Broken camera lens

Broken camera lens
Originally uploaded by richardmasoner

....this isnt my lens....but mine is broken too....I'm very upset.....the camera is only a few months old....and i didn't even do anything spectacular or stupid to console myself with.......anyway....needless to say this has interrupted my week of projects....I'll be back later today or early tommorrow depending on your time zone with the next project...once i did out my trusty old instamatic...and the enerygy to haul myself out of my pit of misery

Project Two - A simple vest

Project Two - A simple vest
Originally uploaded by redmag

This is a lightweight cotton vest for the in-between months - the ones when it’s too cold to go without something to "protect the kidneys" as Nan would say but not cold enough to convince little people to put on a coat.
This pattern is for an average two year old.

What you need:
6 balls of Patons Serenity* in black
1pair of 7mm needles
1 stitch holder
1 needle
1 tape measure

Note the gauge is 13 stitches by 23 rows for a 10cm square after washing.

What to do:

Using two balls of yarn combined at once (i.e. as if they were a single strand) cast on (CO) 76 stitches.
Row 1 **knit (k) 1, purl (p) 1, repeat from ** until the end
Row 2 **p1, k1, repeat from ** until the end
Repeat the previous two rows until the garment is roughly 23cms from cast on. Finishing on Row 2 or the pattern

Next row - Continue the moss stitch pattern for the next 38 stitches (i.e. k1, p1,....) and transfer to the stitch holder, finish the row in the established moss stitch pattern.
***Continue the established moss stitch pattern on the remaining 38 stitches until it measures 11 cm from the row where half the stitches were placed on the stitch holder.
At the beginning of the next two rows loosely cast off 8 stitches and continue in the established moss stitch pattern.
Continue the moss stitch pattern for another 10 rows and cast off very loosely.
Transfer the 38 stitches on the stitch holder back onto the knitting needles and repeat everything from ***.
Sew together the neck/shoulder seam and the side seams and to daa!

More photos here....and here.

* This is a DK Bamboo and Cotton yarn that comes in 50g balls but feel free to substitute.

Project one - Liddle girls

Liddle girls
Originally uploaded by redmag

This is Project One of Five for my week of blogging a project a day....

Fabric Paper Doll Garlands
These were inspired by the need to use metres of heavy-weight iron-on interfacing that I got for free.


You will need:

• Heavy-weight iron on interfacing approx 20cm high and how ever long as you'd like your garland to be - mine is 1.5 meters long. You need a heavy weight interfacing because this is what makes the fabric stiff enough to behave like paper and give you pretty erect little dolls.
• A length of fabric cut slightly bigger than you length of interfacing - to make it easier to attach the two together with the iron - I allowed 1 cm clearance but it can be smaller if you are methodical and cut straight - which I am not and can't do.
• A doll template (I've attached mine here but feel free to use your own)
• An iron
• Scissors
• Small metal rings (optional)

What to do:

• Attach your fabric to the interfacing using the iron following the manufacturers instructions.
• Trace the template out on the back side of the fabric/interfacing strip. I found it too difficult to cut all the dolls out at once like you would with a normal paper doll garland and so traced the template out over the entire strip - it takes time but gives you a much nicer end product.
  If you are using the metal rings leave some material on the end of the first and last doll that can be folded back to make a loop that will secure the metal ring.
• Cut out the dolls
• If using the metal rings, sew them into the first and last doll. I found that the rings made it easier to hang the garland but they aren't
  
  ...and ta daa you have a fabric paper doll garland.
  

Some options to customise....If you'd prefer a garland of liddle boy dolls...just trim the skirt of the dolls in the template.....I've made a nice garland that had pairs of boys and girls.

Also you can have different fabrics along the garland - just make the join at their hands using the template to determine how wide each piece of fabric needs to be.

A comment on the picture - while not the prettiest of shots - i just loved that the two-year old's first instinct upon laying eyes of this harem of liddle girls hanging around his room was to grab his liddle Cambodian boy doll and proceed to get him to give them each a kiss...........owwwww.......which reminds me of a little picket fence my dad built when we were kids that got a similar treatment from my little sister....although she went further and declared they were her boyfriends....I guess she expected a commitment for her kisses....

See you tomorrow night with Project Two.

My creative space

invent a new product that doesn't need a label
Originally uploaded by redmag

.....due to technical problems I've missed most of this week's fall colour challenge..........
..............so instead I'm setting myself the challenge of posting a new "how to" every day next week....starting with fabric paper doll garlands...
....................so today my creative space is all about following my own instructions to make sure they make sense......it turns out they don't make as much sense as I'd hoped so this is a photo of my successful garlands from a few weeks ago.....but you get the idea!


See you on Monday....and more spaces over here

Red Baby

Red Baby
Originally uploaded by redmag

....Not quite brick red....and pulled from the archives....I have a photo like this for most members of the family....it's not planned they just seem to find themselves bathed in red light just when I have a camera in my hand....ok maybe bit a bit staged....still working out how to get the dog to sit still up the top of the climbing tower with its nice red roof in the local park....

I'm playing along with the Autumn colours week over at Elsie Marley......check out this one its terrific

A few friends

A few friends
Originally uploaded by redmag

Apologies for my absense - I've been sewing....Here is a sneak peek at the collection I'll have with me at this weekend's Handmade Market at the Yarralumla Woolshed (just of Cotter Road for those of you in Canberra and its surrounds planning on coming along)

I'll be inside on the Friday night - between 6-9pm and outside on Saturday between 10am and 4 pm......(please let it be a glorious day like last weekend)

...even if you're not in the market for a toy do stop by and say hello!

My creative space

The production line
Originally uploaded by redmag

....it's still Thursday somewhere in the world isn't it?

I started this yestyerday with the best of intentions and somehow didn't publish it....this is my creative space.....I'm trying out a couple of new designs for the upcoming Handmade market in Canberra next Friday and Saturday at the Yarralumla Woolshed.....I'll post more details over the weekend.....but this is my interpreatation of a "Dusty Gnome"

My house is obessed with them...all of us even those that don't attend playgroup.......and here is their little song....

"I met a little dusty gnome
Who said it's time to pack away
Round, Round, Round
Swish, swish, swish
It's time to pack away"

More creative spaces over here.