Time certainly flies - I can't believe it's been four years!
Happy anniversary DD and SIL!
Thursday 31 January 2013
Wednesday 30 January 2013
starting the New Year in the right way
How?
By adding to the stash, of course!
Last week, I visited the Big Box Store (not the real name of the store; it’s a crafts and home-wares chain store) to buy some fabric to bind Dotty Bright. While there, I found myself in the yarn department and picked up a couple of bargains that weren’t advertised in the catalogue (they were specials in this store only).
Let me explain: The store had some yarn they wanted to clear so they marked it down to clearance prices. It wasn’t moving quickly enough, so a sign on the table advertised 50% off the clearance prices!
So here are my purchases:
Firstly, sock yarn (as if I needed any more!): I don’t have these two colourways and at $2.50 for 100g I couldn’t resist! This particular yarn, at full price, is $11.99 for 100g.
And no, I’m no trying to brag; I want overseas readers to understand how much we pay for craft materials here. Remember, this is a chain store with discount prices, sock yarn at my local LYS starts at $24.99 a ball!
Secondly, what I consider my bargain of the month – not only was it heavily discounted, but the sale yarn included my favourite colour!
It’s a 90/10 blend of cotton/silk. It was marked down to $3.00 a ball and to clear it out, they were taking another 50% off. Twenty balls (all in the same dye lot) for $30.00 – what a bargain!
On Saturday I returned to the store. This time I had DD with me. It’s a rare treat for her to get out without the boys so she made the most of it. I could say it was all her fault but it wasn’t really; I had already made up my mind what to buy before I got there.
Before I go any further, overseas readers probably need to know that fabric in this chain store normally starts at $12.99 a metre, and in Australian quilt stores, fabric starts at $24.99 a metre. (Just take a moment to absorb that… Okay, you can resume normal breathing now!)
So you can understand that when I say “bargain”, I mean BARGAIN (sorry for shouting)!
I bought three metres of each of these fabrics for $4.00 a metre (yes you read that correctly!) That amounts to a discount of 67%-75%!
These fabrics were purchased with the intention of using them as backings. I’ve used the top one already! (yes, that means there's quilting in progress but that's another post)
And I bought at least two metres of each of these solids. The normal price of homespun in this store is $6.99 a metre – at $4.89 a metre it seemed like a good time to stock up. (What’s that? How much is homespun in LQS? Oh, $14.99 a metre! Do I need to remind you to breathe again?)
This fabric was bought for sashing and binding.
DD found these two fabrics in the remnant bin and somehow they found their way into my purchases. The one on the left is homespun, more reddish than shown here. The one on the right is flannelette.
And finally I bought this fabric to make a quilted tablecloth for our new glass topped (outdoor) table. There is enough there to make a couple of placemats for when there is only WM and I.
And, it doesn't stop there: I won these eight fat quarters from a give-away late last year on Wish Upon a Star blog.
Thanks Mrs A! I don’t know what I’ll do with them but I’m sure I’ll think of something!
So, I guess I’d better get sewing!
By adding to the stash, of course!
Last week, I visited the Big Box Store (not the real name of the store; it’s a crafts and home-wares chain store) to buy some fabric to bind Dotty Bright. While there, I found myself in the yarn department and picked up a couple of bargains that weren’t advertised in the catalogue (they were specials in this store only).
Let me explain: The store had some yarn they wanted to clear so they marked it down to clearance prices. It wasn’t moving quickly enough, so a sign on the table advertised 50% off the clearance prices!
So here are my purchases:
Firstly, sock yarn (as if I needed any more!): I don’t have these two colourways and at $2.50 for 100g I couldn’t resist! This particular yarn, at full price, is $11.99 for 100g.
And no, I’m no trying to brag; I want overseas readers to understand how much we pay for craft materials here. Remember, this is a chain store with discount prices, sock yarn at my local LYS starts at $24.99 a ball!
Secondly, what I consider my bargain of the month – not only was it heavily discounted, but the sale yarn included my favourite colour!
It’s a 90/10 blend of cotton/silk. It was marked down to $3.00 a ball and to clear it out, they were taking another 50% off. Twenty balls (all in the same dye lot) for $30.00 – what a bargain!
On Saturday I returned to the store. This time I had DD with me. It’s a rare treat for her to get out without the boys so she made the most of it. I could say it was all her fault but it wasn’t really; I had already made up my mind what to buy before I got there.
Before I go any further, overseas readers probably need to know that fabric in this chain store normally starts at $12.99 a metre, and in Australian quilt stores, fabric starts at $24.99 a metre. (Just take a moment to absorb that… Okay, you can resume normal breathing now!)
So you can understand that when I say “bargain”, I mean BARGAIN (sorry for shouting)!
I bought three metres of each of these fabrics for $4.00 a metre (yes you read that correctly!) That amounts to a discount of 67%-75%!
These fabrics were purchased with the intention of using them as backings. I’ve used the top one already! (yes, that means there's quilting in progress but that's another post)
And I bought at least two metres of each of these solids. The normal price of homespun in this store is $6.99 a metre – at $4.89 a metre it seemed like a good time to stock up. (What’s that? How much is homespun in LQS? Oh, $14.99 a metre! Do I need to remind you to breathe again?)
 |
| Navy, Natural, Black, Sand, Petunia, Grass Green, Chestnut, White, Fig, Iron, Regatta Blue |
This fabric was bought for sashing and binding.
DD found these two fabrics in the remnant bin and somehow they found their way into my purchases. The one on the left is homespun, more reddish than shown here. The one on the right is flannelette.
And finally I bought this fabric to make a quilted tablecloth for our new glass topped (outdoor) table. There is enough there to make a couple of placemats for when there is only WM and I.
And, it doesn't stop there: I won these eight fat quarters from a give-away late last year on Wish Upon a Star blog.
Thanks Mrs A! I don’t know what I’ll do with them but I’m sure I’ll think of something!
So, I guess I’d better get sewing!
Saturday 26 January 2013
this is Australia
Most of the people who read my blog seem to be from countries other than Australia. A few followers have expressed interest in knowing a little more about this beautiful country so, from time to time, I am going to write posts about my nation! Please note that there is only one image on this post because of copyright laws here in Australia.
It seems logical to start at the beginning so here is a short history lesson. I am not an historian, so this is written from my memory of information I have taught over the years.
Australia has an indigenous population. They are known as Aboriginals. Like the native Americans or the First People of Canada, they do not all come from one tribe or nation. The people who inhabited the area around where I live are from the Dharruk (or Dharug) nation.
Aboriginals did not have a written language. In general, they were a nomadic people, roaming across their territories, hunting and gathering, then moving on. Obviously they did not build permanent dwellings nor did they carry shelter with them but used what was to hand to construct their dwellings.
The west and north coast of Australia was well known to European sailors, there are maps from the late sixteenth century showing parts of the northern coastline. The most famous early map (1730) shows almost all the west and north coastline.
In 1770, Lieutenant James Cook of the British Navy, sailed into the Pacific Ocean to observe the transit of Venus from the Tahitian islands. From there he had secret orders to find and map the east coast of "the Great South Land" (Terra Australis). His ship docked in Botany Bay, just south of where the modern city of Sydney now stands.
After a short stay, Cook sailed north, mapping the east coast as he went. He did not enter the now famous Sydney Harbour, only noted that there was a fine harbour which would shelter quite a few ships! On what is now the coast of central Queensland, the ship ran aground on the coral reef now known as the Great Barrier Reef and it took several weeks before it could be repaired. Cook and his crew finally made it home to England via the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa.
A few years after Cook's voyage, the American colonies declared their independence from Britain. England now had nowhere to send her surplus convicts. Many citizens of USA have no idea of the convict past of their country, particularly in the states of Virginia, New York and Maryland where England sent 150,000 convicts between 1607 and 1776.
Without the American colonies, England had to find another "home" for their criminal classes and that home became the new colony of New South Wales (so named by Cook because the coast of Australia reminded him of that part of Britain).
In May 1787, eleven ships carrying around 700 convicts plus sailors, marines and some free settlers, sailed from England and arrived in Botany Bay in January 1788. Finding no adequate supply of water, the leader of the First Fleet (as it is now known) took a party of men and sailed north into Sydney harbour. They landed in a small cove where there was a stream of fresh water and, on 26th January, hoisted the British flag to mark the site of Britain's newest colony -- Sydney (named after the British Home Secretary).
26th January is now celebrated as Australia Day -- although some Aboriginal people and their supporters call it "Invasion Day". It is fitting that this brief history be published on our national day!
It seems logical to start at the beginning so here is a short history lesson. I am not an historian, so this is written from my memory of information I have taught over the years.
Australia has an indigenous population. They are known as Aboriginals. Like the native Americans or the First People of Canada, they do not all come from one tribe or nation. The people who inhabited the area around where I live are from the Dharruk (or Dharug) nation.
Aboriginals did not have a written language. In general, they were a nomadic people, roaming across their territories, hunting and gathering, then moving on. Obviously they did not build permanent dwellings nor did they carry shelter with them but used what was to hand to construct their dwellings.
The west and north coast of Australia was well known to European sailors, there are maps from the late sixteenth century showing parts of the northern coastline. The most famous early map (1730) shows almost all the west and north coastline.
In 1770, Lieutenant James Cook of the British Navy, sailed into the Pacific Ocean to observe the transit of Venus from the Tahitian islands. From there he had secret orders to find and map the east coast of "the Great South Land" (Terra Australis). His ship docked in Botany Bay, just south of where the modern city of Sydney now stands.
After a short stay, Cook sailed north, mapping the east coast as he went. He did not enter the now famous Sydney Harbour, only noted that there was a fine harbour which would shelter quite a few ships! On what is now the coast of central Queensland, the ship ran aground on the coral reef now known as the Great Barrier Reef and it took several weeks before it could be repaired. Cook and his crew finally made it home to England via the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa.
A few years after Cook's voyage, the American colonies declared their independence from Britain. England now had nowhere to send her surplus convicts. Many citizens of USA have no idea of the convict past of their country, particularly in the states of Virginia, New York and Maryland where England sent 150,000 convicts between 1607 and 1776.
Without the American colonies, England had to find another "home" for their criminal classes and that home became the new colony of New South Wales (so named by Cook because the coast of Australia reminded him of that part of Britain).
In May 1787, eleven ships carrying around 700 convicts plus sailors, marines and some free settlers, sailed from England and arrived in Botany Bay in January 1788. Finding no adequate supply of water, the leader of the First Fleet (as it is now known) took a party of men and sailed north into Sydney harbour. They landed in a small cove where there was a stream of fresh water and, on 26th January, hoisted the British flag to mark the site of Britain's newest colony -- Sydney (named after the British Home Secretary).
26th January is now celebrated as Australia Day -- although some Aboriginal people and their supporters call it "Invasion Day". It is fitting that this brief history be published on our national day!
Friday 25 January 2013
Dotty Bright is done!
Hurrah! A "real" finish for January at last!
This quilt top and backing were completed in May last year but there was always some excuse as to why they didn’t get quilted.
I wanted to do stitch-in-the-ditch but the professional quilter who does the work for our community quilting group said I should use curves to balance all the straight lines!
Dotty Bright was one of the projects on my January focus list and with temperatures 95° and above, I didn’t feel like standing in our uninsulated garage and quilting.
And so I fell back on my original idea -- stitch-in-the-ditch on my Janome machine. It took me one afternoon to finish the quilting and nearly as long to tie-off all the ends, especially those from the inner border.
Finding the right blue for the binding was tricky; the blue I had was almost exactly the same shade as the blue dots on the black background, but it screamed look at me way to much. In the end, I decided to go with a less green-blue; more in keeping with those blues in the quilt itself.
I’m glad I didn’t use an all-over pantograph pattern, I think the pattern of the blocks is what's important! Or maybe I’m just trying to justify myself!
Either way, it’s done – hurrah!
And now, having completed this quilt and the Sideways Striped Baby Sweater (by frogging), I have met one of my personal rules – to finish at least two projects a month. But I need to finish another quilt before I can start another quilting project so it looks like you may not be getting those placemats before the end of the month, Older Grandson!
Linking up with Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday being hosted this week by Nat over at Made in Home.
This quilt top and backing were completed in May last year but there was always some excuse as to why they didn’t get quilted.
I wanted to do stitch-in-the-ditch but the professional quilter who does the work for our community quilting group said I should use curves to balance all the straight lines!
Dotty Bright was one of the projects on my January focus list and with temperatures 95° and above, I didn’t feel like standing in our uninsulated garage and quilting.
And so I fell back on my original idea -- stitch-in-the-ditch on my Janome machine. It took me one afternoon to finish the quilting and nearly as long to tie-off all the ends, especially those from the inner border.
Finding the right blue for the binding was tricky; the blue I had was almost exactly the same shade as the blue dots on the black background, but it screamed look at me way to much. In the end, I decided to go with a less green-blue; more in keeping with those blues in the quilt itself.
I’m glad I didn’t use an all-over pantograph pattern, I think the pattern of the blocks is what's important! Or maybe I’m just trying to justify myself!
Either way, it’s done – hurrah!
And now, having completed this quilt and the Sideways Striped Baby Sweater (by frogging), I have met one of my personal rules – to finish at least two projects a month. But I need to finish another quilt before I can start another quilting project so it looks like you may not be getting those placemats before the end of the month, Older Grandson!
Linking up with Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday being hosted this week by Nat over at Made in Home.
Wednesday 23 January 2013
double knitting workshop
On Saturday, I tutored a two-stranded double knitting workshop for the Blue Mountains group of the Knitters’ Guild of NSW.
Double knitting can mean one of three things:
This is the sample I designed and knitted in DK pure wool (unblocked); the participants were given this pattern in the workshop. The finished size is 10.5cm x 12cm (4” x 4.5”) so it could be used as a coaster.
Below are the other samples I have knitted. The first is also in DK wool. I can only take credit for the knitting of this one; it was designed by Elizabeth Evans (Ravelry link). Ravelry tells me that I knitted this back in 2010.
The other side is a beige teapot on a blue background.
The second sample was designed by Laura Ponce de León as the Cubic Scarf (Ravelry link) but I felt it was too thick to wear as a scarf here in Australia. Perhaps in climates where it gets very cold, one could wear it as a scarf. Also my knitting created a very dense fabric which didn’t have the drape I prefer for a scarf. I intended it to be a bib for Older Grandson (who had not yet been born when I started it in 2010) but being 4ply (fingering) acrylic it had zero absorbency, something I soon realised was needed in a bib!
I also showed the workshop participants this teeny pincushion/needle-holder I knitted as a prototype in December 2012. It is knitted in the double knitting technique but in a single strand of sock weight yarn on 2.00mm (US 0) needles.
I am thinking I will make a bunch of these (perhaps a little bit bigger) for my classmates Christmas gifts in 2013. Don’t be fooled by the size of the photo. That is a Size 8 embroidery needle.This one is a perfect size (4cm – 1.5”) to fit into my embroidery kit which is contained in this cute little tin, which itself is about 10cm x 6cm (4” x 2.5”).
Now I’m hooked on the possibilities of double knitting – a reversible hat, a bag, and a drapey scarf.
Would it be possible to do it in entrelac?
What about lace? The decreases may be an issue!
So many ideas – so little time! So many UFOs/WiPs to complete!
Double knitting can mean one of three things:
- a term for the weight of yarn; in US it’s called DK (double knitting), here in Australia we call the same weight 8ply
- using two yarns together to knit is sometimes, incorrectly, called double knitting
- a technique whereby a two-sided fabric is produced
This is the sample I designed and knitted in DK pure wool (unblocked); the participants were given this pattern in the workshop. The finished size is 10.5cm x 12cm (4” x 4.5”) so it could be used as a coaster.
Below are the other samples I have knitted. The first is also in DK wool. I can only take credit for the knitting of this one; it was designed by Elizabeth Evans (Ravelry link). Ravelry tells me that I knitted this back in 2010.
The other side is a beige teapot on a blue background.
The second sample was designed by Laura Ponce de León as the Cubic Scarf (Ravelry link) but I felt it was too thick to wear as a scarf here in Australia. Perhaps in climates where it gets very cold, one could wear it as a scarf. Also my knitting created a very dense fabric which didn’t have the drape I prefer for a scarf. I intended it to be a bib for Older Grandson (who had not yet been born when I started it in 2010) but being 4ply (fingering) acrylic it had zero absorbency, something I soon realised was needed in a bib!
I also showed the workshop participants this teeny pincushion/needle-holder I knitted as a prototype in December 2012. It is knitted in the double knitting technique but in a single strand of sock weight yarn on 2.00mm (US 0) needles.
I am thinking I will make a bunch of these (perhaps a little bit bigger) for my classmates Christmas gifts in 2013. Don’t be fooled by the size of the photo. That is a Size 8 embroidery needle.This one is a perfect size (4cm – 1.5”) to fit into my embroidery kit which is contained in this cute little tin, which itself is about 10cm x 6cm (4” x 2.5”).
Now I’m hooked on the possibilities of double knitting – a reversible hat, a bag, and a drapey scarf.
Would it be possible to do it in entrelac?
What about lace? The decreases may be an issue!
So many ideas – so little time! So many UFOs/WiPs to complete!
Monday 21 January 2013
knitting books
Welcome to my four new followers! If you came in from "Grow Your Blog", here's my "this is me" post. Thanks for dropping by.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I received only one stitching-related book for Christmas. It is The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges, by Ann Budd.
There are several patterns in the book I like. I have only shown you details of the patterns but I have provided links to the garments where I could. If you are not a member of Ravelry, I apologise that you can’t access some of these links.
Alpine Tweed By Jared Flood (from his website)
Fibonacci Rings by Ann Budd (Ravelry link)
Cable Love Henley by Ann Budd (or here for Ravelry link)
India Print Henley by Anne Hanson (modelled here by my blog friend Jocelyn, from Knitting Linguist)
Feather and Fan Flare by Ann Budd (Ravelry link)
I don’t know if I would wear either of the first two, I am too well endowed to want to draw attention to my bust area (says she whose Westall cardigan has lace panels you-know-where) but I certainly can admire the designs.
DD borrowed French Girl Knits (by Kristeen Griffin-Grimes) from the library. I have fallen for a couple of the patterns, particularly Anjou and Celeste.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I received only one stitching-related book for Christmas. It is The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges, by Ann Budd.
There are several patterns in the book I like. I have only shown you details of the patterns but I have provided links to the garments where I could. If you are not a member of Ravelry, I apologise that you can’t access some of these links.
Alpine Tweed By Jared Flood (from his website)
Fibonacci Rings by Ann Budd (Ravelry link)
Cable Love Henley by Ann Budd (or here for Ravelry link)
India Print Henley by Anne Hanson (modelled here by my blog friend Jocelyn, from Knitting Linguist)
Feather and Fan Flare by Ann Budd (Ravelry link)
I don’t know if I would wear either of the first two, I am too well endowed to want to draw attention to my bust area (says she whose Westall cardigan has lace panels you-know-where) but I certainly can admire the designs.
DD borrowed French Girl Knits (by Kristeen Griffin-Grimes) from the library. I have fallen for a couple of the patterns, particularly Anjou and Celeste.
Have you seen any new-to-you stitching books lately?
Saturday 19 January 2013
"Grow Your Blog"
Hello
Today I am linking up with a very exciting concept - thanks Vicki (2 Bags Full) for initiating this.
My name is Lynne. I started my blog in January 2007 because my friend had one and it sounded like fun! Unfortunately my friend has been lured away from Blogland by little tweets but I'm still here - six years later.
When I started my blog, it was called "Too Hot to Knit? Never!" I was, and still am, an avid knitter. I knit almost every day, regardless of the weather. My mum, who taught me to knit, considers knitting to be a private, winter-only activity but I must be a bit rebellious -- I knit in public and I knit all year round (even if it is 46.5°C -- 115°F -- outside like it was on Friday 18th January.)
In March 2010, I went to a craft show with my DD and my then three-week-old Older Grandson. One of the sewing machine companies invited people to "make a block for Haiti" -- DD and I both did and we were hooked.
I used to sew my own clothes back in the seventies and eighties and have owned a sewing machine since I was seventeen. It was nice to use one one of these quiet, fast machines. DD has had a machine since she was nineteen but has hardly touched it.
We came home from that craft show so excited and a week later were at the chain store buying fabric for our first quilt -- a floor mat for Older Grandson to protect the carpet from his inevitable spills. We didn't know how much fabric to buy - so we bought one metre of seven colours: that's right -- seven metres of fabric for a one square metre of quilt! We had very little idea of what we were doing but we were enthusiastic -- and cut 2.5" strips with scissors! The top was finished that first weekend but we had no idea what to do next!
Fast forward a year, and another caft show, and we met a lovely quilting teacher called Elizabeth. She invited us to join her "sit and sew" classes -- they were right over the other side of the city, an hour and half's drive away, but did that deter us? Oh no! In the first class, which fortunately went from 10am to 4pm (consdering the time taken to get there and home again), we basted and began quilting that first top! In the next couple of weeks I had the quilting (in the ditch -- very slowly) finished and the binding on -- our first quilt was done!
During that first class we also worked on a layout of blocks we had made following instructions on Elizabeth Hartman's Oh Fransson website. The quilt was called "Modern Sampler", the link will take you to the updated pattern. This quilt was made from the same seven fabrics (with the addition of five more for added interest; you'll notice we left the two yellows out of the final quilt).
We even had enough fabric to piece the backing! I am still using scraps of that fabric in my scrappy quilts.
And so it came to pass, that my blog became "Never Too Hot to Stitch". I also dabble in embroidery, hand-stitching (paper piecing), counted cross-stitch and crochet. As my blog description says, I am an "Australian knitter who is learning to make quilts". I've also been known to talk about my family, in particular WM (Wonderful Man -- my husband to whom I have been married for 35 years), our only child (DD) and our two grandsons.
If you're new here, welcome -- feel free to look around.
And if you're already a regular visitor -- welcome back. I'm really honoured that you would visit my blog.
To all of my followers, thank you. I really appreciate each and every one of you.
Pull up a chair, let's take some time to stitch and chat!
Today I am linking up with a very exciting concept - thanks Vicki (2 Bags Full) for initiating this.
My name is Lynne. I started my blog in January 2007 because my friend had one and it sounded like fun! Unfortunately my friend has been lured away from Blogland by little tweets but I'm still here - six years later.
When I started my blog, it was called "Too Hot to Knit? Never!" I was, and still am, an avid knitter. I knit almost every day, regardless of the weather. My mum, who taught me to knit, considers knitting to be a private, winter-only activity but I must be a bit rebellious -- I knit in public and I knit all year round (even if it is 46.5°C -- 115°F -- outside like it was on Friday 18th January.)
 |
| Myrtle Leaf Stole -- knitted for DD's wedding, January 2009 |
In March 2010, I went to a craft show with my DD and my then three-week-old Older Grandson. One of the sewing machine companies invited people to "make a block for Haiti" -- DD and I both did and we were hooked.
I used to sew my own clothes back in the seventies and eighties and have owned a sewing machine since I was seventeen. It was nice to use one one of these quiet, fast machines. DD has had a machine since she was nineteen but has hardly touched it.
We came home from that craft show so excited and a week later were at the chain store buying fabric for our first quilt -- a floor mat for Older Grandson to protect the carpet from his inevitable spills. We didn't know how much fabric to buy - so we bought one metre of seven colours: that's right -- seven metres of fabric for a one square metre of quilt! We had very little idea of what we were doing but we were enthusiastic -- and cut 2.5" strips with scissors! The top was finished that first weekend but we had no idea what to do next!
Fast forward a year, and another caft show, and we met a lovely quilting teacher called Elizabeth. She invited us to join her "sit and sew" classes -- they were right over the other side of the city, an hour and half's drive away, but did that deter us? Oh no! In the first class, which fortunately went from 10am to 4pm (consdering the time taken to get there and home again), we basted and began quilting that first top! In the next couple of weeks I had the quilting (in the ditch -- very slowly) finished and the binding on -- our first quilt was done!
During that first class we also worked on a layout of blocks we had made following instructions on Elizabeth Hartman's Oh Fransson website. The quilt was called "Modern Sampler", the link will take you to the updated pattern. This quilt was made from the same seven fabrics (with the addition of five more for added interest; you'll notice we left the two yellows out of the final quilt).
We even had enough fabric to piece the backing! I am still using scraps of that fabric in my scrappy quilts.
And so it came to pass, that my blog became "Never Too Hot to Stitch". I also dabble in embroidery, hand-stitching (paper piecing), counted cross-stitch and crochet. As my blog description says, I am an "Australian knitter who is learning to make quilts". I've also been known to talk about my family, in particular WM (Wonderful Man -- my husband to whom I have been married for 35 years), our only child (DD) and our two grandsons.
 |
| Older Grandson will be three next month |
 |
| Younger Grandson is now eighteen months |
If you're new here, welcome -- feel free to look around.
And if you're already a regular visitor -- welcome back. I'm really honoured that you would visit my blog.
To all of my followers, thank you. I really appreciate each and every one of you.
Pull up a chair, let's take some time to stitch and chat!
Wednesday 16 January 2013
progress is being made
The 16th, being exactly in the middle of the month, seems like a great time to share progress on my January focus list.
So far I have worked on only three of the eight items on my January list.
But I am happy with that, considering I had house guests until 9th January.
I have cast on another pair of socks -- these don't interfere with my Year of the Finished Project. Plain stocking stitch socks, single-coloured garter stitch squares, class samples/projects and rainbow scrap quilting blocks are exceptions and are not counted as new projects.
You will no doubt notice that the toe of the first sock has not yet been grafted. That's because it's easier to cast on for another sock while in the car than to try grafting while in a moving vehicle!
Socks make great travel knitting: they are small and easily transported, they don't lie in my lap when the temperature outside is over 35°C (95°F), and because they are knit in the round on dpns are only ever sixteen stitches from the "end of the row"!
Many of you would have read that my first "finish" of the year was to "frog" (rip out) a baby sweater I started in November 2011 because I thought the head hole was too small after I knitted the collar on. That's one thing off my Focus list, even if not the way I originally intended.
My "big" knitting project is the Westall cardigan that I am making for myself. I planned to be up to the waist shaping a few days ago but had to extend that deadline to yesterday because the cotton/acrylic yarn, while knitting up into a nice soft fabric, is hard on my hands so I can only do a few rows before I have to take a break.
I did reach yesterday's deadline and have started the waist shaping but I'm beginning to have my doubts about having this finished by the end of the month! Nevertheless, I will persevere, I will soon be up to the plain stocking stitch part of the body so it should go a little faster then!
And on the quilting front, I started thirty-two square-on-square blocks last Friday and finished them on Monday (I had no time for sewing over the weekend). I only needed thirty-one but it doesn't hurt to have one extra, just in case. Yesterday I sewed the blocks into rows and the rows into a flimsy, so I have met my goal for January for this project and need to turn my attention to other projects while I think about the borders for this one.
I think I'll use a thin blue solid inner border but I'm not sure about the outer border. Strips (piano keys) with corner stones?
Time to baste this baby, I think. Eight months in the waiting pile is long enough!
So, how about you? How are you going with your January goals?
Linking up with WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced (hosted by Lee).
So far I have worked on only three of the eight items on my January list.
But I am happy with that, considering I had house guests until 9th January.
I have cast on another pair of socks -- these don't interfere with my Year of the Finished Project. Plain stocking stitch socks, single-coloured garter stitch squares, class samples/projects and rainbow scrap quilting blocks are exceptions and are not counted as new projects.
You will no doubt notice that the toe of the first sock has not yet been grafted. That's because it's easier to cast on for another sock while in the car than to try grafting while in a moving vehicle!
Socks make great travel knitting: they are small and easily transported, they don't lie in my lap when the temperature outside is over 35°C (95°F), and because they are knit in the round on dpns are only ever sixteen stitches from the "end of the row"!
Many of you would have read that my first "finish" of the year was to "frog" (rip out) a baby sweater I started in November 2011 because I thought the head hole was too small after I knitted the collar on. That's one thing off my Focus list, even if not the way I originally intended.
My "big" knitting project is the Westall cardigan that I am making for myself. I planned to be up to the waist shaping a few days ago but had to extend that deadline to yesterday because the cotton/acrylic yarn, while knitting up into a nice soft fabric, is hard on my hands so I can only do a few rows before I have to take a break.
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| knitted from the top down, back and both fronts at the same time |
I did reach yesterday's deadline and have started the waist shaping but I'm beginning to have my doubts about having this finished by the end of the month! Nevertheless, I will persevere, I will soon be up to the plain stocking stitch part of the body so it should go a little faster then!
And on the quilting front, I started thirty-two square-on-square blocks last Friday and finished them on Monday (I had no time for sewing over the weekend). I only needed thirty-one but it doesn't hurt to have one extra, just in case. Yesterday I sewed the blocks into rows and the rows into a flimsy, so I have met my goal for January for this project and need to turn my attention to other projects while I think about the borders for this one.
I think I'll use a thin blue solid inner border but I'm not sure about the outer border. Strips (piano keys) with corner stones?
Time to baste this baby, I think. Eight months in the waiting pile is long enough!
So, how about you? How are you going with your January goals?
Linking up with WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced (hosted by Lee).
Tuesday 15 January 2013
Bloggy news: Grow Your Blog
I read about this idea on Kate's Arty Bits blog.
Like almost every one else, I would like to grow my blog so I'm joining in.
Vicki, the owner of 2 Bags Full blog has asked participants to sign up on this post and to write a special blog post introducing themselves to be published late on 18th.
Being in Australia, and ten hours ahead of Vicki in UK, I will publish early on 19th, so come back then to learn a little more about this blog.
Do you want to join me?
Like almost every one else, I would like to grow my blog so I'm joining in.
Vicki, the owner of 2 Bags Full blog has asked participants to sign up on this post and to write a special blog post introducing themselves to be published late on 18th.
Being in Australia, and ten hours ahead of Vicki in UK, I will publish early on 19th, so come back then to learn a little more about this blog.
Do you want to join me?
Monday 14 January 2013
a day at the farm
In my previous post, I mentioned that we recently spent part of a day at Calmsley Hill City Farm. It was fun watching not only the farming activities, but the different reactions of members of my family.
Here is a selection of photos of our day out, mostly taken by WM.
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| Older Grandson's first feeding experience |
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| This is fun! |
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| Younger Grandson's not so sure! |
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| Perhaps some petting is okay? |
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| Look at me! I'm a farm boy! |
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| I'm not touching that! |
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| DD in her element (as a young teenager she did dressage and show jumping) |
working dog demonstration
Older Grandson learns to crack a whip
This is fun; I don't want to stop!
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| Younger Grandson tries more sedate pursuits |
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| Older Grandson helps the paramedics |
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