A hat for Tori

A few weeks back while tidying out my crochet stash, I came across some wool that I originally purchased when I was pregnant. Not knowing the gender of my baby, I bought some generic red and coloured wool and embarked on sewing a cap. Unfortunately it was a bit small for my newborn's head, but it did the job!

September 2007

Uncovering the stash I decided to make Tori a new hat for winter, she had grown out of her old ones. I started to crochet a simple circle and then decreased the stitches until I got the crown section, and then I just kept on crocheting around in circles. It took me several time on unravelling and re-stitching and it probably would have been faster to find a pattern and stick to it!

No real plan really, but it worked out. Then Tori's Oma then did the scarf and rosette for the hat. Wool used was the Cleckheaton Merino Bambino wool.

A few people have asked me how I have made it, unfortunately I didn't follow a pattern ... so I went a hunting for some free crochet patterns:

• Cleckheaton web site has some free crochet patterns for hats and scarfs.
• Head huggers has some groovy patterns for hats. One of my favourites is the Emeila Earheart Aviator Crochet Hat!
• Modern Flapper hats have some interesting patterns.

My next crochet job is to make Tori some fingerless gloves ...

Granny Square Cloak

At Camberwell market last week I came across a collection of Golden Hands focusing on crochet.

Can you imagine making this Granny Square cloak?

Crochet Projects.

I started doing a few squares with the wool that I got from Camberwell Market a few weeks back trying to do a patchwork style scarf with different sized granny squares. I thought it looked like crap so I pulled it apart and started again.

I ended up doing a big long string of chains until I got bored and then I turned around and a row of treble, and then a row of doubles. To finish off I crocheted two rows of doubles along the bottom to frame the colour in the scarf. The grey colour is wool and the reddish blend is a mohair/wool blend.

Voila, one scarf for the husband! Now I should get back to A Granny a day!

Destination Information ....

Finding out a little bit more about Margaret...

Choose a picture of yourself and explain when and where it was taken ...
Taken at the 2008 Labyrinth Ball in Northcote. Wearing my husbands mask, I also entered this into our camera club as a piece called "Human Inside". I can't remember if it won anything ...

What’s the last thing you read or are currently reading?
Currently trying to read Trudi Canavan's The Magician's Apprentice. I loved the Black Magician Trilogy and she is a crafty lady as well ...

What have you been listening to lately?
Flogging Molly - great Irish punk band. I also finished a piece on the weekend for someone using Beatles fabric, so lots of Beatles (but mainly Abbey Road and Peppers).

Do you nap a lot?
I sleep deeply, but tend not to have naps during the day unless I am feeling sickly. I am generally a late to bed, struggle to rise type of person.

Who was the last person you hugged?
My daughter when I said goodbye to her at her grandparents this morning.

What’s your current obsession/addiction?
The Blog bug has bit me at the moment. Getting good content onto my blog is important to me at the moment as I build my business.

What are you wearing right now?
Jeans, top and necklace by Ecomorph Designs that I bought at Rose Street Market a few weeks back.

What was for dinner?
Dinner tonight is at the German Grandparents, so something yummy with gravy (if we are lucky there will be dumplings!)

If you could have any super power, what would it be?
Probably to make time stand still, I could really do with about 10 extra hours a day to do all that I want to do.

What is your favorite weather, and why?
I love spring, the blossoms starting to appear, the smell of warmer days in the air but still cool enough to do things without breaking a sweat.

What was the last thing you bought?
Camberwell market on Sunday Morning, some Golden Hands magazines for a few dollars.

If you could have a house- totally paid for, fully furnished- anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be?
I'd love to live back in Carlton, within walking distance to the city. Unfortunately, I would also want a back yard - those houses are super expensive!

Favorite vacation spot?
Japan definitely! Followed by Dunk Island where you don't have to do anything and young tanned men bring you daiquiri's by the pool!

Favorite pair of shoes you keep going back to over and over, even though your closet is overflowing with a zillion others?
Firstly, I am not much of a shoe person. I tend to live in my doc martins. Comfort every time!

Name one thing you cannot live without?
Music is pretty important to me, listening to something while working and sewing. Much rather be listening to music or a podcast than watching TV.

If you could wake up anywhere tomorrow, where would it be?
I am happy right here in Northcote .. but Paris would be nice.

Tag someone to complete this meme ....
I am not too good at tagging people, but I would like to know more about people on my blogroll ... complete this if you must!

Wekstatt Muenchen

Cravings Frocks reminded me of a special gift received at my first Christmas after Tori was born, a beautiful Werkstatt Muenchen necklace.

There is a small shop that was located across from the old Royal Women's hospital in Carlton called Eastern Market. They have the most divine selection of clothes and accessories, you must visit them and look a their range. Eastern Market is the only store in Australia that stocks this range of jewelry.

Since being given it (what a clever Tori) I have worn it to death. It is just the right length for Tori to fiddle with while breastfeeding and it looks good too!

I love their range of necklaces and their cufflinks are gorgeous as well. I like industrial or organic feeling jewelry. I would love to do a jewelry making course and forge out some of my own designs .. I'll add it to the todo list ...

Morning Distractions

Stumbled across some lovely things to make and goosh over lately ..

• This Embroidered Alphabet Quilt is so gorgeous! I have never done the whole "freeze" paper through the printer thing, but it looks interesting ... or how cool are these crafty organisation cards?
• Aesthetic Outburst is a blog that I check regularly, and they have this lovely post where they featured altered books byPamela Paulsrund
• I have also been spending hours crawling through the "All this happiness" blog. Loving the images and the commentary, if only I was that stylish!
  

Whenever I come across a new interesting blog, I will spend days just clicking through the site and reading the articles - soaking it all in!

Pay it Forward

In my sickly sickliness yesterday I stumbled out to the letterbox and found a little package addressed to little old me!


Dear Fii had sent through her "Pay it Forward" pressie to me. Can't quite remember when I signed up for it, but what this means is that I have to pay it forward to the people I promised gifts to!


My reward was a lovely pouch and some postcards. Tori has already claimed the pouch!

I had better get sewing!

Fitzroyalty

While we were building Nash Street, we lived in Palmerston Street in Carlton. We could see the corner of Johnston and Nicholson from our front door. A stone throw from Lygon and Brunswick Street - what a location!

So I was very excited to stumble across the Fitzroyalty web site. It brought back a whole lot of memories of wandering through the streets of Fitzroy. Sometimes I still like to do that ... park in front of Palmerston and go for a wander off to Brunswick Street.

Thornbury Market .... part 2

It feels like a lifetime ago that I did Thornbury Market, but it was just last week! I have been down with a virus and so I haven't even done a blog post :(


One of the reasons that I started this blog was to document my journey in starting my own small business. So posting pictures of market stalls, product developments and ideas is important to me.


Made n Thornbury was a great little market to do. I am getting better at the set up and pack up and enjoy the whole interacting with the customer process, getting feedback and discussing possibilities. The thing that was good about this market, was that all the stall holders were women who were in similar circumstances to moi!

There were lots of other lovely designers and crafters there such as ...

• The girls from Pepperberry and their lovely book coverings.
• Gorgeous Handmade accessories by Finki Handmade.
• Curlypops and her wonderful handbags.
• Buttons by Lou Lou were there with lots of lovely hair accessories.
• And the wonderful W Class Tram Cushions and Brooches by CravingsFrocks.
  

Thornbury Community Market

A reminder about Thornbury Community Market that is on today.
From 10am - 3pm.

Come and heckle me!