happenings

So alot has happened since I last posted here. I have moved across town to a new house ('across town' is like, two suburbs away from where I used to live. Miles! I know!) So as a consequence I have taken much of an interest in home decorating, but when your'e flatting your are kind of restricted to what you and your flatmates can pull together, so the results are looking mish-mash-y...

I have completed the dark grey border on The Blanket. So now I only have to knit the brown border and I will be done with the knitting bit. I have also found the ideal solution to the woven backing- pre-made quilted fabric- in calico, which is a great match to the design. I was so excited when I found it- I had been grappling with the idea of quilting the backing, which frankly seemed daunting for a non-quilter like me. So this all means that I should be able to complete this project sometime next year, all going well.

I have baked these, which I brought into my office. Next time I'm trying them with peanut butter icing...mmm...

And these.

And these, which I also brought into my office. I have never seen such a large batch of cookies. Ever. I still have a tin of them to eat through at home.

Baking in action. Yes I am a modern girl and I bake directly from the internet (although I do have to be careful as flour and computers do not mix).

And if you think that my baking is wholly American, think again. I'm keen to try making Matcha Daifuku Mochi with Red Bean Paste, which I come across at sushi shops occasionally and are my new favourite things. I didn't like them at first, due to some weird flavour/texture combo, which put me off them for a while. I only wish that I liked these when I went to Japan- they were everywhere, especially in Kyoto.

I have embroidered a little, but not alot (bad lighting in my new house and my winter knitting addiction has much to account for here). You can see that I am working on embroidering Ballerina Georgie's skin, which is a very delicate process which I am approaching with a high level of caution. I am betting that her face will be one of the last things that I will be working on in this whole piece. The blue blobby bits are where I have marked out motifs to be embroidered. I certainly need to do lots and lots more embroidery as I have a deadline (late December birthday) so frankly, I need to make this, not knitting or baking, my obsession!

I'm taking my nieces to Kraftbomb tomorrow- I'm looking forward to seeing crafty Auckland and my old neighbourhood.

And not to forget! Lucky Penny is on next Tuesday- see you there!

on the border

Well, this is one of those epic projects that never really seems to end. Several years ago, not long after I picked up knitting again, I had the mad idea to knit a blanket... which kind of grew... as I decided that it simply must cover my bed. The last little section that I have worked on has been hovering on my conscience for quite some time (due to a lack of wool, and a high level of procrastination regarding a trip to the wool shop in town).

Adding The Grey Border has become a bit of a big deal for me... and now its finished! Yayyyy! I had even taken to using it in its unfinished state, as I had realised it may be a very, very long time before I could use it. Also it was cold, and its wholesome homespun look was very appealing.

The knitting of this blanket is a bit of a journey, considering that I started it back in 2007- by the time I am finished (maybe next year..?) it will have a bit of a story to tell.

Its quite satisfying to say that I finally can tick that one off my crafty-project-list (blank available here). Oh! But what's this? The Dark Grey Border. Uh-oh. This one isn't over yet...

a scarf for my sister

Another scarf, knitted a while ago, for my sister. Stripes are good! My photos do not do this scarf justice- it is so much more vibrant in real life.

new scarf

A new scarf is always a good thing. Especially when you made it yourself.

it is indeed a blanket

At last my blanket is coming together after an excessive amount of knitting... of course it is 'not quite done' (meaning there is alot more knitting to come..) and I've come to realise that I will need to back it with a woven fabric after I've finished the knitting bit, or else it will stretch into eternity....

But all in all, homespun goodness it is!



On my doorstep not too long ago, this parcel turned up! My Back2School Swap has arrived all the way from over here. Thats right, the States! I really love the flower/cloud buttons (some look a little like clouds) and can't decide whether to use them for myself or for auntie dresses. My puppy-mad niece will adore the dog paper cutter, no less! Thanks!

I got a slight attack of the guilts as my parcel for my swap partner wasn't in the post yet- I had done the very clever thing of turning up to the post office with no address book. Ooops.

And last but not least, a bit missing from my last post- a big thank- you to those who commented on the Etsy dilemma- I'm still thinking about it... but would have to clear my craft backlog before I do anything else!

15/25

15 squares gone, 10 to go! There is a certain level of satisfaction that you get when you stack squares of knitting or crochet into a pile- they are even outgrowing my knitting bag... The fact that it keeps growing makes it even better. I'm hoping to finish the next 10 squares in the next couple of weeks... but its not over after that! Then I will knit little border strips to space out the blanket, and make it more graphic and quilt-y looking. I'm really enjoying the homespun colour palette- there is something so comforting and earthy about it. However, I expect that I may have to adjust my choice in bedlinen (currently Cath Kidston style roses) to work with this blanket. That could be a good thing of course! Then maybe, just maybe I might be ready for embroidery again...

the daydream craft store

Me being me, is at best, quite a dreamer. I've started chewing over a craft shop idea, prompted by my last post. I think I've been inspired by the likes of Purl and other shops, but something beautiful and special for Auckland. It has a good potential for the 'lifestyle career thing'- you know, where your job and your interests tend to blend into one another, an escape route from the fashion scene. I'm not sure if thats a good or a bad thing though- I wonder that if I were running a craft shop if I would get tired of the whole craft thing.

...But I still like the idea of a cozy place, with a couch for itinerant crafters, a rag rug on the floor, a bowl of jellybeans by the counter, and knitting circles where you can gossip while tackling something complicated or as brainless as you choose. And hanks of yarns in lovely, enticing colours just waiting to be knitted up. Old-school tapestries on the walls next to new craft and interesting window displays (I'm thinking paper cranes). Fantastic craft design books and no-nonsense how- tos mixed with a good dose of vintage craft books (the crazier, the better). I like the idea of a little shop thats a more than just a shop, but a shop with a dose of personality and a sense of community.

So.. would you like to visit?

the knitting addiction

Today is one of those cold rainy rainy Sundays where you have very little motivation to go outside your house ( I must have a very low resistance to cabin fever). I am even making up excuses to try and avoid going to the supermarket. This is however very good for my new crafty addiction- knitting. Rain and knitting seem to go together quite well.

I have now finished my luminous sunshine mustard yellow scarf- the picture does not do it justice I'm afraid. I still have to motivate myself to wash it though (very difficult to do when you want to wear it straightaway). It took me a good seven weeks of knitting to complete it, and by the time I had decided to finish it on Friday, I had realised that I was well and truly over knitting that scarf! I was inspired by a print design that I found on Print and Pattern to mix up the colours on the tassels- this stops it from looking too flat.


I am not yet over knitting completely, and have begun a larger project to keep me occupied over the winter months: an oversized throw rug. This is from a very quick and easy pattern that I found in one of my Mum's Australian Women's Weekly's, which had a great 'learn to knit' section. I have managed to complete one square already, and am starting to understand the satisfaction that granny square crochet people must get when they work on a project like that- short and sweet, but progress none the less. I aim to get this rug roughly the size of a single bed rug, even though the pattern is saying to knit 9 squares, which I don't think is big enough to drape over the end of your bed. I am using an earthier, more homespun colour palette, with a mix of browns and soft greys offset with cream. I am limited by the range of wool colours that my local craft shop has, but am happy that they stock such a sumptuously soft felted wool such as the one that I am using. The wool is sold in hanks, so you have the fun job of winding the hank of wool ino a ball before you knit- a soothing process in itself. I like how organic a hand wound ball of wool looks.

While I was visiting the craft shop I spotted a sign advertising beginners quilting classes, I decided to sign up. I have recently wanted to learn how to quilt, and to be able to create a quilted bedspread. I think it starts off on a American Country Craft style quilt, which isn't really my style at all, but I'm sure you can learn alot of skills from a slighlty more complicated piece before moving onto your own style.

Last but not least for this post is my new favourite top- I brought a new woollen jersey knit top (to ward off winter chill and wardrobe angst) which I then decorated with a selection of buttons- it makes me smile everytime I wear it.

spot the knitting.

It is a little concerning, when your knitting and your choice in furniture, start to look the same. My flatmate picked up this neat retro rocking chair on Trademe a week ago, and our little flat is staring to look a bit more homely. I have knitted nearly my height in scarf now- I started it only 4 weeks ago (I am knitting at the rate of one ball per week- if I don't I won't have my scarf by the time it gets seriously cold.) so am aiming for serious progress!

I'm thinking that there are two types of knitter- big needle and little needle knitters. The big needle type are more 'means to an end'. The result is soft and chunky knitting that takes a relatively short period of time. The little needle type (myself included) is more focused on the process of knitting. The knitting that comes from this is at a tighter tension, and has fancy stitches (see yarnstorm for gorgeous examples). When I was at uni doing my art papers, we learnt about process as an artform, or using the processes of creating the art as an element of an artform. Slightly pretentious, yes. But it can make your work more interesting, for example I have been following the development of Julie Knoblock's interactive painting- its not just about the painting, its about the contributions and how they are realised in the artwork. Interesting and fun.

Anyhow I am gearing up for another Anti- Procrastination Craft Weekend. I have one main goal- to finish (now annoyingly unfinished) scalloped neckline top!!!

a new chapter

I haven't disappeared! Things have been quite busy and there has been a bit of chopping and changing in my life- from little things like training myself to get up even earlier in the morning for work (I am by no means a morning person), to an upcoming change of flatmates (and the expense of kitting out the flat all over again).

My crafting hasn't stopped- I am making good progress on my embroidery, and am fussing over the little details- these are, after all, what really makes an embroidery.


I have fixed up the sun, which in it's previous bespectacled state looked kind of lame- I was intent on balancing out the fact that the moon had a face, and so, therefore the sun had to have one too. However the sun ended up looking annoyingly albino like. So I decided to unpick the face and stitch tiny circle over the surface, and add some gold thread detail, which has done the trick, and I am so much more happy with it.


I then added some small creatures- a bumblebee with a staggeringly large pot of honey, and a little spider in a silvery web. I am yet to add a couple of little grey mice climbing up the "Miouw" to the side.


And best of all, I now have a winning suggestion (courtesy of my sister) for the hole in the embroidery- a jumping Jack Russell pup- Miss E's favourite dog. You can't have enough puppies around this little girl!


I am taking a break from my embroidery for a while. It has been eclipsed by my mustard yellow winter scarf that I started last Sunday, which is proving to be an addictive item to knit. (the photo has not done the colour any justice at all- it is far far brighter!!!) I haven't knitted anything since I was little- and even then it was always a half-hearted attempt. I managed to teach myself moss stitch- I really like its nubbly texture, and it works a treat in mustard yellow- there is something vaguely 70's about it (I don't know if thats a good thing or a bad thing...) What I like about knitting (at the expense of sounding really pretentious) is that it is an organic process as you are creating the fabric itself. You skip this step when you sew garments, so it is lovely to see a garment (even a simple scarf) literally grow. I am at that odd stage where I am trying to figure out how many balls of wool I will need for this scarf- so I will be checking my scarf length vs. the amount of wool left. Pedantic, yes.

Last night I started a silversmithing course at the Peter Minturn Jewellery School, and am starting to create a simple silver ring. Next week we are moving on to a more interesting pendant assignment, so I will be planning my design soon- it will be great to be able to wear your own jewellery. I am so far finding the course to be challenging- its as if I am learning to sew all over again... Will keep you posted on this one!