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!

Knitting, knitting, knitting

I've been working on a variety of projects lately. The boys were away for a week and I dragged out the knitting machine to make some cowls and shawls. This was marginally successful, I tried doing a raglan jumper with a 2 colour pattern, the back piece worked out really well, the front left had a major failure. I'll try and do some photographs sometime soon. The cowl was brilliant, just right for the last week of winter, which turned out to be quite wet and bitter. I did a large lacy patterned rectangle to be used as a shawl that could be multi-purposed with a few strategic buttons.

I finally got a copy of Barbara Walker's Knitting from the top, from the library the other day and it is terrific. I love the way that she describes the set in sleeve. It works as well, another toddler jumper is on the way. I had to rip out one sleeve, I stuffed up the short rows so the sleeves were shooting off in different directions, but this jumper should fit through to next winter so there is no rush.

So little time, if only I could knit and cook and clean and write selection criteria and sleep, at the same time.

New beanie

I’m still working on quick, satisfying knits at the moment. I whipped up a new beanie for Master A in an evening. Using up some leftover baby merino. The colours have pooled in some very interesting ways. I previously made some socks for him out of this so it was really satisfying to use up the rest of the ball and destash!

Here is an above view. Yes, he is climbing that chair and deciding to sit sideways.

I’m finally working on a cardigan that I started when I was pregnant, hoping that I might finish it before winter ends.

Toddler knits = quick satisfaction knits

Well I haven’t been around much on this blog of late, too busy after stepping up my work hours to maintain 2 blogs, baby and work so this blog is the one that suffered.

I’ve managed to fit in a few crafty projects. The most satisfying ones are the quick knits that I have done for Master A. Two winter jumpers with a bit of striping or colour blocks. I’m still loving top down construction and now I’ve altered my technique for good. I do the sleeves as soon as possible and then work on the body. That way I don’t get sick of them so fast.

 

I designed this one with a little collar and v-neck style opening. I wanted some random stipes that matched back between the body and the sleeves. I’m really happy with the result. The neck opening is easy to pull on and off, so much so that Master A has worked out he can undress himself! The sleeves are a little long so hopefully it lasts for at least 6 months before he grows out of it.

 

The next one I knitted is a round neck. Very basic with a few blocks of cream thrown.

Next time… I’m still working on knee high socks for my sister, that were promised for last Christmas! Of course I am 8 rows from the end of the second sock and I have run of yarn so I will have to hunt through the stash to see if I have any swatches I can pull out and use.