Knitters are the best people

Imagine this.

Monday morning and your husband decides, after much indecision, that he will drive to Sydney that night to see his favourite Swedish metal band on stage at the Enmore theatre. And that we'll drive home afterwards so we won't lose a day's work. That's a 3 hour drive each way and the concert wouldn't finish til nearer midnight.

After all my cajoling, all my insistence that he should indulge himself once in a while, he decided to do it and I knew then that I had to come through with the goods and actually support him! I think I quietly suspected he wouldn't decide to do it.

Part of the reason he decided to do it was, I think, was because I said I could come with him to share the driving and that I'd be able to find company in Newtown on a Monday night. How does one find company in a city that isn't one's home on a rainy Monday night?

Easy! It's called Twitter! Put the word out to the knitters you know live nearby and see if, at the last minute, they want to hang out. Within an hour or two, super organised and connected knitter Webgoddess had organised an impromptu Knitting Salon at her house for seven.

We left work early and I dropped my Swedish metal loving husband on King Street. Trusty iphone GPS application in hand, I found my way to my destination easily and what followed was an exceedingly pleasing evening of vegetable curry, knitting around the dining table, (a little) wine, much chatting and laughter and finally, when most had left, an episode of Pride and Prejudice on a screen much larger than I am used to. Who knew that Lizzie Bennet's cleavage commanded such attention? The things you miss on a modest TV screen.

Around midnight, Sean and I were on the road, driving home on roads glossy with much needed rain, and arrived home at 3:30am. I was thinking as I drove how wonderful it is to be connected to knitters, even virtually. Some women came last night who I knew only vaguely from Ravelry but they put aside a Monday evening and came to hang out and knit and eat curry and Peanut Butter cups and laugh and it was all arranged with a few quick tweets and emails. Suddenly Sean knew he could leave me in good hands while he did his thing.

That, my friends, is yet another benefit of being part of this fabulous community.

I was going to end by saying that next time we decide to drive to Sydney and back over night for a bunch of Swedish long haired blokes, remind me of how crappy and tired we felt the next day, but actually I think I won't say that because being impulsive once in a while is fun and in the process, you can make new friends.

Bells

Handmade News

Do you know the online magazine Handmade News? No? I didn't either until about two weeks ago when I was contacted by Sara Moore from the magazine about doing a profile of my blog.

I had a look and realised it was a crafting magazine I'd never heard of. It seemed quite new and asking around some friends, I realised that no one else had heard of it either. I thought that doing an interview would be both fun and interesting so last weekend I cobbled together some answers for the magazine and sent them out, hoping for the best. Having never done such a thing as answer interview questions, I think it's safe to say it felt a bit weird but was a nice opportunity to reflect a little on blogging and knitting and where the two intersect.

The interview is here and I recommend you check out the magazine because there's something in there for everyone. I'm really glad they got in touch because it's been really great to find a new magazine and to read all sorts of articles about skills i don't have, particularly the jewellery making. I don't think that's a skill I'm likely to acquire so reading about it and enjoying the talents of other people is a very nice way to pass the time. So check them out.

The interview is really about what it means to me to be a knitter and blogger, and how the two inform my creativity. I hope you enjoy it!

And because so much of my knitting at the moment is either not very advanced or is gift knitting I can't show, here's a photo of me and Alice from last weekend. I love her serious face. Her smiles are gorgeous but it's her serious face that makes me wonder what she's thinking! I love being her aunty. She's so lovely.



Have a good weekend everyone!

Bells

A night at the Opera House - Tori Amos

Finally, the night I'd been looking forward to for months arrived yesterday. I got to wear my Myrtle Leaf shawl to the Sydney Opera House to see my long time love, Tori Amos.



This photo was taken by Ailsa of Knitabulous, just before we went in and it's my favourite. The shawl and the Opera House.

Here's another one that turned out well, this time with the Harbour bridge. This feels a bit like a Tourism board post but what the hell, if you can't make the most of the venue and have a bit of fun then there's something wrong!



Earlier, when we were on our own, Sean took a few full length shots. The forecourt of the Opera House is a bit of a construction zone at the moment, probably because of Australian Idol.



He didn't get the shoes in but I was wearing my favourite red heels. All in all, I loved having something so elegant to wear to such a spectacular venue. What fun to dress up! I don't do it often enough.

So, about the show. Probably there aren't many readers who know or even love Tori Amos like I do but if you love music, or if you've followed an artist's work for a long time, I'm sure my feelings and thoughts will resonate for you. By her own admission, she's like anchovies. She's not popular. But if you get her, it's an incredible ride.

I was struck while listening to Tori, who is touring the country solo, that when you've loved an artist for the better part of eighteen years, sitting through a two hour performance is really an exercise in reliving those years, and your own story, sonically.

Tori has been the cornerstone for me, in terms of music, since I was twenty. Finding her first album, Little Earthquakes, was one of those defining moments. In 1992 I was struggling deeply with Christianity and trying to work out all sorts of stuff about navigating my way from adolescence to adulthood. Little Earthquakes, I'm certain, showed me some of the way. I don't think it's overstating the case to say that. She's a writer and songs can be as illuminating as any writing.

Her voice, the piano, the artful storytelling all combine to make a musical experience that has kept me riveted for many, many years. I think deep loyalty to an artist means that you commit to growing with that artist as she grows, even if sometimes her work goes in directions that seem baffling. You can't ask an artist to still be writing the same songs she was writing when she was in her twenties. The songs she's writing now are lightyears from what she wrote in the early nineties and she's an amazing example of how women can grow older and still be creative, passionate and evocative forces in modern music. She continually provides vision, strength, honesty and ultimately sublime music all wrapped in one amazing package.

And that, really, is why I cling to her. She's been there through all the important phases in my life, sharing the stories, expressing just what I need to hear at just the right time. There was the faith crisis, the difficult pathway into adulthood, the relationship breakups, the journey to self awareness, the miscarriages, the yearning for motherhood, and the artistic development. I'm not a song writer but I'm creative and she remains for me a symbol of what it means to embrace your creativity and in the words of Joseph Campbell, how to follow your bliss.

It was wonderful to dress up, go out with Sean and some friends and spend an evening in a truly amazing concert hall in the presence of a great and, to me, incredibly inspiring woman.

Flickr set with more photos here.

Bells

Mitered Hanging Towel

The Canberra group on Ravelry recently held its inaugural swap. There was no particular theme, just a timeframe and instructions to stalk your swap partner to figure out what was best for them.

My swap partner, despite being local, was unknown to me and stalking was challenging, but fun. She crochets mainly, has not much in the way of stash and expressed a bit of fear about knitting so I figured I'd knit something for her that was both useful and a little bit clever.

I settled on the Mason Dixon Mitered Hanging Towel from their book, Knitting Outside the Lines which I'd seen RoseRed make last year and had had on my mental to do list for some time. I'm only sorry I took so long to getting around to making it, only to give it away. Not that I'm sorry to have made it for my swap partner, but well, you know, I'm kicking myself I didn't make one for me too. I guess I'll just have to make another one soon because this literally was finished in one day.



Two episodes of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South (oh Mr Thornton!) and a bit of Sunday night ABC drama, and it was done!

Peaches and Cream cotton, 4.5mm needles. Voila!

And the button, up close.



A nice match I think. I was there when my swap partner opened her package because the participants had a wonderful dinner gathering last Friday night so we could swap in person - such a great idea! She appeared very happy with it!

And here's what she made for me. A pair of cute crocheted fingerless gloves. Quite elegant aren't they? Thanks Kate!



Bells

Trusting the pattern

Any idea what this is?



It's damn cute, that's what it is, but I know that only because I know how it will turn out. Not because I can actually see what it is right now. It's pretty, but it doesn't really look anything like the end product yet.

This pattern, called Fiona's Top, is a tunic style top or dress that I'm making for Alice. It's a translated Danish pattern and boy is it odd. I say that with all due respect to the designer but it's not written in a way that most of us would necessarily get on first glance. To my mind, a dress that starts from the yoke and works down can quite easily be done in one piece in the round but I decided to go with the flow and knit it as written and so far, it's knit flat and in sections.

The two halves you see there, in purple with the lace pattern, are actually the two parts of the back and until two rows ago, they were separated. I've just joined them and will continue to knit down now until the bottom of the piece. After that, I'll pick up the front stitches which are on waste yarn at the moment, knit the front and then sew seams.

Really this is fine. I'm quite enjoying it but it's been a curious experience. I know LynS made it for her granddaughter and she didn't mention any particular struggles so I've kept that in mind as I've crossed each small query along the way. Lyn made it. I can make it. That's what I've been saying and I'm glad I persisted because at first, I really wasn't sure.

And what is with Rowan discontinuing this cotton? It's their 4ply cotton and the discontinuation may have occured some time ago for all I know but it seems like utter lunacy! It's a delicate, highly workable and utterly pleasurable cotton to knit with and I'm flabbergasted. Why would you discontinue something so very good? Business decisions often make no sense at all.

(Edited later: Donna left a comment to say I had perhaps got it wrong. One phone call later I saw she was right. No wonder I was confused. What we have there is the side seams joined well before there are any side seams to join. That hole is the arm hole and I have actually done a front piece yet so it's too early for an armhole! Confused? I was. Not any more. Thanks Donna!)

* * *

Today is Sean's birthday and this morning he got to have a birthday cuddle with Alice at the markets while Fee had her coffee. Don't they both look a picture in red?



Shortly we're heading out, just the two of us. It's a gorgeous November day. Perfect for an outdoor birthday lunch. His thumb is doing well, thanks for all for the queries. The bandage is off now and he's able to show off his electric blue stitches! Pretty impressive but we'll spare you the photos!

Bells

Of Roses and Lace

Summer is here. Unofficially. The calendar still says November, but the mercury says summer has arrived. We are in salad and cool drink territory now.

And lace. Lots and lots of lace. I promised on my blog break I'd do some maintenance on the blog, which was to include adding a list of A Long Lacy Summer participants to the sidebar but oops, I had a real break from blogging. One that included not doing anything to the site. I'll get to it. I've been busy with Icarus. Remember how I was agonising over the right project for my Helen's Lace? Remember how I was totally over thinking the whole thing?

Behold Icarus. This is what happens when you stop over thinking and just knit.



I love this shawl so far. Yeah it's fairly mindless but hey, after my Myrtle Leaf shawl, I think I earned the right to do some lace where I just enjoyed something simple, right?

It's the lace knitting equivalent, I think, of just smelling the roses. Or, if you're me, with no functioning olfactory nerves, just enjoying the look of them.

This is a heritage rose my father in law gave us as a cutting and they are flowering. Stunning, don't you reckon?



And speaking of cutting, a certain someone who also lives here injured himself terribly last night - the top of his thumb is now held together with stitches. We love our sharp knives, but sometimes we are careless. Thankfully he is left handed and the injury is on his right thumb. He can still use his iphone. That's a relief!

And no I haven't worn my Myrtle Leaf shawl to the Opera House to see Tori Amos yet. That's next Monday and I just can't wait.

Bells

Blogtoberfest Day 31: The Last Day

This is just a little note to say farewell for now.

Blogtoberfest has been fun and challenging and more than a little bit draining.

I need a break.

Thirty one photos below, to remind me that it's been a busy month with a significant amount of knitting, some travel and a whole lot of time with my lovely niece, Alice.



1. Alice and Bells go shopping, 2. Modern Bib, 3. Not such a great view, 4. Alice, 5. Branching Out 2, 6. Alice and Fee, 7. Spring on the bikepath, 8. Floral tea cosy, 9. Golden Vintage - back, 10. Me and Alice - at Polly's house, 11. White blossoms, 12. Sweet Pea, 13. Myrtle on the line, 14. Styling shot with George, 15. Myrtle Leaf Shawl with Willow Border, 16. Needle Jug, 17. Helen's Lace, 18. Earbud Pouch - open, 19. Alice in October, 20. Lunch time knitting, 21. Myrtle Leaf Shawl Border, 22. Sea Glass bookmark, 23. Lobster Pot Yarns, 24. Poppy, 25. Pink Ribbon Day Cupcake, 26. Fee and Alice at the fountain, 27. Alice and I at the fountain, 28. Grey Skies, 29. Sunshine in the pines, 30. Victorian farmland, 31. Garter Stitch Bib

I'll be taking a fair amount of November off. At least two weeks, to work on some gifts and some behind the scenes blog stuff. But I'll be reading everyone else and hanging around the web. And of course, I'll be starting on my own project for A Long Lacy Summer. You'll be pleased to know I did eventually settle on the Icarus shawl and hope to cast on tomorrow.

So thanks for reading and being there. See you in a while.

Bells