things i'm making/have made

Last week I made Anzac biscuits. I had to explain a million times what these are because it’s an Australian/NZ thing. These are biscuits/cookies that were first made in WW1 to send to Australian and NZ troops who were collectively known as ANZACS (Australian and NZ army corps). They’re made from nonperishable things like golden syrup, coconut, oats, flour and butter so they would withstand the long journey to where the troops were stationed. We antipodeans have Anzac day on the 25^th of April to remember the troops who died in Gallipoli. It’s common for kids to study this in high school, and the “Anzac spirit” is a big deal for Australians. For some reason, this particular day, when the troops landed at Gallipoli, is remembered as when our national identity was founded. I think because it was the first major thing we did as separate from the Empire. Anyway I’m not very patriotic, but it felt more special making these and telling everybody about it.

I have started crocheting again, spent Saturday morning in bed crocheting and watching Stepmom (tearjerker starring Julia Roberts & Susan Sarandon). I’m making a hat even though, as somebody at work told me yesterday, we’re going into summer. Feel like in England we can wear hats all year round due to unpredictable and generally mild temperatures. I will upload a picture and pattern at some point I guess, it’s my favourite hat pattern and it’s super super easy and pretty.

Aaaaand last night I made hummingbird cupcakes for my manager at my internship’s birthday this weekend. Hummingbird cake usually has pineapple and banana in but for some reason in my mind I figured it would be better with peach or perhaps I made one ages ago with peach.. so I decided to substitute that instead of pineapple which I don’t like very much to be honest. I used this recipe and this one as inspiration. I just used SR flour because in particular recipes I think it’s legit to skip the plain flour and baking powder/bicarb/baking soda game, and I used walnuts instead of pecans because they are cheaper. By the way, if you ever need to cross reference recipes, I would definitely recommend using tastespotting. The best website for inspiration/ideas/food porn. Something I noticed about hummingbird cake is that although it's apparently a "southern" food, nobody really knows where it originates from. MYSTERY CAKE. It's really good anyway.

granny squares

I have been doing crochet for a lady called Wendy who sells blankets. I am nearly finished now, only 12 more squares to go!! I've figured out I can make 1 square per trip into work and then usually 2 at work if I'm onto it. Getting pretty sick of these colours though. damn. This is why I have started listening to podcasts.. hasn't become too tedious that way

I guess just for reference, the pattern I'm using is

chain 4, slip stitch into a ring

chain 3, treble crochet 2 into ring, 2 chain, (3 treble crochet, 2 chain) x 3, slip stitch to join row

change colour, start this row in a corner. chain 3, 2 tc, 2 chain, 3 tc. then 3 tc, 2 chain,  3 tc in each corner around. 

change colour, start in corner. chain 3, 2 tc, 2 chain, 3 tc. 3 tc in the space. then 3 tc, 2 chain, 3 tc in each corner around

4th row is the same but with an extra space

I was going to make some crochet tutorials last year and I might come good on that promise, but for now, easily the best place to learn (and the place I learnt) are the granny square tutorials on meet me at mike's. 

it's done!

Well it took me a month, but here it is. Southside Brown Owls, everybody!

Southside Brown Owls from Susie Anderson on Vimeo.

crochet basics

A lot of people ask me what the difference between knitting and crochet is. The most discernible difference is you crochet with one hook, while you knit with two needles.

Another difference is that crochet tends to grow more quickly (ie you see results faster) it's easier to leave your work alone for a while and come back to it without any damage.

Similarities are that the needles and the hooks come in different sizes. The size of your wool corresponds to the size of your needle/hook. So if you have chunky wool, you want a big hook or needles and vice versa for thinner wool. The label on your ball of wool tells you what size needle you should knit or crochet with, but you can work with small wool on big needles or a big hook and the work will grow faster, but will also be more holey. This can sometimes look nice though.

Another similarity is that they are both made up of individual stitches. The different stitches that you learn combine to make bigger patterns. There can be a lot of counting involved.

In knitting the most common stitches are plain and purl.

The most common stitches in crochet are chain, slip stitch, single, double and treble stitch. It's important to note that there is a difference between UK/Aus and American terminologies. Crochet Australia has a useful conversion chart for future reference. Also on crochet Australia they break down a lot of the different stitches into diagrams with useful arrows that tell you which way your wool needs to be going, helpful for beginners.

Learning to crochet can be pretty hard. The best way to learn to crochet is to have somebody teach you in person. Or more precisely, the best way is now youtube tutorials.

Everybody's favourite craft guru Pip from meet me at mike's made this really useful series of videos called 'crochet school'. The good thing about this tutorial is that there's no annoying "now do this", just the visual with a text explanation. I find this the best method to learn, but she has collated a bunch of different links on that site if you don't find her tutorials useful.

Next time: how to cast on a row of knitting

for a while I have wanted to start a craft blog, but I am generally put off by the excessive cheeriness of it all. also it took me ages to think of a good craft pun. I think this is acceptable: with wool and I refers to the 1987 film starring Richard E. Grant Withnail & I which is, I'm told, a UK cult classic. Apparently there are drinking games based on how many times they drink or smoke. I just watched it because I was bored over some holidays last year and my university library has a very healthy supply of DVDs. If you haven't seen it, I guess you would call it a 'black comedy'.

I should explain my relationship with wool perhaps. I basically have been knitting for years - my 'grandma Betty' taught me how to knit when I was about 10 - I've since been quite a voracious winter knitter, beginning scarves enthusiastically in the winter then letting them fall by the wayside after realising you can make pudding - an equal comfort and source of warmth - faster. A few years ago however I started foraying more into craft generally, making some little trams (will post a pattern and pictures later) as presents for my friends. If I could knit them faster I would make more and sell them on etsy or something. Maybe this blog will inspire that, you never know. Then last year I decided that it was time for me to learn how to crochet. And crochet I did. I became addicted. It's really bad. I've got about 7 hats to show for my time - have finally got the sizing down - and this inhatuation has transferred back over to my knitting. I think I'm also obsessed with the idea of seeing my friends wearing the stuff I've made.

So on this blog I will start making a back catalogue of the things I've made in the past and new things I do make, inspiration I find and so on.

First, a picture of me, wearing something that I made!

Stay tuned for the pattern...

ps really hard to resist temptation to call this post 'casting on'