It's done!
It's burned to CD!
It's posted!
REALLY Wild Tea Cosies - the manuscript will arrive on the publisher's desk today.
Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
As a reward I revamped the Wild For Tea Cosies blog.
There are 20 Tea Cosy Aficionados (WFTC blog members)
You are welcome to join too.
Come have a look.
(oh yeah! I revamped my own blog too. Didja notice? Didja?
This came on Wednesday.
...with this...
"May we present to you:
Hildegaard
She was born on your birthday, made entirely by hand by someone who can't really sew. She won't lay eggs but she enjoys stamp collecting and golf. We hope you'll love her. Jacqui XX
.... and then there was this on Friday
Hildergaard, oh Hildergaard,
Have you settled in?
Are you getting on Roger? Or is he too Rampant for you?
Go on! Show us your wobbly stitches
Jacqui
....to which
Roger is a bore! And that tea cosy woman? She promised to do the photo shoot today and what with the pedicure and a hair do and Briazilian., I was exHAUSTed. But nothing.... no photographs....no blogging. Some rubbish about a book. I’m coming home.
Hildegaard
Don’t be so vain – you be nice to her, she’s got important knitting business to do and deadlines to meet. Alright? Good. Now stop bugging her and I will too. Make her a cup of tea and be useful - if you can get some cake happening, that’ll probably help too. Or chocolate. And don’t go bugging her about corn.
Jacqui
Braaak! But she made me get up at dawn. Really! I thought it was just Blue Mountain chooks that were early risers. Something about 'good light'. What do you think? Do I look gorgeous?
Hildegaard
...errr can I have my blog back now please?
Loani
Spot the knitted flower in there...
Only once did one NOT announce one's impending birthday.
One was 37. One didn't tell anyone. One will never be doing THAT again.
There is only one thing to do on one's birthday and that is SHOUT IT TO THE WORLD!
For who doesn't mind a little attention. Not one.
Thank you. Thank you. For all your lovely lovely attention.
One wants to do it all again today.
51 Today! 51 Today!
I'm more than one.
I'm more than two.
I'm MUCH more than three.
51 Today!
Those hands are only 49. It's not that my 51 year old hands are any more unsightly, It's just that a cake photo was needed.
I know. I know. It'll slide off the plate like that but I have to do The Big Drive today for 'real' work, ('real' work being work that is not designing tea cosies work) and I don't have time for mucking about with recalcitrant photos.
Hi ho hi ho.....
....but one was unable to contain oneself. One just had to knit sock... as a reward... because one has been so good, designing thousands of tea cosies.
Yes yes! That's what it is like.
It is like getting to 8 months in a pregnancy with only raspberry leaf tea to drink and deciding bugger it, it is time for a stout.
The baby is big and grown and almost ready to pop out.
A bloody great big glass of stout will be good for it.
Almost time for a book to have a life of it's own.
Ah! But is one advocating more sock knitting or more drinking?
If you are watching Master Murdoch: It was only for a night. These socks have been on the needles for months. They just needed finishing off. Truly Rooly.
It is a funny old thing - blogging. Non bloggers seem to think that I blog in a vacuum and they question its purpose.
For me, most days start with the ‘blog read’. OTHER people's blogs. There is a teaming humanity, chattering away out there in blogland, finding their voices in sketching, sculpture, pottery, photography, writing, music, patch work, and even knitting.
I love peeking into others lives and I love that there are some that peek into my (knitterly) life.
This week an email came from Maree who lives in the central tablelands of New South Wales.
She bought a book, broke a leg and started knitting.
Tea cosies! Lots and lots of tea cosies.
Then she sent me these photos, the result of her 3 months recuperation!
How GRAND is that!
It is simple really.
There is no vacuum.
Just people.
Talking to each other.
In an effort to show knitted things (not tea cosies) one has had to root around in one's cupboards and drawers and large carved Chinese camphor wood boxes left to one by one's mother.
One found these! Just in the nick of time as one is off to a VERY cold place in about three weeks.
It is the same brown wool, brought home from Coffs Harbour in the shape of a fleece.
One washed, carded, spun and knitted it into one's own matching scarf and beanie.
One feels very satisfied with oneself for this amazing feat of perseverance.
(The Bloke fancies himself as a photographer and made one tilt one's head and look to the left. One just wishes he would learn photoshop and rub out the winkles. Yep. W-I-N-K-L-E-S. Not wrinkles! Somehow they're more likable spelled that way. )
One also feels very satisfied with oneself for choosing this beautiful piece from Secret Santa at last year's Orphan's Christmas.
It has waited a long time for a posting but here you are
Phil.
You are a bloody genius!
This little beauty turns heads everywhere she goes.
I only bring her out in winter.
And winters are filled with "I love your bag. Did you make it?"
I did spin the brown and orange wool an age ago. The pink is a loopy fancy yarn. But my friend Sue designed, knitted and felted the bag. Most of her friends carry something similar but different.
We don't call her The Bag Lady for nothing.
I love my bag too.
Thank you Sue.
P.S. The brown is the colour of the sheep.
July July July
Monday 13th - Friday 17th
Sturt Sturt Sturt
Contemporary Australian Craft Centre
WINTER SCHOOL
A Wild Knitting Workshop avec moi!
After Nundle, I'm up for anything.
Tell me what can be more fun than sharing knitty things with knitty people.
Go on. Tell me.
Ooo. Rubbing hands together in anticipation.
THE FLYER SAYS:
Loani uses the iconic tea cosy to demonstrate the wild and sculptural possibilities of knitting. You will make at least two tea cosies learning the art of shaping and textural moulding. You will also use the gentle arts of sewing (not too much) and felting (as an accompaniment) to make your own Wild Tea Cosy designs. The focus of the class will be on learning knitting tricks and techniques and on thinking outside the square.
Where is Mittagong? It is in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, South of Sydney. Very cold in July I understand. Perfect knitting weather.
Besides dying with the biggest stash, I intend to die without regret. It's a plan. I reckon Justine might have the same plan.
Only about a month ago, perhaps two, she left her very important job in publishing and opened up her heart's desire - a little shop selling all the things she loves. Old things and handmade things and even old handmade things.
Very good cheer to you Justine.
And the very best of Big Adventures.
It is a beautiful shop.
Retrospections
498a Miller St
Cammeray
Sydney
Ph: (02) 8065 4639
Aw Wessy! You're so handsome.
This is my much talked about 1950's drinks trolley.
Sits beside my very comfortable lounge chair.
Having to show you furniture BECAUSE I'M NOT ALLOWED TO SHOW YOU MY TEA COSIES!!!
The 15 new tea cosies that are dancing around my house bursting with 'look at me'.
Dream dream dream. Knit knit knit. Write write write. 24 days to deadline.
Kerrie! Here you are proudly showing off your cosy made in our company at the Nundle workshop.
Very pretty. Oh yeah, the cosy too.
(The cardigan and matching tank top Kerrie is wearing is made with her own clever hands too.)
And here is your Licorice Allsorts, beautifully executed, begun on the last day of the workshop, finished at home, photographed and sent to me by email.
It just doesn't diminish, the feeling I get when knitters share their renditions of Wild Tea Cosies with me.
I think it's time to stop saying "It's just a little tea cosy." To make a heart smile (like mine is smiling) is a big thing.
Thanks Kerrie
Avid Reader has been shortlisted in the Australian Booksellers Industry Awards in the following category - twice.
Bookseller Marketing Campaign of the Year 2009
Avid Reader, for Growing Up Asian in Australia, edited by Alice Pung
Avid Reader, for Wild Tea Cosies, written by Loani Prior
Pages & Pages Booksellers Mosman, for The Given Day, written by Dennis Lehane
Readings Books Music Film Carlton, for The Boat, written by Nam Le
Robinson’s Bookshop, for Brisingr, written by Christopher Paolini
And yes! There is Wild Tea Cosies!
We are hoping that the tea cosy exhibition in the window, the knitted graffiti in the street, the launch crush, the tea cosy fashion parade and all the other nonsense that went on will warrant a WIN!
Winners will be announced on Tuesday 23 June.
Good luck Avid.
There isn't anyone I should be sending a tea cosy to is there?
...at Nundle
This woman recruited this man
and his mother
and his father
in the comfort of the Nundle Pub
with the baby obligingly asleep
to help complete Wonder Weave - a tea cosy
Click on to embiggen
Casey and Aileen came on the first day professing ignorance in knitting matters. They were sure they would only stay for one session, being as how hopeless they were at the clickity clack and how they had a baby to run away to. But for all their protestations, they did indeed have all the necessaries - a knit stitch, a purl stitch and big big smiles. Having discovered at lunch time that the men were more than capable of taking care of 8 month old Tash on their own, they were back with bells on for the afternoon session.
Not to be impaired by time or place, we found them all in the pub that night, knitting, weaving and making pompoms, right there over a beer.
Casey's Wonder Weave will be a true family heir loom.
Knitting wild tea cosies at Nundle - a workshop.
What on earth was I worried about? Of course it was going to be great.
YOU made it great. My face hurt from all the talking and smiling.
Here are some of you, beaming with knitting joy.
From left to right...
1.Casey 2.Marilyn and Heather 3.Kylie 4.Kerrie 5. Moi 6.Marilyn 7.Kaye 8.Cheryl and Helen 9.Aileen and Casey
Click on to embiggen.
Thank you thank you thank you Nick and Kylie who's place is the Nundle Woollen Mill for your very warm welcome.
What perfect hosts you both were, making everything so easy and comfortable through the day, rewarding us with drinky poos at 4 ish each day and dinner in the pub every night.
We can even boast a little country fame with a spot on the Armidale Prime News. Have a look.
Yes we are planning to do it again. Well why wouldn't you!
