Fire Trucks, Star Wars and Baseball

My Grandson is waayy into Fire Trucks at the moment. Everything in his little world stops cold at the sound of a siren. It's hard to find Fire Truck fabric.



Grandson was introduced to Star Wars by his Star Wars crazy father so ... Thanks Sarah Bradberry for the design, our little Storm Trooper has a Bendigo Cotton cap for winter. BTW he isn't 2 yet and loves the Wookie.




I am a huge baseball fan. One of the only ones I know here in Australia - well, one of the only girls I know. My mother is a big fan too so we Skype about it sometimes. I buy a subscription to mlb.com every year to watch games on my computer. I don't watch too much tv so this is a great time for knitting, crochet etc. And I always have a World Series (I know - it is the worst title for a final since really, it's only the US and one Canadian team in the league although there are mostly players from other countries) project - usually socks. These are Embossed Leaves Socks from Favorite Socks. I'm such a fan of lace patterned socks that are easy but look spectacular. This is a good pattern.


I always worry about running out of wool so I either buy too much or knit short socks. This is a very old ball of Socks that Rock bought 5 years ago in the states so there is no chance of getting more. So I knit part of one, break the yarn, knit part of another, and continue until I run out of wool. This is probably not the most efficient way to do it but at least I will run out of wool at the same spot on both socks if I do. I have some lovely purple sock yarn just in case.



Yesterday's game was the most exciting games I can remember ever watching. Today will be the last game of the year and I won't get those socks done - I have housework to fit in between innings and pitcher changes so I won't have solid knitting time. But I am so excited about this game today - Go Cards.

I mowed and I sewed

Bush Figs even the birds won't eat - worse luck.



Spring has sprung and I had a mowing frenzy this afternoon. Feels good.



Inspired by my friend Nettie (who knits, sews, works fulltime at a highly stressful job, mothers, grandmothers - all in one life! Inspiring) I got out the sewing machine and made a couple of aprons. My grandmother used to have 'house aprons' that she wore around the house constantly - I have photos. I have made some patterns but these aren't them. A while ago I was given some old dresses that a friend's mother sewed for herself but didn't finish before she died. I said I would make aprons and now I have.



The pocket is the yoke.

I love them but....

What do you do with the bright hot pink fake flowers you got from your son on mother's day?

I'm a Catherine's Wheel Fan

I really love Catherine's Wheel - thanks Catherine wherever you are! I just hope I don't burn out and die! The one with the alternate cream wheels is for me. The other for Catherine's 60th birthday next February. I can't believe we are all getting close to 60! I started it well and truly with enough time to finish it and with these cold evenings lasting a little longer it is quite nice to have it on my lap.



It is quite strange that 3 of my best knitting friends have been crocheting lately - all independent of each other. I love it. It's great to mix it up a little. Can't wait till next long weekend to get stuck into Breaking Bad season 3 and Catherine's Catherine's Wheel.



I'm on the lookout for my next project. I have three blankets on the go, so need small things to break up the monotony (IF it all gets boring, which so far it has not). I bought My Grandmother's Knitting (there's a lovely little shawl in there) and have ordered The Best of Interweave Crochet. Fun things to come over summer! Happy Needles everyone.

I have been knitting too.

But I have also been crocheting. First time for anything other than a border in years. I have always loved this pattern and wanted to do something with it. The only problem is I have to look at it while I do it. Knitting I don't have to look anymore.



These are for my god-daughter's sister. Calorimetry from Knitty.com.



Several babies due soon so I am prepared with two boys sweaters - Debbie Bliss inspired cardigans.






And a new spring jacket for Daisy. Just needs to be ironed and mailed.



And finally for me - Multnomah scarf. Really lovely and I wear it a lot.



I have been searching for another crochet afghan pattern that I like because I have a lot of wool to use up before I can buy more - and I am feeling an urge to buy more. So if anyone has any favourites please let me know.

I've been having some fun sewing.

A good friend sent me some photos of her darling little granddaughter and I had an overwhelming urge to knit her another little cotton cardigan. This one is a Debbie Bliss wrap around. More pic when it is done.



I have been quilting some, too. I collected this feedsack material over the past couple of years with full intent of recreating my Granny's unfinished quilt. She made it with papers and it is all hand pieced. I just couldn't take on another long-term project so I am making a Wonky Log Cabin Quilt from Block Party. I am enjoying putting this together now that I have more whold days off from work.





I also sewed some aprons. One half apron and one full with a little Collett Dinigan lace off-cut for friends having birthdays. One's been delivered and the other hasn't yet. It's been a bit hard to get to the post office with a broken toe. But my foot is much better now so it will be mailed on Monday. I hope they like them.

Bridal Shrug

I have had the honor of, again, knitting something for a bride. This is Cascade Yarn's Something Lacy Shrug, knit from Bendigo cotton. This is the exception of the year of knitting for me. In fact, I have right now decided that that rule of knitting only for me this year, is going to be tossed out the proverbial window.



I have enough knitted stuff to last me quite a while. I will knit myself one beret starting this coming weekend when I have some time to go through all of my magazines and books to find the perfect pattern. And I am working on a sock yarn blankie for myself, but then I think it is time to knit for children again. The world is a better place when all of my friends under 5 years old are dressed in handknit garments.

One of my son's good friends, who is also a friend of mine now, lost her dog a few months ago. He had bone cancer and was quietly, lovingly put to sleep. I made her this silly little pin in memory of Moose. He was a good dog.