Christmas blessings, with a twist

A last bit of post-Christmas joy and laughter, and a fitting way to re-enter the blogging business at the end of the year.

What a mix this video is - muppets, Jesus, Queen...

Cozies all cozied up...

A holiday Kukaburra at Taggarty

A sweet little stich counter from the op shop and some precious tortoise shell needles from my nana.

I've been well and truly bitten by the tea cozie bug. And what a warm, itchy yet delicious bite it is!

Here are a few of my reflections on what I love about knitting cozies, but I have gotten a little carried away... They can be whipped up quickly, just in a few sessions really. They are appreciated as they are not every day things (but they should be). They give me an abundance of opportunities to try out new knitting techniques - such as intarsia knitting, which I am becoming a bit of a gun at now. Small, seemingly useless bits of will can be used up and maximised to their full potential. The finished product makes sensational gifts. And they are just so cozie!

I'm loving the book I bought, as mentioned previously. And recently I've had time on my hands, such as a weekend in the country to knit, knit, knit. Please enjoy this one finished project and the two works in progress. Flicking through my how-to cozie book, I've got around five more that I want to try out. And then there's that article in the most recent Mixed Tape zine about the amazing lady who makes her own cozie designs and then wins prizes at the Red Hill show. Oh, I could dream and knit for a very long time...

Well, I gave Con her super cozie, the one with the mega lining and sweet reverse knitted sheep. And despite her having a relatively big tea pot, the cozie was huge! And her pot's handles come from the top of the pot not the side. Drats! I think I need to come up with a plan for the good old top handle tea pot model. After all, I have one too that I use at work on cold days. I'm thinking two pieces, with no covering over the lid. Tight fitting too.

Mixing it up...

Today I subscribed to Mixed Tape. Hurrah! I'd certainly heard about this zine a lot on line, as was a fan. It is created with love and care by a group of Melbs women, in the lounge room, with lots of elbow grease. I purchased a copy late 2008 from one of my fav bookstores - Brunswick Bound - (so excited, just figured out how to work the hyperlink thingie!) when wandering up and down Sydney Road. It has a cute, pink and yellow sewing machine on the front, so delicious! When will my first copy arrive in the mail? Questions, questions... I'll just have to be patient. Particularly as I'm yet to find a place that sells it in Darwin.

Mixed Tape is full of crafty, creative and eco-friendly tips. It caters for mums, bubs, students, creative types, earth-loving people... Who ever really. I love that it is a little cottage industry that now has readers all over the place! Not just in Aus. So now I can proudly say, "I read Mixed Tape".