Postcard Swap

I've signed up for iHanna's postcard swap, I watched it last year, and have decided to go for it this year.

I love postcards, I still send them to people every time I have a trip. I think it's sad that no one send post cards anymore, I'd much rather receive a beautiful picture postcard from a friend who has gone overseas, than a crappy souvenir that I will keep in a box (cos I find it hard to throw away gifts!).

Anyway, I am looking forward to creating, sending and then receiving some postcards!

If you'd like to sign up, go to iHanna's blog and check out all the info. The sign up date is 18th of March, 2011, and the postcards are sent on 8th April.

Japan

I can't believe the devastation in Japan caused by the earthquake and tsunami.

I lived in Japan for over two and a half years between 2002- 2005. I was on the JET programme, and lived in Fukuoka, Kyushu, which is in the south. So quite far away from where the disaster has happened, but still... the images bring back so many memories. My ''anxious' dream (you know, the dream you have when stressed or worried, some people dream of going to school naked or in their PJs, others running late for an important meeting or appointment, or of falling) has always been of watching a tsunami coming towards me, and not being able to escape. I've had this recurring dream since I was a child. So I can't watch too much of the footage as I find it absolutely horrifying.

I'm thinking of everyone in Japan, I don't pray, but I hope that Japan can get through this and my heart goes out to anyone affected by this.

Me with friends on my last night in Japan

Ripple

I've been working on the Ripple Afghan for a while now, I wanted a bright blanket for my lap when sitting on the couch in winter. We try not to use much heat (and luckily in Sydney, don't really need much). So on cold winter nights, I like to snuggle up with a hot water bottle and a cup of tea.



The colours are so nice and bright, I'm sure they will cheer me up! I've got one more skein of each colour to go, and I've used 2 of each so far. I'm lazy at the moment, but I'll post the brand and colours when I've completed the blanket. I think its just superwash DK weight from Lincraft.

Baudelaire and tea

I've been doing quite a bit of knitting, and I'm really enjoying it again, I think I got back my knitting mojo!

This is Baudelaire from Knitty:


The lace pattern is lots of fun; as usual, it took me a few attempts at the start, but now I've got it and am happily following the chart whle watching Lost in Austen on ABC iview. It's so lovely, the premise sounds a bit crazy (modern girl in love with Pride and Predjudice goes back in time and becomes involved with all the characters), but it is done really well, and has some really good moments in it, the casting is excellent too, even Mr Darcy. I actually like the Wickham in this one better than the BBC mini series. I found that Wickham was quite sleazy and although that is how he was in the novel, I thought he wouldn't have been that obvious, or Lizzy never would have fallen for him.

Anyway, back to knitting! The yarn so far is lovely to knit with, the slight changes in colour are gorgeous and add interest.

Hopefully this sock won't fall victim to 'one sock syndrome', I really feel like I am on a roll with it.

This is what it look like on my foot.

It was my first time to do the toe-up method, you can see it looks a bit pointy. That may not be so obvious when it's finished, but even if it's not, I don't mind, it is still a pretty sock and they are going to be used to wear indoors when it's cold anyway.

Embroidery project

I've got so many projects on the go at the moment: Knitting socks, crocheting a blanket, and I've also started this embroidery.


I had to spend some time away from home, and left at very short notice, so I didn't have anything crafty to do. I have been wanting to try some embroidery recently, I did use to do it when I was very young. Mum used to sign us up to classes at the Embroiderer's Guild during school holidays, and I still have the bag I made.

Anyway, while I was away, I bought this kit, and started stitching. I'm not really loving the pattern, but I didn't have much choice. I am enjoying the stitching and seeing the picture emerge.


Making really little stitches is quite meditative, and definitely less thinking than when knitting or crocheting, as you don't have to keep referring back to a pattern or even try and work out where you are. Sometimes, I pick up a piece of knitting, and it takes me a few minutes to work out where I am. And then, sometimes the reason I stopped was because I made a mistake and was too tired to fix it. So I have to work out where I'm up to, what I did wrong, fix it, and THEN I can knit. So as you can imagine, this puts me off!

But with the embroidery, I just pick it up and go!

Baudelaire Socks

I've cast on!

I'm knitting Baudelaire, designed by Cookie A. It's a free pattern from Knitty.

I'm using a beautiful yarn I bought in Sheffield, England over Christmas:



It is toe up, so that is a new method for me, have almost finished the toe, and looking forward to starting the lace pattern.

Things I liked this week

• This blog post in Gertie's New blog for Better Sewing about Fitting it all in. I love to hear how people with full time jobs fit in so much sewing/ craft and then time for blogging about it! One thing she mentions is that she goes to bed about midnight. Unfortunately, I can not function well on little sleep, I need to go to bed about 10-10.30!
• This amazing time lapse amigurumi video from Craft. So cute and creative.
• This info on Interfacing from U-handbag. This will be very useful when I start to design and create my perfect bag.