Christmas Advent

 I wanted to make my daughter an advent calender as its her first Christmas in Sydney

 I have no craft stuff here so decided to make do. Pickfords wrapping paper, foam stick on numbers from Coles , $1 ribbon from the Dollar Shop, red wool $1 from Vinnies charity shop and a satin hanger

 The gifts maltesers, mini grater, measuring spoon, chocolates, sweets,tissues everything under $2

It took forever to wrap stick and tie but I love it and so did my daughter when she got home from work

Sunday Slippers

 Progress of my squares

Finished Dress

Its Finished

Last night I went to a sewing social and got to use an

overlocker for the first time. I did all the raw edges and am very

impressed. I think I shall to buy one when I get home to England. Just need her to try it on to make sure 

it fits.

Sunday Slippers...Mollie Makes

Two large ones for the soles, not sure if I have enough blue for 2 more so they may have to be another colour

 Eight centres for the 8 that make the rest of the slippers

Finished

Managed to buy a crochet hook today.....hooray. So have started crocheting already on my 2nd square only 9 to go !!!

Vinnie's Bargain Yarn

Today we went for a walk around Surry Hills and on my way home we called into a Vinnie's shop. I found a lot of 8ply pure wool yarn . All at $1 a ball.....so I picked out 7 different colours.

I am going to use it double and crochet some Holiday Slippers from Mollie Makes issue 19. Just need to buy a 6mm hook from Woolworths tomorrow

Simplicity 2648

 This is the material, heavy cotton that does not show creases or dirty marks.......perfect for a daughter who does not own an iron

 Laid out ready for pattern placing and discovered I could get the pieces out of 130cm of fabric, so next time can buy less making it slightly cheaper. Always good.

Managed to cut out and assemble dress to point of needing fitting. A task for tomorrow when daughter is home BUT the neckline is far to high so can cut that lower before fitting.

1.7 metres of Gorgeous Fabric

Last week I spied this gorgeous fabric in Lincraft 

 I asked for a metre and because that would have left 70cm on the roll the assistant asked if I would like that piece at half price. So I felt I got a bargain. It also meant that as well as making 2 cushion covers for the garden chairs I also made a pillow case with ties to close and with the last strips trimmed 2 bath towels.

 I was very satisfied and pleased with an afternoon well spent sewing on the balcony

Simplicity 2648

I bought a dress pattern Simplicity 2648 to make a dress for my daughter. Its called Amazing Fit because you can choose from 4 different bra cup sizes for the bodice. I decided that as I shall use the pattern lots of times that I would trace it on to thicker paper. Pickfords packing paper was perfect. I taped it to the window, put the dress pattern underneath and traced. I was impressed.

Pattern is now cut out, fabric pre washed and dried so today I can cut the material.

B C GARN Baby Alpaca

Last saturday I went to the local Knitters Guild monthly meeting that was held in Surry Hills library

 I was made to feel very welcome. Two ladies talked about how they had set up internet businesses
One bought tons of un-dyed wool from china, dyed it and sold it on. The other set up 18months ago importing yarn to Australia and selling via the internet.

This is the yarn I treated myself to Baby Alpaca I fell in love with the colour and softness. Now I need to find a shawl pattern that uses 500metres. Ironically it is from Denmark........

Knitted Tissue Box

One of the local shops at Broadway Sydney were selling these boxes of tissues for $1 each.

I couldn't resist

My second Noro Sekku Scarf

Cast on 96 sts and knitted till yarn ended

Finished size 30cm x 120cm            

Washed and blocked and very soft

Noro Sekku Sydney Scarf

Big plans for knitting this scarf on the flight from England to Australia

 Plastic circular needles and just one ball of yarn

 BUT in reality all I did was cast on whilst at Helsinki airport......

 A few rows at Singapore airport......

Each aircraft I got on I drank champagne, ate some food and slept.....
At least I didn't get jet lag
But now it is finished and will be named the Sydney Scarf
One skein knitted a scarf of just the right length

12 Weeks in Sydney

Well I left North Norfolk 5 weeks ago today. Time has flown by with adjusting to the 11 hour time difference, living in temporary accommodation for 3 weeks and then moving into my daughters new flat. We spent a week sleeping on air beds until the furniture arrived from England. Proper bed and sofa's are bliss. The flat is very central just 20 minute walk to work for daughter AND two amazing dress fabric shops both 5 minutes walk away. One has 30% off all there fabric on thursday so I need to get planning !!!!