Things ...

Time for a Catch-Up post?  To show you some Things I've been making and some of the other Things that have interested me - perhaps they will interest you.

Earlier this year I finally bought myself an overlocker.  I've been a seamstress for 3 decades but until this year I had avoided owning an overlocker.  So now I have an "entry level" machine (as in the cheapest one the brand makes) and it is making some garments a possibility ...

Very stretchy, fine, mesh fabric - with neat hems and edges.  Without an overlocker this would be a nightmare and / or impossible.



And it is making some sewing much easier.  This is the inside of a Blythe doll's dress.





But enough about Blythe dolls ... I'll show you all the things I've been making for the dolls in the next post...

Let's see more sewing.
I've been making some of my 1930's inspired Kimono / Cocoons  for my Etsy shop (see above for a link).  They are very Glam evening wraps - I've made one in this lovely black lace, the others are in some all-over sequin fabric - one is rose gold, the other is a brighter (9carat) gold.



The sequin Kimono / Cocoons are really Old-Style Hollywood Glamour.







Now for some knitting.
Also for the Etsy shop, some of my slouchy beanies - too warm for an Australian Christmas but Etsy is on the www and somewhere in the world they will be having a white Christmas.

This beanie is very toasty - it is my own hand-spun yarn - un-dyed, naturally coloured sheep and alpaca fleece. 








Did someone mention Christmas?
Last year I made knitted snowflakes as little pressies for family and friends ... seemed like a good idea at the time!   This year the little knitted Christmas decoration / pressie is going to be .... guess!  


I've a bit of a production line of them ... thankfully I don't have many friends.







Now this is also too warm a garment for this time of the year - it can wait till next winter - a poncho for my granddaughter.   A mohair blend from Bendigo Woollen Mills that I dyed myself - the stripes are a cheap chenille acrylic yarn. 





This is my favourite method of making a poncho - 2 rectangles stitched together ... add a neck-band and some fringe.  Fringe is mandatory for ponchos I reckon :-)

Have also finished this scarf - made from Habu yarns packaged as a kit from Dairing.   You work 2 fine yarns together and one of them is a blend of silk and stainless steel.  The steel means that it'll hold a frilly edge like this.











Now for something completely different - I love flat shoes, the freedom and mobility, the independence, the comfort of them.  Towering heels / tottering platforms are not for me - I walk everywhere, don't have a limousine so no limousine shoes for me thank you.  I live in Ballerina Flats (the French call them "Ballerines") and the ones I love most are, appropriately enough, from Blochs.  The black leather version is my shoe staple but I also love the white satin ones - I think they are meant as bridal wear.  


But the ones I buy don't stay white for long ...

This pair are now a nice dark emerald green.



Fabric dye, painted on.  Now I just have to decide if I'm going to put gold beads on them or not ...









Enough of things I've been making ...
Was delighted by this historical old advertising recently revealed by a demolition following a fire on King Street Newtown.

It was once a garage with "Cars for Hire"  and that was "Waratah Motor Spirit"...

This link will take you to another blog with more information (and a lot of advertising!)   Unfortunately, less than a week later the other end of the wall with "Perdriau Tyres" was covered with some unattractive tagging / graffiti.

Now for some nature.
Summer time means crickets - no not cricket the sport of flanneled fools but insects like this ... she hitched a ride into the house on the washing and had to be escorted outside again.

Lovely long antennas !

A few weeks ago on a very hot day I spotted this young kookaburra in some jacaranda trees.  Poor thing was trying to cool down - beak open and wings held away from the body.

I'll leave you with something pretty - another surprise from my garden because I planted this lily bulb at least 8yrs ago and this is the first time it has flowered.  A small arum lily it is a sweet blush pink colour.