Gate to no were !

We are in the process of getting a fence around the front of our home. Wayne and his dad are putting up the gate today and then over the next few weeks we will have a fenced yard .In the past we have had all sorts cut across our yard because we are on a corner. The strangest was a horse with rider.

New Yarn

While I was away I was lucky to convince my friend to do a little detour to needle nook .We looks all around this great shop and finally settled on some yarn for a shawl and a pair socks . I was looking for something for a cardigan in a new book brought at the retreat but I could not find a nice yarn that was not heaps of money. I will get something from the Bendigo woolen mill  in the next few weeks. 

Bamboo sock yarn

shawl yarn 

shawl yarn

Lake Cullulleraine 2012

   Another fantastically busy three day camp at Lake Cullulleraine again this year. I had a night with mum and dad and then Mum, Pauline , Helen and I went to Victoria on Monday morning. We arrived just before four pm .We had a bit of a problem keeping the two cars together,Helen realized she had not filled the car with fuel since we left Pt Augusta , we had traveled over 600 km. We were lucky to find a fuel station at the border and filled up, but Mum and Pauline didnt see us stop and then we spent the next half and hour looking for each other. 


   27 very talented ladies attended this years camp. at about 5pm we were given a bag containing some fabric and wool , we were all to make a hat that was from recycled fabric .   

Blue hat finished

      We had a lovely roast dinner and spent the night finishing our hats or  our knitting/ crocheting  we had brought with us. 
 Tuesday morning started  with the whole group in the spare class room to get our first lesson under way, we were leaning felting  with ice dying. Everyone was  given a bag containing  

a bit of pool noodle , a water bottle with holes in the lid, some pre-felt, a bit of roving , soap, non slip mat, and piece of net  

we made a sandwich of nonslip mat , pre felt ,roving strands layed all over the pre felt then the net over the top . we wet the whole thing with warm soapy water from the water bottle. once it was wet through and using a plastic bag to spread out the water and soap mix we rolled it all up around the pool noodle, then you roll and roll 

un-roll and re- roll the other from the other end and then roll it again.Even use your feet if you are getting sore arms. 

foot felting 

once it starts to felt together you unroll from the pool noodle and throw it onto the grip mat and pick it up and throw it again keep throwing until you get what is called pebbles in the felt . I still don't know what this is but I apparently achieved this. 

ice and dye

      We then rinsed our felt in a soda ash bath, placed in a ice cream container with a wire rack in the bottom to hold the felt . Ice was placed all over the felt and then three colour's of dye was sprinkled over the ice , then we covered the container with plastic wrap and let it until the next day. The rack worked to keep the felt from the water once the ice melted...
  

 After Lunch  we were all split into our groups red or blue.Purple hat ladies were from the Mildura spinners and weavers are our teachers/ helpers.I was in the blue hat group and Helen was a red hat so we split until lunch time. Sue took us all outside to sit under the lovely trees with our bag which was 4mm needles and home spun wool .

every one knitting under the gum trees, to bad the fly's loved us

All the finished sheep.

      On Wednesday morning we were all eager to see our ice dyed felt but the red group went first and the blue group learn a braid making method called lucet  . It was a bit tricky to get right but once you caught  on it was easy, I think it has some interesting uses. I brought the wooden tool but started with a card one.

we were then to go and look at our felt . I was very happy with mine , the colour was great I cant show this as I let my camera in the other room . we placed our felt into a bag and microwaved it for 2 minuets. the rinsed it and let it to dry.

my finished bag I still need to add the strap, I may bead it a bit as well .

 Our next bag was the daisy wheel and button bag 

daisy wheel flower

I had used a daisy wheel and a raffia type fiber. Its not something I will do a lot of but the flower really adds to my hat .









our last class was knitting, we were given a pattern and told we could not talk for 15 minuets.This was very hard but Sue was so scary no one was game to test her..The pattern was a knitted granny square and had a abbreviation s2kp  there was no explanation what this really was. We all worked out that some patterns are different and you need all the information before you start knitting. I didn't finish my square I will post it once I have. I was getting very sore by this time and was not in the best mood.And my yarn had been eaten by something and had brakes all through it.
  I love going to this retreat . Its full on your brain goes into over drive ,  my back doesn't  like it much but I don't think I can hurt it much more than I all ready have.
 I am glad to be home again and have nothing to do but rest up and get over this week. I really thank all the ladies who helped organize this camp . I know all the South Australian's really enjoyed it. Ronda and Judy had lots of help from there group of 6 helpers . Its fantastic not having to cook or think about whats for the next meal, just sit and knit or talk to like minded friends . I hope you have got something out of my report. maybe you can join in a craft retreat your self and meet new people and learn new crafts !   

sunset over the lake.

Free Pattern April

Doily with a difference