stash enhancement

On Thursday night, DD and I went to the Big Box Store because they were having a special evening related to quilting. It was the most crowded we have ever seen that section of the store and, for the most part, the tidiest we have ever seen that section!

However, we didn't feel incliined to join the long queue in order to save $2 on flannelette (which is what we needed) so we left the area with some binding clips, some non-melt quilting pins and some tee pins (for blocking knitting). We somehow found ourselves in the yarn section! LOL

They had pure Australian wool for just $2.00 a 50g skein (normally $2.99). So, I bought four skeins to knit some more mitts for Homeless Connect Day.

Sock yarn was reduced from $14.95 for 100g to $7.00 - now that's a bargain. But I managed to find some of last year's colourways for $6 a skein - even better!

Total: 1200g of yarn. For someone who wasn't intending to enhance the stash at all, I think I've done rather well!

Sydney Homeless Connect Day - preview

The intention of this post is to share some of the wonderful things that are happening in our world; not to boast about our involvement.

On Tuesday 8 June, DD and I will be working as volunteers at the Homeless Connect Day to be held at Sydney Town Hall.

Last month I sent twenty beanies to a fellow member of knit4charities. Some of those beanies ended up going to homeless people through the Footpath Library, the rest were given to the organisers of the Homeless Connect Day.

Inspired by the great number of items that were donated to Australian Inland Ministries through knit4charities, DD and I have spent the last two weeks knitting some items that would be useful to homeless people in what looks like being a long, cold, wet winter in Sydney:

 

one beanie, five scarves and three pairs of fingerless mitts (two pairs were identical so only one pair of the olive coloured mitts has been shown)

Yesterday, I bought some Moda Vera Pure Wool 8ply (DK) for just $2 per 50g ball - hopefully I'll find time to knit some more mitts this weekend.

ETA Four more pairs of fingerless mitts (mine) and several blanket squares (DD's) were added to this group before it was  posted off. See Ravelry for Lady's Fingerless Mitts #4, #5, #6 and #7.

knitting for charity

warning: photo heavy post

In April, Australian Inland Ministries was one of the "Charities of the Month" for Yahoo group Knit4Charities. I was the collection point and from late April dozens of parcels arrived at my house. Yesterday was the final tally before I handed the donations over to my contact - I was sent an amazing 449 items! The photos below are a desperate attempt by DD and I to record all the donations.

beanies / hats

 more beanies / hats

still more beanies plus socks, sets, mitts, hair ties, a teddy and a square

 jumpers and cardigans (sweaters)

 still more jumpers and cardigans

scarves, wraps and blankets

I can take a deep breath now, finish putting my study back in order (there are still postpacks and boxes in here) and get back to my knitting.

The Sydney Homeless Connect Day is on Tuesday 8 June and more scarves are required so that's what I'm knitting at the moment. The one currently on my needles is knitted in Moda Vera Spell that I picked up at Spotlight sale a couple of years ago for $2 a ball. I am down to my last 150g. The scarf will be 150cm (60 inches) when I'm finished. I've already sent some beanies and have knitted this pair of fingerless mitts.

In June I will be knitting frantically to complete one more blanket (afghan) for Wrap with Love - that's 28 ten inch (25cm) squares knitted and sewn together. I designed this slipped stitch pattern for a workshop I was tutoring. So far I've done two squares (hey, that's six percent!)

Quilting Adventures in Knitterland side project (a.k.a. Project 1a) finished

It's taken from Easter till now (I make that about four weeks) for DD and I to get some time to complete this very simple project.

The quilting is not perfect. The bobbin thread is on the front due to the quilting going around the pairs of ducks on the backing fabric.

In some places the bobbin threads have tangled (but I'm not going to point them out in this close up).

However, GS#1 won't care while lying on it to have his nappies (diapers) changed; and DD and I are pleased enough with our first completed quilting project!

beanies for bubs in gold and brown

My brother is a very keen supporter of the Hawthorn "Hawks" AFL club; has been most of his life. In December he saw me knitting a beanie, examined it and declared my skills good enough to knit a beanie for his yet unborn daughter - in Hawthorn colours of course.

Last weekend we visited DB, DSIL and five-week old Little Miss. She is so tiny - only 5lb 5oz at birth. Here's a photo of her from last weekend.

And here are the two beanies I designed and knitted for her being modelled by her oh-so-cute-and-not-so-tiny second cousin, aka GS#1. The first is knitted in soft acrylic - the only way I could get the bright gold colour.

The second is in Lincraft "Cosy Wool". It was a bit scratchy so I washed it in hair conditioner and it softened a bit - luckily, Little Miss has that mop of hair to protect her from semi-scratchy yarn!

WM had the presence of mind to take a photo of the unmodelled beanie to show off the stranded colourwork.