Tablecloth and a garden glimpse

Woke to the sound of pouring rain today, very glad not to have to get up and drive to work in it. Had been hoping to spend time outside in the garden weeding round the vege gardens, instead I wasted time on the computer and then made a new tablecloth.   

The sun finally came out and I ventured to the garden, which has been growing really well, ignore the weeds.  Will get to those tomorrow, I promise.  It's not only been wet but cold too, have seen reports of snow in parts of the state, we don't get snow in this district.

The cherry tomato has masses of green fruit on it, I had to tie it up as it was covering all the other plants.  I've been picking Alpine Strawberries as they ripen,  been meaning to get a photo but they never last as long as it takes to get the camera.  They are tiny but full of flavour.  My dad thought they were a bit soft but they haven't got that apple like crispness bred into them like commercial strawberries. 

 My Elder plant is really taking off too, it's probably quadrupaled it's size in the few weeks since I got it.

Is budding too, looking forward to seeing the first flowers appear. 

Right now I heading out for a walk to get some much needed exercise. 

Hoarding

Recently my son mentioned that my daughter called me a hoarder.  Even my boss asked me if I was a hoarder when I told him that I wanted to take the boxes that this year's spring fasciantors came in.  Yes and No, I am a hoarder in the fact I don't like seeing usuable items going to waste. 

The boxes for example were plain white cardboard with a clear lid, I wasn't the only one who took them, I just had the idea first.  I did take the most, 2 trips the back of my car was was full but I am proud to say that not one of them actually made it into my house.  I took them straight to Mum's asking if her craft ladies would be able to use them, apparently they loved them.  One in particular makes cards to sell and had mentioned to Mum that she needed storage for her cards and wasn't able to afford it.  If it wasn't for me those boxes would be in landfill right now. 

One of the shows I've been watching lately is Hoarders, it's really made me think about what I've got around here and if I could live my life without.  Of course there are many things I could live without, but there are many things that I feel define me.  Recently I took some photos after I cleared out my sewing room to move rooms, the dining room was stacked high with stuff, posted it on facebook and the question was asked "OMG are you a hoarder?" I replied that no I had a lot of hobbies.  Which is true, I do but I hoard craft supplies.  I've stopped going to craft shows to stop buying "must haves" which then sit in there gathering dust, buuilding guilt.   I was looking in the room yesterday and realised it looks like the typical hoarder's delight.   My daughter asked what I was thinking, I didn't know it was all too overwhelming. 

I thought that if I started small it would be a step, so I took a basket to sort, only returning to the basket what I wanted to keep, I did end up with a small pile of give aways, another for throw aways.  After that I felt better and in a creative mood.  So pulled out some beads I bought a couple of years back, my jewwellery making kit and made up some bracelets, necklaces and other items.  The only thing I didn't have were clasps, will get those on Sunday.   Once they are finished will have a small pile of jewellery to sell at a stall next month.

Right now I know I am procrastinating starting on something, so am getting off the computer to go and be more productive.  First thing is to get my quilt on the line so we have something to sleep under tonight. 

Sick and tired

Is what I am right now.  Sick with some bug that started on Sunday.

We drove out to Bathurst on Sunday, I wanted to go somewhere I had never been, everyone else had been but me.  We were disappointed not to be able to drive around Mt Panorama, it was closed to get it ready for this weekend's race. 

The place was pretty quiet, the weather was lovely even if the breeze was a bit cool. I fell in love with the old houses in the town, pretty was my word of the day. 

Family portrait, even my shadow looks fat. 

Definitely doing something about that.  I found a great hypnosis site, completely free and for the last 3 days have been listening to some of the tracks.  I've tried the hypnosis road before but get stuck on visualising myself slimmer, I found this one so much easier.  So far I've listened to the perfect shape, weight loss, stop boredom eating and exercise motivation tracks. 

Have noticed the boredom eating  one is really working well, between dinner and bed is my hardest time, the last 2 days have not felt the need to eat.  And if it did cross my mind, I pushed it out. 

Got out for a walk this morning, wanted to grab an avocado to have at lunch and was intending on walking to a big supermarket but by the time I got to the local shops only 10 minutes away I knew that walking the extra distance wouldn't be such a good idea today.  The sun out there is quite hot, I had no hat either.  Was able to get the avocado at the local fruit shop, so came home and made myself a lovely lunch of rye toast, avocado and smoked salmon. 

From scarf to top.

 I couldn't get to sleep last night, had to listen to 'I can make you sleep' hypnosis cd twice.  The reason I couldn't sleep was because I had just finsihed making a top I really was pleased with.

From an $8 Kmart scarf.  Had gone to Kmart earlier in the evening with the view to buy some cheap tshirts for reconstruction and found this pretty muslin scarf.

It was too long to make a top so I folded it in half and stitched aross to make shoulder seams. used a tshirt to mark and cut the scooped neckline out.

The neckline is bound with strips of the same fabric.  I actually used glue (couldn't find the fray stop) to stablise the neckline and stop it fraying while working on it. Just painted it on the very edge and let it dry.  The neckbinding was stabilised with iron-on hemming tape, folded in half and one edge machine stitched on, the other I hand stitched.  I cut the binding on the straight, next time I'll do it on the bias as it gapes a little.  The sides were stitched straigh down the selvage edge of the scarf.

Was worried about fit, but it fits perfectly and is going to be a perfect top to wear on hot summer days, now on the look out for more pretty scarves. 

Who aaid knitting was relaxing?

It's been awhile since my last post, I've been busy, doing extra shifts at work, wasting time on Facebook and TV and doing a little knitting.

The yarn I dyed turned out to be a lovely muted apple green,  happily found a pattern I liked and started knitting.  Knitted from 2 balls at once, 2 rows each to help with the dyelot issue.  Started it one night and was happy to see that the colour was uniform ... until the next day when in daylight the dyelot issues showed right up as stripes in the stockinette section.  It wasn't obvious where there was lace and moss stitching, I'll need to find a lacy pattern for this yarn.

I was however in love with the pattern I chose and needed something to take to the knitting group so with only 5 minutes to spare rushed in to Spotlight and bought a lovely soft acrylic/bamboo mix, Moda Vera Gardenia, in purple.

I've also fallen in love with the new Patons Embrace yarn.  Bought a few balls and the Embrace book and tried to get started on a shawl.  I say tried becasue it's been really trying, first it took me ages to cast on the 400+ stitches, then I couldn't get past the first 2 or 3 rows, kept frogging the whole thing - a result of my counting skills and my stitch dropping skills, the pattern itself was quite easy and straight forward.  Then it clicked and I was happily knitting along and almost finished the first pattern section, was so proud of myself.   Then I took it to knitting on Wednesday and immediately noted a dropped stitch so put it away to concentrate on at home.  It took a while to pick up the stitch in the lace work but I managed to do it again was so proud of myself.  After that diaster struck, my circular needle decided to break as I was trying to move stitches along it, nothing I could do each time I tried to pick up the stitches they just ran, leave me with a confusion of loose threads.  I figured it would be quicker and less frustrating to start again...............at another time.  My knitting has now been transformed back into yarn.  Who said that knitting was a great tension reliever?

I have to wonder whether I was sabotaging myself as I chose to do the shawl on the front cover but kept wondering if I should do the larger version of it.  Oh and I was feeling guilty for not completing my purple cardy first.  I'll do that then get back onto the shawl.

Dying Yarn

Last week I bought a bag full of discounted yarn it and thought I'd try dying it before knitting something. Had thought about natural dyes but then decided to use one of the Rit dyes we sell at work to gain some product knowledge.

 

 Original Colour, dry thread, 100% cotton

 

 Dye Bath, Rit Dye Kelly Green

 

Final Colour, Wet

 

 There was one thing I didn't take into account, Dyelots.  As I was rinsing the thread I noticed colour variations, not quite as obvious as the above photo, but they are there.  The yarn I bought was on clearance and would have contained the oddments they had left, didn't occur to me until too late.  

They are now drying outside in a shady area, I am hoping the colour will dry lighter and more subtle.  

On the needles.

Have been doing a lot of knitting lately, a lot of frogging too but that's another story.  Ever since joining the Crochet/ Knitting group I've had the urge to get things done, pulled out a partially knitted jacket that's been sitting in a basket for over 5 years.  It only needed one sleeve, so far I've done as far as the arm hole shaping but got a bit bored with it.

I had the urge to start something new, resisted buying new yarn - made myself put it back on the shelf at the shops on Friday.  I looked through magazines I already had for something to make only using what I already had on hand.  I think my favourite knitting magazine is Simply Knitting, I only discovered it last year and the issues I have bought always have lovely patterns in them.