Well, it's been quite a while since I've been in here...over two months in fact.  Sorry about being MIA, folks.  I went home in February for two weeks to spend some time with the family....stayed with Mum and Dad, and got to spend some time with my brother, sister-in-law and my three gorgeous nephews.  I thought the boys would have forgotten me in the time since I left NSW, but no...the two older boys remembered their Aunty Jane    The youngest was only a babe in arms when I moved over here, so it was to be expected that he wouldn't know me, but it didn't take long for him to be friendly and happy to see me, which was just wonderful.

I had my birthday while I was over there.  Mum and I headed off on the train to Sydney for the day to visit the Art Gallery of NSW to see the Pissaro exhibition.  It was a long day with around 9 hours of it taken up in train travel, but we had a lovely time.  We had a sandwich in the park next to the Art Gallery for lunch, which was really nice.  Just goes to prove that so often the simplest things in life are so often the best.  :)

I got to catch up with extended family as well.  My Aunt and Uncle came over from their place near Crookwell and had lunch with us before continuing on to my cousin's place to stay there for a couple of days.  I also got to catch up with my cousin and his family, as well as being fortunate enough to have my first couple of spinning lessons from Heather.  That was just so much fun and I learnt so much.  Thanks heaps, Heather.  :)  I spent a small fortune on fibre...lol...but that's half the joy of learning how to spin...lol  I'm certainly set for quite some time for lovely hand dyed silks to blend with my wool, as well as lots of beautiful coloured wool to blend with my raw fleece.

Dad and I also headed out to Wattle Flat for an afternoon where I got to catch up with some lovely old friends from my days out that way.  Unfortunately I wasn't able to spend as much time with them as I'd have liked, but hopefully I won't leave it so long next time before I go back home to visit.  Dad and Lewis were working really hard to get the shearing shed finished in time for crutching, so it was hard to work in times to borrow Dad's car to get out and about.  :)

Now, to the looming front...lol  I got my pledges finished and posted for TTT.  100 preemie hats, 33 pairs of booties (ok, I cheated on the booties and had a friend needle knit 30 pairs of them...lol), and 20 fleece blankies.  I'm now currently working on some children's sized hats for Kogo, an Australian charity group, just for a change in size of work.  Then will get back to baby and preemie items.  I haven't signed up for the next round of challenges for TTT....yet...lol  I want to make some items for my local hospital here as winter approaches.  But I have no doubt, I won't be able to resist signing up for more pledges for TTT as well....lol 

I'm also getting back into some sewing.  I've decided we don't have enough warm bed coverings for the coming winter in the house, so I've started making a new patchwork quilt for the bed.  I used to make a lot of log cabin quilts, but never kept one for myself...surprise, surprise....lol  So this time, I'm going to make a few that we actually keep here at home...lol  And no surprise here, but I've already got plans to make some baby quilts as well...lol  I'll probably make some to send to Teresa for TTT as well as some for the local hospital here in Perth.

Besides my two week holiday back east, I've also managed to spend some time in hospital having surgery.  The surgeon tells me this was just round one of a number of operations over the next 6 months or so.  Blah...but if it does the job, I'm not going to complain toooooooooo much...lol  I'm starting to heal up nicely now...at that annoying really itchy stage...lol...and I go back to see him in another 13 days to discuss what happens in round two.  Hopefully it won't take too long to get into hospital for that next operation.  I was extremely lucky with the first one....I saw the surgeon on the Thursday, and was being operated on the following Tuesday afternoon.  He decided it was about time something was done about my hydradinitis problem...and about time too...lol  I've asked a few surgeons over the past 3 or 4 years to do something about it, but they all shied away from it.  At least this surgeon has plenty of experience with this problem and is very familar with the surgery required.  Thanks again to my gastro specialist for referring me to this particular surgeon.

On the upside, my Crohn's seems to be behaving itself lately...touch wood.  :)  The new tablets I was started on along with the weekly injection, seems to be holding me well.  I'm also currently participating in a probiotic clinical trial with the hospital and I'm hoping that's helping too.  I've been wanting to go on probiotics since I was first diagnosed at the start of last year, but was told to wait until I was eligible to enter the trial.

Well, time to get back to the looms and sewing machine.  Just wanted to pop in and say hi to you all and explain my absence.  Hopefully I'll be a little more regular with my posts in the future. 

Happy looming everyone.

Hugs,
Jane in Australia  :)

 

Hi everyone,

Wow, I just can't believe it's getting towards the end of January already!!  Seems like it was only New Year's Day last week.  I must be getting old I think...time seems to go faster the older you get....lol

I've been busy busy busy as usual....lol  Have made 62 preemie hats for TTT so far (I pledged 100 for the first quarter of the year).  I've been wanting to get as many done as possible before I head home in a couple of weeks to visit with Mum and Dad and my brother and his family.  I've also made 3 pairs of preemie booties on the loom (pledged 30 pairs), but have stopped making those because I've managed to con....I mean ask....a good friend to make them for me...lol  She can whip them out on the needles in next to no time at all.  :)  Thanks heaps Brenda...you're a real star.  I still need to make the 20 preemie blankies too that I said I would.  Hopefully will get onto those soon, but I'm not too worried...if worse comes to worse and I start to run out of time, I'll just make fleece ones like I did last year.  :)

I've also made two and a half teen/small adult hats on my beautiful walnut loom from Penny at http://aloomyplace.com  It's one of her one of a kind looms, but it's just gorgeous and great to work on.  I've learnt how to use a slip knot to start off because I just couldn't bring myself to put a thumbtack into such a beautifully finished piece of timber...lol  It's funny too, I've used Red Heart yarn on all three hats and they're all a bit different in size...one is too small for me, the other fits me fine, and this third one I'm doing seems to have more stretch in it than the other two...lol  Maybe I just can't get my tension right...perhaps it's different on different days of the week....lol

I'm slowly working through my stash of yarn here....trying very hard to be good and not buy anymore....lol  I have more yarn here in the house than our local KMart has on their shelves....lol  I've been good....haven't bought any new yarn since well before Christmas...I think that must be some kind of record for me....lol  Plus, I'm finding that I prefer the nice acrylics from America than our 8 ply acrylics here...they're quite a bit thicker and knit up so much quicker too.  And, they have a fantastic selection of really lovely variegated yarns that I've just never seen the like of here...certainly not for the price they are anyway.

We're also making rag rugs on our rug looms in loom class at the Markman Knitting Looms Knitting Without Needles group.  We have "class" every Friday morning (Aussie time) and it's great.  I've learnt so much about the looms and stitches and what I can make on them in the 9 or so months I've been a member of the group.  So much for thinking I had "hat" looms and "scarf" rakes...lol  There's just so much that can be done on them.

I need to take a heap of pics of some of my loomed items.  I know I owe you all some pics from previous posts, so will have to get on with it.  Also time I updated my list of looms that I have...lol...I think I have over 40 now.  I'm the little Aussie loom piggy...lol  Just love them all.  :)  Will get the pics taken and posted asap.

Happy looming everyone.

Hugs
Jane in Australia  :)

 

 

 

Hi everyone

Happy New Year!!!  My New Year's Resolution??  To reduce my yarn stash before purchasing any more yarn....lol  Just how long I'll keep that resolution is anyone's guess...lol

It's that time of year again too...time to sign up for TTT (Teeny Tiny Treasure) challenges through our Markman_Knitting_Looms-Knitting_Without_Needles Yahoo group.  I've signed up for another 100 preemie baby hats, 20 preemie blankies and 30 pairs of preemie sized baby booties.  That ought to keep me busy for a while...lol  They're all due in the States by the end of March, so I guess I'll be taking a loom or two with me when I go home to visit Mum and Dad next month.  Can't loom on the plane over or back which is a big waste of 5 hours each way  :(  so I supposed I'll just have to pack a book or something as well.  At least I should be able to loom while I'm waiting around Sydney Airport for connecting flights...providing I can find something I can use as a loom tool that airport security won't take from me.  Maybe the plastic needle I use for removing my hats from the looms will work.

We had a wonderful online looming party today for the first anniversary of Lynn Markman's Yahoo looming group.  We had lots of fun...played looming bingo, had some trivia quizes, did a word hunt puzzle and generally had a great time with everyone.    Congratulions Lynn on starting a terrific group that is so helpful and supportive of everyone, and in particular for your incentives and support of our charity work for TTT.

I received a wonderful parcel in the mail a day or two before Christmas.  It was my latest loom order from Lynn, along with a number of extra goodies that weren't ordered.      It was a wonderful, wonderful surprise!!  Thank you so much Lynn, from the bottom of my heart.  You can be assured that they'll all be put to excellent use for charity work.  And thank you so very much for the looms you put in the box for Jazz...she was thrilled to bits to get them and started waxing them with bee balm straight away.  She'll be over again this weekend and she's already asked me to teach her how to make a flat piece on the looms....that lovely scarf rake you sent her will be just perfect for that.  If any of you are interested in purchasing any of Lynn's fantastic looms, check out her new website at http://markmanfarm.com

I also received another fabulous parcel in the mail today.  Penny had Farmer Dan build me my very own "broken rug rake".  I know it sounds strange....lol...but postal restrictions prevent me from being able to order any of the 48 inch rakes from America (USPS won't let them post parcels that long).  So Farmer Dan got out his loom making tools and made me a 48" rug rake that comes in two pieces.  One piece is about 36" long and has two holes at one end, the other piece is about 12" long and has two pieces of dowel in one end.  All I have to do is slot the two pieces together and make sure the dowels are securely pushed in the holes.  It's just so wonderful...and it's a real one of a kind!!  Thank you so very much Farmer Dan and Penny...now I don't have to miss out on the January KAL where we're making rag rugs using this terrific loom.  There was also another wonderful "one of a kind" loom in the box....a beautiful walnut, fine gauge loom with 52 pegs that was made by Loom Maker Wes.  It's so beautiful, but I now have a dilemma....where on earth do I put the tack in??  It feels like sacrilege to push a tack into such a beautifully finished loom...lol  I'll post pics of all my new looms later, but if you want to look at my lovely walnut loom, go to http://aloomyplace.com and you can see it there.  It's the rectangular loom made of the darker wood with the multicoloured pegs.  Check out the other looms Penny has for sale there...they are all beautiful and you'll get fantastic service.

I went to the fabric store today to buy the fabric needed for our rag rug classes this month on the looms.  I thought I had enough here already, but none of the pieces I had were long enough or wide enough...lol  I got three lengths of cotton...one is black, one is kermit (lime green) and the final piece is black with some purple and yellow.  They might sound odd, but I think they'll knit up nicely into a mat for the floor.  I'll post pics as I go along with it.  I'm really excited about starting this project...it's going to be something completely new for me.  I just have to cut all my fabric into strips tomorrow so I'm ready to go first thing Friday morning, Oz time.

Well, time for me to head off to bed I think.  I've been up since 4:30 this morning and it's now almost 10:15pm.  I'm getting old and can't handle these super long days....lol  Plus it was much warmer today and very humid...forecast is only going to be worse...30 degrees today (86F) and 34 (94F) for the next three days with warm nights thrown in.  I know it's late for summer to be starting here, but a nice easing into it would have been good....lol  Oh well, they're saying it won't last...lol...famous last words I'd say.

Happy looming everyone.

Hugs
Jane in Australia 

 

 

I've been madly looming away making what feels like millions of soap sacks for Christmas presents.  So I've definitely been using lots of dishcloth cotton these past couple of weeks...lol  They're so quick and easy to make and they always turn out looking terrific.

It's quite cool here this morning...was about 12 degrees when I got up (60 F).  You'd never believe it's almost the end of the first month of summer with temps like that.

In our Markman Knitting Looms KWON group, we've been having a Christmas swap.  We all made mini hats for each other to hang on our Christmas trees.  I've received about 11 so far, and they look just fantastic.  I went and bought a mini fibre optic Christmas tree just for the mini hats and I love how it looks.  I'll get a pic a bit later and post it here so you all can see.  It was such an exciting swap...can't wait to do it again next year, except we might change it next year from hats to mini socks or sweaters or something like that.

Now that I've finished looming all my Christmas gifts, it's time to go back to some UFO's and start working on some of the myriad of ideas I've had this year...lol  I'm currently working on a cotton washcloth for Mum...it was meant to be part of her Christmas present, but I didn't get onto it in time, so I'll take it over with me when I head home in February.  Will try to make one for Dad as well.  I'm making them to match the soap sacks I made them for Christmas.  I also want to finish the poncho I started many many months ago and the prayer shawl that I started a few months ago as well.  That way I'll have some lovely warm handcrafted items to wear when the weather turns cold again  (who am I kidding??  it hasnt' really warmed up yet...lol).  I want to try to make some felted bags too...have some great ideas going around in my head for those, but will be sensible and make one following a pattern to start with...lol  Plus it's time to get started on blankies, hats and booties for TTT for next year...need to get a head start on those so I can send parcels regularly throughout the year.  And I want to make some for the local hospital here in Armadale too.

I just finished reading the first six Harry Potter books.  Oh boy, are they great or what??  Now I understand what everyone was going on about....lol  Can't wait now for the seventh and final one to be released next year.  I've been dropping big hints to Santa that I want the first three Harry Potter movies on DVD for Christmas too...lol  Then I'd like to go and see the fourth one at the cinema.  And I want to see the Narnia movie that's just coming out too.  I read all the Narnia books years ago...and went out and bought them all again the other day in one volume...lol  (All my books are still in storage back at Mum and Dad's place...too costly to shift them over here)

But first, I think I'd best try to catch up on some housework.  :(  boring....lol

Happy looming everyone.  Have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.  Stay safe, try not to overeat and over drink...if you do, don't drive, keep some paracetamol and antacid handy.  Be kind to those around you, even if they're driving you nuts.  :)

Hugs
Jane in Australia  :)

 

Hi everyone,

Well, isn't this a busy time of year??  :)  I've got all my Christmas shopping done...YAYAYAYAY!!  Clever me...lol

Apparently I've been renamed "Beaker Sparkly-Toes"...lol  Seems that's my Christmas elf name.  What's yours??  Check it out here.

Christmas Elf Name My Christmas Elf Name is Get your Christmas Elf Name at JokesUnlimited.com

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I've made heaps of soap sacks for Christmas presents this year.  I still have a couple to go...making them as thank you gifts for the nurses at Silver Chain who have been doing my regular dressings since my operation at the beginning of October.  I'm hoping these will soon be over...it all seems to be healing very nicely now.

There's lots of new goodies I have in mind to make once Christmas is over.  And I just can't wait for the January KAL in the KWON group...we're going to be making rugs on our looms using fabric.  I want to try some felting between now and then too...there's an idea for a lovely bag floating around in my head that I need to get out of there and into practice...lol  Hopefully then, if it works out, I'll be able to write a pattern for it.

We have a new knitting and yarn magazine that's just been released in Australia, called "Yarn".  I've subscribed to it for the first year...it comes out every 3 months, and the first issue is just fantastic.  There's also an online sample issue available at www.yarnmagazine.com.au  Check it out, I think you'll be impressed.  I'm hoping to write an article all about loom knitting and where people in Australia can order their looms from.  With a bit of luck they'll accept it and print it in one of their upcoming issues.  :)  I don't often buy knitting magazines because they're all geared towards knitting with needles, and I simply can't do that...lol

I've received six mini hats and Christmas cards from our KWON group swap so far, and they look so lovely.  I went out today and bought a 40cm fibre optic Christmas tree today to stand on the mantlepiece above the fire and put the mini hats on.  It looks absolutely adorable.  When I receive some more hats, I'll take a pic and post it here for everyone to share in how lovely it looks and how clever the ladies are who are making these mini hats.  :)

We have a new loom maker in our midst.  Penny Schwartz from MO in the States.  She's a lovely lady, and an absolute delight to deal with.  If she hasn't got the loom you're after, contact her and she'll see what she can come up with for you.  Check out her website at http://aloomyplace.com/index.html

Well, that's enough out of me today.  Back to looming I go...lol

Happy looming everyone.

Hugs,
Jane in Australia 

Hi everyone,

I finally took the pics of my latest projects, and here they are.  First up, a pic of the pair of slippers I made for Mum for Christmas.



Next, a pic of the soap sacks I've been making for Christmas presents.  I just love how they're turning out.  :)



And finally a pic of the mini hats I've been making for our KWON group's Mini Hat and Christmas Card exchange.  I put them next to a coke can so you can see just how small they are.  :)



Happy crafting everyone.

Hugs,
Jane in Australia  :)

Hi Everyone,

Well, as usual I've been busy busy busy lately...lol  I finished all my goodies for TTT and sent them off in the post on the 18th November, so Teresa should receive them any day now...hopefully before the 30th.  I finished up sending her 100 little hats and 10 pairs of tube booties.  Wish I'd had time for more, but unfortunately I've had a lot of doctor's appointments this last month or so and they've seriously cut into my looming time....I really need to find a car that will just drive me where I need to go so I can keep looming...lol

I've also finished an afghan square for a very special project (hehehe...I can't say anything about that project just now) and got it in the mail to the States last Thursday too...so it should get there by the end of this week.

I'm working away on my mini hats for our KWON group's Mini Hat and Christmas Card exchange.  Doing those in between making Christmas presents.  I've almost finished a pair of slippers for Mum for Christmas (luckily she doesn't have the internet connected yet so she doesn't know what she's getting...lol), then I'll start on a pair for Dad.  Hopefully they'll wear them.  It gets a lot colder where they live than it does here.  If they don't wear them at home, they can take them when they go to the farm to visit my brother and sister-in-law and nephews...it's always nice to change into warm, soft and cosy slippers when visiting at the farm.  :)   I need to get the measurements of my brother's and sister-in-law's feet so I can make a pair of slippers for each of them for Christmas too.  Hopefully I'll have enough time as I'll really need to get all the family's presents packaged and posted within the next fortnight.

I'm also working on making lots of soap sacks.  I've been out buying up some lovely bars of handmade soap to put inside them.  They're turning out beautifully.  They'll make terrific Christmas/thank you gifts for the nurses who are still changing my dressings every second day, for my doctors, and for Jill, the wonderful nurse who works with my gastro specialist.  I found some wonderful organza bags at the Gosnells Markets which are just perfect for putting the soap sacks in.  They look really pretty.

I'll try to get some pics taken in the next few days.

Happy looming everyone.

Hugs,
Jane in Australia  :)

Hi everyone,

I just finished decorating my loom for the KWON Loom Decorating Contest!!  It was heaps of fun, painting it, then stencilling on some pics on the bottom, then sticking on some really cute heart stitckers on the side and top of the ring.

Here's some pics, though they're not very good.  Think I'll have to try to take some better photos during daylight hours.

Woohoo!!  Last night I finished off my 100 preemie hats for TTT.  I'm so pleased that I got them all done, and in plenty of time to post them off to Teresa too.  :)  The last 58 of them are in the washing machine as we speak, so they should all be nice and dry and ready to put in the mail tomorrow.



The photo just doesn't do justice to the lovely colours.  All these are made with Red Heart Super Saver Multicolor yarn...in Holly and Ivy, Pinata, Mexicana, and Shaded Dusk.  I love how they've all turned out.  That makes 100 preemie hats, 10 pairs of booties and 22 blankies I've made for TTT this year.  I'm pretty happy with that number, but will hopefully be able to contribute more next year.  :)

Now that I've finished my TTT pledges for this year, it's time to move onto the next lot of looming projects.  Next up is the mini hats for our KWON group's Mini Hat and Christmas Card Exchange.  I think I need to make about 22 or 23 mini hats for that...hopefully won't take too long.  Then it's onto slippers and soap sacks for family and friends for Christmas.

Well, time to get back to the looms...lol  Happy crafting everyone.

Hugs,
Jane in Australia  :)

Woohoo!!  I made my very first soap sack on Friday night.  I just love how it turned out...I'm so pleased with it.  I used Lynn's 20 peg half gauge round loom and some Jack Frost Worsted Weight 100% cotton in a lilac colour.  I bought some handmade lavendar soap and put that inside, then crocheted a single chain tie, threaded it through the top, and tied it off in a bow.  Used the mock cable stitch and it looks great.  Check it out for yourselves!!  :)



Sorry the picture quality isn't very good...this was the best I could get it today for some reason.  But it still kinda shows the pattern on it.  :)

I've nearly finished my TTT hats.  I have 17 to go, have washed 50 of them and have them on the line as well as the 10 pairs of booties.  Hoping to get the rest of the hats finished and washed by the middle of this week so I can get them in the mail to Teresa.  Then it's time to make a start on the mini hats for the KWON group's mini hat and Christmas card exchange.  I'd like to get those finished and in the mail by the end of the first week of December, so that they get to everyone before Christmas.

Then it's onto making Christmas pressies for the family.  I'd like to try to make a pair of slippers for everyone if I have the time...that's for Mum and Dad, my brother, sister in law and three nephews.  I think I'll be pushing it, but I'd also like to make new hats for them all as well, so they'll be set for when next winter comes.  Not sure I'll get those made in time, but I've really got until early February to make the hats as I'll be heading back east for a couple of weeks then to spend my birthday with the family, so I can take the hats with me then.  I also want to learn how to make mittens before then so I can make the boys a pair each for next winter too.  It's a bit hard being 5,000km away from them...hard to get their measurements....lol  I'll have to get my sister in law to measure them all up for me and let me know.

We've had some beautiful weather the last couple of days....real spring weather.  Lovely warm days, although the nights are still pretty cool.  But summer is fast approaching.  They're forecasting 32 degrees C (90 F) for Tuesday, which will be the first really warm to hot day we've had for months.  I have no doubt though, that within a couple of months I'll be complaining of the heat...lol  There's just no pleasing some people...lol

Oh well, that's all for now....back to my looms.  Happy crafting everyone.

Hugs,
Jane in Australia  :)