Knitting frustration

 

What am I doing wrong - I'm sure the neck isn't meant to look like this after you've picked up stitches around the neckline!!  I tried you-tubing a video tutorial but obviously I'm still wrong.  It looks ok around the back of the neck, but jeez it was hard getting the needle through to knit a stitch.  It's the front panels where I've decreased that are not right. 

 

Maybe it doesn't matter in the long run.  I'd just like to know I had the right technique for future project.  It's so long since I knitted a garment, I'm way out of practice.  My knitting has been hats, bags and 1/3 of a sock more recently. This is for a wee bairn in Scotland.

 

If only I lived near my mum, who could show me what I was doing wrong.  I will take it to the local wool shop and see if they can enlighten me.  I love the colour, so happy for a bonnie little girl.

 

 

 

 

a lovely rose on one of my morning walks.  Soon it will be time to prune them all back.

 

Autumn colour up the street from me.  Look at the tree right beside it.  It's a Maple Tree too and was the most amazing dark red colour, darker than it's neighbour.  But it lost all its leaves much more quickly.

A little bit of knitting

It was a long weekend here in WA so I saw 3 movies, went out with my daughters for a late lunch, caught up with friends and bought some wool for a new little knitting project.  It felt great to pick up the sticks again.  I love the rhythm of knitting, don't you?

I'm making a little cardigan for my namesake.  My Godson, Jamie and his wife Katie, had a daughter named Matilda Ann (my middle name). Readers may remember I went to their wedding in Scotland last year.  I'm so honoured and thrilled to get a look in with the name!!

I'm knitting the jumper for a 6 month old, to alleviate time pressure.  I chose a bright hot pink wool - for bright and happy.  Little Tilly has already brought so much joy. It's a very happy knitting project, not that every project isn't, but perhaps because I haven't knitted for a while, I'm just remembering how much I love it.

 

 

 

Below is a picture of my brunch from Toast in East Perth.  It was so, so delicious. A potato pancake topped with salmon and eggs and crème fraiche. I can see myself heading back there to eat the dish again. We followed it up with a decadent slice of chocolate cake with 3 forks.  We agreed we could have eaten a whole slice each it was so yummy.

An interesting read....

My sister Angela sent me this link to an interesting read that I thought I'd share with you.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/25/health/brain-crafting-benefits/

Apart from knowing myself that my creative time is positively ESSENTIAL to my physical and mental well-being, the article is particularly pertinent as I am currently reading ''The Fibromyalgia Solution'
by Dr David Dryland, in an effort to understand and fight the condition myself. His theory is based around the fight or flight response which is on overdrive in people suffering from Fibromyalgia. This response totally depletes the body's dopamine levels.

I completely recognise this in myself.  But perhaps the article articulates why, in our busy lives with sensory overload, the "craft movement", and return to skills that modernisation rejected for a time, is experiencing a renaissance?  It talks about "flow", which many of us identify or call  ''the zone''.  I enter another world/level whilst I'm creating and come back to the daily world much calmer, happier and able to cope with what it throws at me, (translated to a much more fun person to be around).

I'm still puzzled by my forgetfulness/dementia/foggy brain though!!

Enjoy :)

another block for my slowing emerging 9 patch quilt.  Block number 26 I think.

Julia Gillard

Look who's knitting in public this week... our very own Prime Minister, Julia Gillard! 

Somehow I think a lot of the world's big issues could be resolved if the pollies got together and chatted while they knitted ...perhaps on a blanket project :)  ....rather than playing the slanging matches and petty games they insist on carrying on with.  Their antics are juvenile and pathetic.  Where's a politician with dignity and statesmanship these days?

This picture was in our local West Australian newspaper yesterday.

Knitting frustrations

Knitting frustration. 

1. running out of wool  about an inch from the end and I'd already cut the pattern short by 2cm

2. buying the right size double pointed needles to finish a cap and then NOT being able to find them anywhere at all....and I am a mother - I should be able to find anything and everything.  You know the saying.'... 'ít's not really lost, until your mother can't find it.  Well it's really lost, so I went and bought another set so that tonight I can finish the hat.

3. can't start another hat because this one is on the needles I need to use!

Snow Hat by Rowan

so I finished Georgia's hat just in time for her to head south for some cold winter nights on a friend's farm.  She is very happy with it. 

The pattern is the Snow Hat pattern from Rowán's Winter Warmers book.  It's knitted in Lima, which is so soft and has a really lovely drape.  The hat is dual purpose - it converts easily to a neckwarmer by simply loosening the ribbon, threading around the top. 

Georgia has picked a piece of Liberty that I'm to make an alternate ribbon with.  I adapted the pattern and knitted in the round so there were no seams to sew.  I already have orders for 2 more! 

Here is the model photo from the book and a picture of the cover.  More info can be found here:

http://www.knitrowan.com/designs-and-patterns/brochures/winter-warmers

Next to make and already on the needles is the Belle Cable Cap for daughter No. 2 from the same book.

It's the sort  of book that has lots of patterns I'd like to make.  Perfect entertainment for our cold wintery evenings.

Knitted sock progress

I don't know why ...... but my socks are knitting up inside out!!!!......I don't think it matters in the long run...who knows what I've done wrong.

I'm about to embark on the heel... wish me luck!

I think I will need a few cups of these to help me

Yum, my nectar of the Gods..

And because I'm so inspired at the moment and I had a little win at a quiz night.... I treated myself to these 2 glorious skeins....  oh the excitement!  It reigneth supremeth at Lansdowne Road right now!!

Such beauties.. :))

Knitting hats

I said in passing to my girls that I'd be happy to knit them a winter beret each if they would like.  I wasn't sure how it would be received, so I was very happy and a little bit suprised when they both said yes please and in fact, they'd wear anything I knitted for them and they would love me to make them knitted garments.  So we're starting with a hat each and then I think they both want leg warmers!!

So we chuffed over to the LYS to pick wool and pattern.  I was as happy as can be.  Me and my girls on a wool shopping expedition (and they were coming voluntarily).  A wonderful mother moment.

Here's the progress so far:

This is a much better picture....

Doesn't it match her eyes?

Socks on the needles

I'm doing it!  I've actually got around to starting my first every pair of knitted socks.  It's slow progress.  Tiny needles and stitches.  A big change from my big needled felted bags that have been my mainstay for the last few years of knitting.  I'm following the Cat Bordhi method.  I don't know that I'm 100% right, but it's a learning exercise this foray into the world of hand knitted socks!  There's a couple of little mistakes in the ribbing, but rather than unpick and fix - they won't matter for wearing -  I think it will be a good reference point for my second and future pairs... I'll be able to see my evolution from novice to expert :) 

I'm in trepidation of the heel instructions!

Weekend in Review 3

Ooops it's Friday and I haven't done my weekend in review post, although I've posted about a couple of things I did. My weekend was very very quiet. I blobbed in front of telly on Friday night.  Saturday morning did a few chores before heading out on my "Artist's Date".  I've read the book by Julie Cameron, The Artist's Way and try to incorporate random artist dates into my life.  I love that book and it sits beside my bed, so everynow and again I flick through it and re-acquaint myself with it. So with the prospect of a long weekend and time on my hands I decided to have an artist's date. I headed to Calico and Ivy to soak up some inspiration.  In particular I wanted to buy sock yarn and needles so I can learn to knit socks. 

The yarn for sale is heaven.  The colours are heaven.  I was in heaven.  My mind started jumping all over the place with projects I want to make.  It almost became stressful.  I had to take big deep breaths! I was there for ages fondly the yarns, flicking through books, looking at fabric, drooling over the Liberty bolts. Eventually... mission accomplished very satisfactorily!

Here are the socks I'm about to embark on!

Next weekend job was to buy myself some jeans.  With the weather turning, and not a pair in my wardrobe, I need to rectify this.  Again mission successfully completed - 2 pairs purchased - a dark dark navy pair and a red pair!  Thumbs up from everyone at home.

I also splurged on a wooden sign for the kitchen.  Very fun!

Sunday was spent doing chores and sewing my Russian Doll quilt - see earlier post.  Evenings were spent crocheted my wavy edging on my rug.  Almost finished - one and a bit sides to go.

A lovely walk down to the river on Sunday evening.  I'm so lucky to live so close to the beautiful Swan River.  As I approached the foreshore I could hear bagpipes.  I discovered it was coming from a small glen :).  A piper and drummer were practicing.  How special was that.  I stayed within earshot for the entirety of my walk.  It was very special.  I grew up learning Scottish dancing and listening to pipe band records with my Scottish grandfather.  I love the bagpipes, pipe bands.  The sound of them transports me to other times and places.

Monday was lost in running the girls around, chores and cooking.  I did squeeze in an hour of sewing, but that was it.

Foodwise I cooked a delicious chorizo and bean soup (thanks Bill Granger), a lamb and lentil stew, some delicious bacon, pea and parmesan mini quichey muffiny things and the dismal failure of a cake!

And that was my long weekend.

Just had to share....

http://foxesoffancy.com/collections/frontpage/products/market-to-market-stripey-tote

the photos make them look so yummy don't you think?...

A new bag is on the needles

Lately I've had lots of new bag style ideas swimming around in my little brain.  Colours, dimensions, names, patterns, yarns.  It's a total creative buzz high!!  It's consuming me and I can't knit fast enough to see them all into fruition!!  I knit a row and look at the colours and just get more excited as it grows and evolves into my vision.  Ah I love the creative process, it makes me feel alive and like skipping everywhere!!!

There's a couple on the needles, but this is the one I'm concentrating on... here's a sneak peak.  It will change so much between now and being finished and that is so exciting...exactly what will it look like finished ... will the felting process fuse it and transform it as I imagine.  I won't know 'til it's done, so I'd better get back to the knitting!!!

It already looks different....I'm using up all the scraps...  Project Delete Wool Reserves  is making progress.

Bags for Sale...?



Stripey Uni Tote with shoulder straps and large wooden button

 


To Market To Market Large Stripey Bag

 


Miss Grey Mist lined with Liberty Tana Lawn, with wooden flower button.

 


 Here are a few bags from my collection, left over from my days of market stalls.  I'm taking them to a local shop http://www.foxesoffancy.com/ to show the girls to see if they might like to stock them for me.  I popped into the shop the other day - I just came across it whilst out for a jaunt with my crafty friend for coffee and fabric ooooh-ggling.  A wonderful shop supporting locals artists and craftspeople. 

Anyhoo, I have a crate full of bags and thought it might be the time to part with them, I'd better record them photographically first. Just in case I ever get orders....




Miss Ochre Purple

 

A little knitted treasure...

Round and round the garden market totes

Absence from blogland doesn't mean absence from craft and here's proof - 2 of my market totes. The earthy one inspired by the colours of the pilbara in the north of the state and the bumble bee (or jaundiced zebra as I like to call it) - inspired by ...well ...um ...I'm not sure exactly...just colour play really. I love picking up the skeins - starting with one and adding another and another, discarding one, trying another, until I have about 4 left cradled in my arms by then I'm in a frenzy of excitement and can't wait to cast on; then I can't wait for the first colour change, then the second....round and round the garden until the bag is finished. Then the metamorphis magic of felting them. They truly take on a whole new character - the original bag has melded into a new form. I love it! I positively skip and dance around the washing machine and as I shape and stuff them. I admire them from lots of angles at morning and night whilst they dry... I know I'm talking to those that understand - you do don't you?

I love the idea of going to my local farmer's market at Clontarf and coming home with them stuffed with organically grown goodies...can't you just see the celery and silverbeet and baguette sticking out the top? Freshly brewed and fragrant coffee in the other hand and a delicious bakery treat to enjoy when I get home.. what a perfect start to the weekend on a Saturday morning. My bags are for sale at my stall - not that I've had one for a while - but I think I'm getting inspired again to stock a stall.

My Jackie O Range

Okay, I've figured away 'round my dysfunctional camera - use the office one! This is what I've called my Jackie O bag. I've made about 6 of them (green, red and black not shown). Each one has its own button that I hand pick to suit the bag's personality. I've recorded the pattern for this one too so that I can remake them again and again and again. The pink one was the first. The button was a "find" in a vintage shop it Sydney. No more to be found - should have bought 2 of them! The bag sold at its first stall! I get so excited just thinking about other colours and trims. The red bag has a sparkly diamante belt buckle for a little bit of added bling!

Favourite Bag

I love this bag. There was no pattern. I just picked a colour from my stash and cast on and went 'round and 'round changing the colours at random until I thought "right that's it" and cast off. I sold it before it was even finished as I took it as a UFO to work on whilst I ran the stall one day.

Me thinks I might make a few more. I've been without a camera for months now so getting photos of all projects has been an involved process so I haven't bothered most of the time. Luckily I had the foresight to borrow one to photograph this bag. I love the colours - I love just looking at the colours. Is it just me or do they sing?

This is living!

Is this heaven or what? Here I am on my recent holiday to Cairns, North Queensland. I'm on the Barrier Reef Island of Green Island. After an amazing snorkel over coral looking at an endless array of divine tropical fish, I relaxed with a flat white and my knitting!!

Market Day

This year I've realised a long held dream...a market stall! The first day was fantastic. It was a real thrill and a truly positive experience. The response to my bags and artwork was wonderful. Now I'm wondering why I waited so long. It has opened up a whole new creative phase which is a by-product I hadn't expected. I am truly inspired with ideas jumping all around in my brain. There simply aren't enough hours in a day at the moment.

A knitted bag

Well lookee here...it's a non-felted bag. I made this for a girlfriend, girlfriend. These are her colours. You can see I lined it too. Another first - yep! I have bought lots of beautiful fabric to line bags, but this is the first one I've got 'round to doin'. I think she liked - it was her birthday present- I loved making it for her.. but I guess it's her choice to bury it in the cupboard or wear it. And another first - I got 3 pics up in one hit. One of the pics is the book that I found this pattern in... Emma King's Fun and Funky Accessories. It's got a few things other than just bags...wow I am developing beyond the felted bag..... watch this space baby!!