knitting - knotting - knutting - whatever

but flowers first - seen at the Gordon Street Garage where we went for a meal. Interesting concept for a restaurant in a huge garage.

and some daffodils - far too early for bulbs. And too dark but it was dark.

We have been spoilt again - not only do we have Ace Pizza - our favourite new eating house - but last night we went to Solomon on Beaufort Street - holistic food and organic etc. Lovely staff - so friendly and the food was wonderful. The guy was proudly showing us his handiwork - he made all the tables. Ian gave him a lesson on salt having been reading Jarrod Diamond and wanting to share.

 Everyone is busy talking about and suddenly 'knitting' this week. All because, I suspect, Julia Gillard has been in Women's Weekly. I don't usually do political on my blog but I will say that the vitriol has been disgraceful - politics is one thing but the attacks are quite another. I thought Julia's defeat speech after all those knives was excellent. Personally I would wish her well. The rest will carry on in the bad news stake. The only thing I really would like to see is Malcolm Turnbull doing something.

Anyway back to the knitting - I have been knitting since I emerged from the womb - pretty sure I was born with a pair of knitting needles and my boys will verify that they had almost every knitted garment from the Mon Tricot knit books from baby to about 6 - then we came to Perth and it was far too hot - also it became too expensive and there were much cheaper options. But I have still knitted since whenever. I thrive on a challenge and my claim to fame was the pale green jersey I knitted at boarding school after hours (we went to bed early) in the dark all in 3 cable and not a dropped stitch. Every summer when we drove across OZ towing yachts for sailing I knitted up some garment on the way over and another on the way back.

Nowadays I like to knit little things - using ends and embroidery threads - I have little and big knitting needles all over the place but little knitting is great when worked into your other work. That strip above was felted into some felt.

One of my favourite sort of knitting - big needles rayon embroidery thread to be worked onto a background and burnt. This is going to be a journal cover cover. Before too long.

Little knitting attached to felted pieces and linking them up - never go anywhere without my plastic container full of themed stuff and a few little needles inside - every now and then I have to buy a new set.

And another patched knitting - great texture when you mix and match turned into a bag on the embellisher.

Been busy this week as always - I am chasing my tail to get my piece finished for the WAFTA exhibition - tomorrow is the deadline and hand stitch sure takes some time and there is a lot of time placing hanging looking and thinking. No good while watching rugby though - need to concentrate. Sadly Ian's team beat my team yesterday but it was very exciting game.

I have written two blog entries on the threads.In-fusion blog http://threadsinfusion.blogspot.com.au/ which people might like to peruse and I am just putting the touches on my playings for my Dale's Delight newsletter. This is to go to all the subscribers to the e-mag in the in-between months. Lots of lovely comments about the e-mag and the free pdf I produced.  Never too late to subscribe http://www.thethreadstudio.com/catalogue/infusion/text.htm  The other very interesting thing we have received this week are the Porcupine Quills http://www.thethreadstudio.com/catalogue/embellish/quills/text.htm - have a peep....

Nearly July - yikes - I am going to try to blog more often - May was good but June I was hopeless. Plenty of ideas in the head and on the surface though.

Sunday outings a new habit?

Even though I was whizzing away on the studio it wasn't difficult for Ian to suggest a drive to Fremantle this afternoon. It was a beautiful winter's day and loads of people were out and about so fair enough that we joined them.

We had barramundi and chips and a Madfish wine at Kailis in Fremantle Boat Harbour.

Then we went for a stroll around the environs.

Manage to catch Ian as well.

Then we passed this little lady enjoying the sun.

So I shall have to get back whizzing away in the studio in the morning to meet my deadline. Tonight we are enjoying loads of rain dropping down. Harley is not.

I have had quite a few emails with suggestions for other clubs The Thread Studio could/should run. Love to hear other suggestions so I can make decisions shortly.

where exactly does time go?

It's Saturday already and while we have been very busy this week, i am still not sure what we have done. I have been trying to get working in the studio every day and mostly managed to unlock the door. I am working on my big piece for an exhibition with a deadline looming so it looks like loads of hand stitching coming up. Much bigger than I normally. Once that is out of the way I must get working on my Artful Journey piece for the Perth Show - I have some lovely pieces here from others - if you are coming to the show you will love seeing them all.

 I am also working on another lovely piece using flimsies and hand dyed cotton gauze. I love cloth creation and if you have the latest Embellish magazine (they arrived this week - we do have a few spares) you might see that I have an article on my patches. It's got a long way to go but quickly... You may recognize what I am doing on top.

One of the reasons I have been busy this week is the response to the Silk Fibre Club. WOW! This is a heap which went off in the post for month 1. You can read more about it here if you are interested.
http://www.thethreadstudio.com/catalogue/info/clubs.htm

And today I got the first lot of packaging done for the new club - the Wool Fibre Club. It works in exactly the same way for 12 months. Much more messy to put together as wool is bulky but just imagine all the different wool products on our kitchen floor for me to make my selection and you will be on track. All tidy now. http://www.thethreadstudio.com/catalogue/info/clubs.htm

 Just a reminder that today is the last day for subscribers to the e-mag threads.In-fusion to be in the draw for $200 worth of silk fibres. We will be drawing a winner tomorrow morning. Of course you can subscribe any time. You don't need to be on facebook - it is an e-magazine. I thank everyone who has subscribed already and for the lovely comments. As well as the first issue there is a free pdf from me on Tissutex for everyone who takes out a subscription in June. $27.50 ($25) is pretty good for 4 issues. There is a magic pay pal button on the web page or you can use the usual suspects - Visa, MasterCard or direct deposit.
http://www.thethreadstudio.com/catalogue/infusion/text.htm


And finally before we watch the All Black vs Les Bleus in Christchurch for the second test, thanks for all the comments on the irises. I have no idea of its name - it was here when we came but I love seeing all the flowers appear -they have as good as finished now.

a day off...

 The wild irises in the garden are out in flower - every year I photograph them and draw them for as long as I can remember. Barbara the cat used to sleep in this bush just outside the back door.

The All Blacks won last night against the French. We were rather nervous for quite some time but it all same good in the end.

Today has been a compulsory rest day so I have been a bit wandersome - not been allowed to do any business stuff at all. We went to the Swan Valley for lunch to Stewarts - I wouldn't really recommend it - not bad - not good. The carpet hadn't been vacuumed maybe for a few days and the food pretty ordinary. But it was a nice outing. Then we called into check out Coventry Markets in Morley.

spotted these but decided they were not really me. Lots of rain here and this afternoon the Force managed to lose again.

Tomorrow back to work - that silk fibre club is keeping me busy but I have another new club coming tomorrow as well - as soon as I get organized in the morning. Why is it that every time I add proper spellings to the dictionary, good old blogger undoes my hard work....

Galloping Horses

 Galloping Horses? Well since I had these at Namh Thai and at Namh itself, I have been wanting to make the recipe.Quite a few years back I bought David Thompson's cook book - Thai Food - and have drooled over it off and on for ages but never cooked anything. (and no - you can't look inside the book)

the recipe for galloping horses was not difficult but time consuming - I had to get 100gm minced pork, 100gm of minced chicken, 100gm of minced prawn flesh etc etc so I had quite a collection of happenings in the kitchen. I crushed coriander roots in the mortar and pestle and crushed roasted peanuts etc then the phone rang and Ian was out walking. But I got it all together and while we watched the Lions eat up the Force last night, Johnathan, Ian and I enjoyed it on (well sort of on) pineapple and tangelo. The acidity of the fruit just makes it and you need fresh coriander on top and fresh finely sliced chillies - and our chillies are very hot straight from the garden. So I shall be happy to make it again.

There has been a wonderful response to the e-mag which is so rewarding and lovely comments. If you haven't taken a subscription, you should. you get a free pdf which will be ready in a day or two and the chance to go in the draw for a prize of silk fibres if you sign up before 15th June - which is not that far away.
And we have just introduced our brand new Silk Fibre Club and what a great response. I have had a lovely time today putting together the first month's selections. Playing with all that colour is amazing.

Loads of parcels today but not the one I was waiting for. Maybe tomorrow. What did come were ots of paints including a new paint.

The newsletter is almost finished - that's what happen when you have loads on your plate. But I am sure everyone will forgive us. We are but human after all....

threads.In-fusion

Big excitement of today is the launching of our e-mag - Ian worked so hard yesterday so I rewarded him with a meal out at our favourite new restaurant Ace Pizza - it is the closest restaurant to our home. The chef is brilliant - James - and they deserve their day off today after 21 days straight.

Back to the real news though - Ian still has the paypal button to add and the pictures to put on the free pdf which comes if you take out a subscription. Do check it out here
http://www.thethreadstudio.com/catalogue/infusion/text.htm

Just as well it is a holiday here in Perth not that we are. Harley knows it is as she has done nothing all day.
We are having a day off soon - just not sure when, There is a newsletter to get out as well. We hadn't forgotten in our excitement. And we are launching our Silk Fibre Club as well - that's not quite on the web yet either. But it is a 12 month club - every month for 12 months, we will send you a parcel of assorted yummy silk fibres in co-ordinated colours from our wonderful collection with a different ideas sheet each time along with a non-silk product for you to use with your silk fibres. $300 for 12 months or $30 a month.

See - we have been busy!

Welcome to winter

Welcome to Winter and it really is cold here - for Perth




Last night we went to Jesus Christ Superstar - great show - great effects and everything and our first visit to the Perth Arena




So many people to seat and pretty efficient - same when it finished. We walked home.




Lot of lovely hand dyed silk laps to dry but they make lots of colour in the back garden.

Enjoying the rugby - shame the Hurricanes lost but really great to see the Highlanders won tonight - bit late though.

I am working on what seems an enormous piece of work for this exhibition. I am building up a background so just work on a little bit every time I run in and out of the studio