the maidenhair tree

{this moment}

2012-02-18T13:08:00.000+11:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo (well, 4 actually, this time) - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

inspired by SouleMama

BUNTING and a CARDI because she's TWELVE!!

2012-01-21T23:25:00.000+11:00

Tiny Tea Leaves by Melissa LaBarre

heavens! i love this making frenzy!

2012-01-10T11:37:00.000+11:00

yep!
2012 is off and firing with a making frenzy!
chicken 1 made this:

the head is needle felted, then the body sewn with calico and stuffed with pure wool.
The dress whipped up on the machine with velcro closings, and trimmings!
Four hours straight, I would say , without a break for lunch!
I can't express how deeply satisfying it was to see this earnest making!

and chicken 2 made this:

she had found a neglected half finished horse head started by chicken 1 several years ago, and decided to finish it, adding felt ears, a mane, stuffing and joining with linen thread to a sturdy old child's broom handle. Hooray!

we have started a play mat using felted old husband jumpers (the jumpers were old, not the husband!)
stay tuned!!

{this moment}

2012-01-07T14:04:00.000+11:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

inspired by SouleMama

{this moment}

2011-12-31T14:38:00.000+11:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

inspired by SouleMama

TOP 19 warm and delicious from 2011

2011-12-31T14:28:00.003+11:00

2011 has been a year of embracing the gentle arts of the home, particularly knitting!
The pace has seemed to pick up around me, so small things like late night knitting, mineral springs and the discovery of people who also like to do things the slow way have been my delights this year, as well as, of course, my small wee people, a couple of whom are becoming not so wee anymore!
This year has been about bringing people together to create...music, knitted things, inner peace!!!
Here is a small top 19 list!
I was aiming for 101, but I have some last minute stitching to do for 2011!

1: sophie digard crochet
2: hannah haworth knitter/artist
3: selvedge magazine
4: ravelry
5: madelinetosh pashmina
6: orphfund
7: kate davies : scottish designer and mountaineer
8: anouar brahem, musician
9: william steig's "dominic"
10: sufjan steven's "sister winter"
11: beth knight's cover of "sister winter"
12: anna branford and her small made things and her growing writerliness
13: soulemama , as if I need to say it!
14: Channa, my newly discovered teacher and neighbour!
15: Game of Thrones for a total time chewer
16: The Tudors for more time chewing!!
17:the moon inside you documentary: the red tide is rising!
18: Rye Peninsula Hot Springs
19: Tjuwaliyn (Douglas) Hot Springs for her healing waters

Wishing all beings in the universe, seen and unseen, and even those not yet imagined by us, PEACE!!

Knitted Waldorf/Steiner Doll aka Ginger Boy for a Ginger Boy

2011-12-30T12:19:00.006+11:00

In my lovely lovely Steiner Craft Curriculum course, I started making a doll with a knitted body. The children do this in Class 6, being so adept by this stage at all kinds of handcraft, and also because they study human biology in this year.
I decided to make the doll for my little chook, who is turning two on New Years Day. Hooray!

This is not so much a tutorial so much as a visual overview of the process:

Knit the body first. I used 6mm needles and 16 ply pure wool in pastel apricot from Uralla Wool Room
I started at the shoulders and cast on 36 stitches. More details on how to knit these kinds of bodies can be found in A First Book of Knitting for Children.

After knitting the body, you start on the head. I used a 40mm wide cotton medical gauze tube for the inner head, to give you an idea of the size. There are some amazing tutorials for making formed doll heads online. Here is one! or from this marvelous book (my bible). The only difference would be that for a knitted body, leave a knot at the base of the "muff" (shoulder part), so that it can be undone later to fit the shoulders through the tiny hole made in the knitting (only 2 stitches cast off for the hole so pretty narrow). Make sure the head is stuffed very firmly.

Sew up the seams of the dolly, leaving a bit at the back for stuffing wool fleece.

Undo the knot at the head/shoulder base, and squish the shoulder through the small hole in the knitting.

Then cut the gauze tube and sew in the ends to the shoulders.

You need to cut four squares about 15 cm square, and make feet balls and slightly smaller hand balls (filled with wool fleece). These will sit just inside the knitted openings and be stitched on with sewing thread once the doll is filled.

With the body and head sewn up completely, I then placed pins where the eyes, mouth and hairline looked best.

The WIG: I decided to crochet the base wig, using a 4mm hook and Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Ember and Brick.

Pin on the wig!

It's time to sew the eyes and mouth with embroidery thread and a very long needle.

For the hair, I cut lengths of the two colours and thread through and knotted on using a crochet hook.

Hooray, almost finished! Just the clothes and he's ready for a birthday party!

Again turning to my doll making bible, Making Waldorf Dolls , for the simplest way to make a shirt for a doll!

all season knitting and moments...

2011-12-28T15:01:00.001+11:00

coming soon: 101 favourite things of 2011

loving...

2011-12-13T15:05:00.002+11:00

seeing my "boys" in their handknits!

the street art...

my finished cardi!!!!

no, I don't have a bad back, but thanks for the concern!

making...

2011-12-11T08:56:00.001+11:00

I have been spending my days and evenings making...

finishing...

starting...

wips and birds birds birds birds....

2011-11-28T12:35:00.003+11:00

still going with my Vitamin D- almost there!!!!!

I am really keen to finish this little black cardi so i can start on some gift knitting!

For my Steiner Craft course I am working on a Steiner/Waldorf doll with a knitted body for the youngster's 2nd birthday. Here's the head and knitted body almost done. Watch this space...

My friend Anna sent me a link to some inspiration!

If only human beings were are in tune with each other as starlings!!

Folk bag!!

2011-11-19T17:21:00.001+11:00

Finally I have finished my darling nine year old girl's birthday bag! Using 16 ply pure wool, which the children in Class 5 use for their crochet projects, I started with a circle, then kinda curled it up to make a great big bag! Add a flap, some lined straps (so they don't stretch to billy-o), a flower to cover up the messy crochet improvising and some light denim lining with a zippered gingham , and you have a FABULOUS FOLK BAG!! Ready for school! ravelled here
Hooray!

more more more

2011-11-08T11:36:00.000+11:00

another fair...
more more more craft...


Class 5 Indian Elephants


Fair Isle Knitting Class 4

and inspirational teaching...


Class 5 Chariot Races coming!!


Class 3 Buildings and Dwellings

Class 6 "etchings"

and last week visited this school's Arts Festival and saw these!! Delicious!

Sadly, a Steiner Stream in the Western Suburbs of Melbourne is under threat: check out the action to save the stream here.

Fair is fair!!

2011-10-24T13:44:00.000+11:00

On the weekend we drove up to a wonderful Steiner school in a glorious rural setting to treat our lungs to the fresh mountain air, and be inspired by the remarkable work being done there.

Class 6 craft: Those dollies will feel a whole lot better when their hair grows.

Class 5 Woodwork

Class 5 Indian felt elephants

Class 5: Grecian Urns

Class 2 Blackboard Dawing

Class 2: Celtic Dragon!!

Class 2: dolls made by children

The blanket above was stiched by the children and teachers, using the marvelous and voluminous finger-knitting produced by the children in Prep to produce a wonderful comfort rug for the little resting spot in the classroom. This rug will no doubt travel with the class to Class 8!

Class 3: Socks knitted by the children

wip

2011-10-14T13:05:00.002+11:00

Vitamin D in Madelinetosh Pashmina (Cloak)

Felt Elephant for Steiner Craft Curriculum Course, Class 5.

Lots of 16 ply wool, for more more more crocheted bags so our family can go out together all bearing out crocheted bags!!!! I think I'm addicted!

And a lovely link to Camilla Engman's post about a fantastic knitting related book!!

Norse Myths in Stitches

2011-10-13T17:06:00.002+11:00

In Class 4, the children in Steiner schools are immersed in the tales from Norse mythology. God and Giant, ice and snow, golden apples and the deceiving Loki's trickery being the undoing of all! Such contrasts and colour for a child venturing into the world with curiosity and a thirst for challenge and adventure!
In the Craft (Handwork) curriculum, the children make a colourful tapestry, having first drawn a picture inspired by a story from the Norse Myths (check out this book for a great retelling), and then launching freestyle into a the huge array of colours to create their picture.

My tapestry began two years ago at Steiner Teacher Training, and I started using very small stitches to create a picture of Yggdrasil, the World Tree. When I picked up my unfinished tapestry again a few weeks ago, I aimed to do stitching more like what the children would be doing, so went for bigger expressive strokes. The piece ended up quite irregular in shape, which must be one reason why the framing for these is often done using two pieces of (perhaps?) plywood, with the front framing piece carved in an organic shape with curved edges.

{this moment}

2011-10-08T12:53:00.001+11:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

inspired by SouleMama

on the needles

2011-10-04T12:06:00.002+11:00

In Class 5 in the Steiner/Waldorf school the children learn to crochet. I haven't crocheted since I was nine! There is something strangely addictive about the quickly growing piece. My Class 5 girl noted that crochet sparked an unprecedented fervent passion for Craft among the boys in her class! With 16 ply (bulky) wool, it doesn't take terribly long to see result and the freedom to shape and add things onto your work at whim must be exciting for the children.
I'm making a school backpack for my chicken number 2, who desperately wanted one after seeing her sister's creation.


Ravelled here

On the knitting needles I have Vitamin D, by Heidi Kirrmaier, using the splendid and lushy Madelinetosh Pashmina in the Cloak colourway, which is a dark graphite/black with oh so subtle lilac wash through it. I am so loving this fun pattern, yet can't wait to get it off the needles and onto my back!!

{this moment}

2011-09-25T13:28:00.001+10:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

inspired by SouleMama

Fair Isle Knitting: Class 4

2011-09-13T11:29:00.005+10:00

In craft in Class 4, the children are such consummate knitters they are ready to make an item using Fair Isle patterns. Ideally, the repeated pattern is no more than six stitches in total, which makes the knitting manageable and less likely to be pulled in at the back. The children are left to discover for themselves how to get the results they want. I started with alternate single stitches and soon got hungry to experiment and make the yellow "chook-monsters" at the top.

I found this process very free and creative. There were enough parameters put in place, ie. the stitch limit, two colours, selection of about ten colours, to provide a clear path. Yet within those limits, a whole world of discovery, learning and enjoyment. I slowly branched out, changing colours, assessing the effect, devising my plan to finally get my monster chooks.

I know some people see Steiner education as too prescriptive, criticising the limit in colour choice in the early years or the sameness of the craft projects, but my experience has been that a few conditions set in place provides a safe space in which to create and discover. For children this seems ideal! And no two Fair Isle pieces could ever be the same.

I also love how children are developing the skills to make themselves useful objects! A water bottle bag, a knitting pouch, music bag, water bottle cover, a pillow or a vest,

even a present for their baby brother, as my own child discovered she could gift her Class 2 doll to her new brother.

Empowering! Love iT!

Fini!

2011-09-08T12:28:00.001+10:00


Ravelled here

still knitting...stillness...water...

2011-09-02T14:20:00.001+10:00

Still knitting the eternal shawl .....

I have been to a place called paradise where the rocks and the waters change their colour!

and the sky feels too blue to believe...

Crossing over with some helpful stitches...

2011-08-01T14:03:00.005+10:00

Around the age of 9, a child reaches a place of "crossing" over, or out of the dreamy realm of childhood. There seems to have opened up within the child a quiet space which no-one can know about but themselves. If we make a cross gesture across our chest with our arms, we can feel the presence of an internal space within our heart. To a child who has hitherto had an open connection to all around her, this discovery of a private space can be quite a shock, and a new responsibility to bear. This can be a trying time for a child, when nightmares arise, fears of death, of being abandoned, wondering if they were indeed adopted, and of questioning the dreamy realm of magic and wonder which just slipped a little into memory...

In the Steiner/Waldorf school curriculum, the cross as a gesture is made wherever possible by the child, to meet them at this stage, as support, and bringing this new consciousness into the limbs, in fact, the whole body.

Running figure eights as a class, with the challenge of running through each other without colliding, and in craft, cross stitch. The children make their own knitting bag, decorating the front folding panel with a simple, symmetrical design using crosses. A single thread is used for the first time, requiring more attention to the work than previously. The bag will house the future knitting and crochet works in progress. It feels good to have made a bag like this: waiting to protect treasured new inspirations, delicate works unfolding. I can imagine a nine year old being pleased with this also.
Mine already has the next Class 4 project: Fair Isle Knitting.

{this moment}

2011-07-08T15:37:00.003+10:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

inspired by SouleMama

a still room

2011-06-20T18:38:00.002+10:00

noticing the need for creating a space in my life for contemplation.
contemplating ways to remember to be a good person.
wondering about the point of deciding to speak, think or act and where and how the stream of goodness flows in...

High Craft Houses-Northern Exposure 2011

2011-06-18T14:40:00.004+10:00

In a window at the top of the hill are "high craft" dwellings.
Lillipudlian fantasies,
oh, to slip inside and take a peek...alas, this cannot be!

Northern Exposure 2011

in celebration of Elizabeths...

2011-06-13T14:11:00.002+10:00

we had a holiday today, spent winding wool, knitting neglected socks working up to the knee at a snail's pace and finishing cardigans.

more knitting, and city snaps

2011-06-08T16:17:00.003+10:00

mother had a precious day off! you only turn forty two once in ya life, and I pipped off a great birthday week, yes, week, with a three hour pamper in the city, hot oil massage scrub you name it! all cosy with freshly laundered waffle-cotton robes of white. you get the idea...

and a meander through Melbourne's laneways, and a spot of knitting in public in preparation for the big day on Saturday.

Sweet Peasy

no words, just knitting...

2011-05-22T12:41:00.001+10:00

Ravelled here

feeding on green

2011-04-21T21:23:00.001+10:00

Looking at this photo I cannot believe I actually went there yesterday! It seems like a dream. Does my inner urban life divorce me so from nature, that my experience of being in lush rainforest doesn't penetrate me in some way?

I watched my children play with the water, drink from the waterfall, feel the mossy rocks with their soles/souls. I had a feeling of wanting to stay there until they had drunk their fill of the forest, before carting them back to the concrete lines and dulled senses of city living.

Thank you forest...for allowing the hungry to sup on your exuberant green and heady air!

I returned home absolutely exhausted: how strange, that gorging on life force can defeat me in such a way.

And now it seems a dream!

wee inspirations

2011-04-19T22:28:00.001+10:00

what is life but one stream of little inspirations. i can choose to notice as many as i care to, as many as i have the capacity to take in on a certain day. life starts with an insatiable appetite for these moments.

web frittering find of the day: hannah haworth and her arctic hares...

Autumn, yay!

2011-04-16T22:12:00.001+10:00

Time for some serious, batten down the hatches, it's cooling down and we need to go out and kick up some leaves type knitting...

knitting: one warm Milo vest for special one and only god daughter...

craft frenzy, or, what to do with odd socks

2011-04-12T22:17:00.002+10:00

The chickens and I have been overcome by creative urges over the last couple of days.

Sock dolls (thanks to the wonderful inspiration from this book ).

A commission for a robin.

Painting by Lady M.

and "potato bag doll".

It has been a joy using up all the cut up pieces of old clothes from the "rag bag".

oh, it's the school holidays...someone tell me homeschooling wouldn't work!

Power Knitting: the girl's gotta have it

2011-04-04T12:05:00.003+10:00

I decided a week ago, my eldest girl child must have a new, cosy, hand knitted vest to wear to school camp. Thus began a week of power knitting, serious You Tube study and late night knitting festival.

The good news is, I got it done, and girl child got her vest! Complete with squirrel and acorn.

The pattern is "milo vest" from tikki, and I used the most delicious yarn from Peace Fleece.

God I love that yarn!

small lounge room, friends, needles and fibre

2011-03-26T13:34:00.002+11:00

is apparently all I require to feel my life is indeed rich and something to celebrate. As the temperature slowly drops, I find the pleasures of late night fibrework (knitting socks at the minute) a balm, a retreat, a joy, stimulating, satisfying. To share it with some lovely friends, all of whom on this particular night had never met before, yet behaved like comfy old friends with each other, was just the best. I have realised I have a secret drive to bring people together in creative endeavours. The singing group I started at the chicken's school, the knit nights...brings me the utmost satisfaction.

Anna's dollies...

Nina's hot water bottle cover for her sister

Swallowtail Anna's jumper for her sweet boy

{this moment}

2011-03-19T15:22:00.000+11:00


favourite book

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

inspired by SouleMama

Finished my Cardi!!

2011-03-16T22:05:00.000+11:00

At last I have got my long awaited cardi off the needles. This is a design by Melissa LaBarre, called Garter Yoke Cardigan .

I have a feeling it's going to get a lot of wear!

A quietly growing obsession...

2011-03-07T20:59:00.003+11:00

It began at playgroup, seven years ago.
I was handed some bamboo needles and some organic wool, and we knitted a scarf for our children. The smell!! I remember being compelled to sniff my work all the time. I should have known then it would one day become something of an obsession.

For the past year I have tried to teach myself at least one new skill with every new project, learning to cable, shape, gather, knit in the round... I attempted a cardigan for myself, and my children, and next... socks and a shawl, for goodness sake! I obsess over which colour I should choose, and dream at nights, of choosing the perfect hand dyed skein! I must acknowledge the incredible online global community of knitters, Ravelry, in assisting my obsession no end!

This is how obsessed I am: I take more photos of my knitting and yarn than I do of my extraordinarily cute baby boy, or big girl offspring. I take my knitting everywhere, just in case I get even two minutes to knit! I rush to school pick up so I get time to knit before the bell goes, I knit instead of folding and putting away clothes, even when said clothes prevent one from sitting on the lounge or seeing my bed. That's okay! I can knit on the floor! And I am so happily tired from late night knitting I don't notice the pile on the bed anyway!
Obsessed.

I am about to finish my cardigan and have today received the cutest little box full of wool for my next two very ambitious projects. Fluffy mail indeed, and I sniffed vigorously!

{this moment}

2011-02-25T13:46:00.003+11:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

inspired by SouleMama

bathing in the juice of the rocks!

2011-02-05T12:40:00.000+11:00

The other evening a small posse of mothers and children bathed by twilight at the amazing mineral bathes in Rye- being held by the penetrating warmth of rock juice to the sweet tunes of frogs as the sun went to sleep...true bliss.

{this moment}

2011-02-04T18:29:00.000+11:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

inspired by SouleMama

Mr P's Peaceful Chook

2011-02-02T15:44:00.000+11:00

This wonderful knitted/felted chook has been a slightly long time in the making. She missed Christmas, then Mr P's birthday, but arrived to celebrate the last Friday of January!! Oh yay!
It was such a fun project, full of ingenious tricks and nifty well thought out design, and is life size, which is extra delightful!

{this moment}

2011-01-28T12:25:00.001+11:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

inspired by SouleMama

In order to cook dinner...

2011-01-27T19:46:00.001+11:00

Mr. P gets a ride in Earthy Rainbow!

Queensland Flood Appeal Raffle

2011-01-24T23:54:00.013+11:00

Using the Random Number Generator, the number 8 was picked!
That's Peter and Natasha!
So congratulations guys! and the little robins will be flying off to you very soon!
And thank you so much to all who entered.
That's $45 towards the appeal! Yay!

Even though there are only two days left of crafty raffles for the Queensland Flood Appeal, I really wanted to be part of it, so finally...phew, two little robins have flown in to help!
I very much love Robins , though I have only seen one once in real life! I usually see wrens and sparrows, who are also very sweet, but I cannot stop felting robins! One day I will see one shining red against the white snow!

These babies are needle felted with pure Romney wool fleece, with wool inners. They are designed to sit in found nests around the house, on the nature table, or up on a shelf, or by your bedside, and not really a toy for young children, as they tend to have their beaks pulled off rather quickly! (I will take some normal photos of them in the daylight tomorrow!!)
I will post them to anywhere in the world!
PLEASE read the conditions below...

*Here’s how it will work (please read this carefully):

~ this raffle is open to everyone, including those who live overseas
~ postage is included to anywhere in the world
~ to enter, you must donate $5 to the Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal (international donations are possible) or The Red Cross who are supporting Victorians also.
~ enter as many times as you like but each entry/donation must have a separate receipt number (eg. donate $5 three times if you want to donate $15, then comment three times with each receipt number) – this is to keep the entries equitable.
~ once you have donated, return to this blog post and leave a comment with your receipt number (just entries – please don’t comment if you’re not entering) and your email address in words if you haven't linked to a blog of your own, so I can contact you!!)
~ this is an honour based system. Please don’t use the same receipt number for heaps of different raffles. The idea is to raise as much money for people severely affected by flooding as we can.
~ the winner will be randomly drawn at midday on Wednesday 26th January AEDT. The winner will then email me a copy of their receipt, and I will post off the birdies to their new home! (um, i think that's all...)

Yay!!

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w.i.p

2011-01-24T14:15:00.001+11:00

work in progress, one small robin, to raffle for the flood appeal

{this moment}

2011-01-21T10:22:00.002+11:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

inspired by SouleMama

Late Night Knitting 1

2011-01-20T22:11:00.001+11:00

Meet chook (almost!!), which I have been knitting for Mr P.
It was meant to be a Christmas present, then a birthday present, and now, probably an early Easter gift!
What follows are an excerpt from my thoughts whilst sitting on the lounge knitting (in dot point form for easy reading, but really they flowed insensibly one into the other):
*I wonder if Mr P is going to wake up soon.
*I really like this wool, though the colour is a little bright.
*Claire liked the colour, she has some too.
*I wonder what Claire will make with one ball.
*I wonder if I should put a sand bag into the chook to make it like a front door stop instead?
*Oh then Mr P might weild it at someone!
*He would make a great "hurl" champion, like my old Pop
*Pop died a long time ago
*Do I actually rememeber his face or just the photos?
*Should I put the kettle on?
*What do I feel like drinking, it is a bit hot.
*I should text B up in Brisbane and tell her it is warm.
*I should take a photo of this chook and put it on my blog, even though it hasn't yet got a head.

Not quite Zen and Art of Knitting... and, no wonder it has taken me so long!
My mind is one headless chook!

Crafty Auctions: Queensland Flood Appeal

2011-01-17T21:43:00.000+11:00

There are so many fantastic people out there wanting to help!
And making beautiful items to auction for the appeal.
Here is the master list of lovely stuff!!
I intend to make a pair of Felted Robins to add auction, so stay tuned!
In the meantime: here are some wonderful picks at auction!
Anna's stash!

Felted Jumper Arms
Poppy Bean and Bloss raffle

Respite from the Terrors of Environmental Madness.

2011-01-06T19:32:00.001+11:00

The end of 2010 seemed a blur- I tapped into the atmosphere of frenzy and buzzing of frenetic activity around me, and even in the moments when I couldn't even think what I had to do, I felt rushed and stressed! Terrible.
So, jumping into the station wagon and driving 10 hours east into a remote beach in a National Park was just the cure for the dire state I found myself in. To my salvation, there were no shops, phones, mobile reception, or many people, and we pitched out large the in the dark, and collapsed into slumber accompanied by the serenade of irrepressible crickets!
The rain came, the hail, the little ladies soent their tent bound days reading and drawing in peace, seeming to also sigh relief at the chance to breathe out! Even young Mr P, the baby boy, seemed at peace.

Flooffy Cat Bloomers: Slightly Tutorialish

2010-12-04T17:34:00.002+11:00

IN the tradition of making handmade gifts for all birthdays the Chicken's are invited to, I stayed up rather a bit late making a pair of Flooffy Cat Bloomers.
The first pair I ever made was about 7 years ago, when Chicken 1 played "Whiskers on Kittens" in a "My Favourite Things" play at Kinder. These are still squeezed into regularly around here, even though no-one is quite a size 4 anymore.
The slogan around our house at the moment: "Flooffy Cat Bloomers: everyone needs a pair!"
I took a few snaps so I could make this post a wee bit instructional.

1. If there isn't any Fake fur, or even, at a pinch, felted jumpers about, one needs only about 40cm of fake fur fabric. and some lining fabric. I used some cotton fabric I picked up years ago at an op shop.

2. I used this old pattern from Butterick, but the size only goes up to 3 years, so I kinda cut a very big seam allowance and made each piece longer, and it kinda worked!

3. Next, I cut out four pieces of fabric (2 in fur, 2 in lining):

4. I then sewed the right side of lining to fluffy side of fur, leaving the top (waistline) open, and then turned inside out. I then sewed around the edge with zig zag (love zig zag!), joining the top edges by zig zagging at the edges.

5. I then placed the fur side together and sewed up both rises (that is curvy edges).
Then I turned inside out, and matched the sewn edges together, and all of a sudden, they looked like shorts! (Wouldn't you know it, I got so excited I forgot to take a photo of this stage!).
The you turn inside out again, and sew up the crotch. (I like to sew down the seams of the crotch with a wide zig zag.)

6. The sew down the top of bloomers about an inch, leaving a bit of a gap so you can slip in the elastic.
Thread elastic through with a nappy pin, and sew the two ends, then slip inside and sew over the hole.

7. The turn pants inside out, and sew elastic straight onto the inside of the leg opening, stretching the elastic a bit so it gathers to create the bloomer effect!
8. THE TAIL! Cut a long piece of fur, sew into a tube, turn inside out and sew onto the bum of bloomers!!

Fini!
Give to birthday child and watch the pussycats run off into the sunset tails a-bouncing...a great quiet moment of victory for handmade!

"Even a River Can Drown"

2010-11-25T12:29:00.000+11:00

My gorgeous very, very loyal and wonderful friend Beth Knights is making a CD.
In fact, she has pretty much recorded it all and almost ready to make the actual CDs so people can have her gorgeous voice at the ready by their cd players at all times!
She also has a gig at Peat's Ridge Festival this year, and would love to have a CD for folk up there.
Very exciting, and lovely for the world, as her music is beautiful, captivating, authentic, stirring, beguiling and...well, you get the idea!
There is a wonderful website/initiative called Fundbreak, which helps artists rally financial support for their projects. Beth has her CD project up for support through this website, and it's kinda like pre-ordering a CD too. I think it's a wonderful idea! A very democratic Arts Grant!

the sun shone brightly!!

2010-11-06T15:10:00.000+11:00

Handmade for Orphfund: Ceres Sat 6 Nov

2010-11-04T17:18:00.000+11:00

This coming Saturday we are having another Handmade for Orphfund stall at Ceres.
Here's is a small preview of the goodness on offer!

windowshopping: high st northcote

2010-11-04T11:54:00.001+11:00

friendship tree

Craft in the Steiner School

2010-10-26T10:11:00.001+11:00

My daughter's school had an art show last week, and the Steiner Craft completely stole the show!
The colours and incredible work involved was remarkable.

The children develop their skills year after year, become adept knitters and craftspeople, (check out the Class 4 Fair Isle pillows!!) and are able to make themselves the items they need for their school day.

In Prep they make pom poms and God's eyes;
In Class 1 they sew up and decorate their recorder bags, ready for the day they receive their recorders and start playing every day. They use this bag for years.
They make socks for wearing inside in the cooler months, water bottle carriers, pouches, music bags, pillows, dolls, knitted animals...

Not only do the children develop pride in their work, an appreciation for handmade things, and feeling that they are capable of making what they need and incredible dexterity, their academic work is enhanced through their highly developed sense of order, proportion and number. There have been studies in Scandinavia showing knitting aids children in maths.

how to make a dark alley friendly

2010-10-22T11:23:00.001+11:00

We stumbled upon this rogue artwork just off Little Bourke Street. What was an intimidating, rumbling, grey gash amongst the megaliths became a sliver of fun and mischief.

Crafty Goodness at the Spring Fair, inner city style

2010-10-17T21:10:00.000+11:00

We went to the Spring Fair.
We saw amazing craft!
Including Celia's dolls:

And the parent's Craft Stall :

I particularly love the doll's undies which match the birds!

and my favourite moment, the merry dancers!!

it's not every day...

2010-10-16T14:03:00.001+11:00

This post is about my friend.
I met her one lovely Autumn Saturday morning.
She was sitting quietly amongst her basketry and recycled craft supplies at a children's pre-loved market at our local park. We made a b-line for her, being mad crazy dollmakers ourselves, and promptly met her.
Since then, Anna has shared her writing for children with me, asked my opinion, which was most flattering, really, and invited me to join her crafty exploits at times, as have I her.
Well, last night, she (not the "cat's mother!") came to our house for Friday night lasagne, and we made a few items, which I failed to photograph.
She also brought over copies of two of her books as gifts for the Chickens, inscripted especially.
At bedtime she read a few chapters of Violet Mackerel for the Chickens. They were a tad excited! It is not everyday an author comes over to your house to read you their book, I remarked, and they grinned, feeling very special.
This morning they had the books out, Chicken 2 reading Sophie's Salon in bed, and then Chicken 1 reading Violet to her sister.
Thank you my friend! and CONGRATULATIONS!!

Faster than guinea pigs...

2010-10-13T16:10:00.002+11:00

Every week...maybe day... a new Melbourne cafe sprouts! Faster than guinea pigs!
Met my fellow godmother at a fine establishment for some posh donuts and coffee and inspiring chatter!

happy babywearing week!

2010-10-12T21:12:00.001+11:00

Time for tea, at last!

2010-10-11T17:54:00.003+11:00

Finally I finished Ivy's tiny tea leaves. She is very pleased with the result, and to prove it, she had it on all day, despite the lovely Spring warmth which led all her friends to shed to t-shirts!

The weekend provided sublime weather: for three diverse and delightful activities

1. knitting, of course

2.washing, thank god!

3. becoming a godmother! (more musings on this one later!)

{a week in pictures}

2010-10-04T11:58:00.002+11:00

someone special turned eight!

she started the day with her 8 kisses from all! then to the birthday table with the candle lit and the "baby" photo, just to see how much she has grown!
next to presents...the bean bag was a hit!

next the gypsies arrive for the birthday party...this time, off to the Botanical Gardens for a treasure hunt to beat all treasure hunts, complete with map, clues and a bit of rolling along the way!

...next, to the beach for a few days rest... teal waters

beach yoga...

beach knitting...

and some addictive late night puzzle behaviour...

{work in progress}

2010-09-27T15:17:00.002+10:00

Chicken No. 2 is turning 8 on Wednesday, so this mama is burning the midnight oil making gifts for the special occasion. Of course, at the top of my hill are plenty of wondrous gifts to purchase, but, no! I have taken the handmade pledge- I think I did this at birth, and must make all!!

So: a bean bag upon which to dream into the incredible books of the world!

the cardigan...

{this moment}

2010-09-24T21:37:00.001+10:00

Odelette to the Sproutings

2010-09-23T11:05:00.012+10:00

Oh Spring, you are being a touch coy, methinks. Yet,
the little sproutings sighted hither and thither reassure me
immensely!


the noble basil


the humble salads

I have just discovered Elsie Marley's blog, and her kid's clothes week challenge.
Have managed to knit for one hour at least per day, trying to knit up Chicken 2's birthday Spring tea leaves cardi.
Highlighting the fact that knitting is a s-l-o-w way to do things....but I love it.
After having been raised in a family of runners, in every sense of the word, I have, for the first time in my life, discovered the joys of slow. The healing benefits of knitting, indeed.
Now to get this cardi finished in time!!!
oops

This is a divine pattern, and I am enjoying knitting the yoke so much! It always amazes me what nifty things one can do with some knits and some purls!

And because the sun showed its face a little, and because my favourite magazine arrived in the letterbox yesterday, I sat and knitted and "read" said mag in between little hand grabs...

The Upcyclers

2010-09-18T21:59:00.001+10:00


Dr Anna's super cute bunnies and carrots- which lucky bunnies get to have the two extras??

We pondered the general sensibleness of "upcycling", the practice of taking used items and rearranging them as a "something new" item, like Anna's completely "upcycled" dolls...

and another Anna's upcycled yummy shorts...

A most fantastic day it was: full of more delightful busking good hearted children, happy handmade-loving folk, busy craft fingers and more fiscally splendid for the orphans ... yay!

donated items made with love, enormous altruism and faith...

and a certain dose of cleverness...

Gratitude in abundance to the many good folk who made, shopped, smiled, and played.

Felting/Baking

2010-09-16T23:17:00.000+10:00

Last night, husband and I spent a few hours felting for the stall on Saturday. I must say, his wool sculpting abilities outstrip mine hands down. He is particularly deft at character-full animals.
I on the other hand, prefer to stick to chubby birds. Giant ones, as it turns out...

Today I set myself the task of baking at least one Orange/Yoghurt cake from my all time fave New Moosewood Cookbook, to take to Chicken 1's play this evening.

The play, "The Death of Baldur", and the cake, were a hit!
And Chicken 1 was the most magnificent cello playing Queen of Hell a proud mum could ever ever wish for

The Peace Fleece Corps

2010-09-15T10:33:00.009+10:00

Last night I spent some wee hours at ComfortGertrude's house with three wonderful fellow wool addicts, winding our newly arrived Peace Fleece, sipping honey mead from Kangaroo Island, hearing about sightings of whales out of kitchen windows, and generally revelling in the company of colour, fibre and friends!
The colours are all divine, and it will be so fun to watch it slowly (in my case) and quickly (in the case of FlickaFish!!) transform into garments, and toys! The Chickie Masla is so deliciously yolkish, softer than in the photo actually. The Seamoss is also much, much more dreamily green and divine in real life.

Kamchatka Seamoss and Chickie Masla


Ukrainian Red, Patience Blue, Zarya Fog, Antarctica White

Purl101's Violet Vyehchyeerom and FlickaFish's Lena's Meadow

Stack of Lauren's Coral- yum!


super winding action shot

My own knitting has been on the back-burner a bit, amidst the excitement of the Orphfund craft stall...slowly getting through the yoke of my Garter Yoke Cardi...

ALSO...The supremely talented and ever-creative FlickaFish contributed some divine little skirts for the upcoming Orphfund stall this Saturday at Ceres. Thank you!!

the table glowed with handmade love

2010-09-11T17:16:00.018+10:00

We had our first fundraising stall for Orphfund today!

The sun shone,

the table glowed with handmade love

the children busked,

Anna sewed, Katie smiled,

the baby slept,

A wonderful, stupendously enjoyable, and successful good-vibes time was had by all.
Thanks everyone!

Handmade for Orphans

2010-09-07T09:37:00.011+10:00

Handmade for Orphans
My friend Moya has just been to Uganda with an organisation called Orphfund, building a children's village for orphans. the situation they found there was desperate and heartbreaking. Desperately poor children completely uncared for, sleeping in deserted buildings, foraging for food, 11 year old children caring for their 3 year old siblings.
This email was sent from Steve Argent of Orphund from Uganda a couple of weeks ago, along with the photo above.

"Right now we are working on our latest project for orphans in Western Uganda.
Over the past 2 weeks we have been deep in the remote hillside villages near the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo, interviewing hundreds of orphaned and abandoned children.
Sadly the circumstances we find the children in are far worse than we expected with HIV, conflict, and disease leaving children to grow up completely neglected and unsupported.
Since Orphfund began i have spoken to nearly a thousand orphans but over the past few days have heard some of the most saddening stories yet. We have found children as young as 11 who are carers for their younger siblings living with absolutely nothing.
No family, no home, no adult support, they just roam, searching for empty buildings to sleep in, rubbish tips to find food in, and all they own are scraps of filthy clothing on their bodies.
In other cases 13 year old girls are becoming prostitutes to get money to help feed themselves and their younger brothers and sisters; and with each $2 they make they risk becoming infected by HIV. (attached are a couple of pictures from one of our registration outings.)

Our goal was to help 35 children, but sadly the need is just too great. We have identified 60 children suffering in conditions we cannot and do not want to ignore. Most of our team are close to tears when we have seen and heard how they have been living.
Right now WE have a chance to change things and do something that can improve the fortunes of many kids who are suffering severely.

A new sponsor will literally pull an additional child out of such hardship.
Please....anyone reading this who feels they can spare $22 (£12 a month) let us know now if you can help, so we can welcome 1 more child into our project.
1 extra life will change with every extra donor we get!!!
Its hard to stress the impact we can have and also to describe how these children live, but i can guarantee if you could be here right now you wouldn't hesitate to help.

Help us give them the chance to live again.

100% will go to feeding, providing health care, care, clothing, and education.

For Australian online donations https://www.givenow.com.au/orphfund/regulardonation?execution=e2s1
For Australian bank transfers (preferred method) our details are Commonwealth Bank, Account No 10272571, BSB 063104, Account name Orphfund"

My marvellous friend Anna and I were moved to hold some handmade stall at Ceres over the Spring to raise some money for this project. The plan is to have the first one this coming Saturday if the weather isn't terrible. Below are samples of what will be for sale, thansk to some crafty souls.

Yolk

2010-08-30T13:41:00.006+10:00

Milo Vest in Pear Tree Yolk. I love love love this colour, and the cabling is stirring my recently brushed off Celtic heart...

This winter has been a true Melbourne winter, where one wears overcoats and kidney warmers, and there is drizzle and rain, and actual puddles to jump in quite often!
Sitting in the sun today with baby boy and feeling actually warm was sooo delicious.
It really made me appreciate having four seasons just to savour the contrasts.

Earthy Rainbow on my Back

2010-08-16T11:05:00.001+10:00

Now that's better...

2010-08-13T19:22:00.004+10:00

and immediately started on a miniature version for baby boy with the leftover yarn...oh no, it's too SMALL!! Do newborns have heads the size of grapefruits? I think they do...so this one is destined for a friends new baby due in 4 weeks! It will still be cold in Melbourne then...
Having loads of time wasting fun perusing the wonderful world of Ravelry. God it is the best website in the world!
knitting

FROGGED!

2010-07-25T14:39:00.002+10:00

The Christmas Tree Hat in the divine Evoke Banksia organic wool came off the needles last night at 12.30! Not a time I would usually knit until, with me clocking up an enormous sleep debt right now with Chicken 3! Yet, I had to finish...I have been getting a funny feeling that this hat was looking rather roomy...but you never can tell, I kept telling myself!
Well...it turned out so beautifully...HAD my daughter been a giantess...
We toyed with the idea of a hot wash to make it all better...I couldn't risk it! FROGGED! back into a lovely little ball of wool: and I will start again.
It was always going to be a risk, knitting on 4mm instead of 3.25mm, to up the size from 4-6 to size 10!!
This time I'll try knitting it up as if for a 2 year old, and see how it looks!

The Imagination

2010-06-17T19:00:00.007+10:00

My two chickens keep astounding me with the extent of their imaginative play! At ages seven and ten, when many children are absorbed in popular culture, computers and television, they are still making wondrous play/art sculturesque play in the backyard for literally hours:
Ingredients: One mound of dirt which has been left neglected on the concrete for months and which has since sprouted itself a no dig garden, some beeswax and some twigs!
Voila!

simplicity

2010-06-07T19:58:00.008+10:00

Sometimes a short winter's play on the beach is all you need...

cardigan deprivation

2010-06-03T12:48:00.004+10:00

Bless his little boots! He's 5 months old!

Stumbled...as you do...upon this cardigan from this amazing pattern maker. I think I am suffering from (new and exciting) cardigan deprivation. This cardi looks do-able for me, maybe...
cardigan, knitting

Bunny Scarf!

2010-05-27T14:51:00.002+10:00

One bow tie scarf down, another to go. I am planning a moss stitch variation for myself, without the bow! Hmmm, I need luck.

The "knitting is better than nothing" post

2010-05-25T16:24:00.006+10:00

The only good thing about a cold,grey, damp day full of construction noise from the street is that you can always put on Kate Rusby and knit!
After choosing three balls of wool, (we all chose blue Sublime!!) I started on the angora Bow Tie scarf for Ivy!! This yarn is so so so so soft and the pattern so nifty and deceivingly simple.

and good bye lovely little furry friend, old grandfather Snowy Grey August 2007- May 2010- sniff sniff

Sprout Market

2009-10-01T16:23:00.005+10:00

This afternoon we got on down to Sprout Market, a local community market in a community garden in Thornbury. WE met a marvellous person, Antonia of Ceiba Tree, dying fabrics with plants such as eucalyptus trees and onion skins, and made very cute toys . I took her pic and said I would put it up ion my blog. The Two Chickens were very inspired, and got me thinking further about my little cottage industry idea I have planned for the new (baby) year....still a secret , sort of, inspired largely by Little House on The Prairie...

God's Best Joke

2009-09-30T19:19:00.002+10:00

For chicken two's seventh birthday we ventured to the aquarium. By far my favourite creature was this fellow, who must be God's best joke ever. Thank you thank you little guy for the great big laugh we all had at your expense!

Return from the Land of Morning (All Day) Sickness

2009-08-06T13:54:00.009+10:00

Such a long absence from this blog can only be explained by four words...nineteen weeks with child! Or perhaps I should add a couple more...at forty! Yes, I turned forty, and discovered number three child is on it's way, accompanied by languid, sickly lollings on the bed, gazing out the window wondering when I should try being vertical! Oh, and continuing mothering, teaching yoga, and studying full time!
It is fascinating how joy and wonder at the miracle of conception and the impending visitation of another cosmic being onto earth can be accompanied by such dreaded, phsyiological and emotional ordinariness.
Most wonderful and novel has been the added constant joy and anticipation of my two darling chicken daughters, who await their tiny sibling with such excitement and curiosity. Daily tummy kisses, and infinite questions about the logistics of it all, how big is the babby, what if it kicks so hard it makes you fall over...
9 year old chicken remembered our friend who lost her baby, and then the question, "What happens if the baby dies in your tummy. Do you have to push it out?"
Answer: Chicken 2, 6 years old, " It just wasn't ready yet, it just goes back to God. It will try again later."
The infinte wisdom of the dreamy young...

Other than this Big event...
The odd felted gift.

An obsession with Moomins at story time!!

and the enjoyment of Greek Mythology told by a great yarn spinner, Padraic Colum.

Steiner Teacher training has been wonderful, with a current immersion in Norse Mythology, the time of the ten year old (Class Four).

Recovery Saturday

2009-05-09T14:35:00.009+10:00

After a week of dental emergencies, head lice and skin punctures, I am ready for a day at home to recover. Playing nurse is NOT my forte, and I often faint at the sight of blood...particularly when spurting forth frm my youngest child's sweet hand! So poor little shocked nervous me needs a day of knitting and baking to bring the equalibrium.

Mmmm...roasted pecan and orange muffin...

The week at Steiner teacher training; two examples of the painting exercise based on a story of a little rooster who thought he told the sun to rise, and set off to tell it to stay down to prove it!

The girls amusing themselves with playing schools for hours...

Discovered Ravelry, a passionate novice knitter's inspiration!
Eagerly awaiting this Australian film...

A freezing Sunday Morning Market Trawl

2009-05-03T12:14:00.009+10:00

Chicken 1 and I hit the Camberwell Market at 6.30am this morning! Rugged up in layers of wool, ponchos, cardigans, scarves, gloves, we wandered around searching for treasures. We found a basket of wool, and carded, dyed fleece (great for felting), old jumpers to felt, additions to our almost complete collection of Lemony Snickett books, which are too scary to read right now, but deliciously terrifying to look forward to. I found a knitting pattern book by Jo Sharp, even though I am unable to knit most of the things in there! I also found some yummy trousers in the perfect style for me!

Shopping done by 8.30am, we came home to a cosy eggs on toast, and proceeded to felt jumpers, which I will turn into a patched kidney warmer with chunky velcro to fasten. My lower back and associated organs will be very happy for that!
Speaking of which, my lyre is comiong along very slowly, on whack at a time!

And on to an afternoon of knitting for my dear friend's first baby boy. At the rate I am going, it should be ready for her winter in New York! The pattern is from a divine little book Last-Minute Knitted Gifts.

A Doll in a Day - Steiner/Waldorf Doll Making In Action

2009-04-21T19:03:00.014+10:00

Chicken 1 sprained her ankle and stayed home from school to rest it. We sat in the morning sun working on kindergarten tables. She was finishing her Farming poem with sweet illustrations. I started looking at my Child Study for my Steiner teacher training course. Steiner stressed the importance of doing child studies, and particularly within the college of teachers (teaching staff at the school). A child is chosen, and the teachers observe the child on a physical level first, noting absolutely everything they can. Things like how they walk upon the earth, their gaze voice, teeth, fingers, nails, hand dominance. The study moves onto intuitive observations. Steiner said the mere fact that all the teachers are contemplating this child is very beneficial for the child, and recommended every child have at least one study done on them in their school life.

As for the afternoon, we decided to make a baggy doll for a dear little friend who ended up in hospital on the weekend and is needing cheering up! We felted a handful of op shop jumpers in the hot washing machine, and chicken 1 tried her hand at making a real Waldorf/Steiner formed head. We always use Maricristin Sealy's divine book, Kinder Dolls (now published as Making Waldorf Dolls). I love this book, but always tend to adapt, or mix and match the different aspects of different dolls in the book. I have some in depth photos of the sewing of the eyes and mouth. My girl added the embroidery at the end, oh, and we threw in some lavender from my recently relocated and dead Lavender plant...boo hoo.

Stuffing the tube made from an old t-shirt, and tied with linen thread at the end and turned inside out.

Stuff it well, and you get a firm egg. You then have to tie it in the middle again firmly and that is the neck.

You have to halve the head by tying an eye line in the centre with the same linen thread.

You sew an outer skin layer and pull it on like a sock. Tie it at the neck and there is you head.

Pin out the eyes and mouth and start stitching from the back. Careful not to ever tug!

I decided to crochet a wig and sew it on, using a nice fuzzy mohair, which doesn't show up my random crochet effort.

Another sausage like shape for the arms, which stitch onto the ball under the head.
I used some felted jumper for the baggy body, cutting out one piece, stitching, turning inside out and stuffing. A small opening cut at the neck allows the arms and head to squeeze in and some sewing onto body.

A bit of loving embroidery to finish. Yummy little Steiner dolly to cuddle, smelling all lavendery!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T14:38:00.009+10:00

Just stumbled upon a gorgeous splash of 60s fashion and colour from this blog.

And this is the somewhat fluffier, suburban backyard version...

Perhaps I have established an Easter Sunday knitted hat tradition. I am pretty pleased with the result. Chicken No. 1 swears it is not too big for her. I think it could probably do with a felt, but she seems happy with it not being a snug fit.

Chickens spent the day "grooming" our SIX guinea pigs. Dabbing with warm lavender water, combing and cleaning. The little guys have been very patient.

Happy Easter!

Interiors

2009-04-11T17:41:00.006+10:00

I decided to paint the back "room"/kids art studio/thoroughfare to toilet. Found some old cream paint (where did it come from) an roller and paint brush, and began tossing out half finished finger knitting, run out textas and swept the scary scary big BLACK SPIDERS from the doors and window edges. This was the real reason for the clean out- an excuse to deal with the spiders which have been giving Chicken 1 nightmares.
Got the neighbours to pass the ladder over the fence and painted and painted and painted, until things were cobweb free, cleaner, neater, and creamier.
Aaahhh, satisfaction.
Just need some cool green reto curtain fabric to make the curtains to finish off...mmm...Camberwell market on Sunday...

Two more hours later..

2009-04-10T16:27:00.004+10:00

Never again will I take for granted those nana knits I find for 20cents at the op shops! Never!!!
Somewhere in the last two hours I realised I was knitting the front of the jumper!!!! Not the hat!

This has not deterred me, and I have decided to push on and see what happens, the option to felt later on being the only thing keeping me going!
Things are slowing down....I think the "hat" will not be finished today. I think Good Friday is getting to me....

Two and a Half Hours Later...

2009-04-10T14:51:00.005+10:00

The knitting is progressing, and I am struggling with the feeling I should be doing something else...oh well, it is Good Friday, and I am a Catholic girl prone to guilt tripping myself about having a good time.

The girls have created a half a dozen new "houses" around the place in their amazing make believe game, where they are mums with babies and mobile phones which they use to photograph their babes and send to each other!!! Next they'll be blogging!

Knitting on Good Friday.

2009-04-10T11:17:00.005+10:00

Knitting on Good Friday.
My 9 year old chose this pattern and the wool when she was about 5 years old. It has taken me three attempts over these years to get past the 372 stitches cast onto circular needles!!! to be decreased by half and half again with this incredibly thin tricky furry yarn, but I DID IT! I got off the circular needles, and onto my favourite knitting stitch, moss stitch! I am far from an excellent, or even clever knitter, but thought I better try to tackle something tougher than a head band! I have a feeling this hat will be enormous, already, and am therefore preparing to make it slightly "taller" so I can felt it with hot soapy water later on...
I want to find a great cardigan/wrap pattern for me to make for myself...

To learn, to teach, to rest

2009-04-04T16:23:00.008+11:00

Life has been incredibly full, busy, crazy, hectic, running here to there without a breath!
My practicum time in a Class 6 Steiner classroom has been so rich and wonderful. I got to teach a fantastic Greek verse about Helen of Troy and a great Mexican cowboy song for the kids to sing whilst making Nachos to sell for their business maths project.
The teacher was an inspiring storyteller, and I feel inspired to find my own storytelling voice. Steiner said the class teacher needs to make their pupils laugh and cry every day, and with the story of Troy in the hands of this artful teacher, I think this may have been achieved!

I had my own first days of being a real teacher this week also, and did some Farming Main Lesson work with Class 3. I got to tell my mum's old farm stories from the 1930s, in the days when draft horses pulled their ploughs! It was a great experience, especially as our classroom was actually the chook shed!

And finally, the school holidays are on, and my chickens have been grounded with a certain tres infectious disease which seems to be spreading around town at the moment. As yukky as being sick is, it is a kind of blessing to be forced to stay home, and rest, and we have had a splendid day pretending we are home schooling; knitting, reading, drawing, and resting to the sweet adventures of Olga Da Polga, read by mum/teacher!

Chalk Art Video

2009-03-15T15:30:00.004+11:00

I found this amazing video of a Steiner/Waldorf teacher in the US doing an incredible chalk drawing for his blackboard.

Crafty Day

2009-03-09T20:51:00.011+11:00

Apparently it's green week...

Today my chickens and I pulled out the wool crafts, and all the unfinished work from last winter! It must be Autumn in the air. The squares for a patchwork lyre bag; the donkey I started to knit two years ago!!! Finger knitting...

My Steiner teaching course has been so full, and the creative work is absolutely nourishing. I feel like I want to do the course forever, but I guess there will come a time when a new adventure of teaching will come!!

My "house"...an Angelic Being appeared to watch over it...a bit like the Angel keeping our rented house with cracked walls and moving doorways livable!!

My recorder bag in progress!! Coloured hessian lined with muslin.

Play and a bit of Interiors

2009-02-24T17:59:00.006+11:00

Some images from a weekend of freedom for my youngins. A rare weekend where the freedom to play endlessly all day, and to carry on into the next availed itself. The tea party for many many toys, the many beds made for tired toys. And even a sewing project started AND finished with chicken of 9yrs, who used her mini sewing machine for the first time since Christmas day, producing a most delightful dress for Caroline the handmade doll.

And a corner of my house, the new blue lounge room with warming soft interiors, has been a delight this summer.

The Tree

2009-02-16T20:56:00.010+11:00

Today we painted a tree. I have mine and two of my fellow student's trees. All are beautiful, I think. The technique is wet on wet watercolour painting, which is such a soul activity and the children at Steiner schools do a lot of these!

Studying to be a Steiner teacher is like studying how to be a human being- I mean, really, when did going to school ever make me feel like I was learning how to live, how to feel, how to truly think, how to manifest with my whole being.
I must share the verse we all recite each morning together. It is so inspiring, so rousing, so solemn, so bold:

"We must eradicate from the soul all fear and terror of what comes towards us, out of the future. We must acquire serenity in all feelings and sensations about the future. We must look forward with absolute equanimity to everything that may come. And we must think only that whatever comes is given to us by a world-directive full of wisdom. It is part of what we must learn in this age, namely, to live out of pure trust, without any security in existence - trust in the ever-present help of the spiritual world. Truly, nothing else will do if our courage is not to fail us. And let us seek the awakening from within ourselves, every morning and every evening."
--RUDOLF STEINER

Anna had a stall at Ceres to sell her divine dolls and other preceious crafty peices, all proceeds going to the bushfire relief. It was such a divine day. The chickens and I went along, and we loved sitting behind the stall felting little treasures to sell. I did more robins and Chicken one accomplished four flower fairies- SOLD OUT.

like losing baby teeth

2009-02-04T17:40:00.005+11:00

It seems the process of letting go is something one must wait for. I have felt a shift in myself which happened spontaneously while hiding from the scorching sun on the beach, under a beach dome tent (something I swore never to own due to the eyesore factor, but which proved an utter godsend on a day we killed time on the beach at 40 degrees from 11am till 6pm!!). I read Ken Carey's The Return of the Bird Tribes, in between cooling dips into blue green heaven and chasing my two pale chickens with their hats. After this day, I noticed I felt...easier, my bowel movements became regular and freeing, I finally began to clean my TERRIBLE DESK , my husband noticed something had dropped away.
Letting go of ...something....like losing baby teeth...it happens when it happens.
So, the terrible desk is still imperfect but getting there.

I saw a rose the other night

2009-01-19T22:42:00.008+11:00

*I saw a rose the other night. I was with my dear long lost friend kerri, down from Mullimbimby, and we went for a stroll around the Northcote streets, and the sun was setting, and the twilight magic light set in. A rose was singing with sublime colour.

*I was at Camberwell market early on Sunday morning, and snapped a box of toys unlikely to be sold that day. Perhaps the seller would soon start gifting them to unsuspecting children, who's parents wished more than anything else for no more soft toys in their house.

*I finished my painting course, a week of floating in colour consciousness, the light and darkness and their dance in the forming of yellow green and violet.

*I have the most wonderous photo of my youngins', as my camera is on the blink and from now on everything will be green with candy stripes!

Painting Air

2009-01-14T20:24:00.008+11:00

I am back in the the realm of dancing light, drawing colours in charcoal, feeling the see of cosmic consciousness on the tips of my charcoal laden fingers. Again, I am studying the veil painting technique taught by Liane Collot d'Herbois.

We are working with this verse as a contemplation for the week.

The stars spake once to Man.
It is World-destiny
That they are silent now.
To be aware of the silence
Can become pain for earthly Man.

But in the deepening silence
There grows and ripens
What man speaks to the Stars.
To be aware of the speaking
Can become strength for Spirit-Man.
—Rudolf Steiner

Tis' the Season to be Felting

2008-12-23T16:05:00.013+11:00

After a long break from blogging, wherein I became qualified to teach primary school children...yes, I can now stand proudly in the ranks with such luminaries as Miss Beadle from Little House on the Prairie and Mr Kotter...
I return to the subject of felting, and Christmas, and how in love I am with photos of Robins hopping around in the snow in the northern hemisphere. I was moved to felt a robin of my own, to give to a dear friend, funnily enough named Robyn, who helped me through the year of madness and unprecendented child juggling.
Our Christmas Tree is adorned with many little handmade angels the girls were given by friends at school, and Chicken No.1's amazing needle felted Father Christmas'.
We have also been visited by four furry friends...new guinea pis, who we of course promptly subjected to the indignity of being in a studio Christmas Photo Shoot on their second day of life!
Am trying to read Atonement, which I am loving, yet finding hard to stay awake to get through...and listening to Loreena McKennitt's Christmas album, which is strangly alluring...