Hair tie

Hair tie
Originally uploaded by inakid
Using Patons merino I made a hair tie. Its different!

Noro Furoside paper hat

 

I like this hat, it was fun and easy to make.

Made from Noro Furoside which is wool/cotton/silk blend. It does break eaily and felt a little like paper but I did still enjoy knitting with it. The pattern was great too.

Woolly blanket

My daughter eagerly awaited for me to finish this blanket and promptly took it as hers! It was initially intended for the couch but its not that big and since my daughter had requested a woolly lap blanket, it is hers.

HDC basketweave cloth

HDC basketweave cloth
Originally uploaded by inakid
Made with organic cotton in green contast colours, a basketweave cloth using hdc.

Shoelaces

My 4 year old received new shoes and because they have eyelets he wanted shoelaces. In the matter of minutes I crocheted chains of cotton and  he was very happy!

Loved blanket

Lilac added
Originally uploaded by inakid
Our much loved blanket has now been added to. I added 4 rows of Cascade Eco+ in lilac which doesn't seem to be as bulky as the Cascade Eco. I want to add one last row probably in alpaca.

Year winding down

2009 has not been a bad year. I feel personally I have grown and progressed in the way I want. I have enjoyed seeing the kids grow and learn.

Christmas gifts in action

J in the organic cabled spinning vest

T wearing stretchy headband in Cascade Fixation

T wearing leafy shrug at christmas lunch

Blanket for my big boy

I finished this blanket for my boy on Christmas day. He was rapt as everyone else in the family had a handmade blanket but him. Interestingly I did knit him a blanket as a baby but he wouldn't remember. I think I have only knitted 2 blankets but I have crocheted many now.  I have cherished a crocheted blanket I was given as a baby and now to be able to crochet blankets myself is wonderful.

"Its so warm, I don't even know how warm!"

I used 3 strands of patons washed Haze which is 60% cotton 40% acrylic which is okay to work with though easily split. I bordered it with single strands.

Christmas presents handmade

I wanted to make as many Christmas presents as possible and it was stressful but I also enjoyed it and I felt that it was worth it.

For my brother and sister in law I made a felted drawstring bag, kitchen things like a turtle potholder and tea towel with crocheted topper.

 

For my Mum I made kitchen things too.

Cotton grocery bag and hotpad crocheted from t-shirt type yarn. I didn't make the yarn but I would like to do that to recycle old t-shirts.

Our Christmas day

The kids received  lots of presents in the morning at home then at Nanna's where we had breakfast then at Nanny's before we went to lunch.

Breakfast at Nanna's house.

Lunch was nice and I encouraged the kids to eat up big because it was expensive!

We ended up back at Nanny's house to relax.

It was a good day with family and I am sure the kids loved it. We don't do the Santa thing but the kids have been trying to decide whether they believe or not and its the first time I have heard my 4 year old even say  Santa. Its interesting to hear them discuss it amongst themselves.

My first test knit

 

This is my first test knit, leafy shrug (now available for sale from Ravelry StitchyMama in newborn to size 14). Something for my daughter who is about a size 14. I really love the result.

Knitted in Woolganics organic merino DK 8ply.

Christmas with the awesome 4

Planet 51

I took the awesome 4 to have lunch and see Planet 51. They wanted to see Cloudy with a chance of meatballs but we missed our opportunity.

The kids had fun so we may do it again soon. It was a strange movie - made humans look very stupid not that it made aliens look very smart but maybe they were making fun of how non thinking  people are day to day?

Embroidery is not my strong point

Treble clef
Originally uploaded by inakid
Pun not originally intended.

This is my progress on the music embroidery on a knitted and fulled bag. I love the bag, its an interesting shape. I am unsure on the music I will use but it will be rocking and possibly AC/DC since I haven't had luck finding Magic Dirt sheet music.
I finally did the treble clef to a reasonable standard after much patience, pulling out and tantrums.

Head Huggers

Made for my daughter with Cascade Fixation

I put beads on one made for me and the one made for T. Its a nice touch.

Head Huggers free pattern

Organic spinning cabled vest

I love the colours, the cotton, the style but it was a challenge to make. I used Debbie bliss Eco cotton and Bernat organic cotton.

Catch up

I have been busy trying to make Christmas presents, decluttering and keeping the kids busy.
The big kids have finished the school year. They are keen to start the new year at school and I cannot convince them otherwise. The greatest gift you can give a child (or anyone) is choice.
Their reports were favourable. Excelling in areas I am aware of such as numbers and maths for my eldest son and reading for them both. No problems at all and both have excellent attitudes in the classroom.
I hope we can all enjoy the holidays and make the most of them.

Christmas is fast approaching in just 5 days. The new year a week later. Its gone fast, this year. And when your 2 eldest children say the same, its scary. Where does the time go?

Coloured felt balls

Easy felt balls

We went to our local yarn store to get some organic merino which just happens to be a fair drive (10 minutes or so - that is not very local to me) and we came across a store I have only heard about. The boys  were entranced and in wonderment over the wooden toys and felt and other creations. The Friendship Tree.
My eldest son was so happy to see 3 felt balls for $1. So I gave the boys a $1 each to buy them. They were so excited. I told them we could make them at home. Silly me, thought there would be nothing to it but it was harder than I thought.

 The kids with their roving.

The pink one is a bought one, the purple by my girl. She did well.

Later on, my eldest boy and I tried again with varied results.

2009 in photos

1. New Years family photo
2. J in the car
3. Hubby modelling my crochet
4. Zolo ring sling
5. N plays Mathlethics
6. Meeting our nephew
7. Vatanai Valensole
   
8. Sydney from a monorail
9. T butterfly hat
10. Cousins
11. The little boys
12. First family trip
13. N loses first tooth (literally)
14. Cooking kids
15. Art school painting
16. J rocking out
    

Jessica and junior wearing hat and pants

Jessica and junior wearing hat and pants
Originally uploaded by inakid
The hat would probably fit a newborn - 3mth old baby. Crocheted from 10ply scraps, its quite funky.
The nappy/ec pants is made from leftover Anchor Magicline cotton.

Christmas decoration swap 2009

Christmas decoration swap 2009
Originally uploaded by inakid
MM Christmas decoration swap 2009

Beautiful decorations now hanging in our doorway (no tree here). I love handmade decorations and its all we have at the moment. I also have a candy cane with my name on it which my aunty made many years ago.
Also others that I have collected in recent years.
I made the tri coloured mini stocking.

WIP of years

T's skirt
Originally uploaded by inakid
I started making this skirt some time ago. It was too long on her and I made a mistake with the elastic casing but here it is on her at 9 and a half years.

A bit of blue for J's Christmas present

J's christmas present

I made this set for J's Christmas present, he wanted to try it on at midnight.

The shorties are crocheted in Mosiac Moon bulky organic merino.

The vest is crocheted from organic cotton.

Scrunchies

Scrunchies
Originally uploaded by inakid
A great way to use up scraps and for gifts.

Tea Towel Toppers

Mum's tea towel topper for Christmas
Originally uploaded by inakid
I have made 3 tea towel toppers as gifts. Just basically crocheting through the top of the tea towel, skipping stitches on each row and a row or two skipping each other row. When there is about 7 sts I continue straight add a buttonhole (skip a stitch or 2 in the middle) then finish. I may write out the pattern properly.

Simple chunky love

Our beautiful blanket as it is now. Being loved by the whole family as they  jump on our bed and snuggle up to it. It is bordered with plum coloured Plymouth alpaca which I adore. its so soft and lovely to touch and work with. I still want to add to it.

TBC

Kids December

Its hard to get a photo of four active independant awesome children. My lame attempt at a Christmas party outside a RSL for end of year break up for St Johns in the local district. It was a relaxed evening and lovely as we have met another family we chat to at each event.

Jackorama

The kids were performing in the school concert which was called Jackorama (tribute to Michael Jackson). Each class did a song each with the whole school coming out after the grade 6 came out in their graduation outfits. They loved it and the audience enjoyed the night as you can hear from the noisy audio on these videos.
My daughter was nervous yet excited to introduce a class.



"Ease on down the road"



"Can You Feel It"

Out of sync but they had fun.

Noah & friend

Noah & friend
Originally uploaded by inakid
Another latch hook project. Probably make this into a cushion. This was a little more challenging with more colours.

Christmas things

Christmas cloth
Originally uploaded by inakid
I have been using up all my Christmas cotton from Lily. Butterfly cloth.

Homeschooling

• Do you know what your child did all day today?
  
• Do you know what your child learnt today?
  
• How well do you know and trust all the adults that are in charge of your child 5 days a week?
  
• How many life skills did your children learn today?
  
• How interested in what they did were your kids?
  
• How intact is your child's self esteem after a day of constant comparisons to other children and bullying?
  
• If your kids had a choice would they learn maths every morning or only when they needed it?
  
• Have your kids finished their homework?

 From unlearnt at last.
 We are currently planning to homeschool. Honestly we are quite happy with the school our eldest kids attend, not 100% happy but I am content with their attitude towards school, they love attending. We have discussed it as a family and homeschooling is something we think would work as our lifestyle could make learning more rewarding for us as a family. 
I do not like how schools are forced to operate a certain way which is not neccessarily the best way to treat individuals especially children who are growing and learning day to day.
I like the idea of unschooling.  
Personally, going to school did not help me socially, I was an "abnormally shy baby" according to the doctor. I have always been shy and being forced to do things I did not want to do, and not feeling I could speak up for myself, did not help me at all. I have had to deschool myself to the point where I know I do have worth and I do not have to be something or someone else.
I want my children to be confident, independant, happy. Going to school has not helped me to become rich or get into a viable career. I think that has more to do with somebody's drive and something within themselves. If you really want to learn, you will. If you really want to do something, you will. 
I know my children's talents, as they do. I don't think school helps them to develop those skills. They seem to learn much more at home, academically and in other ways such as life skills.
Do you know what your child learnt today? Only if they tell me. Though I consider we learn at home and when we go out. Contrary to popular belief, learning does not just happen at school. Do you know what your child did all day today? This is something that stood out to me when my first child started kinder, I now had no clue what my child was up to. She didn't really talk about it. How well do you know and trust all the adults that are in charge of your child 5 days a week? Not much at all. That is a scary thought. I don't really trust anyone but for some reason I expect that they will okay at school. Though honestly I do worry they could be hurt or treated unfairly. Anywhere by anybody.How many life skills did your children learn today? Hopefully some whether at school or at home.  How interested in what they did were your kids? This is something I will ask them. I am sure not everything will be interesting. Actually my son is more likely to share what he learns and he is like a sponge, takes it all in so easily. How intact is your child's self esteem after a day of constant comparisons to other children and bullying? I know from certain tidbits of information I get from the kids that bullying occurs, that the social interraction that occurs is not always positive. It seems like something you can't escape. my children seem to take it in their stride. I don't remember even discussing those things with my Mum, I don't think I was that sensitive but it did affect me. If your kids had a choice would they learn maths every morning or only when they needed it? For my 6yo, every morning, noon and night. He loves maths. My daughter may skip it most mornings. Have your kids finished their homework?`I don't like the idea of homework. This is something that the kids are responsible for and they do it themselves and occassionally ask me for  help. its just something I don't think is neccessary. If the kids chose not to do it I would support that.

Boobah for brain power

This was a fun project. I saw the pattern on Ravelry and thought I needed to buy some pink yarn. Why pink, I do not know. I don't know if anyone has boobahs this colour.
Av loved the colour and wanted me to make a hat for him. J only kept the hat on while I fed him, advocacy times two.

Christmas cloth

Christmas cloth
Originally uploaded by inakid

I have been crocheted a lot lately so thought something knitted was called for. Simple yet effective butterfly stitch. A gift for someone special.

Chunky granny progress

Chunky granny wip Dec 8th
Originally uploaded by inakid

I have finished this blanket for now. It is a beautiful size though I may be tempted to increase later. The last round is in alpaca plum and I adore the colour. I weaved in the ends last night and kept it on the bed and I enjoyed the warmth I really needed. Yes, its Summer but it feels like Winter.
I estimate it has cost me $100 in yarn to make and wonder if I can justify $50 to make it just that much bigger. I think it is worth it, I love the wools I have used - Cascade Eco, Rowan Purelife, Plymouth and Cascade alpaca with a little Malabrigo chunky in the centre, the neutral colours are fantastic.
I have enjoyed making this in bed, especially as it made its way over my feet.