A weekend of craft

Jade's school of crochet., originally uploaded by tutti fruiti.

This weekend was a weekend of craft, set in a beautiful house perched high in the rain forest at the top of Berry and accompanied by some lovely like minded crafters.

We shipped in enough food and craft supplies for a year long stay but in the end it was all about sitting around the open fire with small lap top projects.

I was grateful to realise we remembered to pack our very own fire lighter, several expert gourmet chefs, some hilarious comedians, a plate warmer, a crochet tutor and a few rally drivers to get us safely up and down the roller coaster road to the retreat (the road was so steep that at one point someone may have misread a light reflector on the road in the distance for a star in the sky).

Sewing, pattern tracing, book reviewing, craft magazine reading, knitting, hand sewing, hemming, bias binding creation, cross stitch, fabric show and tell, crocheting, expert crochet teaching, crochet learning, the odd actual finished project, naughty tales and broken glass - I think we covered it all.

The discussion ends here though because, as you know, what goes on craft retreat stays on craft retreat.

photos thanks to Tutti Fruiti

Typing

Doesn't everyone want a toy typewriter? I know we're happy to have one. Seriously, my current favourite toy. Used to be Mr Sadieandlance's or one of his sisters possibly. His Mum's toy preservation skills deserve a medal from the Queen because this baby's in immaculate condition.

I'm not sure I'll be getting any such medals from the Queen, but the Smurf is enjoying his "new" toy as much as I am enjoying looking at it. Now if only he wouldn't type like a 20 month old.

Generally I Don't Do Pink...

Eden's dress, originally uploaded by SadieandLance.

Yes, generally I don't do pink, and yet the pink part of my stash shines strong. It's always nice when a friend, who's appreciative of a handmade gift, brings a pink baby into my life.

This time cutting into the pink Hollabee (thanks to an infamous Retromummy clean out).

More tummy room was recommended from the last version, so I widened the side seams. Remember this was a pattern I garbled together myself in a moment of excitement.

Sadly the machine ate one of button holes, but I manually "rescued" it. You can't see it, so hopefully little Eden won't either.


When I "finished" I decided that it would be easier to bind the bottom hem than trust myself to fold and hem in a straight line.

I'm pretty glad I did.

Gee it was nice to be back at the machine. Now to cut one for little Clementine.

Lists

- I'm not anywhere near on track with this list, for example I will run out of shampoo, probably just in time for a work day next week .

- But I have on the other hand started redrafting (more belly room required) the dress pattern for Eden (sewing point 1)

- We are on the other hand soupless (point 1)

- I didn't yet manage to re-sew toys from the new pattern I'm writing (point 4), but I did find an old pattern I did about 5 years ago from a friends illustration - Spybear! Spybear! Eyepatch included. More on that soon maybe I hope.

- I did call the Shepherd Centre.

- And I even tested my new piklet recipe (not on the list).

- We went to the Museum of Contemporary Art to see the Yayoi Kusama Mirrored Years exhibition. Love. The Smurf cried when we had to leave the little mirrored light room (and when he couldn't touch stuff) ((non listed item))

- But I didn't vacuum - and I don't care.