tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187418752024-03-07T21:09:51.336+13:00Teacosy Jezebeloctopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-89865170554639991042017-05-30T16:08:00.000+12:002017-05-30T16:08:01.408+12:00Sewing Project 004: Dress - Appleton pattern<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmuu44bxRF_BrvnfbzUaARyqfpoFCzB9zc26-F5-UStQ6146Uk7aRNcu36ynlGFlUp9YMeC2TUtuls5ZKOZ_Er_SpKRng5H4kzIKKUsPhg8ncn1FnqymPqfA6PIVrWnCO6CSCN/s1600/IMG_3841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="784" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmuu44bxRF_BrvnfbzUaARyqfpoFCzB9zc26-F5-UStQ6146Uk7aRNcu36ynlGFlUp9YMeC2TUtuls5ZKOZ_Er_SpKRng5H4kzIKKUsPhg8ncn1FnqymPqfA6PIVrWnCO6CSCN/s320/IMG_3841.JPG" width="156" /></a></div>
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(apologies for another first-thing-in-the-morning selfie!) <br />
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Pattern: Appleton by Cashmerette (https://shop.cashmerette.com/collections/pdf-patterns/products/appleton-dress)<br />
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Who for: Emma<br />
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Size: 20 with cup size G<br />
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Type: Wrap Dress<br />
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Description: "<span>Meet the </span><span>Appleton Dress</span><span>, your new
wardrobe staple. This classic wrap dress is designed to play up your
curves with a crossover front, a built-in waist tie, and a deep V-neck.
Designed by and for curvy women, the Appleton’s innovative neckband
construction prevents gaping across your bust. Do a celebratory shimmy,
because this bodice has you well covered!</span>"<br />
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Fabric: Isaform lightweight knit on special at Spotlight for $8/m<br />
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Notions: light blue thread<br />
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Modifications/Alterations: I tried to stay fairly true to the pattern with this one, as it was for a dress swap and I didn't want to muck it up. I did some French seams instead of overlocking the edges as I had trouble with the fabric getting stuck in the feed when I went too close to the edge, so the seam allowances were larger than what was recommended (more like 1" than 5/8").<br />
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Results: Not the greatest thing I've ever made. I
fell in love with the print and the fabric feels really lovely to the touch,
but honestly I'd avoid sewing with it again - it's so slippery and
delicate and kept getting sucked into my machine feed :-( I also
discovered that stretch stitch is really hard to unpick on lightweight
fabric... I was doing okay until I went to sew the neckband onto the front and back pieces only to
discover that the fabric had laddered badly at the neck :-O Luckily I had
enough left over fabric that I could recut the back piece, and I just had to
remember to be gentle when moving the pieces around. I should have
staystitched around the necklines but I just didn't think to do it. If I did it over again, I'd do a better job, but I think it turned
out okay considering the challenges! Hopefully my swap partner will like it and it will fit her okay - with all the extra seam allowances I found it a bit tight when I tried it on as you can see in the picture, and my partner is slightly bigger than me. But it does fit quite nicely around the chest and the neckline doesn't plunge. Worst case scenario it would make a great bathrobe!<br />
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Notes
for future makes: I doubt I'd make this style again. Nothing wrong with the pattern, but I'm not really a fan of wrap dresses and the skirt is too narrow for my tastes.octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-9644766861033071942017-05-17T14:07:00.001+12:002017-05-30T16:09:07.593+12:00Sewing Project 003: Top - Mama Joy pattern<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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(apologies for the crappy first-thing-in-the-morning selfie!) <br />
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Pattern: Mama Joy by Made For Mermaids (http://www.madeformermaids.com/product/mamajoy/)<br />
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Who for: Me<br />
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Size: Orange (43"-46" bust)<br />
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Type: Tunic Top<br />
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Description: "This beautiful pleated pattern looks time consuming, but it is not! With
VIDEO tutorial included for pleats, you’ll be able to quickly stitch
together a stunning dress for yourself. Suitable for stable knit
fabrics. Includes 2 necklines- high or low scoop. Perfect for year round
wear with short, 3/4 and long sleeve options. Includes FIVE skirt
options- high-low peplum, mini, dress, high-low maxi and maxi length.
Add optional pockets to any skirt. Choose from 2 back options- a slip on
style or zipper back. The zipper back can be worn backwards for even
more options. " I chose the low scoop neckline option with no sleeves and made the skirt somewhere between peplum and mini.<br />
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Fabric: fine merino knit from Spotlight at $17.99/m<br />
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Notions: black thread<br />
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Modifications/Alterations: Since I only had a metre and a half of this lovely merino, I had to make a few choices based on how I was able to lay out the pattern. The skirt was shorter than I planned because I had to fit it onto the fabric, but I had enough extra yardage to create the pockets, neckband and make some bands to bind off the armscyes. <br />
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Results:
I'm still deciding whether I like this or not. It's a useful wardrobe piece for winter at work and will be fine with a cardigan over the top but I feel like it makes me look very busty and dumpy - I think that's just me needing to come to terms with showing off my actual shape, though, rather than disguising it like I usually do. I had a few issues with sewing the fabric as it was so light it would get dragged into the feed, so I ended up doing mostly French seams which look very nice and gave me lots of practice. But when I was connecting the bodice to the skirt, I was worried about it being too short and making the waist seam too thick, so I ended just doing a normal seam and binding off the edge by hand. The armscyes came out messy because of the narrowness of the binding - I hemmed them by hand and you can tell, so I might end up sewing a second hem and unpicking the handstitching. The pockets are a bit useless and superfluous, but they were fun to try. I did learn to take things slowly and tack pieces together first instead of just using pins.<br />
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Notes
for future makes: I'm not sure about making this pattern again. It's quite a good pattern and the instructions are very clear, but I just don't feel very comfortable with how the pleats come out from my body's most problematic area.octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-35909472103707482982017-05-08T16:48:00.001+12:002017-05-08T16:48:35.159+12:00Sewing Project 002: Dress - Anna pattern<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36TJSZU83pKIHfUu1tXrWDLuBJfQhKdHA6eF1tYPHeWfwSUlzkqPWdKElCXmtorVOQ2x6NO3NFAEGm41LCc9uWtqBh4AohcnKvpcJILvmVfJxNMf6XtmdcFXbPbkZsMO-Ikn3/s1600/IMG_3684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36TJSZU83pKIHfUu1tXrWDLuBJfQhKdHA6eF1tYPHeWfwSUlzkqPWdKElCXmtorVOQ2x6NO3NFAEGm41LCc9uWtqBh4AohcnKvpcJILvmVfJxNMf6XtmdcFXbPbkZsMO-Ikn3/s320/IMG_3684.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pattern: Anna by By Hand London (https://byhandlondon.com/products/anna-dress)<br />
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Who for: Me<br />
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Size: 16/20<br />
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Type: Dress<br />
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Description: "An effortless dress featuring double pleats at the bust, kimono sleeves
and a panelled a-line skirt. Variations include both slash and v-neck
options, plus midi and maxi skirt possibilities and a dramatic thigh
high split. Super quick and simple to make, cut it short for the perfect
festival dress, or make it worthy of the red carpet with a maxi skirt
and thigh high split." I chose the slash neck option and replaced the panelled skirt with a simple dirndl skirt.<br />
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Fabric: op shop sheet from the 1960s - $2!<br />
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Notions: thread, and a zip from the op shop for 20c.<br />
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Modifications/Alterations: Apart from changing the skirt, I followed the pattern carefully. <br />
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Results: I'm pleased with the dress, although the fabric is quite lightweight. Luckily the sheet was a no-iron jobbie otherwise it would be wrinkle city! The bodice fits very pleasingly across the bust. I think I might dye the dress black the next time I do a dyebath, as I'm not a big fan of lighter colours, and it might make it less "sheetlike" (one of my coworkers instantly recognised it as one that she had as a kid!) <br />
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Notes for future makes: Next time I'll look at lowering the waistline by about an inch or two so that the gathers sit at my natural waist. I'll also put a couple of darts in at the neckline as it gaps a bit, and possibly take the sleeves in a bit - the kimono style makes me look very top-heavy.<br />
octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-28305885750668125952017-05-08T16:04:00.000+12:002017-05-30T16:09:40.083+12:00Sewing Project 001: Underwear - Bunzies pattern<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbMBdWy3ALMp1W76oDveJL1w2nmrKuqOqurJyUR1O3dqrMBCGSnI-rEOAuhkfvjCHzNqDqucU3i1XEiE6b0ZfkXpgilyN907kmtcZfqppHBDqhB4luq95MXQjuecvsYDNZEgE/s1600/IMG_3665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbMBdWy3ALMp1W76oDveJL1w2nmrKuqOqurJyUR1O3dqrMBCGSnI-rEOAuhkfvjCHzNqDqucU3i1XEiE6b0ZfkXpgilyN907kmtcZfqppHBDqhB4luq95MXQjuecvsYDNZEgE/s320/IMG_3665.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pattern: Bunzies by SUOT (https://stitchuponatime.com/product/bunzies-underwear/)<br />
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Who for: Me<br />
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Size: XL<br />
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Type: Underwear<br />
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Description: "This pattern is like Scrundlewear 2.0, it picks up where scrundlewear
left off. There are 3 booty cuts included, Full Coverage, Booty and
Super Booty. Also, choose between knit leg and waist bands or elastic,
two rises, high and low, a maternity/cross front option and instructions
to add cute ruching to the back." I chose the Full Coverage option with knit leg and waistbands and a high rise.<br />
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Fabric: an old faded long-sleeved t-shirt that was coming apart under the arms - free!<br />
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Notions: thread, but I added some elastic into the waistband<br />
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Modifications/Alterations: none, I followed the pattern carefully as this was the first time I've made underwear. <br />
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Results: I'm pretty pleased with how these came out. I had a few problems with my sewing machine when I started them, but eventually it came right and sewing the old knit fabric was quite straightforward. Unfortunately one of the places that the machine decided to play up was when I was serging the edge of the liner, so the stitching is a little unpleasantly scratchy where you don't want scratchy stitching! The waistband and legbands are a bit looser than I would like, probably because of the lack of elasticity in the older material, so I added some elastic into the waistband channel to make them sit more comfortably. <br />
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Notes for future makes: For the next set, I'll adjust the pattern slightly to add more into the bum part - I don't like my undies riding up - and I'll cut the waistband and legbands slightly shorter in more elasticated material. I might also look at the Scrundlewear pattern as that seems to have a hipster option.<br />
<br />octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-49291529085743525832017-05-04T15:47:00.003+12:002017-05-04T15:47:50.469+12:00now only a year between posts!I really was honestly surprised when I saw the date I last posted. I'm obsessed with sewing at the moment and I was thinking about using some sort of sewing planner. "Why not use one of the many journals I've created over the years?" thought I, and this one drew the short straw. Okay, "teacosy" is probably better for yarncrafts, but I'm still doing plenty of those, and I always intended this to be my crafting/creative journal.<br />
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Anyhoo, back to the sewing obsession. Rhiannon, a friend of mine who used to make really cute childrenswear has recently branched out into making ladies' dresses and skirts out of recycled sheets and duvets (you can see her lovely wares at: http://toastclothingdressedition.bigcartel.com/ and she's also opening her new studio in Whakatane this weekend). When we got back from the US last Oct I had a bit of money left over and she was having a sale and one thing led to another and I purchased this beauty which is one of my favourite dresses:<br />
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Since then, I've been collecting interesting sheets and materials as I'm going around the op shops, intending to sit down and sew them up into dresses some day. To force myself into it, I signed up for a handmade dress swap at the end of March, and I now have the pattern and fabric to start on that next weekend - it's a bit of a challenge because it's making something for another sewist, and also sewing quite lightweight knit fabric, but we'll see how it goes. In the meantime I was planning to make myself a pinafore top for work out of some light merino knit last weekend but I was missing some of the pattern pieces from the printed pdf, so I decided to start on a sheet dress instead. Rhiannon has previously mentioned that she based her dresses on the By Hand London pattern Anna for the bodice, and added a plain gathered dirndl skirt. I got stuck in on Sunday and by Tues night (leaving aside the time after I ran out of cotton on Sun evening and bought more on Mon lunchtime!) I had a very similar style of dress that fits me well! It's not as well finished as a Toast dress - if I had the money I'd spend it all on those because they're so well made and Rhiannon has such a great eye for interesting fabrics! - and it doesn't have any pockets (pockets were a little bit beyond me) but it'll do me for the moment, plus it cost me less than $10 to make. I'll take a pic when I wear it tomorrow and also post some of the things I learned from making it. <br />
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I've also been reading up about material waste around the world, and I know that when I go to the op shops there are always piles of old t-shirts and cotton knit tops that never get sold. I know some of them get recycled into rags, but that seems like a bit of a waste as there's usually still plenty of use in them. So I want to make some skirts and dresses out of patchworked cotton knits in various colours, but that's a way off yet. In the meantime, some of my favourite undies are almost see-through with wear and I've never found anything that's comfortable enough to replace them. I have quite boyish hips but a larger butt, plus a big belly, so womens underwear tend to either ride up my butt, or end up being huge granny bloomers to cover everything. In the past I've often worn mens underwear instead because it fits my shape better. My current undies cost me about $2 each, because they were on clearance 10 for $20 - I think they were initially either an over-run by American Eagle Outfitters, or a Chinese knock-off that had been picked up by a local distributor. They have wide elastic waistbands, wide legbands and are cut in a hipster style, but with more coverage. I really like them but as I said, they're almost transparent with wear, and the only things I've found that come close are Thunderpants hipsters (https://www.thunderpants.co.nz/collections/hipster-thunderpants) but I can't really afford nearly $30 a pop for buttcovers! So I thought, why not combine the two? I purchased a similar-looking pattern online and used an old longsleeved tshirt that was falling apart under the arms for the fabric, and I'm pretty pleased with the result. There are changes I'd make to the next pair I make, but I'll definitely be making another pair! See the next post for more information and a photo.<br />
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I'm still crocheting and knitting - I've been making afghans to sell at the market, along with some fun knitted beanie hats, but I really need to sit down and do some decent photos so I can put them online as well. Currently I'm knitting my first cardigan (Andi Satterlund's Miette - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/miette) in some blue-green plyed wool I bought at the op shop - it's coming along pretty well!octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-19444992077374789732016-05-04T10:53:00.001+12:002016-05-04T10:54:16.233+12:00seven years between blog posts is nothingWell, hi! I don't really know if anyone sees this blog anymore, but I thought I'd update in my ongoing efforts to organise my craft life. I'm trying to keep all my Ravelry projects up to date so I can focus my efforts a bit more and concentrate on getting some of my UFOs finished.<br />
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So where are we at? Well, since 2009(!), I've started full-time work at the university and also taken up part-time study towards finishing my English/Gender degree - I'm trying to get a paper a semester done, and I'm now seven-and-a-half papers through a 20-paper degree. D is now a 9-year-old schoolboy and becomes more awesome exponentially each year :-) Also during that time I've been diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune condition that causes extreme fatigue, achy joints, and depression. Luckily most of my symptoms have been able to be controlled through medication, but it's a life-long condition so I always have to keep an eye on my hormonal levels. I'm also developing a bit of arthritis in my hands which I'm trying to keep at bay with lots of knitting and crochet :-)<br />
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I've pretty much given up on making my hats for sale - Etsy got too crowded, I sold very little on the NZ marketplace Felt, and my local stockists have gone out of business. I went door-to-door at one stage trying to find new ones and found that pretty soul-destroying. And eventually I got sick of making stuff that would sell, I just wanted to make stuff for family/friends and for fun.<br />
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I've become seriously hooked (LOL) on the African hexagon blankets and their amazing mix of tones and colours, and they've yet to get old for me:<br />
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Another thing I've started doing is finding old crochet blankets and
afghans and either repairing them or deconstructing and remaking them -
this is one I did a few weeks ago (before and after):<br />
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Unfortunately this means that I'm addicted to buying more afghans and the to-do pile just keeps getting bigger :-/<br />
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Anyway, I'll try to keep this blog updated with my projects from now on... but the proof is in the pudding, as they say!octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-103070640273351312009-02-21T16:54:00.006+13:002009-02-21T20:39:26.686+13:00yarnbombing!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPYeV-n0ojpYRsxDvdG3IFfB8hs3Vz8ScUe49Bzp8NthtCTLuIaZ8gjgWP0QVquxG5Z-4yt3WkA17NM6KeLFi0U8vk1rSXswZo-ixgoWNYqqTgzFcJiMwtCahvWZWGDvhHVRh/s1600-h/100_2024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPYeV-n0ojpYRsxDvdG3IFfB8hs3Vz8ScUe49Bzp8NthtCTLuIaZ8gjgWP0QVquxG5Z-4yt3WkA17NM6KeLFi0U8vk1rSXswZo-ixgoWNYqqTgzFcJiMwtCahvWZWGDvhHVRh/s200/100_2024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305095637536860658" border="0" /></a>So the yarn pixies heard about the <a href="http://dneese.blogspot.com/2008/12/announcing-global-guerilla-knit-up.html">Global Guerilla Knit-Up Challenge</a>, and thought "why not?" Plenty of spare yarn in the house, and it's always nice to prettify a random something with handcrafts :) One rainy dark morning, and suddenly the gun installation at the local RSA is sporting a fetching decoration!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFWMss4ONUcdjMYk_iYhPHLtTw8nNsLaGjlu8MBr2a0PVD4i7tPW1WuQnWXeIHZyBVxIz2V5jh0RcbBrsq2muPQWn9Cmh1KLKPaykZS__j9C_t-xXlQviRUrZSvHmPy0oPlGF/s1600-h/100_2022.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFWMss4ONUcdjMYk_iYhPHLtTw8nNsLaGjlu8MBr2a0PVD4i7tPW1WuQnWXeIHZyBVxIz2V5jh0RcbBrsq2muPQWn9Cmh1KLKPaykZS__j9C_t-xXlQviRUrZSvHmPy0oPlGF/s200/100_2022.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305095630750637490" border="0" /></a>Closer up (apologies for the shocking photos, it took longer to get the camera to work than it did to wrap the gun barrel! Plus it was 6:30am and the sun wasn't up properly yet.)<br /><br />Why? Well, first off, no disrespect is intended towards the RSA or its veterans and I hope this craftwork will not be seen that way. I wanted to find a monument to decorate that was reasonably easy to access for measuring and covering. I also liked the combination of a gun barrel being concealed by something so homely and approachable as crochet, and it amuses me to think of the cannon as a sort of oversized teapot in a cosy :) I hope that having something so bright and unusual on something that has been in this neighbourhood for such a long time might make people notice it a bit more. There are all sorts of things in our everyday life that we pass by and don't see, and I think it's good to look around and reassess our environs every so often.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQngH8YbZuXT_PnIwaW1rlbR1QEqq3Fz2XdV2U8Seb40ObiR2b5k5Y9aCULxwvXCr8TzrqHlZ2vfJUPuhDLHnOnUe1LQDeqV0rYv6Gtf7NH1g0Ntsb4ksX4FCNjekd7hwFfBr/s1600-h/100_2025.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQngH8YbZuXT_PnIwaW1rlbR1QEqq3Fz2XdV2U8Seb40ObiR2b5k5Y9aCULxwvXCr8TzrqHlZ2vfJUPuhDLHnOnUe1LQDeqV0rYv6Gtf7NH1g0Ntsb4ksX4FCNjekd7hwFfBr/s200/100_2025.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305146967365016018" border="0" /></a>Look, it was still there this afternoon!octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-19173245247013661802007-10-23T18:43:00.000+13:002007-10-26T12:13:52.821+13:00kei te nitiniti tokena<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1Uwdz5z2KfWXwuHlXfyCQvjoUFL9kk35fyTFdsKxedKA0JBpSeX29_82ODgtqqzZwwSCNKlDXv0NHo6iFu9ZkV0adxRZU6ayWbicg4zOjLMl6phD6LnPfCPhkUMIK_xsu0-9/s1600-h/jaywalker2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1Uwdz5z2KfWXwuHlXfyCQvjoUFL9kk35fyTFdsKxedKA0JBpSeX29_82ODgtqqzZwwSCNKlDXv0NHo6iFu9ZkV0adxRZU6ayWbicg4zOjLMl6phD6LnPfCPhkUMIK_xsu0-9/s200/jaywalker2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124404328333907826" border="0" /></a>Man, it's taken me forever to start and finish this update! D isn't sleeping very well at night at the moment, so I spend all my Dali-free time catching up on much-needed sleep. But I have managed to get some knitting and crochet done - the time between when he goes to bed and when I do is my precious me-time.<br /><br />I've started my first pair of socks in a year and a half, and they're coming along nicely: the pattern is <a href="http://www.magknits.com/Sept05/patterns/jaywalker.htm">Jaywalkers</a>, and I'm finding it quite straight-forward so far. The yarn is quite horrible though - it's some red fluorescent acrylic I found in a bulk bag and it splits constantly. I think the colour is repulsive but a couple of friends have expressed interest so they will probably be a gift for someone - lucky them! These are a practice run for Xmas gift socks.<br /><br />Yikes, Xmas! It's only a couple of months away, and I'm being seriously overambitious with my handmade gifts. Oh well, I guess there's always the shops for backup.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7pegtmtMWDtOXLD9i804eqg2jxQyxhpLKYn9ZUXU7mpBIcf3ruNlXiuPwQKjMPnc8pqj1K4njtpGYcFxXjFQN3Oz3D0SRKpuqxqBawkeCgbfWuYqr942GdyV8PyC2p6QKG2D/s1600-h/babette2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7pegtmtMWDtOXLD9i804eqg2jxQyxhpLKYn9ZUXU7mpBIcf3ruNlXiuPwQKjMPnc8pqj1K4njtpGYcFxXjFQN3Oz3D0SRKpuqxqBawkeCgbfWuYqr942GdyV8PyC2p6QKG2D/s200/babette2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125405660527336514" border="0" /></a>Also, a finished object finally! It's the <a href="http://www.interweavecrochet.com/issue/2006/materials.asp#babette">Babette </a>throw from Interweave Crochet, done in various scrap yarns. I'm pleased with how it came out - it needs to be blocked a bit better, but most of the squares are pulled into shape by the others so it doesn't look too bad, plus I kinda like its crinkly look. The last strip was done a bit later than the rest and it shows: the yarns are slightly darker. But still, not bad for a first effort. I want to make another but not straight away - maybe in purple, or khaki and lime greens.<br /><br />Almost finished the jersey for my boy, but I'm stuck at the making-up stage - there's just so many little strands to weave in, and it's dead boring, but I'm going to force myself to finish it tonight.<br /><br />I've started another <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/visoppskrift.php?d_nr=s12&d_id=40&lang=en">jersey</a>, this time for a friend's boy who is turning 3 next weekend. A whole jersey in a week and a bit? Highly unlikely but I'll do my best :)<br /><br />Went up to Christchurch for the long weekend, which was a lovely break, although not exactly relaxing! Stopped off at the <a href="http://www.ashford.co.nz/home/home-frameset.htm">Ashfords</a> factory on the way, where I could fondle and sigh over the Noro yarns, but I was well-behaved and only bought a couple of Tekapo oddments from their sale bin. Checked out the Arts Centre Markets and bought some delicious <a href="http://www.blueearth.co.nz/">Blue Earth</a> soaps - I fell in love with a coat from <a href="http://www.morphiccreations.com/">Morphic Creations</a>, but it was way out of my budget. Also stopped off at Borders to check out their knitting book selection, and walked away with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Domiknitrix-Whip-Your-Knitting-Shape/dp/1581808534/ref=pd_bbs_1/105-5859348-5610035?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193353948&sr=8-1">Dominknitrix </a>- a few patterns in it I really like, I don't know whether it was worth the $40+ but I thought I deserved a treat.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSATc9tsuehCelsPFygkkWioQTIpL2y6JVsGSbngFnhFshKYW7ulcQ0ziwuRajvyYE3v3zFCAcHT0SpnPHoGo3xnycODLXXVio5LbgEc0asjHOaDSy1ObSE8EGAQNp7T-hvLH/s1600-h/toothy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSATc9tsuehCelsPFygkkWioQTIpL2y6JVsGSbngFnhFshKYW7ulcQ0ziwuRajvyYE3v3zFCAcHT0SpnPHoGo3xnycODLXXVio5LbgEc0asjHOaDSy1ObSE8EGAQNp7T-hvLH/s200/toothy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125410243257441378" border="0" /></a>And finally a D photo - this was taken at Orana Park Zoo last Sunday. I'm so proud of my clever little boy. He's quite mobile on his bottom, and can speed along the lino (towards the cat dishes!) at a rate of knots. He's so smiley and friendly to strangers, and his newest trick is a very enthusiastic wave. He eats pretty much anything we offer him and is growing like a weed. He turns 1 next week, and it's hard to believe that this time last year we were still looking forward to meeting him :)octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-65500650222864290622007-09-23T13:21:00.000+12:002007-09-23T13:29:57.095+12:00weirdoOkay, so I came up with this idea yesterday to name my scrap hats after songs, I'm not sure whether it's totally whack or what. Basically I'm getting sick of listing them as "Multi yarn scrap hat #75" or whatever, and since they're all one-offs I think they deserve a bit of personality! So I've been coming up with names either from songs I listened to or had in my head when I was making them, or, since I'm slightly synaesthetic (my brain links certain colours to letters) naming them after song titles I feel match the colours. Anyway, it's probably really odd, but it makes them a bit more individual and is fun to do :)<br /><br />I've also come up with a tattoo I want to get done on my right shoulder: it'll be a ball of yarn stuck with two knitting needles and a crochet hook with a banner saying "Mother's Ruin" underneath and surrounded either by a fire or a sunburst, very much in the style of vintage tattoo flash! Now all I have to do is draw it ;)octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-33314233383654909862007-09-21T13:14:00.000+12:002007-09-21T13:29:26.471+12:00where does the time go?Have been trying to update all week, but one thing or another always gets priority - oh well! Just finished grinding up a $1 bag of apples for Dali's breakfast, and feeling very thrifty. If I get a chance while he's still napping I'll get to read too, wooo.<br /><br />Trying to finish all the UFO projects I'd planned to get completed during Sept but it's hard-going. I finished the novelty yarn scarf that I've have on the go since last year, but I've still got a heap of novelty yarns left over. I think the hats I made for Dali and my m-i-l are pretty cute:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKUtzf5lyQfWsUiEN-Gd_ElfjumzaQdzfyZvLVbxB4N2THnY6E12PKKLu56pqEbG3bZUQhPi3rBovmLU1TqXjHNgg6BpbtsaMVhIi56f5rcJRDXwOoELutwLzByW3z0v52NZKW/s1600-h/with-nana.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKUtzf5lyQfWsUiEN-Gd_ElfjumzaQdzfyZvLVbxB4N2THnY6E12PKKLu56pqEbG3bZUQhPi3rBovmLU1TqXjHNgg6BpbtsaMVhIi56f5rcJRDXwOoELutwLzByW3z0v52NZKW/s200/with-nana.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112460868115253346" border="0" /></a><br />so I might make some more of those in future. The baby jersey I started for D when I was pregnant is a real chore - it's easy enough, all in garter stitch, but the problem is that I find it so boring! I'm not a good knitter, so I have to concentrate on every stitch but it's not very interesting to knit - give me some lace or socks or something else anytime! So I keep getting distracted onto making more hats.<br /><br />I was relieved to see that the op shop up the road has sold out of their scrap yarn bags - I'm seriously addicted to them, and I've already got four. But every time I went past I'd be tempted. What is it about yarn that is so damn acquirable?<br /><br />Tonight I'm going to check out the travelling Craftwerk show - I've never seen one in the flesh, as it were, although I know lots of people who vend at them. Haven't seen much advertising for it, but I guess if it's a bomb, I can always just sit with a hot chocolate and a book and enjoy some Dali-free time :)<br /><br />Speaking of the angel, I can hear him waking up in the other room - oh well, maybe I can read later on *sigh* Here's a gratuitous pic of the wee swarthy swab dressed as a pirate on Wed:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaNref8lATr-U7N0sPb-wjTNIs4RLctHCluWK8lfQP1f4xcA-PuGp9l9XGlyW9wjbWznFYUbQgLTPcUPhWBt-bRfcXqfiQBy-cvdbT7qBKD0afC9QySfdZwps3Em3QUq2U860/s1600-h/piratechap.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaNref8lATr-U7N0sPb-wjTNIs4RLctHCluWK8lfQP1f4xcA-PuGp9l9XGlyW9wjbWznFYUbQgLTPcUPhWBt-bRfcXqfiQBy-cvdbT7qBKD0afC9QySfdZwps3Em3QUq2U860/s200/piratechap.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112463045663672434" border="0" /></a>octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-26887912292761258302007-09-03T19:53:00.000+12:002007-09-03T20:08:55.907+12:00new hat design<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwdc31ZiKF45Z0wD915XDgZ7XuCgoybr2jFR9v5YFdLx_kXL_qFgUFFgQXyWFVImYsxLm1rB4mrgucWLd3dbr_j9WW6IQO0h_sDobEkEXaaO4xRCBabgwvRsI9L_Twyq5niBRe/s1600-h/bluemensbeanie1030907.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwdc31ZiKF45Z0wD915XDgZ7XuCgoybr2jFR9v5YFdLx_kXL_qFgUFFgQXyWFVImYsxLm1rB4mrgucWLd3dbr_j9WW6IQO0h_sDobEkEXaaO4xRCBabgwvRsI9L_Twyq5niBRe/s200/bluemensbeanie1030907.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105885578291338402" border="0" /></a>This is the hat design I'm all crazy about at the moment - it doesn't really look all that exciting in the photo, but I really like it. It has 8 ridges running down it, then 1x1 ridges around the bottom to look like ribbing. The colours were pretty random in this one, and the other two I'm making that are similar, but in future I plan to do more toning colours. But that'll have to wait until I've finished the hat for my mother-in-law!octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-77085210471016283902007-08-31T16:30:00.000+12:002007-08-31T17:09:38.332+12:00SnBStitch n'Bitch last night was really interesting - it was the first time that no one from the original group (bar me) was there so it was just a group brought together through love of knitting rather than because we work together. It was neat, and I'm glad to have the opportunity to meet new crafty types - that's what I started the group for, after all. Hopefully some of the others will come next time, though.<br /><br />Still working on D's jumper along with a whole lot of other projects. Tomorrow I stop everything and start on a hat for my mother-in-law, who is coming to visit Tuesday week.octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-54593743654231416702007-08-30T16:30:00.000+12:002007-08-30T16:46:31.476+12:00lazarusI've decided to resurrect this blog since most of the things I've been wanting to write about recently have been craft-related. Dali still takes up most of my time, but I'm managing to get a decent amount of crochet/knitting done and listing WIPs and finished items on Ravelry is helping me keep motivated to get my UFOs organised and worked on. I've set up a rotation system called "SHONE": Sewing (quilt projects), Hats (for sale), Old (UFOs), New (starting small new projects, mostly knitting) and Easy (straight-forward things I can work on a little at a time, like afghans). It's moderately successful, although I recently derailed it by creating a new hat pattern that I'm all excited about - I'll post a pic once the weather is sunny enough for it to come out properly!<br /><br />Most of my hats from Etsy are now up with a friend in Auckland for her to sell on my behalf at the local markets, but I'm still selling regularly at Vent so most of what I've been working on recently has been going there - they're very eager for earth-toned hats, which seem to be selling well this year. I've started putting together a shop through Shopify, but haven't finished fiddling around with all the different options. I'm also thinking of putting a shop up at felt.co.nz, which is like a local baby Etsy.<br /><br />I bought myself a set of Denise circular needles, but haven't started using them yet - I want to get some old projects out of the way first before starting anything new. Also planning to knit some socks out of all the sock wool I have stashed away. So a busy time for me!octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-1163031803561704242006-11-09T13:17:00.000+13:002007-08-27T20:28:34.374+12:00my boy!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1189/1246784931_b53c79f74e.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1189/1246784931_b53c79f74e.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>Dali Rhys Lewis-Browne, born 2:36am Thurs 2 November 2006 by emergency C-section (following roughly 40 hrs of induced labour - wee chap managed to get himself positioned back-to-front and stuck forehead-first in my pelvis!) 6lb 1oz, but hopefully growing rapidly now. Both his daddy and I *heart* our alien spawn to bits :D<br /><br />I'm sorry I've kind of abandoned this journal - I just haven't had the time to keep it up. I do miss the interaction with all my friends here, though. I still half-heartedly keep up my livejournal at: http://octopusgrrl.livejournal.com/ so you're welcome to visit me there. At the moment I feel like I'm never going to get the chance to pick up a crochet hook again, but I'm sure things will settle eventually!octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-1146713851304347962006-05-04T14:38:00.000+12:002006-05-04T15:40:55.596+12:00mojo risingYay, I'm finally back into crafting mode! I still haven't finished the knitted shrug (although I've been trying to do 10 rows each night in order to get through it) but on the weekend, I decided to start a project that I've been thinking about for a long time but hadn't done anything about. It's a crocheted shawl made from all the oddments of green yarn in my storage bin, made with a 10mm hook, so it's nice and loose and loopy. I'm about 1/3-1/2 finished and I'm just addicted - it's looking fantastic I think (like a Monet watergarden), as well as being fun to do. This is the sort of thing I've been wanting to do for ages: hues and colourwashes and just generally playing around with colour. Now I'm enthusing about the next one :) I haven't completely forgotten about the knitting, and I think I'll probably still have one knitting project on the go while I'm doing more crochet.<br /><br />I'm also getting interested in hats again - I've had more orders from Vent, the shop that stocks them, and even some enquiries on Etsy after a long dry patch. So I've booked a market stall space for the last weekend in May, and I can flog off the last of my boring old hats - I'm looking forward to making more, but not just in order to use up yarn. I know, I should be knitting baby stuff, and I will get around to it, promise - actually, first on my list to make will probably be <a href="http://www.poormojo.org/cgi-bin/gennie.pl?Squid+232+bi">this</a>!<br /><br />Pregnancy is going well, still with the headaches but feeling better and more positive about everything. And look:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/babyscan2-sm.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/babyscan2-sm.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The spawn - it lives! :D<br /><br /><a href="http://yarnz4knitters.blogspot.com/">Beverley</a> was asking me about book recommendations - well, most of the ones I've been reading have just been to clear them off my bookshelf, but I enjoyed the following:<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385721307/qid=1146712775/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-5547916-6792612?s=books&v=glance&n=283155">"Quattrocento" by James McLean</a> - a time travelling romance, that reminded me of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/015602943X/qid=1146713833/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/103-5547916-6792612?s=books&v=glance&n=283155">"The Time Traveller's Wife"</a>. Can't say I understood any of the explanations of how the time travel worked, but it all sounded good ;)<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006075995X/qid=1146712834/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-5547916-6792612?s=books&v=glance&n=283155">"Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" by Rebecca Wells</a> - this was a bit cheesily Southern-cliched in parts, but very entertaining and readable.<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1558614893/qid=1146713219/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-5547916-6792612?s=books&v=glance&n=283155">"Baghdad Burning" by Riverbend</a> - this is the collected blog posts of <a href="http://www.riverbendblog.blogspot.com/">Riverbend</a> over the first year of the American occupation of Iraq. Definitely gives you insight and a different perspective<br />of what it's like living in Iraq now, and also some eyeopening background about the country's history and culture. I wouldn't say "enjoyable", but certainly enlightening.<br /><a href="http://www.dymocks.com.au/dynamic/Full_Details.aspx?ISBN=014300252X">"Witchsong"</a> and <a href="http://www.dymocks.com.au/dynamic/Full_Details.aspx?ISBN=0143002538">"Nightshade"</a> by Kim Wilkins - the fourth and fifth books in the Gina Champion series, which is an Australian mystery series written for young adults. Gina Champion is a sort of gothy psychic girl detective and I eat these books up like candy - I think it's because they're so easy to read, and Gina reminds me of me as a teenager :)<br /><br />Anyway, how's that for an update!octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-1146172781885590862006-04-28T09:09:00.000+12:002006-04-28T09:19:41.900+12:00sorry!I didn't mean to fall off the map quite that badly! I keep meaning to update this blog but since I haven't finished anything new recently I didn't have anything to show off and I just kept forgetting to keep up to date.<br /><br />News-wise, everything is going well with my pregnancy - I had my first midwife visit on Wed and she let us hear the baby's heartbeat, which was amazingly exciting, and helped to make it all feel much more real to me. P and I went on holiday up North for ten days to visit his family, which was nice and relaxing, but since being back to work this week, I've felt knackered. I also managed to get wet on Wed when we had some enormous rainstorms and flooding and today I feel like I'm coming down with a cold, which is fun since there's pretty much nothing pharmaceutical I can take for it. Oh well, time to break out the natural remedies, I guess! I've been doing a heap of (book)reading, I think I've finished about 8 books in the past month. It's my form of escapism, and it helps me stop worrying and freaking out too much about the future, I think.<br /><br />That's about it, really. Still not feeling hugely enthusiastic about crafting, but I'm being a bit more productive than I was, and now that I've finished the lace on my shrug and am on the home straight of 2x2 rib for the sleeve, I'm looking forward to finishing it and starting on something new. I haven't been managing to keep up with reading your journals much, I'm afraid, but I hope all is well with all my blog friends!octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-1143094861779796992006-03-23T17:59:00.000+12:002006-03-23T18:21:01.810+12:00sweet reliefI sat and passed my restricted drivers licence this afternoon, yay! This is something that has been hanging over my head for a long, long time - I sat for my learners test about 7 years ago, and it took me about 5-6 tries before I passed, and that was just a written/oral test! As you can imagine, I was not looking forward to sitting the practical test, but my learners licence expires at the end of next month and I needed to be able to drive the car by myself once the sprog comes along, so I didn't have much choice. But now I've got it! Yippee!<br /><br />Thanks for all your reassuring comments on my last post - I do need to be reminded not to overdo things. Because a lot of the time I don't feel very pregnant, I forget and then get annoyed when I get the side effects. This week has been pretty good though, a few headachey days and I've managed to get some early nights to deal with the extra fatigue.<br /><br />My first Secret Pal parcel arrived today! I was so worried it was lost in the post, but it was just the snail-mail ;) Lots of lovely goodies inside - I took a photo but haven't processed it yet. There's some beautiful Fleece Artist sock yarn in blues and greens, some Naturally Merino & Fur in shades of brown and blue, a bag of Canadian gummy sweets and a copy of Crochet magazine, plus a lovely card. Such a wonderful surprise :D<br /><br />ooh, and I cut my dreads off on Friday night! I just really felt like making a change in my life, and I'd been dissatisfied with them for a while - I plan to do them again at some stage but I've learned some good lessons about how they work. Now my hair is short - about 3-4 inches all over, with some longer bits at the front. I'm clipping part of it back at the side with bobby pins and it looks kinda cute, but the best news is that I can wear my cloche hats again!octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-1142302151698751342006-03-14T15:01:00.000+13:002006-03-14T15:09:11.700+13:00drainedI can't believe that I'm still so tired - I had a decent amount of sleep last night, but I felt so weak and dizzy this morning I stayed home from work and slept the rest of the morning, and now I'm tired again! Still, I got to sit out on the patio in the warm and watch the cats play in the agapanthus and the bees gathering pollen - I love my garden, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else on a sunny day.<br /><br />I've started crocheting some boring old hats again - at least I'm producing something and it's easy for me to do at the moment. I hope I get some energy back soon. I know I should be eating better and doing some exercise, but everything just seems too hard at present. I feel kinda like I'm depressed, but I'm not unhappy - I think it's just because everything's in stasis in my mind until I know my pregnancy is going to be okay.octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-1141785350776156572006-03-08T12:16:00.000+13:002006-03-12T14:17:27.506+13:00slackerSuch a long time since I updated! Thanks everyone for your kind wishes - it's a bit of a scary ride so far, with every little twinge or sign freaking me out, but I guess I'll just have to go with the flow of it. Met our midwife last weekend, and she seems very nice, informative without being too controlling and reassuring without being too airy-fairy. I don't get to see her again for another 6 weeks though, which feels like forever at the moment. I'm so over the morning sickness side of things already, and I've only really had it for the past 3 days :( I just feel lethargic and queasy and not really into doing anything much most of the time, and the thought of everything I've got to do is very scary and depressing.<br /><br />Things on the crafting front have stalled a bit as well from lethargy and disinterest. I wish there was a project I could get excited about, but nothing seems to appeal at present. Ah well. I managed to get the final hat finished for Vent, now I just have to get the energy to drive over to Port Chalmers and drop them off. I was planning to do that today, but I'm not feeling up to it. I'm still ploughing through the lace of my shrug, trying to get at least one pattern repeat finished each night, but I have to get 68cm of it done, and I've only done 32, so it's getting me down a bit.<br /><br />I'm trying to get stuff done a little bit at a time, but it's an uphill battle at the moment. Hopefully I'll get excited by stuff (knitting, reading, blogging, food...) again soon...octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-1141026927044642152006-02-27T20:53:00.000+13:002006-02-27T20:55:27.046+13:00mystery solvedAt least I know why I've been so tired recently:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/test-sized.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/320/test-sized.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>!!!<br /></div><br />We've been trying to conceive for 8 months, so this is very happy news :Doctopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-1140778999436075672006-02-24T23:53:00.000+13:002006-02-25T10:22:37.756+13:00surfacing...Yup, I'm still alive, just exhausted after the week before semester starts - so much to organised, I feel drained tonight. Next week should be slightly quieter, fingers crossed.<br /><br />Still working on my socks - I'm about halfway through the second one, so the deadline will be tight. I just haven't had the energy to work on them hardcore this week. Still, I'll work late on them tomorrow night, so hopefully I'll get them finished in time.<br /><br />I sold 4 hats at Vent last month - w00t! They've only got one left so I'll have to head over there with some more. I'm looking forward to the freedom that finishing these socks will bring ;)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000001.10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000001.10.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Received some lovely handdyed sock yarn in a swap from my friend <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/craftysarah/">Sarah</a> - I think she must have used Koolaid to dye it, since it smells very grapey. It's shades of blue and burgundy-purple with some of the yarn left white, and I think it will make a spiffing pair of socks. Also, enormous needles - eep! They should be good for knitting scarves come winter.<br /><br />My dad's in hospital at the moment - long story, he had an operation to remove a tumour on his thigh bone a couple of weeks ago, got discharged last weekend and in the middle of the night on Monday, he managed to break his leg. He finally found out yesterday that the tumour was benign, and had another operation today, but we don't know yet what's going to happen next. So it's been a bit of a stressful time.octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-1140325583347924862006-02-19T17:25:00.000+13:002006-02-19T21:09:29.543+13:00Yarn porn!Because it was a lovely sunny day today, I thought I'd take <a href="http://woollywormhead.blogspot.com/">Ruth</a> up on her challenge to photograph my stash - so here it is in all its organised/disorganised glory:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000001.6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000001.6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The disorganised bit. I generally sit on the couch (you can just see the afghan-covered arm at the bottom right) to do all my crafty stuff, so I like to have everything at hand if I need it. Unfortunately this has extended out to include any new projects I plan to start on being left in plastic bags supposedly so I'll remember...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000002.3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000002.2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The big pile o' hats for sale - there's about 50 or so. The rainbow pride ones on the right were supposed to be going to an LJ friend in the US, but she hasn't got back to me about them :( At the rear is a 1950s statuette of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pania">Pania of the Reef</a>, and at the front is my poor long-neglected spinning wheel.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000004.1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000004.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Now this is what the stash ought to look like! I've sorted all my scrappy yarns into colours, and store them in these plastic bins. There are 10 like this...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000005.2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000005.1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>...but poor old yellow and white/neutral missed out on the flash bins, so they're stored in these instead.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000003.1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000003.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Two more - the last one is in the lounge room for a project.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000006.2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000006.1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>And here's a surprise Calliope I found in the spare room :)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000009.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Last night I took a break from knitting and finished off my hat from Brenda's yarn - the photo doesn't really do it justice, it's all sorts of sugared almond colours, mostly greens and purples.octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-1140323036424599112006-02-19T17:22:00.000+13:002006-03-01T09:45:35.390+13:00Knitting Olympics progress in photos<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/sockpic1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/sockpic1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The yarn - Utiku Merino Baby in Bottle.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/sockpic2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/sockpic2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The yarn balled up (the colour's bad in this one)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/sockpic3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/sockpic3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Swatch for gauge.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/sockpic4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/sockpic4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The blocked swatch.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/sockpic5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/sockpic5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Just after the Olympics opening ceremony finished - a toe!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/sockpic6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/sockpic6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>At bedtime Sat night - a toe and a bit more in pattern.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/sockpic7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/sockpic7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> Sunday night - coming along nicely through the foot.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/sockpic8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/sockpic8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Monday night - starting the gusset increasing.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/newsock.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/newsock.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Tuesday night - yup, it's looking like a sock now!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000002.1.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000002.1.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Wednesday night - unfortunately I needed to rip out and reknit the heel section because I found a hole, but it was a lot easier second time around.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000001.3.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000001.3.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Thursday night - looking like a proper heel now!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Friday night, I only finished about half an inch of pattern done so I didn't bother taking a photo.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000001.5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000001.5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Saturday night - I woke up with a migraine in the morning, but managed to soldier on. Actually, I was supposed to be going out, but wasn't up to it so ended up doing hours of low-stress knitting instead. There's about an inch or so to go, then I'll transfer the stitches onto a circular needle and start on the next sock. Almost halfway there, with just over seven days of play to go.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000001.7.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000001.7.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Sunday night - the finished sock bar the ribbing for the band (which I'll do once the other sock is finished to this point - don't want to run out of yarn!)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Monday night - started the toe but the light was too bad on Tues to get a decent photo.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000001.8.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000001.8.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Tuesday night - as you can see, the weather is still pretty overcast so the photo's not great, but I've just started the patterning for the foot.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000001.9.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000001.9.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Wednesday night - halfway through the foot.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />No update for Thursday night, as I only managed to get a few rows finished.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000002.5.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000002.5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Friday night - just starting the increasing for the heel. Running out of time!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000001.11.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000001.11.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Saturday night - heel completed and starting on the hard yards of the leg.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />No update for Sunday night - I'd finished one sock completely by 12am, and only had the band to do for the second, but I was too sleepy to finish.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/1600/00000001.12.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4733/1841/200/00000001.12.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Monday night - a pair of completed socks!octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-1139909436567435892006-02-14T22:18:00.000+13:002006-02-19T17:24:21.900+13:00brain futzJust in the middle of turning my first heel ever, it's going really well *knocks on wood* but I needed a break. My head has been sore all evening, but I really wanted to try and get the hardcore heel stuff done tonight so I can relax and do lots of boring rows of no-brain rib tomorrow evening at SnB.octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18741875.post-1139629055929878142006-02-11T16:32:00.000+13:002006-02-11T16:37:35.940+13:00on your marks...Just taking a well-earned break from my Knitting Olympics socks - I've just finished the toe and am onto the foot, and I'm really pleased with my progress so far. At this rate, I'll have to start thinking of something else to do if I finish early! I managed to get nearly all of my outstanding projects done, just got half a square hat to go, so I'll probably just do some when I need a break from all the knitting.<br /><br />I bought <a href="http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=47152541">this</a> gorgeous handspun and dyed yarn from my friend in Hamilton to make another dreadlock snood - it arrived in the mail today and it's just lovely. So soft... it's a bit distracting really, but I'll try to focus ;)<br /><br />Anyway, wanted to check in and say hi to everyone - I've been around and reading people's updates, I just haven't had anything much to update about recently! Right, back to work...octopusgrrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09322647657225176874noreply@blogger.com1