Where did that week go?

Ever have one of those weeks where some how, the week is gone and there isn't much to show for it? There are times that I think my whole life is a bit like that, and the older I get the more time seems to fly and the less time I seem to have. Today there is a new project, specially requested by Bear, and an old project comes closer to ending, and there are new toys.

Bears A-kicking hat in Stansborough grey

Bear has very little hair, he won't mind me saying that, I know as I asked. What hair he does have he keeps very short, military short, clipped. Its been like that for a while, a long while. Here in New Zealand we have two factors that combine and raise the risk of skin cancer, much of the population is genetically disposed towards fair skin, the kind that burns easily, and not just in the midday sun. Add to that here in New Zealand the light that we get seems richer in the kind of wavelengths that cause damage to the skin. Don't panic, its not cancer, but there are some little spots that won't heal that Bears doctor wants to remove. Years of exposure to the sun has created skin that is almost to thin to take standard wear and tear and the treatment is to remove the skin and let new thicker skin grow. Bear is a sensitive sort and dosn't want to expose his head to the view of the world while it heals so requested a hat that could be worn indoors. We had a shared Ravelry session, where quite a few patterns were viewed and considered, many were rejected and we both felt that Elliots Ass-kicking hat by Megan Ellinger was the one. Then I invited Bear to view the stash drawers that held suitable yarn - and this is what he picked. Stansbourgh Yarn, 4 ply in natural grey. I'd link to the yarn itself but it was bought a few years ago and they don't do this one any more, just a DK / light worsted weight.

Edging Banjo-Helen's baby blanket.

Most of this week I've been knitting on the hat, seemed only fair that it be completed quickly. Bear wants to book a session with his doctor soon. Before I was distracted by the hat, I begun the edge on Banjo-Helen's baby blanket. I hope to have this done by the end of next week. Next weekend is the local Knit Camp - and I'm wanting to take something smaller with me to work on outside of class. The sanquhar mitts perhaps? Start a cardigan for me, start one for little cub ... start something for my secret swap partner, finish the socks on the needles? I've no idea what will be next but just thinking about what it could be is fun.

New toys, a pair being two makes it toys plural  doesn't it?

And here is my new toy, so new that I've not even brushed fibre past them. A pair of Howard Hand Cards, fine 120 TPI, standard sized, from The Woolery.com, shipping was almost the same cost as the carders themselves.  I've been looking at carder prices and shipping for three or so years now and with the current favorable New Zealand exchange rate I was able to by the carders with shipping for a little less than the cost that the carders alone would have been three years ago. I had to take a bit of a leap and risk, not being able to discuss hand carders much here, most locals have Ashford ones, and few spin woolen, and not being able to try different brands and styles before I bought. The Howard ones seemed good value for money without going for a student model, and a nice compromise between curved and straight. The more I looked the more there seemed to be a clear preference amongst those who use hand carders for either straight or curved. I'm waiting for a dvd to arrive to guide me, How to Card Wool: Four Spinners, Four Techniques before I start of and learn bad habits. Some times I just like to let the excitement rest while I look forward and plan to use new things rather than jump in and get all muddled. I thought since I was enjoying playing with spinning worsted that a pair of hand carders and a little tuition might be a good thing. The carders arrived within 4 days, the DVD was order first and I'm still waiting on it, I can wait - there is plenty to do.


This week looks like another busy week, lots to get through at work, there is another big hand in for students,  and so a pile of marking for me, and student presentations this Monday. Plus I'm nearly done on the next article for Entangled ... this one is on workbooking and keeping records of ones crafting. I'd best head off and finish that before Little cubs friends descend for a play date this afternoon and distract me.

Take care
na Stella

Surprise!

Today's post is about surprises, the nice kind, three of them .....one for me, one for work and one for some one nearby ...
First up I came home to a lovely surprise on Thursday ... and at first I had no idea who had organised it. The whole familygot home at around 6pm, me after a very long day teaching and then a long post-marking meeting, I was sorting something for the evening meal after sending an email saying I just wouldn't make it to knitting that night because of the time and the things still to do when Bear came in from checking the mailbox with a the following question Was I expecting any fibre? No I wasn't... but fibre there was, two bumps. And my favorite colours, blue, blue grey and grey. I was completely flumoxed about who it could be from, and the lovely hand written note didn't help at all, as it was signed 'friend'. The next day KathyR asked if I had 'found' anything .. and it all became clear. The Blue-grey is perendale she has dyed, and the three greys are natural halfbreed from a farm near her -- all coordinated and ready to use. I love both of these, and I'm really happy to have them .. both might have to queue jump onto a wheel very very soon, I just can't decide which will be first.


The past two weeks been teaching in 'my' Textiles - Hand Knitting Studio workshop for two weeks. This is a course where we suspend normal classes for three weeks and mix up students across the four design degrees (interiors, product, communication and fashion) and the three study years into 'electives'. The students just have those classes for three weeks, full on, full time, 48 contact hours in 3 weeks, learning, experimenting and then presenting something that come out of what they are learning. There are lots of fun options, claymation, millinery, story book illustration, Pop-up factory, contemporary jewellery, digital textile printing, packaging, short film, .... lots including my Hand Knitting one. Its full on, I have 18 students an all are pretty much newbies to knitting, By day three all were casting on and off, knitting an purling, increasing and decreasing and some even were attempting lace and cables ... its all good, but keeps me very busy. I am teaching in a room that was only fitted out in February, so its still fairly new and white and bland ... not a great place for designing ... but I'm working on that. A team of of the communication students have been designing quite quirky graphics for the hallways and stairways and shared spaces ... which are very very cool. I've been installing subtle knit graffiti in the room I'm teaching in - using odd swatches that I have left over from past projects. I was inspired by this local project (Ravelry link), but mine is a bit more subtle ...mostly as it is what I had already swatched rather than custom knit. See the bright green bucket - that holds my teaching needles for class .. I also have a matching green laundry basket that holds the yarn that we use for sampling and teaching. three chairs, and a table leg .. it is subtle.


And the last surprise is for some one near here, I'm still working away on my secret swap knit ... and right now I am about here, with only that, that and those to knit and tidy up. I made this photo with not a lot of light ... and I love the way it naturally desaturated leaving just colour in the stitch marker. In full daylight this project is not this colour at all, far from it.

The other thing I worked on this week was spindling, and I finished the fibre I started at spindle class and wound it off ready to ply. I have already plied it - Navaho to keep the colours true, but forgot to photograph it. there is 27g here ... so enough for something. Spindle spinning was so nice that I am even thinking of starting a new spindle project ... perhaps with one of the new fibres that arrived Thursday.

Take care ... the weekend is dark and cold here, perfect knitting weather ....and I hope the weather where you are is perfect for what you want to do.
Stella