I can't get no... satisfaction

Trying to think of an apt song title for tonight's post (originality went to bed an hour ago) and have been wanting to post some of my comings and goings from the past few days.

Firstly, went shopping with sis, spent an embarrassing amount of money, on both her and me, but what a time! What stuff!

Secondly, a couple of days ago I spent no less than five hours on making two needle rolls, I still need one or two more for the approx 100 sets of needles (including DPNS) I happen to own.

Firstly, the upholstery fabric one! (Sorry in advance for the pics, I took them on the deck this afternoon and consequently there are stripey shadows, but better that I took them in daylight, no?



reversible, strong upholstery fabric, with bias binding which was a real trial and error process (vintage sewing books saved the day) and its definitely use-able.



See? Nice needle holders (measured about 3cm per slot.. seems to work, with straights... really should check the DPNs. eek.)



Glamour shot, I love the blue fabric, especially as I realised that I paid $2 (op shop special) and received over 4 metres of it. But what to make????


Check the Betty Boop fabric! It WOULD be on the outside, but unfortunately I found out the hard way the turning ribbon into bias binding requires a certain level of manipulation. Blue won out.

last but not least, gratuitous cat shot. Just wanted to take this whilst out on the deck. Say hello to Toby the cat!



adios!

Holidays have started...

And I'm literally flooding myself in craft! In the good way, of course...Obligation wise, I've started the Egyptian block for the CQ swap.. but I really need to do more on it... arrg. Anyway, due to a noticeable absence of Anything Eqyptian-y in my fabric stash, and not having the car to travel, I did the next best thing, and bought felt! I'm seriously loving felt lately, its strong, durable and my sewing machine sews through it with not a hint of difficulty! Also consider cheapness, and it comes in so many colours! So really, today is a tribute to felt.



One felt CQ block with a motif I attempted to copy from some books on the subject. That motif is supposed to be a double crown of Ancient Egypt. And thats all I've done. Eek.

Also in the spirit of self gratification / felt loving, I found this freaking gorgeous tutorial on making felt covered barrettes. Seriously, if a fool like me can make them in 5mins, well, anyone can make them.



Voila! Although in the tutorial is says to handsew the buttons to the barrettes, in the spirit of laziness I machine sewed the buttons (trial and error, but doable) and do you know how many photos I took to get that half-decent one? Thirty one. Seriously, it is nigh-on-impossible to get a decent shot of you head with barrettes. In retrospect I wish I had kept some of the duds just for humour sakes. But still.

Last night I also stitched 2 knitting needle holders, took close to five hours, so will take photos in the next couple of days.

adios!

Moses supposes his toeses are roses...

Just a quick crafty show off! I have actually planned (planning? I'm as shocked as you are!) and pieced a CQ block for the Egypt swap, and done some embroidery on it. As soon as I can be bothered to photograph it, I'll show. In the meantime, another FO! For the pincushion swap on the embroidery board, I went with my partner's love of the beach and pastels to create this little beauty.

Took me a while and I'm really sad that I couldn't put a ceramic cat on the beach scene (would have looked pretty darn cool) I stuck with some awesome heart buttons I got in another swap ages ago.



and the back...



adios!

Exams are over, but what now?

Hey everyone, hope you are well. My lord the last week has just been packed full of revelations! My personal favourite include two lovely coworkers who I thought were the bestest buddies... got married on the weekend! I assumed the male part of the couple was gay, hence.. good buddies? Thats just revelation one!

Onto the pictures!
What do you do when you are home alone on a friday night and blog surfing loses its appeal? Try and join the Tunisian Crochet-a-long! Have an explore of this woman's flickr and website, lordy is there anything she can't make cool with crochet? I even learnt Tunisian Purl Stitch and had a crack at the a-long-ness.

but first, where the bloody hell is my crochet hook? I narrowed down the options to either an abandoned warehouse, or my needle case. (In dire need of order... no?. But really, try looking for a long crochet hook in this:


Suprisingly it only took about 7 mins, once I got a strategy going. but still... lotsa needles, no?



Tadaaaaaaaa! In case your curious, the hook is a 5mm, which is just small enough thank you very much.

and finally, just for bragging sakes, my two swatches. Swatch numero uno is Tunisian rib, which is just like like 1x1 rib for crochet people.. but with MUCH longer names for the stitches..Yeesh.



Tunisian Waffle stitch, which is just like the one above, but you try and avoid getting the bumpy ridgy look.

Check everyone else's (much better looking) swatches here

adios!

Doop de do

No real title for today's post, just saying YAY! Why? Well I scored yarn! Thanks again to the wonderful people at Good Yarn Karma, I scored 3 luscious cakes of yummy green yarn. Its on my desk, and stroking it periodically tempts me towards the project I have intended for them. I have been eyeing off the 12" crochet square of the month craftalong for quite a while, but due to the varying weights etc of my yarn, I've abstained. This green will be the theme colour of the blocks. Not all blocks will be this colour, but they will look awesome with it.




This is my desk, part computer desk, part vanity unit. That spindle is my birthday present, I have decided that I need to find someone (read: bribe) to gently guide me through the processes of the whole thing. For once, book learning has failed me. but look at that pretty yarn! Enough to make you vegetarian really (you know... eat greens...)

Also I should be posting up there soon... given that I have utilised this wonderful website a couple of times.... good to give back.

Anyway, hands are freezing! (anyone else LOVING this cold weather?)

adios

I'm baaaack!

And boy am I buzzing with a vengeance! Yesterday (for those who aren't in the know) was World Wide Knit In Public Day, (WWKIPD) and as I had nothing better to do and felt like a wander up Brizzy way it seemed like a good idea. Seemed? Was! I must say I had a really really fun day! Between drinking hot chocolate so thick the spoon could almost stand up unassisted in the cup, to making major progress on my Cleckheaton cardi (I really should give it a name) and saying rather stupid things like 'I love 1x1 rib but I loathe moss stitch' (knitters alike are slapping their foreheads right now) to finishing off with a trip to bookfest, (sweet, sweet bookfest!) It was a long but ever so fun day. See you next time gals!

On the necessary knitting content. here is a nearly completed back of the cardi. Need about 10 cms. I did about 8 or nine centimetres, which, if you consider that I used 3.75mm needles and 4 rows to one centimetre, means a LOT of rows baby!)



Okay to the picfest! I uploaded a stack of photos, but I have every intention of uploading more. Such is my love for the books that I bought!
Fame is a fickle creature, as you can see this cute, rather weird two faced doll bears my name, and after a variety of shots in her shopping outfit, wedding outfit (she looks like an Egyptian mummy) and other fantastic concoctions, she gets sidelined by a tart named Geraldine who wears a jacket, a skirt and little else. Rats.




See these books? The yellow ones? GOLDEN HANDS! The other ones are a time life series thing, but they are filled with gorgeous dressmaking advice and, *sigh* I just love them. Thanks Miss Vicki for putting me onto a good thing (p.s. I want her granny trolley. Badly)

And lastly, an overdue embroidery pic. This is a pretty much done one sided pin cushion for a swap on the embroidery thread. Bearing in mind that the middle is going to have a ceramic cat in the middle, I really think it needs.... something... Any suggestions? Just so you know, this is the pretty side of the planned pincushion, the business side is brown felt with some yet to appear purple flowers, and a bias binding tape side... ala Meshell's pincushions. Not as glamorous, but a shite load of hard work all the same. Oh and I need to start (and complete) an Egypt theme Crazy Quilting block. Sans Egypt fabric, I have raded the riot craft store and bought... felt. Seems we will be seeing a LOT of felt soon. Sheesh I've had enough!


Enough for now.. thats what I call a blog post!

adios!

*p.s* I had to recently play with the Wists button. So if you see 'Bookybabe' instead of librarylass. Blame Wists. Annoying people wanted to recognise my email but not let me login or get a new password. Arg. So new account, and yes I am cringeing as much as you are, but at least I can finally add stuff again. Also I shifted my old wists to the new account. Nice to know I still have good taste!

Just a quick heads up

Okay everyone, just quickly letting you know that I won't be active in the next couple of weeks. Reasons?
1) Exam on Friday
2) My job has called and I need to harass TAFE (so that I in turn, be royally screwed over, repeatedly) so that I can actually KEEP my job.

I very doubt much crafting will be going on. but if my brain remains the way it was today (very slow, very unwilling to do things that require 'thought') I may well pop off a few rows of knitting.

For now, its late nights and a passing hope that I don't catch one of the zillion bugs coming along. ARRRG

Mini break!

ah yes! crafty post!

I apologize to everyone who actually endured the previous post. So without further adieu, I present: pictures!

introducing the coolest shirt I have ever owned. Mine! ALL MINE! (pardon the boob shot, it is rather hard to take an action shot in the mirror, even while wearing glasses)



As you can see, I have a tendency to see the library side of things as an integral part of my personality, especially given that the library thing nicely mixes three things I like : people, computers (most of the time) and books. Thanks Dave, you really truly rule for getting me this shirt. I mean that in a superhero way too. :p

Next photo, show my attempt to dissect a triangle. I wanted to find the exact centre for a pincushion, silly thrifty me forgot to put said triangle in the MIDDLE of the fabric. My bad. At least my attempt at maths realised that I actually enjoy said maths. Loved it in high school, because with all the hormones flying around, maths had an infallible logic that worked every time. Whats not to love?



Coincidentally, I decided to go with a square pincushion. Much easier to dissect, plus more space for my *ahem* artistic wanderings. You'll see what I mean when I finish the cloud stitch and therefore have the nerve to post a pic. Will definitely love this pincushion when done. Hope the recipient will to....



This is the latest shot on the up and coming cardigan. Actually given that I'm using 3.75mm needles for this baby, I'm going quite fast, using my trusty maths I figured that 4 = one centimetre, so 12 centimetres is 48 rows. Thirty six centimetres is what is required before the arm decreases (on 1x1 rib? I'll cross that bridge when I get there). Remembering that 3x12 = 36 48x 3 = 144 rows. Maths, love it, use it, works every time. Having said that, I dread to think how many stitches I have actually knit, and lets not go there with the mistakes!

Anyway I do need to sleep, so adios!

My lament (people expecting a long awaited craft post, try tomorrow!)

Hey everyone, hope your day went well. As the title of today's post suggests, I'm in the mood for a rather boring love rant. Feel free to return to your mobile phone conversations and online messaging applications.

I was excited about the date. It looked like a promising venture into international relations. A fling in international relations. Hell I practically outlined my strategy at the beginning of said date 'This rather lacklustre shopping precinct happens to be in very close proximity to a casino (grog) and a beach.' (HINT: I was TRYING to hit on you. The fact that you kept chatting about travel of which I clearly had no experience.. well just the fact that your overt worldliness could be slightly intimidating is something I can get past. Hello? GEEZ) Gah. I really thought forwardness was going to work. GAH! Seriously, the more I date, the more I wonder how soon I can legitimately become a cat lady. Four cats can easily provide the company of one male. Consider: Male provides something pleasant to talk about the end of your day. More frequently than not, this conversation will interrupt the flow of tasks that need to be done. So do cats. Also, on cold nights, the helpless male is subjected to a barrage of cold feet and this weird technical 'embracing'. Give me four cats and an electric blanket, and if you aren't sufficiently coddled by the morning, then you don't know what coddling is!

Seriously what is the right approach with guys? Overt flirting gets me some place I'd rather not bed (hint, said place usually contain pillows and a doona), whilst flat and frank seems to get so far, then .... sputter sputter... nothing. Wit doesn't really triumph, in fact wit amuses briefly before getting thrown aside in favour the ability to keep looking interested and desperately trying to find some common ground. Bugger it. I'm going to be a cat lady. Happy cat lady with four beautiful cats and a massive bookshelf, filled with wonderful treasures, old and new.

Downsides to the lone persona, four cats thing, well, social exercises can get a little tricky, not to mention travel, and I DO want to travel, more than anything. Also, unless you are forever content with work social exercises in which an excuse to make more than momentary conversation with people you either respect or loathe but treat them with the same smile and common courtesy, then that can be fun too. Until they hit the 'so is there a man in your life?' question. To the point where I would rather them ask if I'd scored any illicit substances lately because at least I'd have a cutesy answer then. Better than the fumbling crap of 'uh, no I don't, not really looking either, am busy with study and all that'. Typical reply 'I'm sure you'll find someone who will change that perception'. Uh yeah, my shrink. Hey I pay him for the reassurance as well. GRRRR

So yes. After today, it seems to be in my best interests to be a lone wolf... not as in live in the woods and howl at full moons, but at least resign myself to the tedium of the everyday with fantastic dreams of being able to travel around the world, experience everything there is to see, and be safe in the knowledge that the only person who can hurt me is me. God knows I won't be travelling with anyone else. Why? Well circumstances (ie, friends and family are all broke, and have other things in mind than global domination) mean that the only way I WILL see exotic locales is to do the blasted thing myself. Hell I might even have fun in the process.

Enough of my rant. Bring on the cats. Here kitty kitty, here global domination.

adios

ooh la la!

Hey everyone! hope your week has gone well!

It has been a rather busy week for me! I love my job, helping people, absolutely fantastic.

Summarised version of the week
- helped a student teacher with the technical part of an assessment
- She nailed said assessment (she got good feedback, that constitutes nailed)
- That was thursday, which is also her birthday and surprise! She also got engaged that night!
- Stoked that such a nice person got engaged, Go Diane!
- I had a lovely chat with Cute Canadian, and as a result am going on a date with said cute Canadian. This should be fun. Conversation where we are not interrupted every five minutes by someone wanting something? Uninterrupted anecdotes? Definitely fun.
- oh rats, what do I wear to meet said date? jeans and top, but what jewellery? what bag? PAH! details!!!

Anyway I need to get going but YAY!!!!!!

adios!

p.s. WILL be posting pics of crafty things later... just have been so busy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!