Witty knitter

The word on boofhead Barnaby

If, like me, you are irritated by the pronouncements of Barnaby Joyce, the accountant, since he became opposition spokesman on finance, read this from this morning's smh. It's pure satirical gold: pointed, accurate and funny. Sadly, the people who need to understand that that economics is not closely related to double-entry book-keeping probably won't read it. My father was an accountant; my late ex-husband had a degree in economics. The difference is vast, and my father was clear about that. Barnaby probably does understand the difference, unless he's even more stupid than we think, but he's chosen to use ignorance as a rabble-rousing technique. This is the tune being played by the new opposition. Heaven help us all.

Everyone's a designer

I'm having a PhD day, but working up to it by tooling around in Ravelry, and wondering why everyone who makes a small change to a published pattern wants to claim that they are now a 'designer'. And then wants to write it up as a new pattern and share it with everyone for free. And then gets all bitter and twisted when it's pointed out to them that that isn't really a very ethical thing to do - especially if the original pattern was for sale.

Designers make something pretty much from scratch. Sure, you might be inspired by a picture or published pattern and think hmm...if I just change that sleeve shape, and flare the body more, and make it in a lighter yarn (which of course means doing the stitch count completely over)... . You might rely on an existing shape for your initial stitch counts; you might take a stitch pattern from something else that's been published and play with it to make it fit the shape you've chosen. You will certainly rewrite the pattern instructions.  In my view none of those things would make a new design in themselves, but several of them together might.

Just changing the way it's knitted to make it in the round is not being a designer. That's a modification, not a new idea. So is making it longer, or shorter, or adding a cable or a lace panel without any other changes. Publish your notes in Ravelry by all means so others can share your genius, but please don't think you can publish your changes as a new design.

Inching toward completion

 
Hannah's fair isle cardigan is all knitted. The sleeves are sewn in. Now I can't find those perfect buttons that I bought a few weeks ago. That is all.

A heads-up

If you're a knitter (or even just a knit hanger-onner) who's close to Sydney and you'd like to meet other knitters, you might like to get yourself to the Sidewalk Cafe on the Opera House forecourt on Saturday 12 December, anytime from around 2pm. We are having another summer Knit in Public Day. It's very informal, so just come if you can, and bring a little Kris Kringle gift - not more than $10 worth and prettily wrapped.

Gae Fenske, I'm looking at you. I'd love to meet you, seeing you've been commenting on my blog all these years.

And now it's Labour's turn...

Kristina Keneally as Premiere? Well, that's the end of NSW labour for an election or two. Do they really think this will save them? No, of course they don't. They just want her to be the bozo who takes the blame for losing. Aparently her desire to be da boss has blinded her to the reality of the situation.

Liberal party shennanigans

Toby Abbott as Leader of the Opposition and climate change deniers running both parties in the opposition coalition? It's like a parallel universe.

Will the government now go to an early election? I will be right royally pissed off if they do, because even though I am technically eligible for Aussie citizenship, they haven't yet invited me to a local event to actually give it to me, so I wouldn't be able to vote. Apparently I can't get citizenship until Australia Day (26 January). I wonder if they're likely to call it before that? Electoral rolls close when they announce an election now.

I'm sure you're not surprised that its all about me.

Edited to add: Antony Green for the ABC explains here that even if a decision for double dissolution were to be taken soon, the election couldn't be held for ages. Phew!

Edited again to add that Dr Cat has the best and funniest comments I've seen, although Gae's comment below here made me laugh too.

As the Abbott said to the Bishop...

Garden news

Our first tomatoes!
And there will be beans soon too.

A piece of history

Although I respect and admire her, I've never been a huge Elizabeth Zimmerman fan. I've always thought that she was really clever with the technical side of knitting - shaping, creating interesting fabric, but not so clever with the fashion side of design - creating flattering well-fitted garments with flair.

This story and the accompanying photos changed my mind. Apparently she did have a good sense of garment design, although it doesn't appear in her books. I've ordered this pattern, which is now available from Schoolhouse Press, and have some yarn that I think will do it. It's not green, but that's where my design flair might come in.

My advice to Malcolm Turnbull

Resign as leader, move to the back bench, then return as the party's saviour on your terms when they have sorted themselves out, probably after the next election.

Real men knit

Those of my readers who don't knit will be amazed when I tell you that people spend huge amounts of time stalking the websites of some indie yarn dyers, hoping to catch the moment they update and dropping hundreds of dollars on what some call 'fairy fart' yarn (as in its quality may be high but it's reputation is largely mythical). I like buttery soft yarn in deep rich colours as much as the next woman, but I don't want to get into a competition for it. For me, it's the knitting and how you express yourself with it that matters.

With that in mind, have a look at something interesting. We like to call ourselves knitters; this man is a KNITTER. He scavenged for yarn in an extremely hostile environment, he spread his skills to others, and he showed his creativity through his craft in the most dire and depressing environment. And he's an Aussie too. Hat tip to Homero's facebook page