoy your hammock! You have made me want to get one! 😀
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Best thing I have done in years. I can lay in my hammock (cheap as chips from Bunnings, so cheap in fact, I bought a double one!) and read my permaculture books and dream to my hearts content 🙂 It linked! 🙂
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I love love the yellow cardigan..looks soo fantastic and so do the caps and all the bags..👍👍It is a real pleasure reading your updates right from sewing to knitting to the nature photos..👏👏
The mushrooms looked wonderful and so did the little birdies…looking forward to more…😊😊😊
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Thank you so much lovely Nee! 😄 I always appreciate your kind words! (I kept away from photos of the lizards and snakes and creepy crawlies this time around just for you! 😉)
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Ha ha that’s sweet of you..but its ok..let them get their share of fame
.😜
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Not finished maybe but that means you have lots of things to look forward to working on. I love the journal cover. And you’ve reminded me of making Pom Poms as a child – though we just used two circles of cardboard!
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Thanks Andrea, yes hopefully a few things will be finished off at once and will feel productive again! 🙂 yes I remember a Pom Pom craze at my school for a while…the cardboard was just as good! 🙂
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Sorry to hear you’ve taken a few side swipes from life this month. As others have said, although there’s been not finishing or frogging, you have done a lot. Love those pom pom pets 🙂
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Thanks Bekki 🙂 I remember I did so love my little Pom Pom pets!! 🙂
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Eke! I thought you’d almost completely disappeared since Finland. And now I’ve discovered that I’ve simply not been getting notification emails. Bloody hell. Bloomin’ heck. Sorry about that.
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WordPress is such a bugger for that, it does it to me all the time! 😦 Thanks for finding me again Bruce 🙂
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