Auf Weidersehen, goodnight...

The shake up continues at work. Soon I will lose a wonderful colleague and friend. She's staying in the system but we won't be working together anymore. It is distressing for us all.

This is for her. It's Smariek's Asherton Scarf in Rooster Almerino Aran. I call it the Adieu Asherton.

The yarn was a prize from Yarn last year and ear-marked for Mum. My colleague wears scarves all the time and on her they look great. She loves pink, so it was a no-brainer when it came to something beautiful enough in stash for her.

As I had roughly half the yarn called for in the pattern, I made it narrower (only 2 pattern repeats) and undoubtedly it is shorter, but it's long enough. Close up of the fully reversible pattern.


The 50/50 alpaca merino blend is soooo soft and drapey. I'm very happy with how it turned out.

***********

Charity has been represented this week too. Another Time Thief Watch Cap makes it into the box for Stasia. This one was a real joint effort. Completed with the help of TSS and Georgie. Thank you both. :)

TTWC 2008.008. Recycled 12 ply.

This Sporting Al

In a culturvorian expedition yesterday to CraftACT yesterday*, The Shopping Sherpa and I couldn't help but continue the tradition of gussying up Al Grassby.

Al was in a sporting mood yesterday. Here he is gearing up for the shot-put while wearing some of bag swap WIP as a collar. It's recycled Peruvian wool, I think he'd approve of its multicultural flavour - he certainly liked Mardi Gras colours.

Practicing bowling. What do our resident cricket experts think of his action? I reckon he's a chucker and should be reported to the ACB. Although built more for spin, Al was all out for speed yesterday with this ball of reclaimed yarn.

*Exhibition of art prints and a clothing line by a Western Australian designer. Prints good, clothes - not so much. Good shapes and some nice tailoring which was let down by poor/lack of finish. If you're going to make a gorgeous tailored jacket, put some lining in it! Ditto, hand printed silk bolero good, trimmed with stretch ribbing bad. Also, not so much a fan of the exposed overlocked edge.

Was good to catch up with Barb, though, and we ran into the lovely Ninaribena of Canberra's Got Style - a fab new blog on the scene. Do yourself a favour and check it out.

Seven Things Week 22

The blow out at Lincraft a couple of weeks ago did make me feel a bit guilty. Gleeful and guilty, really. I feel that that particular transgression has been expiated. This week, quite a lot of yarn for which I held little love, or which could be put to a more immediate use by someone else, went. There is another pile of waiting for a new charitable home, which has been found but which isn't quite ready to receive it yet. It will go in the next little while.

IN (9)
2 books
1 ball Patonyle TSS
1 cone black mohair TSS
5 items in a gift from Janet ages ago which I'd forgotten to acknowledge - I do and I thank you, Janet. Lovely examples of your quilting, carding and beading crafts in a handmade origami box.

OUT (108)
7 books BOOKCROSSING
5 sewing patterns OP SHOP
1 music stand OP SHOP
31 cones of yarn OP SHOP
64 balls yarn GIFTS

edited to add:
SIAA (1)
1 neckwarmer

TOTALS

IN 9

OUT 108

NET OUT 99

SIAA 1

Absolutely frilled!

Yesterday I took solace in instant gratification with gorgeous yarn. Behold the beauty of the Tudora. Knitted in a few hours with Lily Chin Park Avenue donated by the lovely and now blog-free Margie. The yarn was meant to be for charitable knitting, but I'm a weak woman and made this as a birthday present for a member of my ever-shrinking work team.

Park Avenue is very much like Patons Jet. Wool/Alpaca blend, perhaps slightly thinner than Jet. Anyway, I've chucked a couple of balls of Jet in the charity pile as a replacement.

While the Jet was out, I grabbed a couple of balls and cast on Norah Gaughan's Sunflower Tam from Knitting Nature. It's for a friend who will require some elegant headwear in the near future. Up to the pretty top bit now and it's so much fun!

The Curs-ed* Sleeve of Doom has struck again.

After yesterday morning's debacle it went into it's project bag in the corner to have a good long think about its behaviour.

It did and decided to disagree about being a quick and easy notch on the FO belt.

Took it out at lunch today and merrily knitted several rows in the wrong stitch pattern. Seriously, if there had been any lighter fluid handy, that jumper would, quite literally, be toast!

*thanks for the punctuation, 2Paw, couldn't remember how to do that. :)

WIPs that hurt so bad

Back in November I joined the Stash Down 2008 group on Ravelry. The plan is to knit from boodle first. I do that anyway, but supportive encouragement is always welcome. Not a yarn diet as such, more a reminder of the purpose of stash.

My stated January goal was whip the WIPs into shape because they're all boodle all the time. Sounded like a good idea back in December.

With the end of the month approaching, a couple of weeks ago I hunted out my oldest WIP. A jumper, size 18mos, that I was knitting for Connor. I guess I started knitting it late 1998 or early 1999 intending it for Winter 1999. It's a cute little jumper, a Patons pattern that was a freebie from the magazine That's Life. The yarn is from Reverse Garbage in Marrickville (how I miss RG!)which I picked up along with a lot of other yarn, some of which is still in stash but most of which I gave away on leaving Sydney. It's in small hand wound balls - nothing more than 30g - which took me weeks to untangle and wind.

I'd knitted the front, the back and 3/4 of one sleeve. Why I'd deviated from my usual formula of back, sleeves together then front/s, I can't remember. It may have been because I was still doing most of my knitting during work breaks and two sleeves at once is fiddlier. I can't remember why I stopped knitting it either. A rush of startitis? Changing jobs? Dunno. The dark blue colour makes it hard to knit in anything other than broad daylight, so maybe I got busier and couldn't see to knit it at night.

Last weekend I finished the first sleeve and happily cast on for the second. A sleeve, some sewing up and the neck bands - a piece of piss to finish by the end of the week? Apparently not. That second sleeve was the Second Sleeve of Cursed Doom.

First of all I cast on for the wrong size and knitted the band before I'd realised. Unravel, begin again. Then I forgot to do the second pattern repeat and had done half the sleeve before I'd worked it out. Unravel 20 odd rows. Knit up to second pattern repeat and realised I've buggered up the increases, unravel another 28 rows.

So I finally finished the second sleeve this morning. Happy dance, give Peggy a piece of celebratory chicken, more happy dance, place sleeve two on top of sleeve one to do double check of length.

*(&)^^&#(:!!

There's a )*&%^#$)$(!! error on the first sleeve about half way down.

Have unravelled sleeve one (now known as the First Sleeve Of Cursed Doom) to the problem, picked up all the stitches and knitted a little past where the problem was. 28 more rows to go and I know the little blighter's got a surprise or two waiting for me.

I'm going back to garter stitch mitred squares.

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

And sometimes it's about maintaining equilibrium

In Knitter's Almanac, Elizabeth Zimmerman says something about knitting on through adversity. EZ knew a think or two.

When faced with the prospect of a whole afternoon at a dire extended family function at the end of a rough week, I treated myself to one of the pretties from stash.

Knitting the Pretties is one of my 2008 resolutions.

This is hand dyed, hand spun Wensleydale with little glass beads. The yarn was called Dew Drop Fancy by it's creator, that yarn maven, Helen Rippin. I bought it at our visit to Bundanoon in October. There was a scant 115g of this gorgeous Navajo plied yarn and I wasn't sure it would be enough for what I wanted but the Yarn Goddesses smiled and it was just enough for a short but spunky Short Circuit Scarf over 8 stitches on 6.5mm needles.

There was no blood shed at the family function, at least not by me. I was pleasant and composed at all times and I completed a project, so it was productive.

I also taught myself a new skill - knitting backwards. It's slower, of course, than knitting forwards, but the look of intense concentration on my face could be attributed by the person speaking to me as wrapt attention in them. I get bonus points for this.

The only downside - requests for two similar scarves. Both from really lovely and generous people, though - so that's ok.

It's all about the journey

Until very recently I'd never heard the terms "process" and "product" knitters, or thought much about the concepts.

Like all of us, I'm a little bit of both, but in the "process" end of the spectrum.

How do I know this? Unlike some people that I know and love, sewing up and blocking hold absolutely no delights for me.

Case in point. This Clapoteenie, knitted in a Happy Spider experimental dye job (go ask her, it's fascinating) has been finished for over a fortnight, but didn't get the 3 minute block it needed until just as I was racing out the door to meet Spidey. She's been very patient.

While the ironing board was up and the iron actually turned on, I blitzed the lace headbands knitted this week for my nieces. Part II of their birthday present for next month.

The pattern is Molly's Headband by Pam Allen from Interweave (free online) knitted in a 4ply instead of the light 8ply of the original. I wanted something smaller and finer that would use left overs. 11-12g of sock wool is what it used.

On the left, Happy Spider Sock Yarn in Kelp Forsest self-striping colourway. On the right, the left overs of the Stanbridge Sock. It's an easy and quick pattern and I'm still not loving the lace.

And the obligatory beanie was finished earlier in the week. Recycled 12 ply in a quite violent orange based red which works quite well with this example of my nephew's art. Poor little bugger had his appendix removed this week, so mock if you must but gently.

TTWC 2008.06

Seven Things Week 20

It's been a rough week, Chez Taph.

Disruption and uncertainty at work, mainly. I was such a misery I wanted to get away from myself most of the time and I will admit to a little thrift therapy on Saturday to take the edge off and then I treated myself to knitting up one of my prettiest special yarns to get through a dire family function. Amazing how well buying 4 cheap paperbacks and indulging my senses of sight and touch with pretty yarn can lift a mood and prevent bloodshed on a massive scale.

Someone once told me that Totem is cheaper than valium.

IN (34)

1 shopping basket GIFT
2 sealable plastic tubs rescued from being dumpstered WORK
26 Patons patterns EBAY
1 tortie cr***et hook OP SHOP. I've never seen a tortiseshell hook before, it's pretty.
4 novels. OP SHOP

OUT (52)

3 cushions OP SHOP
3 video cassettes OP SHOP
2 curtain rod ends OP SHOP
1 flower press OP SHOP
25 books BOOKCROSSING
9 crochet patterns GIFTS
6 crochet hooks GIFTS
1 knitted headband GIFT
1 pair shoes OP SHOP
1 handbag OP SHOP

SHAKE IT ALL ABOUT (4)

1 TTWC
2 lacy headbands
1 Short Circuit Scarf

TOTALS

IN 34
OUT 52
NET OUT 18

SIAA 4

A very proud old Auntie

Last night I got home to discover that one of my nieces had spent the day with Mum.

This was Emily, the one who first realised that I always make their birthday presents.

Em asked Mum to help her sew a bag for her twin sister for their birthday. Under guidance, but doing it all herself, Em made a tote for Jess. She was so confident by the end of it she whipped up 3 fabric "socks" for each of their mobile 'phones.

Em told Mum that it was better to make presents because is showed people you loved them by making something specially for them that no one else had.

I'm so proud.

Seven Things Week 19

You know how I mentioned dying in the arse in my last post. I speak from experience.

All that knitting this last week has meant little time or inclination to evaluate the resident stuff. That and answering the phone to The Shopping Sherpa when she's in an op-shop.

IN (7)

1 pair shoes OP SHOP
2 bundles spinning fibre OP SHOP
1 spinning wheel OP SHOP c/- TSS
1 pair hand carders OP SHOP c/- TSS
2 projects alpaca blend yarn OP SHOP c/- TSS

OUT (17)

1 coffee cosy. GIFT
1 video cassette. GIFT
1 small basket. OP SHOP
6 books BOOKCROSSING
1 carton of about 200 copy safe sleeves reclaimed from old research notes etc. DONATED TO WORK
4 containers perfumed talc. 1 BIN, 3 GIFTS
1 scrubbing brush. Unhygenically old and mouldy. BIN
1 wooden spoon. BIN because it snapped at a point to far down the handle to turn it into a short handled spoon.
1 pair knitting needles TSS


SHAKE IT ALL ABOUT (7)

2 coffee cosies
1 Time Thief Watch Cap
3 Calometry headbands
1 rice bag turned into a project bag
all entirely from boodle, including the buttons.

TOTALS

IN 7

OUT 17

net out 10

SIAA 7

Counting Calorimetries

It's that time of year again, twin niece birthday time. Well it's a month away, but when knitting for two of the same gender for the same day, some forward planning is required.

This year they are getting headbands. First off, Calorimetry from Knitty, Winter 2006.

The yarn is ancient Wangaratta Woollen Mills 12ply that was in Mum's stash in 80s. Ms Spider gave it her special treatment and voila - unique headbands for my favourite girls.

The pinky mauve one is knitted to the pattern but on smaller needles and is still too big. The blue one is about 1/3 smaller all over and is a better size. I've already knitted, but not photographed, a smaller version in the pinky mauve. Trust me, it's the same, but smaller.

The girls will be 13 this year and recently worked out that Auntie Taph always makes something for their birthday. Since Christmas, they've been looking quite closely at the needles for a sneak preview. Huh, I'm not that silly, all they've seen are endless beanies.

I intend two more headbands, probably Molly's Headband from the free Interweave Knits patterns. Haven't decided on yarns yet.

Over on Ravelry I signed up for the Knit a Mile Challenge. Knit a mile (1600 metres or thereabouts) of yarn between 5 Jan and 19 Feb. I signed up thinking it would be fun but not expecting to actually make it.

Progress to date. 900+m. 4 beanies, 3 Caliometries, 1 Clapotis and 2 coffee cosies.

I might actually get there or I could begin well and completely die in the arse. No saying really.

Completely Cosy

I loved doing the Coffee Couture so much, I turned around and did it all again but bigger and redder.

It's Dad's birthday tomorrow. 67 he'll be and finding a gift is increasingly difficult. His plunger is the 12 cup size, so I did some maths and added two extra cable patterns and cast on 100 stitches. I did an extra half a pattern repeat in length as well.

This yarn wasn't as thick as the first lot, so the cosy is a little more stretched out. After sewing the ribbing together I picked up 22 stitches along one edge leaving a little room for the handles, double ribbed for 5 rows, chucked in 3 yo button holes in the next row, then two more double rib rows and cast off in rib. This band could have been a little longer, but it will do.

I finally got to use these very cute wooden Scottish Terrier buttons again. I bought a heap of them at the Lisa Ho factory outlet in Sydney years ago and the last time I used them was on cot doona covers for the twins who turn 13 next month.

A workmate pointed out today that we could use a cosy on the plunger at work. Do you reckon I could just knit these until the end of the KAL?

Also finished yesterday was a Time Thief Watch Cap. I'm reusing a photo of one I prepared earlier to save hassle.

TTWC 2008.005 Recycled yarn.

No prisoners!

Culturevore 2008 activity began with a picnic under a tree. See the picture over on TSS's blog.

Here's the "It takes a village" frittata*. Free-range eggs, olive oil and mushrooms all from local growers, potatoes from friends in Crookwell, onion from friends across town, oregano and parsley from my garden, silver beet from Dad's garden and tomato from Miss Spider's garden. TSS made a carrot salad and couscous, and Spidey supplied fresh local apricots. The last three items were particularly appropriate because TSS and I then enjoyed the airconditioning of the Australian War Memorial's theatrette and watched a 4 hour free screening of Lawrence of Arabia.

Sadly, we were unable to consume TSS's banana pancakes but she assures me she will freeze them for next time.


Lawrence of Arabia is one of my favourite films, due in no small part to the eyes of Peter O'Toole and the screen presence of Omar Sharif. *sigh*.

Because it was such a looooong film, we completed three Time Thief Watch Caps, and got well underway with another two.

TTWC 2008.002-004

The screening was in association with an exhibition at the AWM. We might get to see that another day.

* VILLAGE FRITTATA - because Bells asked.


olive oil
1 largish onion, diced
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed (also good with half and half potato/sweet potato)
2 large handfuls of sliced mushrooms
3ish sprigs oregano, chopped (about a tablespoon or thyme or rosemary - woody herbs, all good) 2ish sprigs parsley, chopped (about a tablespoon)
1 large silverbeet leaf, finely sliced
8 large eggs, beaten seasoned with a little pepper
1 large tomato, finely sliced

Heat a very little oil in a heavy based fry pan
Cook onion and potato over medium flame for 10 minutes or until browned
Set potato and onion aside
Add mushrooms and herbs to pan to soften (you might need a little more oil), then add silverbeet to wilt.
Put potato and onion mixture back in pan and mix so you've got an evenish arrangement of veg around the pan.
Add eggs and cook over medium to low flame.
When eggs are almost cooked through (bubble holes appear on surface but the top is still a little runny), arranged sliced tomato on top and place under medium grill to brown.

Serve hot, warm or cold. Travels well.

This is what I did for yesterday's dish. It's a good for any veg you happen to have wilting in the fridge, a glut of on hand. The original recipe was bacon, chorizo and capsicum but this version is low salt, lower in saturated fats, gluten and dairy free. I have made it with left over diced roast potatoes which is really delish but generally ups the fat level. If you're using baked veg you only need to brown the onions, not the potatoes. Also, I usually add a clove of crushed garlic to the onion and potatoes if it's for home.

Because this is an eggy dish, it tastes MUCH better with good free-range eggs. If you don't have access to them, add a little butter to the frying oil or sprinkle a little paremesan on the top to add flavour. This also ups the saturated fat, salt and dairy content but it tastes really good.

Cafe society

Item 5 for the Yarn Knit Along, Coffee Couture by Megan Longhurst from Yarn 6.

MATERIALS: Just under 50g of an 8ply recycled from an op-shop jumper.

ALTERATIONS: None, but I'm tossing up about picking up some of the side stitches and making a button placket for added warmth.

It's a lovely quick knit. Perfect for last minute gifts. Not that there's anything last minute about this one - it's a 2008 Christmas gift for coffee loving friends. Oh, and I've added the pattern to Ravelry if you want to queue it.

I had some help. One of the blokes at work wanted to learn to knit. He did most of a row of double rib.

A larger version for Dad's birthday on Thursday has been cast on. Fingers crossed I got the numbers right.

Seven Things Week 18

The purge continued this week, but now I'm back at work, things have slowed. There is still a long way to go, but the last couple of weeks have been good.

IN (21)

• 3 books, OP SHOP
• 2 facewashers, GIFTS
• 2 hand towels, GIFTS
• 6 Patons patterns, eBay
• 3 video cassettes, OP SHOP
• 5 sets knitting needles, OP SHOP
  

OUT (279)

• 56 CDs – data & music, BIN and OP SHOP
• 1 travel CD holder, OP SHOP
• 34 Audio cassettes, BIN and RECYCLING
• 31 Floppy discs, BIN and RECYCLING
• 6 Bags – shopping totes and handbags, OP SHOP
• 8 DVDs and video cassettes, OP SHOP
• 8 Cones/skeins wool, GIFTS
• 4 Bras – new and too small, WOMEN’S REFUGE
• 12 Sewing patterns, OP SHOP
• 1 calendar, RECYCLING
• 3 Pieces sewing fabric, OP SHOP
• 27 Postcards – the freebie/Avant Card collection was unearthed and culled, RECYCLING
• 6 Cartons old files & personal papers, RECYCLING
• 2 Souvenir spoons. My Nan was convinced I collected these things and gave me many, many of them. Also received lots of them as speakers’ gifts over the years. Most have been discarded but there’s a few more hiding around the place. For the record, I've NEVER collected them., OP SHOP
• 21 books, BOOKCROSSING
• 1 Walkman, OP SHOP
• 1 emery board - worn out, BIN
• 1 box assorted bonbonierie - I lived and worked in Marrickville for many years and attended my share of big fat Greek, Italian and Maltese weddings., BIN and OP SHOP
• 2 soft toys, GIFTS
• 1 shape-o, OP SHOP
• 2 big boxes of beads, GIFTS
• 3 biscuit tins, OP SHOP
• 1 spindle DVDS, GIFTS
• 4 hair accessories, BIN
• 1 cd tower, AUSSIE JUNK
• 1 dressmaker's dummy, AUSSIE JUNK
• 1 bicycle, AUSSIE JUNK
• 1 hand fan, OP SHOP
• 4 facewashers and tea towels - originally towels cut down to tea towels and washers, then used as dusters. They've lived a good and useful life. BIN
• 1 shawl, GIFTS
• 1 beanie, GIFTS
• 1 three hole punch, GIFTS
• 10 picture frames, GIFTS
• 3 souvenir brass rubbings, RECYCLING
• 3 Christmas decorations, GIFTS
• 1 wine rack, AUSSIE JUNK
• 1 coat rack, OP SHOP
• 1 suitcase, OP SHOP
• 2 coffee mugs broken in the washing up, BIN
• 11 embroidery kits, GIFTS

SHAKE IT ALL ABOUT (2)
Much sorting, carting away and tidying left little time for creation.

1 scarf
1 coffee plunger cozy

TOTALS

IN 21
OUT 279
NET OUT 258

SIAA 2

Doctor, doctor, give me the news...

A friend told me that a doctor prescribed his aunt a glass of red wine and half an hour knitting a day to ward off heart disease and arthritis.

Prescription filled! Wonder if I can get Totem on the PBS?

Vested Interest

The Jelly Belly Vest pattern by Jenny McElhinney from Yarn issue 1, December 2005.

SIZE: One size 12-18 months

YARN: 2 x 50g balls Nastro Four Seasons cotton/acrylic blend donated by Spidey, leftovers from one of her lovely creations. It's a weird yarn. 2 chains of different colours, in this case a pinky apricot and a cream that sit flat like a tape. Knits up pretty, though, and has an interesting texture.

ALTERATIONS: Knitted in the round to the underarms, then flat so there were only the shoulder seams to sew. Also, I used the same finishing on the armholes as the neckline instead of the pattern's double rib, mostly because I was concerned about running out of yarn. As it turns out, the concerns were well founded and I have a scant 4m left.

This is item four for the Yarn Knitalong. I goes in the box for the women's refuge.

Chunking up the New Year

Beanie 2008.001

PATTERN: Match Made in Heaven by Norah Gaughan from Family Circle Easy Accessories

YARN: Chinook, yarn cheese bought at the Smith Family in 2006 - still working through it.

NEEDLE: 10mm dpns thanks to Olivia.

Cast on at 8.00pm, photographed and put in the box 11pm, including Union of Crafters and Knitters mandatory tea and wee breaks.

Talk about a resolution, we-e-eell you know...

Last year's resolution (shelved to fund Dad's grand plans for my garden) has been resurrected.

Each month I'm going to buy something from an Australian independent fibre producer/artisan. NY resolutions are usually restrictive, and I wanted something joyous and positive, so that's mine.

I'll still be stash diving for most knitting projects but now I've got something to look forward to each month.

This list is probably waaaay out of date by now - if you know of any other local fibre producers/artisans, please let me know in the comments or by email.

A subset of this resolution is to continue to "knit the pretties". All those lovely yarns and spinning fibres that I have - well I deserve to knit them, so I will. Not all of them, obviously, but I'm giving myself permission to play.

FO Par

Lest it appear all I do is chuck stuff out, here are a few things I've created.

A souvenir of Singapore from TSS, given the stitchmarker treatment.

It's OK, she gave it to me with this in mind.

Mum's rib and lace socks from the Patonyle sock book. The anklets take 67g to make.

The Stanbridge socks for me from Ornaghi Filati Luna Park a prize won from Yarn magazine.

Seven Things - Week 17

In the last couple of weeks I've found myself grieving a little for my old ways. I really do now ask myself

(a) do I actually need that really cute/vintage/perfect for something thing and is it worth the hassle of getting rid of something else in the house to have? or

(b) is it really up to me to rescue it because it is perfect for someone I know?.

More often than not the answer is no.

And the op-shop managers are starting to notice. Two of my favourites happened to be in the same shop last week and joked that 1 mug at $1.50 was not meeting my minimum purchase requirements.

It makes me a little sad. I might just satisfy myself with taking photos of some of the gems, but it does rather smack of train-spotting for the vintage enthusiast.

TSS and I are discussing the pursuit of other activities in some of the time normally engaged in op-shopping: creative or social activities but not activities arranged around the nearest op-shop. *sigh*

The creative activity this week was going to be dealing the 4 boxes dedicated to Christmas decorating and craft, wrapping papers and the gift stash. I've knocked it down from 4 overflowing boxes to 2 and I'm looking closely at the boxes that are left. While I was in the cupboard, I checked some of the boxes not opened in 4 years. Most of the fabric has been despatched to the op-shops from whence it came and the research papers and notes are now mostly gone to the recycling bin.

Getting rid of old research papers led to the non-fiction book shelves. If I don't do the research anymore, do I need the reference library to back it up? I live 7 kilometres from one of the world's great libraries so if you're interested in labour, women's or Australian local history, the next Lifeline Book Fair is 7-9 March.

So the domino effect and the consumer overload that happens at this time of the year, led to a swing into the purge part of the binge/purge cycle. It is positive and I'm going with it and trying not to overthink it and therefore think myself out of it.

There was a mini op-shop tour on Friday, but we quit after half a day, while we were ahead and at my suggestion. More personal growth - astounding!

IN (40)

• 1 bag spinning fibre - forgot to include this last week. Ewe Give Me The Knits fibre club for Dec. (It's absolutely gorgeous, am champing at the bit to spin it).
• 1 mug. SALVOS
• 1 pair shoes - GIFT
• 1 bag of beads discarded by The Shopping Sherpa from the world's most hideous bracelet. Used as decorations on fabric Christmas gift bags. The beads were fine on their own it was the conformation of bracelet that was revolting.
• 1 apron. Forgot this from last week. It has a knitting koala screen-printed on it under the legend "I'm an Aussie Granny". As an apron it is too small and too twee but refashioned it will be something else altogether. SALVOS.
• 1 scarf - GIFT
• 1 ruana - GIFT
• 5 pieces underwear 30-50% off @ TARGET
• 1 pair trousers - OP SHOP
• 11 Patons patterns. eBay/op shop
• 10 beanies worth of yarn OP SHOP
• 1 ball Patonyle OP SHOP
• 1 set dpns OP SHOP
• 3 jumpers for yarn recycling OP SHOP
• 1 Spin-Off magazine. The first of my subscription. Yay!

OUT (402)

• 37 items of clothing WOMEN'S REFUGE
• 1 box packing materials GIFT
• 1 Pkt cd cases GIFT
• 1 Bra - a casualty in the war between lycra and gravity BIN
• 1 Pr undies cut up for dusters REPURPOSED
• 1 Nightie cut up for dusters REPURPOSED
• 1 Bag hobby fill OP-SHOP
• 2 elephant key-rings OP-SHOP
• 5 small bags, handbags, coin purses OP-SHOP
• 24 music cds OP-SHOP
• 1 arty faux Rubik's cube OP-SHOP
• 3 scarves OP-SHOP
• 1 itty-bitty book light OP-SHOP
• 1 palette OP-SHOP
• 1 pedicure kit OP-SHOP
• 1 pencil sharpener in the shape of a lantern OP-SHOP
• 1 rug making kit OP-SHOP
• 1 set paint brushes OP-SHOP
• 5 glossy mags OP-SHOP
• 3 Car seat covers OP-SHOP
• 15 sewing patterns OP-SHOP
• 28 lots of sewing fabric OP-SHOP
• 2 book stands OP SHOP
• 10 video cassettes and DVDs OP SHOP
• 131 books LIFELINE
• 19 assorted binders, folders, wallets, boxes of plastic sleeves and notebooks KIDS or DAD or RECYCLING or BIN
• 24 knitting patterns GIFTS
• 25 Christmas items - ornaments, toys decorations for my nieces and nephew KIDS
• 6 hair accessories KIDS
• 1 embroidery hoop GIFT
• 1 wheat filled heat pack GIFT
• 5 re-usable bags OP SHOP & WOMEN’S REFUGE
• 5 packets of Christmas cards (that's 100 cards!) - never used, still in their packaging bought them over a few years in after-Christmas markdown sales I rarely send Christmas cards and I resent the forced and inappropriate greetings on most of them DAD
• 2 circ needles BIN
• 31 floppy discs and data cds BIN
• 5 Items of kitchenalia OP-SHOP or BIN

I know I'm wimping out a bit by op-shop dumping this week, but I am concerned about burdening my friends and family with all this stuff. As op-shops are the source of quite a bit of the stuff in my house, they can deal with the consequences. I could probably sell a bit of it, but I just want it gone.

SHAKE IT ALL ABOUT (6)

2 pairs socks

4 stitch markers

TOTALS

IN 40
OUT 402
NET OUT 362

SIAA 6

A White Christmas

(Rosie's last litter)

Merry Christmas

love

Peggy, Rosie, Lochie and Taph

we'll catch you all after lunch tomorrow!

(Peggy feeds her last litter, Lochie on far right)

Well if you can spin gold from straw...

How fabulous is this? Dutch artist Greetje van Tiem spun yarn from newspaper and used it to knit and weave with.

I tried knitting with paper earlier in the year but couldn't get a loose enough tension - spinning it; now that would be fun. Curious Weaver explains how she did it.

Pic borrowed from www.dezeen.com

Seven Things Week 16

This week and next were always going to be tough, 7-things wise.

I'm usually prepared for the Christmas gift-giving pretty early. This year, not as early, but I was still ready with 10 days or so to spare. I've noticed in other years that even being prepared hasn't stopped me from feeling that I should be shopping. It's not just advertising hype and the talk around the lunch-room table but the fact that shopping frenzy is covered on the evening news! Shopping malls at midnight are the happening places, apparently. Our culture is so commercialised and geared to consumer experience that it's hard to not feel like I'm missing out on something.

Of course I'm really missing out on crowds, anxiety, cross-people who are more anxious than me, other people's tired cross and anxious children, bad renditions of my favourite Christmas carols through the PA system, and over-priced, useless stuff that will be relegated to the back of the cupboard or the op-shop come Boxing Day.

Ah well, I've never run with the "in" crowd and I'd rather be home with Peggy and a knitting project; the shops will just have to do without me.

IN (37)

• 1 groovy green bag. GIFT
• 1 felted bowl. GIFT
• 2 skeins yarn. GIFT
• 1 pkt Patons Aran yarn. OP-SHOP.
• 8 books - birthday money in action.
• 1 keyring. GIFT
• 2 magazines. GIFT
• 1 cone pink 5ply wool. OP-SHOP $2
• 10 Christmas fabric napkins. OP-SHOP $2.50. (already transformed into 5 re-usable fabric gift bags)
• 2 ramekins. GIFT
• 8 Patons patterns for the collection. eBay

OUT (69)

• 8 cookbooks GIFTS/OP SHOP
• 11 balls knitting cotton GIFT
• 2 balls sock yarn GIFT
• 1 skein sock yarn GIFT
• 9 items as gifts
• 2 fridge magnets. I took the actual magnets out to creatively reuse them and put the plastic faces (theme park souvenirs from well-meaning friends) in the bin.
• 5 wash cloths GIFTS
• 13 gift soaps GIFTS
• 13 gift bags GIFTS
• 1 emery board - worn out. BIN
• 4 sample sachets for cosmetic products. BIN

SIAA (41)

• 1 neck warmer
• 37 fabric gift sacks - fabric from Nanna's stash and 10 Christmas fabric napkins bought at Vinnies. Ribbon from stash.
• 2 fridge magnets made from the tops of champagne bottles and re-used magnets.
• 1 toddler's vest

TOTALS

In 37
Out 69
Net Out 32

SIIA 41

Top that

Beanie 2007.127

My third project for the Yarn Magazine KAL.

Sarah Golder's Sock Topper from Yarn, issue 8 - the current issue. The yarn was left over from a pair of socks and was exactly the 25g called for - hooray, no more scraps! Bummer, I've got 9g left.The hat's very sweet and I'll be able to use those 9g somewhere, I guess.

Couldn't resist photographing it on my favourite hydrangea which Dad propagated from a cutting off his, now deceased, plant. Originally it came from a cutting taken from Mrs Norris, also deceased, the mother of a family friend. The glorious rain of the last few weeks has made the garden explode with blooms.

Squiddly Did It

Crocheters of the world - well those of you I haven't alienated - behold!




Wanna make this cute critter? Pop over to Bookczuk's blog for the pattern. Bookczuk assures me this a very simple pattern. As she is a BookCrossing crafter and an all round lovely person, I believe her. She would love to see Aussie octopodes. The pattern is also in Ravelry, so you can queue it.

Pic lifted from Bookczuk.

Seven Things Week 15 - It's the thought that counts.

In the lead up to Christmas, it's really hard to stop myself from wanting more and more. I find that I have to be in the shopping centre to pick up odds and ends for Mum and it's difficult to resist the sale signs and pretty sparkly things.

I am so grateful for the gifts I have received this week. All of them have been wonderful and generous. When we say of a gift, "it's the thought that counts", what we often mean is that the gift is truly awful but it was nice to receive something. What the gifts I received this week have reminded me is that the real meaning of "it's the thought that counts" is that the giver actually thought of me when they made, bought or sent the gift and what I would like and appreciate. The true gift is the thought. ALL of the gifts I received this week were thoughtful, for which I am very grateful.

IN (28)

• 1 glass bowl - late 40s/early 50s pressed glass and bakelite from Aussie Junk Better Bits - I'm weak, what can I tell you?
• 1 Secret Santa gift - anyone want an elephant key-ring and a small change purse?
• 9 things that were birthday or Christmas gifts - all beautiful and very gratefully received :)
• 11 Patons patterns for the collection
• 6 odd balls of yarns, gifts from gorgeous and generous knitters. Thank you. :)

OUT (69)

• 1 flower drying kit OP SHOP
• 1 paper making kit OP SHOP
• 2 Akubra hats GIFTS
• 1 postcard GIFT
• 1 book of stickers GIFT
• 6 glossy mags GIFTS
• 1 glossy mag OP-SHOP
• 16 balls or equivalent knitting cotton GIFTS
• 40 assorted hair accessories. GIFTS, OP-SHOP, BIN as appropriate

SIAA (1)
1 beanie

TOTALS

IN 28
OUT 69
NET OUT 41

SIAA 1

Thank you

For everyone who helped out with my crochet question last week - thank you.

I passed on all your suggestions. Ron was thrilled and excited that people all over the world thought his crochet could be transformed. Trudi's scarf suggestion was a big hit as was Janet's bowl idea. The house has a regular craft group so they are planning a session around the chain. I have to admit, I'm with Kai - I think it's great that he takes joy in the process with no particular goal.

He made this card in craft group as a thank you.

Seven Things Week 14

IN (15)

• 1 drum carder eBay.
• 2 pairs tortiseshell needles, gift from a family friend. The ack that came with it was immediately placed in the out tray.
• 1 black silk blouse, $10 from Vinnies. A bit on the pricey side, but sometimes I splurge.
• 2 books from a knitting BookCrosser I met on Ravelry.
• 1 set dpns
• 6 projects worth of Patonyle
• 2 projects worth of Bluebell

OUT (35)

• 12 books - BookCrossing
• 6 knitting patterns. GIFT
• 4 cross-stitch kits GIFT
• 1 long-stitch kit GIFT
• 2 trapunto kits GIFT
• 1 ball sock yarn GIFT
• 1 lampshade OP SHOP
• 1 Anne Geddes bee soft toy, a long ago mothers' day gift. It came in a terracotta pot painted bright yellow and covered in bees. I'm keeping the pot. OP SHOP
• 1 adaptor to play cds in the car through the cassette player. OP SHOP
• 1 walking stick. OP SHOP
• 3 Secret Santa GIFTS
• 2 books. GIFTS
  

SHAKE-IT-ALL-ABOUT (2)

• 1 bag
• 1 collar

TOTALS:

IN 15
OUT 35
NET OUT 20
SIAA 2

Star quality

A day's leave from work today to attend my nephew's Speech and Drama Class Concert.

Here he is - the one with his head on one side trying to work out why his aunt is photographing him through a beanie-in-progress.

He did a great job in the speech choir pieces and in the two-hander with his mate Adam. There's video footage, I won't bother posting it to You-tube - you can thank me later. ;p

Due to a communication error, Mum and I got to spend 3.5 hours at the school - that's 3" of a 4ply baby hat on 2.75mm needles. Some of the time I was taping performances, but most of it was knitting.

The whole primary school attended and the children were beautifully behaved - more so than the mother behind me who took several calls on her mobile during the hour and a half concert and chatted and drivelled while the children performed.

While we were over that way, popped into the Crafty Frog for leather thonging to finish the Christiane Collar - ta da!

Ditte Larsen's Christiane Collar from Yarn issue 7, Winter 2007. The yarn is a wool/ack blend reclaimed from an op-shop jumper. The colour is gorgeous and it has these little felty bits through it.

Finished off with leather thonging and boodle wooden beads.

Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum

Inwood Smith Drum Carder

Christmas came a little early, Chez Taph.

In the bag

It's done - the first item on my list for the Yarn knit-along. See this post for yarn and pattern details. It's 4 repeats longer than the pattern and I put the eyelets in the second pattern repeat which gives a ruffled top.



Because this was a tape yarn I used it to make the ties as well.


I'm particularly pleased with the beads. The photo's not so hot, but I had wooden beads in exactly the right shades of orange and pink. No purchases were made to conceive or complete this project. Whacko!



And I've cast on my next KAL project, Ditte Larsen's Christiane Collar from issue 7, Winter 2007.

Do not call 000

but I need some advice on cr***et.

A woman I work with also works at a group home for the handicapped. There's a guy there who has been cr****ting chains for years. He just likes doing it. He chains until the ball is used up and then he starts a new ball if there is one, or he uravels what he's done and starts again. He is 63 - there's a ship-load of chain.

He'd like to do something with the chains and my colleague wants to help but doesn't cr****t, or indeed knit. I've given her a big bag of yarn to help keep going but she needs ideas.

So far I've come up with

• find a bigger hook and use the chain as yarn for another chain (I have no idea if that would work),
  
• use the chain as you would French knitting and make rugs/placemats/trivets,
  
• use the chain to weave with by making a loom out of a picture frame or old tapestry frame. Again, I have no idea if that would work.

Ideas?

While you're thinking, here's some novelty yarn, stash-busting, side-to-side scarves.

*edited to explain that I include photos of novelty yarn scarves to show that I, too, can participate in maligned crafts activity - make as much fun as you like.

Yarn KAL

I don't join Knit-Alongs. They tend to be just too much pressure - knitting's meant to be fun and if I start putting deadlines to it, the fun dies and I stress badly. I don't mind setting myself goals, I just don't like the pressure of other people's expectations or the competitve drive that kicks in.

But when I saw that Kate was starting up a KAL to celebrate Yarn magazine and retiring editor Barbara Coddington, I decided I could cope. Read all about it here.

The idea is to knit a pattern from any or each of the 8 editions before issue 9 (hopefully March '08) is out.

I've got Buckley's of knitting 8 items by March '08, but I'm going to give it a go. Typically my first piece is not from any of the 8 paper editions, it's from the online sample issue. See, there's another reason I don't KAL - if I can't set the rules, I break them. That, and I'm a smart arse.

I'm setting some ground rules, though. I'll try and knit from each edition I haven't already knitted from and I'll use current boodle to complete each item. It would be really great if I could use some of the yarn I won from Yarn to knit a few. No telling how many items I'll make and my copies are already bristling with page markers. There's only one edition from which I'm struggling to find a pattern I really want to knit.

The first project, though - Barb's own Little Lace Bag. It's a sweet ripple pattern designed to make a pretty little evening bag. Thing is, though, I have about as much use for an evening bag as I do for set of iceskates. What I need is a little bag to protect the coffee mug I lug about to meetings etc. instead of using the plastic and sytrofoam usually on offer. So I’ve added a few pattern repeats and because I committed knitting sin number 2 (not reading the pattern the whole way through before casting on), I’ve put the eyelet row in the second pattern repeat.

I'm using Lang Moana, a Spidey leftover. It’s 50/50 cotton and acrylic. It’s making a dense fabric to protect my mug and washes well.I would have been finished but I cast on the second piece on the wrong size needle and was 1/3 the way through before I discovered the error.

So, anyone else up for the Yarn KAL? It''ll be fun. There's plenty of free online patterns or you can go over the the mag website and order back issues. Drop Kate a line kathrynthorne at hotmail dot com and she'll send you an invitation to the KAL blog.

Seven Things Week 13 - unlucky for some

Good Lord - all but one of my ins this week relates directly to knitting. Not all that surprising I guess, but, you know, it's a bit of a giveaway that I might just be a bit OCD here.

IN: (28)
4 pairs socks worth of Patonyle
6 hats worth of Twilleys Freedom Wool
1 scarf worth of Twilleys Freedom Wool
1 wrap's worth of Naturally Sensation wool and angora
1 Vogue Knitting International magazine
2 old Cast On magazines from Vinnies
1 old Knitters' magazine from Vinnies
1 Interweave Gift Knits 2007
2 circular needles from Vinnies
1 set wooden Erotel needles from Vinnies
5 knitting books
1 novel - the new Jasper Fforde, First Among Sequels. A gift from a colleague.
1 cone 8ply from Vinnies
1 cone laceweight from Vinnies

OUT: (48)
6 tea towels. SALVOS
5 cotton scarves. VINNIES
1 insulated back pack which was a gift for being on an expert panel last year. Very useful I'm sure but I don't need it and it has the Australian Seniors Portal logo all over it and that would just be false advertising! ;) VINNIES
10m blue and white checked fabric. Purchased 4 years ago for $1 a metre, I've already used 20 metres on various test sewing projects and nighties for Mum and me. I thought it might soften up with use, but it stayed scratchy and frayed and pulled to buggery to boot. Not such a bargain after all. VINNIES
2 balls sock yarn GIFT
15 balls acrylic yarn for a group house where there is a dedicated crocheter in need of materials. GIFT
1 comforter - bought for the spare bed (Salvos 1/2 price manchester sale a couple of years ago) but the colours are not quite right and it's all puffy. SALVOS
3 Pilyvut egg cups in the shape of chickens. I do not require so many egg cups. These are lovely, but... SALVOS
1 white china bowl. Small but not small enough for cereal and too big for the cupboard and there's only one of them. SALVOS
2 bamboo bag handles. SALVOS
1 cheap and nasty kilt pin. SALVOS
1 Paddy Palin plastic coffee plunger/coffee mug in one. SALVOS


SHAKE-IT-ALL-ABOUT (6)
1 beanie
5 scarves

IN 28

OUT 48
NET OUT 20

SIAA 6