Crochet Bag

I can't believe it, I have a new addiction!!! I have been trying so hard to contain all the crafty things I want to make/buy/do but then I went into Tangled Yarns.  I have been past the store quite few times and I have a few friends that have asked if I wanted to do a class but I have honestly never been interested.  Knitting sinks my boat really quickly and wool makes me sneeze but then I parked out the front of Tangled Yarns on my way around the corner to the Fabric Store.  Of course when I was that close I couldn't resist going into the store it was like stepping into PINTEREST!  So many beautiful yarns, lovely things and amazing crochet hooks.  I feel cheated that I never knew Clover Soft Touch Hooks existed.   Derrin helped me find cotton that wouldn't make me sneeze and look what I have been making ever since... I hope its going to be a bag.

I am still really dyslexic when it comes to reading a pattern which is a major frustration.

The bag bottom is following the amazing Attic 24 pattern for the crochet bag 

For the side I thought I was following the Attic 24 Granny Stripe
but mine looks really different??? 

Then I have just been winging it and seeing what I get.
I am also having a lot of fun.

Clover Hook I love you.  I really can hook away
 for ages without getting sore hands, just like Derrin said. 

Mardi Gras Leucospermum Best Cut Flower Ever

I was driving to Mums house the other day and saw the most amazing tree in her neighbor Sakshis' yards.  It was only about 1.5 m, lollypop shaped and covered with the most amazing yellow flowers.  I got to Mums and bounded up the stairs to tell her all about this stunning tree when I was greeted with vases of the flowers on just about every available surface.   So we fawned, fussed and discussed the flowers/tree over cups of tea and the best thing is that Mums lovely neighbor  Sakshi had given her so many there was a bucket of them for me to take home!  I gave a few away to worthy people when I did the school run and still had enough for a couple of vases at my house.

Some for the kitchen (perfect colour compliment to my Op shop tile.)

I think they are so pretty I could study them for ages.

Some for the front door

I have ordered my own tree now and have the perfect spot for it in the front garden.  Thank-you Sakshi for sharing.

It is a fancy type of  Leucospermum called:

Mardi Gras® Ribbons

Leucospermum conocarpodendron x glabrum

and you'll find the details here:

http://www.proteaflora.com.au/plant-search/leucospermum

Link up with your Tuesday garden news here 

Another Tova Top

This is my first Tova Top from way back... I just love it, it has been my favorite top and I wear it all the time.  It's also one of my first goes at sewing a proper garment with a knit fabric.  I don't know why I was so scared of knits it was very friendly and cooperative to work with.  The fabric is a Marc Jacobs knit from the Brisbane Fabric Store.  

A Zpagetti Crochet Matt

I have seen this Zpagetti around a bit in the blogosphere but was always too put off by the shipping price to actually buy any.   It is made from manufacturing off cuts and the finished craft projects look amazing.  When I did come across a bricks and mortar store that sold it, my crochet skills weren't quite good enough and it was still going to cost a bit just for what could be a craft disaster.  I decided last month that I was up for it, I had got my head around $30 odd and decided to have a play.   (I don't know why I was so worried about the $30 it was just a mental block and $9.00 was for the beautiful wooden hook anyway.)

This is the colours I finally chose.

The beautiful hook

There are free patterns online but my crochet skills don't
extend to pattern reading yet so I have been winging it.  

I am really having fun, it is coming together quickly
and is so much easier than I thought  it would be.

The only problem is I ran out of yarn about
6 doubles from  the end of  joining up my circle.
Not sure what to do!?!

Fancy That

Its a late spring for us this year, beautifully warm through the days but still cool in the evenings.  Which is good cause I am late with my spring plantings and now have time to catch up.  The garden has been a low priority over the last few months and I hadn't realised how much growth has been going on.  I looked back at some pics from late August and was very surprised to see the difference.  Fancy that, sorry for taking you for granted garden.

Before 

After

I love the wild cottage garden look.

 I also found a few signs that Master B has been having lots of fun and games.  I think this looks like

       the kind of place a troll would like to lurk about too.

       

Rag Rugs

I still want to make an awesome rag rug!  I had an attempt a while back with the Ric Rac Rug Along but got very frustrated with hand sewing it all together.  I started off sewing in one big coil up at the table.  As it got bigger it really needed to be laid flat on the floor to sew, which I tired of very quickly.  I thought I would be very clever and finish it with a zig zag stitch on my machine - Do Not Ever Do This.

It all started so well..

And then it went this shape, this is why the coils need to be sewn together on a flat surface! My lovely flat mat became conical.  It made a great hat for rice fields but a dreadful mat.  I was very sad.

Long story short I hate to waste all that effort and quite like a craft challenge so turned it into a big floor/foot cushion.  We think it looks like a giant cup cake and it is now everyones favourite cushion.

Hopefully the M cushion gives some idea of scale.

(My talented friend Fiona made this supurb M cushion for my Miss M's b'ay isn't she clever .  I am very envious of how neat and precise she is.)

B - side of the cushion, not the greatest fabric matches but I love using up scraps.

Pimp My Zara Dress

Our school has just had our "Dress Up as Someone from your Favourite Book Day."  Miss S wanted to go as a Lalaloopsy doll which drove Miss M to distraction "because Lalaloopsy is a toy and does not have a book."    Lalaloopsy toys used to creep the girls out, as the button eyes are way too close to the Tim Burton film character Coroline.  But the fantastic marketing push by the Lalaloopsy doll people has all but erased those fears.

Anyway here is the dolly dress we managed to put together just minutes before the parade.

This is the before dress,  $12 from Zara 

(Because I have now been to Sydney and shopped the Zara Phenomenon :)

Miss S's design, Peter Pan collar, doilies and buttons.
Hope she wears it again...

Dress for Sydney

We had our very exciting trip to Sydney on the weekend and it was everything I wanted it to be and more.  On saturday we had corporate lunch for Mr Daddy's work, at the wonderful restaurant Sails on Lavender Bay.

The problem with these work functions for me is what to wear??  I didn't want to buy something that I would probably only wear once and all my usual Mummy outfits don't make the grade.  So time to make something.  I got this brilliant Spotty Spotlight fabric a few months back and thought it might be just the ticket coupled with a New Look pattern.

My zip phobia got the better of my and my lovely friend Naomi put it in for me.  Thanks Naomi.  I think I also made it too big and it could have been a size down.   Sizing confuses me every time, I followed the measurements correctly... I need a sizing class.

* Note that seductive word EASY on the packet, it gets me every time.

Self Portrait  - All Touristed up