Dye Another Day...

My creative space actually occured almost a week ago. 

But I am certain that you will not mind.

I spent the day at Tangled Yarns turning wool into something special and playing with colour.

We learnt two methods (both of which were fun) and came home with two skiens of wet spaghettti.

Reskiened and WOW. 

What a beautiful back drop.

I think that I might become addicted to this, shhhh, Don't tell Tim.

My skeins are the ones on the right of both photos.  Liz owns the other two.

For more creative spaces - grab yourself a coffee and head over to kootoyoo

Sea Princess in the City

Modelled shots on my little miss.

I have fallen head over heals for this after seeing Amelia in it - I was trying so hard not to - but how could I help myself. 

There will be another of these and maybe even two or three, in each size even:)

Photo shoot occurred on our return from the beach - The kids were having too much fun collecting shells. 

So we took a drive up to a local lookout yesterday and I snapped a few shots.

This is being wrapped and posted pronto - I just can't bear to have to sit around here and look at me any longer.

Please refer to this blog post or Ravelry for further details.

Tweed Coast

We had a great weekend in the sun. Lots of time spent collecting shells and swimming in the ocean. I also had fun taking the camera off of the Auto mode and playing around (I am in the market for a new camera - so thought that I should learn some of the features of this one first)

If you are waiting on an email for me today - I am not going to get to it till tomorrow.  (sorry for those waiting on finding out who your partner is for the Kids Christmas Swap - I will get to it tomorrow morning) Dont forget to email me with your postal address (I am still waiting on a few)

On becoming a knitter...

For those of you who don't know, I am a self taught knitter.

We were married in December 2002 and by the January we were living in Canberra.  Being a girl who grew up in North Queensland I was a little worried at the prospect of the up coming winter.

So, with limited knowledge, I ventured into Lincraft, walked around and out I walked with a set of knitting needles and a kit for a scalf.  You got it - the 2003 Welcome to Knitting Scarf Kit from Lincraft complete with Feathers.

I went back to the self contained unit that I called home for 14 weeks and opened the packet.  Knit Knit Knit and I had a scarf.  So I went back - another kit came home and scarf #2 was complete.  What can I say, I was a newly wed, in a new town, no family, no friends and NO husband (he was on a course for 9 weeks - what a way to start married life)

The love of feathers and its softness continued - all up the first year in Canberra produced 17 scarfs.  Lets just say Everyone recieved one for Christmas.

I then found a local knitting store and purchased enough yarn to knit myself not one but two Cardigans. Sadly - or luckly, those two items still sit unfinished.  Another tick in the box for scary yarn on big needles.

Fast forward 18 months, we were now in Darwin and the heat got to me.  So much so that I left the feather yarns and found the love of knitting on 1.25mm needles, crochet cotton and beads. 

There was a requiement for a few little knits - friends and family started to reproduce and have offspring of there own and living down south the little ones required cute knits.  This saw the electicity bill go through the roof as I sat in front of it knitting.

Our next posting saw us move south and I knitted things for Amelia - bulky and thick.  I learnt how to knit on Double pointed needles.

My knitting took on a whole new level when we moved again.  This time I found a  local knitting group and there I have made friends that will be friends for life. These girls taught me skills that I never thought that I would be able to do. I pushed myself beyond any expectation that I had and enjoyed the challenge and ohh's and ahh's that I recieved on completing a garment. 

Fast forward to this year.  With the wonder that is Ravelry and the joy of being in a town that has quality knitting stores, I have been test knitting a few knits, and loving it.  I am able to get my hot little hands onto a pattern that has only been seen by a few people and wonder in the joy of moving yarn around the needle.  I have even tested and finished a garment for myself.

So, I got to a point where I thought that I knew it all.  I had the skills under my belt such as knitting in the round, knitting with double pointed needles, cables and scrary lace. I overcame my fear of stranded knitting upon completion of the colourwork workshop.

Enter Elena (AKA Anadiomena on Ravelry) and her wonderful talent and love of cables.

Lets just say that this last test knit was a challenge.  Along the way I have learnt how to read a cable pattern, throw a tension square out the window (ghhh - the square and the knitting was way out)  Increase in ways that I never thought were possible.

Tim has summed up the steps to success

Step 1: Cast on and Knit
Step 2: Swear, Curse and Cry (oh yes - there were tears)
Step 3. FROG FROG FROG
Step 4: Repeat Steps 1 to 3, Five times before asking for help

So it is finished, I LOVE it and I think that I can finally call myself a real knitter. Yes there will be another and thinking that I might even require one (there have been whisperings of an Adult version)

Pattern: Sea Princess by Elena
Yarn:  Cascade 220 from tangledyarns in MediumRose
Needles: 4mm and 3.5mm circulars

More photos after the weekend - I am at a dying workshop today and we are going camping by the seaside and am hoping to get some devine shots of Amelia in it before it gets wrapped up and gifted.

My Creative Space...

is a silent one today.

At 11am on the 11th day of November 1918, the guns on the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous fighting. 

This moment in time when hostilities ceased on the Western Front has become universally associated with remembering those who have died at war.

This year, we have farwelled 6 local boys. Boys who went to war to serve there country and do there job.  Families who have lost a son, a brother, a husband, a father, an uncle.  Friends who have lost friends.

So today - I will be crafting, but at 11am I will be at a service remembering those that we have lost over the years and praying for those families that this year have lost that someone dear to them.

Lest we Forget

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                 Sign ups close tomorrow for the Kids Christmas Craft Swap.  Check here for details.

@ my house...

today... we are resting our legs.

We took the kids for a ride down to the local market yesterday.  From our house there are paths all the way and only one road to cross.  It is a great way to get out with the kids and all get a little exercise.

The higlight was of course the milkshake from the local coffee shop.

If you are in Brisbane and on the look out for something to do.  I came across A little bird over the weekend. What a great resource for Mums and Dad (and grandparents for that matter) It is just for the Brisbane area at the moment but Melissa is hoping to extend it within the year.  Look them up - they have a facebook page too.

Lou is having a break this week, but I thought that I would still join in the fun.  What are you all up to this week.  I am in full swing with Christmas ideas and hoping to get a few things finished and there is always cleaning to be done.

My Creative Space

Becky, said that she was busy over in her creative space today.

So I thought that I would share a few things that are going on here.  I am starting to think that I have too many things on the needles - but with Christmas fast approaching I am starting to stress a little - and if I have used up all of my needles I can't start anything else - Right???  Or maybe I could buy yet another interchangable cable!

So,  This knit is getting there - I should have left it alone while Baden was sick last week - But no.  After frogging back to where I was originally up to when he got sick - I am almost back to where I would like to be.

These devine colours are calling me to create something cute for an up and coming little bub who will live in this RoBoT inspired room.

And a little purple love. 

There is also a shawl, scarf and a few beanies on the needles - oh and then there is the crochet and sewing piles.  Lets not even talk about the pile of things that need fixing. 

Best run and get something finished and get this crafting under control...  

Join in the fun.