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When Things Go Wrong

I had a very salutary realisation recently.  I am not a Japanese woman. I made this.  It is from Yoshiko Tsukiori’s Stylish Dress Book – Wear with Freedom (2008). It seemed like destiny: a beautiful book of patterns that looked so comfortable to wear, time to draw off the pattern and I found the exact […]

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Ode to a Nightingale

To some folks, they are called nightdresses. To others, they are nighties. But to Our Dear Girl, they are nightingales! And why not indeed? In an Ode to a Nightingale, John Keats wrote Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!          No hungry generations tread thee down; The voice I hear this passing night was […]

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The Wreath and the Apron

We turned over the ‘make a wreath’ card in our Advent Calendar a few days ago. My dearest wish would be to have a wreath of real holly, ivy, mistletoe and pine but in the Melbourne heat, even if you could get such things, it would go all wilty in a day. So this is […]

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Laura and the Pirate Queen

Our Dear Girl was rather happy with her birthday.  She ate cake, played party games, thanked her guests politely for their lovely gifts and then posed uncooperatively for her mamma’s pics! One of her gifts this year was a Little House on the Prairie costume.  We all feel we know the Ingalls very well as […]

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In the Deep Midwinter

At last, some proper cold and wet weather for winter in Melbourne. It has been a time of cups of tea, board games with the kids and some serious crafty stuff getting done.  To this end, I joined a great KAL (Knit Along) on Ravelry hosted by the amazingly prolific Andi at My Sister’s Knitter.  It is […]

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All She Carries In Her Frolics and Ferments

This is the first of my show entries I would like to share with you. This one is especially dear to me.  The streaks of paint and toothpaste already adorning it, tell me my Dear Girl loves it too. The idea for this little red dress formed all the way back in March.  I was […]

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Frock no more

In my past life, before I had kids, I used to love a good frock up.  I would make a new dress for a special occasion or just in the hope of a special occasion. I made this one just before I found out I was pregnant for no other reason than I thought it was […]

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Sometimes knits hurt

I just finished knitting the frock I have been working on…an idea I saw in my mind’s eye. The execution is not all I would wish it to be.  I got a bit excited after all my planned yoke increases worked out and forgot to add any short row shaping to lift the yoke at […]

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Welcome Baby Wrap Over

For me, there is something very pleasurable in making something for a newborn.  So long in their journey to get here and so small when they do finally arrive. I dreamed up my ideal newborn outfit whilst struggling in the hospital bed with a cesarean, bending over doing all those press studs on the onesies when all […]

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Okie Girl – a dress for a long hot summer

Alternating with the ubiquitous red pinny, our dear girl wears this old raggy thing. It was mine once, a very long time ago.  My mum made it for me as part of a pajama set.  The bottoms were baggy bloomers in the same red gingham.   When I grew out of them, the top part became a […]

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