Felting Inspired

I was inspired by someone at the SnB last Thursday and she didn't even know she inspired me!

And I don't even know who she is either!

She had the cutest little felted camera case.






















So I knitted one and felted it and I like it a lot. It has room for my camera and some extra batteries. It's also thick and cushiony so it will keep it safe in my backpack with all my other crap. This is for me to take on my trip. And if my mom likes it - well, she can have it when I leave.

Friday night I made my first attempt at dyeing some wool. The process is so easy but the skill comes in knowing how colours work and saturation degrees. I got some wool that I will knit into socks but I'm not sure they will be right for the person I had in mind. They are a little bright.

























I know a wee little bit about dyeing - I did some batiking when I was a hippy. And since I dyed this wool I have been remembering little bits and pieces. I have some very old cold water dyes that I will try that I'm sure will give me a more muted, more controlled colour pallet.
With all it's flaws there are two things I am proud of:



I remembered to dye two ball exactly the same!

And I got the striping the way I wanted it!

I've got lots of ideas...

Yesterday I went to my book group. We read Elizabeth Jolley and everybody loves her. She is such and inspiration. She was witty and clever and imaginative and she didn't start writing until she was in her 50's.

One of the girls in my group is a expert spinner. One of the other girls has a wheel so we got a little lesson. Then the expert spinner offered me the use of her spare spinning wheel to see if I like it!! I am so excited. When I get back from my US visit I will be learning how to spin!

Ciao till next time.

Happy Independence Day

Happy 4th of July to all the Yanks out there!

I remember my childhood 4ths with fond recollections. The family would bundle up in the station wagon and drive to Green Lake (which then seemed like a far away adventure but which really is only half an hour away) to watch the fireworks. Mom would make a picnic dinner of fried chicken, potato salad and red white and blue Jello (Jelly) and we would run around writing our names in the air with sparklers. We would ooo and ahh over the fireworks and then fall asleep driving home again. It was always marked the beginning of summer for me. Queens birthday just isn't the same - I guess I need some John Philip Sousa playing and the star spangled banner. America was better when I was a kid.

Now for knitting - a while back I bought some Addi circs on line. Now, I'm a newish knitter and only knitted on circular needles once before. But I liked the process so I though I would buy some. I bought a 40cm 5mm needle as well as some others. Well, I thought that the 40cm meant the length of the cable. And when the package came in the post I was so disappointed to see that they were 40cm from point to point. I could not imagine what I could knit with them. I tried anyway, and now...

I love them. They are so easy to knit with and as long as I don't put too many stitches on them they work a treat. Scarfs are easy and hats are easy. I don't have to look while I'm knitting and nothing ever slips off. I feel like I am knitting a secret little something held in my lap with no fuss when I am knitting with them.

I love it when mistakes turn out so good.

I bought some wool for a sweater for my youngest son at the Hall Markets on Sunday. It was sold as seconds (cheap). I can't wait to see it knit up but it will have to wait till I get back from my trip (well maybe I'll swatch it before I go)

For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life, if freedom fail? ~Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Joy of Seats and Socks

My mode of transport has changed dramatically in the last month. I am almost exculsively bike and bus these days. I share a bike with a friend but it lives at my house and I ride it to work every day (when it's in working order, that is) And I love it. It is one of the most enjoyable parts of my day. Even when it is cold and I am battling 50 km winds (not really! just feels like it) I am still happy. But there was a major problem. My ass! It is big and beautiful but it hurt like hell!

I couldn't get off the bike easily after my 1/2 hour ride and that is not a pretty site for passerbyers. When an older woman is stuck with one leg over the seat - they hesitate to help but you can't really tell them "that's OK it's just my bum is bruised!!" Anyway, after suffering for a month or so I took the problem in hand with the help of an allen key and good friend and bought THE most comfortable seat I could afford!

It is a joy. It has gel and springs and I feel like a queen on it. I want to ride it everywhere. And I don't walk like I've been on a horse for two months.

Now I want to deck it out - basket, horn and a really cool lock. I'll put flowers and bread in the basket ... no this is not Italy in summer this is Canberra in winter. I need thermal gloves and hand warmers!

And there have been more socks. I am still working on the cable socks but these are for another friend in Seattle. He used to live next door to my parents and looked after them for about 10 years while I was over here living the high life!! Yeah right!

Now he lives one block away and is going thru some major health problems but he is still there for my parents when they need him and they have been there for him. Anyway, he deserves a pair of socks more than anyone I know at the moment so these are for him. And he makes the best baklava I have ever tasted!

And the photo is much closer to good colour - thanks for the advice Jejune.

By the way - I love being in blogland. I have talked to people I have had a secret crush on for years, made new friends and impressed old friends (that's fun too). I feel like I have found a whole new community to be part of and I like it. So thanks and happy trails.

Purls and Socks

Recently a friend of mine had a holiday in New York City and brought me back some goodies from Purl Soho patchwork and yarn. I love the Purlbee online journal - it teases with the most beautiful fabrics, yarns and patterns. I drool over it at least once a week. One of my pressies was a little parcel of fabric squares. My friend's sister made a little bag out of her bundle of squares. But I wanted to look at mine everyday so I sewed them into a little table cloth.


My camera doesn't come near to showing the bright colours of the fabric or the beautiful green of the wool that I am knitting. I really will have to get my manual out and have a good read and see if I can get some better light happening. But I love looking at my table and dreaming of NYC!

I also started some socks for my little brother. I am knitting another pair from the Interweave Favorite Socks book. I am going to try knit every pair in there. Then I really will be a sock expert. These are the Cable Rib Socks by Erica Alexander with a little modification. The leg isn't near as long as the pattern and I didn't change needle size half way along. I am worried that I won't have enough wool to make two long socks. But they are beautiful and if I don't think they will fit my brother or won't be long enough in the leg I know someone else that would like them!!! Pretty easy to knit so far but I do have to pay attention.

But who wouldn't want to pay attention to such beautiful colours!

Count down to my trip to Seattle now - three weeks to go and I am getting excited since I got the suitcase down and started putting my knitting and other things that I don't want to forget to take. And I can't wait to knit at a baseball game, too!

Waving to Sue socks

"Waving Lace Socks" are done and packed in the suitcast. I still can't get the colour right in the photograph - they really are hot pink! I would knit these again any time. They are easy and quick and the Bambi merino extrafine was a treat to knit with.

This is my second attempt at lace knitting socks and I am very happy with them, although there is room for improvement.

I've cast on baby brother's socks from the amazingly beautiful Fiberworks Hand Dyed 4 ply in no 7 colorway. I'm knitting on smaller needles than recommended so we'll see how they turn out. This will be my first attempt at cabled socks so I am excited about getting into them too.

So many roads for so many feet and so many socks to knit for them!!

Socks

OK - I'm ready to Start Blogging for real now. I'm sure my blogging ability will get better as I learn more - just like my knitting.

I am knitting these socks for one of my best friends in America. She has been my close friend for 40 years even though most of that time we have lived on different continents. The colour in the photo is not very true but I'll work that out as I go. They are bright hot pink and I love them. I know she will too. They are the Waving Lace Socks from the new Interweave Favorite Socks book.

And then there are socks for my brother.

I wanted something a little different so I used some left over self striping wool and some plain Bluebell and just knitted alternate stripes. They turned out great and I will absolutely use up the rest of my left over self striping to make more!!

I have a few more pairs to knit (these are the presents they are all getting when I go to the states in July) so..........

Happy trails!