Made By Hand - Link Up

'Made By Hand' is a weekly creative show and tell, with an aim to foster community, conversation and inspiration.

My aim is to craft a life of homemade, home grown happiness. 

So, what are you creating right now?
Join in by leaving a link below.

Thank you for all your kind words about being accepted in to the Brisbane Finders Keepers market! (I was excited to see Christina Lowry Designs listed with the Debut stall holders on the FK website yesterday.) This weeks making has largely been jewellery and market related, with a few rows of knitting here and there. The back of the sweater is finished, as is the ribbing for the front. Now I am slowly patterning my way up the front piece. 

I really would like to knit faster. I knit in English style (thrower) and have wondered if I couldn't knit faster if I learnt how to knit in Continental sytle (picker). Last night I discovered lever knitting, which is the style of knitting production knitters use, and it seems, is the fastest style of knitting. The average knitter apparently knits less than 30 stitches a minute. (Sometimes much less in my case!) While the world record holder knits a whopping 118 stitches a minute! Almost two stitches a second. Phew!

Are you a knitter? What style of knitter are you?

Finders Keepers? I'm in!

Guess what? I'm going to be at the Finders Keepers market in Brisbane! My first ever market! I received an email to say there was a debut spot open for me. Hooray!

I'm excited and nervous! Excited at the prospect of meeting lots of lovely people at the market and having a stall alongside such amazing creatives as I know will be there. And nervous too, at the prospect of getting everything done in time and selling my wares on the day.

There is much to do to prepare. I've made several (hundred) lists. I've been ordering packing, working on earrings and trying to calculate how much stock I will need - but I really haven't got the foggiest.

I do know that I have new pieces in the works especially for the market, and promotions planned for the weekend. I also know it is going to be a fantastic market if the last one is anything to go by, and I can't wait!

So Brisbane-ites, write it in your diaries, keep the 16th or 17th of November free and make sure you come and say hello! I'll be on the verandah and my darling twin sister, Fiona, will be helping out at my table.

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"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013." Che and Fidel.

Cohen: Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth... ehum.

Emerson: Little bruiser.

I never thought patience was something that could be taught, and yet I find I am learning it from my children. And  not because they're patient, but because they teach me how to be patient. Before I had children, I thought of myself as being a patient person. Since having children, I often wonder if I could ever have enough patience! When the children intentionally provoke each other, when Cohen is being defiant and won't eat his dinner, when he plays roughly with Emerson and hurts her, or continually asks me questions when I am on the phone, or one hundred other moments in a day, I feel my patience tested. And while patience is elastic and springs back remarkably quickly once tested, prolonged pressure can cause even the most patient person to snap. That's when I wonder how deep my patience reserves run. However, I have also realised that I have a measure of patience that I didn't have prior to having children, which relates to pace. Specifically to slowing down. It's much easier to have patience if you move at the speed of your children. I moved at a much faster pace pre-children and I am tempted at times to return to my previous gait. But, when I am rushed and trying to speed up my children, I am guaranteed to run out of patience. While it's not always possible to slow down the pace, when it is, I find patience is more abundant. (And I am quite sure more children move slower than usual when they sense urgency in my voice...)

Lately, Emerson has been asserting her will in order to walk everywhere. Little toddler steps to the park, with lots of pauses to examine seed pods, rocks and sticks. Or one little hand in mine, and one in Cohen's, she will walk around the shops. She will even walk very slowly down the three flights of stairs at the library, as I patiently hold her hand. It's such a wonderful way for her to experience the world around her. When Cohen was this age I may well have gotten impatient half way down the stairs and picked him up, as I was so used to moving at a faster speed. Now, Emerson and I both beamed with pride as we reached the last step.

And while it is still frustrating at times, I am endeavoring to slow down as much as possible and let Emerson set the pace - and marvel and the things our children teach us.

Fascinating photography

 : cody & molly

 : dave & joann

 : jen & corey

 : julia & mathew

: mish & colin

All images by Hana Pesut

When I stumbled across the Switcharoo photography project by Hana Pesut, I found the images incredibly engaging. I scrolled through them all, eyes flicking back and forth between each image, accounting for the differences and similarities. Something powerful is revealed by the concept of photographing 'accomplices' in their clothes, and then in each others clothes. Interesting questions about gender, fashion, image and identity are raised with humor in these portraits. How much or how little you derive from the images is left entirely up to the viewer.

Do you find them as engaging?

You can see more of the images here, or purchase Hana's book here.

Found via Flatout Frankie

Made By Hand - Link Up

'Made By Hand' is a weekly creative show and tell, with an aim to foster community, conversation and inspiration.

My aim is to craft a life of homemade, home grown happiness. 

So, what are you creating right now?
Join in by leaving a link below.

Rather than share a photo of the same piece of knitting I have been working on, I wanted to show you a beautiful handmade gift that arrived unexpectedly in the mail for me this week. A free motion machine stitched neck piece, handmade by the talented and generous Jennie, of A Little Vintage Doll. Isn't it all sorts of lovely? I've had to hide it from my little ones, who both insisted on trying it on, while trying to assume ownership of it. Thank you so much Jennie! It's beautiful.

What have you been making lately?
Or what handmade goodness has come in to your life?

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"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013." Che and Fidel.

Cohen: I never appreciated the humble dandelion until I became a Mama. Now they seem such bright and happy flowers, hardly a weed at all. I have a dish full of dried dandelions that Cohen has picked for me. With each flower gift he tells me he loves me. It's like a little dish of love.

Emerson: Precious blessing, who falls asleep each day in my arms. How rich I am. How rich every parent is.

I seem to have lost my blogging mojo of late. I feel like I have lost my voice. Perhaps I just need a little quiet time? Does that ever happen to you? 

I hope to return again soon. xx

Made By Hand - Link Up

'Made By Hand' is a weekly creative show and tell, with an aim to foster community, conversation and inspiration.

My aim is to craft a life of homemade, home grown happiness. 

So, what are you creating right now?
Join in by leaving a link below.

I missed our creative show and tell last week. However, I was too ill to put together a coherent blog post and at times like that I know I need to listen to my body and rest. 

This week, my creative energy has been channeled in to knitting a small sweater. I uncovered the pattern in a thrifted, vintage Patons knitting book (Book 921) and was drawn to the texture of the fabric. I also found patterns in the book which are identical to a hand knit sweater and cardigan that I found at an op-shop. They were baby blue, beautifully knit and unworn. Both my children have since worn and outgrown them. I can't help but wonder if I brought the book and hand knits from the same op-shop? And if perhaps the notations in the book are the work of the same knitter? 

So, lovely readers, what have you been making of late?