Shazzas Knits

It’s finished! The Cove short cut lap blanket pattern by I’ve called it Sunburst 🌞 as it’s bright and cheery on a winter’s day 💛

A week on and my Sunburst Cove blanket is growing 💛

What a miserable winter’s day it is here in Launnie, so what better way to make it cheery and bright 💛

Tartan blanket no.3 finally finished! This one is a pattern inspired by the Buchanan tartan with its gorgeous colours. This is one of those projects that requires hours and hours of work and a ton of wool but well worth the effort. I’m already planning tartan blanket no.4, but this time a footy (Australian Rules) one in my much loved and slowly improving North Melbourne colours. It just might be finished in time for when they are hopefully back up the ladder and competing in finals once more 💙🤍

No knitting as I’m having issues with carpal tunnel which interestingly has made hand knitting impossible 😢 Anyone who has a creative gene will understand that I simply cannot sit idle and not make stuff, it ain’t going to happen! I find I can work on EPP (English paper piecing) with the help of a plastic clip that holds the pieces together so that I don’t have to grip them together firmly. And then there is the making of the hexagons themselves which is also manageable. I had carpal tunnel during my pregnancies as well and couldn’t knit a stitch then either until the babies were born and it disappeared overnight. So is it coincidental that it has showed up post menopause 🤔

I have been attending my local patchwork and quilters guild for a few months now and I’m loving every minute of it! At 57, I’m definitely in the “young” age group but that’s what makes it so brilliant. The talent and knowledge in that meeting space each week is incredible and so inspiring. My take along hand sewing project is 3/4 hexagons that will one day be the aptly named Insanity Quilt 😬 by Rhonda Pearce, but I have chosen 3/4 inch hexagons instead of the 1/2 inch ones in the pattern. I’m also only using fabrics for this quilt from op shop finds and fabrics gifted to me by friends who destash etc. and leftover scraps in my stash.

I made 2 smart sofa stations, I started mine using scraps and then my daughter in law saw what I was doing and said she’d like one as well. She chose the cute cat fabric 😍 I’m going to make the add on scrap buckets for threads for both. The pattern is by and gives plenty of options for pockets and flaps but I kept ours quite simple.

Restoration opinions please. I inherited my late mother-in-laws travel sewing case, and instead of it sitting on a shelf, which it has been, I really think it should be used. It is in really good condition except for the pin cushion. The fabric is red velvet, so what do you think? A) leave it as is B) patch the frayed, well used bit with felt, C) patch the frayed bit with velvet or D) replace the whole piece altogether? Open to other ideas, suggestions etc.

Everyone sees a young George Harrison all I see is a great example of a saddle shoulder jumper. Oh ok I do follow a George Harrison page so he was a pretty cute musician 😉

Monday again at Remembering George '1943 - 2001' and looking forward to a great week of George Harrison posts! -Matt-

I made a patchwork project design board, it’s like fuzzy felt for quilters! You can design your blocks before sewing, it’s A3 so a perfect lap size and the pieces stick to the fuzzy wadding. Thanks to the very talented for sharing her idea 🧵🪡

Topsy Turvy Cinderella doll progress, using a Jean Greenhowe knitting pattern. A lot of knitting to do yet but I had a lot of fun making the patches yesterday as it was a miserable autumn day and perfect for stitching indoors. I started the glamorous ball gown last night, I had actually forgotten how much fun doll making is and Jean Greenhowe patterns are so clever

Finally got around to finishing the Featherweight case, I still need to add some trim around the top to cover the raw edges but not quite sure what yet. The cotton reel fabric pocket was a random add on to keep the original manual and owners receipt. The vintage smell has gone completely which was the main reason for refurbishing it. She is a 1954 model and stitches beautifully 🧵🪡

New socks just listed in my Etsy shop, size 7-8 AU, I love the colours

Sharing a new Tasmanian business for us crafters to enjoy

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084099691467

sals.buttons.and.treasures Shopping & retail

Refurbishing my 1953 Singer Featherweight 221 case, the exterior is surprisingly good for its age but the interior smells old and it looks old and tired. I’ve stripped all the old interior and will line it with fabric, I’m kind of making it up as I go but the gorgeous little machine is very precious so I want it to be perfect! #1953

In search of this magazine, Handmade 1994 volume 10 no. 3, I will be scouring the op shops for it. I love the cabled cushion 😍

Library pick ups today, a pleasant weekend ahead, I’ve already decided that Jane and Jimmy Barnes’s book needs to be purchased, it’s gorgeous!

And following on from yesterday’s post here is the photographic evidence of the fisherman wearing his jumper, early 1990’s 😂

Just listed a near new copy in my Etsy shop, I’ve kept my original dog eared copy as I made most of the jumpers in it and the pages themselves are full of sentimental knitting memories. I made the aran/fair isle combination mens jumper for my husband back when the book was first published, he actually used to wear it Tuna fishing 🤦‍♀️ I must get around to making another one day, I remember it being a fun knit at the time and a bit different. #1991

New scissors and they are perfect for snipping wool ends, and so sharp! I purchased them from and I will be ordering again, an Australian based seller on Etsy so they arrived quickly. jumper is progressing nicely, it really is a lovely and bright design.

2024 is going to look something like this. I have lots of odd balls of colours leftover from previous projects that I am going to be working through to make room in my wool cupboard. So that will mean lots of colour and I will be recreating some well known as well as perhaps lesser known 1980’s knitwear. The first one I think most will recognise, the late Princess Diana’s Peruvian Jumper. I have actually made this before but in blue which was a request from a customer to recreate a much loved lost jumper. This one will be a size small as I am using leftovers and only have enough pink for the smallest size. The jumper will be listed in my Etsy shop when it is completed so keep checking for updates if you would like to make it yours. And yay I’m hand knitting again, I have been crocheting and machine knitting only as I had a bit of RSI/carpal tunnel when hand knitting but it appears to have eased, hopefully 🤞

Just listed in my Etsy shop, this was the project that I worked on over the Christmas holidays. It is by

I’ve been staring at this shade card trying to choose which colour I will make The Cove crochet blanket in. I have a Buchanan tartan blanket on one couch and would like the Cove blanket to match for the other. The tartan isn’t as bright as in the Instagram photo, I’m leaning towards the teals and blues, but the peach could work or even watermelon……they are all so lovely really. Here is a link to the gorgeous pattern https://shop.shelleyhusbandcrochet.com/products/the-cove-crochet-blanket-book

I don’t have the moose head glasses a la Clark Griswold but I do have some delicious egg nog, yum!!! Time now to sit back and relax and enjoy some time off for a couple of weeks 🎄🍹🎅🏻

A little something to pop into my secret Santa present, it’s the pineapple market bag crochet pattern on Ravelry

After a recent cold snap here in Tassie, I’ve decided to make myself a Christmas jumper. This one has been on my to make list for years, even if Christmas Day is warm our evenings are cool and outdoors during Summer a jumper is always needed 🎄🤶🏻

It looks a bit odd but it’s going to be a hexagon crochet cardigan. I’m using the Cadiz cardigan pattern and Bendigo Prism 8ply wool. Have you made a hexagon cardigan? I think I know what I’m doing 🫣

Ho adorable are these little knitted dolls, that is one very talented knitter who made them 🧶

The went off! This festival only goes for 5 hours but in that time I gave three talks, signed hundreds of books and talked with and hugged many fellow avid gardeners.

And then us four from sat down for a 2 hour panel (fun). But the main point of this post is that I want to show you the dolls we’re holding. A local craft legend* made them for us. Zoom in folks, they’re spitting images of us and mine even came with a goat😍.

Sums up the spirit of this festival and community perfectly: Overflowing with kindness, talent and generosity with a strong side dressing of p’zazz⭐️.

Thanks for having me legends! And guess what they run this gig four times a year with the next one in Autumn!

*https://www.facebook.com/NeedlesAndPinsKalamunda?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Costa Georgiadis Official Gardening Australia

2 1/2 rounds left, it’s getting very heavy, this is on my king size bed. I hope to have it finished by the weekend, phew it has been a huge project but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. I’ve learnt heaps and feel that I can now tackle most crochet patterns 😅

Someone keeping an eye on me as I work in my craft room 🖤🖤