Lucky

That's the name of my little dog.

And she want's to go and meet some bears at the picnic today

She was created by Lesa Cowin of Lesa's Bears and I was fortunate enough to adopt her at a bear show in Berwick a few years ago.

She is such a sweetie and has glass beads in her belly making her very pose able. She is bringing her bone and hopes that someone will join her in a game of fetch.

To see who else is picnicking today check with our hostess Melody.

Lucky is testing a new project I am working on - will reveal the finished items soon.

Hope you are all having a lovely Sunny Thursday.

Okay so now it is Friday and Blogger has finally decided that I am allowed to play again so I am sharing this now, We really were out picnicking in the sunshine Thursday.

Yarn goodness

Busy with yarn and hook putting together this collar and mittens set.

The yarn is a lovely golden brown colour, I know it doesn't look like that in the picture, as it is a tencel mix it is very soft and snuggly.

The gorgeous green bamboo yarn became this pretty froggie dishcloth.

The pattern for this is a freebie over at frogiez place - she has lots of other free knit patterns there too just check the list on the side bar. It was very easy to follow and turned out just like the picture - amazing really.

I started on some more mitts today at my craft group, this time in a pretty mohair mix, I want to keep them for me but these are all contributions for family birthday season.

Hope there is some snuggly warmth in your world this week.

Sewing on Sunday

I declare today a productive sewing day!

Finished another of the Kristen Doran designs,

and actually made something with it.

Mounted with matching red ric rac.

Then I played with some crochet flowers and buttons,

oh, and little left over chambray.

Back pocket

Front.

Now I have two new gadget pouches almost done.

The Fronts

and the backs with a pocket.

Just need to finish the button closures and these two will be done.

It was a lot of fun playing in the sewing room and I have finally started on the gifts for family birthday season starting Now!

Playing along with the ladies in the Sunday pyjama party go on over and see who else got to play today.

Hope your Sunday was a fun one whatever you got up to.

Who's picnicking today?

But it's cold out mum - I can feel in my nose.

Hurry up or we'll miss the fun.

Quick let's get out to meet the others while the sun is showing her face.

Okay, yes you can wear the new shawl.

Cuddles is a very reluctant picnicker today, probably has something to do with the cold breeze coming under the door.

See who else is braving the elements for a little picnic fun today.

Hope you're snug where you are.

Night Magic...

is the name of my creation for the Hottie Challenge.

I was thinking glamour on a 'Hot' Night.

I enjoyed the challenge of putting the pretty flowers to good use and I think they portray what I imagined.

All the different designs I have seen so far are amazing and reminds me that no matter what the project everyone creates an individual piece.

I am so looking forward to the display of all the Hotties - you will find them at Open Drawer in Melbourne July 1-24 hope you get a chance to take a look.

Thanks to MsCurlyPops for organising the blogger group entry.

Wishing you some heat in your evening.

Almost...

but not quite.

I just needed to start something new first.

A little green knitting with the softest bamboo thread.

Late last week I went visiting a few yarn stores looking for something to fill the colour gap in the incomplete challenge project. I got to pat lots of lovely yarns most of which I successfully left where they were - I now know where to go for an excellent selection!

My mission was successful though I found something with the right tones in the same ply so I just had to start the next bit to ensure it fit in nicely - I'm very happy with the match.

And the almost done challenge from a very different angle.

Okay so now it's time for a little social crafting, I wonder what I will work on there?

Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine today - stay warm.

Hot Flowers

Making a change from cool breezes!

All will be revealed just as soon as I sew in a few dozen thread tails.

Hope your weekend was warm with lots of time for creating.

Mistea

Yay it's picnic day - I grabbed my scarf and hitched a lift, my legs are really short.

I'm off in search of cake!

Look I'm going on the train.

Lucky it wasn't crowded.

I got a seat all to myself.

Mmmmm - yummy chocolate cake just for me!

Hope you all enjoy the picnic today.

A mouse, presents and a new challenge

One of the surprises in the goody bag at Daylesford Craft Experience was a pincushion, there were a variety of designs and I just happened to get this super cute mouse. I really like her and she is a welcome addition to the sewing room, but I am not happy that she has invited her real cousins to come and hang out here too!

I won this charm pack over at Melody's a couple of weeks ago and it came with the cutest bumble bee buttons and chocolate bugs. Thanks Melody.

I may just enjoy looking at these fabrics for a while they are all too cute.

While visiting the old people on the weekend, The Mother showed me this incomplete project which had been left at the OpShop where she volunteers.

A quick look in the bag which contained multiple skeins of yarn, a completed back and two fronts as well as the pattern book with the design and I decided I would attempt to finish it.

A closer look at the contents revealed that one colour is missing. The exact yarn is no longer available but I am thinking that as the design is in multiple colours, if I can get something similar I will attempt to complete it.

The yarn used is Alice Stanmore, Scottish Heather from Jamieson Spinning Shetland Islands.

Hope you are warm and cosy wherever you are.

Hooking good times

Still making flowers, this time from the gorgeous red cotton I recieved from Liri, I need quite a lot of these so just doing a few everyday making a nice stack.

The cooler weather had me reaching in the yarn stash for this gorgeous mohair mix, Studio from Cleckheaton, to make a shawlette for myself.

The design is the South Bay Shawlette from Lion brand yarns it is a simple two row pattern and works up really quickly.

Lovely, light yet warm wrap.

Thursday last I took a train trip to the City to meet a friend from the country, I grabbed some yarn and a hook and whipped up this pair of mitts on my trip. These are super warm and toasty and leave the fingers free for working.

Patternless - simple rectangle design with thumb hole and a little finishing, now I'm ready for more winter adventures.

Hope the sun is shining in your part of the world.

Presenting Evidence

that I remember how to stitch.

This became...

this coaster.

The instructions said to use the thread and fabric enclosed, it didn't say I couldn't add to it.

Last Saturday at Daylesford Craft Experience I stitched this gorgeous design from Kristen Doran - very easy as it was printed on the fabric all I needed to do was choose colours and thread the needle.

Oh and most of the red you see is printed, I am not that neat at stitching.

One day I will include it in something, but for now it is stitched.

Lots of other gorgeous designs to dream about creating but no further action in the sewing room at this time.

I have been busy with hook and yarn again this week and will have some things to show soon.

Have a fabulous weekend - hope the sun shines on you where ever you may be.

Favourite things

What I want to share as my favourite today is all my creative friends both real and 'imaginary' (those would be the ones I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting).

This week has been a lot about the special people out there who encourage me through their own writings on blogs and in print, and through the comments they leave on my posts here.

I received two special packages this week -

after winning a give away over at RicRac

I got this big box (the box is way out of proportion to the contents and surely if they are going to pay for all this space they could have filled it with something more interesting than bubble wrap) containing

Nikki's new book - see here it is.

Now I have had the pleasure of meeting both these lovely ladies who are very generous in sharing their knowledge and tricks.

After a recent post I had a generous offer from Liri to share with me some threads that she had no use for and these lovelies arrived in my mailbox this week.

Let me just say I have begun with the big red ball and am enjoying using this gorgeous thread, all should be revealed soon I hope.

Thanks ladies for sharing so generously.

Now this here is a picture of something I have been working on - I'll get a clearer one to share later but the creative friendly goodness continues this weekend as I am off to the Daylesford Craft Experience with some real life stitchy friends.

The guest designers for the weekend are Jodie, Melly and Kristen - should be lots there to inspire me to pick up a sewing needle again.

There may be some stitching with needle and thread this weekend, but I guess I'll have to wait and see?

You can see who else is playing favourites today here.

Have a fabulous weekend however you choose to spend it.

Miss Milly...

got her hat and scarf on ready to venture out for the first winter picnic today. Oh, she's bringing the honey pot and is very willing to share or trade sweets.

Interesting that she decided it was her turn today as she is related to both Timmy and Ruby.

The pattern used is Muffin designed by Gerry Warlow, the same as the one I used for Timmy and the fabric is the leftovers from making Ruby. It is a very soft curly mohair and the paw pads are velvet, the colour is a deeper red than I can get in the photographs.

The sun is shining out there and I hope we meet lots of other picnickers.