Missing in action...

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Shrug

I'm still working my way through the sewing stash. I bought this fabric at Darn Cheap, the store I love - it's a rare visit when I don't come out of there with something lovely. This was on sale during one of their January clearouts at $1 a metre, and I think I got 10 metres. They even rolled it onto a cardboard core for me. It's semi sheer with mostly black and white ideograms, scattered with a few coloured ideograms. The pattern is VERY simple, a "For Dummies" one, but the idea appealed to me. Basically sleeves joined across the back. I have an idea for a knitted one similar to this, but not so voluminous, which I tried to create last winter. Major failure and I frogged it, but this has cleared up my concept and I'll try the knitted version again in light of my discoveries making this. I'd use the pattern again.

Bad photo, really should have ironed that skirt! I seldom iron except when I'm sewing.

Ms Sulky

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Pineapple progress

The pineapple continues to grow. It now has quite a long stalk, a developing crown of leaves, and the "body" has little purple tongues of flowers. The leaves of the plant itself were looking a bit worn out, perhaps pumping all the plant's energy into the developing fruit, so we gave it a feed with some fertiliser and it's looking much happier. Also added some compost around the base where some of the soil had leached out and what should pop up, but a healthy looking tomato seedling. Sometimes I wonder why I bother buying fancy seeds or seedlings, I could just fill a pot with compost or spread some on a garden bed and see what develops. Pumpkin, tomato and melon seeds seem to enjoy passing through the composting process and hurl themselves lightward with abandon - I've plucked out at least twenty little pumpkin leaflets from the tomato pots, and at least as many extra tomatoes looking to take up residence with the advanced seedlings I planted out.

Here you can see a little of the long stalk underneath the fruit.

And a detail of the tiny flower tongues studding the fruit body. This is such a fascinating process, eating any fruit that eventuates is like the icing on the cake - a sweet treat, but not the whole point :)

Ships and shoes and sealing wax

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Frankson Op Shopping

These finds are from a trip to Frankston in December, to take advantage of one of Saver's half price garment Mondays. Above are a jumper and cardigan which I intend to deconstruct for the yarn. You can't ever have too much yarn :)

The purple one has giant snaps down the front, which I'll also reclaim and repurpose. I'd priced snaps about this size in the haberdashery section a while back and they retail for at least $1 each, and I have six of them now. Both knits were two or three dollars each.

A large scarf featuring a gorgeous print of horses. I tried to convince the checkout operator that scarves are apparel, but apparently they're considered accessories and not included in the half price offer. Still a bargain at $3.95, I think. I may turn this one into a halter top, if I can bear to cut it.

A cowboy motif doona cover that I'll use as fabric. I couldn't resist the cute print. Enough here to make a shirt, a skirt and still have some left over. Can't remember the price exactly, but it was
about $5.
A gorgeous green caftan, for me to wear in the heat. Cool and comfortable now that I've altered it to my satisfaction: it was a little tight over the Rack of Doom, so I let it out at the side seams only to find that this rendered it rather shapeless in other areas. So I added a couple of waist ties to tie at the back and now I love it. $9 at Savers.

An "Eight Wives of Henry the VIII" tea towel, to be refashioned into a tote bag. $1.95.
(Edited: Obviously that was meant to be "Six Wives of Henry VIII" - I think Melbourne's hot and muggy spell has damaged my brain)

An Isle of Wight tea towel, also to be refashioned into a tote bag. Also $1.95. Both tea towels from Savers.

On the same trip, I also bought ten balls of black mohair yarn, at $1 a ball in St Vinnies, plus a
set of dominoes for $2 in another op shop (can't remember which, memory failure due to hot weather). Like I wrote earlier, can't have too much yarn! The dominoes are intended for a jewellery project I have in mind, and they came in a little wooden box that I'll use for something else. A good day.

Enough with the heat, already...

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We are having a stretch of hot, sticky weather. Enough, please! Can't sleep, can't do anything
more strenuous than read or I'm a lather of icky sweat, I am motivated to do nothing. I am
restless and bored. At least the weather broke a bit today and it's raining (the vegies will be grateful), so a bit more pleasant. Perhaps I will actually sleep well tonight.

Okay, enough whining.