What are you knitting?

I don't know about you but I have quite a stash of knitting yarns.  I keep saying that I will knit from my stash, but then I see something that would be just perfect for a project I'm contemplating.

So what are you knitting at the moment?  

It's still hot and sticky in Sydney, but I'm finding that I can knit when we have the air conditioner on.  I am trying to get a start on winter warmers for my grandchildren plus a few Cabbage Patch outfits.

So, for Mr 18 months, I have finished a jumper and this vest.

The vest is made from this pattern by Panda for 8 ply yarns.

I have used it well over the last few years for our granddaughters, and now I get to make all of the boys garments too.  Yay!!!

For Miss 3, I have just finished my first Kina.  Bendigo Woollen Mills cotton is lovely to knit with.

We have watched Corrie make a few of these and now I am starting them for our girls.  I trialled the pattern by making one to fit the cabbage patch dolls first!!

Talking about cabbage patch dolls, this pattern is from Family Circle in 1985.  There are times when hoarding is good, aren't there?

I have just made 'Colleen' (centre bottom) and will do a few of the other designs for the 2 new cabbage patch dolls in our family.  My Mother made a few of the garments from this pattern for her granddaughters in the 1980's, so I feel nostalgic making them for the next generation now.

Well, time to start the next Kina (size 8 this time) plus a few smaller projects.

Happy Knitting.....

Featuring February...

Wow!!! Where has February gone?  I know it is shorter than the other months, but this year it has flown by.

February has had me out of the house a lot more after my January hibernation.  

• I have caught up with lots of friends for lunch and chats, which has been lovely.
• Activities like 'mainly music' have restarted.  I just love my Friday mornings spent with mothers and their preschoolers.  However, the humidity the last few weeks has left me a melted glob by the end of some of the sessions - especially when I have been the leader.
• Do you make play dough?  I make a couple of batches each term for the children to create with after morning tea.  I like it much better than store tubs as it is edible - there is always someone who wants to 'taste' it = too salty and soapy for my palate!
• Recipe: there are plenty about.  I use the one on the McKenzie's Cream of Tartar tin:
• 2 cups plain flour, 1 cup salt (fine is better), 4 Tabsp cream of tartar, 2 cups cold water, 2 Tabsp oil and food colouring (a few drops for very pale, more for stronger colours)
• This recipe says to mix all ingredients then stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until mixture congeals.
• For a change, I have recently tried the uncooked recipe which adds boiling water (replacing cold water) to other ingredients.  It thickens up with much less effort spent stirring and kneads to a lovely consistency.  So far I think I am a convert.

• I sent off my Valentine's swap (organised through Cheryll from 'Gone Stitchin' to Noela.  Getting this ready was part of my January fun:
•  I made a passport wallet with the required 'Initial heart' on the front.  This combined many ideas from my web searches.  I kept the embroidery to similar colours to the fabric I was using - a bit 'game' for me, but I was pleased with the result.
• I knitted a couple of cloths with 'heart designs' on them - free from craftsy.
• I developed a cloth design that had the 'N' inside the heart - this was my stretch in this activity, but has left me feeling that I could now knit from a graph.  If you would like this pattern, let me know and I'll send it to you.
• To add a bit of fun to the package I included the 'necessary' chocolate plus a cute Golden Book called 'Everything I need to know about love I learned from Golden Books'.  I grew up on Golden Books and bought many for my children too.  This on takes 'love' themed pages from many different stories and combined them into this lovely book to reminisce over or discover anew.  Keep a look out for it - I got mine from Dymocks.

• I received my Valentine from Maria.  I am really enjoying embroidery at the moment and Maria's gift was an embroidered heart pin cushion in my favourite pinks - how did she know that was so me???  She used a design from Jenny Her chocolates were yummy (it's a shame my husband isn't eating chocolate, so I didn't need to share) I have done her little game square, and I know a couple of granddaughters that will give it a good workout when I share it with them.

• I have signed up for a Spring Fabric Swap through 'Sew n Swap' and will be sending 1 yard (or equivalent pieces) to USA.
• I have also signed up for 2 apron swaps, so I guess that means it has been ok to buy fabrics during February - so much for my trying to de-stash this year.

Summary of January

How is January for you?

I always find I need January to complete all the things my mind thought I should do before Christmas, but my overworked body and hectic timeline couldn't achieve.

So this January, I:

• finished extra pincushions I had cut out after enjoying a pincushion swap in November and sent an extra one to someone who had missed out receiving theirs.

• made a top for one granddaughter - her sister's dress was made just prior to New Year.

• finished one vest and made 2 more for November, December family birthdays - just as well it is still summer where I live!

• saw a post on Facebook asking for cotton paw mittens to use with koalas who have burnt paws from bush fires.  So I made and sent off 10 pairs.

• made a man-bag for a relative - my first attempt's mobile pocket wasn't big enough.  I don't know about you, but I would rather make a whole new bag rather than unpick half the previous one to put on a bigger pocket.

• tested a bag pattern for a friend who will be selling it and teaching classes with it this year.

• made 3 tote bags for relatives we caught up with late January.

• turned some of our tomato crop into relish - very yummy I must say.

• joined a Valentine's Day 'Initial Heart swap' and made several things to send.

I refer to my craft time as my 'therapy' and I sure had a lot this past month.  But I always feel better after this indulgence.

So now on we go through February... I'm guessing my 'therapy' time will lessen as I get back into a few activities that make me who I am.

Oh and the '60' takes hold this month too.

Where to start...

This Nanna is just beginning to share her life as she turns 60.
 
The Past - My husband and I have 3 married children and 5 delightful grandchildren.
I have retired from full-time work and have spent the past few years helping out with the next generation of preschoolers.

So what will I do this year?
I feel a blog coming on..... as I devote more time to other interests in my life.
Journey with me and I will tell you how I fill in my days with craft, cooking, craft, Mainly Music playgroup, craft, well lots of things really.