Thanks but never again

I started this knitted dress for my daughter over a year ago and it's been an on-again, off-again love affair. During the process, I've discovered I'm a very slow knitter or perhaps an unmotivated knitter. But when my poppet kept growing taller and taller and taller, I thought I'd better get my proverbial skates on and finish the dress before she outgrew it!

There were only three balls of this delicious yarn in my stash and seeing as how they are hand dyed, I wouldn't be able to get another ball to match. So I took the project with me on our Easter holidays to Blanchetown and knit away furiously by the river, being watched bemusedly by our friends who are definitely not craftily minded. Funnily enough, the blokes got quite excited when I got to casting off and queued up to watch me knit the final stitch!

Suffice to say, I'll not attempt such a large knitted garment again. I'm a fast crocheter but a slow knitter. I've enjoyed the process but being short on time, I'm always happier with a quick finish project! On Ravelry here.

With only three weeks to go till my second Lollipop Market stall, I thought some vintage style boys hats would be a nice addition to the Silly Gilly stock. Here's the first test run, made from courdroy and lined with a cotton. This is a super cute hat made with a pattern by Butterfly Tree. Fully reversible and quick to make. And I've got to say, my poppet doesn't make a very good boy impersonator!

Sunshine on a rainy day

A very early progress pic of the Rainbow Dress I'm currently knitting for my daughter. The yarn I'm using is Gradient Dyed Four Bags Full Merino. As a rainbow fan, I'm in love with how the colours are so gradually changing as I work. Hopefully I can make some speedier progress on it. I'm a slower knitter than I am a crocheter. Maybe she'll be able to wear it before she's 16....

And just wanted to share with you a sweet corner of my studio from this afternoon. My favourite winter flowers, Paperwhites (Narcissus) and my favourite little donkey friend for the corner. The perfume is so strong from these flowers. They always make me smile.

Have a happy week everyone! May there be many sunshiny winter days for you this week.

Rain and Rainbows

It's been raining here in Adelaide for the last two days on and off. It's such a beautiful sound and when I heard it on our iron roof, I realised I have missed hearing it!

I'm a lover of rainbows too and found this in my travels. For lovers of everything rainbow, this cake surely must be birthday request!! I'm definitely making it for my next birthday!

source: whisk kid

I had never seen such a beautiful cake before so I googled for more rainbow cake images and found this amazing beauty.

source: Omnomicon

Makes me want to go and bake right now instead of clean the house.......

Rainbow Love

I love rainbow coloured things. Not necessarily rainbow shaped things but things made in rainbow coloured hues. Or groups of the same things in differing shades of the rainbow.

So when I found these balls of yarn for $1.50 a pop at the store the other day, I brought an armful home to create a little coin purse for myself. The perfect portable project for my whirlwind trip to Sydney this week whilst I donated some of my eggs to my gorgeous friends.

Here's the before and after progress shots. The pattern is called 'Change Purse' and it's from Crochet Today - March/April '08. A very kind gal at Brown Owls allowed me to copy the pattern from her magazine. Now to source myself a purse handle and a nice fabric with which to line the purse.

The yarn is 49% cotton and 51% acrylic and is so easy for a beginner like me to use that I went back to that very store and bought another two balls of each colour!! I can easily set aside my usual dislike for acrylic yarn when the colours are this vibrant and especially when the balls are now marked down to $1 each!!!!!!

I'm now off to see if I'm bold enough to join in with Amy on her Let's Make 7 crochet block endeavour.....