jenwren's blog

I succeeded in buying a new camera, so this post actually has pictures. The Flannel Flower Bag is now absolutely and completely finished with magnetic closures, but the photos were both out of focus, so I'll have to try again (I know how to change the settings to what I want now).



The shopping trip on Wednesday was also successful for book shopping (two japanese amigurumi books) and yarn (Ranco sock yarn).



As I travelled to the city by train, I spent some time working on the beaded rib socks. I'm so determined to get these out of the way as I have the Ranco I'd like to play with as well as a ball of Noro Kureyon Sock yarn I bought in a group purchase arriving this Tuesday.



I actually completed the first sock last night having worked on it at SSK yesterday afternoon. We met at a different cafe than usual as Barmuda was closed. I didn't like the cafe - it was way too noisy with 80's pop songs playing. Argh! It was a great turn out though. I'll put more pictures up in the Flickr pool.



Seeing as I suffered first sock syndrome on the beaded rib socks, I'm wondering if I'll really have the resolve to finish the second sock without casting on another sock....

I have one week of holidays left. I wish it was more, but I start work a week before the kids go back to school, so hopefully that means I'll be ready when classes start. I've been getting a lot done. The new book shelves are complete and installed and have made my home tidier than it has been in a long time.



I received my Noro Kureyon sock yarn last week, but have managed to resist the temptation to cast on another sock, and the beaded rib socks are progressing well, with the heel of the second sock imminent.



I went to Rubi & Lana knitting group on Saturday, which was at Sally's house. It was a lovely day, and I knit more of the beaded rib sock while entertaining Inigo, Lara's six week old bub.

My favourite fairy turned two on Sunday. The book I ordered for her failed to arrive in time. Hopefully it will be in today's mail.



And I attempted my first amigurumi crochet - a turtle from one of the books in the previous post. The first try was on too large a hook, so I tried a smaller hook and I'm quite happy with the result. And I thought I could only do simple crochet chains so I surprised myself. I'm still waiting on an amigurumi book that has been translated to English - it's in the post along with Charlotte's book. I was too impatient to wait.



And the Flannel Flower bag picture have been added to the finished items album in the left sidebar, as well as to my projects in Ravelry.

Charlotte's book arrived two days after my last post, but I still haven't got the amigurumi book - I cancelled the order when I was informed it actually wasn't in stock (the email I received the day I placed the order said "Today we sent you via Airmail" - a somewhat misleading statement since they'd done no such thing!) and ordered it from my preferred book supplier, who'd been out of stock but then restocked *and* dropped the price. Bonus. Except it still hasn't arrived. Must practice my patience skills.

I also came down with a chest cold following that last post, which derailed my plans for the last week of my holidays. I was just well enough in time for my first day at my new school a week ago, and today was the first day with some students - school starts in earnest tomorrow.



While unwell I did complete the second sock of the black beaded rib pair. So the first sock took more than six months, whereas the second took 14 days. The picture above does them no justice, but being black, it is simply too hard to get a good photo of the rather nice texture. Since completing those, the once-were-9-to-5-socks-now-handwarmers have come along well and the first of the pair is complete.



The Rubi and Lana knitting group was at my home last Saturday, and there was an excellent turn out. I forgot to get out the camera and catch the crowd since we were too busy enjoying ourselves. Before everyone arrived, I put my dye pot on the stove with 100 grams of tea leaves and about 2 litres of water and boiled it for an hour.



It was sitting and cooling while folk were here. After they left, I strained out the tea leaves (gee, 100 grams of tea leaves is a lot when wet!) and returned the dye liquor to the pot with more water, 10 grams of alum and 3 grams of cream of tartar. I added a wetted out 95 gram undyed skein of The Knittery Merino Cashmere sock yarn (with a few extra green cotton ties added to the skein), purchased about a year ago, and simmered it for an hour and twenty minutes. I let it stand until the pot had cooled before rinsing.



After drying, the skein is a lovely rich caramel colour. I'm very happy with it! The yarn is earmarked for a pair of Earl Grey socks (in keeping with a tea theme).