Category Archives: Craft

A reluctant model…

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After 18 years living in Melbourne, I’ve finally convinced husband that there is such a thing as a Manly Scarf.  Of course, it couldn’t be multi-coloured, or have stripes, or too much pattern, or heaven-forbid tassels ~ eek!

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Not being a knitter, this took me a good few weeks. I think it’s moss stitch, although it could be seed stitch, or something else – I do get confused.

The yarn is Morris and Sons Empire 10ply 100% Australian Superfine Merino. It’s delicious to work with, and will hopefully be just as enjoyable to wear.

Love Terri and Moo (and a wave from reluctant-husband) xxx

 

Instant Gratification Crochet

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Even though I have (cough) six crochet projects currently on the go, I had this little idea the other night… for a spring-time anklet. I know, it’s not spring yet. In fact it’s freezing, grey, drizzly, and just blah. Which is all the more reason why a spring-time anklet seemed like an essential seventh project.

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Anklet_5smlI bought this thread in New York last year. It was at the very back of a little haberdashery store in the Garment District – up a rickety staircase, buried in the bottom of a box. It’s Aunt Lydia’s Crochet Thread, size 3… and so lovely to work with.

Obviously, it’s a favourite with Moo too.

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Anklet_8smlThank you all for the lovely comments about my adorable knitted socks. I’m wearing the green and pink pair now…. so so warm and snuggly.

Love Terri and Moo xxx

 

An Unexpected Parcel

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Normally when a parcel arrives for me at work it’s something boring like stationery, or food for Moo**, or a present I’ve bought for somebody else. Last week though, something special arrived, something special and just for me and completely unexpected!

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Can you guess what it is?

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Or does this picture help? No?

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Yes, that’s right, not one but two pairs of gorgeous hand-knitted socks from my mother-in-law, Verna.

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I already have three lovely pairs knitted by Verna. I love them so much that I’ve started “saving” them. We’re going to New York in December, and I know I’ll need them there. So unbeknown to me, husband mentioned to his mother that another pair or two would be gratefully accepted, and appreciated.

And here they are….

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I can’t decide which colour I like best. The obvious choice is the pink… but then, the green and pink are particularly handsome too, don’t you think?

I hope you’re all having a lovely weekend, and that the weather is warmer than it is in Melbourne. I really do think it’s time for spring, regardless of what the calendar says.

Love Terri and Moo xxx

** Moo wanted me to mention that she doesn’t think having dog food delivered is boring.

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Evie Muse

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In February this year, a good friend of Moo and I had a gorgeous little daughter. Her name is Evie Muse (yes, I know, what an adorable name, right)?

I’m in the middle of a bigger gift for her, but I thought she might need a little beanie to get through the start of the Melbourne winter. It’s too small for her now though. Hopefully she has a new one, as it’s pretty cold here at the moment!

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Yes, Moo liked it too!

In other news, I’m in the middle of a bit of a mid-winter slump. I have about six projects half finished, but can’t seem to get inspired to finish anything just at the moment. Actually, there’s probably more than six projects – I’m not thinking about it too much in case the number is even more embarrassing!

Love Terri and Moo x

A crochet~free long weekend

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Yes, It felt extremely weird writing that! I had great plans for crochet, I really did. I figured if I used my time wisely, I’d be able to devote at least 20 hours or so to crochet, over 3 days.

But then this happened…. Licorice_13sml

Yes. Knitting. Weird.

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It’s going to be a Licorice All-sorts scarf.

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No. I’m not a very fast knitter. This took all weekend!

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5pm Monday night.

I’ve run out of green, purple, yellow and light blue. Luckily Wool Baa will be open again tomorrow!

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Love Terri and Moo xxx

PS In other news, on Saturday afternoon Moo managed to sprain her tail whilst hooning out the dog door at a zillion miles an hour, in pursuit of a suspected possum. After much crying and whimpering, it was a trip to the vet on Sunday morning for an anti-inflammatory injection. I am pleased to report that tail activity is back to normal now, and all is right in puppy-world.

 

A beanie obsession ~ the beginning…

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During my hiatus from blogging, I developed a little bit of a beanie-making obsession. Like doilies, I really don’t think you can ever have enough beanies.

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This one was my first. Current count is 4. The 5th will be started this afternoon. I really can’t help myself. 😀

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I used Adorn Silky Merino DK, from Wool Baa. I believe I’ve already gone on enough about how lovely this is to crochet with!

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Love Terri and Moo xxx

Afghan~in~progress

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It’s good to be back home. I missed my lovely Moo ~ and the gorgeous autumn weather we’ve been having. It’s also lovely to be back amongst all things yarny. I seem to come up with my best crochet ideas when I have neither the right yarn nor the right hook available. 4 days with only a 4mm hook ~ it seemed like it would work at the time!

Talking about crochet ideas, below are some sneak-peak photos of my latest project. I must confess though, that this idea wasn’t mine ~ I stole it off a friend (hi Lisa)! And worse still, I haven’t yet confessed in-person about this act of thievery, so this will be the first that Lisa knows of it, oops! 😀

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I’ve wanted to do something with Noro Silk Garden for years. I see gorgeous sample garments and things made up with Noro in yarn stores, but even though I always admire them, nothing has even seemed quite “me” before… before Lisa’s Afghan Idea that is.

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One of the special things about Noro Silk Garden is how amazing the colours are. Also, the colour you see on the outside might be completely different to the colours inside. Rather than try and match it, I just buy a new ball of any colour whenever I’m running low.

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A gift to take home

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Husband and I are going home for the weekend. Home is Perth ~ the other side of Australia. I don’t go home very often. To be honest, when I say “home” now, I mean Melbourne. But still, this weekend we’re going to our “original” home for a friend’s wedding.

I always feel some trepidation about going back. I never felt like I really belonged there, like I belong here in Melbourne. There is something about Melbourne that is just “me”.

One good thing though is we get a chance to catch up with family and friends that we don’t see so often. I’ll be catching up with my oldest friend from childhood. We met in kinder when we were both 4 years old, and even though we don’t see each other much anymore, we start talking and it’s like we’ve never been apart. And 38 years later, her eldest daughter Laura is now turning 12.

I wanted to make something special, as 12 is a special birthday, and Laura is most certainly a very special young lady. I really really hope she likes it.

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The yarn is Adorn Silky Merino DK, from my local yarn store, Wool Baa. This yarn is 90% Merino and 10% Silk. It’s adorable to work with, just so soft.

Now I seem to be between projects. Ahhh, the endless possibilities!

Love Terri and Moo x

PS I think I may have developed some kind of allergy or contact dermatitis from the nickel in my crochet hooks. Does anyone else have this problem? I only ever notice it after extreme crochet binges, like 8 hours in a day. I guess I should consider myself lucky I get those days where I have 8 hours to crochet, right?

 

 

Central Park Granny Square

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And just like that, we’re back! Thank you to everyone for your lovely comments on my last post, and for welcoming us back ~ it already feels like we never left.

Central ParkFor as long as I can remember, I’ve had a love for all things New York City. I have a “To Do in New York” list dating back 30 years, first started when I was still in primary school.

On my last visit, I bought a silk scarf in gorgeous vibrant colours that reminded me of Central Park in spring. It lives draped over my bedhead, there for me to see each day. This scarf was the inspiration for my latest granny square.

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Details
Pattern Name: Central Park
Source: My own pattern
Yarn: Cascade Ultra Pima

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In other news, Moo and I are exhausted. Today was Million Paws Walk, raising money for the RSPCA. In all, we walked for just over 3 hours.

This is Moo collapsed just over the finish line. We needed a little nap on the grass before the walk home ~ doesn’t she look like she can hardly hold her head up?

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Love Terri and Moo x

 

Where have I been?

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Hello lovely Readers, if you’re still out there!

I just looked back and realised it’s been almost four months since I’ve contributed even as much as a granny square to the crochet community. I’d like to give a reason, or to regale you with stories of my amazing adventures over the last months, but honestly, life just seemed to get in the way. I started the year in a crochet frenzy, complete with a new notebook full of ideas, and blog posting schedules, and photography topics and plans. I had really good intentions – honestly!

Some of my procrastination and frustration I’m sure, is due to unrealistically high standards I expect for my photos. We live in a long narrow house – the block is only 5.5 metres wide, and large parts of the year it’s really hard to get perfect light for perfect photographs. Some days it doesn’t even seem like the sun peeps over the fence at all! Every time I have something to photograph, I try to convince myself that the light will be fine, even when I know it’s not, and then get so disappointed when I download the photos and they’re just not quite right.

But this week I’ve started to miss my little blog, and all that comes with blogging – the people I talk too, reading your blogs, the projects I make and the projects you all make that inspire me. I thought I would give “not being perfect” a go, and to post nearly-there photos … that I’m sure nobody will complain about.

So, without any photo-quality apologies, because I’m not doing that anymore, here are some pictures of the blanket I finished a few months ago for Bella’s Babies. It’s 8ply 100% cotton, with the design idea from Color’n Cream.

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Love Terri and Moo xxx

PS I didn’t feel right ending this without giving you a little update on lovely Moo. She is well, and happy, in fact happier than ever if that’s possible. On Sunday we’re taking part in Million Paws Walk. It’s an annual walk for dogs and humans to raise funds for the RSPCA. This will be Moo’s 3rd year in a row – she counting down the days!