Look what just popped up! - Wednesday wishes.

Sometimes the loveliest things pop up in my already saved favorites on etsy!

Today I couldn't resist clicking on this sumptious handmade glass cabouchon by dancingfrogjewels.
Designing in my head all the possibilites for it's use!

And even though we actually have spring here now - the elegant simplicity of this scarf caught my eye - or was it the lovely salmon pink?
I could save it for next winter couldn't I?

And the whimsy of this just tickled my fancy!

Who didn't love those "join the dots" books when they were a kid? - or in fact, can't resist doodling when faced with a dotty design?!
I'm sure the artist mummysam understands all those temptations!

What are you temped by today?

Getting to the pointy end! - my creative space

There hasn't been much jewellery designing going on here lately! It's a quiet time of year.

So I've got the knitting out again, turned the dvds on and settled down for the winter.

This is something I started last year with some hand-dyed locally grown alpaca/merino mix bought from the alpaca wrangler herself (she also spins her own, but I think this was commercially spun)

In case you couldn't guess - it's a hat....for me...another one!

What's in your creative space this week?

Would you like to join in or look at other creative spaces? You can over here - My Creative Spaces at Village Voices on Kidspot.

My creative space

I'm knitting again!
Now the weather is cooler (was it ever hot this summer?) I feel inspired to get the needles out and make some mitts.
I can't remember where I got the jazzy red sparkly wool from but thought I'd give a go as contrast with the blue. Something a bit fun!
















If you would like to look at other creative spaces or join in pop on over here.

My creative space

My creative space today has been my bed!
Due to having a cold then a secondary infection, cough, fever - you name it - I've got it!

So I have done a lot of reading and some knitting, finishing off a hat I started last year.

Knitting the band round the edge nearly drove me mad! I couldnt pick up the correct number of stiches and had to undo it many times.
Anyway it is now finished apart from sewing the ends in. Yay!

In the afternoon the little deck off our bedroom is a nice sunny spot and has a nice view, but I coundt photograph it because of looking into the sun.
I also look down on the part of the garden where the bower bird's bower is, but it is well hidden.
There was however lots of bowery activity down there.

Here he is - he doesnt look much but he is a lovely glossy bluey-black colour, perhaps about the size of a chicken?

Th cat likes it out on the deck too - anywhere the sun is - that's where she'll be.

If you would like to see more creative spaces you can here.

What have you been creating this week?

Favorite fibre people

I am priviledged to know some amazing fibre artists, some of them I actually know and some I just "know" virtually!
Know what I mean!

So I would like to intoduce you to the incredibly talented Pam de Groot.
I first met Pam in her previous life as a potter!

We are both members of The Nook craft co-operative in Leura.

For the last several years Pam has turned her hand to felting and fibre arts.

Pam's entry in the Art Street competition at Winter Magic this year.

She has a very lovely felty blog.
If you are in Sydney or the Blue Mountains or nearby you may be interested to know that she holds felting workshops.

She also has an etsy shop where you can find hats, wraps and more!


I am the proud owner of a Pam de Groot wrap and am now the very unhappy ex-owner of a Pam de Groot hat (sadly lost!).
Maybe I should do a hat making workshop with Pam?

Another fibre artist that I have met through the crafty community in the Blue Mountains is Michelle who I am delighted to say is a new member of The Nook.



Michelle spins, dyes and creates eye-popping pieces.
I urge you to look at her Wooldancer blog - she has list of spinning divas in her side bar, for more fibrous adventures!

If you are interested in incorporating some amazing fibres in your creations have a look at
Wooldancer on etsy.

Now to close encounters with fibres of a third kind!
Well I guess the fibres have the same initial source (sheep) but the end result is very different.

I introduce for your entertainment and delight, the Grand Purl Baa, Loani Prior, queen of the teacosies!

I love reading her blog - she has a wonderful turn of phrase and her teacosy designs are legendary.


See what I mean?
Have you ever seen such an awesome teacosy?

Even if you dont drink tea, you ahve to take a look at her work!

She has written two books, the latest one made it to the top ten of books in the Sydney Morning Herald!


She often wanders around the country teaching workshops.
I hope to be able to catch one, one day.

Roger Rampart - my favorite - of course!

Enough for today, but I have more lovely fibre delights for another day.

Do you have any fibre art blogs you'd like to share?

Adventures in knitting and felting

I've been knitting little mitts for a while now and one day whenI was browsing the wool department of a chain store, I found some very prettily irresistable wool.
Unfortunately I didnt have my glasses on so it wasnt until I got home that I saw I had bought some unusual wool - lovely but not what I really wanted.

The label said "felt me"!

OH!

Not suitable for mitts then???

Not to be deterred I found a pattern for a beanie to felt.
But you had to knit it in the round on a set of needles - something I have been too intimidated to try!

Circular needle to the rescue!!!



The crown of the beanie where you have to decrease for the shaping I managed to complete with a set of four needles without poking myself in the eye once!




So far so good!

Now to the felting part.
I decided to do this by hand as the laundry was still out of bounds (due to broken ankle not being compatible with stairs navigation)

To felt you need to treat wool in the absolute opposite way to how you normally treat it!

You use HOT water and lots of rubbing!
I used a bar of Sunlight soap and an icecream container (empty), to dip and rub-a-dub-dub!
Then rinsed in cold water.
I did this several times until the stitches became indistinct and the knitting felt felty.


It made a wonderful warm sturdy beanie.

Observations about this process.

1. The wool I used was a non-plied (or single ply, I'm not sure what the technical term for this is, it isnt twisty) 70% wool / 30 % soybean fibre.
I am guessing that it would be harder to use the new super-wash yarns, because they are designed to be machine washed, and specifically to NOT felt.

2. Using a circular needle is fun because you get to knit every row, non of that pesky pearling.

3. Sets of needles are not scarey.

4. You can also felt in your washing machine (if you dont have a broken ankle and a downstairs laundry)

5. I made 5 beanies and they all turned out different sizes.

6. Knitting beanies take a lot more wool and time than mitts.

7. Maybe I'll stick to mitts.

If you are a knitting and/or felting expert please feel free to comment!

Tomorrow I'll tell you about my favorite fibre people, so come back then!

going round in circles, mainly

The first bit involves something I've never done before!
Knitting on a circular needle.
Some experienced knitters like to knit everything this way.
The advantages are - if it's a stocking stitch pattern you knit every row. No more twisting your wrist to do the pearl stitch!
And no pesky looking for a darning needle and messy sewing up of seams! (mine are pretty messy!)
Anyway the rest of this project has to be knitted on a set of double ended needles beacuse it gets too small for the circular needle.

More about this later.


Then back to beading and something else that goes round and round.
Spiral stitch.
It seems to go round and round for ever!
I'm not sure about the use of the cube beads in this, I dont think it's the best use for them.
They dont seem to sit quite right, although I like the chunky look.
Cube beads really sit well in a flat design, but considering the lenght of time it took to finish this, I'm not about to take it apart!

spiral bracelet available in my etsy shop

Well, I love random and colourful projects.
This brick stitch bracelet is a great way to use up small amount of beads.

brick stitch bracelet available in my etsy shop

Look out for more knitting next week.

Wednesday wishlist

Is it lame (excuse the pun) that I have been home all week with my leg up and I havent managed to blog?

It's hard to get motivated.
It's difficult to get into a comfy position to operate the computer.
I'm sitting here feeling very sorry for myself.

But I can wish and these are things that would cheer me up.

criss cross knitting shrug by silvia66

deep blue circle earrings by potterylottery

nature language by sooooound

See you soon!

Wednesday wishlist

My wishes this week include - wishing I hadnt broken my ankle on a bushwalk last weekend.

take a hike by thewheatfield

- in the wilderness of the Blue Mountains

blue mountains print by nniki

Now I need really baggy pants to fit over the cast -

and the flutter by thaitied

and something to keep my toes warm.

toe cozies by immidesigns

Wednesday wishlist

This wednesday wishlist is brought to you by the word "warm".

oceanic ladder cowl by madeofsherbert

little blue teapot by VadimM

hand knitted funky feet by madwestdesigns

think I'll sit in the sun, put my feet up and have a nice warm cup of tea.

How about you?

What I made this week - blogtoberfest day 23

Not a lot of jewellery designing going on this last week.
But I've finally restrung this turquoise-coloured howlite pendant from this necklace which I loved but hadnt sold -


to this -


I have also made some tshirts as summer is coming!



more black ones -



and this time grey marle instead of the sand -



Look out for the tshirts in BoosTees shop - I will be listing them soon, when I have enough good photos.

I also had to make a pair of mitts for a northern hemisphere order -


Also available at BoosTees.

Mondays treasuries - blogtoberfest day 19

Another fairly quiet treasury week, but at least there are two to blog about.
One by me and one by super-treasury-maker Baboom.


Olga of Baboom is also a knitter-extrodinairre!
She makes beautiful scarves, gloves, hats and this gorgeous shoulder warmer -



Go and visit Baboom's shop on etsy!

And the one by me -



See you next week!

What I made this week - blogtoberfest day 16

Made two tshirts for orders -



sewed up some mitts I had knitted -




made some bracelets on memory wire -


and took apart a long necklace that hadn't sold and made a short necklace -


and a bracelet -

things I have bought from etsy

I had been admiring this unusual wrap for some time in yarnaboutyarn's shop.
I love the colour and the way it just hugs the shoulders and the fun frill, and the way it has a twist a the front.

- Then it was reduced in price as part of the monthly Dust (down under street team ) sale.
And I knew I had to have it!
It's always so exciting buying something from etsy - waiting for the parcel to arrive, unwrapping and seeing your chosen special thing in the flesh.
This one didnt disappoint, I just love it.
I was able to wear it the next day when I went to a street fair, as it was cool setting up in the morning.
I felt so special.
There is another lovely wrap in this shop - pink this time. I wonder if it has my name on it too.

You can also have a look at all the lovely colourful freeform knitted creations here -
yarnaboutyarn.etsy.com


Something else I bought recently was a birthday present for my 20year old son


20 year olds are impossible to buy for - unless it is a new guitar!
He is a big Dr. Who fan (who isnt?) and sometimes he seems to live in a parallel universe!
I am a big fan of David Loong's work, he makes these little works of art from silver, copper and brass. They are quirky, sometimes satyrical and always have a story to tell.

If you are stuck for what to buy a man in your life I recommend checking out David Loong's shop.

Happy shopping!