Art Yarn - plied with Silk thread

I spun this art yarn with a scarf in mind. But I think I may have changed my mind - I'm now thinking of (bring them back in to fashion, and hope it's not a fashion faux) - LEG WARMERS!!!

Back to the yarn - it's an odd mixture of bits and pieces plied with Japanese silk thread.

Branching Out

The Sketchbook challenge for the month is "branching out" and it came quite easily to me. I just used the tutorial from the previous month and just altered it slightly. Drawn with watercolour crayons and ink.

Photography challenge

I'm struggling to keep up with my photography challenge, one photo per week (it doesn't sound like much). I'm savng madly for a new lens so am rather unmotivated at the moment. Here are a couple in the meantime

Art Yarns

I just had the most enjoyable weekend I have had in a long time and met (and made) some wonderful new friends along the way.

A group of us attended Lexi Boeger's (aka Pluckyfluff) art yarn class at Footscray. For those who do not know anything about the talented Lexi, have a look here http://www.pluckyfluff.com/. We made numerous different yarns over the two days, even more techniques than are shown here (I didn't attempt the tail spin nor fabric - I want to do the former in my own time and I have done fabric spinning before). I am so inspired at the moment.

I look forward to meeting my new friends very soon - in fact we will be meeting monthly xx.

Core spinning and knots -

Navaho plying (eats up yarn) -

Mohairy (gets up your nose) -

Core spinning/quick coils/plying -

Here are some other photos from the workshop - have a look at Janet's awesome Tail spin (she is wearing it).

Lace Bobbins

Here are my latest two bobbins - yes, they are rather presumptious but if something happens to the wedding plans from now until the wedding date, my bobbins will be collector items. BTW, I'm not a royalist but rather I like to take advantage of adding to my bobbin collection.

All nubbied out...

I'm going to a two day Camp Pluckfluff workshop next weekend - I am very excited about it and have been waiting patiently since I booked in late last year. I have all my supplies together HOWEVER,I'm rather sick of making these felt nubbies (I'm not sure if I have enough, but I just can't make any more).

Green Grocer

Another CAL finished on track. This is a shopping bag for a Ravelry group - saves on using those nasty environmentally-unfriendly green bags.

Belfrey the Bat

Belfrey the Bat - Another wonderful Dawn Toussaint pattern. I crochet him in homespun and hand dyed BFL.

Cabled Globe Ornament

Here is March's Christmas KAL completed - a Cabled Globe Ornament knitted in Patons Jet (I particularly liked this yarn because of the colour variegation). I also love the DOF in the photo using my fave 35mm Nikon lens.

Spilling Over

The March theme for the Sketchbook Challenge is "Spilling Over" http://sketchbookchallenge.blogspot.com/. The first thing that came to my mind was a strawberry plant, full in fruit, hence the sketch. I always struggle with backgrounds so thought I would include a poem by Debby Rosenberg.

Photos

More photos from the weekly challenge.

First one is Torquay. Funnily, I remember the trees from a childhood memory when we used to visit Torquay during our holidays. It was a long trip to the beach back then, now it is just over one hour away.

This is a photo of Jack looking out at the Bay at Williamstown.

Photos

Here are some photos from my weekly photography challenge.

The first one is of our lab., Bauer (named after Jack Bauer, 24). BTW, our cat is named Almeida (after Tony Almeida, 24) - we are some die-hard 24 fans.

I didn't realise how old the dice were until I took this photo! -

Just happened to stumble on Chinese New Year celebrations and also just happened to have my camera with me - here is one of the many dragons.

Roman, The Love Bird

Finished my "Roman The Love Bird" crochet-along, thanks to Dawn's generosity for supplying the pattern (Dawn's website is found here http://dawntoussaint.blogspot.com/). The nice thing about this pattern is that each bird can be so individual, and embellished any way.

Alveoles Lace Bobbin Mat

I completed this lace mat last night (apart from mounting on fabric). The mat IS square although it doesn't look so in the photo - I obviously took the photo on an angle.

Interestingly this pattern was not difficult at all and I really enjoyed making it.

My next lace project will be a fun piece - a Dragon.

Family Jewels - Completed

Well I certainly enjoyed knitting these socks. The heel was probably one of the best I have ever knitted, and the cuff was unique and not your standard rib. I can't wait to do the next KAL (which has a beach theme!).

TIAS - It's a Plane, It's a Plane

It's finished and it is a plane! I had no idea up until the end what this tatting along would turn out to be. Thanks Jane for running the challenge, it was so much fun with easy-to-manage clues.

Family Jewels Pt4

I just love these socks and the heel is awesome, very pretty and so easy to do! The added jewel bling to the sock just makes these so pretty. It is also good to say I am on track with the KAL and actually waiting for clues to be released!

Coleraine Blacksmith's Cottage

Here is the same photo in colour and B&W. I never thought of changing it to greyscale, but I think because of the age of the building the B&W is more appealing.

TIAS Pt 7 and Pt 8

Completed parts 7 and 8 - only two more parts to go. I have no idea what this will be (although I think I may have scanned it upside down??)

Family Jewels Pt3

Phew! Finished clue 3 just in time! I found this one took quite a while to knit but at least I'm up to date, ready for clue 4.

TIAS Pt 5 and Pt 6

Two more finished clues - day 5 and 6. I still have no idea what this will be therefore have no idea which way to place the tatting to take an image...

Family Jewels Part 2

I completed the second clue for my Knitters Brewing sock knit-along. I must say this is such a lovely, and simple, pattern and I am really enjoying it. This is not the first Knitters Brewing KAL I have done and it certainly won't be the last.

Portland

At our recent trip to Portland I took some photos (naturally). I am also trying to teach myself Photoshop - what a big task - and have "tweaked" these photos slightly.

I think this is the first time I have been so close to a waterfall called Wannon Falls. Whilst there was a viewing platform, I did feel a little nervy taking this photo, although I didn't want to leave but rather keep on shooting for the sake of capturing so much water!!!
Portland has many jetties and nice areas to photograph. This jetty was one of those; in particular I found the jetty rather unusual because cars are allowed to drive down it which makes it handy for those fishing.

TIAS Pt 4

What I like about the TIAS is Jane releases the clues every few days and they are of manageable content (i.e. I am keeping up-to-date with them - LOL). The lock join was not as complicated as I had thought and made it - DOH. I am also really also enjoying split rings - I think they make tatting rings a little less tedious (if that is the right word).

It's certainly not too late for anyone to join this tat-along. I'm sure you can catch up with the four clues within a couple of hours. http://tatitandsee.blogspot.com/

Peace

As a participant of Creative Every Day and The Sketchbook Challenge I am not a very regular participant. I have all the materials necessary - water crayons, watercolours, textas, pencils, cartridge - just the inspiration is a little lacking.

Here is my contribution from one week ago, which I am only sharing now. The saying is from the Dalai Lama.

TIAS Pt 2 and 3

Here is day 2 and 3 complete; lock joins were introduced on day three and I certainly hope I got it right as I could find no diagrams on this technique when googled. Hopefully a Tatter will tell me if this is incorrect before day 4 instructions are released.

I still have no clue as to what the finished item will be????

Day 2 -

Day 3 -

Alveoles Lace Mat

I am currently working on Alveoles - Patron mat using Bockens Linen 60/2 and over 76 bobbins. This definitely isn't a complicated pattern so I hope to have it finished by the end of the month, ready to start another lace project.

Tat It and See

Here is another A-long I am participating in this year, a tatting challenge run by Jane. Here is part 1 of the "secret" challenge.

Family Jewels Part 1

Here is my first KAL for 2011 - Family Jewels socks by Knitters Brewing. http://www.knittersbrewing.com/. Whilst it was a difficult decision choosing colours, I couldn't go past my fave colour purple(aka Plum Wine). I completed the first clue - hence here are my toes.......

Button Necklace

Confined to a motel room because of torrential rain, I had crafty supplies with me (was this a coincidence, I think not!) so made a button necklace. Basically is it a set of complementary buttons threaded on a wire/elastic thread.

Sketchbook Challenge - Highly Prized

Here is my contribution to the Sketchbook monthly theme "Highly Prized" http://sketchbookchallenge.blogspot.com/. All wildlife comes under that category and unless we take care of them and stop the unnecessary slaughtering, we will see them only in books and photos.

Tat It and See

..Supplies are ready for my second year of Jane's TIAS challenge. My colours are a plain green and variegated LizBeth thread (Springtime), both #20, with some dark multicolours beads as a contrast (and no I do not know what we are making, all is revealed as we get further along with the challenge. Details on TIAS can be found here http://tatitandsee.blogspot.com/2011/01/happy-new-tat-it-and-see-to-all.html.

Last year, when all the pieces fell in to place, it resulted in a lovely Rooster.
..

Cosmos

As a participant of the Creative Every Day Challenge http://creativeeveryday.com/ I wanted something rather "freeform" for my first challenge "Cosmos". Lots of yummy ink mess too (I am new to this type of style).

Gingerbread Man

Here is my first completed craft item for the year - as part of a Ravelry monthly Christmas decoration group I knitted the Gingerbread Man. I think he is rather cute, and am actually looking forward to making more Christmas decorations for our tree at the end of the year.