Covert Robin and Typography update

I've finished my gift and am ready to post today!  I made this little 8" VW frame purse for my recipient.  You'll be able to read all about it when the guest post link up starts on April 1st.

I've also been stitching up a storm for my Topography Challenge entry.  I am still very unsure if I will have it finished on time.

There are just so many words to stitch and SO little time!!! 
Wish me luck
Kristin

Days 3 - 12 of Build

As we've only had digging really happening on our block for the past couple of weeks I haven't put pictures up every day.  I will just lump all the daily pics in this one post.  Things are really starting to progress now, I think we should have our wall up in the next couple of days, then hopefully they will make a start on the house!!

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5DAY 6

DAY 7

DAY 8

DAY 9

DAY 10

DAY 11

DAY 12

 So that's where we're at so far.  I can't wait until the pretty stuff starts to happen!!

Knit one, purl one.....

Yup I'm learning to knit!  Back story - Last Monday (was a public holiday here) and I got a phone call from my Nan asking me if I could have a look on the net and see if I could find any patterns for knitted cushion covers.  I accepted and commenced looking and a couple of hours later had five very different patterns to take to her. #she really gave me no clue what type of pattern she wanted but I think she was happy with my selections! 

So whilst hunting I saw some amazing knitted blankets that I just had to make......but first I probably should have someone show me how. 

eleventh hour blanket - The Purl Bee

So I asked my step mum if she knew how, she pulls out two (very different sized) needles and one small tatty looking ball of black yarn and shows me how to 'cast on' (yeah I know the lingo!!) so I practice this and and get 12 stitches cast on (I really don't know whether I'm using it correctly at all, but I'm going with it!).  So then she shows me knitting plain stitch (is what she called it), after a few rows of this she shows me purl and I'm alternating rows of stitches and when I check how many stitches I have there are 15 hmm so I keep going for a bit and recount, this time I have 18 hmmm, by the end of the night I was double the stitches I initially started with (yeah I don't know what I was doing but people I asked tell me I was probably splitting stitches). 

Moss stitch with Nan's guidance.

Following day I am looking after my aunties baby and Nan calls around.  As luck would have it I have my odd needles and yarn on hand and she runs me through some stitches.  I show her the pattern I want to make and she gives me some advice and pointers so once sitting is over I scoot over to Spotlight and pick up a circular needle and some thick yarn to set about making my blanket (for a friends baby shower on April 1st, cutting it a bit fine don't you think?)

Casting on

After a couple of rows

So now I just needed a project bag............and as luck would have it I had this little beauty pinned and just needed an excuse to make it.

Renskes minimalist tote bag - Design Sponge

I love my new bag.  It's a bit different and has a bit of a nautical feel (you know I love the nautical).  I also didn't have any rivets so I just used press studs that I had on hand to attach the strap and yup the flowers are there to cover my mistake.  I put the poppa in on the wrong side so made these little felt flowers to cover and hand stitched them on.  (for the flowers I just drew four different sized flowers (twice) on a piece of felt, then cut them out, easy peasy!!!) So now I'm set to take my knitting anywhere.

Day 1 and 2 - Build

We have finally started!  I am so excited to see something finally happening on our block of land. 

Day 1

Day 2

Only another 128 days to go!
I've also been checking out some carpets.  The two front runners at this stage are Santorini Silver Cloud (lighter of the two) and Ravine Pewter. They are both loop carpets, 100% wool and the Santorini is quite an open weave so it is really soft.

Here is an up close shot of the Santorini, isn't she gorgeous?! I'm so excited!!! At this stage I'm thinking this in the Lounge and to have the stairs and upstairs bedrooms in the Ravine.

Hope everyone is having a great week
Kristin

Tag, you're it!

I've been tagged (blogger style) by Keren from sew la vie, thanks Keren!
The rules are as follows (copied directly from Keren so I don't mess them up!)

**You must post the rules {?!}
**Answer the 11 questions that the tagger posted for you & then create 11 questions to ask the people you’ve tagged
**Tag 11 people and link them in your post
**Let them know you have tagged them

So here are my answers to Keren's questions

Q1: What is your stand on vegetarianism / veganism? Do you eat meat? Do you wish you didn't? I am a carnivore all the way!  I love meat, it's always the portion of my meal that I save until last because it's my favorite!  I do have a lot of respect for people who choose not to eat meat though because they are obviously very passionate about their beliefs and must have a lot of self control!
Q2 : What is your favorite piece of jewelry? I'm not much of a jewellery wearer but my favorite is my engagement ring for obvious reasons!
Q3 : What did you enjoy doing / playing as a child? I recall my brother and I playing out the front of our house with our bike and using a skipping rope to tow the other on a skateboard, we had bunches of fun playing that game.  I also had a horse in Primary School and I we would go riding practically every day.
Q4: Name one thing you love about sewing? Admiring my work at the end! Closely followed by the initial phase of choosing fabrics and designing what I am going to sew!

Q5: Name one thing you don't enjoy which is a part of sewing? Ironing!!! hate it, I don't even iron my work shirts most of the time!

Q6: Do you have a pet (cat, dog, etc)? Do share a photo? We have a dog (my baby) Lenny, he's a 4year old Bernese Mountain dog, a 14 year old tabby cat and a goldfish.

Q7: Would you rather live in a bustling city or the quiet suburb / countryside? Quite suburb it is for me! I work out on the road in the traffic so when I come home I like it to be quite and peaceful!

Q8: If you could go back to a certain age and be as smart as you are now, what age would that be?  Primary School for sure (10 or so)No homework, no responsibilities, just having fun all the time, I don't even need to be particularly smart for that! Does that make me sound incredibly lazy?? I just get sick of cooking, cleaning, cooking, cleaning it never ends!
Q9: What is your favorite sport / physical activity (yoga, basketball, hiking, etc...)? I enjoy walking and running.  I am fairly uncoordinated so not really very good at ball sports!  But I LOVE watching Aussie Rules Football and tennis.
Q10: If you were extremely rich, what would you do with your time? Shop, travel and make my home really pretty!
Q11: What item have you sewn or made by hand that you are particularly proud of and happy with? I haven't quite finished it yet but it is the 'baby life' quilt (VandCo) I am making for my friends baby shower, I just love it!

So now the people I am tagging are-

Miamihoney of The Jackpot 

Tamsyn of  Max and Me

Roslyn of Sew Delicious 

Christy of Sew love it 

Leti of letandas

Emma of Moo and Mouse 

Rachael of imagine gnats 

Cassandra of Cass Can Sew

Veronica of Sew Very

Sandra of Socks without pairs

Katie of Unconventional Katie 

Ok so now for the questions....

1. Your favorite season?

2. Tea or coffee?

3. I think its fair to say that most (if not all) of us have slight obsessive compulsive tendencies, for instance my sister has to have the car radio or the television volume on an even number and my mum has to spin herself in the opposite direction after she turns around.  Do you have any and if so what are they?

4. Do you wash as you go when cooking or leave a big old mess to clean up at the end?

5. Do you prefer savory or sweet foods?

6. What did you want to grow up to be when you were little?

7. What is your most favorite thing (inanimate object) in the whole world?

8. Something that really annoys you?

9. Are you a fan or reality shows? If so spill your favorite please!

10. If you could have a dinner party with three people (can be anyone present or past) who would you choose?

11.  What is the first thing you do when you wake in the morning?

#I hope you find this a fun game to play along with and I would love to hear you answers but if you don't want to join in that's fine!

Cheers

Kristin