String Beans anyone?

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Mar 072021
 

Not sure why I sat on this for so long.

Publishing patterns always seemed daunting. I have a friend, a wonderful enabler who encouraged me to explore my capabilities. We had plans to work together to present me to the wonderful world of knitwear design. She goes by the name of Raxor (pronounced Razor). She is the first Gippy I ever met. That, to the Un-initiated, is a cross between a Goth and a Hippy. It is not hard to be inspired by her beautiful range of colours and textures of her yarn.

I was helping out at a wool show she brilliantly put on. I let her run the show and I enjoyed looking after her stall. Next to me was a textile artist Claire Djuve of Djuve Knits. She had a lovely range of knitwear and wool. I fell in love with Crofter and like all crazy yarn-a-holics, bought one skein… after looking at it for a couple months I finally decided to knit a pair of socks. String Bean was born!

I have been lazy and when COVID-19 hit, hopes and dreams seemed to be put on hold. Now, during one sleepless night, I thought, “what better place to put it?” It can be found on Ravelry as well. Please enjoy!


Download the String Bean 8ply .PDF file

So far so good

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Jan 282021
 

Hi there! Almost through first month of 2021 and nothing major has happened. A small delay in returning to the office meant I got to spend a couple more weeks at home with John. COVID is still out there but Dan’s strict measures meant we got through lockdown unscathed! A good start to a good year. The disease is still out there so hopefully the Australian Open doesn’t spark a new wave. Fingers crossed.

I still haven’t done any textile work which, marks 6 months of no knitting, spinning, weaving, crochet or even dyeing. I think my mind is worse off, I can’t unwind properly and it is doing me in a little. I have replaced that with the ukulele, it is not quite the same but the good news; I’m improving my technique. I still have trouble with bar chords and I dispise the B chord, but practice makes progress, right?!

Meme courtesy Facebook.

The weather has been a bit stupid of late, 37°C one day, 19°C the next. I can’t even pack away my winter clothes! It is nice getting the summer rains though. My Sunflowers and Nasturtiums are doing great. So are the boys out back. For the most part, Ozzie loves being visited and enjoys his cuddles. Chaser is slowly coming around… slowly being the emphasized word! From mid next month I will contact the shearer and have him visit for a haircut and pedicure!

I have been re-reading the Dresden Files and enjoying it still. I have also watched some good DVD’s. It was slow to begin with but Picard was an enjoyable watch. I loved Good Omens (a blast from the past), we also watched Doom Patrol Season 2, Westworld Season 3, Stargirl Season 1, NCIS: New Orleans Season 6 and some Andromeda (Andromeda is a little predictable but it is not too taxing on the old brain.)

Well, that about wraps it up for now. I am wishing you all a fantastic year, remember: No matter where you go, there you are!

Watched the movie ‘Hunky Dory’ last night

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Aug 262020
 

We didn’t know what to expect, it being a $3 ex-rental DVD – it was a pleasant surprise. It featured songs from The Byrd’s, The Beach Boys, Roxy Music, ELO and David Bowie performed as the soundtrack to a school play of *Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

*Yes, yes, Christopher Marlowe actually wrote or co-wrote many of (if not all!) the plays attributed to Shakespeare, but there you go.

And the beat goes on ?

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Jun 222020
 

Getting closer to the end of June and I am sure tired of those baby blankets. I have started a top out of Crofter from Djuve Knits.?I am making Derecho from Berroco and I hope it keeps my interest up and I finish it quickly.
This being said, we heard from HR today that we will not be back in the office in July as first planned. It is a decision I am happy with as I am sure this COVID 19 won’t be going away in a hurry. I get a little more down time to do more knitting and spinning. I was considering joining a Tour de fleece Group as I got some amazing oatmeal bluefaced Leiscester roving to spin and I would like to knit a jumper to honour my recently passed friend Linda.

Christine Naked Speaking of friends, I collected (to ‘babysit’) a painting done by my amazing friend Sharon West. She is such an amazing artist and to have another of her works in my home is such an honour. Have a look then check her out on instagram; sharonwestartstuff
I have always admired Sharon’s work and it is quite inspirational, in fact I was planning to use it for some of my next designs. Of course it won’t feature nudes but then again, anything can happen when a design takes me to places of dreams.

My wonderful cousin sent a picture of little niece Ilara. She is seen here cuddling up under the blanket my sister and I made for her.

I think it was this blanket that made me decide I was not keen on making blankets out of squares. It is a bit like patchwork, why cut up a large piece of beautiful material into a pile of small pieces,only to sew them together again.

It just doesn’t make sense and appears to waste a lot of time. I know there are people out there who disagree with that and I understand where they are coming from but still…

Ok, I am signing off now and will do a little more knitting. Chat soon. Thanks for reading.

 

 

And June, it is.

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Jun 162020
 


What? It is already half way through the month and I haven’t updated my blog. Sorry. It has been a weird month. Visits to the hospital, birthdays and the completion of the many baby blankets at last. I think I have finished doing things for others and will now concentrate on just one thing for me! Well, 2 maybe. I appear to have used and misplaced many knitting needles of the circular kind so I have to go hunting for them. I opened the addi click bamboo set and was amazed I have even misplaced one of a pair of tips, what was I thinking. The t-shirt I was planning on knitting from the yarn I got from Djuve Knits. Will go on hold until I find the needles. I just love Crofter but she has so many other nice yarns to choose from. I thought, in the meantime I would start a crochet t-shirt and guess what. I have managed to split the yarn I have in 2 lots and I have hidden one lot… I can honestly say, since working from home, I have become so muddle headed I don’t know which way is up. This pic is the beautiful Elias With his C2C.

The plus side to working from home is I spend a lot more time with John. Together we get to watch some amazing sunrises while we eat breakfast. I also get a bit more time with my boys. They never cease to make me smile. With the colder weather we are feeding them a bit more and hoping it keeps them warm. While I spend the days navigating the perils of Skype and Zoom, trying hard to keep my face from them both, I look forward to the evenings doing gentle crafts while keeping the company of an amazing person named John. Isolation isn’t bad and it isn’t really much different from my every day life. In fact, it gives me so much more time with those who matter.

Still May… just

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May 292020
 

Still May. The days are getting shorter and nights colder. My boys are bottomless pits at the moment, eating so much more to produce a longer, warmer fleece. Ozzie forgave me for having him shorn so close to winter. He is getting cuddly again but prefers his food over me still.

Working from home is still very dangerous as I am so tempted to stop everything and start knitting and crocheting. I am on my 4th blanket this year still loving C2C style. It is quick, easy and amazingly simple. The one I am on is for the boss… I still have some time for this one though so I am not rushing. I have lined up some me projects for the end of baby blankets. A neck down T and a lovely cardigan. I hope they fit as the patterns look a little small. Still… I dare say, top down, I am bound not to follow the pattern all the way.

I have committed myself to finish writing the Munin shawl too. I feel I let Raxor down each time I talk to her. She is so encouraging and nurturing when it comes to designing. So, tell me… would you make Muninn, String Bean Socks or Hugin Cowl? Which should I publish first?
Ok, back to the uke and the hook… thanks for reading…!

Here we are in May…

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May 122020
 

I was shopping today and thought to myself; these last couple of months have changed the ways we shop and live. Melbourne seemed to think last weekend wiped the past couple from history, people hugging and kissing in the aisles at the supermarket, no one counting how many people were in the store, shoulder to shoulder. By Tuesday, 17 more cases of COVID19 some restrictions have been eased but not much. I noticed that most toilet paper was in bulk packets now, yeast was available by the half kilo and even some favourite biscuits were now available in triple packs.
Yes, we have become a nation who purchases things in bulk and large businesses take it for granted that now, a rush delivery will take at least 3 weeks. I purchased Johns birthday present two weeks ago and I only just got an email to say they will “ship it when they can”. So that Leaves me asking the question: what are they doing with my money? Who is making money on what I have paid up front for?

Ok, enough negative. I finished the blanket for Hugo’s new addition. Her photo is darling, now just 2 blankets to go. I am getting way too many ideas and I just wish I had the time to make them all. I almost had the courage to start warping up the Inkle loom but today, John just wants to watch some movies and heck, it is his birthday so why not? I can crochet as I watch movies.

The weekend at dads was fun and yes, that overgrown garden is still providing us with beautiful vegetables. I am hoping the next visit I will plant some brassicas. Until them, I am hoping the possums don’t eat the seedlings I took with me. I took no knitting or crochet. I tried to just focus on the loom but falling ill didn’t help and it sat in my car, untouched. Ok, I have the loom, the cottons, the heddles have been made… wish me good luck. Today is possibly the day I take the leap. I hope I find it as enjoyable as spinning. I hope to make Linda ( and mum Linda) so proud and happy they influenced my crafting so much.

Ok, I will leave my ramblings here and spend some time paying attention to the movie and of course, darling John! I hope his 60th birthday is at least a little more fun then he was expecting. This is Squirrel signing off, until the next chapter.