Entries Tagged 'Woollen things' ↓

Am becoming a bit obsessed with People’s Coffee at ‘The Garage’ i.e. their little walk-in on Garrett St. Popped over this afternoon after going to the wool shop to grab a takeaway. Amusing conversation was had when I put the wool on the counter to get money out of my purse.

Coffee man: Ooooo, what’s that? Is it food? Is it a burger?
Me: Are you starving? I’m sorry but it’s a ball of wool!
Coffee man: Oh. No. [Sigh.] I’m OK. Just thought it looked like an interesting packet.
Me: Well yes it is. Normally I get a little plastic bag, today they gave me this paper packet.
Coffee man: It’s quite cool, I like seeing where different things come from.
Me: Well, I’m sorry it’s just a ball of pink wool.

Almost rushed back with a couple of chocolate chip cookies for him that I made yesterday. But I don’t think The Mister would approve of that.

Another stunning day during our weekend visit to Blenheim. It’s amazing how you can just sit around and do practically nothing for an entire day when you’re not at home.

Made good progress on the second of the cardies by the time we left.

Batch of date scones – always interesting in someone else’s kitchen, and we haven’t made them in a while so it was certainly touch and go when we realised they were running out of golden syrup. But MAN they were good. Really good – we ended up just making regular scones but with golden syrup and cinnamon drenched dates.

Boys went out for a spin in the ’stang.

We came home with some lovely fresh homegrown treats – lemons from Dean & Steph’s ancient constantly productive lemon tree and delicious smelling daphne from Nanna’s garden.

And for recording in the urban family history books, today’s the date Aidan ate/touched something that gave him a pretty bad allergic reaction – lots of sneezing, snuffling and huge swollen eyes and ears and a trip to the hospital. Showed improvement after that but it was pretty stressful!

Have been going 10 days on the first of the twins cardies for Short Dark Friend. At the moment it’s a big pink shape that is beginning to look like it will turn into a cardie. Fairly good progress I reckon given that I’m working about 50 hours a week at the moment.

Hope to get ahead on the blue one while we’re in Blenheim this weekend.

Short Dark Friend has ordered a set of cardigans for new twins. And quick! So I’ll have to divert from the usual striped cardigans/jumpers that do take a bit of time. I have this pattern at home – easy garter stitch with the front and back knitted as 1 piece that I’ve been wanting to try for a while.

Just trying to convince her to choose colours for the cardigans that will allow orange to be the best match for the contrast colour round the bottom!

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Update just in:
Yaaaay! She’s chosen lolly pink with orange contrast for girl and bright (not navy) blue with orange contrast for boy!!

Mrs Moggy had some left-over wool and after seeing my first attempt at a puppy sweater asked if I could make her one from the wool that she could donate to the SPCA. This one 2-toned even – darker blue on the underside. Such a shame we can’t get to see a puppy wearing it.

Jif let me know about a pattern on the SPCA website for knitting or crocheting sweaters for their puppies. Am not really a puppy or dog person but in between knitting projects it’s been good to have something to do.

I just finished it the other night then rather fortuitously the SPCA had a group of puppies down at Kirkcaldie & Stains so I was able to deliver the sweater in person. However they only had biggish puppies there so they weren’t able to dress one in it. I’ve written to them to ask for a photo if one does end up wearing it so I’ll just have to wait and see.

She likes them! After 4 attempts at getting a ’smoother stitch’ for Short Dark Friend’s arm warmers we have a winner. Even though she was dubious about the ribbing having to be on either end to stop them curling up the results are good. Am quite pleased with them and impressed with how ’smooth’ they look.

Another happy customer! Donna was complaining of cold hands and arms when working and said she needed some long gloves – so I offered up hand crafted arm warmers. She was very excited – especially when they could be tailor made in her company colours!

Now onto some for my Short Dark Friend … have started and unpicked twice. She’s not so keen on the ribbing but stocking stitch just curls up … she’s given in so attempt number 3 begins tonight!

A while ago, after knitting my tree cosy in the Cuba Street Carnival, I saw on the Outdoor Knit blog that knitters were being called on to help create a knitted ‘installation’ called Yarn Forward at the Manchester (England) Craft & Design Centre. So I followed the instructions and sent over a knitted orange strip of the required size.

I’ve been following their blog for a while and have seen pictures of where the strips end up – they’re being sewn end to end around the balcony railing in the Manchester Craft & Design Centre – but when I posted mine off I never thought in the hundred’s that they’ve been receiving that they would name me and my strip and put a photo on their blog! But they did!! Am delirious with excitement. Over a bit of knitting. Sad I know!

So here’s the Yarn Forward’s blog post

And the photo of my orange moss stitch strip!

When we walked up Cuba Street this weekend I noticed that our knitting, including MY tree cosy, had been taken down from the trees outside The Matterhorn. I’d always wondered how long knitting graffiti stayed around for and who eventually took it away. Someone snapped a council worker in action removing the knitting last week and sent the picture into the Outdoor Knit blog.