A meme for you to enjoy

A meme from Joyce Makes Art:


#1 Is it about the finished item or about the process of knitting? Some of both? Has your focus changed one direction or the other over time?

#2 How do you view mistakes? Do you think they give your project character? Is it important to have one, as my Aunt says, because only God is perfect? Or would you rip all the way back to row 5 of your husband's finished sweater knit on size 3 needles to eradicate a mistake no one else would notice?

#3 Would you rather knit a project that is comfortable for your skill level, or do you prefer a challenge that requires you to figure out new things?

#4 What is something you really want to make but haven't yet? What holds you back? Is it money, skill level, time, fear of the unknown or something else?

After you answer, please link to your blog in the comments so I can go and read and see what your thoughts are!

I don't usually take part in these but this one was quite interesting so here goes:

#1 Is it about the finished item or about the process of knitting? Some of both? Has your focus changed one direction or the other over time?

I first knitted because I enjoyed doing it (process, I guess). When I started a family, having a very limited income, knitting (and sewing) was a way of providing clothes for my family at a reduced cost, clothes being expensive then and wool not so much. Nowadays, still on a budget (!!) clothes are cheaper than they used to be but yarn not so much. I still enjoy having the finished product (when I do finish something and it fits!) for myself or, more and more often for a gift, but I still also enjoy the process. A long way of saying - a bit of both!

#2 How do you view mistakes? Do you think they give your project character? Is it important to have one, as my Aunt says, because only God is perfect? Or would you rip all the way back to row 5 of your husband's finished sweater knit on size 3 needles to eradicate a mistake no one else would notice?

Mistakes - I loathe them! But sometimes I can, and do, ignore them. I have always managed to fudge a mistake if it was one too many or too few stitches in a row. Something more noticeable, such as a cable going the wrong way or a purl stitch where a knit one should be I would be more likely to frog back (or down the line of stitches) and fix. To prove that, look back and see the number of times I frogged and redid the Oslo-Cairo hat! I am not of the belief it is important to include a mistake to prove only God is perfect. I have never held the mistken belief that I am perfect and am too fond of showing others my faults (in my life as well as my knitting) if they haven't already noticed them!

#3 Would you rather knit a project that is comfortable for your skill level, or do you prefer a challenge that requires you to figure out new things?

I am a believer in moderation in all things! I like to eat vegetables as well as chocolate. Beside my bed I keep non-fiction, reference-type reading (usually knitting or spinning) as well as entertainment-type lighter reading material (a novel). I have more challenging knitting projects on hand for times when this is desired as well as simpler, easy-to-knit-while-watching-tv type knitting.

#4 What is something you really want to make but haven't yet? What holds you back? Is it money, skill level, time, fear of the unknown or something else?

Where to start! In my cupboard I have a Hanne Falkenburg Mermaid which I have started but put down months ago because I made a mistake and need to frog back. Maybe the actual knitting of this isn't challenging, but interpreting and following the instructions is, a little. I guess time does hold me back to a certain extent, or rather, time I want to devote entirely to sitting down and concentrate solely on my knitting. That, and not knowing exactly what size the finished product will be and not wanting to blow it by making the wrong size.

So, there are my answers. What are yours? Please put a link to your blog in my comments so I can learn more about you!

I knew I could be expensive to run!

A little lighthearted quiz I found on C's blog:

You Are a Ring Finger

You are romantic, expressive, and hopeful. You see the best in everything. You are very artistic, and you see the world as your canvas. You are also drawn to the written word. Inventive and unique, you are often away in your own inner world. You get along well with: The Pinky Stay away from: The Index Finger

What Finger Are You?

This week has been a fairly busy week in many aspects of my life including the fibre part. On Monday, two ladies from our spinning group travelled with me to the Ashburton Open Day. This day is especially fun as they usually have a number of interesting traders. This year was no exception!
Last year I took a "shopping list" with me and came home with nearly everything on the list. This year I went with an open mind - not really wanting to shop and definitely not needing to! I failed. What you see here is 500gm of Chilko Fibres (sorry, no website) carded sliver in the Manapouri colourway. This sliver is actually darker than the photo shows and is a mix of light, medium and dark blues and greeny-blues. Rather nice and destined to be spun up sometimeinthefuture and plied with something, which will probably be a dark blue, and knitted into a jersey for my husband. He deserves something warm and, well, pretty. In a masculine kind of way, of course!

Yesterday was our monthly spinning group meeting. To do something different, this month we invited two ladies to the group to teach us to weave a kete (kit or bag) from NZ flax. I had made one kete* a couple of years ago but, as there were no written instructions, I could not remember exactly how. I soon remembered and was surprised at just how quickly I managed to finish this one, the first taking the whole afternoon! It is only small, about 12cm x 16cm (4 1/2in x 6in) but still a little bigger than my first effort.

According to Maori custom (kete of all shapes and sizes were used for many things including food baskets) the first kete you make should be given away. I didn't want to give my first one away until I had made another so yesterday I gave my first to one of the ladies teaching us.

The other strange object in the photo is a flax flower I made at the end of the class. I'm not too fond of these flowers, at least the ones I have made, but they are quite fun and quick to make. Both the flower and the kete will dry to a golden beige colour and will shrink somewhat as flax curls as it dries.

Knitting has been progressing but not what you have seen on here previously! I started making a top-down raglan for our youngest Grandgirl from some wool I had spun up, originally for our daughter, years ago. I wasn't too thrilled with the yarn when it was done as I thought it looked a little loud and colourful and young for her. So it has sat in a bag for a number of years. Some I have already made into a child's jersey. But there was more left. Even though I checked my tension as I knitted, the jersey I started last week was looking as if it would be a little big for the youngest. Never mind, if it doesn't fit her it should fit her older sister! Only about 10 rows of the sleeve and the sleeve ribbing as well as the neckband to go and it will be finished. Who said I couldn't knit something up fast! Photos another day.

With that, I think it is time to feed the guinea pigs and start looking in the cupboards to see what I can make for tea.

* Edited to add: kete is pronounced with two syllables, both e's sounding like the e in let.

4 June - Mum

In Memory

of

Rosina Gladys Taylor

(30 January 1924 - 4 June 2004)

Three years ago this morning I was woken up by the telephone ringing. It was a phone call I had been expecting - but dreading. The Hospice was ringing to tell me my Mum had passed away at 5.30 that morning.

Six months previously, Mum had been diagnosed with lung cancer even though she had given up smoking more than 20 years previously. By the time she finally relented and had gone to see a doctor (she was very proud to have not seen a doctor for probably ten years or more, despite our pleadings!) the cancer had spread to her liver. She was given a short round of radiation therapy which slowed the insidious growth but didn't stop it.

Mum may have lost her physical battle but her memory stills lives on.

Three months before she died, Mum was so proud to have been able to hold her very first grandchild. That day brought much pleasure to her as she had been so proud of all four of her grandchildren as well as her two daughters.

As our children were growing up, Mum had been such a help to us. We lived just around the corner from my parents so our two eldest were able to see Mum often. On their way home from school these two would call in to see her nearly every day. I would get a phone call to say "Mum, we're at Grandma's. Can we stay a while, please?". Mum would toast the sandwiches from their lunches (which were never eaten at lunchtime) before giving them a "white thing" (an icecream - my son didn't like coming right out to ask for something. He would sidle up to Grandma and ask "Grandma, could we have a white thing?" When our youngest boy was a little older his brother would always get him to do the asking!) The ice cream would come out of the freezer and the cones from the cupboard. Cake decorating lollies would always be sprinkled on the top for them.

Before our youngest went to school we moved 30 minutes out of town. Mum and Dad would come down for a day most weekends to spend time with us all. She often did my ironing (one of my least favourite chores) while she was there. Mum also enjoyed walking around the few acres we had, looking at anything new we had done and just soaking up the peace and quiet of the place.

Not long before she died, we moved once again - same town but off the land we had. Mum was never well enough to see this house but I think she would have approved.

Mum had always supported me in the various crafts I tried out over the years. It was her who first taught me to knit when I was about seven and I made a pair of slippers for a Brownie badge (I may have been younger when I first learned but this was the first item I made). When I wanted to attempt knitting a jersey Mum helped me choose the wool and pattern from the shop. She knitted the front and sleeves while I knitted the back. It actually turned out well and I wore that jersey quite a lot.

Mum wouldn't teach me to crochet, however! She didn't like it, I think, so I had to learn from a book. Many years later, she bought me a loom when I wanted to weave. I still have this loom now, even though I seldom use it.

She was proud of my spinning, also, especially when I knitted her a shawl from my handspun yarn. That shawl kept her warm and cosy while she sat up in bed when she finally became bedridden. I have that shawl now and I love to hug it to me and feel that Mum is a little closer once again.

Over the years, Mum had done so much to help us out. In my heart, I have named our house partly after her (one day a name-plaque will be put up to make it official!). And, in case anyone has wondered in the past where the name of my blog has come from, now you know!

Mum, this post is dedicated to your memory. I love you and miss you so much.

Boring, but a little news!

Heck, it has been nearly two weeks since my last post! Where has the time gone? I have been busy but with nothing really interesting. I even checked my camera and there aren't really any interesting photos on - not for on here, anyway!


We now have the new pellet fire installed. Hmm...not as warm as I would have liked for this house. Because of how we got it (a trade-off with a new business in the area) we had no say in the model. The business, understandably, had a budget and were offering the lowest-cost option not the best-for-your-house we were lead to believe it would be. The living areas are still warm (or are when we manage to set the thing right) but it isn't warm enough to open the door to take the chill off the rest of the house like our old wood burner was.


Perhaps if we were to run it a lot higher it would be warmer but at $8.50 a 20kg bag of pellets we are wary of it costing too much. We used to be able to get the wood for free, just paying for fuel and upkeep on the chainsaw and transportation of the wood to home. But D's back is a lot worse this year than it ever has (and it hasn't been good for 20+ years!) and I'm not sure how much longer he would have been able to carry on cutting the firewood. So this seemed like it would be a good idea. Next time I have a good idea, someone shoot me. Please. (Well, not really, but you know what I mean!)


I also feel very let down in that I thought the trade-off was to reduce pollution in the area. I thought that we would be doing our little bit for the environment. Now I find that the business will actually be burning coal! The pollution they are trying to offset is from this, not from the production of their product. I feel cheated. Very cheated.

Apart from that there has been a little fibery goodness going on in chez Rose-Lea! I have almost finished a WIP I started, and abandoned, almost 2 years ago. Just a little thing. There may be pictures when it is properly completed. The socks have made a little progress, too. Almost to the toes. I'm not sure why I am not enjoying this pair. I much more enjoyed working on the plain-vanilla ones! Perhaps because I could knit on them while I was on the computer. Patterns are just that much more difficult to work on in tiny increments.


I have also done a little spinning this week - one and a half bobbins (why can I never type bobbins successfully on the first go?) of some multi-coloured sliver I bought a couple of years ago. Quite pretty in blues, greens and mauves. They are two space-dyed slivers (500gm each), one darker than the other, which I will ply together. (Aha, I remembered I had photographed the lighter one a while back with my new spindle, so you can see one of them!) Two bobbins down and ?? to go.



Ok, yes I know it was a pitiful post but some things are better left unsaid and others will have to wait for the right time to say them!