ScrapHappy September

...........with two lots of scrappiness this month


Firstly, red and blue scraps, lots of handstitching and buttons to finish.........

  You might remember back in June I posted about the quiltlet I made with scraps I found after the flood, here.  I had put the quilt in the Murwillumbah Art Trail "Big Flood" Exhibition and a friend who saw it wanted to buy it, but I wasn't keen to sell.  She was setting up a new studio for her paper and print making as hers had all been washed away, and so she asked me if I'd make her something 'nice and bright' to go in it.  She said she loved reds and blues, but would leave the rest to me.

And this is the result, cheery red and blue bunting.

***

And secondly, woolly scraps

Ooh what a mess

 I turned some of those tangled bits into these tiny Christmas stockings. They'll be going to Knitting for Brisbane's Needy, who are asked for thousands of these every year by charity organisations around Queensland.  They're given out at Christmas lunches, with a few sweets inside, to homeless people and those doing it tough.  For some, it might be the only gift they receive.

Waiting to be sewn up

Check out the links on Kate's blog  to see what others have done with their scraps this month.

......till next time

Update to add these links in case anyone wants to knit little stockings.  It's a free Jean Greenhow pattern here.  Scroll down past about 8 other patterns.
And here's some info about Knitting for Brisbane's Needy.  I'm doing these stockings for a  Knit4Charities charity of the month, but you could make them and send directly to K4BN, the address is on the contacts page of their website.  Or you could find a local group to make them for. 
Happy knitting. 

Days away and back again

The 4 days away in Caloundra were wonderful. What a busy town, and such a lot going on,   particularly on a Sunday, when the main street was blocked off, and a great variety market stalls were set up, mainly food and arts and crafts, and all manner of interesting passers-by.

We were staying quite close to the beach, so escaped there as much as we could, either enjoying the boardwalk, the rocks and the sand, or having a coffee close by at one of the little cafes and eateries off the boardwalk.  We watched people braver than us swimming and fishing......although the weather was quite warm, the water was freezing. I ventured in just once, paddling my feet, and that was quite enough.

Away from the beach,  we found this pretty garden area to wander through on our way to the art gallery, which had already closed and we missed visiting by about 5 minutes.  It was worth the walk though, with it's sculptures with coloured lights embedded, and the tactile old tree trunks.  We spent ages looking at this amazing wall mural, with it's many interesting and intriguing details. 

There were cloudy sulky sunrises, not like the ones I'm used to, where the sun rises up from the rim, hot and fiery and ready to go.

and then the vibrant glow as the clouds cleared a little and the taller buildings across the way were painted gold

  

This balcony looking out to sea was a favourite place to sit and drink tea, and while there, I managed to cast on and knit about three quarters of a premmie beanie.

The sunsets were worth watching too.......clouds away to the south, choofing along towards The Glasshouse Mountains..........

and a fiery glow to the west

We had a few stops on the way back.......Woodford for breakfast, Somerset Dam for lunch...where we'd planned to have lunch on the way there, but as we got lost coming out of Ipswich  there was no time to stop.  

This is Peak Crossing, between Ipswich and Beaudesert, where we had afternoon tea.  This dry countryside was such a contrast to our vibrant and green sub-tropics.

 And that's it, home again........and no prizes for guessing what I've been doing since I came home!

We have a neighbourhood picnic today, one of the initiatives that has sprung up following the flood.  There was such a strong sense of community then, with people helping out in any way they could, with cleaning up, making meals and donating freely to those who'd lost everything, that many have been keen to keep that spirit going and get to know our neighbours better.  I burnt the eggs I was boiling to make sandwiches to share for lunch while I was writing this, so I'd better get away and organise something else.

......till next time.

There's a bear in there.......

........and there's another

Oh look...... a kitty, a couple of giraffes and tiny teddies too..........

They're all pretty excited, they're off on a journey today to join lots of other softies on the Victorian Variety Bash, a motoring event that raises money to support children in need.  This year they're driving from Melbourne, Victoria to Fraser Island in Queensland. The toys will be given out along the way by Car 152.  This group is one of the charities that are being supported this month through the on-line group Knit4Charities, which I belong to.   It donates to a variety of charities Australia wide, and members nominate their favourite charities, which are then placed on a yearly calendar.  Each month there's usually 2 or 3 charities for us to choose from to support.  If you like to knit, crochet and /or sew, pop along and have a look at the website.  There's no obligation to make anything, and no minimum number of items to be sent.....that one beanie, toy or scarf will keep someone warm or bring joy to a child.

........till next time.

No photos

Yep, sadly my poor old Canon has been deemed a write-off

it's about as useful as this one now! 

Luckily the repairman was able to save my photos, but I won't be able to go and pick them up until the end of the week, when I'll also look at getting a new camera.  So nothing current to show, although there has been plenty going on around here.......sewing, knitting and gardening,  a day spent at a Fermenting Festival....more about that another time........ and meetings, discussions and plans about something BiG and exciting and a bit scary that will, I hope, be happening soon ......more on that too when things are a bit more definite. To anyone wondering........no, I'm neither pregnant nor getting married!

So that you're time's not completely wasted coming here, I thought I'd share this cute and clever work I came across from Kirsten of Quernus Crafts in the UK.  I love anything 'tiny' and really enjoy this wonderfully talented artist's  'wee creatures' made from polymer clay.  Kirsten now has them trying their hands at knitting, just the thing.

Go check out her work, it'll make you smile.

'til next time

In the garden -exploring, weaving, knitting

The weather's been sublime here, and apart from a few days of heavy rain, there's been warm bright sunshine and blue skies. Although I've had sewing to do,  it's just been too nice to be indoors, so I've been taking my knitting outside, letting the new girls out to explore and enjoyed the sunshine.

Spangly Lola

Busy Brenna ....she loves being out, and aggressively hunts worms and insects, from the ground and her nest mates.  I think she's going to be alpha  chicken.  She makes an amazing noise, somewhere between a honking goose and a mournful water fowl.

Speedy Lola....so much to do and see.

Betty........likes to check it all out first.

They have all settled in well, there's the occasional outraged squark during the day, as the older two continue to attempt to stake their claim to the henhouse, but it's mostly darting and chasing, no vicious attacks.  Sadly, this little one, Hildie,  didn't make it, I found her very listless in the coop one morning when I let them out, and despite bringing her indoors and keeping her warm, and eye droppering food and water into her, she died shortly after.  I think the others might have suffocated her, they haven't quite got the hang of roosting yet, and would get off and huddle together in a pile.  Hildie was probably on the bottom. She was a dear little girl, and was the first one to venture out into the yard, then followed me around peeping happily, sounding like R2D2, all beeps and whistles.

Rest in peace, Hildie

I had this garden loom made a while back, and have been enjoying weaving cuttings and prunings from the garden into it.  I saw one in a Living Crafts magazine a while ago, and was really taken with it. Go here to see the website of the family that make them, they're from northern Maine, and have such a respect and enjoyment of their garden.

I love how I can watch the shadows and light on it, changing and moving, keeping me in touch and mindful of the passing day, and then the seasons.  The structure itself is symbolic of our human experience and is a quiet reminder of the inner qualities of this experience and harmonising the whole.  The top beam represents the creator, or creative power, the vertical posts : 2 states of experience - being and doing; the angled pieces represent balanced communication: listening and talking; and the two horizontal weaving beams are for feeling...the lower one, close to the earth for grounding...and the higher...the head for thinking.

At dusk

Moon rise.

I love too that it's all made from left over timbers from when I had the back of the house renovated.  Those upright posts are the old stair supports, from when the house was built over 90 years ago, and now have a new lease of life watching over my garden. 

As we move into Spring, I'll start weaving wool, roving, and fabric scraps for the birds to take for their nests.  They already like to perch up on it, and there's often little groups sitting happily up there.  For now, I've planted some bulbs under it, and will plant flowers and herbs seasonally under and around it.  It makes me very happy.

....and the knitting? This week is NAIDOC Week , celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander peoples and I've been knitting beanies in the indigenous colours, of black, red and yellow.  These will be given to the children who attend the local Women's Service Indigenous playgroup and after school activities, a very new venture for the area.  I've made 12, and have one on the needles, nearly finished, and since I didn't decide until midway through June that I'd take on this project, I'm rather pleased and relieved they're all done, and ready to hand out on Wednesday.  They range in size from one for a new baby, up to 12 year olds.   

I'm back out to enjoy the winter sunshine, finish that last beanie and do some stitching for Full Moon Art with Woman with Wings.

Enjoy your week.

Back with the moon

I've been back from holidays for a couple of weeks now, but it's been hard to get back into blogging,  hard to be on the computer, when the sun's been shining quite hotly for autumn/winter, and the great outdoors is calling.  It's been pretty busy around here too, with visitors coming and going, garden beds to prepare and vegetables to get in the ground.  This is my best planting and growing season, and with good prep now I'll have a variety of vegetables that will take me through to summer, depending how quickly the weather heats up and the humidity increases.  But for now, chilly nights, sunny days and a decent amount of rain will ensure good growth.

Today, I'm joining Woman with Wings in her full moon Drawing down the Moon project. I've missed doing this the last couple of months, and it felt realy good to settle quietly yesterday and stitch.  I captured the  photo above early yesterday morning as the moon was setting, just before it disappeared behind the trees (shame about the power lines).  The mountain was beautifully tinged with rose as the rising sun hit it.  Just for interest's sake, that very tip of Mt Warning is the first easterly point of Australia that the sunrise hits....neat hey? 

I have stitched an almost transparent moon mirroring the moon above in the night sky, and drawing healing energy deep into the earth.

I've managed to work on other projects too ....

a small wallhanging for a swap

a nearly completed baby quilt 

First few dresden plates for a special 40th birthday quilt ....8 to go.....due later in the year

a fabric postcard for a friend's birthday

and some knitting

It's sunny today with a biting cold wind, my thoughts are with all the people further south who are experiencing wild weather and floods, let's hope it all blows out to sea soon, as predicted.