He's Lucky He's So Cute...

That face gets him out of a world of trouble!

Playing With Colours

I got bored with spinning my practice plain old white with a grubby stripe in it so I cracked out the food dyes and made some pretty colours. Here's what I started with:

Then I unwound some bargain Merino Bambino to make pretty as well.

The yarn went in with some orange and yellow,

Half the roving had some bright green,

and the other half extremely blue. (Note to self: check that the dish fits in the oven before filling with wool, water and dye!)

And this is the finished product! Well nearly finished, just need to re-skein the yarn and braid the fibre once they're totally dry. I can't believe how bright the colours came out with just a little bit of food dye!

Jen

Practicing Spinning

These are the first three bobbins of yarn I have spun on my new wheel!

I love being able to see my improvements in just under a week of spinning on it!

My first bobbin is thick and thin, underspun and overspun.

The second is slightly better.

And by the third I think I'm getting a much more even yarn. Just thought I'd share, I'm a bit excited by this whole spinning business!

Jen

A Musical Prodigy?

Whilst cleaning out Coen's wardrobe last week we came across his guitar on the very top shelf. It had been confiscated some time ago for a long forgotten rule infringement. He was very excited to have it back and has been playing and singing all week. I managed to catch a couple of his beautiful little songs on my mobile phone camera on Sunday morning. I spy a future song writer!

Jen

Bendi!

On Saturday Mum, Em (Eyes of Blue) and I went to Bendigo for the Australian Sheep and Wool Show. We left just after 6am in the freezing darkness to get to Bendigo in time for a special Ravelry breakfast. The Brekky was organised by Tara, a superstar, there were prizes and pancakes and knitted stuff as far as the eye could see!

Everyone got to show off their handknits, that's Mum's chocolate coloured sock in the middle!

I carried my camera about but forgot to get a photo of us. Luckily there were other (better) photographers there who caught us!

These pics were taken by Meg, her photos from the breakfast and the rest of the show are fantastic!

I knitted my hat, it's a Side Slip Cloche that I mad a bit slouchier, because I like a bit of slouch, and my vest was made especially for the occasion, because I get too hot with jumpers under coats. Mum is wearing my Grace scarf and Em is wearing the hat I made for her when she was in the UK. A bit of a showcase of my knitting really!
We hung out with Dawn who I had previously met at a Ravelry meet up in Wangaratta earlier in the year. We all won prizes too, I won a Ravelry bag, Mum and Em and Dawn all won fibre, and I get to spin Mum and Em's on...

My brand spanking new spinning wheel!
I had intened to have a look at spinning wheels at the show so I could move on up from spinning on my trusty spindle. I knew that Mandie at Ewe Give Me The Knits had Majacraft wheels and I had heard wonderful things about them so we went to have a look at the wheels and I got to have a play under the instruction of Glynis (one of the company directors!) and fell madly in love with the wheels and brought one home!



The rest of my purchasing was fairly subdued, I was just so happy to have my wheel! I got some black wool top from Shiloh, bunny fluff from Ixchell, a WPI guage and some red and grey wool from the Bendigo Woollen Mill. The stuff with the sparkle at the back is the Batt that Mum won at Brekky!

It was a wonderful, exhausting day! We're already planning next year's expedition!

Jen

A Little Mousie

I was looking for good little presents to make for all the little people who are having birthdays soon and came across this little mouse pattern. I finished it today while Coen was having his swimming lesson and had staff and other mums swarming around and exclaiming at the cuteness!

I think it has too many small limbs and bits that could come off so not really suitable for any of the real littlies. Which doesn't really matter anyway as Coen claimed it the moment I cut the last thread!


Apparently his name is now Hopper.

Jen

June - In a Nutshell

I forgot to blog June. Sorry. So here is June in a nutshell...

We took Mum and Ed to the airport to catch their plane to Bali. Whilst having a snack and a cuppa, Coen made a joke... "Look! I jammed my finger!" It was very funny the first time he said it.

We celebrated a bit of a Christmas in July with some of the Huffer clan.

Darron had fun. (This man is the love of my life!)

And Coen had lots of fun hanging out with his cousins.

Coen mastered the art of T ball,

Made a turtle out of playdough, (I've just noticed his Elvis hair here, that boy needs a hairccut)

And fell asleep on random pieces of furniture.

This is most likely due to the fact that he was unwell, missed a lot of sleep and spent a week catching up.


I made a couple of things too.

Fingerless gloves for the boy,

Mittens for the man

A hat,

a scarf

and a vest for myself.

Well, that's the June that was. Happy new financial year, I promise I'll be a better blogger!

Jen