A quick Hello.

I'm supposed to be working on the newsletter that I write for our woodworkers club so I've got to be quick. Just thought you might like to see some more of Bob's work. Bob's the woodworker who likes to make miniatures. These are his latest creations, some dinky little cannons. No they don't work (Bob's things usually do) but they're clever.
Just for fun I'll show you the children's toy he made. These are a couple of clown figures that, when bumped with a finger, race eachother, wobbling down the pegs that hold them, to the bottom of the board. Lots of fun but every time someone slams a door in the clubroom, they're off, rattling down the board to a chorus of cheering. I don't know about children but a whole lot of noisy senior citizens are getting a great deal of fun out of them. Well, that's it now, I really must get on with this newsletter. Hope everything is well at your place. Bye for now until next time.

Op-shop find.

Whilst not exactly obsessed, I find it difficult to pass an op-shop without popping inside to see what goodies are on offer. Our local is a beauty; packed to the hilt with good things for which other people have no further use and being sold at really good prices. I found 7 balls of this beautiful, soft yarn there a couple of weeks back and just couldn't resist it. The colour depicted here is way off the mark; can you believe it's really the deeper, almost plum colour in the second picture. I'm sure there is a way of fixing that but not by this 'bear of little brain' I'm afraid. Anyway, our daughter loves the shade (the plum colour, that is) and I knew there would be enough to make a scarf and cap for her, so for less than half it's normal cost it became mine.
So eager was I to give it to our girl that I forgot to take a photograph so she kindly sent me this pic, taken with her mobile phone. I made the yarn (a blend of wool, mohair and nylon) up in a lace, Shetland stitch that is called heather. She is delighted with it which means that I am too. Good old op-shop.
Only four days to Spring, not that I'm counting or anything but this has been a jolly cold Winter here in Melbourne.
Have a nice weekend everyone. Bye for now until next time.

A love wrap

A couple of years ago I joined the team of knitters who call themselves 'Wrap With Love Inc.' The organisation was started some time back in 1992 by a caring and concerned woman called Sonia Gidley-King who, unable to bear the thought of so many underprivileged people suffering from the bitter cold that happens in some parts of this wonderful planet of ours, decided to do what little she could about it. So she started knitting 10" squares from the bits of odd yarn she had about her home and invited others to do the same. Twenty eight squares collected together and sewn up four across by seven down makes a blanket that will fit a single bed or wrap a freezing person. I'm told these blankets can save a life. This was the first of 220,000 blankets that have been sent to countries all over the world, including Australia, in the past eighteen years. Non political, non religious, the organisation never sells the blankets; they are gifts given with love. Based in New South Wales its a bit costly for those of us here in Victoria to get our work to the warehouse so some of our knitters volunteer as 'drop off depots' and undertake to accept and transfer the blankets to the central point in Alexandria from whence they will be sent out to keep somebody warm.
As we have no drop off depot in Melbourne I have put my hand up to do the job. Oops, now I'm for it. I have no idea how to go about it. Good foot-soldier me - not much of a comanding officer. I think I'll start by making a nuisance of myself and contacting trucking companies who might be willing to stow a bag of blankets in a corner of a van heading interstate, where it will be picked up by the Wrap With Love carriers. Please wish me luck.
Sadly Sonia left this world just recently after a long illness and will be greatly missed but what a legacy she has left. Vale, Sonia.

A Bevvy of Bootees

I imagine it's no surprise to other avid knitters if I confess that the thought of taking a week off from knitting is not my idea of a holiday. Naturally, when I packed my case for my Queensland trip, needles and yarn were the first on my list of essentials. I did forget sunblock, but who needs that in Australia's sunny state? (joking of course, I burn easily, and Queensland's sun can be really fierce). I could have forgotten a whole lot of other things but never my knitting. I always take a circular needle as it packs easily and safeguards against the horror of losing one needle.
At present I'm working on baby things for charity and I love making these little slippers. The pattern is one I invented when I had grand ideas of writing a knitting book for beginners - you know, the sort of thing that doesn't require a whole lot of skill. I never got around to writing the book but I love making the slippers; they don't require any real concentration, can be finished in an evening and use up scraps of leftovers. Unfortunately I don't know any little feet that I can try them on for fit or suitability but they look OK on one of my big dolls so I'm hoping for the best.
They'd probably be good for bigger feet too. I must try them out on larger needles and thicker wool. If you're wondering how I fix the ties - I just work the ribbon or cord through the knitting at the ankle, using a sewing needle with a large eye, once the bootee is sewn up.
Not much doing in my part of the world today. The man of the house has gone off to the woodworkers club so I think I'll do some vacuuming. I find that shoving the vacuum cleaner around warms me up on these cold mornings. Spring next month - luvly.
Bye for now, until next time.