Nettie's Knits

Coast

2012-01-18T21:03:00.000+11:00

A quick decision saw us heading to the coast, pre-dawn.

We stopped briefly for a take-away coffee for me from the Braidwood bakery, then off down the mountain to Moruya for breakfast - we were their first customers for the day.

We have a longstanding family connection to Broulee. It has been a few years since I've been there, but many more for my favourite sister.

Paddling in the ocean. What could be better?

Crafty preparations

2012-01-18T15:57:00.000+11:00

There are a couple of Big Shindigs happening at chez nettie this weekend. We will celebrate my Dad's 80th birthday and almost all the family is coming - yikes!

Luckily for me, my favourite sister is here to help with the preparations (actually, she came to relax and chill out, but I have put her to work). We have spent some time getting the outdoors ready for the Shindigs. Finding tables and seating for so many people was a bit of challenge, but we pulled out some old and cruddy tables from the, cleaned them up and covered one with oilcloth (Kaffe Fassett, no less. Sorry Kaffe)....

...and the other with this gorgeous vintage shower curtain plastic - picked up brand new and unused at... I forget where. I love the retro stripes.

We trekked around camping stores and outdoor furniture stores seeking a replacement canvas for my deck chair. Too hard. None to be found. But I think Anna Maria Horner would be proud of the way we used her Volumes design to make our own deck chair seat. Sister cut, ironed and pinned. I sewed. We love it.

(Now, if only my sister would stay, we could do this sort of thing all the time.)

An occasional walk - Goorooyarroo

2012-01-17T21:46:00.000+11:00

Being on hols gives one the chance to make spur of the moment decisions on what to do for the morning. My favourite sister and I had been up since 5-ish. We'd walked the dog, had breakfast, done the shopping for Friday's curry night and so, at 9.30 am, we decided to take a quick outing.

Perusing my trusty Canberra Nature Parks map, we decided on Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve, out Gungahlin way. No dogs allowed, so Ms Lily stayed at home to guard the curry ingredients.

Along with the adjacent Mulligans Flat Woodland Reserve, this is one of the largest Yellow Box - Red Gum Grassy Woodland stands in the region. There are beautiful stands of the Yellow Box and Red Gum as well as fallen timber in parts, then gorgeous open grasslands. The swathes of kangaroo grass are magnificent (if you like that sort of thing - and I do).

There are hills to climb (or, in our case, sort of partly climb) and pristine dams buzzing with dragonflies.

It turned into a warm morning once those storm clouds dissipated, and my sister and I returned to the car hot, thirsty and happy in each other's company. (PS I wish she would stay.)

Currently 17

2011-12-23T10:00:00.000+11:00

I'm on a short break from work, and I really, really want it to be the summer of skirts. It feels like hols, doesn't it, when you can wear skirts and sandals. Even though the weather man this morning told me it was currently 17 degrees, I resolutely stayed with the skirt, but put a jumper on. Sheesh. It's 3 days before xmas and summer hasn't come to town yet.

Apart from the aforementioned work on my new fabbo Toyota, I have the usual staycation plans for this time of year:

See a movie a day - yesterday it was The Ides of March - not bad - all about integrity, my favourite ethical value. I went to the premium cinema. Nice.
Read - I've just finished A Christmas Carol by Dickens (no, I hadn't actually read it before, have you?) and Bereft by Chris Womersley. I can highly recommend both. Bereft depicts a hot NSW summer (I wish), young man returned from the war, strange young girl in the bush, not quite knowing what is real. Currently reading We need to talk about Kevin and Daphne du Maurier short horror stories.
Sew - I'm going to get the FBA on Sorbetto sorted once and for all.
Knit and watch Miranda series 1 on DVD

And there will be lots of time with loved ones and friends. I do so like this time of year. If only summer would come.

Nothing to see here

2011-12-22T19:08:00.000+11:00

Do you ever plan a great piece to write and put off writing until you have the results you want so that you actually have a story to tell? No? Maybe it's just me, then.

The great piece I wanted to write went along the lines of ... generosity of other crafters...fiddled and faddled until I got things sorted...lo and behold, here is a great piece of knitting...done by me...on a machine.

The only story I actually have excludes most of those storyboard pieces. But... I do want to acknowledge the generosity of other crafters and say thank you, I'll get there yet.

Some time ago, I blogged briefly about putting a call out on Freecycle and being handed a knitting machine. Yay! Carrie and I spent an afternoon fiddling before we decided I needed a part. Thanks to ebay, that part was no trouble to source. A bit more fiddling. Alas, no knitting yet.

Then a friend from SnB offered me this beauty that she rescued from her neighbour's nature strip. Unfortunately, the only good thing about this machine is the gorgeous case with retro-style branding. No go.

At around the same time, an extraordinarily generous and thoughtful friend sent me a message saying that an old family friend had a knitting machine and would I be interested in it. Oh yes please. She and her brother kindly brought around a fabulous, fully functional, double bed Toyota with loads and loads of accessories and punch cards and manuals and folders of course notes and knitting samples and bits and bobs the purpose of which I have no idea yet. I was thrilled!

So, you see, I was hoping that I could set up things in a flash and have lovely woolly things to blog about by now. Still no knitting, but guess what I'll be doing these hols!

TVlessness

2011-11-13T11:00:00.000+11:00

Some of the things that not watching telly has allowed me to do:

I cleared a path between the doorway and my sewing machine in the sewing room
I packed away all my spinning fibre that has been laying around merely for the purpose of admiration
I packed a small box of books for the Lifeline book fair (that was hard)
I caught up on my friends’ reading on Goodreads
I spent a lot of time fiddling with knitting machines
I listened to lots of very entertaining and informative radio (I learned that seahorses are fish with prehensile tails, thanks Norman)
I read newspapers – real ones

BUT

I miss watching the telly. Sometimes I really do want to sit down with a glass of wine and enjoy Stephen Fry and QI. Sometimes I want to plan a Jane Austen marathon. And I want to knit. I am so used to knitting while I watch the TV, that my knitting has suffered in the short time that I've been TVless. Although, I did manage to finish off some crazy stripey socks for ma minette - Patonyle fake fairisle overdyed with Koolaid.

But the long and the short of it is... I now have a telly.

An occasional walk - Oakey Hill

2011-11-12T22:35:00.001+11:00

In an effort to shake off inexplicable emotional doldrums, I took Lily over to Lyons to walk up and around Oakey Hill Reserve. There are many tracks around the reserve, some in the shadow of the powerlines through the area.

This area was burnt out in the 2003 bushfires and my trusty map tells me that it is being rehabilitated with the original yellow box. The native grasses are incredibly lush and beautiful.

Lily kept a look out for snakes. Well, I did, actually, and had to deter her from rushing off into the grass at every rustle.

From the trig point at the top there is an amazing all-round view of Canberra and surrounds.

We walked through woodland, grassland and a lovely stand of she-oaks near the reservoir at the top, finishing up hot, thirsty, itchy-eyed and a bit sneezy. But being outside on such a day sure did lift my mood.

Turn off the box

2011-11-01T09:00:00.000+11:00

My telly is on the blink.

Sound is good. Picture is bad. Shadows running across the screen give me a headache. No amount of banging on the side will fix it now. I wondered last night, as I tried to watch some rubbish (it was rubbish even without the image problem), what on earth I was doing.

I could get it fixed – it’s only a few years old. Surely it hasn't yet reached its built-in obsolescence date. But I’m going to defer fixing it. I’m trying something else instead.

I’m going to not watch the telly.

Radical? No, of course not. Many families do it, I know. But I’m a bit of a must-have-the-TV-on sort of gal. I only have a few favourite shows (QI, Outnumbered, Modern Family, ABC News), but I tend to sit around waiting for something I want to watch to come on. I call it knitting time.

But I’m going to give it a go, for a few weeks at least. No telly. And I won't be at a loose end at all. I have a gazillion things I should be doing instead of watching telly anyway. I’ll let you know how I go.

What about you? Do you watch the telly? Lots? Sometimes? Hardly ever?

Rainbow

2011-10-31T11:00:00.000+11:00

Apropos of my last post, from which you may correctly infer that I was a woman of the 70s, I spun some gorgeous rainbow-y yarn and knitted ma minette a very retro rainbow-y beanie.

I think she'll like it.

The (trying to be) Good Life

2011-10-30T18:14:00.001+11:00

I have high hopes for my little patch of bushland. I don't want to interfere with the natural environment too much as I do love the frogs in the dam and the occasional kangaroo outside my bedroom window in the morning. But there's plenty of room for me too. And the dog. And the chook. And the vegie gardens.

I'm old enough to have watched the first run of The Good Life, and I know it's corny but I still watch the re-runs, and I just might even have the entire series on DVD. How un-cool am I - I knit and I want to grow my own food.

Irrespective of un-coolness, I still get inspiration from those who are truly leading The Good Life. This weekend, Allsun Farm near Gundaroo invited interested, trying-to-be Good-Lifers to see how they do it.

Joyce and Michael grow fields of organic garlic.

They will be harvesting buckets of strawberries soon.

To say nothing of the chickens, the piglet, the broad beans, the herbs, the greenhouses full of zillions of seedlings, the orchards and the self-sufficiency in power, water and waste management.

I came home with my head full of plans and my boot full of heirloom tomato seedlings.

I've got a long way to go, but I'm trying to be Good.

An occasional walk - Mount Mugga Mugga

2011-10-24T09:00:00.000+11:00

It was warm on Saturday but I didn't let that deter me from another occasional exploration of Canberra's nature parks. Mount Mugga Mugga Woodland Reserve is described as an endangered yellow box gum grassy woodland frequented by kangaroos and supporting a wide variety of woodland birds. We saw those, and more.

We started off at the access point on Mugga Lane and spent most of our time walking through the grassy slopes - not quite venturing to the top of Mount Mugga Mugga as it looked to be quite heavily wooded (and steep!). This was more the scenery I enjoyed (that's Mount Mugga Mugga in the background).

Weeds are a problem in these easily accessible nature parks close to the city, especially in the grassland areas.

On the lower rise, one can see the city and Mount Ainslie to the north. Clearly I wasn't the first ever visitor, as I deduced from the clues of the cairn (in the foreground)...

...and the fact that Hoggo wanted us all to know that he had been there too. (I assume 'he'. Is that wrong of me?)

On our way down the slopes, I had a lovely view over to the east, where the clouds were building up and threatening rain that never eventuated.

We met a brown snake on the way back, but fortuntately I can leap very high and very fast when I need to. Miss Lily is always on the lead, so she had no option but to leap with me.

A warm Spring day, a long walk somewhere new and the excitement of kangaroo and snake spotting makes for thirsty work.

Whither creativity?

2011-10-23T15:29:00.000+11:00

After my recent burst of creative activity, that mojo seems to have gone into hiding. Only for a while, I hope. I can't even be inspired to knit - gah! But I did get to finish off ma minette's PJs - just in time for a sleepover last week.

I put together the collarless shirt from McCall's 2146 and some standard kid's pants, using this gorgeous vintage fabric and flowery buttons from stash.

It was apparently the perfect outfit for a post-dinner, pre-bedtime picnic with dollies and teddies.

It's very satisfying sewing for littlies, especially when this little one loves the things her nettie makes for her.

An occasional walk - Mount Pleasant

2011-10-09T10:00:00.000+11:00

At Floriade last week, I picked up a brochure on Canberra Nature Parks. Did you know that there are 33 separate reserves around Canberra that are designated special grassland or woodland areas? Living in (or near) Canberra gives us all easy access to these green areas - in fact I'll bet there's one at your own back door that you may even take very much for granted.

I happen to think that we are very lucky living in (or near) the bush capital. I've lived in this region for a lot of years now and I've spent lots of time bushwalking in Namadgi, but there is a lot of bushland closer to home that I haven't really explored.

So with my new map for reference and individual maps readily available, I have decided that Lily and I will visit and explore all those parks that will allow dogs - and many do. I'm pretty sure that Lily misses her mate Ralph as much as I do, so long walks in new areas are just the thing for us both.

This week we had a wander around Mount Pleasant.

Years ago, when I worked at Russell, I sometimes took a lunch time walk or jog around Mount Pleasant, but never did I stop to listen to the birdlife or notice the imperfections in the gum leaves.

Or the heart-shaped bark, not yet sloughed off the tree.

Indulge me while I introduce you to my neighbourhood, occasionally.

Simple and secret sewing

2011-10-08T11:00:00.000+11:00

Earlier this week, I made a couple of simple little treasures for birthday girl, Daughter1. Although taking care of a toddler and a baby leaves her with little time for sewing, I know that she enjoys it when she does and I wanted to supplement her current fairly basic supply of tools and notions. As well as buying her some excellent scissors, a new book, some gorgeous fabric and other bits and bobs, I made her a pin cushion (Amy Butler fabric) and a needle case (Ma's felt).

Happy sewing and happy birthday, my beautiful girl.

Sew Day Friday

2011-10-07T19:21:00.000+11:00

It's the last day of the sewing week. And although I promised a Sorbetto muslin, this is all I have...

Where did the day go?

I spent much of it obsessing about the detail in the MPB boxers sew-along. Today was bias day. I've made my own bias before, but this time it had to overlap and then become a flat-felled seam lookalike. I also discovered the bar tack stitch on my machine. It's a bit wonky, but the other side will be better.

I'm still crazy about the flat-felled seam. But my question is: when they meet like this (below), should they be offset or matching? I think offset is preferable as it gives less bulk, but does it look odd? Granted, this is the crotch seam and I'm showing the wrong side, so you may think it doesn't matter, but this is an exercise in perfecting techniques, not necessarily in whipping up a wearable garment (of course, I want that too). So... offset or matching?

Although this was not the productive sewing day I had planned it to be, I did manage to fit in a long walk with Lily, a hair cut and some chores.

I have really enjoyed my week at home sewing. By proclaiming my self-imposed challenges, I felt committed to try my darndest to finish off an item a day. Even if I didn't completely meet my goals, I certainly learnt some things of value:

Sharp scissors are the bomb.
Consider the appopriate machine needle for the job. I started each day with a new needle - a bit of overkill perhaps, but it made me think carefully about the right needle for the fabric.
Press, press, press.
I can do flat-felled seams (I might have mentioned that already).
When doing french seams, trim the first seam allowance of stray threads or fraying bits, so they don't poke through the second seam.
Measure, measure, measure.
Days can pass very quickly. Too quickly.

Thanks for reading along. I'll continue to post my sewing exploits, and will welcome your opinions of Sorbetto when she's done.

Sew Day Thursday

2011-10-06T22:46:00.000+11:00

Today I made a yellow top. I don't like it.

The fabric (from stash of course), while very cute, is not well suited to my age or shape. Small floral print? What was I thinking? The design is way too full - very smock-like, and I haven't worn a smock top since the 70s. And I think I hemmed it too short. All in all - fail. I wouldn't mind so much if it was just a fabric fail. I'm using stash fabric and I'm happy to treat my first attempt at a pattern as a muslin (hopefully wearable). But New Look 6868 will not work. Not on me anyway. (I must say that I feel very brave putting up such an unflattering photograph.)

However, I did have some wins today: previously untried seam techniques. I can hardly believe I have never sewn a french seam or a flat-felled seam before today. They are too easy and they create a great finish.

I did french seams on the shoulder and side seams of the failed yellow top.

And a flat-felled seam on my boxer shorts for the MPB sew along.

So, my time at the sewing machine today was not a total waste.

Tomorrow, I'm going to do a muslin for the Sorbetto top, because Michelle has generously offered to part with some brown voile and I want to make sure I get it just right before I use such lovely fabric.

No Sew Day Wednesday

2011-10-05T19:22:00.000+11:00

No sewing today - but I did have a good excuse. I could not resist the call of a (partly) sunny, warm Spring day, so Carrie and I took off to Floriade. Blooms, devonshire tea, giant fish, victory garden, chilli tastings, more blooms, lunch then home.

After a lovely morning, the afternoon challenge was to work on my recent Freecyle find - a Toyota KS 787 knitting machine. Carrie was feeling very positive about the challenge and even brought over some knitting projects to finish off once we got the thing working. Armed with instruction booklet, a couple of dozen bits and pieces and a refreshing glass of water each, we sat in the sunshine and tackled this little monster. First go - great! It seemed to work. Sort of. For two rows. Try as we might, even dashing inside intermittently to check various you tube videos, we could not replicate our first attempt. Eventually, we gave up, made a pot of tea and took out our crochet instead. However, I have since found a better manual online, I did order a missing piece from ebay, I plan to watch every online video I can find and This Little Monster will sit on my coffee table until I master it.

In sewing news, I will be gathering up all the already-cut pieces for my yellow top and cutting out one pair of boxers tonight. Ready for a double dose of sewing tomorrow.

Sew Day Tuesday

2011-10-04T22:44:00.000+11:00

Second day of the sewing week was supposed to be: brown skirt. Well, it would have been this brown skirt if I wasn't so 'she'll be right' about my sizing. Hmph. I cut the wrong size - too small.

So, second day of the sewing week is: blue and brown skirt.

Fabric: from stash - feels like a light linen blend.
Pattern: Make it Perfect A+ skirt
Mods: none
Mods if I make it again - I'm not sure that a skirt needs a yoke as well as a waistband - I'd probably dispense with the waistband.
Rating: a simple pattern but probably designed for someone a bit less, um, curvy than me. Front and back are exactly the same. I think I need a bit more shaping.

Not wasting any sewing time, I have also half made some new summer PJs for ma minette. This vintage cotton has been in my stash for a while now, and I just love it. I'm on a bit of an orange jag at the moment, and this is too cute. The top will be a little button up short sleeved affair - cut out but not yet stitched up.

Do you read Male Pattern Boldness? As a little side project I'm joining in a sew-along over there - boxer shorts that will become part of my summer jammie wardrobe. I think I bought these cotton shirting fabrics at a wardrobe clearout held by Queanbeyan Players a few years ago.

Sew day Monday

2011-10-03T15:17:00.000+11:00

First day of the sewing week: navy linen pants.

Simplicity 2372 has a very simple pants pattern - an elasticised waist is fine with me for weekend wear - I'll never tuck a shirt in anyway.

Fabric - navy linen from deep dark stash

Mods - I omitted the pockets

Mods if I make it again (which I will) - it's a bit long in the front so next time I will shorten the front crotch line by about 2-3cm.

Rating - very wearable and a good alternative to jeans.

And look at that! The sun came out in time for me to photograph Monday's sewing efffort. I think that means that the rest of the day will be in the garden.

Commitment

2011-10-01T07:30:00.001+10:00

I'm on a little staycation this week (gotta love two long weekends in a row - who wouldn't want to take those intervening days off work). I'm determined to make good use of my at-home time and, while I have lots of reading to do and long walks with Lily and some vegetable planting if winter ever departs, I also have a sewing commitment.

My challenge to myself is that every day, from Monday to Friday, I will sew a complete article of clothing. Shall I say that again? Yes, sewing every day, and actually ending up with five new pieces to wear. I'm pretty sure I can do it, and then maybe I'll stop whinging to myself every morning about my paucity of things to wear.

So...the list, in no particular order:

navy linen pants (already cut out and ready to go)
brown lined skirt (also ready to go - except for the lining)
yellow summer top (good to go, too)
I think I have to do Sorbetto - what do you think? - seems everyone else has, and I can be a bit of a follower at times
don't know about number 5 yet as I'm waiting for inspiration to spring during the week

Stay tuned. I'll report in daily.

Oh, and by the way, I received a lovely comment via Ravelry on my Urban Shells scarf from the designer herself, Katherine Crombie, and she is featuring my photo on her pattern page on Rav. That's nice.

Searching for some joy

2011-09-25T13:09:00.000+10:00

And I don't have to look too far...

...another little one to adore.
I'm so lucky.

Thank you, stranger

2011-09-24T22:41:00.000+10:00

Earlier in this week in which nothing could dry my tears, I managed to learn some new crochet skills and use some lovely Fibrewebs yarn to produce the Urban Shells Scarf.

I do think it’s pretty and it’s soft and light and very wearable.

But (click away now if you have no interest in emotional tales) this week has been too too sad for me to delight in such things. After days of anguish on my part, and pain on his, just yesterday I had to say goodbye to My Best Boy, Ralph. For twelve years he has shared my life, and I cannot believe the loss I feel. Pet owners, I’m sure, will understand. Others, maybe not. It’s strange how empty the house feels.

However, I want to say a very sincere thank you to that person who, all those years ago, took their puppy to the RSPCA because he ‘barked a lot’, and so gave us the opportunity have this sturdy little companion as part of our family. Thank you, stranger.

The bush was grey a week today

2011-08-21T12:16:00.003+10:00

I do love this time of year - enjoying the sunshine while there is still a nip in the air, wondering if we'll wake up to another frost tomorrow, anticipating spring time.

While we still wrap up in lovely warm knitted scarves to greet each day, the bush teases us with hints of the warmer weather on the way. All through winter, the bush that is my backyard (yes, I'm very lucky) gives me olive green and brown and grey, but today on my morning walk with my intrepid explorer companions, the otherwise muted bush offered me this...

It's not yet Wattle Day, but I love to see the wattle bursting from its buds.

In this region, wherever you look, you can see the golden wattle shining through the bush. However, my intrepid explorer companions are way more interested in the kangaroos bounding away down through the gullies.

Easter plans

2011-04-19T19:07:00.004+10:00

We get an extra long Easter break this year, and I have plans to achieve great things, including:

Lots of cuddles with the wee birthday Bear and quality time with Daughter1

Lots of cuddles with ma minette and quality time with Daughter2

Seam my purple cardi – a marinating, almost finished WIP which should have been my cardi for last winter (or was it the one before?) – it would be great to have it ready to wear this winter

Finish Nutkins – I'm up to heel on sock 2, so it is within the realms of possiblity to get it finished

Finish current beret – currently about half way there

Make a bit of progress on my Tangled Yoke which is supposed to be my new cardi for this winter (ahem)

Sew a top – I'm trying out a new pattern with stash fabric to see if it suits – I’m hoping the pattern is a winner, and just right for under a cardi for my winter work wardrobe – that is, if I ever get any cardies finished

Also on the list:

Avoid chocolate

Bake some Easter bread (any recommendations for a great recipe for something special?)

Lunch and spin with my lovely spinny friends

Listen to Juliet Stevenson read Charlotte Bronte’s sumptuous words in Jane Eyre

Start watching The Tudors from the very beginning

Enjoy the autumn sunshine on bushwalks with the dogs

Hmmm, it’s only 5 days off work. I wonder how much I will get done?

What are your Easter plans?

Fun with colour

2011-04-16T08:52:00.009+10:00

Some two years ago, several intrepid Canberra knitters motored up the highway to Waratah Fibres for a yarn dyeing workshop. It was a great day and I was enthused, if not very good at it. I bought some dye, came home and duly put away the notes and the dye. It all seemed a little too hard, somehow. On my last couple of trips to the States, I have brought back Kool Aid, with the intention of dabbling in dyeing. Apparently, it is a good acid dye for animal fibres (and I can't believe that anyone would ever really drink that stuff. It stinks!). I thought it would be safe and fun and a bit unpredictable. It is all three.

Avert your eyes now, if you can only look at beautiful saturated colours. In fact, you might want to go over here instead.

If you're still with me, I'll share my first dyeing experiments with you.

It's hard to know why I have this awful pink and orange fake fair isle in my stash. I love Patonyle, but whatever I thought I was going to do with four balls of this is beyond me.

Dye it blue, perhaps? Still it looks a little clownish.

Knitted into socks for little Bear? Gorgeous, no?

There is a group over on Ravelry that has inspired me to experiment a little. Not necesarily successfully, but it is fun nonetheless. One challenge was to try gradient dyeing. These are my results - subtle, I think, yet not too bad.

Another challenge was to take a lucky dip of three sachets of Kool Aid and use them, no matter what. So I lucky dipped a red, a purple, and oh no another red. A little crazy, not very saturated, but might make very cool socks or mittems for ma minette.I'll keep trying. I'll never aspire to be expert, but I can have a little fun in the meantime.

Wrapped in love

2011-04-16T08:33:00.002+10:00

I'm a slow knitter. I knit often, I love knitting, and I produce the goods occasionally. Some items have special love knit into them, like the Love Socks for my favourite sister - now finished, posted (a little late for the relevant birthday), received and loved (foot hugs, she called them). They're the best I can do in the hugging department just now, as she is so far away, and feeling sad. Also, for the new wee one coming into our family in July, a new blankie. The pattern is Vortex Shawl and it is made with beautiful soft merino, cashmere, nylon blend sock yarn, expertly and gorgeously hand dyed by my friend Carrie over at Fibrewebs.

Even though he will be a Queensland baby, I figure that it does get a bit cooler there through winter, and this is the best I can do to wrap him in love when I am not there myself.

Sentimental? Moi?

Slow stitching

2011-04-15T05:55:00.005+10:00

Inspired and helped by Michelle, I have started a little collection of hand embroidered onesies for the new wee people who will join our family this year. First off the embroidery hoop is this little fellow. It has been a while since I did any hand stitching like this. How is it that something requiring (from me) such concentration and care can be so soothing.

Love socks

2011-03-07T09:58:00.002+11:00

There's a lot of change and much sadness going on in my family right now. The hardest thing for me is being so far away, and not even being able to sit down at the kitchen table and share a pot of tea with my loved one. I think some socks may cheer her up. Well... they won't really cheer her up, but I'm sure she knows how much love I am knitting into these socks and it may bring a small smile to her face at this sad time.

Knitting for the North

2011-02-14T20:21:00.003+11:00

My favourite and very talented sister lives in another hemisphere. Even though she lives somewhere where it's mild in winter and hot in summer, she still loves my handknitted socks. These are my latest for her: Dragonfly socks in Pagewood Farms yarn. I love those flashes of teal.

Also with a northern connection, ma minette and little Bear are taking a holiday with their mamas to meet their grandparents in the UK. I've made them matching earflap hats in a lovely cashmere blend bought at String on my last trip to NYC. Ma minette thought hers was pretty funny (I've since added a pom pom which makes it even funnier). But at least their ears will be warm.

Moonlight

2011-02-06T19:49:00.003+11:00

I decided to join in on Sew Mama Sew's Pillow month. I have a collection of lace and doileys and embroidery that I have acquired from auctions, hand-me-downs and op shops. They sit in the cupboard, alongside my fabric stash, waiting patiently for inspiration to befall me.

Today I pulled out this little hand embroidered square - maybe it was some small person's class project. It is very naive but oh so sweet. It shows us a crescent moon beaming on a tree (oranges and lemons, perhaps?), with bright red flowers at the base. I matched it with some red fabric with stars from stash. It's not chic. It's not complex. But I think it will bring a smile to ma minette's face and she will delight in sitting on it when we eat outdoors.

Happy Australia Day

2011-01-26T09:21:00.003+11:00

A mid week holiday - don't you just love it. And in true fashion, it's going to be a hot one here - 37 degrees. So for all those people at barbies and at concerts today, I've got just one word to say to you: slip slop slap.

I sent a little Australia Day gift to my lovely brother and his even lovelier partner. Isn't it ludicrous?!!! What? You can't tell what it is?? It's the Ludicrous Tea Cosy, that's what it is.

Last birthday, these lovely people sent me Loani Prior's Really Wild Tea Cosies (signed by the author, no less) and thoughtfully bookmarked a couple of favourites, including this one, the Nana Delux. Soooo, I eventually took the hint, grabbed my crochet hook and came up with this beauty. It was just so very crazy that I shied away from sending it to them for xmas. But when the designer herself saw it on Rav and told me that she wanted to feature it on her website (it's not there yet, I just checked), I thought that maybe I should send it out into the world after all. I just hope it gives them a chuckle.

This Australia Day I'll be doing what any fun-loving fiberista would do - I'll be sitting in the shade of Jacqui's big old mulberry tree and spinning with my spinsistas. Oh, and there might just be a bit of Australia Day afternoon tea going on - I hear that banana and macadamia nut pie and lamingtons are on the menu.

How do you spend your Australia Day?

New things

2011-01-05T16:57:00.005+11:00

Waaay back in November 2009, I gave myself a little challenge that meant I would not be buying any new clothes. For a year. A small number of items were exempt, but I am very very pleased to say that I maintained this self-imposed consumption rebellion for one year, one month and one day.

Now the very funny thing is that I have been thinking, all along, that my challenge was indeed to buy no new clothes. But just now, I have looked back at that original post, and realised that I didn't remember the challenge quite correctly. I had, in fact, challenged myself to make my own wardrobe for a year. Ah.... now I remember...I also remember a few cheers I received at the time, and certain people expressed an interest in following along. Well, I guess I have disappointed.

But. Let me explain. I did in fact make myself a few items. A groovy pair of jammies, matched by my sister who shared the fabric with me in the first place (no, you don't want to see the silly sisters in their matching jammies). I made three pairs of 'lounge pants' - some people may call them pyjama pants - I call them lounge pants. I lounge around in them, OK? And last summer I made myself two cotton skirts. And I think that's all. Hardly a wardrobe for a year. I did buy some pre-loved clothes, mostly from the fabulous Material Pleasures - about 4 items, I think. Oh, yes, and I knitted a very lovely February Lady sweater.

This experience of thinking that I would make myself all that I needed, and desisting from buying anything new, has taught me something very valuable. I don't need much.

That's right. I don't need much. And I didn't even start out with a very big or varied wardrobe, if that's what you are thinking, dear reader. No, I have just enough clothes to get me through the working week, and some very casual gear for the weekends. See. I don't need much.

(Yes, I know this is getting a bit wordy, but I just have to say a couple more things. Tune out now, if you like. There's sure to be knitting content in a couple of days.)

What else? Well...

the knickers are getting a bit thin

I'm pretty sick of wearing the same old things

I have actually had to throw out the black pants that I wore to work 3 out of 5 days every week

having lost a few kilos, some of my stuff just looks plain daggy

it did feel good to go out before xmas and buy a couple of dresses for summer

The more personal and surprising outcome of not buying new stuff and not making much stuff was that I started to not actually care about how I looked. Yes, this shocked me too. I think that I was just looking at the same old stuff all the time, throwing it on and heading out the door. I was actually looking daggy most of the time. What was this all about???

It is all very interesting to me.

Not only were there no new clothes, but no new books or CDs, only 2 haircuts, and giving up my French lessons for the year. It wasn't all about consumption rebellion. I gave up French because I knew that my time would be taken up with more important things during the year. And the hair thing? I just couldn't be bothered finding a new hairdresser, after having been unfaithful to the previous one.

Lately I have written about change, and I think that the desire for change has sprung from my last year. I still don't want to buy lots of stuff. I know I don't need it. I will think carefully, more than ever, about the things that I do buy. And I will make more time to create lovely things too. But I will also try to take more care about how I present myself to my world. Starting with the new hair. I like it.

One word

2011-01-01T09:16:00.003+11:00

My one little word for 2011 is change. Yes, there are some things I would like to change about the way I am, the things I do, the way I feel. But mostly I want to be open to change this year. It is way too easy to become set in my ways, thinking that this is the way things should be for me. But really, do I want things to always remain so?

And, as for those things that I will actively change... the first change is my hair. Yes, short is the way to go. I did it yesterday, and already feel way better for it.

Other things? Well, I want to stop wasting time. I want to read more, and watch less rubbish on the box. I want to sew more. I want to see my friends more, and write to those I don't see so often. And I want to think about what I wear. Sounds trivial? Well, no. I have just spent more than one year of dedicated reduced consumerism, but that is a topic for another post. Suffice to say, I can do without new things, but there may be a subconscious price to pay.

2010 saw lots of change in my family, and I was honoured to be considered an important part of going through those changes. 2011 will see more changes for us all. And I want them all to be good.

Happy New Year.

Groovin'

2010-10-27T20:01:00.002+11:00

I'm lucky enough to work in the city, although I don't really get out much to enjoy it during the day. Today was a little different. I had an errand to run, then some lunch to buy. I wandered back through Garema Place, as I heard music and thought I'd track back to work that way. Why not?

Wait ... it can't be... yes, it was indeed James Morrison and band giving a free concert to the people of this city. Thanks to the Groovin' in the City events, public servants, mums with bubs, grey-bearded men with their cloth hats and walking frames and even a slightly crazed junkie, all got to enjoy an hour or more of fabulous jazz and beebop and funk, while sitting in the sun, or standing (and groovin') under the shade of those big old oak trees.

I've really got to get out more. What a great city.

Is it Springtime yet?

2010-10-24T20:28:00.003+11:00

Why do we turn into hermits when it's cold? I feel a bit like I am emerging after a winter, cocooned indoors. The seasons in this part of the world are a little skewed yet, but I look forward to more time outdoors, time being more creative and time enjoying the company of friends.

And, I'm off to a good start.

Last weekend I enjoyed dinner with a friend and a performance of Twelfth Night . I have been going to Bell Shakespeare when they come to town for years and years and years now. Yes, I've missed a few, but I try not to. Love it. And I'm already looking forward to next year's season.

During the week I spent an evening (along with 450 others) with my long-time favourite social commentator Hugh Mackay, who talked to us about what makes us tick. Interestingly, he ranks our desire to be taken seriously as the highest of our social desires.

On a knitty note and in keeping with the theme of this blog, I can report that I have been making fair use of indoor time in winter.

Spinning:
Knitting:

Even a little crochet:

And today I spent a fun afternoon with a bunch of very crafty gals and produced my own gocco-printed golden dragonflies.

I feel almost artistic!

Happy Days

2010-09-08T20:11:00.004+10:00

This little darling is a Sisters Day gift from my favourite sister. This year we spent the Day together. Even better, we are spending the whole week together. Our time together so far has been filled with quiet pleasures, artistic appreciation, yarny challenges, long talks and some crazy moments, fuelled with good food, fine wine and many cups of tea. It is oh so nice to be with her. These are my happy days.

Time to read

2010-08-08T11:40:00.003+10:00

What happens in our busy lives that means we don't make time to read? Over the past several years I find myself reading less and less. Until a few years ago, I had belonged to a book group for over twenty years, but gave it away because I just wasn't reading the books. Not because I didn't want to. But usually just because I hadn't made the time.

Then my favourite sister invited me to join Goodreads. I did, thinking that it would give me a little incentive to read more. It hasn't. Not really.

I don't even have much to say when friends ask me what I've been reading lately.

Now, just to be clear, I love reading. I love language. I love a good tale. I have a great collection of as yet unread books.

So what is it?

When Bec and Bron suggested a bloggy sort of book club, I thought that maybe if I jumped in, I might just start reading again, as avidly as I once did. For me, I have to allocate reading time - bedtime reading just doesn't cut it any more. So, while I have this eclectic little collection on my bedside table, I rarely get through a couple of pages before dropping off...zzzz...

So I'm going to join my friends and talk about what I'm reading each month, here in blogland.

I have just finished a delightful little story by Paul Auster (a favourite author of mine, as he writes tales set in one of my favourite cities, New York). Timbuktu is a quirky little tale told about Mr Bones. Well, told by Mr Bones. The dog. And I loved it.

But in August, I am going to read Margaret Drabble's The Garrick Year. I'll report back later.

It's the little things

2010-07-18T08:39:00.003+10:00

Most of my knitting of late has centred around keeping this little parcel of total joy and delight warm in this frosty southern winter. A simple beanie goes well with his Eyelet blankie, or this Pi blankie borrowed from his cousin.

And simple beanies are so simple, that I can't help making more.

A favourite pattern of many knitters is the magical Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann. I have made two for ma minette, and I love it every time. This one for our little Bear is done in Colinette Jitterbug in Velvet Damson colourway and fits him perfectly.

I wasn't so clever with the sizing of this next cardi. It's a great topdown seamless design by Jacki Kelly called Felix's cardigan. I used Cleckheaton Country Naturals 8ply, and it might fit him a little better several winters from now. He is such a tiny wee thing, and I should have used a 5ply for this one.
And that ray of sunshine who makes us laugh all the time, ma minette, scored another pink Malabrigo hat, the Tri Peak Hat from Woolly Wormhead. It's a bit on the small side for her, but she doesn't mind. She just needs a hat to drag onto her head every time she says "Can we play outside?" at Chez Nettie. The icy weather doesn't deter her. Brrrrr.

Ahhh, my life is good.

"Precious knitting time"

2010-05-28T06:55:00.003+10:00

Recently, on Rav, someone posted a question about why one would spend "precious knitting time" on knitting wash cloths. Many views were posted for (quick gratifying project, portable, practise new stitch patterns, nice gift, handy little product) and against (a bit yucky, socks are just as portable, you can practice patterns on other items). But apart from the cloth discussion, this concept of "precious knitting time" sort of rankled with me, and I wasn't quite sure why.

My knitting time isn't so precious. Sure I love it, but I'm not racing to get something done, I don't have limits on my knitting time (well apart from tiredness limiting my evening knitting time, and mortality limiting my lifetime knitting time). I'm not in a rush to get anywhere. Any moment stolen to do a bit of knitting is pleasureable. And I have a lifetime of knitting time stretching out ahead of me - albeit finite, I know.

I rarely knit to a deadline and if I do impose a challenge upon myself, I rarely meet it (happily there are occasional exceptions - can I say it again: monogamous knitting!). I have many projects on the needles at any one time, and I'll happily knit away at the same project over many weeks or months. My friends will ask "is that the second sock?" when I'm still in the first, or comment "you've been knitting that blankie for ages". Yes, my friends, you know who you are ;)

So I wondered if this concept of "precious knitting time" comes back to that age-old question: are you a process or a product knitter?

I know what I am. What are you?

In the pink

2010-05-23T14:54:00.003+10:00

Ma minette thought it would be a good idea if I knitted her a new winter hat in mmmmalabrigo from my stash. This two year old knows luxury yarn when she feels it. Button Tab Knit Hat in Malabrigo merino worsted in damask rose colourway. Buttons from stash (a gift long ago from my favourite sister).

Winter cardi

2010-05-22T16:06:00.002+10:00

Way back in February, some of the Canberra Ravellers decided on a Cardigan for Winter knit-along. Being February and all, some of us chose the February Lady Sweater. Now, it is a long, long time since I have knitted an actual garment for myself - probably since those awful jumbo quick knits of the 80s. However, monogamous knitting (mostly) through March gave me a great start, but then she languished, while I was distracted by gift knitting. Just days ago, I challenged myself to finishing my Cardigan for Winter before the first day of winter. And I did.

February Lady Sweater in Cascade 220 Heathers (from stash) on 5mm needles and three lovely pearly buttons (also from stash). I've been wearing her all day. I think I love her.

In other knitting news, I recently finished and gifted to the lovely Beth these Blackrose wristlets in Shibui sock yarn that I bought on my last trip to the States. I think I'll make some of these for me too.

And a little surprisingly, I've been re-learning crochet after many years absence. Requires way more concentration than knitting!

Before winter well and truly hits us, I escaped to the Central Coast last weekend to spend time with several of my favourite people. While the water wasn't too cold, I hadn't expected to actually be required to be in the water, so didn't take my cossie. But what two and half year old doesn't want a swim at the beach - whatever the temperature.

Lucky I had a change of clothes.

Back to our regularly scheduled knitting...

2010-05-05T17:59:00.004+10:00

After having my world turned upside down by the early arrival of a little person in our lives, it seems somewhat trite to talk about knitting. But even in my anxious state over a few days in April, I had to chuckle when my knitting friends commented that he dared to arrive before I had finished the border of his baby blanket! Nettie's Knits is sure to showcase photos of our little Bear in due course, but he is still so tiny and so precious and his presence constantly reminds me of what's important in life. My blog isn't the right place for him at the moment.

In the meantime, I did indeed finish his blankie. It's the Pinwheel Blanket in lovely soft Zauberball. A bit too fluffy for a swaddling blanket, but perfect for his pram.In other knitting news, I overcame my first very serious case of Second Sock Syndrome and finally finished my Retro Rib socks. Well, I though that I had finished them. What? A dropped stitch? Right at the toe? How can that happen?? Any sock knitter knows that we carefully ensure that there are equal numbers of stitches on each side leading up to a very neat kitchener stitch finish. So how I could possibly have an uneven number of stitches, one of which is magically dropped at the last minute, is beyond me.Luckily I'm skilled at tinking back and they are fixed and they are lovely. It's an unknown yarn that I picked up somewhere or other - I think an op shop. I suspect it is something like a special Bendi yarn that they make for school jumpers. It's soft yet tough and they are great socks. Now I only have about another 12 skeins of the stuff to get through.And to continue with the unintentional retro rib theme, this is a Retro Rib hand towel, made with self-striping Anchor Magicline, gifted to me in a swap, and finished off with a lovely vintage casein button from my ample button stash. It's cute and it hangs in my laundry. But I'm not really all that impressed with the absorbency of the Magicline cotton. Maybe it will improve after a few washes. And just to remind me on how much I think birthdays are really OK, my fab brother and his gorgeous girl sent me this as a really wild belated birthday present (with a couple of pages strategically bookmarked). Yes, it's signed and everything!!

Off to do some knitting planning now.

Life is good

2010-04-05T18:39:00.002+10:00

Love a long weekend. Have I said that before? I think so. Well, this extra long weekend just kept on getting better.

Off to Brisbane with Daughter2 to visit Daughter1, where we lazed around, cooked up several feasts, ate okonomiyaki for brunch at Eumundi markets, had the obligatory trip to Ikea, watched Project Runway on telly, saw the divine hats exhibition at the Queensland Art Gallery (go. it's sumptuous.), drank lots of coffee, got creative (well, Daughter2 did), browsed the Young Designers markets at Southbank, had lunch at the pub, and drank a bit more coffee.

Despite a certain person or two wondering why the Easter Bunny didn't come, we had our fill of good food, good coffee and great company. And with a home made Easter breakfast like this, who could ask for more.

Just to top it off, today I had a lovely long pre-birthday phone call with my favourite sister and a visit from my favourite two year old.

Life doesn't get much better.

Ahhh, the serenity.

2010-04-01T19:40:00.002+11:00

Taking advantage of the Easter long weekend and grabbing a couple of extra days off was a stroke of genius, if I do say so myself.

On Wednesday, a friend and I drove to Bundanoon to spend a pleasant, mid-week day stitching. It was a damp day in the Highlands. Perfect for sitting and sipping coffee and talking and creating little grub roses and French knots.

Thursday gave me a day at home to do anything at all. I decided to search the 'mending' pile for items that had the potential to increase my wardrobe. Even though I tend to put it off, I do have a strange love of mending and repairing. It's like getting new clothes without having to buy them. I sewed up hems on skirts and jeans (sister, take note!), discovering how to use the twin needle on my machine. I repaired some loose lace on a top. And lo and behold: new clothes.

I did a little bit of knitting.
And the long weekend is only just beginning. Ahhh.

Birthdays

2010-03-17T19:13:00.007+11:00

It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago. I'm not too fussed about birthdays anymore, but sometimes, they sure can be nice. I do love getting birthday calls from friends and loved ones - some of whom I don't get to talk with very often. And I love the fact that my two girls always think of something very special for me.

And I love, love, love that some people make things for me.

My favourite sister this year sent me this oh so lovely, subtly coloured and patterned mat for my kitchen.

See, it even incorporates Pisces.
Not only that, but it came wrapped in two metres of soft voile. I received parcels of thoughtful loveliness from new friends and good friends. Having crafty friends is an added joy this year.

Kelly knitted me a beeeeoootiful scarf.
Carrie crocheted me these funky little handwarmers (Michelle helped a bit).

Over the Weekend of Nettie, we had musical entertainment...And some serious balloon untangling...

And best of all, my family gathered around. There were more of us together than have been in one place for, oh, a long time. And those who weren't here, we skyped or phoned.

Yes, birthdays are OK.

Am I not a vegetarian any more?

2010-03-10T13:12:00.002+11:00

Spending an entire long weekend nursing a sore head does crazy things to one's thought processes. Yes, most of Saturday, all of Sunday and all of a precious public holiday Monday I contemplated chopping off my head to rid myself of migraine pain. Medication came too late and so was ineffectual.

Not being able to face work on Tuesday due to the flatness of spirit that follows the demon migraine, I considered ways to avoid it in future (having the right drugs on hand and taking them before the stake gets driven into my skull would help, yes).

Now I have been vegetarian for some years now, and previous to that was never a great fan of la viande. Give me vegies any day. Love 'em. Love 'em. Love 'em. I don't have just one reason for being vegetarian. It's partly because I object to the animal cruelty that goes with farming pigs and chickens in particular. I believe that grain production would be more sustainable if it fed people rather than animals. I believe it is healthier for me. And I just don't like handling raw flesh and muscle, nor do I much like the taste and texture.

But in my post demonic state, I wondered if a change in diet might somehow make me feel better.

I went to the organic, free-range butcher (well, he's not, but his produce is) and bought a small piece of red stuff. Then I cooked it. And I ate it.

It wasn't too bad. But, to be perfectly honest, I really enjoyed the organic broccoli, asparagus, beetroot and potato better.

Even so, I feel that I have betrayed the cause. Sorry.

A perfect weekend

2010-02-14T18:11:00.002+11:00

The perfect start to my weekend is always my local Saturday morning SnB. Sometimes there are 3 or 4 of us, sometime 6 or more. I love it. It sets my weekend up perfectly for other enjoyable activities, like Saturday afternoon baking cookies, with a most engaging kitchen hand. (Yes, her mummy ran the NY marathon and brought her home this Tshirt.)

And Sunday morning out in the pouring rain, unblocking some pipes and drains, and making sure that the runoff is going into the dam. Oh, yes, and jumping in puddles.

Skirting around

2010-01-26T10:45:00.003+11:00

In my efforts to find a skirt pattern that (1) fits me well and (2) suits me well, I have been playing with a couple of different designs. I wanted a skirt that has a small yoke, so I tried McCall's 5524 - it has a yoke and a bias skirt. After chopping 30 cm off the length - as it is designed for longer, lankier women - I think it's OK. I even managed to perfect the lapped side zip. Fabric from Michael Levine in LA.
Next I wanted to try a more A-line style, and with a centre back zip. This is Sidonie from BurdaStyle - also cut on the bias.

Notice anything wrong? It's maybe a tad short for me? And it's not even hemmed?! Yes, that's right, while I went to a bit of trouble to make sure I cut the right size, I didn't actually check the length. It is the non-adjusted pattern length, which is usually OK, non? Only if you want to sew a mini skirt, apparently.

I modified the pattern to remove the waistband and replace with facings, so that my bulky middle wouldn't be accentuated. Luckily it's made from a cheap vintage sheet. I'm thinking of adding some lace or broderie anglaise to the hem.

Next project: How to take a decent self-portrait (and remember to replace daggy Tshirt with something a bit more suitable).

Just sayin'

2010-01-17T21:16:00.003+11:00

One thing that might be really important if I am going to succeed with sewing my own wardrobe for a year is to learn to insert zips using my lovely newish Pfaff - inserting them easily, correctly, neatly and stress-freely. One thing that might help is to use the zipper foot the right way round. Back to front just doesn't work.

End of year FOs

2009-12-31T15:37:00.004+11:00

A few finished pieces of knitting to show.

Turn a Square beanies for baby brother and his gorgeous girlfriend for xmas.
Monkey socks for sister - seen here on the sock blockers, almost ready to send off as a belated xmas present (better late than never). I had to send her a WIP photo for xmas. She laughed.
A xmassy cotton mitred hanging towel for a xmas swap partner.

And these snug purple stripey socks that I finished back in October, just in time for my trip to NYC. The gorgeous Grignasco Strong Print yarn was gifted to me by PomPom in a swap earlier this year.

Summer knitting continues, with a few different things on the needles - some of which, frustratingly, have been frogged or tinked back many times. But more socks will be cast on soon, a shawl will be on the blocking wires very shortly, and a cosy pinwheel blanket is progressing well. Loving catching a few short hours to sit with my knitting, watching Sensitive Skin on DVD and enjoying my all-too-short break.

Xmas traditions

2009-12-22T20:05:00.004+11:00

I love xmas. I really do. I love that it's hot, hot, hot. I love that I spend weeks (OK, maybe days) planning the menu. Not just for the day, but for all the other days when visitors want to eat with me. I love that I can switch off from work for a week or so. I especially love that I can spend time with my loved ones.

My girls and I have a couple of xmas traditions. Well, the first one, they probably wouldn't admit to being part of, but they laugh along with me. You see, each year, I buy a xmas CD - some years it will be traditional, some years vintage, but most years it's pretty appalling.

Back in the day, I used to buy records - you know, LPs. But I won't inflict those album covers on my blog readers. Since I've moved into the modern world of CDs, I've bought several of the vintage versions, with the usual suspects: Dean Martin, Doris Day, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole.

But some years I diversify. It was the Beach Boys that followed me home one year.

Another year, it was The Hoff (very cringeworthy and, yet, my personal favourite).

Even The Seekers have made it into my xmas collection.
This year it was a toss up among Shirley Bassey, Neil Diamond and Elvis.

Elvis won (although I'm pretty sure he never really actually sang O Come All Ye Faithful with Olivia Newton-John or Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) with Leann Rimes.)

Ahh, I'll bet my xmas visitors are looking forward to hearing this one.

Xmas tradition number two is a bit less scary.

Last year I blogged about my grown-up daughters requesting xmas skirts each year. On our recent trip to LA, Daughter2 selected some Michael Miller Party Girls fabric for this year's xmas skirts.

But did I start them early enough for both girls to wear them on The Day? Of course not. Daughter1 is far away this xmas season, lolling about in the sun and hopefully being spoiled rotten by in-laws, so there is no way I am going to get an as-yet-unmade Party Girls skirt to her now. But Daughter2 is still insistent. It might just get done.

In the meantime, I have resurrected last year's cherry theme for a xmas bib for ma minette.

But just in case she feels like being a Party Girl too, it's reversible!

The Canberra Crew

2009-11-24T22:25:00.003+11:00

Recently, some of the Canberra knitters got together for a swap. It's a bit of a Ravelry thing - swapping. This time the fun (and the pressure) came from actually knowing my swap partner. Alison and I and several other knitters meet up weekly at lunch time to knit and drink coffee, and about once a month or so for an evening session, usually involving a glass of alcohol.

We got together one Friday night for a pot luck dinner and a few drinks to swap our parcels amongst friends. This is what I knitted for Alison in the Canberra Crew swap.

It's the Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronika Avery, in Colinette Jitterbug purchased at Wild Fiber in Santa Monica last April, and supplemented with another skein (I was slightly stressed that one just wasn't quite enough) by Carrie. It's a lovely simple pattern to knit, and the Jitterbug blocked out beautifully.

(I haven't told Carrie yet, but I found another skein of the same colourway in my stash the other day!)

Pop over to Alison's blog to see the gorgeous scarf she made for me.

Little efforts

2009-11-22T17:07:00.003+11:00

I am not really a fan of shopping for clothes. If I have my fashion advisers (Daughter1 and Daughter2) with me, then I feel OK about buying a thing or two – and usually I just find one item I like, then buy it in every colour. Not smart shopping, really. I have a real aversion to buying mass produced articles of clothing. I don’t want to pay many dollars for something that some person was paid a few cents to make. On the other hand, I am more than happy to pay for a locally designed and made item. It’s not about the cost, it’s about where it comes from and how many more of them I’m going to see in the street.

I’ve had the argument put to me that if we don’t buy the goods that are made in poorer nations, then those sweatshop girls won’t earn a living. Isn’t it more about making a stand for better conditions for those workers? Hmm, I can see I’m not forming a logical argument here, and I am sure that others can provide a more convincing discussion. I don’t think that my little effort will affect the livelihood of those workers. But it is my little effort, and I feel better for making it.

I read lots of blogs and websites like Consumption Rebellion. I love the Brown Dress project. I chuckle over and admire some of the creations on Wardrobe Refashion.

But how to make a little more effort myself?

I have, in the past, given myself small challenges to desist from buying new clothes, new shoes or new books for six months at a time. Recently, I joined Knitting Sprouts in an effort to reduce consumption. (Mind you, my trip to the States temporarily knocked me off that wagon.)

So my new challenge to myself is to make my own wardrobe – for a year. Too much of a commitment? Well, we’ll see. I know myself that I don’t rise to self-imposed challenges too well (otherwise I would have lost these superfluous kilos long ago, non?). But nothing challenged, nothing gained, I say.

Make my own wardrobe for a year? Everything? I reckon that the only things I won’t make are shoes (a bit tricky), bras (yes, I probably could, but I won’t) and stockings (the ones I could possibly knit would not be very functional, I’m sure). So: make my own wardrobe for a year, everything except shoes, bras and stockings. What do you think? Possible, or no?

After all these words, here’s a couple of photos to indicate that I am on the way. The week before I went on hols, my favourite (and only) pyjama pants fell apart. Yes, I could have run out and bought a nice new pair, but I rose to LilyandJinks’ personal challenge to me one lunch time and whipped up a pair the day before I left for overseas. OK, they’re a bit baggy and clown-like but, my oh my, those soft cotton thrifted sheets make comfy jammies.
On my return, I made the pattern again, this time a size smaller. But the cotton from this sheet was not quite so soft. And Ralph wasn't very impressed either (as we can see by the expression on his little furry face). Lesson learnt: choose your fabric carefully.
So the start of my voyage is represented by a couple of pairs of pyjama pants. I wonder what’s next?

Not knitting

2009-11-21T14:31:00.005+11:00

I'm loving getting to know my sewing machine. I've had it for a year or more, but I've not really devoted the time to it that it deserves. I have a fabric stash that truly rivals my yarn stash, and still I buy more. And just on that point, I have a few lovelies to show you in more detail.

As my favourite sister reminded me, in my last post I didn't show the laminated nut sack fabric that we bought in LA. Both of the following are designs from the Kaffe Fasset Studio, and are very soft and drapey.

This next one with bright red cherries is a bit sturdier.

And, because Michelle asked about it, here is a closeup of the dictionary print fabric that I bought on that same shopping expedition. It has definitions of words like original, real, fresh and simple. I think it will make a good lining for project bags.

Back to the sewing machine. I whipped up some cute little pants for ma minette.

I have been doing a bit more sewing, and also a lot more thinking about sewing. I might even want to share that thinking with blogland, but I need to straighten up my own thoughts first. Stay tuned.

Travelling women

2009-11-18T13:46:00.005+11:00

Can it really be two months since I last blogged? I guess that when your own daughter sends you an email reminding you that you haven’t posted in a while, then you’d better get a move on.

Things have been happening, including a trip to NYC to act as support crew for Daughter2 (aka Marathon Woman).

Here she is, waiting for the Staten Island ferry to transport her to the start line:
And here she is, 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometres) later in Central Park:
She ran the whole way! It was an amazing experience just being there for the New York City Marathon, even as a spectator. Almost makes me want to run one myself. I said almost.

It was kinda cool to be there at Halloween – there were little (and big) kids dressed up going to parades and parties and there were skeletons and vampires skating at the Rockefeller Center.

Of course, no trip to New York would be complete without a little yarn shopping. Knitty City, Habu and String gave up a few little goodies for me. (And I can’t believe I didn’t photograph my haul before cramming it into my stash cupboard.)

And no trip to the States would be complete without visiting my favourite sister and my favourite fabric store in LA .

In the few days we were there, we found time for another walk around the lovely parts of Los Angeles, this time to the gorgeous canals behind Venice Beach.

And on the homefront, there has been a little crafting, but I’ll save that for another post. Right now, it’s cup of tea time.

Sisters Day

2009-09-17T20:14:00.003+10:00

Yes, in 1968, my sister and I were Irish Dancers. I'm not quite sure why, on the day this photo was taken, she (on the left) is resplendent in Irish Dancing costume and shoes, and I am not. Maybe I was getting a bit too old for it. Or maybe she was just better than I was and went in more competitions. She did win way more medals that I did.

Nowadays, we are no longer competitive. We are closer than we have ever been - even though we live so far apart. And so, a few years ago, we declared our very own Sisters Day. We picked a month that was about half way between our birthday months and xmas, and a date that was half way between our birth dates. We send each other something lovely on Sisters Day.

This year she sent me a delightful mix of the old and the new - knowing how much I would love both. Purple hand-crafted pot holders, wrapped in a vintage scarf, with a vintage card.

Well, not exactly a vintage gift card, but more a vintage card of hooks and eyes that cost 15c for size 1. How cool is that!
Happy Sisters Day to my favourite sister.

Travelling woman

2009-09-13T09:29:00.003+10:00

No, not me (well, yes me, but that's another story). Here is my Traveling Woman. (I never quite get the one l vs two l thing.)

It's a lovely easy pattern for a beginner lace knitter like me. I knit it with no mods to the pattern as written, and it makes a lovely wide but shallow shawl that can be wrapped around the neck like a scarf. Knit in Naturally Haven 4ply from NZ - lovely and soft, and very purple!

The art of giving

2009-09-12T19:04:00.004+10:00

I will admit it. I am a Ravelry time waster. I love it, but spend way too much time there. One of the things I love about Rav (and there are many) is the sense of community it creates. It is also a haven for swapping. It's a crazy thing really, people sign up for swaps and make fabulous things for people they have never met. I don't know why we do it. Maybe it's the element of surprise - never really knowing what you will receive in your swap package until you excitedly tear it open. Maybe it's the fact that someone has really thought about the collection of lovelies that goes into a package for a certain stranger. Myself, I love the fact that someone will actually MAKE something for me.

But often I feel a little bit like I'm letting down the team - that the packages I put together and send around the country, or even around the world, are never quite up to scratch.

But, in the name of proving that this is indeed a knitting blog, and that I have in fact been knitting, I offer some of my latest creations, mostly made for other people.

Firstly I went on a bit of cowl thing, making these two for different swap partners.

When the knitting doubts hit me, I do a little sewing instead. This little project bag has knitting instructions on the ribbon around the top (ah, NYC you are a shopper's dream).

Then I ease myself back into gift knitting by knocking up a little wash cloth or two.

And recently, I whipped up some felted clogs for Kelly for her birthday.

I have made these felted clogs for myself as well. Love 'em.

A certain sorrow

2009-09-11T09:50:00.005+10:00

Grief is the strangest thing. At the time of loss, grief can overwhelm us like a heavy blanket, falling over our being, suffocating us, creating a barrier from the world around us. Gradually, very gradually, the weight lifts, we can see others around us, others who want to be part of our grieving, who want to comfort or empathise or sympathise. And soon, or maybe not so soon, that feeling is no longer our constant companion.

But the strangest part about grief is that you never know when it is around the corner, waiting to come at you like a train, mowing you down with the devastating sadness that you thought you had left behind. Making you sob. Sob like you may never stop.

My Mum died three years ago yesterday. This year, I was wise enough to take the day off work, just in case that old companion, grief, caught me unawares again. It did.

I wonder about the strength of this emotion, that it can make me weep so.

The funny thing is that my Mum used to drive me crazy, as mum’s often do. But, hell’s bells, I loved her so much.

Yes, I know that Mum was old (well, not that old, in my opinion), and that she wasn’t really well. She wasn’t very mobile and had a lot of chronic pain. But those who once said to me ‘at least she’s not in pain anymore’ just don’t understand. That doesn’t make me miss her any the less. And I do miss her, so very much.

While my day yesterday was saturated with tears, I knew that calmness would eventually return. I made myself go out on a pre-arranged date with wonderful girlfriends who didn’t know Mum, who didn’t know it was any sort of anniversary, and who make me laugh and laugh. What good medicine that was.

And next year? It will probably be the same. And the year after that. Grief keeps waiting just around the corner, ready to bowl us over.

No words today

2009-09-10T08:31:00.001+10:00

Cupcake day

2009-08-08T20:10:00.003+10:00

It doesn't get much better than this.

A sunny winter's day.

Early birthday brunch with ma minette, which included a baby cupcake - every birthday deserves cake. I can barely believe that we have had her in our lives for two years now. She makes my heart sing.

Then off to the Craft and Quilt Fair with Carrie and Kelly. No photographic evidence, but some stash enhancement did take place - mostly fabric (I think Bendigo spoiled us for yarn choice a few weeks ago). We took our weary selves off to lunch, followed by a trip to Cherry Seed for yummy treats to be enjoyed at Kelly's for afternoon tea. Take my word for it, these once were cupcakes.

And while I should really be painting my laundry this evening, I am not. I am reflecting on the nice life that I have. And cupcakes.

Sister's socks

2009-08-06T20:02:00.002+10:00

My favourite sister is an extraordinarily talented and creative artiste. She paints and draws and sews and photographs and does fabulous things with paper. She knits a little and can crochet better than I can.

When I visited her in April, she asked me to show her how to make socks.

I thought about it.

And then I said NO.

This is the last remaining creative pursuit on earth at which I have more skill. No, I was not going to teach her to knit socks. I would knit socks for her.

We chose some beautiful soft and squishy hand-dyed sock yarn at Wildfiber in Santa Monica. And I knitted her these socks. (The red bit is not some nasty frill at the cuff. It is the top of the sock blocker.) Waving Lace Socks from Interweave's Favourite Socks, in Pagewood Farm Glacier Bay Hand Dyed Sock Yarn, harvest colourway, on 2.5mm Knitpicks.

I think she likes them.

I've been knitting, too.

2009-07-29T22:06:00.002+10:00

Thank you so much to my friends and family who commented on my attempts to produce a serviceable needle case. My concerns about Fancy-Schmancy have been assuaged. I realise now that of course we can have gorgeous things around us to do ordinary jobs. Every comment is very much appreciated. Merci beaucoup, mes amies. Someone will find a little surprise in their letter box soon.

There's been knitting too. I knitted up some floppy socksy things. And felted them into clogs! Voila!
Fibertrends felted clogs knitted in Filatura Di Crosa 127 Print bought at the Great Cassidy's $2 sale yonks ago on 8mm Knitpicks. Mmmmm. Cosy.

Opinions, please.

2009-07-26T19:21:00.004+10:00

I've being doing a bit of sewing lately.

I set my mind to trying to sew a practical yet pretty needlecase - to hold sewing needles, not knitting needles. I have sewn a few versions, some fancy-schmancy, and some a bit plainer but just as practical.

I would really appreciate the views of a reader or two to let me know if I'm on the right track.

Oh, and a point of clarification: I am in no way competing with the fabulously talented etsy craftsters who sell their creations online. I am merely looking for gift ideas.

Let me present my first attempt: The Fancy-Schmancy Needlecase. This has a cover in genuine vintage Hong Kong satin from my mother's stash, with handmade felt on the inside, and a 1950s West German vintage button closure. My own reaction was along the lines of ... holey dooley that's a bit over the top for a needlecase! What do you think?

My second attempt was almost at the other end of the spectrum. The Plain Old Needlecase is still made using handmade felt inside, but with lovely fabric from a thrifted sheet for the cover. No closures on this one. I kinda like it.

Next came the Butterfly Needlecase. a little fancier with a ribbon to close.

And finally, because a good needlecase probably needs leaves inside, I present the much bulkier, but possibly more practical Butterfly Needlecase Number Two. (You can see why I'm not a seller - my marketing skills are up the creek.)
Well? What do you think? Is Fancy-Schmancy too much so? Will Plain Old do the trick? Or do we really need extra leaves inside to make a needlecase truly functional?

Care to comment? There might be a needlecase in it for you if you do.

Bendigo

2009-07-20T18:30:00.004+10:00

I told my daughters I was going to Bendigo to visit friends. It's partly true. I did enjoy a glass of wine or two with old friends.

But the other story involves the Bendigo Wool and Sheep Show. What fun we had! From choosing gumboots to wear in the muddy showground...these are fractalchic's...

to a huge effort in stash enhancement...(this is not all mine.. it also belongs to fractalchic, Carrie, kittywiththumbs and Anushka).
The blurriness of the photograph might have something to do with the bubbly. Just sayin'.

Not much else to say at this stage, except: a good time was had by all AND we are spending more time in Bendi next year.

Too much competition

2009-07-06T21:06:00.003+10:00

Like many knitters I know, I have many projects on the go at any one time. I've posted about my UFOs before, so there's no news there.

But how does one cope when a new ~~obsession~~ love comes into one's life. How do those loves compete? Am I just being fickle in shifting from one to another?

Spin or knit. Knit or spin. Not enough hours in the day.

To say nothing of my new found love for my sewing machine. Arrgh!

"A poor tradesman always blames his tools."

2009-07-05T17:02:00.003+10:00

I remember my Dad saying this to me many times when I was young. Can't remember the contexts, but it has always stuck. Well, Dad, I respectfully beg to differ. A craftswoman just cannot work happily with less than ideal tools.

I like to knit with lovely yarn and beautifully smooth needles. I love to sew with my practically brand new Pfaff. I love it that I can find my pins in the wrist pin cushion that my favourite sister made me.

And this...? Who could work with this...? Yes, you know what it is. One of a sewist's most critical tools. Yours might even look a little bit like this.

Here is the new and improved version. Made by moi. It wasn't so difficult. Pull the old one off. Trace around it. Add some elastic and tape. Reassemble.

Voila!

Move it Like Mike - Week 3 report

2009-06-26T22:06:00.004+10:00

Photo by Hashi

Seems I'm only blogging about my paltry attempts to Move It Like Mike. No knitting here. To save my few readers the dreariness of reading about stepping, I've relegated the weekly reports to the sidebar. From now on, there will be more knitting, on this, my knitting blog.

Move it Like Mike - Week 2 report

2009-06-18T19:22:00.002+10:00

Photo by Hashi

I walked on 6 days.

Today at lunch time, I sat and drank coffee and knitted with other knitters.

Six out of seven ain't bad.

Are you movin' it like Mike?

Move it Like Mike - Week 1 report

2009-06-11T20:07:00.003+10:00

I walked at lunch time on 4 days.
I ran up and down a ladder clearing out gutters on 1 day.
I slacked off, drinking cups of tea all day with best friends on 2 days.

Planning to do better in Week 2.

How about you?

A peek into Audrey's life

2009-06-07T15:40:00.004+10:00

Do you ever feel that you are taking a clandestine peek into the life of someone you don't know, and who doesn't know you? When you pick up a book at the book fair, do you wonder about the person who wrote their name on the fly leaf? When you pick up a lovely little glass dish at the Vinnies, do you wonder what trinkets the previous owner kept therein?

I like to buy old patterns - knitting patterns and dressmaking patterns. I may never use them, but I like them. Lots of patterns have the owner's name scribbled on the front - maybe to ensure that loaned patterns would make their way home again. I've never really thought too much about it before.

But today, for a few dollars, I brought home a box of old dressmaking patterns from the charity stall at my local fruit and veg market. The seller told me that the previous owner was Audrey, a woman in her eighties who was clearing things out before her move to a retirement village. The seller wondered why I wanted the whole box of patterns. Was I going to sell them off? I could make a few dollars, she thought, by checking on the internet. No, I said, I just like old patterns. I'd take them home, I told her, and look through them with interest. Maybe I could use some, but mostly I just liked the look of them. Well, she said, she'd let Audrey know that they were going to a good home.

When I got home, I started to peek into Audrey's sewing life.

Did she make this dressing gown for her daughter?
Was that the same daughter for whom she had made these jammies, years previously?

And bikini pants? Undies or cozzie, I'm not sure.

I don't know much about Brian's top, but I'll take it out of its envelope and spread it out and see if it's for a boy or for a grown-up.

What about an American Beauty top??
Maybe that same recipient of Audrey's sewing skills grew up and wanted a cowgirl shirt instead.

Audrey drafted a newspaper pattern for Claudia's nightgown in 2000 - the year that The Canberra Times reported on the Buttercup workers' strike, and the last Ministerial function attended by Kate Carnell as Chief Minister.

Audrey scribbled the instructions for Rosemary's undervest on the back of an envelope, literally.

But my favourite of Audrey's patterns is this one. It's for a peg apron, and its the pattern from the apron Troy had bought her when a young lad.

I'm going to make this apron for myself. And I'll think of Audrey, and Troy, when I wear it.

Thank you, Audrey.

Moving

2009-06-04T11:40:00.002+10:00

It's not so hard. It's good for you ...er... me. It warms you up. It releases endorphins. And it only takes 20 minutes a day.

I'm joining Pip and others with a public undertaking to Move it Like Mike.

The mission is to move about, I mean, really move about, for a mere 20 minutes, 3 times a week. But, surely, surely, it's not too hard to do that every day. That's what I'm aiming for: 20 minutes a day of actual moving about (in my case, mostly walking at lunch time), every day for the rest of winter. Non-rainy days will see me in the great outdoors. Rainy days, well there's always the shopping mall to stride around.

Any other takers? Sister?

I'll report in weekly.

Out of the woods

2009-05-31T15:53:00.004+10:00

Now that the dreaded lurgy is well and truly behind me, I can show a couple of FOs and one WIP.

FO1: Brooklyn Tweed's Hemlock Ring Blanket using the Rainey Sisters chart, in Rowan Kid Classic. Noice.
FO2: Molly's kimono published in Mason-Dixon Knitting. I used about 90g of Bendigo Classic. Molly is only brand new, but I hope she fits into this before winter is over.

Current favourite WIP: socks for a certain someone who recently complained that she had only one pair of hand-knitted socks.

We picked this yarn together. It's Pagewood Farm hand dyed sock yarn in Harvest colourway. I started knitting up some plain vanilla socks at SnB yesterday, but didn't really like the stocking stitch. Some other SnBers agreed that a patterned sock would be better. So I frogged it and started last night on Waving Lace socks from Interweave's Favourite Socks. I knitted this pattern for myself last year, and they are probably my favourite socks. That little white dot is a pin to remind me to tink back a couple of rounds - how did that extra stitch get there, and why have I only just noticed it?

The dreaded lurgy

2009-05-15T10:15:00.002+10:00

I'm too sick to blog properly, but luckily not too sick to knit and watch many episodes of Dexter on dvd.

Knitting on my Hemlock Ring Blanket, my Princess Lace shawl, a Mason Dixon baby kimono for brand new Molly, and a secret project.

This is the first time I can ever remember needing a whole week off work for a darned flu-ey, cold-y sort of lurgy. Doc says plenty of fluids and plenty of hand washing should do it. I'm still waiting for it to work. It's yuk being sick.

Adventures of the purple hat

2009-05-05T21:51:00.002+10:00

OK, I promise not to go on and on about it, but I really did have a great holiday. I can't wait to go back.

But I just wanted to share some pictures of perhaps the most useful (and lovely) item that I took with me on my hols: my purple hat. This soft, smooshy, comfy, warm, no-hat-hair hat was made for me by PomPom and gifted to me in a Ravelry favourite colours swap. Little did I realise just how handy it would be in the surprisingly cold spring weather of parts of Arizona.

I present to you the adventures of my purple hat:

Purple hat at the Grand Canyon

Purple hat in the Grand Canyon forest

(it's not all about the desert)

Purple hat in the Petrified Forest

Purple hat at the historic Hubbell Trading Post

Purple hat in the snow on Second Mesa

Thanks, Sally. I love my purple hat.

What day is it?

2009-04-20T16:35:00.004+10:00

Through the wonder of international travel, and that tricky international date line, my days are jumbled in my head. I know it's Monday, but where did Sunday go?

We had a quiet Saturday in LA, our last day. I learned a new skill: freezer paper stencilling.

But mostly we were sad and pensive, not wanting to part.

We had a lovely family dinner before some brave-faced family photographs, followed by the dreaded trip to the airport.

It was a holiday I will never forget and will always treasure - just me, my sister and our Dad.

Friday in LA

2009-04-18T15:45:00.003+10:00

Friday morning in LA meant another trip to Santa Monica to visit Wildfiber (we ran out of time yesterday). It was heaven. So much yarn to fondle.

Even though Dad suggested that I had already bought enough yarn yesterday (hey, Dad, I'm a grown up now and I can buy however much yarn I want, and anyway, we didn't limit you to just one electrical store, did we?), I did have to buy a few more skeins.

Here's the total two-day haul...yum...

We sent Dad off with brother-in-law to do some Hollywood-type stuff (brother-in-law is in the business) - checking out studios and inspecting prop vans and prop houses that store acres of any item you care to mention - while sister and I enjoyed a lovely lunch in Culver City. I even got to see the hotel where the cast of the Wizard of Oz stayed, in the the late 1930s (I'm a bit of a fan of that film - I probably know the script off by heart as we had it on LP as kids - yeah, corny, I know).

Home then to prepare for an evening meal with a few of sister's girlfriends. No photos, but I can't tell you what a fabulous evening it was with them. Lots of great food, good wine and laughter. What better last night in LA could there be?

Oh, I will miss it.

Posted by nettie at around 10pm on 17 April, LA time.

Thursday in LA

2009-04-17T11:33:00.007+10:00

Another sunny day in LA took us to Santa Monica for a little shopping. First stop was A Mano Yarn Center, where I spent a dollar or two.

But, it could have cost me more. When we arrived, the shop attendant was faffing about as she couldn't get the computer and till to work. Well, our Dad just happens to be a computer whiz (yes, even at 77). He offered to help, while sister and I browsed. She was so grateful that she boldly announced that we could have 30% discount on our purchases if Dad could get the computer working. Well, the pressure was on. Dad fiddled and fooled and quietly unplugged, replugged and rebooted her system, and lo and behold I got 30% discount on some Blue Sky Alpaca, some ShiBuiKnits sock yarn, some Wisdom Yarn Poems that looks a bit like Noro, oh and some Noro and some more Noro and some Wildfoote sock yarn and some Tofutsies. Yay for Dad. It's lucky that there were no hardware stores nearby, otherwise he would have been there, and not in the yarn store with us. Here's me, looking jubilant.

We drove on for lunch and a little browse at in one of my favourite US stores, where I might have spent a few more dollars.

Then we went on to the Getty Villa at Malibu, which is a delight of ancient Greek and Roman antiquities.

Ceiling roses modelled on those found in Pompeii

Feline water spout

Shadows on the marble floor

Oh, do I have to leave?

Posted by nettie at 7pm on 16 April LA time.

Wednesday in LA again

2009-04-16T13:44:00.004+10:00

A quiet day, back in LA, pondering the wonder of our desert trip, and planning the next one.

There was some knitting on the road. This simple garter stitch and YO/k2tog scarf in some stash cotton for my favourite sister's young stepdaughter was completed on Highway something or other. It's the Airy Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts - mindless passenger knitting.

And I've done a little more work on my Princess Lace Wrap. It requires a bit more concentration, so there's been a bit of tinking, due to the vagaries of wine o'clock.

We spent a lovely day at home, sister and I, doing some cooking. She wondered if I was going to post pictures of a pot of vomit and then another pot of vomit, but I'm sure my distinguished readers can recognise mushroom ragu and moroccan vegetable stew.
I love her nonetheless.

Posted by nettie at 9pm on 15 April in LA.

Tuesday in California

2009-04-15T15:01:00.005+10:00

The last day of our desert road trip was spent in California. The day began well, with breakfast at our luxury accommodation. (If you're ever in the neighbourhood, please stay at Roughley Manor. Honestly, you'll thank me for the recommendation.)

A short drive took us to the breathtakingly wonderful Joshua Tree National Park. I can't begin to explain how a love for the desert has crept over me during the past few days. I started this trip thinking of the desert as a rough, dry, harsh and barren place. But, truly, the beauty is immense. I think I can begin to understand why people want to live here. It seems to necessitate a more sensitive response to one's environment. I'm doing a lousy job of explaining this, but I think that the desert makes one understand how to live with the climate and the landscape, rather than trying to impose oneself on it.

The contorted joshua trees held me in awe.
The desert dandelions brought smiles to our faces as they spread across the plain.

The teeny tiny wildflowers warned me to be careful of where I stepped.

And the rocks were tumbled and split into shapes that reminded us that this landscape was bigger than any of us.

We were all a little sad to leave the desert. I want to return soon.

Posted by nettie at 10.20pm on 14 April in LA.

Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon in Arizona

2009-04-14T14:20:00.005+10:00

Oh what a week it has been. My favourite sister has driven us around Arizona in style. We had seen some amazing places, stayed in some fabulous hotels and B&Bs, been snowed upon, lunched before magnificent views, walked and laughed and generally had a wondrous time.

The Grand Canyon can barely be described in words, and my photographs do it little justice. The Wupatki Pueblo ruins evidence a simpler life than the one we know, but one where community played an important role.

Montezuma Castle (not that the man himself was ever in the neighbourhood) shows us the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the Sinagua, and made a delightful backdrop for lunch that day!

Cathedral Rock at Sedona - ahh, if only we'd had more time in Sedona...

And many a cactus was seen. Now, I've had a thought. If I could grow one of these in my backyard, I reckon it would make a great lace blocker. What do you think?

But most importantly, we picked delightful spots for all our breaks (do you like the tablecloth?).

And wine o'clock is an important part of each day.

Aaah, Arizona, we love you.

Posted by nettie at about 9.45pm on 13 April in 29 Palms, CA.

Tuesday in LA

2009-04-08T14:48:00.003+10:00

What a great day. Sister's birthday was full of things we both love to do. First there were presents. Who doesn't love a good present opening?

We went to the garden store and lugged home pots and bags of soil to transform these...

to this...
We attempted a bit of wardrobe refashion, but were too traumatised to photograph our efforts.

We worried if Dad would ever come home from his walk to the electrics store. (It's OK, he did. He only got a little bit lost.)

We baked ...

And ate and drank and reminisced and laughed.

Happy birthday to my favourite sister. So glad we could share it with you.

Posted by nettie at about 10pm on 7 April in LA.

Monday in LA

2009-04-07T11:11:00.004+10:00

Sunday was a quiet yet pleasant recovery day, drinking lots of tea and preparing for dinner with family and friends, old and new.

But Monday...well, on Monday I had a date with my old boyfriend, Michael. And sister and I sure had a fine time at Michael's. This is the little stack of goodies that I left with. Yay for Michael! I have to visit Michael at least once each time I come to LA.

But it wasn't just a shopping day. We had a stroll around USC and Exposition Park looking at lovely buildings, gardens and museums. In planning this walk, I checked with my favourite sister to determine the appropriate attire for the day. "Skirt?" I asked. "Oh no. Jeans," she replied. Hmph. I'll make my own wardrobe decisions tomorrow. It was a gloriously warm and sunny LA day. And so good to be with her.

(Note to self: don't change time zones on Blogger as it buggers up the times on all the posts. This post published at 6.30pm on 6 April in LA.)

'California, here I come...'

2009-04-04T14:34:00.003+11:00

Californian bee in California Poppy at The Getty, LA, May 2007

Al Jolson sang it in the '20s and I'm singing it now. Why? Because tomorrow I leave for sunny California to visit my favourite sister. A few days and a birthday celebration or two in LA, then we jump in the car for our road trip adventure through the Arizona desert. Not quite the Thelma and Louise trip we originally planned, more like Thelma, Louise and Dad's road trip to the Grand Canyon. Yep, a trip with Dad and his two girls. We're gonna love it.

Probably won't be posting while I'm away. But I bet she will.

Have a nice day, y'all.

Bushfire quilt

2009-04-04T14:20:00.005+11:00

In the first weeks of shock and helplessness after the Victorian bushfires in February, many bloggers and crafters offered time, money, skills, compassion, knitting, sewing, driving, collecting and love to those who had been affected. One such person was Anne over at pinsandthimbles. She offered to auction off her talent, fabric and time to make a quilt and donate the proceeds to the Red Cross. Yay, I won. And here is the delightful quilt made from beautiful vintage sheets in colours and size of my choice.

It's for ma minette to cuddle into when she comes to visit. I think she'll love it. I do. Thanks, Anne.

The postman cometh

2009-03-29T08:29:00.005+11:00

Some time last year I met a few knitters for the first time at a lunch in Canberra organised by Jejune, as PomPom was in town and, well, what better excuse for a knitting lunch. We had a few laughs, all of us, we knitted at the table in the restaurant, we had someone take a group photograph. I wasn't sure that I'd get to meet PomPom again, but through the wonders of blogland and Ravelry, I could add her to my list of knitters whose work I admire and continue to read about.

Lo and behold, a Ravelry swap had us 'twinned'. I was putting together a parcel of goodies for PomPom at the same time as she was for me, unbeknown to each of us. Until the postie came and all was revealed...

Lovely sock yarn (purple and bush colours),

fabric with little balls of yarn - perfect for a project bag,

Koolaid (yay, my first - purple of course), a knitterly card by Jejune (just like the one I sent PomPom!), and...a beautiful purple hat, knitted for me by my swap partner. Thank you, PomPom! Sets off my greying locks nicely, don't you think?

Is it too warm in Arizona at this time of year to wear woolly hats?

Earth Hour 2009

2009-03-29T08:26:00.000+11:00

Just an update

2009-03-23T20:51:00.002+11:00

I blogged a few days ago about some work in progress. Here's an update.

Compared with some other fabulously productive Canberra-and-district knitters, my offerings to the Blankets of Friendship thus far are fairly meagre. But it is in lovely Bendi machine washable wool. And every square counts, right? At any rate, it's an ongoing project and the knitting of squares does not stop here.

The knitting of squares has, however, been interrupted recently by the need to complete a swap article. This is for a Ravelry favourite colours swap, and I really hope my secret swap partner not only likes it but uses it for its intended purpose. It's knit in SWTC bamboo which is lovely and soft in the ball, but surprisingly harsh knitted up in this stitch. Still, it's a market bag, after all, meant for a bit of rough handling, no? I do like the look of it, and may yet knit another, and another.

So what's next on the needles? Well, there is a certain item for a certain person that cannot yet be disclosed (no, sister, it's not for you). Let's just say that it's looooong and vibrant.

And there is some serious thought being given to the ideal project to take on a road trip around Arizona in two weeks. Should it be a small, easily portable item? Maybe some socks for a certain nagging person? (what's that , sister? you think it might just be you this time?) Yes, maybe that's a good idea. Ahh, which sock yarn to choose... Don't you just love these sorts of decisions?

Luckily...

2009-03-22T10:39:00.003+11:00

Just one more, firstly because it makes me laugh, and secondly, because I really did find me on the net.

Luckily, Nettie had gotten there a few minutes before me.

Luckily Nettie was on duty…

Luckily, Nettie is always ready to welcome them into her Mistletoe Manor for some rest and relaxation.

Luckily Nettie also gave me some DVD's to watch and you know how well knitting and Pride and Prejudice go together (the Colin Firth version, of course). (hey, that really is me!!)

Luckily nettie had spare shoes!!

Luckily, Nettie had her super-high-tech GPS-radar-laser-force-field-wrist-band to tell us how far we were going.

Luckily Nettie helped me pack, she's very clothing conscious.

Luckily, Nettie had kept back a container of lemon bars 'cause when the Feds came, they sure did need some sweetening.

Unfortunately...

2009-03-20T22:13:00.002+11:00

Others are doing it. I thought I would too. Just use the Great G search engine to do it for your name too. It's pretty funny.

Unfortunately, Nettie’s story is not a unique one.

Unfortunately, Nettie fails to mention that Jaunty's Deadside incarnation is that of a snake with a skull for a head donning a tophat ...

Unfortunately, Nettie was sold when my trainer thought I should move to a medium pony.

Unfortunately, Nettie as a narrator does not allow the voices of these women to speak through her.

Unfortunately, Nettie soon discovered the joy of men and left the young stable hand for a life of frivolity and debauchery.

Unfortunately Nettie did not realise the necessity of keeping this stunning news a secret.

Sad then happy

2009-03-15T20:17:00.002+11:00

OK , so I might have more or less recovered from the shock of discovery of m...m...moth damage. Here's the awful evidence.

But, you know, it's not irretrievable. Setting aside the fact that I don't actually have enough of the same dyelot to complete my Eyelet Cardi, this damage is actually close to the bottom of a top-down knit. Just unravel a dozen or so rows, join in some nice fresh non-moth-vandalised yarn and knit away. Yes, it's possible. Will I do it? Yes, it's possible too. It will require several deep breaths and an act of faith to think that I actually have enough yarn to complete the project, but it is doable. Hmm, I'll think on it a little longer.

On a much brighter note, look at what I bought from Kathy's Fibres. Now where is that spinning wheel?

Gotta go. Lost in Austen is about to start.

Where's the knitting?

2009-03-09T11:59:00.004+11:00

Most of my knitting over the past month has been for the Blankets of Friendship for the victims of the Victorian bushfires. Here's the latest square in progress, using mainly machine washable Bendi from the stash, with some stripes of donated yarn from the generous people of Canberra.

The rest of my knitting life is full of WIPs. Here are just a few.

This is Ilene (rav link). This one is a real live WIP. It's for a secret swap partner. More later.

This next one may not be classable as a WIP because I don't know if I'm ever going to finish. I present a lone Retro Rib Sock (Rav again) from Interweave's Favourite Socks. It's long, it's done on fine needles (which I have cleverly returned to the needle drawer and now have to guess the size if I ever want to do its mate), it's done on stash yarn from some op shop or other (can't remember), and it's a pretty easy pattern. But I botched it - not badly, but just so much as to not really be happy with it. So I will call this an almost dead WIP.
Next I present the lovely Peapod Jacket in Heirloom Breeze. This cute as a button cardi was started shortly before we even knew about ma minette, and she is now 19 months old and way too big for it now anyway. This can be a languishing WIP - destined for another baby (or possibly the frog pile).

And my lovely Chic Knits top down Eyelet Cardi. I love this, but would love it more if I finished it. I started it maybe a year ago, but it languishes too. You see, I almost ran out of purple Zara and now I'm too nervous to do any more. I hunted high and low for the same dyelot, and ended up buying a few more balls in the same colour but a different dyelot. I know, I know, I should just bite the bullet and knit. Maybe the colour difference won't be too great, but it's a bit tricky to hide in an all-in-one knitted piece. I'm at the sleeves, which are picked up live from the bodice and knit in the round, making it a bit difficult to use the old trick of two rows one shade, two rows another, etc. So if anyone has any ...

STOP THE PRESSES. Just ducked out to check the ball band. sniffle. Seems the moths have decided this little number has been sitting around too long. sniffle. Too upset to photograph the evidence.

No longer a WIP. Too cross to write more.

Happiness is...

2009-03-01T16:42:00.003+11:00

...contagious.

What better way to spend a birthday weekend, than at the beach, with people you love.

Bliss.

It's a family thing

2009-02-20T00:26:00.004+11:00

When my Mum used to travel, she always brought me home a souvenir teatowel. Yes, I've had some beauties in my time - Ayers Rock (that's what it was called in those days), some dolphins somewhere, lots of Australian wildflowers. I use to think it was all a bit daggy.

Mum returned from one trip with no teatowel! Where was my souvenir teatowel? She knew that I thought it was daggy (well, yes, but I still wanted one). She did actually bring me some lovely teatowels, and after she died, I found some that that she had kept, pristine, maybe to give to me one day?

These days, my girls have taken up the baton and they bring me teatowels from their wanderings around Europe, and gorgeous almost-too-lovely-to-use teatowels from the States, where they call them dishtowels. Now the Four Sisters play. We all love it.

So when my favourite sister undertook to find me an Obama dishtowel (I am, of course, in love with the man), she had something delightful up her sleeve. Look at the masterpiece she made me for my birthday. (Photograph shamelessly stolen from Hashi's blog.)

He is, isn't he?

Hip to be square

2009-02-16T21:00:00.002+11:00

I can't begin to express the helplessness I have been feeling for the past week. I have my life, my home, my loved ones. Many Victorians do not.

There are lots of things I can do to help: donate $$ to the Red Cross, RSPCA or Wildlife Victoria; give blood; make lovely things to donate or raffle or auction; buy raffle tickets. Lots and lots of things - there are lists of ways to help all over Australian blogland.

Most people prefer to give help quietly, discreetly, privately. As well as their own private ways of supporting the fire survivors, many Canberra knitters are knitting squares.

Through the wonders of Ravelry, Canberra knitters are getting together, literally and virtually, by fetching and delivering yarn donated by the good people of Canberra, and by knitting and seaming squares to make 'blankets of friendship'. Interested? Go here.

Meet Gail

2009-02-09T18:51:00.003+11:00

This Long Lacy Summer project has not been my favourite knitting. My preference for cooking is a step-by-step, written list of ingredients and a well-explained method. Translating this to knitting, I like my patterns to have every stitch clearly explained. I didn't quite get this with Gail. This is no criticism of the designer, but more a comment on my naivete with lace. Ravelry provides the evidence that many, more-experienced knitters have breezed through this pattern.

The result though, is a pretty and tiny shawl, which will probably be more suitable as a scarf. That is, if this summer ever ends.

Specs: knitted using 3 ply wool, hand-dyed and gifted to me in a Ravelry swap by Sarah on 4.5mm Knitpicks interchangeables.

Road trip

2009-02-04T22:11:00.003+11:00

I'm planning a trip to the desert.

Which desert? This desert...

Woo hoo!

SEEK - new skills

2009-01-18T16:49:00.004+11:00

My one little word for 2009 is SEEK. A new skill is a good thing to seek, in my view. So a-spinning I did go.

The lovely, informative and very patient Leigh, with help and loads of encouragement from Susan, from Canberra Spinners and Weavers spent, all up, about 12 hours teaching Bells, Carrie and me to spin over the past week. We not only learnt to spin, but to ply as well! Two new skills, to be precise. (Go check out their blogs for other great pics and stories of the day and evening and afternoon we spent together spinning and swearing and laughing and having fun.)

So, from this,

Using this,

I was able to make this,
Clever, huh?

Oh, and I also made some of this.

But pretty obviously, to a spinner's eye, this comes from a different fleece. I'm a spinner, now, you see. I know these things.

Ker-razy

2009-01-10T19:47:00.003+11:00

Avert your eyes now if you'd prefer not to look at crazy sewing.

From this...

I created these...

Did that make you giggle? I think it's pretty hilarious myself. I used a fabulous hand-drafted pattern, adapted from an original vintage pattern by the clever Gemma.

Also, a little knitting has been done on these hot summer nights. A fountain hat in lovely soft baby alpaca, originally gifted to me long ago by Alison.

And a little wash cloth - cool knitting for hot nights.

And tomorrow? I'm off to take a spinning lesson.

One little word

2009-01-01T21:35:00.003+11:00

I've been thinking all afternoon, as I drove to the coast, lazed with friends, and drove back again, about one little word for 2009. My sister told me about it this morning. It's not so much a new year's resolution, but more a focus for the year.

My word is SEEK.

seek v.t. & i. go in search of, look for; make search; try to obtain or bring about, try to do, ask for, request.

I want to seek new experiences.

I will seek new skills.

I will seek beauty in people, in places, in art, in music, in words.

I want to seek my future - maybe I'll need to plan for my future.

I want to seek knowledge.

What about you? What's your one little word?