gentle prodding

You know, I often need a gentle prod to get things happening. Last year Maree nagged me into submission and I finally wrote the Parsley and Beet pattern.

This time , you guys have Cynthia to thank. Cynthia has been gently prodding me for a pattern for Monty and Pearl since ...about forever. I fudged about and dilly-dallied and talked myself out of it for ages. I told myself it was silly to make a pattern for such tiny fellows - but Cynthia disagreed....

So here it is...I was never ever going to ship kits for these overseas as the cost is just plain rude - but these mini patterns just slide on through like a letter.

These are actually more like a tutorial with a colour photo to go with each step-by-step instruction.

Anyway they are in ye olde shoppe right now and they are already on sale at Winterwood in Melbourne. (That is also where I get the delicious hedgehog fabric in the above photo if you're interested.) They are also on their way to the gorgeous Pom Pom Rouge in Queensland as we speak.

and because they are such well travelled little fellows, this weekend they will also be on sale at the Quilt and Craft Fair in Hobart. One of my gorgeous Senior Managers Jo, is helping out on Fee's stall and they have all my patterns and a box full of samples - so if you are heading in please stop and say Hi to Jo and Fee of Mother's Cupboard on stall C10.

Monty and Pearl would be pleased to see you - this is their very first overseas adventure.

check ...

I have somehow found myself at Wednesday today and the list seems to have already been thrown out the window.

Every time I look at the list I think of something else that I need to do before the Stitches and Craft Show extravaganza in May, and of course I am trying to do as much as possible in the two weeks holiday.

(Does anyone remember last year when I started a good 3 months beforehand... )

So today I finished off the hedgehog kits - Like totally finished , and packed in a box.

I dyed some extra delicious 100% wool flannel for elephants. I'm hoping some people want to make woolen versions of Parsley and Beet (but I have to admit that wools are hard on the hip pocket)

and then... this afternoon I tool Edna, spirited filly that she is, off for a brisk trot

There are these crazy wild plants that have been planted along one of the main roads into Ballarat - and they really intrigue me....Their colours are weirdly tropical and bright and they seem to be shooting crazy furry squiggly brain shaped flowers...

So off we went to investigate and Monty and his dear wife Pearl joined us.

But mostly they seemed unimpressed !

(and speaking of unimpressed : Just so you know, tonight when dinner was ready , I called the kids a few times with ever-increasing volume. In the end, I thought about storming down the hallway and kicking someones door in, but then I thought of all the "we didn't hear you" "we thought it was something else " endless argument palaver, and you know what ?
I rang them !
yep ! I wasted whatever-it-costs and I rang my children to come to dinner.
I rang and they came......must be the novelty value.
Judge me ...don't judge me, I don't care.....that's how it is on the front line these days and all I can say is thank god I can sew OK ...cause quite obviously the parenting gig is not my strong point!)

buttons and string

Okay, so making kits can be a pain in the bum. All that cutting and packing and checking and double-checking that you have included everything.

But then you get to use cupcake boxes and stickers and stripey string and shiny buttons.....

Monty and Pearl

Just before the weekend went right down the sewing gurgler,

Monty and his dear wife Pearl were finished,

Two and quarter inches of instant cheer.