this moment
a friday ritual
one photograph from my week
x
Tag Archives: craft
Riva Del Mare {a mama knit}
I recently completed this beautiful Riva Del Mare shawl.
finally knitting something for myself and lady it’s had a lot of wear and a lot of admiration.
the delicate lacy knit has a leaflike pattern along the outer edge which appealed to me. i haven’t done masses of lace projects, but i enjoy the concentration needed and turning lines of gobbledeegook code into something oh so gorgeous!
i may make those socks one day mama…
i ended up test knitting the pattern for Joan and enjoyed it so much I will use it as one of the patterns in my Introduction to lace knitting workshop {for adventurous beginners} at Weave in Bellingen in November. don’t be scared. adventure beyond knit and purl into the holey land of lacery…
can you even guess the piece begins at the top centre and you knit in a ever increasing arc? so clever!!!
Joan appreciated my photographs so much she has featured them on her pattern! That was exciting for me! you can see them here.
fun fun fun
i have found the small kerchief a very satisfying size project! i;m looking for another…
might be the thing for that ball of Canadian handspun…
thanks to my beautiful model, you know who you are x
ps i even blocked it! i’ve never done that before….. proper good one knitter now!
fisherman pullover & little scallops
I began and completed the little fisherman pullover in Tasmania earlier in the year but lo and behold here it finally is. documented proof i can make a pullover on round needles! hooray!
i am gradually progressing to more complex and larger items of knitting which is sensible isn’t it?
these original shots from Tassie are so adorable! look at that long golden hair.. all gone now…
and remembering to use the pattern as a guide, don’t stress out about a stitch here or there i say… or a row of knit instead of purl…
i made the sleeves short so he can wear it two thirds of the year instead of just the few cold months.
the fisherman pullover was knit from hand spun, plant dyed alpaca found in the salamanca market Hobart.
it can be accessorised in many ways…. tractor and wings, or drum and no pants….
beautiful fluffy yarn. hot tip, berry berry fluffy so don’t use for smaller children as they tend to eat the fluff stuff.
beautiful though. and cleverly made too large to get some good wear from it!
Cedar calls it his ‘packa’
Yes thats my own designed Windy Day Bonnet above… still fits!!
here’s another windy day bonnet for a little English Rose
and then the little scallops beanie. inspired by Fox’s Lane
intended for the 3rd birthday but came in a day late as i had to make and unravel three times to get the sizing right. yep third time lucky. {next time just follow the pattern Rosi} i knit quite loosely and my things stretch quickly too big so i try to compensate. this knit taught me how to carry over colors when making patterns, fun!
took a while to get the tension right. check out my progress
cuties! Lily has on her Perfect Beret
what are you knitting?
I can’t decide what to make next… i have one ball of divine turquoise blend hand dye 4 ply which Jesse got me in Canada years ago i am ready to use! any ideas… {he will now get me multiple balls of yarn the clever man}
Baby Babushka toy {a tutorial}
A babushka doll made for baby D by Lily
An easy soft stuffed toy, easily modified or decorated at your whim.
Lily created this doll one day while we visited friends, it really didn’t take long and she was proud of her efforts.
{i am learning to stay out of the way of her inspirations more and more as her skills develop
and i know she is capable to see it through}
Begin with two large rectangles of felt fabric and a scrap for a face circle
needle and strong thread of various colours
fluffy wool to stuff it
half a cup of rice or similar large grain to fill the bottom of the body
sketch a babuska-esque pattern, fold in half and trim the shape to mirror each side
trace this pattern onto your two felt rectangles {front and back of body}
cut out a circular piece in contrasting colour to become the face,
stitch the face circle into position with small neat stitches around the edge
adorn her with features, hair, etc at this point
lay front piece on top of the back and begin stitching around the body, Lily began at a shoulder and left the head open to stuff the body
pour the grain into the base of the doll so she will stand up
fill the rest with fluffy wool
stitch up your last opening
adorn as you wish, with embroidery, buttons or fabric clothing etc
gift it to a little person who will surely enjoy chewing on the arms….
Felt Animal Eggy Cosy or Toy {tutorial}
I bought my second ever Frankie magazine to enjoy while having long soaks in this great claw foot bathtub here~!
the first one i bought because the cover image was completely embroidered tiny replicas of everyday items did you see that one?
anyway, somewhere in it’s depths {the mag not the bath} I found an article about Eggy Cosy Critters and was inspired to felt craft with Lily.
She completely was not interested, {oh poor me, I’ll have to do it myself….;)}
until it turned out too small for an egg and I gave it up to be transformed to her liking! I think you will like the end result! I’m wondering which friend she is planning to give it too…
Here are some guidelines if you’d like to make your own or similar…
We started with 2 rectangles of wool felt fabric 7cm H x 8cm W {bigger if you want to put a real hen egg under it, you could always run another stitch line in closer}
and some scraps for ears. I used craft glue to detail the ears.
make sure you cut the ears with an added 1cm bottom length as it will tuck between the two larger pieces.
embroider on a cutesy whiskery face…
lay the ears on top of the backing, then place the face on, secure with pins and stitch about 3mm from the edge leaving the bottom open.
ahh soooo cute! but too small mumsy… Another possibility at this point is to pop a couple of holding stitches between the fingers and make a finger puppet… or two or three…
so I surrender it over to Lily and she creates….
with a couple of nifty outfits…
this girl could be a fairy’s dressmaker…
have fun with this** i’d love to see a pic if you make one…
ps had a nap, had a massage, had a hug, had some friendly phone calls, feeling better 🙂
thankyou for your support lovely people
Our Easter in Autumn Story
on Easter eve we are visiting friends on the journey north from Sydney. The children go out in the sunset pink to cut grass to line the easter basket and to feed the Easter hare
while they cut I retell an Easter story about the journey of the Easter hare and the purpose of the eggs as i have adopted it from this great book. Easter in Autumn. i deeply enjoy storytelling without a book in front of me as i took the time to learn the story and make it my own. They are both captivated and i feel peaceful with this serene wash of calm coming over me as i bask in the moment and the beauty of the simple now-ness and connection we are sharing. i am inspired to learn more stories to tell.
this basket was woven in Arnhem land, jesse gifted it to Lily on return of his trip there last year. {i got a lady version for my birthday}
the light is soft and pastelly and embracing and look below, it hints to the sky of the dawn…
Lily and I have made a date to silently watch the sunrise on Easter morn.
we are camped by a river and the light bounces from the water in a myriad of pastel delicacies..
Pelicans join us and we are gifted this close observation of a much loved bird
Lily points out the Pelican has made a heart with it’s own reflection
i resolve to make more dates with Lily, the peace of simply being together touches us both deeply. It is grounding and loving and sets us up for a rich connection through the day.
finally a golden peep through the clouds melts the dew from waxy leaves
a new day
a new beginning
as we walk back we pick golden sunny flowers to decorate the bus and the easter baskets, glistening with dew
Cedar and Jesse are awake and after the children exclaim over the gifts from the Easter hare in their baskets, they go outside with a poem of clues to find the Easter treasures
oh whats under here??
skip to a quick ant bite interlude….
then the treasure hunt is back on….
looking looking looking, Lily can see the silver paper on the tyre and is encouraging Cedar to find it and giggling about his looking but not seeing… i remember Lily at this age needing very obvious eye level treasures to find… 
I found it!!
and up here Cedar!
i am wondrous to see Lily turn the seeking into a game for Cedar in which she is showing and helping him in a thoughtful way, instead of rushing around claiming all the treasure. it reveals the change out of early childhood i am seeing into a less selfconcerned world view. beautiful.
the treasure is in and unwrapped and eaten.
after struggling in the night with my staunch anti chocolate stance, i realise the experience of my uptight stress is less beautiful than the joy the children will have when unwrapping 2 squares of organic chocolate before breakfast!
and it was fine, and they were so happy, and they did not have sugar meltdowns!
it’s good to let go a little now and then. but yes i am pretty strict about sweets in our own home and prefer to savour these type of treats for specials.
later in the day we prepare eggs to decorate and enjoy an omelette for lunch
you may know how already but here
the simple steps to blow eggs ready for decoration and hanging
use a large pin to pierce one end of an egg, i use a series of punctures in close proximity to open a 2mm hole, repeat on the opposite end and remember to have a bowl ready to catch your egg insides {make an omelette or cake…}
apply your lips and lungs to the task of blowing a stream of egg insides to the outside. rinse by submersing in water and blowing out once more. towel dry and there they are, light and ready to decorate. we often use water colour pencils or paints, or dye with onion skin…
in the weeks coming up to Easter i scout around town for white shelled eggs.. {In Bellingen they are sold at the Providore from a local farmer….} this year we had little choice as we travelled…
the easter bounty which the children are happy happy happy with
during our afternoon drive i watch Lily singing out the window like a puppy with her face in the wind…
i imagine her reflecting on the day and she is singing her happiness to the world…
some sweet sweet moments in our day
blessings and happy new beginning to us all…
Wool winding
Wind up the thread now
Wind up the wool
Twist it turn it
Til it’s full
‘lily’s composition this morning’
New skeins of yarn from The Woolly Jumper in Tasmania
Hand spun and dyed alpaca. Lovely.
I put the skein over my feet and keep it tangle free as it goes over to Cedar or Lily who spin my new Royal wool winder and sing.
And very soon we have lovely centre pull balls of yarn ready for a project…
I am very pleased with my op shop find for $10 and now will look out for an umbrella swift to make the job a single handed option.
I first used a wool winder last year while I visited my family in WA. and am again delighted at how easy this tool makes wool winding! Hooray!!
unfortunately now I will need lots and lots of skeins of wool to make good use of it…
Xx
What tool have you which makes your work easier, speedier or more fun?
Open your heart
Happy valentines
May we enjoy happiness and joyous love in our hearts
May we share our love generously
Blessings
Xx
Waking up to…
Early morning craftings
A little one joins in with big stitches
A big one guides (and bosses)
Together creating a new day of play and friendship
(and a lot of mama love and gladness)
Cedar is making his first stitches on big weave hessian with tapestry wool and a big blunt needle, held on a little wooden embroidery hoop. Everything cost less than $10 from second hand shops except the needle! Kids up to about 12 like this pleasing art of free embroidery or drawing a picture first then stitching it. Actually even I still like this craft…
We sing
up up up I sew,
then down down down I go
To the up down stitching motion, so Cedar now has added up and down to his little vocabulary!
This moment
This moment
A friday ritual
an extraordinary simple moment from my week
in the glow of our solstice eve bonfire
Xxx
RosaLindenTree 