Plans September - December

I plan - like anyone does - and I hope that my plans work out.  But if I don't plan, I feel as though I have nowhere to go with my art.  And seeing the Home Festival was last weekend - and was a great success - I can work on the plans I have on for the rest of this year now.

For the last few months, I've been purchasing cheap - but nice - photo frames to make a family portraiture in my stair well.  It'll be of immediate family and pets; and so it'll take up the whole wall and consist of around 40 photographs.  Once I get the photos off the hard drive of my old computer from this year, I'll have something solid to work with and know exactly how many I'll need.  But right now, I'm looking for a retro-80's photo collage frame - one that holds a large number of smaller photos.  I hope Mum hasn't thrown hers out (I remember we had one once) and I'd be able to use it.

I also have some paintings I need to catch up on.  There's my self-portrait I need to finish the background of.  It's looking good and ought to be completed this weekend hopefully.
After that, I'm hoping to begin working on a new set of tiny paintings.  They are going to be tiny paintings of big things.  For example:  a tiny painting of the front grill of a Mac Truck... or a sky scraper of Brisbane reaching to the sky, or the Great Barrier Reef.  All on tiny, small canvas'.  So, I'll be needing to cut down some of my older brushes and getting one or two new detailing ones.  I do have photos of buildings of Brisbane... now to get them printed up at K-Mart - that won't cost much.  I'll get them done at the same time at the family photos.  I'm no in any hurry.  I'm hoping to get about 10 of these done by the end of next year and do them under a magnifying glass (I'll borrow one off my brother; as he has a few my Grandpa used to own in his older years).

Otherwise, I'm finishing up the larger blue blanket for friends who are having a baby and I'm hoping they'll like it.  So far, I've knitted up 3 little hats, 1 new-born hat, a green scarf, a red blanket and now this blue blanket... not bad for 5 months' work. 

So, what are you working on that has kept you busying this year - and will keep you busy for a while (like me?).  Until my next post, keep creating! 

Baby Goodies

I've been busy over the last few months knitting baby goodies for friends of mine.  From the moment I found out, I dug out all the knitting patterns I had and found bonnets, hats and any yarn that looked lovely and tri-coloured to knit something original and useful.  

And now, I'm up to my last piece:  a second baby square.  I've knitted up one and it looks lovely and cuddly and very much something a parent would use to spread out on the ground to keep baby off the dirt for a moment to change their nappy or to put into the bottom of the pram to add a little more warmth over a cooler day before other covers over their bundle of joy with more covers to keep them warm.

I've also knitted three 6-month hats with a loop on the top so it's easy to pull the hat off if they need to.  And there's one sweet little new-born hat with a loop on it too - just in case when little baby's born, the weather is cooler than expected (as their little one's due in December; and if you remember what Christmas in Brisbane was like last year, you'd all agree it was a little on the cooler side).

I hope you guys enjoy seeing the almost completed pressie I've got for my friends.  It's taken me over three months of solid knitting at night - and during every afternoon (including weekends) to get this all done!  The baby blanket/square too me around 6 times to get started; with the stitch I wanted to use.  And it's turned out wonderful!  

Baby Pressie - 1 

Baby Pressie - 2 

Baby Pressie - 3 

Baby Pressie - 4

Knit... knit!

In the last week, I've been attempting to knit a baby blanket for a couple who are pregnant. The amount of stitches I've cast on is 100 onto 4.5mm needles (nice long metal ones that can take the yarn well).  However, somewhere in the beginning, I've dropped a stitch and have had to pull it apart within the first 6 rows and start over again.

This drove me nuts until tonight when I got to the end of the second lot of the Irish Moss Stitch and found I actually made it all the way through!  Yay!  Now, to make sure it'll work for the next month or so - until the ball of yarn is used up - and I've completed the blanket.  I'll have to make sure that my knitting is accurate and that I'll have it well-counted out.  

Here's hoping.

Well, the other lots of knitting is complete.  This means that the 3 hats and little green scarf are finished.  I left the blanket until last so I could take my time to finish it up.  I'm looking forward to the time where I can give these sweet things to my friends and they can use them.  I'll have to take photos of them soon and show you all the completed results.  Until my next post, keep creating!

Knitted Beanies for New-Borns

One of my friends on Bookcrossing has asked anyone who knits in the UK to knit up some beanies for the newborns in the hospital they work in as they have a beanie shortage for the little guys.

When I saw the plea for these, I knew I had some yarn that was the right colour just sitting around doing nothing and I could help them.  So, I e-mailed my  good friend and asked if they minded me doing some up and posting them off to them.  The replied saying they hadn't thought of asking people from across the miles; and gave me their address to post the ones I get done to.  

And so, last night, after I completed a short scarf, I started on fixing up a beanie pattern with smaller needles.  I'm looking at getting about three done and posting them off; maybe more if I can do more in a month.  Wish me luck!  As well as those cute little babies who will be receiving the knitted headgear.

Two Scarves Finished!

I have finished my second scarf for this year!  The first one was a long, thick, luxurious one that flowed as its fluffy surface kept my legs warm.  All it needs is some short tassels on each end and it's complete!  And when Mum saw it, she ran her hands over it saying it was gorgeous!

Then, immediately after I finished that one, I started on a green and red one that was thin, but it's a lot thinner and shorter.  However, unlike the last one, where I knitted it in a Moss Stitch, I knitted this one in an Irish Moss Stitch.  This latter one looks like it's traveling and makes a scarf look longer and feel more textured if it's a soft wool.

Now, I'm going to look through the bag of yarn I have to see which one is going to be the next ball that will become the next scarf... you never know which one it will be!  Until my next post, keep creating!

Discovery of Old Work

Today, I was busy around the house and then went for my morning walk around Kingston Road and down Randall Street.  While I walked past large businesses, I found a tree I where I had installed some knitted work of mine years ago; and I though the Logan City Council had removed it while they pruned the tree.  However, they haven't.  It's been there all this time; and it's still attached to the tree; along with the piece of leather I used to tag my work.  When I tried to remove the leather, I found I was attacked by a nest of ants who had made the knot in the leather their home. How's that for nature taking over where we had interfered?

Old Tree Art 

Back Into My Knitting!

Woot!  I'm back into my knitting... okay, I never really stopped.  Queensland didn't really have that much of a Summer, so I was knitting throughout Christmas and the NYE and enjoying every minute of it.

However, I've been enjoying my knitting more seeing I've sorted through the 'Green Bag' by my feet and found that I have two unfinished scarves I started last year!  So, I thought it would be a good idea to finish one of them; well, the easier one of the two at least!  I picked up the purple fluffy one and started on it last week and have knitted half the large ball of yarn. 

But keeping track of how far I'm getting hard as I'm using bigger needles.  So, I grabbed a yellow bulldog clip I had in my supplies in the kitchen counter drawer and clipped it to the right side of the scarf and started off again.  Within two hours, I had around 6 inches of it done up!  How cool is that?  So, that mean, every afternoon of knitting for two hours each, I'll probably get that much done; even more if I knit past dinner time. Yep, I'll have this scarf completed before I know it and up for sale on PayPal before I know it.  Now, I've run out of photo space here on Blogger, so to keep my photos up on here, I'll install a link for you all to click on instead.  This will take you to my photobucket account where you can see my art; and to the photo I'm referring to, like this one here. Until my next post, keep creating!

Scrap Scarf Update

Since I've begun this project, I've had fun with it.  The colours have been great to work with, some of the yarns have run out and I'm working in a Moss Stitch; which uses up a lot of of the yarn too.  However, I have found that there's a lot of leftover balls of yarn that I haven't used - and there's a lot of new yarn in a bag yet to be used.

So this is what I'm going to do:

I'll knit the scarves I want to knit over the next year or so; completing them as gifts and selling others for profit.  Then, in between them, while I'm figuring out which scarf to work on next, I'll be knitting the scrap scarf to keep my skills up with knitting. 

This will keep me fast and the scrap from the scarves I've done will be used up in this one over time; and the scrap scarf will become longer and more beautiful over that time.  In the end this scarf will eventually take years to complete.  Something I thought would only take months has turned into a project which will occupy my time.

Have you done this kind of thing and begun something that seemed harmless to begin with; and it turned into bigger project than you first thought?  How did it turn out?  How big did it become?  And how small were you hoping it to be to start with?  Until my next post, keep creating.

Out of Action

I've been out of action this week... not in any horrible way, just a broken toe has slowed me down.  So, instead of working on my portrait (which is still sitting by the back door under an old tablecloth awaiting completion; and new detailing brushes), I've been knitting up a storm in front of the television.  

I was hoping to get a few good feet going on the scarf, but I haven't.  I have got a few inches... hehe... funny how it all goes to waste when you think you're going to get something done.  But my foot is healing well.  I have been watching some shows and movies on dvd that I have forgotten about and I've been reading as well.  So I'm glad I'm catching up with a few other things that have been neglected.  I'll soon be back working on my paintings and other arty things too. So, until my next post, keep creating!

Afternoon Knitting Session

In the afternoons, I've been getting into my knitting again.  Usually at this time of the year, I don't as it's too hot; but here in Queensland, we've been having a very cool Summer, so I've picked up my needles again and been able to knit.

Recently, I have found that I have a lot of leftover wool from finished scarves.  So, I thought to make a long, skinny scarf out of the wool and see how long I can make it - just for the fun of it.  Right now, it's a little over a metre long and I've gone through three colours; with more being found as I hunt through my two knitting bags.  

If you'd like to lay bets on how long this scarf is going to be once it's finished, I'll finish it up with tassels and post it off to you when I finish it up.  And seeing how fast it's taking shape, it shouldn't take that long to do.  I'll keep you all posted about how it's doing over the next week or so... keep your lengths coming.  

I'm working with size 4mm needles, it's 17 stitches wide and I'm using a Moss Stitch; so it'll be nice and cosy when you wear it anywhere in the world.  Until my next post, keep creating!

Knitting Workshop a Creative Blast!

Today, I went to the Logan Art Gallery to attend a knitting Master Class put on by Chris Zantis; who has an exhibition there (it's in the first gallery; and is absolutely brilliant).  On arrival, there were some ladies who had all brought along their knitting bags and goodies with them (something I had thought of bringing; but decided against it). Anyway, the Gallery was late in opening and we were all out the front for a few minutes introducing ourselves for a little while.

Once inside, Chris introduced herself and we put our bags inside the workroom and were shown around her exhibit in the first gallery.  

She explained how each piece came about and what materials she used; and where she arrived to have them.  The talk went for about an hour or so before we all went into the workroom and Chris showed us how she did some of the stitches she has been doing in her works; and a few of us took notes; then we tried it out.  I stuffed one lot up, but improvised (as we're encouraged to do so).  Anyway, we learned how to do a cord, make a skirt with the wool and adding on was a lot easier than I thought it was.  She made it a more fun than knitting has been in the past. 

 

Then, came the imaginative part.  We were invited to try out making a piece from what we've learnt that told a story about our lives right now.  I began knitting with really bulky wool made a little piece with different stitches.  Then I grabbed some wool and made a cord; and then, I worked on stitching it to a grater... part of attaching it to it was stitching pearls on it and tying bows of yarn onto it as well!  I had a ball with it; calling it: 'Chained to the Sink!'.  And Chris saw it and loved it immediately crying out that she needed a camera; which Judy (or Leslie, I don't know who as I was concentrating on my work) took a few photos of it.  Chris asked why it was called that and I said I live alone and it's all I seem to be doing:  washing up all the time, and they all laughed.

I loved working with knitting and yarn in the different ways and integrating the kitchen materials with it all; it made knitting a lot more interesting and fun.  We got to take home our work too.  There are still some finishing touches on my grater I've got to do, but I'm happy with my work otherwise.  Until my next post, keep creating! 

Yarn Sale!

On Saturday, Mum took me out to Spotlight at Logan.  Now, there used to be one closer to me over near Springwood, and I could bus it there, however a big Home-maker Centre opened up about a kilometre up the road and I'm unable to get there because the buses just don't go there.  Strange but true.

Anyway, Mum phoned and offered to take me there for a look around.  So, I moved some money from one account to another and got ready to go and she picked me up.  We grabbed a trolley and started looking around this place.  
Now, for those of you who have never heard of this place, it's where you go if you want to decorate a new home with lovely things, redecorate an old home with better things or just recreate your own character with a few well-picked items.  Me?  I usually head straight for the hobby section where the tapestries, knitting needles and crochet hooks are.  Fortunately, I had a trolley with me - and not a basket - as I found a lot of knitting yarn that looked and felt gorgeous; and yet it wasn't expensive.  I grabbed a couple of 100gm balls in a lovely lavendar colour and thought that was what I could afford.  When Mum spotted them, she was astounded and asked where I had gotten them.  
That was when all sense went out the window... honestly.  We came out of Spotlight with around $70 worth of yarn (including some for her; and that was about ten 50gram balls; the rest was for me), a lounge cover for my lounge, a set of red double bed sheets and two bath towels.  Yep, we worked out her credit card, well and truly.  So, I offered her a coffee downstairs at Gloria Jeans... and she accepted.  It was a great afternoon of looking, perusing and laughing between us.  And aren't the colours of the yarn just gorgeous?  I will show you what projects will be done with each lot of colour/texture as they come up in future posts. Until my next post, keep creating.