Magazine of the day

I've just picked up the Winter 2007 issue of knit.1, the funky version of Vogue Knitting. There is always something interesting in this and the news, etc. including the horoscopes are always fun. I even liked the small format that they started out with. I know there's a Knit Simple, but I find that trivial without any of the interest that this does.

Don't you love the sheep? (Pattern 33 - Unfortunately, the pattern isn't printed, go to http://www.kni1mag.com/???)

Back to school

Today is all about the boys. They both go back to school today. Oldest to start his second last year of high school and youngest starts high school. This is a big step for all of us and I hope he has a good first day.

Oh and I lost a bet....he ate his breakfast!

He looks unhappy, but it's mostly because I HAD to take a photo or two!

Spin-in at Yarra Bend

Yesterday I spent the day spinning in the park at Yarra Bend. This is an annual event of the HWSG of Victoria, started as part of Australia's Bi-centenial celebrations, as I understand it, as a 'last gasp'. This is the first time I've attended and hopefully, it won't be the last. What more do you want......Spinning, fibre, friends and coffee. Not necessarily in that order....

Sat down with my Kimberley knitting, feeling pretty happy to discover that I hadn't counted stitches for awhile and that I had a significant number less. Found the mistake and two hours later was back where I started the evening. It is looking good, but it is an effort.

I'm also teaching 'Beginning Spinning' at the guild, starting Wednesday, so I need to get a little organised for that.

Tubular scarves

I've been continuing work on Knitting the Kimberley, and though it's a slow process, I am extremely happy about the result. I've reached the half way mark, I call it the 'trees', made up of twisted stitches and bobbles and am working on the 'sky', which is varying the shell stitch. All these are from my favourite book: Creative Knitting by Mary Walker Phillips. This will continue to crop up through my knitting as I still haven't quite found anything like it.

Anyway, I thought I'd better do something quick, so I've had a play with my knitting machine, which hasn't really been getting much of a workout lately. I decided on tubular knitting and three varying size tubes, one inside each other. I like the result, though it's perhaps not quite long enough. I might have to do one very very long thin tube to get the length. That's daunting, as the shortest tube is 500 rows.

I have been learning though:

1. ALWAYS read the manual, it tells you all sorts of really interesting and useful things.

2. Be patient when fixing mistakes and refer to No 1.

3. I need to sort out my knitting machine, small equipment and manuals. If I knocked one more thing on the floor, I'd have gone mad!

Knitting the Kimberley

It took me two and a half hours to knit one row. It's the bobble row and I'm very pleased with it. Each bobble is three stitches, into which I knit three times (9sts) then do six rows, then decrease back to three. There is only one intervening stitch. What an effort.

The only issue I have at the moment is how I'm going to mount it. I keep thinking of a block of timber, not as frame, but as background. (????) I think I might have to make a trip to a second hand timber yard and see what is available.

This week is very much back to school, yesterday was uniforms, today books, tomorrow stationary. At least I get to wander around Officeworks looking at very cheap stationary. It's always good value at back to school time.

PS sorry about the picture, the knitting is cream.

Seaweed

Just back from a weekend at the beach. Friends, food, wine, good conversation and a much more active bunch of young people. They all went boogie boarding at the surf beach. It's amazing what friends can get you to do.

Had wondered if my seaweed project would have enough inspiration to be worthwhile, and, if I would find 'new' seaweed to add to the collection.

On the last day, I went for a lovely, lonely walk along the beach and I found this most unusual seaweed. I have never seen anything like it. So it just goes to show.

All my projects are just at that awkward beginning stage. Skinny length of fabric, needs adding to. Kimberley knitting is just up to the first tree tops....but looking great. More spinning and dyeing required for the rest.

Sampling the Kimberley

Knitted my first sample for my knitting project - provisionally titled 'Knitting the Kimberley'. I never said I was good at naming things. It's wonderful how the process of sampling sends you in different directions. I'm quite happy with the sample - and I will probably block it - but there are a couple of things it did tell me!

1. Dyeing before knitting is too haphazard and restrictive. I'm not going to be able to predict what is going to happen if I don't control the pattern. So I'll be knitting first and I'll paint the finished piece with these colours. I do like the colours.

2. This is not a long piece it is a wide piece. Therefore I will be casting on 200 sts and knitting for about 20cm - approximately. The only problem with this is how am I going to mount it? Any ideas?

All fleeces have been washed and are drying. Maybe some more dyeing today.

I'm off today to the 9x5 viewing committee to have a look at some new applicants for the stall. Always interesting to see what others are doing.