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It's pretty cold here in Melbourne and my girls were in need of scarves to keep their pretty little necks warm. A dig through the yarn stash and a few hours later they each had their own chunky knit neck warmers!
Catherine may recognise this yarn ;)
Buttons also from the stash.
Heidi has one too, made from a blue and white hand spun chunky yarn but the little bugger refuses to wear it!
Although it is not until September here in Australia my Dad is over in the UK where it is Father's Day today. He's difficult to buy/make for and i had some trouble deciding what to gift him but whatever i decided on it had to be useful. The answer? Boxer shorts!*
Details
Pattern: Kwik Sew 1672
This pattern has some great reviews on PatternReview.com and i'm inclined to agree with them. The pattern was easy to read, had great instructions and took me around an hour to sew. Now that i've made one pair i think the next pair would take a lot less time. Kwik Sew are great for basics patterns including underwear and sportswear.
Fabric: Python from Tessuti Fabrics. A super soft cotton voile.
Happy Father's Day Dad! I'm looking forward to seeing you in October, i can't believe it's been three years since i saw you.
*Of course they are fashionably late as usual and are still sitting here on my desk waiting to be posted!
I've been hanging out for the arrival of the new Liberty fabrics at work and boy were they worth the wait!
I was inspired by Moonstitches quilt in the WhipUp Mini Quilts book when i browsed though it at Craft Camp (thanks Alison).
Oh and thank you all for your compliments on my new hair do! I'm so happy with it, Peter did a wonderful job.
Yesterday
Today
HUGE thanks to Peter of Eight Hair. I think he was more excited than I was to chop it all off!
The weather has turned cold here in Melbourne. So cold that my knitting speed seems to have increased in a bid to get my Tea Leaves cardigan finished so i can wear it. The only thing is it's so cold that my hands take some time to warm up enough to be able to knit while on the train. A little time out of knitting my cardi, some scraps balls of yarn from my stash and a pattern from Ravelry and i have one of a pair.
I will soon have a matching pair which will keep my hands toasty warm without inhibiting my knitting ability.
I bought a copy of Better Homes & Gardens a month or so ago and in there was a recipe for Linzer Torte. I have a fabulous sweet pastry recipe which i prefer to use over any other so i took the idea from the mag and made it up my own way. Here's the recipe.
375g plain flour
125g ground hazelnuts
300g unsalted butter
200g icing sugar
80g egg yolk
Sift the flour with the ground hazelnuts and butter until you get a crumb consistency. I have my trust Kitchenaid mixer to to this job for me (one of my best purchases ever!)
Sift the icing sugar and mix together with the egg yolks to form a paste.
Mix the yolk and sugar mix into the crumb mix and knead to a dough. Refrigerate (i like to make extra, portion it and freeze the excess).
Chop pastry into small pieces and knead until soft enough to roll.
Roll out and line torte tin (grease and flour tin first to stop the torte from sticking). Fill with Jam (i used strawberry, blueberry and cranberry).
Roll out extra pastry and cut into strips, i use a little wheel which cuts wavy lines. Add strips to the top of the torte in a criss-cross design.
Bake in the oven for approximately 25 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius.
Best served with a dollop of thick cream.
Enjoy!
P.S. The little one is for Lisa :)
...i had so much fun and was so engrossed in the fabulous creating, wonderful company and incredible food that i forgot to take photos, except this one of us beavering away.
You can however find more photos over here and here.
Other than filling myself with delicious food, having a long awaited soak in the tub (even though the tub was too long for me to lay back in without slipping under!), a massage from Santos, sleeping in with no alarm or kids to wake me and laughing till my sides ached i spent my time sewing.
One of my projects was a hat for which i have had the pattern for over a year. I bought the pattern from Sue after i had seen her test hat and she kindly whipped up a pattern for me, which you can now purchase here.
It was so quick and easy to make, less than an hour in total i'd say. It fits perfectly too!
Details:
Main Fabric- 100% wool remnant
Lining Fabric- Kokka Apples
Trims- Red Mokuba Grosgrain ribbon for band inside
Pattern- McHats Autumn Leaves
PS Did you notice my 'One skein stole' in the pic above? I keep forgetting to blog it.
