Royal Melb Show part 2 - the cake edition

As always, the family were all totally impressed with the amazing range of decorated cakes at the show. All sorts of shapes, sizes and colours.  And there was even a Harry Potter cake, Yoda, Lord of The Rings, and if you look carefully, Totoro too!

Royal Melbourne Show 2016 Pt 1

So many gorgeous tea cosies, how to choose just one to vote for? I
 loved this bright neon one... 


And this red poppy, and the strawberry cosy behind were very cute...

 But then I spotted this TARDIS tea cosy hiding in the back row. Trying to blend in, hoping no one would notice it, just as a good TARDIS should!

And a bag to carry the knitting in too...

The thing with knitting blankets is that they get a bit big to carry around after a while! Plus when knitting stripes there are several balls of wool on the go, which need to be carried around too. (Although that is assuming I am going anywhere other than the couch to knit!).
So a new bag was in order - based on the Grainline Studio "stow" bag, and made and reviewed on Thornberry recently.  I kind of deconstructed a plastic shopping bag for a pattern guide;  used the sewing method from my other bags/ fabric buckets; and used up some bits of home made & purchased bias binding trim.  In other words my usual " I think I can figure it out/ make it up as I go along" method.
The sides could have been sturdier- internal pockets on the short sides/ ends would have given the bag a bit more structure. But it stands up, it holds several balls of wool and a knitting project or two - it does the job it was made for!

Knitting project finished- knitted blanket

I finished my next blanket! Ok, I still have to finish off all the ends, but it is otherwise done! It measures approx 120X130 cm, and holds its shape ok, unlike the rainbow blanket which was a bit pear shaped! This time I stuck to just knit,yarn over , then knit, drop y/o on the next row.  Makes it much quicker too!
Very happy with the stripe pattern and colours ( although the latte - ish colour was not quite what I had originally planned, but looks ok now).  And yes, I have already started the next one!

September sewing...so far

Yesterday afternoon I took over the kitchen table to get some sewing done. I had previously cut out several tops, but had not had the chance to get the overlocker out for a while.
I sewed up 2 tops - another from my favourite new pattern (Butterick 3383) and a long sleeve tee.
I don't know what happened, but I seem to have cut out a couple of T's lately with the wrong pattern, the neck is just too big! Which is annoying as I love this colour. I am trying to remedy it with some creative tucks, but it is still a work in progress!

Spring blooms

Our plum tree is covered in blossom, and buzzing with bees when the sun is up. The pineapple sage is glowing red, and there are even a couple of freesias in flower! Amazing how the garden can suddenly come alive - thriving on neglect at the moment!