tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-247440042024-02-08T16:04:05.861+13:00Creativerymostly knitting, but you never know when i'll go off on a tangent...shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.comBlogger116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-44996303564301270962012-06-29T16:25:00.001+12:002012-06-29T16:25:10.380+12:00June Catch-up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lots happening this month! I've got a bunch of things I've been working on, but I seem to be a little bit scattered project-wise. I've started a bunch of things, finished a few, but not all.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDcWfMD70TT8HYiiB3Fg5SESBLO53B1OJFQcQrm_oN7njbM5o_zQHs8VBdNQCtKLYzCu6lt0jI1F1OLQtU-rd3jL66Q1rFTyACisfG_APwgxrx9cPOF2fakGKpTInY4KM4gza/s1600/DSCF3808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDcWfMD70TT8HYiiB3Fg5SESBLO53B1OJFQcQrm_oN7njbM5o_zQHs8VBdNQCtKLYzCu6lt0jI1F1OLQtU-rd3jL66Q1rFTyACisfG_APwgxrx9cPOF2fakGKpTInY4KM4gza/s400/DSCF3808.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I just finished this little guy yesterday. He's so cute and does a great job as a doorstop! In case you're wondering, he's an Adelie penguin. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I also made this 'Scott Tent' doorstop the other day, out of actual Scott Tent fabric that I got when I was in Antarctica (left over from retired tents). These tents were used 100 years ago in the Antarctic and are still used today. See this <a href="http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/13030" target="_blank">photo</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> This is proceeding slowly. One thing that surprised me is that I really prefer knitting over crochet. I didn't think that would happen; I mean, they're basically the same kind of thing right? But I found I was really missing knitting after going round and round with granny squares for a while. But I'm still excited about this project and will be so happy to finally have it done sometime. It's SO colorful and it makes me happy just looking at it. My husband, Antz calls these little squares, 'Crochet Cookies.'</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Heart Slipper </b>(yes, slipper, not slippers)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I found this pattern,<a href="http://www.sweaterbabe.com/knitting-patterns/one-skein-sweetheart-slippers.htm" target="_blank"> 'One Skein Sweetheart Slippers,'</a> that uses 1 skein of heavy worsted yarn and it just so happened I had some Brown Sheep washable heavy worsted in my possession. I don't usually use that yarn weight, so I don't have a lot in my stash, but this pattern seemed to fit the bill. I'm on the constant search for the perfect slipper pattern; an ideal marriage of fit, comfort, style and warmth, but I'm afraid this pattern doesn't quite do it for me. I like the style -- the color is not so great, but that's not the pattern's fault -- but the fit is not quite right. I made the middle size, which supposedly fits women's 8 to 11 (quite a range). I have a 8.5 foot I found this to be a little big. And the heel and sides are not very 'deep' so the slipper seems to want to slip off. This would be greatly improved by wearing it over thick socks I imagine, which is appropriate for a New Zealand winter anyway. Going down a needle size may help as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I only made one of these slippers. I haven't made the other one. Not sure I will. But chances are I'll start to feel guilty about not finishing this and make the other one. Super fast knit anyway.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then I fell in love with this project from Ravelry <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rosebud-neckwarmer" target="_blank">(click here for pattern)</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I've been wanting to do a lace project for so long. And I have this wonderful ball of dusty-pinky-lavender acrylic mohair in the stash that my husband's Mum gave me. Yes, it's acrylic and I don't usually like knitting with non-natural fibers, but it really is quite pretty, and light and fluffy and subtly sparkly and I'm enjoying it. So much fun with all the yarn overs, k2tog's, but I find I'm not so fond of purling two together through the back loops. I suffer through those. It's aptly named because down the center are these lovely rosebud shapes with leaves on either side. Gorgeous! Not my color exactly, so it will be a gift at some point.</span></div>
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<br />shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-35028148591701982792012-06-01T14:15:00.000+12:002012-06-01T14:16:17.126+12:00Cornucopia of Color!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Grabbing the crochet hook between the day's normal activities, plus while spending a great deal of time watching the new Sci-fi series, Stargate Universe, I've managed to complete all the large blocks for the afghan and some of the small blocks. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETVOYE4kkfsrYtWcWc1OBmSvdJYUdi4y4nLDBYOSd2aej6LPafvTkzWA4hVrNafQUKUHlilRi84U_V9kcxto7sd_PZFpEjrZVr0b4WXTPYnNoJCDlVEPYoV0O7iT7rHTXStyu/s1600/IMG_20120601_130835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETVOYE4kkfsrYtWcWc1OBmSvdJYUdi4y4nLDBYOSd2aej6LPafvTkzWA4hVrNafQUKUHlilRi84U_V9kcxto7sd_PZFpEjrZVr0b4WXTPYnNoJCDlVEPYoV0O7iT7rHTXStyu/s320/IMG_20120601_130835.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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For whatever reason, I'm having trouble nailing down the pattern for the small blocks, as I am going without a pattern for those (off-road crocheting) and I think I may have finally come up with a few versions that I really like.</div>
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I was starting to feel a little insecure about the cornucopia of colors I've chosen for this project (I LOVE all the colors, just wondering if they all should be playing in the sandbox all at the same time?), but now that I have arranged a few in the final pattern, I'm starting to like it more. </div>
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I mean, this is meant to be a COLORFUL afghan and it sure lives up to that!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRNjqhzgGF8htTghxn21iy8iKqUe-AazFRwqoa18tugv4LmVBFOERFHfcmoQvGc8TUeuOrmUJYFu6lgq_soFDLrs7hHSr0jHF_-kfH28sjv7eCicmjuYPRKc034Ehyvbjaokc/s1600/IMG_20120601_131230-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRNjqhzgGF8htTghxn21iy8iKqUe-AazFRwqoa18tugv4LmVBFOERFHfcmoQvGc8TUeuOrmUJYFu6lgq_soFDLrs7hHSr0jHF_-kfH28sjv7eCicmjuYPRKc034Ehyvbjaokc/s320/IMG_20120601_131230-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Lookie all the colors!</div>
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The hot pink sure is <i>unexpected</i>, but I'm bound and determined to leave it in there, against my normal judgement. I am, after all, working on being more adventurous with color. I'm not sure of the color I will use to put them all together. Maybe an off-white for maximum contrast? Pink? (oh no! she's really lost it now!); I'll have to think about that one a bit more.</div>
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Here is the sketch I made of the afghan in my notebook:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLyYzwCVi7xXDqHLVBNXLOfuXNg7lG_9PlWM8KHJOC0WA6b0RsZeJodVg70WrUUXc9ybFEkt826dJudbukerGWqFUAbvEHhgNBWbmNyxfJYSsmAcdW9Ay_JT98ap7K9YfefTz/s1600/IMG_20120601_134906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLyYzwCVi7xXDqHLVBNXLOfuXNg7lG_9PlWM8KHJOC0WA6b0RsZeJodVg70WrUUXc9ybFEkt826dJudbukerGWqFUAbvEHhgNBWbmNyxfJYSsmAcdW9Ay_JT98ap7K9YfefTz/s320/IMG_20120601_134906.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's an unusual pattern, one I made up myself (I find it extremely challenging to stick to any pattern as written).</div>
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<br /></div>shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-80960987237510045492012-05-21T15:24:00.000+12:002012-05-21T15:25:26.592+12:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZdK1hRh_tMZybA4CwFdSLMxjHxWytQIOly79-VeOhg0Sfjbooz3DwFVOGjIJCJo1WwWoUg10NK2pLICIjBhAQ2wN37kiE_xaDQzmp_du67e4273kGjF3YuG-AGi46p5SMGXn/s1600/IMG_20120521_145847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZdK1hRh_tMZybA4CwFdSLMxjHxWytQIOly79-VeOhg0Sfjbooz3DwFVOGjIJCJo1WwWoUg10NK2pLICIjBhAQ2wN37kiE_xaDQzmp_du67e4273kGjF3YuG-AGi46p5SMGXn/s400/IMG_20120521_145847.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
After a trip to the yarn store (I managed to get away for under $100), here is the pile of yarn that it destined to be an afghan.<br />
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Everything is 100% wool, but washable wool, so it can be thrown in the washing machine. And most of it was around $4 - $5 a skein. Cheap as, mate.<br />
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It will be colorful for sure (understatement). So you may be wondering about that ball of <b><span style="color: magenta;">hot pink.</span></b> It doesn't really look like it belongs, does it? But I am excited about the idea of being adventurous with color and wouldn't a splash of hot pink be just the most unexpected and wonderful thing? The jury is still on the fence on this one, but I can almost see it in my mind's eye?<br />
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What do you think?<br />
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Here's a couple of initial blocks:<br />
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I really like the idea of circles. But I also like the more traditional granny square as shown on the lower photo -- far left and far right. I may combine all of them together. Why not?</div>
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<br />shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-66368315485802268452012-05-20T13:00:00.001+12:002012-05-20T13:00:16.392+12:00Ambitious Project Commenced<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This could be the start of something beautiful.<br />
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Okay, I've gotten into a sudden and unexpected crochet kick. I'm not sure what has come over me. Perhaps it's a temporary condition that will come and go? But I have a vision for a crocheted granny square afghan in blues, aquas, mint, grass green, brown, taupe, grey, periwinkle, olive and perhaps a nice greeny-yellow. I think the color scheme needs a splash or two of bright, unexpected color though. I have a bunch of washable wool in my stash that I don't usually use for my other projects, so I'm going to use all that up and make something useful. I'm going to decrease my ever-growing stash!<br />
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But wait. Oh no. I weighed a completed granny square on the digital scale and then I counted how many squares I need to make the afghan. And uh...it appears a trip to the yarn store is in order. I have less than half the amount of yarn I need. So much for using up yarn in my stash!<br />
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Here is a very inspiring book I picked up last week, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crochet-Blocks-Blankets-Throws-Afghans/dp/1931499683/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337475222&sr=8-1" target="_blank">200 Crochet Blocks for blankets, throws and afghans</a>, by Jan Eaton. I think this book may be responsible for this latest affliction.<br />
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This is truly a fun, engaging exercise in color and pattern. Love it!shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-57018489832619423232012-05-11T17:22:00.004+12:002012-05-11T17:23:56.886+12:00The Intersection of Math and Crochet<img alt="http://crochetcoralreef.org/Content/exhibitions/track16_clip_image011.jpg" src="http://crochetcoralreef.org/Content/exhibitions/track16_clip_image011.jpg" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">This TED Talk will fascinate you <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGEDHMF4rLI" target="_blank">(click here)</a>. These coral reef forms were made by modeling hyperbolic space with yarn and crochet. Take 30 minutes out of your day to watch this. I was inspired!</span>shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-58795926790494600792012-05-11T13:34:00.000+12:002012-05-11T13:34:57.644+12:00Invitation<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>If you have enjoyed visiting Creativery, I invite you to support the blog by becoming a member. </i></span></div>
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It is my intention to be a little bit better at posting! Creative things are always going on in my life, but it doesn't always make it to the blog. I'd like to be better at that.<br />
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<br />shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-56262659556069075232012-05-10T18:13:00.000+12:002012-05-11T17:24:57.675+12:00Handmade cards for Mom's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">Here are two Mother's Day cards I had fun making on this overcast Christchurch day! The basketweave stamp is a traditional Maori design and the Paua (say 'pow-ah') shell is a favorite symbol of New Zealand. I colored the Paua shell with Copic markers. The paper is a little more purple than what the photo shows. I glued tiny crystals on both for a little sparkle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">What a mess I made dragging all my papercrafting stuff out into the dining room today. I'll look forward to someday having my own big creative space. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">I guess I'd better get these in the mail! </span><br />
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<br />shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-81223428715538529362011-09-30T17:33:00.000+13:002011-09-30T17:33:20.953+13:00Slice of Toast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngFyPFs2TENByJALBlQKlGKBhY8tiZ6sNpkqvt5DuiVJGxrKwSab78BYEG_XtcTnGqQU6K9C-BTr1YRRZGICD4TDw2n6nNQdTZqpBF0RFji3yx4w6GLyX7omK-AZ_EfCmLUUZ/s1600/toast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngFyPFs2TENByJALBlQKlGKBhY8tiZ6sNpkqvt5DuiVJGxrKwSab78BYEG_XtcTnGqQU6K9C-BTr1YRRZGICD4TDw2n6nNQdTZqpBF0RFji3yx4w6GLyX7omK-AZ_EfCmLUUZ/s400/toast.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Make this adorable toast plushie keychain by following these instructions at <a href="http://aiwa-9.deviantart.com/art/plush-toast-keychain-tutorial-64057573">Deviant Art</a>.<br />
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I didn't have brown felt, so I colored white felt with a Copic marker. The effect came out great, but the only problem was the marker gave the felt a coating that was hard to push the needle through. But I managed. I also decided to give my toast a wee smile. <br />
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So cute! I can see doing lots of other shapes this way.shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-27825675052454233422011-07-17T16:37:00.000+12:002011-07-17T16:37:45.094+12:00Make Your Own ScarfOne thing I find difficult is finding clothing in my colors. I am an autumn, so I don't wear black very well at all. Brown is my black. I also don't wear the colors that I would normally find in every store in Christchurch at the moment: white, purple, red and black (bleck!). My colors are bright greens, rust, oranges and peacock blue among other colors. It's is surprisingly difficult to find clothes in these colors, especially in winter.<br />
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One of the things I've been on the lookout for is a scarf with some of those vivid colors in it, that I can use with some of my neutral pieces; to add color and tie everything together. Again, really hard finding anything in my palette. I keep looking and find nothing I like.<br />
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I was at the fabric store the other day and found this lovely, silky fabric in orange, dark brown, cream, green and dashes of other colors I love. I bought a 1/2 meter for $20, trimmed it down to a scarf-sized rectangle and spent the evening doing a hand-sewn rolled hem on it.<br />
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Today, I have a beautiful scarf that cost me $20 and took one evening to make. It looks incredible against my skin and with most things in my wardrobe. <br />
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Tip on getting the scarf perfectly square and on the grain:<br />
Cut a notch in the edge and rip the fabric...it will rip right on the grain. The raw edges will be sewn under with the rolled hem.<br />
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I used this tutorial on YouTube to learn the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjBdjuZwdog">rolled hem</a>. I didn't have to use starch...I just folded the edge down as I went, no problem.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand-sewn rolled hem. Probably needs a quick hit with an iron</td></tr>
</tbody></table>shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-84847873706370189472011-07-03T14:48:00.000+12:002011-07-03T14:48:39.781+12:00Knitting for Christchurch KidsI've recently joined a great group of knitters close to my house who are knitting warm things for kids in Christchurch. Everyone has been traumatized by our recent spat of earthquakes, but none more than the kids. There are many people who have struggled to keep warm during this very chilly wintertime. Many houses have big cracks in the walls or broken windows that let the cold creep in. And there have been power outages from time to time as well.<br />
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A woman in nearby New Brighton, Jenny Lineham, started this knitting group and it has grown (see this <a href="http://digital.couriercountry.co.nz/olive/ode/cc_daily/LandingPage/LandingPage.aspx?href=Q0MvMjAxMS8wNC8wNg..&pageno=MTM.&entity=QXIwMTMwNQ..&view=ZW50aXR5">article</a>). I saw her story featured on the 6 o'clock news, did some Google'ing and was able to contact her. I've been going to the knitting group every week for a month or so now and making some new friends.<br />
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We started by knitting warm beanies for the kids. The ladies would collect the beanies, sort them by size, then take them to the schools, where the kids would pick out their very own beanie. The kids love it! There are beanies coming in from all over New Zealand. Donated yarn is also pouring in.<br />
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We have completed the beanie project after giving beanies to almost all the kids in Christchurch! Now we are knitting cozy slippers, for kids and some older folks too.<br />
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Here's a couple I knit up (they go fast!) and I thought it appropriate to place them by the crack in our driveway that is a result of the quakes.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cozy Feet for Antz</b></span><br />
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My husband got this cozy pair of 'dorm socks' for his birthday. I invented these socks when I was in Antarctica and wanted a warm pair of socks to walk around the dorm without having to put shoes on. I used Lion's Brand Chunky yarn, then sewed a piece of fleece on the bottom in the shape of my foot. I loved them and wear them so much, I figured Antz needed a pair too. They are wonderful for wearing over another pair of regular socks...protects the socks and keeps the feet nice and toasty.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hMrsvtgMHnekJlPlmttUU9IwNrU7tOPw9jocRZDDD2NseMGghrumdHUSNZR_GcpGc3V7rHxVTwZUZPblk-ReOP4mZuZXolGZ3wPjm_PXRChzZ6Np9_YjWRWmyilTxnj0UA9z/s1600/DSCF3165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hMrsvtgMHnekJlPlmttUU9IwNrU7tOPw9jocRZDDD2NseMGghrumdHUSNZR_GcpGc3V7rHxVTwZUZPblk-ReOP4mZuZXolGZ3wPjm_PXRChzZ6Np9_YjWRWmyilTxnj0UA9z/s400/DSCF3165.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-25944368350691337642011-07-03T14:35:00.002+12:002011-07-03T14:35:55.386+12:00More Color InspirationA <a href="http://color-collective.blogspot.com/">blog dedicated to color</a>, the Color Collectiveshooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-91241009257927327342011-06-26T15:07:00.001+12:002011-06-26T15:08:08.639+12:00Color Knitting Chart MakerHey this is pretty neat... it's a little mini-application from Tricksy Knitter that you can use to create a color knitting chart. You can choose any color. Click <a href="http://www.tricksyknitter.com/pages/knitting-chart-maker/create-a-color-chart.php">here</a>.<br />
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I found you can 'paint' more than one square by clicking once on a square and moving your mouse around. Click again to stop.shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-25218736524009256472011-06-17T11:35:00.001+12:002011-09-30T17:39:15.278+13:00Orchid Baby Set<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmh8nJmmfr4UfPf-3sFn7yd1f9ArJmS9yKNGjILYTGMx46MfNxLeY3YwzogHCMov5pvFXThV5ffo3huQgS9-9E28BnTegjOlRPWZJu23wtEB_pywplSNVVtf0olDgXH5-H4qX9/s1600/DSCF3148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmh8nJmmfr4UfPf-3sFn7yd1f9ArJmS9yKNGjILYTGMx46MfNxLeY3YwzogHCMov5pvFXThV5ffo3huQgS9-9E28BnTegjOlRPWZJu23wtEB_pywplSNVVtf0olDgXH5-H4qX9/s400/DSCF3148.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Just love this cardigan! It's the 'Children's Neckdown Bolero' (pattern #275) from 'Knitting Pure & Simple.' Get the pattern <a href="http://www.knittingpureandsimple.com/kids.html">here</a>. I just think it's adorable...just love the curve in the front. There is another button on the inside on the opposite side that secures the other side of the cardigan.<br />
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The pattern was pretty straightforward, with the only slightly confusing bit being there was an incredible amount of stitches to be picked up for the ribbed band in front. That is because of the curve...you have to start with a lot of stitches on the pick-up in order for the curve to happen without bunching. The pattern author offers a tutorial on her website to handle this part of the pattern and it was very helpful. And I learned something! <br />
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I used one of my favorite yarns, <a href="http://www.malabrigoyarn.com/sub_yarn.php?id_sub_yarn=5">Malabrigo Worsted</a> in 'Orchid.' It's super soft and cuddly, with the only drawbacks being that Mom will have to hand wash it and apparently it has a tendency to pill easier than most yarns (read the review <a href="http://www.knittersreview.com/article_yarn.asp?article=/review/product/050217_a.asp">here</a>). But I reckon its positives outweigh the negatives. I really should investigate some superwash yarns for projects like these, but it's hard to beat Malabrigo's softness and fun while knitting. And the colors! Don't get me started. Anyway, I had two balls of it and had some left over so I designed a little hat to match. So cute. Can't wait to give it away!<br />
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Update: here's a photo of lovely Willa wearing her new set!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgdD0KoSur2wu8z37xqQ9jBPXG1eDSaIy3mQ9ugspu2DlapIGRkHy8WaCJZHG55eC439Oe5OhnJETNAQ9nCK5-qGB89pXTsHzLTpsun5tzAUnEfYO_InarWRIsArm43O0pHfT/s1600/willa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgdD0KoSur2wu8z37xqQ9jBPXG1eDSaIy3mQ9ugspu2DlapIGRkHy8WaCJZHG55eC439Oe5OhnJETNAQ9nCK5-qGB89pXTsHzLTpsun5tzAUnEfYO_InarWRIsArm43O0pHfT/s320/willa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-66837631930153659702011-06-10T13:57:00.001+12:002011-06-10T13:59:16.628+12:00Yender<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5f_Br4HPfx_uU8vDVhPG4yUjacIi3xh9nP8Ky57xfAmxTflnSDNaiysamrc2U1KwSDGMBKPpur5xNKhaX4vOBbvFLIOjtlzkxqEXgzNjY4cmD7cejytu5fLMYJz0Z9oGDeY0L/s1600/DSCF3135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5f_Br4HPfx_uU8vDVhPG4yUjacIi3xh9nP8Ky57xfAmxTflnSDNaiysamrc2U1KwSDGMBKPpur5xNKhaX4vOBbvFLIOjtlzkxqEXgzNjY4cmD7cejytu5fLMYJz0Z9oGDeY0L/s400/DSCF3135.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Recently, I went on a bit of a bender. A yarn bender. A Yender? It happens to knitters occasionally. For me, it started with a sale at <a href="http://www.yarn.com/">Webs</a> on Cascade 220 (for $4.95 a skein). A good price for a yarn that I love and use a lot. Too good to pass up. And I needed more charcoal gray...and white for an upcoming project. Then of course, it's always a good idea to stock up, especially at such a great price and then I will be paying for shipping anyway, so may as well take advantage of that.<br />
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But then I noticed that not all the colors I wanted were available from the Webs sale. So then, naturally, I had to pop over to my other favorite yarn store, <a href="http://www.yarn-store.com/">Angelikas</a>. I know I can count on Angelikas to have all colors in stock. They've never been out of stock on anything I've wanted and the prices are pretty reasonable. And they ship FAST. So I ordered a few from there. A little of this and a little of that, just to round out the stash a little.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnE303DSo1CEf9MSY930Gny8kMy4aCd0JOcUUWLXRCmaHirVUW2f_0cZ9vwrFcFz9RZilQEOxNpH-DrDudqive53Be6UrLYV2pdiizQmeQm3dfpHK4sCdGrxSWiqPtiA-rReXF/s1600/DSCF3126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnE303DSo1CEf9MSY930Gny8kMy4aCd0JOcUUWLXRCmaHirVUW2f_0cZ9vwrFcFz9RZilQEOxNpH-DrDudqive53Be6UrLYV2pdiizQmeQm3dfpHK4sCdGrxSWiqPtiA-rReXF/s400/DSCF3126.jpg" width="343" /></a></div><br />
So this is the result. This is all the new yarn, to be added to my burgeoning stash of Cascade 220. I had to buy two new bins for the new yarn, plus some that's been collecting over time, and so my stash has grown from two full plastic bins to four full plastic bins. I wonder if I stopped buying any new yarn right now, how long it would take me to knit all of it? Maybe not a lifetime, but it would sure be a while.<br />
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It's a nice balanced selection of colors and don't they look pretty on the window sill, bathed in sunlight? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ugVvFjkR4iamYrpYmXiZA4erkFPeTbT-9PY1WoVx0Z7Ju-6zGxaw8upqi8F7_kU6hQZRM-6Dera4Dhv37_Va6Q0xx_HDOMYHe0RqwDi5Dqg0woLafhWKPeZn99Qu9Wdpxxsw/s1600/DSCF3130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ugVvFjkR4iamYrpYmXiZA4erkFPeTbT-9PY1WoVx0Z7Ju-6zGxaw8upqi8F7_kU6hQZRM-6Dera4Dhv37_Va6Q0xx_HDOMYHe0RqwDi5Dqg0woLafhWKPeZn99Qu9Wdpxxsw/s640/DSCF3130.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The neighbor's dog thinks so too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuQXWpFCirHTRJYEWneaO6Y5_8zKGXi40GiiYQptklHONwi3ZNpLZyIsKLVjgaL3SxD53KmEBCbIzSH8C3yITzw4Netc10uYhDLZktWn0nq3XbJEPsjtD8ZLB-8XyNoJuANZb/s1600/DSCF3134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuQXWpFCirHTRJYEWneaO6Y5_8zKGXi40GiiYQptklHONwi3ZNpLZyIsKLVjgaL3SxD53KmEBCbIzSH8C3yITzw4Netc10uYhDLZktWn0nq3XbJEPsjtD8ZLB-8XyNoJuANZb/s400/DSCF3134.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
That was a lot of winding. Many hours in front of the TV, patiently winding skeins. Someday I'll have a swift and winder combo.shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-63027393722383016632011-06-01T23:16:00.000+12:002011-06-01T23:16:46.540+12:00Purple Mama<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fbnAQHdsNJIzmvWrEbNhb45LIZJVBnEv-y0bTibREUc98eNZ_duN_f5jKKZl8D0JNy7rAHnLLp28c2Lr7YnWJVf1R6cvDdwLUTk_9qouj7Zv1KwopbY5Uzttin6YtrTs5nwC/s1600/Purple+Mama+Sign+Art+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fbnAQHdsNJIzmvWrEbNhb45LIZJVBnEv-y0bTibREUc98eNZ_duN_f5jKKZl8D0JNy7rAHnLLp28c2Lr7YnWJVf1R6cvDdwLUTk_9qouj7Zv1KwopbY5Uzttin6YtrTs5nwC/s400/Purple+Mama+Sign+Art+for+blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This is some sign artwork I did for my Mom who is starting a new branch of her jewelery designs called 'Purple Mama.' I love the name -- it's so perfect for her! The name was given to her by my friend's 2-year old son, Dominic, who remembers when my Mom visited New Zealand. She was wearing a purple outfit on that day and ever since, Dominic has called her 'Purple Mama.'<br />
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My Mom wanted a creative and playful design that is light-heartedly sophisticated, not serious nor child-like. She wanted a straightforward, puffy font that can be seen from a distance. She wanted 'bubbles' and 'clouds.' I think she'll like this, knowing her. It looks a bit like space too.<br />
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I started with just swashing a piece of paper with purple watercolor and threw in some areas of red and blue. Then in Photoshop, I layered in a photo of some bubbles (can you see them in there faintly?). Then I added another layer of some swirly bits -- in the upper left and lower right corners. Then cut out circles from some other watercolor I did (they look like purple 'planets'). Then I put yellow glows behind them and added other small yellow fuzzy dots and some other smaller, sharper white dots. I just love layering in Photoshop. You can really control how much of each image shows through when layered on top of each other. I particularly love the combination of traditional art, like watercolor, combined with Photoshop...most excellent! <br />
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I've also been knitting away on this...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4D7t3DKPck2OP2Urea2eWABIC847TT_Ck7xxubqfC6JF7fi5FmmTMQiZxUMMKJ7bFOKyJG351-3R8menzXk7_Qo3xNNB9RlxgqvcBfh62ABLR6m8NPEzMtEEh83nMNGIQcTUb/s1600/DSCF3098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4D7t3DKPck2OP2Urea2eWABIC847TT_Ck7xxubqfC6JF7fi5FmmTMQiZxUMMKJ7bFOKyJG351-3R8menzXk7_Qo3xNNB9RlxgqvcBfh62ABLR6m8NPEzMtEEh83nMNGIQcTUb/s400/DSCF3098.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>A wee cutie of a bolero jacket for a certain lucky little lady who doesn't know she's getting this yet. I used one of my favorite yarns, Malabrigo, in Orchid. It is the softest, most wonderful kettle-dyed yarn and I love the subtle color shifts from pink to lavender. I should have enough left over for a little hat to match. It will be finished soon and I'll post the final photos.<br />
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And I'm not sure if I posted this hat. I made it a while ago and the photo looks like it's in black and white, but it's not, it's just the color of the yarn I used; very neutral earth tones. All done in Cascade 220. My own design.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCES7A6IS0vwKdoAZcDSe6S_CUNthX9bWpa-X1C6pUebVCvYx6VCdl1FEyUZSLONmI3LgcDcbZh-mtNJBygoHdfXVVl8MiZ-oINB8KXcPE2M7IsaJ0gharygqnO8gWjccPBkAG/s1600/DSCF3096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCES7A6IS0vwKdoAZcDSe6S_CUNthX9bWpa-X1C6pUebVCvYx6VCdl1FEyUZSLONmI3LgcDcbZh-mtNJBygoHdfXVVl8MiZ-oINB8KXcPE2M7IsaJ0gharygqnO8gWjccPBkAG/s320/DSCF3096.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> And these two I whipped out recently. The floral pattern is not my own, but I love it. Next time I think more contrast in the yarns would be better, but this is subtle and pretty. And then I did a stripey hat just using up all the bits of Noro I had laying around. I just hate having extra bits of yarn not being used. So that was a very satisfying hat to make.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwTUyVn6wSpaAXKvrmX5xC2hOF35qmLvsc4uxzVaWWWFIvODrV2698CRYrqbCvO_0k9Zhq6xDsDC7pG0y8lEqAD7ugjekXuU2VyWGqD-lGBdMrgVqgW439I9hnW8gRqslisoV/s1600/DSCF3094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwTUyVn6wSpaAXKvrmX5xC2hOF35qmLvsc4uxzVaWWWFIvODrV2698CRYrqbCvO_0k9Zhq6xDsDC7pG0y8lEqAD7ugjekXuU2VyWGqD-lGBdMrgVqgW439I9hnW8gRqslisoV/s400/DSCF3094.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
So yeah, been a busy little knitter...shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-74836175852165185632011-05-23T11:46:00.001+12:002011-05-23T11:47:33.134+12:00It's a SignI've just returned from a family trip from the North Island of New Zealand for my husband's father's 90th birthday and his sister's 50th (it's a BIG family!). When this family decides to have a get-together, there are usually no less than 50 people in attendance! Coming from a small family, this is great fun for me.<br />
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On our way to Claire's 50th, we passed this sign located in a small town called Eltham. Just HAD to stop and snap a photo!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_U0IFBD7l_cGWn_WXqYRvcxVDS5lsGdB4OB2okCpKCWAXMNBddUPnZzs3-d8xumUruK6q8JrIJaPcFnTg8cUWf8tGWknwk7XUx2SwgD2q_GdO1gu_m-avVSWlF0Y944sUEmfL/s1600/kitchner+st.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_U0IFBD7l_cGWn_WXqYRvcxVDS5lsGdB4OB2okCpKCWAXMNBddUPnZzs3-d8xumUruK6q8JrIJaPcFnTg8cUWf8tGWknwk7XUx2SwgD2q_GdO1gu_m-avVSWlF0Y944sUEmfL/s400/kitchner+st.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I completed two hats during the trip (photos coming soon!) and started a gift for a friends baby (also coming soon).<br />
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Flying back to Christchurch, here is a view of the Southern Alps of New Zealand, with a fresh dusting of snow. Winter is coming! I would swear this photo could pass for Antarctica. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiDUzrJ-7zb-6PhGP0azsnM1NrSleANHn0YXdmD-RAEPZvtP_n2pKeFp5Ugve2ha6KsU127T5ceAVyboJ3Ek93ewAB8arZ-T8uhpkQPlXNi2_lVPfDi8mLHDRMc908o6_cZH1D/s1600/DSCF3070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiDUzrJ-7zb-6PhGP0azsnM1NrSleANHn0YXdmD-RAEPZvtP_n2pKeFp5Ugve2ha6KsU127T5ceAVyboJ3Ek93ewAB8arZ-T8uhpkQPlXNi2_lVPfDi8mLHDRMc908o6_cZH1D/s400/DSCF3070.jpg" width="400" /> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Flying over the Nelson Lakes area of New Zealand, I looked down and spotted this lake, which looks disarmingly like the continent of Antarctica. I took this image from Google Earth.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW941PD1J4ceewjv94iQgrlQ9xXNeClIK1mDJAQKMJyeTTMRSYKNTRJuwtwC0wBlz38xgwnMGCpumotuUld-AhElmFGLnsgBEruFq4C3tcycLceSLx2OnMUgOu6Fk1PI__BTY1/s1600/AQ+lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW941PD1J4ceewjv94iQgrlQ9xXNeClIK1mDJAQKMJyeTTMRSYKNTRJuwtwC0wBlz38xgwnMGCpumotuUld-AhElmFGLnsgBEruFq4C3tcycLceSLx2OnMUgOu6Fk1PI__BTY1/s400/AQ+lake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>I guess I'm thinking about Antarctica. Which is perfectly normal for someone who has spent most of the last 14 years there.shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-90447293675813291662011-05-10T22:36:00.000+12:002011-05-10T22:36:30.678+12:00Knot my usual thing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnxJBDlQqEBrJBTdFADwgvwP6nUppFpwVoDCHTLMvMN0shaGn5-3VSEKOotO-ekPNIHcSkcvIF38U8bH62H4pnHPjSrRmu9qNYSCXcdn9atYx8Xpz3c_JWRcTFOHV_xMJlYf0/s1600/knotted+scarf+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnxJBDlQqEBrJBTdFADwgvwP6nUppFpwVoDCHTLMvMN0shaGn5-3VSEKOotO-ekPNIHcSkcvIF38U8bH62H4pnHPjSrRmu9qNYSCXcdn9atYx8Xpz3c_JWRcTFOHV_xMJlYf0/s400/knotted+scarf+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I usually knit, but for this project, I used knots. The yarn I showed you from a couple of days ago seemed to lose its beauty when knitted as all the gorgeous stranded colors got jumbled up in the knitted stitches.<br />
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So I came up with this idea (well I'm sure I'm not the first person think this up) to create a knotted scarf which allows the yarn to be displayed in it's best light.<br />
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I cut 24 lengths of the yarn that were twice as long as I wanted the scarf to be. I divided the yarn into eight 3-strand sections. Then I rigged up something on the wall to make it easy to work on and it took me a couple of days to finish.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtwhOvn5dOAiqNauTm6glOfaIxyTKuAenPf4Jlsuh7swbTGoux_s6spfq623lk4OmTFXBKTToscPO9ft0VPHzkjGNOf3QWKSpaiy9iUrWEecyfw6JypcUvjHnGjaXNIrVj_3i/s1600/DSCF3002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtwhOvn5dOAiqNauTm6glOfaIxyTKuAenPf4Jlsuh7swbTGoux_s6spfq623lk4OmTFXBKTToscPO9ft0VPHzkjGNOf3QWKSpaiy9iUrWEecyfw6JypcUvjHnGjaXNIrVj_3i/s320/DSCF3002.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoqxl90mXCAzqe8CEONaGitKPAB_-urGCK20TomuTUpSwD8JIK5QAjNyt6okLxEPjmOdiH0vuWH69pMsh-CIHcMeX5444oIp07bnVC8NbhaZwOrhdk6S06kWLi6_LZ4iEY7L7/s1600/DSCF3003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoqxl90mXCAzqe8CEONaGitKPAB_-urGCK20TomuTUpSwD8JIK5QAjNyt6okLxEPjmOdiH0vuWH69pMsh-CIHcMeX5444oIp07bnVC8NbhaZwOrhdk6S06kWLi6_LZ4iEY7L7/s320/DSCF3003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Here's a video that describes my process.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm thinking of a hat to match this scarf. Knit the main body of the hat in a neutral color and use this yarn as an accent around the brim and perhaps a tassle on the top. Would look amazing I think.</div>shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-76980208059312093162011-05-08T13:42:00.001+12:002011-05-08T13:42:45.049+12:00Bye-Bye Baba Black Sheep YarnsUpdate: I just went to the Baba Black Sheep Yarns page on Etsy and there's a note saying they have closed indefinitely. I'm kind of sad about that, but sure glad I got some of their yarn!shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-41164827238211772102011-05-08T13:38:00.000+12:002011-05-08T13:38:12.541+12:00Birthday Blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It's my birthday and I plan on working with yarn today. Not necessarily knitting per se, since I am working on a new project that answers the intriguing question of 'what do I do with this yarn?'<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkX6-ZRN3WefgPnHvMibkK8tYIyKLWTikNjIjhU8J6FOEBiucTJvK8msosEpjh5kejwmK6OVKWOPd72Xwwuj_aYr0wfdaNb0aFhbo89hz0bpOxihp62uGWH5CKcxrWhCqwfEx/s1600/DSCF3005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkX6-ZRN3WefgPnHvMibkK8tYIyKLWTikNjIjhU8J6FOEBiucTJvK8msosEpjh5kejwmK6OVKWOPd72Xwwuj_aYr0wfdaNb0aFhbo89hz0bpOxihp62uGWH5CKcxrWhCqwfEx/s400/DSCF3005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>It's a GORGEOUS 2-ply, handmade, hand-dyed yarn from <a href="http://www.babablacksheepyarns.com/">'Baba Black Sheep Yarns'</a> made from 75% Blue Faced Leicester Wool and 25% silk. I bought it online from Etsy (I think). It's so soft has a wonderful sheen thanks to the silk.<br />
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Oh it looks so gorgeous sitting there in a festive little ball don't you think? But I guess the problem is, it's not much use to anyone in it's current form. I tried knitting it with large needles and I thought it just lost so much of it's personality when it was knitted! I mean all the colors were there but it just didn't look as pretty to me. So I started thinking of a way to use this yarn that would preserve it's rich, stranded beauty. I think I finally came up with something, but will wait to reveal in another post (but you won't have to wait too long, promise).<br />
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The sun is out and my husband is scuttling about the kitchen making my birthday cake...a lemon and pistachio crunch 3-layer cake. I love watching this cooking drama unfold. Our own little version of Master Chef.<br />
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In other news, I finally finished the <a href="http://creativery.blogspot.com/search?q=ariosa&updated-max=2010-07-28T18%3A10%3A00%2B12%3A00&max-results=20">Ariosa Wrap Cardi</a> from ages ago...last July. I was so happy to discover that before I had shelved the project, I had actually completed the second sleeve. Whew! I had to go 'offroad' on the pattern for the sleeves as they were too small when I followed the pattern exactly.<br />
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Here it is, happily blocking in the sunlight...<br />
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Ok, so there are some things that bug me about it, but hopefully after blocking, and maybe a couple of strategically placed buttons, it may be something I want to wear. One of the issues is the 4x4 ribbed band going all the way around. It pulls up on the bottom edge and so I've pinned it to try and block it into submission. Also the increases around the collar create a line that is quite visible to me, but hopefully the blocking has worked a little of that out. But yikes, I can still see it in the photo...so I guess it's something I'll have to live with.<br />
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It may need a belt too...I'll have to see about that. Something in a dense stitch, like linen stitch maybe.<br />
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I LOVE the color though...and the idea of a short-sleeved cardi. I'll work with it some more and see what I can do.shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-76710840287533269472011-03-04T11:08:00.000+13:002011-03-04T11:08:26.052+13:00Praise for the Granny Square Hat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGM_08S5vEw2GJv34YCs4oXBBToVeMrw8sfvb43tTq2iEnzmqL2XnEitB4AM1xmQf9OUIsFWOTpajTULBCN1jBFKfqo5PsDABEHq1ig1yDvY1hmCn6aXABU70mB-DjkDMm715n/s1600/DSCF3177+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGM_08S5vEw2GJv34YCs4oXBBToVeMrw8sfvb43tTq2iEnzmqL2XnEitB4AM1xmQf9OUIsFWOTpajTULBCN1jBFKfqo5PsDABEHq1ig1yDvY1hmCn6aXABU70mB-DjkDMm715n/s200/DSCF3177+crop.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><br />
I received this note regarding the granny square hat I sent out last week: <br />
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"It arrived before we left, and it was PERFECT! She loved the fit, the colors and especially the tassel, so I'm glad you went ahead with that. Your detail and expert craftsmanship showed in every stitch, and we were all totally impressed."<br />
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I'm glowing.shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-74195492561260153442011-03-03T18:27:00.001+13:002011-03-03T18:29:29.041+13:00Voted Best Hat!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEDehVsXSUhBczLvXPnSDbM8_Jnrz2fYj-w9yQMHTWDA0oNsMIV7YCtV3hPSqJmEc9CeIsr4BP6qWwKsUvKTdIqMMRlzPKV6ZDXQ5mbKKQMfYXYM5Ip3GOs_RgX0JDIizMfHd/s1600/Johe+hat+AQ+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEDehVsXSUhBczLvXPnSDbM8_Jnrz2fYj-w9yQMHTWDA0oNsMIV7YCtV3hPSqJmEc9CeIsr4BP6qWwKsUvKTdIqMMRlzPKV6ZDXQ5mbKKQMfYXYM5Ip3GOs_RgX0JDIizMfHd/s400/Johe+hat+AQ+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> I just found out that the <a href="http://creativery.blogspot.com/2010/05/commission-completed.html">penguin hat</a> I made months ago for my mother's friend was voted 'Best Hat' by everyone on the vessel National Geographic Explorer! How exciting!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQJvKmB5iirytM_eZt_qKQI0Uxdz5IzwzEmLctbjSH7DuGeXpsWExwJfTFuXvA2mPm11_wIFFXFK1XZRnKYPq8glcu_wjuMS5RWL5phxRMeBVXQkZqKQifUBkMAlgGZJopPYS/s1600/Johe+hat+AQ+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQJvKmB5iirytM_eZt_qKQI0Uxdz5IzwzEmLctbjSH7DuGeXpsWExwJfTFuXvA2mPm11_wIFFXFK1XZRnKYPq8glcu_wjuMS5RWL5phxRMeBVXQkZqKQifUBkMAlgGZJopPYS/s400/Johe+hat+AQ+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Here she is off the coast of the Antarctic peninsula.shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-82671439888433492372011-03-03T18:21:00.001+13:002011-03-03T18:22:36.628+13:00Commission Completed and Sent, Whew!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6DVD-45PF_KAt8FuieSMrmF72yB3VzcvQyZTbKxT8zR_n0DOUtpP7pwWW2kWurDy-X7SP3X4_QV5NN70FxpD8hUMBMuUoUgqPy0_O6lN_1Q2Ggd3hF8LiF89uUrkCLuhNeI4/s1600/DSCF3177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6DVD-45PF_KAt8FuieSMrmF72yB3VzcvQyZTbKxT8zR_n0DOUtpP7pwWW2kWurDy-X7SP3X4_QV5NN70FxpD8hUMBMuUoUgqPy0_O6lN_1Q2Ggd3hF8LiF89uUrkCLuhNeI4/s400/DSCF3177.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I finished this commissioned hat last week while we were visiting family on the north island of New Zealand. It is one of my original grannie square hats, with a knitted top and sassy tassle. A friend of mine ordered it for her mother's birthday.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkhG_CB1hKkUSshYD1cTlF2hv6Hv-_uLYVz71WcE3PDcNbshOHhfsFsM3lqHTHeMJGkl15yrQ9-KVvkQZ1k6O-4uos8QOxoZ-6SbLGKcERQJqWMyrg-9_oBYCbwVV1mc2n1sLR/s1600/DSCF3176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkhG_CB1hKkUSshYD1cTlF2hv6Hv-_uLYVz71WcE3PDcNbshOHhfsFsM3lqHTHeMJGkl15yrQ9-KVvkQZ1k6O-4uos8QOxoZ-6SbLGKcERQJqWMyrg-9_oBYCbwVV1mc2n1sLR/s320/DSCF3176.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I put in a lining of some stretchy polyester that looks a little like crushed velvet. Very cozy without too much bulk.<br />
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I was almost walking out the door to run into town to send it to the recipient, when news came that the Christchurch earthquake had just struck. From that moment on, everyone in the room was glued to the TV, watching live footage from the devastation in the city. We were especially worried, because so many of our friends were in Christchurch at the time *and* we have a house there.<br />
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So, that hat got mailed a few days later, as we made our way south back to our disaster-stricken town.<br />
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I am happy to report that no one we know was hurt or killed, but are plenty of people that lost loved ones. My heart cries for them.shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-42319460101008293942011-02-14T00:13:00.001+13:002011-02-14T00:18:35.262+13:00Sheri's Hat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10pH7NbxoBn0bNHlvKj4L8EQhWMJNiDZ7ZAbu5t-fW7VxrxMTWDkTnFzeKqRFwxQ1wvMoG-QYxm5NBOdeOPl5nyTQeBp6WuKNtXcsMgt-SdNjrXV_-GciSowGCFji9cgseFFp/s1600/DSCF3033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10pH7NbxoBn0bNHlvKj4L8EQhWMJNiDZ7ZAbu5t-fW7VxrxMTWDkTnFzeKqRFwxQ1wvMoG-QYxm5NBOdeOPl5nyTQeBp6WuKNtXcsMgt-SdNjrXV_-GciSowGCFji9cgseFFp/s400/DSCF3033.jpg" width="343" /></a></div><br />
This was the last hat I completed before I left McMurdo. Sheri is a good friend of mine and one day about a month ago, she said she really wanted me to make her a hat. One of my favorite things is to design FOR people. So she picked out the colors of yarn (Cascade 220) and even the pattern and design. It wasn't normally colors I would have picked for myself, but as you can see, this hat came out beautifully, and is absolutely PERFECT for her and looks stunning.<br />
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The little 'beaded' band just above the rolled brim is actually something I just made up, but it looks great. It gives the feeling of a braid without being too bulky. <br />
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It's super simple. Knit a set up row in stockinette alternating two colors. Then on the next row, purl all stitches, alternating the same colors as the set up row. The third row is exactly the same, alternate purl stitches following the colors of the previous row. That's all there is to it.shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-85379185167772869122011-02-01T14:55:00.000+13:002011-02-01T14:55:04.594+13:00Seriously SidetrackedI am still in Antarctica, but not for long. My contract ends in less than a week and soon I'll be on a plane, sailing through the clouds towards New Zealand. My anticipation grows. The first day back is always blissful...rain, grass, flowers, warm air, the beach, good fresh food. <br />
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This season on the Ice has seriously sidetracked my blogging, but I should be back on track soon. I have knitted a lot of stuff this summer despite being extremely busy in my job. I pretty much knit during most of my spare time, sometimes thinking that maybe, just maybe I'm an addict. I don't think they have a group for knitaholics.<br />
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My job this summer in case you were curious, was supporting a remote field camp on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet called Byrd Surface Camp. I was responsible for making sure all the necessary cargo and supplies were loaded on a plane and sent to the camp. It was stressful at times. But the camp staff were so appreciative of my efforts, it was all worth it. Additionally, I supported two traverses from Byrd Camp to Pine Island Glacier on the coast over on that side of Antartica. This project has the worst acronym ever....PIG. The PIG Traverses carried fuel and supplies to set up a camp next summer so that glaciologists can study that glacier, which is showing signs of rapid change. It is a difficult area to access, with weather that is unpredictable a lot of the time.<br />
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Now my time is drawing to a close and my thoughts wander to New Zealand and beyond.shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24744004.post-53335961153823399982010-10-05T13:26:00.000+13:002010-10-05T13:26:00.874+13:00Rip-it, Rip-it, Rip-itI decided I didn't like Attempt #2 of the Bobble Brimmed Hat after all. I ripped the whole thing out and started all over again. I am well into Attempt #3 and will post photos soon!shooskuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14684692937283180215noreply@blogger.com0