Another Knitting Finish

Yes, another knitting finish, but just so you don't think that I’m a real knitting whizz, this one has been finished awhile.  I stitched it all up, and then it just sat there.  The pattern said to put a zip into the back raglan seam, but I wasn't very keen on that idea.

I took it along to our last Sew Wots get-together and asked Mary if she would mind doing a few crotchet button loops for me.  Mary is a crotchet expert and I really expected her to say “why don’t I show you how to do it”.  But she didn’t and kindly finished off this little jersey for me.  Thanks so much Mary, I really appreciate you helping me.

Mary doing button loops

So now the little jersey has buttons sewn on, and is tucked away in a crate with several other baby and toddler garments I have knitted.  Some day, I’m sure, they will find a good home, when a baby or two arrives in the family.

Rolling the Dice again

It seems ages since I “rolled the dice” and on checking back I can see it hasn’t happened since mid August!  That’s what happens when holidays get in the way of a girl and her sewing machine.  But I’m making a start again this week, and the number to be worked on is number 5, the Christmas Mystery Quilt. 

The completed top

I remembered that I had pinned the quilt together some time ago and had a  bit of bother with not getting the layers nice and smooth.  The problem seemed to be the pieces of batting that I had stitched together – I should have cut straight edges I think before stitching the pieces.  But no, why did I think that stitching curved pieces would work?  After unpinning part of it I eventually smoothed out the batting and backing and re-pinned it all again. 

So for the last couple of days I have been stitching in the ditch with my walking foot along the sashing to hold it all together.  Yes, I have to pin each stitching line, just in case.  This takes extra time, but makes me feel happier with the extra pins, a bit like a security blanket, I guess!

Starting the machine quilting

Not sure if I will get all the quilting done this week, or not.  But we have the weekend at home, for a change, so I’ll keep plodding on.

Gemma has been helping too, and often lays down and has a snooze behind my sewing cabinet.  She also seems to have taken a liking to her play tunnel  again.  When not rushing madly through it she has taken to being on guard in the entrance – then she can rush out and pounce on our feet, if she feels like it!

Gemma on guard

Sew Wot Tuesday

It was so nice to meet up with the Sew Wot ladies today, as I have missed the last few get-togethers with all our tripping round here and there.  Mary was our hostess today and we arrived to find a very welcome fire crackling merrily away.  It may well be Spring, but the rain and hail was coming down to remind us that Mother Nature can dish up whatever weather she feels like!  Mary had a brand new, just finished project hanging on the wall,  gorgeous hand stitched wool applique hexagons.  So pretty, and such a lot to look at. 

Mary’s wool hexagons

Lovely knitted projects were brought out to admire.  Mary had made two pink baby jackets with matching hats, plus the pretty little white lacy jacket.  Destined to the Baby Box till needed.  And Helen had just completed the pretty pink and purple striped cardigan, going to a new baby girl.

Baby knitting

Helen had also completed a double sided Christmas Tree Skirt for her daughter

Heather had been busy at the sewing machine and had two quilts to show us.  The first one used up her container of 2 1/2in squares.  She will not allow herself to cut any more, she said firmly!  The red and blue quilt was made from a panel, and will be a donation quilt.

Heather’s two quilts

Both Moira and I were working on our stitcheries and Heather was stitching down the binding on this little wall-hanging.  Started in a hand applique class many years ago, it had been put away and long forgotten.

Applique project almost completed

Mary had been on a roll and brought out a whole heap of finishes. Sadly my camera had a convulsion and died right then, and I’m pleased I could download the photos I had already taken, once I returned home.  But I can tell you what I remember of all these completed items.  Two teddies were sporting pretty embroidered jackets, and then Mary had made three Selvedge shopping bags.  Plus several table cloths using some of Mary’s vast supply of doilies.  Thanks to Heather for forwarding this photo to me –  tablecloth made from Mary’s Aunty Bessie who embroidered the large central runner, and Mary added the hexagons.

Then Mary invited us to take part in her “Mystery Heart Quilt Block of the Month”.  Sounded like fun, and we all went home with the first pattern – what’s one more project, after all.  We all enjoyed a lovely morning tea, thanks Mary, and it was great to catch up with everyone again.  

Knitting String

Remember this?  I don’t think it’s really string, but that’s what it feels like – knitting cotton I think.

With a bit of perseverance, I’m not a speedy knitter by any means, this is what I ended up with.  Two veggie/fruit bags to take shopping.  Now that single use plastic bags are a thing of the past, we have to think what to do with the loose produce we want to buy, although I notice that larger quantities are still bagged.

Two produce bags

Just had to change the pattern.  The overall lacy design on the bottom of the larger bag was not difficult, but so slow to knit with those big needles.  So after several rows I changed to garter stitch, and it went much quicker.  The smaller bag was knitted in alternate rows of garter stitch and holes.

As we had recently returned from our recent Aussie Adventure holiday there was another job to get on with.  I had made this quilt as a memory quilt to record the adventures on our first Australian rail trip.  With plenty of spare room on the sashings it now records the adventures we have enjoyed over four Aussie Adventures.  Places we stayed, scenery, attractions visited, rides, exotic (to us) food eaten, any thing of interest got written down.  It is a visual diary of our holidays.  Of course, the quilt was constructed with Australian, mostly Aboriginal inspired designs.

Aussie Adventure quilt

So that’s been my week – what have you been getting up to?

A visit to Pete’s Emporium

With a super busy week, full of various appointments, I’ve decided not to roll the dice this week.  I’m sure I’ll find lots of other crafty things to keep me busy in any spare time I have available.  We had to take a trip to Porirua yesterday and after we had done what we needed to do, went to visit Pete’s Emporium.  This shop sells all sorts of things, but I love it for the craft area – you are sure to find what you are looking for here, and at very reasonable prices too.

Gidday Pete, nice to be back again

I was after some cord for the little draw string bags I’ve been making for the charity Foster Hope.  Children in foster care use the bags to put their toiletries or sometimes use them for pens and pencils.  Armed with some fabric for the next lots of bags, I went to see if I could match some cords. I found three out of four colours I was after, so I’m pleased with that.

These will do nicely

And here is a selection of cords available.  There were also stands full of buttons, lace, ric rac, ribbon, a veritable Aladdin's Cave of treasure!  You could spend such a long time here just checking the haberdashery selections.

Cords in all colours

There was also a good selection of quilting fabrics, but with Robin hovering nearby, I didn't have time to check them out.  And I really only like to buy fabric with a project in mind these days.  But I did pick up a couple of family birthday gifts, and Robin bought a new flag to fly on his flag pole, so he was happy too.

Just a little Stitching

Not much time for more than just a little stitching when we joined 1600 caravans and motorhomes at the Motor Home, Caravan and Leisure Show held at Hamilton.  We arrived the day before the show started, as did most of the other campers, and I sat outside under the awning doing some stitching on my Autumn project.  I’ve finished the yellow petals, now need to fill in the middle with brown seeds.  That will keep me quiet for a while, I’m sure.

Autumn stitchery

This is what arrival day looked like, when we lined up with hundred of other vans waiting for the gates to open.  To get us off the road, we were guided into a large paddock high on a plateau overlooking the venue.  At midday the gates opened and we all rolled in, driving gingerly down the unsealed road, then we were directed to the parking areas. You would have to take particular note of where you were parked up, as all these white vans look so similar, it would be so easy to get lost.

Here we come,one after the other

The huge Event Centre was chock full of bright and shiny campers and caravans.  New Zealand built, Australian, and plenty of European vans too.  Where to start looking?  We started with our favourite brand, Leisureline, and looked through their newest vans.  Then checked out overseas brands such as Winnebago, Dethletts, Eldis, Jaeco, and whatever else took our fancy.  Some of these fancy motorhomes cost serious money, beautiful, but very pricy.

Just a small part of the show

Lunch was calling so we went outside to check out the food stalls, finally deciding on a Hot Dog each.  Mind you, we could well have chosen a whitebait fritter, fish and chips, kebabs, or even Chinese for lunch.  We were lucky to find seats under cover in the huge tent to escape from the hot sun beating down, and ate our lunch serenaded by a golden voiced singer.  With so much to see, I’m sure we missed some of what was on offer.  This one piqued my interest, wonder if it built for Aussie conditions to keep them safe from crocodiles while camping by the river?

Tenting on top of a big red truck

I had intended to walk up the hill so that we could get photos of the vans parked up, but in the end we took the easier option and drove up.  Just look at them all – there are sure to be areas of parked vans hidden behind buildings  that I couldn’t see from the top of the hill!

Our white caravan is in there somewhere

Then it was time to start heading home and we spent a night at Taupo.  It was fish and chips for our evening meal, and we both commented that it was the nicest fish we had had for a long time.  Mind you, we paid extra and ordered schnapper fillets, well worth the money, we thought.. Gemma was beside herself to see a cat running around outside our caravan, and really wanted to go outside and give it a piece of her mind.  In the end, she gave up and relaxed on a sunny spot on the bed.

What a life!

I always like to stop at the Lookout at Taupo before continuing on our homewards journey.  And what a beautiful sight, looking over Lake Taupo at three snow capped mountains.

 

Lake Taupo and Mt Ruapehu, Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Tongariro

We stopped for lunch at the National Army Museum at Waiouru.  This building looks rather like a castle, doesn’t it?

National Army Museum

Rather than have a sandwich inside our caravan we ate in the museum café.  Look at this gorgeous view through the café window.

Mt Ruapehu

There were lots of interesting posters on the café walls relating to the war years, and I thought this one was great.  Guess housewives had to be rather inventive in the lean years of food rationing.

A few hours later we arrived home – this was only a short trip, and it’s always nice to get back home, isn’t it.

Just a little Road Trip

It’s been all go since we arrived back from our holiday last Thursday – we quickly packed the caravan and left on Sunday, will be away about a week.  We are heading up to Hamilton to get the back window of our caravan repaired, then we will be attending the annual Motorhome, Caravan and Leisure Show. 

We stopped in Ohakune one night, home to the Big Carrot.   At 7.5m tall, the carrot was built for a TV commercial for ANZ Bank, and then donated to the town.   Visitors love the Big Carrot and often stop and have their photos taken here.   Carrots were first grown in the area during the 1920s by Chinese settlers, and Ohakune now grows two-thirds of the North Island's total crop. 

Ohakune, where the carrots grow

And no stop at Ohakune is complete without a visit to the much loved “world famous in Ohakune” Chocolate Éclair Shop.  In fact, some people go out of their way to stop off here on their winter travels.  This establishment only opens during the ski season, and the huge chocolate éclairs are legendary!  There was a car park right outside the shop just waiting for us to call in.

Chocolate Éclair shop

Gemma has got over the trauma of being locked away in the cattery, and settled down quite comfortably on my lap as we drove along.  Sometimes she likes to curl up on the back seat too.

Passing through the little village of Owhango we spotted a sign we hadn’t seen before. We were now at Latitude 39 degrees South.  This line passes through Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina, the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, Tasman Sea and Bass Strait.

While we have been away these last few days I’ve spent a little time hand quilting this Christmas project – it had been tucked away and forgotten for a while.  This stitchery will eventually become a cushion, I’ve decided.

Christmas stitchery

I’ve also been doing some knitting, using cotton and big needles.    Any guesses what will this end up as?

Knitting project