Spin Evolution

The Resurrection of my wheel.

One of the best things about attending a fibrecraft retreat is the inspiration that permeates the event & gets clogged in your psyche.  When you work in the fibrecraft industry it's easy to become conditioned to so many amazing things, so seeking solace in the simple things can be surprising therapeutic.

At Unwind there were a collection of hand spinners who travelled with their wheels.  There we also a number of fibre retailers that did seductive enticements with colour & texture. Seeing them was the kick in the pants I needed to dust off (and I mean dust off - it took me 2 hours of de-dusting) my beautiful Ashford Traditional that Dr. Phil bought for my birthday many years ago.

Happy Hanks

I haven't spun a yarn in years.  I learned when I was pregnant with Hugo, but the temptations of a spinning wheel & a very active toddler that was Louis did not make a harmonious mix - so just as I was getting proficient, the wheel was packed away for it's own safe keeping.  Fast forward 5 years & the wheel is back gracing the living room & the usual craft detritus of needles, hooks, yarn & notions has mushroomed to now include various fibre, spindles, bobbins & a niddy noddy.

The Evolutionary skeins

This rediscovery has been so welcome.  The gentle repetitive rotation has had a yen like effect at a time I have desperately needed calm.  As stress was building in one corner of my life, the wheel magically massaged it away with every press of the pedal.  I now completely get the deep lust that ardent hand spinners have for their craft.

The Evolution vest is well underway

Now that I have spun up a storm over the last 3 weeks I have started a simple vest to supplement Hugo's Winter wardrobe.  An 'Evolution' vest, cast on at the bottom with the first yarn spun & knitted up with each consecutive skein, showcasing my own spinning evolution.  As my spinning, plying & colour combinations grow in confidence, it's story is translated into a vest that I can admire on Hugo.  I can't wait to get it finished & start experimenting further, the ideas for making my own yarn & for what we can achieve at work have my head spinning (pun intended) with ideas. I just love how looking at something from a slightly different angle can provide you with an entirely new perspective!

Unwinding...

Despite what many might think I was at Unwind to work!

 

I have just returned from the second Unwind Retreat in Dunedin.  A great weekend of inspiration, colour & crazy - all good of course. Here is a little taste of how you Unwind!

 

Sofia helps Tracee get Unwound

Jessicah getting into the Spin of it

Faster...Faster!

Crochet Essentials



Heavenly Handspun by Maude & Me



Just beautiful! The Unwind Design Competition

 

Cooling Off



Hugo's first fish!  Is that a happy boy or what!

 It almost seems to happen overnight when all of a sudden Summer is over & you are staring down the barrel of the cooler months.  Our lives are frenetic in February.  Napier is ripe with activity: Art Deco weekend, Mission Concert, Church Rd Winery concerts, not to mention getting the boys settled back into school.



Louis gets face painted at Ella's Birthday

 We have had some lovely visits from family & friends over the past month, with even more planned for March.  I have also been very good getting oodles of knitting finished, including a birthday cardigan for Ella & my winter Cardi project, completed just in time for me to wear down to Dunedin to Unwind this weekend.

Ella's Birthday Cardi

My next project is is one of my classic fluid 'wing it' Buscke specials.  We have this fabulous new super chunky yarn at Skeinz & one of the colours is the most vibrant Magenta - it didn't speak to me this yarn, it shouted with expletives for me to cast it on.  I am playing around with some 10mm needles, a laddering stitch & some fairly dodgy maths to see whether I can make an idea in my head translate into something wearable - fingers crossed!  If I have managed my new technology correctly I hope to be able to blog updates whilst at Unwind....

My latest project - cast on with a wing & a prayer...

Chasing Rainbows

There is no excuse to throw a pity party over the weather this Summer - in short it has been stunning.  The rub with all this glorious sunshine of course is the distinct lack of rain & the need has well & truly come for a decent dousing of the wet stuff. 

Last night rain was forecast & mother nature decided to give a wee show before the big wet arrived.  On dusk it was still fiendishly hot & you could see rain in the atmosphere that wasn't quite reaching Terra Firma, but the effect with the early evening sun was this stunning Rainbow which I just had to share - beautiful.


Stabbing Things with Needles.

A perfect Ahuriri morning to head out for a walk

I cast on my third WIP (work in progress) for the month last week.  After have a stellar completion rate over the festive season I have been struck with a chronic case of WIP whimsy.  I don't know what's come over me - made worse by the fact that at work today I just had to HAVE 5 balls of super chunky in the richest Cerise imaginable.

A Winter Cardi for me in a rustic Red Merino Possum

It all started out fairly innocently, after completing Hugo's new vest I promptly started the cardigan I  has planned for myself, in yarn I have had set aside for years.  Georgie Hallum, designer of the ubiquitous Milo has an adult cardigan called Miss Jane - the perfect little slip over everything cardi, one I could see myself thrashing this Winter.  On it got cast & I got cracking.

The chaos that is my Abstract Log Cabin Cushion

Then it happened, the quiet Sunday afternoon when I saw all the tweedy scraps that I had assembled & I looked at the tatty cushion on my bed & though "That could do with covering", next thing you know I had started on an abstract version of the Log Cabin pattern I enjoy so much. 

The Perfect wee pattern for Ella

And if that weren't enough, wee Ella, my go to 'baby girl' when I need a feminine fix, is turning two this weekend & that little 'knit nymph' in my brain pipes up again & declares "It's been far too long since you knitted something for that precious little girl, shame on you, shame on you" & Hey Presto!  I'm scrambling through the stash cupboard looking for something remotely suitable for a two year old little girl & project #3 is born.  At least knitting for a 2 year old is much quicker that a 6 year old, so after just a few days I am already knocking off the last sleeve & hope to get the sewing up completed tonight - a project completed.... then again I do hear that Cerise Super Chunky calling me......



Louis & I take 5 at a local Cafe & I sneak a few rows in.

I support more than penguins don't you know!

Yvonne (left) with her 2 other Queens & Mr. Bee

I love a good cause so do my work mates at Skeinz &.  Yvonne is our Skeinz Production Manager - she's that vital cog that makes sure EVERYBODY in the Mill knows what they're doing & when they need to be doing it.  As well as been uber busy at work, in her spare time Yvonne is an accomplished athlete.  This year she is combining her athletic talent & huge heart to participate in the Oxfam Trailwalk.  We are helping support Yvonne & her team mates & thought we would share with you their mission & fundraising efforts.  Proceeds of this event go to help people in our own back yard, like those recently affected by Cyclone Evan in Fiji, Samoa & Tonga.

If you would like to help Yvonne & her team mates you can donate either at skeinz or on the Oxfam Trailwalk website.

Yvonne's team is ‘3 Queens and 1 Bee’.  You can find out more about us at: http://www.oxfamtrailwalker.org.nz/teams

We will be keeping regular update on their training & fundraising progress here - Good Luck Yvonne!

Oxfam Trailwalk 2013

Oxfam Trailwalker is one of the world's toughest charity team challenges and one of the most rewarding.

Teams of four have to walk – or run – the 100 km course in a limited time in all weather and some rough terrain. But it’s not just a physical challenge: participants are also raising money to help overcome poverty and injustice around the world. It’s a life-changing event.

Four Run/Walk members, Yvonne Faulkner, Glenys Bunning, Sue Geenty and David Hills are walking the Oxfam Trailwalk on April 6^Th & 7^th 2013.  We will participate as a team, all walking the full 100 k together.  Starting 6 am Saturday morning we hope to finish by 6 am Sunday morning.  The course is off-road, from Kinloch around the hills north of Taupo, along the Waikato River, eventually finishing at Taupo Domain. http://www.oxfamtrailwalker.org.nz/event-info/trail-info

We have paid our own entry fees, and have arranged and pay for our own food and accommodation. However, this event is a charity fund raiser, and a condition of entry is an agreement to raise money for Oxfam, and our target is $2000.  We hope to achieve much more than this.

Since Oxfam Trailwalker New Zealand started way back in 2006 people just like you from all walks of life have raised an incredible $4,764,954 towards Oxfam's vital work in alleviating poverty and demanding justice for the world's poorest communities.

Back to Life, Back to Reality.

Poppa Ross & Louis getting the Ham prepped

After the rain, wind & misery of last years Christmas break, this year could not be more different.  Sunny skies, soaring temperatures & a Summer that those who live here in Hawkes Bay really do like to skite about (this is me skiting by the way).

Ahh Festive Hams!

Christmas was filled with much  laughter food & wine (plus greatly expanded waist lines) - just exactly as it should be.

The view from our campsite at Waipatiki

I am so glad that after a very social & festive Christmas, Dr. Phil, the boys' & I were able to escape just up the road to Waipatiki Beach to the awesome Waipatiki Beach Farm holiday park for a weeks camping.  It was great to see Louis & Hugo really take flight into the waves & thoroughly embrace the essence of a classic Kiwi Summer. 

Waipatiki Beach - Magic

You know a holiday has just been the ticket when you are feeling refreshed & really looking forward to getting stuck into new projects for 2013.  That all kicked off for me yesterday with the sale of my beloved Gisborne house to a young family wishing to restore the old girl to her former glory, I'm delighted that she has found such lovely guardians.

Hugo's 'Rolling Stone'

I have also had renewed vigour with my knitting having completed boy Louis & Hugo's jumpers for this Winter, I have cast on a cardigan for me (Miss Jane by Georgie Hallum) & am toying with the idea of a creating a design for the Unwind Retreat in March - oh to have that fresh flush of motivation.

Louis 'Copperhead Road'