Friday, February 25, 2005

Dulaan Project

Well here is the first item for the Dulaan project, just a simple beanie, but it will keep some little person warm. My fellow SnBer Suzi made me aware of the Dulaan project and as a group we are going to make some items to send. Sorry I don't know how to do the link thingy so I will just put in the address where you can find out more info. www.fireprojects.org and www.kpc.sedona.org and Mossy Cottage Knits www.nwkniterati.com I hope to make a boys beanie next. And of course Suzis blog http://darksideofknitting.blogspot.com It always feels nicer when you are knitting something knowing that someone really needs whatever item you are making.

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Clapotis

Okay after debating for a while whether or not to start clapotis, I decided I would. She is coming along nicely, I had some Cleckheaton Tapestry in a nice blue/green variegated colour to use. The pattern is in a worsted (of course) 10 ply for us Aussies, which is bloody near impossible to get here in colours other than natural browns, greys and creams, so I am knitting her up on 4mm needles so she will probably end up slightly smaller than the original. Finished the knitting part of the Bluebell top and is blocking at the moment ready for some crochet edging and it is done. The shoulders are the only sewing up needed, so that is a bonus. I also have finished knitting the first beanie for the Dulaan project. I will sew it up later and post a pic. tomorrow. That is if my day goes according to plan.

Monday, February 21, 2005

They Sold

Well they sold for $158.50US, which is $201.05AUS. Can you believe it? I don't know if I would pay that much, however there were quite a few pairs still with the original paper bands on them, but still that is a lot of money for knitting needles. I didn't even bid on them because by the time I had a look they were up to $120Aus already. I have noticed on a lot of peoples blogs that they are knitting clapotis. I have the pattern and I even have some multicoloured wool which would work well but I haven't made up my mind whether to make it or not. It looks a pretty scary thing to make if you ask me, I mean dropping stitches on purpose, I don't know about that. But I do like the look of it finished, we'll see.

There Are Tortoiseshell Needles On Ebay

Help I need restraining, there is a huge lot of tortoiseshell knitting needles on ebay and I am sooooo tempted to bid. It ends today so I will just go and have a little look towards the end and see what price they are up to. They go up to 6.5mm which are very hard to find.

On the knitting front I am still working my way through the bluebell top, 5ply is so slow, but I'm nearing the end now. I have started knitting for the Dulaan project as well, a bright pink beanie is on the way and when that is done I will start a more masculine coloured one. One gauntlet is finished and the stitches are casted on for the other one. So as you can see I have a few WIPs at the moment and as soon as I have some finished I will post some pics.

Last night I cooked a roast and made a yummy self saucing chocolate pudding, for those who don't know one of my other interests is cooking. So I have decided to put some of my favourite recipes on here from time to time, if anyone is interested that is. So here goes:
SELF-SAUCING CHOCOLATE PUDDING
1 cup plain flour
1tsp baking powder
3/4 cup caster sugar
1tbs cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1tsp vanilla essence
2tbs butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1dspn cocoa powder
Preheat oven to 180c. Sift the flour, baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, caster sugar and cocoa together into a large bowl, add the milk, vanilla and butter and mix until smooth. Pour the mixture into a 1.5 litre ovenware dish. Combine the brown sugar, cocoa powder and 1 3/4 cups of boiling water and pour over the pudding. Bake in the oven for 1 hour. Serve with icecream or a dollop of cream.

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

Can I Knit Now???

Aaahhhh, I feel like I have been running around the last few days like a headless chook. The kids go back to school and I have all these piddly little jobs to do. First of all I had to buy Hayden a birthday present so I went to every toy store I could think of to buy a Harry Potter Lego castle and do you think I could find one? NO, I looked on ebay and they were going for a squillion bucks so I thought no I will just have to get something else, then someone said to me that there was one in Tuesdays paper. Well as it turns out she had six different Harry Potter Lego sets, so we did a deal and I left there with the lot, for a good price might I add. Hayden was wrapped (as were his sister and brother) but now I have to sell some more stash on ebay to reimburse my bank account, so if you want to have a look my user name is shazzzamatazzz.

Then there is all the little jobs that you put off until kids go back to school, things that just take up a lot of time. Then I had five days of ebay checking to do, I would hate to think I may have missed out on something. I check the knitting listings daily. I haven't read my favourite blogs or checked out my other stuff either so I have spent all morning doing that.

I now just want ot sit down and knit, I haven't done much of that either so I think it is time for a little bit of me time, after I have done this of course. I am still working on the bluebell top, 5 ply is such slow knitting but it will be worth it I hope. Oh and yesterday I went into spotlight and bought a HUGE big bag full of wool. A lot of totem, when I can get totem 1/2 price I grab it, also some merino wool which will get added to the stash. In the latest creative knitting mag there are some toe socks in totem so that is what I will use the totem for.

Monday, February 14, 2005

School's Back (sigh)

I have mixed feelings when school goes back, in one way I get my peace and quiet back, but I miss them like crazy and wish they were home. They started a new school today and Janelle started high school. They were fine about it all and couldn't wait to get there. Because we were away for the weekend I just wanted to spend some time with them but they were busy getting ready so I'm sure we will catch up when they come home. They will have so much to tell me. I have got the music on to take away this quietness. It won't take long and I will be loving being on my own again during the day. I have to do some knitting because I haven't done any since I left on Friday, that would just about be a record for me.

I've Been To Bendigo

Here I am out the front with my purchases, I was good I bought enough for 2 garments and enough sock wool to knit 2 pairs of socks. There was a lot of cotton for sale, and real cheap too. If I lived in Bendigo I would be broke and have a stash problem I'm sure. I had a great weekend visiting my rellies and seeing my cousin get married. Didn't get much sleep, drank a lot of red wine, but had a lot of fun just the same. We got back into Melbourne airport and checked our baggage in and bugger me if the plane wasn't delayed, so instead of getting into Launceston at 9 o'clock we didn't get in till after 10 so I am a little bit tired today.

Thursday, February 10, 2005

I've Been Tagged!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to Suzi I have been tagged, I have been reading a lot of these on other peoples blogs and am amazed at all the different music tastes out there, anyway heres mine:

1.TOTAL AMOUNT OF MUSIC FILES ON YOUR COMPUTER: As I am a real newbie to computers I have to say I have none and don't know anything about that sort of thing, OK, you can stop laughing now.

2.THE LAST CD YOU BOUGHT WAS: I bought Casey Donovans, I really dig chic singers with attitude and who don't look like bloody Britney Spears, plllease. Plus this girl for 16 yo can really, really sing.

3.WHAT IS THE LAST SONG YOU HEARD BEFORE WRITING THIS MESSAGE: Janelle is outside stringing beads and listening to the radio and Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney and Wings was playing. Which just happens to be one of my many fave songs.

4.WRITE DOWN 5 SONGS YOU OFTEN LISTEN TO OR THAT MEAN A LOT TO YOU:
1-Something by the Beatles (one of George Harrisons) He wrote that for his then wife Patti, it is a simple but beautiful love song.
2-Days by The Kinks, I played this song a kzillion times when my Mum died, to me it summed up what she meant to me and what she did for me. I still cry when I play it but I love the song.
3-Women Is Losers by Janis Joplin, once again it is that kick arse chic rock thing and this lady could rock with the best of them.
4-Smells Like Teen Spirit, I like my music loud and raunchy and this was a song that came out at a time when there were a lot of boy band crap, and Michael Jackson stuff around, need I say anymore.
5-Reason To Believe by Rod Stewart, it is one of his lesser known songs but I reckon, one of his better ones.

5. WHO WILL YOU PASS THE TORCH ON TO (3 PEOPLE) AND WHY? well this is a tough one because as I said I am a newbie, and I don't know anyone who hasn't been tagged so I will say feel free to take this on from me if you happen to stumble across this and do it on you own blog.

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Vogue Knitting Knit 1

After looking through Vogue Knittings Knit 1 at my local SNB meeting yesterday, thanks Suzi, I went to my newsagent to see if they had a copy and they did so I just had to buy it didn't I. Well I can see Janelle enjoying this one, knitting looks so cool in this mag. And also inspired by Suzi's gauntlets, I started my own this morning, I love fingerless gloves but these are so much more wearer friendly, and don't have the Steptoe look about them that fingerless gloves have (I just might be showing my age here , does anyone remember Steptoe and Son?)

Spent this afternoon getting the school clothes washed, ironed and named ready for Monday. Tomorrow we are going shopping for the shoes, how many more sleeps? Before that all happens I have my cousins wedding to go to in Victoria on the weekend. Oh well I have to go and play my weekly game of indoor netball now, the only exercise I have been getting lately, I promise I will do more walking when the kids are back at school.

Monday, February 07, 2005

Progress of Top

Well the top is coming along nicely, the pattern is quite simple now, it is in my head and I can even do it while watching TV. Lets see how cocky I am when it has to be shaped :( and the whole thing has a crochet edge, I can't even crochet, so I may have to take it to my LYS and get someone to finish it for me.

It is my nephews birthday today so the kids are all going to his birthday party. So I really should be getting us all ready, so I will make this quick. I also have to buy their school stuff this week (no wool buying this week) doesn't it cost a packet getting them off to school? Looking forward to my SNB tomorrow, can't wait to catch up with everyone and see what they have all been doing. Some of us keep in touch on line but there are others that you only catch up with at meetings. Suzi is going to tell us about the Dulaan project which is such a great thing to get involved with, more on that later. Better get going to the party


Saturday, February 05, 2005

Bluebell Top Is Started

Well I bit the bullet and started knitting the top. How hard can it be, now come on I have been knitting for years now and I am letting a little bit of lace scare me. You bet I am. Well anyway after casting on the 323sts needed (its all knitted in one piece) big breaths in and off I wentK2tog., yfwd, k1, ywfd, sl1, k1, psso...............I did it, I got to the end and had no stitches left over. Okay row 2 easy, Purl. I am happy to say I am now up to the 17th row and have done enough now to know when something is not quite right. Just another 13 rows and I am up to a 2 row repeat, and I can stop getting heart palps. everytime I'm nearing the end of a row. Funny isn't it how a knitting pattern can have a grown woman breaking out into a sweat. I will post a pic. when I have done some more. I have knitted lace before, but I have flown in a plane many times before also, but I still am scared shitless everytime I have to go up in one. So it is with lace patterns.

Speaking of planes I'm going to Shepparton for a wedding next weekend so I have to go in one, which I'm not looking forward to at all. I am hoping to take a detour on the way up and visit Bendigo Woollen Mills, but DH and DD who are coming with me aren't real keen on adding an extra hour driving up there. I'm hoping there is a BIG pet shop in Bendigo as DH has saltwater aquariums and if there was something like that there that would probably twist his arm.

Friday, February 04, 2005

Bluebell 5 Ply Summer Top



This is tempting me at the moment, but I hate doing lace patterns. I find I get to the end of the row and have missed a yfwd or something and then I have to undo #@*#*#@@#. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has this problem.

This has been finished for about a month now and I only got around to sewing it up yesterday, I think the cold weather inspired me. This is knitted out of Bendigo Tweed, the colour is no longer available, and the pattern is Moss Rib Sweater from Contemporary Knitting. I had to shorten the sleeves on this one. as they were way too long, especially for a shorty like me. I love knitting but I really hate sewing up seams, I think that is why I like knitting socks so much.

Opal Socks Finished


Well here they are, opal #7 are finished, I really like the colours in these ones. I have ordered a set of bamboo sock needles from Knits, Needles and Wool (LYS) and see how I go with them. If they break I will have to go with the steel.

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

Why I Live Where I Live


This is the view from our deck. Our house is over fifty years old, quite small but whenever I come out here, I don't ever want to live anywhere else. This photo doesn't do it justice, you can see straight down the Tamar River.

It is absolutely freezing here today, just like winter brrrrr. Good for knitting though, so that is a bonus. I have been trying to put my local SNB banner on here today, but am not having much luck with that, it just wont go where I want it to go. I am really dumb when it comes to these kind of things. I will try again when I have a bit more patience.

Janelles tea was delish. we had chicken burgers and fries and for dessert we had a flake icecream cone. The boys will be back later tonight, my peace and quiet will be gone, I have missed them though.

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

Broke Another Sock Needle

I've done it again, knitting away flat out and SNAP, another one gone. Oh well that is what you get with plastic. I just don't like using steel, and I love casein needles but I think I might have to give bamboo a go as this is getting a bit annoying. I have just started using bamboo circulars and they are great. Hayden and Ashley are going to their Opa and Omas for a sleepover tonight so it will be quiet here today. Janelle has said she is going to cook tea tonight, so that will be good, I don't mind having a night off in the kitchen.

I have been having a clear out in my knitting cupboard and I have been selling this on ebay. I am making room for my new stash which is just waiting to be bought for winter. The money I get will be put to good use I am sure, more wool of course.