Sunday 3 September 2017

Long Time

It has been some time I know. But a lot has happened.

I endured my second pregnancy. Less horrific than the first as the outcome was well worth all the pain and general unpleasantness. My symptoms this time around, not dissimilar to my first experience, included pelvic pain, restless legs, bunged up bowels, popping ears, lessened coordination, massive pregnancy brain, extreme flatulence, the list is endless.

Our first bubba, little Amos, was just 335gms, and stillborn at 23 weeks. Needless to say, it was with some trepidation that I faced this pregnancy. Liam, my constant companion, best mate and husband, was more practical about the situation reminding me of the unlikeliness of a repeat.
"That pregnancy was one in a thousand and they found out about your blood condition which you're now managing," he said.
Still, there were several frantic drives to the hospital as I erred on the side of caution with some odd symptoms including bleeds and weird pain.

The birth itself was quite quick (8 hours) and I managed it without pain relief although the trauma of forceps and an episiotomy I will never forget.

I worked three weeks up until our gorgeous bundle of pure joy, Wylie Skye leisurely (three hours of pushing!) ejected into the world. One year and 1.5 weeks after we lost wee man. Serendipitous? Dunno. We feel so blessed to have our little lady.

Craft has been created before, during and since the pregnancy but not a lot of writing has been undertaken, time to get back on the horse!

Our little poppet Wylie Skye at five weeks.
The crocheted headband and matching vest
were lovingly made by my mum, Lo.
My small business Craftdyllic is happening. I’m not the most organised businesswoman but in the last year I’ve lost count of how many Tummy Time rugs I’ve crocheted. There’s been a few beanies too but the rugs take quite a lot of time and effort so I haven’t been able to pump out many other creations. I made a prototype of a baby bib I had designed after using numerous different ones with Wylie. I’m pleased to say it’s still going strong but did I find time to make anymore? Nup! Raising a baby is time consuming!

I attended my second Perth Belles CWA Stitch n Bitch, helping out as an ‘expert’(?!), teaching participants to knit squares for baby blankets for a wonderful Perth hospital, King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women. This is the city’s public maternity hospital and they have looked after me and my babies so well. Many women go there who have quite serious problems with their pregnancy and many who can’t afford private health cover. These squares were knitted up into beautiful little blankets for mum’s who may have limited access to such handy baby items. You can never have too many baby blankets!    

Wylie has usurped my dog Genki as the number one model
for my Tummy Time rugs. Such a cutey!
In previous places I’ve lived overseas, Canada, Mongolia and even in Tjuntjuntjara, the remote Indigenous community we lived in for three years, I hosted a weekly Stitch n Bitch at my home. I’ve been lax to instigate such an event here but finally made it happen at the end of July. It was a sound turn-out, a fun day and we hope to replicate the event every month. Everyone is always so madly busy these days but hopefully they can make it that often. It’s such a great forum for ladies to get together, swap crafty skills, have a good natter, eat cake and drink tea! What more could you want on a Sunday arvo?! Although I overdid the cake, pretty sure I had a sugar hangover on Monday!


In September, I’m going to host my first paid Crochet Class. I’m excited today as my stickers arrived from Vistaprint for my Craft Packs, a bag containing all you need to crochet, a crochet hook, ball of wool and instruction leaflet. Some of the women I met at the CWA asked about a class when I was clacking away with my two needles, “Can you teach us to crochet?” they asked. They were in the know. One of them follows my Craftdyllic Facebook page and had seen my crocheted rugs and beanies. “But we want to learn to make a granny square.” No problem! I said. Now I just need to refamiliarize myself with the pattern, it’s been a few years!

My crafty friend Britta and I whipping up some knitted squares.
Coming up in October are two other events I’m excited about. My great friend of 17 years who recently moved to Perth from London (we met in Thailand and ended up flatting together in Auckland some years later). Bex is a legend, so kind, caring and madly creative, she just designed my new logo and business cards! Such a creative talent. She’s a graphic designer, wife and mum of two fabulous girls but her altruistic side doesn’t let her stop there. She’s campaigning to raise $3000 in just a few months for the very worthy One Girl charity, supporting girls in the African nations of Uganda and Sierra Leone to get an education. These are two of the world’s worst places to be born a girl. The organisation’s website (www.onegirl.org.au) states: A girl born in Sierra Leone is more likely to be forced into marriage as a child than she is to go high school. Farrrrrk! I mean for f&*#s sake. The world is so truly effed up sometimes isn’t it? Then it shows its true colours by the existence of someone like Bex. She’s organising about five events, the one I’m involved in is a knitting night at the old world National Hotel, in Fremantle. We’re hoping about 30 people will attend and get their knit on! I’ll be teaching knitting but anyone can come along and bring whatever craft they are working on.

The same weekend is the second ever Festival of Forgotten Skills which I was involved with last year. Quite a few people popped into my stall to learn to crochet, it was pretty busy! Hopefully this year will be too.

The events side of my business hasn’t really transpired until now so I’m feeling very grateful that somehow the universe is looking down going ‘onya’!

Bub is now 10 months, can’t frikn believe it, she’s huge! Time has flown. It seems to go faster the older I get. So time to get cracking on a new project!

My greatest creation yet. 
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