around here.

current happenings...

i hit up one of the many vintage bazaars in town yesterday with my mother in law and picked up some much needed summer-y and breastfeeding friendly pre-loved clothes. including this beautiful french chiffon number. i'm in love!

the reading pile beside the bed doesn't seem to be getting any smaller, but certainly has a theme... simple living and food abounds!

a wee bit of sewing has been happening... some cushion covers that i had been meaning to make, for oh, close to an eternity have FINALLY come to fruition! the patchwork one was put together at the craft sessions circa 2013, and the ink and spindle piece was from then too i think. both were backed with some calico i had in my stash (some perhaps bought for this purpose, or maybe leftover from the wedding bags? and one piece was actually used as wrapping for a christmas gift i received the year before last) and finished with buttons from my button box. the button on the right worked perfectly with my patchwork cover, with an imprinted leaf, very similar to the one i block-printed and used as my starting piece.
the perfect stash busting project!

there's also been a little bit of picking for breakfasts from the garden... i got fed up with sharing the blueberries with the birds (and by sharing i mean, never getting any) and netted the living daylights out of the bush. while i was at it, the strawberry plants next door got a covering too and i've been enjoying the spoils for breakfast every few days for the last week or so. and the raspberries, well *touches all the wooden surfaces* the birds haven't cottoned onto their location yet... so nice to know EXACTLY where my berries are coming from!

and a fair bit of progress has been made on these socks for bb. the heels are both turned and i feel like i'm on the homestretch! i'm getting a wee bit weary with them, but i'm also grateful for the slow and simple nature of them. i always know what i'm doing when i pick them up!

and that about sums it up... well there's the normal life stuff too, catching up with friends, eating, sleeping, keeping the house looking nice and ALL of the baby goings on, snuggles and crying and giggles and dirty nappies.
it's a happy, messy and tiring time he he.

ps. i'm hoping to make tuesday my blogging day every week. check back next tuesday and every following tuesday for different bits and pieces; greenery updates, crafting, probably baby toes every now and again, and maybe, when i'm feeling brave enough, a birth story...

slow fashion october - long-worn maintenance.

as i mentioned tuesday, i had a bit more to write on the subject of "long-worn" the second prompt for slow fashion october... so without further ado, here it is!

a big part of what keeps my wardrobe going is looking after, and giving love to the garments i own, whether they be beautiful handmade garments, or fast fashion ones i've foolishly indulged in over the years. either way, they're both incredibly important as keeping garments out of landfill is a high priority of mine.

the first step in looking after them, is obviously washing them appropriately.
since seriously getting back into knitting, i’ve been a big advocate for hand washing handknits, and i’ve always separated my light coloured clothes, from my darker coloured ones when putting them through the machine… though since reading this post by elle, i'll be taking a little more care with how and how often i wash things in the machine.

fabric shaving has become quite a fun pastime of mine...



there's no quicker and better way to bring a hand knitted garment back to it's former glory than with a quick fabric shave!
come to think of it, it's a pretty great way to freshen up some of those nylon-filled, fast fashion pieces too. there are more than a few cheap and cheerful cardigans and dresses that i've breathed a bit more life into with a quick fabric shave!

my third solution for keeping everything functional is mending.



i've posted here before about mending, with this post being a particularly successful to-do list for me, and this one, being not quite as successful... i never quite managed to get everything fixed 100%. those jean pockets of bb's, they have all new holes despite my repair attempts, and the cardigan i talked about? well it's one of my slow fashion october goals and is pictured above.
i never actually stated any goals in my first post, but they've been percolating in my head a little he he. a dottieangel inspired, woolly tattoo bit of visible mending is what awaits this.
it will definitely be a slow old fix, but hopefully i can pull it off and it will breathe a whole new bit of life into this sad looking cardigan!

wish me luck!

what are your thoughts on maintaining your wardrobe? are you a mender?

slow fashion october - long-worn wardrobe.

once again, i'm joining in with slow fashion october, expanding on my instagram post on this week's prompt 'long-worn'.
in truth, it was last week's prompt, i'm running a wee bit behind with them... i think i lost my ability to manage time effectively when little ag came along. i'm getting there slowly though he he.



thinking of the articles of clothing in my wardrobe that are long-worn... dresses were the things that came to mind as the longest wearing. the three dresses pictured above are just a selection of the dozen or so that i own, few of which were bought new.
some are homemade (owning it!) and some are second hand, and what is bought new, is fairly carefully selected to be able to be worn time and time again. not only in summer, but across the seasons with the addition of tights and long sleeved woollens underneath.
the three dresses above, encompass the whole breadth of the cycle; new, second-hand and homemade.



the new, my wedding dress, is, truthfully, the least worn thing in my wardrobe.
it was worn for the two events that made up our wedding celebrations in december and hasn't been worn since... not because it's a wedding dress and won't see the light of day again until my kids pull it out for fancy dress... but because, kids! well kid specifically.
it's one of few dresses that i own that is highly fitted through the waist, and even at 2-3 weeks pregnant (which was only 3-4 weeks out from our wedding, #honeymoonbaby) it was too uncomfortable!
it fits me again now though, and i'm already scheming plans for its first outing.
when i chose it, i specifically picked a style that i could wear time and time again, as i didn't want it to be a once in a lifetime wear. i'm really looking forward to dressing it up, for special occasions, and keeping it a bit more casual too for more everyday wear too.



the second-hand, is a dress I inherited when my nanna passed away, six years ago now...
it doesn't get a huge amount of wear either, it's not one i reach for daily or weekly (unlike the final one i'll talk about), however, whenever i'm feeling fancy, it comes out!
it's been worn to weddings, funerals, nice dinners, interviews, and even to work a few times.
it's exceptionally comfortable, surprising when my nanna was quite a bit smaller than i was... thankfully she liked a relaxed fit!
it got a few wears during my pregnancy, and come to think of it, with it's buttoned front, will probably get a few wears in the next year or so as it's the dress i own that's most suitable for breastfeeding in!



the final dress is a homemade one, as well as being second-hand. it was made by a very talented and prolific dress making friend, who passed it on when it no longer fit her and it's not the first time you've seen it on this here blog!
i've altered it to fit me a little better by raising the waistline and eliminating a little of the length of the skirt but i love the relaxed fit of it!
i wore this at least once a week my entire pregnancy, and a lot before that too as i love the colour palate and design of the fabric, which i'm pretty sure is a pretty high cotton content. very nice to wear when it's warm out!
i love this dress so much, i'm truly contemplating altering it a little more, to make it breastfeeding friendly. a few buttons on each side of the sleeve and voila! now can I find the time to make it happen?

i've got plans for another little 'long-worn' post too, detailing what i do and use, to get and keep my clothing items looking ship shape. we'll see if i can find the time for that too i guess he he!

what are the longest worn items in your wardrobe? are you a dress fiend too?

meet the mendees.

as i mentioned earlier, the list of things to be mended around these parts is getting a wee bit out of control.
to keep me accountable, i thought i'd share here, and set myself a little goal of the end of the month to get them ALL dealt with and back into bb and my wardrobes.



first priority for me is this pair of tights. there's nothing more uncomfortable than a toe poking out of your tights into your shoe! oh and this pair might not be alone either...
the two pairs of beautifully warm fleecy tights i own, both have toe holes! the shame! it can't go on any longer!!

i also noticed that one pair has a tiny knick just above the knee which i'll definitely need to get on to straight away, to avoid a run and a bigger mess to fix down the line.

i've also got a couple of cardigans which need some love. one has a hole in the seaming under the arm, which should be super simple and quick fix. the other will be a little trickier though as it has a series of little knicks in it, courtesy of my fabric shaver. someone wasn't holding the fabric quite taut enough... and didn't seem to learn the lesson after the first time, or the second, or the third... did i mention it's a series of holes ha ha?!
anywho, as it's in quite a state, i've got a bit more creative mending solution in mind, it'll take quite a bit more time, but will freshen up an old cardi (which i'm pretty sure i bought for $10...) and give it some new life!

bb had mentioned to me a couple of times that there were holes in his jean pockets...



and upon inspection, it was super apparent why he was losing coins down the leg of said jeans!
these pockets are basically destroyed and will need to be completely replaced! not quite the quick needle and thread job that i thought they'd be originally, but will be worth the effort considering otherwise, the jeans are still in good condition!

i also have a pair of socks that have some nice big holes to be darned in the heels, and a pair of much loved pyjama pants that are in desperate need of new elastic.

wish me luck y'all, i've got quite the list to work on!

#memademay week four and a half.

phew, and just like that, may, and me made may is OVER!
may was quite possibly the quickest month ever no?

taking part in me made may for the first time this year, was super eye opening... to just how much of my wardrobe is actually me-made, but also to some gaps i think i'd like to fill.
it's also made me realise, i have some more mending to be done too! i might try and get to work on a name and shame post this week, like i did last time i had heaps of mending to do!

i also feel like i want to make some more room in my life for some more sewing! i have quite the wee fabric stash happening, and although i did manage to cut into some of it this month, i'd love to work through some more. i definitely have some garments, and other things in mind!
relinquishing the potential knitting time will be hard though ha ha!

any who, on with the last little installment of my me made may!



day twenty-two saw me kicking back by the fire with my feet enclosed in some very basic two at a time socks on. i knit them quiiiiiite a while ago, but they were pretty much my first foray into socks... i've learnt a bit since then, including how to darn, so there's no excuse for the big ol' hole they're sporting in the back of them!



on day twenty-three i rocked a pretty new hat for a while. it was the third in a series of pretty chunky knitted hats, two of which bb and i sported last week. i was hoping to get a whole heap knitted up and sent on to the beanie festival, but i just didn't have my head in the game this year! not to worry though... i know somewhere they'll be appreciated!



day twenty four, these beautiful mitts kept my hands cosy as i pottered about the farm, tending to the chooks and the vegie patch. they're knit up in some yarn i scored from the bendigo back room which i still absolutely adore!



day twenty five and i pinched another of bb's knits as i headed out the door for a walk in town with mum. we ended up shopping (ick, i really hate clothes shopping!) and i ended up in a change room with decent lighting, hence the gratuitous dressing room selfie ha ha.
the scarf is a super simple ribbed scarf, knit up in a navy 8ply from goodness knows where. it's been kicking around for quite a while this scarf!



another of bb's knits borrowed for day twenty six. this time a wee hat, knitted to match the previous days scarf. i have no idea how it stays on his head as it is really, too small for my tiny head... and his is quite a bit bigger than mine!



day twenty seven saw me finally finish my kallan cape by finding the perfect buttons at work! it was a super busy day, so it then took me the rest of the day to get them sewn on... but i had great fun wearing it around the shop for the last little bit of my day, and then it kept me nice and warm on my travels home!



on day twenty eight, i finished off, and then wore a queensland beach headband. i haven't been able to get this headband design off my mind since i saw it grace the cover of take heart, and with my new shorter do, i figured it'd be the perfect pattern for keeping my ears nice and warm this winter!
it was a super easy, and relatively quick knit... and it certainly does the trick in keeping my ears warm!



while i was trying to choose a colour for the aforementioned headband, i was struggling to settle on just one... so i cast on two at the same time! i finished this one at the same time as the orange one, but wore it on day twenty eight, keeping my head cosy while traversing between the handknitters guild yarn market and home.
this snap is from a service centre between the two ha ha!



day thirty, i wore a beanie that i had almost forgotten i had ever made... strange considering it is physically a part of this blog! it forms the background of my blog header right up there at the top of my blog!
i remember absolutely adoring the texture of the stocking stitch and the colour, and having to use it as the background ha ha!
it's quite different to how i knit beanies these days though... with a big seam up the back! i couldn't imagine knitting a beanie flat any more! how times change!



and finally, on day thirty one... i ran out of unique handmade items to wear! so i wore my biggest work in progress ha ha... my baby bump!

paired of course with my honey cowl and some handknit socks.

i think it'll be a rare day that i wouldn't reach for at least one handmade item to accessorise with after completing this month... particularly as winter is now well and truly upon us!
the last few mornings have been super frosty, clearing to beautiful crisp days and then turning to very chilly nights. the fire has been getting an absolute work out!

do you wear a lot of handmade items in your day to day? ever joined in with me made may?

#memademay week three.

phew, managed another week of me made may madness without any double ups! my handmade wardrobe really is a lot more extensive than i first thought...



day fifteen, i wore my rubus slouchy hat while pottering around the farm and also when i popped out for an hour or so to my fave vintage market. i had a couple of vintage items i traded for a couple of different vintage items. oh and i picked up a delicious slice of cake.
good day all round ha ha!



day sixteen had me wearing my whorl cowl while bb and i popped to a gp appointment and to get some groceries. oh and then it stayed on for the rest of the day because it's just so darn cozy!



day seventeen and i was wearing something new! the wiksten tank dress i mentioned in my last post.
it was a pretty comfy dress to wear, and travelled well on my way to melbourne and held up while i was teaching that night too!
it also layered well with some other items in my handmade wardrobe, always a good thing!



day eighteen and i threw on a terzetto hat for the morning commute. this short hair business means i've got some cold ears happening, so much so that i pinched this hat from bb's woollies drawer. he didn't miss it, but i sure appreciated it!



day nineteen saw me wearing another stolen woolly number from bb's drawer. a luxuriously soft and snuggly garter stitch scarf. it kept my neck beautifully warm and provided me with endless entertainment as it's 12309842 years old and COVERED in pills and fluff that i spent a fair bit of time pulling off.



day twenty and i had some cosy feet on the couch! tip top toe socks for the win!



day twenty one, last night, saw me throwing on one of the chunky beanies i'd been working on to send away for the beanie festival this year. and i found one for bb too!
these are both knit up in rowan big wool, leftover from my foray into arm knitting. i had quite a bit leftover so i'm hoping to get a few more beanies out of it... and that means less yarn in my stash! yahoo!

a week and a half left of me made may, home stretch really!

sixth.

my sixth finish of the year was a bit of a spontaneous one.
i've been thinking for the last few weeks, while i'm home this weekend, i'd really like to get some sewing done, but then promptly gotten busy with the 3120398 other things i've wanted to get done too and forgotten.

this weekend just gone, i went as far as pulling out my fabric stash suitcase and sorting through what was in there and was almost ready to leave it at that...



until i found a ready-to-go copy of the wiksten tank pattern, all stuck together and cut out in the right size!
i got to cutting it out and pinning it all together monday night, and then sewing it together tuesday morning before heading up to melbourne for work.

i made a mass amount of bias binding as i remembered last time i made a tank, i bound the arm holes and necklines and loved the simplicity and the effect!



it turns out i made way too much though, as i also had enough to bind the hem too!



gotta be happy about that!

you'd better believe i threw it straight on and wore it the rest of the day.
there'll most certainly be a photo of me in it in this weeks #memademay post.

i see a few more of these in my future, though perhaps cut out with a wee bit more seam allowance (i say more, but i definitely didn't cut this with seam allowance). the fit on this one wasn't tight, but it doesn't have too much room for future bump growth either!

#memademay week two.

still going strong with the handmade items into week two of me made may.
next week might be a bit more of a struggle though ha ha!



day eight, saw me wearing my jo sharp reversible wrap.
according to ravelry, i knitted it nearly four years ago!
i tend to go through periods of wearing the living daylights out of it, and then promptly forgetting about it's existence. i do love wearing it when i remember it's around though ha ha.



day nine, another pair of handknit socks. this time the sugar maple socks.
perfect for schlepping around the house in. particularly when our new abode is seriously lacking in the carpet department.
they keep my toes nice and warm!



day ten, i wore my honey cowl while chook wrangling. knitted up in some cheap and cheerful wool from spotlight.



day eleven saw me rocking my hitchhiker shawl, one of my absolute favourite knits from last year!



day twelve i was back to work! i spent all day with this cosy m.1. solo wrapped around my neck. i knit it up in some yarn i picked up from the bendigo woollen mills backroom, and as i didn't have quite enough to make a generous scarf, i seamed it up to make a perfect length cowl!



on day thirteen, i wore some handmade pj pants. well, i didn't wear them ALL day obviously, but from midnight to 8am ha ha.
to make these, i cut around an existing pair of pjs, and sewed up the seams. a casing at the waist for some nice thick elastic and some quick double turned hems and they were done. all from a vintage doona cover. too easy!
which reminds me, i should probably make myself some more!



day fourteen i kept cosy at work with my rubus cowl hanging around my neck. i knit it up in another discovery from the bendigo woollen mills backroom. magical place that it is!
it's super hard to capture the colour of this beauty correctly, it's quite a dark green!

and that's it for this week! i'm quickly running out of handmade items, so hopefully i make it through week three! week four... well that will be a struggle ha ha!
wish me luck!

fifth.

over the weekend, i finished up my fifth finish for the year.
and the second to last on the to-finish list i began at the start of the year.



i'd been working on this for quite a while... it being a souvenir that my folks brought home for me from their trip to the states, nearly THREE years ago! phew!

i had the frame for it for at least a year, making me think i've been working on this one for at least two...



very happy to get it done, pressed and framed. and now i only have one wee thing left on my little list of unfinished projects, yahoo!

#memademay week one.

as we finish up the first week of may, i thought i'd share a little something i decided to endeavour on quite late on the first day of the month...

i decided to participate in me made may!
i've never taken part before, figuring i really didn't have that many 'me-made' items in my wardrobe... but since changing jobs last year, i've definitely added a few new bits and pieces to my clothing stockpiles.

so without further ado...



day one, my colourwork sampler beanie. it was a chilly old day, and this kept my head and ears toasty warm as i traipsed about that farm getting things done.



day two, a cosy pair of skyp socks. another blustery day, but i had the warmest toes going around.



day three, an outing to the movies with bb called for a bit better outfit than i'd worn the last two (tracksuit pants and a hoodie, with the addition of the aforementioned cosy socks and hat, ha ha!). i layered up my alcomar shirt over a black rtw dress. it added a wee bit more warmth and showed off my little bump nicely too!



day four, may the 4th, star wars day! i cheated a little and posted this photo of the amigurumi figurines i hooked up for our wedding bonbonniere. i was wearing handmade items, but none that i hadn't already posted!



day five, and i left my phone at work! i made do with this slightly crappy photo from my laptop camera... one of my super favourite makes, my triple stitch cowl. this one gets worn a LOT. it goes with lots of things in my wardrobe and it's so EASY to wear! i love cowls as they don't fall off like scarves or shawls, my neck feels a little naked without it ha ha.



day six, another favourite make. my featherweight cardigan. again, this one gets worn over and over again. the silver colour goes with so many things in my wardrobe!



and day seven, today i wore this dress. according to that post, i made this dress FOUR years ago! it's had heaps of wear over the four years, and as it's such a heavy drill fabric, apart from a bit of fading, it's still going strong.
i'm particularly pleased as it's always been a loose fitting dress, it should hopefully fit through my entire pregnancy! woohoo!

i'll no doubt be back next week, with another weeks worth of me made pictures. hopefully even sooner though... i've got garden plans to share, and heck, i might even rustle up a meal plan! it's been an age!

now i'd best be off to bed, as you can see in that last picture, it's been a big week!