A Tale of Two Yarns

My absolute favourite yarn is Noro. Noro Kureyon, Noro Silk Garden, Noro Sock... any Noro at all! I love the colours and colour changes in each skein, you never know what you are going to get!


Some people think that the yarn is rough. Well, it certainly isn't soft. And it can break easily. Sometimes there is a knot tying together two completely random colours. And sometimes there is just one ugly or weird colour among other gorgeous colours. But all of these faults is part of Noro's charm!

I've used it in quite a few different projects: socks, the booga bag, Rosedale sweater (99% completed, just need to put in the zipper, doh!) and a scarf. I just love knitting with it!

There hasn't really been a yarn that I've hated. Most yarn has a purpose, or a use somewhere, and it is up to us to find out how it would best be used. Sometimes the project we have in mind isn't right for the yarn, but there is something out there that is. Even cheapy acrylic looks good in afghans!

The only yarn I have sad feelings toward is this Rowan Summer Tweed:


I received it in a swap and absolutely loved it. Loved the colours, loved the feel and texture (it is a silk/cotton mix) but could just not find a project for it. I did a few swatches, but nothing was quite right. This was in the days before Ravelry, maybe now I would find something (actually I daren't look!). Anyway, in the end, after holding onto it for a few years, I moved from England to Australia, and I gave it to one of the girls in my knitting group (I gave away a lot of my small stash, just couldn't justify sending across to the other side of the world).  I hope she made something beautiful with it.

Knitting and Crochet Blog Week

I'm participating in the Knitting and Crochet Blog Week. Each day there is a topic for blog posts, and lots of people are involved, so you can read lots of blogs with the same topics. Shoud be fun!

Envy Neck-warmer

I wanted a quick, easy project and Envy fit the bill. It had everything I liked, seed stitch, cables, and was a really cute pattern. Check out the photos with the pattern, they are fantastic!

This was really easy, only cast-on with 20 stitches and an easy cable patten. I didn't use a cable needle for it. I knit it on 8mm bamboo needles instead of 9mm, since that was what I had and I didn't want to buy another pair of needles, I don't knit bulky stuff very often.

I used Morris Fuel, which is a 100% bulky wool in a gorgeous bright purple, used just over one 50g skein. It isn't plied, but was easy to knit with, didn't split much, it looked like it may have broke if I pulled tightly, but I knit this very loosely since I was on smaller needle and I didn't have any problems.

I did make button holes, it is meant to have three big buttons, but I didn't have any suitable buttons in my stash. I've used this bright red flower brooch I got for Christmas for the time being, and I really like it. If I see some nice buttons, I'll grab them and put them on. I'm not sure whether to get buttons to match or to contrast the purple.

Don't look too closely, as you can see I haven't weaved in the ends yet!

My Creative Space

My creative space is on the couch, in front of my laptop.

I am still working on the Baudelaire sock, I have just done the heel and am now starting on the leg. I am loving the lace pattern, now I have to start incorporating the cable as well.



The book I'm reading is Agatha Christie's autobiography. It is so interesting. I love the way she writes, and it is really evocative of time and place. I've just finished the section on her childhood (I suddenly noticed that I was already up to page 88 and she was still only seven years old!), I love all the information she provides, and explains how families lived their lives during that period (late 1800, early 1900s).

I bought this book at North Sydney Markets, the second-hand book variety was great! We went last weekend for the first time and I ended up buying two other books as well: The Letters of Nancy Mitford and Evelyn Waugh (which I have wanted for ages, I have a slight obsession with the Mitford sisters), and Love Among the Butterflies by Margaret Fontaine, excerpts from a diary written by a Victorian woman.

Check out other creative spaces at Kootoyoo!

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.