Colour Challenge

I've been dyeing a lot of purple skeins lately. Admittedly it's one of my favourite colours, but it's also one of the top fashion colours this season. What better excuse to indulge my passion! My camera on the other hand is not so good with these tones. I took a few shots this morning to try to capture the variety. This one is the best of them, but it's not great.I've already set myself several challenges for the school break--coming up in only a few weeks now. Getting some basics skills of machine embroidery established is high on the list, since my textile art course seems to rely on that technique a fair bit. I've also been challenged to do some more drawing--I'm still incredibly uncomfortable with my pencil and paper. Some more photography skills had better go on the list as well. Hmmm and organising the house a bit more, and getting some exercise, and, and, and . . .

Getting There

I've been slowly sneaking up on the sock challenge:

• First I had to manage knitting in the round without tucking a needle under my arm;
  
• Then I graduated to double pointed needles: three and then four;
  
• Holding the needles from below, rather than from above was the next challenge. That allowed me to manage a rib.

Now it's time for the real thing! I've done a cuff; I'm working a bit of a leg and then it will be time to turn the corner. this is it and so far it's really not a problem. I'm thinking of this as a demo sock, so I'm not worrying too much about guage and fit. And I'm working it in 8-ply (DK), so it's going really quickly. I just want to get through the steps one at a time to demystify the process. Then I expect I'll be off and racing.

Party Challenge

Here's a response to my friend D's party invitation / challenge on her blog Make Mine Silk. This fabric arrived in the mail last month. My task was to make something. Yesterday I made this button: I've been wanting to try out these DIY buttons for a while. Covering the metal cap with fabric and sealing off the back was easy. I added the beads for a bit of extra brightness and texture. I'm quite happy with the result. It was quick and fun. I went on to make another button with some different fabric and beads. This could get to be a habit! Unfortunately the base buttons themselves cost enough that I'll have to think about it before I go completely crazy making buttons with all my pretty fabrics. I've got two more from the set I bought to try out. Then I'll have to see whether I can source them somewhere else, or save them for special. Meanwhile, D, please note: I made something! There still seems to be an awful lot of that cute fabric left on my table, though, so I'll have to see about making something else maybe.

By the way, I happen to know that there's still an incredible amount of that fabric at D's place, so get onto her blog if you'd like to play. Or let me know if you live locally, and I'll happily pass some on to you. I think I signed up for 2 bits and got about 6, so I'm more than happy to share and save on postage. It's a short pile cotton velvet with the all over floral print.

Packages

Gone are the days of "brown paper packages tied up with string", but packages are still one of my favourite things. This little pile of gifts and challenges arrived yesterday morning. There's a sweet little parcel tied up with pretty ribbon which I can't open until my birthday. I've also been told not to squeeze it . . . intriguing! Then there are two large pieces of fabric making their second interstate journey: a length of red wool-blend suiting and some purple seersucker. These have travelled from Melbourne to my friend D's house/s in Queensland, but have remained in her sewing space with their destinies unfulfilled. They've come back to Melbourne to see what I can do with them. I'm thinking about cutting up the red to make some scarves/wraps and the purple might just become part of a fun summer skirt for me. The red floral fabric is part of a party hosted by D at her blog, Make Mine Silk. The challenge is to turn the fabric into something and blog about it. I'll have to get my creative juices going on that one. By the way, invitations to that party are open, so follow the link if you'd like to take part. There's a challenge of a different sort obscured by the hand-written note. That's a pair of fingerless mittens I made out of my handspun wool-silk. The moths have had a nibble at them. I have to find a way of securing the frayed ends and darning the hole, so D can enjoy them--hopefully this winter.

Australia post is going to do pretty well out of us this month, because the mittens will soon join a pile of warm pretty things which has been building up at my house ready to send up to my friends in Queensland. Then it will be D's turn to open up her package and enjoy the gifts and challenges I've packed up for her.