Remote Knitter

Whiling away some of the evenings away from home, I bought some Kauni - out of curiosity mainly - just to see what happens with the colour changes.

Just made up a very simple edge to edge shape with three quarter sleeves.  I probably won’t wear it as it was a yarn exercise more than a style one, hence too the very simple patterning!  I bought the Kauni online from First 4 Yarns, which is quite local, but not local enough for me to have visited (yet!).  The service from them is excellent and I highly recommend them.

I used Kauni pinks and purples, which were disappointingly browny auburny, Kauni yellow/green, which goes from acid yellow through lime to Deep forest green, and Kauni blues, which didn’t have the extremes of colour change of the other two, and changed only very slowly.  I wouldn’t buy the pinks, or the blues again, but I liked the yellow/green changes and I would like to try the rainbow sometime. 

Binky is still busy on Etsy, adding gorgeous stuff regularly.  I might put some stuff on if ever normal life is resumed!  She made herself an Amy Butler weekender bag which is spiffing!

Nothing jolly to report with Dad and big decisions to be made after a ‘case conference’ tomorrow.

On a lighter note, Binky has been busy updating Etsy with some goodies.
Biased though I am, I particularly love the following:

Yellow Hibiscus Tote

Zipper Pouch

Blue Strawberry Clutch

Spring Has Sprung Button Card

Sorry for being such a terrible blogger lately.  My father is very ill (bladder tumour and prostate cancer), and I have been running up and down between Wales and Hampshire to do what has to be done, helping Mum, who is anxious and overwhelmed, to keep track of the Consultant’s info, as well as cutting the grass and taking her shopping etc.

Dad wants to die.  He has run his race and I know he has had enough.  Mum is scared, at 85, of what lies ahead, either in living with Dad by herself, or of having a stream of carers in the house (they are solitary, shy people who only ever see family).  She is also realising that while she is very independent and would be able to manage ‘aloneness’, she is beginning to lose her independence physically and mentally.  She is not senile in any way, but the modern world overwhelms her.  She had never written a cheque up until two weeks ago and had to phone for instruction.  There is nothing I would not do for them and I am trying to tread the narrow line between listening and telling, whilst Mum and Dad both struggle to grasp, and to keep hold of what they are told and what they want.

Meanwhile at home the grass grows on.

I have three-fruit marmalade bubbling on the Rayburn - and I have no jars!  I went to my jar-stashing-cupboard and it was all Mother Hubbardy.  Then I remembered ………. last time I made Marmalade, the Rayburn kept cutting out at the high temperature required (it’s oil, not solid fuel) and it was all so frustrating that I sent all the jars to be recycled!!  Ho Hum - it can sit in the pan for a day until I acquire some! And yes, the Rayburn is still cutting out but I am sentinel to the reset button!

Does anyone know what this sort of fastening is called (’scuse rotten pic) - I want to remake this bag in another fabric for Binks, but cannot find such push and slide fasteners and can’t google as I have no clue what name they go by!

Spent the weekend in Dorset - MIL’s ashes were launched in a rocket from Stonebarrow, a favourite dog walking spot.  As the children could not be with us, they sent tiny bouquets of Tete a Tete narcissi, double white primroses, and scillas.

I am stash-busting, if you can call my small assortment a stash!  I have a puritanical streak, reinforced by living in a small cottage with very limited storage!!  I watch all those house-doing-up, or property-choosing programmes with a wry smile when the choosers comment on impossibly small and old-fashioned kitchens and the need for ‘entertaining’ space!  I wish sometimes they would consider the spirit of the place and think about making a home before making a profit.  I intend to die in this place so its rising value is of no interest.  Binks and Bob have also foreswarn to keep it in the family.  I sometimes have nightmares that we have sold it and moved and then realised too late its uniqueness, its irreplaceability.  Phew, even now my heart beats fast.  I guess I must love this muddy, remote little house on its windswept hill!

Oh yes - stashbusting - sorry for the Ronnie Corbett!

A mad scarf that is too thick for comfort but drapes the old beams jollily.  You can just see in the background the sorry remains of my greenhouse that travelled fifty feet in the winds.

And a WIP pre felting - in Cascade, it measure approx 16″ x 14″ at the moment!  Who knows how small it will get!

I am using up, as I want to stock up at Wonderwool Wales.  I have a sock itch, and a Turquoise itch, and an asymmetrical drapey something itch!  Oh and a dyeing itch, a lace itch and an on-going felting itch! And a Laminaria itch - see the new knitty

It is rare to get a complete and thoroughly lovely surprise - but I had one today - this gorgeous, delightful, wonderful and inspiring parcel from Weirdbunny. Thank you soooooooooooooooo much.

Look at the rosey packaging - roses are my favourite flower, scent, colour - I didn’t even have to unwrap to be pleased
Now what I want to know is - how ever did you know, Julia you utter Honey you, that I have always hankered after a really pretty pincushion, but never quite worked out how to make one? Now I have one I am so thrilled - I am going to buy the prettiest pins I can find for it!!!
I have a huge grin on my face as I write this. Life is a peach!

This started life with a wide acrylic handle. One side broke - never liked it anyway, so I added a great BIG button (which I adore), and an i-cord handle, plus a broad flap with a big buttonhole for the big button (its about 3″ across or 7.5cms to you 21st centureeee boys). I am glad the handle snapped!

By the way do you like my rosey hook rail? It was a rare impulse buy and the blue behind it is the side of my kitchen dresser. I think they work well!

I always think of myself as someone who listens to their inner feelings, but I have to recognise that while I may listen, I am slow to hear, or act on what I hear!

As you know, Binky’s 21st birthday quilt is still unfinished, and while she is not yet getting SAGA magazines, she may be by the time I complete.  Or may HAVE been, as I have at last got the message.  I loved the hand-quilting, but thought it would take too long to do all the work by hand, so I switched to machine stitching for the long straights.  Since then I have put off and put off, approached the work with fear and trepidation, and snarled threads, poor stitching quality, rucks and tucks and all manner of unheeded if silent advice from the Great Craftsperson in the sky.  The penny has dropped.  If I had stuck with handstitching the quilt would be keeping Binks warm through these blustery nights.

All machine work has now been removed.  I await thread from my favourite quilting shop, the Cottonpatch and am now itching to get on rather than making a lot of tea, and walking around the work.  Why don’t I know myself better?  When will I learn? 

Just to show you how my handquilting has improved, here is one of the first butterflys I stitched,

And this is one of the last

As you can see, the stitches are much more even, and teeny weeny!

Nearly there!  I feel so guilty if I do any other projects, although I have replaced a button here and there, and done some simple, in front of the Dog Whisperer, knitting!

Sorry folks - absolutely no mojo.  MIL’s death, SAD syndrome with a vengeance, a difficult Christmas with elderly parents causing concern.

However, I have been lurking and seeing what you’re all up to, and I can feel the old, good, good, feelings coming back.

I did promise myself that I would not start any project until I finished Binky’s quilt.

 I wish I had known when I started that you need to allow extra seam allowance when patchworking with silk as I have had no end of trouble with fraying, and have had to unpick and stabilise (with a special, soft, iron-on ‘interfacing’) loads of seams.  Having hand quilted 30 butterflies, I am happy to report only one had to be unpicked, but I am doing that mad-dog prowl around the quilt rather than getting my teeth into it (Please excuse metaphor overdose - I am whiling away the winter with my latest TV flame - The Dog Whisperer)  Actually, just offloading like this has made me feel like getting back to it and I know that part of the mad-dog syndrome if from lack of creative activity as much as lack of light!

scuse terrible quality of pic

I have certainly improved my stitching.  My first butterfly was rather indelicate - and I don’t mean she swore a lot!  My last was an elegant waft of fairy stitches, all tiny and even!  My fingers are speckled at the tips and I have tried all manner of thimbles.  When all is done I will post all my tips and wrinkles in techniques.  Promise. 

I have played with some Colinette Tagliatelle and have some cushion covers to show for it.  I think I might employ some of my stabilising stuff, as knitted cushion covers in a loose knit like this have a tendency to Norah Batty!

Colinette Wigwam in Forest with a button from the wonderful Bedecked in the wonderful Hay-on-Wye!  The pattern is from Colinette’s Stella pattern book, style Jalapa.

I seem to have a thing about Forest without realising it as I see that the stash harbours Tagliatelle and Giotto as well as quite of lot of leftover Wigwam. 

From a mystery colour Parisienne, I whipped up a pair of Acorn beaded mitts designed by the gorgeous Diana Pugh who you can all have the pleasure of meeting at the Colinette paradise in Llanfair Caereinion.  The pattern book is Arboretum.  The beads are size 8/0 Japanese Tohos in aqua, champagne, and a colour called amber that looks purple because of the lining, from Beads Direct.

I think I might add some beads to the new Knitty pattern Muir, for a matching wrap.

Binky’s quilt is still on-going but I hope to post pics in about a month.  I have certainly learnt a lot about hand-quilting and have the sore fingers to prove it!  I have been testing thimbles - more soon!