Lee's Blog

French Market Bag

french market bag from knitty. Modified the pattern significantly using 8mm instead of 4.5 or something like that specified in pattern. Shrunk the pattern down 4/5 in terms of stitches, but with much bigger needles it's come out much bigger of course. I used two strands of cosy wool held together, colours from stash (leftover from the cancelled kyoto!). It probably used eight ish balls all up.

All was going incredibly well and it had only taken less than a week when I got to the handles I wasn't paying attention, miscounted significantly (so I think I counted correctly then subtracted 20!) and everything went horribly wrong. So I ended up just casting off everything I could where I could (I won't explain the detail but it left me with millions of ends to weave in later).
I ended up just sewing a simple handle of my own design and making a knitting basket.

As my first felting experiment using yarn from stash, I'm happy enough. Considering Bendy rustic in one colour (probably red) and a considerably different shape for the next one, and I'll be doing it very soon me thinks. On the felting note, it was as simple as it sounds. Put in lingerie bag. Put in washing machine with a towel. Wash, and check every 10 minutes! I ended up having it in about 30 minutes. Next time, I'll err on the side of shrinking too much as it does stretch a bit when you are stuffing to the shape you want.

Stuffing it was probably the hardest bit - would be much easier if you had something the right shape to just let it dry on. I didn't, so I put clothing in lots of plastic bags and used them all to stuff it. It took two days ish to dry, longer than I expected..

anyway here's some photos.. starting, pre felting, and finished!

New overlocker!

I uhmed and ahhed after this for a long time and then finally bought it. $399 reduced from $599 in the janome sale. Haven't used it much yet though I have wanted to but been very busy. I am sure there will be lots to come v soon. Threading it was an extremely arduous task.

Clapotis # 2 started on Sunday

Not much to say yet. The yarn arrived from brooks farm last week (actually i think it was the week before). The colourway is beautiful, mostly browns and pinks (does not look at all like this picture) and it is very soft. I was not planning on getting started immediately, but with FMB off the needles so quickly and me yet to decide on yarn for the next, it's started! I am wearing clapotis # 1 practically every day at the moment and love it more every day.

Baking

This afternoon I cooked, and since I had the camera out.. I made Nikki's Zuchini slice (rechristened bacon quiche) .. I made 4/5 of the standard recipe as I only had 4 eggs, and it all fitted perfectly in my blue flan dish I bought during a xmas visit to Perth a few years ago, when I wanted to make a lime tart.

That was for our tea with a nice big greek salad, and I also made a big lasagne for tomorrow nights dinner. And, some anzac cookies. I looked on the web and found heaps of very similar recipes, will add a link to the one I used a bit later. I just made one batch as a test - will probably make a double or triple batch this weekend [anzac day!] to send in to my and michael's work. After we munched on a few and I gladwrapped some for Elizabeth our cleaner who is in today, M took the rest to work.

Jean Greenhowe Knitted Toy Books

I ordered these from the shearing shed in Canberra. I really wanted them! Will have more to say about them once I get onto a pattern or two.

Lincraft haul at 75% off

So they are closing down my local lincraft. They finally put some stuff on sale but that was after getting rid of all the yarn and fabric (must have found a buyer to take the whole lot) they had hardly anything left. But, today I did find the following for less than $15 all up! dpns in 5 and 6.5mm, a sewing book I had coveted but wasn't willing to pay $40 for, and some google eyes to use for my knitted toys in the future.

More Shopping

I also bought some generic wash and wear tops from suzanne gray and two new belts from army surplus. Yay!

New shade card from Bendi, leftover yarn from clapotis # 1

Was very exciting to receive this new shade card from bendigo wollen mills. I love bendi, that's where my alpaca was for clapotis # 1. This is how much yarn I had left over from two balls - quite a lot. I think I will make a matching hat. Just a plain one - not the clapotis hat over at that blog I can't think of right now..