Category: All things craft

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Forget the ‘yarn snobs’…it’s a Long Weekend!

I should have known better….it’s not as if I don’t have enough to keep me busy during the week….anyway I said maybe when a friend asked …..and then allowed myself to be persuaded……to go along with her to a newly formed ‘drop in’ craft group…..held at one of our larger local libraries
That’s where I came across it again. It being almost a ‘wool/yarn one-upmanship’
A certain type of snobbery that lingers amongst some members of the craft community

Settling in for the morning I spent a lot of time fielding various questions

  • What are you knitting?
  • What are you using?
  • Why on earth are you using that?
  • Oh I wouldn’t use that in a million years!
  • My dear, you should be buying this, that and the other
  • I spin (and dye) my own…always have….always will!

It’s difficult explaining to some the needs and wants of charity knitting. Charities need knitters to provide something warm for someone/something to wear – some will accept items knit with wool (natural fibre) others prefer acrylic (man made). Pros and cons for each yarn. Some refugee charities want flame resistant wool only; because donations are sent to ‘camps’ where open fires are used. Some homeless/ disadvantaged charities ask for acrylic; because laundering and drying (when possible) is a great deal easier.

I’ve often spoken about my choice of yarn to knit with (for charities) and this was the first time ever I had to defend it (plus my choice of using straight needles rather than circular or even DPNs). It was all rather strange and a bit disappointing. I then discovered this was actually an established group (who mentioned they preferred to be called fibre artists). who’d moved to the library – a cheaper meeting place option for them but advertising the group was part of ‘the deal’. 
I said goodbye ‘nicely’ and left wondering if I’d return.
My friend had no issues and was all for it….
Somehow I think my answer is no.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

All that is now at the back of my mind as I slowly wake up this early Monday morning here in Melbourne- the 2nd Monday in March is an annual public holiday to ‘celebrate’ Labour Day – giving us a long weekend…..which Australians never say no to😊
It’s been almost like BC – before Covid – so much to see and do, things going on in the city – statewide as well. Moomba’s been the main one, with the parade and the Birdman Rally back again this year, and there’s been festivals associated with (to name a few) Potato, Food and Wine, Light, Music (folk, jazz, bush, Celtic) plus cultural ones as well

https://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/moomba-festival
https://secretmelbourne.com/things-to-do-melbourne-weekend/. 
https://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/labour-day-melbourne

Labour Day celebrates the achievements of workers advocating eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.source

So why the photo of an umbrella – stapler – desiccated coconut and a pillow

Well these will be handy in some places in the world

Because it seems 13 March 2023 is

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/open-an-umbrella-indoors-day/

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/fill-our-staplers-day/

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/coconut-torte-day/

and the pillow is especially for those who turned their clocks forward last night

National Napping Day

Oh and here’s a little gem about a March 13th happening
(from the days before professional soccer players ruled the game)

In 1875 March 13th was on a Saturday. The Royal Engineers played against the Old Etonians in the fourth Football Association Challenge Cup Final.

* ……The first match was notable chiefly because it was played in a “howling gale”. The conditions considerably favoured the Etonians team, which had the wind at its backs for all but 10 minutes of the 90, and all 30 minutes of extra time (teams in this period changed ends after every goal- this game was the last to feature this rule)

This game was a draw…..the replay(which The Engineers won) was 3 days later

Cuthbert Ottaway (Old Etonians) received an ankle injury and did not recover in time for the replay…

*…..Etonians also lost the services of three other players who had prior commitments. Unable to obtain adequate replacements, the Old Boys arrived at the ground an hour late and lost the delayed replay 0–2

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1875_FA_Cup_final

#enjoyeverymoment

Linking to  Wednesday’s Words & Pics hosted by Denyse. 

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The other side of the lane…..

Was entirely different to the one I showed you last month.
https://cranethie.com/2023/02/06/mackay-street-art/

The light was different – it was in the shade
The ‘canvas’ the artists had to work with was entirely different
Large walls and the sides of two story buildings

These are just a few more of the murals in Fifth Lane Mackay

Sunny side
In the shade


If you want to see it best……Click/ tap or finger slide to enlarge

https://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/facilities/council_facilities/fifth_lane_street_art

Click to access 5th_Lane_Street_Art_DL_Final_ART.pdf

For more wonderful art – pop over to Monday Murals hosted by Sami
it’s a colourful world over there with lots to see

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🧶 3 Large & 2 Small….

Sounds like something from a television show 😊

‘The Trio’ is finally finished and on its way to the charity. In the end I was quite pleased with them and maybe- just maybe- might be inclined to knit some more of that size…..sometime.

Sirdar 3213, 4265, 4273 – Size 26 chest




~ ~ ~ ~ ~

No sooner had I started to think about the Rabbit Project from last month than I had a call from a friend just returned from interstate telling me about her new Gt granddaughter.
Her very first Gt grandchild!


‘She was born just after the Lunar New Year- she’s a rabbit….her mother had a rabbit as a special toy when she was a child, I must see if I can find one for my little darling.’

And you can guess what happened after that😊

‘Cathy, if I provide the wool would you do me a favour – there’ll be no hurry- I was thinking, possibly for winter next year’

There was no need to think about it….of course I would.
Within days yarn in ‘deep’ soft colours arrived (not too light – not too dark), size (to fit 18mths) style (cardigan plus easy fit jumper) and chart design were agreed on

So all that was left was for me to start.

Much love is being knit into these garments – for the new life that will get to wear them and for the sweet sister who loved to wear hers


******

At the moment I’m listening to:-
Oscar and Lucinda – Peter Carey…….although I think maybe reading it might be better – I’m having a problem with the narrator’s voice.

At the moment I’m reading:-
The Tea Rose – Jennifer Donnelly…..just started and I think I’ll be at it quite a while. The copy I have is over 500 pages. If I fancy the other two in the series …..well, let’s just finish this one first 😊

And I guess I won’t be reading Jane Harper’s new release anytime soon. Exiles – Aaron Falk #3 – has an enormous hold list…..I’m there at 306…..bets on it could be May at least before I’m in the top 10!. I found The Dry a bit slow, enjoyed Force of Nature much more, hopefully this one (when I get it) is better still.


Wednesday is the day Kat hosts ‘Unraveled Wednesday ‘
I’m not sure where the month went but this is the first Wednesday in March so I’m sharing my post – pop over and discover what others are knitting, reading and talking about

#enjoyeverymoment

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Crochet like you’ve never seen before….

State borders being closed in 2021 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic meant we had to extend our ‘winter break’ in Far North Queensland.
I’ve mentioned previously we spent some of that extra time visiting Mackay, learning about a small city 950km north of Brisbane but just a couple of hours (190km) south of Bowen.

Of all the many crafts I’ve tried to learn over the years
there’s one I’ve never been able to master
Crochet!
But I do recognise and appreciate skill when I see I see it
These are just a few items from another exhibition I/we went to at Artspace Mackay.
Which I’m sure will appeal to many of you.
(I’m sorry but I can’t locate the description plates that tell what each exhibit is)
However the subject was Lichen -that ‘strange stuff’ that grows on things
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen

https://www.anbg.gov.au/lichen/what-is-lichen.html
https://www.anbg.gov.au/lichen/what-not-lichen.html

Don’t Forget – if you want to see it best……Click/ tap or finger slide to enlarge

source

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#enjoyeverymoment


https://mackaycreatives.com.au/user/traceyrobb/

Previous posts from Artspace Mackay
https://cranethie.com/2021/11/03/looks-can-be-deceiving/.
https://cranethie.com/2022/10/30/out-of-his-comfort-zone/.

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🧶 But wait, there’s more….

The 2nd of the ‘big boy’ jumpers is finished.
And the 3rd in the trio is begun.
Another Sirdar pattern from the same era so I’ve just used the same measurements and adjusted the side panel stitches.
They should (hopefully) all be very similar in size


As simple as it looks
it took a little while to get the cable sequences right
and there were a few choice words spoken
and rows unpicked at one stage
so I might just chicken out
and do a plain back as well as plain sleeves


When all three are finished and finally on their way to Knit one Give one aka KOGO the time will have come to concentrate on something different- something close to my heart – something I’ve been thinking about for a while.

It’s two years to the day since Patsy my blond curly haired little sister died
Tribute – Sleep well my little one.

Next sister – Me – Little sister Patsy – Baby brother 1998

Take a look at this delightful photo (which I might have shown before) of Patsy (aged about 3)…….maybe just maybe, there might be some woolies coming up featuring little bunny rabbits. And as an aside it’ll be 20yrs on Saturday since my mum (she who knit Patsy’s rabbit jumper) died. These anniversaries are so hard on the heart.


I’m thinking my ‘2023 word to work with’ is going to be consider so I’ll have to think carefully about this one.
Cardigan or Jumpers (sweaters).
Size….can’t be too small or it will be dwarfed by the motif.
Colour……practical for children in unknown circumstances or ‘soft and pretty’ because that’s what she was.
I know there are graphs somewhere in amongst my patterns so guess what I’ll be doing today……if I don’t get sidetracked by my latest read .

Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont is a very short book to begin a shorter than usual month. Hopefully this will rekindle enthusiasm after my short reading lull during the last month.

Apart from the two mentioned early last month there was just one more book finished during January.
The Commandant – Jessica Anderson.
Historical Fiction about Moreton Bay Penal Colony (later to become Brisbane), involving the strange combination of its real life controversial commander Patrick Logan plus his wife’s (fictional) sister Frances.
I didn’t make it to book club because covid had come visiting so after a reasonable pause this (January’s) book was delivered to my door. It would’ve been rude of me not to start it…….actually it turned out to be a very good read

Wednesday is the day Kat hosts ‘Unraveled Wednesday ‘
Today is also the first Wednesday in February so I’m sharing my post – pop over and discover what others are knitting, reading and talking about

#loveispatient

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🧶 Keeping your toes warm

Slippers – for the knitting of!

They come in one simple design – although there are variations to be found if you go looking.

They can be brightly coloured- soft and gentle – or even strong and sturdy

With these it’s whatever takes your fancy – or more likely whatever’s on hand

Several readers mentioned the slippers I showed recently so here are the instructions I was given by a friend many years ago. I thought it was from online but I was wrong.

(These photos are from a post I did years ago on another blog)
Click/ tap or finger slide to enlarge
The top one shows how they look on the final row
The lower one how they look when sewn and finished

The instructions suggested using 8ply/dk yarn 

(doubled – 2 strands knitted together to give the thickness for warmth)

and uk size 8/4mm knitting needles

but I’ve also made them in very chunky handspun wool for men – adjusting needle size and length 

Begin by casting on 3 stitches.
Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: Inc in 1st stitch, knit
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Knit.
Repeat rows 2 + 3 + 4 until 12 stitches.
That forms the heel section

Now you are about to make the foot part – the sole.
Cast on 11 at the beginning of the next row.
Knit 11, P1, knit to last stitch, P1 turn.
Cast on 11 stitches (34 stitches)


Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: K11, P1, K10, P1, K11.
Repeat rows 1 + 2, 17 times.
This is where you can lengthen if needed
– but remember they will stretch –

Then on to the toe area.
Row 1: K2, (P1 K1) x 5, K11 (P1 K1) x 5, K1.
Row 2: (K1 P1) x 6, K10, (P1 K1) x 6.
Repeat rows 1 + 2, 8 times.

Next row: K2 together to end of row (17 stitches)
Next row: Purl.
Next row: K2 together to last stitch, K1 (9 stitches)

Break off yarn (leaving a rather long tail)  and draw through stitches
Fasten off as tightly as you can
don’t cut the yarn short as you will need it to sew up the front

Now sew the cast on sides to heel gusset. You may have to ease to fit

Using the long tail where the toe is gathered
sew the ribbing up front to where garter stitching begins

turn right side out and hey presto – nice snug slippers (or bedsocks)

Yes, they are very basic
For a special gift you could use a circular needle
Pick up all the way round the opening and knit a collar
Or put a pompom at the front opening

These are simple and easy to make
Just the way I like them

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🧶 Et voilà…

And there you go…..from flat to that – just like that!
Something that always amazes me
(And sometimes baffles and on one occasion definitely confused me)

Crossover Jacket link.
Tiny Trauma Teddy link
~ ~ ~

Slippers – no link. Obtained online years ago

I sometimes wonder what it is that intrigues me about these ‘all in one ‘ garments, they’re like those ‘one pot wonders’ the meals you can cook using only one pot
Take these ingredients, add your pot and see what emerges at the end.
Have needles- add yarn – a little twist here and there – no seperate pieces to mislay
And voilà – one item ready to wear.
~ ~ ~ ~
Back in November when I had a break between the back and front of the blue cable jumper this is what was keeping me amused. All in one knitted gloves – garter stitch, made on 2 needles.
Something I’ve been itching to make since coming across the pattern years ago

A group request for bright hats and gloves was all I needed
After discovering how easy they were to make I was off and running
one pair down …..and look, now there’s more!
(I used size 10/3.25 mm needles with 8ply/DK yarn)

There’s no rush ….winter’s a while away yet
It doesn’t seem that long left and I’m sure it’ll be back again😊
~ ~ ~ ~









As for the reading – over the past few weeks it’s been a bit hit and miss….more miss than hit if the truth be told!


At the moment I’m making my way through
The Dust that falls from Dreams – Louis de Bernières
******
And listening to
The Spare Room – Helen Garner.

I must say (for me) listening to a previously read book is strange….the story is familiar but it ‘reads’ differently. A little like watching an adaptation, there are scenes that just don’t seem right.
Does anyone else have thoughts on that?

**********

Being Wednesday you’ll find Kat and others over at ‘Unraveled Wednesday ‘
which is where you’ll find lots of knitting and reading and talking going on


👇Vintage glove Pattern, making instructions + other bits of interest can be found here. Three blog entries in order👇

#keeplifesimple

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🧶 In again- begin again


It’s Wednesday again
the first Wednesday in a new month
The first Wednesday in December 2022
Which means it is the first
Wednesday in Summer in Australia.

 Also being Wednesday it’s the day Kat  hosts ‘Unraveled Wednesday ‘
which is where you’ll find lots of knitting and reading and talking going on

After finishing the Royal Blue jumper
– which turned out to be not as ‘cabled’ as I envisioned it would be –

Yes I see the ‘wrong’ stitch


I decided that knitting that larger size wasn’t so bad after all so using the same measurements have begun a similar one (patterned front and back with plain sleeves) in Fawn

The charity is closed now until February so even if I lose interest there’s plenty of time to finish it – and other bits and pieces I might fancy making along the way

~ ~ ~ ~

Reading has been really slow over the past couple of weeks
(The Golfer having Covid definitely hasn’t helped)
After finishing the book club choice I mentioned last time – Tourmaline – Randolph Stow I felt the need for something short and fairly light so
84 Charing Cross Road, (the ‘book of letters’ between Helene Hanff and Frank Doel…. a ‘buyer’ at a bookshop at that address) came home with me from the library.
Definitely what I needed!

And one just started The Dressmaker’s Secret – Rosalie Ham

It is 1953 and Melbourne society is looking forward to coronation season, the grand balls and celebrations for the young queen-to-be. Tilly Dunnage is, however, working for a pittance in a second-rate Collins Street salon. Her talents go unappreciated, and the madame is a bully and a cheat, but Tilly has a past she is desperate to escape and good reason to prefer anonymity.


However reading the first chapter and thinking about those recently unearthed photographs has brought back more forgotten memories
~ ~ ~ ~
First a little story…..
Singapore 1964
I had not long delivered a baby girl so ‘nothing fit properly’.
Feeling tired and weary, wondering how I was going to cope with two other little ones (even with the help of our live in amah) when The Golfer was away on an upcoming short detachment to service/‘fix’ some aircraft engines on Gan in the Indian Ocean
As in all Southeast Asian countries there were local dressmakers who would run you up something almost overnight but The Golfer, with all the panache of a man with his mind on other things, suggested I make one. “You’ve got a machine sitting there doing nothing, use it”.
I know I’ve mentioned before I inherited the knitting gene, not the dressmaking one, so as you can guess things didn’t go quite to plan – and The Golfer playing with his camera, thinking he was being clever, recorded my despair/misery in black and white on the afternoon I was finishing it off.

Here’s a few little quotes from The Dressmaker’s Secret, chapter 1…..

“ ….The new girl adjusted the tweed jacket over her knees. It was impossible to do really good work without her table, but every table was stacked with second rate fabrics…….”

Our table was probably covered with children’s toys same as the floor behind me.
~ ~ ~ ~.
“ ….Deftly, she pinned and draped the material around the thick form, letting it fall, shaping it around the bulky curves…..”

There was nothing deft about my movements, I’d pinned then sewn it together in a clumsy way and in my mind there was no way it was going to fit properly.
~ ~ ~ ~.
“ I know that customer………she’s forty-four, forty-five, forty-four…..”

And seeing my reflection I remember thinking how ‘large’ I looked
and wondering was I ever going to lose that ‘baby weight’

The dress did actually get worn – just not by me.
It was ‘unpicked’ by our amah who ‘turned it into’ a dress for her oldest daughter.

~ ~ ~ ~

Our little girl (3mths) with Aho –
our amah who helped me in so many ways during the time she was with us

‘Unraveled Wednesday ‘ hosted by Kat

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🧶 Done it again…

It would appear I’m still as daft as ever.
Remember that old saying – measure twice cut once. Meaning double check before you do anything.
Spotlight had wool on special.
The brand I use for charity knits has a standard range of colours so I just pick up the colours I know I can work with and am happy to knit.
Many balls of Royal Blue went into my basket

After finishing the back of the cable jumper I had the plain sleeves done in no time at all……then took a break, working on something else instead.

On to the front with a new ball…..initially thinking the yarn didn’t feel the same but it had come out of the same bag and was the same colour so carried on knitting.
After several pattern repeats (4 x 8 rows x 94 stitches!) I looked at the ball band…….oops, it was a different dye lot number.
When there are sales, supplies are topped up continuously and a few from a different dye lot must have still been in the bin
In my haste I obviously hadn’t checked each one properly before going to the cash register.

So……. I have looked and looked in various lights and can’t see any visible difference, but just in case, have decided that as the back and front are the same up up to the armholes, what I’m knitting now will be the back, where it’ll be less obvious.
The already finished ‘back’ has been unraveled down to armholes and I’ll knit it up as the front.

And ‘why don’t you leave it as it is’ remarked a friend, ‘who’s going to know’
Me, I replied!

Another ‘done it again’ moment a few weeks ago saw me agreeing to ‘make up the numbers’ and join another book club. It wasn’t until later and some info arrived I realised this wasn’t going to be as casual as my other one. No ‘tell us what you read’ chat over a cup of coffee…..this one is ‘we all read the same book the library provides then discuss it’ coffee comes afterwards. Too late to back out – this month’s book is Tourmaline by Australian author Randolph Stow published 1963.

Tourmaline is an isolated Western Australian mining town – a place of heat and dust, as allegorical as it is real. Out of the desert staggers a young diviner, Michael Random, offering salvation to this parched town. The once comatose community is indeed stirred to life, by hate as much as by love, and its people find salvation neither in water nor gold.

It’s turning out not to be a read and devour hour after hour book. It’s a bit of a slog more like. After noting all the characters and working out how they relate to each other I’m having to take it a few pages at a time to actually get the gist of the storyline…breaks/changes of scene written into the quite shortish chapters make it a bit easier …. You know, they say nothing ventured nothing gained, try something new and different- this book is certainly something new and different – surprisingly I’m actually enjoying it. Hopefully when the time comes I’ll remember what it was all about😊

~ ~ ~ ~

it’s Wednesday – the day Kat  hosts ‘Unraveled Wednesday ‘ …….that’s where you’ll find lots of knitting (and reading) to admire and think about.

And Wednesday is also the day to look out for Wednesday’s Words & Pics hosted by Denyse …..  you’ll find much to interest you there

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🧶 It would seem….

See a book recommendation – see if the library have it in stock

Yes, it’s there – but see what they said



Previously borrowed- my first thought was…..but when?
Seems it was April last year but I don’t remember a thing about it 😯

~ ~ ~ ~
So curiosity piqued I ordered it again.
set to with the front of my latest knit.
yes, one of the ‘cabley’ ones I spoke about last time

and began the Robert Harris waiting in the wings
Front finished – a little wobbly in places but not too bad.
‘Second Sleep’ on the go

My first read by this author. ‘Oh, historical fiction’ is what I thought when I picked it off the library shelf. Then at the end of ch.1 that thought changed to ‘Oh, sci – fi or maybe even something else’. I’m up to ch.9 and to me it’s moving quite slowly but we all know that with some books that could change quickly!

Library reservations must be working overtime – my book arrived sooner than expected. Not just The Sea Gate but 5 others as well!
That’s me sorted for November I think 😊

…..  Unraveled Wednesday  hosted by Kat…….As Kat Knits……
is on again!.
Why don’t you pop over and see who’s visiting this week

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🧶 Style…..

Style – a form of appearance, design or production. source


Most of my knitting these days is for the baby & toddler programme of a local charity but recently they’ve been asking for larger sizes – so I’m looking through this pattern book and this caught my eye.

It’s one I’ve made a couple of times previously in a 2yr size – described as ‘a child’s jumper with yoke patterning front and back’

I found it a ‘relatively easy knit’, the shape reminded me of a fisherman’s Gansey. Patterned yoke, drop sleeves, straight up and down.

And the instructions are available in sizes up to 8yrs 😊


(Use of the word jumper (or other options such as “pullover” and “jersey“) is largely determined by the regional version of English used.[1] In the case of Ireland, Britain and Australia, “jumper” is the standard word, “jersey” is used in South Africa whereas “sweater” is mainly found in tourist shops and in North America. The word used in Irish is geansaí (“guernsey”). Source)

There’s just one problem – one that probably only I see – my plain stocking stitch knitting is becoming very uneven. And there’d be an awful lot of it to be seen on a four/six year old sized jumper 🙁

Sometimes I’ve used other stitches or cables to ‘cover part of the ground’ but that doesn’t always work. Remember how uneven the fronts of those little shirts were…..

I’m not sure why, it was the same brand yarn I’ve used before. Of course it’s possible my hands are losing their grip/strength and I’m getting sloppy in the way I hold the needles so that’s something I’ll have to work on.

However…..

I think I might have found the answer to my dilemma

Do what I’ve done before

Knit Aran style or similar

No (or very little) stocking stitch to worry about

Here’s a couple from my collection – vintage now, fashionable when I bought them!

Last week’s book was set aside when a friend loaned me this
The Night Tiger – Yangsze Choo

“A captivating and magical story set in 1930s Malaysia about a dancehall girl and an orphan boy who are brought together by a series of unexplained deaths and an old Chinese superstition about men who turn into tigers.”

Much writing about customs superstition expats life in Malaya  Brought back memories of life as expats during the 1960s when we lived in that part of the world.

Oh and I have a rather nice Royal Blue waiting in the wings
That’d be the big boxes in the garage 😊
I’ll keep you posted
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Wednesday’s Words & Pics hosted by Denyse ….. Denyse Whelan Blogs.
is on again

…..  Unraveled Wednesday  hosted by Kat…….As Kat Knits……
is also on again!

Click/ tap or finger slide to enlarge

Ganseys

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aran_jumper

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aran_knitting_patterns
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_knitting

Cable Knitting Without a Cable Needle

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🧶 I’ll get there some day…..

A gentle reminder from an ‘acquaintance’ (just someone I see at a group) that I’d promised – one I have no recollection of – to knit some clothes for her granddaughter’s doll had me scrabbling through the garage looking for a long forgotten Tiny Tears. One of those things left behind years ago but ‘please don’t give it away Mum’ so it lingers out there along with various other bits that really should have been given away….guess when Mum’s gone those 60yr old children will finally make that decision they should have made years ago.

The 16” dolly clothes will have to wait a bit (Christmas is a while away yet) – Mum has been making decisions of her own since she returned home and discovered an awful lot more yarn in the garage than she remembered – several of those interesting 400gm ‘sealed so you have no idea what the ply is’ mill end bags suddenly appeared (tucked away in a box below another box – no idea when they were bought) so it’s use it or lose it. ‘Mill ends’ are the surplus yardage of yarn produced by mills every time a production run ends. source

Meaning I’ve some planning to do…….decide what to make and if I’m capable of offloading/donating/giving some of it away.

This little sweater/cardigan is so easy to knit it’s become a favourite of mine ( see the very well used, bit tattered and torn pattern…..priced @ 6d! One I bought for my first born – 1962😯)

~ ~ ~ ~

And it turns out this particular ‘mystery yarn’ knits up like a dream. Soft and comfortable to work with, smooth on the needles and using 10/3.25mm with 8/4mm needles is sizing to the pattern measurements.
I’m sure it could be used in the same way as an 8ply……Watch this space 😊

My latest library book turned up a couple of days after we got home…..I definitely timed the putting on hold process just right
It’s a new to me author so I must have seen it recommended somewhere
The sea, the sea by Iris Murdoch

As they say…in for a penny, In for a pound. If I don’t get on with it, it can go back😊

Remember Violeta – I mentioned her back at the end of August and again in September.
After a few false starts I finally made it to the end of over 300 pages.
Different – Interesting – Readable – no plot as such, more a letter to her grandson.
it did seem to go on and on at times so I had to stop for a breather now and again
Having said that I enjoyed it but sometime or another I’ll try another, with a ‘storyline’, to get a better feel of the author

~ ~ ~ ~

…..  Unraveled Wednesday  hosted by Kat…….As Kat Knits……
is on again!

Others are sharing their knitting (and reading) – pop over if you’re interested.
Maybe join in – they’re very welcoming.

Click/ tap or finger slide to enlarge

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🧶 I’m not just a pretty face….

There’s more to me than a pair of knitting needles!

That was an expression used by a friend I had in England many years ago.
I met her at a ‘mum’s and babes’ group and marvelled at the knitting she produced.
However it seemed in a previous life before she married she had been a plain clothes policewoman, now dissatisfied with her present life (…..”reduced to nursing a baby and clicking knitting needles”….) she certainly let everyone know where she’d been and what she’d done.

So to prove that I can do more than knit I’ve managed to read several books in the last couple of weeks😊
My aim for these last few weeks we’re here has been at least a book a week, meaning I had to finish the ‘backlog of 3 by the bed’ before I could start the two new library ones

David Baldacci introduces a new character in Zero Day (the first in a now 10+yr old series of 5 books) John Puller, who could be called an army special agent investigator, sent to rural Virginia to look into ‘an unusual death’ he meets up with Samantha Cole a local police detective and the story unfolds from there.  This was an impulse ‘pick off the shelf’ from the library. I enjoyed it – a pick it up – put it down – and pick it up again – to get to the end as soon as possible sort of book.  A great way to pass a couple of wet windy days.


Linda Fairstein hadn’t been on my reading list before – this was a find on the ‘drop & swap’ shelf in the laundry.   Final Jeopardy is her first novel about Alexandra Cooper, a sex crimes prosecutor (there’s about 20 in the series now) so I got in on the ground floor as the saying goes.  Friend is killed, she becomes involved and then is a target as well.  I’m not a picky reader (will read anything and everything) but to me this seemed a bit humdrum.  I might see if I can find others and try again.
Other readers love her so maybe I should have another go.


David Mark’s Dark Winter was also another I plucked from the libary shelf.  Some days I go there with nothing in mind and just take something for the heck of it – not sure if I should be more organised or not.  Anyway this is his first novel about Aector McAvoy (10 in total now) – a policeman living in Hull, not the most glamorous city in Yorkshire but one that had a serial killer on the loose.  I became really engrossed in the story as it unfolded just before Christmas (Christmas in the book not real life Christmas lol) – 3 deaths that seemed unrelated till right at the very end.  And yes I did guess the killer but not the way he was involved.  He had vaguely crossed my mind sometime or another and it was only when it became apparent who it was I remembered my thought about that character lol

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Did I knit over the past couple of weeks – well, sort of 😊

I got fed up with the fawn shirt, then remembered I brought some half finished items with me – aiming to finish at least one. These rather crumpled looking pieces of green (which when finished will be a matinee coat looking like the pink top left corner) will be going home looking very much like they did on the way up. I reworked one of the sleeves then put the pieces back on the big stitch holder…..guess who forgot the very long needles to use for the yoke 😟

A very old pattern book from my very large collection

SO…..if you aren’t just pretty face and there’s more to you than meets the eye would you like to tell me what you’ve been up to ???? 

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I’m linking to Wednesday’s Words & Pics hosted by Denyse – you’ll find many interesting blogs there. Perhaps you’d like to join in as well.

Oh, and why don’t you pop over to see Kat…….She’s hosting Unraveled Wednesday
a great place where you’ll find lots of knitting (and reading)

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🧶 Winter Day90

How strange that the first day of our Winter (June 1) was a Wednesday and here we are at the last day (August 31) and it’s also a Wednesday!

Day1 at home in Victoria was the day we went for a drive in the rain (https://cranethie.com/2022/06/02/winter-day-1/) – I’m not sure how today will pan out but yesterday (Day90) here outside my little cabin in Queensland it was also wet!


Unlike Day1 when he didn’t play – on Day90 The Golfer decided maybe it wouldn’t be that bad…..it was the Veterans afternoon and ‘we can’t let the side down’ so just after lunch, waterproofs and brolly at the ready he headed out.

By early afternoon it was coming down in bucket loads

And had turned cool – well much cooler than it had been😌

But certainly nothing like it was at home!


Me – well I gathered up my blanket (to keep my toes warm) new library books
latest knitting project, parked myself on the bed and settled down
to enjoy an afternoon doing as I like on my own

He was home just after 4pm……a little wet and a bit subdued. Still doesn’t enjoy playing in the rain so didn’t stop for a drink in the club house…..something he usually enjoys
(reliving the game with all and sundry😊)

Me – well I was comfy so suggested he might like pop down and get pizza for dinner!.
Thanks for your suggestions
I’ll think about doing something with those egg plants another day !
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On the needles
The makings of another shirt similar to last week. I’ll do the ‘grandad neck’ on this one

Library books.
Violeta by Isabel Allende. ~ Her new release but my first read of any of hers
Cooktown by Andreas Heger. ~ A debut novel by a new to me Australian author

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As it is Wednesday why not visit…..  Unraveled Wednesday  hosted by Kat…….As Kat Knits.  where there’s lots more knitting (and reading) to admire and think about

Linking to Wednesdays Words & Pictures …….Hosted by Denyse

#enjoyeverymoment

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🧶 Two finishes….

it’s Wednesday – the day Kat from As Kat Knits hosts ‘Unraveled Wednesday ‘ …….that’s where you’ll find lots of knitting (and reading) to admire and think about.

I finally finished a couple of little shirts for the charity box – actually following the pattern this time by knitting and placing a collar.
Something I’ve avoided instead preferring to work these ‘grandad necklines’
I’ll add buttons and fix the button band when we get home – and remind myself not to knit anymore rib patterns as my stitches never came even after frogging and reknitting 😟

My reading this past week has been – The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

One of those novels I’m sure many of you have read – one I’ve said to myself ‘you should’ but never have.
Classed as a classic by the library in Bowen and that’s where I saw it (in the display I mentioned the other day).

I’m having the same ‘problem’ here as at home earlier in the year – pick a book, oh that looks interesting, two chapters – two pages in some cases, nope not for me. So I thought why not try something different- something unknown. So it came home with me.

A smallish book that had words (language, situations, ideas) I had to think about. I enjoyed it – and at the moment that’s all that matters.

I also found myself so engrossed I realised I was ‘acting out’ some of the things I was reading.

  • I looked at Miss Baker…..I enjoyed looking at her. 
    She was a slender small breasted girl with an erect carriage which she accentuated by throwing her body back at the shoulders like a young cadet

Straightening my spine and pulling my shoulders back – not recommended if you are non slender and large breasted😊

  • I glanced at ….and at Jordan who had begun to balance an invisible but absorbing object on the tip of her nose 

Lifting my chin and looking down my nose wondering what I had balanced there – not recommended….makes you go cross eyed 😊

… … … … …

A book and two woolies…..that’s me finished.
Do pop over to Kat’s to see what she and other ‘unravelers’ have been up to

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🧶 Will I-Won’t I….

I know there were questions earlier about the Green Beanie Christmas Tree a craft group was planning to make for a Christmas in July function ( but as is usual for me, right this very the moment I can’t remember who asked and what they asked) – and yes that was the tree of hats that fell out of favour with some of the group.

Well it seems that after the dummy spit by some members there was a resurgence of interest and green beanies plus various other coloured ones came flooding in….. I received this photo the other day. Not of the main tree but another one cobbled together with the ‘overflow’ – they were placed in the hallway of the community centre so anyone feeling the cold could ‘help themselves’ – seemingly all went to good homes……and because it had been such a good idea maybe we’d like to start knitting them again!

Somehow I think I’m going to have to think about this….but then, I do have some of the shamrock green left – enough to make at least 2 adult sized ones 😊

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A little postscript here – It Seems The Gremlins Are Back

it’s also a will I won’t I moment each time I go to comment recently. Doesn’t matter which platform I’m on – sometimes my comments go through/are accepted other times nothing happens and I’m left wondering.
SO
I’m not ignoring you or being a bit standoffish…..just feeling bewildered.

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🧶 Honestly….it would appear

The older I get – The dafter I get!

I knit the back plain, in stocking stitch …then decided to do the front in broken rib

But couldn’t fathom out why my stitches were so ragged and out of shape

Look at the needles – I’ve been using two entirely different sizes😟

(I think there might be a bit of unravelling and some new beginnings coming up )

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It’s taken a while but I’m happy to say I’ve begun reading again.

Two new to me authors plus two entirely different genres
One down and one on the go!

The Things We Keep ~ Sally Hepworth

’Realistic Fiction’ – an interesting read, full of different emotions, one I really enjoyed about Anna, a well educated young woman in her 30s diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers disease. Set in an aged care facility where she meets and strikes up a friendship with a young man with the same diagnoses.

Confronting for many with no experience of the disease in younger people it follows their intermingled times (good and bad) together, along with another character plus daughter trying to sort out their own lives

The Goldminer’s Sister ~ Alison Stuart

Australian Historical Fiction – set in an 1870s Victorian gold mining town.
Just begun – what I think will be an easy read about a young English woman arriving in the goldfields discovering all is not how she expected it to be. Her brother has died mysteriously…her uncle now has ownership of the brother’s mine….

(Even though it’s not marked as part of a series and can be read as a standalone seemingly it follows on from an earlier book ’The Postmistress’ set in the same small town so I might try to find that one)

Yes – sometimes it’s the little things in life on these winter days that make me happy 😊😊

As it is Wednesday why not visit…..  Unraveled Wednesday  hosted by Kat…….As Kat Knits.  where there’s lots more knitting (and reading) to admire and think about.

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🧶 I feel better now….

So for fun the idea was to ’show & tell’ a child’s garment that took less than 100gm to make. By using a budget (but perfectly serviceable) acrylic these two sleeveless vests squeezed in at 96gms each!

(The fawn neck does sit straight and the body doesn’t bunch up like that at all.)
Blame the cameraman for not adjusting it!

They’re both adaptations of the smallest size of this very old pattern from a vintage book. Maybe I’m a bit old fashioned in what I think suits boys but to me cables in all forms do have a boyish look…..and yes I know Aran – with all its cables and other stitches (think moss, blackberry, honeycomb) is worn by all – male female adult child

With just a back and a front plus neck and arm bands – after adjusting stitch numbers it’s easy to make different versions of the same vest. I’ve knit the suggested stitch several times….but you know me…if I can make something different I’ll have a go 😊

This is the stitch in the pattern book photo

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I also took along the baby jacket made back in May…the one I had terrible problems with and wasn’t happy with the result. https://cranethie.com/2022/05/06/new-ways-different-ways/ There was lots of talk about how some pattern makers expect other knitters to be as skilled as they are and sometimes more words are better than less. Ravelry link

May 2022

After writing out the pattern in some semblance of order I had managed to make another for my granddaughter’s friend but the original still sat in the charity box waiting to be packed.

And after seeing other crafters handling it, turning it inside out trying to straighten those uneven rows, I did what I should have done earlier……unpicked the blasted thing and reknit it.

Oh yes, I definitely feel better now!

~ ~ ~

And if you’d like to find out a little more of what other people have been up to – you really must visit…..  Unraveled Wednesday  hosted by Kat…….As Kat Knits.  

There’s lots of knitting there of a far higher standard than my Nana Knits plus reading as well. This year my reading has been painfully low, no idea why – just cant get into anything . Hopefully that will change soon

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If you’re interested….

Guess whats back on…later in the year…..in real time

Even though I will never get the chance to attend, I love the idea of showcasing and celebrating a particular hobby of mine.
Yes, knitting and the style called Fair Isle

But it’s much more than that

Shetland Wool Week is a world renowned celebration of Britain’s most northerly native sheep, the Shetland textile industry and the rural farming community on these islands.

source ~ https://www.shetlandwoolweek.com

After a couple of years of online / virtual events (because of ’you know what’) the much loved annual event known as Shetland Wool Week has returned – see link below 👇

Casting on Shetland Wool Week 2022

Part of the fun is the Hat – each year there is a new design –

2022 Hat

You can find photos (and sometimes their patterns) of previous years online – even if you don’t knit the actual design they provide inspiration for what you might/could do – remember the delightful Baa-ble (Donna Smith 2015) that had us all adding sheep borders to children’s woolies

If you’re interested this year’s hat is called Bonnie Isle designed by Linda Shearer

Link to 2022 Hat Pattern 👇👇👇….also available on SWW website

Click to access SWW22-Bonnie-Isle-Hat-Pattern-LR.pdf

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🧶 Cold weather comfort knitting

On winter days like we’ve been having recently when the leaves have dropped – the roses have been pruned – and fires like this one are lit I’m sure little jumpers like these below will be welcome

These three multi coloured 2yr woolies are my latest contribution to my charity donation box They’re what I call ’me do its’ – meaning that by having the back & front worked the same it doesn’t matter which way they’re put on by independent young ones.

Made from a simple pattern gifted to me a while ago. It’s sized for a 20” chest/18 mths but with the body being straight up and down (no shaping) it’s easy to make larger …more stitches/wider….more rows/longer…plus add extra stitches/length for a larger sleeve. The pattern actually has a decorative stitch but often, like with these three I make something that looks entirely different.

So what are all you other crafters up to – I’m interested to know what’s on your needles or hooks – under your sewing machine needles or even on your hoops

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