Vintage Tassels

I've been bitten by the beading bug. I took another class a few weeks ago. This one was all about how to make a long fully beaded necklace with beaded tassel centrepiece. To say that this was a step up from the beginners class is stating it mildly. I don't know if I was tired going into the class but I left with a raging headache. See those little beaded tassels, - they are a,em, lets see, a (searching for the right word).............. challenge, yes a challenge (I was going to use a more forceful word but I'll spare you that). They are teeny, tiny sead beads and threading six tassels was quite time consuming not not mention headache inducing. They are so minute they are very difficult to thread with the result that quite a few ended up on the bead shop floor! Thankfully though it was the most difficult part of the process and it's nice to know how to make another style of necklace. I have to say when I first saw the style of necklace it really didn't appeal to me, but now that I've made my own in my preferred colours, it's growing on me.

Enhancement Aussie Style.

Hello again, well the absence was short lived. I've been enjoying my time away but before I even begin to get into what I've been up to lately there's a lot of catching up to do. For a start I haven't posted about my knitting adventures in Australia. Cathal has been busy posting (at length!) here about our month in Australia, he hasn't yet got to our third week but I'm gonna post here about my special yarn memories of Sydney. So, by the time we got to Sydney I was in NEED of some fibre therapy, we'd been having a wonderful time on our travels down the east coast but I hadn't come across any yarn stores along the way - I hadn't left any time for wandering off the beaten track but Sydney, Sydney was different. Right from the beginning I knew there was at least one store I could get to and had planned some time for me there on the first full day in Sydney. The day also happened to coincide with a Sydney Stitch N' Bitch meeting - how's that for planning. Anyhow back to the shopping. Tapestry Craft, ah the lovely wool they had there, lots of well known brands and a huge amount of books, magazines and patterns ( If found out later that I had probably shopped in Sydney's most expensive yarn store, ah well). I contented myself with an hour there browsing the yarns, checking the pattern books and finally settling on the following purchases.3 Jo Sharp Books - Knit Issue 1 & 2 and Saturday. (Well I was in Australia, it seemed only right). See those two innocent balls of yarn up there. They are only there as representatives of more, a lot more, let's just say enough to knit an Piccolo Orange Cowl sweater and a Kelp Green V Neck Vest, both in Knit Issue 1.That should keep me busy for a little while.

Then onto the best bit. I had been in touch with Meg, before I left New Zealand to see if I could come along to one of the Sydney Stitch N' Bitch meet ups. Luckily they were due to meet up on a day when we were in Sydney. So, off I took myself to Harts pub in The Rocks. It was a small but very friendly crowd there that evening. It was wonderful to meet Meg, Rebecca and Susan and to discover that the world over a group of young ( we are young aren't we?) knitters draws quite a bit of attention - particularly male attention when you are in a pub. I really enjoyed the evening it was great fun and I look forward to keeping in touch with the girls through their blogs. See how nice they are - they even let me take a pic for my blog.

After Sydney we headed off to Tasmania, the whole purpose of our trip to Australia was to go to a friend's wedding in Hobart. Cathal was best man so we got there a week before the wedding to make sure we could help out with any last minute preparations and of course to spend a bit of time with our friends. Again coincidentally we happened to arrive just in time to get to the Salamanca Market where I managed to pick up some very lovely Tasmanian Oak needles. Just beside the market was a shop called Tasmanian Woolen Co. so naturally I had to have a look and look at what jumped into my bag. Luckily I had anticipated a little bit of a stash enhancement while in Australia and had left some room in my bags so I could bring some wool back to New Zealand. Unfortunately though I had forgotten a little promise to myself earlier this year. See that lovely basket below. Well, I bought that to hold my yarn for the year. It's big enough to hold whatever I'm currently knitting and a little more, well actually it holds quite a lot more. So the deal was I could buy yarn during this year but it must fit in the basket, no more than that. No more! Look like there's a few other knitting things hanging round the basket? Yes and the difficulty is that it gets worse. A good deal worse, but that's for another day. I thought I gave up going to Confession years ago, and I've shared enough of my sins for today.

Dear Blog

We need to talk. It's not you, it's me. Things just haven't been feeling the same recently and I need a break. For the sake of our relationship I think it's important for me to take a step back at the moment. I need a little time out to spend some time on my own (in the sun, daylight saving has ended and we don't have too many more days in the sun left). I'll take the time to think about where we are going and our future together.

I'm sure it it won't take me long to come to my senses and miss you terribly but in the meantime if you could just understand I'm only in New Zealand for a short time, soon it'll be winter and we'll have lots of time to spend together then.

Missing you already,

X

Get a Gimble

Well done all ye clever people. Yes indeed, this little piece of plastic does lovingly cradle a book for you while you knit!

It's called a Gimble and if you want to get your hands on one they sell them online. I bought mine in Dymocks in Hong Kong (I haven't seen them in Dymocks here but it is possible that branches of Dymocks in other countries stock them also). You get two sizes in a pack, unfortunately I seem to have mislaid the larger one which seems to fit better most of the books I read but they are a pretty nifty gadget for a bargain price!

The thingymagigy!

The responses to what this might be amused me greatly. So much so I'm gonna give you another hint to see if the guesses might get a little closer to the mark. There's a clue in the title of the last post.

Knitting while reading!

So I promised a pic of my current knitting. Pictured above is the beginnings of my Wrap Cardigan - featured in Knitting by Sarah Dallas. Whilst in Australia we met up with some friends from home. These friends from home happened to carry all the way from Ireland a little parcel my mam put together for me. Yummy Tayto crisps, Cadbury chocolate and upon request one of the knitting kit packs I had left preprepared in Ireland should I not happen to find any yarn in NZ! Well, I have plenty of yarn in NZ but I really wanted to knit this cardigan. Actually no, I really don't want to knit this, I want to wear it. Miles and miles of stocking stitch isn't fun for anyone, not me the knitter or you the reader but I really love the softness and warmth of Wool Cotton and I want this cardigan. Apologies in advance for future posts on this one.

I have been catching up with all of the blogs I missed whilst away in February and I have been knitting away and making progress on the back of the cardigan. It's amazing how much mindless knitting you can get done whilst reading blogs and I am a fan of multi-tasking so I'm doubly pleased with progress.

I thought I'd share a pic of a super cool gadget with you. Every knitter should have one! Any idea what it is? I'll spill the details tomorrow.

Holiday Knitting

As you can see I didn't get much knitting done on the Lombard Street socks while on holidays in Australia. The white lifeline indicates where I had knitted to before we left NZ. The rest is the sum total of my knitting in the last four weeks, the majority of which has been done in the air. I managed to bring this knitting with me on 6 of the 8 flights we took. The last two flights on the way home I decided I was just two tired to knit and bought some magazines instead. I put my knitting in my checked in luggage. Just as well I did! I was selected for a random search of my hand luggage at the security point in Melbourne airport and it yielded them nothing - thankfully.

So, 2.5mm bamboo needles covered with rubber point protectors made it through secuirty in Wellington Airport, Sydney Airport, Cairns Airport, Hamilton Island Airport and Brisbane Airport. I also brought some sock knitting with me when I travelled to NZ from Ireland and had no problems then either and this was at the height of the security restrictions last year, the needles went through security in Dublin Airport, Amsterdam Airport and Hong Kong Airport ( I know I should look up all the correct names for the airports but I'm just too lazy at the moment).

Of course, now that I have put this in print I'll probably never be able to bring knitting on a plane ever again.

Given the lack of knitting going on for the last few weeks I was really looking forward to getting back to the pointy sticks when I got back "home". I'll have some pics tomorrow.

Knitters Treat Exchange Questionnaire

1. What's your favourite type of yarn?

My favourite type of yarn is dk weight wool/wool blends solid colours. I’m a big fan of Rowan yarns and love the quality and range of colours they offer. I’d love to try some of the fantastic ranges available in the US, knitters there seem to have a veritable feast of amazing yarns to choose from.

2. What's your least favourite type of yarn?

Fun fur or pretty much anything acrylic – like everyone else I’m sure.

3. What's the first thing you do when you visit a new yarn shop?

Check out if there’s anything new that I’ve never seen before. Then I’ll go methodically through every shelf of yarn before settling down to read through the pattern books. Then and only then will I consider buying anything. I hate being asked the minute I step into the shop if I need any help – I’ve just arrived, it’s a yarn shop – I need time to look, how do I know if I need help yet? Sorry If that sounds cranky but it's a pet peeve.

4. What other crafts do you do / would like to do?

Considering getting more into beading. I went to a beginners class recently and enjoyed it so may do some more. I really want to learn to crochet and am dying to get going at sewing but the sewing will probably have to wait until I get back home to Ireland in 2008! I also want to start felting or fulling as it is more properly called – it’s still knitting I suppose but I haven’t properly explored it yet. I’ve recently bought a book on the topic all I need now is good felting yarn.

5. What magazines do you currently subscribe to?

Vogue Knitting and whilst I don’t subscribe I buy Interweave in the shop when it’s available here.

6. Put this type of magazine in order of preference: Knitting / Crochet / Other Craft / Food / Home / Fashion / Celebrity Gossip / Garden

Knitting/Fashion/Other Craft/Home/Food/Garden/Celebrity Gossip/Crochet Crochet is only at the end as I haven’t yet started learning but when I do naturally the order of preference will change!

7. What items do you like to knit / crochet?

After knitting and designing babywear for the last few years I am taking a break this year and am knitting pretty much exclusively for myself! At the moment this means lots of cardigans but I would like to get around to knitting a lace shawl for myself some day. Not sure when I’d ever wear it but I like the idea of it all the same. If you haven’t guessed by now I know what I like and what I don’t like. Triangular shawls fall into the don’t like category – rectangular ones I love.

8. Are you allergic to anything?

Amazingly when I was younger I used to be allergic to lanolin, which meant I couldn’t wear any pure wool clothing. Thankfully that seems to have disappeared otherwise I’d be knitting with cotton only. I’m not a big fan of mohair though – it really sets me itching! I’ve quite sensitive skin so I have to be really careful that products I use are as natural as possible and aren’t overwhelmingly perfumed.

9. What do you like the smell of?

Chocolate! Red wine, Coffee, freshly baked goods, in terms of scents I like fresh citrusy and jasmine scents.

10. What's your favourite way to relax?

A hot bath with a fashion magazine followed by a glass of red wine (preferably Spanish or a NZ Pinot) and some chocolate. Yummy. Oh, and some time to knit too!

11. You're stood in front of a Victorian style sweetshop, an Italian cafe, an old fashioned bakery and a dainty tea room. Where do you go first?

I’d be straight into the Italian café and if happened to be in Wellington my order would be a decaf flat white with trim milk and some delicious Tiramisu.

12. What do you come out with?

A full belly!

13. Where do you go next?

Mmm, probably to the bakery to bring home some lovely bread.

14. Any other words of wisdom for your pal?

I’m not a fan of black – I don’t wear it in clothes or accessories I’m much more into autumnal colours. Whilst I do drink both tea and coffee I only drink the decaffeinated ones.

Beading

Mmmm, I think I may have developed a new interest. Results below of my Friday Night's Beginner Beading Class at Tiger Eye Beads in Wellington. They have another class next Friday...........

Knitters Treat Exchange

Sara and Isobel have been plotting. You'll have to check out what they have been up to over at The Knitters Treat Exchange. Go sign up, it's not a big commitment - just a one off exchange, what a great idea!

Back

Well, the eagle has landed. We're "home" in the Land of the Long White Cloud. We had an amazing time in Australia and loved every minute of it. We've over 1100 photos though and a few hours of video coverage so we have a bit of work to do to edit them and tell our story. I won't be doing that here though - you'll have to check out wheretonext to get the lowdown. I didn't get much knitting done but I do have some knitting purchases to show off and some other knitting news. For now though I have to endeavour to get to the end of the laundry pile and all the other nice jobs that form part of my new role as domestic engineer.