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.

And the blog love just keeps rolling in

Craft bloggers are really looking out for me at the moment! If totally surprising yarn generosity wasn't enough, witness the glories that graced my mailbox today from the wonderful applehead:


Check it out dudes! What loot! The first time I saw marianne make one of these scarves I just adored it, and now I have my own! Huzzah! But her cleverness doesn't end anywhere near there, that music sheet is a hand-made notebook - very soon to become my 'knitting notes book' in an attempt to ameliorate my constant forgetfulness about where I was up to. There's also a wonderful postcard and magnet from marianne's 'small people' series. You should all go and check them out, they're so full of character, it's quite amazing. Some gorgeous gift tags round things out. Jealous very much?


I particularly love the colours of the scarf, chocolate browns and bright blues just work so wonderfully together, it's my second favourite colour combination (the first being blood red and lime green). I'm developing a bit of a button fetish at the moment and the one on this scarf is doing funny things to me. It's just gorgeous (don't trust the crappily lit photography). Awesome job Marianne! I love it all!

There's some knitting to report too. More specifically i'm back on the lace bandwagon. This is my first 'lace' lace and I must say I'm loving it. It's coming out pretty quickly and the yarn is D.I.V.I.N.E (seasilk).


Double points if you can guess the pattern.

Top Score if you can find the extra random stitch I picked up on the last row...

Oh no you did not

Holy Crap Madge! I'm speechless.

Bits and pieces

Wow people, thanks so much for all the pomatomus love! It was definitely worth it in the end.

I've felt like a bit of a break from knitting since I finished them so i've been doing some needlework. It's so fast and satisfying in comparason. JD kinda likes it too, we've been making up little crossstitch patterns based on movie lines and song lyrics. I'm going to make myself a 'where is my mind?' plaque to put up at work (the pixies have been touring). It seems appropriate at the moment.

The options are pretty endless though, I made this crossstitch for a wonderful friend for her birthday. She's a bit of a Grates fan.


On a side note, I don't believe you've met Zeus? Our third (and final) cat. She's opens doors and can almost turn a key. I kid you not.

Anyway, I was enjoying the cross stitch so much I decided to give embroidery a go (dum-da-dum-dum).


It's not going too badly. It looks a bit amateurish, but it's a first-born so hopefully you can excuse me. I splashed out on some $10 vests and the plan is to spiff them up a bit with some embroidery once my skills improve a bit. We'll see how that goes...

And because it seems that I am a masochist when it comes to knitting deadlines, I've been making a pair of gloves for a visiting friend


They're a belated birthday present so I said I'd have them done before she leaves. Which is tomorrow.

Looks like it's back to the knitting after all.