Monday, June 25, 2012

Knitting Knittng Knitting, and a bit of spinning and Dying.

I am trying really hard to give my RSI a good workout.  Alas, my new bamboo needles seem to be keeping it at bay as I have hardly been slack with the knits.  Time for some photographs.


 Firstly is this lovely large shawl.  It was orginally from the same ball as the small red one below but visited the dye pot again as the reds were far to busy and the pattern got lost.
 

 This one is again, Blue Faced Leicester Superwash, A lovely shawlette that doesn't need blocking when washed.
 Blue Faced Leicester Superwash, my favourite medium, it's a most soft wool and very versatile.  Dyed in reds this is a lovely little accessory for any outfit.
 This poncho has been dib'ed by the model if it doesn't sell at the show, it is made from English 56's Superwash.
 This one looked lovely at the time of the photo but it has changed a little since.  It was made from Merino and didn't like to be wash so now looks a little felted.  It doesn't matter for the use of the scarf except to make it a bit sturdier.
I have also made a hat in this time as a gift to my tattooist who has just found out he is quite ill.  I hope he will be fine at the end of his treatments, we are doing another piece on Friday which will be my last for a while I would guess.

Friday, June 8, 2012

SPINNING, KNITTING, FIBRE, BOOKS.


That's is for my life at the moment.  I am going to the Australian  Sheep and Wool Show again this year with all my goodies.  This time teaming up with another seller of yummy yarn Tam's of Never Ending Obsessions
.  So I am busy busy, importing some fibre and other goodies to sell, making my gorgeous stitch markers and spinning yarn to knit into things to sell also.  Aiming for really cute shawlettes that I can knit fast and sell for a decent price.  It's very hard to get an hourly rate for knitting, especially when you spin and dye the fibre to knit with.  Currently I think my going rate is about 1c an hour and I think it is actually less than third world countries with child labour.



So to do all this lovely knitting (trying furiously to tamp it down with spinning so the RSI doesn't put me on the bench), I listen to A LOT of audio books.  My favourite genre at this time is Paranormal Romance.  Werewolves, vampires, dragons, witches, fae, elves, ghosts and ghoulies...OMG..you would not believe how many takes on these themes there are!!!  Currently listening to Coreene Callahan and her dragonfury series, yet another take on Dragon shifters.  So far I am enjoying it.   Another favourite is Nalini Singh, she's awesome and a fellow kiwi so has my vote purely because we're kiwi's, oh and her books are pretty darn good too... 

It's really hard at this point as I am waiting on the next books of series' and sometimes they don't come out on audio immediately.  Drives me nuts so I tend to spam the authors about it.  So far Devon Monk has ignored me and the many others who are waiting on her next book on audio.  So if you see this Devon, PLEASE tell the publisher to get a freaking wriggle on!!!!
Some books make you laugh and cry and yes, it does happen in the penny romance too!!! Apart from Nalini, two authors have done this for me with every book, please take a bow Jeaniene Frost and her fantabulous Night Huntress series and Molly Harper with all her books!!!  WOW..I am doing a lot of listening, especially since if you go to those sites, I have read every book they have out on audio....hmmm I think that lot combined is over 20 and that is not counting all the Charlaine Harris and Jennifer Estep books that I have read too..


These are just the tip of my audio book arsenal, most of which I have read and re-read.  Thank goodness for audio because if they were hard copies I would have worn them out by now.  I have about 380 books on my ipod and I have listened to most of them more than once.


Anyways..back to work.  Here is one of the skeins of Blue Faced Leicester Superwash that I have spun up.  It's about 400g and SO soft.  I have done two of these, dyed them and currently knitting stuff.  I have finished one shawl that I need to block and photograph.  Onto no. 2.
This stuff below is my own blend for spinning sock yarn.  It has Texel top for elasticity, Silk for strength and shine and BFL for it's softness and warmth.  I have made some of this by hand on the carder but now I can get it commercially done into top.

 
Well...I will have to add more photos when I have them but right now.  I have wasted enough time..back to work!!


Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Latest Knits

OK..here are the pics of the knits I have completed lately..finally..
Firstly, the boy units jumper.  Wool is handspun romney cross from Moseley Wools , handspun by me of course.  He didn't like the natural cream colour of the wool so he had my dye it.  The pattern is one I made up myself and you can't see it well in the pics but there is a diamond pattern down the front and around the bottom and cuffs.  The jumper is knitted from the top down in one piece using the contigious method for the shoulders.

And here are my socks, dyed and handspun by me too...and of course, toe up, at the same time.  Pattern is mine again.
 

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Yet another flying year!!!

I cannot believe how fast this year is going and how little I seem to be getting done.  I am trying to spin and knit up a storm for the upcoming Australian Wool and Sheep Show at Bendigo in July.  But it feels like little is getting completed.


I also have a old/new obsession with body art.  Of course now I am not having anymore children I thought it was time to get some more tattoos.  Firstly was my little ode to the homeland with this piece.
 Its a very loose interpretation of the ole 10c coin with some of my yarn/fibre addiction added to it.
It was just after this that we made our annual pilgrimage to Warrnambool for a home edders camp..it was awesome!!! We went a few days early so had a full week away.  Here's our little footprint...
 And a family that makes smores together stays together.....
And what is a trip to a beach side location without a nice cold cider
From NEW ZEALAND!!!! omg...what a find in the local bottle store..talk about bringing back old memories.
Then came the re-vamp of one of the very old (24yrs old) tattoos from my misspent youth.  Which turned this..
Into this...
It hurt like a mongrel as the origninal was done badly and left quite scarred.
 I am not too happy with the tail, it's not quite right but it will be integrated into more work I have planned for that area which will fix it up.
Onto the new stuff.  The first of my kids works..


 Needless to say, Pip's was absolutely thrilled that hers was first.  But we decided after that to get onto doing the bulk of the rest at once.  Firstly, the outline...
Colouring comes next week.  I love it!!!  
I have actually done some knitting too...My lovely sister got married last weekend, so I knitted her this..
Oddly enough, my older brother and I were excluded from the wedding (yes that's right, not invited),  Neither of us have a clue why.   What can I say...you can't choose your family.......
Here is my mum wearing it at the wedding, apparently my sister told her she could have it..Gee, nice to know my handspun, handknitted creations aren't appreciated either.. (Mum refused and hopes she took it home with her and didn't leave it behind at her inlaws)



I have more knitting I have completed but will have to add photos when I have taken some.  One was a jumper for a boy unit and he has been wearing it since it was completed.  

And more fish stories!!!!....My Bristlenose Catfish went and made these....
there was about 60 when we bothered to try counting...we stopped there.  A friend gifted me with another 3ft tank so I have been furiously cycling the new tank and moving Mum and most of the other fish into it so these guys have room to grow....
the new tank...
Mum of the babies...
Some of the other residents...
So far things are chugging along nicely.  I love the new tank set up, so relaxing to watch.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbours.

You're invited to the wedding of Nice Girl Jane Jameson to Gabriel Nightengale. NICE GIRLS DON'T BITE THEIR NEIGHBORS hits the shelves on Feb. 28.

Written by Molly Harper, one of my all time Favourite Authors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll be there knitting in spirit, I just finished this...



SOAP SOAP SOAP

The show went well.  Not as well as I would have liked but well enough... Now it's soap I am doing a lot of...Yet another old craft no...