Optimism

Is it too optimistic to spend time on the last day of winter working on a summer dress?

Outside the wind felt freezing, so it was good to stay inside and play with fabric and irons and sewing machines. 

Alteration Testing

Made some alterations to one of the patterns I traced off last Thursday, then made up the bodice in some scrap fabric to see how it looked.

It is not helped by the fact that my dummy is not the same shape as me or that I seem to have the left shoulder on crooked, but I did try it on myself, and I think the alterations were OK. 

Ready for Takeoff

Winjeel warming up for the aerobatics display at Point Cook RAAF Museum.

Scarlet Blaze

It's still a few days until Wattle Day, (1st September), but I saw this lovely Acacia leprosa (Cinnamon Wattle) 'Scarlet Blaze' while out walking today.

The one I planted in my garden didn't survive, but it is great to see this one looking wonderful.

View From a Room

View from my new workspace:

The city in the far distance, with a peppercorn tree nicely blocking the view of the less interesting buildings nearby.  And over everything, a winter sky.

Spot the Bird

I spent the afternoon tracing patterns for a couple of summer dresses, because I'm sure that I won't need to be wearing four layers of clothes for a lot longer. Pattern tracing doesn't make for good photos, so here's a wattlebird who was feeding on nectar in my Eucalyptus leucoxylon (yellow gum) which is flowering again. It last flowered in November.

To be honest, it is not a good picture of the wattlebird, but I think you'll find it a little more interesting than sheets of tissue paper!

What Tree is This?

These hairy little buds will soon become something I adore. Stand by...

Bag Complete

Today I finished the bag I've been making.  The pattern is the Panel Bag by Nicole Mallalieu.

One advantage of making your own is that you can customise it to suit yourself. For example, as well as lots of pockets inside, this bag features something I wish all my bags had:

A special little clip for my keys.  No more hunting for them somewhere underneath everything else!

Baby Blue

Back in July I showed a Brunnera macrophylla "Jack Frost" looking a bit sad as it died down for winter.

Here is one of them only six weeks later, with tiny new growth, and actually in flower.

Don't bother clicking on the picture to make it bigger - it isn't quite in focus, so it looks better like this.  I'll try for a better shot when it has grown a bit more.

Is it Spring?

This row of trees in blossom looked like spring.  The sun felt like spring.

However, I think the wind had looked at the calendar and said, "Not quite yet!"

Democracy Day

Once one has braved the leaflet-waving folk outside the polling booth, waited in the queue for a lot longer than usual, cast one's vote, and contributed to the school funds at the cake stall, what next?

A night in front of the TV watching Antony Green, psephologist extraordinaire, and various talking heads say, "These are early figures...", "It's too early to say...", "If this swing holds...", until finally someone cries, someone smiles, and we can all go to bed.

Hooray for democracy!

P.S. - I'm not staying up until the result is known this time!

Good News

Today I got the welcome news that I have a new part-time job starting next week. Looking around the garden to find something to symbolise this new life, I found the first blossom on my blood plum - but didn't manage to get a good picture of it. I did find all sorts of other buds popping open, some of which were quite surprising, but today's photo is a flower that has seemed about to open for quite some time.

Grevillea John Evans is a hybrid I planted last year, and this is the first time it's flowered for me.

More Hardenbergia

As you can see, there are lots of flowers on the hardenbergia now, but the colour in this photo is no better than the first time I tried to photograph it.

Becoming a Bag

It was a day for staying inside and sewing. The bag began to take shape. Or it was, until I ran out of thread.

Ready, Set, Fuse!

Waiting for the ironing press to warm up, so that I could test the reaction of this fake suede to the fusing process.

Fortunately the fabric behaved beautifully under pressure, so I went on to fuse interfacing to various parts of my bag.  The ironing press makes fusing a breeze — possibly my best hard-rubbish find ever!

Sewing For Me

Started making myself a bag today.

The brown stuff is the outside, and lighter fabric is the lining.  Both are remnants from other projects, but I do need to purchase a little hardware and some interfacing to complete the bag.

Keeping an Eye on Things

One of the chooks strolling around the damp garden.

There's Been Some Rain

It is not often that there's this much water flowing over the weir at Coburg Lake.

In fact, there's rarely any water flowing over the weir.

My Time?

After all the sewing I've done recently for other people, it must be about time to make something for myself.

Yesterday I bought the Burda magazine (which changes its name from time to time, but I still just call it Burda), which got me feeling enthusiastic about making some summery clothing, and today I was given the bag pattern.  I think it must be my turn.

Fringes

Nearly a month ago I showed you the first flower on one of my fringe flower bushes (Loropetalum chinense var rubrum).

Now it is looking much more spectacular!

Pandan Muffins

Recipe all over the internet, but this seems to be the one many others have copied.

Happy Birthday!

Sock Monkey

Did an unusual bit of sewing:

Leaf Close-Up

The sun shining through this dead gumleaf reminds me of microscopic images of cells.

Secret Stuff

Spent some time with my machines.

Walk

Ominously black sky doesn't dampen the enjoyment of a three-hour walk.

Vireya Comparison

I pushed the two pots of vireyas closer together to get a comparison shot:

Princess Alexandra on the right has been flowering continuously since she surprised me in January (!) and she still has some buds coming. Chayya on the left has her first bloom fully open now, and she also has quite a few buds forming. Seems it is a good year for vireyas.

Nothing Much

It was a cold wet day, so I stayed inside and made a few more of these.

New Growth

New leaves shooting from a hydrangea.

If it wasn't so cold, I'd think it was spring.

Work in Progress

Sandwiched and started quilting this wall-hanging.

Look Closely

This hellebore looks lovely, but take a closer look:


It is covered in overwintering aphids!

Time to take some pest-control measures.