Tree Planting

Sunday dawned bright and sunny, and... oh, heck. Who am I kidding? It dawned windy, chilly and miserable, and seemed determined to stay that way. It was a poor looking day for tree planting, and my cajoling wasn't swaying the Galumph at all.

"Trust me!", I beseeched, "You'll love it when you get there!"

"Trust me!", he answered, "I am quite content in my pyjamas, and not freezing my behind off in that", waving an arm towards the window, which gave an opportune rattle in support.

Still, I must have some tricks up my sleeve after all these years together (either that, or it was the continual wailing of "But what will my readers think if we don't turn up? I'll be lynched the green blogging brigade. Waaaaaaahhhhhhh!") because we were soon out in the wintry day, pedalling like mad to get to the tree planting. After being shown the ropes, we were sent off to a far corner of the reserve, and a-planting we did go.

And do you know what? It was brilliant fun. Sure, our butts were soon oddly sore from all the squatting, and after a while I couldn't feel my fingers, and Grumbles, in her valiant attempts to help, kept sloshing filthy tree planting water all over us, but it was great! We soon had rosy cheeks from the exertion, and met some fabulous people, and I even got my falafels at the end of it.

The only concern was the wind. It was blowing like mad, and I kept glancing up at the gum trees towering above us, suddenly remembering EVERY SINGLE STORY I've ever read or heard about people being suddenly killed by limbs dropping in strong winds, heads split open like over ripe watermelons (ok, so I've never quite heard of the head split thing, but when I suspect danger my imagination goes into overdrive). "Bright side, Jorthy, bright side!", I muttered to myself. "Let the equation go like this: we're doing a good deed, all three of us, which makes it good deed times three. That's a lot of good karma points. I'm sure I won't be walloped by a falling branch when I'm doing a good thing for the environment and the whole entire world in general. Huzzah! I'll be safe!"

And to top off a most excellent day these lovely guys fixed all our bikes FOR FREE! When they are not hanging out at tree planting days, they can be found at Human Powered Cycles. Get 'em to check out your bike, as they really know their stuff. Tell them the crazy girl with the Townie sent you. I'm sure they'll know who you mean.

The blue beauty finally getting some attention. Apparently I've been a very bad bike owner. Oops!

NTD

Ah, it's that time of the year again. Time to get my fingers dirty, squatting around in nature-based community reserves, filling hole after hole with natives shrubs, grasses, trees or bushes whilst nattering to fellow conservationists. And once I've done with my squatting (and admonished Grumbles for the fourteenth time that she's meant to be watering in the plants, not Mummy's bleeping foot!) it'll be time to head over to the free bbq to grab myself a falafel roll choc-filled with salad, and kick back and listen to the band.

That's right, folks - it's National Tree Day. Not only is it loads of fun, but the day is a great chance for regular Australians to actively participate in caring for our incredible environment. So, rather than loafing around on the couch this Sunday, head on over to your local tree planting site, and help make a difference in the fight against climate change and safeguarding our biodiversity.

For more info, see the official Planet Ark National Tree Day Site. Bring some friends (and gloves and rubber boots) and make a day of it!

Winners are grinners

Grumbles and I have been enjoying playing our new favourite game - Store Front Bingo! It's been a fabulous way to pass the time as we wait for our freshly dry-cleaned carpet to dry (why is it so wet if it's dry cleaned? Oh the mysteries of my life!), although I could do without the ear-piercing screams of BIIIIIIIIIINGOOOOOOOOOOO! every time she fills a card.

I could also do without the hassles of a rental inspection, which, of course, explains the cleaning of the carpet. Man am I sick of renting!

Never mind. It's a good excuse to give the house a jolly good clean, from top to bottom, polishing up all those nooks and crannies that I usually avert my eyes from. For who wants to dust and scrub when there is sewing to do? Or knitting, for that matter? Or even tweezering the hairs out of ones leg out of sheer boredom? Huh? Huh? Not that I'm owning up to the last one. Oh no, not at all...

Anyway, enough blathering. Let's announce the winners of the birthday giveaway!

Numbers one and four, which are Hoppo Bumpo and Lisette. Well done ladies! Send me an email with your address, and I'll post off the books pronto like.

Rightio - I'm off. I have many dirty windows that require the old vinegar and newspaper treatment. Bleugh.

Graffiti Dress

The amount of graffiti to be found in the inner city is incredible. Everywhere you look, there's another tag spray painted onto a wall. A shame, I tells ya, it's a crying shame!

Some individuals don't confine themselves to walls, though. These so-called graffiti artists will spray anything in sight, including fabric. And then make dresses out of them!

At the ripe old age of 32, you really would think she would know better. Graffiti dress indeed!

Project Details

Fabric: 1.2 metres of black and white printed 100% cotton from Tessuti Fabrics, painted pink with Jones Tones Glossy paint from Lincraft

Pattern: Vogue 8511, View B

Notions: 1 metre white rayon lining, one 22 inch dress zip and a hook and eye

Let me tell you, this was one fun project! I'd seen the fabric at Tessuti and really wanted to make a dress out of it, but had made a solemn vow to myself that I wasn't allowed to make or buy anything in black, because I really wear too much of it, and frankly, I need a bit more colour in my wardrobe. But I did love that fabric. What to do, what to do?

Brainwave! I'll paint some colour on myself! So I trotted down to Lincraft, got myself some pink fabric paint and then once home I diluted the paint with a bit of water and then Grumbles and I got to work. It was soooooo much fun! (You can read about our painting adventures here) I simply grabbed some old paint brushes I had lying around, and once I had spread the fabric on the table, we just painted bits here and bits there as we felt like it. Then, once we tired of that, we started 'splodging' the paint on. Grumbles looked up at me delightedly at one stage, and as she brandished her brush around she exclaimed "This isn't how we usually make dresses, is it, Mummy?!"

No siree, we don't. But gee it was fun!

After we finished painting the fabric and then let it dry, I threw it in the washing machine at 30 C, and it came out perfectly. The colour didn't run or fade at all. Phew! Because I diluted the paint, it lost the 'glossy' look it would have it normally, which was good - it was a more matt effect that I was after.

Once again I've used Vogue 8511, and ended up with a vastly different sort of dress. I made this one shorter, and left out the lower back hem opening. I love wearing this dress: once again, it's super comfy to wear, but I feel pretty darn glam in it! And it is so easy to wear - apart from the belt it doesn't need any other accessories. Not with that fabric, anyway! I just throw it on, find some heels, and away I go.

Oooh, newsflash: Just as I've been typing this, Lisa from Tessuti rang and said that they have sold out of the fabric, but do have some similar ones in store, plus lots of fabulous cottons that would be perfect for a painting project like this. That's one of the best things about making your own clothes - you can customise them no end, and end up with something wonderfully unique and totally 'you'.

So: I love this pattern, I love this fabric, I love my brilliant brainwavey idea and I love love love my new dress. Rock on!

32

Happy birthday to meeeeeeee!

It's that time of year again - my birthday. Hoorah! Tell you what, it's been a pretty good year. I'm pretty darn happy where I am, and feel that life is moving in the right direction. I'm blessed with a wonderful husband, a gorgeous daughter, fabulous friends and a rich, full life.

My only sadness is that we can't give Grumbles the much wanted brother or sister that we all long for, but you know what they say: you can't have it all, and I think my deal is pretty sweet as is. Grumbles and I have been chatting of late about looking on the bright side, so when I get that little ache in my heart, that's what I do: stop to remember how lucky I am. I'm very, very blessed, and it doesn't pay to forget that.

So folks, as per usual I'm sharing the love with a bit of Jorthy giveaway goodness. This year I've got two fabulous books to give away: Beads and Buttons by Erika Knight, and Crochet Handmade Style.

Both are filled with some very cool projects, and it's a bit of wrench to give them away, but I like to treat all you guys once a year as a way of saying thank you for reading my burbling posts! So here's the drill: leave a comment saying which you'd like (oh, and a birthday message would be nice, too!) and I'll do that random number generator thingamajig to find the lucky winners.

Good luck! And thanks for reading! I like having all you folks swing by.

UPDATE! I've decided to leave the competition open for a week, so hurry hurry hurry and get your entry in!

Is it a crime to deface fabric?

Why has Jorth carefully taped calico over her table? Is she planning on making a mess?


And why has she dragged that pattern out again?

Pleeeeease don't tell me that wet, pink stuff is paint. On fabric? Scandalous!

Oh, Jorth! Whatever are we going to do with you?

Although, I guess that answers the mess question.

Pieces of Sunday

My new favourite LBD

What? You can't expect me to be working at Tessuti and not be making up dresses in their gorgeous fabric, now can you?

Project Details

Pattern: Vogue 8511, view B

Fabric: 1.8 metres Japanese Cotton Print from Tessuti Fabrics (141 Flinders Lane, Melbourne), bodice lined with orange rayon lining

Notions: 22" zipper, hook and eye

This would have to easily be my pattern of the year. Hands down, no competition whatsoever. I loved making this dress, and love wearing it even more. It's so comfy, yet so chic! I feel very French whenever I wear it, which is just the most awesome feeling! But what's even more awesome is the amount of compliments I get whenever I wear it. This dress is a hit!

Even better than the dress is the fabric. The cotton (which is selling fast, fast, fast in our Melbourne store) was an absolute dream to work with. In fact, I can't remember the last time I had so much fun making a dress. To save it from becoming a bit too twee, I added my own special touch: I put in an open-ended jacket zipper, to give the dress a slight 'rock' edge, and it definitely makes an impact.

So, it's a big 10 out of 10 from me. The pattern was challenging enough to keep me from being bored, without becoming too much of a stress. The front skirt has some nifty side pleats, with a box pleat in the middle (fun!), and some darts in the back. I love doing darts! It really is a wonderfully versatile pattern - you can easily make a whole range of dresses, ranging from simple and classic to bold and crazy, depending upon fabric choices and skirt length. In fact, my next project will be making use of this pattern again, but let me assure you, the dresses could not be any more different! Watch this space!

FurryBum moments

We have a little name around here for those moments when you really should have just known better. It's called being a FurryBum. It's when one of us here at la maison de Jorth will do something that causes the rest of us to groan in mock dismay and point fingers disdainfully and say "You are SUCH a FurryBum!"

For example, as I type this I am simultaneously trying to eat wheat biscuits covered in coleslaw and grated cheese. The outcome of this juggling act could easily be, shall we say, less than desirable. There is a very great potential for me to end up with a heap of coleslaw over my freshly washed jeans, and to choke on the crumbs as I curse my stupidity, yet I continue despite this, because I am being a total and utter FurryBum.

Yesterday was quite the FurryBum day. Whilst washing the dishes I managed to place my favourite glass water jug on the dishrack in such a way that the moment I stepped out of the kitchen it unbalanced and went crashing into the sink, smashing into a rather melodious thousand little pieces. Of course it smashed into the wet sink, making it rather hazardous to clean the glass shards (is that a piece of glass or a drop of water? Oh the danger!). Of course it happened as I was on the other side of the bench, so I couldn't do a spectacular save. And naturally this FurryBum moment was compounded by the fact that only the night before I'd made a crack to the Galumph about when he breaks the jug... because I would never do such a thing. Ahem. You could call this FurryBum squared.

Meanwhile, at exact same time, the Galumph was having a FurryBum moment of his own. We'd sat down, at his nagging insistence, the night before and filled out the forms for a local school. "C'mon!", he'd exhorted. "We've got to get these done and sent in. In fact, I'll ride around before work tomorrow, and hand them in to the office in person!" So ride around he did, but unfortunately the office was closed because, DUR, it's school holidays. FurryBum!

Then, to cap off a most FurryBumilicious day, I sat down at the computer last night to review some pics of a scarf that I made recently for my friend K.

Doesn't that blue suit her perfectly? Geez I did a good job. Well done me!

Hang on a second... WTF? Why is one end of the scarf waaaaaay wider than the other? How did I not see this before now? How did I knit it without noticing that colossal mistake? And then wrap the darn thing up? And then give it to her, and demand she send me photos?

Oh my sainted aunt, I'm burning up with embarrassment! I swear before the Knitting Gods that I truly had no idea - I would have ripped and redone otherwise!

Oh, the shame! The shame! The ignominious FurryBum shame!

Try not to breathe in the dust

Two digital archeologiest were hunting around the cyberspace that is Blogger, looking for a very old artefact. They stepped gingerly, not wanting to disturb any input or datum as they made their search.

It was tough going - after all, the blog - Jorth - that they were looking for hadn't been updated in over a month, and as Bob said with a rueful grin to Alfonso, that was akin to forever in the digital age.

Suddenly a cry rent the air. "Alf! It's here! I've found it! She's still alive, and has actually been doing stuff, by the looks of it!"

"Careful, me boy!", warned Alf as he scurried over. "Sometimes with these blogs it's very unclear whether they just haven't updated due to the old 'Oops, life got in the way' excuse or if they have actually decided to cease blogging for all of eternity. How's the data files looking?"

"Pretty good!", said Bob excitedly. Using his TIAD device (Thought-Intention-Actually Doing device) he scanned the blog carefully, then absentmindedly whistled the theme song from Dr. Zhivago whilst waiting for the results. Upon reading them he gave a sigh of relief.

"According to the data files, she has been meaning to blog but - yep, you guess it, you old pro, you - life did indeed get in the way. And not only that, but she's been making stuff. Give me a minute, and we might even get an image out of this thing!"

Bob continued reading the results as they waiting for the .jpg to materialise, and reeled off his findings to Alf as he found them: "Yep, she's been knitting... scarves again by the looks of it... and sewing... it's either pjs or some very ugly day pants... that Grumbles turned 5 and they threw a big party... they tried to buy a house but were outbid... oooh, she's made a lovely frock using Vogue Pattern 8511... Hey Alf... Alfie?... ALFONSO!"

Alf looked up as he carefully dusted down the sides of the blog. He could tell from the gleam in Bob's eyes that this was a pretty piece of news. Unable to contain himself, Bob splurted out "She's made the dress using fabric she bought from Tessuti! Bought, may I add, using her staff discount!"

"Well shiver my timbers and make yourself some jelly!" exclained Alf as the news sunk in. "Working at Tessuti! Busy indeed! Well, Bob, me lad, you've done a fine job. Hopefully, with the work we've done here today, the young Jorth lass will be up and blogging again in no time."

As they headed back into cyberspace, Bob said, "Oh, did you see the pic? Quite a fetching scarf she's made!" With a good days work behind them, they disappeared into the internet, looking for other neglected blogs to rescue.

Bird dresses should be an essential staple of every girl's wardrobe

I made this bird dress for my dear friend earlier this summer. We both stood in the fabric store, um-ing and ah-ing over the fabric, but when we viewed the finished product all we could say was "Jolly good call!" because, if I do say so myself, it turned out freaking awesome!

I love that from a distance you think "Wow, that's a nice floral dress" but upon closer inspection it's paint-by-numbers birds! Birds! Who wouldn't want a dress with birds on it? Just as I thought - no hands raised. I rest my case.

On a more serious note, I love this pattern and am super pleased with how the dress turned out. I made it in size 8, and didn't need to tweak the pattern at all. Anyway, I can't really take all the credit - it's awfully hard to make any garment look bad when you have a model as gorgeous as this one, with a clever husband to take the photos. Thanks guys! Enjoy the dress!

Project Details

Pattern: Vogue 8184, view C

Fabric: Up town by Erin Michael for Moda Fabrics, Pattern # 26026, 2.3 metres

Notions: 14 inch zipper

Mysterious sewing

Hmmm... wonder what this could be?

(No prizes for anybody who guesses 'overlocker'!)

MixTape Issue 9 out now!

I love writing for MixTape. It gives me so much pleasure to be part of a project such as this that has found a spot in many a crafty heart. But there's one thing better than writing for the zine, and that's reading my very own copy when it arrives in the mail!

This issue is particularly good. There's an amazing article on selvedges by Jodie of vintagericrac - you will be amazed when you see what she does with them! There's also very cool instructions for dishcloths, the power of craftivism and a little article by yours truly on the joys of prerecycling.

So go on! Skedaddle! Get yourself a copy today! And don't forget to head on over to the MixTape blog - it's a week of wonderful giveaways. Woohoo!

Coughing and sneezing is now the official soundtrack to my life.

Boy oh boy, did I have some grand plans for this week. I was going to:

- make myself a brand new dress, using the fabric I bought from Tessuti. I was hoping to finish the dress by the end of the week, so I could wear it to the opening party, swanning around looking fabulous and chic etc etc

- cut out and sew three pairs of pj pants, as we are all in dire need of new sleepwear, and I finally found some lovely flannel at GJ's

- Knit another scarf, this time for my friend K, who is having her birthday today (happy birthday!) in some gorgeously soft Jo Sharp Silk Road Aran

- Keep the house spotless, cook gourmet meals, figure out the winning Tattslotto numbers and fathom the mystery mathematics behind black holes

All in all, it was going to be one heck of a week. Achievements galore! Sewing masterpieces! Creation of superbly textural knits! Scientific glory!

Then Grumbles got sick. So no kindergarten for her. I found myself housebound with a grumpy pre-schooler. There went the dress plans.

Then I got sick. "Pshwah", I thought to myself, "'tis nothing but a sore throat. Nothing I can't handle!" But still, there went the pyjama plans.

Then I got really sick. Besides the continual "Ah-ah-ah-CHOOOOO!" and "hack-hackity-hack" noises, the only sound was that of my plans being torn up into pieces, set fire to, then the ashes blasted off into space.

Thank goodness I did manage to get some knitting done. Sorta. Still a full ball to go. However, in a week like this that's classed as real progress!

Edited to add: GJ's is 443 Lygon St, East Brunswick. You can read all about their fabric range here.

One completed Brick

63 pattern repeats, 378 rows and 13,608 stitches later, and Brick is completed. Whew! I think the recipient will like it very much - he's been hinting for a hand knit scarf for years, so this should suit very well. And I'm well pleased because my yarn stash is now officially 5 balls lighter!
I'll try and get some pics of the birthday boy wearing his scarf in the next couple of weeks. I dare say he'll look rather fetching!

Project specs

Garment Type: Scarf
Yarn: Jo Sharp DK Pure Wool in Brick, using 5 balls
Needles: 4.5mm
Pattern: One of my own devising, using a stitch pattern found in 400 Knitting Stitches, published by Murdoch Books

Dandelion

To be brutally honest with you all, I had never given much thought to the name 'dandelion'. If anything, I just presumed that the yellow flower head (prior to turning into the seed parachute you see in the pictures above) reminded people of a lion's mane. A particularly dandy lion's mane, since it was so cheerful and yellow. However, it turns out that dandelion is actually a corruption of the French name, dent de lion, or "teeth of the lion". The toothsome name refers to the teeth-like patterning of the leaves.

But what does the common man on the street, or rather in the garden, call this tasty plant? A wee (ahem) bit of research on Wikipedia has yielded some rather more diuretic results regarding the name's origin. In modern French, for example, it is called pissenlit, which means to 'urinate in bed' (lit is French for bed, and I'm sure you can all figure the rest of the word out!). In England it is commonly called pissabeds, whilst the Italians prefer to called it piscialletto (letto being, once again, bed).

Poor old flower! What names to be saddled with! Well, urine associations aside, there's nothing like the simple joy of watching Grumbles happily blow on the seeds, dispersing the autumn bounty in the hope that next year there are ten-fold more dandelions to watch out for.

Awe-summ!

I've been tagged for an Awe-Summm blog award by the three spiffy ladies of Ink & Spindle. Woo hoo! Thanks, girls! Getting this made my already goofy grin get that little bit bigger.

So the drill is thus: I have to list 7 things that make me awesome (what, a mere 7?!!) and then tag 7 other blogs that I think are equally awesome. Rightio:

1 - I sing out loud when doing the dishes when it's just Grumbles and myself at home, and then sometimes make up ultra cool film clips in my head. I may at some stage also indulge in some dancing. If that's not freaking ace then I don't know what is.

2 - I've read The Iliad. Twice. Hmmm, is that awesome or just plain bloody nerdy? I'll leave it up to you to decide.

3 - I taught myself to knit using the Internet. I am one with the technology, dudes!

4 - When I was growing up my siblings and I used to play "Cow Pat Frisbee". Let me tell you from experience that the key is to picking up a truly dry cow pat to toss, rather than the ones that look dry but only have a crusty top. I'm reminded of this because at the Dan O'Connell on St Patrick's Day this year I got some sauce on my fingers. As I chatted to my best bud, I bent down, grabbed a hunk of grass and wiped my fingers clean on it, burbling away the entire time, just as I used to do when I got cow dirt on myself. My friend shook her head and said "You know, Jorthy, I often forget that you grew up in the country - but this isn't one of those times!"

Cow dirt on fingers + knowledge of how to clean it off when miles from a tap = country style awesome!

5 - I am up to my 12th year of being TV-free. That makes me incredibly awesome, but sadly lacking in pop culture references.

6 - I've been waving to Vince Colosimo for a couple of years now, thinking I knew his familiar face from Story Time at the local library, and not because his mug is famous. We've even got to the pat-on-arm-hey-mate-how-ya-going-stage. Actually, that's not awesome, it's just SAD.

But do you know what's even sadder? He often does it first, and has been known to do that weird make-your-fingers-like-a-gun-and-then-click-your-tongue-thing at me before I've even registered his presence.

7 - I've made my own jeans! Which I'd completely forgotten about until one of my fellow kinder mums realised she read my blog, and got all excited about meeting me and then blurted the jeans fact to the entire playground. Hee hee, I felt kinda like a rock star. One with ultra cool jeans!


Now for the 7 blogs that I think are awesome (drum roll, please):

Karen Cheng

Claudia

Loobylu

Red Felt Flower

Nicole Owens

Hygge House

Alicia

All very inspiring ladies. Go check 'em out!

Tessuti!

On the weekend I had the great pleasure of popping into Tessuti Fabrics. Fellow Melburnians, I have only one thing to say to you: Drop everything (except, of course, newborn babies) and get your running shoes on and head on over there! The fabric/ribbon/button ranges are to die for! So many gorgeous, exquisite fabrics and textiles, all in one beautiful light filled space. Luckily our credit card has a limit, because I could have bought up the whole gosh darn store!

Not only did I get to swoon over the fabric range, but I also had the great fortune to meet Collete herself, who founded the stores, on her last day in Melbourne before she headed back to Sydney. She's so lovely, as is Lisa, who's helming the Melbourne store. I'm so pleased that we have a Tessuti now in Melbourne - we really needed something like this, and the city location is fabulous.

And to add the cherry onto an already practically indescribable cake, the super sweet and knowledgeable Nicola works there, too. It's fabric heaven! I took a little piece of it home myself: a lovely vintage-style spotted linen. I'd take a photo, but it's too dark inside my gloomy abode at this time of day, so you get a picture of Grumbles and her feet instead (just in case you were wondering!). I'm thinking I'll make it up in a vintage pattern, and even just looking at the fabric now is making my hand itch to get out the scissors and start cutting away.

Welcome to Melbourne, Tessuti - I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of each other!

Tessuti Melbourne
Ground Floor, 141 Flinders Lane
Ph: 03 9654 4566

She's a brick and she's knitting slowly...

I was riffling through my cupboard the other day when I came across my yarn stash. Let me tell you frankly: I was absolutely aghast at how massive it is. I swear it wasn't that big last time I looked. Perhaps the stash was mating with dust bunnies and spawning random balls of wool, because some of those balls I didn't even recognise, let alone recollect purchasing.

Truly, the situation is dire. So I've decided that for every project knitted with lovely new wool, another project must come directly from the stash. Otherwise I won't be able to close the cupboard door! Besides, in this time of Global Financial Crisis it's best to use what one has, ja? Like the scarf above, which is being made with Jo Sharp DK Pure Wool in Brick. Heaven's knows what project I originally intended that for, but it's been lurking around for years, and must be knitted up.

And yes, I know it looks like a dishcloth at the moment, but trust me - a scarf it shall become. In Brick, for somebody who is a brick. Now, that's a term one doesn't hear enough of. I would love for somebody to come along and punch me affectionately on the arm and say "You know, Jorthy, you're a real brick!". "Yes!", I would beam in return. "I am a generous and loyal person. You're quite the brick yourself for telling me so. Fancy a scarf? I've some lovely yarn stashed away!"

Edited: I've just looked up brick using Dictionary.com and am utterly delighted to discover that the following phrase is slang for being drunk: To have a brick in one's hat. Brilliant! So totally using that at the next party I attend! I can see myself now, inconspicuously leaning in to the hostess and whispering in her ear that she'd best mind old Tom, for he's got a brick in his hat, and then moving away with a knowing glance in Tom's direction. Ahh, happy days!

Bunny!

Project specs

Pattern: Bunny Egg Cosy from Little Cotton Rabbits

Wool: Scraps of Jo Sharp Classic DK wool in Heath and scraps of Cleckheaton Country Silk 8 ply in pink and raspberry.

Needles: I went up a size as I wanted a larger egg cosy to fit on our big easter eggs, so used 4mm instead of the 2.75mm specified.

Notions: black wool for embroidery; toy stuffing

I must say I am completely enarmoured with this rabbit! I had originally planned on making three - one for each member of my wee family - to cover our chocolate eggs on Easter morning but remembered too late that I am supposed to be knitting two flower girl cardigans for a wedding at the beginning of May, and alas, Easter egg cosy bunnies would have to wait.

Never mind. I had more than enough fun knitting this little girl rabbit, thanks in part to the superbly written pattern. One of the things I dislike about knitting toys is the hours of tedious sewing at the end, trying to make all the oddly-shaped bitty pieces of knitted fabric come together in a coherent and well-made whole. This pattern, however, cleverly does away with that hassle by instructing you to sew pieces together as you finish them. Not only does it make the bunny come together far more quickly, but it means less ends to weave in at the end and you have a very neat finish to the toy. 10 out of 10 for pattern writing skills, I say!

Another excellent thing about this pattern is that it's a fabulous way to use of scraps of yarn. I'm not sure if your odds and ends yarn basket is anything like mine (I'd post a pic, but I'm far to embarassed about it's size) but I could well and truly do with an easy and enjoyable knit that uses up lots of ends. That way I get a cute new toy at the end, without having to justify spending any extra moolah on yarn. Bravo, recession-busting bunny!

Seriously, if you're in the market for a cute toy pattern, you really can't go wrong with this one. The pattern instructions are clear and easy to follow, you don't need much yarn, it's ideal for beginners wanting to learn some new skills (like colour changes, making stitches, increases, decreases, different stitch patterns i.e. stocking stitch and moss stitch) without being tremedously difficult. It also only takes a couple of hours from whoa to go. Now if only I could get those pesky flower girl cardigans finished, I could knit up some more bunnies.

*Clasping hands together in glee at the very thought of it!* Bunnies, bunnies, bunnies!