Back to the Cardigan

With all commissions finished and my own projects done, not sure what to do next, so I pulled out the cardigan that I have been working on while I think of what to do next.

Punk Santas

I made these three punks two years ago for the Christmas window at Can Do Books when we were making Santa Gnomes.  I had fun with these.

Blackberry Solar Dyeing

After a week outside in quite a lot of sun and then not much at all.  I brought in the jar of yarn I was solar dyeing in blackberry.  When I first mixed the concoction it was purple, when the yarn went in it was orange, and now it is all finished and washed the yarn is a lovely pink and the ric rac is a deeper pink/purple.  Really love natural dyeing.

Under the Westgate Bridge

On Saturday Piers' work had their Christmas Party.  It was held in a park in Port Melbourne and we walked there.  We caught the punt to get across the river, then through parklands to the party.  It was about an hour door to park, with a bit of a wait for the punt to come across and get us.  It was a very nice party although Melbourne threw up one of those quite cold days in November.  After the party we walked to Station Pier, caught the tram into the city, then the train home.

One of the Reindeer from Last Year

  



This is one of my favourite reindeer I made for last year's Christmas window at Can Do Books.  It was a challenge to learn and understand the patterns from this lovely book.  I also think I had a lot going on in my head, so it was particularly challenging, and several re-starts were made.  It got to the point where I wrote each line out because I found the chart so confusing.
I made the cape first, then sized the reindeer to fit, so he is a little taller than the other reindeer.

Solar Dyeing

I put this jar of yarn and some ric rac out on Monday when it was 39 degrees.  The next couple of days were cooler, but still warm, then in typical Melbourne weather we have had a couple of cold days.  Not sure how long to leave it out, hoping for some nicer days.  It is actually a blackberry dye bath with citric acid mordant. It was purple right up until I put the yarn in.  So the dishwashing liquid I washed the yarn in before changed the ph level of the water and now it is orange/pink.

A Forest of Little Trees

There are tall ones, short ones, fat ones, skinny ones, crochet and felt.  The bases are from stringybarksupplies.com and the twigs from our nature strip on a windy day.

Shop Christmas Decorations

  

  

  

  

The little reindeer are scattered in various places around Can Do Books.  They will soon be up on the bookstore's website for sale.  Thank you Stephanie for letting me play in your lovely bookshop.

It's Today

The reindeer are off to Can Do Books to spread Christmas Cheer.  There are 60 small Reindeer and 4 larger ones.  There isn't a shop front window as such, so the reindeer will be around the store amongst the books.  The reindeer are for sale and I will update with information on how to buy the little sweeties.

And the Fourth Reindeer

This is a cream alpaca yarn wearing the Koolaid jumper and beanie I knitted.

And Another

This larger reindeer is wearing a little knitted cardigan and a scarf with pop poms.

Next Large Reindeer

This one is cream with the same colour knitted scarf.

A Bigger Reindeer

I made four other larger reindeer that will be on display with the other little reindeer.  I made them earlier in the year.  They are approximately 42cm tall.  This one has a lined felt coat.  I posted about the coat when I made it.

Little Kitty Diversion

  

A bit of a change from reindeer, I made a little cat on Piers' request.  He has Spanish lessons at work every Thursday afternoon and the teacher is a cat lady, particularly black cats.  So a little Christmas present for the teacher.  The pattern is by June Gilbank of PlanetJune and is about 12cm high

Different Personalities

  

  

  

Amazing how much personality you can get from some yarn, wire and beads.  Theres reindeer have all been made by me, if other people make the little reindeer pattern, they would all be different again.

A Forest of Bottlebrush Trees

I bought some more bottlebrush trees at the weekend, so I got out all the trees I have for an inspection.  Tossed out all the weirdly shaped and ratty ones.  Love bottlebrush trees.

Advent Calendar

I'm so organised this year:  Christmas cards are done and I put together an advent calendar for both Piers and Mitchell.  I used to do an advent calendar for Mitchell, but stopped when he turned 18.  I thought I would do one this year for a bit of fun and include Piers.

Reindeer Photo Shoot

  

Setting something up so I can photograph each reindeer.  The off-white paper seems to get closer to the actual colour of the reindeer rather than the contrast of white.

Pecan Pie

  

Made dessert last night.  A Patti Jinich recipe which has dulce de leche (homemade because I couldn't find it at the shops) and chocolate.  It was delicious, but I think it will be one of those things that will taste even better today.

Past Christmas Cards

Since card making is in full swing, I was thinking about cards I had made on other Christmases.  I made these pop-up trees in 2011.  I made them from something I saw on Martha Stewart, but made them smaller.  I wasn't in the habit of photographing everything at the time, so there are only a few and not of the finished card.  These trees are waiting to be attached to the card base.

Some of the Detail

  

The Italian Boyfriend's suitcase has tiny stickers.  Printed on paper, covered in contact, then glued onto the case.  On the Power Station ball, the workers all had their ID on.  I used the original photo, made it incredibly small, laminated the sheet and cut them out.  I have a hole punch that makes a very small hole.

Christmas Shop Decoration

Yesterday was Sit & Stitch at Can Do Books yesterday.  I made one of these reindeer and did most of the other while there, then finished them off when I got home.
The shop will be decorated with the little reindeer later this month.  They will all be available to buy through Can Do Books.  Will have all the information closer to the date, prices, postage, etc.  Only a couple of weeks away, better get moving.

Pretty Flower

I had a doctors appointment last week and on my walk there I spotted this lovely flower.  It is growing on one of those re-enforced box of rocks.  Only four petals and the centre is not flat, it has undulations.  It will look great when it covers the whole construction.

Christmas Cards

Let the making begin.

Back to Reindeer

Although I am also trying to work out what my Christmas cards will be this year.

Baby Bird

  

Our backyard was quite busy yesterday, a baby blackbird.  The nest was in the neighbour's garage and there are two babies.  One was on the fence between our properties but mostly in their yard, and one spent the day in our yard.  Something very cute about oversized feet and no tail.

Antique Lace

  

  

  

  

We went for a drive to Geelong yesterday and I had a rummage around the Antiques & Collectables shop.  I found these pieces of old lace.  I am quite sure they are all handmade.  A couple of fragments, doilies, two handkerchiefs, a collar, and two very sweett little doll aprons (I think that is what they are).   Not sure what I will do with the pieces, I do know they are in need of some TLC.