It's whistling by and I seem to be running to catch up on all fronts. So far I have managed precisely one creative thing: in January I knitted and fulled an i-Pod case for one of my partner's friends. I finally got around to sewing it up on the Easter weekend. This weekend I took a photo of it and hopefully I can send it winging on its way to Britain. If we get our collective act together and write its accompanying letter.
Next weekend I have a 'me' weekend booked, so this weekend was spent doing some prep: washing and drying fabric for a couple of sewing projects, and getting some knitting projects set up.
Firstly, I fulled a sample of Karaoke (two-row stripes in Copper and Intensity) in order to calculate the specifications for a replacement PSP case (the hastily-put-together polar fleece one is getting rather ratty).
Secondly, I knitted a swatch of 'tiny scales' from the Vogue Knitting Stitchionary volume one in Jo Sharp Classic DK, Scarlet. This will become an i-Pod cover for my other half, who chose the stitch pattern herself and requested it, so I need to measure it up and cast on.
Karaoke swatch specifications:
Stitch: Stocking
Needles: 4.5 mm addi turbo
Pre-fulling: 10 stitches: 5.5 cm, 10 rows: 3.8 cm
Post-fulling: 10 stitches: 5 cm , 10 rows: 3 cm
PSP in hard case is 24 cm in circumference widthways and 42cm in circumference lengthways. Finished fulled fabric should be 27 - 30 cm x 42 cm. I'm thinking vertical stripes could be the way to go, with maybe a two-color twisted cord.
JS Classic DK specifications
Stitch: tiny scales
Needles: 3.5 mm unbranded bamboo
10 stitches: 4 cm
10 rows: 3.2 cm
i-Pod is 16 cm in circumference widthways and 24 cm in circumference lengthways. I need a piece of fabric 18 - 20 cm x 24 cm, and then a twisted cord. I may do this like a simple toe-up sock: no finishing to speak of, then. Casting on 40 stitches sounds about right if knitting in the round.
And thirdly, I washed and dried (but did not necessarily get around to measuring).
Hemp Gallery Mid weight canvas - 705
Pre-washing: 0.96 x 1.01 m
Post-washing:
Hemp Gallery Hemp / organic cotton sheeting - 02
Pre-washing: 2.87 x 1.05 m
Post-washing:
Post-washing:
White Muslin
Pre-washing: 1.51 x 2.74
Post-washing:
Cotton wadding:
Pre-washing: 1.54 x 1.33 m
Post-washing:
Plain blue cotton:
Pre-washing: 1.10 x 2.20 m
Post-washing:
Post-washing:
Blue and white printed cotton:
Pre-washing: 1.13 x 1.08 m
Pre-washing: 1.13 x 1.08 m
Post-washing:
Orange indian cotton:
Pre-washing: 1.17 x 1.54 m
Post-washing:
Blue striped indian cotton:
Pre-washing: 1.24 x 2.70 m
Post-washing:
Mottled grey flannel:
Pre-washing: 1.20 x 3.46 m
Post-washing:
Post-washing:
In household news, my partner and I have decided to commit to staying in the current abode and buying my parents out. We discovered that the only place we could afford a house was the Blue Mountains, and while we both love the idea, the practicalities of commuting to North Ryde and Redfern would mean that we would never see the house in question in daylight, except on the weekends, when we would spend most of our time sleeping, anyway. There would be severe and prolonged grumpiness, which is not exactly the idea.
And then I stand on the front balcony on a day like this Sunday and think we've got it pretty good:
We have both taken deep breaths and given each other major concessions: I have decided that the living room can become her gaming space and can be decorated with small comic-book-character figurines, dragons etc. She likes to game socially, so it make sense. She has conceded that the double bed can be stored in the garage and the small bedroom can become my workroom plus clothes storage (both of us would prefer less furniture in the main bedroom). It will take a while (over a year, I imagine), but I should eventually have a dedicated room for textile activities! I already have my eye on an expensive (but obtainable) sit-stand table which should help my back and make it possible to carry out a number of different activities in comfort.
Meanwhile, I need to go and see a solicitor to figure out how to get us both owning this property outright.
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