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.

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Ruff day

The arrival of my father at 7am Sunday was not a propitious start to the day. With the regular appearances of both my mother (bless her, she actually helped) and my brother (by appointment), and Dad's usual demands, by 2pm I was ready to throttle the next person who wanted something.

I grabbed a large ball of homespun (by Someone who donated it to an opshop) and dyed thick and thin wool (quite possibly Someone's first ever go at spinning ), a 12mm bamboo circ so fresh it practically still had shoots on it, and a very large Freddo Frog and headed for Mum's. She was having a siesta so I got an hour of the knitting equivalent of sitting in a corner and rocking to and fro and had knitted off the worst of my mood before she joined me.

We then had a lovely crafty afternoon. Mum embroidered some fancy work linen doilies with a gum nut and gum leaf design (another op-shop buy) while I knitted. And knitted. The conversation was minimal.

Mum "So what is it you're knitting?"
Taph "Garter stitch"
Mum "Yes I can see that, I taught you to knit. What is the garter stitch going to be?"
Taph "Whatever it wants - a garotte for your husband perhaps."
Mum "Oh dear."


Later ...

Mum "Has your yarn decided what it wants to be yet?"
Taph "It's still in the discovery stage, but there's a definite curly whirly thing happening."
Mum "Oh dear."

Later still...

Taph "Perhaps it's a hat, I could knit up along the short edge and make a band and it could be a knitted Inca headress."
Mum "Oh dear."

And later again ...

Mum "Is that you casting off now?"
Taph "No, it's increase row"
Mum "Oh dear."

Later, later...

Brother "What the hell's that?!"
Mum "Not a garotte for your father."
Brother "Oh dear."

Later again ...

Taph "Right, I've cast off with 60 cm to spare."
Mum "And what did your wool decide to be?"
Taph "Dunno, thanks Mum, see you tomorrow."
Mum "Oh dear."

It's a Rough Day Ruff. :) Colours are crap with this camera but we have a soft natural white with a greyie-blue and a muted sea green. I think it looks like surf as it recedes on the sand. I've put a pearl drop button as the fastener.

5 comments:

Denise said...

As I think someone of great wisdom has said, families suck quite a lot of the time. ((hugs))

happyspider said...

ah dog bless knitting eh? if i werent trying to finish bday socks for my mum my stress might be a tad lower... :p

Denise said...

The Rough Day Ruff looks great :) Nice to know that such loveliness can come out of such angst!

Taphophile said...

Thankyou :). I'm rather pleased with it. Maree was here this evening and she had a cuddle of it.

It's the first time I've let the yarn do it's own thing, so it's something of a breakthrough creatively.

knittydoll said...

Love it. I'm quite partial to a chunky knit.. and accessories that provide the dual function of making one look spiffy whilst simultaneously warding off vampires... *tongue firmly held in cheek* ;) c u next snb