Is there anybody out there!?!?!?!?!?!

Let me start by saying how ashamed I am that I haven't posted since April but in my defence all the projects I've been working on were presents so had nothing I could post until I'd given them to their prospective owners!!

Now I know what you're thinking Mel, THE JUMPER! Well below is where the project (nearly a year on) currently stands. Perth's winter is rapidly coming to a close and it still remains a vest which is minus a neckline. 

For now though I'm going to concentrate on the projects I've actually completed. Thanks to lots of new arrivals among friends and family I've been kept very busy with lots of baby projects. First up is the arrival of my beautiful niece Kate. Knowing my tendency of loosing interest (see paragraph above) I started her gift as soon as I heard she was on the way.

As I didn't know if it was going to be a boy or a girl I chose a lovely Naturally Hand Knit Yarn in green. It's a 70% Merino and 30% Angora mix New Zealand wool and it's so soft. I made a Debbie Bliss hooded blanket from her The Baby Knits Book. The booties were a free pattern on the TLC website.

Next was a baby blanket for my friend Tash's baby shower. I really like lace stitch so I decided to give it a go. I used Moda Vera Marvel 12ply wool in White and a Pine Forest Baby Blanket by Ingrid Aartun from Ravelry. It was a really easy pattern to follow and I would highly recommend it as a first lace project. I will definitely be knitting another one.

After much head scratching as to what I could knit my dad (clothes not being my forte...yet!) I found a knitted microphone pattern by Amalia Samios that I knew would be perfect! It was quick to knit and everybody who saw it had to have a go! 

Testing one, two, testing!!!

As usual I have lots of projects on the go. Most I can't show you at the moment but I'm making some stars for my wall to brighten the place up for winter!

One done, two to go!

And last but not least I've made another craft investment. Yes a sewing machine :)  It is by far the most gorgeous thing I own. It's a Singer 160 and I'm slowing teaching myself how to use it. If only I had you here. I've loaded the bobbin so I'm getting there!!!! Hopefully I'll have a completed project for my next post (no pressure!).

Well Melly that's what I've been up to. I will NOT leave it so long next time. I might even have something small for you to post here shortly! What have you been up to? Any nice things to share?

TTFN :)
Cally x x x x

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaaa -ck! (an obligatory wool reference!)

Greetings from a scorching Perth and before you ask, my jumper project still isn't finished. It came on our Easter trip to Margaret River but it never left my knitting bag. In my defence the 34 degree temperatures don't inspire me to knit a wooly jumper!! I did however finish my other half-worked projects so there will be no more excuses from here on.

I'm so glad you liked all your birthday presents.The daffodils were a challenge for me but I was really happy with the result. The pattern is from Susie Johns' Knitted Flowers (Twenty to Make) book. They were my first project on double pointed needles. It was awkward to get the hang of at first but I was surprised how quickly I got used to them. Will definitely be knitting some more.

    

 
Big congratulations to Fergal and Eavan on the arrival of baby Maisie. What an excellent excuse to do some tiny person knitting! These baby booties are a Bernat pattern I downloaded for free. The pattern is for 3-6 months so I changed the recommended 3.75mm needles for 3.25mm for newborn size and I think they look great.

I hope they fit :)

Last but not least I've invested in a new stamp set and I've been customising everything I can get my hands on! Even George's Easter parcel got a make over. I bought more ink pads in different colours at the weekend so nothing is safe now!

Stayed tuned when on May 1st I'll be blogging about my finished jumper. There, I've said it so now it HAS to happen! Then I can finally get onto the hundreds of patterns I've earmarked and crocheting and sewing! 

Happy Monday Melly.

Love Cal x x x x

Professor Mel C

Hey Cally

First off thanks again for the birthday wishes. I can't wait to share everything on here. 

I'll begin with a little catch up.

Who knew how hard it was to customize your blog. It has taken me hours just to be able to put a Facebook Like button and a Bloglovin button on our page. I'm very proud of myself though for persevering.

The bloglovin one was the easiest of the two. I basically googled how to do both and after searching through some tutorials I finally got it! Everything is easier on the old laptop compared to the iPad.

Next tech step; make our blog pretty. I'll need your help with this as your the one with the big fancy camera and the gorgeous scenery and weather. Get that wool down to the beach for a photoshoot.

Crochet!!!!

So now for a quick update on what I've been up to. I've been practicing my crochet and knitting. I told you I would show you how I hold the yarn while crocheting and here it is.

Hold your hand out flat and fingers apart.
Put the yarn over your baby finger ,
under your ring and middle finger and up over your pointer.

How you wrap the yarn will affect your tension, don't be afraid to adjust this
 over time you'll do it without noticing.

Hold your chain/foundation row with a firm grasp.
Keeping your grip as close to the hook as possible.

I have found the longer I've been crocheting the easier holding the yarn becomes. I honestly thought it was how I was holding the yarn but have since (after trying different methods) realised its just about practice. In other words don't give up. Check out my lovely shamrocks I made for St. Patrick's Day. I find the Crochet Geek great for tutorials. She has loads on YouTube to get stuck into.

I'm going to try and make the crochet clutch you recommended from Mollie Makes issue 22. Here's hoping I've something amazing to show you in my next post.

Miss you
x

Happy Birthday Bestie

Happy Birthday Melly! Hope you're having a fantastic day and I wish I could be there to celebrate with you.

I have lots of projects I want to bring you up to speed on but as they're all presents (including for you!) I'm going to have to hold off for now.

I'm glad your birthday parcel arrived on time. I have something else for you which I finally finished today so keep your peepers on the letter box.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Best Is Yet To Come :)

 

 

 

 

Love Cal x x x

Hahahaha I hate to laugh but hahahaha

Oh Cal what are we like?

Did we ever envision that in our 'old age' we'd have reverted back to what our mothers tried to teach us all our lives. I hate to admit it but I don't think I'll ever be as talented as my mother when it comes to sewing and knitting. She was taught to knit at age 6 by her grandmother and back then there were no distractions like the Internet, Mobile Phones and of course Laziness!!!

My mother made her bridesmaids dresses for her wedding. You might think, ya how bad until you find out that she had 7 sisters. I wish I had a photo of those dresses.
My dad was well prepared for his 4 daughters by the time we came along. 


She then went on to knit the Christening gown that has been passed around our extended family for over 30 years. You can't really see the detail in the photo but trust me it is beautiful. My brother of course is doing it justice below, the diva that he is.

My bother Christopher in 1986
I think haha

The dress none of her daughters
will ever fit into 

She later handmade her Great Grand-Daughters Christening gown from her own wedding dress. 

My Grand Niece in 2010

Now now lets not get too carried away here, there were of course the disasters. 

Try your first day at secondary school and your handmade school skirt is not only a different style, different length but also a different shade of snot green. I could have cried, that is of course until I saw the tall girl with the bubble doc martins on. You looked the business even back then!

Then there are the Debs dresses. 
Oh mine was beautiful, my favourite colour purple, long and flowing. Pity I had to be sewn into it last minute and cut out of it the following morning. My mother didn't have time to put in a zip!
Maybe that was her idea of making sure I didn't take it off that night haha

I'm sure my sisters and extended family have many more stories about my 'last minute' mother.

I promise tomorrow I will have a crochet tutorial for you. I will show you how my mother showed me to hold the yarn. 

Until then babychains x

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....

I hate to admit it but crochet has broken me ;)

I've spent hours at it today and finally produced this...

Yes a small square of (not very good) single crochet (sc) that has both lost and gained stitches in that small number of rows. I know, I have a gift!!!!! I've watched some really helpful videos online and read lots of books that all make sense but the minute I get a hook in my hand my digits just want to knit. I really should film myself trying to crochet, it would make very humours viewing. Anyway I know it's only practise and time so I need to be patient and keep trying. My aim is to make the fabulous Erika Knight merry, berry winter blanket from Issue 21 of Mollie Makes. 

On another note, I know I don't own a house but a book I found today makes me want to invest! It's a Country Living Book by Randy Florke called Restore.Recycle.Repurpose. It has great ideas on how to decorate or renovate a house with recycled and restored stuff. There are some great ideas in there so I'm taking notes just incase! 

So that's it little lady :) I hope to write with encouraging crochet news during the week. How are your projects going?

Cal x x x

Happy Valentine's Day!

Mel you're reading my mind. Today is all about my jaffa orange queen cakes!!! These are so easy to make and are delicious. I had to do quality control on a couple of them.

Having only discovered Mollie Makes last week I'm gutted I haven't been collecting this gem before now. I managed to get their Christmas edition so I'm already looking at possible Christmas makes already. I have a feeling it may be my new obsession.

I hope your music pillow hit the right note :)

Happy Valentine's Day

Cal x x x x

What'cha making me?

It's that time of year again.... Love is in the air

Do you remember 4 years ago we went on our own little romantic Valentine's date.You wanted to distract me from my recent breakup and your Valentine was in New Zealand so off we went out together for dinner. You stole the limelight as usual. We have always been a stand out couple 

So are you making anything this Valentines Day for your man or for yourself? I've finally decided to spread some Stitchie Wonder love in my man's direction. He is one lucky guy haha

It really isn't easy making hand crafted gifts for guys. They just want food or food or.... ya really they are all happy with food. As he is a fantastic bass player I am doing something along those lines to tickle his eyeballs ;)

I had great plans to teach myself to crochet hearts and put one on a card for him, but I was distracted and never got around to it. I got the idea in an issue of Simply Crochet a magazine I bought for the first time last week. 

However my first love love love is Mollie Makes and all their free gifts. I love how the magazine is filled with tutorials, inspirations and my own favourite; photo's of people's creation stations/work spaces. I love looking at what people surround themselves with when they are designing and creating. I just seem to surround myself with chaos and mess.

I haven't time to rotat...

We only realised the other day how we both love this magazine. I can't wait to explore more crafty things with you, and share these on Wooly Knickers! I trust your not missing me too much over there in the sunshine, while it pours rain here. 

Note to self don't google girl love or Doggie Valentine when looking for a cute image to represent best friends!!!!!

Miss you my Valentine

Mel x

G'Day Melly

Can you believe it,our own blog, how exciting! It's fantastic to have all our ideas, recommendations and accomplishments all in one place. I can't wait to see what Stitchie Wonder has been up to.

Since taking up knitting again last year, with the needles I used in primary school, I've become addicted to hunting down patterns on the internet, in books and wool shops all over Perth. It became such an obsession I've had to limit myself to one project at a time. On the upside, this motivates me to finish a project quickly so I can start something new!

My latest discovery is an Australian company called Cleckheaton. They have some great patterns and amazing wools. Despite the 30 degree temperatures outside I've decided to prepare for winter so I'm currently knitting the Dip Hem Jumper from their California pattern book.

 

Unfortunately I wasn't able to find any of this fantastic California 8 ply wool so I decided to be brave and after several trips around my local wool shop I chose an alternative Cleckheaton wool for the job. Let's just hope my calculations are correct!!!! 

Cleckheaton Country Naturals 8 ply in Burnt Red  

This is the first jumper I've made so I've really been learning as I go but I love the sense of achievement that brings. Who would have thought I'd ever be able to find the right wool and needles to meet the tension square measurements!! So far so good and I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Nearly up to the first armhole! 

On another note the postman arrived today with the most fantastic parcel from Ireland! Stitchie Wonder strikes again :) My Roald Dahl cushion is the best present I've ever gotten and you've made me want to invest in a sewing machine. I wish I'd gotten more hands for Christmas!!! 

 

Being pancake Tuesday I'm away to make myself a batch for dinner AND dessert!!! 

Looking forward to the next installment and all the projects yet to come.

Cal x x x

Woo Cal

So here it goes our first blog post. 
I'm going to give you a quick update of what I've been up to and of course shamelessly brag about my alter ego Stitchie Wonder. I wish you were here or I was there so we could start up our own little Wooly Knickers business but this will have to do for now.

Have I told you how much I love my Christmas Wreath? Nothing beats a handmade gift. It couldn't have come at a better time as well as I lost all my Christmas decorations moving house last year. I have now started a new collection and this will take pride of place for many many years to come.

My attempt at creative editing 

As you know I love sewing and creating as Stitchie Wonder but you definitely inspire me to try my hand at knitting again. All I have done so far is a knitted scarf. I did this using the Cath Kidston Knitting Book. I would really recommend this handy little kit for anyone who wants to try knitting for the first time. I love all of Cath Kidston books and sewing bits n bobs. I love the vintage look to them.

My first crochet hat
complete with felt bow

I decided to try crochet and so far so good. What do you think? I like how fast your projects start to look like what they show in the pattern. 

My first hedgehog
I think I'll have to make more

Speaking of patterns, I love everything Sarah at Dolls and Daydreams sells in her pattern shop. I created the most adorable hedgehog today using her pattern. I love the fact that her hair is even long enough to brush and style. Sarah's patterns are so easy to follow that I have made her Tiny Tot, Skeledoll, Easy Girl Doll and Dinosaur Softies already. 

You can see pic's of these over on Stitchie Wonder.

So Cal tell me, what have you been up to? 
Mel
xxx