Proof

Proof of knitting, of colour, and of imminent tea cosy.

The Woven Stitch Tea Cosy from Australian Yarn Art, a ridiculously easy pattern that is using up a handful of leftover Colinette Point Five (or One Zero, I can't remember which) and some of the ubiquitous purple 8ply (probably Cleckheaton, judging by the failed Tychus from which it is being reclaimed).
Part one knitted last night, part two on the needles, then a lining and sewing together and the Icord trim if I feel like it, and my small pot will have a tea cosy!!!
The Colinette is red and orange and pink with the occasional chesnutty bit, which is popping beautifully against the rich purple. Talk about livening up the brown kitchen benchtop!!

Sadly, this joyous endeavour is being interrupted by an unavoidable chore - I must do some homework to prepare for tomorrow's lessons, lest I end up with nothing for my classes to do and therefore cause myself massive amounts of stress and create circumstances that require ongoing damage-control.

le sigh.
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Pictures!!!

Pattern: Daffodil Stitch Tea Cosy
Yarn: Heirloom Easy-care 5ply
Needles: op-shop tortoiseshell straights

Flowers - a variety of patterns found via the flower page on Knitting Pattern Central, odd balls of Cleckheaton and Spotlight yarns, 4mm dpns

time: about a week (on holidays, with many many car hours)
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And moving back in time...

We visit the Tea Cosy Swap - my swappee, inkberryblue, just put up some lovely pics of the cosy I sent her (which I managed not to photograph properly before I sent it!), so here it is - and it fits!!!




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Sometimes Bad is Good

I was A Bad Girl last night.

I didn't go to bed until after 1 am.

That was because I was having a Pride and Prejudice (see notes at end of post) festival. I enjoyed the first episode (and a little of the second) the night before, so at 8.30 I sat down in front of the Genius of Jane Austen, and watched the rest of that so excellent BBC series.
Of course, once I finished my dinner, I did not sit there with idle hands, oh no!

I was A Good Girl.

See the completed tea-cosy for my MIL (an amazingly tolerant and patient woman who has been dropping such hints as "I'm really looking forward to that teacosy, my old one is falling to pieces"). It has taken me forever to get back to this, because I really didn't like the first version, so this week I decided that if I disliked it that much, I should frog and start again. Three nights later, et voilá! I think that this will be sent with extras, to apologise for my incredible tardiness.

I also finished Roseleaf #1 - so pretty!

Can you see the cuff? I did my first Tubular Cast-off! Although the first few stitches are a little wobbly, as I learnt the rhythm and worked out the right tension, the rest of it is fine, and sooo s--t--r--e--t--c--h--y!!!!

I immediately (insert five minutes of admiring my bee-yoo-ti-ful sock!) cast on the next sock, using the Easy Toe at the end of this Knitty article on toes (nb lots of pictures, loads a little slowly). It is so fabulously simple! I love this toe. It is my dearest friend (at least where toe-up socks are concerned. If it were a choice between this technique and chocolate, things might be different). I started with 12 stitches picked up through the crochet chain, worked 4 rows stocking stitch (beginning purl), unzipped the crochet, put a needle through those 12 stitches, and began working in the round, picking up two stitches along either short edge, and then doing paired increases up the sides of the toe every other round. And look at it now! 5 rounds into the lace-patterned foot already!


Notes: doing a little search for P&P, I found this website: Pride and Prejudice - an e-text which is hyperlinked to annotations on the characters, themes, historical information etc etc which is a treasure trove for Austen fans!! I clicked on a link to Regency fashions and was lost for quite some time - for instance, this fashion plate on shawls - don't you just want to go grab one and start playing???
The whole book, free on Project Gutenberg.

Oh, and for those who wondered (2paw!) I found my sewing machine presser foot.............................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
in the cereal cupboard.
Of course, where else should it be??

ETA: Grey's Anatomy is back on! Thrills!! (though strangely low key first episode, I thought)

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Phew!

My long-suffering Tea Cosy Swap pal inkberryblue received her package this week and - much to my relief - was thrilled with the cosy I made! I'm thrilled that she's so happy, and check out the mosaic underneath - is that a great match or what???

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I don't have to wait for Christmas

Because I got goodies yesterday and I didn't have to wait to open them!!!!

D'you wanna see??

In Christmassy colours, but perfectly legal to open it because it was the package from my Aussie Tea Cosy Swap partner, Shelly (ozrockchic on Ravelry)!!

And look what I found inside!!!

• Very cute card full of good wishes
  
• Hot stuff red/pink/orange crocheted cosy, with ties and a button-closed strap to accommodate the spout
• Extra Golden Cup charm and little ceramic tag that says "Tea for Two" - which is exactly how much tea you get out of that pot!!
• Tea infuser with cut floral mug on the end of the don't-lose-it chain
• Lei flowered teabag/strainer/spoon catcher in the shape of a teapot
• Byron Chai tea mix (yum)
• Ferrero Rocher chockies (yum yum)
• Lemon myrtle soap (smells yum)
• Sugar'n'Cream cotton in Midnight Magic colours that are totally ME!!!

whew. So much fun in one little package!! Thank you Shelly - you do indeed ROCK!!!

But Wait!! There's More!!!
(no steak knives)

I also received a package from WA, from a certain online enabler, who took her business name from a well-known Aussie folk song.....


what could it be??


Why, an order from the Jolly Jumbuck, of course!!


I ordered 2 skeins of Tofutsies, with the bonus set of Addi dpns that Irene has as her summer special, and then I might accidentally-on-purpose have added an itsy witsy skein of Achilles superwash merino sockyarn in "Bruised Plum"....
Furthermore, Irene noticed a couple of knots in the skein as she put it all together, so she threw in a bonus set of (the other kind and size of ) Addi dpns... and can you see those letters dangling over the luscious plumminess? She has 'jolly' and 'jumbuck' spelt out on little stitch-markers tied to the corner of the invoice!!! I like her style, and her excellent customer service!!

Oh, and one other thing - I resisted for about 4 hours, then I accidentally started to play with some yarn and needles, and so there is a swatch of 6 rows of ribbing happening in the pinks-and-charcoal Tofutsies :>

Other things are happening too, like kids with colds, and a family photo session on a beach, and mad mad knitting and making and sewing, and cleaning for rellies (Friday!), and son's friend for sleepover (Sat) and hockey bbq (Sat) and snb xmas picnic (Sat!!) and b'day for another of son's friends (Sun), and a few other bits'n'bobs - hope you are all having a nice time with your Silly Season!

ETA: DO NOT GO TO JOLLY JUMBUCK!!
NO!!
DON"T DO IT!!!
I WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU GO AND LOOK AT THE NEW YARNS AND THE FABULOUS COLOURS!!!!
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!!

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The Good News Is...

I finished it.

You can't tell that the last moss green row is only half as thick, but you can see that picking up from the cast-on edge and doing a three-needle bind-off does not work with this garter-stitch fabric.

The Bad News?
It is not fit for Human Hattage. It fits a Madagascar Penguin.

I believe, as does the relevant page in Knitting Rules, that this hat is meant to be a teacosy.


Do you want to know the Great News???
the Chocky Tychus was a success!!

I can't show you the wearer's face, because he is not a dentist :>


Comments Housekeeping:
Kate: It's not paranoia when you've got proof of persecution!!!

Carol: Thank you, but my cunning plan allowed me to get to the end of that *&^$#$%^&* row. And I really do have a big head. 57cm. 22 1/2". Plenty of brain-room, for when it grows back.

Nat: Thank you. I like to believe that the knittyverse directed your vibes towards me finishing the Chocky Tychus with panache, and the Penguin Cosy with persistence. I will not be beaten by my own needles and wool!!!

Esther: Friends like to make friends feel good :)

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This is part of a teacosy, so I can't show you its face.

For the Aussie Knitters (Ravelry) group Inaugural Tea Cosy Swap.



First half-exterior done. Fairly entertaining pattern, though the picture of the design is more of an 'interpretation' :>

BTW, that is an inside-out, rolled-up version, to protect the unsuspecting in the unlikely event that they cruise past my blog!
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