365: 161-180

Ye gads I'm behdind on my self-imposed photo-a-day challenge by about 7 days! unforgiveable! Just about half way though, that's exciting. I'm stil enjoying the challenge, even if I've been a bit forgetful of late.

161. Visit to Morris and Sons.
162. My sewing machine!!
163. Pretty flower. What is is? I want to say something starting with C...
164. EB4L
165. Have you tried this chocolate. It's freaking delicious.
166. Playing some old school Mario Bros 3
167. Sewing is hard.
168. Cute postcard promoting this breast cancer initiative. I would not have guessed it.
169. Colin Mocherie 4 lyfe.
170. Mutant strawberry.
171. Miette coming to lyfe.
172. Participating in novelty brooch friday!
173. Whoops, another yarn store. Bendigo Woollen Mills 4 lyfe.
174. On the way back from Bendigo, Vanilla slice from Woodend. Actually lyfechanging!!
175. The Kitten, oh and my Miette for a change...
176. Cutie mini fox canvas. Speaking of foxes, have you joined the Foxy KAL?
177. Enjoying my coffee while the lady cops take out the trash - in their divvy van!
178. Pretty umbrella intallation at Austrlia on Collins.
179. Novelty brooch friday again!
180. Flowering succulents. I didn't even know they were the flowering type!

~Tan

Fin: Miette

Huzzah I finished my Miette!

Huzzah it fits!

Huzzah I think it actually looks ok!

Huzzah no more purling for a little while!

I can't explain this face

Or this one

this is what it looks like when I am picking cat hair out of my knitting while posing.

I made this as part of a Handmaker's Factory KAL, but found the most help with this pattern here, really great bunch of pages put together for a previous Miette KAL (organised by yellowbird - here is her Miette).

Pattern: Miette by Andi Satterlund
A quite well written pattern, probably let down a bit by my sub-standard knitting skills (I mean, look how uneven my stockinette is.  ugh purling).  Also probs my yarn choice, being a lighter weight than called for in the pattern, the lace on the collar/sleeves is not as pronounced.  Even so, I managed to get an actual wearable garment out of it!  Not bad eh?  Further details on mods etc on my Rav project page.

Yarn:  Bendigo Woollen Mills Classic 8ply in Lime.  Do not make something that touches your skin with this yarn.  I have skin like an elephant but this is ITCHY.  Softened up a bit on washing, but may do a conditioner soak to try to coax it to be softer still.

Ravelled here and uploaded to Handmaker's Factory here.

~Tan

p.s. I might torture you by blogging this again if I can ever photograph the damn thing true to colour.  I'm thinking a photoshoot at La Belle Miette?  It's not about the macarons, I swear... it's about the knitting...

-Linking with-
Tami's Amis FO Fridays | Fiber Arts Fridays at Wisdom Begins in Wonder | Natural Suburbia for Creative Fridays | I've Made Friday at SusanD1408 Crochet Addict | I ♥ Fridays at Petals to Picots

I can do it!

One sleeve down, one to go.  Saturday deadline.  I can do it!

Channelling Rosie the Riveter, because as we all know, knitting is just like war.

~Tan

P.S.  I'm co-organising a KAL which starts on Sunday!  Click here to join the KAL/CAL for these great fox hats!


Linking to- WIP Wednesday (Tami's Amis) | WIP Wednesday (Ambassador Crochet) | Yarn Along (Small Things) | Keep Calm and Craft On {Crafting on} (Frontier Dreams) | What you doing Wednesday (SusanD1408 Crochet Addict) | Hookin on Hump Day (My Merry Messy Life)

A very FOXY KAL

Hey there!! I am very excited to announce that my very good bloggy friend Lisa and I will be hosting our very first KAL together!!!!!

I was intially inspired by Lisa's uber cute selfie of herself modelling a cute beanie at her local Target. I too rushed down to my Target to do the same.

After looking at the construction of these hats, and also not seeing anything else similar on Ravelry, Lisa and I decided to put together patterns of our own and invite you to knit or crochet your own version with us this September.

Lisa has created a crochet version, and I have worked up a knitted version. Both are suited to beginner knitters or crocheters, both are made flat and seamed together. We recommend adding the foxy features post-completion. The knitted version (on Ravelry here) comes with both written and charted instructions. What's more, we're feeling pretty relaxed about the whole KAL thing, so we're happy for you to choose one of our patterns and make the same exact hat, make your own alterations/embellishments or even knit or crochet along with a different fox pattern altogether (so long as it is flat and seamed)! We don't mind! Creativity is encouraged!


Our patterns will be released for free generally after the KAL, but will be made exclusively available to KAL participants from 1 September.

Interested in making your very own foxy hat? Please sign up for the KAL at our special Ravelry group.

The KAL is scheduled to start on 1 September 2013 (a Sunday) and finish on 6 October 2013 (also a Sunday).  Lisa and I are both in Australia (albeit on different sides) so we'll be working in Aussie time.

All participants signing up get these great printable gift tags made by Lisa (they will be sent to you with the pattern on 1 September)!

One participant who finishes and posts a picture of their FO by 6 October will receive the pictured fantastic prize of yarn and foxy goodness!!

We also have some minor prizes we are planning on giving away. These may include things like yarn and badges, and will be given out on highly objective bases, such as 'creativity' and 'participation'. You have been warned!

So what are you waiting for? Head on over to the FOXY KAL Ravelry group and sign up!

~Tan

P.S. Here's some lovely html for you if you would like to put a link to the FOXY KAL on your blog!

<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/lisa-and-tanyas-foxy-kal"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDMBq8N-VPbn-rWcNHPxsevmiCyjkUknll6ctTuclol05MsxUUtUco0C7uwJJWEJKOcMf7TCrYlKxB0K8aqk4apM69IuTj_CKMj4JOGTfMtj225SQudR6DNWWc-YKN7mxbAXJUZgLxiY/s320/foxy+kal+3.2.jpg" /></a>

So much stockinette

At least I'm getting some purling practice right? Uggh purling



Prospects looking grim for finishing this KAL on time. I'd like to give it a good old try though. I have the sleeves, button band and neck band to make in 11 days. Not too much to ask. Surely.

~Tan

Linking to- WIP Wednesday (Tami's Amis) | WIP Wednesday (Ambassador Crochet) | Yarn Along (Small Things) | Keep Calm and Craft On {Crafting on} (Frontier Dreams) | What you doing Wednesday (SusanD1408 Crochet Addict) | Hookin on Hump Day (My Merry Messy Life)

patience

I've been thinking about patience and knitting, and I truly believe that knitting has made me so more patient.

When I started knitting, I never thought I'd be the type of person with the patience to quietly un-knit hundreds of stitches to remedy an error made rows earlier.  And yet, with this piece, that's what I've done.  It's the most challenging pattern I've attempted to date, I think it's looking beautiful, and I've found myself at peace fixing mistakes, of which there have been many.  It's very zen.



Since I last shared this, I re-started it on smaller needles, and it looks so much better than that hot mess.  I have knit two and a half repeats of the seven required repeats of the basket weave.  I always think that knitting is such a slow process, but I know if I just work on this a bit more consistently I will see results.  Watch this space.

~Tan

Linking to- WIP Wednesday (Tami's Amis) | WIP Wednesday (Ambassador Crochet) | Yarn Along (Small Things) | Keep Calm and Craft On {Crafting on} (Frontier Dreams) | What you doing Wednesday (SusanD1408 Crochet Addict) | Hookin on Hump Day (My Merry Messy Life)

365: 141-160

141. Oh my Gok at Target, everywhere. His face freaks me out whenever I walk in there.
142. Workin' on my Miette.
143. My windosill Cyclamen, still going strong.
144. Steve Buschemi, graffiti style (Hosier Lane)
145. More knitting
146. The Kitten!
147. A punny sign.
148. Can't go past a Bunnings sausage.
149. Belateed birthday pressie. Oz ftw!
150. A pic of me, by my sis, circa mid-90s.
151. Arty (lol) picture of my new blinding alarm clock. Money well spent, I am not using it.
152. The Kitten and knitting!
153. Blinded by the light...
154. The discovery of #noveltybroochfriday on instagram has inspired me to actually wear the multitude of brooches I own!
155. Fed Square.
156. Anti-gambling: "In the end, the machines will win". Sounds like Skynet to me.
157. A new tureen! Cauliflower the second!
158. Trying some sewing.
159. Metro map.
160. I love looking up at buildings. This is the Assmebly Hall at 156-160 Collins Street.

~Tan