Citrus Cake & Banana Muffins

Having plenty of Oranges I thought I would make one of Jo's special Citrus Cakes where you put the whole orange in (less the pips)
eggs, sugar & flour, mix together and bake, then pour a citrus syrup over just after its out of the oven. It could have been bigger but the raw mixture was rather delicious.
I bought a commercial packet of Banana Muffin mix and added a couple mashed bananas and followed the recipe. I am taking these with me this Saturday to Bellingen Market to have with our coffee.

Please come and visit our Stall, lots of beanies, scarfs and felted garments to look good and feel good.

From Cheese to Spun Yarn

You didnt think it possible to spin up a cheese, but you are wrong. A Cheese is called as it looks like a Cheese but is in fact fine wool wrapped in a circle.
I purchased from Nundle Woollen Mills as a previous post shows.
This time I used three threads which I spun up and then using three threads plied back. I then dyed it royal blue and didnt want complete cover but shades of blue which I was happy with.
Shown below Blue Vest knitted up.

I continued with same till I had 3 hanks of wool yarn.

Blue Vest from Cheeses

This is the Vest that I knitted up using the blue yarn that I knitted using the cheeses.
It is a very pain pattern as it was my first attempt and reading from a pattern which I had to alter.
It took 405 gms.
I have added a pottery broach to hold the sides together.

The front and back of the Vest.

More Balls to Stash

I have been having a lovely time visiting Spotlight and gathering a collection of commercial yarns, some on special sales to ease the budget, to have on hand for
that time I think, Yes, I want to make a scarf or vest or beanie amd just a little different to my spun yarn. After visiting the Alice Springs Beanie Festival I was inspired with many of the creations, not that I would copy and any detail that I saw has disappeared from my brain, now just the memory of colour and texture.

I also purchased a pair of scissors to replace that were taken from me at the airport as I forgot I had them in my hand luggage. Silly me. I just love sharp embroidery scissors, just cant have too many.

My Souvenirs of Alice Springs Beanie Festival

No this is not me, if Only, why spoil a lovely beanie.

I am trying to contact the owners of these knitted beanies to thank them for design and their skill with a pair of knitting needles.
and I had to have this camel which a group of lady volunteers sat and crochet beanies and hump rugs. I found a small Camel which I feel will be sent to a lovely girl as she can look after it.

I am wanting a name for my dressed camel. I thought of Clara, what do you think.??

Busy Ladies Business

With a sheep fleece and a few twigs this is how the aborigines made their spun yarn. Today we would use a spindle or spinning wheel. A bit hard to go walkabout with.
A couple of lady volunteers making crochet apparel for toy camels or emus to sell at the Beanie Festival.

Using Recyled to High Fashion

We attended a fashion parade with a difference. Some very creative ladies, took to scissors and got out their sewing machines to create some wild, sexy, sophisticated clothes that would be, lets not say going shopping in, but a party,
races, Alice Springs Beanie Festival.
A few Op shops must be the best patronised shops in the Alice.

One very fancy dress was made from very lacy bras. If you visited the Gallery Shop you have a handbag of bras to match. What size did you say. D cup or A?

The local ladies did a wonderful job of modelling, watch out Elle, and Laura.

Simpsons Gap. Alice Springs Australia

No Swimming they should have mentioned Diving too. This is the Todd River or maybe Todd No River. I wonder when it was last a river?
Walking further to what is called Simpsons Gap you see Why?
There actually was water in between these huge Rocks and when you stood at the waters edge it created an unbelieveable gust of wind.
Thats nature working.

Simpsons Gap with a little water. No crocodiles allowed

Flowers of the Alice Springs Desert Park

Amazing to see that flowers can actually survive this cruel enviroment.
The desert park did have several underground watering systems, however I believe that the water did come from artesian bores.
We were told Alice Springs relys on artesian bores. The water is soft, lovely to drink and shower with.

This red flower with black eyes is the Sturt's Desert Pea,( Floral Emblem of South Australia) first time I have seen it growing.

I bought my mother a tea towel with this flower on in.

Alice Springs Desert Park

We hired a car and visited the Alice Springs Desert Park.
A tourist attraction which allows people to see for themselves without wandering out in the desert and getting lost.
See many desert plants and birds and noctorial animals in protected showrooms.
This took my fancy the "lazy lizard lounge".
Natures carving Knife and the stone they used. No going do to the local hardware or Bunnings to get a knife, or chainsaw.

This is the rock used for making carving knife.

Beanies, Beanies & Yarn

After arriving to Alice Springs, Kerry and & visited the Araleun Gallery to check out what was happening. We volunteered to help and so before long we had several tasks to do along with other women who, many of them was not the first time. Loved it so came back year after year.
By Friday Opening of the Alice Springs Beanie Festival there were beanies hanging against the wall, on tables, on head forms and even hanging from fishing wire held on by pegs. It was an amazing sight .We were told that over 6,000 arrived. last year it was over 5,000 so that each year it is getting more popular.
The crowds started arriving and the cashier was busy selling, not one but several beanies per person.
They had a special table for hand spun yarns. A must for knitting for next year.

Can you see the one you like??

The Outback Alice Springs Australia

We arrived at Alice Springs noon 23rd June, and our accomodation was the Heavitree The Gap Lodge, which was very comfortable inside.
After unloading our luggage we took the bus into town to check it out.
This is Alice Springs Mall and inside we spotted a place to have lunch and we all agreed it had to be Wendys hotdog and a milkshake.
That went down well after having a small meal on the plane and being up very early to catch our plane at Coffs Harbour to Sydney then Sydney to Alice Springs.

This was our first day to see what happens at Alice Springs Beanie Festival