Phat Lewt!

[trans. Geek] I got good stuff for Christmas!

I am SO lucky...

My Christmas haul this year is truly worth grinning about.

• That Jordana Paige knitting bag in grape. (photos later)
• A new digital camera for blogging.. (still no photos, not on broadband at the new place yet)
• a beautiful pearl, white gold and rubber bracelet and earrings. Very nice. (etc)
• the Jasper Fforde, The Fourth Bear
• the Neil Gaiman, Fragile Things.

I've started reading the last one, which just shows me just how truly brilliant Neil Gaiman is.

It's a book of short stories, and the first one alone left me shaking my head in awe at his writing. It's a H.P. Lovecraftian tale in the style of Sherlock Holmes. Just wonderful.

Anyway, the sporadic photo-less posts will probably continue for another fortnight, the whole holiday season is a mess as far as getting net access put on, sadly. So much for geeking my way through my holidays :(

oh, and ..

Merry Christmas all.

Busyness and so lack of posting.

Okay, no photos because near finishing a Christmas present and she reads the blog :P

Also, not much posting for a few weeks probably because we're moving house!

Moving to interim accomodation with our own space while our new house gets built. :)

It's just a tiny two bed apartment, which my man says is about the same size as the living area in our new-being-built-house [grin] but it will suit us. He also says ity's ugly and I'll hate it, but I'm treating it like an interim return to uni-studentness and the location wins out.

We're not sure what will be happening with net access for a bit, so I might be on borrowed PCs etc for blogging. All will sort itself out one way or another, the universe kind being of that type.

Oh, and there's a local holiday coming up that will take some of my time. ;-)

Shhh!

Can't post secret gift knitting.

shhhhhhh.....

Ho-ho-ho

He's all done!

Headless errr... rather Faceless Santa/Father Christmas

Here he is. Rather turning out well, with interesting construction - he's done toe up !

His beard is underway then he just needs a hat and embroidered face. Then off to small person's room as huggable decoration.

He's quite big really, and murder on my bamboo dpns - several of the four are now splintered and unsuable. Onto the Christmas wish list we now have new sock needles...

I love online quizzes :) - Which Classic Female Literatary Character Are You?

I did this, saw the result, and HAD to post it (insert ridiculously big grin here)

I am....

Which Classic Female Literary Character Are you?

You're Elizabeth Bennett of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen!
Take this quiz!






Quizilla |
Join

| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

And I was even honest on the answers and everything. :)

A one-word meme.

I love this kind of thing.

You.
Can.
Only.
Type.
One.
Word.

No.
Explanations.

1. Yourself: geek
2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend (spouse): soulful
3. Your hair: spiky
4. Your mother: spiritual
5. Your Father: certain
6. Your Favorite Item: smile
7. Your dream last night: work
8. Your Favorite drink: coffee
9. Your Dream Car: silver
10. The room you are in: study
11. Your Ex: nice
12. Your fear: inadequate
13. What you want to be in 10 years? happy
14. Who you hung out with last night? knitters!
15. What You're Not? bimbo
16. Muffins: benedict
17. One of Your Wish List Items: cure
18. Time: harried
19. The Last Thing You Did: story-reading
20. What You Are Wearing: jeans
21. Your Favorite Weather: cool
22. Your Favorite Book: Thursday
23. The Last Thing You Ate: custard
24. Your Life: busy
25. Your Mood: quiet
26. Your best friend: poet
27. What are you thinking about right now? Christmas
28. Your car: serviceable
29. What are you doing at the moment? waiting
30. Your summer: hot
31. Your relationship status: satisfying
32. What is on your TV? xbox
33. What is the weather like? gusty
34. When is the last time you laughed? tonight


Borrowed from Moth Heaven
who borrowed it from somewhere else...

Shhhhh! Santa's coming to town.

I'm posting this quickly while the recipent eats her morning toast.

Santa is coming along nicely, hopefully done this week!


I'm not sure I mentioned this before but its one of Interweave Press' freebie Christmas patterns, from there Piecework magazine.

Anyway must run! Morning rush!

Consumer Friendly Yarns: A community announcement to spread the word

I'm guessing most of you are aware of this, as the information was pedalled through the knitting world a little while ago as a significant news item through the pod/blog world.

Precis:
Some yarn companies specify how much the suppliers can charge for their yarns. So even if you buy from a discount outlet type operation (online etc) they can't charge less than full price. No discounting here.

This is, in America (I don't know about here) illegal. It also sucks for us - because we can't buy the stuff discounted online :)

A website has been set up to list the companies as either good, bad or unknown. (I'm paraphrashing). You can find it at www.consumerfriendlyyarns.blogspot.com

Knit on. :)

(Oh and the Santa's coming along nicely. Will bring it Monday, Mt Lawley girls.)

Look, isn't it pretty?

Okay after struggling many, many times before...

I now installed have the new look blog template. Hurrah.

What'd ya think?

Yeah, I know I haven't filled it all in yet. I'll get there.

Presents and goodies from afar!!

Yay! A story in pictures, courtsey of the terribly nice Nadine via Germany via the Lime and Violet message boards. Hurrah!

Chapter one. A package arrives.


Chapter two. A mystery?


Chapter Three. It builds...


Chapter four. The final crescendo!


Chapter five. The denoument.

You know a actually feel vaguely guilty. I sent Cherry Ripes and Tim Tams and Jo Sharp Silkroad.

She sent me Lindt, Toblerone, Milka, german gingerbread and such and German Sock yarn!!

I hope she's half as happy with her stash as I am with my goodies...

(I think the coconut and milk filled lindt eggs are my favourite. SO yummy!)

...... runs off to eat another one......

Monkey See - Monkey Do - Monkey Done!

Here he is. Generally, I am very happy with him. The only thing I'd change in hindsight really is to knit at a tighter guage to reduce the amount of visible-stuffiing-through-knitting. I like him anyway, hopefully the new parents and new person :) will like him too.


Also, I did end up casting on the gift lace scarf. I ended up biting the bullet and showing it to the gift reciepent, to check she liked it. It's so her colours.

Maybe she was just being nice, but she said she did, so that's her present to be finished too. Before Christmas, preferably.
Not due to any need to wear it though - this is Perth, 40 degree days for Christmas are common. (That's Celcius for any Americans out there. I'm not sure if anyone else uses their systems or not... ponders....)

It's feather and fan patterning I believe.

In other news.. I have almost finished those baby booties. I'm normally a baby sock person, but they are getting the monkey as well, so this is gratutious gift giving.






Thus...
Very cute.
Although, if I had seen these over at Interweave Knits as their free pattern a suitable time frame they totally would have got a pair for bub.
Next (human) breeding pair I know are absolutely getting some :)

Also, in case you think I haven't been progressing that diamond stitch top.. (you know, that one in four ply cotton..)

Proof. It gets worked on. Slowly, on the bus.

And as for my next pattern, I know lots of you voted on that Vogue top. I am considering it. Though possibly not until I ask Lupinbunny very nicely if I can try it on to deconstruct any potential problems or changes. I am also very worried as a somewhat busty-lady that the front scoop thing will just do me no favours whatsoever. Trying it on will hopefully either make me a convert, or discard it doubt free. Can Lupin? Pretty please? I'll be gentle...

Anyway, onto my .. well... point. For my next pattern to start I think I might knit my darling daughter one of these toy Santas as a bedroom decoration. Aren't they SO cute... and absolutely stash friendly for me! (Also from Interweave knits free patterns)

Take care all. And knitters, remember. Christmas is now only weeks away, no longer months..... But only give your time, money and artistic talents to those who deserve and appreciate them. You know who they are.

Pre-project funk

Hello.

No photos today - I'm afraid the camera I use has gone on holiday for a couple of weeks.

I finished the Three Year Old's Dye Job socks. I probably should have washed them before thier owner eagerly wore them to daycare - they turned her feet red :) They've been washed now and should be safe - though the sole colours bleed into each other a little as a result. Still, she loves them.


I am also out of Ribbing Hell ... I'm about 3/4 of the way through the first repeat of the diamond stitch top - but I am worrying a bit that the mercerised cotton lacks enough 'give' and will show every flaw. *sigh* I'm even toying with the idea of giving it a test blocking on the needles (or rather, scrap yarn) to see how it looks. Thoughts?

I also knitted some emergency red garter stitch booties - for a baby shower I didn't end up going to. Ah well, they can go with the monkey (no, I still need to put on his remaining bits).

I would also like to start a new project now, but can get started. I really want to use up some of my stash. Prime candidates looking for a project are: (no this does NOT represent all of my stash...)

• The blue and white hand dyed 3ply from the show. Advantages. Pretty. pure wool. Disadvantages: I have it on good authority it will "felt right up" (in a bad way, unless it was supposed to, of course.) Also, I have about 300g of it, which Helen (thanks Helen) figured about is about 1000m. She bought it in PURPLE and GREEN. (It was kind of bright). I'd like to knit a lace shawl maybe but am deeply worried about running out of yarn.
  
• The red silk from ebay. It's about DK weight. Advantages: Scarlet in colour, amazing sheen, and pure silk. Ahhhhhhhhhh. Disavantages: I have 5 and a bit balls of it. And while it was fairly inexpensive, I doubt I'll be able to afford it's like again and so don't want to do just any old thing - I want it to be something special that I'll love to wear. Thoughts include : A top which actually calls for that yarn (which lupinbunny knit see here.) Other thoughts are a Clapotis-esque scarf for work and generally looking stylish, um... see? I really need more ideas.
  
• One and a bit balls of Jo Sharp Aran Tweed in grey, left over from Fitzwillam's scarf. These might become a hat for the fiance, darling man. Though he does already have a cahsmere blend navy hat in grey... oohhh... actually, I know someone who might want it. I'll check with the fiance.
• A swag (um about 8 balls from very rough memory) of beautiful greyish purple Zara. I love this yarn. I was going knit myself a whole wrap in it. Until I realised, honestly, that colour just doesn't suit me. Gifts only.

And there's more there, of course. Lots more. Maybe I should knit that lacy Kidsilk Haze scarf as gift thing? Nah....

See? I haven't been this stuck for starting in ages. I just really don't think I should be BUYING more yarn right now, and the only things I am really into the idea of require that.

Like this: (photo thanks to the Wool Shack: see side bar)

Lots of colours. Lots of yarn. None of which I own.

I am also thinking I'd like to knit this too:

probably in pale green or lavender. I could do black and white flowers, because I have left-overs..

The pattern uses, of course, Rowan Calmer.

For those not in the know, that little number retails at $23.50 a ball.

Sigh. It's nice, but geez.

Okay. I'm done. Thanks to those of you still reading at this point. (hi mum! ;-) Long rant today.

Have a good week all, and go on - tell me what to knit, you know you want to...

An Almost menage a trois!

Ha! Bet that got your attention.

Well, after that shameless pun, here are the three things I have almost finished :)


One.

An almost monkey. You can see his tail and yet-to-be-attached second ear. Also needs some facial embroidery.

Two.

An turned heel, and almost completed second sock of the "I'm a Three Year Old's Dye Job" socks.

Three.

Know what that is? Hang on, I'll give you a hint..

That. That is ALMOST 7cm of 4ply ribbing on 2.25mm needles. (whew!)

Nearly there. Can't wait to get back onto the waiting circulars!

On the needles (knit projects in progress)

Just a quick aside, wasn't the weather fabulous today! 26 degrees, warm and lovely. We ate fish and chips by the river and played a lot of catch on the grass. Good day.


Okay... I took photos of the blocking scarf, but felt somehow it needed showing off .. at least to show how long the sucker is.

To put it in context, I'm 5'4''. The intended recipient is around 6'. Hence the longish nature. And, I am totally recommending the Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran again. It's fabulously soft etc. Really nice.


Next? Well... here's that sock. You know how often I comment in the blog about how the colours are off, and it's not really that bright (well I think it, if I don't say it.)

Well...


These socks look just like the picture.

They really are that bright.

Thus, here they are "I'm-A-Three-Year-Old's Dye Work" socks. I'm turning the first heel. I gave up on the attempt to alter the Widdershins heel. As I haven't knit it full-sized yet, I couldn't really get my head around what's happening in that yet. Maybe for my next pair.

And .. finally, the first slow attempts at progress on the diamond patterned top from Vintage Knits.

I have ribbing. Not even all of it yet.

This is, of course, what happens when you decide to knit the ribbing as a single piece (so you can join and continue in circular needles.) Yes, I should have done the whole thing on circulars (I can hear my fellow SnB'ers talking in my head), but I didn't have them in the right size and no, I didn't think to borrow some. I'm still getting used to seeing people in person who knits as much as me!

There's... (stops to count rows) 9 rows. One inch. The ribbing is 2.5 inches. That's until I can get it onto circulars and thus on the bus. Of course, I haven't been knitting much of late as my darling man has been dropping me to work a lot the last couple of weeks, which significantly cuts in to pure knitting time. I didn't realise how much time it adds up to until its not been there.

Um... It doesn't want to post the picture of the ribbing. Maybe it's so depressing, even blogger won't deal. Never mind, next post...

Scarf finishedness and Monkey Bits!!

Okay, I've been a tad busy. House sitting, and general stuff keeping my good self occupied.

Hence, I have things to show for it.

Not, now I sit here and think on it, the things I promised I forgot to take pictures of the start I made on the diamond patterned top from Vintage Knits, and no photos of the "I'm a Three-Year-Old's Dye Work" socks.

(Can't you just see skeins of yarn hanging out in a coffee shop or bar, and the embarrassment that little one when she introduces herself? But I digress...)

What I do have is pictures of Fitzwilliam's scarf blocking... thus...

(which was originally on the dining room table. Me, who has done university physics and thus should know better, might have avoided the "it was dripping on my dining chairs" discussion I later had with the owner of the dining table had I thought through the 'what happens when 1 inch of either end of a damp scarf lays off the edge of the table. So now it's zigzagged in the laundry. Nuff said.)


I also have pictures of the blue yarn slowly becoming a ball...






And....

....

.....

(insert loud mock-enthusiastic voice) Monkey bits!

Okay, they may not look like much now, but trust me, there's a monkey in there.

Pattern is from an old Simply Knitting magazine (which I don't really recommend, but it had two patterns I wanted). It's a Monkey by Fiona McTague. You can see a hand sewn on top of the pile. I hate finishing knitting. (That's in the technical sense. I love completing things, it's the blocking/sewing etc bits I hate.)

pictures of the socks (once I have figured out how to down-size the heel from Widdershins (any takers?) and some of the agonising slowness that is the diamond stitch top. 4ply. What was I thinking??

Let's hear it for eBay!

Yes, I have just paid for another eBay purchase. Or, rather, two.

Two Rowan books, both of which I have wanted but balked at price of. Total - just under $48 including postage.

Numbers 37 and 35. I tell you, I'm all about the vintage look at the moment. It's always worked for me. (Ask my mum, I tended firmly towards the Victorian 'dandy' look for a long while there. I still have the tails and top hat to prove it).

I have also purchase some cotton yarn to knit the Diamond patterned top from my Vintage Knits book (Sarah Dallas). It's a very girly pink, to be edged with black.

For work. It's written for Jaeger Matchmaker 4ply (ie wool) but, let's be realistic. I live in Australia. Hence, cotton. Hopefully, it will still work well. I've decided (I think) to knit it in the round to the sleeves. Of course, this may be complicated by I think only having the right size needle for the main body. ... thinks... but I might knit the ribbing as a big long single piece and then join for the the body. That would probably work...

I still have two projects to finish (monkey for friend's bub-to-be-born, and the Fitzwilliam scarf) but they are now both nearly finished and getting to the awkwardly bulky stage. They will stay home until done now.

So, I have my little miss' socks on the traveling needles. I'm hoping they'll be done quick, but I doubt it will be quick enough for her! They are real little-kid-socks... Gaudiness itself. Plus, of course I want to finish them so I can start the top with a clear conscience.

I better get going then, huh?

We dyed some more yarn..

Hello....

sorry about the overall lack of actual knitting stuff, and increase in general whiny stuff.

But, I can make up for it..

Today darling daughter and I dyed her some stripy sock yarn and me some laceweight that I picked up cheap at the Royal Show yesterday with the lovely Clementine.

First, we discussed colour choices and if we wanted stripes or not. "Pink, red, blue and yellow" and "yes" were the decisons here.

Then, we got out crayons and tried out colour orders to decided on our striping order. This led to the dropping of pink and the colour order thus: red/blue/red/yellow/red/blue etc

So we made the big skeins and dyed them thusly..













Which became this..

('scuce the washing - day off ..)

and then this...

I also dyed 200g of 3 ply (soft of heavier than laceweight, lighter than socks) that will become a lace shawl, probably for me. It's still drying out (though now inside) so I can only show you it on the line here:

I was going for sort of 'sky' colours. These were all dyed using the KoolAid stash. The dark blue caused me some problems getting it - I got there in the end, but am faintly worried I may have overcooked the yarn. Time will no doubt tell. :)

Vagueness... tired and grumpy...

Still wrecked from flying in last night.

Haven't knit anything in a few days due to travel and general busyness.

Have given self break from ongoing scarf action and am knitting blue monkey for friend's belly boarder. Let's hope it is as cute as intended and not some freakish thing that's scary for new small people.

Am loving the whole 'vintage is in' thing and am very much wishing for rather a lot more money than I actually... well... have. Also not terribly pleased about putting on (more) weight. Want to find time to lose it, but tired and grumpy does not equate well to dieting, and too busy to work out when I can exercise (no pun intended).

Am thinking very hard that I want to celebrate my new acceptance of pink as a wardrobe colour when incorporated into girly vintage-retro thing and am considering knitting myself something pink and black edged out of my new Vintage Knits book. But. Monkey and Scarf first... :(

Then I might be able to find someone to make me the gorgette black and white polka-dotted wrap dress for work that I couldn't find today (more's the pity).

Will get psyched at some point and post actual pictures of said project lumps, but .. tired now... maybe early bed.

I am such a sad old person, I tells ya.

Meh.

I am thinking I should post, only I'm in such a funk. Work is pretty terrible, and I am stressed out to the max. I am actually considering borrowing the work laptop.

Doing work at home is pretty much the line in the sand for me previously.

I'm wearing my new stripy socks, 'cause they make me happy.

Fitzwilliam's scarf is taking all my time as I'd really like to finish it for Friday (the birthday lunch) but it probably won't happen. Near, but not near enough. *sigh* And I redid over the start of it, as I wasn't happy with it. It's at the end of the scarf, so it showed too much and I just couldn't leave it. Hence, I lost a lot of time painstakingly pulling it out (don't unravel cables, they are a nuisance) and reknitting it until I was happy.

It looks better at any rate.

Next week (sobs) I am going to Canberra again. Don't ask me why, I'll just start ranting at you and I like you well enough to not subject you to that. I'm back towards the end of the week. So, no posting after Sunday.

oh, and in slightly better news, my books arrived (Wheeee!) Very exciting. Yes, I'm a book geek as well as a gamer geek and a knit geek. And I'm fine with that. (Looks defiant)

New Knitty is up!!

You know you want to see..

Fitzwilliam gets a scarf

Well, the socks are nearly done.

I have an admission to make.

Despite good progress .... the socks are different sizes. Not hugely so, and the both fit, but the second sock is slightly larger. (It actually fits a little better I think). I think my gauge is loosening up as I get the hang of knitting continental style.

Anyway, I considered ripping something out, and redoing it. But considering the work already done, the fact I've reknit both heels twice for different stuff ups, I made an executive decision.

I DON'T CARE. They are both function, the differences are not catastrophic, and I shall live with it. I dare not get silly about it as they are, after all, socks. They will forgive me.

Since the socks are nearly done, my head turned to my next project.

Uh, that'd be Fitzwilliam's birthday present. I usually get him books. But since he's effectively giving himself half a library for his birthday, that was a bust. I considered a range of things and then gave in and did the pragmatic thing.

I asked him.

Thankfully, he seems fairly pleased with the suggestion, so that was fine.

Thus, a grey aran-type cabled scarf.

I tried out a few variations and eventually decided on one. The yarn is Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed. It's got a bit of silk and cashmere mixed in with wool, and thus feels luscious. The tweed yarn is really very different in texture from the straight (no puns intended) Silkroad, which I used in the Ultra (bulky 16ply) version for my Skully jumper. Which is gorgeous.

Anyway, Fitzwilliam, being both my best mate (and in this case, effectively family) and someone who actually takes care of his clothes, gets the nice Silk/Cashmere/wool mix. Other people who may be family but less likely to appreciate and take care of things I knit get smaller stuff in machine washable blends. :)

It's turning out nicely anyway. It's actually so tweedy, I was worried the cables wouldn't show, but they seem to be coming along nicely now. Let's hope he likes it!

p.s. sorry you can't see the cables too well in the photo - you can see them fine in person :(

You know, designing web page blogs is a pain in the ass.

I tried. I think I am over it.

Despite making myself a beautiful new banner (see?).. I just can't get my head around getting the new page layout to work. It makes no sense.

My geek-dad assured me that using FrontPage would do all the work for me, but no joy.

I can see what I want in my head, but just can't figure it out. I tried templates online, tried making sense of FrontPage, but can't get it to do what I want.

Maybe I'm just tired from programming at work today. SAS programming.. meh. I thought I was done with that. But I have this problem see? It's a shocker at work too... I can't sit by and watch people take bloody forever with a half baked solution to something that I know just isn't that hard when you have a clue about what you're doing.

So now I'm being helpful and getting them sorted out so I can go back to my project.

The first sock is done by the way. No photos, the camera is away and the camera owner isn't here. You'll have to just take me at my word.

Did I mention I have books coming from Amazon?

I blame my best mate. Let's call him Fitzwilliam. Books are his pornography. And, no, not that kind of books. And no not literally...

Anyway, the great enabler that I am, I introduced him to two money chewers - Borders, and Amazon. He's a pig in mud now, honestly.

And now he's taken a turn and enabled me - he's ordering a stack of books and offerred to let me cash in on his huge order, to avoid the initial postage cost.

My list changed several times .. but now consists of:

• Scarf Style
• Knitting Without Tears
• Vintage Knits
• You Can Do It: The Merit Bage Handbook for Grown Up Girls
• Lighten Up! Free yoursle from clutter

I have a feeling I've forgotten another knit book, but I really can't recall which one. Of course, it could be one of the 5 or so I culled at the last minute when I realised I couldn't really justify quite so many books. At least not at once. I feel like a book-glutton.. ;-)

Of course, I am also counting the days til they arrive, and trying to decide if I want to wait on starting anything new until they get here...

Note to self, start something you need to get done anyway.. maybe the baby gift, yet-to-be-decided on for friend's belly-boarder....

Almost a whole sock done

No, really. I have about another half inch of ribbing and then start the next one. They are even a decent length!

See thusly.

And more here - sideways view.

And toe view.

I think I got snap happy.

I also think, in all honestly that I would do more ease (or rather, less negative ease) on my next pair. I used knitty's universal sock pattern. Except I used the Magic Cast On method, also from knitty to do the toes instead of the short row toe. Did the short roe heel though.

I have also been working on a new banner for my blog in photoshop. Who knows? By the time you're looking at this, maybe it's there already. Is it pretty? Do you like?

I also have a bunch of plans for what else I want to put on my blog, including progress bars, "things I listen to" section, a "I want to knit" list, a "I want a find a pattern for" section and a "What should I be?" section for yarns without pattern true-love... anyway might go do some now...

A doll called Lizzie and what happens when knit-geeks need a key ring..

As promised, here is Lizzie (my newly-named doll. Pride and Prejudice - one of my all time favorite heroines. It was either that, or Thursday (as in Thursday Next, my other favorite heroine from the Jasper Fforde series about her. Thursday would appreciate a doll called Lizzie I think..)

I digress. You can see here the finished jacket and top. Also, I knitted her a pair of purple stripy legwarmers. I think I'll knit her a pair of gauntlet style-gloves also at some point, after the sock drive wears off.

Speaking of which, I had to rip out most of the sock previously shown and start over. While I have been enjoying trying out knitting continental style, I discovered my gauge is considerably tighter when knitting that way - though MUCH faster. So I re-measured my gauge and did it over. I'm nearly at the heel (version 2). Didn't get much knitting done while away this time (though trip was successful).

Also, I mentioned my lovely new keychain. Here it is :)

I like it a lot. It's cute and knitting the sock with left over sock yarn is no work at all!

And another pic with the sock taken off...
Terribly cute, and really quite cheap. The company name is Felted Up.. can't find the other details at the moment, but they include a copy of the pattern for the sock in the postage and keychain mini-sockblocker.

Anyway, I'm off. Long week, and busy/productive weekend so I am wiped.

New week tomorrow.. (whew!)

Yes! We have striping sock yarn! (homemade)

Well, the three colour stripes are home made ;-)

Here is my appearing sock. Toe up, obviously.

Also, I am trying out continental knitting style after the lovely Clementine over at the craftyaction SnB showed me. After seeing diagrams where it looked too confusing for words... it was so simple. I have no idea how to purl, but since I am just doing masses of stockinette, it doesn't matter! It just seems SO much quicker, I am really impressed. I think I'd still revert to english style for anything complicated, but good to know.

I have a bunch of ideas to jazz up my space here, but haven't got around to it. I had a nice picture of my variegated yarn that I took see on the right there. I was going to make myself a cool new banner with the red colours etc to work with what I have already.

Then, when looking up something on Brenda Dayne's Cast On page for her podcast, noticed she uses almost exact the same kind of thing! Horrors! Can't be that much of a poor imitator, even if I didn't know it at the time :(

So, I shall find something, honest. Maybe my doll can be my mascot :) Oh, and I finished her jacket too, will photograph and post that later. It looks good. She's getting legwarmers next...

I dyed sock yarn with KoolAid. Whee! Cherry tart socks to come!

Okay I went and bought some Patonyle in white and decided to try it out. It has a nylon content of around 20%, so I was worried it might not work. Obviously, I worried for nothing. The yarn, cooling down waiting to rinse is shown on the left.


And after balling it into hanks here.

I used the exceptionally clear instructions on Eunny Knits! website. The directions are here and are for self striping socks. I didn't do the fiddly thing about figuring out how long things should be etc to make perfect stripes. I may yet rue this when my stripes are yukky, but never mind ;)
As you will see, I was quite impressed by Eunny's dark red/red/pink combo and so made my own version.

I used 3 sachets of Black cherry for the dark red, 2 sachets of cherry for the red, and 2 of strawberry kiwi for the pink. I found the black cherry has a slight rust red thing to it, but otherwise am very happy with the results. All that remains now is to decide the pattern.

I am considering knee highs (if the yarn will stretch that far - i doubt it). I am toying with which pattern to use - I want simple to show off the stripes and am thinking about either the universal sock pattern or the widdershins. I doubt I'll get gauge on the latter though my pre-dyeing mini trial was around 30st over 10cm. I do think I'll try the magic cast on from knitty - people keep raving about it in podcasts I listen to..

So it's socks this week :) I did want to start my Arrrgyles, but couldn't justify all that extra yarn on top of the stuff to dye. Oh, and I want to knit some Baudelaire.

Dolly has a hat and shirt... and the KoolAid came!

Okay, I am becoming the world's biggest knit geek. No, really.

I am totally geeking out over my new toys.

Firstly, my KoolAid came (via mail, via eBay), promising future dyeing happiness. See the pile of future entertainment on the left there...







Also, I have (so far finished a hat and shirt for my still-yet-to-be-named) doll.

The hat still needs to have the purple and black tassels to be added on each point.

My man thinks I'm a little odd, knitting all this stuff. But I love the quick turn around and it's proving a little addictive knitting such quickly finished stuff. I'm working on a long burgundy coat for her now. And have some purple variegated 4 ply cotton that will become either socks or, more likely, leg warmers. And a pair of fingerless gauntlet/gloves.

Apologies for the blurriness - this is my phone camera. I realised I shouldn't permanently be stealing my mum's camera, and thus returned it. A cheap digital camera is now on my 'to buy' list fairly soon.

All done. Horrible week in the non-knitting life. Nothing earth-shattering, just a little cheerful-ness-shattering. Next time, should be posting with more doll clothing!

I forgot to mention... I finished the Vogue Holiday Lace Cardigan!

Mostly I forgot this since I posted on that other blog ;)

Here is a picture. It's pretty. (The cardigan, not so much the photography. But hey, I had to use the timer and kitchen bench. Darling man was still sleepy and I needed to pack it for the trip.)

Oh, and yes, I did sew the ends in, despite their appearance here ...

Anyway... ta DA!

It's beautiful, and having now worn it a whole day, is like wearing a gentle caress all day.

That's sounds kind of tacky when I write it, total knitting porn. But, dammit, it really does!!

BRRrrrr! Canberra is COLD!

Okay, so I am back from chilly Canberra.

My cardigan survived the trip and was much admired .. ahhhhh....

I got a bit of knitting in, mostly on my daughter's red ribbed jumper, which I am knitting bottom up and will probably be a raglan sleeve. I haven't decided yet, and will work it out when I get closer to needing to do so.

I also realised that I haven't done the show-and-tell of my darling new dolly :)

The 'Dinara' doll is from AK Traditions who have absolutely gorgeous doll kits. That is, you get the doll, with a kit of materials and patterns to make her clothes and belongings. See below my kit's contents (though I bought additional patterns, you still get quite a few - enough for an outfit- in the basic kit). Kits come as sewing, knitting, quilting and combination types as far as I can tell.

I am really very, very happy with what I got for the money. The doll is very well made, and quite a bit larger than I thought. (Larger close up of her on the left.) I've started making her basic coat, and then will probably make the paperbag hat.

I am seriously thinking about using her as a test 'mini me'. So if I'm thinking about making myself a particular unusual colourway or pattern, I can try a mini version on her. I suspect that I will also make her things I can't really get away with wearing anymore and/or just use up leftover yarn to make her things. I consider her my new knitting mascot, and she will grace my new spare room (to be also known as the 'quiet room') in our new house.

I'll post stuff when I finish them.

Also, my new Keychain Sock Blocker came in the mail, which I will photograph and post when I can be bothered ;) That's very cute too, and has got me thinking about socks for my dolly here. Must name her at some point too...

My mum is a legend.

I don't mean like 'the tooth fairy' or even 'hydra' or whatever.

I mean a saves-my-ass-by-crocheting legend.

[Translation: She came over tonight, was sympathetic to my knitting catastrophe, (while my man smiled knowingly while I explained the depths of pain), played with my daugher while I resewed the back in (correctly this time), gave my daughter a bath while I cooked dinner and then after dinner crocheted all the edging - including extra reinforcing around the neckline to make sure it sat flat on me.]

I bow down to her ability to be wonderful, supportive and the crocheter that I can't be, at the time I really needed her to be.

Mum, you're a legend.

Tomorrow, I seam in the sleeves, sew in the loose ends and on the button I shall purchase.

With luck, Saturday the finished cardi goes with me to Canberra. Wish me luck.

p.s. thank you so much to the supportive comments in my time of knitting grief. Much appreciated!

Slapped down by the knitting gods

Oh god.

Last night I felt so sick about it, I didn't even post the misery.

I am on a tight time schedule, as I am flying out interstate on Saturday. I REALLY want to take the cardigan with me, nay, I need it to go over a dress for a formal thing I have.

Last night I seamed up the body of the cardigan and the lace edging (ie everything bar the sleeves). As I packed it away, I noticed something was not quite right.

After much examination, I realised what it was.

I seamed the back panel inside out.

It was easy to miss, the different is subtle. So subtle, I could have left it you say?

Possibly. I considered it. Seaming it had taken my whole evening. I went to bed, feeling quite sick at the thought. I didn't even know if you could
unseamed Rowan Kidsilk Haze lace.

I slept on it and woke obsessing over the mistake. I didn't know how I was going to get through a whole work day worrying about whether I'd be able to fix it or whether it was ruined forever.

Then. Brief moment of hope. I got up early, got ready in record time and sat down with it and a cup of coffee.

It's apart again. It's painstaking. I stopped every time to make sure I was only pulling on the seam thread, and not the lace. But it's done. I can seam it over again now.

Who knows, maybe one day I'll do a tutorial on un-seaming lace mohair. But not today, today is just mixed unwellness and relief.

Arrrgh Matey! We be tempted by pirate socks!

I'm kinda busy, and not a big sock knitter, or a mad-argyle lover, or skully-lover, but the combination has me tempted.

Who's interested in an Argh!-a-Long?

Dyed Like Me.

I had the best time today, with the Dye-O-Rama thanks to Clementine, our organiser (thanks Clem!) and Amber, our kind host (Thanks Amber!)

I enjoyed it terribly, found it wonderfully addictive. Came home immediately wanting to do more :)

My attempts shown below. I'm happy with them, but hopefully others will post theirs too, some were SO beautiful.

:)
Thanks all for a really nice afternoon.

Finished the lace base border!

Yay me!!

As seen here, modelled by the fronts and back of my yet-to be sewn cardi! Very pleased, as am very very keen to have it done for Saturday, when I fly out to Canberra (brrr!) for work and visiting a darling friend of mine :) (Hey Alex!)

I also found a more portable way of doing the edging, as shown on the left. It's a laminated copy of the instructions, with one row to one line. Much easier to read than the pattern, a lot more hardy, and the post-it keeps my place easy in case of "oh, there's the bus" stuffing-of-knitting-into-bag..

I also had a wonderful day at Amber's house, as organised by Clementine (thanks Clem!) dying yarn for the first time. Man, talk about addictive! I came home all full of thoughts about how to get a good colour selection of KoolAid and if our thoughts on citric acid + food dye would work as well... photos of my attempts at the SnB page here.