Gluten-free Diabetic Friendly Trifle

Well today was my birthday and we had a lovely day, we even made a trifle to celebrate! We made a gluten free sponge cake yesterday, I would use smart sugar, or stevia sugar, to make this diabetic friendly. We made half the sponge cake from this recipe of a prize winning gluten-free sponge cake. One sponge cut up is enough to cover the bottom of my trifle bowl. Then I used a low-joule jelly, one packet made about 700ml of jelly and that was enough to go on top of the cake. Then I used a tin of Australian peaches, next time I will use two. Then 3 cups of custard made with lactose free milk and a little more smart sugar, or stevia sugar. Next time, I think I will make 4 cups of custard. I finished off with strawberries and Australian blueberries, which made the final result quite pretty, if I do say so myself! Thomas had fun helping put the trifle together, it's quite straight forward and he couldn't wait to taste it!

this trifle is gluten-free, lactose-free and diabetic friendly

assembling a trifle is a fun activity for a young cook

Frangipani Square, free pattern

I've turned my frangipani flower into a square! Now this can be used as a block for rugs and other projects using squares! First you make a frangipani flower following my free pattern, there is also a photo tutorial that hopefully helps a little bit.

you can now turn the frangipani flower into a square for making rugs and other projects that require squares

Round 1 to 3 Make a Frangipani Flower

4. attach yarn to outside of wheel of round 1, 2 ch (counts as 1st st) 3 dc into ch sp, 4 dc into next ch sp of wheel of round 1, repeat to end, sl st to 2nd ch (20 sts)
5. 2 ch (counts as 1st st) dc into sl st, 2 dc into next st, repeat to end, sl st into 1st st (a circle of 40 sts)
6. [sc into next 4 sts, hdc into next 2 sts, (3 dc) into next st, 3 ch, (3 dc) into next st, hdc into next 2 sts] repeat to end, sl st into 1st sc

Frangipani Flower, free pattern and photo tutorial

I wrote this pattern for a frangipani flower in 2012 and have had it for sale in my Ravelry store since 2013, but now I have decided to share it as a free pattern! I have taken some photos, hopefully they help a bit. I have also a pattern for making this into a square for an afghan block to make rugs with! I will blog about that very soon!

this frangipani flower is now a free pattern

Frangipani Flower in 3 rounds by T.S. Murphy

In yellow or dark pink, or other colour of your choosing

1. 3 ch sl st into 1st ch to form loop, 6 ch (counts as 1st spoke), (dc into loop, 3 ch) repeat 3 more times, sl st into 3rd ch to finish round (a wheel of 5 spokes)
2. sl st around spoke, 2 ch 3 dc around spoke 2 ch sl st around spoke (one petal), 3 ch sl st to outside of wheel in next ch sp (sl st around next spoke, 2 ch 3 dc around spoke 2 ch sl st around spoke) repeat 3 more times for 5 petals, 3 ch sl st to outside of wheel in next ch sp, fasten off

In white or pale pink, or other colour of your choosing

3. attach yarn to outside of wheel in front of a petal, (1 ch sc into ch sp on outside of petal 1 ch, 2 dc into each dc of petal (6 dc), 1 ch sc into ch sp on other side of petal 1 ch, sl st into centre of loop of round 1, 3 ch sl st to outside of wheel in front of next petal) repeat for each petal, fasten off

When the ends have been woven in, curl the petals by pinching them in the middle, making them furl like a frangipani flower. The petals sit right way up.

the 1st round is a wheel of 5 spokes

a petal goes around a spoke

3 ch to edge of wheel

sl st around a spoke

round 2 is finished

attach 2nd colour for round 3

the sc goes in the ch sp of the petal

3 ch and sl st to edge of wheel

beginnings of 2nd petal

3 ch then sl st to edge of wheel to end 3rd round

the underside of the finished flower

the finished flower

 

I have a Crucifix Orchid in my Garden

I've identified the orchid that I have in my garden, its a Crucifix Orchid. Its also known as a poor man's orchid because its so easy to grow and propagate so is cheaper than other orchids. I've never grown orchids before, I had one specimen in a pot of normal potting mix sitting in water. After some research I've discovered that orchids don't like to sit in water! But that one has flowered at least so its not too unhappy, but its leaves are a bit yellow so I will repot it when it's finished flowering. I went up to Bunnings and got some orchid mix and potted some more plants that I pulled out from a dark corner of the garden. I hope I've done the right thing!

I now know this is a Crucifix Orchid, or poor man's orchid

an orchid growing wild in a dark corner of my backyard

Soft and Warm Mulberry Hat

I made a simple hat to go with the mulberry scarf I finished the other day. I just made up a pattern. I started with 12 dc in the 1st round, and made 6 increasing rounds, then continued the non-increasing rounds until I ran out of yarn. You normally put 7 increasing rounds, but this yarn is quite thick so it was bigger. I used a 4mm hook.

this is a simple hat that goes with a matching scarf

Seven Little Premmie Hats

I now have seven little premmie hats here and I wonder what to do with them. They were so lovely to make, I hope they get used. I am thinking to donate them to a local charity that distributes crafted items to those in need, maybe they can send them onto the premmie ward at the hospital?

these seven premmie hats are ready to be donated

Blue on Blue Premmie Hat

Here is another premmie beanie I have made following my premmie hat pattern. This time I edged it a different shade of blue. The baby yarn is nice and soft and lovely to work with, I use a 3mm hook.

this blue premmie hat is edged in another shade of blue

Soft and Warm Mulberry Scarf

I just made this scarf for fun, because the yarn was soft and fluffy and really nice to work with. It's a lovely blend of 40% wool, 40% acrylic and 20% rayon. I have one ball left, maybe there is enough for a hat? For this scarf, I didn't do any fancy stitches that I might have to unravel as the furry yarn catches on itself and makes it hard to unravel. I just did rows of dc until the yarn run out. I haven't made this for anyone in particular, I'm just going to add it to my pile of stuff that I have made!

this simple scarf is soft and warm

Rosy's Flower, free pattern

Here is a new flower I made today, I'm calling it Rosy's flower. I hope you like it, let me know what you think!

Rosy's flower is a 5 round flower

Rosy's Flower, free pattern
1. 3 ch sl st to 1st ch to form loop, 2 ch (counts as 1st st) 9 dc into loop, sl st to 1st st, fasten off to change colours
2. in new colour, attach yarn to any st, (2 ch dc into same hdc into same, hdc into next dc into same 2 ch sl st into same) repeat for a total of 5 petals, sl st into next st, fasten off to change colour
3. turn work over, attach yarn to post in round 1 (post is where the petals sl st), 5 ch, sc around next post, repeat for a total of 5 ch sp, sl st into 1st ch sp
4. turn work back to the front, 2 ch (counts as 1st st) 8 hdc into same ch sp, (9 hdc into next ch sp) repeat to end, sl st into 1st st
5. (sk next st, 4 hdc into next st, sk next st, sc into next st, sk next st, 4 hdc into next st, sk next st, sl st into sp of previous round) repeat for each petal for a total of 5 petals

round 1 is 10 dc

round 2 is 5 petals in a contrasting colour

round 3 is on the reverse side of the flower and creates some chain spaces

round 4 sets up for the last round

this is the final 5th round of the flower

Pink and White Square Baby Rug

I made this lovely square baby rug a year or two ago and never wove in the ends until today. I was wary that I would change my mind and want the yarn for something else. But this rug really is so lovely, made with luxury yarn from the Bendigo Woollen Mill. I hope it finds its way to a nice home one day!

this baby rug is simply a large granny square with a scallop edge

the pink and white baby rug folded on a chair

a close up of the pink and white baby rug