So I've been away from work for nearly a week, and have not much to show for it. Monday I went into work to help pack up the knitting machines. Work has many knitting machines, and most of staff have loaned one or more, I have loaned 3. We have limited space and more machines that we ever need so the idea was to tidy up, sort and prepare some for sale/donation. I thought I wanted at least one of mine back .. but after a day of matching beds to bits and checking all the bits were there, I realized I don't really like machine knitting. I like hand knitting .. so I was brave and helped and decided I wouldn't take one home. Tuesday was the 'end-of-school' picnic, and as I was on leave I went along and provided a picnic blanket and a swing tennis set and a large happy face ball. I knit on a sock, and some one asked what it was, Toby's teacher explained I knit socks, that he often wore 'home-made socks' and then said puzzled 'but home made socks doesn't sound right, those are two words that don't go together'. I didn't say anything but in my world those two words do go together. She also admired the other finished sock and expressed surprise that I had put in 'a heel and everything', mentioning that she thought they would be 'more tube-like'. A humble sock can inspire and surprise!
Wednesday I caught up on stuff around the house, hung out, folded washing, and ironed and then it was Thursday .... which went the same way with a bit of grocery shopping and today we woke to a dribbling cat, leaky tap kind of dribbling . .. so today has gone in a whirl of cat catching, cat boxing, and taking said cat to the vet. Turns out she is not well, but nothing specific yet, so she has been dosed with Antibiotics, Steroids, and Anti-nausea and is to return tomorrow to see if anything specific has manifested. That was the low point of the week, Yoyo really hates beign transported and fails to see it is for her own good. I dislike upsetting any person or animal, and the sound of her plaintive crying from inside the cat-box wasn't something I can easily ignore.
The highlight of my week was a book arriving and some fountain pen maintenance materials arriving with knitting toys to play with tucked inside, and even more exciting finding out that the six inks I had ordered were in the country and on their way (Noodlers Lexington Grey, Walnut, Air Corp Blue Black, Polar Blue, and replacements of Diamine Saddle Brown and Pumpkin). Some how there has been next to not much of my own knitting this week, I've finally finished yet again the spiral bound socks, and started new ones - and that is about it.
So arrivals, I've spent the week hovering over the postbox and back door hoping Bears Christmas present will arrive. It hasn't yet, it was a special request so I hope it does, but there was other mail. I had ordered a little packet of fine brass shim from a FPN member, David at Restorersart, and noticed on his profile he spun. As he put it Spinning (as in wool). I mentioned that I also spun and when he sent my brass shims he included a little packet of his stitch markers to try. These are really really cute ...and explains the blog post title, when hobbies collide, fountain pens and fibre stuff. And brass shim, you use it to floss between the tines of a fountain pen to clean it if the ink flow is a bit patchy or dry. Brass is apparently soft enough to remove crud but not damage the tines.
The other thing that arrived this week was Indie craft by Jo Waterhouse. I first saw this at knit night a few weeks ago and decided I needed my own copy - the cubs think its too bizarre, and won't look at it - but I like the yarn beards.
And the small amount of knitting this week? Well I finally cast off the second sock for the second time, that is three cast offs in total on two socks. I suspect they still don't match in length .. something odd going on with my estimation of lengths that I can't explain. I'm at the point I'm ignoring it, it might be so slight as to be imaginary - in which case nothing I do will fix it. I just have to weave the ends in .. and they are done.
Which meant a new sock, for Bear. This time in Zauberball, Ombre. So far I've knit a toe, quite blunt to fit bears paws .. and have some vague idea about a cable or similar pattern in twisted stitches running up each side ... I see a few nights with stitch dictionaries in my near future. That is always the fun part - planning.
Even though I've not been knitting much at all this week, smallest cub has. Not only has she been knitting she has been purling! All on her own! I'm trying not to scare her off with my excitement .. but I'm really pleased at what she has done. When I stitched up the blanket last weekend I played EZ workshop DVD in the background .. and after it small cub wanted to knit a hat just like on the DVD. We cast on together, after sorting yarn from the kids stash, and needles from her set ... and I showed her how to 2x2 rib. This is all her own work! Several rounds and the ribs all line up!
So .. I'll keep you all posted on Yo-yo, they didn't think it was dangerous but a leaky cat isn't something I'm keen to share my house with, small cubs are messy enough without the cat leaking.
take care - don't let the silly season get to you.
na Stella
Wednesday I caught up on stuff around the house, hung out, folded washing, and ironed and then it was Thursday .... which went the same way with a bit of grocery shopping and today we woke to a dribbling cat, leaky tap kind of dribbling . .. so today has gone in a whirl of cat catching, cat boxing, and taking said cat to the vet. Turns out she is not well, but nothing specific yet, so she has been dosed with Antibiotics, Steroids, and Anti-nausea and is to return tomorrow to see if anything specific has manifested. That was the low point of the week, Yoyo really hates beign transported and fails to see it is for her own good. I dislike upsetting any person or animal, and the sound of her plaintive crying from inside the cat-box wasn't something I can easily ignore.
The highlight of my week was a book arriving and some fountain pen maintenance materials arriving with knitting toys to play with tucked inside, and even more exciting finding out that the six inks I had ordered were in the country and on their way (Noodlers Lexington Grey, Walnut, Air Corp Blue Black, Polar Blue, and replacements of Diamine Saddle Brown and Pumpkin). Some how there has been next to not much of my own knitting this week, I've finally finished yet again the spiral bound socks, and started new ones - and that is about it.
So arrivals, I've spent the week hovering over the postbox and back door hoping Bears Christmas present will arrive. It hasn't yet, it was a special request so I hope it does, but there was other mail. I had ordered a little packet of fine brass shim from a FPN member, David at Restorersart, and noticed on his profile he spun. As he put it Spinning (as in wool). I mentioned that I also spun and when he sent my brass shims he included a little packet of his stitch markers to try. These are really really cute ...and explains the blog post title, when hobbies collide, fountain pens and fibre stuff. And brass shim, you use it to floss between the tines of a fountain pen to clean it if the ink flow is a bit patchy or dry. Brass is apparently soft enough to remove crud but not damage the tines.
The other thing that arrived this week was Indie craft by Jo Waterhouse. I first saw this at knit night a few weeks ago and decided I needed my own copy - the cubs think its too bizarre, and won't look at it - but I like the yarn beards.
And the small amount of knitting this week? Well I finally cast off the second sock for the second time, that is three cast offs in total on two socks. I suspect they still don't match in length .. something odd going on with my estimation of lengths that I can't explain. I'm at the point I'm ignoring it, it might be so slight as to be imaginary - in which case nothing I do will fix it. I just have to weave the ends in .. and they are done.
Which meant a new sock, for Bear. This time in Zauberball, Ombre. So far I've knit a toe, quite blunt to fit bears paws .. and have some vague idea about a cable or similar pattern in twisted stitches running up each side ... I see a few nights with stitch dictionaries in my near future. That is always the fun part - planning.
Even though I've not been knitting much at all this week, smallest cub has. Not only has she been knitting she has been purling! All on her own! I'm trying not to scare her off with my excitement .. but I'm really pleased at what she has done. When I stitched up the blanket last weekend I played EZ workshop DVD in the background .. and after it small cub wanted to knit a hat just like on the DVD. We cast on together, after sorting yarn from the kids stash, and needles from her set ... and I showed her how to 2x2 rib. This is all her own work! Several rounds and the ribs all line up!
So .. I'll keep you all posted on Yo-yo, they didn't think it was dangerous but a leaky cat isn't something I'm keen to share my house with, small cubs are messy enough without the cat leaking.
take care - don't let the silly season get to you.
na Stella
1 comment:
Hooray for Poppy!! Knitting and purling is very impressive :) The socks look good to me; I like the pattern. And I bet Bear's socks will turn out nicely - I have enjoyed working with that yarn in the past. Enjoy all of the bits and bobs that are coming in the mail!
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