To-Do List For This Week

This is last week's list:

Garden and homestead

• Veggie garden - continue weeding and mulching, plant out areas as completed.

• Finish narrower new path in veggie garden. (half way)

• Start seeds and plant snow pea seeds.

• Start new potato patch. 

• Weed bed outside kitchen window and sow with wildflower mix. (half done)

Knitting, sewing, crafting

• Three hours of hand quilting on Miss Ballerina's quilt. 

• Finish back of Shoulder Rolls jumper from November 1933 Stitchcraft. (so close - one, maybe two repeats to go!)

• Finish daffodil tea cosy. 

• Start Girl On Fire shawl.

Yarn for shawl

• Start Minecraft pickaxe.

Household

• Freezer inventory.

• Clean up clutter corner in our bedroom.

• The boys finish school this weekend for a three week winter holiday. So plan some activities for these holidays, allowing for the fact that it will probably be pouring with rain for half of the time!

And for this week's list:

Garden and homestead

• Veggie garden - continue weeding and mulching, plant out areas as completed.

• Finish narrower new path in veggie garden. 

• Start seeds and plant snow pea seeds.

• Start new potato patch. 

• Set potatoes to chit.

• Weed bed outside kitchen window and sow with wildflower mix. 

Knitting, sewing, crafting

• Three hours of hand quilting on Miss Ballerina's quilt. 

• Finish back of Shoulder Rolls jumper from November 1933 Stitchcraft. 

• Finish baby jersey from April 1934 Stitchcraft. 

• Knit one night on Girl On Fire shawl.

• Start Minecraft pickaxe.

Household

• Freezer inventory.

• Clean up clutter corner in our bedroom.

• Make air drying clay for Whirlwind - he wants to make snowmen.

I am trying to keep the lists a bit shorter for the next three weeks of school holidays. Although the gardening can stay as Whirlwind is so happy to be on holidays so he can help in the garden.
So I really don't know how much I will achieve! 

And look! The first daffodil of the season!
It is only the first month of winter and there is already one very brave daffodil showing its face. Excuse the weeds - there are still some daffodils in the weedy bed outside the kitchen window. And I can't even see this daffodil from the window as it is behind a horrible ugly grass plant that I am hoping to remove. We removed two a while ago and it is difficult! There are two more in this garden bed, so a lot of digging involved!

We watched Paddington today. I loved the Paddington books growing up, but of course they have altered the movie to add extra intrigue and excitement. But what was I looking at the most? The interiors, of course, and the mother's clothing!

Oh my, I love this house! This is what I would do in my house - bright colours, painted murals, lots of china on display, gorgeous.

This isn't from Paddington, but it has the blue and yellow that I love, and I absolutely wish to have a cherry red Aga!

Adventures In Stitchcraft - Project From April 1934

Continuing on with the April 1934 issue.

There are some lovely items for embroidery, tapestry, etc. in this issue.

Cute little duck needlepoint

I need one of these fireplace rugs and the boys would love this one!

I just love these embroidered dressing table sets

And what a divine veil for a bride!

And some more fashions. Some examples of knitted beachwear patterns available for purchase.

Advertisement for Anchor embroidery threads

The Shoulders jumper is slowly growing in size. I am almost up to the armhole shaping on the back and I am a tad scared to commit to starting it. Being the first vintage pattern I have re-sized, I am worried it will end up a totally odd shape! I just need to have confidence that I have followed the re-sizing directions correctly and that all will be well (or at least well enough to end up with something resembling a wearable garment!)

The project I have selected from the April 1934 issue is the jersey from the baby layette. 
It is knitted with White Heather Baby Wool and needs 2 or so ounces, which is 57 grams.
Here is an advertisement for this wool from a 1934 New Zealand newspaper.

I will be using this yarn, which is 35% wool, 5% cashmere and 60% silk. It feels lovely, so soft.

So far, it is just 7 inches of plain knitting. So really great TV knitting, while I watch series one and two of River Cottage Australia. Oh my, it is set in a beautiful place - I think I want to live there!

Happy crafting!

Adventures In Stitchcraft - Moving on to April 1934

Firstly, apologies for missing last week entirely! It was a long weekend here and there was just no way I was going to be able to get the post written, photographed, etc.

Now it is time to have a look at the April 1934 issue of Stitchcraft.

There are some fabulous knits in this issue.


Knitted beachwear, anyone?

A shirt and shorts outfit is the most comfortable thing you can wear; these shorts have clever pleats strategically placed. The ribbed suit is backless and can be knitted with or without skirt as preferred.

I really like the knitted short sleeve shirt from the beachwear set.


Love the description for the Halo Hat! Not sure if I am 'unlined' enough to qualify!

Nearly every woman with a reasonably unlined forehead can wear the 'halo' hat with success.

Another for a girl in her teens. The right sort of smart simplicity - and so easy to knit!

I love all the jumpers in different rib patterns featured in Stitchcraft. 

And some tennis knits.

The well-shaped tennis woollies on this month's cover will cost you so little when you knit them yourself.
The little coat with puff sleeves gives warmth without weight, it is just what you need for slipping on between sets, and the Angora used for it comes in such charming colours.
The man's pullover is the regulation style. The one photographed for the cover is in Old Lancing colours; you will, of course, substitute the School, University or Club colours of the fortunate man you make it for.

Or you could have sent away to Stitchcraft to receive the pattern to make a sleeveless pullover, like the one below.

Baby knits for this issue.

A great many modern mothers are completely eliminating frocks from the outfits designed to see their newborns through the first few months. Jersey and leggings sets such as these are substituted; these are worn over a vest, knitted body belt and napkin, and a coat is added when the infant is taken out of doors.
The great advantage of this system of clothing is the freedom given for kicking exercise.

I know a napkin is a cloth nappy or diaper, but a knitted body belt? I cannot picture what that could be. Any ideas?

In ecru or white, this set of cuffs and bow make a charming finish for a plain frock. 

Love these! They make me think of something shopgirls would have worn. 

A blouse knitted in silk is useful to wear with a lightweight suit. This attractive affair is very simple to knit. The original blouse is in green and white.

I really love this particular issue of Stitchcraft - so many wonderful knits. And I haven't even got to the embroidery and other projects yet!

Now, how am I progressing with my projects to date?

I am knitting away on the Shoulders jumper from November 1933. This is where I am at the moment - nearly up to the shaping for the armholes on the back.

And from the February 1934 issue, the embroidered daisy cloth. 

I really like the way this turned out. I think I will use it as a tray cloth or little tablecloth for teatime.

Apologies for the fact that this is the photo from the magazine - my camera has decided to go crazy! I will attempt, with my extensive technological expertise!, to fix it during the week.

Next week, I will show some more lovely projects from April 1934 and decide what to make from this issue. 
Hope you can join me!

Creative Friday - Some Cross Stitch and Embroidery

Linking over at Natural Suburbia today for Creative Friday.

I really love cross stitch, but it is something that I never seem to get to. I have been stitching away at this design for years. I really love the Amish designs - I have the whole set that, one of these days, I will finish.

I have also been working on these embroidery designs from Red Brolly that were given to me. Normally I wouldn't use stamped designs. 

Not sure what I am going to do with them yet. Maybe a project bag?
And do head over and check out the Red Brolly website - it is awesome! I particularly need to make the Felt fairy mushroom house pincushion, except it would be a toadstool, of course! And the Family Sampler, which is an embroidery of the Holy Family. 

Hope you are having a creative Friday. Not many Fridays left until Christmas. In fact, as I write this it is 33 days, 22 hours, 52 mins and 10 secs until Christmas! How do I know this? The Xmas Clock told me so!