Tuesday 29 November 2011

Your next TV will be Flexible plastic - what? Oh yes!


Engineering Researchers at the University of Toronto have created the "World's Most Efficient Flexible OLED" and they tell us that when we want to hang our next 55" TV on the wall, it won't be rigid and heavy, it will be flexible and plastic.  As a matter of fact, they say you will be able to roll it up and take it with you.  Just plug it in when you get there and the electricity will light up the organic matter on the plastic - organic matter that amounts to - well, basically - the same matter as the dye powder that is used to make your blue jeans the colour blue.  What will they think of next?






"Organic Optoelectronics, is one of the premier reserach units of its field in North America. The group's primary interests reside in the application of semi-conducting conducting organic molecules and polymers for the design of useful optoelectronic devices, such as dye-sensitized photovoltaics and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). "

Friday 18 November 2011

Knit items I have made recently

About Knitting.... I started a knitting club at work and when I went to book the boardroom, the lady who books the rooms said: "Are you starting a knitting club?"  I said "Yes".  "Can I join?" she said.  It is pretty popular. 

As I told my cousin, Elaine, I have just made: 1 pair of green mittens, 5 hats and one scarf. Now I am working on a sweater - but knit, not crocheted, although I do that, too!

My cousin, Elaine, said on Facebook: "Wow!! That is great!! Are mittens hard to make? Do you use 4 needles. i remember my mom knitting all the time when we were little. Can you post pics?? Have you knitted a sweater before??"

So... in answer to your questions, Elaine:
Mittens are fun to make!  I just made a pair of green ones that do not call for 4 needles, but I have made them using my mother's pattern for 4 needles and it was easy and fun.  I am kind of disappointed with the pattern I used for the 2 needle mittens because it is a little larger than expected. Lucky my daughter, Beth, has large hands. 


Yes, I have made a sweater before. Several, but I don't have the photo available right now. 
I will look for some pictures.  Below are some of the other things I have made recently and long ago. 



There is a blue twin-sized blanket for Beth (I made a pink one as well - crocheted).  There is a yellow cotton blankie that I made for Alicia when she was going into the hospital (for heart surgery at Sick Kids in 2006 - she's fine).  There is a Harry Potter scarf made for Alicia (Griffendor).  I also made two other Harry Potter scarves - one in RavenClaw for Renee (my eldest) and one for Kelly's daughter, Alex.
Also below are:  3 hats and one black scarf with a basketweave pattern on it. 
 

Here is a closeup of Alicia's hat.  Too bad I got the seam side!  LOL!  I would retake it, but ... maybe later.



Here is Beth in her scarf that I made in the colours of "The Bay" - The Hudson Bay company here in Toronto made a special scarf available for the Olympics one year using the colours that they use in their marketing material.  Beth wanted one, so I made one.

 Here is a closeup of the basketweave.  It looks a bit off here, but it is really nice.
  
Anyway, that's all for now. 

Denise