completed garment for yarn along.

Posted on 23/05/2013 by

yarn along

Joining the generous Ginny this week who is kind enough to host yarn along from her website Small Things ,I get to show off my completed Boston Chevron Infinity Cowl by Jocelyn Sass. At last I have mastered the chevron stitch.  Drum roll! I don’t know why but for some reason I just couldn’t get my hook or brain around the chevron stitch. This pattern I purchased from Ravelry was very straightforward and the chevron stitch and I are now firm friends. Perhaps I have worked with wool for too long but when I looked at the photograph of the cowl my immediate thought was” that is exactly what an enormous knitted wooly mammoth’s poo would like!”

baby wooly mammothThe book I am reading is from the wonderful Northcote Library and it  is called Herbs for Australian Gardens. The author is  Penny Woodward.  I love the idea of fresh herbs and who knows, this could be the beginning of something good. Any advice for a novice herb grower who really should stop procrastinating and get back to  consignments and pattern making?

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aussiegurumi cat

Posted on 21/05/2013 by

I'm ready for my close up

I popped into my local yarn shop yarn and co over the weekend to buy a new set of 5.5mm knitting needles. I had somehow lost one and as any knitter knows, there isn’t much you can do with just one knitting needle! I was very proud and pleased to see my Millie the aussiegurumi cat happily sitting on a bench right in the middle of the store. aussiegurumi cat

I made Millie for Chris, one of the proprietors as a sort of “it’s nice to meet you and I am really glad we have a local yarn shop opened”  type of gift. Apparently Karen, the other proprietor,  has cats so when I get a moment I plan to make some minis for her too.

I used a combination of Jo Sharp and Cleckheaton yarns for Millie and while I was shopping I treated myself to a repair hook like the one below.miniRepairHook

So  if you live anywhere near Melbourne, Fitzroy and you haven’t been there yet. Check  out yarn and co.  It isn’t just a craft shop.  They have groups, classes, workshops, great variety and prices and most importantly.  High Tea.    Hmmm. Knitting and High Tea!cat out of bag

I leave you with one more pic of Millie looking a bit daunted about going in her gift bag. (she looked happy at the shop though)

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Melissa Maddonni Haims' "Offering" Brings Fiber Art Back to 3rd Street Gallery

Posted on 19/05/2013 by

Reblogged from artdoesmatter:

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Last Friday evening, fiber and mixed media artist Melissa Maddonni Haims invited me to the opening of her new installation and performance piece at Old City Philadelphia's 3rd Street Gallery. I was so honored to meet Ms. Haims in-person and freely discuss her creative process, which was first introduced on artdoesmatter last April, during Philadelphia's city-wide FiberPhiladelphia biennial.

Offering is a site specific performance and installation piece that was conceived by Haims last summer of 2012, after the tragic passing of her childhood friend of twenty-six years, who was killed instantly by a drunk driver at only age thirty-nine.

Read more… 485 more words

I am mad about this site. "art does matter". To me it is the quintessential example of how wonderful the internet can be. Here in Australia I get to see examples of fine art put together by Patricia Sullivan (a talented and gifted artist herself) that I would otherwise never have the opportunity to see. Of course it isn't as good as seeing it for real but it is still wonderful. No stranger to grief myself, I was deeply moved by this exhibition of Melissa Maddonni Haims and I know you will be moved too.
Posted in reblogged | 6 Comments

something new for Yarn Along.

Posted on 16/05/2013 by

yarn alongJoining Ginny this week for Yarn Along, I decided to take a short break from my aussiegurumis and microgurumi making and try a  crochet stitch I haven’t tried yet. Boston Chevron Infinity Cowl pic

It is the Chevron Stitch.  I got this lovely pattern from Ravelry. It is called The Boston Chevron infinity Cowl and the pattern is designed and sold by Jocelyn Sass. I look forward to giving my fingers a break from my teeny tiny work and having a go at a project that calls for a 9mm crochet hook.

Meanwhile I am also re reading a wonderful book by a home grown Aussie woman Rosalie Ham called “The Dressmaker” If you haven’t read this book yet, I definitely recommend it.

Crafty people. Is there a particular technique you have thought you would like to try but somehow never got around to?

Join us next week  on Yarn Along to show us what you have been knitting or crocheting and reading!

Posted in Yarn Along | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

Pause and Save your Work.

Posted on 11/05/2013 by

froggingNo Crafter likes to frog.   I have just recently learnt an anti frogging technique from a student no less!  This amazing young women went from novice to expert in about 3 months.   She knitted a complete adult cardigan with a tealeaf pattern which she completed, blocked and sewed.  I am very proud of her. That isn’t all though as she also taught me the technique of the lifeline. life lineIf you look carefully you will see a red cotton thread through a row.  It reminds me of a video game technique.  Every time you get past a difficult stage, instead of “save game” you “insert lifeline”. I found with very soft yarn like the one above it is better to use a silk thread like in the photo otherwise if you use yarn it can stretch the stitches. I learnt that the hard way and had to double frog. Oh the frustration!  An experienced knitter or Crafter can have the same effect by using a stitch marker as in the one here. snowman

It reminds me that we are always learning if we are open.

Have you learnt anything that has helped you along the way lately?

Posted in creating, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 18 Comments