Ear Warms

Podcasts are one of my very favourite forms of distraction.

Mostly I listen on my 'phone, often to drown out conversations or other unedifying noises, so earbuds are essential  kit.  Being able to lay hands on the earbuds in a hurry is often the best form of protection the public has.

For a wee while I was using a lipstick case to carry the earbuds around in.  I already owned it and the hard sides were protective, but it also took up a lot of hand bag real estate and was always right down the very bottom, causing dangerous seconds of delay in plugging in.

I toyed with the idea of sewing a little case but it all seemed fiddly and there are no small remants in the fabric stash anymore.  I could have bought a small soft bag at an op shop for a couple of dollars, but it seemed unnecessary even at that price when I have skillz and yarn.

So I knitted one.

This first one was a bit drapey and a smidge too wide and not being quite long enough.  It's great for  memory sticks, though.

I've been using version 1.1 for my earbuds for a week and am loving it.

It is 6 cm high and 7.5cm wide.  Design features include an i-cord loop to fasten it to a tab in my bag for easy access, and moss stitch for cushiness.  I opted for a stocking stitch envelope style flap for contrast and because the decreases in moss stitch were a bit messy.

This is pouch two of version 1.1 (very minor tweaking) .

Version 1.2 is currently in the testing phase. This sample was knitted recently, and the test knit is on the needles right now.

Each pouch gobbles up about 7g of 4ply/sock weight/fingering weight yarn and the buttons are all from stash.

The blue buttons were rescued from a pair of TOF's discarded underpants and the maroon were decorative features on a pair of knickers I bought last year.  I snipped the buttons off before they were worn.  

Excuse me while I go shine my halo of frugalness.

Celebration of Wool Day at the Old Bus Depot Markets

One of the Holy Days of Obligation on my fibre calendar, I haven’t missed a Celebration of Wool Day in years.

We were at the venue last week for the annual Snow Sports ACT sale, where I snapped the socks in progress with the Wool Day postcard.

I’ll be there bright and early on Sunday morning and this year I’ll have an audio recorder in tow.

If you see me on Sunday, please say hi and maybe say a few words for the recorder – I’m expanding my horizons with a spot of podcasting.

12 in 12 - uncle

This was just one challenge too many this year.  I'm calling it quits so I can replace dead basics including shoes, tops and trousers for work and clothes for next summer.  Most of my most of my summer tops had to be discarded at the end of the season.  They were scruffy beyond redemption.

Then there is a need for a reasonable summer wardrobe for a family celebration trip to Singapore in mid-summer.  I couldn't find 2 days worth of clothing for a work trip to Brisbane in last March let alone 8 days in the humidity of Singapore.

Fortunately the fabric stash can sustain several coordinating tops plus a few dresses for evening.  Operation Singapore Sling begins in late June.  I bought a heap of black linen to make trousers.

The 12 items challenge has been great to focus my taste and tailor it to my shape and colour preferences and I continue to apply those lessons.

12 in 12 February Update

I bought a dress.  Op shopped, of course, and quite expensive for that.  $15 for a TS 14+ (pricey label for larger sizes).

It's a gorgeous black and grey, quite fashionable, dress for winter.  It is sleeveless with a button through the front - rather like a long men's vest.  It will be great with a long sleeved t-shirt over tights.


Quota use 1/12 in the first two months.

Those devilish details

Living between two houses and just generally being on the move means that sometimes I forget details. 

Sometimes I even forget REALLY important details, like my knitting.

A couple of weeks ago I left the socks on the go at work and only discovered the loss when I got to TOF's 25k away.

And there was no knitting on the needles at TOF's and there was no spare yarn in the car or the emergency drawer. 

A hunt around revealed a small amount of sock yarn left over from a matinee jacket.  I had sock needles and 39 grams of yarn. And the thought of another pair of baby socks wasn't doing it for me.

Thank the knitting goddesses for Ravelry.  Soon I had cast on the Work Mini-Mitts by Rachel Maxson and the first was all but finished in a short evening. 

You would think that would be the end of it.  But not.

My lack of attention to detail revealed itself in the morning when I went to knit the thumb.  The designer had omitted that detail from the pattern and I hadn't read the pattern through before casting on.

I guess I should be relieved that I'm not the only one who can forget important stuff.

I made up the thumb, badly as it turned out.  Apart from the rather loose thumbs, the mitts are far too skimpy for my liking but I finished the things and they'll get used.  And until next time, I'll remember to pay attention to the details.

12 in 12 January Update

No clothes purchased.  None, nil, nada...  Doing the happy dance of thrift!

I've been looking as usual, but nothing has presented itself as worthy.

I have made myself a shawl as a layering piece for at home in winter, so while it is new it is exempt as it's handmade and totally from stash.

There has also been more disposal of clothing.  I cannot believe there is still stuff I don't wear or don't like in the wardrobe, but it there is.

I'd been holding on to a couple of pairs of three-quarter length jeans for a while but wasn't wearing them because I didn't really like them on.  I have one pair that just keeps being worn and washed and worn again and really need two pairs for summer.  Problem is, I've not found another pair I like as much  so had a bit of a rethink about why I like to wear denim cut offs - they are cooler than jeans but just as durable and work with my tee shirts and tops. So now my long eschewed knee-length denim skirt is back in rotation and the unloved trews have gone back to the op shop.

And while I was at it, some unflattering tops and a couple of sentimentally kept kilts left the house as well.

The black tee-shirts are starting to show definite signs of wear, though.  They will last this warm season, but not another.  Some have already migrated from the suitable for work pile, to the at home only pile.

Knit Focus is back

The cosy production is back on track.  This set is for the cosy fund raiser.

More free patterns by Paulina Chin for her Speedy Cabled Cowl and matching beret.  Here and here on Ravelry.

Knitted in Twilleys of Stamford Freedom Wool from stash.  I love this richly coloured single.

Modifications were needed.  Both patterns stipulate being knitted flat and frankly but it's far simpler to just knit them in the round.  So I did.  I also added a cable repeat to each of the items.  The beret would be a beanie otherwise, and the cowl would be a little skimpy, too. 

I have two and a bit balls of the Freedom wool left and am tempted to knit the beret again with 4 cable repeats before decrease for extra slouch (and maybe keep the beret because I really love this yarn).