on and off the needles

Firstly, thank you all for your kind comments and emails regarding my internet fiasco! I really appreciated each and every one of them. Yesterday, I spent over an hour (knitting and) watching a fourteen minute video from my course. I watched two minutes of the second video in half an hour – time to give up when it gets that slow!

I have been knitting and sewing as well as spending a lot of time on the computer. Today the knitted objects have the limelight.

I have continued to knit cowls and mitts for the charities I support.

I indulged my interest in stranded colour-work to use up some of the left-overs from previous cowls.

As winter approaches I appreciate having a roof over my head and a warm bed to sleep in and I really feel for the homeless and less fortunate at this time of year.

I also couldn’t restrain myself from seeing how this yarn knitted up. DD won a ball of novelty yarn, Carmen by Mondial (Italian), at the Knitters’ Guild meeting last month. I didn’t take a photo of the ball but here is a snippet of the yarn – it’s basically variegated blue tape with little dangling yellow pieces every couple of inches. The second picture is the detail of the knitted yarn.

DD gave the ball to me because she doesn’t have the patience to knit novelty yarns. The vendor at the meeting claimed that a scarf could be knitted from one ball.
As you can see, it’s a very small scarf even knitted on needles one size larger than recommended (6.5mm - 10.5 US). This one is approximately 10cm (4”) wide and (90cm) 36” long. Ah well, some young girl will probably like it.

Mothers’ Day is approaching and I found myself wondering about a gift for my mother. I have already knitted a pair of striped socks which she knows about but have added a second pair. I hope she likes them because they are fraternal not identical!

On Tuesday evening, I foolishly thought I could get another pair finished before Sunday. A cuff-down pair with baby cable rib and a gusset heel (instead of my usual hourglass heel).I am using Cleckheaton Cocoon (70% wool – 30% polyamide). This is the first sock at the time of writing.

Do you think I can get them finished given that WM and I are leaving for northern NSW this afternoon and will be at mum's late morning tomorrow?

Sydney Homeless Connect Day - preview

The intention of this post is to share some of the wonderful things that are happening in our world; not to boast about our involvement.

On Tuesday 8 June, DD and I will be working as volunteers at the Homeless Connect Day to be held at Sydney Town Hall.

Last month I sent twenty beanies to a fellow member of knit4charities. Some of those beanies ended up going to homeless people through the Footpath Library, the rest were given to the organisers of the Homeless Connect Day.

Inspired by the great number of items that were donated to Australian Inland Ministries through knit4charities, DD and I have spent the last two weeks knitting some items that would be useful to homeless people in what looks like being a long, cold, wet winter in Sydney:

 

one beanie, five scarves and three pairs of fingerless mitts (two pairs were identical so only one pair of the olive coloured mitts has been shown)

Yesterday, I bought some Moda Vera Pure Wool 8ply (DK) for just $2 per 50g ball - hopefully I'll find time to knit some more mitts this weekend.

ETA Four more pairs of fingerless mitts (mine) and several blanket squares (DD's) were added to this group before it was  posted off. See Ravelry for Lady's Fingerless Mitts #4, #5, #6 and #7.

knitting for charity

warning: photo heavy post

In April, Australian Inland Ministries was one of the "Charities of the Month" for Yahoo group Knit4Charities. I was the collection point and from late April dozens of parcels arrived at my house. Yesterday was the final tally before I handed the donations over to my contact - I was sent an amazing 449 items! The photos below are a desperate attempt by DD and I to record all the donations.

beanies / hats

 more beanies / hats

still more beanies plus socks, sets, mitts, hair ties, a teddy and a square

 jumpers and cardigans (sweaters)

 still more jumpers and cardigans

scarves, wraps and blankets

I can take a deep breath now, finish putting my study back in order (there are still postpacks and boxes in here) and get back to my knitting.

The Sydney Homeless Connect Day is on Tuesday 8 June and more scarves are required so that's what I'm knitting at the moment. The one currently on my needles is knitted in Moda Vera Spell that I picked up at Spotlight sale a couple of years ago for $2 a ball. I am down to my last 150g. The scarf will be 150cm (60 inches) when I'm finished. I've already sent some beanies and have knitted this pair of fingerless mitts.

In June I will be knitting frantically to complete one more blanket (afghan) for Wrap with Love - that's 28 ten inch (25cm) squares knitted and sewn together. I designed this slipped stitch pattern for a workshop I was tutoring. So far I've done two squares (hey, that's six percent!)

review: Moda Vera Envy

composition: 50% new wool, 50% acrylic
weight: 50g
metreage: approx. 90m
needle size: 6mm
gauge: 16 stitches x 20 rows

I bought mine at Spotlight for $1 per ball in their clearance sale.

This thick yarn splits fairly easily, especially when using the sharp points of Knitpicks needles. It sticks to the needles [i.e. doesn't slide easily], even on the smooth-as-glass nickel plating of previously mentioned needles. [BTW: can you tell I'm captivated by my KP needles?] I don't spin but it seems to me that the yarn is very underspun - I imagine it's a bit like knitting with roving.

On the plus side, the yarn knits up very quickly and the resulting beanie was soft and warm. Great for homeless people which is the destination of this and subsequent beanies from this yarn [I bought eight balls] although I wonder what it will look like after washing! [The label recommends hand-washing.]

For me, on a knitting-time diet [see previous post], a quick knit is a good knit! And an adult's beanie for less than a dollar - bargain!!