Kindle Cozy

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Jacinta

A dear friend celebrated her birthday last week with a craft evening.  I decided to make her Kindle a cover, aka, Kindle Cozy.  In my usual style, I was still sewing her gift an hour before I was meant to be at her birthday.  I made the pattern up as I went, using some Promenade by Riley Blake charm squares (I took some step by step photos so I can write up a tutorial).  The lining fabric was from my stash and it matched the fabric beautifully, in fact there is grey and white spotted fabric in the charm square pack.  It was so hard picking out the squares I liked the best and I can’t decide if I like the front or back of the cozy best.  The batting is cotton, so it has plenty of padding to keep the Kindle well protected.

Front of Kindle Cozy

Back of Kindle Cozy

Inside the Cozy

 

The evening was well spent celebrating our dear friend along with lots of fun, laughter, yummy food and some crafting of course.

Jacinta x

Posted in Craft, Sewing | 6 Comments

This Moment

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Jacinta

From Soulemama {this moment} – A Friday ritual (well I’m not sure if Amanda is ‘This Momenting’ today, but what the heck, I am in the habit). A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

I love your moments too.  So feel free to leave a link in the comment section for us all to see.  Have a beautiful weekend.  Jacinta x

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Getting Knitty

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Jacinta

It seems the knitting bug has now well and truly bitten me.  I finally got into the city this week and purchased my belated Mother’s Day gift.  A KnitPro interchangeable needle set.  I wasn’t sure whether to get the metal needles or the wooden, but after chatting to the girls at the store, they highly recommended the metal needles, so I decided to go with that.  However, I should have done my sums, as it would have been a little cheaper to purchase them separately, as the pack comes with a couple of extras, I don’t need and there are a couple of sizes not included, that I will need to purchase separately.  You live and learn.

I am yet to try them out, but will let you know once I have tried them out.  Jacinta x

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Yarn Along

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Jacinta

Joining in with Ginny from Small Things for yarn along.

I’ve been knitting Jairah’s Aksel vest this week.  It is knitting up really quickly, thanks to using magic loop.  I wrote a post earlier this week on how I feel so silly for not learning this method earlier.  I didn’t have the required yarn size the pattern called for, so I have used different sized needles and following the size 2 pattern instructions, I’m hoping for a size 4 outcome.  The pattern isn’t fantastically written .  There are a few typos and some of the instructions are a little vague.  May have to make a few etra notes on my Ravelry page once the vest is finished.

I’ve knitted a lot more since I took the picture this morning, but the sun sets now about 5.30pm, so I didn’t bother taking another picture, as the lighting will be wrong.

I’ve finally ordered some yarn (Ruby colour) for my next project, Tea Leaves cardigan, fingers crossed it will arrive before the weekend, as I want to make a start.

As for reading, I finished my kindle book, Growing Up Country: Memories of an Iowa Farm Girl, by Carol Bodensteiner.  It was a lovely read and I could relate to a lot of things she wrote about.  I can highly recommend it as a light, entertaining read.

Looking forward to seeing all your lovely creations.  Jacinta x

Posted in Craft, Knitting, Recommendations, Yarn Along | Tagged , , , | 19 Comments

A Gift For A Budding Cook

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Jacinta

Tenneille had a school friend’s party to go to on the weekend.  It was a cooking party, so we decided to make the gift kitchen themed.  I made the birthday girl an apron and added a cookbook and some muffin pans to complete the gift.  I had fun using the embroidery function on my sewing machine to add a little personal touch to the apron.

 

I didn’t use a pattern, but used one of my existing aprons as a guide.  I might write up a tutorial, as it was a fun and quick gift, that I might have to make again.

The party was a lot of fun.  The adults were well catered for with drink and nibbles provided, while our little budding chefs got stuck into some serious pasta wrangling.  Now, I have three more birthdays coming up this week in which I need to make gifts for.  Lets see if I can pull it off.  I still have to get a gift posted off to a friend’s son, whose birthday was back in April (hanging my head in shame Bec).  I seem to have an aversion to going to the post office, must get over that!

Jacinta x

Posted in Craft, Sewing | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Magic Loop

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Jacinta

Have you ever tried the magic loop method for knitting?  I can’t believe what I’ve been missing out on.  For some reason I was scared of trying out this method for knitting in the round, but I am so glad I got my knitty together and with the help of a youtube session I was on my way.  Now I’ve given it a go, it seems almost too easy!  Silly me.  I can’t tell you the amount of times I have put things in the too hard basket, only to find that once I’ve put my hand to whatever I’ve been avoiding, it has worked out to not be such a biggie.  Seriously, it is one of my life lessons.

My current knitting project is Askel.  It’s a cute hooded vest that will (hopefully) be for Jairah.  I didn’t have 5ply yarn in my stash, so I’m using 8ply.  I cast on with 3.75mm needles for the waistband then 4mm for the body and using the dimensions for size 2, I’m hoping for a size 4(ish) outcome.  It is knitting up really quickly and I attribute that to the magic loop method.  I’ve just finished the bands of colour in the the body of the vest, but it is too late to take a decent photo.  I will share more pictures on Wednesday for Yarn Along.  Till then, happy knitting.

Jacinta x

 

 

Posted in Craft, Knitting, Recommendations | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

This Moment

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Jacinta

From Soulemama {this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

I love your moments too.  So feel free to leave a link in the comment section for us all to see.  Have a beautiful weekend.  Jacinta x

Posted in Family Life, This Moment | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Yarn Along

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Jacinta

Joining in with Ginny from Small Things.

I am happy to say I have finished the cowl from last week and posted about it here.  Over the weekend I managed to cast on and finish a Raspberry Beret.  It was a quick knit.  The pattern was easy to follow and the beret is very cute.  However, the yarn I used wasn’t 10 ply like I had originally thought, but more like 12ply.  I used smaller needles that the pattern called for, as I had intended the beret for either Scarlett or Tenneille, but it fits me!  May try it again with some 8 ply yarn and see if I can get the right size for the girls.  The pattern is free and can be found on Ravelry.  The photos don’t really do it justice, it looks better on, but I couldn’t get a good picture wearing it.

As for reading, I still haven’t started the book I mentioned last week, instead I’m reading a kindle book (surprise, surprise!) called, Growing Up Country: Memories of an Iowa farm girl, By Carol Bodensteiner.  I’m only a few chapters in but I am loving it already.  Having spent my childhood in the country, I can relate to a lot of what has been written.  It seems country life is similar, no matter where you grow up.  I am looking forward to reading more of it tonight.

Looking forward to seeing everybody’s crafty loveliness and reading about your book reviews.  Jacinta x

Posted in Craft, Knitting, Recommendations, Yarn Along | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

A Perfect Button

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Jacinta

As mentioned in my previous post, I managed to find the perfect button for my Fear Of Commitment Cowl.  The button is glazed and made from coconut with hand painted flowers.  It matches the yarn perfectly.  I think I may have done some sort of giddy happy dance when I happend upon it.  I have already worn the cowl a couple of times and I am sure it will be worn a lot more come winter, seems it’s getting really cold now.

The button is looped together with elastic through a toggle button on the opposite side.  It means I can move the button around, depending on how I want to wear the cowl.  I love simple ideas like that.  Jacinta x

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Celebrations

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Jacinta

What a wonderful few days I have had.  My birthday was on Saturday, but we started celebrating the night before with Greg and I going out to dinner to a favourite restaurant.  It was such a treat to go out, just the two of us, to sit and chat and enjoy food I didn’t have to prepare.  Now it wasn’t just any meal either,  I’m talking, eyes-rolling-into-back-of-your-head kind.  Now my mouth is watering, just thinking about it.  If you are ever in the Dandenong Ranges, I can highly recommend Coonara Springs Restaurant.

Coonara Springs Restaurant

Saturday lunch was spent with some of my gorgeous friends at a local cafe.  We throughly enjoyed our time with much talk and a lot of laughter.  I think we need to get together more often.  After lunch we wondered to a near by yarn shop (what a coincidence) and I found the perfect button for my newly finished cowl (pics to come).  None of us were in a hurry to return to reality, so we all went back to my place for another cuppa and more talk (about knitting of course).  Many thanks to Greg, who had 5 kids in his care for the duration of our extended lunch.

My birthday bounty

Scarlett and Tenneille spent a good portion of Saturday afternoon decorating the birthday cake.  They were even fighting over the privilege at one stage, and then, of course, there were tears, ho hum.  I’m sure we could be part of a reality tv program at times!  But after all that, Scarlett has declared she wants the same cake for her birthday next year.  So it couldn’t be all bad.

The girls mater piece!

Sunday was Mother’s Day, so my family got to spread the love a little longer.  I enjoyed breakfast in bed and the girls made me special cards.  My day was mostly spent knitting, so what more could I have asked for.  Well ok, I’m thinking of getting Knit Pick interchangeable needles and some yarn to make Tea Leaves cardigan.  I bought the pattern for Tea Leaves 3 years ago, so I think it’s time I actually cast it on!  I’m thinking I might knit it in charcoal or maybe red.  Decisions, decisions.

Today I am feeling very blessed to have such wonderful friends and my sweet little family to make celebrating another year so very special.  If you were celebrating Mother’s Day this past weekend, I hope you felt the love and honour, because you are so worth it you gorgeous women.  Jacinta xx

 

Posted in Celebrations, Family Life, Recommendations | Tagged , , | 3 Comments