tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-363845662024-03-19T16:50:05.557+13:00RoseLea Spins a YarnA little bit of this and that...and maybe some fibery news as well!KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-55642324886717574922013-06-30T10:42:00.000+12:002013-06-30T10:42:24.803+12:00Ready...Set...GO!!!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The race has begun. The Tour de Fleece 2013, that is. Yes, I have entered again this year; my stash has grown to alarming proportions and I thought this might be a good chance to whittle a little bit away as well as perhaps getting myself back into the routine of spinning almost daily, once again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Bear in mind, though, wintertime is not the best spinning time for me. My craft room is usually cold at this time of year (unheated apart from the sun) so I need to move my wheel into the living area. I don't like spinning in the lounge (because of the way our furniture is arranged I feel as if I'm sitting in the middle of the room) so the dining room it is, but the light is not particularly good later in the day. Yes, I'm awkward! Having the wheel so close at hand does have the advantage of it being a constant reminder, though, so not all is bad here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">On to the good stuff, though! What do I intend to spin this year? Well, rather a lot, actually.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">From the left - 500g Romney from Chilko Fibres; 100g ball of 21micron Merino from Heavenly Wools in Bluegum; 100g braid of 22 micron Merino also in Bluegum (I will be plying these together despite them being from different batches; 100g braid of charcoal 24.5 micron Haunui Halfbred in Barrier Reef shade from Heavenly Wools; and at the front a 200g circular braid of Perendale in Kawakawa dyed by myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Day One is now over and after spinning flat out I have finished the first 100g of the green Perendale:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwIDPbMkscGN4VfQ_kOcP7fp6kkp6hjGMq45yKGbPrDmgljZvCgdqwawqxWa_Za7rxEC8DPrtHTkFOVnivorGqlfgqng5WnJ4GgtUMekxBx67fJYEo0PExJyynuCUYx1c4ExBb/s1600/IMG_3157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwIDPbMkscGN4VfQ_kOcP7fp6kkp6hjGMq45yKGbPrDmgljZvCgdqwawqxWa_Za7rxEC8DPrtHTkFOVnivorGqlfgqng5WnJ4GgtUMekxBx67fJYEo0PExJyynuCUYx1c4ExBb/s1600/IMG_3157.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I am quite pleased with it so far. No felting and the fibre is reasonably soft, for Perendale. I'm aiming for a reasonably heavy DK/worsted weight. Let's see what happens! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I'm also happy with my wheel's performance - I bit the bullet and finally changed the drive belt for the first time since I bought her some 17 or 18 years ago! The belt was a little stretched then, too. I have cut a piece out of it at least once, but not bad going. I thought I have better change it now rather than wait as the join was stretching rather badly and looked as if it could give out at any time. I carefully unscrewed the joiners at the foot pedals - scary but not at all difficult. Why did I wait so long?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So...onto Day Two. Will I be able to keep up my progress?</span><br />
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<br />KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-27613667701128612692012-01-10T16:00:00.000+13:002012-01-10T16:00:44.649+13:00Shall we play...spot the difference?<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After my last post I couldn't stop thinking about my sock - should I carry on as it was or should I rip it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Can you tell what I did? No, I haven't ripped...yet. I tried knitted a small sample of the pattern (this time correctly, i.e. including row 3 this time - who knew what a difference that would make!) and found that it was, indeed, slightly quicker to knit and looked a lot better. More defined. So, with a huge sigh, I cast on from the outside of my ball of yarn leaving the original sock intact. Just in case. But I like the new sock. In 6 days, or less, I am about up to where I was with the original sock (the heel flap). When I have finished this one, I will rip the first sock back to the top of the ribbing and reknit it correctly - and be much happier for it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I'm not certain that I will be finishing any time soon, though. I am expecting a parcel of wool any day now. Yes, I know, anyone looking in my stash cupboard would wonder why I needed <em>more</em> yarn - but I did! This is for a special little someone (well two someones, actually) who is having a 4th birthday early next month. I have decided to knit her (and her young cousin who is turning 2 the following month) an <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olearia">Olearia</a> cardigan with short sleeves and plain lower body. I think I will be busy! Why do I always do this to myself? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The yarn? The <a href="http://www.thewoolcompany.co.nz/Products5.aspx?CategoryId=36">Little Wool Company</a> perendale in cyclamen for the pink-loving older grandgirl and raspberry for the little one. Crossing my fingers it will be reasonably soft as I haven't used this wool before. Seemed good value and nice colours, both of which I wanted. If I bought yarn from a store in town I would've been paying at least twice as much. Knitting may not have been part of their birthday presents, then. (please don't say I could have spun the wool - neither child has caregivers I am prepared to give up handspun yarn to, unfortunately. Why do so many young (and not-so-young) people these days think that hand washing is to difficult/time consuming or not necessary?)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So, as they say, watch this space!</span>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-78685578003177304092012-01-03T16:54:00.000+13:002012-01-03T16:54:45.642+13:00Catching Up...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Even in summer, when the weather is warm (although the weather today is decidedly NOT warm and summer-like), one must think ahead and be prepared for when the cooler temperatures arrive. For a knitter, this means working away on all manner of warm, woolly garments to keep a body cosy when the thermometer drops.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As my store of hand-knitted socks has been wearing thin, literally, over the last winter I decided that this summer I needed to get working on several more pairs. Although I enjoy knitting I still seem to be rather slow at accomplishing any results - the yarn for the first pair was wound into a ball several months before even a stitch was cast on. But cast on I finally did in mid-December and have worked slowly away at the first <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/KathyR/nine-to-five-socks">Nine-to-Five sock</a> (Ravelry link) since then. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LkTNYvW4MTo/TwJubkOvyrI/AAAAAAAAAKM/zlZgiw51KfY/s1600/IMG_2541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" rea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LkTNYvW4MTo/TwJubkOvyrI/AAAAAAAAAKM/zlZgiw51KfY/s320/IMG_2541.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Last night I began on the heel flap as the pattern had it written only to rip it back and replace it with the tried-and-true eye of the partridge stitch as I felt this gave a thicker, more comfortable result. As I was knitting the first rows of the heel flap, however, I noticed something rather disconcerting. I discovered that I hadn't read the original pattern correctly. My sock is pictured above. The original pattern is below. Can you spot the difference?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hmmm...you would have thought that I would have noticed that the stitch pattern that I was producing didn't, in fact, look anything like the one in the pattern. Yes, well, obviously I wasn't paying a lot of attention to my knitting! I DO like the original much better but I'm not frogging half a sock, and three weeks knitting, and starting again. I don't think.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I recently finished my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/KathyR/current">Red Current Cardigan</a> knitted in Vintage Purls Sock (as is the sock above. I'm quite pleased with it although it may be a little long. As it is knitted top-down theoretically I could unpick the bottom and rip it back a bit and redo the ribbing. Is it worth it? I'm not sure. (Can you tell that I'm lazy?) I don't have a photo of the finished cardigan and I've only worn it for a total of two minutes so I really haven't had an opportunity to test out how much I really like, or dislike, the length. Yes, yes, you want to see the colour because it really is the best part!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vJM8QzM1Dho/TwJy-wCarqI/AAAAAAAAAKY/DVNQq2tLGb4/s1600/IMG_2443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vJM8QzM1Dho/TwJy-wCarqI/AAAAAAAAAKY/DVNQq2tLGb4/s320/IMG_2443.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Yesterday I also started working again on my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/KathyR/essential-cardigan">Essential Cardigan</a> which had been in recess for a few months. This one I'm knitting in Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool which I had heard lots of good things about. I'm not really that enamoured about it. When I first cast on it felt very similar to chenille; a feeling which is still to go away. The yarn is also rather delicate and will break with a half-hearted tug. It also contains a reasonable amount of VM, probably from the silk from the look of it. I'm not sure that I would buy it again although the colour is rather gorgeous in person.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I had got up to the picking up of the stitches for the front band, a part which I had been dreading for two reasons - one being that the dark purple is hard to see at night when I do most of my knitting, and the other because I really dislike picking up stitches. I know, I did tell you I was lazy! But I finally got down to it in the sunlight and picked all three hundred and umpteen stitches. Now to work out where I want the buttonholes placed and carry on and knit the three inches of broken rib. Yay! It's nearly finished! Yes, yes, here's a progress shot from some time ago:</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G60SWKPmNKM/TwJ04Ss_3SI/AAAAAAAAAKs/4gDEczvFA5s/s1600/IMG_2467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G60SWKPmNKM/TwJ04Ss_3SI/AAAAAAAAAKs/4gDEczvFA5s/s320/IMG_2467.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As if these weren't enough I also did a test-knit for <a href="http://www.justjussi.com/">Jussi Turner</a> - a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/KathyR/katie-snowflake">Katie Snowflake Hoodie</a> which will, eventually, be for my eldest Grandgirl. Again there are no finished photos (I am sensing something that I really need to work on in the future!) but, as soon as I have a suitable model lined up, that will surely happen. This was a fun knit and should be great to wear when the weather is a little cooler. I knitted this one out of <a href="http://www.skeinz.co.nz/">Skeinz</a> Vintage DK yarn - really nice to knit with and will hopefully wear well, too.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2jEl4zTAZEo/TwJ3m2zAYdI/AAAAAAAAAK4/IfeyGltFYmM/s1600/IMG_2504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2jEl4zTAZEo/TwJ3m2zAYdI/AAAAAAAAAK4/IfeyGltFYmM/s320/IMG_2504.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ooops, I realised that I only have an image of the sample to show you. Sorry about that but at least it does show that I do sample my knitting first!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well, that has about caught you up with some of what I have been up to in the last couple of months. Not everything, but enough of a taste. Now to go and mutter some more to myself about my sock...</span></div>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-32399033882087506422012-01-01T16:11:00.000+13:002012-01-01T16:11:29.113+13:001 January 2012 - It's About Time!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It is a new day, a new month and a new year and it certainly is about time that I wrote here once again. Much time and many events have passed since I last sat down and put my thoughts down on these "pages". I won't bother going over most as they have been and gone - what is the use of rehashing old events? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But today is a new year. A traditional time of refreshing and renewing. Not one in which I make all kinds of rash Resolutions, though. Not ones which others will hear about, at least! We all like to think that the New Year will help us to become better and wiser etc, but it takes dedicated and honest commitment to change. Commitment that needs to last beyond the first few days, or even weeks, of the New Year. Do I have that kind of commitment right now? Maybe, but perhaps not to make ALL the changes I would like to see in myself. So slowly, slowly wins the race. So slowly even the tortoise may be considered an olympic sprinter!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So, what has been happening chez "Roselea" lately? Something good happened right before Christmas - I won a giveaway on Amanda's <a href="http://www.smallacornsnz.blogspot.com/">Small Acorns</a> blog! You can surely imagine how thrilled I was! See below for the lovely parcel I received:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Aren't they gorgeous? Everything was wrapped individually in either tissue paper or brown paper and string (how long did THAT take??) when it arrived. The little packet of pegs and string (bottom right) is now on my wall with Christmas cards (including the one Amanda sent with the parcel) dangling from it. The bird, mushrooms and heart are all hanging on the Christmas tree (I so love ornaments that aren't the usual mass-produced commercial type) and the little pixie looks so cute propping up a photo on a shelf. The sweet little notebook and pencil are waiting for just the right inspiration to come before they are used. Now wasn't that a great parcel?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">And speaking of parcels, I also received a very unexpected Christmas surprise (a cute sheep tea towel) from a blogging friend (you know who you are!). Thank you so much! I never expect to get presents but it is always nice when I do. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Christmas was a busy time for me with all my family here either for a meal on Christmas Day or on Boxing Day (or both). The weather was beautiful and meant that the little ones were able to get outside and play with the t-ball set and the water guns they had been given. I love seeing kids, both young and old, running around and having fun together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">New Year's Eve was spent going to Dunedin to help our daughter move her larger, heavier furniture into the flat she will be living in this year. As it was another beautiful warm, sunny day we took the "long" way home by going on a tiki tour - first of all around the Otago Peninsular...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I didn't take many photos yesterday but this one is looking down the Otago Harbour from about halfway along the south side of the Peninsular.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At the farthest tip of the northern side of the Peninsular is a lovely little place called Aramoana, made famous because of a rather unfortunate massacre there in 1990. The above photo looks across one of the lovely beaches at Aramoana towards the soth side of the Peninsular.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Once we had travelled both sides of the Peninsular we headed up the Northeast Valley and over the old road up Mt Cargill bypassing much of the motorway. Coming out at Waitati onto the main highway we then turned east a few kms further north at Evansdale and followed the coastline going through Seacliff and past where the old mental hospital was. Beautiful seaviews all the way along the windy road which crossed the railway line so many times I lost count. We turned back to SH1 once more at Karitane, where my parents lived when my sister was born many moons ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We stayed on the main road then, stopping at Hampden for their famous fish and chips which we ate on the beach watching the waves and the camping folk busily building a campfire for their New Year's celebrations. From there we headed straight home, happy but tired. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Traditionally, we go to Timaru to watch the fireworks at New Year but this time we were too tired from our travels (are we getting old?) and so stayed home like a boring old couple. Oh well, maybe fireworks next year?</span>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-13295861187737049362011-02-27T13:37:00.009+13:002011-02-27T15:46:15.368+13:00Broken - Not Beaten!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm sure that you will all know that Christchurch was devastated by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake at 12.51pm on Tuesday 22nd February. Although not as strong as the September earthquake, this time it was even closer to the city and, at only 5km deep, it apparently bounced off the volcanic basalt rock, upon which Christchurch is built, with disastrous consequences to the already fragile buildings. Five days later, already the death toll has risen to 146 confirmed deaths with many more people missing. A national state of emergency has been declared, mainly so that what needs to be done is able to be done quickly. Many countries have quickly come to the aid of New Zealand sending rescue workers, police and other forms of much needed aid.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Local people have also rallied to help those in need - an "army" of university students have formed and are helping to shift the estimated 100,000 tons of silt brought up from underground which now blocks streets and footpaths as well as surrounding homes. Bottles are being collected far and wide and filled with safe drinking water to be distributed to those who have no safe water. Food is being cooked and taken to suburbs who have been without electricity and water and sewerage for five days (and who are likely to not have these facilities for some time to come). Homes around the city, and indeed the whole country, have been opened for those who now have no home - or who have no faith in what they used to call home. Prayers are being prayed worldwide for the many who have need of them at this time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ctable%20style=%22width:auto;%22%3E%3Ctr%3E%3Ctd%3E%3Ca%20href=%22https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/la541GBiyQCU3ks69SjsY_lHth9yyQPIzdqBhdb6P3s?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_zpSAk0P5cEw/TWm2Gb7awZI/AAAAAAAAAJA/HQ0Iw2HWm1M/s400/Earthquake.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/113833565099768514786/Videos?authkey=Gv1sRgCPSNrauW5YvfKg&feat=embedwebsite">Videos</a></td></tr></table>"></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">All are in agreement that Christchurch will never be the same. But New Zealanders are a hardy, determined people. We come from pioneering stock and don't give up easily. Christchurch, like the phoenix, will rise again.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cQNnGocNf7Y" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A couple of days ago my youngest son pointed out that Cher's song from Burlesque was very suitable for Christchurch at this time. I listened to the words and found that he was right. I don't have the knowledge, or the technology, to combine the music with the slideshow (the photos of which I shamelessly have stolen from countless places across the internet. Please forgive me! I don't live in Chch and I don't intend to go there at the moment and get in the way just to take photos - even if I was allowed.) but if you can, listen to the music while watching the photos. You certainly haven't seen the last of this great city!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">(NB - the date on the video is the upload date, NOT the date of the earthquake!)</span><br />
<table style="width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/la541GBiyQCU3ks69SjsY_lHth9yyQPIzdqBhdb6P3s?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="300" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_zpSAk0P5cEw/TWm2Gb7awZI/AAAAAAAAAJA/HQ0Iw2HWm1M/s400/Earthquake.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/113833565099768514786/Videos?authkey=Gv1sRgCPSNrauW5YvfKg&feat=embedwebsite">Videos</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-11366709130525986902011-01-09T16:21:00.001+13:002011-01-09T16:25:20.838+13:00Something Old, Something New...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">No, there's no wedding around here but I do have an (relatively) old project to show you as well as a new one started.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Which first? Perhaps the old one...the CPH Sweater. Progress, while not huge, is being made. The fronts have been completed, the shoulders joined (three needle bind-off) and the sleeve is in progress from the top-down. I put off the sleeve for a few days, as I do quite often. I like to think things out, mull things over, rehearse in my mind, before actually doing. Works for me! Anyway, once I started I sat down with my knitting in front of the computer and turned to Paula Ward's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv3YDmqnQzA">YouTube clip</a> on top-down sleeves. I found this to be an excellent resource. Very clear and easy to follow. I made one change in that I wrapped every second stitch on my way around the sleeve, rather than every stitch. I read on Ravelry, somewhere, that this makes for a better angle of the sleeve.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Once I finished picking up all the stitches and started working in the round, the sleeve looked really good; I was so pleased with myself! Much better than struggling with trying to make a neat job of sewing a seam. Time then to calculate the number and rate of decreases. Then it hit me. There was supposed to be a cable right down the centre of the sleeve! Bother didn't quite hit the mark! A decision needed to be made - did I <em>really</em> want a cable? Yes. Yes I did. Ok, I had to bite the bullet. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<em>Fainthearted folk needn't worry, this part was not photographed!) </em></span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ripping was involved but only the 18 stitches of the cable panel. That was enough. Right back to the pick up seam. Sigh. I then worked each row back in pattern until I had all 24 rows worked up complete with cables in their (hopefully) proper places. time will only tell if my maths was correct on that one as well. Cross my fingers that the cable ends in its proper place at the end of the sleeve!</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMx5AiS8A9IuNxcNJzLdIZxY_5k4mkNB6xRdYagljWNy3d20HWqp0MdJ8iXiyTuPiu5rD1APEDyIvrLy7THJPNbq_g50ircnR-i54d2r_9TlP2q024bQVJVTO0BlE1hCv15e4c/s1600/IMG_2153-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMx5AiS8A9IuNxcNJzLdIZxY_5k4mkNB6xRdYagljWNy3d20HWqp0MdJ8iXiyTuPiu5rD1APEDyIvrLy7THJPNbq_g50ircnR-i54d2r_9TlP2q024bQVJVTO0BlE1hCv15e4c/s320/IMG_2153-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">All is well in the meantime, though. I am now happily working my way down the sleeve cabling and decreasing when I should. Stitch markers are in place to show when these were last done, in case my written records let me down.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now for the new project! Did you know that I could, barely, weave? Did you even know that I owned a loom? No? Well, yes and yes! You probably didn't know that, though, because weaving is not my most favourite pastime so doesn't feature highly in my life. Now and then, though, it pops up and this is one of those times.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A couple of years ago I saw an advert for a small, 4 shaft collapsible table loom. My table loom was larger and more awkward to take to spinning/weaving meetings and I had been looking for something which would be more suitable. So I bought it. This loom had belonged to Anne Field (a well-known fibre artist) who was trying to make room in her studio (even the professionals have that problem at times!). She even sold it complete with a warp for a scarf on it. However, once home, this poor little loom has sat around waiting for me to weave up the warp that was on it. Finally, I have started on this scarf!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF0OlhL1jUvDDPsn-Sr3hpJgOpXno4-KOU2aSImR8u0POfL27mZbGRS2wqVBo02zZF4Zm6S6mThb-DOXzYXpqXYAF20so-vVrGPFecdYUgBsKpm6Fd5Zg7Vu-M2kCuBNkaWCB5/s1600/IMG_2154-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF0OlhL1jUvDDPsn-Sr3hpJgOpXno4-KOU2aSImR8u0POfL27mZbGRS2wqVBo02zZF4Zm6S6mThb-DOXzYXpqXYAF20so-vVrGPFecdYUgBsKpm6Fd5Zg7Vu-M2kCuBNkaWCB5/s320/IMG_2154-1.JPG" width="311" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As the warp was a light yellow cotton, it seemed to me to be destined to be a summer scarf. In my stash I found some multi-coloured cotton/linen boucle which I thought should look quite good with the yellow cotton warp. I don't think it is too bad. It is hard to see my beating in the photo</span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">- it looks a bit looser than it actually is. I'm not sure what it really should be like for this type of yarn/project as I don't have a lot of experience with weaving but I think it is ok. I know fibres like wool will full after they're off the loom but I don't think this fibre will. Time will tell, but I'm having fun in the meantime and that is what it is all about. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I hope that you're having fun today, too!</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">PS - Thank you for all your encouraging comments, last time, about knitting the cardigan! The purchase of yarn is in hand and, provided the colour is suitable (hard to tell on the computer monitor) there may be yet another project underway chez RoseLea!</span></div>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-17910468358860848392011-01-03T13:50:00.000+13:002011-01-03T13:50:00.398+13:00FO and decisions<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Today I have a finished object (FO) to show you and an idea that I am mulling over. Usually I like it when I'm thinking over something in advance, working out little details and dreaming of the finished article. Not so much this time. Why not? Read on...</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I promised you an image of the felted bag I made for one of the Grandgirls so here it is - </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD8Im4swQf-GacCdrbtF2uyx9y5TXNdpR_yKrRhyphenhyphenHqFR5OIrAq97RxMuZIlT-ozYjHE5W63wu0LM7SpUfjVbewTogyCHWZHfgJa49Hz7UKCYU_bQ8eoXTHlXrxQeqMHGlTjaB_/s1600/Little+Girl%2527s+Felted+Shoulder+Bag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD8Im4swQf-GacCdrbtF2uyx9y5TXNdpR_yKrRhyphenhyphenHqFR5OIrAq97RxMuZIlT-ozYjHE5W63wu0LM7SpUfjVbewTogyCHWZHfgJa49Hz7UKCYU_bQ8eoXTHlXrxQeqMHGlTjaB_/s320/Little+Girl%2527s+Felted+Shoulder+Bag.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Not perfect by any means, but I was fairly pleased with the results even if the hastily taken photo doesn't do it justice. The inside of this particular bag was a deep, but bright, blue which I also used in the strap. The flap was purposely placed off centre. The bag is totally seamless, made using a partial resist. Not showing up in the image is the sparkly firestar (? - I don't think it is that but I can't think what it actually is) I put over the last layer before felting. All little girls love a bit of glitter!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As for the idea I'm mulling over, I need a lightweight cardigan-type top to go over a long dress which I bought, and wore, for my son's wedding in 2009. It is a long, silk dress in a rather unusual dark purpley colour with lighter, more french pink, floral panels front and back. I wore a pale pink-purple top with it for the wedding but that is too formal for normal wear. It is a dress I could get quite a bit of wear out of (although I'm not normally a dress-wearing gal) by dressing it down a bit. I probably wouldn't find anything in the right colour down town to go with it, though.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My question is, do I bite the bullet and buy some laceweight yarn (I think I know of some fairly locally which <em>may</em> be the right colour) and knit myself a top? I was thinking of <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/simplicity-cardigan">Simplicity</a> (Rav link) which, I believe, should work fine with the dress. Any opinions?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I hope the dress still fits as I haven't tried it on lately. I've lost weight since the wedding so I may need to look into altering it a little. Shouldn't be a problem as I know someone who would probably do it if I feel it's too much for me. Bother it, I'll also need shoes, too, as I wore boots to the wedding. I don't think trainers would quite cut it, would they? It would be nice to get some more wear out of the dress, though, as it wasn't exactly cheap to buy. Either that or I'll need to think about selling it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I didn't really intend to start buying any yarn quite this early in the year as I do have plenty to knit up. That is why this type of decision, for me, is rather annoying. But, when there is nothing in stash that is suitable what can you do? Will I <strong>really</strong> get it knitted up, though? That is the point. Lots for me to think about.</span>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-38200268908560563432011-01-02T16:52:00.001+13:002011-01-02T16:53:05.105+13:00Catching up on what I've been doing...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Surprise! I'm back again! Don't get too used to this but enjoy it while it lasts. I thought that I had better get caught up on what I've been working on over the past while. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrMAQATpm1AOYXoU62anibMtjdJzA2dhk-AmhHVszzLFlbqqjHwjlvYLwQ6KIKsGi_jA6-CYmtVKLiU9dCa3TkjK5gqmVzo71b3qHfCkZb-oOMzv7w7JAydy55pv_qPzjC7Qd/s1600/IMG_1987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrMAQATpm1AOYXoU62anibMtjdJzA2dhk-AmhHVszzLFlbqqjHwjlvYLwQ6KIKsGi_jA6-CYmtVKLiU9dCa3TkjK5gqmVzo71b3qHfCkZb-oOMzv7w7JAydy55pv_qPzjC7Qd/s320/IMG_1987.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I can't remember if I mentioned that I joined the Vintage Purls Knit-Along on Ravelry a few months ago (October?) but if I didn't, now you know. I chose to knit the Geodesic Cardigan by Connie Chang Chinchio using VP lace in the Saag Alloo colourway. As you can see I have knit the whole body (it is knit all in one with false seams - seems to take ages but at least there isn't any sewing up at the end) complete with pleats up the front.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxdtqG7rkKiM5rguOPHfLVCvrsszTfnu2fVvIeHm3Rfxkz1Tey51FRKdfhX8DyhFQ5SKhDyp2C_Aqi2wMmWveQ8TXzlkooWdv3gsrYasnm2q6pVdQMdAgorzY-r71j1xie6CF/s1600/IMG_1983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxdtqG7rkKiM5rguOPHfLVCvrsszTfnu2fVvIeHm3Rfxkz1Tey51FRKdfhX8DyhFQ5SKhDyp2C_Aqi2wMmWveQ8TXzlkooWdv3gsrYasnm2q6pVdQMdAgorzY-r71j1xie6CF/s320/IMG_1983.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Next up are the sleeves. These are started with a provisional cast on under the arm and knitted upwards to the top of the sleeve cap. The sleeve cap is then sewn into the armscye, the stitches from the provisional cast on picked up and the sleeve knitted down from there. Simple to say, however... I have knitted the first sleeve cap but have stalled on sewing it into the armscye. Sewing up has never been my forte and the laceweight, at this gauge is particularly challenging for me. The cardigan has been in time out since the end of November. I must finish it before the warm weather disappears!</span></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">While I was not thinking about Geodesic, I was wanting to knit on Something, Anything else. Something that would suit what I had in stash. Something that was not laceweight. I searched Ravelry for days and came up with the Central Park Hoodie using the polwarth I had spun up a while back. </span></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">While I liked the idea of a jacket, I felt that a jersey/sweater would be more useful to me and my lifestyle so I did a little more research and found two or three sweaters on Ravelry using this pattern. A little sampling (yes, I do sample when the need arises and handspun definitely requires it) later and I was casting on for my sweater in the round. Yes, no seams to sew up!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4tonouAyivYfmdJ3fwU3rHvojPNqZhjxCltC1vpQOzDP1nB0ijsLG-IthMEjKAxQH20XFQh1uC8eTttAGX0oMvWQs23GRPKNe4CagiBOYa7D3AsQEJx6ZZHKEH1ofyRvY6_H/s1600/IMG_2138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4tonouAyivYfmdJ3fwU3rHvojPNqZhjxCltC1vpQOzDP1nB0ijsLG-IthMEjKAxQH20XFQh1uC8eTttAGX0oMvWQs23GRPKNe4CagiBOYa7D3AsQEJx6ZZHKEH1ofyRvY6_H/s320/IMG_2138.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I was a little concerned that the cables wouldn't show up very well in the variegated colouring of the yarn, but I don't think it is too bad. There aren't many cables and they are simple ones to boot. I have knitted up to the armholes where I split the front main cable in two and worked the first side of the front in the flat. The front is now up to the point where I need to decide on the neckline decreasing - something for me to concentrate on this evening.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The other craftwork I did recently, was to make three little felted shoulder bags for our little Grandgirls as last-minute Christmas presents. Unfortunately, they were so last minute (I was hastily putting finishing touches to them on Christmas morning and they were still slightly damp even then!) that I only have a photo of one of them - which it looks as if you may have to wait until tomorrow to see as Blogger isn't letting me upload another photo! So, until then...enjoy your day!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-80190311049780726942011-01-01T16:57:00.001+13:002011-01-02T16:58:20.773+13:00New Day, New Year<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Happy New Year!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgHWQ0mmriQiqVfVffb4scOrbeyTRm2_W0PxcisMXfJN7DKnSD9aUU8iOSPkLhhBq4a9jBk6DRGcL8ZfteaGxVAgUmsp-sECk1d6pvsl5GMpPkwjkwk5Y14ezoXVCW3KGsvw_/s1600/DSCN0217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgHWQ0mmriQiqVfVffb4scOrbeyTRm2_W0PxcisMXfJN7DKnSD9aUU8iOSPkLhhBq4a9jBk6DRGcL8ZfteaGxVAgUmsp-sECk1d6pvsl5GMpPkwjkwk5Y14ezoXVCW3KGsvw_/s320/DSCN0217.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It is a little late to round out the old year with a final posting so perhaps it's a good idea to start afresh this year. Not that I have anything in particular to say. I've just been on here giving things a little tweaking, bringing them up-to-date at last. I'm not sure about adding images - you may, or may not, get any this time around. If there aren't any you will know that I haven't ironed out the bugs of that one, yet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Christmas, for us, was reasonably quiet. For the first time since our children were tiny I didn't put up any decorations. Not even a tree! As we weren't going to have anyone here for any part of Christmas I didn't really see the point in putting in all that work (and let's face it, dragging out the decorations and putting up the tree is WORK! Not to mention having to take it all down and put it all away again later) for just the three of us. Scrooge's ba-humbug, indeed! I must say that I did feel rather like that this Christmas, too, but that is another story and I would rather just forget about it, thank you, than re-live it all again. So, no decorations apart from the Christmas cards that arrived.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This year we were to join our eldest son (T) and his wife and family for a Christmas bbq tea. On the way we visited our youngest son, his new partner and his daughter as well as my sister and her partner, my father and my uncle. A long list of rellies but in reality only two stops to make. It all took time, though, and we were a little late getting up to T's. No surprises there! The kids were a bit hyper by that stage (as only 6 and 4 year olds should be - even the 9 month old was excited to see us) but that was to be expected.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The food was good, nothing particularly fancy but that is how we like it, and the company was pretty good, too. The girls opened their little presents in between courses and seemed to like them. If I can get the images to upload I'll try and find the photos on the camera of the bags I felted for them and show you next time I post. I was quite pleased with how they turned out, considering I haven't done a lot of felting before. I'm not sure that either of the girls (I didn't make one for the youngest) really appreciated them, though, nor did their parents. If I did it again, I would wrap them differently, and separately, to try and show off their real worth, rather than to include them with the rest of the present.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After the evening was all wrapped up, and the girls dressed for bed, it was time for us to head for home. I think it was about 10pm (late for the girls) when we finally left and never has that hour and a half drive home seemed so long! I was glad that I wasn't the one driving.</span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now, a week later, it is New Year's Day. Last night we went to see the fireworks on Caroline Bay as we usually do every year. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go this year, especially as it was a little showery but, as it was the Bay Carnival's 100th anniversary, I thought that it may be just a little bit special this year. How special can fireworks get? Yeah, they were pretty good. They lasted about 20 minutes which isn't too bad. Any longer and you can really start to get fidgety. I'm sure they're not as loud as they used to be a few years back and that was what I really liked. Those huge, big bangs that echoed off the surrounding cliffs! The countdown? What countdown? That fell down even flatter than a pancake. No singing of Auld Lang Syne and no tooting from any ships in the harbour, either. Mind you, I didn't check to see if there were any in port last night. So, some parts were good but the actual running of the whole show needs a real brush-up. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After the fireworks were over it was a general melee to walk back across the Bay to get to the street entrance. So many people wanting to go the same way. Fortunately, most were well-behaved. It really helps that there is a total alcohol ban on the Bay for the duration of the evening. We were parked in a little side-street close by so across the main road we went (along with what seemed like another hundred or so other people) and back to the car. Easy. An easy road to go down to get back to the road home, too. All this a far cry from years ago when we used to spend at least half an hour or more idling along in the car trying to get out of first the carpark, then to turn out of the side-road and onto the main road! Diabolical. Still a very late night for me so I'm tired again today. So what's new.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(PS - the opening image, yes I got it to load, is an old one but I'm sure you will enjoy it better than nothing. I preferred to watch last night, than take photos.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I'll tell you a little about my latest knitting next time I post. Until then, stay safe!</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-47213822917675275892010-11-20T13:39:00.002+13:002010-11-20T13:40:59.364+13:00Spring Swap Surprise!<div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 10px; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-LEFT: 10px"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/roseleafibres/5190883056/"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/5190883056_a0007bc329_m.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px;font-size:0;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/roseleafibres/5190883056/">Fibre Swap 6.0</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/roseleafibres/">RoseLea Fibres</a></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A little while ago I had the privilege to be part of the NZ Fibre Swap 6.0 on Ravelry with the theme, this time, being Spring. It is always fun to receive a fibre swap parcel in the post and this one was certainly no exception!<br /><br />Once my surprise parcel arrived, I found my swap partner was Matt, or Craftykiwi as he is known on Ravelry. He had put together a really superb parcel for me all beautifully wrapped in tissue tied up with multi-coloured string. The finishing details were lovely and something that, sadly, I fail at dreadfully.<br /><br />Inside the package I found two wheels of braided fibre - 100g of polwarth (Spring Fever) and 100g of perendale (Jonquil Blush) with a silk hanky dyed to co-ordinate. Matt was the very able dyer of all the fibre! There was also a very yummy gingerbread man (mmm, ask me how I know that!!) as well as some packets of seeds which will eventually look very pretty in the garden - Forget Me Not (Marine Blue); Salvia (Victoria Blue); Petunia (Primetime Blues mixed).<br /><br />Matt also included a sweet little gift card explaining the contents, the colours of which co-ordinated with everything perfectly!<br /><br />Now wasn't I just the most spoilt one?<br /><br />I have already spun up the perendale which I may make into a pair of fingerless mitts. Maybe. The colours came out into a lovely tweedy blend without going muddy at all. Really nice!<br /><br />Thank you, Matt!!<br clear="all"></span>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-7184283363492604462010-07-06T13:23:00.001+12:002010-07-06T13:23:44.209+12:00TDF - Day Three<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/roseleafibres/4766265716/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4766265716_99f58df49c_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/roseleafibres/4766265716/">Day Three</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/roseleafibres/">RoseLea Fibres</a></span></div>After and before shots (left and right respectively). If you look really, really closely you can see the difference. Will this bobbin ever be full?<br clear="all" />KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-83641920325722350612010-07-05T11:38:00.003+12:002010-07-05T12:42:26.425+12:00Tour Days One and Two<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Slowly, slowly wins the race - so the saying goes, but will it get all my wool spun? The first two days of the Tour de Fleece have started out rather slowly for me due to family commitments (how often do your Father and Uncle turn 85? You can't say, no, I can't come to the celebratory lunch as I'm busy spinning, now, can you?). Winter isn't really my favourite time for spinning, either as I prefer to spin in daylight - the light is better - and there just isn't as much of it in winter. Time management problems there, really. I just need to juggle things around a little. Enough of that, on to what I <strong>did</strong> accomplish!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">On Day One I focused on the hand combed, hand dyed mystery wool. I found that I only had one bobbin already spun so I was able to begin on a fresh bobbin. I didn't spin up a whole bobbin's worth, but then that is a fair bit of spinning on a Majacraft bobbin! You can see below what I did manage.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Day Two was the even shorter day for spinning in which I spun up a little more of the merino dyed by Jan Gibb. Before and after photos, if you look closely, show a little progress on the bobbin.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I think I've broken Blogger - it doesn't seem to want to add my photos! If I can't get them up any time soon, look on Ravelry (my name is KathyR).<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-73027249678996487162010-07-03T13:15:00.001+12:002010-07-03T13:15:16.886+12:00Let the Tour Begin!<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/roseleafibres/4755754339/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4755754339_a19756f2fe_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/roseleafibres/4755754339/">Tour de Fleece Collage</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/roseleafibres/">RoseLea Fibres</a></span></div>Tour de Fleece 2010 begins today - my goal is to spin up as much of the fibre in the picture as I can. Time will tell what I can accomplish.<br />Let the Fleece be with you!<br clear="all" />KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-9314048289766476332010-04-15T14:28:00.005+12:002010-04-17T14:46:22.001+12:00Here I Go Again...!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I said last time that I would be back soon so here I am! So much has happened since I last wrote a "proper" post that I'm not sure that I will be able to catch up, but here goes...<br /><br /><strong>Fibre Swap</strong><br />In December of last year, members of the </span><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/new-zealand-fiber-swap"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">New Zealand Fibre Swap</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Ravelry group had a secret swap which I joined in on for the first time. My swapee (the one whom I received a parcel from) was </span><a href="http://bibandtuckerdesign.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Kate</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> and if you look at the photos of the gorgeous items she sent you will see just how spoilt I was! Thank you again, Kate! </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2544/4191473910_48ec05276a.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 333px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2544/4191473910_48ec05276a.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2564/4190703535_e32e30730e.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 333px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2564/4190703535_e32e30730e.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>Blendy's Yarn Sampler Box</strong><br />In January I joined in with many others and bought a box in </span><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/new-zealand-yarn-sampler-box"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Blendy's New Zealand Yarn Sampler Box</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> with what I felt, at the time, was a mixed success. I felt that $35.00 (plus postage for a rather oversized box for what what inside) was a little steep considering what was contained in the package.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4302064164_69cae546fd.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 375px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 500px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4302064164_69cae546fd.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />After I got over my initial disappointment, I did a bit of maths and sort of realised that maybe the cost wasn't too bad but I still feel that it is a lot considering that it is really hard to use up very little samples in a useful way. I guess it is a way, though, to put my creative hat on - if I can find it, that is!<br /><br />Both the Fibre Swap and the Sampler Box have just had, or are into, their next round but I have decided not to join up with either this time. Financial restraints, time restraints etc, etc.<br /><br />Time's fast running out so this will have to be it, for now. I have a horrible feeling that no photos will appear. Not sure why but I don't have the time now to try and fix it. Will try and do that in the weekend. Till then, cheerio!<br /><br /></span></p>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-7279001902231757162010-04-07T12:29:00.002+12:002010-04-07T12:34:05.714+12:00Quick Post<div>Just peeking in quickly to say:<br /><br />I want to win the Spinning A Yarn Tussah Silk! Thanks to http://spinayarn.felt.co.nz & www.blendy.co.nz. @blendy<br /><br />Be sure to take a look at Blendy's blog and even sign up for a Box! Lots of lovely goodies to be found here from all over New Zealand.<br /><br />I am still around and will be back soon to tell of a few things I've been up to since I was last around. So, until then...</div>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-49035315035043704192009-07-05T15:40:00.003+12:002009-07-05T18:44:12.409+12:00Hello again!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Well, it has been a while to say the least! Lots of things have been happening here the first being the rather successful South Canterbury Creative Fibre Festival way back in April. (Has it really been that long?) </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Heather and I were responsible for the education, a fairly big part of any Festival. Early on, when word "got out" that there would be no formal classes this time, there was an initial outpouring of ill-feeling among a small number of CF members around the country. This caused us to pull our heads in for a while but it soon blew over as people thought a little more about things. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Now the Festival is over and folk have experienced how the education was set up this year with 45 minute lectures/demonstrations and plenty of time in between each one, we have had so many positive comments that all the negative ones way back at the beginning have been well and truly left in the past. Not that either of us would jump at the chance of doing it all again any time soon! I know I was so totally exhausted by the end of it all that it took me a good 5 or 6 days to start feeling normal again. It didn't help matters when I needed to go to the A & E department at the local hospital to get 6 stitches in my arm after cutting it on a metal door which caught on my sleeve. Ever the clutz!</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The next important thing to happen was our son's marriage last month. Yes, they chose a winter wedding. On the plus side, the sun was shining by the afternoon so it was lovely for the photos outside even though it was really cold. It could have been worse. Much worse. Sorry, I don't have any photos to show you at this stage. I must have had the worst seat in the room for photos (up the front but to the side - all you got was side-on backs) and I don't have any other copies yet. Maybe one day. But it was quite a nice wedding at a local-to-us camp-site (the bride's family live down south and the bride and groom live further north) on the edge of native bush. (If it had been earlier in the year when the kowhai was blooming, the area would have been filled with the sound of the bellbirds) The hall is pretty average but a local lady drapes it with frost cloth making it really pretty inside. Instead of a bridesmaids/groomsmen they chose to have their two daughters (aged 5 and 3) and niece and nephew (aged 6 and around 2) as their wedding party. An interesting choice but the kids did look cute dressed in lavendar purple. Anyway, a good time was had by all. Other son tells us they are getting married in Feb 2010 - only 20 months away!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2434/3688679215_12a41317c5.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 333px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2434/3688679215_12a41317c5.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3561/3688671099_e042bd76de.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 333px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3561/3688671099_e042bd76de.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Knitting? Yes, there has been a little knitting going on, with the emphasis on a little. Finally, at last, the <a href="http://fpea.blogspot.com/2006/11/free-pattern-friday-wildflower-socks.html">Wildflower Socks</a> are finished, as you can see above, and off the needles. Just in time, too. Not too many days ago I started to pull on the socks I was going to wear that day and riiiipp! Aaaaahhh! A hole appeared in the very thin heel of the first pair of socks I knitted for myself 6 or 7 or even 8 years ago. Yes, I have worn them constantly all this time, throwing them in the washing machine and pegging them on the line to dry. A very sad day but I am really glad I have another pair to replace them as the weather has been rather cold and wet recently. I guess we can't expect much else in winter so I'm trying not to complain too much. I haven't noticed the cold as much this year, anyway, as the logfire has made the house so cosy warm.</span></div><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2545/3688663999_8293fbe22b.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 333px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2545/3688663999_8293fbe22b.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">My uncle and my father both turn/ed 84 this week (my uncle yesterday and my father on Wednesday). With a family dinner last night, I needed to think of a small present to give my uncle. As he rides a pushbike everywhere (has never driven a car) I thought a warm pair of fingerless mittens might be welcome so out came my needles and wool. I used Clara Parkes' <a href="http://www.knittersreview.com/article_how_to.asp?article=/review/profile/071011_b.asp">Maine Morning Mitts</a> pattern as it is simple to knit and quite smart for either men or women. I had some dark blue alpaca/merino yarn from the Milton millshop in my stash so was all set to go. I increased the stitch count by 6 stitches as the yarn was DK and I was knitting for a man (allbeit my uncle is a small man). I added 2 stitches in the thumb. My uncle tried the mitts on when he opened his parcel and didn't take them off all night. I think he liked them! I must say I rather liked them, too, as I needed to keep trying them on while they were in progress - nice and cosy!</span></div><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2511/3688658379_a2405dc6ea.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 333px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2511/3688658379_a2405dc6ea.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">My <a href="http://www.interweaveknits.com/galleries/bonus/fall-2008/Braided-Pullover.asp">Braided Pullover</a> is still making progress, slowly. The body has been completed up to the armhole and one sleeve is approximately 3/4 done. The other sleeve will be ripped out as I feel it will be too tight. The more I work on this jersey the less I think I like it. Maybe it will be different when I get it all together?</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">There has also been a little spinning going on. Earlier this year I gave a quick demonstration of plying a beaded yarn at our spinning group. I am intending on using this yarn, along with the rest of the unbeaded yarn, to make a slouchy beret-style hat. I will need to hurry with this as I would like it to be ready for display at our group's Open Day on September 17.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span> </div><div></div><div><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2579/3688692787_e11e23f02e.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 452px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 500px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2579/3688692787_e11e23f02e.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a> </div><div>I also recently bought a kilo of <a href="http://www.rarebreeds.co.nz/arapawa.html">Arapawa</a> wool from a woman on Trade Me. It is always a tricky business to buy wool sight unseen and this was no exception. The wool has been carded and, I guess, is a good example of the breed. That being said, it is not really what I would call good wool. It has a short staple with a very high number of nepps, noils, call them what you will. Also a lot of VM. But then, all this is really to be expected from this breed. It is a largely feral breed and the wool reflects this. It does make for interesting spinning! It is very stretchy and fairly soft. The finished skein bloomed quite a bit in the washed but also shrunk in length a fair bit too. Not a good picture but the yarn is very tweedy, which is what I wanted. I'm not sure if I will make the rug/afghan I was going to use it for originally or whether it will become a comfy jersey yet. Time will tell.</div><div><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3689491078_e6a1a82842.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 333px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3689491078_e6a1a82842.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-26679586502615413232009-02-26T12:35:00.004+13:002009-02-26T14:01:41.606+13:00Anyone care to join me in the frogpond?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yes, here I am again after a short hiatus. Quite a lot has happened in the last three weeks or so since I have been here...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My sister's birthday - what there is of our reasonably local family celebrated by going out to dinner at an Indian restaurant. Not my favourite type of food (definitely not my daughter's!) but it was ok.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Granddaughter's first birthday! A big event in a little girl's life. We travelled up to Ashburton taking Dad with us. It wasn't quite her birthday but her "real" birthday fell on the Monday. D was already up there as he has been helping our son cut up trees that were felled in a strong wind last month so I had to drive. We had a lovely time there but I missed a little drama centred on my Dad when D drove me out to the farm to show me how the firewood was progressing. Dad was fine but didn't tell me what happened (he fell off his chair and narrowly missed going through a window giving everyone there a huge fright!). The drive back home was a bummer, though, with Dad being hypercritical about my driving - I was always doing something wrong in his opinion! (Just a note here, I believe my driving is very safe. I have often been complimented by friends when I taken them somewhere and have never had an accident - Dad has had several!) By the time we dropped him off I had had enough. If I didn't see Dad until next year it would have been too soon. No, I am not exaggerating but I have got over it. He did totally spoil what should have been a special day, though.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">T's real birthday, 9 Feb, saw me in hospital for a scheduled eye operation. It wasn't a huge procedure (the excision of a pterygium and a conjunctival graft) but I have never been "under the knife" before. Apparently, patients having this operation usually have a general anaesthetic. My opthalmologist felt I was a good candidate for a local anaesthetic. Much better for a good recovery, but scary! I didn't even have a sedative. It was offered but, never even having had one of these before, I wasn't sure how it would affect me. Just call me brave!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Once I was settled in position on the operating table (how narrow are they!) my head was wrapped up and some sort of sticky stuff was put over my eye and a window peeled off. Anaesthetic drops were put in my eye and, once they had taken effect, an injection was inserted to numb the area around the eye. The surgeon then got to work taking off the growth and taking a graft from another part of my eye to cover the wound. I didn't bother to count how many minute stitches he made(after more drops were put in - I could feel the needle!) but it was quite a few. Dissolving ones, thank goodness. That was it! Not too bad after all and only took about 45 minutes. After half an hour or so (I was allowed something to eat then - yay! as I had not been allowed breakfast or even my cup of hot chocolate!) I was able to go home and recuperate.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">All the material I had been given said that there was normally a fair bit of pain for which the doctor would prescribe painkillers. I took the paracetemol and ibuprofen as prescribed but, apart from a little prickling from the stitches and a sensitivity to light on the first day afterwards, I was fine. I saw the opthalmologist the day after the op and he, again, warned that I could expect to experience quite a bit of pain for some time as the eye healed. What can I say. I'm not normal! I did have a bit of a black eye for a while and the eye is a little red but otherwise I'm fine. I could even read without discomfort.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">What DID hurt, though, was putting my back out the following day bending down to pick up something I had dropped on the floor! I think my back muscles had tensed up a lot on the operating table and bending down did them in. It has taken ages to come nearly right but it still hasn't settled down completely. I may need to seek treatment of some sort for my back as it often plays up if I do a lot of bending. I guess losing a bit of weight would help, too.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Coinciding with my eye operation came a radical change in the weather. I went in to the hospital that morning with the sun shining and the temperature, at 7.30 in the morning warm enough for me to be wearing a t-shirt. When I came out, just after lunchtime, a southerly had come through and the temperature had plummeted. Over three weeks later and it still hasn't been warm enough to do that outside since. Rain and cloudy skies have been the norm with the sun only making its appearance yesterday and today. It seems as if we have moved from a very warm Summer into Autumn overight, and February is supposed to be our hottest month. I feel cheated.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The plus side of the cooler weather is that I have once more got back into knitting. Well, after all the spinning I have been doing over the last few months, don't you agree that I needed to? Trouble is that I'm not working on using up the yarn I've been spinning. I am using yarn from my stash, though, so it isn't all bad!</span><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3538/3309677655_7dcd76e130.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3538/3309677655_7dcd76e130.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I don't know if you recognise this but it is the beginning of Alina Khasanova's Braided Pullover from IK's Fall 08. The yarn I'm using is a merino/alpaca blend from the Milton millshop (Quality Yarns). A soft heathery brown (not grey - the camera lies) it is wonderfully soft and warm. But I have a problem. The pattern calls for a gauge of 20 sts to 4 ins, my gauge is 19 sts to 4 ins. So, not wanting to swim in my jersey, I went down a size. However, I have had a feeling something was wrong for a while. This morning I finally felt I had knit enough to carry out a measurement check. I put over half the stitches on another needle, spread my work out and applied the tape measure. What? Six inches too small? Try again. Same thing. I even tried it against a jersey that fits me comfortably. I was not mistaken. Unless I want the jersey to be stretched to its uttermost limits while it is on my body, I will have to start again. </span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I have no idea why this is so. Divide the measurement of the finished jersey by 4, multiple by the stitch gauge and I came to 209. Therefore I cast on 216, the closest number to 209. Before you ask, yes, I have checked and rechecked the number of stitches I cast on. It is correct. I really like this pattern so I will try again and see what happens. Sigh.</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">On a brighter note...did you notice the stitch markers in the photo above. No? Look here then -<br /></p></span><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3653/3310502982_01aa814957.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3653/3310502982_01aa814957.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Aren't they cute? I bought them</span> on <a href="http://www.trademe.co.nz/">Trade Me</a> for the princely sum of $1.50 plus $1 postage! I couldn't make them for that (considering I have never made any...yet!). Unfortunately the top ring is a little small for the 4mm needles I'm using so I use the larger ring instead. Still works for me, though.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;">Anyway, I guess I will have to face up to it and restart my jersey. If anyone wonders where I am I'm the one in the frogpond!</span></p>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-30737697414635324542009-02-02T13:26:00.003+13:002009-02-02T14:50:52.675+13:00The rest of the story<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Surprise, surprise! I am back again to try and finish updating you on what I have been up to during the last four months. Yesterday I finished up with the skeins I had spun from some fleece I had dyed in the crockpot. Today I will begin with 2 ply skein I spun from leftovers of some multicoloured roving I spun, and blogged about <a href="http://roseleafibres.blogspot.com/2008/01/time-to-catch-up.html">here</a>, a little over a year ago. The photo of this yarn is below:</span><br /><br /><p><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2139/2183772343_f59ae51537.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2139/2183772343_f59ae51537.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a> </p><p>The leftovers were only of the lighter roving which this time I spun and plied on itself to make: </p><p><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3499/3242341457_dc3ce16b91.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3499/3242341457_dc3ce16b91.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Some people don't like yarns to barberpole but I don't actually mind it. Saying that, though, I have still not yet found a pattern for the main lot of spinning in this fibre. Not that I have looked too hard but it has been in the back of my mind as I trawl through the internet, look at books and magazines etc. One day I will find something which will call out to me.</span><br /><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">For the little skein above, I intend to weave a scarf (yes, I do weave on occasion. You didn't know? Well, now my secret is out!) and include a soft little skein of dark blue wool I bought for this purpose. I think I will weave it in twill and may have narrow stripes of colour and dark blue alternating in the warp and use the dark blue exclusively for the weft. However, I may weave it in a log cabin pattern. I took a weekend course, years ago, in colour in weaving and this was one of the patterns we used. I was quite taken by it then but I'm not sure just how much drape it has. Being a scarf, I would like it to be quite drapey so that it sits around the neck nicely. Does anyone out there know how much drape a log cabin weave will have? Inquiring minds would like to know!</span><br /></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Next on the list of yarns I have been spinning lately is the leftovers of a bag of wool/mohair carded by Rotocard. I purchased this some years ago, spinning and knitting a small Faroese shawl for my late Mum to wear when she was more or less bed-bound. The leftovers now look like this:</span><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3327/3242343071_b4bdb8e7f1.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3327/3242343071_b4bdb8e7f1.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The photo is a little washed out but the skeins are mainly a very dark blue with bright highlights of pink/mauve, purple, turquoise and teal. Squishingly soft, I really love this yarn! I spun this up in a bulky 2ply at approximately 7 wpi. There are four skeins here so maybe there would be enough for a vest, I'm not sure. (Have you noticed, yet, that most of my spinning does not actually have an end purpose? Sometimes as I spin I can visualise what I would like to do with the yarn but I usually wait until it has been spun before I really know.)</p></span><p>Some time ago, as in years and years ago, I was given a whole lot of carded "bumps" (more like roving which has been wound on a giant ball winder - possibly done by Belex carding) of wool when I bought a loom from an elderly Dunedin couple. The loom has long since been sold but still this carded wool lingers in my stash. I told you I had trouble throwing stuff out, didn't I? I used some of this to make a jersey for my Dad about three years ago but that hardly made a dent. Looking at what I had, I found this smaller bump of a grotty beige-looking wool. Should it go out? I pulled a little off and threw it at some water (all this wool has been carded greasy making it difficult to really tell if it will be nice or not). After its bath it felt quite nice and surprisingly soft. It had passed its first test. Next, I spun up a couple of bobbins and plied them together. The spinning went surprisingly smoothly considering just how long ago this wool must have been carded. It was also quite fine and definitely wanted to be spun fine too (unlike most of the other spinning I have been doing in my stash-busting excercise - spin it fast and thick and get it out of the way. Fun!).</p><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><p></span><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3312/3242344643_21210c8aea.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3312/3242344643_21210c8aea.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The photo doesn't really do justice to this skein as it doesn't pick up its little nuances of colour. It is basically an oatmeal shade with some variations, darker and lighter, throughout. Quite pretty. Second test passed! It spun up into approximately a 4 ply at 13 wpi. Quite acceptable. I have since spun up two more bobbins and am halfway through plying those. I may get another two bobbins from what is left. Definitely enough to do Something with.</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I haven't only been spinning during the last four months, nearly but not quite. I did start the jersey for D but haven't done very much of it.</span> </p><p><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3301/3245345929_b7c43f5ede.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3301/3245345929_b7c43f5ede.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I searched and searched for the Perfect Pattern for this jersey as I wanted it to be Special (so it should be Special as it was for a Special Birthday!) as well as wanting to showcase the lovely Gotland I spun for it. Originally I had thought of knitting it in a Fisherman's Rib pattern but then decided that it would look too much like the cheap, work jerseys you can buy in the stores. No, that wouldn't do. Maybe something with cables? I finally landed on <a href="http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/john_sweater/john_sweater.html">John's Sweater</a> by Nora Gaughan. I really love the pattern (plus the guy in the photo (John?) looks a lot like D although his beard is a little shorter (there is a story behind the long beard but not now!)) BUT it is a LOT of work! Cabling on every right-side row. I have to keep looking at the chart, too, as the pattern isn't untuitive for me yet. I have speeded things up a little for me by not using a cable needle but it is still slow. Our recent really hot weather (high 30's every day for a couple of weeks) really knocked knitting on the head but I still can't get back into the "groove" even though the temps have dropped somewhat. Should I carry on with this pattern? Or should I keep looking for a quicker knit? I don't know. I'll let you know when I know.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">So, there you have it. The story of my crafting life, some of it anyway, over the last four months. I have really been enjoying the last couple of summer months. Maybe not the hot weather, so much, but certainly the lack of demand from responsiblities that other times of year have. So I have had time to actually work on MY projects for once. It has really been nice. Long may it last!</span></p>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-59422177220818667432009-02-01T15:50:00.004+13:002009-02-01T18:06:37.750+13:00Did you miss me?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Wow! I can't believe that this morning I turned over the page in my calendar to February. It has been four, long months since my last posting! What can I say? So I won't say anything apart from...I have been busy. I do spun up lots of skeins of yarn for you to see - nothing terribly pretty but I am in a spinitupandgetitoutofthestash mode. Mind you, once the fibre has been spun into yarn it may no longer be technically in the "fibre stash" but I guess it has moved over to the "yarn stash". Never mind, I'll think about that another day. Maybe at Tara. Moving on...</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Sometime or other I promised someone (ok, <a href="http://knitknitfrog.blogspot.com/">Stella</a>!) photos of my "award-winning" Serendipity (MS4) Stole. Yes, to catch up on my blog, I actually did finish knitting the MS4 stole, entered in our local A & P Show and won first place as well as the "best article" in the handcraft section! I suppose it is unnecessary to say that I was stoked. Yes, it is a small show but it was my first entry in the knitting section!</span><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3386/3242333375_521e6f3a2c.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3386/3242333375_521e6f3a2c.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here is the shawl blocking on towels in a spare bedroom</span><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3343/3242329947_e7dd07f587.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3343/3242329947_e7dd07f587.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This shawl represented a number of first for me - my first Mystery Stole knitalong, my first lace knitting (with laceweight yarn), my first bead knitting, my first time blocking, my first time kitchenering a large number fo stitches, my first entry (and win) in the knitting section, my first lace stole/shawl. I quite enjoyed the process as well as the outcome. I know that it isn't perfect, especially the grafting, but overall I am pleased with it. Will I wear it? I hope so. I knitted it with the intention to wear it to our son's wedding in June but that will depend largely on what I choose to wear on the day. So, in good motherly style, we'll see!</span><br /></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">What else has been taking my time lately? In a word, spinning. I decided that I was tired of having so many fibres taking up space in my craft room. Being of good Scot's descent, I could not bring myself to simply throw perfectly good fibres away so I have been spinning up a storm.</span> </p><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3425/3243178562_02304679a7.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3425/3243178562_02304679a7.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The above is about 900gm of camouflage-coloured wool my husband brought home for me from a local auction. It isn't very pretty, but I guess would be a practical colour for every-day wear for a boy. I spun it up really quickly. Such a relief after the months I spent spinning the merino/soy blend (that's to come). It has spun up into a soft, bulky yarn which I may knit into a couple of little boys' jerseys to sell at the local market. Or maybe into a jersey for my husband. Who knows!</span> <p></p><p><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3488/3243168576_17b95e2aa3.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3488/3243168576_17b95e2aa3.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This lousy photo is of the 100g skein of laceweight (28 wpi) merino/soy blend I bought from Rotocard a few years back. I have no idea how many metres it is but it must be a fair few. It took hours to ply and then to wind off! I am quite pleased with the results and I may make a shawl from it. I haven't totally decided yet</span>. <p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This large skein is, in reality, two skeins of yarn I spun from some fleece I dyed as an experiment in the crock pot. It came out quite dark and so sat around for some time before I decided to do something about it<a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3129/3242324795_4e1e413bb7.jpg?v=0"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3129/3242324795_4e1e413bb7.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></p></span><div><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3534/3242326579_5a69c5e29a.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3534/3242326579_5a69c5e29a.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3490/3242328297_e679dd47fb.jpg?v=0"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3490/3242328297_e679dd47fb.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Above you can see the progress from dyed fleece (most of it was a lot darker than what is shown here), carded batts (I tried not to mix the colours too much so that the lighter, brighter colours would pop out of the darker background), and small sample skein. I liked what I saw in the sample so carried on to finish the rest the same. What will I do with it? Probably a hat but the pattern is, as yet, undecided. The finished yarn is soft and bulky at 8 wpi. Length unknown.</span></div><div> </div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Time has flown and I need to give attention to other things right now. I will be back to finish the saga of what I have been spinning over the last few months (yes, there's more!!) another time.</span></div>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-35022718371018182862008-09-24T14:39:00.005+12:002008-09-24T15:36:49.831+12:00In which I have been thinking!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I've been thinking - never a good sign, my DH would say! Anyway...you may, or may not, know that New Zealand has 3 official languages - English, Maori and sign language (I think there's a "proper" name for this but it escapes me at the moment). Of course, I am fluent in English but I only know a few words in Maori (and probably murder the pronunciation!) and even less in sign language. Here in the South Island there doesn't seem much need to know much more Maori than this.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">What I was thinking about was last year our daughter was on a European tour and visited the New Zealand memorial at Anzac Cove in Gallipoli. There were four New Zealanders on the tour, including her. As is normal in these tours, they stood at the memorial and sang the National Anthem (God Defend New Zealand). The three guys were from the North Island and only knew the Maori lyrics while our daughter only knew (more or less) the English version. I thought that this was a little sad on both sides.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1015/704147262_191bf7e7d4_m.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1015/704147262_191bf7e7d4_m.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />(image courtesy of my daughter!)<br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I like to think of myself as being a fairly patriotic Kiwi. I was brought up with Anzac Day parades where our whole school would assemble in the school grounds and march down to the memorial about 200m down the road from the schoo. Each class would place a wreath on the memorial and listen to the trumpet playing the Last Post. We would also sing the National Anthem. Our National Anthem was also sung at assembly each week. I'm not certain this was normal, even in my generation, as I know that a lot of my peers would have no idea of the words to God Defend New Zealand.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">However, my thinking brought me to the conclusion that I need to learn the Maori words to our Anthem so I have challenged myself to learn them. By when? Not sure, but learn them I will!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I have been making some progress lately on my knitting. Of course, not the knitting I should be doing ( my DH's jersey), or the knitting I had started a while ago (my Cul-de-Sac vest) but the lacy, frothy little Mystery (aka MS4) I began at the beginning of the month. Ta da...</span><br /><br /><p><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3203/2868376253_e65e75244f.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3203/2868376253_e65e75244f.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3231/2868376257_5fa86a9664.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3231/2868376257_5fa86a9664.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In reality, the colour is not quite so green and a little lighter. I am really pleased with it even though I think I should have gone down in needle size. I have never before made anything quite so lacy or using such a fine yarn and am rather enjoying it. Progress has been made since these photos were taken and I have almost finshed clue 3 (am at row 120 of 132). The images here show me at about row 30-something. T</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">he spinning of the merino/soy silk is also progressing slowly but I won't bore you with a photo more brown yarn on a bobbin.</span><br /></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Spring is warming up and the equinoxal (is that a word?) winds are here, although not nearly as strong as were forecast. The weather this week has been absolutely beautiful - is it tempting fate to say this? Long may the good weather last, though. The weather has made me think of other things, as well, such as another raised bed in the vegetable garden. DH's has some half-rounds he doesn't know what to do with. Told me they were in the way of where he is planning on putting next year's firewood. To me, half rounds = raised bed. Maybe I can sweet-talk him into making it for me? Time will tell!<br /></span></p>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-76018614707234027092008-09-16T12:13:00.004+12:002008-09-16T12:45:49.999+12:00Awww...shucks!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sometimes when life isn't goign the way you really want it to (I've got a nasty cold at the moment), someone comes along and does something really nice. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">First up, yesterday a friend gave me a little posy of flowers! So sweet, and unexpected. It started out as a joke (I managed to "save" her from an awkward encounter of the felting kind) but she then turned around and presented me with a lovely orchid. Don't you love having friends like that? I sure do and I really appreciate her, too.</span><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Then, today I clicked on <a href="http://kniftyred.blogspot.com/">Knifty Red's blog</a> and found that she had awarded me this lovely blue ribbon! After a night with not a lot of sleep and the start of a day where you don't want to do too much in case your head does actually explode instead of only threatening it, this was such a nice surprise. Thanks, Kris!</span><br /><br /><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJodiaFB31kUYl70SqRdeh9_4Cpl-DglfQRpLvFde1VCdT72jdznS2e1NFZ3rTzvu2UZZ8Hctmcbn2NKFi9z6cfoKh6GQRHl5pBT6mpqIuoqz0pgPUh6o2afofiyG1CmrQ8wfa/s1600-h/award.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246406130551178130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJodiaFB31kUYl70SqRdeh9_4Cpl-DglfQRpLvFde1VCdT72jdznS2e1NFZ3rTzvu2UZZ8Hctmcbn2NKFi9z6cfoKh6GQRHl5pBT6mpqIuoqz0pgPUh6o2afofiyG1CmrQ8wfa/s320/award.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As usual, this award comes with a few simple rules:</span></p><ol><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Post the award on your blog.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ad a link to the person who gave you the award.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Nominate at least 4 others.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Leave a comment on their blog so they can pass it on.</span></li></ol><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">So, without further ado I would like to nominate the following blogs for this award:</span></p><ol><li><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><a href="http://www.yorkiedog.blogspot.com/">Bossy Little Dog</a> - I may seem like a lurker on this blog but I really can relate to some of what she is going through</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><a href="http://www.knitknitfrog.blogspot.com/">Knit, knit, frog</a> - a fellow New Zealander but one who really thinks about her knitting (and spinning) and keeps striving to improve her work - even though I think her work is pretty darn near perfect as it is!</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><a href="http://www.kaylen-marie.blogspot.com/">Kaylen's Blog</a> - how cute can a little girl be! It is such a pleasure, and a privilege, to be able to watch this little one as she makes her way through life's journeys.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><a href="http://spinningfishwife.blogspot.com/">Spinning Fishwife</a> - this time a blog from Scotland! Spinning, knitting and general family life - always something interesting going on.</span></li></ol><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">There you have it - so many others are deserving of this reward, too. I'm not sure how others feel when they read the blogs of people they have never met, nor are ever likely to. I know that I often feel a little as if I am eavesdropping on their lives but, I guess, that is blogdom for you.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Knitting and, occasionally, spinning is making some progress. Slow, but progress nevertheless. I will show you one day.</span></p>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-89371398626521849602008-09-03T12:30:00.005+12:002008-09-03T13:01:30.346+12:00"...Show me a garden that's bursting into life."<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">No prizes for guessing where that quote comes from but maybe someone knows? Yes, Spring is officially here although I maintain it was here two or three weeks ago. I have seen daffodils, hebe, camellias, primulas and muscari flowering in my extremely unkempt garden (I would love to be a real gardener but can't seem to "get into it"!) as well as blossom on other people's trees. The weeds are growing, too, so the garden really is bursting into life now.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><br /><p><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3264/2822503513_756bfa8daf.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3264/2822503513_756bfa8daf.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a></p><p> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Instead of getting the garden tamed, my spinning wheel has been busy recently and I think that I have finally spun and 3-plied enough of the Gotland to knit a jersey for my DearlyBeloved for his birthday in late November. If you can see the figure on the scale in the photo you will see that the yarn weighs 1.240kg - enough, surely?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">On the knitting front, the Cul-de-Sac vest is slowly making progress and I am ready to decrease at the armhole (armscye?). I've been lazy, recently (when am I not?), and haven't been working on it every day/night but just when I feel like it, hence my lack of real progress. I have lengthened the side from the pattern as I don't particularly like my garments to be too short but I still think I will be happier wearing it over a longer shirt. Time will tell.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK9tiKwYhb8yvoe6PxHWFf695k_M3vVjhJOJMhTmkudlB-w7N3BHqY4xpRfou5DsRXwQkFTxYKU9RkU6rxBZHpdhPW9ZfBWv047HOtL57XnmMzpMgSBzB8NTUtDscVyfSLHTia/s1600-h/DSCN1042.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241592529872279858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK9tiKwYhb8yvoe6PxHWFf695k_M3vVjhJOJMhTmkudlB-w7N3BHqY4xpRfou5DsRXwQkFTxYKU9RkU6rxBZHpdhPW9ZfBWv047HOtL57XnmMzpMgSBzB8NTUtDscVyfSLHTia/s320/DSCN1042.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Now that I have finished the spinning for the Gotland jersey I am carrying on with the merino/soy silk blend I was spinning ages ago. I am spinning it fairly fine so it, too, seems interminable. I have 100gm of this and have spun up about 47gm (I weighed it to make sure it was divided evenly into two - there is much more on the bobbin than the photo shows). </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">While spinning yesterday I had a thought about what I could do with it (are you like that, spin something with nothing particular in mind?). I'm not sure, yet, but I have been reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Folk-Knitting-Estonia-Symbolism-Tradition/dp/1883010438/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220402479&sr=1-8">Nancy Bush's Folk Knitting in Estonia</a> (one of my "hurt book" purchases from Interweave recently) and have been inspired by some of her patterns. Maybe this will be a little fine, though. Only time, and finishing the yarn, will tell. I must say, though, that I really have enjoyed reading this book. Some of the cast ons are quite attractive and I really like the braiding. Such a pity that our weather doesn't really require the wearing of mittens very often.</span><br /></p>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-64522685520143032822008-08-29T13:48:00.002+12:002008-08-29T14:08:08.071+12:00Who loves a Mystery?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">No, not books, knitting! Here's a little hint of a Mystery I knitted recently...</span><br /><p><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3012/2807489692_d9d57cf120_m.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3012/2807489692_d9d57cf120_m.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Pretty, no, although the knitting isn't my best. This is knit in Zephyr laceweight with some locally bought beads I was trying out. They don't show up too well on here but the bottom line are the turquoise beads which I think I will include in the article I will make. They add a lovely sparkle! I used 3.5mm Knitpicks Options to knit this piece but found the nickel coating rather slippery for this fine yarn. An email to </span><a href="http://shop.vintagepurls.co.nz/index.php"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Morag</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> (with an exchange of just a few $) should solve this problem as my Harmony tips arrived by courier a few days ago. I will whip up another sample to try the needles out and I will be all ready to cast on my Mystery on Sept 6, or thereabouts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Cul-de-Sac is coming along, albeit rather slowly. I am up past the point I got to at the last try and I think it will fit much better. Thank goodness as I wasn't prepared to try again. There's only so much nonsense I will take from yarn/patterns!</span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The carding, and spinning, of the eternal Gotland is also coming along. One more bobbin and I will be ready to ply what I hope will be the last skein I will need. I will then put all the completed skein in a nice warm, soapy bath (I am spinning in the grease, after all. Mind you I always wash my skeins after spinning to set the twist.) and put them on the washing line to dry (dependent on the weather, of course, but we have been having some milder, sunny days lately in between the drizzly ones. Spring is here, folks!!). I will then be able to assess better how much yarn I have compared to how I will need for D's jersey. Maybe I will then be able to cast on yet another WIP.</span><br /></p>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-73602560927816932672008-08-20T16:37:00.002+12:002008-08-20T17:46:31.181+12:00What? It's August already?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">No apologies for my long absence - I'm here and that is all that matters. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Some days/weeks/months I just don't feel like talking and this last month has been one of them. I think this whole winter has been like that for me. But today has been a beautifully warm, sunny Spring day so here I am!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">(hmm...that's bad, I had to read my own blog to see where I was up to!) Our new log burner is in and, when the wood is dry and not still a little damp from the rain, works very well. Maybe too well at times! I am pleased with it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><p><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3111/2754936163_1642c992b5.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3111/2754936163_1642c992b5.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Remember the little lacy sleeveless vest I was making for the Fleece Challenge? Once the buttons were on it winged its way up to the North Island to go in the display. Fortunately, it wasn't chosen for the suitcase (a little pair of felted booties made by another club member was, though. A great honourf or both her as well as the club) so it was able to come back to me and was given to T, our youngest grandgirl. It only just fits her, though. Wow, has she been doing some growing lately just like the proverbial weed!</span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Now that the corriedale has been finished I've been able to get back into spinning the neverendingly-grey Gotland for my husband's jersey. His birthday is fast approaching (late November) so, knowing how slow I can be at knitting as well, can I make it? Stay tuned. (No photos, I think you would get as bored as I've been.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">But what is this we see here?</span></p><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3055/2755770492_5306d91624.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In case you don't recognise it, this is the latest addition to my collection of wheels. It's a double-drive Wing. After bringing it home, I took it apart and stripped off the old finish and rubbed in Betty Kelly's finishing oil recipe which I read, some time ago on </span><a href="http://www.knitknitfrog.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Stella's blog</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> but which totally eludes me now (if you find it <em>please</em> let me know the link!). I am quite happy with how the wheel looks (as usual, my photo doesn't really do it justice) as well as how it spins. I really think that it has hardly ever been used as there is absolutely no wear on the flyer at all. In fact, I really had to sand the bobbin shaft back a lot before any of the bobbins would turn freely. There will be some serious spinning with this wheel sometime in my future.</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Knitting? Yes, I have done a little. But only a little. Some time ago I went to the mill at Milton and bought two hanks of a charcoal-coloured lambswool/hemp blend with which to make a sleeveless vest. Well, I started by knitting the required swatch, counted the stitches and searched for a suitable pattern. I chose Elspeth Lavold's Cul-de-Sac as seen <a href="http://www.stitchesmarket.com/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=6455">here</a> and began.</span></p><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3295/2755775112_481ed39dfe.jpg?v=0"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3295/2755775112_481ed39dfe.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is as far as I got before I realised, ah...I know I'm not small but...! Out came the measuring tape and yes, it was more than a few centimetres too wide! Bother. So, I recalculated and have started again. </span><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">When things like that happen what do you do? Do you start over with all the vim and verve you had to begin with? Or do you feel the shine go off the item and start over but this time at a snail's pace? Me, I'm the latter I'm afraid.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">OTHER THINGS are also going on in my life which seem to have sapped any creative energy I once possessed. I won't go into them at the moment. One day, though. Maybe.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">But, for now, that's all folks!</span><br /></p>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36384566.post-16507679479780427632008-07-06T16:06:00.002+12:002008-07-06T16:14:45.607+12:00What Have I Been Up To Lately?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Long time, no see - I know but I haven't been entirely unproductive as you can see!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3107/2640398049_204af0e5e1_m.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3107/2640398049_204af0e5e1_m.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This top was made for the Fleece Challenge for the Creative Fibre Festival 2008. This year the Challenge was using Corriedale fleece. Our local spinning group decided to take part making baby wear as Corriedale is a fairly fine wool. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Washing the fleece was quite a challenge in itself. Even using very hot water I was unable to get it totally clean - it still felt slightly waxy but went through the drum carder ok. Spinning was fun but rather interminable (I wanted to get onto MY spinning!). I spun the yarn fairly fine and navajo plied it. The final yarn was about a 4 ply with some variations.<br /><br />White yarn looked rather drab so I put it in the dyepot. Out came a medium-pale pink, slightly darker than I had in mind but still pretty. Because the yarn had been simmered in the dyepot it had also lost that slightly sticky feel.<br /><br />As I only had 82 grams I felt a sleeveless top would be an ideal item to knit. I had a Margaret Stove pattern (has a singlet pattern I have used in the past as well) which I felt would be suitable. I adjusted the number of stitches as her pattern required 2 or 3 ply yarn. All went well and I finally ended up with this sweet little top! Mind you, it did take a lot longer than I had anticipated.<br /><br />Gotta go now - we're (read that as D - I'm not silly!) taking down some ugly wallboard in our lounge in readiness for the builder coming to help us put in a new log burner to replace our dud pellet fire. It is now time to clean up before getting tea ready. Anyone who has been through small remodeling jobs in their homes will know what sort of mess my lounge is in and what will be needed to make it habitable once more! So 'bye for now!</span><br /></span>KathyRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06232371230455661210noreply@blogger.com3