i heart knitting
Saturday, January 20, 2007
  I have jumped ship!
Blogger overboard. I have a new blog. I love it! Update your links, PLEASE come and have a look. I think you will like it too!

i heart knitting
 
Sunday, January 07, 2007
  Aaaarrrgggghhhh!
Well, I have been one frustrated knitter of late. I found this group and decided I needed to join them knitting two socks on one circular needle. I am here to tell you, I am well over it. I have been knitting for 26 years. Admittedly I am not an expert. But, I do know my way around a pair of needles. I understand, I really do. I just can't do it. Could it be to do with the amount of concentration it takes? Possibly. I am not a good concentrator. Not at all. I am also not very good at being patient. (My very short sentences might have given me away on that one! I am known for my no nonsense approach!!!) And so, because I am well adjusted enough, I gave up.

I then decided I would knit one sock on two circular needles. People, I bought some Addis. I have to use them. So, I thought to jazz it up a bit, I would do a Jaywalker. It was travelling fairly well. One sock on two circs - pretty cool. I like it. The Addis are great too, although I kinked my cord a bit trying to do magic loop. Holy shmoly. And one of them seems to have a little burr on it and catches and I don't know what to do about it. I can't find it when I am not knitting. Then, last night I made a tiny error somewhere, there was an extra stitch and in a fit of rage (remember - no patience) I pulled it off. The Opal that I am using is beginning to cast itself on. "Here is my long tail!!" It too is very kinky. Hmm.

This morning, I began again. Then I ripped it off. Because I found this, and I am so going to do two socks on two circular needles. And I am going to make them plain plain plain. But I am going to make them fraternal, so that I can at least see where I am up to. I will let you know how I go. At this rate, I might finish them by the end of '07!

I also ripped my Dublin Bay sock which was up to the toe, because I had made a mistake in the lace in the leg and it was annoying me no end. Do you feel for me yet? And all I wanna do is buy yarn! I like this though. This I am going to do. I hate picking up the stitches, it always feels like I am doing the wrong thing and it will all fall apart.

To prove that I am not completely useless, I would like to share this:


This is my Baudelaire sock for our tiny Baudelairealong. I am currently up to the gusset. I love the pattern, it is so easy to follow and only eight rows of repeat with every second on being knit knit knit.

I have been listening to some podcasts of late. Have you heard Lime and Violet? Pretty cool. They have a kind of KAL going on, where you measure how many miles of sock yarn you can knit in three months. I am not going to join, as looking at the pictures of other people's stashes puts mine to shame. And of course there is Cast On. And It's a Purl Man. Are there any Ozzie podcasters out there?
Oh yeah, and my phone died. *Sigh*
 
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
  Ramblings . . .
I have learned a lot in the past year, not only about knitting of course, but that's what we are all here for, so I will stick with that! I feel like a list, so here goes:

  1. Knitting is good for the soul and helps me relax and sit still.
  2. I can knit very well if I put my mind to it.
  3. Belonging to an online knitting community is lots of fun and motivates me to try new things.
  4. Some people really like receiving knitted gifts.
  5. Some people really don't.
  6. Most people think knitting is for old people, but they are mistaken and I love proving otherwise!
  7. I am slightly obsessive and will think about knitting and yarn a bit too much if I am not careful.
  8. Buying sock yarn is addictive in the extreme.
  9. I don't like knitting jumpers, nor do I like wearing knitted jumpers.
  10. That probably won't stop me trying again some day. In fact I have my eye on a cotton number from the latest Yarn magazine.

I have finished another couple of things, here is a picture of the second Mother in Law socks, which went down a right treat, just like the other pair with the other Mother in Law. I also gave a gift of a washcloth that I knitted earlier in the year but never photographed, with some yummy soap from Holy Sheet. The conversation between the giftees went something like this:

"Oh, it is so nice to receive something hand made." "It always makes me feel inadequate." "It is just so special." People should be careful what they wish for. I can feel a sock spree coming on, ready for Christmas '07. I don't know whether I could face making anything too fancy for other people. Does this make me selfish?

I forgot to share this, although Christmas is but a memory, here is our version of a white Christmas:

And in further exciting news, 2paw and I are having our own little two person Baudelairealong, so if anyone wants to join in, please do so! This has decided what I am doing with the Amethyst cashmere sock. I am yet to cast on because I have been busy with this:



and this, not to mention a pair of Fon Sox for the Tiny Madam. You will need to wait for a picture of these amazing beauties, as the model is asleep.

 
Saturday, December 30, 2006
  Sock it to me!
I have been knitting like a sock fiend lately. I managed to finish two pairs of socks - one for the MIL and one for the Pregnant Friend. And here are the pictures:

MIL socks:


Patons pattern using The Knittery Merino 4ply sock in Coral Reef. MIL loved them very very much and suggested that it should become tradition that I make her socks for Christmas. She probably should be careful what she wishes for, as there are also birthdays and Mother's Days to cover! It was lovely to have someone so appreciative. She was heard to say, "There really is nothing like receiving something handmade for you"!!

PF socks (in progress - I ran out of time to take a photo of the real FO):


Patons pattern using Opal Petticoat. PF liked them very much - it is hard to tell how much because she feels very sick all the time.

Here is how I packaged them. They looked very cool if I do say so myself. The MIL socks were finished with about 23 minutes to spare!

I am also about to finish a pair for MIL2 (lucky me has two MILs!) knitted with Patonyle in the blue/grey colourway. They are also the Patons pattern, which I now can knit without looking at the book.

In further developments, because I am on holidays, I have resumed knitting the Pomatomus sock, which I am loving because it looks so good and yet the pattern is very easy to remember. I am using a sticky note to keep track of where I am, but it is really all about 10s, isn't it! For these socks I am using The Knittery Merino 4ply sock in Roses. I am also knitting another Patons pattern from this book, this time a lace pattern which is an easy 4 row repeat in my Forest Moss green Knittery Merino Cashmere sock, which I got for Christmas.

I am toying with some options for the Amethyst Merino Cashmere sock (also for Christmas). So far, I have my eye on Hedera, Monkey or maybe something else entirely. Any ideas? I also received some Opal Dreamcatcher in the 1230 colourway for my birthday, so I have to think of something to do with that too.

Christmas was lovely, I hope yours was too!

 
Sunday, December 24, 2006
  Eek! I have been tagged!
My first tag. I am quite excited about this. Thanks Suzi.

6 weird things about me:

Here are THE RULES:Each player of this game starts with the weird things about you.People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says you are tagged in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

1. I find it really difficult to spell weird. It never looks right no matter what.

2. I don't really like going outside very much. I think I should have been a hermit dwelling deep in a cave somewhere. A well lit bat free cave with plenty of heating and cooling and food etc.

3. When people make speeches, I become very anxious and have been on the verge of panic attacks at various times in my life, due to someone else's speech. One of these times was at my own wedding. Another was when a colleague decided to vent her spleen as she was retiring. Just thinking about it makes my heart pound so I will stop.

4. I hate eggs but wish I didn't. They are easy and versatile and good for you, but I can taste the suckers in cakes! Gross.

5. I hated high school but ended up teaching in one.

6. I dance in the bathroom every morning.

And I tag . . . slimsuzy, Little Purl, Moorecat, Stefaneener, Kari, Sasha

Back later with some real knitting and photos of the gifts I made for Christmas.
 
  Merry Christmas to you all!
A short post today to say Merry Christmas. I will soon have time to post more often and more interestingly . . .

I hope you all have a great Christmas and enjoy yourselves immensely. You deserve it!

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Saturday, December 02, 2006
  i bought yarn!
Hey there patient readers! I have as always been completely flat out for the past couple of weeks, but there is a window of opportunity to get some knitting done this weekend, and I plan to use it.



I bought some yarn from The Knittery which is absolutely gorgeous. The red is called 'Rose' and it will become a pair of Pomatomus - I already started these twice but have trouble counting when I am tired, so I can only do a bit at a time. ADHD I think.

The other colour is 'Coral Reef' (I think) and I have no idea what it will become. Perhaps a pair of plain socks for my good friend who is PREGNANT! Woopee and hooray!

Tiny madam turned four last weekend, and we had a lovely day of family and friends visiting. Here is a photo of some of her presents:



We all had a very lovely day outside in the garden. And because I have starved you of photos for so long, I thought I would include one that Little Purl took of a plant I can't name in our garden. Thankfully we bought our house from a lovely lady who had established quite a garden, so we have roses and camelias and azaleas and magnolias and lots of other lovely things to look at most of the year.


I just love purple and green together. Can anyone tell me what this is??

And, not that anyone is counting but there are thirteen school days left this term. How exciting! I can smell Christmas, can you? At our house, it smells like sunscreen and nibbly food, and the door opening and shutting to let people in and out. We are hosting this year, and I am so excited about it. I might need to practice some culinary masterpieces before the big day. Anyone have any ideas about half traditional ways in which to spend a summer Christmas?

Eleven days until my birthday!

 
Friday, November 10, 2006
  happy friday!
I have been working up to a blog entry for a couple of days now, beginning with a change of colour scheme and a tidy-up in my sidebar. Also, I have been knitting! And, I have taken pictures of the knitting. Admittedly the pictures are shocking, but I will share them anyway.

These are what were going to be toe-up Jaywalkers, but I just got sick of the pattern, so I pulled one whole sock and one quarter sock apart, and started again. They are being expertly modelled by Tiny Madam. She doesn't quite fill them out like I do, but you get the point. I made these using my Patonyle accessories book, and I quite like the pattern.



So much that I began another pair the other day with some Opal petticoat which I bought at the LYS a couple of weeks ago. I think it is really pretty. I would love to share another photo but I can not upload. Maybe another time. (Deep breaths).

As 2paw mentioned, I went to the Deloraine Craft Fair on the weekend, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Mainly due to the SuperSpunk coming with me! He is a true gem! I only bought a couple of little things, but we had a lovely lunch and a relaxing stroll around the venues. I fell in love with some felted brimmed hats similar to this, and I think this will be on the menu for next winter. I really am a hat person, but Tasmania is not a hat place. It is cold enough sometimes, but it is not the done thing.

In other news, I am as usual completely exhausted. I finished an essay last weekend, so that is the Uni stuff out of the way for this year. Now I just have the normal day to day work to get through. I am crossing days off the calendar now. Well, to be honest I start crossing the days off the calendar as soon as the school holidays finish in February. But now I am crossing off in red.

The Tiny Madam turns four in two weeks, so we are getting very excited around here. Then my birtday and then Christmas! EEEK! I can feel some hard core shopping coming on.
 
Knitting . . . creating something from not much at all.

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Location: Tasmania, Australia

Too busy to knit but can't help myself.

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