floating world

old and new

Things from my grandmother's house (she has just moved to a smaller unit, and had a big clear-out)

New red shoes.

Other things I am excited about:

• Cooler weather and winter clothes (although it is meant to be back to 31 tomorrow - eek).
• The latest Mixtape, which arrived in my letterbox today. This one is full-colour, so even glossier and more fabulous than usual. And there's a little article in there I wrote about the Toy Society. I'm hoping to snatch a bit of time during Ali's nap today so I can curl up with a coffee and read it properly.
• The Kusama Yayoi exhibition that opened at the MCA this week. Her work is always exciting, so I'm looking forward to visiting.
• Claudine just loaned me the Twilight books, and I can't wait to get started.
• Ali's jumper is almost finished. I just have the hood to go now. I tried it on him this morning, being careful not to poke him in the eye with the circular needle, and it looks like it's going to be a good fit.

good things in the post

    1. Karen Magazine

It is, as it says, a magazine about the ordinary, but it's interesting and beautiful too. Even the three page interview with a butcher's apprentice. And it is such a refreshing change to read a magazine that isn't trying to sell you anything. I love it. (Ordered here)

    2. Japanese sewing books from Leslie
 
The one on the left is (mostly) boys clothes (more pictures here), and the Check & Stripe one is a bit of everything. Actually, it is now my Desert Island Sewing Book, which I would choose if I was only allowed one sewing book for a very long time... it has beautiful adult patterns, and kids, and homewares. It seems to have far more patterns than these books usually do too. Plus nice photos of Paris. Perfect, really. I am going to try and make most of Ali's winter clothes, so this is a good start.

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Other things:

Thanks you so much for all the ant tips. My kitchen is now doused in essential oils and sprinkled liberally with cinnamon, and there are demarcation lines of talc on the balcony. I hope the ants take note. It looks a bit strange, but smells good.

Also, if I wasn't trying to sew Ali's clothes I would buy some from here. Absolutely lovely. Found via Kristen.

handknit heritage

Since I learned to knit myself, I look at photos from my childhood in a completely different way*. My Nanna was a prolific knitter, so my brother and sister and I had lots of beautiful hand knits growing up. Now I know how much time goes into knitting I appreciate them so much more, and it's fun to try and work out how the pattern worked from the pictures. Here are a few from photos I have at home:

This is me at six months, so it must have been in Auckland. Note cute pink baby jumper and retro 70s high chair.

This is my favourite - it's me with Nanna in Sydney (I think). I love this stripey garter stitch dress so much. If I ever have a daughter I'll try to make one the same. It looks like the sleeves are knitted in one piece with the front and back.

I'm not sure how old I am here, maybe 3? It's taken in front of Caves House at Jenolan Caves. I like the stripes and ribs in this jumper.

This was taken in our back garden in England, so I was probably about 9 or 10. I really like the collar and cables on this one. I remember wearing it a lot that winter. And wasn't my guinea pig cute? He was very fat and called Napoleon.

Nanna died over ten years ago, well before I started knitting properly. But since she was the one who taught me to knit as a child, and it was her explanations that came back to me when I picked up my first knitting book in Tokyo, I like to think that a little bit of her knitting creativity is being carried on in the things that I make for Ali.

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* The way I watch movies has changed too. Romulus, My Father, was a very intense film, but I kept getting distracted by the children's fabulous handknit jumpers. And The Edge Of Love was so-so, but had exceptional cardigans. 

how to banish ants?

These lilies are making my living room feel sunny, even though it's been a mostly grey weekend. And I did a fabulous hoop class with Deanne yesterday, which left me full of enthusiasm and glee.

I don't know if it's because of the wet weather we've had lately, or Momo and Ali's messy eating habits, but we have lots of ants creeping into our dining room from outside. Does anyone have ideas for (preferably humane and non-toxic) ways of banishing them? So far I have tried AntRid, vinegar and sticky tape, with limited success.

sewing and listening

I did some work on this little herd of elephants-to-be tonight, getting them ready to head to Victoria via the Toy Society. They're made from Kate's excellent pattern from the AWW. 

While I was sewing I was listening to talks on TED. There is so much great stuff on there. First I listened to Elizabeth Gilbert and Amy Tan - talking (separately) on creativity. And then Rob Forbes on design and ways of seeing and public space and found art. I had to stop sewing for that one, because it has lots of cool pictures. Go make yourself a coffee and check it out. I love the internet.

grey

 
Rain has settled in here and seems to be staying for a while. It makes it good weather for knitting. And movies. Mark and I saw Slumdog Millionaire on Saturday, down at the Quay. I'm thinking about India a lot at the moment, things just seem to keep prodding my mind in that direction. One of my best friends is travelling there right now. Mark and I ate at Maya Masala a couple of weeks ago. I just finished reading The White Tiger (it was fantastic), and Sea of Poppies is next on my list.

I visited India in 1998, with my family, and to be honest I didn't enjoy it much at all. I was 18, we all got sick, and I had no experience of poverty- or even humanity - on that scale, so it was overwhelming. It was one of those experiences that I'm very, very glad to have had, but I didn't get much pleasure from the actual doing. But I think if we went back I would be prepared, stay longer, do it differently and enjoy it more. We'll see.

for my valentine

Recipe from here.

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Other things:

Do you have too much fabric and yarn stashed away? I know I do. Sooz is organising a the re-stash a crafter drive, to pass on supplies to people who lost theirs in the fires. Read more here.

Kate Banazi has set up a sale shop and all proceeds are going to the Red Cross fire appeal (and will be matched by her husband's work). It is a very good excuse to buy one of her beautiful prints.

fire

Usually I stay away from serious stuff here, but the past 24 hours have been full of terrible news from Victoria, as the extent of the bushfire damage and death emerges. It's hard to say anything about a disaster of this scale that doesn't sound like cliche or platitude, but I just feel so sad for those poor, poor people who just had no idea what was coming. And helpless. And guilty for spending the weekend in safety and comfort. And shocked by this reminder that even in our modern, civilized world we have so little control over the elements.

There is very little anyone can do to help, other than the actual fire fighters and emergency services, who are doing an amazing job. At the moment the evacuation centres are asking people not to drop off goods, until they have a clearer idea of what is needed. The governments have promised money, and charities are organising collections, but no amount of money can bring life back to normal for the people affected. But The Toy Sociey is arranging a donation of handmade toys for affected children. It's good to be able to contribute in some tiny way.

Update: here are some more good links about ways to help.

Toy Society

Comfort packs for kids organised by Beyond Pink and Blue

Handmade Helps Out has a wonderful list of many different ways to contribute

Now I'm off to Coles... they're donating 100% of profits made today.

heatwave knitting

It's hot in Sydney this weekend, and I have been obsessively knitting. I blame the wool. It arrived on Tuesday, all the way from Canada. I ordered it to make a jumper for Ali to wear this coming winter, thinking that such I am such a slow knitter I should plan ahead. I'm making this hoodie again, but with a few modifications and in a much bigger size. Even in this heatwave the yarn feels beautiful and isn't hot or prickly at all. It's my first time using hand-dyed wool and I'm a total convert.

I decided recently that since I put so much time into the things I knit, it's only worth it if I use really good quality materials - for two reasons: 1) it makes the knitting itself so much enjoyable and 2) the finished item is nice enough to justify the time spent making it. (This is basically an elaborate justification for buying expensive yarn, but it does make sense, because if I wanted to get a synthetic, generic jumper for Ali I could buy one at Target for $20).

Anyway, having bought the beautiful, hand-dyed wool I am enjoying knitting with it so much that I am powering through the knitting and at this rate the jumper will be finished in about a week, months before it's cold enough to need one. But it makes a nice change from projects that linger around forever.

bedroom update

Long term readers may remember this post from (ahem) July last year.

I am pleased to report that while the bedroom isn't 100% finished, it is looking much prettier.

The walls are painted, the horror blind has gone, and I finally made the curtain, cushion covers and valance. Nothing fancy, but at least it feels like we live here now. I have been looking for a picture to hang over the bed, and in another case of perfect timing I received an email from Kate Banazi today, saying I had won this gorgeous print (she gives a print away each month to someone on her mailing list, so you should go sign up now). I've admired her work for ages, so I'm very excited. And it turns out she lives around the corner from me too.