Downtime

My post-Quilt-Show week has been spent coughing, sneezing, aching and feeling a bit sorry for myself. I've stayed home from work a lot - taking the rare opportunity when there's nothing scheduled that needs my immediate attention.

I took my machine and a bunch of fabrics home, to work through a few felted-knit ideas I've had floating about in my head. I ended up getting so frustrated that I forgot to bring home my favourite tools (ahem... and fabric scissors and pins) that I started a lot and didn't finish anything.

I tried writing workshop notes and pattern instructions, but my brain was too fuzzy with winter lurgies and ... well, I just feel exhausted. I can't write. I can barely think.

Today around lunchtime, I came home from a brief visit to the office and pulled out the knitting machine. I popped on a dvd of costume dramas (both Elizabeth movies) and spent the afternoon practising knitting short rows and getting lost in 16th Century royal court costumes. And I wished I'd been doing this all week (... I might even have finished something photogenic enough to share on this blog).

Craft Fair loot

Don't worry, folks - I haven't taken up scrapbooking. I just bought a bag full of stick-on bling for the smallest crafter in the house. She was so impressed and satisfied with this, I've witheld the stamp set I bought until the next present is required.

I spotted this adorable fabric at Kelani's stand, and thought it would be perfect to make up into teeny-weeny-tiny baby gear for some brand-spanking twin girls I know. I hope I get something made from it before they're walking.

I loitered (and drooled) a bit too long at Prudence Mapstone's stand. Oh. My. Lordy..... if it's yarns you're into....

So anyway, I only spent a small fortune. There are worse habits and more expensive hobbies, non? And what's life without a few little indulgences... and a few skeins of hand-painted linen yarn...?

...and a bunch of to-die-for soft and drapey 100% tencel?

Over at Can Do Books, I found this Crochet Borders Book. A great reference for the ever-expanding yarn-craft library. Handy for make-it-up-as-you-go-along chicks like me, who find themselves without the skills to finish with a flourish. Also good for washcloth gift-making. And then today, I came across these at the op-shop (sort-of-on-the-way to the pattern printers).

Yep - lots of ideas and inspiration. Here's wishing for time to play.

Winter Woollies

Like I have loads of time on my hands.... I've suddenly developed an I-want-to-play-with-yarn obsession. Blogland has a lot to answer for, methinks.

On Saturday afternoon, the wee girl and I stopped in at Spotlight and stocked up on all we needed for a bit of knitting, crochet, french-knitting and pom-pom-making.

I'll save the kiddie-craft for another post (it truly deserves it). For now we're going to talk about the two crochet hats I made by... ummmm... 2am Sunday morning.



You could say I was hooked. Just making stuff up as I went along, marvelling at how quickly things came together. Enjoying a new medium for an old theme.

By Tuesday morning (2.20am....) there was another hat and a little scarf (and a lovely sit and chat with some real crochet experts).

By 11pm Tuesday there was a knitty scarf. (Big needles, slubby yarn, small neck-warmer-ish wooliness.... and so much instant gratification that I doubt I'll take it off all week).
I lost interest in knitting and crochet when I was about 14, so my skills are basic. I can't read a pattern and have no idea about the terminology of woolly-craft-language, but I think I'd like to learn more.

No doubt, you'll see more of the fuzzy stringy stuff around here.