J & G Meakin, England

This plate and pattern is from my mother's collection and is special because my father went as a small child to Farmers Department Store in Sydney and choose the pattern with his mother.

More on J & G Meakin, England

I promise to post more knitting next week. I have been knitting squares for the Made With Love blanket I am working on and have nearly done all my coloured ones ...

Cherry Bowl

For years this carnival glass cherry bowl sat in the cupboard on top of my microwave because I hated it. Truly hated it. Wished it would drop out of the cupboard and break into 1000 pieces kind of hated it.

But guess what. I got it out of my cupboard within the last six months and put it on the bench near my apricot kitchen blinds, and slightly apricot tiles (hello, house built in the 1990's) and suddenly I loved it and appreciated it. Maybe even adored it. And wondered why that thought had never occurred to me before.

When my husband's grandfather moved out of his house and into a retirement home, we were not involved in the "clean house for sale" process at all. In fact, I wonder if my father-in-law was either. Anyway, we were relegated this, which I seem to remember being told was worth "a lot of money". Many times in the era of hate, I thought "should find out how much that thing is worth and flog it".

But now I am glad I got over that, it looks great full with apples and bananas and the regulars in the fruit bowl. Admittedly no cherries.

I don't know how much it might be worth. I have googled today trying to find another "the same" but can't.

It does have some slight imperfections (like crack lines in the glass ...) so for anybody that thinks it might be worth a fortune, I seriously doubt it (unless you have evidence otherwise!)

For those concerned I might go all carnival glass collecting, be assured, ain't gonna happen. Still love my Amber Glassware ...

Little Treasures

 This is a milk jug cover which came from my grandmother. Notice the tiny tea cup of top.

This is Spring

I want these drawers for my knitting

http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Search/Home

They are just so cute and wooden and perfect. I wonder if the National Library of Australia is prepared to share?

I saw a similar set at a 2nd had store at Huskisson a few months ago and they were deceiving in that they weren't drawers at all, but cupboards with drawer structures over the top.

Joan Loves Yellow

Joan loves yellow.

I hope Joan loves yellow wool.

No photos I have taken tonight will do justice to this scarf, but it is lovely. It is sandy yellow with tweed flecks of orange and green.

It is knitted in Lincraft Premium Italiano donegal merino 12 ply yarn (silver label) which is Made in Italy composed of 100% merino and is heavenly soft using 6.5 mm needles (40 stitches) and 3 balls of yarn.

I bought the yarn at Lincraft at Bankstown recently at around $6.00 a ball, perhaps more. Where is that darn receipt?

Lincraft have a number of these Premium Italian yarns which I believe are a limited one off order.

I'm not writing the pattern because it is simply a matter of working out which way you want the bumps. Knit to throw them away from you. Purl to turn the towards you.

So happy 70th Joan! You are a treasure in our lives and we love you, and sorry we missed your surprise party. Sick kids.

Ever wonder if you have too many books?

I am a book collector.

In fact, I have so many books, I wonder how my 2nd storey has not collapsed under the weight of my bookshelf.

I am currently typing up a list of my books because I am packing them away for a potential move in January of next year.

I have cookbooks, Patchwork and Quilting magazines, Better Homes & Gardens, Family Circles, Country Craft Collections, Australian Good Taste magazine, and of course Knitting books and magazines.

And I love them all. And I can't part with any of them. And maybe one day I will put them all to good use.

My hope is that one day when I am long gone there may be somebody who loves them like me ... perhaps.

Literacy is a powerful skill and I use mine every day.

Ever wondered who your target audience is when you print a book on craft?

I'm it.

Just look at my Books page.

Knitting Bananas? Who Would Have Thunk It?

Bananas in Pyjamas

"Morgan and Lulu knitted until their arms were aching ..."

Vogue Knitting

I have to say YUM.

I borrowed several Vogue Knitting Magazines from the library recently and they are just divine.

Here is their website ... http://www.vogueknitting.com/magazine.aspx

Balaclava is Cast On

Using Lincraft Merino Crepe 8 ply (Made in China) because I could only find one ball of Patons Totem in Lincraft at Bankstown in black and I'm not sure it was what it said it was on the ball band.

I'm using the Family Helmet pattern from Patons book C46 Winter Warmers 5, 8 & 12 ply yarns which I bought when a Huskisson Wool shop closed down about 10 years ago. Everything with wool has a memory. Mostly.

If said proposed recipient says "what the bloody hell did you knit me this for?" I swear I will clout him.

Swirly Amber

Balaclavas

My husband has several male friends, who every time they see me knitting a scarf exclaim in disgust, "Vanessa, what are you bloody knitting another scarf for? Why don't you knit something useful, like a balaclava?"

One of those friends is having a 40th soon, and I would dearly love to knit him "something bloody useful".

My idea is a balaclava as worn by Sir Douglas Mawson and shown here.

I've just got to work out how to do it.

BTW, I think Douglas Mawson looked hot in his balaclava, despite this comment at the bottom of that link page:

"p.s. Douglas Mawson might have been a splendid fellow and absolutely first rate, but I bet he regretted having that picture taken of him in the balaclava - I mean it's the sort you'd send to your aunt Ethel to prove you really are wearing what she knitted for you."

Bless Aunt Ethel.

Flowers For You

Purchased from my local Red Cross Store and now sits nicely on my dresser down the coast.

Just a Thought For Bowel Cancer

 This is an email I sent to Bowel Cancer Australia ....

I'm throwing this idea out there because it came to me last night at midnight and sometimes you have to write these ideas down.

My family and I are thinking of moving to XXX in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales in January of next year. My husband has accepted a transfer to Reece Plumbing at XXX. We have yet to find accommodation, but my husband assures me everything is going to fall into place.

Anyway, my thought is this, XXX currently has a XXX Show weekend, a patchwork weekend, a fireworks weekend, but not a knitting weekend. (I am an obsessive knitter ...)

My family has a history of bowel cancer. My Dad's brother died of it in 1973, my father and his sisters have regular colonoscopies, as do I and my two brothers and sister. Several polyps have been removed between us. In fact, I believe my family history was used in some bowel cancer study at Newcastle a few years ago.

Anyway, getting down to the dirty idea, this is it. XXX Public School raises money every year through the P&C selling sheep manure collected from local shearing sheds. (My cousin has two children who attend this school, so this is how I know. My children would hopefully be attending this school next year.)

My thought is to build on this with a knitting bowel motions tea cosies weekend and a competition judged by a national knitting celebrity __________. (I haven't broached this idea with her as I don't know her ...)

While a little bit tasteless, my objectives would be to raise money for Bowel Cancer research, increase tourism to XXX, raise awareness of knitting and promote the use of wool. XXX is one of the finest wool growing areas in the world, with plenty of Merinos.

Thoughts? Objections?

Regards

Moi

I'll wait and see if I hear anything.

From the Markets behind the Holden Show at Richmond last year ...

I figure if you are having to go to a Holden Show you may as well find yourself some Amber Glassware and rescue it from being the coin container. A slight imperfection, but still perfect in my eyes.

More Amber

More.

Learn to Knit @ Padstow, Sydney, New South Wales

Come along to the Coolaburoo Neighbourhood Centre, at 11 Ryan Road, Padstow for a Learn to Knit group for Ladies only from 11.00 am to 12.30 pm on Wednesdays.

If you are interested in more info call 02 9774 2426 or email cncinc@coolaburoo.org.au.

That's where I'll be this morning (though I can already knit!)

So far some of the group have tackled a teddy bear, a scarf, and last week were issued with the instructions for a beanie.

If you just want to learn how to cast on, or knit, or purl, come too!

2nd Social Knit In at Bankstown Library Completed

All new faces, with a few from last month having forewarned that they would be on holidays for this session and back in October. At this rate, we will be moving to a bigger room next month!!

Jann, the librarian and facilitator brought in her comfort rug to share and I took a photo for the blog.

Each patch of colour is of significance for where she bought it during various world travels and employment.

Jann spent some time in Japan teaching English and the cream wool is from there, as are her trusty Clover brand bamboo knitting needles. The green wool is from Trieste in Italy, where she had the pleasure of being a bridesmaid, there was also red wool purchased in Oxford Street, London and blue wools purchased in Paris.

This is the best kind of souvenir to bring back from any holiday! Useful.

Jann said that the rug had also been a comfort rug to her mother when she nursed her to her death.

Also at the meeting were a mother and daughter who related stories of their migration to Australia as 10 pound Poms, sponsored by a family member. These were hard times, where they camped at Belmore for 8 months and the only assistance they got was an allowance to buy 2nd rate corrugated iron to build a temporary shed on their block at Georges Hall.

There was also a lady who had emigrated from Poland with her husband after the 2nd World War with him working as a surveyor on the Snowy Mountains Electricity Scheme and she discussed the difficulties of acclimatising to the Australian diet, including having to explain to her butcher that she wanted beef liver, as she had eaten in her old country by drawing a sketch of a person and indicating where the organ was. For some reason, my mind kept thinking of the Australian mini series The Far Country (1986) by George Miller, that starred Michael York and Sigrid Thornton. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091034/

I was finishing off a square for Wrap With Love and also knitting another "My Friend Kylie is Not a Singing Budgie Scarf" for another friend Kylie who is turning 40 very shortly in another colourway, which will remain a "Surprise" and also showed somebody how to do a cable.

While it is interesting to go to knitting groups and knit, it isn't always about the knitting, the stories are interesting too, Bankstown being a diverse mix of people!

A Little Fishy?

One slight chip I will choose to ignore.

SIBOL

Okay, at this stage, I am a knitter, not a crocheter, but to anyone who reads my blog and loves crochet please go and look at this blog http://sunshineinternationalblanketsoflove.blogspot.com/.

Every time I look at it the colours are divine and they inspire me to want to be a crocheter.

Well done all those beautiful crocheters who contribute to these blankets!

I also followed her "Link Within" link and added it to my posts. Nothing like recycling photos!

Each script needs to be posted in the body of your text (in the Edit HTML bit) to replay it and what is posted is automatically selected.

Amber Glassware

I have to admit to another addiction. I collect Amber Glassware. Actually I also have a few Uranium Green pieces as well. Occasionally I will share a piece with you. Who knows, somebody might just find inspiration in the patterning for a hat or other knitted object.

Bare Feet

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/6452507?searchTerm=knitting


This article is from The Advertiser (Adelaide) Monday 5 June 1916, and is sure to tickle sock knitter's feet.

The National Library of Australia has digitalised many newspapers from 1803 through to 1954 and there are many wonderful articles on their TROVE website.

Next Bankstown Library Social Knit In

Is next Monday, 6th September commencing at 10.00 am.

Bring your knitting and come and join us.

For more details press the Label below and follow the links!

The Rib Scarf

I bet everyone has a rib scarf pattern.

Here is mine.

Using 8mm needles and 8 ply acrylic (or DK yarn), cast on 30 stitches.

First Row: Knit 4, *purl 2, knit 2* to last 4 stitches, Knit 4.

Second Row: Knit 2, Purl 2 across row to last two stitches, K2.