Some very special fabric

Yummo!!! Fabrics don't come much better than these hand printed beauties. I have been stalking a couple of Aussie fabric designers for quite some while and finally managed to score myself these very special pieces of Kristen Doran fabric. The little owls is for Tully, for a special little dress. I need to sit and gaze at it for awhile before I work out exactly what I am going to do with it. The piece is 56 x 45 cm. I have a few ideas brewing here, probably going to use the right hand side for the front of a short little pinnie style dress and then do the back in a chocolate. Add a little pocket of owls on the back of the dress and also add them as pockets to a pair of pants to go with it. The big owls could then go on the front of a bag I can pack the whole outfit in which she can then use as a library bag.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Kristen was so lovely to deal with, she even sent me a second of her Mollybirds fabric as she forgot to send out my order. How awesome is that!!!! This one is going to be for something for me, and may even possibly grace some black hemp denim in an adult size pinnie ... for me. I've been meaning to make my pinnie design in adult size.....

And in other blog catch up (which is what I feel like I'm doing at the moment LOL) just before we went to Adelaide I received these gorgeous knitted wash clothes from a very lovely friend. They are knitted from an organic cotton and are just lush ~ too nice to use really... but I will:D SO a huge thanks to Ali, they are just beautiful and I love them, I've wanted to try some for a long time but never got around to knitting some for myself and I don't think mine would have been as special as these ones are!

and some longies for Lily

Finished these while we were in Adelaide too, Lily's first pair of nappy free longies (if you don't count the pair I accidentally shrunk in the washing machine when they snuck in with the nappies *00ps*) I knitted the last of the legs on the way over and completed the black cuffs there. Such long legs ~ 32cm!!!!!

This yarn is the most luscious and soft Four Bags Full Merino and it was custom dyed by Rach from Stitch Sista sometime last year. I decided to save it for longies for this winter and I'm glad I did; even though I didn't acually envisage that Lily would be totally out of nappies by 26 months.

The dye job on this yarn is just gorgeous, it's hard to pick up the beautiful variations in the colour from these photos, but it is stunning. I shall take some close up photos in better light tomorrow. I love the way this yarn knits, it has such beautiful stitch definition and just glides off the needles. I used the Perfection Pants pattern but with just some increases at the back as per the Picky Pants pattern (although in hindsight these probably weren't necessary) No short rows, stocking stitch gusset, and straight legs until the knees where they begin to flare out, finished with black cuffs and waistband, cuffs in moss stitch. They are a very funky pair of longies and the perfect fit :D Lily says they're "gorgeous trousers". Ah she knows how to make her mummy very happy.

Adelaide knits.

Holidays are for knitting. And these are some of what I worked on on our stay in Adelaide.

This sock is ironically called the Rainy Day sock as that was what the weather was like the whole time we were there apart from the day we left. I started it on the way back in the car to see if I could knit the whole thing between Adelaide and here and may possibly have done so if it hadn't turned dark; I don't trust myself to knit a lace pattern in the dark. It's knit in 8ply, I love this colourway it's so in your face and bright! I almost managed to knit it entirely on a pair of 30cm circs, but couldn't really do the end of the toe. Luckily by pure coincidence I found a pair of lovely blue vintage dpns in the size I needed at the op shop yesterday so I finally finished this this morning. It was a really easy knit. Now I just have to knit the other one.



This little headband, Nakiska, is a quick, easy and very gratifying knit. Unfortunately, ehile knitting it my brain suffered a momentary lapse of reason and I used the wrong size needles and didn't bother to swatch up so it didn't fit the intended recipient, me. In fact, the only member of the family it initially did fit was Lily's baby doll. A little wash and a stretch and it now fits Lily...just. She really doesn't have enough hair, however, to justify a headband. Next one will be in black and the right size.



This little hat, Piggle, is for Tully, the green strands of yarn are the waste yarn for where there will be little holes in her hat to poke her pigtails through. Lily had to model this one too seen as I made her model the last hat.

the dress formerly known as $%##&*

is know affectionately known to its new owner as The Rocking Horse dress. An extra pocket and you'd never know it had a run in with a rogue overlocker. I'm glad Lily got to have this dress as it really really suits her :D
And this is what you get if you ask for too many cheeses; spit bubbles!!!LOL

home again

We spent last week in Adelaide visiting Megsie, Lachie, Tully and Asher. It was very wet and cold; I don't know what it is with Adelaide but every time we're there the weather is extreme; hot, cold or wet. But regardless, we had a terrific time the girls had an absolute ball playing together and Lily is really missing her "best friend" Tully. They really are such good little mates, it's fantastic.

We visited the farm barn for a little pre birthday celebration for Tully which the girls just loved. Lily was very fond of the kangaroos and discovered a new game not dissimilar to cow tipping, which involved her trying to get the kangaroos to jump ~ very naughty!!! Tully got to feed a lamb a bottle which was a bit special!!

Caught up with some of the fabulous Adelaide NC girls and our visit happily coincided with a visit south from the lovely Lesley from Cherubs Kiss.

I've been straight back into the sewing and managed to finish another pikki tint collaboration that has been hanging over my head. This is a long length pinnie for the bigger girls, today's dark and rainy weather was not at all conducive for photography so at this stage all there is are sneak peek pics. But I must say it is pretty damn cute!!!! Hopefully I will be able to update the pics tomorrow.

I also fixed and finished Lily's oops dress (see previous post) ~ it's also very cute and I shall take some pics of it tomorrow when she tries it on. She's a bit stoked that the rocking horse dress did, in fact, turn out to be hers.

oops..

Reminder to self:

CONCENTRATE!!!

This is what happens when you're trying to get too many things done at once *sob* What has happened here is as I've been overlocking the frill to the main body of the dress the main body has got caught up in the overlocking ~ all due to a lack of concentration. And after I unpicked it I was left with this hole. *sob*

Fate really, as Lily told me this dress was for her (which it wasn't) but now it will be after some clever repairs ~ stay tuned!!!

some fleece longie customs

have been very busy working on some fleece longie customs, that combined with a toddler who is an extreme night owl, has meant no sewing for the store. oh well,

anyway, here are some pics of the customs

Brandon's Stars

Meghan's Butterflies


Jackson's Elf


Mila's Lollipops