A little plaid mad.

I gone alittle bit plaid mad, making myself a pink & black plaid dress!

It's same Burda pattern I used for the 'I will wear it in public challenge' that I had entered over @ Riccohet & Away last month ( please vote for me-push the vote button link on the right). 

I'm so loving the shirt/dress that I made for the challenge,

the twisted neck is cool- something different, it's super comfy and the pockets are so handy.

So why not make it again- but knee length and with a gathered waist and in a Hot Pink & Black plaid wool blend fabric. 

It only took a few hours to put it together and Pink Plaid dress was born-    

I'm happy with the finished dress, I can't wait to wear it!

GARDEN UPDATE: My winter salad garden is doing really well- apart from 2 transplant deaths. I've watered them a few times and they are defiantly growing, maybe well be eating some in a couple of weeks,  I'll post a growth pic next week.

 I've also been preparing a patch for our seed garlic, it's that time again here- nearing the shortest day, 

I've done a bit of garlic growing  research to try and increase our yield cause we love garlic so much. 

The patch is where our mobile chicken coup was last year, so I'm hoping the soil is not "to rich"- fingers crossed, we'll find out in about 6 months!

WHAT I'M KNITTING at the moment is from a new book I brought from Paper Plus-

Gothic knits by Fiona McDonald and no it's not all black clothes- but Gothic Inspired Knitted Dolls!

I saw the book and I had to get it, I've never seen anything like it, their are 9 different dolls- male and female and they are freaks- cool.

I've knitted one doll so far and I put her together last night, the long legs are so funny.

 I've never knitted any type of doll or toy before, it's been good to try something different.

The patterns in this book are quite simple and easy to follow, all knitted on 3mm needles in 8ply.

The dolls have knitted clothes and shoes -so that's next on the needles and embroider the facial features,

I think I might do a test head to have a practise first!  

Winter Glasshouse Garden

It is now officially winter here in New Zealand and after last years vegetable quality and prices  I have decided to try growing some salad veges in my glass-house over winter.
I follow the lunar garden cycle so I started preparing the soil in my glasshouse for the 'planting days' of the cycle.

I purchased some plants from www.awapuninurseries.co.nz  as I find the traditional value bundles are good healthy plants delivered to your door for less than you can buy in the shops.

I have planted 3 types of lettuce- 'Iceberg', 'Hearting Mix' & a 'Mesclum mix'.
I ended up with about 45 lettuce plants- costing $11.85 for the 3 bundles- about .25c a plant.

The lettuce prices last winter were $4+ so they will hopefully pay for themselves in no time. 

I also planted some 'Bright lights' coloured silverbeet around the edge of my lil glasshouse, to use in salads as young leaves - and to add abit of colour. That 1 $3.85 bundle contained 18 plants!

I left it to late to plant my "Arctic Tomato"seeds, they will grow in sub-zero temperatures as long as they get sun. Which is a bummer as tomato's hit a $17 a kilo high last year. I will try a couple of seeds in the next 'planting cycle' maybe they might do something.

This week I will be planting out my own seed garlic that I saved from last season, I've been reading up on what garlic loves so hopefully this crop will exceed the last.

Onto other things, remember the lovely lace pattern alpaca scarf that I knitted a couple of weeks ago?

Well I found the 1st time I wore it that I am allergic to alpaca fibres!  Damn it, it brought me out an eczema type rash on both sides of my neck. It now is hanging in my sewing room doorhandle so I can at least enjoy looking at it. 

I did make the best Lemon Meringue Pie I've made in years this week, maybe it was the lemons that my hubby bought home from Tapu, up the Thames Coast.

It had the most gorgeous flavour and set like a dream.

Yummy!