Shellakabooki

And now for a little rant....

2010-07-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

I'll start with the good because I don't want to sound too negative, but it is amazing how the universe gives you something good, and then something bad to equal it all out.

I finally saved up enough points on my credit card to get a FREE (that's right, FREE) brand spanking new Apple Mac. I have lusted after one of these forever, but when I started computing (in the dark ages) I could not afford one. The PC just gave me more bang for my buck. As a photographer I needed an uber computer, the Mac at the time was about 4 times the price, PC it had to be. Over the last 15 or so years of computing, I have been very happy with my choice, but Macs just look so nice don't they?

In recent years I have not been doing so much photography work, and as a consequence neither my computer or in particular my version of Photoshop have received any upgrades. As I neared enough points to get the new Mac I held out buying a newer Photoshop so I could get a cross platform upgrade. I finally get my shiny new Mac, head straight to the Adobe site to PAY FOR (yes, I want a legit copy) an upgrade, only to find it is no longer possible. Arrrrgggghhhh. Let us say I did a bit of yelling at the screen. It seems that with the latest version (CS5) I can no longer upgrade and will have to purchase a whole new complete version and at AU$1168.00 I won't be doing that very soon. Had I known they were about to upgrade the version and not let me upgrade from my version, I would have done it 6 months ago. Arrrrrggggghhhhhh. This really bugs me. They could have made it possible by allowing upgrades from older versions, perhaps by having a sliding scale depending on how old your copy is, but no, the cut of is CS2 and that's just not fair. What really annoys me is that I have always prided myself in the fact that I have had legit copies of this software, I started with Photoshop 4 and upgraded every couple of years, paying each time. As a photographer I respect copyright, copying without paying is in effect stealing. So I rant, to whoever will hear me.

I have been on the hunt for alternative software. "I'll snub Adobe I will" said I. I have downloaded trials of a number of image editing programs. So far my search has proved fruitless. I have, with great regret ended up back at Adobe and am giving the new Elements a whirl. I've had a version of Elements installed on my laptop for years. It has a lot of what I need, I have just found it frustrating after using it's big brother for so long. We shall see, the jury is out. But as I am on a bit of a "Make do and Mend" kick at the moment, if making do is what I have to do, then making do I shall.

P.S drop me a line if you know of imaging software that works on a Mac just like a full version of Photoshop, please let me know.

Well I Tried....

2010-07-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

So much for this year being the one where I got more organised! In truth, I have been busy, the sewing machine, knitting needles and crochet hook have been productive.

I have taken to cables and stranded work this year. I first found this pattern about 2 years ago on Ravelry and knew I had to make them. The idea of stranded (fairisle) knitting at that time seemed a tad daunting, so I shelved the pattern. Ready for a new challenge, I

ventured into the stash and these flew off the needles in no time at all. I have made them using a

heavier yarn than recommended, but they were for my brother, so bigger was better.

Until recently cables had been something I have also avoided. Mostly because I had not found a pattern that I really wanted to make. Then I found this. They are called, aptly, Glorious Cabled Mitts, by these also aptly named BinaryGoddess. I had such joy making these, the first one took much longer than the second as I kept trying them on to admire the cables, I just love all that weaving in and out. Probably something to do with my Celtic heritage.

The moment they were off the needles I Cast on for a pair of school

mitts for my daughter. She

of course wants pink, but the uniform is blue and I want her to get lots of wear out of them. We are walking to

school these days and it is quite chilly, they are ideal. She can also wear them to assembly and chapel, and of course in the playground. I charted my own cable design, smaller than the Glorious mitts and used

leftovers (24g of NZ Naturally Haven).

She says it is not fair that she is the only one in the class to have mitts like this and thinks I should make some for all the girls in the class, bless her. Yes they are relatively

quick to make, but I am not about to make 25 more pairs.

On the topic of the daughter, another patter I found about 2 years ago was this one for a Tooth Fairy. I shelved the magazine, thinking that I had loads of time to make her, and suddenly all the girls in her class are losing teeth. Time flies. We have not lost our first tooth yet, but I know it will be soon. Anyway, I tried to make this as per the written instructions, yelled a bit, and decided to do it my way. I really tried to make it as per the original design, Alan Dart is after all a well respected toy designer. I ended up making her in the round (instead of flat), much smaller yarn and needles. My fairy also has a much curvier figure, there is some serious "booty" going on, as well as a "modest" bust line. Her dress was made to fit her, I kept trying it on to get the shape perfect. Her wings are crocheted from Angora. Her face was by far the most difficult part, 3 times I stitched, unstitched and restitched before being moderately happy with the result. Of course all the girls in her class want one, I have offered to teach the mums to knit, one taker so far....

So you see, I have not blogged, but have been busy, this is just a sampling, will share more soon, promise.....

The Year of Being Organised

2010-01-08T18:04:00.000-08:00

I've got big plans for this year, not the least of which is getting organized. During a surfing session I came across One Pretty Thing. I was looking for craft ideas to keep my daughter occupied during the school holidays. I found quite a few things to do but there are all sorts of categories and one that caught my eye was the Craft room Roundup. I have lusted after a creative space, somewhere to permantly house my sewing machine, drawing table, fabric, bead, paper, yarn and fibre stashes, a cutting table and of course somewhere to work with all the stuff when the mood take me there. About 6 months ago I dismantled my "interview" room. As I am no longer a wedding photographer I no longer needed the space to see clients. I sold the couches, moved out the coffee table but the room has since become a bit of a dumping ground. The stashes are stored in there in various boxes, with some semblance of order (fibre type, weight etc) but it really needs organizing. It's a bit like defragging your computer, if the stuff is shelved properly, you have more space. Watch this space, I will complete have a new room this year, promise.
As I don't have the money to buy the shelving and tables I would like to create my dream creative space, I started on a smaller scale with my hand bag. Laugh you may BUT if you are like me and like to rotate the handbag of choice there is always that issue of taking everything out of one bag and transfering it and then you always miss something, like the sunscreen or lipgloss. With this in mind I dipped into the stash and made a portable bag insert.
If you want to see how it works follow this link and watch the video. I saw this on Oprah a while back and thought it was a great idea.
If you want to make one of your own there is a great tutorial here. My organizer is slightly different in design, but this gives you the general idea.

If you want to buy a pattern for a more sophisticated design you can go here.
And then again if you just want to buy one already made, I love these.
Here is an Australian site selling another style.
I hope to make another one with heavier interfacing (I used what I had on hand and it really was not as stiff as I would like it) or I might try buckram.
One small step, but I still have to defrag the laundry and hall cupboards and then there is my wardrobe.......

B is for.......

2010-01-05T19:38:00.000-08:00

This year is going to be great. I just know it. I have got so many plans, if I only implement 1/2 of them I will be happy.

The creativity is off to a great start with the completion of 2 projects already!
I did not knit anything for my daughter when she was a baby, and regret that. My head space was just not there (there was a lot going on with my business at the time) and whilst I did sew a couple of things, they were nothing I would like to keep. My Aunts all gave me crocheted blankets, one gave me a blanket that had belonged to her son (very precious indeed) and I treasure them all. One of the husband's Aunts knitted a couple of delightful cardigans too (now carefully cleaned and stored).
There are of course considerations to be made when knitting for babies. Most importantly it must be easy care. No precious "hand wash only I will felt if you look at me sideways" kinds of things allowed. What new mother has the time or energy to handwash? Baby garments also must be easy to put on. It is most unpleasant if you have to wrestle with the wee one whilst trying to clothe him/her. And then there is the heat factor. These days there is a lot of talk about overheating babies, perhaps it stems from the fact that many of us come from european migrant families, where keeping babies warm is really important. This country is however very different to that where I was born, and keeping cool is far more of an issue.
With this in mind I chose some 100% Bamboo yarn in a lovely pale blue for my new (Great) Nephew. A few careful questions let me know that my niece had more clothes for this baby than he will ever wear for at least the next 10 months, so my hopes of making something tiny for a newborn were dashed. Thinking cap on, needed to think 1 year old/summer/trendy young mum.
With this in mind I went for one of my favorite styles when my daughter was a baby: the kimono style wrap thingies. They seemed to be able to be worn for a lot longer than other things, very easy to put on, still allowed plenty of movement and therefore comfort. So I took measurements from one of hers and set about making a top down raglan kimono. I am really pleased with the result, and it was completed the day before he was born.

I have long wanted to make a sock monkey. I think they are adorable, and so does my daughter it seems. This little monkey only took 5 nights. I based him on this baby monkey Patons pattern, with a few minor changes I will have to make another one now for her, she is insisting hers be pink.
Little Miss A has been insisting on "test hugging" him to make sure he is just right for the new baby!

Handmade Christmas

2009-12-26T15:50:00.001-08:00

I have always loved making gifts for Christmas. The tough thing about living in this hemisphere, is that it is the wrong season for knitwear. There is only so much sewing that can be done, although one year my mum and I made 33 garments (that was a bit of overkill I think). I started my run of knitting in October. I figure they will get to wear it when it does get cold, makes the joy last longer don't you think?
With this in mind I made a "Kind of Lacey Baktus" for my brother from some of my handspun. When knitting with handspun there is always a desire to use up all of the precious yarn I have so carefully made and the Baktus is a great way to achieve this. I did not follow the pattern given as stocking stitch showed the stripes better, but the general idea is to cast on 3, increase at one side until half the yarn is gone (I have a weighing scale on hand) and then start decreasing until you have 3 stitches left and cast off. I used a series of YOs and garter ridges to break it all up. He loves it, I know it will be worn.
I made a blue scarf for my dad with a simple (but painful) basket weave stitch. This one really hurt my hands, I am not sure why, but I could never sit and knit this for very long. As a consequence, I have become much better at continental knitting (but still I am quicker the other way)

For my niece, fingerless gloves in a pretty Hand dyed yarn from The Jolly Jumbuck. I added some crystals for "bling" (12 year olds like that don't they?

There was of course some sewing to be done, a champagne bag for my sister in law. The idea for this came when I was going out and did not want to carry the bottle in my hand or be bothered with one of those cooler bag thingies that aren't very attractive. This one is made from vintage fabric with a Chinese print reminiscent of the willow pattern found on tableware. I made the handles go all around the bag for extra strength (don't want to loose any precious drops) and the whole thing folds to fit neatly in your handbag after use. Inside, a bottle of the good stuff: French Champagne, a present for now and later!

I wanted to also make something small with my daughter for everyone in the family and as my lot were coming for dinner I thought useful place tags for the table would be a good idea. I took a painting that she made, scanned it and then dropped the image into everyone's initial using photoshop, laminated and added a metal ring, voila, keyrings. They worked a treat on everyone's glasses.

The table looked great with ivy from my garden and handmade reindeer (courtesy of the Father in Law). Next year I want to make my own crackers as well, and mince pies and chocolates are always nice......

Prints Charming to the rescue (again)

2009-12-26T15:35:00.000-08:00

Only a week before Christmas (and 2 days before the event) my daughter was invited to another birthday party. I must say that I am delighted when the birthdays are girls, because I can make something, boys at the age of 5 don't want hand made. I have thought that maybe I should have made a batch of these bags at the beginning of the year and then give them out as the birthdays came aound, but that seems a little impersonal. I know a 5 year old would not know the difference, but I would. Anyway, I do like to have the recipient in mind whenever I make a gift, there is love stitched into the fabric. It is however easier to make 2 of these bags at once, so with that in mind I finally made one for my daughter (about time??) and gave it to her for Christmas. There are matching headbands and my daughter's has her name on the tag (the other just has an initial) along with a fairy I drew the other day.
Once again the fabric is from my stash and is of course Prints Charming.

Use Your Stash

2009-12-03T17:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it can be hard to use up your stash. Fear of messing up something lovely, fear of choosing the wrong project and of course if you give it away, will they appreciate this thing of beauty you have had stashed for so long, lovingly cared for. I say, use your stash! Don't be frightened. I'll bet, if you have a stash, and you did not add to it, and kept using it up, it would take a long time before you hit the bottom of the barrel.

I have a stash for everything. I now know that I am not the only one who has these kinds of obsessions. But these stashes do come in rather handy if I feel the urge to be creative, and this happens on a regular basis.

There is of course the yarn and fibre stash, which seems to have reached critical mass. As I use something, another yarn or fibre comes across my path to replace that which has been consumed. It is very convenient when a project is completed in the evening and the fingers are still itching to knit or spin.

I have an ever expanding paper stash. I love paper, what is that about? This collection includes purchased and original one off's designed and made by the youngest member of the house. It is really great to have on hand when there is a birthday or other special event as we love to make cards and wrapping paper. Also a preschooler in the house means collage is always on the agenda.

And then there is the fabric. Many years ago when I moved house I got rid of my fabric stash, can you believe it? Sacrilegious! I went though a time when sewing was not high on my priority list of things to do and decided to offload. Gradually, over the last few years, this stash has been growing again, hoorah! I find it very hard to resist a lovely bunch of fat quarters, they remind me of mixed lolly bags we got as children, full of delightful snippets and surprises, each one enjoyable. Fat quarters are great, not only for quilt making but they come in mighty handy for bag making.
These two bags were made from 2 fat quarters, the lining for one is the outside of the other and vice versa. I added some wadding, quilting stitches and used white fabric for the handles. The decorative stitches on my sewing machine came in handy to embellish the handles. In the time it would take to drive to the shop, wander around wondering what to buy as a present for the twins' birthday on Saturday, I made 2 cute bags. My idea was that the girls are the same, but different.
The fabric is from Prints Charming. I also made tags with the girls initials by scanning the fabric, adding an initial, reducing, printing and laminating.
Altogether a successful enterprise, and all made from stash. So go on, I dare you, use your stash, you can always get more.

So much to blog about, so little time....

2009-11-30T17:27:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe it has been 2 whole months since I last posted here. So much has been going on, not the least of which has been computer issues. What did we do before computers? We had a lot more time I say. I have spent days fixing, tweaking and then nuking computers.
I have been running a business from home for the last 17 years and in that time have collected a few computers. Of late I have found myself using my laptop more, as I could have it in my kitchen and not all the way at the other end of the house in the office. So I had three computers lying dormant and one tiny laptop handling the bulk of my computer doings. But about 2 weeks ago the laptop started to suffer from the "blue screen of death" on a regular basis. Nothing is worse than being right in the middle of something and then whammo, blue screen and crash. I tried to fix it by removing software, doing a system restore, and of course backing up and removing as much of the hard drive as I could. All to no avail. Nothing left to do but to give the computer an enema. It took all day to get the thing up and running again, but I did it. I even gave it a new name. I name all my computers.
I decided to give the laptop to the husband so he can have it all to himself. He can put his program, music, emails, favorites on it and I won't be bothered by them anymore. You see, as part of this "spring cleaning" (I know , it's summer now) I also moved my daughters bedroom into what was my office (much bigger room) and put my office into her old room. In the process, have decommissioned 2 computers, leaving one for me to have all to myself. My new office is much closer to the kitchen, so I can keep an eye on things, and work at night if I want to.
All this moving stuff (digital and physical) has given me a lease of new life. I have offloaded so many things that were just not being used anymore, and filled my recycling bin to overflowing with obsolete paperwork and instruction manuals. I cannot count how many power cords we had, and transformers, where did they all come from? I had a great pile of old software, mostly free stuff, that had never been used. The old fax machine went to heaven (who sends faxes now?) It feels great to have 2 new rooms. It feels so good to declutter. Now I just have to sort out the rest of the house.

And then there is the crafty stuff. I love to make things, and I am glad to say, so does my daughter. We make something together every week, whether it is sewn, painted, glued, knitted, felted or cooked. One day we decided to make some monsters to keep away the scary ones. She was so good with these, first time sewing so I gave her a plastic needle. She chose the buttons and one of them even got a handbag. There is some info on making these type of things here and some free patterns here.
The kindy teacher also gave me a bunch of wooden pegs to make people with so we dived into the stash. She made more than this, but had to give them to the teachers. The hair is made from "unspinnable" fibre, the globby bits than you sometime get. I keep them in a box for occasions such as this. If you need some help to make some of these yourself try here or here.
All of this on top of Christmas knitting, which of course I can't show you in case you are the intended recipient.

Viva la Knitolution!

2009-09-30T19:19:00.000-07:00

I never did the "student protest days" I was far to busy studying. So it was a new experience for me when a group of my friends and I were evicted from a cafe.
A group of us have been meeting every Monday night a Exomod Cafe in Beaufort Street Mount Lawley, we all have coffee and cake, great conversation, and we knit. The group has been meeting there for about 4 years and I am told they were the only ones there on opening night. We number 10-15 (sometimes more), it is informal, no membership, just turn up. They have kindly reserved a couple of tables for us until recently. There seems to have been a change of management, and it appears the new owners didn't take kindly to a large group frequenting his premises and spending large amounts on food and drink. Strange huh?
I only overheard the argument the preceded our eviction, the owner shouted something like "this is not a community centre!" and "you people cost me money as you sit here all night and don't order anything!" This last comment amused me considering that there were at least 5 cups of coffee and 4 plates of cake on the tables. I had in fact downed one coffee and was considering another. He also accused us of "drinking from Thermoses". I am aware that one member brings a bottle of water with her from time to time, but she always ordered her short black and cake. The owner stormed off after yelling " we don't want your kind here!" pointing furiously with his sausage like digits at one of my friends. At this point, we stood up en masse and left.
When my daughter was still a baby, I met weekly at a local cafe with a group of mothers who had children the same age. Would he have thrown us out? This sad little man doesn't seem to understand that people meet in cafe's for coffee and a chat, or to read the paper, watch the world go by or in this case of this place use their internet connection. I cannot count the number of people that sit there for a long time with a laptop nursing one (if any) drink. Cafe's are in effect "community centres" There are what gives life to our area, a place for people to feel part of the community, any one will tell you that's what we like about living around here. After all, why should I go out for a coffee, when I have perfectly good stuff at home? I go out to be with people.
I have met friends at this cafe at times other than Monday nights, brought my family (immediate and extended) on the weekend for a light lunch and had the odd business meeting. But no more. I will not be going back there in the near future.
I think it is sad. I have really enjoyed the coffee (and cake), this place is open late on a Monday, and it's plenty light enough for me not to drop any stitches. We have (for now) decided to meet just up the road at Cafissimo (corner of Chelmsford and Beaufort), but they close at 10pm, and we would prefer to have somewhere that was open a little later.
For now, "Viva la Knitolution!". Thank God I don't have to burn my bra any time soon.

Parlez-vous français?

2009-09-27T03:45:00.000-07:00

I don't yet, but I will soon. I have just downloaded 135 French lesson to my iPod and surely by the end of it I will be françaising with the best of them.
A few years ago (before the arrival of our daughter) the husband and I were lucky enough to find ourselves in Paris for 4 days. My limited French helped us get but I have always wanted to say more than thank you, sorry and excuse me in this magical language. There is just something, well, sexy about anything said in French, don't you think?

There is of course an ulterior motive. I have been stalking la droguerie and lusting after a certain book of theirs. Its not a big shop, you can see a picture of the front here, and their website does not really do them justice, but as far as design goes, they got it right. The French do have a certain style, no? There seems to be an understated elegance, a quietness if you like, to French style. Even the likes of Jean Paul Gaultier who has created some pretty LOUD stuff in the past has an undercurrent of good design. If not familiar with his work, check out The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover if not for anything else but the costumes designed by the man himself.

I digress. After many trips to the la drogerie website, a lovely friend of mine mentioned that she had the book and would I like to borrow it? Are you kidding!!!! So I have it now, in my hot little hands, and its all in French. The pictures are of course in English, so I can enjoy them, but as learning French is something I have always wanted to do, this is the perfect excuse. Yes, I know that conversational French is not really going to help me read a knitting pattern, but that's not the point. It's always fun to do something new and challenging, visit www.learnfrenchbypodcast.com and you too can be speaking the "language of love."

The Quest for knowledge

2009-09-20T22:10:00.000-07:00

Further to my last post about gaining knowledge from the internet, my quest for knowledge continues with some help from the internet, Elizabeth Zimmermann, WarpGirl and Melita.
I am the kind of person who loves to try something new, challenge myself, get out of my comfort zone. I have been known to get a little "ansy" when there is nothing to get my teeth stuck into. It is one of the things I have loved about being a photographer. There is always something new to try, a new way of doing or a new way of seeing. I cannot remember the last time I was bored as there a so many things on my "to do" list. I really want to learn to play the piano, paint a really big canvas (or six), learn French and I want to learn to weave.

After my sock knitting frenzy last year, I moved onto lace. It has become a bit of an obsession with me, and right now, at this moment, I am "laceless" i.e. no lace on the needles (apart from a long languishing sock that doesn't really count because I am not happy with it). I am prowling Ravelry with fervor, hunting for just the right project to launch into. The reason for the lace hiatus has been these:

Firstly a Garter Stitch Kimono, the pattern can be found here.

I made a couple of changes, like eliminating any seams for one.
I am about to become a "Great Aunty" for the first time. I can't believe my nephew if going to be a Daddy! I did not knit anything for my daughter when she was a baby, I regret that. But this has been a good opportunity to wet my feet, to try a couple of new (for me) techniques.
I have had my share of disastrous knitting projects in the past, and they were all garments. I could never seem to get the fit right. This is partly due to my not paying much attention to that little paragraph about gauge/tension, not wanting to use (or being able to afford) the recommended yarn, and lastly, my own need to change what the perfectly clever and talented designer has done in the first place. My attempts at knitting garments prior to this year all finished with lots of tears and consequently put me off knitting anything with seams or sleeves for a very long time.
Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to attend my first ever knitting retreat organized by the lovely Knitting Inspirations ( photos of the weekend can be seen here). I came away from the weekend determined to make a garment. It seems I had been approaching it all wrong. Well not really wrong, after all there wouldn't be thousands of patterns out there if it was wrong would there? No what I really meant was wrong for me, as I am a control freak. My friends WarpGirl and Melita are both devotees of the Top-Down Raglan and introduced me to this method. Both suggested that I start with something small, so I made this:

It's a top-down raglan dress for my 4 year old.The yarn was a kettle dying experiment from a while ago, I just loved the colour, but did not have enough to make anything in my size, this project was perfect. Knitting top-down means you can use up all of your yarn, or make the project according to the amount you have. I also made the cardigan pictured at the top of the page for me using a very simple calculation. I got my starting measurements from a cardigan I own, did some maths and a few weeks later I had a very warm new garment that fits.

Still on the top-down raglan road I have just finished making another kimono style wrap cardi for my new "great nephew".

This one is made from self striping sock yarn, I have a bit in my stash and after knitting a couple of self striping socks, I was over it. This is a great use for this yarn, I made the whole top from one ball and have enough left over to make a pair of boots for the new feet.

So thank you Elizabeth, Melita and WarpGirl, without your help, I could not have done it.

I really need some lace now though, nothing to do except hit Ravelry (again) to find the right project, or maybe I should just design one?

What You can learn on the Internet

2009-09-18T19:04:00.000-07:00

I originally learnt the knit stitch from my mum BUT when I wanted to learn how to knit, I turned to the internet. I consider myself lucky that I live in a generation were I can learn anything from my computer. Try it, go on, Google anything that you would like to learn and presto, someone has an on-line tutorial or U-Tube video. My first venture into "serious" knitting came with a decision to make socks. Not knowing anyone who had the required skills I turned to the World Wide Web and discovered a whole community of knitters out there willing to instruct, share and encourage me on my new venture.
Getting started can be as simple as watching a few videos online like this one here. It didn't take long, to discover Cat Bordhi, a goddess of sock knitting she has some great videos like this one.
Then I needed to make the jump to Toe-Up construction and found Wendy D Johnson, another another sock knitting genius. I used this pattern to make the socks picture above.
It was not long before I found a couple of groups who meet locally to chat, drink coffee (or beer) and knit. They too have taught me so much, but I would not have found them without Google.
And then came spinning. Yes, the people in my local spinning group got me started but its mostly Americans who I do not know that have taught me.

Just recently I made this yarn:

It is Polwarth from Southern Cross Fibres in the colour Katoomba. I thought it needed to be Navajo plied to preserve the "stripes" and whilst I have struggled with this technique before, a visit to this video was all it took to help me on my way.

Next I had a problem with a bat.
Not the flying kind, but this kind:

50% Merino 50% Bamboo 100% heaven from Hanks in The Hood. However, I was wrestling with it until a quick Google found this video from St Seraphina problem solved, now I have 600m of lovely yarn for my trouble.

It is sad that many skills are not being passed down the generations as in years gone by BUT now we have got access to more free information than my parents or neighbors could have ever taught me.

Think I see weaving in my future and will be googling that when I am ready. Or maybe Italian lessons and then there is what to cook for dinner and how to secure the wireless network in my home......

Passing The Baton

2009-09-17T03:09:00.000-07:00

I don't know exactly when I first had a go at knitting nor do I know when I learnt to crochet. I think knitting didn't come until I was a teenager, but crochet has always been there. My mum was always making something when I was growing up, textiles were on the menu of course but she also painted, potted, made pictures with shells and of course there was macrame. Does anyone remember that? Every now and again one of those dread hanging pot plant holders will surface at a garage sale, just when you think they are extinct.
I wonder at the craft crazes that occur from time to time, where do they go? Whatever happened to Hobbytex? I remember a time when it was everywhere. It is still around as I found out, and not nearly as expensive as I remember. I am not about to launch into an obsession with fabric paint for now. I can't stand the smell.
There also was a time when every second person I met was doing China painting. My mother-in-law was very busy with this pastime when I first met her (circa 1981) and my Grandmother was also partial to covering pre-poured off-the-shelf pieces with flowers, flowers and more flowers. I have a lovely little jug she made for me when I first left home.
Folk Art rose to popularity, and declined. I could not find a guild in WA. There was a group that met at the same place our spinning group meets, but they have ceased to exist owing to lack of interest. I have a wooden cot for a doll (mine when I was a child) that would look lovely with some of those roses painted on it, no-one wants to do that anymore.
Scrapbooking is the new macrame/hobbytex/china painting/folk art. It is everywhere, whole shops dedicated to the practice. Even the large chain stores have whole sections with pretty paper and embellishments that announce "Joy" and "Celebrate" and "Love" and the like. These same stores used to have fabric for sale, but sadly it seems, no-one sews anymore (except me).
My chosen craft (knitting) is seeing a bit of a resurgence at the moment. I think it has a lot to do with the internet. Not only can we purchase yarn and not otherwise available in Australia, we now have access to places like Ravelry, a great way to connect with like minded people all over the world. I think this connection is what helps feed the obsession. Joining a club or going to classes was at one time the only way to learn new skills, see other people's projects, and well, just share your ideas/thoughts/need for another skein of 100% Merino laceweight. Clubs come and go, classes only run for a certain amount of time (and can be expensive) but the internet is here to stay, and only getting better. Podcasts and blogs about knitting are growing exponentially, some are good, others not to my taste but this sharing of information is keeping our craft well and truely alive.
In the spirit of all this, I have started to teach my 4 year old daughter to knit, crochet, spin and sew. We make felt and paint yarn and fiber too. The projects have been small so far. For example, we dyed and spun the yarn for some laces for the baby boots above and NooNoo is sporting a one-of-a-kind designer hat these days. I am doing my best to pass the baton, as my mother passed it to me.

A Cure For Tonsiltis

2009-09-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

It can be very exhausting and distressing having a child that is unwell so those breathing exercises I learnt in anti natal classes have come in mighty handy recently.
The young one slowly went downhill over the course of a week, I could see she just wasn't herself. My mum thought the little one's tonsils looked a bit red so I took her to the doctor and all he said was to take her home and give her Panadol as she had a temperature. We then proceeded to have the weekend from hell. She slept in the day, but not in the night, her temp would spike and then come right down, if you have kids you know the drill. I took her to the Dr on the Monday morning, he announced she had an impressive case of Tonsilitis or maybe Glandular fever. I informed him I'll take the former thanks. He gave us a script for some penicillin and sent us on our way.
The result of all this was that I didn't leave the house (apart from the Drs visit) for 6 days.
So what did I do to stop myself going insane? I knit of course. Knitting provides some of the best stress relief (better than those breathing exercises) second only to spinning of course.
After all, when your child is getting out of bed crying every 1/2 an hour, you need something to stop you screaming.

This is the quickest shawl I have ever made, and one of the prettiest. The pattern is the Greta Garbo Shawl from Nancy bush available as a kit here. It is a really enjoyable project and perfect for relieving the anxiety associated with sick children and sleep deprivation.
I first saw this pattern in my copy of Knitted Estonian Lace. Unfortunately, due to an error by the publisher, the pattern is not in the book. Newer editions of this book do not have the picture.
I am so glad I have made this and may yet make another ay some time in the future. For now I have something lovely to remind me of Tonsilitis.

In For the Long Haul

2009-07-25T01:48:00.001-07:00

Fountain Pen Shawl, originally uploaded by KnittingAngel.

I knew when I started this that I would be in for the long haul. The pattern is the Fountain Pen Shawl from Interweave knits Spring 2009 and I am using Morris and Sons Empire 2 ply, purchased on my recent trip to Melbourne.
This is one of those patterns that starts: Cast on 5 stitches. The last row has 467. I have reached approximately 270 stitches on the needles now and each row takes about 15 minutes. There are 16 rows per repeat and I have 2 repeats left before the edging, that's at least another 8 hours until I get to the edging. These calculations are flawed of course because this shawl increase by 2 stitches every second row which means the more I knit the longer it takes to complete a row.
When I started this shawl I was able to take it around with me, pick it up at any time and knit a few rows. Now, of course, making time for this project requires commitment. 15 minutes is not that much of a commitment you may say. It is when you have a VERY active four year old. It is EXTREMELY hazardous to knit this kind of a project with a young person awake. I tried it. It lead me to tears. Real tears.
This piece of work had so far come of the needles no less than 5 times by accident. The result of putting it down mid row to attend to the daughter. If you have ever knit lace you will understand just how hard it is to pick up dropped stitches, in pattern. This particular yarn, whilst quite lovely is VERY fine. Approx. 700m per 50g. Some one stopped me the other day (I was knitting whilst watching my daughter's swimming lesson, got one row done) and asked if I was knitting with cotton, "No" I replied "its wool" But of course then I realized they meant sewing thread. It is in fact thinner than some embroidery floss I have in the stash.
I have also made my task harder by using larger needles than usual for this weight of yarn. I wanted my shawl very loose. I have seen a few finished shawl on Ravelry and knew that I wanted my to be as loose as possible. It is actually not a hugely holey lace pattern and I think bigger needles keep it open.
I have been close to ripping this out and starting again, but I have decided the flaws are what makes this hand made. I am hard pressed to find them myself at this stage, so I press on.
I have of course cast on a pair of socks so I can have a project that I can just pick up at any time, but that will be another post.

A Spicey Project

2009-07-03T01:46:00.000-07:00

Only because the fibre for this was called Cinnamon (from Ashford) did I name this the Spicey Scarf. That and because it was made for my sister who is a spice girl (well kind of). She is in fact a singer and has a singing school, you can read about it here if you like. Well I thought what better to wrap those precious vocal chords in than hand spun Silk and Merino?
I started spinning this fibre way back in January when I got my hands on my first Golding spindle. I have a 2" Lignum Vitae (among others) and it my favorite spindle. Light weight, simple yet elegant and it fits in the handbag (you never know when you can get a chance to spin). I take min everywhere, along with the knitting, as it makes "waiting" a pleasurable experience. I never mind having to wait for the doctor, dentist, mechanic, daughter etc as it means I can make yarn, or knit with it.
It took me roughly a month to spin this (there were other projects on the go) and the finished yarn sat in my stash until April when I got my hands on Knitting Lace Triangles by Evelyn Clark. This book is great as it has a chart that helps you create a pattern based on the amount of yarn you have. I knew I had approx 300m and calculated the number of rows to knit using this chart. It all wnet swimmingly and I was sure I would have enough until...........ARRRRGHHHHH
I ran out. I think I was a little amibitious and thought I could put in an extra repeat. These type of triangle are rather deceiving and you think you have heaps left and then you get to the bind off and.........ARRRGHHHH (that sound again) My husband thought I was having a heart attack and he nearly fell off the couch. When I told him I had run out, he just said "well make some more". I had to explain to him that I couldn't "just make some more" I had used all the fibre, or so I thought......... Somewhere in the back of my head I vaguely remembered spinning a small amount of this fibre very fine before settling on a slightly heavier weight single. I scrambled through my stash of unused singles and....hoorah! there it was, very fine singles neatly rolled onto a TPR (technical speak for toilet paper roll) but now what? these singles were so much thinner than the yarn had used. If I made this into a 2 ply (as is my usual practice for handspun) it was going to be way to thin. Solution: make a four ply yarn. And so my first 4 ply yarn was born. It took the 2 of us about an 2 hours to the make 6 metres of yarn required to complete the project. First I wound 6m onto each of four knitting needles, then the dutiful/wonderful/helpful husband wrangled the four needles whilst I set about plying the singles using my spindle. Anyone who has plyed using a spindle will know that making a 2 ply is tedious and really once you've done it once, it;s best done using a wheel. Yet here we were making a four ply. This is not something I want to do again. Next time I will overestimate the amount of yarn needed, and not get greedy, promise.

Cast Away

2009-07-03T00:03:00.000-07:00

I have been away, and didn't want to come back.
We (husband and child and me) have been lucky enough to visit Fiji in the last couple of weeks and we loved it! We stayed at the lovely Plantation Island Resort, a perfect place for a family getaway.
All the staff there were so friendly and happy. There was plenty to do for the four year old and husband which left me time to knit and spin!
Our trip began with a short stay in Melbourne. My brother was celebrating his 40th birthday.
I love Melbourne and would have loved to do some more shopping BUT time was short (and so was baggage space, so I checked out Knit Map and found the places that I had to visit. Knit Map (in case you don't know) is a great site that you can enter an address and find all the knitting stores near that location, makes life a whole lot easier when going on holidays yes? The must go to places were:
Morris and Sons
The Spinners and Weavers Gui ld of Victoria
AK Traditions
Marta's Yarns (aka The Thread Room)
and WondoFlex
Suffice to say that suitable purchases were made at all places. I particularly enjoyed visiting the Guild. The people there were helpful and friendly, made me feel at home. They have a fantastic store (oh how I wish for one of these) with handspun yarn and items made from handspun, as well as a whole section with fibre and books. I was in heaven.
With half a suitcase full of yarn and fibre I could leave the cold of Melbourne for the sunny shores of Malolo Lailai island in Fiji.
It took a whole day to get there, plane to Sydney, then one to Nadi on the island Viti Levu, then we had to catch a water Taxi to Malolo Lailai where the resort is.

Once there we enjoyed the most relaxing holiday we have ever had. The husband took advantage of the snorkling, scuba and fishing (for free) and the daughter took advantage of the well equipped kid's club (for free) and I lay in a hammock with some yarn and needles, or fibre and spindle and my iPod. Everyone was happy.
I completed a pair of socks and would have finished another if they'd let me knit on planes!
These are made using the wonderful Casbah Sock yarn from Handmaiden in Amethyst. I made a Spiraluscious Cowl by Anne Hanson (Knitspot) with this yarn first and knew I had enough left to make some socks. I used the main stitch pattern for the body and finished with the Waterfall rib used also in this pattern. In order to use up as much of this delicious yarn as possible I was knitting one row on each sock at a time, and measuring with my arms to work out how many rows I could complete. It would have been handy to have a weighing scales, but baggage space was low, and anyway, who brings a weighing scales on holiday? The finished socks are not as long as I usually like socks to be, but no-one will see them under my jeans and they feel great.
This was my idea of a perfect holiday. Enough for the other members of the family to do, so I could do important things, like spin and knit.

Farmyard Mix

2009-04-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

So I got this fibre called pepper:

It's a mix of grey Corriedale (still nice and greasy) with 3 colours of alpaca (black, white and brown) and started spinning. I wasn't entirely happy with the result and then I had an idea! As I have so much alpaca here waiting to be spun, why not make this mix go further, hone my blending skills and add some more white and brown to the mix?

This is the result so far:
It's turning our quite lovely as they extra alpaca in the mix has softened it up nicely.
I have been on a bit of a spinning frenzy lately owing to the fact the a lovely friend lent me her Schacht Ladybug spinning wheel. Not wanting to let this opportunity go to waste I have bee putting her through her paces and trying to spin as many different weights and types of fibre as possible. Part of this process has included learing to blend. I have been using hand Carders so far am am pleased with my efforts. The mix tends to be...uneven...which is nice. If I wanted an even blend I could buy comercially prepared fibre.

I started this blending journey with just 2 colours of alpaca.

After picking and carding the alpaca, I am left with lovely soft rolags from which to spin yarn.

So far I have one full bobbin and part of a second.

Will keep you posted on the progress.

Ishbel Beret

2009-04-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

OK, so it is another hat, but there is a method to my madness. First: this is a gift for a friend's daughter whose birthday is next week and I needed something quick to knit for her. Next: have you ever had a pattern that you just HAD TO MAKE! I fell in love with this design or more precisely the shawl/scarf that matches, a while ago, so this is a prequel to that. Finally: I really wanted to knit something out of my Surf 'n Turf. What is that? you may well ask. Surf 'n Turf is one of my hand dyed yarns. A beautiful soft and cool to touch mix of 50% Merino 50% Sea cell, this stuff positively glows. It has wonderful stitch definition, a slight stretch, so will be great for socks and a drape similar to wool/silk mixes, but with a bit more 'body". I can imagine a garment made from this fibre being very comfortable to wear in our warm climate.
The pattern is Ishbel from Ysolda also available on Ravelry. A lovely quick pattern to knit, I made the second smallest size as it is for a 7 year old. I only used just over 30g of yarn so have plenty left for a "skinny Scarf" to match.

Yes, Another Hat

2009-04-05T21:48:00.000-07:00

The Boy Hat by Elizabeth Heath-Heckman caused me a surprising number of headaches. This is by no means a difficult pattern, I encourage anyone to do this one, it is just all of that 4 x 4 rib did my head in a little. I could only do a couple of rows at a time and then had to do something else. The thing with doing these hats is they seem to go on forever for ages and then you start the decreases and whammo your done. I think it took about an hour once I started the crown shaping. Also, I had a little trouble getting the size right, I started this one 4 times before finally settling on the number of stitches as per the pattern. I thought I would have to add some as the head that this is for is larger than average, but this is very stretchy and will accomodate a variety of heads. No handspun for this one as it is for a teenage boy, I used Cleckheaton Country Naturals, machine washable did seem more appropriate. Hope he likes it.

Something Green

2009-04-05T20:50:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in the last post I started something green on St Patrick's day and this it. The fibre was spun on my trusty wheel and is 95% Merino 5% silk purchase from Bilby Yarns. I split the roving length wise to get stripes in the yarn and then plied the coloured singles with a plain green. The result was roughly a DK (8ply, worsted) weight.
Choosing a pattern to knit with my handspun is still quite problematic for me. I wade through hundred of patterns on the internet and in my books, not wanting to make a mistake with design choice and of course quantity. It is not like I can just go to the shop and get some more of this. So finally I settled on the Cat's Paw Lace Scarf by Elizabeth Lovick. A simple Shetland Lace design. I added a few more repaets as my yarn was heavier than the recommended and just kept knitting until I ran out. It has a lovely lofty feel, is warm, but not hot. The striping is pronounced enough for interest, but does not take away from the lace design. A very easy knit, I had around 400m of yarn to use up and have a stole/wrap for my trouble.
Now to wade through a whole heap more pattern to work out what to knit next.

Family Knitting

2009-03-15T18:42:00.000-07:00

I came across this photo of an Irish spinner recently and it set my mind on a train of thought that I just had to share.
My family are Irish. My mother was born there and my father's great Grandfather (or great great one, can't remember) was also from the Erin Isle. When I was a little girl I always remember the fabulous, though very scratchy, Aran jumpers and cardigans that my Great Aunt used to knit. I had one, wore it for years, even though it weighed a ton, was hot as hell, very itchy and a nightmare to wash. Eventually there were more holes in it from causes other than yarn overs, the moths I fear loved it almost as much as I did. For a long time I thought that hand knitted jumpers were only ever itchy, and that shops made soft ones. This is most likely the reason my first adventures with yarn were mostly with cotton and (yes I admit it it) acylic. I then discovered Superfine Merino, gorgeous alpaca, and of course silk.I have been bitten by the yummy yarn bug and 'tis an infection that is hard to shake. These fibres are luxurious, comfortable to wear and a joy to knit. I can wear items made from these all year round, not just for the 2 weeks of winter that we have around August. Romantic as those old Aran cardis were, they are much better suited to colder climates.
When I was about 3 we went to Ireland and stayed with mum's aunt. Even to this day when I smell cold salty air, I am instantly back there. There is a picture somewhere of the whole family wearing matching jumpers knitted by my mum, all 6 of us, they were a lovely shade of green. I have an elder sister, so I was lucky enough to inherit hers when mine got to small. I loved that jumper and my hand me down one also. My mum did alot of sewing, knitting and crochet. Our family abums are filled with us wearing her creations, so this got me thinking, is there a "knitting gene" and/or a spinning gene for that matter. My sister does not knit, one of my brothers doesn't but the other has been crocheting and recently on a visit I taught him to knit and spin, he has taken to it like duck to water. After a week he had 3 projects on the needles. I have been crocheting for as long as I can remember but only started knitting relatively recently. It now feels like I have always done it, and the same goes for spinning. When I started spinning there was something "familiar" about it, like I had done it before, ancestral memories perhaps???
This year, on St Pat's day, I started knitting something green. "If you ever go across the sea to Ireland..." you will see that it really is VERY green. It is one of the most beautiful places on this Earth. I had a great longing to visit the home of my ancestors and was fortunate enough to get there a few years ago, I was revisiting my photos and came across this one. It is taken somewhere in the Dingle Peninsular county Kerry, Ireland on a very cold day. We had to wait for the flock to cross the road. I really understood the NEED for ward jumpers on this particular day.

Wonderful Wagin Woolorama

2009-03-13T00:52:00.000-07:00

Had the best time last weekend at the wonderful Wagin Woolorama, an annual event since 1972 full of all things woolly.
Wagin is about 260km South East of Perth and it only took us 2 1/2 hours to get there (with me driving!!) We arrived just after 11am, you could smell the sheep from the car park.
Watched some sheep dog trials, there were some really smart dogs and surprisingly some really smart sheep too.
There was a great fashion parade, including swimwear (I didn't know bikinis were made of wool). It still amazes me though how much of our wool is not spun here in this country. I have bought Australian Merino spun in Canada, the USA, China and of course Italy.
Why is this so?

I digress. Woolarama is the order of the day. I suspect that this event is what the Royal Show used to be. It was not much smaller than the Perth Show, but less side show alley, lots of animals. We took our time admiring the prize winners, not having a clue of course what makes them so.

Some people dislike the smell of sheep, I am not one of those. I really love farm smell, especially sheep. There is something intrinsically good about it, makes you smile.

There were a few officials looking at me sideways as I stood fondling the fleeces. I really had to stop myself from diving in, or at the very least burying my face in the boxes. It is a bit like a candy store for spinners, all that wool, yum!!!

I spent a long time talking to a Suri Alpaca breeder and 2 bags of fibre came home with me. If only I could fit an alpaca in the car....seriously, if I had somewhere to keep them I would love a pair of Suris. A friend of mine has 3 Huacaya (refer my prevoius posts for the shearing day and spinning of said fibre) but there is something wonderful about those dreadlocks that the Suri have. They look like 4 legged hippies.

I do love goats too. They have such expressive faces and whilst Mohair usually makes me sneeze I had no problem in the fleece room and as such just had dip my hands in.

While my husband looked a farming equipment and my daughter played in the playground, I sat down to spin (with spindle) and was immediately swamped with questions. Children are the best, they don't hold back, and probably ask just what the grown ups would like to.

My husband drove home, so I got to knit all the way back while the young one slept in the back. Altogether a fab day, can't wait for next year.

Quick Knits

2009-02-23T19:57:00.000-08:00

I have set myself a little bit of a personal challenge this year. To knit through as much of my stash as possible, and if its unknittable then I'll give it to the Kindy. Some of my stash will be used for dolls clothes I am sure. My daughter has asked for "a nice warm jumper for NooNoo", her favorite teddy.
Stockpiles can get out of control, mine is not there yet but does contain a few bits that I bought before I really knew what I liked. My taste in yarn has changed in the last few years, not to mention the fact that I can now make my own!
So with the stash busting in mind, this little hat has come into being. Most of the hats I have made prior to this year have been crochet. They are easy, just start at the top and shape as you go. This beret was as much a learning exercise as anything, it is made from the bottom up and shaping knitting is not as easy as crochet, or maybe thats just because I have been doing crochet for so long. Anyway I looked at a few patterns to get an idea about how many stitches to cast on and how different people did the increasing and decreasing. I know, I should be doing gauge swatches and all, but seeing as though exact size was not essential, the guess and knit method worked just fine.
The original intention was to make a plain beret but I have been bitten by the lace bug and just could not help myself.
I have no idea what the yarn used is. It did however cause me to sneeze which suggests the presence of Mohair. There will be strict instructions NOT to put this one in the washing machine or else there will be a lovely hat for some dolly.
If I make one of these again I will use even smaller needles for the rib, and maybe do a couple more rows for good measure.
Now back to that sock I am working on.....

More Manly Stuff

2009-02-22T20:13:00.000-08:00

I have set myself the task of knitting presents for my relatives in Victoria this being for one of my nephews.
One of the quickest things I have ever knitted, it's the reversible Hat rom Jo Sharp's Knit Issue 3. Interesting pattern, it looks quite feminine one way and more masculine the other. I used good old acrylic (so it can be thrown in the washing machine) I normally don't like using acrylic (not nice to knit with at all!!) but this was.....the sensible thing to do, you know what teenagers are like right?
The next one is for another nephew. I am trying to match the hats to personalities. Also a really quick knit, Thorpe is available for free on Ravelry here.
I really enjoyed doing this one, the longest part was the plaiting, it took forever. They kept looking too mean so I had to unplait, get some more yarn, plait again, ugh. I did a little victory jig when I finished.
I used Panda Heath, 2 strands together (one from the middle, one from the outside) Got a bit scary towards the end, I was down to the wire with the main colour, only had 2 metres left!
I still have another nephew to make a hat for, I am digging through my stash to find another machine washable yarn that is not pink.

Dye Another Day

2009-02-21T03:42:00.000-08:00

I have decided that dying in truly addictive. It is just so much fun. I love the uncertainty of the whole process. One of my friends said recently that you really have to just "let go" and let is happen.
Whenever I set out to dye something I do have a plan in mind, but that plan has to be flexible because strange and unexpected things can happen in the dye pot.
I dyed this fibre the other day and am delighted with the result, although it is not exactly what I set out to achieve. Four colours have been used and the cooking was done in an ancient crock pot.
I have called it Piebald (like the horses). Can't wait to see how this 100% superfine (18 micron) Australian Merino spins up, stay posted for the pictures.
This next one is called Fairy Floss, soooooooo yummy. Dying with less colours (only 2 this time) I an old cat litter tray as a dye bath and cooked it in the microwave.
50% Merino 50% silk Pure heaven if you ask me.

Manly Lace

2009-02-20T19:10:00.000-08:00

When knitting for blokes it can be hard to find something that is interesting enough without being too feminine. I admit to searching through alot of patterns before deciding on this one for a scarf for my brother. I like the geometric nature of the design, and being more than just eyelets it kept me interested. I have been guilty of making scarves too short in the past because I got bored.

This is made from the yarn I spun in Bali (Merino/Silk) and I love the result. It was a joy to knit, had a soft and light feel in my hands. The resulting fabric is lofty yet drapes beautifully.

I used the "Raha" scarf pattern from the wonderful Nancy Bush book, "Knitted Lace of Estonia" but I did 2 repeats of the pattern instead of one as mine yarn is quite fine.
I am now working on a pair of matching fingerless gloves.

Miralda, Miralda, Miralda

2009-02-12T20:48:00.000-08:00

Such a pretty name, Miralda, and what a pretty scarf/shawl by Nancy Bush. I continue on my journey through "Knitted Lace of Estonia", the latest offering is Miralda.
Two of my knitting buddies have made this shawl, and I knew I had to make one too. I decided to make mine larger by using a heavier yarn and larger needles. A decision that I do not regret.
I also chose to use one size larger needles to cast on (after my experience with Ene). I really like doing shawls that start big and get smaller, less tiresome towards the end!
The jury is still out as to whether I dye this or leave it white. I did not dye the yarn as I was not sure how much I would need, another decision I do not regret as I had to break into a 3rd skein to finish and only used a small amount. I really hope the weather is cool enough to wear this soon.

Heartland Heaven

2009-02-12T20:36:00.000-08:00

The decision made, the needles poised, and we were off. It took 2 weeks of joyous knitting and 'tis done.
This is first time I have knit with my own spun "finished" yarn. The other was an "energised" single (unplied, unwacked) But this yarn received its beating and given a rest before being transformed into something I am very proud of.
The pattern (Heartland) is not a difficult pattern to follow. I made mine slightly larger, I added 2 extra repeats of the main chart. I even made a matching pair of fingerless gloves. They do feel rather lovely, even in this incredibly hot weather we are having.
This shawl is a gift for someone who lives in Victoria, it isn't very cold there right now but it will get cooler soon.

Estonian Lace Love Affair

2009-02-12T20:18:00.000-08:00

The moment I saw Nancy Bush's book "Knitted Lace of Estonia" I knew I had to have it. The are not many books that I see so many patterns that I would like to knit nearly everything in the book. I am glad I ordered my copy when I did as I believe they are hard to get at the moment.
I was lucky enough to win a skein of Dream in Colour Baby Lace at our knitting Christmas party and knew exactly what I wanted to make. I wasn't sure if I had enough yarn for the border as written, so I added a crochet border instead. This is a lovely shawl that I plan to give as a gift to a friend for her birthday.

What do I make from this wonderful yarn?

2009-02-12T01:10:00.000-08:00

It can be difficult when confronted with some GORGEOUS fibre that you just have to have! It gets spun and then the dilemma, "What do I make from this wonderful yarn I have created?"
As a new spinner I am probably still a little precious about my newly spun yarn terrified that I will knit the wrong thing with the product of many hours at the wheel or spindle. What if I choose the wrong pattern and the whole thing is awful and I hate it? All that hard work!!! Down the drain!!!
So I waded through patterns, I ummed and I arrred and I looked at more patterns, I ummmed and arrrred some more, I waded through more patterns...........and finally decided.
With the fingers (and toses) crossed, I cast on Heartland by the wonderful Evelyn Clark.
Here is the finished yarn:

You will have to wait for a picture of the finished item.....

So I haven't blogged for AGES....

2009-02-10T21:26:00.000-08:00

I know, I haven't been here for a while but I have been busy.
Christmas came and went and my wonderful husband decided to take us to Bali for a trip the week after. I love Bali. We went there on our honeymoon (22 years ago) it was great then and it still is now. Really relaxed, the weather was divine, hotel magic, can't ask for more really. Holidays are of course a little different these days with a 3 year old in tow, but that's OK, we did all the backpacking and adventurous stuff when we were younger, it is time now to just rest by the pool and enjoy slowing down. Shopping is not so easy with a little one around, but I guess that means what we spend extra on accomodation we save in stuff not bought.
I brought some knitting (which for some reason was unable to do) and of course my trusty drop spindle. There is something wonderful about sitting poolside on a tropical island spinning yarn. The husband likes to watch the English football and so I could also spin in the evening while he watched the TV.
Here is the resulting yarn:It is a blend of 15%silk and 85% Merino YUMMMM.
I love it and am already knitting something, will eep you posted.....

Roller Coaster Rides and Lace

2008-12-13T15:31:00.000-08:00

Knitting lace is sometimes like a roller coaster ride. The start is a bit like the creep uphill and then suddenly, you are off, and its up and down and all around, sometimes slow, sometimes fast, exhilarating, exiting, thrilling, you start to wonder when it will end, and then.....you are finished. Your heart beat takes a while to reach normal again, you wind down, and are a little sad that it is over, eager to try another ride.
I blocked my Laminaria on Wednesday and have been climbing the walls since as I am "projectless" The ride was wonderful. Not without a little heartache (had to tink a few times after not paying attention) but now that it is over I feel a little lost. I have experienced the same sense of loss after finishing a really good book (or worse a series) I love to read those really fat sci/fi fantasy novels, preferably the ones with 3 or more in a series, so it lasts longer, but not too long so I get bored. My lace projects are getting bigger, and more adventurous, a bit like the novels and of course like roller coasters.

Laminaria

2008-11-28T01:13:00.001-08:00

Finally got the courage to start a Laminaria. This is one of the first patterns I downloaded form Knitty when I fell in love with lace, but until now have not had the courage to start. It has the trickiest cast on I have ever done, but the result is great. This is my third attack on the pattern, frogged the first due to needle size change needed. The second attempt I confess to trying to change the cast on and make it easier, but that looked wrong AND I got this strange looking pattern forming. SO third go. Cast on correctly BUT I still have these ridges, I don't know if these will block out or if I am doing something wrong???????????

Plied and Ready!

2008-11-26T23:54:00.000-08:00

This is very exciting, my second plying effort, but first usable result (the first lot was plied too loosely and felted a little in the washing) I have here approximately 220m of 100% Handspun Alpaca, a very usable quantity indeed. It is tempting to just keep it in the skein and look lovingly at it but I plan to make something for a friend with it. She of course won't be able to wear it for some months yet owing to the fact that we are heading into our summer.
I must say it would not have been possible without the help of the wonderful people at the Dianella Spinners who have kindly lent their wealth of knowledge to this eager novice. I have been blessed to meet with such a great group of enthusiasts so willing to share. They certainly welcomed this "greenhorn" with open arms.
I am already planning the next yarn, stay tuned...........

Swallowtail

2008-11-22T23:06:00.000-08:00

The first time I saw this pattern I knew I had to knit it. I waited patiently for the right yarn to come into my life and was blessed last weekend at an open day our local "All Things Fibrous" craft groups had. I got talking to a lady who had a small basket of alpaca spun from her own herd. She had only one skein (100g) of each colour which is of course fine for a scarf but then she produced a bag of 3 of this delicious dark grey that leapt into my bag and said "make a swallowtai l out of me please!" and so it was born.
I sat down to knit the moment my daughter was safely tucked in be. I admit that this pattern has intimidated me until now. I have read so much about the dreaded nupps and the difficulty with them I had been reluctant to launch into this. Fortune would have it that I saw an interview with the wonderful Nancy Bush on Knitting Daily TV. For one thing I now know how to pronounce the word: nupp rhymes with soup. Apart from that she demonstrated the stitch and guess what? Not so hard after all. Thank you Nancy.
Hence more thanks has to go to Evelyn C Clarke for this wonderful free pattern. It is very simple to follow, and provided you keep the nupps nice and loose on the knit side, purling 5 together is not so tough. The design kept me interested and was really quick. I used only 200g of the 300g that I had so I have some left over for something small and lovely. For anyone interested I used 4mm needles except for the last row and cast off which were done with 4.5mm.
My swallowtail was blocking by Friday and worn on Saturday, even if the weather is a little warm here.
I now know I am unashamedly an Alapca lover with a passion for lace.

A Big Night In

2008-11-22T22:34:00.000-08:00

Ah, it is a sign of the times when I get happy about a big night in. I must be getting old. But when faced with a choice between a noisy pub or a bucket full of fresh fiber to spin, I choose the fiber, is that bad?
I started with this bucket:

which was carded:and became this:

I have yet to spin enough to ply and make a usable quantity but I am sure you will see the finished product soon.

These days it is rather lovely to spend a Saturday night quietly spinnning or knitting or both. Last night I got myself organised first with the big bucket of Alpaca, spent an hour an a half spinning then continued on with desert of Christmas knitting, while husband fell asleep on the couch. What a life.

Loopy Lye

2008-11-16T00:31:00.001-08:00

loopylye4160, originally uploaded by Angelskein.

So I was told that I should not bother trying to spin Alpaca just yet and that is a bit like waving a red flag at a bull. I could not wait to get my hands on this stuff and spin it, and of course knit it.
This started as a test to see how well the newly spun yarn would knit up, and I just kept going! It was a great learning exercise.
Lessons include:
I must remove more vegetable matter before spinning
Spinning unwashed Alpaca is dirty work
Combing the fibre needs to be done outside
Alpaca is a GLORIOUS fibre that I simply love and can't understand why people are reluctant to spin it.
Can't wait to start the next one.
Spinning is very relaxing

I now have to get better at spinning a more even yarn. This one has a lot of "character" but I don't care, everyone starts some where.

This project has been called Loopy Lye for the animal the fibre came from. I will be giving it to my lovely friend who owns him, seems only fitting.

Nothing to do with Knitting....

2008-11-09T03:50:00.000-08:00

Well actually it did in a round about way.
We live quite close to the city and last weekend the Red Bull Air Race was held in the skies above Perth. My husband took my daughter for a ride (we have a trailer for the pushbike) into town to see the action.
The ride only takes about 15 minutes and they were lucky enough to get prime position right beside the runway. He tells me she was amazing, not even a little bit frightened by the noise. She even fell asleep on the way home!
This gave me a chance to really get stuck into some house work. I washed the doors, floors, windows, kitchen benches, oven, everything really, including some clothes. What, you may ask, does this have to do with knitting? Housework completed, leaves more time for guilt free knitting, woo hoo!

Spinning Worms

2008-11-09T03:23:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to share some of the worms I have spun so far, there are both Corriedale and Alapaca worms present. My hands are getting very soft doing this.

Spin Off

2008-11-09T03:17:00.001-08:00

gwen4124, originally uploaded by Angelskein.

So this is what happens when I get given a whole heap of Alpaca wool. I rang the local Spinners Guild and hit the Jackpot. There is a group who meets just up the road from my house every Wednesday! Not only that, one of the members had a wheel for sale. So along I went, bag of Alpaca in hand, hopeful look in eye. At least what I lack in ability I make up for with enthusiasm. They did warn me that I would be the baby of the group, I find this funny as I am in my 40's.

What a delightful group of people, so open and helpful, and generous!
I have found out that Alpaca is not for the feint-hearted, nor the beginner, so they kindly gave me some lovely, greasy, Corriedale to whet my appetite. Spinning is not easy. It is a bit like driving a car. Remember when you first got behind the wheel (in a car) and it was really hard to co-ordinate the hands an feet? Well this is just like that, you know, rubbing your tummy and scratching your head? So I sat, and pedaled for about an hour whilst knitting. Seems odd I know, but they tell me that it helps to do something else while getting used to the foot action, so that it can be done without thinking. I then had another go, it did't get any easier.

On Thursday morning when my daughter saw the wheel she delightedly exclaimed, in a breathless whisper "Mummy, mummy, mummy! Look what the fairies have left for us!!!! It's a spinning wheel! Can we keep it? Is it ours? Can I have a turn?" I thought she was going to hyperventilate, it was a beautiful moment.

Today is Sunday and I do believe it is getting easier now. I sat on the back veranda this afternoon (how quaint) spinning and fending off the 3 year old who wants to "help"
What I am making is becoming less like something resembling worms and more like yarn with every turn of the wheel.

Oh, and by the way, the wheel's name is Gwen.

Alpaca Day Spa

2008-11-09T02:07:00.000-08:00

My daughter and I were lucky enough to be invited to a friend's farm to see her Alpaca have a hair cut and manicure. What a great day it was! My daughter is 3 and thought it was the best ever.
We set off early (picked up a friend and her daughter on the way) and drove for 2 hours to a place just out of Pingelly. After hello hugs and a quick cup of tea, we headed into the field with some food for the hungry boys. I am told they are normally quite shy, but they overcame this when they caught sight of the feed buckets.

Soon the wonderful Trevor (of All About Alpacas) arrived to give the guys their treatments. It really is a bit like a day spa for them, they get their hair done, nails trimmed, teeth checked and a shot of something to keep them healthy.

Trevor was a wealth of information and good humor. I learnt a whole heap about Alpaca. In particular that grooming them is more akin to dog grooming than sheep shearing. They are easier to keep than sheep and make great guard dogs. Sheep farmers use them to keep the foxes away, those toe nails can be nasty.

Trevor travels to the USA and UK to shear Alpacas, keeping him busy all year round. He has an impressive client list, apparently Alpaca ownership is becoming quite popular with the rich and famous. I loved watching him talk to the animals and handle them so well, firm yet gentle. Even when one of them got a little feisty he showed him who's the boss.

To top it off I came home with 3 bags full of the good stuff! That's right, lovely soft alpaca fleece. Now I just have to learn to spin......

Haruha and Anya

2008-10-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

In an effort to destash, I have started this scarf. I will say that I am thoroughly enjoying knitting something that grows quickly! having not worked with a yarn of this weight for quite a while, it is refreshing. The pattern is available on Ravelry as a free download for any interested.
Yarn: Wendy Supreme DK Cotton
Needles: 3.5mm

I have another project on the go: Anya (also available on Ravelry for free). She, on the other hand is S L O W. The combination of yarn choice and a chart that has every row different is making for a project that requires considerable patience. Owing to the complex chart I cannot knit this at any other time than in the evenings (after 3 year old has gone to bed). In saying that, it is not difficult, and provided I keep count it makes for an enjoyable project. I am about 1/2 way through after a week, I can't believe that it has taken longer than Ene (and it's so much smaller).
Yarn: The Knittery Merino Lace (Cherries)
Needles: 5.5mm

Nutty Kin

2008-10-10T01:37:00.000-07:00

I knit a pair of "Monkeys" (sock pattern by the wonderful Cookie A and not the ones in the photos) recently with the intention of giving them to my brother. I used some Tofutsies (which I think is great to knit with) in a great colourway that looks a bit like a bumble bee, don't know the name. I prefer to knit socks toe-up, so with the help of my friend 1morerow a pair sprung from my needles in no time at all. This is a very quick pattern to knit and very easy to memorize. I did a different heel to the way I usually do them and as such the instep is much narrower than I expected. I asked my husband to try them on, knowing my brother's feet are just a smidgen bigger. The moment he got them on his feet, he assured me, emphatically, that there is no way these would fit my brother and that he would have to keep them! It will be interesting to see if they do fit when my brother arrives from Melbourne for a visit soon.
So. What to do? she asks herself. I was loathe to knit another pair of Monkeys right away (I may do another pair at some stage) so I remembered a pair of socks that my friend at Momo4ever.com had called Nutkin from Knitzi. It can be hard to find sufficiently manly patterns for socks that are still interesting to knit, these fit the bill. Of course I had to knit them toe-up and as such they don't have the interesting toe detail the originals have, but I do like them. Once again quick to knit, yes these did take about 2 weeks BUT I did do Ene as well. Easy to memorise the pattern, have had a touch of the "twisting" problem that afew other knitters have reported on Ravelry but it is minimal. The most interesting thing about these socks has been the patterning effect on one of the socks. The yarn is Mama LLama Sock II from The Wool Shack, the colourway is Bella. It's a bit hard to see the effect in the pictures but I have ended up with a lovely pair of fraternal socks.

Ene is ready!

2008-10-05T03:49:00.000-07:00

She is finished and being blocked at this very moment.

I always have difficulty when something is being blocked. I am desperate to unpin and wear. You would think that after all that knitting I could just be patient and wait until she is completely dry, the temptation is killing me. It is like having a lovely chocolate or piece of cake that you can't eat yet..........

Ene

2008-10-02T21:46:00.000-07:00

Since the first time I "picked up sticks" I have wanted to knit lace.
I lusted after the glorious items I saw others making,
wishing that I too could have the patience and ability to complete such intricate, delicate, beautiful items.

My first attempt at "lace" was of course a sock. I think sock knitting is a great way to "wet you feet" with lace. The project is small, the rounds are short, results are seen quickly, and not too much heartache should you have to frog it and start again. The very first sock I knitted was in fact a lace one for my 3 year daughter. It turned out fine, but I wanted more.

I became inspired by my lovely friends at (aptly named)
Knitting Inspirations and so it begins.

I first came across Ene's scarf whilst wading through the many lace works on Ravelry. A fellow knitter named Yarnsnob has knit 2 of these, so I bought the book (Scarf Style from Interweave) and off I went. I have found it quite hypnotic, all that counting, watching the pattern emerge before of my eyes. Even though I learnt to crochet lace at a young age (about 10) this is a completely different experience. Crochet is much quicker, and also much easier to go back if you make a mistake. This animal requires concentration and patience, the reason I had until now avoided it.

I will wear Ene with pride when she is finished, but what to do next?

Mini Spring Forward

2008-09-16T22:03:00.000-07:00

In honour of the season (Sping has sprung in this part of the world!) I wanted to knit a pair of Spring Forward socks (found on Knitty) I had some lovely yellow Tofutsies that I got from the lovely ladies at Knitting Insirations which was just begging to be made into these socks. I knit my pair toe up and not cuff down as per the pattern as I prefer that method. The lace pattern used is really easy to memorise and looks great. Now, what do I do with the lovely leftovers?????? I made a pair for my 3 year old daughter.
If anyone wants to know, this is how I did it:
Needles: 1 circular 2mm (80cm) and set of 5 DPNs 2mm ( US size 0)
Using circular needles I cast on 14 sts (7 on each needle) using Judy's Magic Cast On
I then increased at each end (4 stiched each round/row) alternate rounds/rows until I had 44 sts.
Some people would continue using their circulars at this point but I do love my DPNs so I changed, arranging the sts to have 11 on each of the four needles.
I then knit one and 1/2 repaets of the lace pattern before starting my increases for the gusset as follows:
Needles 1 and 2: chart across
Needle 3: K1, M1 knit across remainder
Needle 4: Knit until last st, m1, k1

Then of course you knit the pattern for the instep and knit all sts on the foot.

I did this until I had 44 sts on the back 2 needles.

Now to turn the heel:
Working on only the heel sts
k30, kfb (knit front and back) k1, w&t
p18, pfb (purl front and back) p1, w&t
k16, kfb, k1, w&t
p14, pfb, p1, w&t
k12, kfb, k1, w&t
p10, pfb, p1, w&t
k8, kfb, k1, w&t
p6, pfb, p1, w&t

You now have 52 sts.
On the right side knit to end of heel, knitting each wrap together with the st it wraps. Work across instep using the chart.
Heel flap: (working on the heel sts only again)
k36 (knitting each wrap again with the st it wraps), ssk turn
sl1, p19, p2tog, turn
(sl 1, k1) 10 times, SSk, turn
Th SSK or p2tog happens when you hit a "gap" so you don't have to keep counting. Continue on until there a re only 22 sts left. Then just start working in the round again.
Woo Hoo!!
My mini socks measure 15cm from toe to heel after blocking.
In order to block these socks I used plastic bags, worked a treat!

Shawl for Oma

2008-09-16T21:47:00.000-07:00

Whilst busily working on the Father's day socks, I (stupidly) took on another project. I think at this stage I was working on 6 things at once. I have only ever knit lace on socks and have been inspired by my many knitting friends to give it a go with something a little more adventurous.
This was about the fourth pattern I tried of course, not quite being up there with the serious lace knitters yet. I came across this pattern on Ravelry it is called the Woodland Shawl from the Thrifty Knitter. Mine looks more like a peacock than a woodland but that is OK.
I dyed the yarn myself, choosing these colours specifically for my mother in Law. She is going to love it I am sure! It is for her 70th birthday which is not too far away. I know I would cry if someone made something like this for me.......

Father's Day Socks

2008-09-16T21:34:00.000-07:00

It's been ages since I have written anything, but I have been busy knitting!
Father's day has come and gone, but I took it upon myself to knit a pair of socks for both my dad and my husband's dad. Then I thought I had better do some for my husband also and just to complicate matters decided to knit one pair that he knew about and then a secret pair as a surprise. Covert knitting can be tricky, but I got them done without him knowing. They were not without issues I might add. I was half way through the foot part when I came to a knot (UGH) We hate knots in socks at any time but I soldiered on, only to find that the pattern in the yarn had become reversed, ARRRGGGHH ###!!!!!###. So, what to do? Dilemma.......????? I am probably an idiot for doing this but I decided to break the yarn a roughly the same point on the second sock and start knitting from the other end in order to reverse the pattern again. Nobody but me will ever see the of course, as I wash and fold the socks, but it is the pricipal, design is important!
This pair may however be in fact cursed, as the second time he wore them he managed to snag them on our old floorboards!!!! I now have to repair a brand new pair of socks...........

Stripes for Mum

2008-08-07T01:47:00.004-07:00

I think I am a bit over self patterning yarns as they lend themselves to plain knitting which can be a little..... well....boring to knit. So, needing a challenge, I decided to knit two at once. Prefering toe-up socks at the moment (I may change my mind next week) and as I always cast on with circulars (changing to dpns after a few rows) I thought it could not be that hard. It isn't that hard, BUT, I found it annoyingly tedious with the yarn getting tangled. This method is fine if you did not have to get up at all and knit the pair in one sitting. Not many have this luxury. Each time I picked up to knit I found myself with a tangled mess no latter how careful I was when I left off. It does solve the problem of sock orphans however. Anyway, I got as far as the gusset increases and decided enough was enough. Knowing that at least the pair would match in foot length I separated the twins and began knitting them separately, ah joy! It is definitely quicker with only one sock in hand at a time. I am also rather attached to my dpns. Don't get me wrong, the "Magic Loop" has its place, call me old fashioned if you like.
So I started on 2 circulars, 2 at once;
Changed to 2 circulars, one at a time;
Then finished each sock with my trusty Old DPNS
This sock is done using WendyKnits Fingering weight toe-up gusset heel sock pattern. As these are for my mum I started with one size for the foot and did extra increases to make the size bigger for the ankles.
Wendy Knits has more free patterns here, very easy to understand and all that I have ried have worked out well.

My First Design

2008-08-07T01:18:00.000-07:00

This sock is a first for me. I have not only dyed the yarn myself (refer previous entry) but I designed the pattern also!! It has not been without issue and came about by alot of trial and error. I sat down to knit this sock with pattern in hand (I wanted to knit Luminare by Bex) things did not go well.........it looked bad....... The main problem is that I was trying to knit it toe up and not cuff down as per the pattern. I thought if I just turned the chart upside down it would work, not so..... I will try again at a later stage. Having spoken to some other more experienced sock knitters they tell me just to knit as is and let the design be upside down.
Anyway, this seemed a perfect opportunity to design something myself, so here it is. I would like to say that so far so good. I have completed one sock and am busy creating another so I can wear them. The first one feels LOVELY on the foot!!! I intend to put the pattern on Ravelry
so others can share my joy. I have called this sock "Angel" as it has wings all down the side.

Sock on

2008-07-22T23:01:00.000-07:00

I just can't stop. I have to knit more socks. Cast this on on Monday, OOOOOOO I like them!
Socks are so delightful to knit as you get to try new patterns and techniques but with a small enough project to not get bored. The are the double eyelet rib socks from Wendy Knits available for free: http://wendyknits.net/

Dying to try this....

2008-07-22T21:33:00.001-07:00

Have been itching to try dying my own yarn, so yesterday gave it a go. Woo Hoo fantastic fun, I felt like "witchy poo" cooking up my brew in my kitchen, I even wore black for the occasion. Having spent a number of years in a darkroom (photographic) I know the perils of wearing anything but black around chemicals. Strangely enough the odours produced from yesterdays efforts were not dissimilar to those of the darkroom (vinegar = stop bath).
The most gloriously coloured skeins are now resting in my kitchen to get dry as it is pouring with rain outside.

FreeForm

2008-07-17T23:56:00.001-07:00

_frifrm_3464, originally uploaded by Angelskein.

I don't know what this is yet, but if I keep going maybe it will reveal itself.

Cozy Tank top

2008-07-17T23:43:00.001-07:00

I am busy with a new project, among the others that are still in the making. This little number is for my daughter and I thought it a nice way of learning some new techniques. Never having done anything like this before it appeared a little daunting at first, and after casting on 3 times and ripping it out (along with some of my hair) I am finally off and knitting. It is not as difficult as it looked, although sometimes writers of patterns can be a little ambiguous with their instructions at times. For example: knit even until armhole measures 6cm. Does this mean from corner to corner? or the length of the curve? or the height of the knitted piece?????

2008-07-17T23:37:00.000-07:00

Now that it is finished (she wore it yesterday) I am moderately happy. You see I am terribly impatient and did not do a very good job of the side seams. I should have researched how to do this correctly and as I did not know any better, stitched them up the way I would any other hand sewing project. I have since discovered that the way to do it is using a special technique called mattress stitch. Will surely do this next time. Next time I might make the collar different and maybe a nice edge .........

Sprinters green Jersey

2008-07-16T00:31:00.000-07:00

In order to keep awake during the Tour de France I have been busy knitting a green (Sprinters) Jersey for my daughter. All going well so far and I will have it finished before the end of the race.
It is from Junior Knits by Debbie Bliss, the pattern is named Mia.
I am really happy with the results so far. I used 8 ply and not 10 ply as per the pattern, but I checked the tension and all is OK.

The Socks continue.....

2008-07-03T23:30:00.000-07:00

Have been BUSY knitting socks
Completed 2 pairs for my daughter, a pair for me and a pair for the husband. Have also made a pair for my mum. She presented a challenge as she has very large ankles. I added a whole bunch of extra stitches, which then had to be lost at the foot part. The 2 socks are done, but alas I counted wrong somewhere and they are not the same size!!!! The second one looks better than the first one and I also changed the way I decreased on this one. Oh well, I'll just have to make another one now.
Have also just completed my first ever toe-up sock. This has been a challenge. Got all the way to the end of the heel flap and realised that something was wrong, very wrong. So I pulled out the whole thing and started again. This time using bigger (2.25 instead of 2mm) needles and using a smaller size pattern (I have little feet). Much better until it came to the cast off.......what a drama. Cast off the first time, standard cast off, so exited, tried to get the sock on and felt like one of Cinderella's sisters. Time to unpick. Not so easy with knitting. Did it again, this time using "elastic cast off method. No good, still cant get it on. Finally cast of VERY loosely in rib and voila, it fits, and feels gooooood. Now for the other one......

20 June 2008

2008-06-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

Time to join the cyber world and get on board with a blog. Seems to me you are not serious about anything unless you let the world know about it.
I have recently discovered the world of sock making and will give updates as they progress.

More soon..............