End of Semester - crochet bonnets, crochet easter baskets, sewn diary covers, crochet jumper and beret

Hello world,

Well, the semester has been arduous and the exams are still yet to come, but I felt like it was time that I made another post here, just so y'all don't think I've fallen off the planet.

I did find the time to work on a few little projects over the last few months, so here they are:

First, our new neighbours had a baby girl. I decided it'd be darling to crochet her some booties and a bonnet. Unfortunately, I forgot the take a photo before I gave her the booties. The bonnet, however, came out a lot larger than I intended - here's the one I made from the same thread as the booties:

As you can see, it worked out just a tad too large for a newborn. So I decided I'd get out great-grandma Stinson's old thread crochet gear and try again. Here's the much smaller and more adorable and lacy result:

Isn't it adorable? I love it to bits. Of course, when I get some nice soft white silk ribbon I'll replace the stiff red satin stuff.

I also got my craftybones out for Easter time. I crocheted a collection of Easter baskets for my family with which they were delighted:

I have also made a couple of diary covers. As I mentioned a while ago, I found the cutoffs basket in the upholstery section of my local spotlight, where you can get copious amounts of pretty, sturdy fabric for very cheap - copious amounts if you're making little items such as diary covers, that is! First we have this deliciously lacy number:

And this adorable and snug-fitting purple one, too. It has pockets in the inside of the front and back covers for keeping track of loose notes and the like, and elastic on the edge to hold your pen.

My etsy store has become empty because my listings have expired, but as anyone who's looked at my side banner in the past may have noted, I only had the one item for sale - Fervourography, my compilation of prose and poetry. I will be relisting this, but in addition I'd really like to make a collection of these diary covers and list them as well. And I'm planning on making more bookmarks, too. Then I will have a whole THREE types of items in store, can you imagine? :)

The most recent project I've got to show you is twofold - a crochet jumper and matching beret:

I'm really happy with this because it's so cozy - mohair and silk blend - and I made it without the help of a pattern.

I started writing this post aaages ago but I put off publishing it because I thought I'd quickly take a picture of the other project I was working on - an adorable petticoat-style skirt. It's almost finished, I've just got to get a little more of the satin bias tape to cover the waistband. Here's a piccie anyway, just because it was the cause of my delay:

In news from my life, aside from exams coming up the big news is that we've been told we have to move out of our unit. The property was sold and the new owner wants to move in. What? You don't think that moving house creates the greatest study environment? Pah!

Fortunately we've found a new place to rent about ten minutes from here. It has 3 bedrooms instead of 2 and a lock up garage instead of a car space, so it's a move up. Too bad the price difference shows it! Oh well. I'm really looking forward to having enough space to set up my dining table and chairs that until now have been in storage at my parents' place. I'll be able to hold a dinner party! Or, thinking more mundanely, I'll be able to eat my dinner at a table rather than in front of the tv! And the extra bedroom means that we can have both a craft room and a study, and since all three rooms have built-in wardrobes I'll have somewhere to put all my stuff. It's almost disappointing to recall that we'll only be there for half a year before moving wherever I get a job in 2010. But let's not think that way, but instead rejoice in the extra space I'll we'll have!