My creative space

It’s not often I feel like jumping on my bed screaming yippee because my creative space is so exciting (and I can actually say that when it’s my first week back to work after two weeks off) … but it is. Phew!

The main reasons it's been so good is because I’m knitting my first pair of socks and I’m actually getting it … thanks to the first week of a three session “how to knit socks” class at Morris & Sons in Melbourne. What the hell didn’t I get about this bit of knitting a sock?

I’m also so happy because I’m using the Moseley Park 40 Silk/40 Bamboo/20 Nylon (colour Leila) I picked up at the Bendigo Show. The colour is so pretty and I like the variation in colour it’s giving … bamboo/silk always look sparkly and the changes in colour are only adding to this.

And Tuesday I finished the pretty pink and lime hat and scarf for Baby Hannah. I still have to sew in the ends … am I alone in hating the tidying up? Yuck!


What about this gorgeous yarn (Morris and Sons Empire 8ply) I picked up for a little jacket and hat for baby Hannah … but this time for when she’s about 12 months of age and up. So far this is the hat ... unfortunately not knitted in the round because it's knit every row. Poor cousin Ms H … she’s going to be tossing my stuff into the back of the wardrobe so she gets the chance to pick her own clothes for Hannah!


I also went through my stash looking for what to use for my first quilt. I wanted something cheap (fabric wise) and easy (pattern wise) and fortunately I have loads of stuff stashed that’s cheap! I feel really nervous about my first quilt and I don’t want to mess up anything expensive.


I loved choosing the fabric in the end. Can you believe I had all of the following already in my stash and it was definitely cheap: the patterned fabric is from an 80s sheet I used in the recent FQ swap (and I love the orange and green), and the calico was only $2 per metre. The green and beige fabrics I picked up cheap at Carmel’s Discount Fabrics in Mentone at around $10 per metre. The orange gingham I got for about $2 at the op shop and I plan on using it as the binding. All I need to do is grab 2-3 oddments of orange to balance out the green. I feel pretty happy being able to make the top and bottom for a lap/single bed quilt so cheaply … it feels less daunting that way.

But I still can’t decide what pattern to make … at first I was leaning towards a simple coins quilt but the fabric just doesn't look right. For inspiration I’ve been trawling through stuff made by Patch Andi and Red Pepper Quilts … everything they do is so beautiful: colours, pattern, sewing etc. I just hope someday I’ll be as good as them. Any ideas people?

So as soon as the sock class is finished I plan on starting work on the quilt … I haven’t decided yet whether to take a beginners class or to attend the Freestyle classes at Amitie in Bentleigh on Tuesday nights. Both seem fantastic options and the advantage of Amitie is that I can work on whatever I want at my pace. Now I just need to look into getting my machine serviced … it’s way overdue and really needs it.

I can’t wait to visit you and find out what you’ve been up to … pop over to Kirsty’s at kootoyoo and add your name to the list. I’ll be around to visit soon.