MIA

I've not been particularly well for sometime now. I shall be missing in action until further notice.

Weaving Challenge/Exhibition 2

Dressing the loom



Cutting the velvet



We have worms!



The weaving begins



7.5 dpi reed

Weaving Challenge/Exhibition

The Ashford Knitters Loomies (a ravelry group) are running a weaving challenge. I'll be making a tote bag. PINK...very PINK! So far I have assembled the ingredients, now to find the time...

As if I need another project to be working on....but...
Couldn't resist. I think this'll be a heap of fun!

At this stage I'm planning on including strips of the pink velvet in the weave....something I've not done before, and I thought I'd line the bag with the same pink panne velvet. It'll all be VERY pink if nothing else!

Am thinking of using a large shell button for a closure.



I'm really looking forward to this project.

Time to dress the loom....did I mention that it'll be PINK????? giggle

This is BIG!!!!!!!!

The Craft Shoppe is closing!!!!!!
WOOOO HOOOOO

Huge new plans are afoot......monumentally exciting.

All will eventually be revealed.

sshhhh....don't tell anyone........

Slack!

Ok...I'm the first to admit I'm hideously awful at keeping up with blog posts.

Since last time I have:

Crocheted some flowers for an animated masters project.

Begun crocheting a "thread bear" except its a "thread cat". Am making a number of modifications which has been a bit of a pain......his name is Clawed Monet.....I lost the pattern but have since found it so hopefully his entry into this world will not be delayed too long. Size 8 pearle cotton. He will stand about 3 inches tall when finished.

I have also been spinning up a storm. I have/had a small mountain of fine merino tops. Some hand dyed some not, that I've been wanting to use up for some time now. I saw a beautiful crocheted afghan a while ago and it has been in my mind ever since. So the tops are now being spun for a similar afghan. I started off spinning these:

But they have since been added to with some hand spun in greens/aquas, and, some hand spun in hot pinks, oranges and yellows plyed with a copper lurex thread. I'll post photos later when I have some time to take them. I was wanting something dark, but not black, to go into the mix as a bit of a foil for the bright colours so I raided my stash and dyed some country cleckheaton 8ply in a really glorious indigo blue. The more I'm getting into this project the more exciting I'm finding it.

I have been doing some gardening......its .about time.....and now that we are now heading into the berry and stone fruit season I am getting organised to make a heap of jams, preserves, cordials, and, sparkling drinks......I really must get my tomatoes planted. I have a killer recipe for a spicy tomato chutney.

Oh and I have begun knitting the Icarus shawl from my hand spun silk (see my earlier eucalyptus silk post).

sigh I have soooo much to do and time is escaping me.....will be back when I can.

ETA..a pic of some of the other hand spun that I'll be using in the crocheted afghan.

I have a new baby

I have a new baby.....
Raced up to Bendigo yesterday to collect her, 450km round trip, am still recovering. Picked up a very dear friend along the way and we had lunch in Bendigo. Two birds with one stone so to speak.

My new baby, the spinning wheel is still parked in the boot of the car, have had a quick look at her and she is soooo pretty, although she is in desperate need of some TLC.

I had such a lovely day!

That is......Until I got home to a flood in the laundry.........Hot Water Service!

Fairies at the bottom of my garden!

I feel blessed!....
A gift from my over-the-road neighbour! I was admiring her beautiful roses, many months ago, when they were all in bloom. I mentioned to her that when I was a small child we had a particularly beautiful miniature rose growing in our front garden; a Cecil Brunner rose.

I believed fairies lived in that rose bush. And when I was little I'd pick the tiny, perfect, delicate, pink flowers and put them in one of my Mum's tiny crystal vases; and they'd sit in the sunshine atop the huge chest of drawers in my bedroom.

I have those crystal vases of Mum's in my cupboard, and now I shall have fairies in my garden again!

This is the climbing version of the small bush that gave a small child so much joy.



Thank you Norma my friend....I am blessed to have you as my neighbour!

From sock yarn to sock scarf

First project using my brand spanking new 12.5 dpi reed. I really do think I'll have to knit some matching socks......hope I can replicate the colours. Back to the dyepot!

Sniffly Sneezie Weekend

I have a cold.....I had the cold on the weekend.....was a bit cross with myself because I had to pull out of a Saturday lunch with some local fibre-arty people! So instead, while I was sniffling, snuffling and sneezing all over the place I dyed some sock yarn for my next weaving project.

My new heddle reeds; extra shuttles and pick-up stick arrived at the end of last week.... and I'm dying (and dyeing) to use them. Some quality mulberry silk and angelina fibre also came with my order - they will be fun to play with!... Another scarf....this one I'll keep for myself.

I love these colours. Will dye some Cashmere Sock yarn to match.....well what girl wouldn't be seen matching her handknitted socks with her handwoven scarf? giggle

I also dyed some fine Merino Tops (22 micron). Some of my friends at The Craft Shoppe are knitting and felting some gorgeous baby and toddler items for sale. It was suggested I might like to spin some feltable yarn for them in vibrant colours. Well who can resist that sort of request?

Navajo plied...helps keep the colours separate and vibrant......
not work, FUN!!

Didn't do it

Well I was hoping to get it done. The Scarf that is, but didn't. It needed to be completed by 11/08/08. I ran out of time, but I will still weave this scarf.....its so pretty. Spent five days at the the Beach House getting quotes from plumbers for replacing the roof. This perhaps was a little more important than weaving a scarf.....well while the roof continues to leak. Cats had a ball......cats always have a ball at the beach house!

On spinning alpaca!

This weekend I'll be back to spinning. I think I'm entering a hand spun challenge. I say "I think" because I'm not sure I'll have enough time, the deadline is 11th August and I'm not sure my weaving is as yet good enough. The challenge is to weaving this "Spaced Out Felted Scarf" from handspun yarn. I have some handspun alpaca that I did a while ago from a lovely girl from the Almaray Alpaca Stud, which I'm hoping will be suitable.

But I'll need to spin another yarn to team it with. I have some gorgeous alpaca from a big boy called "Kineki" of the Malakai Alpaca Stud which I think will probably go very nicely. Its a fave colour of mine.....a very pinky roan. Soft and delicious.....it reminds me of marshmallows and is a dream to spin.

Roll on yummy weekend!

Help! I think they are breeding!

Woke up this morning....... couldn't breathe (congestion)....... serious sinus head happening (allergy)........ rolled out of bed (late)........ OUCH!! painful back (too much weaving)........ couldn't start the car (flat battery).

AND I think my handwoven scarves are BREEDING!
(Well I'm quite sure there weren't that many last night)

Then I went mad and....

Produced this!

Oh my goodness....I feel like a star! I LOVE my new knee rug. I made it in three panels and finished the weaving last night. Used up a large percentage of my stash, which I'm rather pleased about...all those little odds and ends that one is never quite sure what to do with.

Today the rug will be assembled and wet finished.

Done......

Two days later and it was DONE. Soft, warm, luscious and MINE!!!!!

And here's...

The Second Scarf in progress. Red Chenille....soft (I hope...well I am trying) and luscious.

Scarf is done!

The scarf is done! About two miles long, a bit skinny and a little stiff.....but the colours are gorgeous..and it is my first born.

I already have a second scarf on the loom. Red chenille from my stash....shorter, wider, and softer.....fingers crossed!??

Am planning for a knee rug in three panels.....wool from my stash and some hand spun. When I start depends largely on the outcome of the second scarf. Weaving is just about as addictive as spinning. This is so much fun.

I've got one of these!

This arrived in the post last Friday. Super early birthday pressie! An Ashford Knitter's Loom......Woooo Hooooo! Foldable (even when dressed for weaving) and portable, take anywhere loom.

I had a little play with the "new toy" over the weekend only to find that I'd forgotten EVERYTHING I'd ever learned at school about weaving (which probably wasn't much). Lopsided-ness and wonky-ness pervaded my attempts, but perserverance, practice and a heap of encouragement from the "Spin Down Unda" ladies on Ravelry have been a huge help (many many thanks...especially to fleecefanatic).....and here's my first scarf:




I joined the "Warped Weavers" and "Rigid Heddle" groups on Ravelry and am so inspired by the projects that are being produced on these simple looms....its just amazing how versatile they are. Heaps to learn. This is so exciting! Woo Hoo!

Eucalyptus Silk Update

Yesterday the spinning/plying of the silk was finished. I now have a grand total of 2,483 metres at 28 wpi! Next stop, a hand knitted shawl! Good Grief!

Have had a bit of a sinus headache for a couple of days now....Am wishing desperately for some rain to clear the air. The sinuses won't settle until that happens and I'm never very good with one of these heads!

The felines are a little unsettled as well. Gale force winds have been predicted and the cats always go a bit crazy in this weather. The girl has been racing around like a mad thing picking fights with the boy; the boy is driving me nuts by alternately asking to play ball or have his tummy scratched. Its quite difficult to get things done when there is a large upside-down cat flopped across one's feet or when one is constantly being meowed and tugged at..... Bring on the Rain!

The Face Off

Eucalyptus Silk

I finally have some 2ply silk off the wheel. This is from the silk caps that I dyed earlier. 1,764 metres, so far, of lace weight hand dyed, hand spun silk. I am thrilled! I was so sure it wouldn't turn out the way I wanted. It is destined for a hand knitted lace shawl.....Icarus.

I still have more to ply! Another aching back and sore fingers! But I can't complain. Spinning is addictive...and where in the world could you buy yarn like this?... Delicious! ...Colours of the Aussie bush!

The Crocus Progress

Poor old Crocus has been placed on hold so I can get some baby clothes knitted. Had hoped to wear it to The Drum Theatre last Saturday but the urgent baby clothes thing came up on the Thursday. Never mind, it ought to be finished for a performance of "Madame Butterfly" by Oz Opera in a few weeks. Have just received a mountain of lace weight ready for dyeing. Am expecting to use some of this on Susan Pandorf's Iris (but probably without the beads).

I wish there were more minutes in every hour......I seem to always be running short of the time to get the things done that I want.

Silk Caps

I tried my hand at dyeing some silk caps about a week ago. I've not played with silk caps before and have been meaning to for about the last 12 months. I used the microwave dyeing method again....my microwave oven has certainly become a much more valued piece of equipment lately.

Into the Oven:

Out of the Oven:

The Spinning:

While in mad dyeing mode I threw in a fine silk thread. I want to use this as a keeper thread and I wanted the colours to compliment the handspun silk. I will ply the handspun with this:

Am hoping for a soft luxurious pure silk yarn.....perhaps for another shawl or lace scarf! Fingers crossed that it all turns out the way I envisage.

The Knitting of the Crocus Pocus

This pattern is just delightful to knit. Despite the extensive use of beads it is very easy to pick up and put down without worrying about losing one's place. The silk merino blend is so soft and silky to the touch. I'm really looking forward to wearing it. YUM!

Silk and Merino

For the Crocus Pocus Shawl:

(Sorry Vicki) ETA:

I hand dyed this in a flying rush on sunday evening. Wasn't very happy with it until the beads arrived on monday and I saw them together - serendipity - and it's knitting up so much more prettily than I expected.

Finished!

It's an optical illusion both socks are actually the same size! ...giggle

Left-Over Lunch

A few days ago I made a simple chicken curry for dinner. Nothing special just something a little tasty to have with some rice. No matter what quantities I use I ALWAYS have left-overs. I do like left-overs. Left-overs are fabulous when you've been hard at it all day; feel far too tired to cook; but would like something delicious to eat. However, eating curry and rice four days in a row can become a little same-y. A bit of frozen puff pastry and voila - tasty curry pies. Great for lunch with a fresh garden salad. It did occur to me that they would freeze very well, alas, there were none left to freeze after my friend and neighbour got to them! I must remember to do these again.

Into the oven:

Out of the oven:

Shades of the Red Centre

Dried and re-skeined

This yarn has turned out so prettily. I have no plans as yet for it, so it looks like it'll be heading for the stash.

On the dyeing of yarn

Fine white merino hand spun yarn. Gaywool dyes and a microwave.

Into the oven:

Out of the oven:

Drying:

Later in the morning...

COLD FEET! More sock spinning...favoured colours so I won't be gifting these.

Colour comes not from the dye pot

This morning I woke up to this in the box on my my kitchen window sill.

The first polyanthus flowers of the season. I have five plants in all; buds delicately pale on first appearance but the colours deepen as the flowers mature. Polyanthus flowers are most delicious with that first morning cup of coffee.

Magic

Last weekend was a magic weekend, full of spinning and knitting. All intruders, destroyers of bliss, were ignored and the beginnings of socks occurred.