Bibs

I was sick of the commercial bibs that we had, not staying closed, so that required making some new ones. I’ve had some luck at the thrift shops recently,gathering up some cute boy cotton prints and poly/cotton and cotton knits. The cotton print is great it has kids playing all different sorts of sports. I went the very simple route of overlocking the layers together. I did try straight stitching one and turning it through, but it was just too time consuming. I made 14 in total, so hopefully this will last til when he no longer needs them? Is that wishful thinking?

Christmas socks 2

Here is the another pair of socks in progress, for my massage therapist. Cotton again, should have tested some on myself first so I hope that I get time to make myself some before Christmas as well. At least the second one is in progress on this present. 6 days to get it finished! (they need to be delivered before I leave on holidays)

Christmas socks 1

Here are some socks in progress, 1 down 1 to go. I’m using a variegated cotton. The yarn is striping quite nicely. This is the first time I have tried cotton socks, so I hope that they wear well. They are for my Gran.

Aluminium free

A couple of months ago I got inspired. I had seen a couple of recipes for homemade deoderant and with a few other bloggers giving it a go I took the plunge. I have now been using my homemade, aluminium free deoderant for 2 months and I am really happy with it. It was so easy to make and store that I think that I am a convert for life. It also works, no whiff of body odour on a normal day and just the normal amount of smell when I get home from the cycle commute from work.
The other thing that I think is a plus is that I'm not totally icked out by touching my underarms anymore. I used to hate to touch my underarms after appying commercial deoderant, I'd rush to wash my fingers straight after touching the deoderant. Now, becuase I apply the deoderant with my fingers I am checking for lumps and being more conscious of checking the rest of my chest for lumps as well. So it has had a good side effect of finally starting regular breast checks, which I have always chastised myself for not doing. Funny how such a little change can make a change to my attitude.
I've managed to convert my sister and got my Mum to try out the deoderant as well. I think that I am going to do up a large batch and everyone of my friends is going to get a sample pot for Christmas presents.
Here is the recipe that I used:
5-6 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1/4 cup baking soda
Several drops of lemongrass oil [optional]

I have tried out a few different essential oils. I originally settled on lemongrass oil because that is all I had in the cupboard, after looking it up in an aromatherapy book I discovered it was a really good choice. It is "soothing, healing, invigorating, antiseptic, anti-bacterial and deoderising" (Rich, Penny Practical aromatherapy Siena, Avonmouth, 1996)
I've added lavendar oil - not very successful, it gets too much and has kind of wrecked the fragrance for me, wearing it all day.
 I also tried ylang ylang and I like it, I only added enough to give a subtle fragrance.
I've made up a manly version with patchouli and the boy has been trying it out and says that he likes it.
A winner all around.
Blogs that inspired this are: Sewgreen, Soozs and How about orange

Noro socks

I finished my first pair of Noro socks the other week, a belated birthday present for my sister. I'm not so sure that I like Noro yarn, everyone raves about the colour ways, but I guess that I will see how it wears.

Kylie socks, side by side

Check that turnout!

Side detail, a successful gusset for toe-up socks

Toe-up socksm my own pattern

I have really gotten into toe-up socks and the next one I try will have to be the Monkey ones, all in knit to see how they turn out. I'm also trying out some cotton socks, I hope that they wear okay, I should make some for myself and test them out, but I don't have time with the Christmas knitting that I want to get done.

Quilting: numbers

I’ve recently been playing with quilting some squares up from recycled fabric, t-shirts, jeans, jumpers, flannel pyjamas. I did some play mats for Ash, he uses them for eating snacks on, which means I always have a quick way to clean up!

Here is one that I did some very rustic appliqué on. Numbering from 1 - 10

It has a couple of layers to it, a waterproof layer and flannel with an internal layer of flannel as well. This is larger than my last mats, about 1.2 m square. It has a couple of pockets included to hide treasures, no doubt I will forget to check them and I will wash an apple core!

A second top is completed but I have yet to cut the waterproofing, so it will be done soon.

I am on a dressmaking jaunt at the moment, I made a dress for Melbourne Cup day and now I am completing a jacket, as well as a few socks for Ash.

The cowl

Here is a pic of the cowl I recently made on the knitting machine. It is a blue-grey 5ply machine knitting wool by Villawool. The wool has to be at least 25 years old, but it knit up perfectly. It is patterned using a slip stitch pattern and I like it on the inside and out. On the inside of the cowl (wrong side of the fabric) you can see a diamond pattern from the held stitches, on the right side you can see little bumps in the fabric.

I’m really pleased with the fabric and the way that it wears. It is just enough fabric to keep my neck/decollatage warm when I am wearing a v-neck top. It also works well as a loose head-cover when it is raining!