Episode 9: Wonky's all washed up...otherwise known as the tea-towel renos

After two weeks in the wilderness (well really just work), Wonky is back and with not an ounce of vengeance in sight...Today she has been happily crafting away, whipping up a few clutches from vintage tea-towels and experimenting with ric rac...

Wonky is keen to start doing a few markets and so has started building a stash to sell.

Now she just has to work up the courage....the very thought of sitting there all day and not a one soul looking at her stuff makes her quiver like Lord Pardington on a brisk morning...

Eighth wonder of the world...Wonky CAN crochet

Wonky is (fittingly) as a stubborn as a mule....Which is fortunate otherwise she would have pitched her crochet (or Crotch-et as Donkey insists on calling it) out the window long ago.
But after near on a week of trying and unravelling, yesterday something clicked.

It was a mouse...and within seconds of watching a YouTube tutorial (complete with annoying commentary) Wonky realised what she'd been doing wrong. The dreams of a glorious blanket to keep Wonky and Donkey warm have flickered back to life.



This morning she stocked up on yarn at the Camberwell markets (such a bargain) and began square one.
Wonky also picked up some retro thread, some buttons, a couple of sweet pillow cases and a floral (spotty, dotty cup of twee says Donkey) sheet that will likely be re-birthed as the backing for a quilt. Oh and a hot jam donut. Wonky has no idea how that got in her hands....

The 80s power ballad

Wonky has been having an ongoing debate with her Beyonce (fiancee is so passe) about the wedding song for their upcoming nuptials...In fact it's the only source of debate. There's no date, no venue, no dress....just a top five playlist for "the song".

Wonky has been pushing hard for The Proclaimers -500 miles but Donkey wants this big, bold 80s power ballad...Wonky hates to admit it but thinks it might be kinda awesome (but only if he promises to slide across the dance floor on his knees a la Patrick Swayze in that cinematic classic Dirty Dancing)

Is she brave to go the 80s power ballad without a perm??

Greetings...from the '80s

Wonky is lov-lov-loving this batch of tea-towels straight from 1983...kitsch to the max and a bargain to boot...Wonky is planning to make some new play-mats for her ever breeding friends
and perhaps a funky bag or two

...but Wonky doesn't think she can bear to cut this one....It's going straight to the pool room Dale. Now if she could just find with donkeys on it.

This is Spinal Tap...I mean Pardo

This is Pardo.

Pardo is our resident hound, reluctant photographee and sometime cat burglar. You see as soon as Wonky slips off to work, Pardo slips inside, scooting open the black glass door with his velvety nose.

Wonky thinks he probably uses this time to read the papers, catch up on his correspondence (he does like to keep an eye on the market) ....and it would seem to practice doing the harbour bridge between his big whopping paws as evidenced by the tangle of wool on the floor tonight.

Fortunately he did not untangle Wonky's first attempt at a granny square...Well 101st perhaps. Wonky's dreams of whipping up a blanket have been put on the backburner (the very back burner) after hours of careful crocheting and roaring at her Fiancee interruptus for daring ask where the vegetable peeler is when she was trying to count trebles...only to produce this...

Should This Is Spinal Tap be I Am Crochet Crap???

Little Red Riding Hood gets a grip (well a clutch)

When Wonky was at school her uniform included a red-lined hooded cape. Dapper, yes... if you were in France. In Armidale, not so. Fortunately there were no wolves in the chilly New England just leacherous Robb College boys...

That's what Wonky was thinking about this morning when she was making this clutch from some little red riding hood fabric from Amitie (http://www.amitie.com.au/) that she matched with some red striped fabric for the strap and red and white spots for the lining. Yes Wonky loves red....

And in fact, these days she thinks a red lined hooded cape might be kinda cool.

surely it's coming up to little lunch

Does anyone else remember it as little lunch...or is that just a NSW thing....It was such a shock to go away to school at age 11 and discover the rest of the world was having "break" at 10.30am....

Wonky is on a roll now...and instead of making spicy pumpkin soup for dinner is going to post one last blog for the day...

The finished projects...
It's no coincidence there's a strong baby theme.All of Wonky's friends seem to be breeding.Wonky is being careful where she sits down...

The play mats...

Wonky (who on reflection thinks it's time she bought some new pegs) made these for two of her friends in north west NSW.

She felt a little ashamed posting off the first with the denim border (and only six months after the baby was born) when the second was so much better...(Sorry Webby)...Wonky loves, loves, loves the second one, made mainly from scraps from the $2 basket at Patchwork on Central Park (http://www.patchworkoncentralpark.com.au/) and full of cowboys and space ships and some kitsch barb wire fabric.

The messenger bags (which Wonky figures will come in handy as a nappy bag...)

Wonky found the fabulous vintage pink fabric in the Blue Mountains years ago and loves how it clashes with the red-spotted binding and the binding with the pink spots inside.

And this one....made from linen and some fat quarters of a gorgeous japanese fabric and lined with the softest brown-checked flannel.

now Wonky really must go and make some dinner...

The first day of school...part ii

Wonky (who rarely has the sense to know when she's out of her depth) has also been inspired to learn to granny by Pip's (http://meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com/) granny a day palooza...

She knows she already has too many projects on the go...but who could resist this little woollen bundle of joy....

Now she just needs the courage to pick them up....

The first day of school

Today Wonky takes the first tentative steps into Blogland...Wonky is excited but fears being caught alone at the lunch table and having to act all cool and nonchalant (Wonky likes to say Nonchaalant in a French accent even though she is not at all French)

So rather than have to dazzle you all with how hip and html-wise she is, Wonky decided to show you what she's been working on...

This little flock of birds for a mobile for a friend having a bubba...

Wonky loves to look at them all lined up in a row on her window-sill and decide which is her favourite...The one with the red striped chest or the one made from a much adored piece of tangerine (well, orange perhaps) Amy Butler fabric who seems to be resting his dear little head on his mate

Her dog, Lord Pardington, also seems enamoured with the flock and loves any opportunity to snatch one down for a play...

Wonky wonders would it be truly awful to keep them for herself????