to start the day

in the early cool of morning
the soft white light pours down upon me.

smooth my cheeks with your rosiness

add your sparkle to my eyes

let your warmth permeate my voice

and fill me with your strength

so that I may fully live this day.

bit of knitting :: bit of shopping

Ahhh now, I’ll let you in on a secret.  I’m completely besotted with knitting at the moment.  Thanks to the Tangled Yarn and Ravelry, I have been accumulating stash and patterns like there’s no tomorrow.  I have PILES of wool near every comfy sitting spot in the house, and of course, knitting in the take-along bag.  On the needles are crowns and dolls and a sweater for Julian and more handwarmers for Abby and handwarmers for Carolann and lace and a poncho for Abby.  I’m longing to start a cardie for me - but am resisting the pull - and settling instead for this …

… knitted in this, that is.  It’s my first play with kettle dyed Malabrigo merino and it’s so very beautiful and soft.  It’s very hard to photograph my quickly-knitting-up-shawl ’cause it’s on a circular needle and just looks - well, lumpy.  So it will be a few more days.

But I have buttons for it.

See?  The sales assistant was a BIT dismissive about buttons for my shawl.  In fact, she was a tad incredulous and then a tad patronising.  Hmph!  She’s just lacking in imagination.

Or maybe we had ticked her off because Abby had bought just 20cm of a gorgeous Australian mohair.  And I was going to buy some glorious brown wool for a skirt - and then put it back.  I did, however, buy $36 worth of buttons.  I don’t really know how - sounds ridiculous, but I did.

Abby has already put her mohair to good use - some for the ghostly girl …

… and some for her.

And I bought patterns - Vogue patterns on sale for $12 each!  Goodness!  I haven’t bought a Vogue pattern in YEARS ’cause they are so expensive.  I have hopes that there will be some dressmaking on the weekend.  Hopefully.

I also bought this …

… so’s I could adapt this …

… into a sleeping bag.  I have searched and searched and searched - I wanted a sleeping bag that had a lovely simple bag bottom with a plain yoke for buttoning.  Perfect … now I have to head back to the wool store to buy more wool. :-)  And I bought it from Harry - who was singing James Blunt in the back of the store whilst reshelving children’s books and then had a fascinating conversation with me at the counter about babies’ skeletons - do you know, they don’t grow knee caps until they are between 2 and 5 years old.  Harry is studying radiology and he loves babies.  I pointed him out to Abby - discretely of course - I said, “Abby when you are older and searching for a nice fellow to bring home - bring a Harry.  He sings, likes babies, knows about knitting, can recommend a good novel and is studying radiology.”  Honestly, what more could you want :-0

winter days

brisbane style … cool mornings, mild sunny days … and it’s school holidays.

:: hunting earthworms ::

:: tinkering ::

:: trying out fabric and thread ::

:: enjoying our river ::

:: lunching with friends ::

:: gathering the bounty of mum’s pruning ::

:: heading off on adventure ::

household bartering

Thank you all so much for sharing your lovely thoughts on handmade yesterday!  It was so wonderful to see that so many of my friends share the passion for creativity and individuality - what a wonderful contribution we can make to our world.

Hmmmmm … a new way of thinking is blooming here in the Boot house.  The daughter has discovered the pleasures of bartering.  It goes like this.

“If you wash up the lunch dishes sweet one, I can cast on your hand warmers.”  She ran in, filled the sink and was at it in seconds.

“If I cook breakfast, will that give you time to finish the second hand warmer?”  I think so!

“Why don’t I clean the guinea pigs’ cage whilst you go buy the wool for my poncho?”  Y-e-s!  (How I have loathed cleaning that guinea pig cage - even with her help!)

I think this new way of thinking is going to work very nicely.

p.s. these hand warmers - which came from here - introduced me to knitting with four little pointy needles, cabling, picot bind off, and making a THUMB HOLE!  (this last one was the most thrilling moment - I couldn’t believe for a second it was going to work - and then it DID!)  They were super fun and super quick to make.  Give them a go!

handmade sunday

Abby chose.  I stitched.  Julian twisted (silver that is).  And all was ready for a birthday party.

A mushroom take-along, lined in orange, trimmed with pink.  A pair of mushroom earrings.  A wee ladybug card .  Happy Birthday Caroline!

And we didn’t have to go birthday present shopping - everything was found in the stash - put together with fun and care - just how we like it.

This really strikes a chord with me.  As I look about my family and my home, I see more and more signs that we are kind of opting out of the constant consuming that pervades our society.  That’s not to say we don’t go shopping - all those craft supplies have to come from somewhere, and we enjoy a silly afternoon at the mall every now and then - but I’m just over the whole blindly following what I’m told I need and must have this season. Ick!  I want my family to behave like, look like, sound like US.  Not an ensemble that could be plucked out of a catalogue and held up as “Yes, this collection represents the average family in 2009″.

Just this evening I was reading Faythe Levine’s (Handmade Nation) thoughts on craft being political …

” My personal belief is that if you are making something by hand than that act itself is a political act.  We are living in a disposable society and we have so much being thrown at us of how we’re supposed to live, and how our house is supposed to look and what we’re supposed to wear, and so when you are stepping away from that, and taking control over your life to make something yourself, I believe that it’s a very quiet political act.”

Yes! Yes! Yes!

And it’s such a community spirited act too, isn’t it?  When I pick up a needle and thread, I make a quilter’s knot like Sue showed me.  When I pull out my fabrics, I’m inspired by the colourful energy and beauty of Amy and Nanette and Jessica and Kaffe and Jennifer and Heather and so many more wonderful quilters and artists who have become part of my life over the last 18 months.  When I cast on a new knitting project, I use the cable cast on that a dear old lady taught me at the knitting shop many years ago (I didn’t know I did this until last night, when I was reading a pattern for hand warmers and thought “Cable cast on?  What on earth is that?”).  When I think about what Abby and I will do after school, I am reminded of Amanda’s energy and commitment to her children.  When I choose to make more time for dinner and its preparations, I turn to the women and mothers on my shelves - Nigella, Jessica, Tamasin, Jane - and use their experience to give our meals - and my family - my best.

And then I find this (ooooh- aaaah, this animation is something else!) and this and this (perservere with this one - the dancing will fill you with smiles) - and they are so delightful and wonderful and add more sparkle to everything I touch and dream of.

Every day I dip into this community of artists and find that it lights my way with such energy and beauty.  Aren’t we so blessed to share this world with people of such great generosity and passion.  No wonder I’m oblivious to what the “must-haves” are this winter.

Me with my fabric and yarn, Julian with his old bicycles, Abby with her cheerful love of all that we make for her and give her.  We are busy making a handmade Boot family and sharing it with our family and friends.  That makes my heart sing.