Sunday, March 23, 2014

Yarnbombing

Well, this is only a temporary form of the great art of 'yarnbombing' (I've decided that it's a compound noun, no matter what anyone says!), but having had to dig this image out in the last week, I can't help but smile.

It's actually my most recent granny stripe blanket in progress (late last year), and it's hanging over the edge of a very elevated terrace at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.  It's a stunning day looking into the centre of Melbourne, and even though this is simply an iPhone photo, I think the nature of the city and the blanket alike are very well captured.

When I think of travelling, it's funny how many times I actually connect yarn to the concept.  I'd love to go to Purl Soho in New York, Loop in London, and possibly the HQ of Deramores, Shilasdair on Skye, and a few others in between.  What I'd do in an ideal world is buy some of their beautiful product, step outside, liberate a few loops and leave a signature little granny square or similar, then take a photo, just as a connecting marker of having been there.

Well, that is the dream, anyway.  I'm not sure if yarnbombing my way around the world is a feasible concept, but I'd certainly like to put it on the bucket list!

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Heaps


I had to retrieve yarn.

It's said in exercise circles that, for a session to be effective, you should at least end up a bit sweaty and short of breath.  In that case, I've found the perfect workout.

I had to retrieve yarn of various types in order to get a diverse group to try out a chain stitch.  So I toted a variety, including chunky, acrylic, cotton, laceweight, fun fur (for hedgehogs more than novice crocheters), metallics, and a ball of Noro for show and tell.

The response from the new learners was that (apart from the fact that some of them obviously thought I was crazy...hey, it's a general 'train the trainer' class, not necessarily naturally disposed towards crochet love!) this was a LOT OF YARN.

Huh.  No, it's not.  Iceberg, tip.  Not even tip.  This is an iceblock tenderly removed from a massive glacier. I did a spot count while I was gathering the bundle above, and although I haven't been extravagant in purchases - particularly in the last five months - I have at least twenty tote bags full, along with four or five huge plastic bags that are probably double the capacity of each tote bag, one huge 125 litre tub, one 80 litre tub, two drawers in a deep chest of drawers, one big round tub, one basket, and a couple of other bags.

Too much?  Probably.  But it's a great resource and one that mostly brings me much enjoyment except for those occasions when it decides to collapse and get all muddled up in a tangle around my feet.  It represents the enjoyment of making projects, picking out colours and - in my present parlous state - 'shopping the stash'.  I actually look forward to the day - hopefully not too far distant - when I have made as much as I can from my present collection and can then assess my needs, rather than bored biscuit eating time orders, in order to build an informed yarn bank.

So yes, right now it's HEAPS of yarn - but it's also heaps of fun, heaps of resources (when did I get that Cleckheaton Merino Silk in a lovely eggplant shade???  Anyone????) and heaps of crochet stories just waiting to be told.