Finishing WIPs

 When we came back from the cruise, I set myself the task of finishing projects.

Discussing with members of crochet group, I discovered that I am not the only one who is planning the next project before the currant one is finished. I have been known to start said new project and leaving one uncompleted. Hence my new challenge.

I took a new project on the cruise, a handbag compkete with all cotton yarn and handles. I made all thirteen squares with a couple of days to go. With the left overs six different colours and the main colour had two balls, I started a baby blanket. It got put on the back burner. Yay, got the baby blanket finished earlier this week. I had to add other colours from my stash. 

This was the photo when I was working on the squares on the boat.

Squares had to be crochetted together, no instructions on that but luckily a friend at crochet showed me how to place them. I lined it and then tonight I attached the handles.

I dont like the colours that much, I will make another but a little bigger with brighter colours. 

Must have been on a roll tonight as I also finished a crochetted dress. I saw a pucturs on face book, someone was asking how big for a two year old and added a photo of a dress that they wanted to make. 

I took note of chest measurement for a 2/3 year old and made my own. Had to sew in some ends.

This is my version. Next time I would make the skirt, a little less full.

Pjs or unisex track suits

 I had some lepard print stretch fabric picked up in an op shop. There was quite a bit of it.

This is what I did with it. I used some contrast fabric to make them different. The green was a bit boring so it has a stripe down each sleeve, just stitched on top.

Yay, two pieces out of my stash.

I did have to go and buy cottons and elastic, havent bought either in years. I have been emptying cotton reels like they are going out of fashion, probably two or three in a weeks.

My floor is the tidiest it has been in weeks but my tub with scraps is getting bigger, will have to do a couple of quilts soon to knock it down. I also have a tub of wool plus the red bag is wool.

Shorts with pockets will be the go this week, have already made a Halloween pair. Fabric is black with orange pumpkins and ghosts on it.

Eight for the week

 

Two dresses are from the same fabric. I added some constrast strips to a couple of them. I love the fabruc with the kiwi fruit but my favourite is the blue on ths right. Its hard to see in the photo but its stripes of light blue going into darker blue.

Next lot if fabric is stretch so I will be making unisex pjs.

My weeks sewing

 I was getting bored with making scrappy quilts but still have lots of fabric.

I bought a dress pattern for 50cents in an op shop for a little girls dress, 1 to 2 years. I trusted that it was all there.

The two on the left are the pattern and I have another half done.

The rest are the pillow slip dresses, two pink ones are for an older child.

The two dresses and half finished one plus the two top right and two vaby tops from last week I have made from one double doona cover that I picked up in an op shop for $4. 

I will see how many I can make this week.

Projects on the cruise

 I couldnt take the blanket that I was working on so I took a couple of smaller things to do. A friend from crochet class is working on poppies for ANZAC Day, she is hoping to make 1000 and gave those who wanted, the pattern. I bought a ball of red cotton and one ball of wool, although techinally its yarn if it is not 100% wool. 

I had some bits and bobs of black so I was set. I did use all the red that I took, naking fourteen poppies in all.

I have already passed those on to her but the above are some I have made since. An easy pattern which I timed yesterday, one poppy took one quarter of football and the break so provably about 40 minutes.

The second project which I finished on the last day of the cruise was a handbag in patchwork crochet.

Six different colours, each round a different colour. There were four variates of them as well. So that I didnt get mixed up, I lined the colours up on my bedside cupboard and worked that way until I had completed that colourway then changed them according to the pattern. I needed help on how to put it together, the instructions didnt go that far, luckily two from crochet had already made this pattern and were able to help. I have lined it but still need the finishing touches. I dont like the colour so it will be used as a donation filled with toiletries to go to a shelter. November is Share the Dignity month. Last year I did five bags, it will not go to waste.

Hanging on the lampshade is my pass that we need to wear at all times.

VANUATU

 Our last port of call before home. We have been there before, had done the glass bottom boat trip twice, this time we ooted for A taste of Vanuatu, thinking they would druve us around to see differeht places on the island.

Not so, jyst meant that we didnt really study the burg in great depth, is at all.

Our taste tour was just that. After a drive through town and then countryside, past a nice looking golf course which had holes on each side of the road, we turned into a plantation. It was a coffee place.

Waiting for the bus, it was raining, we were able to get seats under cover.

A tour of the coffee being prepared. Beans are grown on ths island, before covid, they used to be fliwn to Melbourne to be roasted, now they do them here in what used to be a church. Three difference types, roasted to different degrees for different times. We were invited to smell each one and it was possible to detect changes between them.

Coffee shop was next door and we could chose what type of coffee we wanted to taste. I didnt buy any but will see if I can buy it here.

Suitably topped up with caffine, it was back on the bus for another twenty minute drive to a chocolate factory.

Coco beans. Four islands grow the beans for the chocolate. We were gicen a taste of each one then we moved onto the flavoured ones. Coffee, ginger, coconut and sea salt. The plain chocolate was nothing but the beans and sugar. My favourits was the sea salt one. We did buy some bars from there.

Rum tasting, all six types! This place was just up the road.

Barrels of rum.

The factory, all gleaming copper tubes

We sat in the small bars and sux glasses were set up  in front of us and iced water, I assume tk drink between each taste. They were proper rum glasses and filked about half, no one but me tried the first one on our table. I took a tiny sip, oh my it was strong. Warren had a sip of mine. We both like rum but I coukdnt have drunk any more, it was really strong. A full glass of coke would have been good to mix with it.

Several on our tour bought bottles, dont know the price but assume it was cheaper than at home. Tour was for three hours, 8.45am start back by 12. It was closer to two by the time we got back on board.  Nice trip. Didnt realise that they had such industries on the island.

Four dresses in an afternoon.

 Yep, that was my output for this afternoon. My charity work between now and Christmas is to make kids clothes and toys. I haveht put a number on it, just see what I can acheive.

I was looking for kids dresses online and on one web site was a pilliw case dress. I guess it could be made from a pillow case but it was more about the fabric required.

Twenty one inches by seven inches, its an American site, no pattern.

Bias binding and ribbon for the armholes and ties. The size is one to two year olds.

I have two more cut out, which does have a pattern and a zip, they will take a little longer. I am hoping to have several dresses up to size 12.