My friend Kootoyoo. x

I feel like I've told the story I am about to tell you a hundred times. To friends, in interviews and whenever else I am asked the question 'What made you start a blog?' But you know what? I don't think I have ever written it here. So here goes:

Waaaaaaaay back in the beginning of 2009 I was a farm blogger. I had a blog called Daylesford Organics which documented and told the stories of our days on the farm. The who we were, the what we were growing and the theory behind the why we were running this organic family farm.

I loved writing that blog.

But once I discovered the world of blogs, the blogs I found myself reading and obsessing over were the craft blogs. There was this big, wide, crafty world out there. People were photographing and writing about what they were sewing and crocheting and painting and making and parenting. Who knew?

At that time I was still a farm blogger and a bit too shy to get involved in the crafty blog goings on. But I remember clearly one day discovering this crafty community project and knowing that I had found my peeps and that I couldn't stay away any longer.

That project was the Quilt project. Do you remember it? Fifty bloggers signed up and each was sent a plain piece of over locked calico on which they were to stitch something, anything, in their own style, in red. The squares would then be sent back and made into a great big, gorgeous quilt. The whole blog world seemed to be buzzing with these squares and this project. The excitement was infectious.

Coordinating this whole awesome community project was a blogger called Kootoyoo.

My one blogging regret is not being a crafty blogger early enough in the piece to be part of the quilt project.

But very soon after that Foxs Lane was born. June 2009 to be precise.

And while I was incredibly excited at having my own space to document the stuff I was making, I still had no idea how to get into that community.

Until I found My Creative Space, coordinated and hosted by that very same Kirsty of Kootoyoo.

Every Thursday Kirsty would put a post up on her blog detailing what creative amazingness she was up to that week. Then at the bottom of her post she'd set up a thing where all the other bloggers could link up and share their week's creative spaces.

Every week I looked forward to Thursday. To posting my space and getting lots of feedback on what I was doing, to getting a glimpse into the creative worlds of so many other inspiring craftspeople and most importantly, to join that community.

My creative space was my in.

And the reason I am telling this story today, in case you haven't guessed, is my awesome new banner. Three and a bit years later I am lucky enough to call Kirsty a real life friend and she made it for me. How unbelievably rad is that!

Kirsty's blog is here; I'm certain you know and love her already. Kirsty still runs My Creative Space on Thursdays and has the most incredible way of seeing the world and its creative opportunities. All the pics on this post are obviously Kisty's too.

Thanks Kirst, you are the absolute acest. xx

So how about you?
Were you a part of the red quilt project?
Were/are you a My Creative Space devotee?
When and why did you start your blog?
And is there a particular blogger who has influenced your blogging journey?

Bye! x

My creative space.

Because you asked Kirst, my hot tip for staying creative is to create.

I am never so creative as when I am making. That's when I hatch my best crafty plans.

It's like using the making tools, unlocks the creative part of my brain. 

When I am lost for inspiration and don't know what to make next, I know my best trick is just to get on with it. Use those tools. Get my sewing machine out and mend something, knit a few rows, pull out an old unfinished project and give it new life, draw an idea for a pattern, or rearrange my wool stash into rainbow order. 

And as if by magic the creative comes. It's like the more I create - the more I create. It's infectious.

And my creative space this week is the pile above. It's like my creative to-do list. Another crochet collar dress plan, a carving plan, a dying plan and some baby making plans (ha! not mine!).

But before I get on with any of those crafty plans I am making myself finish the Feather and Fan cardi.

To be honest I am sooooooooooo over this project. I started it to justify the purchase of a book but the pattern itself is doing my head in. It's tedious. The numbers never add up and I have my doubts it will even fit Miss Jazzy in the end.

 But I am loving the Bendigo Tasman Blue.

And I only have a few more rows to knit until cast off.

Then there's only the blocking and stitching back together until I can tick it off my list and move on. I am SO looking forward to that part.

So that's me and my creative space.
What's going on in yours?
Are you hatching lots of crafty plans or are you being good and finishing off what you started?

Keep cozy.

xx

My creative space.

In my creative space this week I am darning in the ends of my first set of stripes for my stripey pipes project.

And I'm trying to figure out a way to attach them to the black foam pipes that carry hot water from the wood cooker in our kitchen to the radiators all around the house. I'm thinking cable ties or fishing wire??

Every now and then I'm hooking a rainbow row of the queen granny stripe blanket on our bed. It's terribly cold and grey outside and so nice to snuggle in bed and crochet a rainbow stripe.

I'm knitting the last two inches of my Graphite Mara.

At this stage I am desperate to finish with the monotonous rows of knit, knit, purl, purl, knit, knit, purl, purl and actually wear the thing.

And being the school holidays, a lot of my day light hours are spent helping my girlies with their own creative endeavours such as the gingerbread wedding above.

As far as I can see, I haven't posted a my creative space since two March's ago but it feels great to be back.

I'm so looking forward to seeing what you've got going on in your space this week.
Are you making something exciting?
Are you at that exciting beginning stage, or are you racing towards the finish line?

Happy making my friends.  xx

My creative space.

In my creative space today I am hooking granny squares for pockets. I don't think I've got another granny square blanket in me, I haven't even finished sewing in the ends of my first one, but I do love hooking these little treasure collecting pockets.

I am pattern testing a cute little pair of ballet slippers. I have just finished knitting them in the softest, most luxurious organic merino wool this morning. Details here.

But now its time to felt them and I need your help. What is your felting method? I've only ever done hand felting and I've heard something about a hot washing machine and a pair of jeans for agitation, but I'm not sure.

Help?

And of course I'm sewing some vintage sheet dresses for my shop.

I love cutting and stitching these mixy matchy dresses. The colours and patterns and styles make me so happy. And I love dreaming about their new owners and hearing their happily ever after stories. Check out Tricia's here.

I hope this Thursday brings you some wonderful surprises.

See ya. XX

On a Thursday...

To be completely honest with you, over the past few days waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much of my creative space has been spent staring at this pile of deliciousness. I love, love, love this little rainbow of linen I bought from Leah's gorgeous little shop.

Now I have to decide: a quilt, a couple of little dresses or maybe they just have to sit on the side board for a little bit longer as eye candy.

I've been knitting little bits of a cardi for Miss Pepper.

I have knitted this pattern before. Last year when I was first learning to knit garments. It took so long that time and I undid bits and googled how to do the stitches the entire time. This time I feel like I know a bit more about what's going on. Its a great confidence booster.

I must admit though that I'm not entirely thrilled with the mess of colour. When I bought the yarn, the skeins looked like the colours were broken up into chunks of solid bits. I guess that's just another knitting lesson I've now learnt.

I am crocheting granny slippers. Well, granny slipper anyway. Another one of Michelle's wonderful patterns.

I am cutting and over locking and pinning and sewing little dresses.

And I am spending most of my time over a hot cauldron stirring sweet, sticky quince jelly.

I hope your Thursday is a creative one.

We are off to creative dance and then story time.

See ya. X

The tale of a blue dress.

Last Friday I bought this pile of old aprons and table cloths from the church fete for $3.50. The blue appliqued table cloth on the top cost me $2.00. The lovely lady who sold it to me was apologetic, but said it came with six napkins so she just had to charge me that much.

The farm boys have been away at a chain saw course all week, so I've been Farmer Kate helping Farmer Bren out with all the chores and there hasn't been a lot of time left over to sew.

But I have been desperate to play with the blue table cloth and this morning I did.

First I drew a back, a front, two sleeves and a ruffle on the fabric.

Then I cut the pattern pieces out.

I over locked the seams.

Then I pinned them right sides facing.

I sewed the seams together.

I threaded elastic, I added a love heart tag, I ruffled and I hemmed.

And now I'm going to pop it in my shop.

I am really starting to stress about the tiny amount of clothing we'll each be able to take on our caravan adventure in a few months, so I purposely made this dress a size that wouldn't fit any of my girls.

I hope your Thursday is sunny and creative.

Oh and I'm over at Maxabella Loves today too. Check it out here.

Have fun out there.

Love Kate X

Creative stuff...

My creative space this week seems as scattered as my mind is. I am making all the time. Little bits here and little bits there. But I don't think I've completed anything for ages.

I am crocheting little colourful flowers to brighten up dresses on grey days like today.

I am sewing in pocket linings and darning in the ends of a gorgeous test knit for a designer in Colorado.

I am experimenting with layers of torn cotton, lace and other ruffly stuff.

I am cutting and over locking old table clothes for dresses and trying to make sure the see through bits happen in places where it is OK for see through bits to be.

And I am playing hide and seek with Miss Pepper.

Now I wonder where she could possibly be....

Peek-a-boo!!!!

Have a fabulous Thursday!

We are off to dancing class and then to a community garden opening where I am to be the official photographer. Cross your fingers for the rain to stay away.

See ya. XX

Finishing...

This week's creative space finds me starting and finishing lots of little projects rather than completing my long term project, my grey cardi.

Its the strangest thing, I only have five rows of ribbing to knit on the left sleeve and then I can cast off and wear the grey cardi I've been so excited about for so long, but something is stopping me.

I can only compare it to finishing a book that you have been reading for ages and have loved. A book where you know the characters so well you almost feel like they are your friends. You feel comfortable in the story and can slip in and out of it whenever you please. When you are in the middle of a book like this you look forward to finishing it and seeing how it ends, but when you only have a few pages to go you start to wonder about the next book. Will you enjoy it as much? Will you ever get to know the new characters as well? Will it take you long to get right into it? Will it feel as comfortable and part of your life as the old book did?

Once I cast off my old friend the grey cardi I'll have to choose a new project. I'll have to make sure I have the right coloured yarn and enough of it, I'll have to knit up gauge squares until I get one right and then I'll have to learn a new stitch sequence. It'll take a while before I can pull it out at school pick up time and knit a couple of rows without really thinking about what I am doing.

And so I have been putting off the final five rows and crocheting squares and triangles,

I have been knitting a tiny green beanie for a chef friend about to have a baby(Ravelled here), a bunch of rainbow carrots (Ravelled here) and a hooded scarf.

So do you think I'm a bit cuckoo or can you relate? Do you have a long term project that you would feel a bit lost without? A project that is comforting in its comfortableness? A paper pieced hexagon quilt that you pick up like an old friend, a crocheted granny rug that you know the pattern of so well, or a book that you only have a few pages left to read but must start another to delay the inevitable.

I wonder...

Today, along with the gazillion Thursday things to do, I plan to make a final decision on the buttons for the grey cardi and then knit five rows of ribbing, cast it off, block it, sew on the buttons, darn in the ends and wear it. Its freeeeeeeeeezing and a grey cardi would look great over the dress I'm wearing.

I hope your Thursday is a creative one.

See ya. XX

Snatching moments...

My creative space...

...snatching moments...at school pick up...during snack time at bush kinder...waiting for dancing to finish...when they are asleep...when I should be asleep...

...hooking squares...

...dreaming about colour and pattern combinations...

...over locking edges...

...finally finishing a little dress and popping it in my shop...

...only ten rows left of the main part of my cardi...then the sleeves...

Have a wonderful and creative Thursday...

Meditative.

Creative Space.

Creative?

I'm not so sure.

I don't know if following a pattern to the letter is creative. Knitting when it says to knit or purl, or yarn over, or knit two stitches together.
I have questioned the creativity in long rows of knit and purl before. This pattern is a bit different to that one though. This pattern never lets me relax for a minute. This pattern has a complicated sequence called deep waffle stitch at the start and end of each row. Just enough to keep me interested.

This pattern also has darts in the waist. A little bit more interest.

But creative?? I'm not sure.

I guess I did choose the three grey speckled skeins of yarn I am creating a garment from.

At the end of the day, this knitting project has been the perfect buddy for these anxious days and nights waiting and watching and stressing as Mother Nature wreaks havoc on communities all over the world.

Meditative? Yes!

Soothing?? Yes!

Grateful for a craft that occupies my hands? Oh yeah!

Thinking of those in cyclones, flood, snow and fire affected areas.

Of course, I'm not forgetting those in areas of political unrest either.

I hope your Thursday has a little bit of creativity in it.