A Fabulous Tea Party and a retrospective of sorts ...

I'm elated. I'm crafting again. It feels SO good - I really had forgotten how much happiness having a creative outlet brings me.

But I really have been a bit busy - the kind of busy where you collapse into bed each night wondering where the day has gone. Repeat this endlessly - and occasionally cry about it ;-) So to recap this is what I have been up to:

• Packed and moved - twice - or was it three times? - I lost count - it feels like six.
• Lived (pregnant) in a 300 sq ft studio apartment above a garage with husband, small toddler and a dog while we renovated the house (noise and dust like you would not believe).
• Moved into not yet completed renovated house (heavily heavily pregnant).
• Attempted to unpack and arrange furniture before baby arrived while drilling, painting etc still went on around us.
• Had baby#2 (after 2 months of 'false' labor - Note: there is nothing 'false' about false labor).
• Continued renovation and continued to unpack while looking after two adorable and much loved small children.
  
• Eventually (very recently) managed to unpack Bernie and felt a renewed level of happiness - even though I was only mending husbands shorts and g-diaper covers.
• Begged, pleaded and cajoled baby to nap at the same time as small toddler so I could have a small amount of time to myself each day.
• Won the nap battle with baby - hurrah!!
• Took a deep breath.
  
• Decided to make this tea party set.

I wanted to make a fun coordinating tea party set that would help any little girl throw a most excellent and very proper tea party. The fabrics I used for this project were all left overs from previous projects (A Lucky Baby Bunny (Nov '09), How do you work? (Aug '08) and Swap Shots (July '08) - seriously? have I really had everything packed up and stored away for that long?)

The set consists of a picnic mat, an apron, a tea towel, a tea cosy, 6 napkins and 6 party hats.I embellished with pink ribbon and lace.
Party hats ready?
Hostess ready?
Tea brewed?
What a fine tea party! The cupcakes are from my Cupcake Tutorial made back in May 2008 - I must make more of those.

Anyone remember the knitted Bunny Picnic? ... I can't believe that was back in May 2008 ... time just rushes by.

Baby Bunny #2

Catherine Audrey arrived on January 19th at 5.46am. 7lbs 8oz ...
... quite a bit bigger than Baby Bunny #1!

We are all back at home settling in - Charlotte is so far very taken with her baby sister ... I really hope that her affections last!

Blissful Knitted Squares

My step brother's baby is due today. So far there is no sign of the little one making a prompt exit! I knitted this very quick blanket for the little one (my own pattern - which I will try and write down soon.) I like the simple patchwork effect.I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK Yarn which is so soft and lovely to knit with.

When I first started knitting rabbits (which seems like the longest time ago ...) I was using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Super Chunky. The yarn was just as lovely, soft and easy to knit with - it seemed utterly perfect for cuddly toys ... but proved too expensive for the multitude of bunnies that then followed.

I'm currently knitting a little cable hooded cardigan for my friend's newborn - in the same DK yarn but in navy blue. Quite shocking of me to actually use a color as I seem to have become a bit obsessed with working in these off-white/cream yarns ... and I could bang on about my minimalist obsession with people like Robert Ryman or Agnes Martin ... but then you might all truly go to sleep!

Baby Bunny's Birthday

Someone just turned one!
Happy Birthday my beautiful girl.

Stash Scraps

Remember this stash? Well it is now substantially reduced due to my desire to bring dinosaurs back into common existence ...
... and now I have very limited stash ... mostly blues ... I found this free pattern from Lion Brand which I have now begun to knit and adapt in earnest. The squares are really quick and easy. The pattern really satisfies my need to use up every last scrap of valuable yarn. My poor sewing machine has seen little to no action (apart from the odd little job such as securing a hem on her weeny tiny person sized jeans.) Baby bunny turns 1 soon - can you believe it? She recently took her first steps alone - although she prefers to walk while grasping your finger tightly and noisily insisting you go where ever she wants to go ...

Crochet your cares away

I've been struggling to motivate myself with my continuous cable border exploration. I find that that long stretch of time needed to really concentrate and make notes is just not available to me! Baby bunny (who is now nearly 11 months old - can you believe it?) is into everything - cupboards, toilets, bags, kitchen trashcan, drawers - anything and everything is of great interest and needs to be explored and explored now!

So I've put down my concentration-needy knitting and picked up my crochet hook. I found this idea on Ravelry and decided to take it on a bit further for the border of a blanket.
The petals are scattered at random on one corner. This method allows you to crochet the flowers as you go - so no messy strands or sewing flowers onto the blanket.

The trickiest bit of the border was working out how many crochet stitches were needed for the sides of the blanket.I used the same sized crochet hook as my knitting needles. For the starter row used 1 crochet stitch for every knitted stitch at the ends of the blanket ("sc into knitted st, skip next knitted st and ch1" repeat to end) ...
... and 7 crochet stitches for every 9 knitted stitches for the sides of the blanket: ("sc into knitted st, skip next knitted st and ch1, sc into next knitted st, skip next two knitted sts and ch1, sc into next knitted st, skip next two knitted st" repeat to end). The corners are made by sc 3 times into same stitch. I hope my scrappy diagram above explains it a little clearer. Once the starter row is complete just keep sc into every st - 3 sc at the corners - adding the flowers as and when you please. I crocheted 4 complete rounds of the blanket - adding flowers on rounds 2 and 4.

January

Our trip to the UK over Christmas was a bit of a disaster. Our flight out was delayed on the runway due to snow some 5 hours. Keeping a small tired little one happy in a stationery plane would be something close to hell. Once we got to England Baby Bunny got really ill (we were about to leave for the emergency room when the doctor said he would see her immediately), then I got sick, then my mother got sick, then my husband got sick ... do you see the pattern? Seeing my 9 month old being sick, being so listless - all she wanted to do was sleep ... well it was utterly heart breaking and rather took the shimmer out of Christmas.

We got home - all utterly jet lagged. It took Baby Bunny about a week to recover - and by this point (after 17 days of bad sleep) it took me another week to recover. Finally I feel about normal! So I have had little motivation to get off my bunny bottom and do anything but slouch in a heap during the quieter moments.

But I am working on another continuous cable blanket - here is a sneak peak at the pattern I am trying to work out ...... working out a 6 strand lattice cable pattern that goes seamlessly around corners is confusing me. And if that last sentence made no sense to you - then you see my point!

And I'm midway through a scrappy quilt ...... must use up every last piece of fabric! I really hope to have something of more substance to share with you soon. Hope you are all surviving the winter weather.

A look back on 2009

Where has 2009 gone?

Here are a few little highlights of my year.
I haven't achieved as much as I would like crafting wise - but the year been SO fulfilling in many other ways. I was so scared of becoming a mother - but now I can't imagine life without (what I consider to be - although I might be biased) the most lovely, peachy cheeked little girl ever (no no - I'm not biased at all!)

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and best wishes for what I hope will be an exciting 2010 for all of us.

Continuous Cable Border

I'm really trying to write down my knitting patterns as I go but I find it really hard to be totally happy with them. I so want to be able to communicate clearly with someone how to make the pattern - but we all think/work so differently - I worry that my directions will frustrate or confuse.

Baby bunny has lots of new mobility skills (she has taken to rolling around everywhere and recently learnt to pull up.) I find my eyes have to be glued to her at all times so she doesn't find her way into the dogs toys (yum) or pulls anything off a table that land on her head (ouch). I have been finding that knitting is an easy thing for me to pick up and put down quickly. (Every peaceful moment is now a crafting moment.) Here she is inspecting my stitches.The border on this blanket is made using a a simple cable pattern. I joined the border to the blanket by knitting into stitches along the sides of the blanket and I joined the two ends of the border together using the three needle bind off technique.The same principle can be used with any pattern you care to use for a border. And the bonus is - no sewing is required! Do you like my fancy corners?

A Lucky Baby Bunny

Our dear friends had been trying for a baby and when they came to visit the baby bunny at only 10 days old - my friend held her and said 'perhaps you will be my good luck charm'. And her baby magic dust must have been powerful ... this weekend was their baby shower.

Baby Ella is due in December and I'm so thrilled for them and utterly thrilled that my baby bunny was their lucky charm. I inquired about a little pressie and a Rachael Rabbit play mat/picnic mat was requested.

I don't often say this (so it must be true) but my photos do not really do this justice. I haven't really done any sewing pieces since the baby bunny arrived. And this is almost flawless - I was quite pleased with it. I used House Collection fabric ...... I hand tied the quilt with tiny little crosses, it has a double layer of batting - so it is extra soft for Baby Ella's tummy time ...... I used beautiful velvet ric-rac given to me by Anne of Bunny Hill Designs, ...... the gift bag has felt letters ironed to it using that super sticky stuff.I think (hope) the mummy-to-be was pleased with it too.

You Are Never to Young to Paint

Learning to paint ...What master pieces the baby bunny has made ...Once trimmed and signed they make the most adorable cards. We are SO proud of her first crafting project I'm not sure if we will ever be able to use the cards!!

AND I've found time to start knitting again ... I've forgotten just how much I love to knit.

Sewing Calendar

I was so pleased to receive my copy of the 2010 Sewing Calendar edited by Megan Smith and published by Accord. I was even more excited to see the Rachael Rabbit Simple Hot Water Bottle Cover featured on the inside cover ...... and our 3 little sewing projects in February, July & October.There are many wonderful crafters in the calendar - I was really honored to be asked to be a part of it.

Tutorial: Simple Baby Beach/Bath Towel

Here is a super easy tutorial for recycling that old 'odd-one-out' towel that you may have hanging around in the airing cupboard. This took me one baby nap to make ... so it is a really quick and easy project.

Simple Baby Beach/Bath Towel Set
You will need:
- 1 clean old towel
- bias tape
- cotton for sewing

1) Take your old towel and using this diagram as a guide cut a square and a small triangle (hood)
2) Sew your bias tape to the outer edge of the hood
3) Pin the hood to one corner of your square and sew in place
4) Sew your bias tape around the entire square

NOTE: You can use the remaining toweling material to make a matching flannel ... ...or a friendly bath buddy ...
UPDATE
Another idea for this project is available here: http://rachaelrabbit.blogspot.com/2011/10/crowns-and-princesses.html

Aaahhh some sewing

Finally I managed to find a couple of moments to sit in front of Bernie!!

It seems to be baby making time in our peer group. Most of our friends have either just had one (or some), are pregnant or are planning to get pregnant soon. Our dear friends who left New York for opportunities in Hong Kong are just about to have twins! I find one exhausting enough ... two ... at once - well I hang my hat up to anyone who copes with that!

I wanted to send them a little something 'hand made with love'. So in between the baby squeaking I sewed some old scraps together and made two little mini quilts in a carefree Denyse Schmidt esq process.We have used our little super simple baby blanket so much. We use it to put down on the floor for some wriggle or tummy time, out in the car or stroller, wrap her up for a cosy cuddle ... the uses seem to be endless and the ease of washing and tumble drying essential. I hope these two little scrappy quilts are useful too!I obviously wanted to document the little quilts ... but my little model was a little shy and uncooperative. How can something so small wiggle quite so much!!