Why I love Eurovision

On my Facebook, there were at least two people asking versions of "why on Earth would you watch Eurovision".

Here are a few reasons that I've been watching Eurovision every year since at least 2000, and probably longer than that:

• The Politics.  What first captured me years ago the first year I watched Eurovision was undeniably the politics - the way in which certain countries will always vote for others, or against others.  The year that the UK got no points from anyone and I watched in horror because it was just a little humiliating.
• The Awesome - it's just - fabulous.  I love it.  The special effects, the nutty, just the willingness to be awesome and fabulous.
• The rare use of French - this year only France and Belgium gave their points in French.  I'm sure it used to be used more when I started watching.
• The enthusiasm.  There's no self-consciousness, as there would be if this were Australia.
• The sense of community.  Along with knowing that a lot of Europe is paying attention to this, there's the slight nuttiness of Australian fans, of getting #SBSEurovision trending globally, of knowing that around Australia  people are enjoying the craziness.

Basically, it's just really fabulous fun.  

The anatomy of an iPad cover

The finished product.

It is seriously awesome to have finished this project.  I've changed patterns once, tried multiple times not to create ouroboros with my foundation chain, and have discovered the vital importance of consistent ply.

When M came home with a work-supplied iPad, her existing iPad became kind-of-mine.  And I wanted a cover for it, because I was using an old IKEA cushion cover as a case (because we replaced the covers this year with new ones.)  And it seemed right to try to crochet a cover.

I started with a redheart.com pattern in dc (all references in this blog to UK terminology unless otherwise stated) using my original Carnival acrylic yarn.  I tried, I really did, but once I didn't want an all pinkish-blueish-purplish cover and changed yarn, it turned into a disaster.  Plus, the DC just took far too long.  (I'm shallow, I know).

The original attempt, just prior to frogging.

So I changed to a different pattern, one found on Pinterest, and that one finally worked - due in no small part to using yarn all of the same ply (all leftovers from the Annablanket).  I had initially thought to call it a "Bunheads inspired" project, but that disappeared with the Carnival yarn.  I bought an awesomely big button, sewed it on, and it's all done.  It took a little time away from the Annablanket (although that's finished now too (apart from blocking)) but given the protection the screen needs, the cover was necessary.  And I'm not entirely ruling out the idea of surface crochet or decorative flowers at some point in the future...

What I am up to Wednesday (on Friday)

My (vague) plan is to rotate WIAUTW posts between my three blogs.  Last week was the Book Blog, this week we're here at Chez Stutters, and next week it will be the Discernment Blog.

So:

Crochet-wise, I'm on R43 of 56 for the Rainbow baby blanket and it actually feels like a blanket on my lap when I'm working on it.  I worked another two or three motifs of the Croydon Square blanket on the weekend.  Think I've still got at least three of each yet to do.  And as you would have seen, I finished my first crochet project ever, a beaded star tag for my gym bag, influenced by the TV show Smash (which thanked me by having an incredibly depressing episode on Sunday.)

I have also bought wool for three more projects: Christmas decorations for the end of this year, a Christmas present for the end of the year, and my first attempt at a crocheted stole.

Today my own personal copy of Jan Eaton's Encyclopaedia of Crochet arrived in the mail, along with my copy of the Just Bento cookbook.  M and I are trying trying trying to get back into being organised and I'm hoping part of that will be the reemergence of my bento habit.

Tea blending: Assam with T2 Spi Chai

I was poking around the T2 website in past days and found the suggestion of blending Assam with T2's Spi Chai.

Now, I happen to have been drinking more Assam of late, because over Christmas Twinings was selling 100 Assam Bold tea bags in a really nice tin, and Chez Stutters being Chez Stutters, naturally we bought it for the tin.  But I've been enjoying the tea, as well, and will probably keep getting it, perhaps in loose leaf form, once I've finished the tea bags.

Having read the suggestion of blending, however, I decided to give it a try - particularly because our Spi Chai has essentially gone unused since it got too hot for Chai.

The website says it's best without milk, but I don't believe that any tea is best without milk, not really.

That said, it's a beautiful blend, and I recently bought more Spi Chai so I could keep making my wonderful Assam/SpiChai blend.

My first finished crochet project.

It's the third project I've started but the first I've finished - a relatively simple little star for my gym bag, inspired by the TV show "Smash".

Some explanation - I recently joined a gym.  I joined at a point in time when a deal was offered with a gym bag, t-shirt, etc.  Which means that there's a lot of identical gym bags around these days.  I wanted something to distinguish mine, and given my new-found love of crochet, it seemed like the right medium for my identifying mark.

Meanwhile, I love the show "Smash".  It's almost certainly not going to get renewed for a third season, which really annoys me, as they're clearly getting things set up beautifully for said third season.  Red and gold are the obvious colours for Smash, but it's so bound up in the story of Marilyn Monroe that it clearly had to include white.  Meanwhile, my crochet mentor and general bad influence, Mel from Crochet of a Subversive Reader, mentioned beads, and I thought that beads would suit Smash perfectly.

And so here's my Smash-inspired "(Let me be your) Star".  In situ.

This particular pattern has gone onto my short list of patterns for Christmas decorations this year.  I want to put decorations in some of my cards this year.  Like this star.

What I am up to Wednesday

In the last few weeks, I've gotten hooked (no pun intended) on crochet.  I'm using a my Ravelry account (heidisews) in its proper way now, and currently have two projects on the go.  My friend Mel of Crochet of a Subversive Reader has begun "What I am up to Wednesday", and I'm going to try to do the same.

So, current projects -

Croydon Square Baby Blanket - I've finished fourteen motifs of twenty-four.  On Monday I blocked the first three. As well as another ten motifs, I have a lot of endings to weave in.  Even so, I'll admit that this project has mostly been put down, in favour of another - a gift for a baby born before the baby for whom this project is a gift.










Rainbow Square Baby Blanket - I'm currently at round 25 of 56 (slight alterations to the pattern occurred).  As each round grows by 24 stitches, r25 is nowhere near halfway, but at this point I'm really pleased with it and in fact rather love it.  (Since the second photo was taken I've finished three and a half more rounds.)

The square is looking a little skewed when you look closely.  It will definitely need blocking when its done.

Tea blogging again - Lemongrass and Ginger

I bet you thought I'd forgotten about the tea-blogging.  After all, I only did it once.

But thanks to someone randomly leaving a T2 sample of Lemongrass and Ginger in our tearoom at work, I'm back again.

Description from the T2 website:

Bright lemongrass joined by ginger's spice creates a harmonious blend of freshness and warmth in a deliciously well-balanced fashion. Cool lemongrass brings a zesty zing which is followed by the warming spice of ginger.

No milk - because there wasn't any at work (plus ginger and milk just doesn't seem to work. Oddly, because ginger and milk are part of the basis of pumpkin pie, which is awesome.) On the other hand, lemongrass mitigates against milk.

There are very few teas that I'm happy to drink hot, without milk.  This is one of them, and it's magnificent.