New Year, New Challenges. Craft.

This year will be all about celebrating the stash.  Or rather the stashes.

The yarn stash is, despite much pruning before we moved last July, vast.  It deserves to be enjoyed, not just in the having but in the creating.  .

The fabric and sewing stash has enjoyed a bit of growth in the last few years.  Mum's stash came in for a start.  I am blessed with fabrics, threads, notions and buttons and continue to rescue them from landfill faster than I can use them. Time to get creative.  I've made a start in the last few months, but I want to really revel in this stuff.

Fibre. I have an abundance of raw and processed fibre that should get more attention.  Spinning has been off the agenda for some years but I hope to make up for lost time when the weather cools a little.

I'm not saying I won't add to stash, that would be foolish and self-defeating, but I will play with my pretties before adding more.

Image courtesy Surachai,  FreeDigitalPhotos.net

WIPeout 2009 - Suffrage beanie

I know, I know, I wasn't going to work on beanies but I was caught short with an overlong wait at the doctor's and this accidentally got finished.




PATTERN: TTWC using slip stitch for the body of the hat.


YARN: The dark purple is Cleckheaton 12ply, the variegated green/purple is Happy Spider Hydrangea - a custom job over very old Wangaratta Woollen Mills white from the 80s.


Now there are only two hats in the queue - wonder if I can eke them out for another couple of months? No, I don't think it likley either.


Oh, and Lovestitches - I'd really like to oblige with a photo of my entire stash but don't have access to a satellite right now. I wish that was an exaggeration.

What he said.

And he did a photo shoot on his desk at work and brought it all home on the bus.

And I'm pretty sure it's not stash if I don't buy it myself.

Stylin' yarn

Interesting article in the November 2008 Country Style (the magazine formerly known as Australian Country Style) on Katherine Wood and Burrawool .

I haven't tried Burrawool, but KMS has and she loves it . I'm trying to curb my desire for this yarn but it fits so well with the Boodle Development Policy (local, indie, chemical free, only comes in natural white, black or grey etc...) that it's hard. If we just happen to be driving through Robertson at any time, it will mean I was meant to have some of this fibre.

Country Style is available at the Dickson , Tuggeranong and Woden branches of the ACT Public Libraries. And you can still buy it in the shops if you're so inclined.

Which, by degrees, slips round her neck

We saw Children of the Silk Road on the big screen the other night - a good story, an OK film.

Jonathon Rhys Myers was fine in Bend it Like Beckham, not so much in this film. He did have an interesting wardrobe. The whole second half of the very long film, he wore a double rib scarf knitted at quite a tight tension. I kept trying to work out if it looked more like Cleckheaton Country Silk or Jo Sharp Silk Road Aran Tweed which was a little distracting.

I'd rather like it to be the Silk Road Tweed. In fact I'd rather like to make one in the Silk Road Tweed - damn, nothing in boodle.

Might weel awauk desire

There was a little yarn accident on Saturday.


The Old Flame and I had to pop into K-Mart to get a digital set top box (cheaper than getting the outside aerial and wiring fixed). We got to within a few metres of the security gate when I spotted it - a trolley half-full of yarn and a sign indicating all balls 10c. I may have leapt like a cheetah on her prey at that moment.

Seconds later, as the balls were flying and I was muttering "wool, ack, ick" the Old Flame caught up with me, took one look and declared he would get a basket. He brought the basket, left again, and returned with a trolley and helped me sort through the piles for the wool. He has a good hand and could tell the wool from the ack without looking at the ball bands.

Time lost all meaning as the yarn frenzy escalated, so not only did I not question what happened next, I immediately complied.

A heavily accented voice murmured urgently in my ear, "Quick, you come with me!" and the woman who belonged to the voice tugged my arm. The Old Flame said "Go, I'll find you" and the next thing I know I'm chasing after the sprinting woman. It did occur to me that this was perhaps a little odd, but by then we were near her destination - the partially denuded faux-Feathers/Ostrich section of the yarn aisle where she began thrusting the garishly printed stuff into my arms. Turns out that although it was marked 70c a ball, the register was charging 10c. She'd already bought 50 balls and was going back for more, but having witnessed the onset of my yarn frenzy, was generously sharing. It took a little while to assure her that as grateful as I was, the yarn was all hers.

The Old Flame found me in the yarn aisle assaying for the Patons Jet and Cleckheaton Vintage Hues (all $3 a ball). Not as cheap as others had got it for on the other side of town, but roughly half price and cheap enough for socks for the Jean Colvin Hospital. Some of the yarn was out of reach so my Old Flame found a large metal trolley, climbed up on it and began tossing down balls of yarn.

Here he is grabbing the last of the Vintage Hues.


And that is how I came to buy 73 balls of yarn this week, more than half of it balls of pure wool for 10c a ball, and how our relationship survived its first yarn frenzy and the post-frenzy gleeful giggles every time I looked at the trolley. I know it wasn't a pretty sight.

But when, alas! he multiplies himself

It has come to this, a vintage knitting pattern destash.

Check out my flickr set for what's available. Vintage pattern books are$4, $2 or $1 each plus postage. There are also 3 issues of Spin-Off which are $5 each.

All patterns sold as is. These are vintage patterns. There are signs of use. Some have been hole punched.

If you see something you want, please email me with the name of the image, eg. Patons 123, and your address so I can check what postage will be. Generally, a single pattern within Australia will be $1.10 but if you want more than one pattern, that will change.

Direct credit into my nominated bank account only.

peggysmum AT yahoo DOT co DOT uk

Pump up the volume

Rising to the challenge of my conscience, behold the bulky beanies of the week.



Count 'em - 7.

Actually it's 9 beanies, but only 7 from the bulky stuff; a couple of TTWCs sneaked in as well because the bulky stuff isn't portable for waiting in queues for petrol, queues for Medicare, queues at the chemist (I've had a frustrating week).

Of course now that's done, will I have to repeat it?

I've done the sums and it's 6 a week to finish this yarn off before the end of December. Difficult, but doable - except for the crippling pain. The bulky yarn on big needles has caused excruciating neck and shoulder pain. I took the weekend off the big stuff and did only a heel of a sock and a few rounds of a 12 ply beanie. No pain.

Bugger. I'll have to slow down on the big stuff.

Think global, knit local

This was such great yarn to knit with. A sproingy 12ply weight, 2ply yarn with just a little bit of vegetable matter left in. The ball band describes it as "a natural, undyed fleece product from coloured sheep growers of Canberra/Monaro."

I can't remember which local op-shop it came from but it's local yarn, bought locally (twice) and going to a local charity (twice). Who says it isn't easy being green?

The voices told me to

Sunday night conversation at Taph Towers.

CONSCIENCE: Hmm, so how's that challenge to knit all the bulky yarn by Christmas going, Taph?

TAPH: Well, Conscience, I had a bit of a break last week while I finished off a scarf for a charity sale, a pair of socks for my poor old Mum with the bad circulation who lives in a cold climate and a pair of baby socks which I swapped for a dozen duck eggs. I also started and nearly finished a pair of socks for the Old Flame.

CONSCIENCE: That's an impressive list of finished objects, Taph - bet that gave you a bit of a boost. But in terms of total boodle busting that's 300g of yarn, 200g of which are pretty fine weights. Not much in the volume reduction, is it?

TAPH: Yes, I did feel good finishing things off but you're right, I did set myself that challenge and I'd like to see it through. So here you go, two completed hats from the bulky yarn and the plan is to make one a day this week. The Old Flame loaned me season one of Dead Like Me and season one of Dexter - perhaps I won't go completely insane if I knit while watching those.

CONSCIENCE: Good plan, Taph. Let's chat again next Sunday night.

Beanies 2008.080 and 2008.081

Hats, boodle etc

So I'm still going with the hats.

One of the things that has become VERY obvious in the last almost year of "seven things" is that the yarn boodle is large, out of control and has a will of its own. Every attempt to actually cull it has resulted in at least a parity return of yarn within a couple of weeks. Given its amazing ability to regenerate (did anyone see Dr Who last night?), I've decided that the boodle doesn't really want to be given away or sold, it wants to be knitted.

Starting with the bulky stuff that takes up so much space, knit-down has begun.

6 balls of Twilley Freedom Wool became 6 beanies. The first pic is a Norah Gaughan pattern "Match Made in Heaven" from Family Circle Easy Accessories, the others are my Double Rib Beanie.



And the yarn cheese is next in the sights. Remember when I bought 49 x 8oz (215g) balls of super bulky yarn at the Smith Family? Well it was a while ago, and it was the yarn that necessitated the Double Rib pattern. I'm now working on a variation or two to keep me from becoming catatonic with boredom. The goal is to knit this entire collection up by Christmas.

Not completely there with the cabled version yet - I'll give it another go tonight.

The honesty's too much

There are stages of intimacy in all relationships, right? There are points at which one takes a risk and reveals something more intimate than before - something really private, personal and important - something upon which the direction of the relationship might depend.


We reached one of those points this morning.


Old Flame saw the extent of my stash! He paled a little but took it well.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Time, of late, has not been my own. The little time that has been mine has been limited or with a different focus. It shouldn't be such a suprise, then, that my approach to knitting is going to have to change along with everything else in my life.

The only thing new I've started in 3 weeks is a washcloth for Old Flame's mother's birthday, and that's pretty much out of necessity rather than desire for the project itself (although the colours are very pretty and if you go ask Spidey , she might show you which of these limited edition cottons she has left).

Other projects on the needles are not portable. I'm rarely in one place for long enough to settle into the large projects (dividing time between work, Mum's and Old Flame's) and none of those places are conducive to concentrating on lace or aran knitting even if I was prepared to heft the bits along with all the other luggage.

However, a knitter has her needs and those needs must be met. I need pretty things, dammit. Pretty things I can conquer without feeling like a complete idiot.

I need a beret to keep my head warm on morning walks with the dogs, thick socks to go under hiking boots, and a suitable project to knit when Dexter comes on free to air next month.

So I'm thinking this beret in some Annie Gregg handspun I bought last year in Tarcutta, a retake of the Thuja socks in some Caressa DK (maybe) and this balaclava in Debbie Bliss DK silk for the Dexter project because he wears a silk mask sometimes.

Unfortuantely, I also have to knit this into about 6 metres trim for a Christmas in July outfit. OK, so I don't have to, but the yarn was a swap (and therefore free), as opposed to $17.95 a metre for the maribou feather trim.

(photo stolen from AmandaJ)

And is this a good time to mention that I want to reduce my boodle by two-thirds by the end of 2009? It's not that I have too much, you understand, just that I want to have less. Stop that laughing right now or you'll be struck off the potential recipient list.

Seven things weak 20, no 21 - damn numbers

Five whole months of this and still room for improvement - both on the ins and the outs.

I can leave other stuff in shops now - clothes, cute clutter, Tupperware etc... , but am still unable to pass up a yarn bargain.

There was an accident in Lincraft involving 75 balls of Cleckheaton Machinewash 5ply and $40 of my hard earned dosh. 53c a ball and enough for 3 projects for me. Enough to knit the twinset design in my head and have some left over for practising on. Enough to actually knit a tension square and not have to leave it on the needle because I'm pretty sure I'm going to need those 30 rows worth of yarn . I still look at the pile and giggle and kick my heels with glee. So not much progress really. Bargain yarn is my biggest weakness - even ahead of chocolate.

In my defence, I did not rush to the Cassidy's $2 sale despite every fibre in my being screaming at me to do so and I left a packet of very nice vintage chocolate brown 8ply at Vinnies yesterday.

IN (16)
7 projects worth of yarn (for $65 - less than $10 a project! still giggling). LINCRAFT
1 tricycle TIGHTARSE TUESDAY ADS $99
6 books GIFTS
1 cycling helmet - I had to buy new. There's no way I'm trusting my few remaining brain cells to a secondhand helmet.
1 cycle pump - ditto new.
1 bed linen set GARAGE SALE $5

OUT (48)
1 ball winder GIFT
1 top OP SHOP
1 bath tub tidy OP SHOP
2 hand knitted scarves GIFTS
3 nail polishes BIN
2 decorative boxes OP SHOP
20 CD cases WORK - yes our budget is that bad that I am subsidising the stationery
1 CD folder WORK
5 hair ties BIN
1 ruler OP SHOP
1 fake flower BIN
1 key ring TSS
3 book BOOKCROSSING
1 CD jewel case TSS
2 pairs knitting needles GIFTS
3 Tupperware containers OP SHOP

SIAA (1)
1 TTWC and progress on other stuff, but nothing finished *sigh*.

TOTALS
IN 16
OUT 48
NET OUT 32

SIAA 1

Dirty little secrets

Oh the shame. I have a large novelty yarn stash. It's a the result of success with the All Sorts berets, which appropriately use novelty yarn, and my inability to turn down bargain yarn.

While we were away over winter, I cleared out a Big W of its Sean Sheep when it was down to 50c a ball. Last year I bought a heap of it at the same price and put it into plastic tubs to marinate. I've used the occasional ball in freeform experiments and had plans to make a bunch of freeform scarves and hats for the TASDA raffle; plans that were not realised.

And I just can't stop using the stash cataloguing facility on Ravelry.

Now I have to get serious about using it, so I'm publicly outing myself as motivation to bust the novelty yarn stash. So brace yourselves and watch the Feathers fly!

Thinking of all that I've left behind

My relationship with Ravelry was cool at the start but is now burning quite steadily.

I was dubious about the need for yet another social network. I have a couple of blogs and a flickr account to document projects, a yahoo group, many email addresses and other ways to be contacted either by message or by phone. I'm so connected I feel strangled and I was over online fora a LOOONG time ago. I really don't have a huge amount of time to deal with a whole lot more communication.

I also have some concerns about the homogenization of knitting and knitting cultures. None of these concerns have gone away and are amplified by the possible demise of our own Yarn magazine.

The queue facility is fun, but I am already starting to feel a bit anxious about it, mainly because it puts a date on when I queued it adds a time pressure dimension. Queue may disappear and be replaced by a series of bookmarks again.

But what I'm loving MOST about Ravelry is the stash facility. I decided not to upload the whole boodle - there are bandwidth considerations - but I did put up newly acquired materials and my small, but growing (!) stash of good yarn to encourage myself to Knit the Pretties (a little gift because sometimes I forget to play with the pretty things, too).

I spend far too long just staring at my pretties on Ravelry. In spare moments I find myself just checking in on it. It's like I can take it with me almost everywhere I go. It would be sad if it wasn't so bizarre.

And if you're looking for me on Ravelry - I'm Taphophile over there as well.

Novelty is the mother of invention

Five Ferns commented on the Bluetooth scarf ... it's a very good thing to bust a move in your stash with novelty-type yarn. Just hope you didn't have it stored with the good stuff otherwise you could end up with a revolt on your hands.

I assure you there is a strict apartheid policy as regards yarn accommodation, Chez Taph.

Firstly there is the small (1 basket) of the pretties. These are small lots of special/good fibres, hand-spun, hand-dyes and hand-paints. I have a little project to knit the pretties. I'm allowing myself a single project from special yarn at a time.

Then there is workaday stash largely divided by yarn type and then weight. So it's woollen lacweights; baby wools; sock wools; other 4plys; 5plys; 8plys; 12plys - hat stash and other; chunky stuff; mohairs, angoras and cottons (also subivided by weight). There are a few bags of odds and ends of balls divided by colour but not weight for feral knitting.

Then in glorious(?) isolation, where it can taint no natural fibre, there is what can only be described as novelty stash. Mostly cheaply bought, muggle pleasing yarns divided by colour. They have their uses, particularly in the more freeform styles of knitting. They can be mixed with natural fibres for a project, but only as a spice, not a main ingredient. The plan is to knit scarves, wraps, hats etc. Nothing pleases a muggle more than a novelty yarn scarf. Sad, but true. That doesn't mean they have to be knitted completely from one yarn - it's best to mix them up a bit, which is why I divide by colour rather than weight.

And here's a pretty pic of entirely natural fibre - they went to the day spa yesterday and they think they look pretty hot.

Rosie (right) looks cranky because Peggy bit off Rosie's bow but evaded Rosie's attempts to remove Peggys' bow and is skiting about it. The bows are, of course, completely naff, but the groomer insists on them and the girls seem to like them.