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You say you want a revolution well, you know... ...we all want to change the world |
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Sponsor my private revolution:
What am I selling on Ebay today? Let the Revolution begin... *You can be any age to join the knitting revolution. It's not just grannies any more. *To join, just grab the nearest pointy things, and tie them to the nearest string-like substance. Wave them enthusiastically in the air, yelling passionate cries such as "och aye the noo!" *The revolution requires that you supply your own weapons. Er, needles. *Knitting can be sexy. Sure, it can. Go to knitty and be inspired! *Knit in public, and if anyone looks at you funny, you've always got a sharp metal thing handy with which to poke their soft bits. *Get all knitting-zen on people. Then when you really let your hair down, you can get away with it, because you're "that nice person, who knits". *insert evil laugh here* *Oh, yeah, almost forgot. The revolution will not be televised. Or... something like that. I moved to Canberra last November, and am now involved in the best Canberra knitting group! ... so any locals or visitors interested, go on over to Canberra Stich N Bitch yahoo group and join us in our dark endeavours! I mean, creative meeting of minds... er, yeah. Something like that. We meet at Starbucks in Civic on the first Thursday evening of every month, and the third Sunday of the month at 2pm. Come along! If you feel shy, feel free to post online first, or email someone to ask a few questions. :):):) If you want, use the contact button and I'll give you my details so we can get in touch. Always happy to get the interesting people of Canberra out of the woodwork... I know you're there, ya just hard to find sometimes *chuckle* Sydney Knitting Adventures continue at "my" previous knitting group in Newtown: Meet up for coffee, cake, and knitting adventures galore at Barmuda Cafe, Australia Street Newtown. It's opposite the police station, and across the intersection from Newtown Train Station. See the SSK Website for details :D You, and this many other people with a cramp in their forefinger: Interesting in knitting, and what other knitters are doing? Or are you just bored, or farting off at work while the boss ain't watching? Well then, I have just the thing to keep you busy for hours on end... go exploring the wonderful world of knitting blogs. Can you believe there's so many of us? I have my favourite blog-days, and these are some of them: A hairy tale Horn-y knitter Musical tongs God on the brain Blogging from behind a mask Creativity and productivity I am SUCH a nerd Deliver me from Swedish furniture Feminist backlash Modern beauty is a myth Instant karma’s gonna getcha Go feminism Harris the Well Clad Fish The love is in the food Embarrassment, Humiliation and Joy Booty The birth of a grammar avenger Beetles Traffic Lights, part 1 Spawn of Satan Traffic Lights, part 2 A long time ago, in a knitting bag far, far away... And my other blog, complete with a few little patterns: http://miscsqueak.blogdrive.com  
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I am such a nerd I got this semester's text books today, a week early! Whoo hoo! I get a week's head start on biological psychology. I was sitting in the car with my shiny new books, happily squeaking about how I can start reading tomorrow morning (yay) when I look over at Luke, who is giving me slightly worried sideways looks. "Sad, really, isn't it?" I laugh. "Um, yeah", he says. "Jeez!" I say, slapping his leg "you didn't have to agree with me!" But there you have it. Nerdsqueak. Drudge city... progress report Life is drudgery a lot of the time. I had this boyfriend once who, besides being deliriously good looking, was also the overly intense type and, like me, probably thought too much. Yup, that'll be the main reason we broke up. He said to me once that he wasn't interested in doing lots of different exciting stuff to make life interesting, because life, after all, is just made up of mundane, simple moments, strung out one on another like beads. Well, duh, this guy had obviously never heard of feature beads. *snicker* Anyway, my life at the moment is decidedly lacking in feature beads. It's the plain and mundane. I had my holiday in Adelaide, and I'll be clinging to those happy memory in the upcoming semester like the little jewels that they are. Ah! It was a great holiday. So. Drudgery. I'm knitting a pair of socks (drudgery) and spinning a pile of grey alpaca (rapidly becoming drudgery, I'm not even half way through yet) and knitting up my leftover yarns into a rug (drudgery).  It's that mile-wide practical streak in me, you see. I love wearing knitted socks, even though the making of them bores me shitless. And my feet are always cold! Yeah, I know Canberra and Melbourne people are always laughing at Sydney people for complaining about the cold. But man, I'm always cold! It's horrible. So I'm socking up for the future, and no, dammit, I'm not giving any of these ones away *grin* The leftover yarn squares... I'd like firstly to use up all my leftover sockyarn, which is way too expensive to be laying around in my drawers doing nothing. And secondly, I'd like a yoga rug. Mmmm. I love a knitted rug over me for the last little lay-down bit, since it's heavy and wraps all around your body. And the alpaca. *groan* It's really gorgeous fleece, but the preparation of the fleece has left a lot to be desired. I spend so much time picking out crap, picking out weathered tips, and have discarded a decent amount of rubbish. I'd take a risk and run it through my drum carder, but I've never really used the carder successfully yet, and would rather not waste something that someone else has bought. Meanwhile I'm discovering all these unreal techniques for novelty spinning via a livejournal community, and want to play! But... work first, and then we play. Not much to go now, and I expect to make a huge dent on it today. I'm just over 1/3 the way through.
Deliver me from Swedish furniture Yes, Fight Club is one of my favourite movies of all time. Despite the violence. I do have very strong feelings against violence, including onscreen. I make a point not to go to a movie if I've heard it's excessively violent or gruesome (Passion of the Christ, Kill Bill etc). But I admit that this movie is amazing, despite all that. Anyway, you can see the whole of the song "This is your life" here at House of Lyrics. Top stuff. It's as moving as it is cynical. So. Can people really be individuals? Or are we destined to fill our home with hideous IKEA furniture? This train of thought has been brought on by a few things - the individuality/creativity in knitting debate, and the fact that my kitchen is falling to pieces and has to be replaced. Since I have absolutely no money (full time student) it's going to have to be as cheap as I can get it- i.e. IKEA. Yay. I'm sure I'll survive. Individuality is a strange thing. I think the most important thing to think is not the rather abstract concept of "individuality" itself, which can never truly be achieved, considering the diversity of humanity. No, the important thing is a person's self-concept of their own individuality. The thing about it is this: back home in Cessnock, if you wear all black clothing and don't listen to mainstream music, you're hugely individualistic, and highly innovative. In Newtown, you're just one of the crowd. I consider myself quite creative in general. I like to buy my clothes from second hand stores, so that I actually do look different. I like to draw, and make things, and all that sort of stuff. But... if I'm knitting things from patterns which other people have designed, am I really creating something? I recall a heated conversation with an ex flatmate who considered himself quite the artist. I proclaimed my self-concept of individuality, which he snorted at in disdain - how could I consider myself creative, he asked, if I didn't make the patterns up myself? Okay. Score one-nil to ex-flatmate. But what if I modify the pattern? What if I use highly innovative colour combinations? What if it ends up looking completely different to the picture on the pattern brochure? What if it looks exactly the same??? So, to reiterate, the important thing is that a person feels as though their efforts are creative and individual. It's all about the way you look at yourself, I think. And although I have an IKEA floor, tv cupboard, stereo cabinet and (soon) kitchen, am I no longer an individual, creative person? I think I'm quite vain. But I'm not vain enough to think that there's no-one out there who could very well be me, thus reducing me to the dreaded status of *gasp* just another face in the crowd. Well, I long since realised that I'm not the centre of the universe, but I still consider myself a bit of an individual. Why? Because I make my own mind up. And I have to admit that sometimes other people come to the same decision as I have. It doesn't, however, make me any less creative, or any less of an individual. Every second person might be knitting an Audrey, or a Rogue, or whatever. But if I decide to knit one, it'll be because I like it, and I want to make it, and most likely wear it. Oh, and while I'm hopping on hot knit-blog-topics and bandwagons... about the blogger's disclaimer thing? If you don't want people to read about you, don't put it on the internet. I mean, really, get a grip: there's a reason it's called the WORLD WIDE web. Duh. Not to mention, if you don't want it repeated, don't say it. And for gawd's sake, putting it in writing is just plain stupid. Sorry if this puts anyone's little nose out, don't take it personally. My sage advice would be that if you don't want even one person you know to not read it, delete it from your blog. Easy. There have been a few things I wouldn't blog about, usually because I wouldn't want to put my thoughts about certain people's actions or attitudes up for public viewing. Had a day today which would be great blog fodder if I didn't mind whose feelings I trampled all over, but I'm making an effort here. It doesn't really have to be written about and posted online, however juicy and brimming with the guilty pleasure of gossip. By all the gods, I can carry on. Congrats (or condolences) to anyone who's actually made it to the end of this diatribe. And don't think any less of me for having a copycat Swedish kitchen, huh? Belly yarn I spun up a sample of wool for the belly-along tonight. It's just plain old creamy white merino, which I'll probably dye when I have enough to knit my shirt. I'm thinking a plain little cutoff sleeveless shirt with a square neck. I used to have a little knitted shirt like this, but it fell apart and I miss it. So here's what the wool looks like:  Mmmmm. Creamy goodness. Life - what I've been filling in the hours with - some of it boring, some of it just plain crappy. I had my mobile phone stolen. I took this quite personally. I got tail-ended in the car today, but not badly. I can see how people get whiplash, though, and I'm really thankful he didn't hit me any harder. My bike battery went flat, so it's at the bike shop getting charged at the moment. The kitchen is falling apart - I've been running about at IKEA, of all places, trying to sort out a new one. And I've started a diet. I'm getting waaaay too chubby in all the wrong places, so I've gone on a kickstart style diet and have started running. I've decided that I like running. Weird. Weird weird weird. I'll see how much I like it after a few weeks *grin* The birds flew out last night to hang out on the desk and play. Darlins! So here are a couple of cutesy photos before I crawl off to bed.  
The cutest entry of the year Well, for my blog, anyway. Angel and I spent an afternoon with our sisterinlaw and nephew the other day at Manly beach, and I took a heap of photos. This child is SO CUTE. Cheeky as a magpie, and more energy than should be allowed in a human being. It's unreal. We were standing there for only 10 minutes, and this guy with a massive camera comes up and asks to take his photo. He really is irresistably cute, and thought it a fine joke when I took our photo together with the camera at arm's length. (You get the rare privelege of seeing me with absolutely no makeup on. Scary.)  Meet Haydn, the Country Cowboy!  A rare quiet moment. The hero plans his next move.  Too. Bloody. Cute. Shameless plug for a friend's new book ...buy it! 
It's got a heap of nifty hat patterns in it, and I fully intend to get my money's worth out of it *yay!* It's by my friend Sarah, and can be bought from her sister's online store. So there you go, my shameless plug. A "serious" review of the book, you want? (she asks, Yoda style) Give it to you I will! Okay. The thing that attracted me to this book first (after it being written by a buddy that is, hehe) is the fact that it doesn't ask for any particular type of yarn - it is written with the purpose of you being able to use any wool that you have laying about the place with nothing better to do. And I can tell you, you can only make so many granny squares from your leftovers without going totally gaga. So, I liked the idea of a book which was going to help me get rid of all those weird little leftover balls that we knitters inevitably accumulate. Most of the book is in black and white, and so I was happy to see all the hats photographed in colour and put at the front of the book as a set of colour plates. I much prefer to see things in colour, and since Sarah does have a lot of experience in this area, it would be a pity to not share the benefit of that experience. I would say that most beginner knitters would be okay with the book. The instructions are pretty easy to follow, and the book has several pages of technique notes (provisional cast on, grafting, attached i cord, and quite a bit more) at the back, with instructional photographs. I like this sort of technical support if it doesn't dominate the book. Also highly appreciated is the short list of Australian suppliers at the back, since it is often difficult for Aussies to source good quality supplies, especially those living in rural areas. A more comprehensive list, however, would have been better. Of interest is Sarah's inclusion of pattern sheets, which are a simple one-page typed plan for each pattern, which is the basis of a knitting journal - the name of the project, a photo space, and space to write your tension, needle size and yarn type. It looks as though it is intended to be used as a work sheet as you knit the hat, and also a journal-style record of your project. I like this, and for people who don't record all their knitting adventures in a blog, it can be a great way to record all the knitting projects that you do, since over the years you tend to forget just how much you've produced. Best thing about the book is that it is so versatile. You can use any type of yarn you want, and the sizings cover everyone from little babies to big bald men. Also, the range of styles runs from the basic utilitarian beanie, to the classy little bucket style hat, to the whimsical witch and wizard felted hats.
Being on holidays is very demanding Yup, 2 minute update, don't have much time here... *starts the typing clock... now!* Righty-o. Went to Adelaide to visit rellies for 5 days. No photos, lots of food, HUGE amounts of wine, even got some socknitting done. Yay! Ran around the shops, didn't spend much but had big fun. More details if I can think of some good stories. Have country relatives here for doctor's appointments and am going to see them in Manly today. Will take camera this time! Very cute kiddy shots coming up. Sunny out - damned if I'm going to sit in here glued to a computer screen when it's so gorgeous outside. Got a whole heap of regia from Germany. Yum! Yes, I think socknitting is boring but I'm ADDICTED to wearing them! Ack! And an update pic of my current spinning project (alpaca). Well, the 2 minutes is up. Here are the pics, and I hope you enjoy your day as much as I intend to enjoy mine! :-)  
Getting community-bloggy type feelings So, yeah, I'm joining a knit-along. *hehe* now now, settle down all you creativity and originality police (you know who you are, LOL), it's the belly-along. Basically, you knit anything you want, as long as it shows off yon belly. Yeah! I think, awesome idea, that'd be fun. So, I'm going to spin something nifty and summery, and knit it into a nice belly-baring thang for summer. I'll probably make up my own pattern. I'm thinking a fairly simple cut-off top with a square neckline. Maybe some groofy buttons. Hmmm... but the idea of a project with summer in mind tickles me and my frozen little feet right about now. Yum. So... here's to summer. May it arrive in Sydney SOON!  This week's lack of blogging activity proudly brought to you by... ...none other than the magnificent Terry Pratchett and Robin Hobb. Yay! Not to mention a very alcohol-sodden weekend where I tried to forget about anything that generated light, including computer screens. Ach, crivens, me heid!!!  I've just read Pratchett's "Wee Free Men" and "A Hat Full of Sky", and am about to embark on the Fool's Journey (The Tawny Man Trilogy). I have no knitting progress to report, having frogged a heap of sock the other day (see yellow pencil graphic above) and have done very little spinning, although I did have a lovely day today wandering about Dymock's and compiling a wishlist for myself. So far it consists of: dowrick, stephanie: living words - journal writing ban breathnach, sarah: simple abundance - a daybook ban breathnach, sarah: romancing the ordinary cameron, julia: the artist's way steege, gwen (ed): knit baby head & toes! I must say, I'm a bit of a sucker for inspirational bookies, and have a few which I've owned for years and pull out from time to time to have a squizzy at. I'll finish off here with a great couple of (perhaps not quite inspirational) quotes from Wee Free Men and Hat Full of Sky: "If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star... you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy." - priceless advice from Miss Tick (yes, great name for a witch, hmm?), The Wee Free Men, Terry Pratchett "When a man starts messin' wi' the readin' and the writin' then he'll come doon with a dose o' the thinkin' soon enough. I'll fetch some o' the lads and we'll hold his heid under water until he stops doin' it, 'tis the only cure. It can kill a man, the thinkin'." - Philosophical Insight from Big Yan of the Nac Mac Feegle, A Hat Full of Sky, Terry Pratchett
A trip to the frog pond is so refreshing Okay. This is the story. You can remove, squish and vanquish the Evil Incredifind by getting this nifty thing: Ad-Aware! Whahoo! There are some madly useful things available on the web, if only your good buddies (thanks guys, you know who you are) let you know where they are. I also used the spybot thingy, which was very useful. And my sock, which was done right up to the toe... well it went for a swim in the frog pond, and when it came out, it was only knitted to the ankle. I hate it when that happens. After I knitted all the way through the non-Snapey bits of Harry Potter, too. (add drooling actions here... yay! The man finally got more than 90 second's worth of time in this movie! Now all we need is a spin-off set of Snapely movies or something... *dreams on*)
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