JaM - As a Child

When I was young I remember hearing a saying

"youth is wasted on the young"

I was confused & annoyed by it for years.

I understand it now and know it's not relevant to me anymore.

I wouldn't be who I am,  doing what I'm doing if I hadn't been the kid I was.

  In saying that, I'd have hated being my parent.

 8 was my favourite age.

 Everything seemed possible, I liked myself alot and I intuitively knew stuff.

Recently I stumbled across this quote at grrl+dog

and after I stopped feeling sick and started breathing again
I stole it.

"We plan our lives according to a dream that came to us in our childhood, and we find that life alters our plans. And yet, at the end, from a rare height, we also see that our dream was our fate. It's just that providence had other ideas as to how we would get there. Destiny plans a different route, or turns the dream around, as if it were a riddle, and fulfills the dream in ways we couldn't have expected." 

Ben Okri

My first REinvention was at the age of four.

 I cut the buttons off my sisters brand new hand knitted cardigan, 

including approx. 1" of knitted cardigan with each button.

You can only imagine the shit I got into for that!

And here I am 40yrs later encouraging others to cut the buttons off their cardigans.

JaM this week is sharing a childhood image of yourself,
one of your favourites,
with a little story that explains who that person was...
maybe in relation to who she is now. 

Sunday Snippets & a REinventing REminder

Joining in Tinniegirls Sunday Snippets

{sunday snippets}: a collection of photos from your week.  No need for words.  Let the pictures tell your story.

If you're interested in knowing more about REinventing with Knitwear

there's a Q&A happening over here or on FB

...please ask as many questions as you like and I'll do a post during next week and answer them....

I'm even ambitiously thinking a little Vlog demo would be cool.

Latest REinvention - Cardet

I'm managing to REinvent for myself during this hiatus from workshops.

Being that winter will eventually arrive, my focus has been knitwear.

This Cardet (cardigan x jacket) 

was created by combining three Jumpers & an embroidered wool Vest.

   

I used a slightly felted older childs jumper in the front 

and had fun playing with combining colours from other jumpers I had filed,

 

including a daggy wool Vest with gorgeous hand embroidery. 

I always like the back of a garment to compliment the front.

Even though I had the best of intentions, this also turned out to be an exercise in 

why I don't do before & after shots.

Out of the 5 garments I anticipated using I only used 3 

and ended up including a 4th not thought of at the time I took the picture.

In between domestic goddess duties & bias binding making 

I'll endeavor to share more of my REinventions 

and being that they're more likely than not going to be knitwear orientated 

I'd also like to share some tips for using knitwear in your REinventions...if anyone's interested.

Just had a thought...

what if we turn this into a Q&A....

go ahead and ask all and as many questions as you like

and I'll do a specific post on  

How to REinvent your Knits.

Feeling Lucky & Special

I won an award

and I'm feeling lucky because  
I never win anything....
and special because
I don't write the Blog to be popular or receive accolades (cough)
I write it because I'm self-centred enough to think everyone else will be interested in what I am

so the fact that a fellow Blogger thought me worthy of recognition
by deeming my Blog worthy of bestowing an Award upon

I'm going to take personally and wear as a badge of honour.

Thankyou Jackie. x

These are 5 of my favourite Bloggers 

Melissa @ mogsdesigns 
   Anne Marie @ the dreadful quaker 
   Helen @ stitcharooney 
Denise @ hot posumm 
                           Shana @ art - ideas & illustration 

 There are a few rules that go along with the honour 

• Copy and Paste the Award on your Blog 
• Link back to the Blogger who gave you the Award
• Pick your 5 favourite Bloggers with under 200 followers who you think deserve to be recognized and leave a comment on their Blog letting them know they have won the Award
• And hope the 5 chosen Bloggers will continue to share the Blog Award love.

I hope you will pop over and have a look at these girls and that they will at some stage spread the love.

What are Friends for...

that's a rhetorical question cos I already know...

they're for turning up 

out of the blue

just at the right time.

Regina rang from Melbourne on a Friday and arrived here in the sunny west on the Saturday
and stayed for a week.

We both needed some fun

and it just so happened to be the 2nd week of the school hols
so Stella enjoyed the benefits of 2 friends indulging in each others company.

 There was quite of bit of retail therapy went on during the week
where new discoveries were made

and old haunts revisited.

 1. Wild Poppy Cafe, 2. Madam Bukeshla's, 3. Trish Bygott @ Madam Bukeshla's,
4. Wlid Poppy Cafe, 5. Madam Bukeshla's, 6. Buffy @ Pekho,
7. Pekho, 8. Madam Bukeshla's, 9. LuLu's - Brunch

We reconnected over chats about kids & men,

Op shops, shoes and the value of doing this on a more regular basis.

My turn next.....
Melbourne in July!

JaM - What's the Weather like at your Place

JaM this week is an exercise in noticing the change in seasons.

'What's the Weather like at your Place'

Take 5 photos of what captures your eye
depicting the change of season in & around your place...

'the cool whisper of Autumn or the warm breathe of Spring'

and maybe over a cuppa we can have a chat about the weather.

the light is very different now...
with Autumn here the days are shorter
and while concentrating on one thing something completely different is revealed

as was the case with the view through my glass Chandelier beads.

Lemon Trees fruiting at the beginning of 'sick season' is very clever of Mother Nature.

The sky seems much bigger,
bluer,
clearer
and it's getting colder.

Any colour in the garden is more pronounced as most plants start to hibernate
or in the case of some here....die.

and the dog these days can be found on guard in the sunniest spot.

I hope you'll join in and share what's going on at your place
so I can forget about all the crappy stuff that's going on at the moment.

Did I just say that out loud!

Sunday Snippets - Splice Skirt Firsts

I'm joining in Tinniegirls Sunday Snippets

and I know 

I'm not supposed to say anything 

so I'll keep it short....

I shared a great weekend with a group of fabulous girls, creating Splice Skirts.

Some firsts happened along the way...

Bronwyn came up from Albany for the weekend just so she could join in the fun...

Kate created the very first childrens Splice Skirt

and I wore my new boots all weekend and they're the best boots I've ever owned in my life!

 

 

(for 4yr old Sophia)

 

A Perfect Day

Woops....too busy for JaM this week...

enjoying the company of my friend Regina who decided on an impromptu visit earlier in the week.

Hope you're enjoying your day.

What they created last Term

This is a sample of what was created during 

REinventing your Wardrobe

and  

Learn to Sew ~ Basics & Beyond Workshops

here at the Studio in Spearwood

and at the Tresillian Art Centre in Nedlands during Term 1.

1. Cardy Wrap, 2. Lunch Bag, 3. Pant Tunic Detail, 4. Floaty Frock Detail, 5. Make it (nearly) Perfect Skirt,
6. Jeans Skirt, 7. Lace Splice Skirt, 8. Summer Frock, 9. Collar Rose Detail, 10. Blossom Jacket,
11. Laughing, 12. wearing Liza Tops, 13. Brooch, 14. Satchel Bag, 15. Slip,
16. Frock REinvention, 17. Wrap Top, 18. Top Copy, 19. Piece of Cake, 20. Piece of Cake Tunic,
21. Scrunchie, Top & Skirt, 22. Japanese Sewing, 23. Shirt Top, 24. Wrap Top, 25. Top Wrap

Classes are filling fast for Term 2 

and I'm already taking bookings into Term 3.

If you thought you'd like to join us I'd be thrilled to share with you 

how easy & fun it is to fall in love with creating while using your sewing machine.
Details are over on the right.

There is also a spot available on the 22nd April in the Splice Skirt Workshop

for anyone interested in creating their own unique Winter Skirt.

 Thankyou to everyone that participated in the questionnaire I conducted 

asking for interest in me doing on-line workshops,

as I anticipated their isn't enough interest in my little blog for it to be a viable venture 

however I am now considering a  

Sew Outside the Lines Sew-along  

.....could be exciting

and as the Piece of Cake Pattern generated the most interest I'd like to offer this as our first project...

whatcha think...I'd only need one person to say "YAY"  and I'll get the ball rolling!

JaM - Favourite Bling

JaM this week is all about your favourite jewellery
~ what bling makes ya heart sing! 

I don't wear a lot of jewellery
- earrings haven't touched my ears for years -

every piece of jewellery I've hung onto has either sentimental value, 
was gifted by someone special
or on the rare occasion I've bought it myself.

Like pieces of art work, jewellery for me needs to be something I can live with,
even when I'm not wearing it.


My favourite ring, one of 3 I alternate between,
 I bought myself
and it's a heart shaped pearl cast in sterling silver
& created by a local jeweler .
I adore it as much today as the day I nearly fell over when I saw it,
15yrs ago.

The prompt for the Bling JaM theme
is this gold & pearl necklace my Dad bought back from Papua New Guinea this week.

He did good....
it's very grown up in a funky way

and
I can live with that.

 

Sort of Sunday Snippets - Easter Lunch

I'm not supposed to say anything to join in tinniegirls 'Sunday Snippets'

and I'm pretty sure I'm also supposed to only load photos

and they're meant to be my favourite images taken during the week.

As I've pointed out & proved once or twice before

I'm not very good at following rules.....

I want to do the right thing so promise to try harder next Sunday! 

Easter lunch with family & friends today was very special

  

we got to share it with Dan, home for a week from the great north west 

and my Dad, home recently from his latest stint in Papua New Guinea.

My sister was here, as was Stella, Eliza and her boyfriend....

we also had a dying Monarch Butterfly join the table.

I got to wear my new 

Bad Bunnies Skirt  

with my new boots.

(apologies for the mess in the background - I'm up to my eye-balls in Jumper REinventions)

I'm very happy & much relieved to announce the skirt is a winner

as are the boots

... I've been blessed with wide Maori feet 

and need forgiving footwear as I'm on my feet for hours on end during workshops - 

these are beauties

       

 and as Sandy pointed out in her comment 

the Bunnies will always be the right way up when I look down at them.

Bad Bunnies on Good Friday

I'm pattern testing the Stand ya Ground variation of the Splice Skirt at the moment
and decided to use up the last of my Kokka fabric for the exercise

- you know, the fabric I used back here.

I was disappointed that even cutting the fabric on the bias didn't manage to budge the bunnies from their upside-down repose.

It was while ironing the finished skirt 

and marveling at how insane this fabric print is 

that I literally had a light bulb moment and surprised myself with the thought, 

'this could be my Easter Skirt'

I've never owned an Easter themed item of clothing in my life.....that I'm aware of 

- it's all about the Bunnies.

So in keeping with the whole caring, sharing & forgiving theme of Easter

I have put my aversion to this fabric to one side 

and embraced all it's points of difference & disappointment,

 finding solace in the balance

 that Bad Bunnies, in what's turning into a great skirt, on Good Friday is perfect!

Happy Easter

Does anyone else have an Easter themed item of clothing that they wear at Easter.....

or am I the only one?!

Don't forget JaM this week for sharing your Works in Progress.

x

JaM - Work in Progress or Why I Procrastinate.

There's a few works in progress going on round here

and I figured if I pulled this one out and showed you

I might actually be shamed into finishing it.

 

    I'm not much of a crocheter and I'm definitely not a knitter

however I was compelled 5yrs ago (kind-side-of-generous) to attempt a mosaic crocheted blanket.

It's an actual pattern,

which I followed to a point

and that was my down fall...

by taking it upon myself to wing it, 

I fell flat on my face.

By 'experimenting' with different wools & REinvented stitches

not only did I end up with less than square squares

I also couldn't work out what colour I should use to crochet the squares together....

from memory I was leaning toward black,

in the traditional 1930's lap rug sense but I'm still not convinced

(opinions gratefully received).

After soooo long in it's cobwebbed basket tucked under the sideboard 

I'm thrilled and a just little surprised I didn't find a disintegrating pile of coloured threads,

although a couple of them will require a freshen up to remove a layer of dusty-webby grime.

JaM this week

is what's your 

WiP

a Work in Progress that you perhaps visit & work on regularly

 or one like mine that's been sitting for years and you need to be shamed into finishing.

I'll leave the Linky up for a week in case you decide to join in...

hope you do!