Lots of Pictures

Hi Everybody
As Promised – more pictures and less bitching and moaning.

I did a bit of a tidy up in my room yesterday. I re-arranged the big plastic tubs of craft stuff so I’ll be able to find what I want WITHOUT basically dumping everything out on the floor and digging through the resulting pile. I did quite a good job as I now have 3 empty shelves in my cupboard that I can use for storing other stuff.

Here are the 3 big plastic tubs FULL of spinnable fibre. It would help if I had more than 5 minutes a week to spin, but it is so cold at the moment I could use it as insulation if I needed to.

Here are some cross stitch pictures that I just need to get cleaned up and framed.

This one, which is a birth announcement for my son, has been waiting for this since he turned 1, which is when I made it. You can do the maths and work out just HOW LONG this has been waiting. The alphabet is from a Burda book of Alphabets (I think) that I’ve had since I was a teenager.

The next two are from Teresa Wentzler. The first is a freebie called “Tempest in a Teacup”; the second is “The Castle”. They’ve been waiting about 2 years to get finished off.

The last one is from Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum. It’s called “The Quiltmaker”. This has also been sitting around for about 2 years too.

Now on to the quilts. I Have NO IDEA how long these have been sitting around, but seeing just how close I am to finishing so many of them inspires me to get working on them again.

This one I call “Big Sue”. I just need to finish quilting the border (yes, there IS only a little over half of it to go) and sew on the binding. The centre block is a super sized Sunbonnet Sue. The small squares in the border are all hand dyed (by me) and leftovers from the fabric I dyed for my Millennium Quilt swap (no, I never made THAT quilt either).

This was inspired by Ami Simms’ book “Invisible Appliqué”. In it she talks about using the method to piece curved blocks. I had some hand dyed fabric leftover from another quilt I never finished (Fair play it was supposed to be for a friend of the EX and he dumped me before I’d even sewn the thing together so I dumped the blocks) and I’d always wanted to do a tumbling blocks quilt so I designed a curvy version and, as they say in the classics, just went for it. This is also nearly finished. Once this is done I’ll probably make it into a bag or something as I need a nice knitting project bag (or 50).

This needs to be quilted. The blocks are hand pieced (also from leftover hand dyed fabric from the MQ swap), the assembly was done by machine, and I’m waiting for my Thimblelady book on “Hand Quilting Without Pain” to get started on this one.

These are blocks that I did on a sampler course. I only did the course because I wanted to do the “Advanced” course offered by the shop and they insisted you did the “Beginner” course first. Well, I was so unimpressed by the course and the rather Bolshy attitude of the teachers that I never went back. Now I look at them again I’m starting to like them all over so I’ll do something with them SOMEDAY. Hell, maybe I’ll put borders round them all, practice quilting, and make me a heap of throw pillows.

This is a top that I did from some other hand dyed leftovers from a hand dyeing course I did AGES ago. I started off doing asymmetrical log cabins but got bored so I cut them all into wonky squares and alternated them with squares of the hand dyes. I just need to slap a border on this puppy and quilt it.

This is a top that needs a new home as I’m never going to finish it. In 1998 my son’s aftercare teacher fell pregnant. I started this quilt for her. Then, I found out I was pregnant, so I changed plans, decided to buy her something, and allocated the quilt to my baby. Then I miscarried at 9 weeks. It wasn’t a good time for me as I hadn’t told lots of people so not many of them knew why I was the way I was and sometimes, you know, you just DON’T want to talk about things like that. Also, I had people say to me that I shouldn’t have found out so early as if I’d waited a month or two I’d never have known and things would have been fine. What can I say – I have Rh negative blood. I NEED to know these things as I need an injection of Anti-D or something like that to stop me building up antibodies which could jeopardise my health or the life of any future babies I might want to have.

Anyway – enough about the extreme insensitivity of people. I tried to make the quilt for the other baby but it just didn’t work. You can see from the CRAPPY border I put on that I was NOT doing well. I have offered it to a friend and if she wants it and will finish it, it will be hers to do with what she will.

OK – This was supposed to be posted this morning but Blogger wouldn't let me post pictures. Hope you like the pics. There will be knitting ones once I sort that bit of my stuff out.

WHY is it ?????

Why is it that people, who you have TOLD that you DO NOT take requests for knitted items (other than from your children) as it then becomes a JOB which you ALREADY HAVE and if it’s a JOB you should be paid the same as WORK pays you, still get that “WHY EVER NOT?” look on their faces when they ask you to make them something and you say “NO”?

Yes, I DID make something for Alegra when she had the baby, but I OFFERED to make it, she didn’t ASK, and it was a GIFT for use by the BABY.

Why is it that people, who would not come up and grab your jacket off your chair and try it on (at least they haven’t yet, maybe they do it secretly while I’m off getting coffee or in the loo), feel free to pick up knitted things from the desk (socks, gloves) and TRY THEM ON?

This is usually followed by “Won’t you make me one” followed by me saying “Yes, I won’t” while smiling in a friendly fashion. It’s AMAZING how long some people take to work out what I’ve said.

Why is it that people, who (once again I’m assuming here) wouldn’t walk up to a painter or a sculptor or a glass blower or a potter and start groping THEIR project feel free to come over and PAW knitting / sewing / spinning / other fiber or fabric type craft thingy and get offended when you pull it away (resisting the urge to poke them with something sharp and metallic) and ask them if their hands are clean?

They don’t seem to realise that the “Are your hands clean?” and the accompanying glare of death are warning signs of a crafter on the edge who is resisting the URGE to THUMP THEM for their AUDACITY.

Why is it that people seem to think that saying nice things about your work will make you magically forget that you didn’t give birth to them?

Yes, I know I do good work. Yes, I know I knit quickly. Yes, I know I make beautiful things. Yes, I know it would take you a whole lot longer to knit it for yourself than it would take me to knit if for you, but I DON’T CARE. I am more than willing to help you find yarn and a pattern and to talk you through the tricky bits. However, my “free” time is MINE and I do what I want in it.

Yes, it’s been one of those weeks at work. I will be better over the weekend when I see about tidying up my stash so I can try to fit a table into my bedroom for my sewing machine and cutting board and good things like that.

There will be photos and less ranting tomorrow, PROMISE!

So much for "Sunny South Africa"

It is FREEZING! We apparently had snow while I was at work. It was all gone by the time I got home. Apparently it settled on the dog's backs a bit and they looked like somebody had sprinkled them with salt.

I wish I had pictures but, as mentioned above, I was at work and my brother, who was at home, didn't think of taking pictures.

This weather is SO WRONG! Rain and snow down here and heatwaves in the Northern Hemisphere. This is not how things are supposed to happen.

Anyway - I finished my first Pomatomus sock and will start the second one tonight while watching Smallville. I NEED to hone those sock knitting skills for the SOCK WARS!

Knitters - sharpen your needles

OK - I surrender - I am signing up for

You can find out more here .

In other news, I am almost finished my first Pomatomus sock, have still not finished the shawl for Miriam's baby, and have decided that whoever thought up "No Pain, No Gain" as an inspirational motto to get people to exercise needs their head read.

In an attempt to stay positive, let me just say, I am not sore, I am firming up.