With the Scarf On

The Scarf looks good on!

WIP Progress & FFO (Finally Finished Objects)

As you can see Light 'n' Easy/Breezy is done - blocked quickly due to the open lace and looks even better in brighter light. Pity it is a greyish day here.

Chocolate Anya is progressing I am nearly at the end of the second lace repeat. Which puts me on track to start the third one this morning. I predict a finish this week.

It is such a joyous feeling to be completing items and loving the finished product.

I can't wait to wear Anya and see L'n'E in action.

Another Day of Blocking and Lace

Finally the Light'n' Easy/Breezy scarf is blocking. It's a little dark (no light at night). So I will take one when it dries in the morning. But it is soft and colourful and I can't wait to see how it goes after blocking with all the lace opening up.

On the knitting front I am sailing through the second lace repeat on the Chocolate Anya. It's so much easier when you know what the pattern is doing. Additionally the pattern is very intuitive in the placing of the the Yarn overs, SSK and K2tog. The Knittery 2ply Silk Merino is a gorgeous choice. I cannot wait to see how this will look blocked and ready to wear.

Perfectly Matched

One of the challenges of being a knitter in Australia with access to the world of patterns is yarn-substitution. You are never really sure if the yarn you substitute will have the right drape, colour or if the guage will remain consistent with the swatch (when you do it!).





This of course is followed by the pattern variation. I just want to change this from what the designer intended.





There is an amazing joy and satisfaction in picking the right yarn, right colour, and having your variations work.





Anya was a pattern I found on Ravelry by accident. I liked the look but didn't like the purl rows every other row so i swapped it to give the background more stocking stitch with a garter stitch edge.





The Knittery's Lace Silk Merino was my pick...and it is gorgeous to knit with, every stitch is a pleasure. I thought it would look great as an Anya and I needed something brown to go with a couple of brown outfits I have and thought the Chocolate Colourway would be pretty good. So good you can eat it!





I have been unbelievably lucky lucky and it has turned out beautifully. This photo probably doesn't show it off as much as it could...However, wait until i finish her and she gets blocked. I predict a Stunner in the making.

I knit because....

It is amazing how the current knitting project or book I am engrossed in is a counter balance to work or family life.

If my work or family life is hectic or stressful or mentally taxing my knitting will be simple - lots of garter stitch and stocking stitch with only a little pattern.

Examples are the Film Festival Socks, Even Dark ivy was a simple pattern that allowed me to get through hospitalisation and a season of reviews and budgeting at work.

When my work or family life is quiet and not taxing enough my knitting will be cables and lace to vex and challenge me. Such as Anya or Juno Regina (Which I and many others have been wrestling with for some time).

Dh and a former colleague and friend once said my knitting was about me wanting to control something from start to finish. I acknowledge this may be a little bit true since my work is all about negotiating and co-ordinating with others to achieve things (projects or individual development) and was probably very true at the time of the comment (over five years ago).

Now I am convinced it is supplementing my reading. I have always been somone that has multiple books on the go usually one fiction and one non-fiction - biography or commentary. They tend to range from the easy/enjoyable reads to the complex detailed. I will reach for the easy to read when my brain has been busy. I will reach for the complex when my brain is crying out for something meaty.

Right now I am switching between the mindlessness of a fun Chick Lit and Billy Bragg's recent offering. Spending more time on the Chick Lit (The review budget season is not quite over yet!).


I am enjoying the act of anticipating some time with Billy on the weekend.

Maybe I will liberate Anya from her moving hibernation as my fingers are itching for some lace.

A Season of Blocking!

With the dining room now returned from an oddysey in Backdrops for the School Band Fundraiser and my blocking boards rescued from the shed after the move. Let the blocking commence.

First up is Dark Ivy which I now only have the neck band to join across the back and the ties to complete.

After that is the Light 'n' Easy/Breezy Scarf.

I can't wait to have these finished and be able to wear Dark Ivy!

Moving Right Along (WIP WIP WIP)

So I am back on track with the WIP along. The Dark Ivy that had been dreadfully stalled due to a number of reasons...Shiny new things and Moving House and being so awkward to move around.

I have finished the first sleeve (as you can see above). I am again loving the colour. The small needles are taking their toll on my patience...It takes a lot of knitting.

And for your enjoyment....an earworm!

WIP Update - Light 'n' Easy

Knitting Complete...To Do Blocking.

Alas the aforementioned set is interfering with my blocking table. So I will have to wait - but so far the colours look Fabulous!

So to continue with the WIP along. I have liberated Dark Ivy from its moving hibernation.

I have been knitting hte first sleeve which is coming along very nicely thank you very much.

Too Happy! ! !

Livin' in the City (Inner West!)

One of the great joys of living in the Inner West is some of the great things you find here that you don't find anywhere else in Sydney.

The best of these (in my opinion) is not the restaurants or the shops it is the wonderful Addison Road Community Centre.

Next weekend the local school (where O goes) is having a fundraiser. Dh has volunteered to put together a set. Thursday night he ventured out to the local bowlo to check out the space.
The result is we require a backdrop, a stage divider and a few other bits and pieces to change the vibe just a little for the group of live bands that will be performing for the bargain price of $10 before or $15 at the door. Some of them are pretty good to...so it will be a great night out.

So off we go to Addison Road for it's wonderful Sunday markets (Fresh Produce, Hand made goods, plants and bric-a-brac) in amongst the Centre. But the real treasure today is to be found at Reverse Garbage. This place is full of things you didn't know you needed until you turn up. Today we came away with 6 long cardboarded covered foam planks (for the divider), a half a tin of paint (for the divider) , and 2 gigantic books of furniture material samples in prints and solids for less than $29.00. All up with $2 for coffee and $4/5 for a bacon and egg roll each it was a great couple of hours out of the house. This is cheap because we were without kids. My nephews and niece love it as their pocket money goes further here than anywhere else.

We have bought furniture, electrical equipment (From The Bower) many Craft items from Reverse Garbage and enjoyed free entertainment and great food from the markets, festivals and Radio Station housed on site. There are art galleries and a theatre (Side Track) so the options are endless. We have also bought quite a few native plants from the Community Garden.

Best bargain of all time so far would have been the Queen Adelaide Tapestry Frames and stands for $6.00.

On the knitting front I am all but finished the Light 'n' Easy Scarf...will be done before the day is out!.

Falling off the Yarn Diet Wagon

As you may recall I joined up to the knit from Stash thread on Ravelry. Trying to finish all my WIP's. I have strayed in the interest of some special order baby presents (specifically the fat cats - but more on that later).

This week I bought and ordered a lot of yarn some with purpose but some without purpose.
You can see it all below.

The haul consists of

Hand Maiden Flaxen in Amethyst; Kaaluund Enchante (more silk) in Lavendar; Kaalund Classic 2 in Camphor Laurel; Yarn Pirate BFL Sock in Merlot; Socks That Rock in Lighweight Goody Goody (Fruit Tingle Colourway) - A Sock Club arrival; Mirasol Hacho in Red/Orange/Blue Yellow for another Fat Cat; Cosy Wool in Fruit Tingle Colourway and some Purple and Deep pink to make a little girl a felted purse with a flower or two on it.

I promise I will knit with these all soon - i just have to finish some of what I have

On the finishing front

Progress on the knitting front - the Fat Cat Hacho is finished knitting and felting as I type (Sat morning). It seems to be felting really really well.

The Light n Easy Scarf is galloping along (it has been my main travel knitting when I got board with the Fat Cat).

Ready to Felt and Ready to Read

I love when mail arrives at exactly the right time.

Last night on arriving home I had Rown #44 and Vogue Knitting International in the old letterbox.

Both were sitting there waiting for me to finish knitting the Fat Cat Stocking Stitch so i can read them whilst waiting for the felting to happen.

The Noro Stocking Stitch for Fat Cat is all done - I am happy with the colours...can't wait to see how it felts.

You can see the magazines poking out from under the knitting.!

New yarn Love

The Noro has been on my needles all evening whilst watching Auntie's ABC.

The colours are making my head spin...totally loving the New Yarn.

Cast on straight away...want to try to felt it before the weekend.

Falling Off the Yarn Diet Wagon

Ok So i got bored with what I have and wanted to make a felted soft toy for one of the new bubs. This involves knitting a flat rectangle, felting it and then cutting out the shape of the toy, sewing it together and then stuffing it.

In my head it has always been made with either Noro or Hacho...So I bought 2 skeins of each and a replacement for the Arucania that I am making the scarf with (Defies logic!)

A weekend of knitting

I have spent the weekend knitting the Montego Bay Scarf Pattern by Amy Singer.

It is a breeze to knit and the Arucania yarn colourway is spectactular.

The photos are showing off the colour but not so much of the structure...It is an absolute treat.

I am beginning to think the Arucania Ranco may become a favourite yarn.

Versatile it is! The mix of semi-solids and multis means there is a colourway for every season.

Very Nice!.

Casting on....Ooops (And Some Music!)

I know I have signed up for the KAL from your stash..and to finish what is in progress.

Slightly against the rules I have cast on a scarf for a birthday present (hopefully). I am using a ball of the Arucania Multi (from the stash) and it is knitting up to look quite stunning.

This is an Amy Singer (of Knitty Fame pattern) from an old interweave that i always loved and I have called my version Nice 'n' Light....

I should be finishing my FLS (but I have found it too bulky to knit in my twenty minutes train trip...and as we are still setting up the lounge and the aerial...not much TV watching is occuring.

As a result of the move we have been unpacking CD's and DVD's on bulk...Realising just how much music we have between the 3 of us now (O has started a small music collection). This becomes even more staggering when you realise that more than half our music purchases in the last 12 months have been digital. I thought I might start a theme and explore some of my early musical experiences...a paragraph every few days might do it.

Today - My earliest Music.

I have 3 favourites from my preschool and primary school years.

First up is a Romper Room Album (I think it was a happy birthday album) a seventies product with a lavendar cover and Miss Helena and Mr Do-Bee of the cover. This was a high-rotation item for us (my baby brother and I). Although he used to hide when she

For Trivia buffs Miss Helena of the Australian wide version of Romper Room is married to Mike Bailey (former ABC and Channel 7 Weatherman turned not so successful politician).

Second up is an old 78 (a massive family favourite) called The Little Fiddle (A Danny Kaye orchestral narration) always caused a laugh in our household. Favourite films (starring the wonderful Danny Kaye) were also sought after on Sunday afternoons (Sports commitments withstanding) The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Hans Christian Anderson were always sure to draw a crowd around the family TV.

Last, but not least, was my first foray into Popular music. I along with a large portion of the Australian population spent much of the second half of the seventies obsessed with Abba! Arrival (which I still have on Vinyl) is an all-time favouite. I have never really grown out of loving! Mamma Mia the musical and the very recent movie have shown me I am just one of a much bigger crowd.

Next Late Primary Schol and Early High School my transition to Alternative Music!

Swap Package Recieved

I recieved my Swap package when we moved house, right in the middle of the family emergency (see earlier post). It was amazingly cute and adorable. The amazing pscyhoticspy has sent me a mug, a mug cosy and Ipod cosy (monogrammed), an amazing feather pen, tea bags with slogans and cupboard crumb magnets...too cute to be denied (they went straight on the fridge even though the other magnets haven't been unpacted yet. Also a huge chocolate freckle map of tassie...I love every bit of it.

The mug has quickly become my favourite for Milo. The package cheered me up no end.

And here is a pic of my outgoing swap items...the mitts are just so elegant and made to drink tea with!

Finished Objects (Outgoing Swap and Socks)

So First Up I have finally finished the film festival socks. Comfy and a great colour (My Colour!). This is such a great pattern - simple and always a perfect result. The Arucania has knitted up beautifully, lovely and soft.
Second Up - is finally a picture of the GYC (Got you Covered) Swap Mitts. These look stunning on...I will see if I can borrow a picture from my pal. They are a lovely knit to. Very elegant (Linda K's Yummy Mummy Knits on Ravelry if you are looking for the pattern!)