1WIP and 2 Finished Projects

Sometimes things get started and they just don't 'go right'. This is one of them, so it is still a WIP. I love the colours of the yarn which was a real 'find' at the ACS Mill Shop and I started making a crochet vest for James. Then I wondered if it was not boyish enough, but decided it was fine. Quite a few more rows and I can't decide what to do as it has shaping for a hood and he is not a 'hoodie fan' yet. In fact long sleeves and trousers don't go down well with him either which is why it was going to be a vest in the first place. So it is in the siding waiting for some other big projects to choof on by!

I found this yellow cotton yarn at my favourite charity shop at Crowle on a visit to Sydney. It is scraggy but really appealed to me, I love the colour. I made a scarf for my previous yellow swap from it and there was plenty left over. I had half a ball in my project bag (that I'd grabbed in haste without looking to see what was in there and chucked in the car with the news that Tim had to have surgery on his broken nose the next morning) and sitting for 16 hours at the hospital it was one of the few things I had to occupy me, so I started on a scarf and finished it when I got home to the remaining yarn. I have worn it several times as it is a great accessory for when it isn't quite cold enough for a woolly scarf. I can definitely recommend making some scarves from cotton yarn for our Aussie climate.

This has been a very important project. It is the next colour in the Rainbow Swap, Green. The fibre is merino and flax from First Edition Fibres and Yarn at Euroa and I've spun and plied to create an 8ply yarn for my swap partner.

I was VERY pleased with the finished skein and it shows the best colour. I hope my partner will be able to knit something lovely with it. And the answer to the question is: there was 250gm and I have made 250 metres from it.

SnB of a different kind

Recently a few of us joined in a special day, a kind of version of a SnB for the ladies at Mudgegong who had been burnt out in the fires. Some had lost their homes and with them all their precious bits and pieces, some had lost everything on their property but managed to save their houses. The idea came from Leonie at Beechworth Quilter's Cottage and was developed by Christine who is President of the Regional Business Development Network. The ABC radio team were there and also local TV and newspapers. The ladies from Wooragee did a wonderful job providing lunch and one of the Mudgegonga ladies, Inge had her 84th birthday with cake, and took home a patchwork quilt. Many ladies went home with donated quilts and some sewed and joined in the crafts. Maree and I helped a lady make lining for her curtains. Luckily she saved her home, but everything else was burnt.
For one lady whose house is gone, it was the first time she had been to an outing since the fires went through. Let's hope that by gathering and offering support we can ease some of the heartache.

Then back at the patchwork shop a week later, Elke was sewing puffs

and I was knitting green! It's good knitting weather!

Tunisian Special for May continued again and again

Adele brought lovely homemade (by a wood worker from Wangaratta) tunisian crochet hooks with her.
























And then one of our 'helpers', John, arrived with a special piece of equipment. His talents aren't hidden, we all know he does jolly good work!














And lastly, the Travelling Hook came out to
meet up with a Tunisian cousin.

Tunisian Special for May continued again

How quick we were was the governing factor for how much we got done!

Tunisian Special for May continued

There were a lot of very nice samples after an hour.

Tunisian Special for May

Our Something Special Day for our spinning group this month was Tunisian Crochet.

Adele (of NE Black and Coloured Sheep Breeders) fame came to refresh the memories of those of us who had forgotten as well as to instruct those of us who had never touched a Tunisian hook.

First off we got the hang of the basic stitch.










We cast on 20 stitches for our samples.





























Oh, yes, he always get's that lounge chair as noone else is game to get him off there.

The nose job

Uncle Tim and James enjoyed reading some books, even uni students got some holiday time over Easter.

Then, after a saga in the city where Tim tried to be the 'hero' and stop someone stealing from his friend, he arrived home with a broken nose.

Here he is 9 days later after having surgery in Canberra to put it back in place,

and looking much more like his old self!