An Assembly of Sorts

The Knit1Blog1 Exhibition finished this weekend just gone. Thanks so much to Barb and her team for giving us all the opportunity to be part of it. It was great fun and wonderful to see so much great work all in one place.

This of course meant that we were able to collect our pieces. Olivia and i went at lunch time today to collect ours, but only after we had puppy related incident. Let me explain.

Olivia met me outside my work, which is right in the city. Scurrying around the crowd was a cocker spaniel that didn't look much more than a pup - maybe 18 months old. Olivia, being more of a dog lover, than I, wanted to make sure he wasn't lost. He didn't have a tag on his collar and no owner seemed forthcoming.

We made a couple of phone calls and it turned out he had been reported missing to the Government service that looks after such matters and his home was in a nearby suburb. The owner was called but couldn't come and so a neighbour or friend was called and about 40 minutes later, Wally, as his name turned out to be, was collected from us. It was rather nice, the three of us sitting on the path waiting in the sunshine! Olivia had her camera and will hopefully post photos soon!

However, I digress.

Now that I have the body of the jacket again, I have been able to put all three pieces together for a photo.


It's amazing for me to see it all together. You know, that second sleeve took me just over a fortnight from start to finish. How is that possible? The first one took MONTHS!

Anyway, I was showing it to my work buddy Clare today and she expressed concern over the length of the body. Fresh eyes are always helpful. I think she is right. I don't know how I came to the conclusion it was long enough before. If it's too short, I simply won't wear it.

So at least two more repeats must be done before I can graft the sleeves on.

Sigh. The saga continues.

In bus knitting news, I have new socks.


This is the yarn that was given to me by my Secret Fairy God Knitter some months ago as encouragement to keep on with my jacket - I wasn't allowed to cast it on until I'd finished the sleeves. I did try to cast it on when I finished the first sleeve but was unable to find the right pattern. It's Lorna's Laces Shepherd. The magic spell was obviously deeply embedded in the yarn. It did not want to be any of the socks I spent a frustrating weekend casting on and ripping out. Clearly, I really wasn't meant to work on these until my sleeves were done.

Now, post sleeves, a perfect match has been made. These are the Lacy Mock Cable Socks I've made twice before. Hey, if a pattern works, stick with it! Both Tanya and Amy are making these at the moment in equally successful colour choices.

But I'm still on my jacket deadline. No other new knitting will be cast on (except for bus knitting) while the deadline looms. I should make a ticker, shouldn't I?

Bells

Workshops Galore

On the weekend I attended two workshops as part of the Knit1Blog1 exhibition, which is being held here.


I was there to learn how to make a Short Circuit Scarf, a design by our very own Taphophile. It was conducted by Jejune. We all showed up on a foggy Sunday morning at around 10am and set about learning to make these.


Here is Jejune instructing us.

In the green jumper near the front is Barb, curator (is that what we call you, Barb?) of the exhibition. With Jejune is Diana, who bravely came along to learn not just how to do the scarf (lots of short row shaping) but to actually learn to knit!


Here's the start of my scarf and it's resting on a gift I got from Jejune for my birthday recently. She had one of her knitting paintings made into a journal style book which is my new knitting journal. As well as her own shop, you can also get her work from her Cafe Press store. That one would be easier for the international readers.

Here's another shot of the journal, this time with my sock wool and needles for the next workshop. I love Jejune's work and love promoting it. Anyone I'm in a swap with any time soon will get one of her cards in with the swap stuff!


Here are some happy sock knitters. Left to right, Purple Purl, Nette and George.



Under Happy Spider's careful guidance, participants who didn't know how to turn a heel learned to do so, and if you knew how to do that already, you learned some other useful tips to fine tune your skills.

And to promote another friend's work, here's some of Happy Spider's gorgeous hand dyed yarn.


Twas a lovely morning. Thanks Happy Spider and Jejune. You guys rock.

Bells

I'll show you who's boss

Jejune gave me a pep-talk yesterday on the steeked jacket. I was talking about casting on a lace project I've been lusting after and she said maybe I should just sort out the jacket sleeve a little bit to show it who's boss, because I literally haven't touched it in about a fortnight.

I inwardly stomped my feet and said no way, not yet.

Then last night, during Dr Who, I ripped the sleeve back to the elbow, endured the painfully slow process of picking up all those stitches, cursing the fact that the floats at the back make this really difficult sometimes, and then I was on my way.

I am in control. It used to look like this -


Now it's about half that length. It'll grow again.

I have also tidied my dining table (we ate dinner on it like civilised people last night!), my coffee table is clear and the dust on my bedhead really will be gone by the end of the weekend.

Today I am doing two workshops as part of the Knit1Blog1 exhibition. One on socks and one on making a short row scarf. I'm going out and leaving my husband and father in law to do whatever blokey jobs around the house they've got in mind for today.

I shall return with stories and photos.

Now I'm going to have a second cup of tea and wake up.

Bells

The Exhibition

Today at lunchtime, Olivia and I took a stroll down to the gallery to see the Knit1Blog1 exhibition minus the crowds. We were a little bit excited to see there were actually a few people in there who, for all we knew, were not coerced into going by participants!

Jejune's precious lamb, Lulu was very pleased to see us. I think she's been a bit lonely.


Here, for posterity, are some shots I took of the show. I took a tonne of photos but not all of them worked out. So here are the ones that worked best.

First of all, the room itself (that's Olivia).


Next, my bits.

Here is the body of the steeked jacket, entered as a work in progress (because that's partly what blogging is about - showing the journey a project takes). I just love how standing it up makes it look like art! I sent this photo to Julie and that's actually what she said. So I've stolen her words. I worry that it looks a bit mystifying, sitting there looking very un-jacket like. But I figure that's where the art thing comes in.


And here's the label that goes with it. Again, stealing Julie's words, she is a designer. There's a label in a gallery that says so. They spelled her name wrong. It should read Theaker, but that's ok.


Right near the jacket are the monkey socks which Barb and her team cleverly thought to stuff.



Love it! I do love seeing them there, but I can't wait to get them back and wear them! They were only finished for a day or so before I submitted them.

This shawl was made by Happy Spider. Isn't it beautiful?!


These chains were made by Othlon. They're so cool and I believe the pattern is from Knitty.

These gorgeous baby fair isle cardigans were made by non-Canberran, Janette.


These almost-edible cupcakes were made by The Shopping Sherpa, as were the miniature pieces that follow. My hand is included for scale!




The exhibition of course features the felted pots made by Olivia.




It's a really beautiful exhibition, as you can see. I'm so proud of us all. We are a talented bunch of women with vision and creativity just oozing out of us all. I've just captured a few pieces here. I have more photos and will try to put more up later.

Good work everyone!

And finally, a big shout out to my sister, if she's reading. She landed in Frankfurt this afternoon and is waiting for a connecting flight to Berlin as we speak. She'll be there by the time she reads this. She's gone for five weeks and I'm sooky because we speak every day. I'm hoping she comes home with sock wool for me but really, I'll just be happy to see her home.

Bells

I am a lucky girl

I like to think that my birthday celebrations began last weekend when my sister was here and she gave me my first present. That kicked proceedings off nicely.

Despite being somewhat bummed about now being in my mid-30s (well, not technically until tomorrow), I'm not going to let that get in the way of having a damn good time.

So here's a little parade of a few of the things I've been lucky enough to receive so far.

My sister bought me a beautiful jewellery stand. You can't quite see in the photo but her dress is a very pretty pale green.

The wonder of this has revealed itself well and truly since she arrived. I can FIND my earrings in the morning. No more rifling through a bowl for a pair. They hang there now, so easy to find. I think I need more earrings. Sean...? Are you reading???

Next, my mum, who does lovely quilting, gave me a lap rug.


Lots of lovely colours in it that are very me - reds and greens. I am grateful for the warmth of a lap rug in this chilly Canberra winter.

A couple of parcels arrived in the mail this week and I exercised impressive restraint by not opening them. Actually, Sean said I had to wait. For some reason I did as i was told, until tonight. I thought he had agreed to let me open both but after opening one, he said that was it. I had to save the second, which is from Carol (who is on a total beanie kick right now) until my actual birthday. Poohead.

The gift I opened was from none other than RoseRed and it was all so prettily wrapped in red or purple paper (there was more than one package!) that I had to call and be on the phone while I opened it all. Well, who wouldn't call? I mean, really?

Check this out.


It's KOIGU SOCK YARN! IN RED!

I was literally bemoaning the lack of red yarn in my stash, and particularly red sock yarn, just a day or so ago. She must have been giggling at her cleverness, knowing she'd posted some to me that day.

These are so going to be for me. No gift socks will be made from this yarn. No siree!

Please note also that the koigu is nicely packaged in a Gladbag. In case you missed it, RoseRed displayed her supreme organisational skills in a highly amusing and informative tutorial on storing yarn in Gladbags earlier this week. Check it out. I'm sure you'll agree that we are not worthy.



And here's a bundle of other goodies RoseRed was sweet enough to send. Books! Chocolate! Oh wow. Obviously, the Yarn Harlot's book needs no introduction here. You rock RR! The other book is called 'I Like You' by Amy Sedaris. I've not heard of it but as a guide to entertaining that looks hilarious, you can't go wrong. I'm not the most capable hostess, so this is most appreciated. No more faux pas (what's the plural of that?) or disastrously cringe worthy social occasions for moi!

I am indeed a lucky girl. I know such wonderful people!

I believe tomorrow, Sean might well have a set of Knit Picks Options for me. But I can't say for sure. I gave him the place to go get them at a discount. The rest was up to him.

And speaking of Donyale (she who sells knitpicks at a discount) go there if for no other reason than to read the most hilarious story about her little boy and his thoughts on boy and girl parts. When I read it at work today (RoseRed alerted me to it) I giggled all afternoon.

Tomorrow is the opening of the KnitBlog1 Exhibition. Should be a great evening! Can't wait to see everyone's work up and on display. I think we're all just hoping Lulu doesn't hit the champagne too early.

To bed, to bed sleepy head.

Bells