Thursday, July 12, 2007

BicentPOSTiale

Yes! today marks my 200th post and the first Blogiversary will be upon us soon ... but more of that later
Don't expect cohesion or seamless segues today. There's simply too much to fit in. In fact there's stuff from last weekend that I can tell I'm just not going to be able to cram in here.
So:
can you tell that I went to Bendigo today?
I was actually on a mission to try to find a particular pair of shoes for Nadie at the Rivers Superstore, and to pick up the latest Quilting Arts that Nicki was holding hostage, but what's a trip to Bendigonia if you don't also:
  • realise that Nicki is having a major sale and add a few choice cuts to the single lonely magazine. Just in the interests of keeping it company, y'know?
  • hit a second hand book store and score a 1930s Weldons for Maz for the grand sum of $8 complete with paper dress patterns and a Mabel Lucy Atwell frameable print. If she's already got it ... meh... it's mine. Not a problem.
  • traul quickly through Spotlight, manouvering around all the whiny anklebiters less than impressed at being dragged there on the school holidays. I was actually after a casserole for Nadie but they'd sold out. A good thing as you will see later :] So the actual damage: a couple of Christmas stocking stuffers, one Blog prize and 5 totally illegal balls of claret red Patons Zhivago to knit a certain something from the Zhivago book that Donni from Good Yarn Karma sent me a while back.

  • have a major blowout at the Woollen Mills but it was all from the magic sale room out the back so it doesn't count. Except for the 1 kg of spin ready navy blue roving. [ sorry about the big, shiny plastic bag in the photo that makes it look grey but I'm not game to open it. It's stuffed in so tight, the whole house could well disappear under a sea of fluffy blue stuff ] That was from the front room ... but spinning supplies don't count either. It's a RULE I tells ya.


Sheepish Annie will back me up on this I'm sure. $35 AUS for 1 kg [ that's 2.2 lbs ] of superfine ready to go, beautiful slightly variagated blue ... and in my own defense I didn't grab the purple and I DID put the jade back. Eventually.

What else?

  • hit a couple of Op Shops of course. Nothing much at the first but scored a vintage thread spool and a couple of little bits and pieces at the second... a vintage paper of pins and a reel of Clark's Thread. Oh and a huge [ 450 grams ] ball of frogged blue 8ply wool for $2 but when I got it home there were knots every few metres. Back in Castlemaine with half an hour before picking up David, I found a very big white lidded casserole for Nadie for $5 at the Salvos and a couple of vintage baby pattern books.

  • Still had a few minutes so I was heading for the newsagents when the eponymous Brenda from the woolshop popped her head out to tell me that Nadie's charcoal Zhivago was in. More yarn!! Just what I needed :] Still it's for a gift and she really wanted Zhivago and that particular colour so it's [ chant it with me ] Knit From Your Stash Legal !!! The project she's chosen is also from the book that Donni sent me.

While I'm on the subject of Good Yarn Karma, Sally aka Librarylass was after a Tunisian hook in a size that I just happened to have so we arranged a swap. I scored THIS in return. Alpaca. Yuuuum.

Now aside from all the retail therapy, there is also actual quilt progress. I tweaked the left vertical insert a bit with watercolour pencil and the rocks are quilted. I've 'written' the second verse of Dorothea McKellar's poem My Country in variagated tan/brown thread so the words appear and disappear depending on which fabric they fall on. This poem is almost unknown outside OZ but is probably the single best known and most frequently misquoted in the whole aussie poetry canon [ and I think it would be fair to say that most of us can only quote that second verse, although I can also manage the 'core of my heart' bit ]

Okay now if you're still with me

IT'S COMPETITION TIME

to celebrate the 200th post and the forthcoming Blogiversary, all you have to do is leave me a comment on this post between now and midnight August 4 [ Aus Eastern Standard Time ] telling me what you're obsessive about. It can be as general as 'quilting' or 'knitting' or you can be more specific. Also I need to know if you're a quilter, knitter/crocheter or spinner as that might influence the prize. If you're none of the above you can still enter. I promise I'll find you something 'noice'

Final choice will be made using a random number generator.

47 comments:

crazyhaberdasher said...

Phew! I'm speechless! Sounds to me like you need an extension - welcome to my world! I will have to spy the Weldons next week.......thanks!

crazyhaberdasher said...

Happy 200th!

Chris said...

My goodness! Fun stuff.

Obsessive - knitting, reading, black kitties... :)

Sheepish Annie said...

Fiber Fanatics from around the globe seek The Sheep for tips on justifying. I'm rather good at it! And yes, the fiber is a more than appropriate purchase, necessary even! Had you not snagged it, someone else would have gotten it. And you would have been so obsessed with losing it that you might not have been able to concentrate on the way home and that is dangerous. Eyes should be on the road. You saved lives by purchasing that fiber! Plus it was a really good price.

I may be just a little bit obsessed with the fiber acquisition...or spindles...or yarn...and the justification thereof...

Eve said...

I'm horribly obsessed with blogging. And knitting, of course! And coding, if you'll believe it.

The combination of the three means that I have the worst startitis in the world because I'm coming across at least 10 new blogged knitting patterns every week. And the coding influence, well, you should see the number of add-ons I've made for my knitting blog. Let's not discuss the knitting algorithms I've played around with :)

Olga said...

Congrats on getting this far!!! I knit but my obsesstion has morped into checking e-mail and surfing blogs, I think I'm OC now and will soon have to intervention therpy.
;0)

Heide said...

I love your quilt! My current obsession is spinning and all things related, but my steadfast obsession remains knitting.

Theresa said...

I'm obsessed with planning. Planning knitting, planning life, planning everything really.

Anonymous said...

Definitely obsessed with knitting but lately I'm obsessed with moving to Arizona! Happy blogiversary!

bellamoden said...

Obsessions! Knitting, art, design, cats, blogs, yarn......

Your blog is cool!

Anonymous said...

Wow, I'm completely impressed with the quilt - quilting the poem into the piece was beyond brilliant. Obesesive? Who, me? Right now it's dyeing and spinning, but next week, who knows?!

Anonymous said...

It would be quicker to less what I'm NOT obsessed with. Ditto compulsions!
Never mind. I am a quilter and beginner knitter (yay!) who often reads more than one book a day and currently has about 25 sewing machines of varying vintages.

Nana Sadie said...

Obsessive about: lace knitting, sock knitting, Addi needles, Siamese cats....
Happy 200th!
(((hugs)))

Donna Lee said...

I have been tring to think of something I am obsessive about and it is difficult. I am obsessive about words and spelling (I was an english major in college) and about my knitting. I have ripped out more stitches in order to fix an error that on one in the world would see-except I would know it was there. I hate that and sometimes want to leave it alone but there's that niggling little voice.....

SheepsPyjamas said...

Laundry, dishes, dusting, mopping... Oh... What I .am. obsessive about, rather?

I'm obsessive about my kids, and my fish, and having fun with my kids, and having fun with my kids taking care of/watching fish. And oh, almost forgot ;*) lace knitting, and knitting socks, and sweaters, and designing knitting and needles and stitch markers... I guess it'd be appropriate to say I'm obsessive about knitting (I've actually been diagnosed as that, and the official treatment plan? Set aside some time for knitting every single day!...) Oh, and spinning, so I can obsess about more yarn for knitting...

sheep#100 said...

Obsessive reader in the States here! Visiting from Chris' blog.

wenat said...

Obsessive? Me? LOL! Right now it's sock knitting. I'm averaging 2-4 pairs a month, depending on complexity of pattern.

Happy 200th post!

Anonymous said...

Obsessive?!?!? Quiltig, embellishing, anything fabric related. I see a beautiful cat among your purchased treasures, male? female? name? Love the quilt and am looking up the poem right after this.... Gilli

Unknown said...

I'm obsessive about sock knitting - can never be without a pair on the needles - and lately I've been obsessive about Ravelry!

Rose Red said...

I love that you used "My Country" for that quilt - it is just perfect.

And as for the haul - well, clearly, you had to have it all!

Happy 200th post! What am I obsessive about...knitting, buying yarn, buying gorgeous fabric that I have so far not done anything with (am thinking might become obsessive about sewing), knitting (did I mention that), packing the dishwasher just right and hanging clothes on the line properly. And shoes. And the colour red. And (I could probably go on forever!)

knitnzu said...

Happy Blogiversary to you! (I miss all that noice talk, our Aussie friend moved back home to Melbourne after 3 yrs here-and he took his new baby with him!) Obsessive, me? My information manager told me the other day when she's feeling anal and obsessive all she has to do is come visit me. She was laughing at me because I wanted the text on the maps to align more nicely, and I'd spent a fair amount of time aligning the text on some reports we generate (we write the design, it auto fills). So, I guess 'text appearance and format' would be one thing. Hmmm...keeping my 3.5 feet of kit counter free of anything except the dish strainer is another. Oh yeah, and blogging and anything about knitting.

Leah said...

Happy 200th! I'm obsessive about quilting fabric, reading blogs and books, comfort eating, and my latest is knitting!

Bells said...

oh congrats on 200 fabulous posts!

I am so jealous that you just get to go to Bendigo any time you want, more or less. I long to go there.

I adore their alpaca. Good score!

Bells said...

Oops. Forgot my obsessive bit.

I am obsessed with knitting socks now that I've learned. I can't stop. I feel twitchy this week because I have no socks on the needles. I must remedy this before the end of the weekend!

Elspeth said...

I'm going to say jewelry making - it's much faster than knitting, and so fun! Happy bicentennial! (Is that even the right word? I need some sleep ...)

Kenyetta said...

Happy Blogiversary and Happy 200th!
I am obsessed with stashing yarn, with no plans to knit or swap.

Laume said...

Current obsessions -

finish my interior painting and decorating and reclaim my living space

finding my dog, who ran off yesterday and has not come back yet

decluttering

all things French

iced coffee

counting the hours until the 7th Harry Potter comes out and fretting over the fact that I'll be traveling and unable to lock myself in a room to read it when it finally arrives AND worrying about spoilers

I knit a little, quilt a whole lot more - at least in theory I do these things - I haven't done either in months

Unknown said...

I'm obsessive about laundry. There are many items of clothing I won't trust to the washing machine, and even more I won't put in the dryer. Consequently my clothes never wear out and I am cursed with a large supply of mint-condition, unfashionable clothing.

blessedspeedy said...

Obsessed - with my gorgeous granddaughter Mia of course!!! and craft-wise obsessed with finishing off stuff and hopefully not spending $$$ in the process
Congratulations on your 200th

Tanya Brown said...

Happy 200th!

Mmmm. I'm trying to think of something I'm obsessive about that isn't a little gross. How about composting? It drives me nuts if good organic material is thrown in the trash instead of the compost bin.

I pretend to be a quilter.

Val said...

I feel I am becoming obsessive about paper products, just bought more paper at an art store sale yesterday. So I must make books from my stash!

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Wow, that sure is a lot of yarn ... it looks amazing, though. Bet you do some wicked knitting with it all !!

My obsession ... well, that'd be plural !! (1) Cats, (2) Stationery (I can't help myself when I'm in Officworks, or any place where I can buy stationery), (3) Computers, and computer software ... I won't go on, and on, and on, and further !!

Take care, Meow

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your 200th post.
I'm obsessive about fabric, fabric and more fabric.
I collect it with no idea of what quilt I will make with it.

knottykitty said...

Congrats on 200 posts! I'm a ways from that yet! I'm a knitter and I'm obsessed with yarn-shopping---even more than knitting. When I get into a new yarn store, I can't seem to stop myself from coming out with something! I just love putting all the stash in baskets around the room, and looking at all the colors and fibers bursting out of them. Some people hang art---I put out baskets full of yarn! LOL! I'm also obsessed with my three kitty-cats....as long as they don't get into my yarn!

TinkingBell said...

I'm in awe - well done - I am obsessed by blogging (newblogeritis), stashquisition, and Knitting - also children (mine mostly) and presently - keeping warm. BTW what is a tunisian crochet hook and how is it different from the regular kind?

Diane said...

My current obsession is lace knitting. I actually have had dreams in which I was knitting shawls in the most beautiful lace yarn. And might I add that in my dreams I never make a mistake ever.

Happy 200th posting.

Anonymous said...

Mmmm, obsessions...knitting, reading, writing, cooking, making art, bonsai, adorable little dogs, knitting, knitting knitting. Happy 200th post!

crafty said...

I'm obsessed with knitting and crochet patterns and magazines.

Who made up the rules for knit from your stash? It sounds like they are designed to actually -increase- your stash not reduce it. Or is that the idea? Tricky!

mehitabel said...

Obsessions? Moi? Well, let's see--there's knitting, and quilting, and fiber acquisition--fabric, yarn mainly; paper arts, like rubber stamps; and pretty beads, oh yesss preciousss, love those beads... and knitting with beads, and putting beads on quilts, and I am also obsessed with all things Aussie and French. I'm sure I can think of a few others, but that will do for now, n'est-ce-pas?

Alice said...

Obsessions? How about a certain tall, dark and handsome Australian Opera Singer, whose beautiful voice fills my home from morning till night?

Oh, that wasn't quite what you had in mind? Well, my other obsessions like sewing, gardening, blogging and writing life stories seem to have been lagging a bit lately, but I feel the urge coming back slowly.

ikkinlala said...

Some of my obsessions lately are knitting, reading, music, writing letters, and baking pies.

Congratulations on your 200th post. The quilt is lovely!

Turtle said...

This question makes me laugh as my husband would say i am obsessive about everything, he swears i have a case of OCD...which i agree he may be right about! :) But i have to say things like "junk " on the counters or crumbs on the counters...i am not a neat freak but those things make me nuts! I have to wipe it clean, lol, i know i know....
Hapy blog-bicentpostiale!!!!

Tan said...

Congratulations on your "bicenPOSTiale" and Blogiversary! I am obsessive about knitting, particularly socks, and having something to listen to on my iPod, whether a podcast, audiobook, or whatever.

Turtle said...

Ok, well i posted my obsessive obsession...but as far as fun ones go??? Well knitting, gardening, having my toes look nice (lol, a job requirement)reading, photography, puzzlesjigsaw,cooking healthy fresh foods, just a few!!

Denise said...

Hmmm, obsessions hey? Murder mysteries and knitting. Both puzzles in their own way!

Also somewhat obsessed with words, grammar, punctuation, proper use of "apostrophe s", and stuff like that. Have been known to pencil in corrections in books... Don't look at me like that! :)

catsmum said...

Hey Jejeune, I thought everyone corrected bad grammar in books ... though judging from some library books I've borrowed, sometimes they're incorrectly corrected [ but not by you I'm sure ]

alltangledup said...

I am obsessive about just about everything, let's see

knitting, reading, shopping (esp for shoes, handbags and yarns), soduko, understanding why (I have an engineer's mind, I need to know why... all the gory details)... and traveling (I really want to see the world and experience it myself, not just through books)