not quite winter light

Autumn has definitely arrived in my corner of the world. There is a distinct chill in the air and the trees are turning all the shades of fall. This is accompanied by strong gusts of wind, half-trodden piles of leaves, people dashing past you on their way; no more the leisurely strolls of summer, lots of tea & hot chocolate and central heating of course.

The new season brings new light: definitely not summer light anymore but not quite winter light yet. The light filtering into our rooms is dull, days are cooler (really they are), and oscillate between rainy and grey. This is not picture taking weather...or is it?

I've been getting increasingly impatient for a good day to photograph some completed projects and so I've gotten up to all sorts with and my poor little camera. (Note: the camera photographed is just for illustration purposes and is not my 'poor little camera' which was used to take the photo)    

First up is my brand spanking new light box 

macgyvered following Maya's tutorial. Initial results are very positive and when used with a tripod, poor light isn't at all an issue. 

I'm still struggling to achieve true turquoise but got much further than previous attempts using white and off-white card.

On to my circular needles. Having knit 2 cardigans this year, I concluded that my method of storing circular needles, though tidy and efficient, left the cables with the tendency to curl up on themselves. This would just not do. So I dug out something I made way back when.
And now my needles are migrating from

my circular needle roll (very good at transporting them from place to place) 

to something rather less mobile

the needle hanger! Storing them this way eliminates "cable curl", so once selected from the hanger they'll be ready for immediate use sans tugging into shape.

Did anyone watch Horizon last night? If not, (and you live in the UK) it's worth checking out. Amazing to see people brought back from the brink of death. 

That would have been the end of this post but I don't want to conclude with death (ha ha) so I'll go on to mention The Classroom Experiment, the other programme I enjoyed last night. Part two is on tonight. Personally, I think Professor Dylan Wiliam looks like a pirate. Interpret that as you will.

Swap 1 - Day 7

Day 7 of the Blog Hub Swap is what I call Yarn Day. I have been looking forward to this day for weeks! And now that it's here, the wait was worth it, I am very happy indeed. Today's package revealed a luscious skein of Sundara Yarn in a colourway that's truly reminiscent of autumn. To be honest, brown isn't the first colour I reach for when knitting for me but this skein has enough streaks of red, gold, olive + varying hues of brown to make it something I am very excited about knitting with. 

At this time, I think I will knit Verdaia with this beauty. And make no mistake, it is truly beautiful; with those flecks of colour and that high twist that I am such a sucker for.

And there you have it, the last of the Blog Hub Swap. I have thoroughly enjoyed this swap and fully acknowledge this is wholly due to the travel knitter taking the time to "stalk" my blog. 

By nature, I am very picky. I like my "things" just so. I must confess, when I signed up for this swap, I didn't expect much. My plan was to put together what I hoped would be a decent package for my partner then grin and bear whatever I received in turn. How wrong I was. Larissa, I love every single item I received and I am grateful for the effort you put in;. you couldn't have chosen better. 

Earlier in the week, I thought that at the end of my last package I'd be feeling low; no more gifts to open everyday. But as I sit sipping tea while the rest of the world sleeps, I see your gifts spread across the coffee table and feel quite content. I like what I see (and I enjoyed polishing off what I don't) and couldn't want for more.

thank you

Swap 1 - Day 6

This day's package from the travel knitter revealed a pattern from my wish list. 

I am a sucker for triangular shawls. My favourites are leaf shawls, diamond shawls, leaf and diamond shawls, kind-of-looks-like-a-heart shawls; basically almost anything with undulating forms ending in a pointy tip. To date, all my shawls are "very holey" and for a while I've been thinking it'd be interesting to make a shawl that's more plain knitting than lace. Verdaia seems like it could be just the ticket. 

Larissa, in your typically uncanny manner you chose something from the list - thank you. I am sure to think of you every time I wrap myself up in this shawl. o.k. every time would be weird...maybe just the first few times?

Lately, I've taken to a new and unusually cruel form of self-torture. Every Friday morning, I log on to a certain woll-selling site. I arrive before the update and watch their offerings disappear. I panic when something I thought interesting "vanishes" before I fully process my thoughts. My right index finger hovers over the "add to shopping basket" button, yet I never buy anything. There is one colourway (just the one) I would give my eyeteeth for. It's the one I kept picking up and putting back down at Knit Nation; the one that got away. Note to self: when in doubt, BUY! 

This weekend, I will sew, take pictures of things made in the past fortnight, write up some sewing patterns, go on a long walk with S and knit. I am gagging to return to knitting. Lately, I find that when I sew, I can't knit; and when I knit, I can't sew: my knit-sew see-saw. Then last night I made progress on my monkeys. This is my third time knitting one variation or the other yet, it took me 2 rounds to get into the rhythm. I cast on for sleepy hollow but I quickly realised I don't have the brain power at present. I know I should have saved this yarn for that project (because they belong together) but once I'd started knitting with it I. could. not. stop.

No Purl Monkeys in Strange Harvest by Dream in Color. The knitted fabric is super and I am assured by Lou that this is one step removed from bulletproof. o.k. bulletproof may be stretching it but you get the picture. This is a colour I love and hope to make a cardigan with. Someday. 

Swap 1 - Day 5 & a bag

Now that I'm closer to the end than to the beginning of this swap, I am starting to feel a tad sad - how do I return to a life where day after day brings nary a present?!? 

I will just have to deal with it like every other person, I guess. But in the meantime, here are two more lovelies.

The first is today's swap gift from the marvelous travel knitter: a nifty little bento style notions keeper. 

On the one side is a compartment made up of quadrants. Perfect for teeny bits.

while t'other side is a single, larger compartment

ideal for storing not so teeny bits (it also works for lots of teeny bits!). 

I'm a sucker for knitting notions and gadgets, especially those with elements of good design, so a container to transport these notions around in is a brilliant gift for me! Funnily enough, my stitch markers were on kilt pins in my "knit purse" yet it never occurred to me to get such a case in which to store them. My box holds a lot yet fits in my "knit purse" with room to spare. i love it!

Yes, my bits and bobs are settling into their new home rather nicely, thank you. But I'm going to have to keep a close eye on this one: on seeing this (still in original packaging), S asked if I had any plans for it! mitts off!

Onto something else that's making me very happy. A while (3 years) ago, I decided I wanted to sew receptacles. I liked the twisted, mouse-like (murine?) ends and quirky fabrics I saw everywhere. But back then I was limited in my abilities. Boy, was I limited! My dear friend, Akininja had the misfortune of not just deciphering photos of things I was deluded enough to think I could make but she was also charged with transcribing them into "sewing for dummies" for me :(

Needless to say, it was very frustrating for all concerned and though I succeeded somewhat, I wasn't overly pleased with the results and so slunk back to quilting.  

Now, anyone that knows me well knows I don't know how to quit. I wish I did. why do i suddenly have Brokeback Mountain on the brain?!?! Knowing how to quit would make life soooo much easier. Anyway, on revisiting the receptacle issue, this is what I managed:

I think it's fair to say I've hit this one out of the ball park! Way to use my needle gauge birthday pressie too. I'm feeling slick as snot and I'm off to rattle my notions box in somebody's face.

Yes, I am that person :)

Swap 1 - Day 4

Now, I'm aware one shouldn't have favourite things. I know it's unhealthy to grow too attached to things; it's materialistic and shallow. But I have favourite things. Many. And I hate that I can't help it. I even take them everywhere with me, at least until I get a new favourite thing or rediscover an old favourite thing all over again.

These things aren't necessarily big or expensive; in fact they are usually small, sometimes worthless and often rather ugly. So one day my favourite thing could be a pine cone I picked up off the forest floor and two days later it's my lime green Lamy pen (it's often pens); or a little trio of acorns or even S' wedding band. Very quickly the scale slides from the mundane to the monumental and back again.

Unfortunately, sometimes my "thing du jour" is not portable, so I content myself with being near it as much as I can. For instance, both of my favourite typewriters are set up in such a way as to enable me admire them as I sew, wind yarn, walk past the spare room...

{my workspace}

Day 4 of the Blog Hub swap brought me a new favourite thing.

{be still my beating heart}

a gift that rolls up my love of antique typewriters, practicality and portability into one - a gorgeous set of stitch markers that literally took my breath away. They are made of antique typewriter keys and a little blue thing on the end there :) 

If every participant in this swap receives just one gift that gives this warm and pleasant feeling, then this swap has been a roaring success. To think I thought the yarn would be the high point of this swap for me. I mean, seriously, how far can you get with a person that loves giraffes, spoons, sad irons and antique typewriters?!?!

Larissa, here is another heartfelt thank you. Did you make these too?

Swap 1 - Day 3

One of today's gifts is something I've been lusting after for a while. And time was, I would have gone ahead and indulged my wants. But these days, if I already own something (usually not as exciting) that does the job, I suck it up and (try to) ignore the lust.

Case in point: 

{the old: pattern holder from Knit Picks}

Now, it's likely that the above doesn't excite squeals of delight. Instead you think of words like: simple, no-frills, functional, utilitarian...
But you don't think, "oh, pretty!".

Today's package is all about pretty.

{so let it be}

When opened the package revealed a cute, green pattern tamer 

and 

a handmade magnet that's as cute as

{cute!}

a button! Yes, the very talented travel knitter made the button herself. Skip over to her blog, where you'll see more cute little (bird) magnets. I'm going to add this to the list of crafts to "look into". 

Larissa girl, you dun good!

I'm off in search of a metallic surface on which to display my cutie - the white goods are encased in wood :(

Swap 1 - Days 1 & 2

Two posts in one day? You're a lucky lot.

This swap involves members of the Blog Hub group on Ravelry. The rules laid out specifics (a minimum spend, 100g of yarn/fibre, one notion, an embellishment, a pattern...) in addition to which there was a level of autonomy in choosing what made the final cut. 

I sent my package to...one partner (who is yet to receive it) while I received a package from a different partner. Doing it this way (circular swap) maximises the surprise element as I didn't know who was sending what to me until I had the package in my hands! i thought i had an idea but it turns out i was waaaaay off!

Now I've had a chance to rip through carefully open my swap packages, I can share with you what my swap partner, the travel knitter sent me. 

Immediately apparent is the fact that she is a damn good stalker. She not only picked up on (and thoroughly indulged) my likes, she also (very cleverly I might add) picked up on other subtleties.

First up/ Day 1 of the swap brought me: 

{giraffe sticky notes & a sweet postcard!}

These giraffes are destined to be used for notes of the most special kind. who am i kidding? i doubt i'll actually use them. i'll just bring them out from time to time to stare at and smile. As is my way.

Next up (Day 2 to you) is sheer bliss:

I've tasted 2 and think they are gorgeous!, this swap is off to a brilliant start! 

Depending on how you look at it, I've been a naughty girl. I did go ahead and opened the first 5 packages but really, what did you expect? i'm a girl that opens her birthday presents at the stroke of midnight! You, however, will have to wait I'm afraid. 

To tell you how perfect these gifts are for me, S took one look at my opened packages and asked, "Does this person know you in real life?"

Larissa, you've chosen very, very well and I appreciate the time and effort that went into each and every one of these gifts. 

Thank you.

celebrating love and a parcel!

Hello! We're back from our long weekend away. To commemorate our second wedding anniversary, we ventured north to 

{L-R: Salisbury Crags, Scott Monument, Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Edinburgh Castle, Scottish Parliament Building}

the City of Edinburgh. 

We hit the usual tourist spots but I didn't get much in in the way of craft stores. On arrival, it was straight to K1 (cases in hand) and though I didn't see anything I couldn't live without, there were a number of interesting yarns. 

Later that day, S and I set off for "knit night", the nutty knitters aren't meeting so often anymore so it's possible i'm a little starved. 

As we walked over, S asked, "Are you nervous about going to this group where you know no one?"

I replied, "Are you kidding?!? They're knitters! what's there to be nervous about?"

We arrived at the Tea shop, where I was warmly welcomed by a group of lovely and talented ladies.  I promptly whipped out my project and made very good progress on my WIP. That's right folks - Whisper is off the needles! It's only been many, many months! 

In other news, my swap parcel arrived while we were away! 

I have now collected my box  from the parcel depot and because the initial attempt to deliver it was made last Thursday, I reckon I have 5 days of swap heaven to make up for :-)

Still to come: more on Edinburgh, Whisper (+ pics), Swap gifts 1-6 (wheeee) and some sewing.

Mr & Mrs Fish

Mr Fish,
It's been eight years of you:

loving me 

telling me everything will be o.k.

making everything o.k.

holding me

playing with me

putting up with my crazy, my misery, my mad

teaching me to love myself

teaching me to laugh at myself

teaching me to find love in the world

sharing adventures I've dreamed of since childhood

being still with me

telling me I can do it

getting me to the finish line

dragging/kicking me over the finish line when I needed it

staying up all night to watch over an ill me

being strong for the both of us

being amazing at everything you do

for these and all the other ways you love me  

I thank you.

with all my heart,

Mrs Fish

16th of September, 2010

swap 1 - done!

In a few hours, these brown paper packages tied up with string will be on their way to...someone special. 

I hope I've chosen well and that she likes and enjoys her packages. 

Now to sit back and wait (patiently) for mine.

I am SO excited!

(im)perfect lines

You may recall, I'm participating in several (2 4) swaps this year. As I'm not flush, I've had to get creative and sometimes, very lucky.

On getting lucky: I finally had my play date with Sammy on Wednesday afternoon. We picked raspberries from her garden (nom); I got ignored by little bean (typical); I resumed work on whisper (yay!); ate yummy, homemade shortbread (yum) and made off with some yarn from Sammy's stash (whee!)! Included in my haul was a ball of the exact yarn I'd been searching online for just hours before: how fortuitous is that?!?
Sammy, once again, I thank you.

On getting creative: Now, I'm not the world's best sewer. Sure I make things; pretty things. But I get hung up on my (im)perfect lines and (un)clean finishing techniques, more so than with knitting. This leads to lots of frustration with sewing patterns and my attempts are invariably followed by, "why doesn't my 'thing' look like theirs" whingeing. But there's a lot to be said for experience and perseverance. 

A big chunk of yesterday was spent deciphering this:

and I did it!, with many modifications. I'd show you the mock-up but that would be telling and swap partner might be snooping - i know i've been :-)

Japanese patterns take some figuring out but they are very well written(?) with clearly labelled figures, so without knowing a word of the language one can successfully muddle through. It helps to have some basic sewing experience as such, I wouldn't recommend these patterns to a novice. 

Now to find her the perfect fabric from my stash. I think I'll have to do some more stalking. If this works out as I plan, future swap partners can look forward to more of the same...can you say one trick pony?