Totes crazy about totes!

Oh lord, the crafty bug has hit with a vengeance here at Casa SewJIllian.

Oooooh pretty

Can I just say I have never in my life been attracted to sewing "accessories"? It's just not me. I often feel that they end up looking home made, and that obviousness is not me at all. At least I try to ensure my makes do not appear cottage crafty, if you know what I mean?

But look what happened! Eek - it's a tote bag bonanza.

I have been waiting this week on my yarn to arrive for my next project. And for the first time in a long time I've had a bad case of the itchy fingers. No, not some horrible form of dermatitis. An itch, an urge to create something.

I really am not much of a winter sewer. I'm not known for my patience with technical makes and I always see winter garments as way too demanding - think trousers and jeans, jackets and shirts, lions and tigers and bears oh my!

Waiting on this yarn gave me an idea. I seem to have found my winter craft groove... well at least for now. Knitting - makes perfect sense. It's cold, I want warm stuff, I'll knit it. And I love that knitting is totally portable. I can steal a moment on a train, waiting at M's ballet class, and just get on with it. Lovely...

But you know I'm gonna need something to tote around my knitting projects and associated paraphernalia. I'm kind of sick of using those ugly supermarket eco grocery bags. You know the ones I mean. Functional, but not that attractive. Enter stage left, a simple reversible tote.

I did think of simply drafting my own pattern (not that you really need one), but that earlier mentioned laziness set in and I found this tutorial. Super!

I used it as a basis for the two girly totes above. Both bags use drill and/or duck cotton as I wanted some stiffness and durability for these babies.

The Pucci inspired print is my knitting bag, lined with an awesome vintage couture newsprint fabric.

I also love me an internal pocket for keys/credit card/ tape measure etc, so I chopped out a square of the outer fabric to create a patch pocket for the lining.

The ballet print one is M's obvs. Upon seeing mine M demanded her own "library bag" and so it was done.

Check out that patch pocket. Awwww cute ballerina.

Happy model

Then the lovely P was so impressed he asked "How about a cool sleeve for my iPad". Well P, how could I say no? For this I think I'll draft my own pattern. Squeeeee!

And now I am totes toted out. Ok yarn, where the hell are ya?

Oops, I did it again!

Thought this knitting lark was a passing fancy? Nah, I'm hooked. Get it, get it? "Hooked"! Ummm, actually that would be crocheting, and crocheting and I are not friends.

But me and knitting? We be buds, best buds, BFFs and everything.

So I was forced to do it again. A lovely Swirl Hat for my darling M's 3rd birthday. This was my first attempt at "lace" and it's surprisingly easy.

That there above is a pic of the blocking process. But it turns out that balloon was a bit too big and stretched out the pattern a little more than intended. It's lost some of its bounce, its zest for life, its all a bit flat really. So I'm gonna have to re-block. If I can get it off M's head...

Nawwww, how cute is that face?

She's really quite taken with it!

Another success. Boo-yeah! And with that success firmly in hand, here goes.

Turn away now if you are a hard and fast sewist, only I'd hate to bore you.

Project number 3, an adult sized garment. A real actual piece of outerwear! The Cape Cod Sweater by Thea Colman. Well, I had my heart set on that and the yarn is in the post.... but I really don't wear pullovers very often. Sydney winters are just not cold enough and I tend to swelter. But now a cardigan, that's a different matter. I live in those babies, so what about the Miette by Andi Satterlund or Caramel by Isabell Kraemer? I do love me a good wrap cardi. Hmmmm, what do you think? 

You know there is a definite potential developing for me to become a winter knitter and summer sewist.

Oh, and all those links to the patterns are via Ravelry: an awesome site for connecting with other knitters and crocheters and a ridiculously amazing resource for all things knitting. I am not sponsored by the site, just personally recommending it.

Apparently... I knit!

Hi y'all. Feeling lots better here and gotta credit knitting with a little bit of my current zen state. Seriously, have you ever knit? It's hypnotising, meditative, quite the chill out really. And here 'tis the fruit of my labour.

I decided to knit this beret after seeing Amanda's from the wonderfully hilarious Bimble and Pimble blog. Seriously that chick cracks me up everytime! You gotta go take a look.

The hat is the Mathilde Hat pattern by Andi Satterlund of Untangling Knots. It was a pretty easy project for someone who has basic knitting know how and has access to Google at any given time. I had never knitted from a pattern before, had knitted a basic scarf, and had really no trouble. Sure, I had no idea what M1 and SSP and SSK were, but my friend Google came to the rescue. In particular, I have to recommend knittinghelp.com which is awesomely awesome in terms of how-to videos. And as this pattern is available on Ravelry (a free site for knitters and crocheters) I took advantage of their forums to answer a few other queries. Those knitters get back to you within minutes of posting a question! BAM! Everytime I log on to that site there are at least a couple of thousand members on line, and they are hugely happy to help. Check out the site, it's well worth it.

Also a big shout out to Amanda who helped answer all my questions and was pretty much my very own personal cheersquad throughout the project. We had a bit of a knit-along whilst Amanda got started on her second Mathilde.

You know it is kind of amazing that you start with this...

And end up with this...












As my husband says "That's a whole lotta knots"...

I apologise for the appalling photography here. Red is not a good background for blue, red is not a good background for blue. Oh and some colour balancing between the shots could have helped. Ah well...

Some Bloglovin admin...

You know the drill...

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Hello? Hello? Hello.....?

Oh I started the year with such fervour and good will! Three posts in the first two months! Yippee! I know, that's very few for the average blogger, but for me it was akin to climbing Everest.

You see, whilst I don't often share what's going on, in an effort to make everything rosy and sweet, I've actually got a confession to make. In an attempt to escape my demons I spend all my spare time reading other's blogs instead of attacking the insurmountable beast that is my own. Why? The "black dog", the "grey cloud"... depression, my lovely readers.

I know the story is not new, I am well aware that many people out there have tough times, but there it is. That life suck, that energy drainer, that thief of inspiration and creation, Depression.

I started the year fairly well as evidenced by my posting at all. But I've started to slide a little and it may be time to give it the attention it deserves. Hello family doctor, can you help me feel better?

I actually have a few completed projects but the idea of photographing and chronicling them is just so.... insurmountable. I've also got two UFOs sitting on my sewing table which are unlikely to be finished any time soon as both have some fitting issues and the clouds in my brain make it difficult to work out a fix, or the idea of alterations just feels too tiring. Yeah, one or the other. What? You mean I have to get off the couch? But it's so cosy here and requires nothing of me!

So my dear friends and readers (I know there are at least a few of you out there), my message is that I am here and very likely stalking your blogs, but it's time to start working on me. I'm gonna kick this beast to the curb, so if I'm absent for a while longer I hope you'll forgive me and know that I am not hiding, just finally asking for the help I should have done months ago.

And for those out there who are traveling the same road, know there are other's out there and when we actually reach out, ask for help and tell our story it can help us start to heal our hearts.

Till next time...

Do you Valentine? Some "crafty" fun

Do you go in for the Valentine's thing? I've already described my cynical attitude, but I must admit to being a little partial to some Valentine's Day love. Yes, I know it's awfully commercial and theoretically our loved ones should just do nice things for no reason at all except that they love you and want you to know. Nice, in theory, but really we all get so caught up in busy, busy, rush, rush that thoughtfulness sometimes takes a back seat.

So this year, I really wanted to do something nice and a little fun for P.

My hubby and I are fanatical cyclists; one of the reasons I find myself sewing at a much slower pace than some others. I simply can't do it all. Sometimes it's a choice: "I can go out for a 2 hour ride, or sew for 2 hours". Hmmm, sometimes the weather decides for me.

My hubby loves the fine things in life, often those considered as luxuries - don't we all? In particular he likes this...

Image courtesy of Brooks England (www.brooksengland.com)

Huh? I know, it's a boy thing - leather, vintage, hardcore uncomfortable whilst your wear it in. Ugg, me man, me like primitive things. I, however, see: expensive, uncomfortable, science has progressed things so my butt no longer has to suffer.

But it's a luxury we wouldn't normally extend to and I thought I'd order one. Every year Valentine's Day seems to creep up on me and CRAP EEK, I haven't organised myself. Needless to say P's gift is still winging its way across the seas and will be with us imminently.

How to communicate his gift without simply inserting a picture in with his card? How to make it a bit of fun and maybe a bit of work, something to up the excitement factor? (we live very simple lives, it doesn't take much to excite us).

A cross word puzzle! Ta-da!

I used Crossword Labs, a free online crossword creator. All you need to do is enter your words and your corresponding clues and hey presto, here's your crossword! Too easy! And P was blown away (easily pleased?). Even better he was able to work it out... P isn't really a "word" person. Crafty!

Between this and the bespoke Negroni shirt I'm so in the good books.. not that it's about point scoring... 'cause it's not.... truly

With gratitude...

You know, I do recognise I am a bit of a cynic. I have never been the type to comfortably undertake the reflection and introspection propounded by the mainstream self-helpers - well, I've tried on occasion, but I usually find myself groaning in cyncism.

It's just not... me.

Those of you who have read my blog over the past year will know it's been a bit of a tough time. But that was merely the start of the year that was. My long absence and low mood wasn't just about that redundancy. I fell into a deep dark hole after a number of subsequent challenges that came my family's way.

But this year has felt... fresh... there is a different sense in the air, like we have all taken a cleansing breath and the world is perhaps exactly as it's meant to be at this time. Profound, hey? Especially for a cynic like me.

And I feel strangely compelled to immerse myself in gratitude...

I have to start by saying this idea was not generated on my own little lonesome. The lovely Yana of White Mouse Creations blogged about this kikki.K 365 Journal back here, and her intent to write one line a day, every day. Once the year is over you start all over again and in a few years you have a lovely memory box full of the little and not so little goings on in your life. There was something in Yana's post and project that just spoke to me.

For my endeavour, I decided I'd write one thing that I feel grateful for on that given day, each and every day. Yes people, I recognise this is not an original concept and I am surely very late to this happy clappy party. But it's just so easy, and you know it's also a little uplifting. Who'da thought it?

I love that this journal's pages are simply numbered 1 through to 365, with no days, months or years to confuse issues. You can start whenever, wherever, for whatever reason you want...

And so here I am, with my journal and pen, ready to start my journey. And it feels pretty damn good.

What do you feel grateful for today?