stop that door!

echino fabric mark two:


a pyramid doorstop. i'd intended to put up a bit of a basic pattern and instructions, but getting the points to meet and the little grabby loop to fit in as well turned out to be astonishingly difficult. no instructions could adequately describe the sewing and ripping five times over that i suffered. for this:


(also proof that i made two endpaper mitts. bonus points if you spot the nekkid lady on my singlet before you read this sentence). the doorstop was based on one by Holly Daze, that i saw in a magazine. retailing at $29, and in limited edition hand screenprinted fabrics, i'd recommend a purchased one, if they're sold near you.

in other areas, i have nothing to knit. i'm waiting on yarn from the knithappens sale, i've decided my mystery project (a swing coat) is not really worth my time anymore. i've lost interest. i was thinking of using this up out of my stash: the mystical creations yarn i bought before christmas


silk/ wool blend, and so sticky i think frogging is not really an option. i have about 140 yards. and this yarn reminds me of the ocean. my ideas so far are a lacy capelety thing, a one skein wonder, or a wavy lace scarf... i'm rather leaning towards the cloud bolero... i wonder if a 34" bust could get away with 140 yards? any other suggestions?

seems i'm not the only hungry one round these parts

again, i spoke too soon about the beets (isn't this gardening caper just a roller coaster of emotion?) seems they didn't like the sun so much. some round the clock emergency watering followed by a good day of rain, and i have thirteen beets looking fine and dandy, and the remaining three that i'd written off show disturbing signs of heaving themselves back to life. surprisingly hardy things.
bad news is that something has discovered my tender young beets and is eating the leaves. oi! snails! those leaves are for me to eat, not you! my snail trap is a miserable failure. i dropped a snail in to check that it worked. s/he wallowed about for a bit in the yeasty, sugary buffet, got bored, and climbed right up the side and back into the garden. i would follow up with a homemade garlic spray on the leaves, except that whatever went through the garden last night ate my garlic shoots too! completely gone! so much for companion planting!
this means war. torn between commercial garlic spray, iron-based pellets (don't hurt the earth-wormies, and add micronutrients) and nasty old-school pellets in a dish. and maybe some copper tape round each seedling for good measure.

on the indoor front, finally, something to show you. endpaper mitts.


in denim blue and plum merino (modelled with broccoli). brand names i can't remember (well, the broccoli was 'Marathon'). the yarns were two different kiwi brands. i knit the cuffs flat, because the 2.00mm dpns i had hurt my hands, and i don't mind seaming. you can just see the mock seam on near the cuff in this photo. the slightly darker line near the bottom of my arm. i also finished the mitts five rows shorter than the pattern said, and glad i am for that. because here's how much blue i had left (imagine me holding my hands about a yard apart. i was going to photoraph my scraps, but a yard of yarn is just not very interesting). i started with about 2/3 of a ball of the blue, for anyone else unwilling to fork out for a whole entire ball of yarn to knit these with.

i've been a busy 'un

another needle roll, for mah mum (shh! it's a birthday surprise!) check out the awesome water-print (is there a better word for that?) grosgrain ribbon that i found. also, the needle roll tutorial is now illustrated.

i've also made two dresses, but i'm going to let badly coloured boy bring home lots of lights and camera and action to photograph me. also, i'm a little unsure of said dresses. i REALLY liked the grey one, till BCB said it was 'nice, but it does make you look a little stocky'. and the floral one has this awesome graphic print... sadly, i underestimated my ability to look like i'm wearing a curtain. also the neck facing is a bit of a mess, and i don't really care because of said curtainality. i'll let you all judge me when i have photos.

i've also completely finished one endpaper mitt, complete with fancy-pants tubular bind off. i'm a wee bit disappointed. it looks nice, but i'm really not finding it as elastic as everyone seems to think it is. i had to redo both the hand and thumb cast off to make them looser, so the cast off would stretch out enough.

mittens for kittens

i'm up to the thumb gusset on these. everything else has been dropped for the joy that is bicolour fair isle. one yarn in each hand, and i can knit like a demon!
i wish there was a little more contract between the colours, but, ah well. lessons learned for next time. pick some really garish colours.