Renshaw - In Cavendish Blue

I promise to take some more photos of this once it's finished blocking but I really quite like it so I couldn't wait.

The pattern is from Crochet!Magazine and is the Web Bonus for September and is called the Copper Shoulder Wrap.
I knew as soon as I saw it I really wanted to make one. I have no idea why. I also knew immediately that I wanted it in a semi-solid blue.
Once I'd hunted down enough yarn I dyed it straight away and loved the colour.

The pattern worked up quite quick and easily although I struggled over how to join the trim and in the end I sewed it on, which works really well with this yarn.
I'm lightly blocking at the moment, to sort out the trim.
I have lots of left over yarn. I still love the colour, I still love the pattern.

Oh and I named it in honour of my favourite Tour rider - even with his early departure, and the name of the colour just seemed to fit too.

Le Maillot Rouge

In my crafting side trip I had to take a side trip. I was off at the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show for a couple of weeks in July - ok I wasn't at the show for a couple of weeks, just 3 days, but the couple of weeks leading up to it I was down visiting with Mum and there was just no time to knit.

An-nee-way I'm back on track and the vest is whizzing along. I needed another ball of red and picked that up while I was away too.

So here it is... I've got the bands to do - my favourite part... NOT! And then I think I'm foolishly attempting the impossible, I'm going to try and embroider Thomas the Tank Engine on the front.
The Little Man has asked for a blue vest too. Unless the embroider goes like a dream I hope he's happy with just a blue one.

Vive la France!

I haven't caught up on all my crafty activities for June (or the end of May even) but I wanted to side track.

I'm... ummm, how do I put it? knitting for France? Well not really, I'm knitting along with the Tour de France I guess is the way to describe it.

This is my second year of watching the Tour de France and by watching I mean getting really involved - understanding what's going on, supporting teams and riders, oh and taking note of the scenery of course. (In fact the scenery last night was upsetting my knitting!)

Last year I supported Cadel Evans and his team - but this year I am supporting Team HTC Columbia. Why? Well they have a few Aussies riding and of course they have the very large ego-ed Mark Cavendish, but mostly I am watching to support Mark Renshaw.

Apart from the fact I actually went to primary school with a Mark Renshaw (not the same one) I think he is one incredibly devoted team player. He rides his heart out through the race, supporting his team members (this was in evidence last night) and then tows Cav to the front of the peloton, rides his heart out and Cav screams past him to (hopefully) take the sprint finish. I seriously hope he's paid a lot of money and really appreciated.

Anyway, riding aside, I have too much on my plate for TdF this year - I decided I'd make DS a vest with Thomas the Tank Engine on the front (he seems to like wearing vests), I'm also half way through a gorgeous crocheted shoulder wrap that I thought I'd do to wear to Bendigo and I have my tea cosy to finish for the competition.

To top all that off I am having a stall at Bendigo and I need to be ready for that.
Oh, and the kids are on school holidays so I need to keep them amused during the day.

This is all fine but the TdF starts at 10pm here in the Eastern States of Aus. So I'll pretty much be bleary eyed for the next 3 weeks. It's all in a good cause and by the end of the race I'm so much into it that I feel withdrawal when it's all over. :o(

This year I decided I might do some progress shots, just so you and I can both see I'm getting something done.



Last night I cast on (twice) for the vest. I've been tossing up for the last week about colours, but the little man has said he wants a red vest and I was trying to put green around it, but not sure I have enough. When I found the navy I thought it might work.
Originally I was going to knit it flat and try and do some intarsia, but I have since decided I'd knit it in the round and sew the picture on the front. As I haven't yet knit intarsia I figured this might be a less stressful option and actually mean the top gets finished.
I'm planning on making on Thomas one and one James one - so maybe I'll intarsia the next one.

See you tomorrow.

Craft Day Cupcake

When I get the chance I've been going to a craft morning at a local church on Tuesday mornings.
Just lately life has overtaken this, but I will get back.

One day we made these cute cupcake pincushions!


Often I just go and knit or crochet though, it's uninterrupted time to get something done.

It will be a tea cosy... one day

For this years entry into the Morpeth Tea Cosy competition our Group is making a tea cosy garden.
I've got my cosy bit sort of finished.
Just have to get a move on with the flowers.
I had grand plans for the competition this year, too many other things have interfered, next year may be.

Voila! A baby jacket

When I saw this pattern I really wanted to make one.
One of the ladies in the Crochet Lovers Victoria Group on Ravelry was having a baby, so what better opportunity.

I'm sure I had grand plans of dyeing some yarn, I can't remember now because when I was going through my stash I found some left over stuff from a jumper I made my DS (which is still not finished as I didn't think it was good enough then, but looking at it now it's fine).

It's 4ply baby wool, but doubled. The white has a little acrylic in it I think. They were both a joy to work with though.

I love the way you go round and round and end up with this messy hexagon...
... which turns quite neatly into one side of the little jacket.
I procrastinated putting the collar on, I thought it would be terribly complicated, but it wasn't at all!
I sewed a flat joining seam up the back and single crochet along the top of the sleeves.

Here it is before I blocked it.
And the end result.
No idea if it fits. It might be a little too big, but as the recipient is in Melbourne he might be able to wear it a little later in the year as well.

It was pretty cute when it was finished and nearly 3yo DS wanted to keep it for him.
He even decided he was still a baby so he could wear it. :o) I didn't try it on him. I'm planning something else for him instead.

Old Bus Depot Markets - May

May was the Wool Festival at the Old Bus Depot Markets in Canberra - you can see more photos of my stall over here.
I'll also be at The Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show in July.