Scratching the Knitting Itch

It’s 7.06am and my blog feed reads uggghhhh….549 unread items. Yikes. After being so on top of it for months, it’s totally slipped again.

So here’s a resolution for you: regular posts about knit bloggers that inspire yours truly.

First up:

Kirsten of Knitting Kninja.

What struck me about Kirsten is that she *replies* to comments! Wow lady, you are ace! One day I will be organised enough to do the same, but I loved the really personal touch.

Besides being lovely and considerate, Kirsten achieves a pretty incredible amount. Just going through her end of year blog posts, i’m all green with envy of her ability to not only finish projects but also get gorgeous photos (and isn’t she gorgeous? yes!).

To top it off, she can design, yo. Sunniva is right up there in my queue – so well balanced, beautiful drape, and flattering on loads of sizes i’m sure. Not completely sold on the lace collar, but sweet if that’s your thing.

(Image thanks to Kirsten, the Knitting Kninja. Click on the pic to go through to her site xx)

So, the big announcement?

Great big squeal of glee – i’ve had this under my hat for a month!!

Holland Road Yarn Company is set to open it’s doors on Wednesday 23 February. Hanging out at 281 Jackson St, Petone, this yarn shop will be like no other in the country, promise.

Featuring indie dyers from NZ and abroad, in both yarn and fibre. Holland Road Yarn Co is set to be your craft home away from home.

If there is anything you are desperate to see in a yarn store, let me know, i’m all ears. Particularly for unique and unusual yarns you can’t find anywhere else!

Happy New Year! Actually, where on earth has the new year gone? Already we’re two weeks in and this is the first post. Woops.

Dye camp is finally done and dusted – for now. Currently i’m procrastinating from heading to the workshop and moving the last big things back home. It’s a real mental block – being at the workshop has been very productive and well worth it but very hard at times.

Rather than come up with resolutions I much prefer to look back on all that has been achieved in the year gone by and reflect on how to do things better, discover new approaches and hunt out new inspiration. It’s hard to believe that the little dream I had 18 months ago is now a reality. Being my own worst critic, it’s easy to pick out holes and places I could be more organised, take the time to set up better processes and take a step back to reassess. It’s been a real joy getting to know all the knitters both near and far, in real life and on the interwebs.

I’ve also been incredibly lucky in my super supportive friends, crafty and otherwise. At times I’ve been entirely and completely useless at being social, and this year that needs to change so that I don’t go all crazy lady on it.

Enough of the introspection.

I hope you had a wonderful new year, and some quality relaxing time with friends and family. I look forward to getting to know you better this year and sharing the joy that is being part of the crafty community!

PS – watch this space tomorrow. A mega huge super duper amazing announcement this way comes!

Dye camp is going…ok. The atrocious weather earlier in the week took a day out of the schedule, so I hit the couch and did a whole lot of knitting.

The other three days have been pretty productive – 3 drying racks full of yarn but there is still a long way to go!

But, it is summer, and the boy is prone to spontaneity. So we finished our respective work yesterday afternoon, packed up his ute and hit the road.

Castlepoint is about 2 hours drive from Wellington and well worth the trip. We sat on top of a dune, ate chicken, had a few drinks and chatted. It’s been such a crazy busy year it’s probably the first quality time we’ve really had since … um… actually I can’t remember. Definitely what the doctor ordered, as was the 30 second dip in the water at 8.30am this morning before we headed back.

Absolutely worth the bad sleep on hard ground (in a tent, but sans air bed or foam mattress…oops) for that amazing view first thing in the morning.

Stay safe seeing in the New Year everyone, I’ll post my resolutions then!

xx Tash

In 2 weeks I’m losing my dye workshop – very very relieved that Granny’s house has sold (where the workshop lives) and she can move to Auckland and get on with the next stage of her life.

However, it means trying to get as much dyeing done as is humanly possible before it gets moved. For the meantime it’s coming home, but the set up won’t be ideal and so i’m trying to be over prepared.

Which means – working through Christmas. Yuck. It’s been an extreme year in all possible ways – lots of really truly wonderful and exciting things but also lots of very trying, draining things. I’m pretty desperate for a holiday, as the old body has said loud and clear the last three days when I should have been dyeing – thinking of getting stuck in gives me a headache, not a jump for joy.

Sitting on the couch just now, I thought, well, there is no choice in the matter, so let’s twist it round to the positive. Let’s put some measures in place to make it fun and exciting rather than ass. So, introducing:

DYE CAMP 2010

Rules of dye camp:

1. Tasty treats. Plan ahead and take wonderfully delicious lunches and snacks each day.

2. Proper coffee must be obtained on the way to the workshop each morning

3. One new colourway must be created for each day of dye camp

4. A list of dyeing to be achieved over the course of dye camp is to be written, but do not overplan each day (it will lead to stress and disappointment)

5. Take note of the number of skeins dyed each day and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

6. Wine. A glass of wine must be consumed at the end of each day to celebrate.

7. At least 2 full days without work must be undertaken following dye camp.

There you go. Looking forward to it already. What are your plans for the Christmas break? I hope it contains lots of knitting time!