Thank you so much for being wonderful and sharing your own moments or just understanding. I still havent heard anything so I expect I won't now. We just suck these things up dont we. Moving on.
I hope you have a beautiful weekend. School goes back on Monday. Woohoo!!
Nope.
That was not me ; )
Aaand....the gratuitous baby photo. This little bug is getting more and more fun. He is giggling at his big brothers here. Lifes a party.
xxx
Firstly the stickers.
Just after christmas we took a drive up to Brisbane and spent the day at the galleries. They are set along the river with the library in between and it is so beautifully laid out I instantly wanted to live there. Just so I could sit on the grass by the river and step inside a gallery. Priorities in tact I'd say.
We went up to look at the Matisse exhibition which was wonderful. The exhibition is of his drawings which was quite interesting to see with the boys. We were counting how many lines he could draw a face in at one point. When you come out, they have a drawing space set up with life models, violinists seranading everyone and people everywhere sketching. They also have drawing tablets which is a terrific idea for our digital age children. Everywhere you were you could draw a still life or a model and, for those who had not brought their own sketching equipment with them, they had clipboards, paper and pencils around the room. I have honestly never been to an exhibition so well thought out before. Even the cafe was set up for sketching, reading his books and sipping a coffee. Magnificent.
Afterwards we wondered into this room by Yayoi Kasuma. Every adult was instantly transformed back into a child as we grabbed sticker sheets and set about covering every surface we could find. Tall adults were happily popping stickers on te ceiling. We had to be checked at the exit though for stickers as you werent allowed to remove them from the space. Even if they were stuck to your bottom from the piano stool as Henry discovered.
The childrens book illustrators exhibition was on at the Library too so we had a full and inspiring day.
When we came back outside to the real world, we were greeted by this cloud mountain rising above the Art Gallery. We had never seen anything like it. It was thick and solid. Quite fantastic.
And now our baby who looks so much fuller than he did that week away. These photos were taken over the last few days. His last days as a nine week old I might add. Today he hit double digits.
I honestly have not taken his ten week photo yet as when he's awake I spend that time pulling faces and singing and being a completely smitten mother. Its a miracle anything gets done around here with this little bug of ours.
And he would sleep anywhere. Yesterday he had an entire nap being held and passed around by my friends up at the park. Any cuddle is a good cuddle clearly. And he is getting squishy bits! He's over 5 kilos (about 11.7 pounds) now so it wont be long before he is literally twice the baby we brought home from hospital.
I'm knitting another Milo. The lovely grey one is a little bit like trying to put him in sausage casing now.
xxx
We started out with a shiny polyester satin camouflage print.We ended up with linen. Close call.
I rather suspect that he chose this because he knew I would like it but I also know for sure that he likes it so thats ok. I never thought he would want the spots on the outside though.
This boy of mine is very opinionated. He even chose the top stitch thread.
Then he inisited that it be big enough for his Macbook Air.
He doesnt have a Macbook Air.
He says its a matter of time and given that he will have the bag for, like, ever it needs to fit.
We compromised and made it to fit his Tintin book collection. I suspect that he will like Tintin for, like, ever too. Win.
He then had me make the straps too long so that when he is fully grown I can lengthen them. Yup.
This is fabulous. If you need to know how to treat different fabrics and you're after some practical and fun projects for those fabrics then I think you will get a lot of use out of this book.
In the front you will find stitch charts, tension advice and foot information. There is also a fabric cheat sheet for quick reference and a page of tool and equipment must haves. So handy to have in the one place.
The book is divided into fabric types with each section packed full of projects suited to the particular fabrics which means that when you get to the flannel section you will find yourself overcome with desire to whip up this squishy friend!
I love that the way Tatty Duck was phototgraphed for the book looks as though it might have been a photo I've taken for this blog. Its great to see her on the page!
The projects in here cover clothes, toys, homewares and accessories. There are SO many that you are sure to find some to suit you and all the patterns are in a pocket at the front of the book. I think the book is a really nice layout with easy to follow instructions.
I hope you enjoy it.
A huge thank you to Rebecca and Patricia for asking me to be a part of this book!
Here are some more reviews from contributers:
12/12/2011 Becka's Project Journal
12/13/2011 Craft Buds
12/14/2011 Patch Work Duck Designs
12/15/2011 A Spoonful of Sugar
12/15/2011 Nifty Kids Stuff
12/15/2011 Becka's Project Journal
12/16/2011 Nom Nom Nom
12/16/2011 Quaint and Quirky
12/17/2011 ikatbag
12/17/2011 Two Brown Birds
12/18/2011 Sharon Sews
12/19/2011 LBG Studios
12/19/2011 Carolina Fair Designs
12/19/2011 Under Construction
12/20/2011 Little Blue Cottage
12/21/2011 Craftzine
12/21/2011 Neuroses Galore
12/21/2011 Emily Steffen
12/22/2011 Jenna Lou Loves You
12/23/2011 Spincushion
12/27/2011 One Inch World
12/28/2011 Sew Sew Etc.
12/29/2011 While Tangerine Dreams
12/30/2011 Studio Cherie
January ’12 Fiberosity
January ’12 Zuhause
January ’12 Obsessively Stiching
January ’12 No Bad Days
January ’12 Craft & Cackle
January ’12 AfricanKelli
Fabric-by-Fabric One-Yard Wonders © by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins, Photography © by Tara Donne with permission from Storey Publishing.
This time in linen which was both a good idea and a silly one.
Good because I like the weight and that the seeves hold their shape. I also like the soft worn look of linen when its a bit crinkled.
Silly because of the transparency and the fact that the body holds its shape thereby risking me heading skyward in a gust of wind like Mary Poppins umbrella.
Hmmm.
I lengthened the body by a couple of inches this time and the sleeves too. I also replaced the sleeve elastic with a binding edge to match the neckline. I then dropped the neckline by two inches and added an inch across the back neck.
I think I'm going to get some voile and try blouse number three. It is a very comfortable and easy style.
#Dont forget to pop back later for my review of the new One Yard Wonders book
God I love him to pieces. To the moon and back Charlie
XX
The school summer holidays are flying by over here. Some days are full to the brim with activities and others are what Henry calls 'pajama days'. Sometimes a day will start out as a pajama day them morph into a busy social afternoon and evening.Its nice.
I discovered I have a need for blouses again. Pretty things that are breastfeeding friendly so I turned to the Stylish Dress Book by Yoshiko Tsukiori. It was a very fast make. Now thats got to tick some boxes surely.
I'm quite happy with the result though I made the size ten ( US 4-6 ), which usually would be plenty, yet its a little narrow across the shoulders. I will be making more so I'll have to remember to adjust that. I also think I will drop the neckline a bit.Maybe pop in a placket.
Somebody turned eight weeks on friday. He is beginning to wonder why his mother keeps squishing him into this chair I'm sure.
He coos, chats, chuckles and grins like a monkey. An absolute joy.
I also began a table runner with some small strips of fabric I had. Just because. I think the oilcloth might be glad of the break and it will be nice to see the wood again.
Having never ever made a star block before, and totally winging it , I think they worked. Lets call the table runner the guinea pig. A couple more and then I can put them together.
I have been looking lustily at the Swoon quilt for a ridiculously long time. I am just about ready to follow a quilt pattern. But then I would have to choose the fabrics......sigh. It might be a while. Bunny in the headlights and all that.
If you have the pattern and are keen to get started go and join Katys group. It will be lots of fun seeing them all.
Ok I'm off to the sofa to finish some knitting. The airconditioner is on so I can con myself into believing that its knitting weather. Because lets face it. Its really not!
Ive been getting some gorgeous photos of Baby Twister Blankets thank you! Its great to see the different colour combinations and yarns you've chosen.
xx
A fast little project to contain some of Charlies friends. It was very sticky here today so sewing under the air-conditioning unit was a matter of survival.
Apparently tomorrow will be hotter. More sewing I guess!
Well if you pop back here on January 12th I'll have a book to share with you.And he's in it!
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