Warrenbird

3012

2011-10-30T18:25:00.004+11:00

It's been a long break, but it feels like time to come back.

I will get a post up here soon about the wedding, but for now, let's focus on today. After a blustery, drizzly start (including a train that never arrived), I:

Had a lovely brunch here.
Visited this lovely shop space and gallery
Saw Sarah Watt's beautiful exhibition of photo paintings from West Footscray, 3012

Arrived home feeling inspired, if a little windswept.

Wrapped in Love: 5 weeks to go

2010-08-29T22:36:00.002+10:00

Hi there crafters, how is your knitting going?

My apologies, I imagined posting much more often throughout the past few months, but it just hasn't happened. We did have a lovely Sunday session at the Brunswick Green a couple of weeks ago, maybe you were there? I am humbled by the effort everyone is going to, and I can tell you this tree is going to look very spectacular.

The project was originally supposed to tie in with the Go North Arts Festival, but it seems that is no longer going to be possible this year. However, I am still planning to get an article in the local paper and hopefully the knitting can stay up for at least a few days (I am hoping up to a week), so that as many locals as possible get a chance to see it.

I have a growing pile of gorgeous warm flavoured finished pieces - how is yours going? I am hoping to collect everything over the next few weeks.

If you're in Melbourne and work in the city, maybe I can pick it up one lunchtime? Or I can call over and pick it up sometime on the weekend of the 18-19th September? Or, if you need to post it let me know if you need me to email you my address.

I hope it's been fun, and I really look forward to seeing the finished result. Already what is coming through with the pieces I've received is the personality of each piece - each person has their own style and it's so interesting to see what people come up with.

There's 5 weeks now until the wedding! Craig and I had a busy weekend in Swan Hill last weekend, it was our last trip up there until the week of the wedding. Meanwhile I have been sewing napkins, napkins and more napkins...

Wrapped in Love: next session Sun 15th Aug

2010-08-14T09:09:00.001+10:00

An update on the next knitting crochet session: this will now be on this Sunday 15th Aug (NOT Sun 8th Aug as originally planned). Those details again...

Sunday 15th Aug
Brunswick Green, 313 Sydney Rd Brunswick
2 - 4pm

hope you can (still) make it!

My creative space: knitting my thoughts

2010-07-22T22:34:00.003+10:00

A sneak peek at something I'm working on for the wedding. It's been a week of progress, the band is booked, mum's friend and colleague will take some snaps, and I successfully exchanged my dress. It's all coming together...

Running parallel to the knitting is lots of napkin making, and maybe some table runners if I get the chance. I'm eagerly awaiting my parcel from the vintage sheet swap - I'm sure some of the fat quarters I get will have a temporary life as napkins, before they become a quilt.

Lots and lots more creative spaces over at kootoyoo.

Wrapped in love: first arrivals and crochet hearts

2010-07-12T19:55:00.008+10:00

Inside 12 weeks now!

In the past week I've started having that 'it's really happening' feeling. The wedding, of course, but also this project. Our invitations will go out (as soon as I can work out why the yellow printer head isn't working), and I've had a glimpse at what the tree will look like with the arrival of the first parcel. It's very exciting!

Here's a sample:

Now don't panic if you haven't started, there's plenty of time. But if you're starting to think timelines, I'll need all of your gorgeous creations by 17th September - that's 2 weeks before the wedding. Just something to keep in mind.

For some inspiration this week I've started exploring the love theme a bit more. I've thought about knitted hearts, about crocheted hearts, about poetry and quotes about love (and how to knit them). I'm working on something, but it's a bit of a secret...

In the meantime, what do you think of these pics I found?

Image from here

I even found these... there are actually a surprising number of knitted 'anatomical' hearts out there in cyberspace.

Image from here

How's your knitting and crocheting going? Would you like to crochet a heart? I'm thinking lots and lots of hearts would look fantastic on the tree. In red or pink. There's a great tutorial here, but lots of others around too.

We could have a bit of a lesson at the next crafternoon - you should come! At the Brunswick Green again, on ~~Sunday 8th Aug, at 2pm~~ (edit: this session has been postponed until Sun 15th Aug, same time, same place).

swapsies

2010-07-05T23:07:00.006+10:00

I signed up to sooz's usefulness swap, and my swap parcels arrived this week - it's always exciting to get a parcel, but a parcel filled with hand-made goodness is something else.

There's something a bit anxiety-provoking about a swap. There's the will I/won't I get it finished anxiety. But worse is the performance anxiety. Have I put enough work into this? Can you tell it took me hours or does it just look slapped together? What if the stuff I get back is better/has more work put into it than my stuff?).

And yes, (sorry sooz), I submitted late (well, after the friday deadline but before monday's mail, as luckily sooz lives nearby. So technically still late). That's one of my potholders - I didn't even get a chance to take photos of anything else.

But it all worked out and I got some gorgeous stuff back, including a gorgeous bookmark from Nikki, a sweet gift pouch from Kym (great idea!), a empty wheatbag from Ellen (ditto great idea), an appliqued bag from Mands and a lovely soft cotton washcloth from Dee. I hope my contributions cut the mustard...

Wrapped in Love: knitalong wrap-up

2010-07-05T12:22:00.008+10:00

Just under 13 weeks to go...

My apologies it's taken so long to get this post up. Thanks to everyone who came along on the 20th, it was a fun afternoon at the Brunswick Green. Surprisingly (or not), knitting at the pub in the inner north of Melbourne is certainly not edgy (but who's trying to be edgy?!). Who knew barmen in Brunswick can knit socks? Without a pattern.

"I just follow the instructions my mum writes me".

Aside from knitting barmen we had granny squaring, crochet flowering, french knitting (or knitting nancy - it's amazing the look of recognition you get when you bring start explaining knitting nancy to anyone older than about 50), lots of garter stitch and some very determined unravelling of an op-shop jumper...

We might even have another session - on Sunday 8 August. I'll book the corner spot this time!

WrappedInLove: Let's knit & crochet this SUNDAY!

2010-06-17T22:10:00.001+10:00

15 weeks to go...

Will you be in Melbourne this Sunday (20th June)?
It would be lovely to see you at the Brunswick Green for some knitting & crocheting, ESPECIALLY if you don't know how, or you're a bit rusty. Don't be scared, there'll be lots of friendly faces there ready to help!

So come along, from 2-4pm, Brunswick Green, 313 Sydney Rd.
Tram 19, get off at Dawson St (Glenlyon Rd) and walk north, just a little bit.

What to bring:

your enthusiasm (of course!)
some knitting needles (size 7 or 8 or 9mm) or a crochet hook (5 or 6mm)*
some yarn if you have some, but don't worry if you don't - I'll bring lots
some spare change to buy a beer or a coffee (or whatever you drink, just so we're not completely freeloading)

I really hope you can make it. I'll see you there!

*just a guide, not a rule! Any size is fine.

My creative space: Yellow!

2010-06-17T18:01:00.000+10:00

It's all about the yellow lately...
This yellow piece is for the WrappedInLove guerilla knitting project. It's my first finished piece, made from some cotton I picked up for $1 a ball at the Yarn Barn.

At a measly $2, even more of a bargain was this six cup and saucer set from the Salvo's.
Made in japan, how lucky am I?!

they're not exactly yellow, but something that has been keeping me busy is these coasters for sooz's usefulness swap. Coasters are useful, aren't they? I'm well behind and they're due next week- eek! Beginning to wonder why I signed up for a swap at the same time as I'm trying to cover a tree with knitting... :-)

next, one of the best things about living in Melbourne's north - cheese pies from the local Lebanese bakery.

and finally, I must show you my awesome new fingerless gloves, a birthday present from she who has the most fabulous taste I know, the gorgeous Bec. Any guesses what colour?

wishing you a week of yellow goodness.
more creative spaces, as always, at Kirsty's

Nycole x

My creative space

2010-06-10T20:43:00.003+10:00

Finished bunting...

Finished scarf... (only a year late!)

And the beginnings of something for sooz's swap... and four hours on a v/line train tomorrow night to make some progress on the rest. Bring on the long weekend!

Wrapped in Love: I Knit Brisbane

2010-06-07T13:20:00.008+10:00

Hi knitters & crocheters!
Less than 17 weeks to go...

Some inspiration this week from Brisbane, where the 'I Knit Brisbane' project has ushered in the first days of winter (do they actually have winter in Brisbane?) by covering the city's landmarks in yarn. How amazing are these Brissie folk?!

Images from here, and here.

btw, you might be interested to know that 'Green Heart', or 'I heart BNE' is Brisbane City Council's environmental program, which has the target of being carbon neutral by 2026. They have all sorts of programs for households, schools and businesses in the Brisbane area. More info available from here.

I think it's really nice to see the link between healthy communities and a healthy environment.

Thanks Arathi & Geeta for sending through the links!

And don't forget the Melbourne crafting session is less than 2 weeks away!
Sunday 20th June, 2-4pm, Brunswick Green
For newbies there will be guaranteed friendly helpers to get you started!

Wrapped in Love Project: Thinking about afterwards

2010-05-21T12:55:00.008+10:00

20 weeks to go...

(I thought it better to count down than up - I think it gives more sense of the 'big day' approaching. Plus, it makes things a bit easier if I miss a week's post!)

You will have noticed that the project is now called Wrapped in Love: a journey through (guerilla) knitting. However, I've since found out there is a very special knitting project run through Arts & Crafts NSW, called 'Wrap with Love', which is all about volunteers knitting squares that are turned into blankets and sent to disadvantaged communities all around the world, including Australia. Since it began in 1992, the Wrap with Love project has sent more than 220,000 blankets to people in over 75 countries. Isn't that incredible?!

(Image source: Wrap with Love Inc.)

Since our project was born, I have been thinking about what happens to the knitting after the installation is taken down. There are a few options:

knitters can nominate to have their pieces returned
as long as they are not damaged, pieces can be turned into blankets, scarves or other items and donated to an organisation such as Wrap with Love
some combination of the above.

If there's a piece you'd really like back, you shouldn't feel any obligation to donate it. But if there is another you would like to donate then fantastic. There will be a bit of work involved in joining all the pieces together - and a workshop afternoon a month or so after the wedding will be a perfect opportunity to come together, have a bit of a celebration and prepare the knitting for it's next life. A mini reunion, if you will.

So if you are wondering "what happens to my knitting afterward?", now you know!

p.s. that reminds me, as you are knitting for the Wrapped in Love project, please affix a label to your pieces with your name - it is an important part of the installation that we fully recognize your hard work!

Wrapped in Love: Week 2

2010-05-16T22:13:00.003+10:00

Hi knitters,
Welcome to week 2!
I hope you are as excited as I am - what stared out as a bit of a crazy idea is actually going to happen. - how about that? Some people have even started knitting! Hooray.

Last week I put the word out for a new project name, and luckily had one enthusiastic response (thanks Rathi!). So, drumroll, our project is now officially called:

Wrapped in love:
a journey through (guerilla) knitting

I like it. It feels warm and cosy and a bit romantic. Like we're creating all these woolly hugs for the tree.

So what kind of woolly hug would you like to create?
Something bright? Or maybe something white?
Something stripy? Or maybe something lacy?
You could knit in garter stitch, or maybe a rib stitch. Or maybe you're more into crochet, and you are a big fan of granny squares? Maybe crochet flowers is more your thing?
Or maybe you'll be picking up the hook or needle for the very first time, or for the first time in a long time. Which is one of the most exciting things about this project for me.

If you've made a start, I'd love to see any pics of your work in progress (WIP), and if you don't mind maybe I could even post them up here as inspiration? Only if you don't mind.

Here is what I've been working on:

a garter stitch piece, and also a bit of crochet:

I quite like the idea of crocheting some text into one of my pieces. I've never done it before.

If you're in Melbourne, let's have a get-together on Sunday, 20th June, 2-4pm at the Brunswick Green. It's still a few weeks away, so I'll send out a reminder and an RSVP request a bit closer to the date, but pencil it in your calendar!

(and if you're around this Sunday 23rd, live in the northern suburbs of Melbs and would like to join a craft group, the Preston Brown Owls are meeting from 2-4pm. This is only the second time we've met, so it's a great time to join in. The Brown Owls blog has more info)

Happy knitting! And if you have any questions / ideas / comments, I'd really love to hear them. Just leave a comment on the post or send me an email.

Nycole xx

ps, if you have no idea what I'm talking about, you can read the original project intro and instructions here (you can also find the link in the sidebar, just over there -----> ;-)
Thanks for visiting!

The miracle of Sister Florence

2010-05-13T22:44:00.008+10:00

Well, she's really just called Florence, but now there's been a miracle Sister Florence seems to fit the bill. Only two more to qualify for sainthood.

Craig was up first on Wednesday morning. That's a pretty ugly keyring, sitting there on the bench, he thought to himself.

Poor Florence. Obama had had enough. This tank's not big enough for the both of us. Out you go. And that, was that. Or so we thought.

She was lying flat on her side when Craig found her, millimetres away from the edge of the bench. Looking like a cheap plastic keyring, evidently. I think he only put her in a bowl of water to show me she was dead (does that even make sense?), but her gills started moving.

Apparently, goldfish can survive for (potentially) hours out of water.* Who knew?

p.s. the tank really was too small for the both of them, as when I put her back in Obama immediately tried to flip her out again. So with a bit of effort, including getting a taxi back from the aquarium, we've upgraded to a new tank, twice the size, with a cover! With more room to move Obama now seems incredibly calm. And they're getting along, if not famously, then at least amicably. Best possible outcome, I reckon.

*probably best not to try this at home...

My creative space: all you need is bunting...

2010-05-13T20:52:00.002+10:00

You will have to forgive me over the next few months, I suspect there will be a disproportionate number of posts here that are wedding-related, as we ramp up the intensity as we get closer to Oct 2. Some will be to do with the guerilla knitting project, but I am hoping there will be lots of other hand made elements to the wedding, too.

Most of these are just ideas floating around in my head at this stage, but one I have started to make some progress on is the bunting. Inspired by other gorgeous weddings profiled on Design Sponge, Once Wed and my very favourite photography blog + website, our labour of love (you really must check it out, the photos are to die for!), of course we just had to have bunting.

Not wanting to use (or buy) too much new fabric, I hit my stash for shades of orange, yellow, pink and red, and got to it...

My triangle template was 6.5 inches wide x 7.5 inches long, which includes the seam allowance. Because I tried to squeeze as many out of the fabric as possible, some ended up a little smaller than others, but hey, it's part of the charm, right?

Once they were all sewn, I trimmed the pointy bit so that they weren't too bulky (photos would be good about here!) and then turned them right side out, using a knitting needle to get the gently ease the point out. After ironing I trimmed the raw edge to be nice and clean. Next comes the binding...

It was my first chance to use my new Singer that my mum and my nan picked up at a yard sale in the country for $50 - which (don't be too jealous!) included the Eames era cabinet, plenty of thread, elastic, needles etc, AND a Singer skirt marker. Any guesses as to what that is? (the answer coming next post, partly as I don't have a photo...)

She's slow and steady, and that wins in the end, right?

Making bunting's a bigger job than I thought. Especially when you are making over 30 metres of it. As you go along, you start getting better at it, working out ways to save time, 'chunking' the work. Cutting, sewing, turning, ironing, trimming, binding (not much pinning in there, I must admit. I'm really bad at pinning!).

Almost there, about half the flags left to bind. Here's a sneak peek of where it will be hanging on the day (if you squint you might be able to imagine it!)

Should look good, don't you think?

For more creative spaces, pop on over to Kirsty's...

My creative space: Welcome to the guerilla knitting wedding tree

2010-05-05T22:17:00.017+10:00

This is a project close to my heart.

As you may know, Craig & I are getting married this October.

Now, once you decide to get married, usually this involves planning a wedding of some description. And it can be very hard to get away from the wedding magazines and the white dress and the fancy cake and flowers. You start out with a clear head and a determination to do it your own way and as much as possible stay away from the wedding industry. But it's virtually impossible, and in moments of weakness (& sometimes clarity) you realise that no, you can't be the bride and cook for 100+ guests. It's just not a good idea.

So you take a deep breath and think about what's important about this day. And you go back to the notes from that brainstorming session you had way back when you convinced Craig we had to think about what we wanted this day to be, and the notes say 'handmade' and 'community' and 'participation'. And 'intergenerational dancing'(!)

Around the same time, I was reading a lot about guerilla knitting and yarn bombing (& even doing a little myself). I think what I love most about it is that, ultimately, it is a gift. It may be making a political statement or it may be just to make people smile, but someone has thought about it and spent their time and effort to make something that other people can enjoy. For no tangible reward. For people they most likely don't even know. I think the pure fact that this happens is enough proof that our economic system, which values competition and maximising personal utility at the expense of others, can never work in the long run. But that's another topic for another day...

So, what do you get when you cross handmade community participation with guerilla knitting?

You get this project, which aims to create a yarn art installation on a tree at our wedding, to celebrate the talent of our family and friends (and anyone out there who wants to participate, you will be welcomed with open arms!) and to create something that one person could not do alone, but that needs community, and is better for it.

Here is the tree. As you can see we have a big job ahead!

It also aims to tie in with the Go North Arts Festival, which is held in the Swan Hill region in late October. So if you would like to join in but you won't be at the wedding, your work will also be exhibited at the festival, which is a great chance to visit Swan Hill.

The 2010 festival theme is 'Journey'.

I will be following the project here, at least weekly, so send me your photos and your thoughts and I will attempt to record how things are going. I will also feature stories from guerilla knitters around the world, knitting (& crochet) tips, and whatever else evolves along the way. I am excited to see what will unfold.

The task for week 1 is: a new project name! Tentatively, this is the guerilla knitting wedding tree project. But that's a bit long and boring. Any ideas? Knitted Journey? A marriage of yarn? River red gum yarn story? Something else? Send 'em through, I have a prize for the best one.

I have kind of cheated this week and made this my creative space. Maybe if you have landed here via Kirsty's you might like to follow along? I would really like that...

If you've never been here before and you don't know who Kirsty is, then you're missing out. Every week she hosts 'my creative space', and 150+ crafty people play along and show the rest of us what creative things they've been up to. Go check it out!

My creative space: can't...get...ahead

2010-04-29T08:45:00.004+10:00

Woken by the garbage truck and realized we hadn't put our bins out. Again.
A mad dash down the stairs, a quick check to see if they'd gone past our house yet. No. Hurrah!
Quick, back to the courtyard, move those bins, quick, quick. Half asleep.
Bins tangled in hose. Try to move it and it snaps off the tap. Water gushing everywhere.
Quick!
Down the lane, bumpy, noisy ride over the cobblestones. Waking the neighbours. I tense my jaw as if that will make it quieter (why do I always do that?).
On the kerb. Success!
Should be happy but instead I'm just crabby I missed that extra hour in bed!
Stayed up too late watching 27 Dresses on TV. And making this little save the date postcard for our wedding (we visited the venue on the weekend and I took this pic)...
...and hence I wasn't doing all the jobs I should be doing. Like trying to work out where all my socks have disappeared to! They must be somewhere.

Rode to work in odd socks (which if I am completely honest I have probably been doing for the past 6 months). But this was the first day I'd ridden in odd gloves as well. I think that might be a bad sign.

Hanging out for a weekend at home to get on top of it all. Hopefully by the time I get to Brown Owls on Sunday I'll be a domestic goddess. But somehow I doubt it.

To see some true crafters, head on over to Kirsty's.

Happy birthday SF

2010-04-11T21:26:00.005+10:00

Again, I'm a bit behind - admittedly the gift was late, but not as late as others (and that's not even mentioning those still in progress - eek!). But I had to wait until it was safely received before I could show you:

It's made from lovely fine Empire 4 ply merino from Morris & Sons, who have been in their Melbourne store now for about a year. Great friendly staff work there and they are always interested in whatever project you have on the go. I have managed to go in there without spending money, but not often.

Anyhow, my gorgeous and talented writer friend is the recipient of this cushion. She has a burgeoning writing career, even being published in the Age newspaper last week! Check out her blog here. Happy birthday Sare!

Guerilla knitting: getting in on the act

2010-03-27T22:05:00.008+11:00

Spotted at a train station in Melbourne's north...

(I also have a bigger project in the pipeline - watch this space)

My creative space: my first quilt

2010-03-25T21:22:00.004+11:00

This creative space is a bit retrospective. And the reason for this is also the reason this blog has been a bit sketchy lately, and why the posts that have appeared have been light-on in the photo department. You see, some less fortunate souls decided our house was an easy target, and late one January afternoon decided to help themselves to our tv, laptop, ipod, camera and worst of all my touring bike, which is like a dear friend.

When someone steals your electrical stuff it's irritating, but when they steal your bike it's different. It's personal. Which means that I am now constantly on the look-out, making a quick assessment of every bike that goes past to see if it's mine (what I will actually do if I see it, I haven't quite thought through. Let's cross that bridge when we come to it...).

The point of all this is that I have a new camera (a Canon G11, to replace the brand new Canon G11 that disappeared). And so I can finally show you my new(ish) quilt. Ready?

I really love this quilt. Some of the fabric is opped, some I picked up new but heavily discounted, and a couple of pieces were worth paying full price for.

You may notice I started hand stitching the quilting (in a sashiko pattern). Knowing this was a big task when I took it on, I persisted - for a while... then (yawn), I grew a little bored. The quilt was relegated to a guilt inducing pile on top of my bedroom drawers. It taunted me, "you never finish anything", "come on, stop starting new projects and just finish me already". So I did.

The hand quilting went out the window, and within a few hours I'd stitched in the ditches and attached the (cheaters) store-bought binding. But it was finished. Well... sort of. Really I should unpick the handstitching, but it seems a bit of a waste. And it's a nice reminder that aspiration is great, but sometimes you get more satisfaction when you respect your limitations...

For loads more creativity, launch off from Kirsty's.

do shopping centres scare you?

2010-03-14T18:59:00.005+11:00

Today I watched a program about anxiety, phobias and physical responses. There was a woman who had agoraphobia, and had barely left her house in years. One of the treatment methods was for a therapist to 'expose' her to situations that triggered her anxiety. There was footage of them in a shopping centre. She was training her brain to adjust to the environment.
Now, not for a minute am I suggesting agoraphobia or other anxiety disorders are not serious. Quite the opposite. I think the more sensitive people in our society, the ones who are more often prone to mental health issues, act as our societal barometer. They detect when things aren't quite right.
My point is, in many ways, this woman was right. A shopping centre should induce panic. The fact that they don't, and we are building more and more of them, is the real cause for concern.

image credit: avlxyz

Do shopping centres scare you?

My Creative Space

2010-03-11T21:50:00.005+11:00

today it is anticipation of creativity... for I just ordered Jinny Beyer's 'Designing Tessellations'. If you are interested in pattern design (and let's face it, that probably means you are a bit of a maths nerd), this is a really excellent book. It has lots of detail about all the possible combinations of repeating patterns, which can each be traced back to a unique building block. Once you know the fundamentals, a whole world of pattern design opens up before you...

If you are interested in this book, I can tell you there's a copy in the Brunswick library in Melbourne, which has spent a fair proportion of the past year at my place. Borrow, renew, renew, overdue, return, borrow, renew... soon I will have my very own copy.

Drawing Out 2010

2010-02-25T13:55:00.004+11:00

RMIT in Melbourne is hosting this conference. I would love to go, but alas - I have other things to spend money on at the moment, like food and rent! Maybe I can sneak in...

getting back into the game...

2010-02-18T08:46:00.002+11:00

no words today... except to say I love this photo... the contradiction of it. life and growth and regeneration versus rust and decay.
it's a gentle ease back into this blogging caper...

look what I found

2010-01-14T21:28:00.004+11:00

just had to show you these - still in the box!
they are in the cupboard at my Nan's - I think they belonged to her mother, my great-grandmother.

flinders street, platform 4, 8pm

2010-01-06T23:31:00.007+11:00

snapped this into the sun this evening. Love the sun bouncing off the metal tracks...

soldier on...

2010-01-04T16:23:00.005+11:00

an ugly accident with a saw on Dec 23rd (last minute hurry making chrissie presents - not recommended!). Seven stitches later and christmas 2009 meant no swimming, awkward showers with a plastic bag and no crafting (but hey, I also escaped doing the washing up, so there are benefits!).
Back into it now, stitches are out (DIY - I'm quite proud of myself!) and back to the crochet - this one will be a cushion cover. It's time to resign myself to the fact that I don't have the patience for afghans.

craft is all around

2010-01-04T15:56:00.007+11:00

At christmas at my Nan's this year, I tried to appreciate all the handmade things that have just always been there. The amazingly intricate cross stitch tablecloth that comes out on special occasions and which my Nan & Pa received for their engagement. The crochet rugs that were made by my great grandmother - that yellow, black and red one has been on that green sofa in the 'good room' (more commonly known as the 'big loungeroom') for as long as I can remember. There are photos of my brother as a baby on that sofa, with that rug draped over it.
My Nan lives in country Victoria, in the house her mother lived in before her. My uncle & aunty run the farm which my grandparents ran before them. This is just normal to me - but when you stop and think about it, it is significant.

Nan's house is big, and old. There are four bedrooms, three living rooms and two bathrooms. There are five doors to outside, but no-one uses the front door. Nan has two fridges and a chest freezer (the 'deep freeze') - they must cost her a fortune in electricity, but where would all the food go at christmas? Until about 5 years ago she still used a wringer washing machine. The garden isn't as green as it used to be, what with the drought and the water restrictions, but Nan carts buckets around to water her pot plants.

At christmas we had about 20 this year. When everyone is home there are 28 of us, but that's a rare event. There's always someone overseas, or having christmas with their partner's family.

One day things will be different, but for now, I can't imagine it any other way.

WIP no longer...

2009-11-09T20:50:00.003+11:00

I have been very quiet around these parts lately. Sometimes life just gets in the way...
But hurrah, those crochet squares from - how many weeks ago now? - have multiplied and sewn themselves into a finished product! And I can now tick one belated birthday present off the list...

I used the excellent crochet cushion construction tutorial from the lovely Lucy at Attic24, and used a thrifted jumper for the backing.

my creative space: colourful crochet...

2009-10-12T13:41:00.005+11:00

after seeing Melanie's post this week I was reminded that I also have a couple of outstanding birthday gifts to get onto. do other people have this affliction? you want to make because it's a way of showing how much you care, but does giving a present 6 months late contradict that?

I have a dear (patient) friend in mind for this one - she is extremely talented, gentle and kind, an excellent violinist and runner, and she had a birthday earlier this year but true to form wanted no-one to pay any attention to it(!)

It's going to be a cushion cover. I am thinking a recycled jumper (sweater), but still need to crochet another 7 squares to make it 4x4.

You can find links to more crafty people over at Kirsty's

sweet jar covers

2009-10-11T22:43:00.011+11:00

for a while now I've been hoarding a single tiny vegemite jar. it is such a perfect size and shape, I have been determined that one day I would crochet a little cover for it and turn it into a dear little vase...

well, the day arrived. it was in the post-grampians-cycle-trip-I-rode-into-the-wind-and-rain-for-three-days-now-I-can-sit-on-my-butt-for-the-next-three-and-crochet-guilt-free phase. and one jar became five, with perhaps some more to come.

I think they turned out rather well. I might even put together a tutorial.

also picked up around the same time were these cottons from the frankston market for my future jar-covering urges... (all this for $1.50!)

plus, some gorgeous hand-carved wood block stamps:

exciting times!

My creative space: on the bike

2009-10-01T10:39:00.006+10:00

(taken on Tuesday near Gariwerd, The Grampians)

Sometimes bike touring is easy. The sun shines, the wind is at your back, your legs feel strong and you can't imagine being happier doing anything else. It is a time for ideas, for possibilities. You literally feel yourself unwind. It is very much a creative space. There are endless hours, just to think. No multi-tasking, except for turning those pedals and letting your mind wander (and trying to avoid those swooping magpies).

And then there are those other times.

When the wind and the rain are in your face, when your legs are telling you you're on a hill but it can't possibly be, it looks so flat. When you're still 30 or 40 (or 60) km from where you need to be and you've had enough, and you curse your pride from stopping you flagging down the next car.

It's a love-hate relationship.

(p.s. if you're in the Grampians area, I can highly recommend the Willaura Bakery)

As always, you can find more creative spaces over at Kirsty's

Cheeky Monkey

2009-09-03T12:56:00.005+10:00

This little man is currently stuffed into an Australia Post tough bag and on his way to California to join the other Craft Hope sock monkeys going to the Little Heroes Preschool burn camp kids. I really didn't mean for him to look like a criminal - it just happened, I swear!

Actually, I stuffed up (as per usual) when trying to put the safety eyes in and made a big hole in the sock. Hence the felt patching and the replacement felt eyes. Then he was just crying out for the grey jumper. Here he is on the job:

I hope someone takes a liking to him!

My creative space

2009-09-03T10:10:00.006+10:00

My creative space this week comes from RMIT Brunswick campus, the arts & design campus of RMIT university...

photos originally uploaded by RMIT university

No, I don't study here (or work here) but courtesy of my casual work at the city campus I can borrow from the library here. And there's nothing like a library full of design books to distract me from actually creating something myself...

Hey - it's called research. And I was MIA for about two hours the other night, in my sweaty bike clothes and with my cycling gloves still on, sitting on the floor sandwiched between the tall metal shelves. Heaven.

You can find more creative spaces over here.

More red things...

2009-08-28T13:31:00.004+10:00

Just playing around...

My creative space

2009-08-27T09:20:00.010+10:00

oooh, this is my first time playing...

this is the beret I started the other weekend, for all intents and purposes finished, but, I just noticed - looking a little short. As per usual, it is important to actually read the pattern and check that you have in fact knitted all the rows. Now, I'm afraid, after all those satisfying k2togs, seeing each row grow shorter and shorter and quicker and quicker to knit, I must pull them all out.

I think it's important to be philosophical about these things...

(in a related story, I went to the Writer's Festival on the weekend and saw Kate Grenville, who is incredibly intelligent and articulate and was a joy to listen to. She also readily admits to being obsessive, which I think, if you write 30 drafts of a novel is a label you must learn to live with. But the way she describes it is, because she knows she will write so many drafts, for the first 15 or so she can let things go off in any direction they please. It sounds quite liberating...

I do not deign to compare myself to Kate Grenville, but I think in life perhaps we can all be a bit perfectionistic, and determined to get things exactly right the first time. When perhaps the best bits appear only after we have given ourselves the permission to make mistakes)

I digress. Here goes:

(sorry - bad pics - I'm at the office...)
Now to pick up all those stitches!

(more creative spaces over here. More red things here)

Thinking about: wedding-y things

2009-08-23T20:38:00.008+10:00

C & I are getting married next April - which apparently, in wedding time, is not very far away. I have visions of making, making, making - but what exactly, and when, is still to reveal itself.

Invitation inspiration has come from Erin Jang, who is a graphic designer from NY and has made some beautiful invitations, like these:

(all photos by Erin Jang)

Aren't they divine? I especially like the bicycles, I think they will need to be incorporated in ours, somehow.

Why I want to live in the country...

2009-08-19T09:53:00.007+10:00

Imagine being able to ride your bike in through here every day (well, maybe not every day, but whenever you feel like it).

I was in the Grampians for the weekend and managed a short training ride on Saturday morning. Even met a local out on the road who told me to watch out for deer. I asked him if they were a pest and he said, officially yes, but the tourists like them so much they don't do too much to manage them. Wonder if that's true?

I also made some time to start a baby hat:

and I almost got it finished before realising I missed 8 rows, and therefore it's looking oddly stunted. Will have to unpick and start again. Ugh!

Homemade

2009-08-11T20:46:00.005+10:00

Last night at Brown Owls we stuffed and sealed and labeled a few hundred pre-orders of the new Homemade recipe book. The book has been put together by some wonderful volunteers (and lots of volunteer helpers) to raise money for victims of the Black Saturday bushfires, with all proceeds going to the Salvation Army. You can buy a copy of the book here.

A rose...

2009-08-10T01:04:00.003+10:00

Spotted at Moreland Station. Made me smile.

Saving...

LenchBusta?

2009-08-09T22:05:00.003+10:00

New graffiti just near my house - I have absolutely no idea what it means! Any ideas?
(oh, and that's my super-fast new road bike in the pic - just getting home after a training ride to Frankston. It's time to get off the couch!)

Molly #2

2009-08-09T20:49:00.005+10:00

This Molly Monkey spent a few months looking like a zombie, but she finally got her eyes this week (why does it always take me so long to finish things?! It's only two tiny pieces of blue felt!). She's sitting on my new favourite chair I got from the second-hand furniture shop for $30.
Pattern is from mmmcrafts.

Maillot Jaune

2009-07-27T20:38:00.002+10:00

The end of another Tour de France. Life goes back to normal for another 49 weeks...

Lovely sunday pancakes

2009-07-26T17:18:00.004+10:00

Roller door up, table out on the street - real maple syrup from Canada and funny stories about a man who puts Christmas lights in his beard (and keeps the battery pack in there too!). A lovely Sunday morning!

A week of special stuff: Wednesday

2009-07-22T23:25:00.005+10:00

oops, I missed Tuesday! Was too busy hanging out at Brown Owls and meeting lovely people like Mel and trying to make some progress on Bec's scarf. I'd love to show you a photo but I don't have one and now it's night-time and the light is no good (this happens to me all the time - it's getting rather frustrating!)

It's been a bit of a challenge working out what the special stuff is - to be honest there's not many things I'm particularly attached to...

There's the techy things that were expensive and are quite nice to have, like the ipod, my cute Yamaha stereo and the new (gulp) LCD tv, which has been getting a work out every night with the Tour de France (and the 6pm highlights, and the 9:30pm replay of the highlights). But I wouldn't say these are 'special'.

Then there's the market and thrifted things that were a bargain and that I'm quite proud of finding, like the paintings that are piling up in the garage for the day I get a house of my own and can put up as many hooks as I want. But I probably wouldn't miss these if they disappeared.

And then there are the things I've created, or restored, or are a work in progress that I've put my sweat into - and I guess when it comes down to it, these are the 'things' that matter the most out of everything.

Even though it's in the garage (no space inside), I'm quite attached to my pine dining table, and even though it's too big and therefore not that practical, I would find it difficult to let go of. I'm not sure why. Maybe because I bought it when I was at uni and living in a share house, and when I left the house I sold it to my housemate. Then a year or so later she was moving and she was getting rid of it, so I bought it back and it's been with me ever since. It kind of feels like it belongs with me. I always wanted a table with the legs painted in a cream enamel paint and a raw top, so about a year ago I did just that:

A week of special stuff: Monday

2009-07-19T23:57:00.008+10:00

Yikes! This is my very first time participating in a meme - Pip's "A week of...". The theme is 'Special Stuff around your house'. Immediately I thought of this...

This knee rug is one of my favourite things. My nan Audrey knitted the squares - they were amongst her things after she died. I'm not sure what she intended to use them for, but my guess is she was using up scraps of wool and perhaps wasn't yet sure herself.

I wanted to create something from them and so I laid them out and there were enough to make this small rug, so I crocheted them together. I'm not really into fancy edgings so the edge on this is a simple crab stitch (I did need a couple of tries though - the first time I didn't put enough stitches in the corners and it curled up too much, so I pulled it out and started again).

I like to see this rug as a connection between us. We were quite similar I think, and I still had so much to learn from her. She was an especially good knitter and an incredible gardener.

When we were younger Audrey lived in Torquay, one block from the beach. People would walk past her house every day with their dogs and many, many people would comment on her beautiful garden.

Here is a picture of us together (me in my deb ball dress, circa 1997!)

Beyond the granny...

2009-07-19T22:41:00.007+10:00

(photos from "200 crochet blocks for blankets, throws and afghans", by Jan Eaton)

Current inspiration... what to do when there are just not enough hours in the day, and so many things to learn? I have a babette blanket in progress (see others on Flickr), but how easy is it to get distracted by other new, exciting projects?

For my babette I have been using Panda Magnum Soft, an 8 ply acrylic that is nice and soft but has a limited colour palette (I am still waiting for a navy blue and a yellow to be released). Also - I am not very organised and at one stage forgot which size hook I was using (it's a 5mm, recorded here now in case I forget again!). But it has been a nice project to pick up every now and then, even if it takes 5 years or more to finish.

Hmmm... that reminds me - I do have a history of not finishing things. When I was 11 my aunty was pregnant and I decided to make a cross-stitch tapestry for the new baby. Conor is now 16 and the cross stitch is about 2/3 of the way there!

Waste not, want not

2009-07-16T16:42:00.009+10:00

I have been inspired by others' stories of yarn recycling and decided it was time to learn how to do it myself. A visit to the local Vinnies yielded a bulky maroon-coloured men's jumper ($7) - I had no idea whether this was the 'right' type of jumper to unravel, how the seams were sewn, or whether it was too old or felted, but I guess my philosophy is - jump in & have a go!

This tutorial by Lee Meredith was extremely helpful. I made a few mistakes trying to rip the seams, by accidently cutting through the main sections of yarn, but oh well - the result was that I ended up with about 8 various size balls of yarn rather than 4 or so larger balls.

After the unraveling I wound the balls around a couple of chairs to make skeins (must remember to take more photos!) and then soaked overnight. At the moment the skeins are outside drying - I think it would be better to have hung them over a rod, but sometimes you have to improvise!

(note the cans of chickpeas...)
I'm still not really sure how the yarn will turn out - the washing didn't seem to remove all of the kinks and it may actually be too felted to knit with (how to tell? - if I managed to unravel it does this mean it's ok?). And I'm actually not too fond of the colour(!), BUT, it has been an interesting process. A bit of work, but not really that hard, and so from now on I will certainly be keeping an eye out for good yarn I can salvage.

TwiceShearedSheep have obviously mastered the technique and have lots of recycled yarn for sale in their etsy shop... maybe one day I'll have my own etsy store(!)

My babies

2009-06-04T15:59:00.004+10:00

They grow up so fast!

Score!

2009-05-19T22:06:00.004+10:00

Look what I picked up at the op shop the other day...

$18 for the three. Cool, huh?

knitting up a storm in a tea(pot)

2009-05-12T22:50:00.008+10:00

For ages I have wanted to knit a tea cosy... I drooled over lots of vintage patterns on the internet and old paper patterns I've found in op shops and garage sales, but couldn't really understand any of them. I find that a lot with vintage patterns - there's always some part of them that is completely beyond me (I guess it's the way Craig feels when he watches me read a regular, easy knitting pattern, "What's all this, k1, p1?!").
(btw, Kristen Rengren has recently released a book called Vintage Baby Knits, where she has updated baby knitting patterns from the 1920's to the 1950's. It looks like a gorgeous book.)

SO - back to the tea cosy - I just chose a simple mistake rib pattern in bright red and went from there...
It was my friend Sarah's birthday and I knew she had a lovely navy blue teapot, which the red would match perfectly! It just needed something extra for the top. Some flowers, perhaps?

But they didn't quite look right - so I stuck with just the blue and the cream...

(Note: you'll see I forgot to leave a hole big enough for the little knobby thing on the teapot lid :-) oh well - you live and learn!)

Molly Monkey

2009-04-29T20:50:00.005+10:00

A windy, rainy day (well, weekend actually) - perfect excuse for staying indoors and making mmmcrafts Molly Monkey. I'm already onto my second - will post her too when she's finished.

Sister's Market

2009-04-20T13:09:00.003+10:00

So many friendly crafty types at the Sister's Market on Saturday. I met the lovely Justine from Mixtape - the fab craft zine which is now in full colour glory. I also picked up some remnants from Belsize Square... I can feel some sewing coming on.

Easter Scarf

2009-04-18T09:57:00.003+10:00

Big fat challenge accomplished - the scarf is finished - a few days before Easter, no less. What's next? I am hoping to get to the Yarn Barn this weekend - it's just near my house but I have never made it there - and I just realised it's open on Saturdays - hooray!

Guerilla crochet

2009-04-09T13:33:00.001+10:00

I received this pic today in a forwarded email - no idea of the original source. It may actually be a commissioned installation rather than guerilla art, but immediately my mind started thinking of all the places around Melbourne that could do with some colour! The whole guerilla movement (knitting, gardening - what else?) seems to have momentum at the moment and it gets me thinking and smiling about society - how wonderful that we are not economic rationalist robots acting only to maximise our own self interest! For more guerilla knitting inspiration see the Flickr Guerilla Knitting pool.

Two little lambs

2009-03-30T14:10:00.003+11:00

I made these cuties over the weekend - my introduction to softie-making. I quite like the way the towelling material looks on the brown one - she looks kinda woolly. The other one is made from a sort of ice-blue fine polarfleece material - very soft - with jungle print limbs. Pattern is from Bit of Whimsy dolls - I think I'll try and design my own next.

Half a scarf

2009-03-30T14:04:00.003+11:00

I have been set a 'big fat' challenge by my housemate Bec to finish this before Easter. I started it in the week between Christmas & New Year (I know, not ideal knitting weather in Australia!) when I was on holidays and supporting my dad & his partner in the Murray Marathon canoe/kayak event - 404 km of paddling the Murray over 5 days. There were many hours of waiting by the riverbank for the boat to come past and be topped up with, well, mostly sugar actually, so it was the perfect time to work on interpreting my first lace pattern.

Pattern is from the purl bee - where I have spent many hours drooling over the past year or so. About 30cm of pattern with stocking stitch around the neck. It has given me inspiration to find other lace patterns I like and turn them into similar scarves.

Succulents!

2009-03-02T12:51:00.002+11:00

Aren't these gorgeous! I never thought of myself as a succulent-kind-of-girl, until now. Now I just want to make a whole garden of these little critters - they are so cute. And hardy. Which helps, considering I even managed to kill one of my hebes on those hot hot days recently.

Brown Owls

2009-03-01T23:05:00.001+11:00

It was my first Brown Owls meeting this week. No crafting yet, but it was so lovely to meet so many other crafters - 80 in the one room! Thanks Pip and the gang, I look forward to many tea & craft filled evenings in 2009.

Sydney Rd Street Party!

2009-03-01T16:41:00.002+11:00

Today I went down to the Sydney Rd street festival. I pretty much live on Sydney Rd, so there's no excuse not to have a look each year...

As you can see, lots of fun stuff happening!
I also booked a ticket to see Shane Howard at the Brunswick Music Festival. I love Shane's songs, especially those from his 'Songs of Love and Resistance' album songs. So beautifully reflective, understated, and Australian.