Crocus Swatch

As per standard operating procedures not much action has taken place knit wise.

I’ve done a swatch of crocus stitch using circular needles. I’ve done a couple of measurements on it, but no calculations yet. I like the look of it, and it seems to suit the yarn quite well.



Other than knitting, a lot has been happening.
There’s been an Aussie Rules match to attend.
There’s been a 50th Wedding Anniversary to attend.
There’s been activities to transport children to hither and thither.
There’s been a school music concert to attend.
And of course the usual everyday working, shopping etc.

I’m mildly interested in cryptic crosswords, so each week I’ll include a clue from our most recent “The Age” cryptic crossword.
If I can work it out, I’ll give what I think the answer is.
If not, I can laugh at the weirdness of the clue.
We never get the paper with the answers, so I’ll never know if I’m right. This may seem like a pointless exercise.
This week’s clue, from “The Age” Thursday, July 30, 2009
Exist in macabre Athenian ritual (7)
I must admit, I’ve just this moment opened the paper to find the crossword, so I haven’t done any of it.
This doesn’t immediately jump out at me. I have a feeling it may be an anagram of Exist in
Don’t know much about Athenian rituals. Maybe if I have time to mull over a few other clues, it’ll come to me.

Indian Summer disappears

It’s been a spring-like couple of days, which today disintegrated into a cold rainy afternoon. On the home front life has been very busy, rudely cutting into my knitting and designing time.

We’ve been following Masterchef rather sporadically, but did watch the final episode. It was quite compelling. There’s not much I watch that doesn’t put tears in my eyes these days.

Anyway, knitting wise, the Lace Border bag is nearly finished. I just need to put in a lining and sew in the straps. I’m really happy with the way it’s looking. I hope to have the pattern ready to publish next week.

Yesterday I bought a few balls of Heirloom Cotton 8 Ply with a view to making a Lace patterned bag. I’ve started a tension square. The yarn seems thinner than I expect an 8 ply to be, but it’s knitting up very nicely on the suggested needles. There’ll be enough to measure soon and then I can make my adjustments.

I’m mildly interested in cryptic crosswords, so each week I’ll include a clue from our most recent “The Age” cryptic crossword.
If I can work it out, I’ll give what I think the answer is.
If not, I can laugh at the weirdness of the clue.
We never get the paper with the answers, so I’ll never know if I’m right. This may seem like a pointless exercise.
This week’s clue, from “The Age” Monday, July 20, 2009
Methodical rearrangement of messy attic (10)
This one wasn’t too hard. It’s an anagram (rearrangement) of messy attic = systematic
Methodical = systematic

Free Knitting Pattern – Lacy Boucle Clutch

The knitting pattern has been available on Ravelry for a few days and now it's here too!

This clutch uses a biasing lace square pattern. It's not exactly obvious from the photo, but not important. It’s more like, a bit of lace here, a bit of lace there. The biasing lace squares create wavy edges, hence the finishing angle of the flap. Rather jaunty, don’t you think?

There is a heavy satin used for the lining, to give some body, and shine. (Sounds like a hair care ad!)

Lacy Boucle Clutch
Knitting Pattern
Yarn suggested : Touch Yarns Boucle Solid
Gauge : 12.5 stitches = 4 inches in Bias Lace Squares
Needle size : 6.0 mm / US 10
Meterage : 40 mtrs / 44 yards

This pattern is available as a free Ravelry download

download now

A soft, luxurious, mohair clutch for your evening must haves. The flap finishes with a jaunty angle.
Stitch chart included.

I’m mildly interested in cryptic crosswords, so each week I’ll include a clue from our most recent “The Age” cryptic crossword.
If I can work it out, I’ll give what I think the answer is.
If not, I can laugh at the weirdness of the clue.
We never get the paper with the answers, so I’ll never know if I’m right. This may seem like a pointless exercise.
This week’s clue, from “The Age” Monday, July 13, 2009
Checked retro model fits some (7)I’ve got no idea about this one, although the last letter must be D

Lace Border Bag continues slowly

Life has gotten in the way of knitting this week.
The remains of my cold, children’s school camp preparations, an impending birthday, and being a parent as psychologist have all conspired to prevent me from doing as much as I would have liked.

However I have done most of the second side of the Lace Border Bag and it is pictured here to show that I’ve done something.
The photo worked better this time. It was pretty overcast at the time, so maybe that’s the difference. Who could have guessed that I’d be wishing for grey skies?


This time I’m using a coarse sewing thread for my life lines. It’s some thread I used to repair the edging stitching on a mattress, so it’s fairly tough stuff. It has lasted well on the mattress, so my choice was good way back then. As it’s much finer, I’m hoping it’ll leave no mark when I remove it.

I’m mildly interested in cryptic crosswords, so each week I’ll include a clue from our most recent “The Age” cryptic crossword.
If I can work it out, I’ll give what I think the answer is.
If not, I can laugh at the weirdness of the clue.
We never get the paper with the answers, so I’ll never know if I’m right. This may seem like a pointless exercise.
This week’s clue, from “The Age” Thursday, July 9, 2009
Let us say it’s a vegetable (7)
This one jumped right out at me. It’s lettuce!

Lace Border Bag under way

I’ve been laid low with a cold this week, but despite or because of this, I’ve managed to get one side of the Lace Border Bag knitted.

Please excuse the awful photography. The red seems to be making things difficult.

You probably can’t tell from the photo, which may be a good thing, but I think I’ve learnt that the thread for my Life Line should be a great deal thinner than the yarn I’m knitting with. Marks have been left where I’ve pulled out the thread. How annoying! :) I’ve tugged it this way and that, but to no avail.


The Lacy Boucle Clutch is in the same state as previously. No magnetic clips have appeared. Next time I’m at Spotlight I’ll see what press studs I can use instead. Or maybe it’s time to delve into my sewing box to see what’s hiding there. There’s bound to be some left over gems that will do just the trick.

I’m mildly interested in cryptic crosswords, so each week I’ll include a clue from our most recent “The Age” cryptic crossword.
If I can work it out, I’ll give what I think the answer is.
If not, I can laugh at the weirdness of the clue.
We never get the paper with the answers, so I’ll never know if I’m right. This may seem like a pointless exercise.
This week’s clue, from “The Age” Thursday, July 2, 2009
It can capture a scene in private (6)
This one’s got me stumped. From another word I’ve got, I can tell you that the 4th letter is “E”. But this doesn’t help me at all. Maybe you can work it out.

Clutch 95% complete

The Lacy Boucle Clutch is virtually complete. I’m still waiting to hear when my magnetic clips come in. Now I’m starting to doubt whether they’ll be what I want. There were none of any size in the shop, so I couldn’t see how to attach them. Maybe you can’t sew them in. Maybe they need to be glued or some such thing. I suppose I’ll just have to be patient and wait and see. If they’re not suitable, I’ll probably end up using press studs, although I was trying to avoid the tugging on the fabric that they tend to entail.

I won’t publish the knitting pattern until it’s completely finished so I can photograph it in it’s proper state, and maybe have some contents in it without it gaping open.



While waiting, I may as well go on with the next idea.

My thoughts are to do a bag with a lace border at the top.
Yesterday I went in to Morris & Sons with the idea to get some Lana Gatto Super Soft yarn. I’d seen it on their website, but it wasn’t in the store. Probably just as well, as it’s not cheap.

I ended up getting Heirloom Easy Care 12ply, which was what I used for the Chunky Sampler Bag. All of which means, I could’ve quickly gone over to Mooroolbark Wool to get that, rather than going all the way into the city and making a day of it. I haven’t been able to find a 10ply wool yarn available locally, which was why I thought I’d go for the Lana Gatto. It wasn’t to be. So I’ll use 12 ply instead. It certainly worked very well for the Chunky Sampler Bag. It’ll be interesting to see how it knits up in a lace pattern.


I’m mildly interested in cryptic crosswords, so each week I’ll include a clue from our most recent “The Age” cryptic crossword.
If I can work it out, I’ll give what I think the answer is.
If not, I can laugh at the weirdness of the clue.
We never get the paper with the answers, so I’ll never know if I’m right. This may seem like a pointless exercise.
This week’s clue, from “The Age” Thursday, June 25, 2009
A firm figure put in on the first, a Tuesday (6)
The answer must be “statue”. I already had the second t from another word.
first, a Tuesday = statue
This seems to be drawing a long bow, but who’s to say how these clues are constructed.

Clutch under construction

Well I got further than I thought I would. As it’s small and the dimensions don’t matter too much, I’ve used the piece as my tension square, after first knitting a little piece to see whether lace was visible with boucle yarn.

So here’s the back of the bag, with the flap open and the lining just temporarily stuck inside, to hopefully show up the lace, which is in a pattern of squares, if you can’t tell.


The bag has been sewn up, and the lining almost finished. I need to shorten the lining a bit, and then hand sew the final seam and secure the lining into the bag. When I bought the lining fabric (satin) from Spotlight, I looked for some small magnetic clips to close the bag. I think they’ll be easier to open than studs. With the help of a very friendly staff member, I found where they were meant to be, saw their spot empty, and ordered a couple. All things being equal, I’m supposed to get a phone call when they come in (within two weeks).

Look out for the finished product next time.

I’m mildly interested in cryptic crosswords, so each week I’ll include a clue from our most recent “The Age” cryptic crossword.
If I can work it out, I’ll give what I think the answer is.
If not, I can laugh at the weirdness of the clue.
We never get the paper with the answers, so I’ll never know if I’m right. This may seem like a pointless exercise.
This week’s clue, from “The Age” Thursday, June 18, 2009
Holy man grows older in steps (6)
The answer must be “stages”. I already had the g and the last s from other words. I knew the answer must be stages. I thought it was something to do with a sage being a holy man. But as I was sitting down to type this, it came to me.

Holy man = saint = st
Grows older = ages
Therefore – stages!
Sometimes I know what the answer is, but can’t work out how to get it from the whole clue.