My Haven

A friend's smile

leaves an imprint

on your heart.

To anyone else this is just a shed, to me it is my haven. Pixie put on the final touches during the week and the exodus from house to haven started immediately!!

I have wanted my own little space for a long time, but as always something else popped up. The shed is 3m x 2m and I can't believe how much I have collected over time. I have also moved some of the boys toys in there and have started 'culling' what we don't need. I have to say, I'm a happy camper right now.

Though I don't feel as if I managed to do much crafting due to the move, I did get to knit this cute little owl from a Handmade magazine. He is only about 3 inches high, but cute as a bug. I am taking him to live in the library. He has a felt nose and felt eyes. Knitted in 8 ply wool, it could easily be made bigger by using a double yarn of 8ply or even chunky wool.

Yesterday Pixie and I went for a trip to the city by ourselves and did  a bit of Christmas shopping. We buy locally first but in the city there were some bargains that were worth the trip. It was nice to go for a drive by ourselves, the only one I had to compete with to get a word in edgewise was my hubby. lol. We did drop in to Spotlight on the way back home for some Christmas coloured beads. I was good and put my blinkers on, straight in and straight out. After just organising my sewing shed, I know I have to leave the material alone.

On the knitting front, I have found an adorable pattern to knit using 8 ply wool. I have about 230 stitches on my needles right now and getting along nicely with the pattern.

The things you find when you are having a clean up. I had to empty out the carved chest in order to move it into the shed. What did I find? last year's Easter gift to Heather!!! I knew I put it somewhere.

 I quickly made up this little pouch for some gadget my husband has. I can't remember the name for it, but this gadget tells you when you are speeding. Pixie wanted a pouch made for it when it isn't in use. Pretty good gadget actually.

For the rest of the weekend I plan to enjoy my sewing room, do the yucky ironing first and get some pavers from Heather's house. I can't tease Heather on my blog anymore, I've been sprung by one of her spies!!! Ha Ha. Hello Suez. Regards, Anita.



Small knits

Friendship is 

a sheltering tree.

-Samuel Taylor Coleridge. 

It's the weekend again, my, it came around so quickly! I am right in the Christmas mood and this week I complete a cute little Christmas gift bag. I have used some of the material Heather had purchased while in QLD and used a stitchery pattern I had tucked away in my file. This bag is about 10 inches long and 8 inches wide. I plan to tie it with a white craft rope.

I have found lots of free downloads and had fun sewing these birds. I am desperately trying to do the right thing, and use up as much material as I can without purchasing more. Until I give my craft boxes a good cull, I'm really being good.

As I am in the Christmas mood already, I decided I would make a Christmas bird as well. I've taken this to work and stashed it away in my ever expanding Christmas collection.

I knitted up this cute little girl during the week, she is called Little Red. She has turned out rather nice and as I am knitting fairytale characters (all the time) I have added her to the library. Click here for the pattern. Have fun if you are going to knit her, she is fun to make.

Another cutie I found in free downloads is this rabbit,made from a knitted square, can you believe that? Well it's true. When I saw it I wonder how you could possibly make this whole rabbit just by using a square. So I made one. Want to try the pattern? click here. Have fun.

I have a busy weekend so I must dash. I picked up the new edition of Handmade this morning, looks like the housework will have to wait! Have a wonderful weekend. Kind regards, Anita.

The Sewing shed

Every blade of grass has its Angel that

bends over it and whispers "Grow, grow."

The Talmud.

There's much excitement going on around here this weekend. The construction of my new sewing shed is happening. We started building yesterday and boy it was hot. In typical Mother Nature style, as soon as we were piecing the sections together, the wind started up. It was a bit tricky going for a while there, but eventually all the sides and roof were up and bolted. Today the weather is much cooler and the trimmings are going on the shed and the whole shed will be bolted down to the pad.

Pixie's little helper, Cory. Cory has just woken up but couldn't resist coming outside and inspecting the progress.

 During the week I found a cute bird pattern to knit and it was a free download, so I had to make one. Its name is sweet little bird and it certainly turns out sweet. Very quick and easy to make. Here is the link if you want to make this dear little bird.

 The eyes were done in black wool and using a french knot, the yellow beak is just felt stitched on. You could really do your own thing with it.

Today I am also going to drop off some knitted bootees to the local hospital. Just a while ago I made some beanies for the hospital and asked them if they would like some bootees as well. They were glad to receive them. You could check out your local hospital and see if they need anything. I know our hospital would take sewn cross-over tops, so you never know how you could help your local hospital.

The bootees are mostly the same pattern, however the pink smaller bootees at the front are a different pattern. I was please to have used up more wool and have almost used up the excess baby wool laying around my house. Well now, I am off to make a cooked breakfast for my hard working husband, just to make sure he knows how much I appreciate him  building the sewing shed. Enjoy what's left of this weekend and take care. Regards, Anita.



Animal crafts

This week I have been concentrating on making animals, oh and finishing my Christmas table runner. I did have a giggle at work this week, one of the teachers asked if these were pigs?

I'm sorry but I can see a ton of stirring starting up here. This crew at work don't take much to start up, so this is going to be great fun. I did snicker at the teacher after she had said that, and the mirth started up on the spot. We'll see where this leads us.

Heather came over to show me her frog, made from the latest Homespun magazine, left the magazine with me, and I couldn't help myself.

 

 

 

 

The frog below on the left is Heather's and I love the material she used. I found some green and white material for mine. Both of the frogs live at the library and have been carted around by the children.

 

I did manage to finish my Christmas table runner, that I must say, I'm very happy with how it turned out. It is quite long, over 100cm and sits well. I have taken it to work to use as part of my display.

Each end has a stitchery on it and as red is my favourite colour, it is done in red thread. I saw a table runner in the Homespun magazine and made my own design, using leftover pieces of Christmas material.

Today, I have already done some sewing, before even eating any breakfast. I have bags of scraps and over many months, stitching them up to make a table cloth. I now have to do some housework and feed the chooks. The weather here today is a bit iffy, dark clouds and patches of blue, it will be another one of those days. Take care and enjoy what is left of the weekend. Kind regards, Anita.