Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Winter Is Definately Here

I thought it was cold yesterday morning and then it was confirmed to me in this mornings paper how cold -3 degrees brrrrrr. I know if you live in parts of the world where it actually snows that is probably quite mild but for us here in Launceston it doesn't get much colder than that. It is great weather for knitting, though I must have been overdoing it lately as my right wrist is a bit sore. I have rubbed some deep heat on it so maybe that will do the trick, deaden it a bit so that I can still keep knitting. I am still working on the jacket in Mystique from Bendigo Woollen Mills and I am up to the front shapings, it is knitted all in one piece in k2 p2 rib and the lace is knitted on later. Hoping to finish that one soon and then get a few other UFOs finished, speaking of which I have joined a group blog here which is to encourage each other to finish our UFO's, Joan is the person organising it all so go and check it out and see what you think.

I had a blast teaching the kids to knit, it was definately a challenge, but I must tell you about one little boy. He has never knitted before but picked it up a lot quicker than the others and whats more when he dropped a stitch he figured out how to pick it back up, maybe a budding little Kaffe Fassett!!! Oh well that is about it for now I will go and do some more knitting, what else.

Friday, June 24, 2005

A Huge Thank You To My Secret Pal

I got a parcel today in the mail, look at what I got, it is just so amazing it is like she knows me so well. Obviously my blog reveals a lot about who I am and what I like. Jaeger Alpaca and Rowan Kid Classic in my colours, living in Tassie I just can't buy these yarns locally. A knitting magazine with a gorgeous cardy that I would love to make, but I would definately wear something underneath it. Every Sunday I make desserts and choose a different one each week and now I have a new book to try out some great new recipes, so a big hug to you SP whoever you are and I am feeling so spoilt.
I so want to make this.
I am so spoilt.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

I'm Doing Parent Help Today

Guess what I am doing today? I am doing parent help in Haydens class and they are learning how to knit. His class is grades 3 and 4 and the age group is 9 and 10 year olds, should be a lot of fun, with maybe some frustrations. I am just glad that knitting is being picked up on in some schools as it is so important to get the next generation knitting and most importantly enjoying it. I can still remember my first pieces of knitting which would usually start off with about 20 stitches and consist of striped rows and end up with about 50 stitches, but that didn't matter at all it was just that feeling I got from creating something myself. I can remember going shopping with my mum and as she was a keen knitter we would always end up in the wool section of the store. I grew up in Campbell Town, which is a small country town in Tasmania, and there was a store there at the time called O'Briens and it was a general store that sold just about everything but I can remember the habadashery section was huge, especially the range of knitting patterns, yarns and needles. Unfortunately in the 70's O'Briens burnt down and the store is no longer but it definately gave me my first taste of drooling over yarns and patterns etc. which I still get today. I love looking on the internet for all knitting related items but you still can't beat the experience of a well stocked LYS and to be able to touch the fibres and talk knitting with the staff who in my LYS are just the best. My LYS is Knits Needles and Wool and its owner Kathy knows everything there is to know about knitting and has helped me with many a project.
I will let you know how I went knitting with the kids, till then, happy knitting.

Monday, June 20, 2005

The Angelina Vintage Jacket

I mentioned in my earlier post that I have started a new project so here are the photos of its beginnings and of the wool it is knitted in. The pattern is fromWhite Lies Designs and is knitted in Mystique from Bendigo Woollen Mills in 'opal'. Unfortunately they don't have a web site but you can order a shade card from them here order@bendigowoollenmills.com.au and it is free!!! As I have mentioned here before I buy a lot of my wool from Bendigo, it is good quality and very reasonably priced. Okay back to the jacket, it is knitted all in one piece in k2 p2 rib and then the lace is knitted later, the orange border is a temporary cast on. I am knitting it on 3.75mm bamboo circulars and as Mystique is 75% wool, 20% mohair and 5% alpaca it is real nice easy knitting with a lovely feel to it. I have also just realised that it is a very similar colour to the lace vest that I knitted in Summer, I am definately a jade/green girl. I have fair skin, freckles and green eyes so that might explain it a bit. It's funny how skin tone, hair colour etc. dictates what colours work for each person. I love pale blue but everytime I wear it you can bet that someone will tell me that I look tired, so that is now a colour I avoid.

Another win for the RoosCathy just when I thought they were going downhill fast they have won their past couple of games, so looks like they will be playing in the finals come September.

While I am doing this I have Elvis' 68 Comeback Special playing LOUD so if things don't make sense it is because I am jiving away to the man in leather. The DVD belongs to my Dad and he has let me borrow it, he was born in 1940 so was a teenager when the King changed music forever and so I was bought up with Elvis and my mother was a huge Beatles fan so the two of them nurtured my love of music from a very early age.
Bendigo Woollen Mills Mystique
Angelina Vintage Jacket

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Kids Are Back To School so............

I can finally get around to 'me' time again, I love having them home but it is pretty hectic when they are here. Plus we had some little visitors from school in HEAD LICE which if anyone out there have had the pleasure of their company you will know how bloody hard it is to get rid of the little buggers. My boys were the only ones affected, which was lucky for the rest of us, but after many doses of grose smelling stuff and conditioners and nit combs I can happily say goodbye to them. So what else have I been up to apart from evicting some unwanted visitors? Finishing off the bed jacket as well as planning future projects, one of which I couldn't resist starting. I will finish off other UFOs, I will, I will, promise.

I have heard from my secret pal, she sounds so nice and I have been in touch with mine, looking forward to spoiling her (doing some research at the moment, seeing what she likes and dislikes)

Went to my SnB today and as usual had a great time, did a yarn trade which is always a lot of fun, got some great new stuff to add to my stash. Anyway till next time, see ya.
Bed jacket is finished but I will not be wearing this one to bed. Don't you just love the 'Elvis' sleeves. Instead of using ribbon as a tie, I put my crochet skills to the test and made a chain (thats my limit with crochet) and lengthened the sleeves by 10 cms, they have a panel of lace same as front which you can't see in the photo.

Monday, June 06, 2005

What Have I Been Up To?

Yes I have been a bit quiet on the blogging side of things, both posting and reading my favourites. I always take a couple of days to catch up when I come home from a few days away. Yes Melbourne was great, ran out of shopping time though as the main purpose for the trip was a camp at Mt. Evelyn which is hour and 1/2 train trip from Melbourne CBD. Did get to the markets which were just great oh if only we had that much choice here in Tassie, I bought back some soup mix which is nothing like the packet you buy from the supermarket. Cheap clothes, kids toys (some of it crap, but at least it is cheap crap) but it was the choice of fresh fruit and vegetables that I couln't get over. So if you live in Melbourne you are sooooo lucky.

So after catching up with the washing and catching up on some sleep I finally started to knit again. Five days straight with not a single bit of knitting I was starting to shake let me tell you. Still working on bed jacket (which isn't a bed jacket??), socks and SILs jumper, in no particular order. Our church has many mission projects they support and one of them is an orphanage in Myanmar(used to be known as Burma) and we were asked to supply them with much needed beanies as the temperature drops considerably overnight. As I have a bit of a reputation as being 'a knitting guru' not for my knitting skills but for the fact that when hardly anyone knitted anymore, under the age of 70 'Shazza' was always knitting away and then when it became popular again and all the young ones wanted to learn or simply ask "what do I use to make this" they came to me. So I thought I had better contribute a couple of my 'creations', as I didn't finish sewing up the last one late Saturday night I don't have any pics to show but they were nice thick warm ones, using a Jo Sharp pattern from her Knitting Bohemia book called bramble hat, using 2 strands of 8ply and knitted on 6.50mm needles, very quick knitting.

The kids are on holidays at the moment so that is a bit busier than normal, how you soon get used to peace and quiet when they are all off to school full time. Lucky I can lose myself in my knitting which is what I am going to go and do now, till next time, happy knitting.

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Secret Pal 5 Questions

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you? Yes I hate to admit it I am a bit of a yarn snob and prefer natural fibres, but this is mainly because I am a tight knitter and acrylics are hard for me to work with and I do love the feel of wool.


2. Do you spin? Crochet? I do neither but would love to learn one day.


3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.) None that I know of.


4. How long have you been knitting? Since I was 5 y.o. which is 33 years now.


5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No.


6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) I like any as long as they are not too overpowering.


7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Definately yes, I love chocolate.


8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Scrapbooking and sewing.


9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I like lots of different types of music, my favourites are from the 60s & 70s.


10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand? My favourires are Autumn tones, greens and apricots. I don't like purple.


11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I am married with 3 children a daughter aged 12 and two sons aged 10 & 7. I have a cat, fish and a rabbit which I share with the family.


12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know) To be a good wife, mother and friend.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? Any pure wools, mohairs and alpacas.


14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like Patons Feathers or any acrylic fuzzy.


15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s? Finding different patterns and collecting tortoiseshell knitting needles.


16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I don't really have a favourite, I love knitting anything as long as I am knitting something.


17. What are you knitting right now? A bed jacket, a pair of socks, a beanie and a fair isle jumper.


18. What do you think about ponchos? Love them, wore them as a child and still like them.


19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Straight.


20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Bamboo and plastic.


21. Are you a sock knitter? Yes, I love knitting socks especially using the self patterned wool.


22. How did you learn to knit? My mother taught me.


23. How old is your oldest UFO? I'm proud to say that if I don't finish something within 2 years I obviously don't like it and will frog it.


24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird? I love cats.


25. What is your favorite holiday? One where I don't have to cook or clean up.


26. Is there anything that you collect? Vintage knitting patterns (60's - 70's mainly)


27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? None


28. Any books out there you are dying to get your hands on? I am waiting for the Stitch n Bitch Nation to be released here in Australia.