Guest appearance

Sorry about the unexplained absence - it feel like i'm making guest appearances in huge parts of my life at the moment.

But i'm great! The new job is fantastic. It just takes up a huge chunk of my word quota for the day. By the time I've given another chunk to JD ('where's the beer?', 'thanks for cooking/vacuuming/washing the clothes...') there's not much left for this here blog...

But there has been craft - see:

Another one from Subversive Crossstitch

The knitting's been a bit patchy though - there's a shawl, some socks and some baby bits and pieces I finished quite a while ago now, but failed to photograph before they went to live at their new homes. After that there was nothing for a while: I was floating in the black whole of knitting nothingness.

And then the idea for perfect knitting escapism struck:


Return to what you know.


And get some Christmas knitting done at the same time.

Poor neglected blog.

So this is a pretty neglected blog lately, sorry about that. Turns out being a lady of leisure for a week keeps you busier than I thought - there's all sorts of coffee dates, brunch dates, lunch dates and dinner dates to go to. Not to mention the hairdresser, who tried not to gag too obviously when she realised I hadn't been in for 11 months (she had a baby!)

All good things must come to an end though, work starts again bright and early tomorrow. My lady of leasure-ing has turned into domestic servant-ing to get all the clothes washed, ironed and packed (I'm away for my first three days - gotta love that deep end). And to prepare my new work bag (a present from old work - how lovely!):


Mmmmm....Leo Monk. Go take a look.

There has been some knitting action:


Of all the pairs of fetchings I've made (there are many unblogged) these are the first ones I've kept (Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, in 'eggplant' I believe). I love them! Although I ended up having to block them to stop the palm part from rolling in all the time. And after I wore them a bit I realised I really should take more care sewing in the ends. I'm so lazy.

There's been more knitting too, but that has to wait until next week, it's all baby surprise stuff. And socks. Boring socks. I'll show you when they're done, they won't sustain interest across two posts. SNORE.

Now in a shameless effort to distract you from the lack of interesting content in this post, let me prove, once and for all, that you can unwittingly spend $100 on buttons:


Tada!

Cinderella Beanie

So I figured out what to do with that wonderful Mmmmmmmalabrigo from Leah:


A greenery hat.

Looks alright, hey? Pretty colour. Pretty cables.

Too bad it failed the fundamental beanie test.

It doesn't fit.

It's very sad.

I blocked the crap out of it but it's just not meant to be. Not for me anyway, I'm the ugly step-sister in this fairy tale. I have pledged to carry it with me where-ever I go until it meets its Cinderella. It's the least I can do for those lovely cables.

Pattern: Greenery Hat, from Lilith Parker's Lair of Lunacy

Yarn: Malabrigo, in Emerald Blue (137). About half a skein. Yes, I could make another. But I haven't finished grieving. And my fingers haven't recovered from those cables.

Needles: 4mm Addi Circulars in magic loop. I reckon if I did it in 4.5mm it would be snug. Alas, I didn't.

All has not been bad bad news and mourning attire around here though. In the last week, in order of excitement value, I have:

1. Gotten a new job. An excellent job.

2. Paid off my HECS debt (student loans). Funnily enough I got this piece of mail the day I was offered the job - what a fricken day!

3. Purchased a fabulous pair of slu*ty red shoes in celebration of points 1 & 2. What shoes would beat new job and less debt in excitement value you ask? Why, these ones:


I reckon that about makes up for the beanie.

Righto then, that was a bit of an unplanned blog holiday.

There's a few FOs I've got lined up for a bit of show and tell, but before I get to any of that you've gotta check this out:

Goodies (Greaties?) from a swap with Leah. I love this bag. Seriously, how clever is she! I think this pattern involves some sort of rediculous number of purl together stitches that makes my fingers hurt just thinking about it.


There were heaps and heaps of goodies in the package too (too many to photograph). The tape measure will be particularly useful, I must have been abusive to tape measures in a former life because despite owning several of them I can never find one. So this is handy Leah, very handy. And the cards and badges are too cute! And funny, cause I DO knit socks. Hahahahaha. Ahem.

And check this out:


Mmmmmmmmalibrigo! This stuff really is gorgeous. I'm not sure this
photo does the colours justice but it's got beautiful depth. And so soft! It's like the fairy floss of yarn. I'm thinking it will become a beanie. When I find the right pattern (any suggestions?)


And this I love. A tape measure brooch - could there be anything more brilliant? I think this classifies as modern art. Some sort of statement about social obsessiveness with women's size and weight. OK so I may be overthinking that one. Brilliant though.

There were all sort of other goodies too, chocolate coffee beans (gone), a CD (now playing) and some very odd little things called Moon Pie (which are not meant to be microwaved JD.)

Righto, better leave it there, my bag and I are off to Monday afternoon cocktails (isn't everyone?) I'll have some FOs real soon :)

PS. One more thing, I celebrated knit in public day at a coffee shop with Nora, Jane and Sharon (who will all give you an account of our meeting on their blogs). It was lovely to meet you all. Except for you Shaz. Not that you're not great too, but I already knew you.

bitsy (where is my mind)

Heya Peeps

So it's been a while! Sorry about that, life kind of got in the way.

I'm a bit exhausted and don't really know where to start. I spent last week in Vietnam and have been travelling for work pretty much since I landed. So please excuse me.

Just so you're not entirely bored, here's some stuff I prepared earlier:

Little zippered purses made from scraps for some swaps!


Fabric covered buttons converted in to hair accessories


And some gift tags/book marks (you pick!).


I have some FOs to share and a wonderful swap package from Leah to show you all, but I'll save that for next time :)

In the name of Glove.

Glove is in the air.

Well at least it has been lately thanks to a couple of swaps.

This pair of fetchings went to the lovely applehead (in exchange for this wonderful package.)

In Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran #611. I love this colour.

Then All my Gloving, I did send to you.

Artyarns Supermerino #130 (less than 2 skeins)
in a combination of this and this pattern with some modifications.

And lastly a birthday present for a wonderful friend.

Noro Silk Garden 228 *I think* (less than 2 skeins)
magic looped on 3mm circulars in pretty much this pattern.

After all, All you need is Glove.

You have no idea how difficult it was to find appropriate links when you google these songs!

PS I'm out of swap buddies now so speak up if your interested :) I'm looking for any chance to use let me put my glove into you (ewww, I know! The real lyrics are actually worse: let me cut your cake with my knife!? Really people!)

It's time

I was having a conversation with one of my non-crafty friends about six months ago and somehow the topic of quilting came up. She was telling me about her mum's quilting and asked if I was interested.

"Nah, not really" I said "It's kind of like porcelain figurines. I might 'get it' when i'm older."

I thought about it after she left. I admire quilters a lot. I think it's a wonderful skill, creative and useful. So why no interest in doing it? Perhaps it's my inability to sew in a straight line? Or cut out even two shapes that resemble each? Or maybe it just seems like a lot of work and i'm lazy.


Or maybe there just hasn't been the right reason? Lots of quilts seem to be made for a purpose. A wedding. A birth. Lace shawls seem to have become the default wedding gift, so I guess that leaves births. My good friends aren't having babies yet, so I'll deal with quilting when they do, I thought.

Seems the time has come. (This is just so exciting I still get a bit emotional when I think about it.)

So in a joint operation materials have been purchased (first photo is for the front, second is for the back).

Wish me luck peeps. This should be interesting.