Aro Valley, Wellington

Ryman’s Walk in Wednesdays

Ryman’s Walk in Wednesdays

Ryman villages across the country are open every Wednesday in November.

1212 days ago

What is Yarn: What It’s Made From, How You Make It and More

Robert Anderson from Curtain Clean Wellington (The Wash House)

When researching or reading about different fabrics, you are likely to see the word yarn mentioned a lot. ‘Made from spun yarns’ or ‘with synthetic yarns’ are a couple of examples. But what is yarn? What is spun yarn? Are there other types? What does it all mean, and how much relevance does… View moreWhen researching or reading about different fabrics, you are likely to see the word yarn mentioned a lot. ‘Made from spun yarns’ or ‘with synthetic yarns’ are a couple of examples. But what is yarn? What is spun yarn? Are there other types? What does it all mean, and how much relevance does this bear to your final fabric? That’s what we are here to look at in a little more detail.

What is Yarn?
Yarn is a length of fibres. That’s the simplest way to explain it. It is a continuous length of fibres which are interlocked, and it’s used to produce fabrics, as well as in crocheting, knitting, embroidery and ropemaking.

This means that we can split yarn into two different ‘categories’ of sorts. The thread that is used for embroidery or in sewing machines, as well as yarn (commonly known as balls-of-wool) used in crafts such as knitting or crocheting, are long lengths that are bought as yarns.

The alternative would be a yarn which is then knitted or woven into a fabric. The textile is then bought as fabric, in lengths, rather than the yarn itself being purchased separately. This second description is the one that we will explore further in this post.

What is Yarn Made From?
Yarn can be made from such a variety of different fibres. This includes both natural and synthetic fibres. The most common plant fibre is cotton, however, you can also use other natural fibres such as bamboo. Alongside cotton, the synthetic polyester fibre makes up the two most commonly used fibres. Animal fibres are also often used, such as wool, harvested from sheep, as well as cashmere (harvested from goats) Angora (from rabbits) and silk (from insect larvae).

What is the Difference Between Spun and Filament Yarn?
Spun yarn is made by twisting staple fibres together in either an S or Z twist, to make a single thread. The process of twisting the fibres together into yarn is called spinning and it was one of the first processed to be industrialised. Spun yarns can contain a single type of fibre, or you can spin various types of fibre together to give you a blend.

Filament yarn is made up of filament fibres which are either twisted together or simply grouped together. It can either be composed of one filament, which is called a monofilament, or it could be made of more than one, in which case it would be known as a multifilament. This can be as few as two or three filament fibres, or even up to 50, or more.

Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...

Image
S
1212 days ago

For Sale 1994 Hilux Surf

Sharon from Karori

Four Door Black Manual
Well maintained
Interested call 022 1826649
Price negotiable

Price: $14,000

1212 days ago

Marsden NCEA and Māori & Pasifika scholarship close this week 6 August

Inge Doig from Samuel Marsden Collegiate School

Marsden NCEA years and Middle School 2022 - Join us! Marsden Yr 11-13 and Yr 7-13 Māori & Pasifika scholarship applications close this week, Friday 6 August. See details and apply online now!

Image
1212 days ago

Meet our Houseplant Hero 2021!

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Dear neighbours,

Please meet Alyce Read of Nelson, who uses her houseplant collection to connect with others and help them overcome mental health challenges. "You wouldn’t take a plant and put it in a dark corner and fail to water it and expect it to thrive. So we should look at ourselves … View more
Dear neighbours,

Please meet Alyce Read of Nelson, who uses her houseplant collection to connect with others and help them overcome mental health challenges. "You wouldn’t take a plant and put it in a dark corner and fail to water it and expect it to thrive. So we should look at ourselves that way," she says. "If we are not thriving in the way that we would wish, it might not be any fault of ours, it might be the conditions that we are under."

1212 days ago

Random Acts of Kindness – August 1st to 31st 💐

The Team from Neighbourhood Support New Zealand

All it takes is a kind gesture to change someone’s day. From giving flowers to a neighbour ‘just because’ to paying it forward in line at a cafe - this month we’re encouraging our members and supporters to make New Zealand a better place one random act of kindness at a time.

The options … View more
All it takes is a kind gesture to change someone’s day. From giving flowers to a neighbour ‘just because’ to paying it forward in line at a cafe - this month we’re encouraging our members and supporters to make New Zealand a better place one random act of kindness at a time.

The options for doing so are endless! Being kind doesn’t have to cost a thing, after all a smile is free. For those who want to go the extra mile, here’s some other ideas: take a gift over to new neighbours and introduce yourself, build a free community library for your street, buy extra kai at the grocery store to donate to a food bank, bring treats into work for colleagues, send an encouraging text to someone who needs it, let a car into the traffic ahead of you, write positive messages in chalk on sidewalks around your neighbourhood, or surprise loved ones with a visit.

Want to share your thoughts? Let us know how you’re spreading kindness this month by tagging us in your social media posts or emailing us your photos, videos, or experiences to:

info@neighbourhoodsupport.co.nz

Image
1213 days ago

Meet the makers at Sustainability Trust’s mid-winter market

Sustainability Trust

Tēnā koutou. Your neighbours at Sustainability Trust here. Just letting you know that our mid-winter market is back and better than ever - and you're invited.

This is your opportunity to meet the makers, the crafters and creators, the people that make us proud to #SupportLocal. There will… View more
Tēnā koutou. Your neighbours at Sustainability Trust here. Just letting you know that our mid-winter market is back and better than ever - and you're invited.

This is your opportunity to meet the makers, the crafters and creators, the people that make us proud to #SupportLocal. There will be music, locally made artisanal gifts and goodies, great conversations and great people.

So go on, cut out the supply chain and meet the people behind the products. Be ethical, shop sustainably & support NZ made.

Admission is free, but please bring cash as many of the stallholders will not have EFTPOS.

Homeware > Art > Toys > Beauty > Clothing > Gifts > Food >Music

All are sustainably sourced and ethically made by conscious consumers for conscious consumers.

Sat, 21 August from 10.30 am to 4 pm - 2 Forresters Lane, Wellington.
Find out more

Image
1213 days ago

Looking for an apprentice?

Competenz

Advertise your entry-level and apprentice roles with Competenz through our online job board, we have pre-qualified and motivated jobseekers ready to match with your organisation.
Find your next apprentice with Competenz!

Image
T
1213 days ago

laundry tub and mixer tap

Thorsten from Northland

In good condition- no longer needed ? offers
560 mm deep 450 mm wide 880 mm high

Negotiable

1216 days ago

Friday Feathered Friend

Reporter Community News

This week we again feature words and a picture from Louise Thomas, who recently ventured to Whanganui.

"The Chief Porter and I have been hunting the Nankeen Night Heron for some time. Randomly calling into Ūpokongaro to the spot “Behind the Door on 4” where others before us have clocked … View more
This week we again feature words and a picture from Louise Thomas, who recently ventured to Whanganui.

"The Chief Porter and I have been hunting the Nankeen Night Heron for some time. Randomly calling into Ūpokongaro to the spot “Behind the Door on 4” where others before us have clocked the birds, but, for us, with no success. On Monday we were crest fallen to find the café shut, but thought we would head a little way up Makirikiri Valley Road and drop down into the gulley and scout along the stream that runs into the Whanganui River at Ūpokongaro.
The recent rain had made the stream brown and swollen, water was lapping up onto the shelf with the slight track covered in wandering willy (tradescentia). It was wet, slippery, and muddy and our pants were wet up to the knees just walking through the undergrowth. We were buzzed by fantails and wax-eyes, but saw nothing of the night herons behind the area where the café is.
We pushed a little further upstream, straddling rotten logs which crumbled under our feet and slipping in the thick wet weed. I was about to call time of death on the operation, when the Chief Porter spotted a creamy patch against the dark tangled trees overhanging the stream. It was like magic, three night herons materialised from the gloom, their bodies glowing like warm rich butterscotch.
All three had slicked back black hair, but one roosting in the tree, hunched over like an old man, also had two long thin white feathers waving down his back like crazy antennae. One was actively hunting in the stream, pulling at aquatic plants in the hope they might be tasty, the other perched above and moved along the branches quoorking encouragement about the activities below. Nankeen night heron (Nycticorax caledonicus)."

Image
1216 days ago

Wooden butterfly

The Team from Resene ColorShop Basin Reserve

Recreate a Kiwiana classic using butterflise and Resene testpots.

Find out how to create your own.

Image
1215 days ago

Way Back Wednesday

Reporter Community News

It is not Wednesday but here is a face from the past you might recognise.

Image
1214 days ago

Improve your digital literacy today!

The Team from Digital Boost

Are you a small business owner looking to make better use of the online space?

Digital Boost is a free online learning platform packed with 3-5 minute educational videos on topics like:
- Websites
- Digital marketing/social media
- Online tools
- Digital accounting
- Business insights, … View more
Are you a small business owner looking to make better use of the online space?

Digital Boost is a free online learning platform packed with 3-5 minute educational videos on topics like:
- Websites
- Digital marketing/social media
- Online tools
- Digital accounting
- Business insights, feedback and reporting
- Future technologies

Plus, pick up tips and tricks from our interviews with other small business owners across the nation.

The future is digital and we want your business to be part of it.
Sign up today

Image
1218 days ago

Way Back Wednesday

Reporter Community News

Any thoughts on this picture? You will do well to get all four names.

Image
1215 days ago

Make a Living Wall

Robert Anderson from Curtain Clean Wellington (The Wash House)

If you enjoy growing your own potted plants and would like a stylish way of displaying them inside the home, then this month's project could be just what you need. I've been admiring living walls and hanging gardens for some time now, and decided to create an achievable small-scale … View moreIf you enjoy growing your own potted plants and would like a stylish way of displaying them inside the home, then this month's project could be just what you need. I've been admiring living walls and hanging gardens for some time now, and decided to create an achievable small-scale version to house small pots and fresh herbs in my kitchen. These shelves are affordable and easy to make, and ideal for apartments and smaller homes without much garden space.

For this project you will need:
• 1 length of untreated pine 20mm thick and 120mm wide
• Hand saw or skill saw, sandpaper
• Drill with 72mm hole saw drill bit and 7.5mm drill bit (for 7mm rope)
• 9 x 9cm terracotta pots
• White synthetic general purpose rope 7mm x 10m, 8 x white plastic cable ties
• Resene Colorwood Whitewash, speed brush or synthetic paintbrush

• Various herbs or small plants

Step one: Cut your length of pine into three pieces, each 600mm long. You can do this with either a hand saw or a skill saw. Once cut, give them a sand.

Step two: Measure out the placement of your holes that will hold the terracotta pots. I spaced mine out at 150mm centres. Repeat these markings for all three lengths of timber.

Step three: Using a drill with a hole saw attachment, cut out 72mm (D) sized holes to fit your terracotta pots. I practised first on a spare cut of timber I had lying around, to make sure that the hole I was drilling was the right size. For my 9cm pots, I found that 72mm ensured a good fit. Tidy up each hole with a light sand.

Step four: Now you need to cut the holes for your rope. Measure in 20mm from each corner and mark your drilling spot. Use a 7.5mm drill bit to make one hole in each corner (the size drill bit you use will depend on the thickness of the rope you are using to hang your shelves – adjust accordingly). Repeat for all three lengths of timber.

Step five: To achieve a fresh, clean look I used Resene Colorwood Whitewash interior wood stain. There are lots of colours to choose from, so you could pick whichever best suits the timber you are using and where the finished project will be hanging. I applied two coats of Whitewash using a speed brush, or synthetic brush.

Step six: Cut your rope into four equal lengths and thread each length through the corner holes of your shelves starting from the bottom. Tie each length of rope into a knot on the underside of the bottom shelf, so the bottom shelf rests on these knots.

Step seven: Adjust the placement of your shelves until you get them evenly spaced. Make sure you allow room for the pots to sit in the shelves, and room for your plants to grow of course. I spaced my shelves at 200mm apart. Secure the undersides of your remaining shelves with cable ties, they are a good solution because they aren't hugely visible and they don't budge. Trim the long ends of the cable ties once in place.

Step eight: Add your pots and plants, and hang in your chosen spot. Make sure that you use hooks that can safely take the weight of your shelves.



DIY with pictures: www.curtainclean.co.nz...

Image
1215 days ago
Top