Now.... where was I?

I've finally emerged from too many flu-hazed days and nights in bed.

Everything is where I dropped it last week, when I gave in and collapsed into fevered delirium.  Now I'm back and there appears to be a new layer of stuff on top of the the debris from what feels like a previous life (one where I was a functioning, working person).  I'm trying to make sense of it all. 

Please excuse me if you were expecting a call or email from me in the last week that hasn't been forthcoming.  I'm slowly getting to grips with the task of catching up, although I'm still not 100% (probably not even 30%.... but that's a great impovement) and the wee girl is still wan and listless and breaking my heart. 

Many thanks to the pattern-testers who have been helping with the development of the new pattern.   We're seeing lots of light at the end of that particular tunnel.

Somewhere before the full force of the flu-daze hit, Addicted To Fabric organised to fly me up to Canberra again before the year is out.  We've locked in the 13th and 14th October.  I think the waiting lists were getting a bit silly (thanks for making me feel so wanted, folks!!), so it now means that if you missed out on the zipper workshop, you'll get another chance to do that one.  We haven't settled on the second class for that weekend, but I'll keep you posted about it (or you can enquire at A2F).

Oh, and in sock news.... ( I just remembered and took these photos under glaring daylight lamp, for want of actual daylight.  Hmmm... it's just not the same, is it?)

It turns out that this lace chart-reading business is not as difficult as I imagined.  The whole thing was going great-guns until the flu bugs brought out the VERY BIG GUNS INDEED and knocked all plans for a sock finish back by about 5 days. 

In non-craft-related news...
If you're at all familar with the author Wendy Orr's wonderful children's books, you may also know that the film of Nim's Island is about to be followed up with a sequel (this time with Bindi Irwin in the lead role as Nim).

What you may not know is that Wendy has just put together a Nim's Island-themed eBook of activities for kids.  Amazon's blurb captures it better than I can, so I've copied and pasted it -

Inspired by a ‘Nim’s Island Coconut Cookbook’ sent to her by a classroom of young fans, Wendy Orr has collected recipes, activities and teaching notes from Nim’s friends around the world.

This is an Australian National Year of Reading 2012 project, with all proceeds going to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. “The Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) advocates and raises funds for Indigenous literacy, to improve the lives and opportunities of Indigenous Australians living in remote and isolated regions.”

I reckon that at $3.50, it's a very affordable way to contribute to something VERY important and (it being school holidays here) will help those of us with primary-school-age kids inject new ideas into the holiday-entertainment repertoire. Win-win.

Wendy was my next-door neighbour when I was a teenager.  She was a young mum then, who had left Canada and the glamour of international travel to follow her heart ...  all the way to a small farm in country Victoria.  (Being a dreamy teenager who was desperate to LEAVE that particular part of country Victoria, I thought she must have loved that husband of hers an awful lot!)*   Wendy was interesting and generous with her time (and she liked sewing), and I loved spending time with her and her kids.  I thought she was fantastic (and I still do), so it's always a thrill to see one of her books in a store (especially this one) and I hope that the new eBook is a great success and raises much-needed funding for a great cause.
 
*And for want of a better picture to finish things off, here's one to explain that line about where I grew up.  I dreamed of art and fashion and nightclubs and people and theatre... and this was pretty-much the 360-degree vista and all the excitement that it offered to an imaginative young mind. 


I think that's where I'm up to on the news front... for now, at least. It's taken hours to write this, for some reason.

Next job is focusing on being well enough to teach in Adelaide on the weekend, and trying to turn this feeling around...
 

I'm off to make myself a hot whiskey, find that book I was about to start reading (pre-flu) and have an early night.

Challenges all 'round

Venturing slightly beyond one's comfort zone is something that I always encourage, if one is to learn and improve one's sewing skills. 

Taking a leaf out of that particular notebook, I figured it was high time that this little newbie-knitter ventured beyond the basics.  'Tis time to push boundaries and move forward into The Land of Fancypants Knitting.

 Ok...so I'm starting small and pretty basic. Never having done anything lacy before, I'm taking small steps with these socks (sorry - awful and unintentional pun).    I even experimented with a new cast-on method... and ...ahem....knit the toe three times before I got it right 

Then I was stumped.  The instructions just said to "use the chart" to knit the lace pattern.  Ummmm... with no instructions anywhere in the book to tell me HOW to read the chart. 

Google to the rescue!  I found my way to this tutorial on Wendy D Johnson's blog. Strange, that in a book that covers all manner of other sock-knitting basics, and being one that depends largely on chart-based instructions, that there was not a paragraph to explain the chart.  And yet, that's all it really took on a blog post.  Go figure.  (Otherwise, it's a lovely book).

Equipped with newfound chart-reading know-how, I ventured on and knit 3 rows of the lace pattern.... before I noticed a dropped stitch in the first row and had to rip it all out. 
 
Challenge accepted.... and tonight's the night.  A hot date with the needles (and quite possibly Season 4 of The Tudors).   Look out Land of Fancypants Knitting, here I come.

If you fancy stepping outside your sewing comfort-zone, I have may just have the challenge for you. 

The new shopping bag pattern is currently being tested by four fairly confident sewing gals.  I'd also like to test it on some less-confident sewing gals (or blokes?).   If you're fairly new to sewing but a bit adventurous, this might be one of those Great Leap Forward challenges. 

 The testers have to fit the following criterior:

• You need to be able to accept a 4MB file and print out the pattern and instructions.
• You don't need lots of experience, but you need to be willing to try putting in a zip around a curved, stiff bag base.  No taking on the project and then woosing out!
• You need to be able to make this project and get feedback to me by no later than Monday 9th July 2012.  Please don't agree to do it and then not get back to me.
• You need to have access to Fast2Fuse or Peltex 72 (double-sided fusible, cardboard-like stiff interfacing) and paper-backed fusible web (Vliesofix, Applifix, Heat&Bond etc).  If you're local, you can pick it up from me, otherwise, you'll need to source this.
• You need to be able to give detailed feedback to help clarify the instructions (as well as pointing out typos and formatting inconsistencies).

If you think you fit the above criterior and want to give it a whirl, send me an email or leave a comment here.  (Remember that unless you're signed in with a Google profile with an email address attached to it, I won't be able to contact you through the comment box.)

Life is full of challenges, non?  And what doesn't kill us makes us better knitters and stitchers.

The usual chaos, lots of ideas, a new pattern and a spot of knittery

Despite a lack of blogging lately, life has been full of all sorts - good, bad, difficult and rewarding. 

It has also been full of shopping bag prototypes.  These many rough-and-readies have tested every theory I might ever have had about the easist way to construct a fabric zip-up shopping bag with a sturdy base and a curved zipper. 

The methods finally settled upon are currently being tested while I refine the layout of the instructions and other boring bits (like converting all the measurements to inches, writing materials lists and Photoshopping images).  Then there is another round of testing to be done and a couple of rounds of proof-reading and tweaking.  And then I'm hoping to announce a new release digital download within the next fortnight. 

I do love a finish.

There has been much brainstorming and scribbling of the My Next Book kind.  Nothing is decided yet (and the decisions are not mine to make), but it's good to feel that part of my brain ticking over again.

And all the while, this sublime baby cashmere-silk-merino heavenliness was fondled to within an inch of pilled-to-beyond-all-recognition as it was knit (and ...ahem... unravelled and re-knit..) into a snuggly wurm hat for a fabulous friend.

It kinda makes me want to dive in.

 In between, there has been a cold and a knee giving out on me (that gentle walk across the office was obviously more strenuous than I meant it to be!), lots of giggles and sewing with my girl and lovely chats with friends.  There has been some fabric de-stashing and then the gleeful acceptance of a friend's de-stashed cast-offs, there has been an emotional rollercoaster and a sense of peace. 

Oh, and there was a stocktake sale.

I hope that the next week will be one of consolidation and results, and one where I might even knit a sock.

Feeling knitty

On the drive up to Sydney last week, I stopped for a rest in Wangaratta, and (...ahem..) chanced across Sackville & Lane's delicious shop.  I'd only ever seen their luscious yarn and fabric range at quilt shows, so it was a bit exciting to visit the source. 

It was particularly nice to snap up a couple of "last ball" bargains (Jo Sharp et al) at $3 a pop.  Ok, so it was THIRTEEN balls at $3 a pop ....and ...ahem...4 balls at $16 each.  Oh, and some new needles (since I'd only packed crochet and wanted to get knitting IMMEDIATELY).
 
 It only then occurred to me that I'm more in love with kitting than with crochet.  I'd packed enough yarn and hooks to see me through the several crochet projects I had planned, but I saw great yarn and wanted to knit it.  So I did. 

This one is absolutely living up to its name.  Baby cashmere, silk, merino... mmmmm.  Sublime.  As my ex-silk-lingerie-designer friend Sarah said, as she dug it out from the overflowing yarny shopping bag, "I want UNDERWEAR made from that!"

Last night, the knitting machine made an appearance.  Three strands of red lace-weight wool (one darker than the others) were wound together and three rectangles of stockingette were brought into being (all in one evening... I LOVE that!).  They are yet to be sewn into something garment-esque.

There were two knitty finishes the week before I left for Sydney, and they are currently winging their way to the USA for two special little girls.  They were all wrapped and ready to post when I remembered - just as I was walking out the door to drive interstate - that I hadn't photographed them.  They had to wait until I got home and took some blog shots. 

This is a teeny-tiny In-Threes Cardi and a Toddler Jumper (dress), made in Bamboozle varigated yarn.  I just adore the way that bamboo yarn looks and feels. 

Of course, I haven't abandoned the hook altogether.  Crochet is still mighty handy when a few strategically-placed flowers are needed on the knitting.

Clothing the family in wonky craft

A visit from my US-living sister gave me the perfect excuse to knit up lots of wonky babywear for her to take back to her toddling and soon-to-be-born granddaughters.  Cap-sleeve tops and hats delivered today.  Tick.

 The In Threes cardi I started last week is still on the go.  It might be finished by the time the soon-to-be-born girl is toddling.  The super-chunky pure wool is more suited to a North-West-USA winter than to a Melbourne one - it's like a little winter coat!

 The smallest fashion designer in the house has contributed to the new bub's wardrobe, too.

Wild young thing that I am (not), I spent  Friday night with the knitting machine and a cone of linen-cotton yarn.... 2000-odd rows of stockingette and not a dropped stitch.  Loving it.

I'm particularly liking the wrong side of the fabric.  The texture and the depth of colour in the yarn is more apparent.  It's soon to be something for ME!

 And I played with a ball of Bendigo 'Highlands' yarn, using every second needle on the knitting machine.  I like the fisherman's jumper rib-effect.  I like the tweedy colours and texture.  I just have to work out what I can make with my one 200g ball of this yarn...?

I remembered today, that I hadn't blogged the bamboo yarn machine-knit socks I mentioned ages ago.  Here they are on the washing line, between two hand-knit pairs.   I think I have the hang of the process of machine-knit socks now, I just have to get over my left-right dyslexia.... or else live up to my reputation of having two left feet.

 In other machine-knitted-wonk news, the girl finally wore the vest that I made (badly) months ago.  Cotton 4-ply 'Amalfi' yarn from Lincraft....the machine hated it.  There was lots of coarse language, silicone spray and a complete re-working of one shoulder...  And then  I realised I'd put it back on the machine the wrong way to make a "design feature" of garter stitch on one shoulder.

 I gave up decided to make it 'unfinished edge' style.  I really, really love the colours and the texture of the knit, but the shape of the garment  isn't quite right.  The girl agreed to wear it around the house but "not in public."

She did, however, wear her self-made outfit of skirt and top (seen under the vest, above) to a large (in-laws) family gathering today.  Luckily, I was at my own large family gathering and was blissfully ignorant of the fact.

Had I been there, I would have denied all responsibility for her slap-dash approach to fashion.

This is RELAXING....

socks on the beach, a photo by amazing_podgirl on Flickr.

No - they are not my feet nor is it even my photo (I borrowed it from Flickr - and might I add that I was heartened by the breadth of choice I had when I searched for "knitting on the beach").

For me, it's less about the sand and sun and more about knitting the socks.  Or at least catching up on all the half-thought dreams and designs I have for various non-work-related crafting.  All year I look forward to this time of year, when I shut down and shut out the work-related world... and play.

I brought home a few books, in the hope of trying a few new things. 

 And now the small girl has a bunch of thoughtfully-gifted books that are hugely inspiring.

Santa brought in this one (below)  for the wee girl, but I have an inkling of an idea that it was meant for ME.  The girl and I have alrady made a version of a little puppy (in the background of the photo of my books, above) from this one.

The baby cardi I was knitting in bamboo sock yarn was deemed too small, ripped out and the yarn allocated to toe-up sock experiemnts.  A cap-sleeved top was quickly made in its place... but not quickly enough to meet the xmas deadline.  It is yet to be finished and have its co-ordinating garments sewn.  Grand designs in an unfeasible timeframe....

 I finally found a pattern (on Ravelry) for a single-bed knitting machine sock  that made sense to me.  I had a little play with scrap yarn last night and then bought new sock yarn today to try it out properly (ahem.... I wasn't going to use the good stuff from my stash, now was I?!)

There is also another knitted cat in the works.

 

Oh, and I've been playing around with quilt blocks (forgot to photograph).  And yes, my dining table really does look like that..... as does the kitchen table.

And I still have some FELTING books I'd like to sink my teeth into.

There are more Grand Designs at the bottom of the garden.  Behind the back shed, there is a cubby-house in construction.  I'm keeping out of it.  And I'm trying to keep the smallest architect in the house out of the way of the builder (not always succeeding with that one).

We're planning a bit of gardening, too.  The house and cars survived the xmas day hail-storm without damage, but the veggie patch came out the other side resembling a large coleslaw.

We gathered up the damaged vegetables and made a big soup with stock from the xmas turkey carcass.  Waste-not-want-not and all that.

I don't want to go to the beach.  I don't want to go anywhere, really.  I'm like the proverbial piggie in muck....   My biggest concern is whether to quilt or machine-knit tonight.

So.... another week whizzed by.

Fancy that.
I took some photos, but haven't had much time to write.

Last week I taught a few workshops at the Design And Technology Teacher's Association conference.  One of the workshops was in simple, effective embellishments.  My preparation for the class reminded me how much I enjoy scribbling with stitches.  These photos are both of details on A-Line Skirts, but I now also have lots of scribbly bag bits in progress, which I hope to turn into bags.

I also taught another couple of Bag in a Day classes.  We had lots of proud pocket moments on Saturday.  And pannetone and mince tarts. 

 We also saw some of the new-and-improved pattern instructions in action.  I must say, I think that the hellish job that the recent overhaul has proved to be, is absolutely worth it. 

 And I finished my winter woolly socks.....

...just in time for summer.  (Although, this is Melbourne I'm talking about - you never know what the weather might do.  I may just need them mid-January.)

The blueberry bush (thanks, Tanya) on the back porch is teasing me with the promise of fruit.  Each morning, as I water it with the remnants of the coffee pot, I WILL those berries to ripen.  So far, we still have green berries (and coffee grounds all over the leaves).

I'm afraid I don't have many words to share lately, and little time for blog reading or writing.  Real life stuff stuff keeps getting in the way.

I hope that by the end of the week, there will be a bit more order about the place, and some dust will settle after all the upheaval.   The new patterns are starting to go out to shops and fill our shelves. 

This time next week, family will begin to gather from around the country and the globe and we'll celebrate the time we have left as a complete family.  I hope to be reporting about trite small moments of Chrismas preparation happiness.  Until then, it's back to the patterns, for me.

What's the collective term...?

At our house, I think it's called "an OBSESSION of cats."

Yes, I finished the Persian (and I never EVER want to do loop stitch again) and she (of COURSE, she's a she...) is in fine catty company here. 

 

We have "Fur Real Friends" (made in China battery-operated feline-eque monsters that meow and move like real cats.  Freaky.)

 Catty drawings EVERYWHERE - these ones copied from a "How to Draw Cat Doodles" book.  (And I'm sayin' nothin' more about that book title).

 Cats crafted from toilet rolls and paper towel tubes...

Every imaginable catty craft kit.... paper cats...

 Paper CLAY cats....

Big fluffy chenille pipe-cleaner cats...

The skinny-mini version, using (non-craft-kit) normal chenille pipe cleaners.  (These are the go-to gift of the moment.  Look sideways at the wee girl and she'll make you six of them.  They sometimes wear jewellery.)

 

Then there's the experimental cats... made out of uncoventional materials, like Fast2Fuse (no idea how she got her hands on this... I came home to find the finished cats).  These cats have collars... sometimes with diamantes (of the stick-on kind).

  I love the structural trussing on the inside.  Ingeniuous, non?

And it's got me thinking about the fine and fuzzy line that separates genius and madness..... I keep looking at this Persian cat, and then looking at the rest of the book of knitted cats - all different and all designed with such attention to detail of form and character.

How does one work these things out.... and WHY?

Can you spot the rows knitted by the wee girl?  On the first leg, she named me "purl girl", so I'd knit every second row (and do the increases and decreases).  By leg #3 she did one or two rows, and from there on, when she said, "Let's work on the Persian", it meant ME knitting and her talking incessantly and/or doing somersaults off the back of the couch.

And when she goes to bed.... I take photos of the real cat.

 This was taken when the man of the house fell asleep on the couch and the adoring cat fell asleep, cuddling his feet (...well if that ain't love, what is...?). 

So.... does "Obsession" fit the bill?