Birthdays

It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago. I'm not too fussed about birthdays anymore, but sometimes, they sure can be nice. I do love getting birthday calls from friends and loved ones - some of whom I don't get to talk with very often. And I love the fact that my two girls always think of something very special for me.

And I love, love, love that some people make things for me.

My favourite sister this year sent me this oh so lovely, subtly coloured and patterned mat for my kitchen.

See, it even incorporates Pisces.
Not only that, but it came wrapped in two metres of soft voile. I received parcels of thoughtful loveliness from new friends and good friends. Having crafty friends is an added joy this year.

Kelly knitted me a beeeeoootiful scarf.
Carrie crocheted me these funky little handwarmers (Michelle helped a bit).

Over the Weekend of Nettie, we had musical entertainment...And some serious balloon untangling...

And best of all, my family gathered around. There were more of us together than have been in one place for, oh, a long time. And those who weren't here, we skyped or phoned.

Yes, birthdays are OK.

Am I not a vegetarian any more?

Spending an entire long weekend nursing a sore head does crazy things to one's thought processes. Yes, most of Saturday, all of Sunday and all of a precious public holiday Monday I contemplated chopping off my head to rid myself of migraine pain. Medication came too late and so was ineffectual.

Not being able to face work on Tuesday due to the flatness of spirit that follows the demon migraine, I considered ways to avoid it in future (having the right drugs on hand and taking them before the stake gets driven into my skull would help, yes).

Now I have been vegetarian for some years now, and previous to that was never a great fan of la viande. Give me vegies any day. Love 'em. Love 'em. Love 'em. I don't have just one reason for being vegetarian. It's partly because I object to the animal cruelty that goes with farming pigs and chickens in particular. I believe that grain production would be more sustainable if it fed people rather than animals. I believe it is healthier for me. And I just don't like handling raw flesh and muscle, nor do I much like the taste and texture.

But in my post demonic state, I wondered if a change in diet might somehow make me feel better.

I went to the organic, free-range butcher (well, he's not, but his produce is) and bought a small piece of red stuff. Then I cooked it. And I ate it.

It wasn't too bad. But, to be perfectly honest, I really enjoyed the organic broccoli, asparagus, beetroot and potato better.

Even so, I feel that I have betrayed the cause. Sorry.

A perfect weekend

The perfect start to my weekend is always my local Saturday morning SnB. Sometimes there are 3 or 4 of us, sometime 6 or more. I love it. It sets my weekend up perfectly for other enjoyable activities, like Saturday afternoon baking cookies, with a most engaging kitchen hand. (Yes, her mummy ran the NY marathon and brought her home this Tshirt.)

And Sunday morning out in the pouring rain, unblocking some pipes and drains, and making sure that the runoff is going into the dam. Oh, yes, and jumping in puddles.

Skirting around

In my efforts to find a skirt pattern that (1) fits me well and (2) suits me well, I have been playing with a couple of different designs. I wanted a skirt that has a small yoke, so I tried McCall's 5524 - it has a yoke and a bias skirt. After chopping 30 cm off the length - as it is designed for longer, lankier women - I think it's OK. I even managed to perfect the lapped side zip. Fabric from Michael Levine in LA.
Next I wanted to try a more A-line style, and with a centre back zip. This is Sidonie from BurdaStyle - also cut on the bias.

Notice anything wrong? It's maybe a tad short for me? And it's not even hemmed?! Yes, that's right, while I went to a bit of trouble to make sure I cut the right size, I didn't actually check the length. It is the non-adjusted pattern length, which is usually OK, non? Only if you want to sew a mini skirt, apparently.

I modified the pattern to remove the waistband and replace with facings, so that my bulky middle wouldn't be accentuated. Luckily it's made from a cheap vintage sheet. I'm thinking of adding some lace or broderie anglaise to the hem.

Next project: How to take a decent self-portrait (and remember to replace daggy Tshirt with something a bit more suitable).

Just sayin'

One thing that might be really important if I am going to succeed with sewing my own wardrobe for a year is to learn to insert zips using my lovely newish Pfaff - inserting them easily, correctly, neatly and stress-freely. One thing that might help is to use the zipper foot the right way round. Back to front just doesn't work.

End of year FOs

A few finished pieces of knitting to show.


Turn a Square beanies for baby brother and his gorgeous girlfriend for xmas.
Monkey socks for sister - seen here on the sock blockers, almost ready to send off as a belated xmas present (better late than never). I had to send her a WIP photo for xmas. She laughed.
A xmassy cotton mitred hanging towel for a xmas swap partner.

And these snug purple stripey socks that I finished back in October, just in time for my trip to NYC. The gorgeous Grignasco Strong Print yarn was gifted to me by PomPom in a swap earlier this year.


Summer knitting continues, with a few different things on the needles - some of which, frustratingly, have been frogged or tinked back many times. But more socks will be cast on soon, a shawl will be on the blocking wires very shortly, and a cosy pinwheel blanket is progressing well. Loving catching a few short hours to sit with my knitting, watching Sensitive Skin on DVD and enjoying my all-too-short break.

Xmas traditions

I love xmas. I really do. I love that it's hot, hot, hot. I love that I spend weeks (OK, maybe days) planning the menu. Not just for the day, but for all the other days when visitors want to eat with me. I love that I can switch off from work for a week or so. I especially love that I can spend time with my loved ones.

My girls and I have a couple of xmas traditions. Well, the first one, they probably wouldn't admit to being part of, but they laugh along with me. You see, each year, I buy a xmas CD - some years it will be traditional, some years vintage, but most years it's pretty appalling.

Back in the day, I used to buy records - you know, LPs. But I won't inflict those album covers on my blog readers. Since I've moved into the modern world of CDs, I've bought several of the vintage versions, with the usual suspects: Dean Martin, Doris Day, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole.

But some years I diversify. It was the Beach Boys that followed me home one year.

Another year, it was The Hoff (very cringeworthy and, yet, my personal favourite).

Even The Seekers have made it into my xmas collection.
This year it was a toss up among Shirley Bassey, Neil Diamond and Elvis.

Elvis won (although I'm pretty sure he never really actually sang O Come All Ye Faithful with Olivia Newton-John or Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) with Leann Rimes.)

Ahh, I'll bet my xmas visitors are looking forward to hearing this one.

Xmas tradition number two is a bit less scary.

Last year I blogged about my grown-up daughters requesting xmas skirts each year. On our recent trip to LA, Daughter2 selected some Michael Miller Party Girls fabric for this year's xmas skirts.

But did I start them early enough for both girls to wear them on The Day? Of course not. Daughter1 is far away this xmas season, lolling about in the sun and hopefully being spoiled rotten by in-laws, so there is no way I am going to get an as-yet-unmade Party Girls skirt to her now. But Daughter2 is still insistent. It might just get done.

In the meantime, I have resurrected last year's cherry theme for a xmas bib for ma minette.

But just in case she feels like being a Party Girl too, it's reversible!