jenwren's blog

I'm still here, just really busy. Make that really, really busy. There has been knitting happening, albeit slowly, and I finally got my invite to ravelry this morning (I went on the waiting list on 7 June). Beyond getting a user name and putting some essential details in my profile, I've done nothing there. I have no time for that for the moment.

A bit more of an update, illustrated with photos. Firstly there is the new sofa that was delivered a few weeks ago (it's the one on the right).



Then there are the plants I planted in the school holidays that are sprouting and growing well with the improvement in the weather.



There are yummy new recipes I've been trying - this one is chocolate and banana loaf *drool*.


And there is knitting - some Jaywalkers for my sister. (Yes, that's the new sofa it's sitting on.)

I was off work sick for a whole week with a nasty virus, and I've struggled through the last week while still not quite 100%. Most of the week I was sick I wasn't up to very much (other than lying on the new sofa), though I did finish the first of the Jaywalker socks for Kath and have cast on the second one, and some progress was made on the flannel flower bag while I was waiting to check the fit of the sock on my sister's foot. I would bring you photos, but the camera's not cooperating again!

Yesterday, on my way home, I popped into the newsagent that supplies me with Interweave Knits, and found a special issue, Interweave Felt, which I flicked through then bought. The cover says it's an Interweave Knits special issue, but on Interweave's site, it can be found tucked under Spin Off and staff from both magazines were involved in its production. Reading through it last night I learnt a thing or two I didn't know about fulling and felting, despite the experience of many past fulling projects (If you've ever seen me at a knitting group, you've probably met my large felted bag - my first yarn dyeing and first fulling project from back in 2003). Several of the articles were seemed rather promotional of Interweave books on felting, which is fair enough, and while there's none of the projects I instantly desire to make, it's an addition to my sources of inspirational material.

I think what surprised me most about the magazine was that I hadn't heard a peep about it prior to seeing in the newsagent. I have no idea how long it has been on sale, and there would have been something like a four week delay between it going on sale in the USA and reaching my newsagent. Contrast that with the blog chatter that accompanies a new issue of Interweave Knits (long before I have a chance to get my mitts on a copy), and I feel like I might have been living under the proverbial rock. Granted, this magazine isn't available by subscription, but given it's appeal to both knitters and spinners (among others) where's the publicity and awareness been? Maybe the next issues of IK and Spin Off will contain promotional ads?