I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the ACT, the Ngunnawal people. I acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

E

For those of you reading the comments on the last post, last Sunday, 5 of my fibre soul sisters spent the day at Chez Taph.

Spidey had us dying future socks with food colouring. Results were splice, frappe, tiger and tropical. Can't wait to see what you ladies make of them.

A fantastic day was had by all (it was worth the cleaning hours in the lead up). Spidey brought her Yarn Harlot books. One of the chapters (was it the one on cr*chet?) took three of us and 20 minutes to read because each of us completely lost it with laughter and could not continue. I'm not saying who, but I was almost in need of Tena Lady.

Food was supplied by all, lovely cheeses, divine chocolate cake, nibbly bits, jelly beans, shortbread, chocolate and I made a couple of Spanish omlettes and salad. Much tea was drunk.

My neighbours asked me on Monday what we were on, because from the amount of laughter wafting to their house, they judged it to be a new form of E. I assured them it was K, W and Y, but equally addictive, not to mention mind-altering when taken in excess. :)

Everyone knew which house to come to by the enticing row of knitting needles in the parlour window. I said it was the knitting version of Paul Revere's candles but thinking about it later, particuarly with the bright sock yarn hanging over the front porch railing as well, it probably looked more like a knitter's version of a certain street in Amsterdam where the ladies sit in windows displaying their wares. :)

Due to the fact we were enjoying ourselves so much, no photographic evidence exists. :(

My latest eBay purchases have arrived. I am now the proud possessor of 12 sets of bamboo dpns and 15 bamboo circular needles. The circs are about the same quality as the ones I can buy locally which is not brilliant but better than most of the metal ones I have. Haven't tried the dpns yet - they are so pristine in their individual plakky bags that I can't bring myself to open them. I am so HAPPY. Jejune reckons I'll need a baby name book now. :P




Yesterday I attended the wedding of some very dear friends. Yvonne is an insane BookCrosser and her hubby, Dave, equally keen on trains. Their wedding, at the Queanbeyan Railway Station followed by a reception on an historic train which steamed to Royalla and back, was celebrated by BookCrossers the world over with an international book release challenge.

Local BookCrossers have released romance and railway themed books for the last few days all over Canberra. It even made it into the Canberra Times. Another BookCrosser and I perpetuated a release frenzy of nearly 200 books in Monaro Street, Queanbeyan immediately before the wedding. It didn't take as long as I expected and with the prospect of 1.5 hours with nothing to do but get changed and look with self-loathing upon my makeup and hair, I raced off to Spotlight and bought Patonyle and needles and quickly cast on another sock.

Spying Jejune at the Railway Station, I presented her with a knitterly valentine - 2.25mm dpns and the knowledge that I had a sock in my bag should we need it.

4 comments:

happyspider said...

so the bamboo worked out ok then! excellent!
i have just done a quick n dirty post about my new splice socks.. :p, brilliant minds taph!
i am shocked that you were stranded and did not come visit me at work! we even have knitting needles, some even in pairs!
and that is the PERFECT valentines gift :)

Sheeprustler said...

Mmmm, colourful! Dyeing is addictive. I'm knitting socks with yarn I dyed myself too. Your day sounds so much fun!

Hope you like your bamboos. Personally I dislike bamboo but everyone else raves about them so I must be the odd one there.

Denise said...

I'm very jealous of your FULL set of bamboo - very impressive - well done! I must admit I'm enjoing my new caesin needles too.

I've uploaded a pic of my Tropical Paradise wool and proto-sock on my Blog; and my abandoned Patonyle sock is now happily sitting on my new 2.25mm Valentine DPNs :)

The wedding was indeed lovely. I enjoyed the dinner on the Railroad Restaurant Train - great fun.

But our mini-SnB was the best of all - delightful company, delicious food, even yummier yarn!

Taphophile said...

Sorry Spidey. I was very close by your work, actually, but not sure if you were working. I will do better next time. :)