We finished these, in fits and starts, the boy and I

Bright, multicoloured, flannel pjs. He seems to like them. He is less keen on having is photo taken, so you’ll have to put up with blur.

List of Doom and List of Finished Objects

I haven’t blogged much lately. Recent lists have also included “dentist”, “tax return 09/10″ & “pap smear”. I suppose I could have blogged those lists, but frankly, I’m sure you’ve all got your own lists of doom and don’t need to devote any more energy to mine. I hope to emerge from these lists before “tax return 10/11″ goes on the list.

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I have been thriftily knitting my way through my stash since November and today I’ve actually taken photos. My friends are finished their PhDs, now they’re having babies. Some of the ones who didn’t do PhDs are having second (and third) babies. There are a lot of babies to knit for, many of them are due in winter, this is excellent. They’ll all get out and about in a Friends of Innercitygarden uniform.

I made a promise to myself that if I knitted up useful things (presents are useful, I would buy something for these babies if I wasn’t knitting for them) from my stash then I would earn some Habu yarn with which I can knit Kirsten’s paper crane top. I’m nearly there. The paper crane has been in my ravelry queue for quite a while.

Details are on ravelry for the interested. I took that last cardigan to craft camp this weekend – I sewed on the buttons and seamed the sleeves and declared it a Craft Camp Finished Object. So what if I did all the knitting part over several months? I worked through a pile of almost finished objects and made them finished finished – I replaced elastic in my fire engine red skirt ready to wear for winter (it’s an 80s wool number, apparently it originally came with a matching batwing sleeve top), attached velcro to the kid’s cape so he can be a superhero (or wizard, it’s black with a star) and warmed up on the craft camp sewing by making a wheat bag for the kid. I can’t photograph it, it’s in his bed. It’s a hand-me-down light brown cordoroy, a very basic rectangle. He loves it. He has low expectations. Anyone who shows him Tania’s wheat bags will have me to answer to. I pieced a doona cover top, I ran out of fabric to do the back of the doona cover. The Bloke had threatened to leave me Craft Camp until I finished finished the doona cover. I was prepared to wait him out. I haven’t photographed it.

I made myself a wrap dress. I’m pretty happy with it. As usual, there are things I’d do differently if I was doing it again, but that’s to be expected with a make it up as you go along type pattern. This is the only photo that’s not totally out of focus. Do you like the stripey sock on the floor? I must have words with Teddy about putting his laundry away.

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Now, the photo above of my list was taken this morning. This evening the list looks like this:

[Buy] caustic soda

Put washing away

Make bread

Superannuation

Make soap

Museli

Knit

Pay childcare bills

Nobody say anything. So long as no one speaks I might be safe from thinking of anything else that is on the list but not currently written down.

The beach skirt

I love a long summer skirt. The sort I know is going to create some breezy airflowyness and also stop my legs from getting burnt, without being all heavy and hot-making. I also love a remnant in a One Week Only Fabric Shop, and the freedom that gives me to experiment with fabric. It is a great thrill to be ok with screwing up, although the fabric is quite lovely and I would have been very sad if I had screwed it up. It took me nearly a year to be ok with cutting it. It’s (I think) a linen knit, I’m guessing like the the one Sooz used for her top, and I bought all there was. I have just enough left over to make a t-shirt for a mouse.

The odd-looking spots are imperfections in and on the mirror. I was going for that comfy capacious feeling one gets from wearing something tent-like or old t-shirty, with the look of something rather more fitted and flattering. So there are little pockety bustlely thingies around the knees, which are working out quite nicely.

Now all there is to do is train the kid to take photos rather than interrupt them, and find a house where the carpet doesn’t clash so badly with my clothes.