While there’s not much progress to report on my knitting projects, I do have a new non-knitting project that I’m quite excited about.

It’s currently hard rubbish season in some neighbouring suburbs, and yesterday we came across this:

I have been pining for this style of outdoor setting for a few years, so I was delighted when the (now ex) owner gave us the OK to take it off their nature strip. Granted, there is only one chair and two of us, but it’s a start.

Matt was initially hesitant to take them, but I think I talked him round when I mentioned cups of tea, morning sunshine and programming outside. This, I’m hoping, will speed up the restoration process.

They obviously need a lot of TLC, particularly the table. The slats on the chair seem to be salvageable, but the wood on the table needs to be replaced. I am a bit concerned about rust, but we’ll see how it looks after a sandblast.

The things I love the most about them in their current state is seeing all the colours they’ve been in their lives. As for their future colour(s), you’ll just have to stay tuned!

The photos for this post were taken, what feels like, ages ago, and the brooch finished even longer ago than that. It feels like I haven’t been able to take a breath all week, but now I have a smidgen of time to post before I get back to the madness.

This is another Brown Owls project, designed by George. Mad props to George — I do think it turned out nicely. Her instructions were clear and the template worked well. She (the brooch that is) is yet to have its public debut, but I think today will be the day. Once I stop lazing about, that is.

While pondering this post, I decided that Brown Owls has been very positive for me. Knitting is the craft that I gravitate towards, but there are other crafts I’m keen to try but never seem to get round to it on my own. So far I’ve tried embroidery and making felt brooches, and not only am I pretty happy with how both of them turned out, I want to embroider more and make more felt brooches. Maybe once the craziness dies down.

I finished embroidering my little Dutch girl last weekend. She’s a bit wonky in places, but I don’t mind. It was my first attempt at embroidery and I’m pleased I stuck with it to completion.

I have another tea towel sitting on my desk, ready to embroider. The set that the Dutch girl is from, Loopsies’ Pretty Maids set 1, also has sweet girls from Bavaria, Russia, Poland and France. I can’t decide which one to choose next!

In other news, my partner had an iPhone/iPod touch program released in the iTunes app store this week. I was very hesitant to mention it here, and to’d and fro’d about whether I should say something. Ultimately, I’m very proud of him and the program he’s created and released, so I shouldn’t be embarrassed to say something on my blog, my personal space. It’s a program I’ve helped with from the word go, and I’ve been using for my knitting projects since December. So, if you are a knitter and an iPhone/iPod touch owner and are looking for a row counter, please consider Knit Counter or its free counterpart, Knit Counter Lite (both links to iTunes).

In both versions, you can have as many counters as you like, link counters together (good for if you’re knitting something with pattern repeats) and put in increase/decrease alerts for projects where you have to increase or decrease periodically (eg. if you’re knitting sleeves). You can have as many projects as you like for Knit Counter, and just a single project for Knit Counter Lite.

I’ve ended up rabbiting (excuse the pun, with Easter and all…) on a lot more than I intended to about the program. Full details can be found on his site, or on iTunes.

Learning new crafty skills, is a good, albeit dangerous thing.

Today at Brown Owls I learnt some embroidery basics. I felt completely lost when I first sat down with my tea towel, embroidery floss, needle and pattern, but with lots of help from lots of lovely Brown Owl ladies (sorry if I forgot anyone who gave me words of wisdom!), I was happily on my way. I think I’m starting to get the hang of it now – it certainly feels like I’m getting through sections a bit quicker, and I think the stitches are looking a bit neater and more even!

The only danger associated with embroidery, besides the inevitable needle-in-finger attacks, is that it will be competing with knitting (and occasionally sewing) for my attention. I feel so unproductive already without another crafty hobby!

It really is about time someone came up with a 30 hour day.