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I had not the least idea that itching could be so problematic. A symptom of an allergic reaction, to we know not what, saw me rushing to the doctors today and leaving with armfuls of medication and an injection, another to follow tomorrow.

Thank goodness for my dear sister, who has come to keep me company and amuse the little man. He's endlessly fascinated by her iPod and ear phones. And has been cheering me up with his dear little hat, received in the post yesterday from a fantastically gifted friend.

I could never look this cute in a hat.

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Edit: It was me with the allergic reaction, not Cohen. Sorry, I didn't make that particularly clear.

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I finished the Michele Mak crochet cardigan yesterday. It was such a quick project, taking only three days to complete.

I was worried that the cardigan wasn't going to fit Cohen, but it does, just. It is a snug fit across the shoulders and around his little milk tummy. The arm sleeves are a little too long too. All of which could be adjusted next time around. I wasn't very keen on the colour. The wool is lovely and soft and was given to me to make a jacket for Cohen, so I forged ahead.

However my husband has asked me to promise him that it is only an around the house item, not to be worn in public. I was feeling quite pleased with myself having finished it and asked hubby if he liked it when he got home from work.

The response?

"You've put a lot of work into that, haven't you?"

"Well, yes, but do you like it?'

"A lot of work..."

Goodness me. I have made bad craft haven't I? I am guilty of crimes against craft and I couldn't even see it! Even Cohen wouldn't let me take a decent photo of him in it.

Oh dear... I may never crochet again.

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Ravelry.

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It wouldn't be Winter without a project on the hook.

A crochet cardigan for Cohen, though I think it may be too small.

The wool was gifted to me. The pattern is here. A better picture here.

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Yesterday, the clouds filled the sky like sand washed clean by an outgoing tide.

Today, the clouds are lower, grayer.

Last night, a little boy with a tooth ache couldn't sleep.

Today, you wouldn't even know by looking at him.

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My finished postcard.

Made a little difficult, as my swap partner doesn't have a blog and didn't leave any notes on her likes and dislikes.

Inspired by Mel's lovely cushion and with thanks to Follow the White Bunny for the free pattern. -

The Stitched post card swap.

Wool Keeper...

This dear little piece of handwork is over a hundred years old, the work of my Great Grandmother.

It is a simple and smartly designed bag, which slips over the wrist and holds a ball of wool.

The perfect solution for keeping yarn out of harms way and making projects more portable.

It has seen many years of use. The calico fabric has been mended time and time again.

A reminder that it was indeed a precious item.

And still is.

As I couldn't bear to use it, I decided to make one for myself.

I've included a little tutorial in case anyone else would like to make one for themselves.

It is a quick and easy project.

My apologies for the dark photos, but I tended to be taking them when Cohen was napping.

Materials

0.25 meter of calico (10 inches) - which costs about $1.25 at my local craft store and is enough fabric to make two bags

DMC Embroidery Thread - Colour 321 was the closest to the original thread

Embroidery hoop

Embroidery needle

Scissors

Sewing machine - alternatively you could hand stitch

Natural coloured cotton thread

Pins

Gather materials. Find a bowl or plate approx. 21cm wide (8 inches) and trace around the bowl and using the images above and below as a guide, draft the shape of the handle. You might like to do this on tracing paper first and then fold the piece in half and adjust it so both sides are equal. Draw outline on two pieces of fabric. Fit fabric in embroidery hoop and embroider image of your choice, or print and trace the image of the original stitching above.

I've used a simple outline stitch.

Initials are a nice alternative.

Stitch two pieces, so you have a back and a front and cut them out following your drafted shape. Fold each piece in half and make a 1 cm snip 21 cm (8 inches) from the top of the piece. Repeat on second piece of bag.

Flatten pieces back out again. Join the bottom half below the snips using a French seam, thus forming the pocket at the bottom of the bag to hold the wool.

Using a French seam, sew the two short edges of the handle together.

Above the snips in the fabric, fold the raw edge under twice and pin, so the finished seam will meet up with the French seam below. Sew down. Repeat on each side. Thus forming the handle at the top of the bag. I reinforced where the two seams meet.

And here is the wool keeper, almost finished.

A quick pressing and some feather stitching around the handle and my new wool keeper is ready to hold my next project. I will post another photo when I am finished, but I was much to keen to share the project than to be able to wait until all the stitching was finished.

What do you think?

Feel free to ask any questions.

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Please post a link if you make one of these wool keepers, I would love to see it.

My Creative Space...

With a favorite dress as the pattern, some thrifted fabric and some tailors chalk, yesterday I traced, pinned, pleated and stitched this dress for myself. Just a simple bag shaped dress with a fancy collar, pulled together with a belt around the waist. I should have this little dress finished and ready to be worn this weekend.

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More Creative Spaces here.

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A slow, cool rainy day, perfect for hands plunged in warm sudsy water, some Josh Pyke, a cup of coffee and a bit of sewing during nap time.

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The outside entertaining area has been an ongoing project when time and money permit. It has gone from looking like this -

To this - I fell in love with these chairs when I spotted them in a magazine (with a ticket price of $1199), and managed to find them on sale for $499. Cohen is quite enjoying his new play space.

The step makes a great place to eat toast in your slippers. There's still a light to be fitted and a few finishing touches to be had.

But we are really enjoying our new space.

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My first charity auction on Saturday.

Sadly a lack of time hindered me from waiting upon the offerings of many vintage wonders. Table upon table of baskets, vases, tea cups, aprons, bowls and vintage cameras. Some three hundred items in all.

I managed to acquire a pair of antique butter paddles and wooden spoon, amber coloured port glasses, as well as a lovely old plate that I saved from being passed in.

All for a princely sum of ten dollars.

A morning well spent indeed.

Flea Market Finds...

For two dollars there just didn't seem to be any doubt that this darling was coming home with me.

Perhaps it would be best if we don't mention this purchase to my husband however.

Not all of us understand the important fact that 'one can never have enough baskets'.

I picked up a few vintage things at a charity auction yesterday too...

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More Flea Market Finds here.

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Your footprint in mine.

Mother and son.

Something to remember.

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Another library book.

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So dreamy and romantic, all those white filled rooms, I'm in love.

What a wealth of decorating inspiration. From texture to tone, it really is a how to on living in a white hued home.

Now, how to refrain from picking up the paintbrush and the white paint...

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'At home with white'

Atlanta Bartlett

ISBN-13: 978-1-84597-348-3

My Creative Space...

My first embroidered initials for a friend, as a part of the tutorial I am working on.

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More Creative Spaces here.

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My little darling had his 18 month needle this morning and braved the injection without a sound. We were 'forced' to spend some time at a thrift store in the vicinity of the doctors office, so we could be close by should he have a reaction to the vaccine.

Luckily all went well. And we found little packets of buttons for 50c each too.

I do love old leather buttons.

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Why is it that when I go to Spotlight for wool, I come back with fabric and embroidery supplies? But no wool?

Ah well, I could not resists the dotty dots or the vintage inspired fabrics new to the fat quarter range. They are quite at home in my stash already.

I have been planning a little tutorial for the calico and embroidery thread.

I hope to share it with you soon.

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How does one photograph a giant granny square properly?

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The little granny square blanket I finished last night. It is a gift for a little boy who is already five months old.

The second granny square blanket is Cohen's. It has been hanging over the rocking chair in his room and is perfect for laying over him while he naps.

Looking at the two of them together, they seem quite different. I've used the same yarn, but a different hook size - 3.5mm for Cohen's blanket and a 4mm for the smaller blanket. I also used two chains between each cluster of stitches on Cohen's blanket and only one chain for the smaller one.

I definitely like the look of the closer stitches better.

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A sweet little giveaway on over here.

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While in the City yesterday a smile crept onto my lips with each little or big yarn spotting. From warm and toastie poles, to street art transformed into balls of yarn.

Check out I knit BNE.

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It wouldn't be Sunday with out croissants.

A breakfast tradition at our house.

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A closer examination of a grape leaf. So very beautiful.

Cohen has the container of cotton reels and is tipping them out, putting them back, rolling them away, a bundle of them on his lap. The endless fascination.

My first giant granny square is finished and hanging over the rocking chair. I've started another one.

I have been thinking about the hexagon grandmothers garden quilt and I'm not happy with the green borders around the flowers. Now that I see it all together it is much greener than I had expected. Too green for a queen sized quilt I think. I will turn the assembled quilt top I have so far into a cot quilt and find a cream fabric to replace the green.

I'd first thought that I would make all the hexagons before joining them. I'm so glad of my impatience to start joining them now.

Sometime impatience comes in handy.