familiar

I've become quite enamoured of the program Who Do You Think You Are, where British TV personalities trace their family history. It makes me want to embark on a mission to trace my lineage and discover I'm descended from the French aristocracy.

grand prix

I'm planning my entry/ies for the Sydney Royal Easter Show which is coming up in March/April of next year. I've liked the Anne of Cleves design from Tudor Roses for a while now but have always been afraid to knit it because it's HUGE. But my devious plan involves some minor calculations to knit it with a fingering weight yarn and 3.25mm needles, thereby reducing the size considerably. I'm thinking of keeping the length though and wearing it as a sweater dress. I don't particularly care if i get a ribbon or not, it's just fun wandering around the exhibits and pointing out to random strangers things you've made. haha. Last time i had an embroidery piece on display and I literally loitered in the area (minus a raincoat) for about 3 hours waiting to hear if anyone was going to say anything negative about it, at which point i planned to spring out from the shadows and abuse them.

anyway i have yarn already, so will start plotting as soon as i've finished my tea cozy swap items and seamed together my minimalist cardigan.

Recipe for Disaster or Recipe for Success??

Ingredients:

28 episodes of Twin Peaks
Hedera sock pattern
1 hank of Socks that Rock Raven yarn
Imported British chocolates
Beer

Combine!
Only time will tell if this will result in a completed pair of socks for Southern Summer of Socks, or whether it will result in me roaming the streets talking backwards and carrying a log.

Playing Catch Up

Secret Pal Booty!
Originally uploaded by miss_reecie

so some internet-related difficulties have prevented blog activity recently. but now i'm back online! First up, here is my final package from my lovely secret pal, who has now revealed herself to be Channon!
look at all the cool stuff i got: Vesper sock yarn (woo!), two skeins of beautiful Claudia's handpaints sportweight,, an awesome cake tape measure, halloween stitch markers, row counter, and a lighthouse!!!!
Thank you Channon for your beautiful gifts!

the screw is turning

it would appear i can't seem to get enough of these faux victorian knitwear designs. this is Darcy from the new Kim Hargreaves book, the Dark House Collection. it already has me conjuring up mad scenarios involving hauntings, laudanum, shadowy religious figures.....and several hanks of black cotton.

brahms and lizst

i'm cooped up inside the house for the next few days writing research papers.
lucky for me the ABC Classic FM Top 100 Concertos is being broadcast over the next five days! I'm barracking for Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto to take the top spot! GO SERGEI!!!
when the mad stress of the final few weeks of uni is behind me, there will be some hot updated knitting content and more crazy summer plans.

Merci Beaucoup Ami Secret!

Thanks secret pal!!
Originally uploaded by miss_reecie

this BEAUTIFUL yarn arrived in the mail yesterday from my secret pal via the Loopy Ewe (also my favourite online yarn vendor!). It's J.Knits Lace-a-licious in Massachusetts colourway. The photo doesn't do the yarn justice, it's superfine alpaca and it's so incredibly soft and squishy.
i've decided to make the Lily of the Valley Shawl from Lace Style with it.
this is perfect summer knitting!
also in the package were the awesome Kitchener Stitch markers, which i've been wanting for ages!
hooray for my secret pal! you rock!!

hare-brained schemes episode 768..

Colour Inspirations for Bedspread
Originally uploaded by miss_reecie

an addendum to the mad summer plans. another project i will be working on over the summer is a massive knitted bedspread. it's going to be based on Kaffe Fassett's Turkish Carnation motif (for that added touch of exotica).
and how HOT is the colour scheme? i'm totally loving it. the pictures in the background are little postcards from some films i love which inspired the colours for the blanket (from left to right: High Plains Drifter, The Devil is a Woman, Sunset Boulevard and The Cameraman)
The plan is to eventually have these framed and in the same room as the bedspread. this is of course when i purchase "hot lawyer dream house"...location as yet undetermined...

Booklust

Recently acquired books
Originally uploaded by miss_reecie

per yesterday's grand summer plans post, here are some books i've acquired recently that i plan to read in the summer:
(from top)

• In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, Kim Cooper: part of 33 1/3 series. this one is about Neutral Milk Hotel. no more needs to be said.
• The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Vol 2 and 3: a really great manga about five students who assist the dead who can't move on.
• The Crimson Petal and the White, Michel Faber: some sort of mad Dickensian romp featuring brothels and perfume merchants.
  
• The Bloody Chamber, Angela Carter: dark retellings of some Grimm fairytales
• Tourism, Nirpal Singh Dhaliwal and Platform, Michel Houllebecq: I plan to read these two together and try to make some sort of mad comparisons and informed statements about French and British nihilism.
• Fun in a Chinese Laundry, Josef von Sternberg: autobio of the man who made Marlene Dietrich a star.

HURRY UP SUMMER HOLIDAYS!!! i'm freaking out here!!!!

the livin' is easy

so it's that time of year again. the time when i start plotting madly about all the things i'm going to do and/or achieve in the summer. usually it's completely over the top and unrealistic, but i figure if i can do about 50% of the following it'll be a good summer:

• take classes in Arabic and/or French. I LOVE learning languages, and want to utilise both of these in future trip to Morocco.
  
• take a printmaking class. i have many grand schemes involving art deco woodblock and lino print action.
• read all the books i've been threatening to read all year but have been too heavy to lug around with law textbooks
  
• go somewhere hot and drink pina coladas (i'm thinking tahiti?)
  
• knit a truckload of socks. this endeavour will no doubt be assisted by my planned participation in Southern Summer of Socks
• learn to use my spinning wheel
• sew myself some dresses
  
• write my knitting book (subject top secret)
• play badminton
  
• master the art of falconry
  
• release a Christmas album

instant gratification

Biker vest - front
Originally uploaded by miss_reecie

so a lot of people don't like twinkle. sure, the patterns are a tad wonkily written. sure, the sizing seems a bit bizarre (but it does work out!). but you can't deny the garments turn out pretty darn good.
anyway, next up - tangled yoke cardigan!

Retro Redux Shrug

Retro Redux 2
Originally uploaded by miss_reecie

aha! finally a hot piece of knitwear which I can wear this spring/summer. I chose the colour and the pattern specifically to go with this dress, which was gifted to me by Fashion Assassin for some work I did for them earlier this year. But it's such a lovely shrug I can see it being worn with a lot of things this coming spring.
Now all I need is :
(a) weather to clear up and start looking more like spring
(b) invitation to a garden party
(c) wealthy gadabout to invite me to a picnic in the botanic gardens.

more photos on flickr.

be warm, mongolian children!

Charity jumper
Originally uploaded by miss_reecie

dear little child of mongolia,
hope this jumper makes you warm and happy!
finished this today and delivered it just in time to the Guardian Pharmacy. They gave me a badge in return!!

Retroactive

Retro Rib detail
Originally uploaded by miss_reecie

here is my first completed Retro Rib sock. The second sock is underway, but has been temporarily put on hold while i finish the jumper for the little Mongolian kids.
not much other knitting going on lately, which i blame entirely on the facebook scrabble phenomenon, studying for my corporations law test, and trying to curate an art exhibition. However, my Ravelry queue has reached critical mass. At last count i had 79 projects!!!!
saw Black Sheep last night and loved it! so good to see a funny, old-school horror flick with no stupid CGI effects. although i was very disappointed that there was not one knitting reference throughout the whole film.

Somoko!

Somoko
Originally uploaded by miss_reecie

what should i make with this dreamy sock yarn???? it's got kid mohair and silk in it, yum! i'm thinking some sort of luxurious boudoir stocking type deal.

yellow fever

I've been poring through all the things i've knit over the past few years (the original intent being to photograph them for my ravelry page), and i have realised how few of them are actually wearable. Not because they’re badly made, not because they’re unstylish, but because I must have been on some serious drugs when I chose the colour. Over 50% of the garments are yellow. Why??? I rarely, if ever, wear yellow. In fact, I rarely if ever wear many colours other than black, red, pink, and brown. So why the fuck did I keep buying yellow yarn and making nice garments with it that were completely unsuited to my complexion and taste????? Why did i knit a purple jumper???
Luckily, a cursory glance at my more recent/and or upcoming knits reveals i might have come to my senses. My Central Park Hoodie is black, and suprise, surprise, i wore it a lot this winter. My upcoming lace bolero thing is black. My planned Twinkle cardigan is brown. Now all i need to do is offload some Rowan Calmer which for some reason i bought in a peach colour. Peach??? Yikes.

Also, hot opera news. The 2008 Opera Australia subscription brochure came in today's Herald, and i've been riffling through it all afternoon. There’s some pretty good operas coming up next season, including possibly my favourite of all time, Verdi’s Otello. There are also new productions of Carmen and Don Giovanni. I'm thinking of booking myself up a Youth Subscription (under 30) to save costs. Only problem is that the only people i know who would be interested in going to opera are over 30, which would result in weird seating arrangements and administrative hassles. So I need to shanghai some hot under 30s to experience the magic of opera!!! Come on, where are you under-30 opera buffs???

Also, crack open the vodka, the Russian Film Festival is coming to town. Featuring such awesome items as an 8 hour screening of War and Peace, the film version of Hamlet with Shostakovich's fantastic score, and Day Watch (sequel to Night Watch).

it begins!

my ravelry invite came today! i've already amassed a queue of about 30 projects. i have a lot of spare time on my hands at the moment as i'm incredibly ill with some sort of evil influenza virus. my trachea is inflamed, people!
anyway, my ravelry ID is reecie.

Secret Pal 11 Questionnaire

yay! this is my first time doing a secret pal thingo. i love the idea of getting surprise packages in the mail. it will be a sad day indeed if the postal service becomes extinct and replaced with some weird computerised system.
anyway, the questions!

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I tend to prefer soft natural fibres, such as merino or alpaca. Am also partial to a bit of cashmere and kid mohair. I prefer lighter weight yarns, usually in the fingering to DK range.
I have a very bad tolerance of novelty yarns. I've used them about twice and each time it was a hideous nightmare.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

My storage system is pretty craptacular. All my circular needles are higgeldy-piggeldy in a cloth bag, and my straights (which i very rarely use any more) are in an old vase. l

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I've been knitting seriously for about 10 years now. My mum first taught me when i was about 8, and I insisted on trying the largest, most complicated project in the book. Needless to say, it was never completed. I picked knitting back up again when I was in high school, and haven't stopped since!

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
My Amazon list is not very well-kept. There's some knitting books on there, I think.


5. What's your favorite scent?

I love vanilla and coconut.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I love candy! Especially gummi!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I used to do a lot of embroidery, but that has taken a back seat lately due to my sock knitting obsession. I also do a bit of crochet, and have dabbled in quilting. I have a spinning wheel but currently don't know how to use it. I keep threatening that every summer holidays i'm going to go to the Spinners Guild beginner's workshops, and i think this summer might be the one!

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I love love love old jazz and blues, like Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman et al.
Lately have been listening to Josephine Baker singing in French about Haiti - so wonderful!
Also like indie stuff, especially Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, Bjork, and old school stuff like Sonic Youth. For me, the 1990s never really ended music-wise.
Computers all systems go re MP3s.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

Favourite colours are probably black, red, pink, brown. Not a huge fan of cream/white/beige type stuff.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I live at home with my mum, my Cornish Rex cat, and two poodles.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Scarves and mittens i wear a lot. Not so much hats and ponchos.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Socks!!!!!! Absolutely love love love knitting socks!!
Have just recently gotten into lace knitting and have been enjoying it a lot, making scarves and stoles etc.
Also, you can't really go past a good cardigan.

13. What are you knitting right now?

Currently on the needles are two pairs of socks, a lace scarf, a children's jumper for Mongolia, and a black shrug in fingering alpaca (obviously these are not all on the same needles!)

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Not really.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Definitely circular. I love Addi needles and bamboo needles. Not a huge fan of plastic.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I have a winder, but not a swift.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

I dont' really have any UFOs (shock, horror!). Instead of letting things sit around, i tend to rip them out and declare i'm not making it any more!

18. What is your favorite holiday?

I don't really get into the major holidays all that much. Probably my favourite would be Halloween, even though it's not celebrated that much in Australia. But it usually means some good B-grade horror flicks get screened on cable TV!

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Apart from sock yarns (!), I do love anything associated with lighthouses.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I'm desperately in love with Cookie A's sock patterns, like Twisted Flower etc. Also have been trying unsuccessfully to snap up some Yarntini sock yarn.
Books - craving Knitting on the Road (Nancy Bush). can't think of any others right now, but i'm sure there are more. oh, i know, the new KnitKnit book!
I have a subscription to Vogue Knitting magazine.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Steeking! Still haven't gotten over my dreaded fear of chopping up my precious knitting with scissors! But i have some Alice Starmore projects in mind, so that might be a good starting point.
Also would like to attempt toe-up socks.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Yes!! Love socks!!! My feet are teeny, about 8" around, and about 8.5" from heel to toe.

23. When is your birthday?

22 April.

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

Not yet, but apparently there are only 324 people ahead of me on the list. so maybe i'll be on in about a week or so? fingers crossed. (like i need any more reasons to procrastinate from doing homework).

overreaction

Oh, hey, remember that time I binge drank from a tube until I was sick, and that time we paraded around dressed like the ku klux klan (on more than one occasion, including while standing behind Indigenous soldiers), and that time we set the kittens on fire?
Well, no dramas, because we're just being irreverent larrikins. just letting off a bit of steam.
john howard says "let's not overreact" to the fact that certain sectors of an army which is currently illegally occupying at least two countries are engaging in behaviour which is immature, irresponsible, racist, inhumane and unlawful.
For the Australian government to fall back on the ANZAC/Gallipoli tradition as some sort of justification for behaviour of this sort is extremely ill-conceived and insulting.
wow, the blog's gone political!!!!!

old school

Finished Jaywalkers!
Originally uploaded by miss_reecie

finished jaywalkers!!
yarn: Yarn Pirate in Culture Club colourway - love the yarn, love the colours!
pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina from Magknits. Great pattern, fun and quick to knit. The only modification i made was accidental. I didn't read the instructions properly and did a stockinette heel instead. but it worked out fine and they fit really well.
needles: 2.2mm (US1) bamboo set of 5.

rowan hotness

rowan book 42 is out! as usual, it's full of hotness. (yes, i'm one of those people that even liked the mad boho/gypsy issue they did a couple of years ago.)
many of the outfits in this issue make me want to pack up, buy a scottish castle and a deerhound, and just swan about on the moors in hot knitwear listening to kate bush for the rest of my life. although i kind of wanted to do that anyway.

mother's little helper

i've just spent the entire morning at work (and i'm still not finished) researching and compiling a comprehensive list/dictionary of terminology related to illicit drug use. this will probably be the only time in my life that I can truthfully say "I wish pete doherty worked at my office."
knitting content returning shortly, including more finished socks, more works in progress and HOT plans for upcoming spring/summer knits.

demon barber

the tim burton version of sweeney todd is slated for release in Australia in January 2008. i can't wait!!! tim burton, johnny depp and helena bonham carter are quite possibly my own private holy trinity of modern filmmaking. the poster has just been released, and it looks spectacular.

revenge of the socks!

i'm back! straight back into reality as i went back to uni today. am already feeling swamped with copious amounts of readings to plow through for tuesday's classes.
anyway, have put some photos up on flickr, mostly consisting of the Cape Byron lighthouse and more socks i have been making, such as these:

yes, another successful pair of monkeys. man, that pattern is addictive. have almost finished a pair of jaywalkers also. and i've only been back for five minutes and have already ordered more sock yarn, including a skein of the new fleece artist somoko yarn, which is a luscious sounding blend of wool, kid mohair, silk and nylon. yum!

being the worst morning person ever, i didn't quite make it to the knit in this morning down at the ABC studios. but there is some other stuff happening on the charity knitting front:

• Guardian Pharmacy's Guardian Angel World Vision knitting project requires garments for children in Mongolia. Patterns are available here and finished items can be dropped off at any branch of Guardian Pharmacy by 31 August.
• Afghans for Afghans have a current campaign request for items for newborn babies for a hospital in Kabul, as well as clothing for youth aged between 7 and 18, to be shipped out to Afghanistan in September.

holiday update

quick update from byron bay - it just started to rain so i ducked into this internet cafe for a quick email check and web surf. this is the first time that it's rained since i've been here, so can't complain too much, really.
much swanning around has been done so far on this holiday, and much eating of delicious foodstuffs and buying of lovely garments. went for a 5km walk the other day around the lighthouse down to Wategos Beach. Spotted some humpback whales in the ocean which are currently migrating from Antarctica. They were a bit too far away, however, for photographic opportunities.
i've been knitting in spare moments too. the tour de france lace scarf is coming along well, i'm now about three repeats into the central bramble leaf pattern, which thankfully doesn't seem to be using nearly as much yarn as the heavily patterned first border did. so with a little bit of felix felicis i might just have enough yarn! photos will have to wait, however, until i get back, as i am nowhere near technologically savvy enough to work out how to successfully upload photos in an internet cafe.
have also finished a second pair of monkey socks, and started on some jaywalkers using yarn pirate culture club. looks good so far. again, photos upon return.
i went and saw harry potter and the order of the phoenix the other day. it was enjoyable, particularly for the abundance of knitted and crocheted items, particularly those modelled by Luna Lovegood (who is by far my favourite character) and Helena Bonham Carter HOTTING IT UP crazed goth style as Bellatrix Lestrange.
i read brideshead revisited on the train on the way up here and have decided to declare it the greatest book ever.
anyway, am off to the beach now! the rain has stopped!
have to get a start on uni readings too, as i have to go to class straight away on the day i get back. yikes! then the following monday i have to go do tests for a job i'm hoping to get. arg! stupid reality!

victoire!

French Trellis Scarf Progress 2
Originally uploaded by miss_reecie

ok, the panic of yesterday's posts has subsided. First border done, scarf turned and stitches picked up ready to knit centre panel. the width of the scarf is now just over 12 inches, which is fine. the bottom bit seems to flare out a lot more, and that was giving me a false representation of the width.
anyway, am off to pack my things for 10 days in byron bay as of tomorrow. i'm taking this with me, so be prepared for action shots of the scarf dangling precariously over the cliffs up at cape byron lighthouse.

"death to the aristos"!!

happy bastille day!!
re previous post - crisis temporarily averted. polka dots back in fashion!!!!
managed to finish first border and realised that the bottom part tends to sweep out in some sort of bell shaped finish, thereby giving inaccurate measurement to the width of the actual scarf bit. it's all back on track. still worried about having enough yarn, but probably more due to extreme paranoia than actual threat.
photos to follow.

Stage 5: Panic Sets In

tour de france knitting update:

only two more repeats to go and the first border will be done. however, am slightly worried for the following reasons:
1. it's looking like the width of my scarf will end up around 14 inches instead of the required 12. This is despite the fact i'm using needles which are smaller than those required by the pattern.
Help me, lace experts! Will it become narrower once i knit up the stitches for the main part going vertically, and once it is blocked on completion? I don't actually mind having a wider scarf, but this leads me to the next problem.
2. paranoia has set in and I have convinced myself that I will most definitely run out of yarn, despite having the amount required by the pattern. But one 400m skein of sea silk goes a long way, doesn't it? Surely my fears are completely irrational???!!!

le sigh.

French Trellis Close Up

French Trellis Close Up
Originally uploaded by miss_reecie

oh, and just for fun, here's a crazy up close shot. excuse my rushed and dodgy interim blocking.

Stage Deux Update

French Trellis Border Scarf Progress
Originally uploaded by miss_reecie

okay, this is the scarf after three pattern repeats for the first border. i have to do five more repeats, then cast off, then turn the whole thing around and pick up for the next bit. this prospect is quite terrifying to me.
anyway, the pattern is from Victorian Lace Today, page 98, using Handmaiden Sea Silk in Midnight. I went with a 4mm (US6) needle, mainly because i'd just bought one of the Addi lace needles and wanted to try it out. the tips smell kinda funny, like when you've been holding coins in your hand for too long, but apart from that they're going well.
if i continue at this pace (that's a big if, as i'm going on holiday next monday), i may well just conquer that big polka dot mountain.

vive kent!

busy weekend

saw patrick wolf friday night at the basement. he had glitter in his hair! you gotta love that.

saturday went along to newtown to maplebrown winter sale (by invitation only, yes i am a fashion tragic) and purchased warm and comfy winter clothes. also had a visit from the lovely erin in the evening, during which time cucumber sandwiches were consumed and plans were hatched to sell our wares at rozelle markets next weekend.

sunday went to arts of islam exhibition at the art gallery nsw. so many beautiful pieces, illuminated Qu'rans (a lovely lady even translated some for me), woven carpets, ruby and emerald encrusted daggers, intricately carved cenotaphs. loved it. i came away inspired to learn arabic and weaving.

amongst all this, i managed to start my tour de france knitalong project, the sea silk scarf. i managed one 16-row lace repeat with only one mistake (which i spotted quickly and fixed before i had to say ah non, je dois dechirer too many times). haven't taken a photo yet, will wait until i've done about 3 repeats of the first border pattern.

tonight i am settling in with my knitting, eating mulligatawny soup, watching the french thriller lemming on world movies, then tuning in to see the crazy bicycles cycling through various towns in kent, including the one where I was born (Gravesend). hurrah!

then i shall get around to doing all the serious things i have to do this week, such as composing my public service job application, buying a suitcase and putting things in it for trip to byron bay, and filling out my tax return.

word of the week

gargoyle

the word itself is not unusual, but its origin is interesting. It derives from the Old French word gargouille, which means throat.

1. A grotesque spout, representing some animal or human figure, projecting from the gutter of a building (esp. in Gothic architecture), in order to carry the rain-water clear of the walls.

1883 STEVENSON Silverado Sq. 81 A rusty iron chute on wooden legs came flying, like a monstrous gargoyle, across the parapet.

(definition courtesy of Oxford English Dictionary online)

and of course, some of the most spectacular examples can be found at notre dame de paris, where the gargoyles are used for both drain pipes and decoration.

more occult hilarity!

the world movies channel is showing the 1922 Danish documentary Haxan tomorrow night. it's some sort of avant-garde exploration of the history of witchcraft. looks superb.

also, this news story is quite mad. i feel sorry for the poor alleged "vampire peacock".

diabolique

reasons why the devil of the tour de france is my new hero:

• he's completely mad
• he's german
• he sleeps in his car
• he follows the tour de france around dressed in a devil costume accompanied by an oversized bicycle

what more needs to be said, really?

words

craft show haul: jitterbug sock yarn in popsicle colourway, touch yarns laceweight merino/mohair, and two pairs of addi lace needles.





annoucement!
new blog feature: word of the week. starting today. for the month of july the words will all be related in some way to things french, in honour of both bastille day and the tour de france knitalong.

this week's word:

harridan

[Generally supposed to be an alteration of F. haridelle an old jade of a horse (16th c. in Hatz.-Darm.); also, a gaunt ill-favoured woman (Littré); but connecting forms are not known.]

A haggard old woman; a vixen; ‘a decayed strumpet’ (J.): usually a term of vituperation.

a1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Harridan, one that is half Whore, half Bawd. 1706 FARQUHAR Recruit. Officer V. vi, D'ye hear, d'ye hear, you plaguy harridan, how those bullets whistle! 1727 POPE Macer 24 And in four months a batter'd harridan. a1745 SWIFT Misc. Poems (1807) 57 The nymphs with whom you first began, Are each become a harridan. 1860 EMERSON Cond. Life, Consid. Wks. (Bohn) II. 426 This identical hussy was a tutelar spirit in one house, and a haridan in the other. 1865 Public Opinion 31 Dec. 714/1 The harpy and harridan of the establishment was punished.

(definition taken from Oxford English Dictionary online)


other examples of harridanical quotes? leave a comment!

monkey magic

I've returned from a quick getaway to the Southern Highlands. I spent most of my time wandering around villages, having Devonshire Tea, knitting, and wandering around the grounds of various (no doubt haunted) properties. The haul included:

• six bottles of Rose wine
• a stack of vintage knitting patterns from various antique and op shops
• Roman Polanski's autobiography for $3.00

Big news - Monkey socks officially finished!!!



they turned out great - i love socks that rock!! I used US 1 needles and knit the pattern to the exact specifications.

next up on the knit list:

• more socks - this time some Jaywalkers in Choc Cherry Claudia's Handpaints.
• the vintage baby cape
• Lords and Ladies cardigan from Rowan 41. I have the yarn, Kidsilk Haze in dark grey. just need to swatch.
• beret of some description

Also in a fit of insanity, i have signed up for the Tour De France Knitalong. I don't like watching cycling at all, but I am obsessed with all things French, so am hoping the experience will balance itself out. I'll be knitting a scarf from Victorian Lace Today with some Handmaiden Sea Silk. It will be my first official full lace item. eep!

break

my new favourite sock cast-on - twisted german

i'm heading out of town for a few days as of tomorrow. i shall return with photos aplenty. i'll be scouring various op shops for vintage knitting treasures.

success!

I have finished the crochet blanket! just in time too, for the weather has taken a turn for the rather cold over the past couple of weeks. photos to follow shortly. i wanted to take it down to Sydney University and drape it dramatically over a gargoyle or some books in the library, but the grim weather has temporarily halted my photographic plans.

also another stunning achievement: one monkey sock down, one to go (well, for the first pair at least)! I am currently supposed to be putting finishing touches on a casenote for a law journal - deadline tomorrow morning. must resist temptation to start second monkey sock instead....

i wish i was going to the Alice Springs Beanie Festival again this year. last year was so much fun! but this semester break i'm going up to byron bay instead to swan around the lighthouse and eat In the Pink icecream...good times.

knitty

the new knitty is up.

i quite like the sweet pea socks and the chapeau marnier cloche. i must say nothing else has really grabbed me so far.

Worldwide Knitting in Public Day

Worldwide Knitting in Public Day, Sydney
Originally uploaded by miss_reecie

So yesterday myself and Erin braved the insane weather to go to knitting in public day down at the Sidewalk Cafe near the Opera House. It was good to meet other knitters and see lots of exciting projects on the needles. tragedy struck, however, when two of my lantern moon ebony sock needles snapped in half during transit from Petersham to Circular Quay. luckily i had a spare set of knit picks with me, which i have now decided i like better anyway. we probably would have stayed longer if the weather wasn't so awful, but we bailed and went and ate some sushi.
then i had a quick trip to kinokuniya, and snapped up a copy of Knitting Lingerie Style. it's a gorgeous book. i think i'll make the trumpet flared skirt first. i've always wanted to knit a skirt.

vintage babies!

my new plan - covering the babies of the world in vintage-inspired clothing! perhaps a bit ambitious, so i'll start with one baby. have been commissioned by a fashion-industry friend to make her lovely little baby some one-off pieces from my enormous collection of vintage knitting patterns.



so it would appear that currently all i seem to be knitting is baby clothes. have managed to keep plugging along on the monkey socks, have almost finished the crochet blanket, and probably would have finished it if i didn't get so distracted this afternoon watching cillian murphy resisting the british army in The Wind That Shakes the Barley.

Now with Pictures!

ok. i need to actually start using this thing. starting things is hard. finishing things is hard. i want to be permanently in the middle.
BUT i did finish something! a baby's matinee jacket. calm down. it's a commissioned piece.


Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in antique pink (i used approx 3.5 balls for the smallest size)
Pattern: Matinee Jacket from Baby Cashmerino 2 book
i knit it exactly to the pattern specifications as requested. the picot edge is cute.

am desperately trying to finish the other commissioned pieces so i can knit more socks!!!

test post - attempted blogging

my adventures in blogging are off to a good start. I already have a prententious french title.