My crafty room.
I’m pretty pleased with how it looks at the moment. It has just been organised so everything is neat and tidy which won’t last too long, but it’s become my favourite room in the house. (This post is really picture heavy – I tried to cut it down but it didn’t happen)
Continue reading My new favourite room
Last year I did 13 things. Well I did a lot more than 13 things, but I set out to do 13 specific things.
This year I’m doing 14. I don’t know what I’m going to do when we get to 2025 but I’ll cross that bridge when/if I get to it.
Andi and Jesse have already posted their lists, so it’s time to get my butt into gear and write out my own.
So without any further ado, this is my list of things to do in 2014.
1) Knit 7 pairs of socks
2) Read 20 books
3) Try 3 new crafts
4) Make an artwork for our house
5) Keep making cushions (Related: Find people who want cushions)
6) Sew (and wear) a garment
7) Write a guest post for Marielle’s Spread the Love feature
8) Crochet a granny square blanket
9) Make jam
10) Dye a yarn collection
11) Send snail-mail to friends
12) Spin 100g of yarn
13) Learn 3 new embroidery stitches
14) Actually finish a Knit-A-Long
So these are my goals / tasks / things to do but if I don’t then I’ve probably found something more interesting to do.
May 2014 be my craftiest year yet!
2013 was awesome in so many ways.
We bought a house, went to our 6th test match together, saw plenty of live music, holidayed on a houseboat, and I helped out with the Port Adelaide Football Club.
I’ve had green hair, pink hair, purple hair, red hair, and several different combinations.
I participated in the Knitting & Crochet Blog Week. I even made two youtube videos!
And I worked my way through 13 goals.
1. Open my little etsy shop. – Tick!
I opened a shop and closed it just as quickly. I didn’t enjoy knitting for strangers or the etsy fees.
2. Host a giveaway on my blog – Tick!
This was so much fun! And this is where I figured out the I like giving things away more than selling them.
The lesson to be learned is that postage is a killer. In the future small and light will be the way to go.
3. Finish Start the knitting crafting for my Pay It Forward post. – Tick!
Again this was ridiculously fun! And it was the beginning of embroidering fabric to go on a frame.
4. Knit 12 pairs of socks. – 8/12
I completed 8 and I currently have 3 on my needles. I didn’t quite get to 12 but maybe I was being a tad optimistic.
5. Sew 6 cushions.- 10/6 – Tick!
I caught the cushion making bug hard!
I even learnt how to sew an invisible zipper.
6. Write a knitting pattern and post it on Ravelry.
I have started this one yet. I don’t know if I still want to.
Maybe if inspiration strikes I may be able to check this off my list.
7. Post a tutorial or a how-to guide. – Tick!
Seriously making a video was not what I had planned for this. But it turned out to be a really good experience. And now I have youtube subscribers. That’s a weird feeling for someone who only has two knitting videos.
8. Try a new craft, or 2, or 3.
I tried arm knitting, spinning, jewellery making, yarn dyeing. I’m looking forward to seeing what new crafts I can learn next year.
9. Create an artwork for my apartment – Coming Soon!
I never showed you this one. But it did happen.
10. Embroider a whole song (lyrics) onto something.
This is totally my favourite embroidery ever!
11. Sew a garment from a pattern, and wear it.
This is going on next years list.
12. Read a new book every month. (something I haven’t read before) 15/12
I joined goodreads to keep track of it all, so I realised I well and truly met this goal.
13. Crochet a granny square. – Tick!
2013 was the year that crochet and I finally understood each other. I still struggle with patterns and only have one loop on my needles, but the instant gratification is awesome.
I’m currently deciding whether to do 14 in 2014 or, as I’m 30 next year, 30 before 30.
Either way 2014 is going to be awesome. I just know it.
“As soon as I could use my hands she taught me to knit, which has been a great amusement;”
I own three copies of Persuasion.
One was in a box set, the second I bought because the first was getting too well worn, the third because I liked the cover more than the second.
The romance between Miss Anne Elliot and Captain Frederick Wentworth is one of my favourites.
So I’ve based a yarn collection around all of my favourite parts. (This will contain spoilers if you’re not at all familiar with the plot.)
Continue reading Yarn Collection – Persuasion
My new house!!!!
We’re almost completely moved in now, with only two wardrobe doors, a dining table, and some cleaning supplies left at the apartment.
Moving day wasn’t quite as easy as I had hoped. There was emergency dental surgery, settlement delays, rain clouds, friends who didn’t turn up, some moving day bruises (me and the house) , and a really sore back.
But we got there. Jen once again wins the best friend award as she carried boxes for most of Saturday, where as the Man’s best friend showed up precisely as the first beer was opened on Sunday.
I always buy new bedding whenever I move into a new place. Any excuse for new sheets and quilt covers.
This isn’t the grand tour just yet. Stuff is still being sorted out. And I can’t do anything much with my crafty room until the wardrobes have doors, so it looks more like a spare room but give me time.
But I have sorted out the kitchen!
And as soon as I figure out how to take a good photo of the book shelf I’ll give you a guided tour of that.
But for now I’ll have to love you and leave you with the view from our balcony. The first night we were greeted with fireworks and we’ve had a few spectacular sunsets as well.
Cheers!!!!!
12 – the number of sleeps remaining in our apartment.
2 – the number of invisible zips I sewed
1 – pair of shorts I successfully shortened
1 – curtain I was meant to sew up but that is lost somewhere in the abyss that it the spare room.
4 – the amount of times I couldn’t find where I left the scissors
5 – how many pairs of scissors I put away after I had finished.
48 – the number of stitches to cast on with DK weight yarn on
3.25 – mm needles for a pair of socks
3 – days it took these socks from start to finish
8 – the number of times I oohed and ahhed at the way the hand dyed yarn was knitting up
20billion – the actual number of times I marveled at my hand dyed yarn.
5 – the number of fat quarters I bought at Spotlight
0 – how many balls of yarn I didn’t buy because none of it took my fancy
2 – the number of friends who have birthdays in the next 2 weeks
2 – the number of presents I have finished for said birthdays
16* – the number of Bobs Burger episodes I watched on the weekend
7* – the number of Leverage episodes I watched
6* – the number of Parks & Recreation episodes watched.
3 – the number of bands I saw on Friday night
1 – the number of songs that I knew well enough to sing along to.
4 – the number of tacos I ate last night
0 – the number of tacos I made for myself
3 – the number of mosquito bites that I can’t stop scratching.
*I don’t know exactly how many episodes I watched. These numbers are estimated guesses.
I am counting the weekends down to when we move, but I am not putting my life on hold.
It is so frustrating to make things in a small space when you know there’s a craft room bigger than your lounge room just around the corner. But I can’t not make things.
So, inspired by Jesse, (aka oocha and wee pleasures) I dyed some yarn.
And it was so much fun.
I have researched dyeing methods before and wrote it off as something to do once I had more space and equipment. But the chalk legs tutorial that Jesse pointed to is by far the easiest. As I had purchased some Moda Vera Pure Wool in anticipation of dyeing at some point I was able to do everything with materials I already had.
I didn’t follow the instructions very well the first time, and added ALL THE COLOUR at once. Which once I figured out my mistake I immediately took it out and then plunged the wool into cold water. And then I realised my second mistake, pure wool doesn’t appreciate sudden changes in temperature. Fortunately not too much damage was done. It felted slightly but it still ran through my ball winder ok.
All of the dying was done using McCormick food colouring. It comes with a handy colour mixing chart on the back and so I mixed the right amount of drops together in a spoon and then plunged the spoon into the water (or dye bath as it is known!)
It’s all really basic and really a lot of fun. And if the colours all look really hideous together please don’t tell me. They all look rather fetching to my slightly colour-blind eyes.
I did try to be inspired by something, but I don’t think food colouring dye charts are sophisticated enough to capture the Adelaide Crows complex palette.
And of course once it was dry I had to wind it straight away and start using it. Even if I have a billion things still on my needles.
And yes I’m totally counting this as a new craft! That takes the total for this year up to 4!
At the beginning of the year I set myself a list of 13 things that I wanted to do this year. Now that August is finished and there’s only 4 months left in the year I thought that I would do a quick recap and reassess where I’m at.
1. Open my little etsy shop. – Tick!
Sometimes you think you know what you want but then actually when you do it you realise it’s not what you want at all.
I thought I wanted an etsy shop, but almost as soon as I opened it I realised that I didn’t.
I prefer to make things with a specific recipient in mind, rather than for a mass market. So I’ve closed my shop and chalked it up to experience.
Instead I will continue to make things and send them to friends. Even if they’re friends I have never met.
2. Host a giveaway on my blog – Tick!
This was so much fun! And this is where I figured out the I like giving things away more than selling them.
The lesson to be learned is that postage is a killer. In the future small and light will be the way to go.
3. Finish Start the knitting crafting for my Pay It Forward post. – Tick!
Again this was rediculously fun! And it was the beginning of embroidering fabric to go on a frame.
4. Knit 12 pairs of socks. – 6/12
I’m halfway through this one. I have two pairs of socks on the needles at the moment. One which I like and one which I don’t.
After seeing Jesse’s finished socks from this week I have the sock knitting bug again.
5. Sew 6 cushions.- 6/6 – Tick!
Woo all 6 cushions are completed! And I have one side of another one. This cushion making lark is fun. (Jazzical if you’re reading this I haven’t forgotten you, this whole buying a house lark is time consuming.)
6. Write a knitting pattern and post it on Ravelry.
I have started this one yet. I don’t know if I still want to.
Maybe if inspiration strikes I may be able to check this off my list.
7. Post a tutorial or a how-to guide. – Tick!
Seriously making a video was not what I had planned for this. But it turned out to be a really good experience. And now I have youtube subscribers. That’s a weird feeling for someone who only has two knitting videos.
8. Try a new craft, or 2, or 3.
So I tried arm knitting which was interesting.
The jewellery making was something that I had wanted to do for ages. I can definitely see more of that in my future.
Spinning definitely counts as my third new craft. I’m still not too good at it, but I can only improve right?
I recently bought a weaving kit so that’s going to be my fourth new craft so I’ll be interested to see how that goes.
9. Create an artwork for my apartment – Coming Soon!
This has been done but I haven’t blogged about it yet. I’m now waiting until we get in our new house. Or maybe I’ll show you it and then show you it again in our new house. I haven’t decided yet.
10. Embroider a whole song (lyrics) onto something.
I’m changing the parameters on this one. The intent was to stretch my embroidery skills and do a long project. Well instead of a song I chose a story from Black Books. Embroidery skill level ‘ 3 stitches learnt’ achieved!
11. Sew a garment from a pattern, and wear it.
I’m going to wait until we’re in a house before I attempt this. If I’ve learnt anything from making 6 cushions this year it’s that I don’t have enough room to cut out cushions let alone a pattern. Since the fish came along this year I have lost my kitchen table.
12. Read a new book every month. (something I haven’t read before) 11/12
This has been fun. I’ve learnt to knit and read at the same time which has helped.
I’m currently half way through a new book so I should well and truly achieve this.
13. Crochet a granny square. – Tick!
I thought that a granny square would be a great way to ease into crochet and it was. I’ve now completed two rugs, many granny squares and a cushion. I’m about to attempt a chevron rug. Wish me luck!
Oksoamy drew an awesome illustration for the children’s book that Manny and Bernard write one episode.
This is the finished embroidery.
Saturday was both good and bad. I got to see my team live, and hold out the banner for them to run through. But we got absolutely thrashed.
Then with five minutes to go a cheer rang out when another games result went in our favour so we are playing finals for the first time in 5 years!!!
HeWhoFishes has never seen finals-Bek so this could be interesting. It’s like football-Bek but a bit more extreme and with more yelling / crying / drinking.
Sunday I didn’t go more than 2 meters away from a box of tissues.
With no voice (half football yelling / half cold) I invented a code so the other half knew when I wanted another cup of tea.
It involved throwing things and miming a cup of tea. And was surprisingly effective. I think he still felt bad for bursting out into raucous laughter every time he heard me speak.
I worked a little more on my black books embroidery. And I spent quite a bit of time surfing through Wild Olive.
If you’ve never visited her blog before, she does all sorts of really cool embroidery and makes the most adorable printables. (How cute are these pencils!)
She has taught me how to do french knots, and I now know how to do laisy daisies and chains.
I made an embroidery needle book which now lives next to my scissors and my brand new stitch marker holder (thanks again Keri!).
I also went through and put all of my embroidery floss onto cardboard.
This is about as organised as I am ever going to be!
polka-dots & sparkles 