Needles on the Move

Needles ... on the move

2007-02-25T16:53:00.001Z

Dear Readers,

Moving up in the world, I have shifted the blog to my new website which you may have spotted in the sidebar and perhaps even visited!

Please update your links to www.dianemulholland.com/blog

Wordpress won't let me import all the old posts however, so a lot of links may still carry you back here while I get it all figured out.

I also welcome a new contributor: Mum has given up struggling with Blogger and as Kurrajong Handcrafts is a joint venture it seemed fitting that we share the blog as well. Watch out for her posts from Sunny Australia B-)

See you over there!

Ciao, Diane

Fibre Pron

2007-02-24T09:24:00.000Z

Today I have a date with this baby:

It's Polwarth tops from Wendy Dennis, hand-dyed by my mum. I did some sampling last week and it's soooooooo soft and lovely to spin.

Sadly though, I have to go to work first. And a little hint: DON'T get hooked into browsing new spinning blogs on a Saturday morning when you are supposed to be out the door. Yes I did forget the time, and yes I'm probably going to be late now but I JUST WANT TO BE SPINNING. Bring on closing time!

Don't you love it...

2007-02-22T19:51:00.000Z

... when something just works :-)

I was sitting around at work today by myself (bad weather = no customers) knitting mindless stocking stitch socks and I realised that a friend is having a birthday next week.

Enter inspiration! I chose some yarn (not hard - isn't it funny how you can make everything out of Koigu lol) drew some charts, knitted a swatch and I was away.

I struck a small hiccup about 2 hours in (solely due to me pretending that my gauge was what I wanted it to be and not what the swatch said it was), but this was easily solved by going up a needle size and down a pattern repeat. Now I'm zooming along with a glass of wine at hand.

That is how I like designing to be.

In complete contrast to my design session(s) on the weekend. Where I swatched, and swatched, and erased, and counted, and drew pictures, and changed stitch patterns and swatched again. After a total of about 4 hours over two days I returned the yarn to the stash drawer with a grumpy face on.

I am faced with the choice of creating a pattern which is more difficult to knit than I intended, or going down a needle size and yarn size for a different gauge, or changing stitch patterns again, or throwing the whole concept out the window and thinking up something else. I think I'm going to let it stew for a while.

BTW, this is still way more fun and easier than supply teaching and I regret nothing.

----

Oh, and I discovered something new: Splash some Innocent Smoothie in a glass, add generous amounts of tequila and Cointreau and a couple of ice cubes. mmmmmmmmm :-)

What was that? NY resolution to drink less? I don't know what you're talking about. And anyway, it's practically health food, all that fruit juice :-D

Gotta go, there's a birthday present to finish. Is it yours? ;-)

Ciao!

Monday Musings

2007-02-19T14:01:00.000Z

Pretty and Practical?

Today I had a bit of a play with a new toy. I ordered some spindles a while back from my friend Claire and, on a whim, ordered a Nostepinne to match my spindle. I used it today for the first time and immediately noticed all those positives, such as perfect balance and lovely finish, which I had also admired in the spindle when I first picked it up.

These tools are hand made by Claire and her husband and the attention to detail makes them not only a practical tool but a work of art. And I like my tools pretty.

At a pinch I could probably use a cardboard tube as a Nostepinne (it's not tapered though which is kind of important) and I have often wound centre-pull balls on a pair of ice-cream sticks or folded card. But I firmly believe that a tool does not have to lose its practicality just because it has been made aesthetically pleasing as well.

I knit, spin and crochet because I love to work with my hands and I like to create, and look at, beautiful things. The tools we use can be a pleasure in themselves and add to the overall enjoyment of the creative pastime.

--------

* Some tools I have been drooling over :-)

* and another

* Claire's spindles are here

Eye Candy

2007-02-18T16:17:00.000Z

I finished up the laceweight. Not 50g in the end - as the second bobbin looked to be filling up much more so I stopped (in fact there was far less on the first bobbin so somewhere I messed up in the weighing out)

Here's a pic, currency comparison in two languages (have you noticed that a 5p is exactly the same as a dime - I'll only use one in future!)

Stats: Fleece Artist merino/silk hand-dyed roving; 2-ply; 33g/300m (painstaking!)

I'm not completely happy - there are a lot more imperfections than I had noticed while spinning. Not very noticable, but when trying to produce a perfect skein, well ... I'm a perfectionist. I have nothing against slubs if I meant them to be there ;-)

I am very much against the idea of spending another three weekends on this yarn but I think I'm going to need at least another 200m or so to support a decent lace project - unless anyone has some brilliant ideas for 300m?

P.S. I'll try to replace this photo with some better ones if I can - it is hopeless trying to take photos in our flat in winter.

Weekends are for Spinning

2007-02-17T12:43:00.000Z

And this may just be useful...

I took a long-awaited trip to the Handweavers Studio this morning and this was the result:

Back issues of Spin-Off, cashmere, throwsters silk waste, mohair tops, Wensleydale curls, polyester fibre, and I went a bit silly on the merino caterpillars :-D (they're all such pretty colours!)

I plan to do a fair bit of experimenting with blending some different fibres over the next few weeks, hence the flick carders (which I was surprised were only £10 for the pair). I'm thinking mohair/merino; merino/silk; merino/curly bits; and want to try a tweed yarn. Watch out for 'Weekends are for Spinning' to see what I come up with.

Before all that though, I need to finish the first 50g of laceweight I've got taking up all my bobbins at the moment (I did think of getting more bobbins but thought that might be a bit dangerous), hopefully I will spin the last 15g or so tonight and ply it up before the weekend is over and it's back to knitting.

Ciao :-)

One-Skein One-Der: The pattern

2007-02-16T18:43:00.000Z

Big thanks to Jan, who edited the pattern for me into proper crochet-speak, and to Jill who tested it for me as we scribbled down various annotations :-)

Materials
One skein Koigu KPPM (50g/175yds)
3.5mm crochet hook

Abbreviations (English terms used)
ch – chain; sp – space; tr – treble; dc – double crochet; dtr – double treble; slst – slip stitch.

Instructions
Mesh:
Make 32 ch
Row 1: 1tr into 7th ch from hook, *ch 2, skip 2 ch, 1tr into next ch* repeat from * to * 7 more times. (nine spaces)
Row 2: Make 5 ch (turning ch), *1tr into next ch sp, ch 2* repeat from * to * seven times, 1 tr into top of turning ch.
Repeat row 2 until scarf is about 1m long, or you have about a ping-pong ball size worth of yarn left.

Ruffle:
Tip: Work ruffle at foundation edge first, then if you think you are likely to run out of yarn unpull a few rows of the mesh before working second ruffle.
Join yarn at corner and work ruffle along short end of scarf.
Row 1: Make 5 ch (turning ch), [1dtr into first ch sp, 1 ch] 3times, *[1dtr into next ch sp, 1 ch] 4 times* repeat from * to * for each remaining space, omitting final ch.
Row 2: Make 5 ch (turning ch), [1 dtr, 1 ch] into each ch sp to end, 1 dtr into top of turning ch.
Row 3: [4 ch, 1 dc] into each ch sp to end, 4 ch, slst into top of turning ch. Break yarn and draw through last loop.
Repeat ruffle at other end, darn in ends. Scarf will increase in length with blocking.

How much is enough?

2007-02-11T09:20:00.000Z

Pretend you're at step four. You have lovingly prepared your fibre (or perhaps cheated by buying prepared roving), spun it into a few bobbins of singles and carefully plied it and wound skeins.

Yay, I get to knit/crochet/weave something now!

How does one determine whether the spun yarn will be sufficient for the project? You can take the knit-till-I-run-out option, this works well for triangular shawls and blankets of little squares sewn together. However, if you actually have a specific pattern in mind it is worth getting an accurate measurement of the yardage in your skein.

There are many ways to do this.

The Painstaking
For a perfectly accurate reading, if you have a few hours to spare.
1. Measure the length of your skein
2. Count every thread in the skein and multiply by the measured length
What? Yeah, me neither.

The Clever
NB this works better on non-fuzzy skeins.
1. Measure the length of the skein
2. Spread the threads out into a single layer
3. Measure across and multiply by your wpi

Btw, I picked up this great little wpi-measuring-device (actually it's a pencil) at Paperchase for 50p. Next time I go back I'm getting a whole stack more and, if you spin, I'll send you one :-)

The Ball-Park
Okay, this is actually not very accurate, but quick if you're feeling lazy.
1. Weigh your skein, or even better, guess based on how much fibre you originally bought and how much fluff you left behind stuck to your flatmates' socks
2. Find a ball in your yarn stash with similar wpi
3. Calculate yardage per gram of your stash ball and multiply by the weight of your skein
I did say it wasn't rocket-science

The 'I Married a Millionnaire'
Not strictly economical, but if you sell some skeins maybe you can write it off against your tax :-D
1. Buy one of these:

2. Run your yarn through it

I have to admit to a certain inclination towards method three, with the added safety-net of 'spin an extra 25g or so'. I have also been known to be Painstaking on occasion. Generally, I go for the Clever (well of course!). I am very open to submissions of 'Cleverer' and 'More Cleverer' if you know of any :-)

Happy spinning!

Ciao, Diane

Look what followed me home...

2007-02-06T23:02:00.000Z

Sometimes you have to ignore yarn diets. And budgets.

Sometimes you see a colour, the most awesomest colour ever dyed and it has to come home and live at your house. In your stash drawer, or maybe in a vase as a centrepiece.

And if the awesomest colour ever dyed happens to be painted on Koigu, and it happens to be the last two skeins on the shelf, then it would be criminal not to give it a good home. Right?

Monday Musings

2007-02-05T16:42:00.000Z

I am a ... ?

Somewhere in the last couple of weeks I experienced a subtle shift. I'm not sure when it happened but I'm pretty sure that I am not quite the same person I was a month ago. Right up until last week, if anyone asked me my profession I would reply "primary school teacher" even though I am teaching at the moment about 2 days a month and have not been secretive about my current animosity towards anything under 4 1/2 feet tall.

I knew that at some point I would be able to reply "I'm a writer" but the hard bit is figuring out when. School-teaching has faded into the background and I have articles sitting on editors' desks but I am still not quite ready to make the change.

What makes a writer a writer? Lots of people read my blog (I can see you, I have a site counter) but I feel that's not really quite it. Of the solicited articles I have delivered, none are yet in print and I think that is what I am waiting on. When I see my name in print, right there on the page in a magazine (and incidentally, when I have a cheque in the bank) then I will be a writer. And the world will be my mollusc.

In the meantime, what am I? If it amuses you, leave a comment suggesting how I should answer the question "What do you do?" during my interim period of uncertainty.

Ciao :-)

Last week's Monday Musings

Cute piccy :-)

2007-02-04T20:37:00.000Z

Remember the Little Red Sweater?

It did get frogged and reknitted and here it is keeping baby Kailey warm in the frosty Pennsylvanian winter!

Isn't she sweet :-D

For more baby pics visit Amanda, don't forget to say hello!

Et Voilà!

2007-02-01T22:07:00.000Z

Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark, Interweave Knits (Fall 2006)

Yarn: Koigu KPPM P826 2 1/2 skeins, 4mm needles

Measures: 150cm (top edge) x 65cm (midpoint to tip)

Started Tues Jan 16th, finished Wed Jan 31st

I will definitely knit this pattern again - it was a lot of fun :-)

Watch This Space...

2007-01-31T19:30:00.000Z

Swallowtail is blocking!

No photos though until I can do the arty window shot :-D

Monday Musings

2007-01-29T14:57:00.001Z

On Muses

Last night my muse hit me. Right between the eyes. I tossed and turned for hours as ideas flooded my brain and I tried to decide whether it was worth going in search of pen and paper (I've always been of the 'I’m sure I'll remember this in the morning' club).

It's funny how you don't really choose when inspiration is going to come to you. Perhaps it was the result of a bit of successful spinning or the patchy sunshine we’ve had over the last few days. Whatever it was, by 2am I'd decided that no way was I going to call in for daily supply today. Apart from the obvious draw-backs of the lack of sleep, there is an inherant risk when coming in contact with young children in the classroom that all inspirational thought will be firmly squashed and beaten by the end of the day.

So here I am at home actually writing a book. Who would have thought it.

One day I’ll be a famous author and will never have to go supply teaching again :-)

Ciao, Diane

Last week's Monday Musings

Hooked

2007-01-28T10:41:00.002Z

A long chain (sorry) of events yesterday all seemed to flow towards one ultimate conclusion - I crocheted a scarf.

It started with the arrival in the shop of Jan Eaton, author of several crochet and knitting books and unofficial crochet expert at Stash on a Saturday. She had been clearing out and had brought along for our classroom a pile of bits and pieces including a bag of crochet hooks.

A customer came in and happened to ask me about a technique from one of Jan's books, I waved her in Jan's direction and then furtively followed behind so I could listen in.

I then decided that I really had to unpull the one-skein sample scarf I'd made in Koigu as I never really liked it - any excuse to play with Koigu - and decided maybe I could crochet it this time. A bit of help from the expert and I was on my way.

See how it's coming together?... It may have ended there except that we were visiting Neil's sister for the afternoon and since she was confined to the flat after a knee reconstruction so were we for the duration of the visit. Afternoon became evening and pizza and I crocheted happily away through Star Trek and kitten-watching. Until suddenly I was almost out of yarn.

"Um... can I borrow your internet for a minute?" google 'crochet ruffle edgings', back to the couch.

Meanwhile, Neil was itching to get back to his computer (the kitten was asleep and the movie over and he didn't have any Koigu to play with) so I agreed to leave. Due to dodgy weekend tube service I finished the ruffles on the train and darned in the ends while waiting for a change. Blocked last night and thanks to the heating which we can't seem to turn down, dry this morning.

And here it is: The One-day One-skein One-der

Sometime I'll have a go at crochet pattern language and try and write it up for you :-)

Ciao!

[sl2, p3tog, psso] 208 times

2007-01-26T21:28:00.000Z

Have finished the nupps *dances around the room*

I have only the 20-something rows of border to do and then I get to block
:-D

Trying to stretch out lace knitting to get a good look at it makes me realise several distinct advantages to being an octopus. In fact - imagine how much knitting I could get done if I were an octopus (cooooooool!) anyone know where I can buy octopus arms?

Here is Swallowtail (less a couple of inches knitted since I took the photo):

And here, a glimpse of what it may look like after a good hard blocking (due to lack of octopuses Michelle had to lend a hand):

At this rate, if the weather stays bad and we continue to experience the current lack of customers to interrupt me, I hope to be finished early next week :-D

Cafe Curtains

2007-01-21T20:29:00.000Z

I’m finding it very difficult to photograph these socks effectively so you’ll just have to trust me. The lace pattern is very easy, and looks just a little like café curtains pulled back prettily on either side of a window.

Yarn
Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock, shown in colour ‘Lakeview’. I used one skein for small socks with a shortish cuff, allow two if you want longer socks.
Gauge
9 sts/inch in stocking stitch

Abbreviations
yf – yarn forward as if to purl; yb – yarn back as if to knit; yo – yarn over; ssk – slip next two stitches kwise, return to left needle and k2tog through back loops;

Pattern
Lace pattern is worked over 8 stitches and 8 rounds.
Round 1 and all odd rounds: *k7, p1* rpt to end
Round 2: *k2tog, k2, yo, k1, yo, ssk, p1* rpt to end
Round 4: *k2tog, k1, yo, k4, p1* rpt to end
Round 6: *k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2, ssk, p1* rpt to end
Round 8: *k4, yo, k1, ssk, p1* rpt to end

Instructions
Cast on 64 stitches and join into the round, being careful not to twist.
Work p2, k2 rib for 8 rounds.
Commence pattern, work 8 rows of patt rpt 5 times or until cuff is desired length.
Work heel over next 32 stitches, placing remaining stitches on holder or spare needles.
Each yf or yb at the beginning of a row creates a yarn-over pair. These are knitted together at the end of the short rows to create a neat finish without holes.

Heel
Row 1: k to last stitch, turn
Row 2: yb p1, p to last stitch, turn
Row 3: yf k1, k to next yo pair, turn
Row 4: yb p1, p to next yo pair, turn
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until 11 stitches remain between the yo pairs.
To complete heel:
Row 1: yf k1, k to next yo pair, k 1st stitch of pair, slip next yo pwise and slip first stitch of next pair kwise, return slipped stitches to left needle and k2togtbl
Row 2: yb p1, p to next yo pair, p 1st stitch of pair, p2tog (next yo and 1st stitch of next pair)
Row 3: yf k1, k to next yo pair, k 1st stitch of pair, slip next 2 yos pwise and slip first stitch of next pair kwise, return slipped stitches to left needle and k3togtbl
Row 4: yb p1, p to next yo pair, p 1st stitch of pair, p3tog (next 2 yos and 1st stitch of next pair)
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until the final k3togtbl, there will still be yarn-overs at the other end of the needle.

Recommence working in the round.
Next round: patt 32 sts (top of foot), k3tog, k to last stitch, p1.
Continue working pattern on top of foot and stocking stitch on sole. To balance pattern purl last stitch of sole stiches in each row. Continue until sock is within 2 inches of toe.

Toe
Work short-row toe over stitches on top of foot, leaving sole stitches on a holder. Work as for heel until the final k3togtbl, there will still be yarn-overs at the other end of the needle, turn.
Next row: p to last three stitches, p3tog
Break yarn and graft seam using kitchener stitch. Darn in ends.

News Hour

2007-01-20T15:44:00.000Z

So much to catch up on - where do I start??

Firstly: have I mentioned that Amanda is awesome! In the middle of nesting, making bootees and generally being 9 months pregnant - which should be enough for anyone - she still managed to send me my box of Knit Picks Options, which I had shipped to her house, AND the coolest Christmas presents :-) The box was delivered to my work and I didn't have the camera with me so no pics of the lovely wrapping which Amanda always takes care over - I just ripped it all open in 2 minutes flat!

Clockwise: My KnitPicks in their folder - these are awesome and Amanda sent me extra cables so I can now have a million projects on the needles without ever running out :-D candles, chocolate mix, hand-made stitch markers and scissors dangly, SOCKS THAT ROCK!!! Woohoo, I love this yarn. And there is so much of it in the skein I'm thinking maybe a scarf or something. I could easily make two pairs of socks if I wanted to. In the middle of the pic is the sweetest little ceramic teabag dish and squeezers, and some Christmas flavoured teabags, yum!! There were some other useful bits but they are in my knitting bag, hard at work.

Thank you so much Amanda :-) I love everything! I hope you and baby girl are doing well Can't wait to see some pics so I'm haunting your blog :-)

* * *

In knitting news, I have broken my yarn diet and my one-at-a-time rule and cast on the Swallowtail Shawl. My excuse? It's Koigu. For those of you who have used Koigu, no further explanation is needed. If you've never tried it - get out there and buy some! It is divine. Gorgeous. Pure Luxury. I have even seriously contemplated unpulling things I have knitted out of this yarn so I can have the pleasure of knitting it again. It is pretty tough on the old purse though, so make it a special knit. People have used it for socks but as Bronte says: Koigu is too nice to put on your feets. I expect to use three skeins for the shawl but have a fourth on standby just in case.

The silk lace has been reinvented as a Flower Basket shawl - with beads. No way was I unstringing all those beads. They are now, by the way, conveniently spaced along the first couple of hundred yards of yarn as I left them exactly where they were when I frogged. It saves a lot of time when you don't have to regulalry stop and move them along.

I finished two pairs of socks for myself recently:

"Untitled"
Yarn: Fleece Artist, colour 'burgundy' Pattern: Bluebell rib from SKS, toe-up with the Zimmerman 'sewn bind-off'. Being a toe-up gal I am still searching for the perfect cast-off. This is not too bad: It takes a while and is basically impossible to undo, which could be a pain, but is seriously stretchy and this is the first pair of toe-up socks I don't have to put on carefully. I will probably continue to cast off this way until I find a better method.

'Cafe Curtains' (need a close-up of the pattern really)

Yarn: Lorna's Laces, colour 'Lakeview'. Pattern: My own - I've had some requests so hope to have it up here in the next few days.

Wrapping up the WIPs, I have finished one of Neil's oh-so-boring socks and will need to find a suitable movie/TV series on DVD to get me through the other one :-)

Here is the progress update on Anemoi, I am still loving this project but it is such an anti-social knit, requiring serious concentration, that it tends to get left on the shelf. Maybe I'll kick Neil out to the pub tonight and put in some hard yards :-D

Your turn now! What have you been up to?

Ciao, Diane

Very Slack

2007-01-19T18:57:00.000Z

Terribly sorry I haven't been posting lately - I could pretend I have been desperately busy but really it's just the miserable grey weather and general slackness :-/

Stay tuned this weekend for:
- Photos of the awesome Christmas presents I received from Amanda
- News of the latest WIPs (I have only been slack about posting - not knitting!)
- A new sock pattern
- An early Musings perhaps...

Of course, if the sun comes out I reserve the right to go out and sunbathe for a couple of hours. Although perhaps in a thick coat, not a knitted bikini ;-)

Ciao, Diane

Back-burning

2007-01-11T10:41:00.000Z

It's not quite front-page international news, but some of you may have heard that parts of Australia are burning down. One of the major fire fronts is about 20km from my parents' farm and they have been on alert for weeks. It is hard to understand what it is like there right now as I shiver in the greyness of London's winter, but reports of Christmas spent close to home, late-night calls to spot-fires and my older brother spending most of his holiday visit clearing scrub, help to bring the picture to life.

Mild weather in the last few weeks has been gratefully received as it allows for back-burning. Local firefighters, including members of my family, are able to operate controlled burns to reduce fuel and slow the progress of the fires. Mum has also been 'back-burning' in the house: cleaning out cupboards and reducing stashes of anything flammable to minimise the risk of losing the farmhouse.

It came to me today that, strangely, I am doing a bit of back-burning myself. Although not threatened by such dire need as those at home, I found myself towards the end of last year needing a bit of relief from the attacking forces of too many knitting projects. When you start a new knit almost every week, sometimes more than one, you NEVER get anything finished. That's not fun. So I put myself on a yarn diet. No new yarn means no fuel for the WIP fires. I can finish what I've started, knit up some of my stash, and clear the decks ready for new beginnings later on.

Maybe you're back-burning too: did you make a diet resolution? Did you throw out all the crisps/cookies/chocolate/soft yummy cheeses lurking in your pantry? Back-burning!

Good luck with your New Year's resolutions, especially those of you who didn't need to make any! And please send a prayer my mum's way this week.

Ciao, Diane

Year of the Steek

2007-01-03T20:12:00.000Z

In her list of New Year's Resolutions Bronte announced she was going to try steeking. Of course, I rose to the bait and said I'd keep her company.

Then this arrived in the mail yesterday:

It's brilliant! Excellent advice about colour, pattern design and ... steeks!

Obviously it's a sign - so I promise that sometime this year I will cut a steek.

I have actually already purchased the yarn for a project for Nathalie's baby - I wanted to do Fair Isle but was too scared to do anything requiring steeking so I found a no-cut pattern. Do I change my mind and leap straight in at the deep end? Or finish this one first and maybe practise chopping up my knitting on something a little less precious????

Tell me your steek stories :-)

Ciao!

Monday Musings

2007-01-01T21:19:00.000Z

Lesson One: Following a Pattern

Last week I knitted Fetching. Kind of. As I picked up my needles I thought "Good - a well written pattern, I can knit from beginning to end without any maths, adjustments or in fact, thinking.

As I cast on I caught myself thinking: I wonder if this would work with an Italian cast-on...

As I knitted the cuff I caught myself thinking: I don't really like my mitts long - maybe I'll stop at 12 rows...

Having reached the thumb I caught myself thinking: I really do prefer gusset-increase to an afterthought thumb...

And I left off the picot edging.

I can read a pattern, I can even write a pretty fair pattern. But somehow, I can't bring myself to follow a written pattern word for word, beginning to end. As soon as I start I find myself tweaking here and adjusting there. Four rows more, two stitches less, in the round rather than flat, toe-up instead of cuff-down. I think this is why I spend rather more of my time thinking about knitting, and frogging my knitting rather than actually knitting.

Somewhere out there is a pattern which I will follow stitch for stitch. In the meantime, I keep my notebook handy and spend much time examining socks - trying to figure out what I did to the first one so I can attempt to knit a second which matches.

Ciao :-)

Last week's Monday Musings

Wrapping Up

2006-12-31T21:42:00.000Z

Well, the year draws to a close. I am sitting at home in peace and quiet having waved a fond farewell to all those who want to go out and battle the crowds and smoke, buy overpriced drinks and come home too late to be able to get up at a decent hour tomorrow and actually enjoy a day off :-D (they may laugh at me but I know I'm better off...)

This has been an eventful year. I spent time discovering new horizons of illness involving much painkillers and surgery; re-discovered knitting; moved to the other side of the world; suffered a career change. No kids yet and looks like we've put them off for a year or so 'cause no way I'm having them in London and we love it here.

Please note the much reduced WIPs list (applause welcome). I have to admit though - it did involve a bit of frogging. The Legolas socks are gone for good - they may become another pair of Fetching as the weather continues to freeze poor Aussie fingers, The silk lace hasn't disappeared but I'm not happy with the pattern so am starting again, and taking the opportunity to go up a needle size so I can use the Knit Picks with their loooong cables when it gets to too many stitches.

The yet-more-socks, otherwise known as the too-smalls, otherwise known as how-many-times-can-you-mess-up-one-sock? have been partially frogged twice more this weekend but I managed to finish one and start the second. Good thing I love the yarn or they would have been ditched long ago.

The Little Red Sweater is finished - I found buttons today and whipped up some baby mitts with the leftovers (did I mention that worsted is really fast) This one's coming your way dear Amanda :-D for that gorgeous little girl!

The rest is there to stay I'm afraid.

I believe this is customary:

New Year's Resolutions

1. Keep the WIPs list under control
2. THE BOOK
3. Use less plastic
4. Drink less (yeah right)
5. Write to pen-friends every month
6. Eat more vegetables
7. Reach for literature rather than detective novels more often (What did I buy today? four Agatha Christies *blush*)

Happy New Year Everybody!

Love Diane xx

Santa has visited :-)

2006-12-21T18:10:00.000Z

Santa Claus came early to my house this year, although he wasn't expected. Last Friday a mystery box arrived - open up ...

My new spinning wheel, a week early! All unpacked and assembled it looked like this:

I didn't get much chance to spin on the weekend as I was working, but Monday was a day off and in the afternoon I set to to spin up the hand-dyed rovings I bought from my friend Claire ages ago. She had very thoughtfully dyed them in even colour repeats so I simply split each section and spun them one after another in order. Looking at the colours reminds me of why I said "I'll have those!" as soon as she had posted the picture.

After a quick navaho ply last night, and an evening on the needles, I have one Fetching :-) way to go Joy!

This is one awesome Christmas present. Thanks very much to hubby Neil, and Michelle and Nathalie from work who all put in for the purchase.

Tagged!

2006-12-20T18:30:00.000Z

I have been reading this meme with some interest - should have known it would hit me eventually :-)

Five weird things, hmmm......

1. I prefer vegetables to dessert and would rather have a second entree than a piece of fudge-cake
2. I use matching coloured pegs to hang socks in pairs on the clothesline
3. I'm under 50 and I knit (well all my friends and relations seem to think that's weird)
4. I have a tiny handbag and keep it regularly cleared of any junk
5. I have absolutely no problem with spiders and bugs and am happy to catch them when my squeamish hubby won't

This was harder than I thought it would be ...

I hereby tag: CarrieK, Kay, Amanda, Mum and Michelle :-D

Have fun guys!

THE RULES:
Start with your ‘5 weird things about you.’
People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 5 weird things as well as state this rule clearly.
Then, choose 5 people to be tagged and list their names.
Don’t forget to leave a comment that says ‘you are tagged’ in their comments and tell them to read your blog!

Monday Musings

2006-12-18T09:07:00.000Z

A Barrel 'o Fun with Entrelac

Well, the challenge has come to an end. Congratulations to all those who took the plunge - as I discovered, three weeks is actually a pretty short time to squeeze in some new learning along with all the Christmas knitting, shopping and wine-guzzling :-)

I did manage to knit my (very) small sample of entrelac though, applause please!

Thoughts on entrelac:
- It definitely looks better in self-patterning yarn, though I found I needed longer colour repeats than this yarn gave me (LL sock in 'child's play').
- I found the instructions a little confusing, but I think that was the fault of the instructions rather than entrelac per se. For a start they didn't include abbreviations and there were terms I had not come across so I had to guess. They were also a big fan of the 'repeat for remainder of rectangles' when actually the instructions didn't quite carry.
- I have become quite proficient at knitting backwards. NO way was I going to turn around for all those little rows (eew!) Do you turn? Or knit backwards? I generally knit backwards on edgings too if they are not too wide.
- Having sworn never to do entrelac, and broken that vow for the challenge, and sworn I would never do it again, I can't let it go. I am not at all happy with this swatch, the squares are wonky and for some reason there is a multiple of five at the end instead of six (yes that's what the pattern said but they didn't explain why). I can't leave it there so one day I will pick it up, find some better instructions (perhaps a la mum) and get it sorted before finally laying entrelac to rest.

So, the challenge.

Seven people took up the challenge with lace being a bit of a theme!

Hannah was the first to check in with her sample which you can admire here, she is making the lace scarf from the DB silk book.

Heather was going to try some lace but has been fighting bushfires for the past three weeks so I will let her off.

Michelle, Cazzie, Bronte, Cherie and Jacqui are still to check in - can't wait to see what you made!

Stay tuned for the next challenge, and remember, there's no such thing as "I could never...."

Ciao! Diane

Last week's Monday Musings

Super Cosy Beanie

2006-12-17T15:54:00.000Z

This hat is thick and warm. Just the thing for the snow or, as I discovered, for keeping the ears warm at the top of Butte de Lion on a cold winter’s day at Waterloo. Use a soft, chunky yarn and knit it up before the cold catches you!
Yarn requirements: 1 skein Malabrigo (215yd/100g) or Manos Del Uraguay (130yd/100g) worsted weight yarn.
Gauge: 14st/4” in rib, 5 - 5.5mm needles
Size: to fit small-medium women’s head.
Cable stitch: C6F – slip 3 stitches to cable needle and hold in front, knit next 3 stitches, knit 3 stitches from cable needle; C4F - slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in front, knit next 2 stitches, knit 2 stitches from cable needle

Pattern
Cast on 84 stitches.
Ribbing: k2, p2 each round for 6 rounds.

Begin patt
R 1 and all odd rounds: *k6, p1, k1, p1, k1, p2, rept from * to end of round
R 2: *k6, p2, k1, p1, k1, p1, rept from * to end of round
R 4: *C6F, p2, k1, p1, k1, p1, rept from * to end of round
R 6 and 8: as for R 2.
Repeat these 8 rounds until hat measures approx 5”, finishing with R 3.

Crown
R 4: *C6F, p2, k1, p1, p2tog, rept from * to end of round (77 sts)
R 5: *k6, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, rept from * to end of round
R 6: *k6, p2, k1, p2tog, rept from * to end of round (70 sts)
R 7: *k6, p1, k1, p2, rept from * to end of round
R 8: *k3, k2tog, k1, p2, k1, p1, rept from * to end of round (63 sts)
R 9: *k5, p1, k1, p2, rept from * to end of round
R 10: *k2, k2tog, k1, p2, k1, p1, rept from * to end of round (56 sts)
R 11: *k4, p1, k1, p2, rept from * to end of round
R 12: *C4F, p2, p2tog, rept from * to end of round (49 sts)
R 13: *k4, p1, k1, p1, rept from * to end of round
R 14: *k4, p1, p2tog rept from * to end of round (42 sts)
R 15: *k4, p2, rept from * to end of round
R 16: *k4, p2tog, rept from * to end of round (35 sts)
R 17: *k4, p1, rept from * to end of round
NB: To achieve neat decrease pattern on last few rounds, end of round will shift each time.
R 18: k4, k2tog, *k3, k2tog, rept from * to end of round (28 sts)
R 19: k
R 20: k3, k2tog, *k2, k2tog, rept from * to end of round (21 sts)
R 21: k2, k2tog, *k1, k2tog, rept from * to end of round (14 sts)
R 22: k1, then k2tog around (7 sts)
Break yarn and draw end through remaining stitches. Darn in ends.

Finished my swatch :-)

2006-12-14T22:45:00.000Z

Now that I have finally tried ............ (have you guessed yet??) I can cross it off the list and never have to do it again (whoohoo!) I knew there was a reason I had turned up my nose at this technique before *turns nose higher into air*

Don't forget, there's a prize for the first person to figure out what my personal challenge was - no big blatant clues but I will say that it's something my mum has been egging me on to try for ages ;-)

Here's the prize (not all of it I'm afraid):

Look away from the green before you get too attached to it. The prize is one skein of the purply laceweight - in pure kid mohair. I only needed one skein for my scarf but had bought the second just in case I ran out.

Post your guesses in comments - another clue tomorrow if no-one's got it by then (although I will probably think you're all not trying hard enough, heheh)

Ciao, Diane :-)

Something New

2006-12-12T20:55:00.000Z

There is a bit of a theme going here at the moment on trying new things. Last week, out of the blue, I had a pretty original 'something new' experience. Mum - you should have been there!

A girl rang the shop, it turned out she was a design student. It was a fairly long and involved conversation so I will summarise thus:

Did we sell spindles? - yes
Did I think you could use a spindle to spin steel wool? - hmmm maybe...
If she came in could I show her? - hell, why not!

She came along the following day with her rolls of steel wool and we had a play. Yes, we actually managed to create yarn :-) although it was a bit hard on the fingers. After 15mins or so I had her spindling steel wool - not the optimum medium for learning to spin but what the hey, maybe she'll love it and try merino some time. BTW, her goal was to knit some sort of polishing mitts with the steel yarn on the palms.

We took lots of pics but they're still in Michelle's camera. I'll update the post when I have them.

Have you signed up for the challenge? There's 6 days to go! Don't forget to email me a picture of your swatch etc. so we can tell the world what you've achieved :-)

Once upon a time ...

2006-12-07T23:19:00.000Z

... there were three skeins of the most beautiful red yarn, lying quietly on a shelf in the store. Patiently they waited for a customer to come along with just the right pattern, until finally they got their wish, and were carried home, eager and excited about their new home and new beginning.

The little sweater grew rapidly. It was, after all only a very little sweater and the yarn was worsted weight. The bright red balls rolled and bounced merrily in the knitting basket as the yarn was wound off and shaped into back, front and sleeves. All too soon the knitting was done. It was time for seaming to begin.

With more red yarn threaded on the needle, the mattress stitch seams zipped up flawlessly until…disaster struck.

Was it a mistake in the pattern? An error in gauge? Maybe sleeves aren’t really supposed to fit armholes and seams should pucker. And look yucky.

The beautiful red yarn, only half a sweater, was pushed back into the knitting bag and left alone. What fate awaited it? Was it never to be worn? Never to be cherished and loved by a little person in a favourite red sweater?

To be continued…

***

Sigh. At this point I’m thinking: unpick all the seams and frog and re-knit the sleeves. Luckily it’s only a very little sweater. And worsted weight ;-)

On a Roll

2006-11-29T19:31:00.000Z

Well I've done two of the secret fair-isled thingummys now and the second one was a lot better. Greater contrast in yarn and looser stranding proved to be the key.

Am about to cast on for the third and see no signs of stopping anytime soon. If you know me, you're probably getting one for Christmas :-D

Ciao, Diane

Monday Musings

2006-11-27T18:18:00.000Z

A Challenge

Last week a customer was lured into the shop by the Feza scarf sample we had in the window. After I explained that it wasn't for sale and, no, we didn't knit to order for customers, I suggested she might knit one herself: "It's really easy, just garter stitch"

"Oh no, I could never knit"

I didn't know whether to fall over or cry.

Today I chatted to a teacher aide who spends every Tuesday afternoon (successfully) teaching year one children to knit. And here was a fully-grown, intelligent-looking woman completely writing off knitting. I could NEVER knit. I could never KNIT.

Maybe she really meant "I am perfectly happy in my bubble and don't need to learn anything new." Okay, perhaps that's a bit mean - maybe she's really busy, but NEVER????

I consider myself now a pretty competent knitter. Luckily, I learnt at a very young age from a highly skilled mother.

BUT

A little over a year ago I had never knit socks.
Six months ago I was too scared to try lace.
Two months ago I had never done a heel flap.
Two weeks ago I couldn't knit continental style.

At the moment I am learning how to two-colour strand. Because I need to learn new things. I couldn't imagine not learning anything new after leaving school. Wouldn't it get really really boring? And how would I ever reach the point where I can design my own traditional Fair-Isle Norwegian sweater with steeks and tubular cast-ons and a cool pewter clasp? (Really I just want it for the pewter clasps)

So I am issuing a challenge. To all you readers who haven't tried anything new for a while: Take the plunge. It only has to be a swatch, or maybe a sock, or cables on a beanie. Branch out and get inspired by something you've always meant to try and never got around to. Leave a comment with your plans and in three weeks we will regroup and you can let us all know how it went :-)

I will be doing this too. I solemnly promise, sometime in the next three weeks I will try ....

Can you guess - my Achilles' heel! A small prize for the first person to post the answer in comments (Mum you don't count and no spilling the beans either!)

C-Day is Dec 18th 'C' for celebration, or maybe confessions ;-) send me a piccie and I'll post it here.

Have Fun!

Last week's Monday Musings

The Lady is a Tramp

2006-11-25T18:33:00.000Z

I have to admit to a little fling on the side. This one I'm pretty sure will be short, barely more than a one night stand, but I confess, my morals may be in question.

I blame it all on Eunny and Cazza. The sleepless nights, the scribbled pages of graph paper, the hungry search for books and tutorials on colourwork.

Oooh that looks pretty...

Oooh I have a great idea for Christmas presents...

Oooh I get to play with pretty Koigu colours...

A blink of an eye and I am a fallen woman.

I am treating the colourwork as a learning experience. I don't see myself ever becoming as obsessed as I am with lace. It has grabbed my attention for the moment, but once the Koigu is all gone and the Christmas gifts are wrapped, I think I will put it away.

I decided to go for the two-handed method, I have done a little fair isle using strand-changing and wasn't impressed with the look of the back or with how tangled the yarns got. Recently a Danish customer showed me how to knit continental-style, I found I could easily do it by holding the yarn as I do for crochet (incorrect according to my teacher but I wasn't fussed). So I applied the same method to the colourwork - hey, not too hard!

Here's an action shot: My left middle finger is chopped off but imagine the lighter yarn going over it.

What I am finding difficult is the tension when stranding. I finished the first Christmas present, I wasn't completely happy with the tension but blocking helped a lot. The inconsistencies are barely noticeable now. The next one around I will aim to do it more loosely.

The other revelation, which had me frogging colourwork all Friday night (after 3-4 hours I had nix on the needles), is contrast. I drew up my own simple charts and knitted away only to discover that A) Koigu on 2.5mm needles produces TINY stitches and B) you can't see a tiny stitch pattern when the two yarns don't contrast enough. I changed the pattern and achieved a nice result in the end. This time round I have upped the contrast and am trying the tiny pattern again.

The whole present thing means I can't show many progress pics sorry, but eventually the pattern will be up with any tips I manage to glean in the process :-)

Ciao, Diane

Monday Musings

2006-11-20T12:17:00.000Z

A Love Affair

Think of lace.

Of shimmering, silken lace.

Of silken lace with the sparkle of tiny crystal beads.

Just recently, I have fallen in love with lace. A consuming passion which devours my time as I discover new patterns, new swatches, new yarns. I spend countless hours online, reading blogs and tutorials. Gazing at galleries of finished shawls and hungrily watching auctions of coned cobweb-weight cashmere on ebay. I dream of winding around myself a gauzy, floating wrap and imagine tracing with my fingers the trailing vines and intricate patterns of a crisply blocked stole.

I have set myself a limit. One lace project at a time. One shawl, or stole, one pattern. And yet that doesn't stop me in my feverish creativity. Planning, scribbling ideas, buying books, lying awake at night thinking about this new love of mine. Next time, with that yarn from my stash, with that laceweight I am tracking on ebay, with that new design, I will make lace.

But this shawl is to be finished first. As I thread beads I visualise the final article. The luxuriant drape of the silk, the elusive sparkle of just a few pale beads, that wonderous moment when the shawl is blocked and the pattern revealed for the first time. This is a project I know I will enjoy from beginning to end. From the first few stitches cast on to the glory of blocking and finally, hopefully, the look of pleasure in the recipient's eyes as it is unwrapped from its tissue bindings.

Last week's Monday Musings

Mmmmm... Cakey goodness :-P

2006-11-19T09:57:00.000Z

Yesterday was Cake Day at Angel Yarns and a great time was had by all.

Oh the cake!

Neil travelled all the way to Brighton with me just for that cake and by the look on his face it was worth it.

I didn't get any photos of the cake, Bertie ate it all :-D

I was vewy vewy good, and only bought a little bit of stash. Did I mention I am a complete sucker for anything with silk in it. Also I seem to have developed a serious lace habit.

Here's a piccy:

The laceweight is for a shawl for me, original design. The Country Silk, colour 'eggplant' is for the beret in Louisa Harding's 'Hats, Gloves, Scarves' which I have been searching for the perfect yarn for for a while.

On another front, I have thought of a way to keep the nasty WIPs list under control. As I can't bear the thought of knitting ONE thing at a time (ick - need variation) I have decided to go for the 'Categories' method. In a nutshell, I will only allow myself to knit one thing from each of four categories: Socks, lace, garments and gifts. That means I need to do something about the four pairs of socks currently in my sidebar...

Neil didn't approve my theory. "What's to stop you from creating a whole new category every time you want to knit something? Like the blue-alpaca-cardigans category."

Sigh. You guys will just have to keep a close eye on me.

Ciao :-)

Spotted in Paris

2006-11-13T15:47:00.000Z

Two things I just had to share:

'La Tricoteuse' at the Musee d'Orsay. She is knitting on dpns! Maybe a stocking - it looks too long to be a sock but is quite wide - perhaps the top of a stocking.

And this wonderful creation, crochet sculpture? In a shop window in a very snobby part of town all among the Gucci bags. Price tag €392. Gulp! I'm obviously in the wrong business.

Au revoir!

Monday Musings

2006-11-13T15:26:00.001Z

Needles on the Move

"That's the first knitting you've done all weekend" said Neil as she drew her sock from its cosy sock bag while they waited at Gare du Nord. "I knitted on the train from London," "yes but you haven't done any while we've been here"

I have obviously trained him well. To him, it is now perfectly natural that I will pull out some knitting any time I can get a quiet seat.

My blog title grew from the prospect of travel around Europe. I had visions of us trekking all over by train, bus and bicycle and saw myself knitting my way around the continent, sock by sock (socks travel best being small and generally pattern-less). This has not been far from the truth so far. I knitted on the train to Cambridge and when we went to Stockport and Chester. I knitted all weekend when we visited rellies and had long conversations about knitting of the past on both sides. I see no reason why my knitting will not follow me on all future trips.

I am not, however, planning to spend all my holidays with my nose stuck to my needles. I can't knit while gazing around - except for the plainest stocking stitch - and I don't see why I would go all the way to Moscow to look at a sock instead of whatever it is you go to Moscow to look at. Perhaps those keen knitters who take several projects and spend all their time tracking down knitting shops have less busy holidays planned. Perhaps they, unlike me, can knit while climbing the seven hundred stairs of the Eiffel Tower. I did visit one yarn shop in Paris but we were going down that street anyway. Really.

I will take my knitting all over Europe, and I will probably look on those travel-knitted socks fondly in the future and think "ahhh, that was the train to Milan". But however much it may surprise my well-trained husband, while the camera is in my hand, the knitting will probably be in my suitcase.

Last week's Monday Musings

Have finished a WIP!

2006-11-07T18:59:00.000Z

I managed to delete one WIP from the list - as the cold snap whistled through last week Neil started bugging me for his scarf so I made it a priority for a couple of days. However, as you may have noticed, the list is not, in fact, shorter but longer :-( There's something about sitting all day surrounded by beautiful yarn ...

I did manage to finish something else - it never made it to the list as it was started and off the needles in only two days of frantic my-ears-are-really-cold knitting. It is a cloche style hat in Lorna's Laces Swirl DK. I had lots of fun with developing the pattern and inventing a border. Sorry, I haven't got around to taking photos yet but I will have it up soon and the pattern will follow shortly after. Here's a taster while you wait ...

Here are a couple of the things from the ever-expanding list:

A store sample in Koigu using the cool Dream Swatch from Knit and Tonic. I love the colours! The pattern is fiddly but fun and I definitely recommend it. (Store samples don't count as wip's right? Nathalie's making me do it...really...no encouragement from me at all...)

And here is the latest sock - look, HEEL FLAP! Yes, I am finally doing a heel-flap :-) I'm hoping this sock will stretch as it's a bit tight at only 54 sts on 2.5 mm needles. But it was a nine-stitch pattern repeat so what do you do .... maybe my feet could go on a diet ....

I tried to put up a photo of the shrug as well but all four pictures were blurry so I gave up. You'll just have to imagine it :-D

Ciao ;-)

Monday Musings

2006-10-30T12:05:00.000Z

Was Pythagoras a Knitter?

Often during my school years I got strange looks from people as I chatted about my studies "you're majoring in what - maths?!?" It seemed inexplicable to many people that I could be really into the humanities - music, languages, English literature, - with mathematics on the side. Now I am vindicated. Hehe.

I started my first garment design project last week. A shrug with a basic eyelet stitch and lace edging worked afterwards.

*Bows low to all past maths teachers*

Knit a swatch in stocking stitch. Calculate guage. Calculate gauge again in imperial. Repeat for lace pattern. Measure body parts. Find a friend to measure body parts impossible to reach by oneself. Convert to imperial. Divide measurements by gauge. Round up/down. Adjust to fit stitch pattern repeats BUT NOT BY TOO MUCH. Calculate lower back shaping. Knit a bit. Calculate sleeve shaping. Spend ages trying to figure out how to increase 72 stitches evenly over 54 rows - how much is too much anyway???. Make sure pattern is centred. Check measurements in case copious amount of chocolate consumption has affected fit. Knit a bit. Eat more chocolate. Check measurements again.

Sometime I'm going to have to figure out how to fit the lace pattern to the cuff and edging stitch count. Potentially before I have knitted that part of the shrug.

I think I need some more chocolate...

Last week's Monday Musings

Gulp!

2006-10-19T20:48:00.000Z

Is it just me or is my "Works in Progress" list growing at an alarming rate...

Yes I do have four pairs of socks on the needles at the moment *blushes a fiery red to match the latest lace scarf* and the only thing stopping me from casting on more is the lack of a ball winder.

I soooooo want to start a shrug as well - I have the pattern all figured out in my head and have my eye on some yarn at work. An empty purse and some few shreds of a sense of reality are just managing to hold me back.

Did I mention that working in a yarn shop is VERY dangerous...

My Apologies

2006-10-17T08:51:00.000Z

Yes, I know it's Tuesday.

Yesterday I was halfway into researching Monday Musings when I got called up to teach. I have been working on the assumption that if I haven't heard anything by about 8:45 it's safe to start proper writing, the kind that has you open several internet windows and spread papers and swatches all over the couch. How wrong I was. It was 10:55 when Protocol rang and said 'just get there as soon as you can'.

I dashed around, made lunch, closed internet windows, saved the one sentence I'd written for MM and left the house. Upon my return I had three glasses of wine and went to bed. 4-year-olds can have that effect.

So, I apologise to those of you who seek out Monday Musings on a Monday, I claim 'natural disaster' as an excuse (that was the being dribbled on bit). The drunk Ukrainian on the train coming home, who obviously wanted to share a lot more than his life story, didn't help either.

Half term next week so I promise I'll be on time :-)

Monday Musings

2006-10-17T08:38:00.000Z

Yarn: The New Prozac?

Those who read widely about crafts on the internet through blogs, forums and online magazines will no doubt have noticed the regularly appearing motif of meditation and calm being induced by handcrafts. Ask a knitter or a spinner why they enjoy their chosen hobby and they’ll almost certainly include ‘I find it very relaxing’ on their list.

Last week megali started a thread on the AY forum commenting on how knitting often sends her to sleep. Many people replied saying that knitting helped them relax, drowse and even fall sound asleep (not always with optimal results!) When I took up spinning again this year I discovered an amazing sense of fulfilment in the creation of yarn. Working with your hands helps to centre and focus your mind and can have a very therapeutic effect on the body.

One article I read on the subject takes the idea further, claiming that spinning can be like taking Prozac "It transports me to another place. It's a little like Gregorian chant” says one spinner interviewed in Boston. She goes on to say that she believes there was an increase in people spinning after September 11 as people searched for something “comforting and productive to do at home”.

Another knitter, this time from Northern Ireland, claims that her craft helps her in her battle with depression; “It is the only thing that picks me up off the ground”. A young boy from Detroit found that methodical counting and hand manipulations helped him focus on breathing and staying calm during bad asthma attacks.

The more you browse, the more stories are discovered of people who applaud knitting, spinning and other crafts as a means to discovering peace, comfort and calm. Still not convinced? Harvard Professor Herbert Benson, MD says knitting tops many doctors’ ‘calming activity’ lists. Allowing for the passive release of stray thoughts, knitting resembles a “calming mantra”.

So next time someone comes along with comments about knitting being ‘old-fashioned’, just for ‘grannies’ or ‘far cheaper to buy one in M&S’ give them a lecture on the health benefits of wielding the pointy sticks. Then give them some yarn and needles (or a spindle and fluff) and a five-minute lesson and watch them get hooked themselves on the peace and relaxation that is the gift of handcrafts.

Last week's Monday Musings

Ally Pally

2006-10-13T15:50:00.000Z

What a great way to spend the day :-) I was very good and didn't go over my budget but did bring home a little bit of interesting stash. The best part was catching up with the Badger crowd who I've been online pals with for a while but never met in the flesh! It's funny when you have picture in your mind of what someone might look like and then find they're completely different. I had great fun gals, hope to see you again soon :-D

I was too busy fondling yarn to take any pictures at the show, so here's a very boring picture of the outside (lol)
And here's the stash. One pair of Cherry Tree Hill socks, a skinny scarf from Habu, some beads, lace from Touch yarns (the red skein) the new new Yarn Forward mag and knitting book signed by the author. And my Badger Badge :-) I bought one other thing but it is a present for mum so won't post it here ;-).
364 days till Ally Pally 2007...

Socktoberfest Questionnaire

2006-10-11T09:03:00.000Z

When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?
I made my first pair a bit over a year ago. My mum had knitted socks but she used DK yarn and I didn't like the chunkiness for everyday wear. Then I found a cute ankle sock pattern at The Blue Blog and it inspired me!

What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?
My first pair were Alison's ankle socks and I knitted them with Opal Lollipop yarn which had just appeared in Australia at the time. They are as good as new but I haven't worn them a great deal as I'm not over-fussed about the colour. I have later pairs which I like much better.

What would you have done differently?
I would have put more ribbing on, there are only four rows and it's not really enough.

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?
I really love the superwash wool from Live 2 Knit, it is lovely to knit with and wear but it felts a lot. Lorna's Laces is my favourite at the moment but I've only knitted one pair with it.

Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?
I always use two circulars. Mum taught me this method which I first used to knit hats before I discovered socks.

Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)
I've never done a heel flap, I don't really like the way they look. I prefer toe-up socks and I have small feet so short rows fit me well. I know I'll have to bite the bullet if I have to knit for someone with a high instep though.

How many pairs have you made?
About 7-8 pairs for myself, 2 pairs for my sister-in-law, 1 pair for a swap and countless baby socks.

Sock-Sized Knitting Bag Pattern

2006-10-10T15:18:00.000Z

This little bag is the perfect size for a sock-on-the-go. Make it a bit bigger if you like for larger projects.

Materials:
30cm – 50cm main fabric, or assorted scraps for bag and handles
30cm – 50cm fabric for lining
Interfacing or thin batting recommended for larger sizes

Cut Fabric:
¼” seam allowance included throughout
(Measurements given for sock bag, refer to table below for larger sizes.)
From main fabric:
Two 8” squares for front and back, incorporating patchwork or embroidered design if desired.
One 5” x 3 ½” rectangle for base
Two 12” x 2” strips for handles
From lining fabric:
Two 8” squares for front and back
One 5” x 3 ½” rectangle for base
(If using batting or interfacing cut as for lining and attach to lining before sewing up)

Method:
1. With right sides facing, stitch outer base to outer front and back centring at lower edge. Stitch side seams.

2. Fold bag so side seam aligns with base and stitch diagonal seams to make bag corners.

3. Repeat for lining leaving a 3” gap in one side seam to turn through later.

4. Stitch handles into two tubes, turn through and press flat.

5. Turn bag right side out, pin handles in position on sides of bag, matching raw edges and being careful not to twist.

6. With lining inside out, place bag inside lining and stitch top edge seam, securing handles as part of seam.

7. Turn through gap in lining side seam, slipstitch closed and press top edge seam, topstitch if desired (recommended for bags with interfacing or batting).

Fabric measurements for larger sizes (¼” seam allowance included):

Size/Sides/Base/Handles/Finished height
Sock/8” x 8”/5” x 3 ½” /12” x 2”/7 ½ inches
Medium/10” x 10”/6” x 4 ½” /15” x 3” /9 ½ inches
Large/12” x 12”/7” x 5 ½” /18” x 4”/11 ½ inches

Monday Musings

2006-10-09T07:46:00.000Z

You get what you pay for .... and sometimes a lot more!

There is always a lot of discussion going around about the value of a good bargain. Is it better to buy cheap? Shop till you drop for that perfect discount (and spend more on petrol in the process) Buy the bargain brand because it's such a great saving? This article isn't really about whether you should buy on the cheap - my thoughts on that can be summed up very briefly: If it's good and on sale, grab it. If it's just cheap, turn around and walk out the door: you will always regret it.

But what about things you don't actually have to pay for. What are they worth? Are they worth less because there is no fixed price asked? Should you pay what someone else in the same market would ask or give yourself a discount or even a freebie?

About three weeks ago I discovered podcasts and Cast-On. In the first episode I listened to Brenda mentioned the difficulty of making a fair quid at what she does. Luckily, she is able to apply for grants which cover costs and maybe pay some of her bills. But there is also a donation button - available for those who would like to contribute to the continued efforts of Cast-On.

... Before you click away - I am NOT having a go at people who are unable to donate or choose not to. I just want to explore the idea of how we place a value on something without a price tag. Please hear me out ...

This dilemma made me think a bit of those street performers you see sometimes. You know, the ones with the great unicycle/flaming torches/sword swallowing/houdini tricks. They draw a huge crowd, everyone cheers and says ooooooohhhh then as soon as the hat comes out the crowd melts away like snow in Sydney. I would pay £5 for a magazine and get about the same amount of enjoyment out of it as I do from Cast-On. The last theatre tickets we bought were £7 (which I thought was a bargain).

Should we do a direct comparison and say 'Ok, Cast-On is worth £5 an episode, where's the donation button!' I don't think it's quite that simple. A podcast or street performance does not have the same overheads attached and who knows, the artist in question may prefer to be on the street (so to speak) and poohpooh the idea of a fixed rate.

I think it is important that we recognise and encourage writers and artists who have chosen the alternative route to fame. If that is through a donation then all well and good, but you can show support simply by saying hello or telling a friend. Creativity from street artists, bloggers and podcasters improves our world and gives us access to ideas and entertainment we may never have been able to reach or afford. A bargain, yes, but definitely not cheap.

Ciao, Diane

Last week's Monday Musings

Greetings From London!

2006-10-04T08:21:00.000Z

Whoopeee, we're here! actually, we arrived three days ago but we've been running around like (jetlagged) headless chooks and this is the first chance I've had to relax and catch up on my blogging. For all the news, pop over to mulhollandwanderings.

The survive-27-hours-on-the-plane-without-knitting-by-listening-to-Cast-On plan had a serious flaw: Listening to Brenda chat about knitting when I couldn't knit myself...NOT FUN!! My hands were twitching with the feeling of the absent needles :-( But it did help really. And I LOVE my ipod :-) I think I had it on for about 8-9 hours all up and it was only on about 2/3 battery when we started.

Now I am busily knitting away at my swap socks, I've realised that there's not.much.time until they're due! No photos of anything sorry as I'm still not on my own computer. We hope to be settled soon though.

Ciao, :-)

Basketweave Socks Pattern

2006-09-29T04:06:00.000Z

This pattern is a great way to use up leftover sock yarn. Knitted toe up with short rows heel and toe. Team with matching basketweave beanie for a cosy bub!

Size: Newborn – 3 months
Materials: Small amount sock yarn, one set double-pointed needles or two circular needles to achieve gauge.
Gauge: 7st per inch in stocking st

Toe
Using waste yarn and crochet cast on, CO 16st, join main yarn
Row 1: P all stsRow 2: k15, turn Row 3: yo, p14, turn Row 4: yo, k13, turnContinue in this manner until: yo, p6, turn Next row: yo, k5, untwist next st (yo from previous row), k2tog (yo has been knit tog with next st on needle), turn Next row: yo, p6, p2tog, turnNext row: yo, k7, untwist next 2 yos, k3tog (2 yos and next st), turnNext row: yo, p8, p3tog, turnWork as for previous two rows, working each row 1 st longer than the last until: yo, k14, untwist next 2 sts, k3tog
Remove crochet chain from CO and place resulting 15 live sts on needle, k these sts, m1
Next row (working in the round): k3tog (last 2 yo and next st), knit to end of round, 32 st

Instep
R1 and 2: k1, (p2, k2) 3 times, p2, k17
R3 and 4: k
R5 and 6: k1, (k2, p2) 3 times, k19
R7 and 8: k
Repeat rounds 1-7 once more, pattern forms on top of foot while the underneath is stocking st.
R8: k31, turn

Heel
Work short rows as for toe on 16 stitches until: yo, k14, untwist next 2 sts, k3tog
Recommence working in the round

Cuff
R1: k1, (p2, k2) 3 times, p2, k1, k3tog, (p2, k2) 3 times, p2, k1
R2: k1, (p2, k2) 7 times, p2, k1
R3 and 4: k
R5 and 6: p1, (k2, p2) 7 times, k2, p1
R7 and 8: k
R9 and 10: k1, (p2, k2) 7 times, p2, k1
R11 and 12: k
R13 and 14: p1, (k2, p2) 7 times, k2, p1
R15 and 16: k

Ribbing
Work eight rows
Rib: k1, (p2, k2) 7 times, p2, k1
Bind off, darn in ends.

Basketweave Beanie Pattern

2006-09-29T04:02:00.000Z

This pattern is a great way to use up leftover sock yarn. It is knitted down from the crown and the basketweave pattern is incorporated into the crown increases to create an interesting effect. Team with matching basketweave socks for a cosy bub!

Size: Newborn – 3 months
Materials: Small amount sock yarn, one set double-pointed needles or two circular needles to achieve gauge, 8 stitch markers (optional)
Gauge: 7st per inch in stocking st

Stem
CO 4st using one circular or 2 dpns
R1: k4
R2: without turning work, slide stitches to other end of needle and k4
Repeat for 8 rows or until desired length

Crown
R1: inc in each st (knit into front and back of st), divide sts between circulars or dpns and commence knitting in the round (8 st)
R2: k
R3: inc in each st (16 st)
R4: k
R5: *place marker (optional), k1, inc in next st, rpt from* to end (24 st)
R6: *k2, p1, rpt from* to end
R7: *k2, inc purlwise in next st (change twist in next st, purl into back and front of st) rpt from* to end (32 st)
R8: *k2, p2, rpt from* to end
R9: *k3, inc in next st, rpt from* to end (40 st)
R10: k
R11: *k2, p2, inc in next st, rpt from* to end (48 st)
R12: *k2, p2, k2, rpt to end
R13: *k5, inc in next st, rpt from* to end (56 st)
R14: k
R15: *k4, p2, inc in next st, rpt from* to end (64 st)
R16: *k4, p2, k2, rpt from* to end
R17: *k7, inc in next st, rpt from* to end (72 st)
R18: k
R19: *(k2, p2) twice, inc in next st, rpt from* to end (80 st)
R20: *(k2, p2) twice, k2, rpt from* to end
R21: *k9, inc in next st, rpt from* to end (88 st)
R22: k
R23: *k2, (k2, p2) twice, inc in next st, rpt from* to end (96 st)
R24: *k2, (k2, p2) twice, k2, rpt from* to end

Commence Pattern
R1 and 2: k, remove markers leaving one to mark beginning of round
R3 and 4: * k2, p2, rpt from* to end
R5 and 6: k
R7 and 8: * p2, k2, rpt from* to end
Repeat these 8 rounds until work measures 6cm from beginning of pattern section, finishing with R2.

Band
Work k2, p2 rib for desired length, bind off and darn in ends

Busy Busy!

2006-09-28T22:34:00.000Z

We're nearly all ready, we have finished packing up the house and we're onto clearing up the garden. I have been madly trying to finish my leave-behind wips, I have one pink cardi sleeve still to do.

Tonight we'll actually have to pack things. Inside cases. eek! Luggage limits: 25kg each hold baggage, 7kg each cabin baggage, plus 'one personal item' which will be my laptop :-) I think we'll squeeze it all in. Needless to say, there are no balls of yarn on the 'not sure if this will fit' pile ;-)

Blue Cat is all ready to go:

His 3 friends are staying at home on my bookshelf though. The cats were a goodbye present from one of my kids at school and I loved them so much I just had to bring one :-)

Must go knit that pink sleeve,

Ciao, Diane

Monday Musings

2006-09-25T04:32:00.000Z

New Beginnings

This time next week we will be in London. It seems like only a short time ago that we first conceived the idea of moving overseas; as I suspected, the months have flown by.

This new step in our life actually dates back in its conception more than 6 years. With the advent of Y2K (remember that?) the UK cried out for IT specialists and we thought – albeit fleetingly – of going along with many other Australians chasing the pound pay-check. Six years on, the pay rates are sufficiently tempting to finally drag us out of our comfort zone.

Comfort zone. That’s the thing isn’t it. I was perfectly happy with my little house in the burbs, my friends and family close by and a cat to keep my toes warm while I knit. I know which streets to avoid in peak hour and which local pizza restaurant delivers the fastest.

These last few weeks have been anything but comfortable. My house is a shambles, my friends are in tears and the cat’s prowling around wondering what the heck is going on. I know London will be fantastic. I remind myself that there will be pizza shops (do they deliver?) and vegemite available. I can even perceive some advantages over Melbourne such as competent public transport.

The key to survival, for me who likes to be comfortable, is to find a new comfort zone. With foundations carefully laid I have friends and family on standby for when I arrive. I have the beginnings of a social life and plans to buy a goldfish (hey we’re only there a year). I will find a new little house and fall in love with London’s streets. I will drink warm beer.

I’ll probably never want to come home.

Last week's Monday Musings

Farewell Solitude

2006-09-22T08:52:00.000Z

Tomorrow is moving day. Tonight is our last night on our own. We will be co-habiting with my brother and his wife here for a week, then we will be off, and staying with my sister in law and her fiance in London until we find a house. Then we will be sharing with another expat couple. It's a long time (nearly ten years) since I've lived with anyone except Neil and Wormwood so I'm rather interested in how it will be.

Today I took a day off from packing, which was perhaps not the best of plans as there's still so much to do and there's an army arriving at 10:00am tomorrow to carry (preferably full) boxes. But I had had enough, mentally and physically, so I have studiously ignored all the piles of mess and empty boxes.

On Podcasts:
I listened to 'Cast-On' today for the first time - I quite liked it. I am in the process of downloading back-episodes, I have a cunning plan where six or seven episodes of Cast-On will get me through the loooong flight sans knitting THAT'S RIGHT, NO KNITTING ON THE PLANE. What a waste of 27 hours :-( The Malaysia Air guidelines are very clear, no pointy sticks.

A Finished Object Pic:
Here's my LL socks all done - I still have some left over so plan to make a hat to match the little socks :-)

Feel free to applaud ;-)

2006-09-19T23:29:00.000Z

No time to write anything - lots of boxes to fill!

Ciao :-)

Monday Musings

2006-09-18T07:45:00.000Z

I'm Sure They Know

What is it about animals and cameras? As soon as you point the lens they roll over, poke their tongues out and make funny faces. It's like trying to photograph babies :-D Hooray for digital photography which not only lets you know straight away if your shot is seriously boring or backwards, but also makes it possible for you to take one thousand shots of the same silly penguin if you need to.

Today Margie and I went to the zoo. I have just been through the photos and have decided to post the gallery of 'bum' shots. Every single animal turned its back on us so this is all we get...
I really love this photo though ... and isn't he cute :-)

Last week's Monday Musings

Socks From Scratch Update

2006-09-17T09:02:00.000Z

I'm really enjoying this project - it's not a very time-efficient way to get socks but there's a great deal of satisfaction in the process. Here are my two skeins, I wound them off at about 150 inches long. They are just under 50g each.

I knitted a dyeing swatch - 4 rows in the round then unravel and measure - to judge the length of each colour repeat, then Kool-aid dyed using grape, pink lemonade and lemon/lime. (The kool-aid came in my birthday box from Amanda Cathleen, thanks!)

Nobody told me I should be wearing gloves :-/ Jelly doesn't stain like this.

And the finished product. There weren't supposed to be purple spots all over the pink and green sections but I'm calling it a design feature lol.

If all goes well (and I measured correctly) I'll have a purple stripe then a pink/green blended section alternating. Can't wait to start knitting - but I must finish my swap socks first so don't hold your breath.

Next spinning project: Mum dyed this for me, It's the same polwarth I used for SFS. I love it :-)

The rest of the day was spent packing and clearing out. Check out silly mess picks on our travel blog :-D

Ciao!

Farewell :-(

2006-09-15T08:07:00.000Z

Today was the last day of school and there were a few tears :-( but lots of hugs too.

Sadly, I didn't get a final shot of my class as my camera died (always happens at the crucial moment) but there were plenty from the day to show you, and some more I've included for fun.

Did I mention it was footy day today ;-) can you spot me among the (very few) Blues supporters?

Socks at the Senior Choir PJ Party. And sleepy girls.

Swimming program 2006. Is that someone knitting at the pool?!? I hope no one's drowning ;-) Amy will definitely knit one day she's got the hand position just right :-)

I'll really miss school and my kids. I'm sure London kids aren't nearly as bad as everyone says ... I'll feed them Caramello Koalas and they'll be good ;-)

Ciao, Diane

Thursday already!

2006-09-14T08:35:00.000Z

How did it get to be Thursday? Sorry I still haven't got photos sorted, maybe this weekend although we are having our going away party on Saturday :-) watch out for upside down photos!

LAST DAY OF WORK TOMORROW!!!!!

And two weeks and two days until we fly out - eeek!!

Ciao, Diane

Monday Musings

2006-09-11T07:57:00.000Z

Too Young? Too Old?

Max, one of my grade four boys regularly turns up to our Friday lunchtime knitting club. He enthusiastically pulls out his knitting and inspects it for holes (of which there are many). If his mum has had a bit of spare time over the week it might have grown a bit, otherwise it will look as it did the last time I put the stitches back on the needles for him. In the end I gave up – I taught him finger knitting and he proudly produced a long chain with no mistakes.

Is he too young to learn knitting? Is it a fine motor issue or attention span? I have one 10-year-old who can knit garter stitch perfectly, some who can knit but make mistakes and don’t see them, and many, like Max who desperately want to learn and just can’t seem to manage. I wonder whether I am expecting too much.

I remember my knitting as a child. It had holes: dropped stitches and accidental yarn-overs, it always grew tighter and tighter until I could barely move the stitches on the needles. And I gave up. Although I did a lot of crochet as a teenager, I didn’t knit again until I was in my twenties. One day, I wanted to make something so I picked up some needles and did it. I’m sure if I’d tried to learn as an adult I would have found it more difficult and I am grateful that my mother persisted in teaching me when young.

Which brings me to my question: When is the best time to learn to knit? Young children have enthusiasm but not the ability. Older children have the cognitive development but wouldn’t be seen dead with knitting needles unless perhaps stuck into an exotic hairdo. Adults generally find it more difficult to learn new skills and may have other issues to contend with such as time constraints.

I love it that my grade fours want to knit. I worry though that they will become frustrated and disillusioned if they can’t succeed and the knitting will go on the top shelf for years, perhaps for good. I can only hope to avoid this by being encouraging, celebrating small successes and, if necessary, resorting to finger knitting chains :-)

Last week's Monday Musings

Much better today :-)

2006-09-10T10:08:00.000Z

Feeling much better today, the antibiotics are doing their job and two days of rest have made a big difference.

When I say rest though, I mean rest from everything I don't want to do ;-) I still had plenty of energy this weekend to ...

* spin the last 16g for socks from scratch
* ply the second 50g bobbin of sock yarn
* finish three socks (none of which match)
* sew together another row of the crocheted blanket
* pack two boxes
and
* watch the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy (extended edition)

NB: none of this required talking or going outside - the two main things I couldn't do while suffering.

Sorry there's no pics, my usual computer is broken and I'm too lazy to figure out how to plug my camera into this one I'll try and get some up soon.

Thanks for bearing with me while in the grumps :-D

Ciao, Diane

Feeling miserable :-(

2006-09-09T00:29:00.000Z

Well I have finally been struck down (delayed action apparantly) by the nasty bug that had Neil in bed for nearly a week. I think it's a chest infection - sore chest, cough (which hurts), headache, no voice and general malaise (I love that term, it's so deliciously unspecific).

I stayed home Thursday and moped around the house, but had to go to work yesterday as I was running the annual senior choir pyjama party. After a day of grade fours (they were kind to me) I went shopping for milo etc, then there was pizza, talent quest, music quiz, movie and supper. I signed the last girl out at 10:40pm and drove home to collapse into bed.

Today I'm doing nothing. NOTHING. I might sit on the couch a bit and knit, and I may even do some spinning for socks from scratch (I'm nearly finished), but I won't be doing shopping/washing/marking/housework etc and I definitely won't be attending the concert I'm supposed to be singing in this afternoon :-(

On the plus side, I have a legitimate excuse for not attending the interschool sports on Monday (won't that be fun!). The alternative is to take someone else's grade for the day but better than standing around in the cold trying to control bored kids.

I do apologise, more positive post soon I promise.

Monday Musings (on Tuesday)

2006-09-05T00:29:00.000Z

“The little tongues of flame flickered continually, making it impossible for one of the persons in the Hall to set the stitches in her embroidery with any accuracy. She replaced the work in a tapestry bag, drawing forth, in its stead, a prosaic piece of knitting.” (The Quiet Gentleman, Georgette Heyer)

As I squint over lacework, readjusting the lamp and waving frantically at the cat when he blocks the light, I often think back to this passage and wonder at a time when much handiwork was completed by candlelight and knitting was considered a low-light occupation.

In the Little House on the Prairie books Laura mentions several times her blind sister Mary knitting (although at one point Laura herself complains of lack of light when working on very fine knitted lace). I assume the work would be plain stocking stitch, but very likely actual stockings at quite a fine gauge. Could I knit an entire garment without ever being able to see to check the work, even assuming someone else did the casting on and fiddly bits? Not a chance!

I can manage about half a row of stocking stitch (knit or purl side) without looking so long as the gauge is nice and even and the yarn is smooth. I have been known to slip stitches off the needle even in lacework without looking. But I would never attempt a complicated pattern in poor light or uncomfortable conditions.

I wonder whether we are perhaps too spoilt for comfort in these modern times. Sight-assisting gadgets such as magnifying lights are common and welcomed by knitters. We like good light, comfortable chairs and possibly a glass of wine and cake on the side! That being said – does it make me a better person if I can knit Shetland Lace in the dark? I doubt it, so pass me that shiraz.

Last week's Monday Musings

A finished object

2006-08-31T08:22:00.000Z

Well, the scarf is finished, blocked and wrapped all ready for tomorrow. In answer to Badger's question 'How do you manage to knit so much?' - easy, I set myself ridiculous birthday deadlines and then have to go mad to meet them :-) The only birthday deadline I have now is the second of a pair of socks to be finished by Sept 15th - that should be okay. Of course there's always Christmas...

This scarf, as you may remember, started out as a sock. After knitting about half the foot I realised the colours were just going to keep on pooling yukkily so I frogged it and decided to do a scarf. Simple rib was the pattern of choice which is nice and soft in the fuzzy alpaca. I was knitting away happily (this was sometime last week) and had done about 10 inches when disaster struck again :-/

While browsing Anni's blog I saw these gorgeous scarves and thought 'Wouldn't this alpaca look much nicer in a scarf like that!' So I frogged again and started afresh. I am very happy with the pattern and would have been disappointed for ever with the boring rib but it did make for a pretty tight timeline!

Here 'tis:

I used the trellis lace pattern which I also saw on Anni's site but changed it to garter stitch for speed. It was very easy and is beautifully soft. The scarf is a birthday present for a dear friend who lives in the country not far from Melbourne. I will be visiting for a long catch-up this weekend, and a few tears I expect as she is quite ill and there's just a chance I may not see her again. I hope she likes her cuddly alpaca.

Ciao :-)

Quite productive

2006-08-30T11:39:00.000Z

Well, I didn't get through the whole list (surprise surprise) but I did get quite a bit done and had a good day.

I finished the alpaca scarf first, it's still blocking but here's a taste of what's to come ...

I decided my birthday flowers deserved photographing...

And after much swatching and pondering I started my Lorna's Laces socks. The colour is Ravenswood and the pattern is Harebell lace from SKS.

I also did most of my marking - down at a local cafe so it was not really a chore :-) went to the doctor to get medical forms signed for my London agency, walked my friend's dog, and put in a few inches on the Jaywalker socks.

I bought the Summer Interweave Knits finally, there are quite a few patterns I'd like to make, particularly the chemise on p108 which I'd like to adapt as a maternity top (yes, thinking ahead). I found the article about designing for film really intriguing, I'd never considered where the clothes might come from.

Well, I'm off to squeeze in another half hour or so of knitting before bed.

Ciao :-)

A day off

2006-08-29T22:38:00.000Z

I have taken today off to rest and recover. Work is getting a bit bleh as term wears on and our weekends are so full at the moment that I never seem to have rested. According to my doctor I am fully recovered from last term's dramas* but I still don't feel I have quite as much energy as I used to.

So, what to do?? :-D

a) Marking? Yes, I brought some (a lot) home with me, about 2 hours' work. I need to make sure that everything's ship shape for the replacement teacher taking over my class and there's only 2 1/2 weeks of school left (!)
b) Spin another bobbin for socks from scratch? That will be about 2 1/2 hours, maybe I'll do half.
c) Work on the stash-eating cardi? Haven't picked it up for ages due to birthday present knitting.
d) Finish and block the birthday scarf which is to be handed over on Friday?
e) Start my LL socks?
f) Finish my Jaywalker socks?
g) All of the above?

Well it's still early, a lot can be achieved when you have a whole day!

Pics and progress report tonight :-)

Ciao

*For those of you who are new friends - I had tonsillitis, a secondary infection, an abcess and then a hospital stay and surgery which is how I got hooked on cyberknitting - long days at home with not much to do :-)

Monday Musings

2006-08-28T08:08:00.000Z

This weekend marks the end of the AFL season (well at least for Carlton who don't have to attend the finals as a reward for being on the BOTTOM of the ladder) and it has been a particularly gruesome one. News reports like this and this have abounded all season and lucky is the team which has not accrued a hefty sheaf of medical bills or tribunal appearances.

Closer to home, police cars were called to a local under-17 footy final last weekend as parents and team officials poured onto the field to 'protect' their darling children who were laying in with fists and feet.

Even closer, one of my own grade four students kicked another student in the goolies on Thursday because he 'got angry' during a lunchtime soccer match. He got the primary school equivalent of a red card - two lunchtime detentions. (It's fair to say though, the other kid was being a git.)

With increasing concerns about childhood obesity and low exercise levels (not to mention hosting the Commonwealth games this year), we are continuing to place more and more emphasis on fitness and sport. Higher! Harder! Faster! is the warcry and children's sport is at times beginning to resemble a warzone. We can hardly be surprised at this outcome when they are regularly exposed to questionable behaviour and unsafe play on the part of professional sportsmen.

The question is, do we want to encourage our children to participate in recreation which could get them seriously hurt or in trouble as competition becomes stronger and (some) parents become increasingly insane in their desire to see their child win. What is the balance between too fat and too injured?

I would like to see a shift towards more family-centred exercise. A bike ride on the weekend, a backyard cricket match or totem tennis on the lawn. Active kids are happy kids but we don't want to activate their angry side.

Ciao, Diane

Last week's Monday Musings

Antique Rose Socks

2006-08-26T12:40:00.000Z

Materials:
50g of Live 2 Knit Elizabeth yarn

Gauge:
7 stitches, 9 rows = 1 inch in stocking stitch

Pattern:
Toe
Using waste yarn and crochet cast on, cast on 24 st.
Row 1: P all sts.
Row 2: K23, turn work.
Row 3: Yo, p22, turn work.
Row 4: Yo, k21, turn work.
Continue in this manner until: Yo, p10, turn work
Next row:Yo, k9, untwist next st (yo from previous row), k2tog (yo has been knit tog with next st on needle), turn work.
Next row:Yo, p10, sl next 2 sts knitwise, one at a time, to right needle, sl these sts back to left needle and p2tog tbl, turn work.
Next row:Yo, k11, untwist next 2 sts, k3tog, turn work.
Next row:Yo, p12, sl next 3 sts knitwise, one at a time, to right needle, sl these sts back to left needle and p3tog tbl, turn work.
Work as for previous two rows, working each row 1 st longer than the last.Until: Yo, k22, untwist next 2 sts, k3tog.
Remove crochet chain from CO and place resulting 23 live sts on needle, k these sts, m1.
Next row: k3tog (last 2 yo), knit to end of round, 48 st.

Commence pattern
There are two repeats of the lace pattern on the top of the foot, the sole is knitted in stocking stitch.
Row 1-3: knit
Row 4: *(k2tog) twice, (yo, k1) four times, (ssk) twice* rpt once for top of foot. For sole of foot k24.
Repeat these four rows until foot is two inches less than length of foot sole.

Heel
Working only on the 24 stitches of the sole of the sock, shape heel using short rows as for toe beginning at row 2.

Cuff
Continue working 12 sts of pattern over 48st of round for a further 4 pattern rpts (16 rows) Next row: knit around

Picot edging
Cast off 2 sts purl-wise. *Slip remaining stitch back onto left needle, cast on 1 st , cast off 3 stitches purl-wise, repeat from * to end of round. Darn in ends.

Best Swap Pal Ever !!!!!!!

2006-08-25T07:35:00.000Z

I've been coming home early from work every night this week just in case my birthday package had come and I had to dash off to the post office :-) Today my diligence was rewarded by the little red and white 'please collect' card waiting for me.

I waved to the cat 'sorry, your dinner has to wait' and hopped back in the car. 'Thanks and bye!' to the nice man in the post office, and try to drive home safely when all I want to do is tear open the box with one hand while steering with the other. Thankfully I managed to restrain myself.

"Could this possibly be a big box full of fish for me?"

And inside ... tantalising fluffy tissue wrapping

A gorgeous card and lots of packages to open carefully

And (drum roll please) loot exposed!

Darling, thoughtful Amanda had sent me an email asking for some more ideas and I tried to keep it broad so I would still be surprised. I think she included just about everything on the list!!

Clockwise from left: Douceur et Soie (soooo soft); scented candles; pop-up kitchen birthday card; Lorna's Laces SS in Ravenswood; Sensational Knitted Socks (has been on my wish-list for ages!); Gardners chocolate and peanut butter bites which I'm dying to try; a beautiful bead necklace (did she make it herself? I think so); and, in response to my 'could you please pop in some kool-aid as we can't get it here' 36 packets!! I need to do some serious dyeing to use it all up :-D

I am definitely the most spoilt girl in the whole swap list THANK YOU AMANDA!!!!

Need to go now so I can play with all my presents :-)

Two Packages!!!!!!

2006-08-22T07:47:00.000Z

One in the mailbox and one I had to dash to the post office for before they shut. Imagine if I'd decided to stay late at work *gasps in horror*

My bookmark exchange parcel was here waiting for me - thanks so much Juli!
It contained two crimis by authors new to me, a lovely purple heart bookmark and orange tea which I'm drinking now yum!

The package at the post office was from Angel Yarns. Not only did they manage to get my order halfway around the world in only three working days, but they also included a surprise birthday present - thanks so much guys, how did you know I needed 2.5mm needles?!?! Can't wait to try out my new Addis, must go knit!

Monday Musings

2006-08-21T07:04:00.000Z

This one's dedicated to my mum.

As our departure date draws nearer I am beginning to realise that the absolute worst thing about moving to England won't be the harsh winter, it won't be not having the luxury of a car for a year, it won't be the lack of proper Cadbury chocolate (the English version is bleh).

The absolute worst thing is going to be the separation from my mum.

Mum and I don't always get along perfectly (I'd like to hear of a mother/daughter pair that does!) but we have so much in common and the invisible ties between us are so strong that the distance is going to be very hard to bear. Not only similar in features, mum and I are constantly teased for our uncanny likenesses in mannerisms, tastes in books, food, colours and hobbies. mum taught me every craft imaginable from a young age and these skills are treasured now I am an adult. She also instilled in me a love of books and education. She will tell you that I taught myself everything by watching - but no one can learn by watching if they do not have such a wonderful example to follow.

Our mothers are so important to us in our development and the shaping of our lives and personalities. You only have to look at the number of books, poems, cards and fridge magnets dedicated to mothers and on sale in any gift shop to know that mothers are special to all of us. Last week a colleague of mine received news that her mother had been diagnosed with cancer. It completely broke her up and I realised that I would be the same. I can’t imagine life without my mum, no one to ask for help with knitting/dyeing/spinning/recipes/gardening, no one to compare numbers of ‘proper’ books read from various lists, no one to ring to hear unlimited and totally biased praise of my work.

As I draw nearer to experiencing motherhood myself I look back on my life as a daughter and hope that I can bestow such a wonderful gift on my children as I have received.

Please pop over to my mum’s blog and say hi, she deserves it!

Last week's Monday Musings

Ohh my Head :-/

2006-08-20T00:04:00.000Z

Last night rocked and we stayed up until about 2:30 playing Scrabble of all things :-) Of course I'm paying for it today but I figure now I'm properly grown up (practically middle-aged!) I can do whatever I want hehe.

Piglottie said make sure I get spoilt - well here's a small portion of the haul...

My much-desired swifty, beautifully made by my very own handy-dad.
And in action...

My new baby :-D (with his own jumper to keep him warm in London)

Definite "you're off to London" theme in a lot of the gifts...

There was lots more including a beautiful journal from my best friend, two sets of toasty pyjamas (also for London!) Chambord liqueuer, 2 lovely hand-knitted scarves from my stepmother, a Borders voucher which I'm hoping to turn into Knitting on the Edge, and other fantastic stuff.

I had an awesome day and don't feel old at all :-)

Ciao!

P.S. Still no wrinkles

Happy Birthday to Me!

2006-08-19T02:22:00.000Z

Did the wrinkle check first thing, nothing yet (whew!)

Have been playing with my new ipod all day - had some probs getting it going, partly in settings and partly bits I'd messed up when dumping music files onto my new laptop. I had an emergency msn session with Daniel in London just before he went to bed and it's all sweet :-)

So far I have also received some notecards (from two different people - some hinting going on I think), wine and earrings and got my Twisted Sister book back from mum. She bought it for me at the Sheep and Wool Show and then said I couldn't have it until today! I also ordered myself some birthday presents from Angel Yarns, if I had any brains I would have done it a week ago so I didn't have to wait :-D

In an ideal world no one would have to do housework on their birthday, but it's Saturday and therefore all the Saturday jobs have to be done. I'll keep it to a bare minimum though and then we might go out and find some nice coffee and cake to keep us sustained until the big party tonight ;-)

Ciao, Diane

WIP Update

2006-08-16T07:58:00.000Z

Nothing is getting finished so I'm afraid it's photos of things unfinished today!

Progress report:

Alpaca socks - 1st toe done for the second time but may have to frog it again as I thought I was using 3mm needles and they're 2.75mm grr.

Baby cardi - just putting the sleeves on holders (I'm sure it's this one that's making my finger sore)

Opal socks - one done, the other due for a gift on Sept 15th

Diamond Lace Scarf - inching along

Socks From Scratch - haven't been spinning this week, so I'm still at 50g plied

Neil's Scarf - hmmm not moving (black's very hard to see at night)

Silk Wristwarmers - don't ask

Crocheted Baby Blanket - grr I HATE sewing up, have finished three rows of eight squares.

Pop over and check out my mum's new blog Apple Garden Threads, I've got her hooked now too :-D

Ciao

Monday Musings

2006-08-14T09:36:00.000Z

I was going to write about terrorism today. It is the buzz of the moment - on everyone's lips and still warranting a double page spread in the daily paper. But I decided not to add my voice. I'd rather think about something a bit more positive - especially after a foul afternoon doing battle with my assistant principal.

So, today's topic is letters. The old-fashioned pen and paper kind. After a miserable drive home with emotions teetering between wild tears and furious anger, I found a letter from my French pen pal waiting for me and suddenly the sun was shining again.

There's some special quality about a real live letter that doesn't emerge in an email or text message. Something about it that makes my heart jump when I check the mail and one is there. Perhaps it's the foreign stamps invoking a sense of the glamour of world travel. Maybe the happy realisation that something in the mailbox is not a bill, or the special note-paper that my pen pals always take the time to choose.

As a means of keeping in touch and up to date, email is efficient and effective. But it lacks the touch and warmth of a piece of writing which has been sent directly from the hand of someone who cares about you. A real letter can surprise you with enclosures: stickers, treats, photos which can go straight on the mantelpiece rather than entering the print queue. A real letter can be imagined to retain some of the lingering perfume of its country of origin.

I hope that snail-mail post endures through our age of elite technology. Rather than always grasping for the immediate response, the fast news, the instant answer, we can slow down a little and benefit from the joy of anticipation and the reception of a real letter.

First knitting injury?

2006-08-12T22:46:00.000Z

I have a sore finger :-( I don't remember bumping it or twisting it - the only thing I can think of is that it was caused by yesterday's knitting. I started a stash-eating baby cardigan and have knitted about half the yoke. I have knitted this pattern before, but in different yarn, I have used this yarn for a lot of things, and I am using the same sized needles as usual. So why am I in pain??!! I'm hoping that having mostly recovered (after an evening of no knitting uuggh) I just have to get past the patterning in the yoke and the rest will be fine.

On a cheerier note, check out the great scarf my mum made for SIL's birthday! I'm not a huge fan (read 'can't stand it') of knitting entrelac so I really admire the work that has gone into this scarf and love the finished product. The yarn is tencel and feels beautifully cosy. (P.S. fringing still to be completed.)

Wormwood likes it too :-)

Pretty as a peacock

2006-08-11T07:37:00.000Z

Here they are finally finished. After deciding I had oodles of time to knit these socks before the due date I put them away and knitted something else instead. Then (of course) I realised that I still had lots of sock to go and only a few days so I have been knitting these exclusively for a while. I like the way they turned out :-)

Basic toe-up pattern in 'peacock' colourway from Live 2 Knit. Difficult to see in this pic but there is a diamond pattern created simply by placement of purl stitches.

And all ready for the party tonight. Hope she likes them!

Two blogs are better than one.

2006-08-10T07:31:00.000Z

Decided to split the craft and travel blogs, now there are two :-)

Check out our new travel blog: Mulholland Wanderings (actually there's not much there yet, you might want to just bookmark it for later)

And people (not mentioning any names older brother!) who don't want to trawl through all the knitting will still be able to catch up on what we're doing overseas!

Ciao, Diane

"Very Selective Book Meme"

2006-08-08T12:41:00.000Z

Lifted (with thanks) from Tea Reads

1. One book that changed your life:
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - it was so beautifully crafted, I ran around recommending it to everyone.

2. One book that you've read more than once:
Most of my books! I have some I've read a dozen times but one that comes to mind is A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch.

3. One book you'd want on a desert island:
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Is that cheating ;-)

4. One book that made you laugh:

Anything and everything by Terry Pratchett. He has an amazing gift for grown-up comedy.

5. One book that made you cry:
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. It changed the way I think about personal rights, family values and our medical choices.

6. One book you wish you had written:
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr Seuss. and not just because I'd be a millionnaire if I had. I love this book!

7. One book you wish had never been written:
I can't remember the title but it was a crimi set in London. The plot went along happily and the bad guys got caught in the end - then the detective's pregnant wife got murdered. There was no reason for it and the sub-plot-line wasn't even followed up. It was just cheap sob and it made me furious.

8. One book you're currently reading:
Portrait of a Lady by Henry James (Yes still! Every time I pick it up again I have to read the previous two chapters so I can remember where I was up to)

9. One book you've been meaning to read:
There are so many! I keep making lists and piles. In my pile at the moment are: Sugar and other Stories, A.S. Byatt; Coastliners, Joanne Harris; Snow Crash, Neil Stevenson; The Ebony Tower, John Fowles; Villette, Charlotte Bronte; and just a few more...

What about you?!

Ciao :-)

We are the Navy Blues....

2006-08-05T08:05:00.000Z

YAY we can still do it!

For a whole 24 hours we are off the bottom of the ladder and if Essendon loses tomorrow then they will be stuck back on the bottom woohoo!

It's still anyone's wooden spoon though :-D

Ciao!

P.S. If you have no idea what I'm talking about look here

A Patriotic(?) Purchase

2006-08-04T22:27:00.000Z

Last night I delved deep and splashed out on a very special purchase: Two bananas. Two. They cost me $2.25 each. The humble banana has been raised to treat status here in Australia due to freak summer hurricanes earlier this year destroying a large percentage of Queensland's banana crops. It is possible, if you drive 100km and wear dark clothes in a back alley, to get bananas for as little as $12 per kilo, however at my local friendly fruit shop I had to settle for $14.90. (Is that expensive? you non-aussies ask, Well I think apples are still about $3 p/kilo if that helps).

This golden purchase, however has a deeper significance. Apart from my glowing pride that I walked past a lot of chocolate on the way to the fruit shop, the buying of bananas has taken on important economic significance. The Reserve Bank this week announced an interest rate rise, and warned that another could be expected before the end of the year. The Economy is crumbling and what is to blame? BANANAS. Yup, straight from Johnny's lips.

Now here's my question (as I don't claim to know anything about economics): When I buy extortionately over-priced bananas am I harming the economy or helping it. Obviously I want to do the best I can for my country *stands with back straight and hand over heart*.

Here's a pic of my coveted second banana:

Not much to report

2006-08-04T11:44:00.000Z

I didn't feel I had done enough this last few days to bother posting, but after a nudge from mum I had a think about it and realised that I have...

*Completed the first 5-6 inches of a new lace project using the pink kid mohair I bought at the show (it is divine to knit with and I adore the colour)

*Made a good start on the second of SIL's birthday socks due next Friday

Okay, that's actually not that much, no wonder I hadn't bothered to post :-) I don't know what happened to the last few evenings, I did spend quite a lot of Wednesday swatching and fiddling with the mohair until I settled into the pattern, but otherwise I think a gremlin must have come along and run off with all my knitting time.

I had to give up on Branching Out in the end, it was driving me insane having to count such a wide lace chart - I like my lace in repeats of no more than about 12 stitches or rows. I have changed to a simple diamond pattern and it's coming out nicely on 5mm needles. I'm wondering how the kid mohair is going to block though, it seems very slippery and sproingy (technical term). Has anyone else used it before? Will it behave or will I have a scrunchy scarf?

Helloooo, brain?

2006-08-01T08:18:00.000Z

Last night I finished both the socks I had on the needles so I was all set to start a new one today. I carefully packed my sock bag with: ball of yarn, first sock to make sure it matched, waste yarn, crochet hook for cast on. Notice anything MISSING?!?? Yup, forgot to take knitting needles :-/

Needless (hahaha ROFLOL funny pun) to say, I didn't do any knitting at lunchtime today.

Ciao :-)

Day of the Beads

2006-07-30T00:18:00.000Z

The owner of the LYS where I sell my stitch markers said she would take as many as I could give her before I go overseas. So I thought I'd better get cracking on some!

Here are a few of the markers I've made this morning:

Once they're all done my beading is going to be packed away - no beads for a year!!

I Have Sock Yarn!

2006-07-29T06:27:00.000Z

My first ever 3-ply, I now have 2x25g skeins (struck problems in the middle of plying).
I am quite happy with it, the thickness and twist are fairly uniform and it has come out at 22 wraps to the inch. Now to spin the other 50g!

Here's some:

A Whole Day!!

2006-07-28T23:24:00.000Z

I have A WHOLE DAY free to do whatever I want!!! This is about the only remaining weekend between now and when we leave that we don't have things booked up on.

I could finish my spinning, work on Branching Out, finish the maple socks, knit some more scarf, shop for yarn or beads.... aaaarrggh how do I choose? I think I will spin first as I really want to ply and I only have about 8g to go before I can.

Ok ok, I SHOULD be doing the washing/shopping/cleaning/sorting through cupboards/filling in forms...

Maybe tomorrow :-)

Socks From Scratch

2006-07-26T09:17:00.000Z

I have been toying with the idea of a 'socks from scratch' project for a while and have finally begun! The plan is to spin, dye and knit a pair of socks from beginning to end. This is a biggish project for me as I have never really done any serious spinning - only sampling - and the only thing I've ever knitted from my own spinning is one silk wrist-warmer (the other one is suffering second sock syndrome).

I am starting with 100g of prepared polwarth top which I bought at the Wool Show. I plan to make a 3-ply yarn so I have divided it into 6 (for 2x50g balls). The spinning is going fairly well - I am a bit more than halfway though the second hank after starting on Sunday afternoon. Here are the progress pics:

Thoughts so far: I'd forgotten how relaxing spinning was - almost like meditating; I'm finding it a little boring spinning endless yards of white wool - maybe next time I'll dye first;

P.S. Yes I know, I didn't shear the sheep, or even card the wool myself. I may be nuts but I'm not insane ;-)

Ciao!

Danger Signs

2006-07-24T10:00:00.000Z

Help! I can feel an addiction to lace coming on!! Here's a pic of my first real lace knitting - a swatch-mark. It took me a bit over an hour. (Scarf in this pattern: 6rpts across, about twelve times this length, I don't even want to think how long it will take me. Gulp!)

Once I got used to using bigger needles on finer yarn I found the rhythm of it very quickly. I am desperate for some pointier needles though - the ones I'm using seem incredibly blunt when trying to do a k2tog with this stuff!

I have already started another bookmark for a swap and am going to cast on for branching out in the pink mohair sometime in the next couple of days. I have decided not to do branching out in the green as I think the pattern width will be too narrow for this very fine yarn.

A New Blog to Join

2006-07-22T22:24:00.000Z

I found this swap over on Spinningsue's blog and I immediately thought it was a great idea and signed up. (It involves books and crafts - what's not to like?)

BOOKMARK SWAP SURVEY:
1. What genre of books do you enjoy most? (i.e. mystery, romance, horror, historical, biographies, autobiographies, fantasy, sci-fi, etc)
I read the classics when I can and love historical fiction. I have to admit I am hooked on detective stories as well and own every Agatha Christie :-)

2. What sort of bookmarks do you like best? (long, short, lacy/elegant, fun/cute, corner, tasselled, etc)
All of 'em!

3. What are your favorite colors?
In a bookmark - anything (but not too lurid)

4. Are there any colors you don't like?
Nope

5. What sort of "theme'' would you like your bookmark to be?
I don't have any particular preferences.

6. Are there any "themes'' that you wouldn't like??
Not really into the kitsch and cutesy.

7. Can you send internationally?
Definitely (I wouldn't have many people to send to otherwise!!)

8. If your partner wants to send along extra goodies (like tea, candy, cocoa, etc), what do you enjoy? And is there anything you don't like/can't have??
Oooooh chocolate all the way :-P and interesting teas are good too, not allergic to anything.

9. What crafts are you going to use to make your bookmarks? Is there a particular craft type you would like to receive? (knitted bookmarks, plastic canvas, etc)
I will probably knit a lot, but expect I will also use them as a chance to experiment with different techniques. I don't mind what I get.

If you're interested, check out the link at the side. It should be great fun!

Must go knit some more ...

Ciao :-)

The Australian Sheep and Wool Show

2006-07-22T08:22:00.000Z

Whew! What a day. We drove up to Bendigo last night and stayed at Cherie's mum's farm. Mum and her friend Audrey needed two days at the show as they talk for too long to everybody so they went up Friday morning on the train and we picked them up in Bendigo after dinner. On Saturday morning we all went off to the show, arriving at about 10:30. I know you want pics so I will let them speak for themselves.
Some sheep

Two girls and their mums

I found this for you Badger but didn't buy it!

The Keepsakes book is aussie recipes and cute knitting patterns for my French penpal. Twisted Sisters has been on my wishlist for ages!

Three pairs of socks: Opal, something unidentified but a bargain at only $11 for 140g and some yummy alpaca 5ply at the bottom of the shot.

Lace! I could have bought so much more of this. The pink is kid mohair for me and the green is merino for a friend's birthday 300m/20g - I've never knit anything so fine, it will be Branching Out.

I also bought some Polworth tops to spin and dye some socks, a pressie for Amanda ;-) buttons, fudge for my poor left-behind husband (who probably preferred it that way) and other bits and pieces. After a quick cuppa at the farm we all came home again.

Must go, I have some serious knitting to do :-D

Express Post

2006-07-21T06:37:00.000Z

I only have about five minutes to write a quick post because I'm OFF TO THE SHEEP AND WOOL SHOW!

Fibre and Yarn here I come :-P

(Oh and I might look at the sheep too)

A quick pic:

The ice on my car this morning had to be scraped off the windows because after watering to melt the ice the water promptly froze!

I can still spin!

2006-07-18T07:02:00.000Z

I actually did some spinning today - I hate to think how long it's been. I was experimenting with spinning some silk/merino top that I have in laceweight. It went very well on the spindle but SO slowly: it took about 5 seconds to spin each arm's length and about a minute to wind on. I will have to use the spinning wheel I think if I'm going to do the several hundred metres that I want. I have never spun this finely on the wheel before though so may need to call on my spinning expert.

Muuum...

Anyway - here's what some of it looks like:

Apologies to all you non-aussies, a 10c piece is about 1 inch in diameter.

I have finished the first peacock sock but sorry, can't post pics as it's a birthday present ;-) I think I will put the second on hold as they are not due until Aug 11th and knit my maple socks in between.

I have sent off my August birthday swap box! It's very exciting to be in a swap and I can't wait. Dear swap pal - please post early as it has to come all the way around the world and I get very impatient at birthday time :-D

Ciao, Diane

The latest socks

2006-07-17T04:30:00.000Z

Well, I did manage to get through the whole list, although I needed Sunday as well :-)

Here are the socks, all done. They were actually done ages ago but I decided they were too short and had to buy more wool, frog the ribbing and knit the extra 3 inches I wanted on each. The yarn is Patonyle and the pattern is a basic toe-up with a fern lace stitch from here .

P.S. Do you like my new fish ;-)

P.P.S. How do you photograph your own feet? Answer: turn the camera upside down :-D

A Rainy Day

2006-07-14T22:36:00.000Z

Well, another week over. September seems to be screaming towards us like a knitter who just spied half price yarn. Today was going to be about gardening, shopping and visiting the post office to do passport stuff. The shopping and passports probably can't wait but I think that knitting indoors might win over pruning the roses and emptying the compost bin.

I know I have been doing lots of things over the last couple of weeks and yet the 'must be done before we leave' list keeps getting longer. I think I'll write another list. At least work seems to be shuffling along happily, although two lots of extra yard duty this week due to timetable mix-ups didn't help.

Goals for today:
Finish blue socks
Write gift tags and card for my birthday swap pal
Cast on for Kat's socks (haven't chosen a pattern yet!)
Bake some afternoon tea for tomorrow
Start extra mystery present for mum (didn't know about that did you mum, you'll have to wait till Tuesday :-D)
Write and print b'day party invitations
Start on some cupboards

Lucky it's not 9am yet!!

Here's some pics: The latest Bea hat, proudly modelled by Teddy, and an almost pair of blue socks.

A parcel!

2006-07-12T08:13:00.000Z

I was hoping for my new yarn today after receiving an email to say it was on its way. I checked my mail box only to find it empty of all yarn :-(
Then I walked down the drive to the front door and there it was on the doorstep :-) :-) :-)

Three balls of sock yarn and a mystery package...

Free stitch markers! Aren't they cute :-)

The blue/green is 'peacock' for my SIL's birthday and the orangey one is 'maple' (yes I know I don't wear orange but I couldn't resist it!) It all came from Live 2 Knit. I was going to go out tonight but it's raining and I have new wool so I think I will stay home and knit ;-D

A Jelly Hat :-)

2006-07-10T21:39:00.000Z

I love the way the yarn striped as it knitted up. I still have another 50g ball so I might make some socks or mittens to match.

A New Name

2006-07-09T07:35:00.000Z

I have finally (kind of) settled on a real name for this blog. When I set it up I hadn't really thought of anything and I have been pondering for a while. I wanted something that reflected crafts and travel which is what this blog is about - although 90% knitting at the moment ;-)

I will probably get sick of this name and change it to something else eventually but it doesn't really matter as the address will always stay the same.

Ciao :-)

"The Blues are their own worst enemy"

2006-07-08T07:57:00.000Z

Sigh, I should have stayed home and knitted instead :-(
Now Neil's watching the whole match again on TV replay just to rub it in.

I have 1 1/2 inches of pink jelly hat and the berrylime skeins are drying - my pal Lucy managed to track me down some blue jelly. Here's a pic:

Haven't Knitted Yet!

2006-07-08T01:05:00.000Z

I am desperate to finish my blue socks and yet so far today I haven't done any knitting. What have I done?

Browsed AY forum
Taught a singing lesson
Tidied kitchen and emptied dishwasher
Jelly-dyed some wool
Tidied up my piles of music

and now I'm posting...

This is the kind of avoidance I generally reserve for ironing. I think I need to start another project - one week on only the blue socks has obviously put me off a bit. Time for a jelly hat I think :-)

Introducing Wormwood

2006-07-07T08:11:00.000Z

It came to me with surprise that so far the master of the house has not yet made it into this blog. This is Worm:

He didn't choose to look at the camera :-)

He likes to sit on my lap while I knit and then twitches every time a needle hits him. He keeps my toes warm though, and I will miss him very much when we leave for London.

In other news, we are starting a lunchtime knitting club at school for some interested girls - world domination progresses!

Friday already!

2006-07-06T21:43:00.000Z

I can't believe this week is almost gone. At this rate term will be over and we'll be jetting off before I do half the things I have to!

Have finished 1/4 of second blue sock :-) definitely knitting at lunchtime today!

Brrr (again)!

2006-07-04T09:19:00.000Z

Well, school is back and luckily I wore a thick coat because we have no heating at the moment :-/ During the holidays some bright spark broke in and pinched 40m of gas pipe from underneath our building. We've had express workmen through and, fingers crossed, the heaters will be back on tomorrow.

In other news, I have nearly finished one blue sock. That's all. Who invented full-time jobs anyway?

Ciao :-)