assemblage

wurm!

this is a great pattern!

perfect slouch, 8 ply (or DK), easy, quick, fun, free.

what more could a girl want?

planning a few more in other colours for christmas gifts for 3 of my nieces (hope they aren't reading this!).

thursday

makes 1

utensils:
1 circular needle
1 pair of patient hands

ingredients:
1 thread habu fine merino thread
1 thread habu fine ramie thread
1 short thread habu linen yarn
handfuls of patience

method:
blend threads using many tiny stitches
extrude stitches to express detail
gently simmer and repeat
whisk together with patience
form armholes using reduction method
remove from heat and
apply graft to shoulders
add dash of linen to pleat

to serve:
layer your light, airy and surprisingly warm seamless thursday over your preferred side order.

and while i noted you need patience to knit this piece, i also thank you for your patience with me to write this pattern... a long time coming!

and for a limited time (drawn Sunday, 2 August):

leave your contact name and valid email address for a chance to be in the draw for your own free copy of my new pattern. otherwise available here.

sweet tweet

and now for something completely different:

anais has been enjoying using some of the rather, ahem, seriously old wheat bags lurking about so i suggested we make her a new wheat bag creature and she can select the fabrics: voila! one happy little camper.

of course, once tom saw it, he was extremely eager for one of his own.
not to be outdone;
he designed it,
drew a plan,
selected the fabrics,
added a legend,
and named it.
twitter.
too true.

these little guys have been getting quite a workout since their creation.
sweet.
tweet, tweet.

melbourne black

when i saw this fabric from the uber-talented lara cameron, i eagerly ordered a metre. a particularly melbourne colourway.

it is possibly my most favourite printed fabric. ever.

[yarn]

[buttons]

paper crane knit pattern winner

[thanks to the random generator] comment no. 17 - jessica! a copy of my paper crane knit pattern is heading your way.

and thank you for your lovely comments - i find each and every one so encouraging. thank you.

the pattern can be now purchased via Ravelry. if you are not Ravelry enabled, the pattern is also available for purchase directly using the PayPal button at right (please allow for timezone differences for receipt of pdf email).

to warm

brrr! we have winter, people! a sudden onset of the long awaited cooler weather has indeed arrived.

we visited family this past weekend before they head off for a month in malawi and to see their new home: a fabulous 5 bedroom timber lined house. only catch - the timber creaks and moves and the wind whipping around was most definitely LOUD. however, that wasn't what prevented me sleeping - that would be the little girl who needed to sleep in our bed and decided her head on my back and her feet in dad's face was actually pretty comfortable. thank you very much.

anyway. these alpaca fingerless mittens were eagerly welcomed by my 10 year old niece. i used this pattern and modified heavily to fit her smaller hands and added rounds for greater length down the thumb and fingers: measured and adjusted as i crocheted in front of the open fire.

and while i await the arrival of grey alpaca for my own pair, i am layerering up to keep out the chills. planning to obtain some new handwarming tea blend. perhaps some new lapwarming wheat bags. and a pot of tummywarming korma cauliflower soup. some new bodywarming pyjamas. any other ideas to take the edge off our first winter chill?

a fullstop to the year that was

a mosaic of my completed works for 2008.

i was pleasantly surprised by what i accomplished this past year.

i am pondering what 'holes' there are:
what i need to develop;
what i should try again;
what i should attempt for the first time.

and how was your creative 2008? successes? spectacular failures? always easier to look back on them with some distance and time, i think!

and here is to 2009 - the year of the handbuilt.

to myself

  

yes, knowing i would have difficulty parting with my backtack bag, i made myself another at the same time...

fabric outer sourced from here but also available from here (although i can't see the same colourway at the moment).

fabric lining sourced from here (so wishing i had another metre or two of this but it appears to be discontinued. too sad.)

seatbelt webbing and strap components sourced from here (these guys are finally online - hooray! go to online catalogue - webbing - seatbelt and plastic fittings - slide and loop).

and dark, dark denim from stash. (and i wish i had another 10m of it for pants. and a skirt. or three.)

a new home for you, blue kangaroo two?

 

in celebration of anais' 3rd birthday, we have a blue kangaroo twin seeking a new home:

fully house trained and not too hoppy.

friendly and quiet.

seeks company and good times.

stands 30cm (12") tall.

enjoys travel.

please leave a comment by friday, december 5th for a random draw.

 

backtacked [4]

   

backtack 4 has left the building.

well, it's left my building.

and entered some other building.

on its way to another building.

i will show and tell upon receipt by the recipient. promise.