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!!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Retroactive
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.
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!
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.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
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).
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).
Monday, August 13, 2007
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.
anyway, my ravelry ID is reecie.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
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).
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).
Sunday, August 05, 2007
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!!!!!
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!!!!!
Saturday, August 04, 2007
old school
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.
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.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
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.
knitting content returning shortly, including more finished socks, more works in progress and HOT plans for upcoming spring/summer knits.
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