Monthly Archives: January 2016

Another Finished Item

Finished Hat

Finished Hat

I finished the hat while we were on holiday in Albany …

Middleton  Beach

Middleton Beach

 

We even made it to the top of here

Bluff Knoll

Bluff Knoll

Sign at the Summit

Sign at the Summit

It came together well and Miss A loves it (I don’t think she has taken it off!).

I really like the construction method – the way the decreases happen between the cables and that even the cables get smaller near the crown.

The yarn drove me a bit batty – the ball kept collapsing… Miss P has put in an order, but I have a few other things on the go – this and this

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A New Knitting Project

Current work in progress

Current work in progress

As Miss A won’t wear socks, I needed to knit her something different – she chose a hat. Together we searched Ravelry and found this hat (Azurite). She picked the yarn –Filatura Di Crosa Baby Zarina Print.

I haven’t knitted a hat before, but so far so good.

The instructions call for a LT (Left Twist) which involves dropping a stitch (carefully), moving the stitch behind it to the right needle, picking the stitch up again and the moving the stitch back – really just changing the stitch order of the first two stitches on the left needle. I was not prepared to drop a stitch – no matter how carefully – so I have been using a cable needle. A bit wussy I know, but I couldn’t deal with the drama of a laddering dropped stitch.

I’m finding knitting this to be quite compelling – it is a 9 stitch pattern that I can remember quite easily, so I can knit this while watching various British period dramas – like this one or this one.

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Slow Stitch – Mindful and Contemplative Textile Art – Claire Wellesley-Smith

slow_stitch_cover

This book was a christmas present – I was quite keen to read it, so I dropped a few hints.

Slow_02

It is split into four sections; Slow, Materials and Techniques, Cross-Cultural Activity and Contemplative.

First, this is a beautiful book. The images are spectacular and the cover is fluffy! There are a lot of amazing ideas about mindful stitching practice – I particularly like the section on walking and community activities.

I am quite keen to try thread dying and the daily walking practice (where you observe the seasonal changes).

Dying threads - I find this  appealing and something that I could actually do

Dying threads – I find this appealing and something that I could actually do

This is part of her daily walk - how beautiful is it?

This is part of her daily walk – how beautiful is it?

My only concern (as usual) is what to do with the finished pieces? The pieces in the book are beautiful, but do you frame them? Make a quilt out of them?

Although this is a book about slow stitching, it is really about a slow and sustainable life. Getting in touch with nature (through gardening and walking), sustainability (using things you already have) and community involvement. I’m a sucker for anything pretty and I certainly don’t ‘make do’. I have piles of yarn, embroidery threads, fabric and books, but I would like to live a slower and more meditative life.

More reviews …

http://www.textileartist.org/book-review-slow-stitch-2015-by-claire-wellesley-smith/

http://englishgirlathome.com/2015/10/16/slow-stitch-a-book-review/

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Socks are finished

Finished

Finished

I finished the socks – first project completed for 2016. It is the Basic Ribbed Sock from Kate Atherley’s sock book. The yarn is Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Sock in shade Queen.

These socks came together pretty easily – I know one looks longer in the image but I think Miss P just pulled one up more. Next up a hat for Miss A (this one). The swatch is currently being blocked.

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Field Bag

My new (army green) field bag

My new (army green) field bag

My field bag from Fringe Association Supply Co has arrived – in the much coveted army green (Australians call it khaki). It is fabulous – it stays upright when you put it on a table or the floor, it is a nice solid canvas, it has a pocket inside for my note book and spots for needles.

This was a decadent purchase – it was $85 US (including shipping), which means it was $120 AUD. I loved it and can see myself using it all of the time – it is a really stylish knitting bag not like the frumpy, quilted, flowery things you normally find.

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2015 – In Review

My small collection of finished objects!

My small collection of finished objects!

It is a strange feeling to look back and see how little I finished this year. Just one pair of socks, a pin cushion, canvas work sampler, canvas work pendant and one quilt block. I have taken on longer projects – with the my weekly embroidery course plus I have taken on extra (maths) students this year, which does eat into my time.

One of the highlights of my year was the Canvas Work class – for three hours a week I sit down with like-minded souls and stitch. Every week I would think ‘no I don’t have the time for this’, but after ten minutes the calmness seeped in and at the end of the session I was ready to face my hectic life again.

This year it is all about finishing things off :- Miss P’s socks, Miss A’s hat, fingerless mitts, sampler quilt, embroidery and a tapestry cushion kit I bought in Sydney.

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