A Barrister's Yarn

Polygamy versus Monogamy

2009-09-17T01:14:00.000-07:00

Well, we've just said goodbye to our most recent spate of visitors, consisting of my brother and sister-in-law, followed by my parents, followed by my Auntie Joy, followed by my father-in-law! Now we have none until the end of November, although we're going away ourselves in October. No rest for the wicked indeed!

But it was not all about feeling like a bed and breakfast landlady. You see, my Auntie Joy has been knitting longer than I've been alive. But, she's only been knitting socks since last year! She has, however, made 30 pairs in that time. On top of being a very busy midwife and lactation consultant. Her FO list puts mine to complete shame.

I was so looking forward to my first ever S'n'B holiday. I was looking forward to seeing all her projects. But ... she's a project monogamist! And only brought one WIP - a gorgeous alpaca lace scarf she was knitting in two pieces to be grafted later. She refuses to allow herself to cast on something new until the WIP is done!

How can one be so disciplined and never suffer from startitis? She brought up a pile of lovely sock yarn to wind on my swift (she doesn't have one but she will by Christmas!). So we wound it all up and then she just put it away. In a bag. Without casting on One Single Thing! I espied some Wired for Fibre in gorgeous spring-like colours and badgered her mercilessly about casting on some Spring Forwards in it. But she resisted admirably! Her only concession was to stay in bed on her second-last day until she'd finished the second end of the scarf. And agreed to cast on a sock before grafting the two halves.

She laughed herself silly when she saw my pile of WIPs. I don't think it's bad really. It's mostly Christmas knitting and I'm getting through it. I keep it in a pile on my sideboard in the lounge so I see it every time I walk past and that motivates me, particularly with the less interesting projects.

Like this dreadfully tedious jumper for Glynn. Without strong guilt self-manipulation it would never be done. Booooorrrrriiiing!!!

Other than that I have a Winter Lace Afghan (Rav link) in Bendigo Rustic 12 ply Green Tweed. It's about one-third done.

I do like this pattern - it's very pretty and effective. I might even use it for a wrap down the track with a sportweight or something.

A cashmere laceweight Falling Leaves scarf. It's only supposed to be 42 repeats but I've already done 12 and I can't imagine being content with a scarf only 4 or so times longer than it is.

I will have to learn better blocking techniques for this. With previous projects, pin scallops haven't mattered at all, but they will on this scarf.

Monkeys in Jitterbug Lapis. One is done and I'm halfway through No 2.

Cabled ribs in STR heavyweight Atomic 6. One's done but I haven't started the next yet. That will wait until Monkey no 2 is done. I love how the leg of this has knit up in a spiral of colours. Neat!

I also have to do another Araucania lacy mock cable but they're not intended for any particular person, so it can wait.

But ... the literally Luscious Silk Pallas Athena Forest Canopy Shawl is finished and blocked. Oh my gosh I love this thing. It's so lustrously smooth and inviting. And the teeny touches of gold lift it so beautifully. They didn't appear on the website photograph - perhaps the silk takes up the dye quite differently from the sock yarn. It is for a dear friend for Christmas and it will be difficult not to give it to her for her birthday in October!!

So I was fiddling around with all these things and my Auntie Joy did this. And this only.

I don't know why I can't stomach project monogamy. I tried to justify my polygamy in various ways - everyone else does it, a change is as good as a holiday etc. Sometimes it's too hot to knit something big, with it spread all over one's lap. But I think it's really that I keep casting on new yarn with absolute delight until I think it's bordering on the ridiculous, then try and be strong. At this minute, I'm contemplating winding up some STR in Kaw Kaw and casting on some Ironwork socks!

I had a very fun afternoon with Samara on Tuesday. I think some kids these days aren't allowed to puddle around with things like we used to as children. So I decided that we'd do some "cooking" in the back yard, just before bath time. So we had red water, green water, oats and flour, various bowls, whisks and spoons and Samara proceeded to concoct various revolting looking glues and porridges. And tipped a bowl of pink porridge down the front of herself. Ick. But fun :)

A new look (well, sort of)

2009-08-30T05:50:00.000-07:00

I'm a dreadful blog decorator. I admit it. I'm not a complete technophobe but I don't have the patience to sit down and work out how to make my blog look more interesting. I'd rather knit in the spare time I have. I had a burst of enthusiasm recently to try and improve my blog wardrobe but after half an hour of trying to work out progress bars (and yes, I even looked at the Ravelry instructions!) I thought, "bah, I'm going to cast on a new sock".

As far as I knew, a widget was a fictitious manufactured item often referred to by the English House of Lords when giving hypothetical examples in their judgments. I also know that it's one of those little balls in cans of, for example, Guinness. Frankly, I still don't know much more about them!

Fortunately, I have some very generous and talented friends :)

One of those friends is Carol. She made my header thingie for me. I really love it and I just wanted to do a quick thank you post. So thank you, darling Carol, for your aesthetic contribution.

Maybe one day I'll have widgets that aren't beer can balls.

"Are you having a yarn-gasm?"

2009-08-26T01:32:00.000-07:00

asked my husband when he witnessed my reaction to opening a suggestive brown cardboard box to find this:

Socks that Rock from Blue Moon Fiber Arts in "Kaw Kaw", "Hoofle Foofle", "Brick" and "Atomic". Plus two skeins of Luscious Silk in "Pallas Athena" - one of the Raven Clan colourways. Who could resist buying something called "Hoofle Foofle". By happy coincidence, I was browsing an old issue of Interweave Knits, came across some socks I loved and realised they were in the exact same yarn! Kismet indeed.

I defy anyone not to have a yarngasm on receiving such booty. I am soooo in love with the silk - just the most delicious stuff. I also defy anyone not to cast on, just to see. Not to abandon all my other projects (of which I have far too many right now), but just to see.

After much agonising, I decided on a Forest Canopy Shawl (Rav link); my second this year. It's intended for a dear friend for Christmas, so I need something I can knit up quickly, as I have a lot of other gift knits to do. I know my friend loves the design, as she raved over the other one I made.

I have so many Christmas projects on the go - I wonder if I will finish any on time! I have started a Winter Lace Afghan (Rav link), in Bendigo 12 ply Rustic in Green Tweed. Knitting that, after working on the grey laceweight cashmere scarf is like knitting rope using crowbars. But it's good to give the fingers a rest.

Also on the go are more socks for my brother, David (he of the Brown Nemesis fame) in Colinette Jitterbug Lapis. More monkeys for boys! David saw Glynn's blue monkeys in the Wendy Happy Bamboo and said, "that's a pretty cool pattern huh?"

Now, I've never thought of myself as someone who fits into societal norms too much, or someone who pays much attention to them. But David leaves me for dead! He's a very blokey bloke. A diesel fitter, who supervises dozens of mechanics and apprentices. He wears dark green King Gee work shirts with "Dave" embroidered on the pocket. They stink of grease and diesel. He has enormous hunting dogs and drives a 4WD ute.

But when he and his wife were staying with us recently, he baked brownies using Nigella's recipe from "How to be a Domestic Goddess". And he makes my espresso machine sing - the best coffee I've ever had! Talks disparagingly of fully automated espresso machines that make coffee with no love and therefore it tastes like *&^%. Makes the best roast chicken anyone could ever eat. And he will soon be wearing lace socks.

So it's easy to see why I love him so much and why I took so much time with his Brown Nemesis. As brothers go, no-one could have a better one.

I actually did finish one Christmas gift - some Romantic Wrist Warmers (Rav link) in Noro Silk Garden sock yarn. These mittens are so cool - I will get three matching pairs from one ball! So far I have this matching pair.

I also have a single blue and grey mitten and a blue and fuschia one, who will receive their respective soulmates when I receive some spare time. Can't beat that for value - three gifts from one ball. Three in one - that's a bit Holy Trinity isn't it (I stole that joke from Bill Bailey's Part Troll.) Love that man.

We are experiencing another onslaught of visitors through this month and the next. David and his wife stayed with us from the beginning of August until Sunday. This Sunday, my parents arrive and stay until Thursday morning. Thursday afternoon, my aunt arrives and stays until Monday. On Wednesday, my father-in-law arrives and stays until the Sunday. This on top of work and parenting a very busy toddler seriously threatens knitting time. And therefore my sanity.

It's very difficult to believe it's winter here right now - for a few days more at least. We had 35 degrees celsius here a couple of days ago. Late afternoon and Samara was doing this on our back deck.

No, I don't still do my laundry by hand. It's a stainless steel tub with a stand intended to hold ice and drinks. But lately it has been holding a very happy little girl. And multifunctionality (is that a word?) is a good thing.

The Unholy Brown Nemesis

2009-08-09T01:33:00.000-07:00

Yes! I have done it! The brown nemesis no longer has a hole. It was a horrid job patching it up. My sister-in-law is staying with us at the moment and took Samara to the park for a couple of hours so I could have some peace and quiet in daylight to get it done. I took progress pics.

This is after tying the loose stitches, weaving in lengths of new yarn, and making new stitches with a crochet hook.

I then grafted the two rows of live stitches at the top and pulled the ends through to the back. Which created this freaking mess!

And the finished product. It's not perfect - I had trouble weaving all the ends in and working out where everything was supposed to go. Dark, slightly furry yarn didn't help!

I think it will look better after washing. The brown nemesis is now strictly banned from visiting farms!

These were a much more pleasant diversion!

Pattern: Queen of Cups
Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug Velvet Olive
Sticks: Knitpro 2.75mm (still can't get used to not writing Knitpicks!)

I have good intentions of knitting a lot of Christmas gifts this year - hmmm. But I've started! I ordered some laceweight cashmere from Knitter's Addiction in a silvery grey and maroon. It only took 2 days to arrive - excellent service.

This is my very first laceweight project. I am using the silvery grey for a falling leaves scarf (Rav link) for my sister-in-law.

I have some old injuries to my hands and have trouble with really fine needles. These are on 3.5s, so the needles are okay, but it remains to be seen how I cope with the yarn.

And the maroon - just because I love this gorgeous rich colour! Not sure what this will end up as.

So I end this weekend feeling most virtuous! And very happy with my feet encased in my new Queen of Cups Velvet Olives!

Three Unfinished Socks

2009-08-01T01:22:00.001-07:00

And one needs to be frogged. I know that. I just can't bring myself to do it :( I love this pattern - it's one of the Chevron ones from Sensational Knitted Socks. I love the yarn (although I started it so long ago that I can't remember what it is and the band is floating around somewhere in this maze of a house).

I think it's a real "statement" sock. Unfortunately, it doesn't want to speak on behalf of any feet that I know.

It's not a pointless sock - I learned how to do a "forethought heel" and was very proud of myself when it worked out so beautifully with those concentric circles of yarn. Well, worked out beautifully insofar as aesthetics are concerned. But the thing doesn't stretch! At all! My sister-in-law has weeny feet and tiny ankles. So I encouraged her to pull hard - they won't break. Even she couldn't get them on. Where's Twiggy when you need her?

I have no idea how I could have made it stretchier - after all, I followed the pattern to the letter. I even swatched to get the right size, which is unheard of for me.

So it languishes in a ziploc bag in my "shame" pile of UFOs. I will frog it. One day. But not right now. Just in case I make a friend with sticks for ankles. One who would like to make a statement with them.

I finished my Spring Forward socks and sent them off to a (hopefully) happy recipient! Then, of course, cast about for more casting on to go with the incredibly boring stocking stitch jumper I'm making for my husband. He'll get it, one day.

Browsing knitty, I came across the Queen of Cups. A pattern for a Queen indeed. I had just the yarn - some delicious Colinette Jitterbug in Velvet Olive, purchased recently from the accommodating Sarah Durrant. So rich, foresty and glorious. This will be for ... moi. So I'm doing them on 2.75s.

But, becoming engrossed in Series 4 of "The Two Fat Ladies", I realised that I could easily make a mistake. Very easily. So the need arose for something simple (other than the jumper, of course!). I decided that my Araucania Ranco needed to become some fun socks reminiscent of fruit tingles, so I trotted out the old faithful lacy mock cable pattern. One cannot stuff this up. I think they look very lively and fun. Someone will get them for Christmas, I suspect.

Back to the Two Fat Ladies. I love cooking shows. Not all of them, mind. They have to be more than just culinary instructions. And no-one had more personality than these two wonderful women. "Just what I like to see - a big jug of double cream" I recall Jennifer (Paterson) saying. And seeing Clarissa Dickson Wright spread butter "lavishly" on bread makes one's arteries shrink in horror. But I would still love to eat pretty much everything they made.

Series 4 was the unfinished one, due to the death of Jennifer. Well, she lived hard - the end of every show featured them having a brief debrief over a drink (ginger beer for Clarissa), Jennifer always having a cigarette between her beringed, beautifully manicured fingers.

I miss them - they had such unadulterated enjoyment in each other and their creations. I could scarcely believe it when I discovered that they didn't actually know each other prior to the BBC throwing them together. As Clarissa said in an interview, as soon as they started cooking together, it was as if they'd been best friends for years.

Oh, and I must thank 2paw for her helpful link :) I'm ashamed to say I found that very useful article a long time ago. But the brown nemesis still has a hole in it!!

The Heartbreak of a Hole

2009-07-24T01:32:00.000-07:00

Remember my brown nemesis? That bane of my life? It has returned to me for surgery. I have had it for some time now - since May in fact. I have trawled moth hole repair sites, studied and thought.

My brother was very upset when it happened - it's his favourite jumper and he wears it so often that my sister-in-law has to prise it off his body for occasional washing. He has no idea how it even happened, other than it was probably a mouse when they were staying at a friend's farm overnight. He wore it in the evening, took it off to go to bed and when he put it on in the morning, it looked like this.

I am thinking I will stabilise the stitches by sewing around the hole with contrasting embroidery thread and tying the top and bottom stitches together, then try and reknit the missing stitches using a crochet hook and then graft together at the top. It is the sides that worry me - all I can think of doing is weaving in the ends, which won't look that great. Incidentally, "tying" is one of those words that looks incorrect no matter how you spell it! Like "manoeuvre".

It is something that will require some peace and quiet, which is something we haven't had much of, with all our visitors. It also requires daylight - Glynn is an environmental globe fiend, which means there's not much strong light in here at night. I am determined to somehow fix it so it's at least wearable, even if it becomes more of a home jumper. Why couldn't that mouse have nibbled at the armhole or something? It would have to be right over the sternum - couldn't get a more obvious place!

Hopefully one of my posts in the near future will have a photo of the repaired brown nemesis. My brother is coming down in August and I'd like to have it finished for him then, so he at least gets to wear it again this winter. Tell you what, he had better get me a cracking good bottle of red for this!

Back to Spring Forward No 2 and a quiet night in front of the telly for a change. Our remote is broken and we can't change the TV channel. Never heard of the dials on one of those old wooden cabinet TVs breaking. Lucky it's stuck on ABC so I don't miss Trial & Retribution.

Almost a year to the day ...

2009-07-22T01:35:00.001-07:00

since I updated my blog. How hopeless am I? Maybe busy is a better word. On top of juggling our respective jobs with looking after our little girl, Glynn and I have decided that 2009 is the "Year of the Houseguest". Since about October last year, we've had something like 6 weeks on our own. It seems like we've barely spent 5 minutes together. And the washing!! Sometimes we had people arriving and departing on the same day with about a 30 minute gap, barely enough to change the bedding and air out our guest room. Fortunately, we have a couple of weeks until the next onslaught, which will last until the end of September. Unsurprisingly, we've decided to have Christmas alone. In an isolated place. An undisclosed place. Where we can just "be".

I do trawl other people's blogs to drool over their creations, but am always too embarrassed to comment because my blog is so hopelessly out of date lol!!

But, in amongst all this upheaval, there has been knitting. Without it, I am sure I would have gone insane. There is something about curling up on the couch and drifting off into a world of yarny loveliness. Serenity, whilst chaos is all around.

This year, our baby has grown into the most beautiful little girl imaginable. Every day is an absolute joy and watching over her as she learns new things is an absolute privilege and a blessing. Just look at this lovely little face.

Now, enough gushing and on to the important stuff!! This post would go forever if I posted all the things I've made, so I've just chosen a few of my favourites!

A good friend is turning 50 this year, so I embarked on my first Forest Canopy Shawl. Loved it! Except when I had an "arrogant" moment and decided I didn't need lifelines. I just can't chat and knit. An omitted YO meant undoing about 800 stitches. One at a time. I couldn't look at it for a little while, but it's all ready for delivery next week!

Yarn: Jo Sharp Alpaca Silk Georgette in Pebble (3 balls)
Sticks KnitPicks Options 5mm
Pattern changes I did 4 extra repeats - thought it was a little small

These are my first Spring Forward socks. Such a great pattern - I did this in just 3 evenings! So a big thanks to Carol for her recommendation. During one of those aimless "hand dyed sock yarn" googling sessions that one engages in from time to time, I discovered Moseley Park. You can't imagine how chuffed I was to discover a hand dyed sock yarn producer that Bells had never heard of. This is the bamboo/merino blend in "Plum Tart". I thought it was somewhat optimistically named, given that it is in shades of rose, smoky lilac and palest apricot! Perhaps there was a lot of cream in this particular tart. Gorgeous stuff nonetheless and I'll definitely be treating myself to more!

Here are my delicious new Hederas in Colinette Jitterbug Velvet Bilberry. I discovered them on RoseRed's blog and loved them. I took note of the different YO size between P and K stitches and so I did the suggested method of picking up on the following row instead. Worked pretty well I think. I also used 2.75s to accommodate my tree trunks.

Monkeys in Wendy Happy Bamboo. These are Glynn's - he saw some other monkeys I'd made and decided the pattern was not feminine but "interesting and intricate". Lucky they're blue, is all I can say!!

A little cardigan for Samara in Zara dark wine. This was a Sirdar DK pattern I dug up from somewhere. It was supposed to be for a friend's little girl, until I noticed the very obvious mistake on the left front! So Samara got lucky and Gracie got a perfect one. The making up on hers is much better too - I hate making up with a vengeance. I wish there was a Mattress Stitch Fairy.

I can't take credit for this one - it was made by my Auntie Joy, but it's so exquisite that I had to put it in.

And, of course, new acquisitions! Have been buying up big in the sales. All in the name of beating the Global Financial Crisis, of course. My motives are entirely benevolent. Here are a few favourites.

Lovely, lovely Knit Picks Options! What a beautifully presented set this is - it looks like it should be opened to reveal some deliciously thick and creamy vellum, to be used at an antique ladies' desk, at a window overlooking a rose garden.

More Moseley Park, this time in "Aubergine".

Scrumptious Noro Silk Garden Sock. I have been stalking Ravelry looking for something to inspire me, but nothing strikes as yet. I aimlessly started knitting a sock just to see what it looked like. Under the lamp, it was like knitting spun peacock feathers. But the 60 stitches on 2.5s would fit an elephant! So my "just because" sock will have to go.

Araucania Ranco. It's been silent so far on what it wants to become but I take it out every now and again, just to fondle. It reminds me of a jar of boiled sweets!

Well, if nothing else, at least I've recorded a few things for posterity! I won't tempt fate by promising to be good by updating my blog more regularly. That would surely result in me being very BAD!!

Voila!

2008-07-27T00:35:00.000-07:00

Here 'tis! It's not this badly blocked really - I just flopped it out on the floor and couldn't be bothered straightening it!

And a close-up that gives a good idea of the yarn variegation. I love this chocolate colourway - it truly is delicious enough to eat!

Tomorrow I am tripping off to work in brown tweedy trousers, a black v-neck knit and my clap - can't wait!

Mes clapotis est finis!!

2008-07-26T00:48:00.000-07:00

Yes! I am a proven knitting sprinter! My new Addi turbos were my best friends, slipping each stitch so beautifully smoothly and easily. Without them, I'd still be clicking away no doubt.

I happily finished off the last rows while watching episodes of "The Brief" on DVD. Maybe it's an occupational hazard, but I adore Henry Farmer! Of course, I sit there muttering "that would NEVER happen; as if you'd EVER ask that question!; object, object!; that's not admissible!" but that's all part of the fun, isn't it? My version of yelling armchair advice to referees.

My clappy was blocked this morning and is now lying saucily spreadeagled on towels on the dining room floor, beckoning me to wear her soon. I had an outdoor brunch to go to today and it would have been perfect!

Photos to come, been somewhat busy with work, baby and, of course, knitting. Will someone come and do my housework so I can knit socks?

My ankles aren't THAT fat!

2008-07-18T19:47:00.000-07:00

I have thick ankles. They are the bane of my life. Frivolous little shoes make them look like they belong to a rugby player in drag. They are the one reason I envy my mother-in-law. She has natty ankles. And so does my husband, who doesn't need them or care about them. Sometimes, life is very unfair, isn't it?

In my stash was some gorgeous burgundy Regia Silk, which I thought would make a splendid pair of diamond rib socks for .. moi! (that's about the full extent of my French). So I read all the instructions in my Sensational Knitted Socks book about unfortunate souls with fat ankles, I swatched, I washed and I measured. Bah! My sock is enormous. I got through enough to stick it up over my foot and, well, it's okay, but very loose. I think it would slip down as I walked around.

The only woman I know with thicker ankles than me is my mother. So I thought I'd be generous and finish off the socks as they were and give them to her. She lives in Central Queensland and they have very cold winters, so I'm sure she'll enjoy them.

I do like the diamond rib pattern though. Terrible photo - still working out our new camera, but you get the picture (yes that awful pun was intended).

Oh, and here are my dad's socks-in-progress. I love this yarn. It's very dad-like, isn't it?

I was worried they would be a bit boring, but I think they're quite elegant really. Simplicity is a wonderful thing.

And a pic of my baby girl, just because she looks so wonderfully earnest! Obviously having some kind of serious political debate with her dad.

I'm cruising along with my chocolate clapotis for the Tour de France KAL. I've decided to do 17 straight row repeats, rather than the pattern's 13, just so I can wrap it right around myself and be deliciously warm and cosy. I've got a few more straight repeats to do, then the decreases and I'm done! No lagging behind the peleton for this Liquigas girl.

Oh and I've even managed to get some work done. Sleep? What's that?

I'm Baa-aaack

2008-07-13T02:30:00.001-07:00

Yes, I am still alive. And still knitting :) After a long absence from the blogosphere, I've returned. Of course, it is very likely that no-one will notice!

I also had a long absence from knitting. Just before my last post I discovered that we had a little one on the way. Unfortunately that little one decided to make it impossible to knit! Motion sickness or something - it was dreadful! If only I was at the stage of not having to look at my needles I might have managed lol.

She arrived safe and sound at the end of April and has been frequently dressed in handknits that I managed to make near the end of my pregnancy and soon afterwards.

So, a bit of show & tell!

Our little girl. Clearly I will never be a hairdresser!

Love this jacket! It was made from red merino bambino and some cream 4 ply I had in my very meagre stash.

She wears this a lot - it's nice and soft. I used Cocoon for this.

And matching hat

Something pretty

Have joined the ranks of the Tour de France knit along too - cycling on TV has never been so much fun! Go Cadel go!! Since I'm probably the only knitter in the world without a clapotis, I decided, with the help of the lovely Bells, that it was a good project that I'd be able to get through in between working and mothering.

Am using merino chubby sock yarn from the Knittery in the chocolate colourway. Just gorgeous. And thanks to Daphne for the special dye job! The yarn has a lovely sheen to it and will be light enough to wear in Brisbane, as I'm doing it on a 4mm Addi Turbo so it's nice and open. But undoing the ladders - ugh!

Am halfway through now, so I'm confident I will get it done before the deadline. I quite like the pressure lol! Plus the added pressure of having only just enough yarn - eeep!! My daughter has her last feed at 10pm, just when the telecast starts and I have recently perfected the art of knitting whilst breastfeeding. Handy.

Also on the needles are a pair of garter rib socks for my dad in Regia. Good TV knitting and a bit of a break from the clap. Nice subtle browns and creams with a bit of blue-grey for pizzazz. Very dad-like. Especially for an oh-so-conservative one!

Plus a pair of socks as in passionfruit cashmerino, also from the Knittery. I had the most wonderful friend as my doula for the birth and I thought "what's more perfect to say thanks than a pair of handknitted socks?" She's been coveting my passionfruit lacy mock cables for some time. I couldn't face yet another pair of lacy mock cables, having made two, so chose the oblique openwork pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks. Very easy - just a 6 row repeat.

So that's me!! I look forward to catching up with old and new blogs in between everything else I'm doing! Why, oh why, are there only 24 hours in a day?

Lots of Odd Socks!

2007-09-05T20:58:00.000-07:00

I sometimes wonder how many lonely handknitted socks there are in the universe. Do knitters, filled with a burst of enthusiasm for new yarn and a new pattern, madly knit up sock number 1 and then sock 2 becomes a nemesis?

Spring rains have thankfully brought some gentle relief to our drought-stricken city. It rained for a week before we went away, then was lovely and sunny apparently, so the garden has burst forth with breathtaking new growth, the roses and vegetables in particular. And now it's raining again - our garden won't know what's hit it! I think our level 6 water restrictions are now delayed a month.

Well, life is back to some sort of normality after my trip out to central Queensland to celebrate my youngest brother's 30th birthday. Unfortunately, he dislocated his ankle and broke both bones in his lower leg a couple of weeks ago and only got out of hospital after surgery a couple of days before his party. So he didn't have quite the big night that he was planning - more an evening of holding court in a comfortable chair while friends fetched his dinner and drinks. Actually that sounds pretty good!!

I saw my other brother, David, on Sunday night and presented him with the Brown Nemesis! It immediately went over his head and was pronounced to be "awesome" and a "perfect fit". Oh, so satisfying to see one's creation being truly appreciated! I forgot to take a photo so my sister-in-law is taking one for me and will email it. I'm sure my brother won't mind modelling on my blog :)

Unfortunately, my father has decided he'd like one too, with the "Flying A" emblem of his 1949 Austin A90 Atlantic convertible on the front of the shoulder. Hmmmm. He will have to wait a while for that one. There will be no man's jumpers on this knitter's pointy sticks for a while, I think!

My opal lacy mock cable sock is now finished and I'm really rapt with it! It's too small for me, which is perfect, because my sister-in-law (for whom it is intended) is a couple of sizes smaller in her shoes. She has lovely, dainty little feet!

And last night I finished the first passionfruit lacy mock cable. It is divinely soft and really feels like I'm wearing a warm cloud on my foot! I had to adjust the pattern a little because I have big ankles and very high insteps, but it worked out very well indeed.

Although I was cursing a blue streak when my yarn broke halfway through grafting the toe, leaving a 3cm tail which looked innocently up at me. But I knew it was secretly full of malice. A weak felted join ensued, followed by me very gingerly finishing the toe and then weaving the strong yarn through the stitches from the inside. Hopefully my toes won't poke through.

Also on the needles is a fun, merino bambino jumper for an old friend who's having a bubba next year. He or she will be born in March, so I'm making one for a 6 month old. She lives in Queensland, but out west, so they have very cold nights in winter. I love these bright colours! Not sure why, but I have a faint aversion to the insipid colours babies are so often dressed in. To me, they scream, "I am vulnerable and helpless" rather than "I am a cool little person with my own personality."

She won't lose her little baby in THIS jumper - that's for sure!!

My habit is to save the best until last, whether it be food or otherwise. I got back to chambers on Wednesday after my trip away to find a curious little parcel on my desk! I didn't know the address and, after scrutinising the signature, took a stab in the dark and Bells confirmed my suspicions! A lovely little red box was inside, in which were nestled five gorgeous stitch markers from our very own Georgie!

They were a present for finishing the brown nemesis! And, to make my gift even more special, George informed me later that she had in fact made them herself. Funnily, I'd been hunting around for some lovely stitch markers that weren't ridiculously overpriced.

So thank you George - I love them!!

The Nemesis is Finished!!

2007-08-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

I can scarcely believe it and am still recovering from the shock.

I promised myself I would not blog until the brown jumper was done. That promise was kept and my knitting nemesis is no more!! I had a deadline of this weekend, as I'm seeing my brother, David, on Friday 31st when we head out west for my other brother's 30th birthday party.

The last stitch was completed yesterday afternoon, jumper was washed and dried flat and I'm really happy with the result. My neckband is much better than the first one I did - not such a struggle to get it over a head! Bells and I had a deal going where we had to report to each other every day with how much we'd done - me on the brown jumper and Bells on her steeked jacket. It worked really well because the thought of reporting that I'd done nothing resulted in far too much guilt!

Don't have a 3D model yet, but here is my nemesis lying on a towel - it's been raining here so I couldn't dry it outside.

My next gift deadline was for the red branching out scarf as my friend's birthday is 9 September. I got to 1m and thought, hmmm, that's probably long enough once I block it. But it didn't gain as much as I thought it would. Oh well, I'm sure my friend will love it anyway. This is my first go at blocking something. It turned out just over 1.2m long, so I'm not sure I did it right - wasn't sure how much to stretch it. I guess I can do it again if necessary so hints welcome!

So not much other knitting has been done! But I do feel extremely virtuous.

I did frog the knittery passionfruit socks (again!) and started making lacy mock cables with it. I'm really happy with it - I will end up with a pair of beautifully soft, pretty socks all for ..... ME!!

Such a simple, quick pattern. I think these will become a staple of my sock-knitting library (that so far consists of only 2 patterns!)

Work has been a bit tough this last week - had some difficult, emotionally draining matters to deal with. It's hard to remain completely detached sometimes, but one has to in this job, just for self-preservation. So knitting the brown jumper has actually been quite soothing. But it will be a long time before another adult jumper goes on my needles, I think!

But ... my oldest friend called me today and told me that she has a little one on the way, so more baby knitting. Such quick results when making tiny things - I love it!

A willingness to frog ...

2007-08-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

to fix a mistake is the mark of a good knitter, I have been told! And today I had to frog 20 rows of brown jumper sleeve number 2. A milestone has been passed. I was clicking away watching Anne of Avonlea last night while Glynn was at work. This morning, I noticed that I had done an even row where I should have done an odd row. Bum!! So I frogged it and have now passed it on to Millicent. Her brain is only the size of a pea, so she is unlikely to become bored with it.

I should probably introduce Millicent properly. She is rather prissy and, despite the jaunty bow on her head, a little conservative. But her unzipped abdomen did yield up a set of 2.75 DPNs that I forgot I had, which was very generous of her. Actually, that's a worry. I've been knitting since May 14 this year and I'm already forgetting purchases. Hmmmmm.

It is a time of indecision. I was so in love with my passionfruit knittery yarn that I simply had to start something. Jaywalkers were commenced, on 2.25s, but I soon got fed up with the double decreases. Just too difficult in that slightly thicker sock yarn and disaster almost struck in the form of a snapped knit pick DPN! So they were frogged.

Consultation was had with my newly arrived Sensational Knitted Socks book and waterfall rib socks were then commenced on 2.5s (after ripping the needles out of a grey striped basic rib!). The going was slow on that and came to a standstill while I consider what to do. Bells suggested lacy mock cable socks. But after seeing that it involved casting on only 56 stitches I was worried they may not fit my tree trunk ankles. A brainwave struck! My sister-in-law has size 7 feet and smaller ankles, so I figured I'd make her a pair of lacy mock cable socks, in some Opal yarn I had, and try to squeeze them over my clodhoppers.

I'm loving this pattern!! The leg was churned out in a few hours. The heel took some time, as it's, I understand from Bells, one step along from an eye of partridge heel, as the wrong side row is Sl1, P1 all the way across.

So now I have 4 socks on the go, all different!

The grey ones do look a trifle forlorn with no needles don't they? I'm thinking of frogging them and doing something different anyway - maybe garter ribs.

Have been doing a little shopping from Little Knits since they're having a sale. There was a lovely Regia sock yarn in burgundies and cream. Unfortunately, some horrid person walked out with it without paying, so it won't be coming to my house :( I simply don't know how anyone could bear to knit with something they stole. I hope they throw them in a boiling hot wash with their white sheets, which all turn pink and the socks turn into booties. Is that bad karma?

But, on the bright side, Glynn came up with a solution for a little problem. When I knitted his jumper, which was my very first big ticket item, the first piece I did was the back. It had some mistakes in it, so I made another one. But what to do with the first?

Time for some background. At the beginning of the year, Glynn and I rescued a 2 year old part Himalayan cat from the RSPCA. We renamed her "Libby". She had been abused and was very timid. Just coming out of her shell now (and how!!). Unfortunately, she has formed a liking for sleeping on our bed and kneading my cream damask duvet cover. Aaaaaggghhh!!! Because she's so uncertain of people, we are loathe to kick her off all the time and reject her.

But, she also loves Glynn's moss rib jumper. So, a catbed was purchased, lined with the discarded jumper back and she looks very happy with her new arrangements. When she's totally in love with her bed, it will be relocated to the windowseat and the bed will be ours once more! I do so love a happy ending!

Today we decided to enter her in our vet's pet of the week. That's really quite obsessive isn't it? But Glynn did this comic and I thought it was so cute that we just had to give her some publicity. Of course, the 10% discount prize doesn't hurt, either!

Anyone for a slice?

2007-08-07T00:48:00.000-07:00

It's not often that I get overly excited when my mail arrives in chambers, but two inviting looking parcels turned up today!! Number one was a set of 12 of Jejune's beautiful knitting art cards. They truly are the perfect accompaniment to any knitted gift! Thanks! :)

Number 2 was a hank of The Knittery cashmere merino in the passionfruit colourway. So as soon as I got home my husband was again enlisted to act as my interim swift! Poor Glynn! But how beautiful are these colours?

I'm planning on a pair of jaywalker socks. And they will be all for ..... ME!!!

Everything on my needles at the moment is a gift, so I've decided to keep the best for myself. Selfish? Maybe!!

I also picked up this yarn from ebay, which will be a pair of socks for one of my sisters-in-law.

The colours aren't precisely as they appeared on the ad, but they're nice and bright and my sister-in-law, who lives in a cold house and is in the habit of losing things, will no doubt appreciate them.

The weekend must have been one for nemesis motivation! Bells got cracking on her steeked jacket sleeve. And brown jumper now has a back! This is how boring the pattern is:

But it will be nice and cosy when (if?) it's finally finished. Have started sleeve number two, so am on the downhill run now, which is a nice feeling.

I had a lovely day last Wednesday. A friend of mine, Geri, does beautiful quilting and I took the day off to have a craft day with her. She's also a wonderful cook, so a delicious lunch, stimulating conversation and drooling over her work made for a brilliant day! I worked on the one row scarf. It only took another evening after that and it was finished!! Excuse the cheesy look on Glynn's face and the dangling ends (which have now been sewn in).

It is now on its way to a (hopefully pleased) recipient!

Striped hot socks number 2 is now on the needles for my other sister-in-law. This time I've got my lovely Knit Picks DPNs and am knitting on 5 instead of 4, which seems to be helping with the ladders. I adore my Knit Picks! Their shiny, slidy pointiness is so addictive! The grey toned pair is for my brother. Maybe I'll have a sock wedding before they are sent.

And, finally, the branching out scarf has grown somewhat. I now have 20 repeats, but will keep going until I run out of yarn. Actually, that means it will end up being about 50, which is probably too long, so maybe I'm closer than I thought to the end. Deadline is 9 September for that one. One wouldn't know it from the picture, but it's still the same dark red it started out as!

A dark hole yawns before me. After tonight, no knitting until Friday. Work calls and I don't think I can charge for "contemplation time" whilst I am knitting. Unfortunate.

Babies, Buttonholes and an Inspiration Scarf

2007-07-27T01:53:00.000-07:00

I confess. Brown jumper has changed little (hangs head in shame). I was so keen to do my first buttonholes and my first neckband since I learned how to pick up stitches properly.

So, after such a horrid week, I gave myself an early mark on Friday to come home and get clicking! I'm really happy with this little jumper. And I'll be early - my friend's baby isn't due until September and it's a size 1, so won't fit him until next winter anyway.

Still got a sleeve to do! These are "stunt buttons" btw (acknowledgment to Rose Red for the term!)

I'm quite proud of my neck

And - big news - today my wool winder arrived!! I was working on something horrifically complicated today, so decided to hole up in my study at home away from phones (and people!). Of course, the wool winder arrived just when I needed a break :), so my husband masqueraded as a swift and I wound up the Tasmanian yarn. It's so clever the way that little thing works!

And I defy anyone to wind up some yarn and not do anything with it immediately, just to see how it looks, of course. So one row scarf was cast on! After 10 rows, inspiration struck!! It was like a blinding flash in my brain! I knew how best to deal with this problem I had. My grey matter had been ticking away in the background while I half concentrated on knitting.

Brilliant. Wonder if yarn can be claimed as a tax deduction, to assist in pondering time? One can dream!

This is just from one evening - this little sucker grows like wildfire!

It is intended for a male friend, but am wondering now whether the splashes of pink and mauve make it a little too feminine? Glynn and I initially thought it was either "elegant masculine" or feminine, but Glynn's latest pronouncement is that it reminds him of Tom Baker's scarf in Dr Who! The only Dr Who, in my humble opinion!

Withdrawal Symptoms

2007-07-26T00:04:00.000-07:00

How dare my work interfere with my knitting? Some urgent matters have taken my attention away from my yarn and it's just not on!!! A whole 24 hours went by on Monday without a single stitch being knitted! And again on Wednesday! Although I did get to run away from chambers for 15 minutes and stalk the Lincraft knitting department staff again.

I did have a valid excuse to stop work on the brown jumper, because I needed to check the sizing against my brother (who is 1000km away). But, unfortunately, he flew down for one night and stayed with us last night. Sizing is all good so far, so procrastination can no longer be justified! I was having such fun with my baby jumper too. One sleeve is done and I'm halfway up the front. Heck, maybe I should just get in and finish that before the brown jumper? I'm looking for support here!

Three more orders too! My sister-in-law tried on the one striped sock, declared it to be a perfect fit and soft as a cloud, plus she loved the colours. So it seems those socks are not destined for my own feet, but for hers. They were a little small for my clodhoppers anyway. My brother tried it too and is angling for a pair for himself for Christmas. Oh well, he's a great brother, so why not?

Sister-in-law also would like a branching out scarf in cream cashmere. Bells suggests Jo Sharp Baby Cashmerino, which she used for my "falling leaves" scarf so that sounds like a plan. Her birthday's in December, so maybe socks for that and scarf for Christmas. It's so nice to be able to make things for people!

At least socks and lace scarves are more interesting "obligatory knits" than the bloody brown jumper!!! Grrrr!

Have been spending up a storm online too - have got myself a wool winder, some knitpicks DPNs and a copy of "Sensational Socks" and "Fitted Knits". Can't wait for them to arrive!! Then I'll be a real knitter!!

I have some lovely hand-dyed yarn my mother bought years ago in Tasmania, so I'd like to wind that up and make it into a scarf - maybe a one row scarf?

Hmmmm .... maybe my husband, Glynn, should hide the wool winder for a time, until the unmentionable UFO is done.

Sourdough and socks!

2007-07-21T00:13:00.000-07:00

A strange post title, but very fitting for today! A week ago, Bells and I decided it was time to make some sourdough bread. We made bread together for the first time last Christmas at my house. This time, breadmaking was simultaneous but hundreds of kilometres apart!

The starters were made on Wednesday morning,"sponges" were put together on Friday and today was the big day for kneading, proving, baking and, of course, sampling.

Breadmaking is therapeutic. Punching and kneading, combined with imagination, is extremely cathartic after a bad week :)

So here is my first ever sourdough loaf!

Great slabs were devoured with homemade soup, during a very late lunch.

My second achievement today was the finishing of my first (full size) sock! It was a basic rib pattern that Bells put me on to. I saw the first pair she made with this pattern and they were way neater than mine but you can't expect miracles first go!

I used Lincraft Hot Socks. It was okay to knit with, although the different colours seemed to have different thicknesses. The pink was awfully fine compared to the red and purple. I did them with a set of 4 2mm DPNs. Haven't overcome the ladder problem yet, as you can see, but I'll get there.

The good thing is that I can now pick up stitches! So thanks to those of you who pointed me in the direction of tutorial articles. I felt a bit silly after I saw how simple it really is, especially with the slipped stitches. I also learned grafting, as the toe of the miniature sock I made last week resembled an arrow and I didn't want anyone to think I had pointy feet. It's bad enough having fat ankles - lol.

Alas, my brown jumper has languished in my knitting basket for the entire weekend so far. I am contemplating asking my husband to confiscate all other knitting until the back is finished. 30 rows to go before I even start shaping the armholes! Then another 68 after that. It is like being on a treadmill!

A time to reminisce ...

2007-07-18T01:00:00.000-07:00

Carol suggested a post about learning to knit, which prompted me to dig out some of my Nanna's knitting. It was so even, fine and just perfect! I can only hope some of her genes passed on to me.

She died back in 1984, but I'm sure she's happily looking down on me clicking away!

Due to a bad car accident in her late 30s, she suffered from horrendous back pain and I imagine that knitting was very therapeutic for her. It probably gave her something to concentrate on and think about, other than pain. She was largely immobile and I remember her sitting in her favourite chair in the lounge, feet up on the ottoman, needles flashing away long into the night. Her hands moved so quickly you could hardly see them. I remember she used to hold the live yarn in her left hand, which Bells has told me is the continental method.

I recall the holiday I had with Nanna during which she taught me to knit. I'd begged her to make some clothes for my Sindy doll and in no time she was dressed in a cute moss stitch hat, a little pink jumper and a lace shawl, complete with tiny tassels! I so wanted to be able to do that myself. Ha ha!

Nanna pulled out some fat, yellow plastic needles with black blobs on the end. No way could I hold both in the air at once, so the right needle was braced on my thigh, tongue was out and a frown decorated my forehead as I struggled to form stitches. The wool was orange and my knitting had so many holes in it that it looked like a misshapen fishing net! But I didn't care - I was knitting with my Nan and that was all that mattered.

There's something very comforting about now finding joy in a craft that my Nan loved so much :)

As soon as I laid this shawl on the floor, our cat Libby commandeered it. Had to knock that one on the head quickly!

A close-up

I am Outed

2007-07-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

My friend now knows of my new obsession. Pulling out my knitting didn't bother me at all - I just thought we'd be off doing things all day so there would be no time. But, as it happens, it was very cold, so we spent a fair bit of time indoors laughing ourselves silly over "Coupling" Series 2 and 3. It was never the same after the idiotic Jeff departed. Series 4, sans Jeff, is not as sidesplittingly hilarious as the first 3. So, a perfect time for knitting!

We had a lovely day on Saturday - went to Sandgate in the morning, walked out on Shorncliffe Pier and strolled along the boardwalk, finishing with a coffee overlooking the water. There was a yarn shop in Redcliffe that I wanted to see but I was very disappointed when I got there. It was very small and there wasn't much in the shop at all! There is another one I want to look at, but it seems for now I'm stuck with Spotlight and Lincraft. Which is okay, I guess. I'll find out good places to buy yarn along my knitting journey.

The brown jumper has grown! It was a good thing to work on whilst watching DVDs because it's so mind-numbingly simple. The back is half done! Mind you, the back of the baby jumper is also done. I'm very pleased with the colours and this is my first time knitting with 2 balls. So have learned a new skill :)

Bells is a bad influence - she tempted me with a miniature sock tutorial pattern on Friday. So of course I had to try it!! I found it very awkward for the first couple of rows and thought, "what a moron I am to think I can do this!!!" But then I saw my little sock tube peeping out from the misshapen triangle of my DPNs and thought, "wow!"

But I do have one BIG problem. No-one has ever shown me how to pick up stitches from the side. I had a lot of trouble doing it on Glynn's jumper and I just couldn't get the right number of stitches picked up. So if anyone knows any tutorials I could watch, that would be wonderful. I couldn't find one on knitting help - just for picking up stitches from the top.

Have just seen Rosered's beautiful socks so it is very humbling to post this picture of my sock-in-progress, but humility is good for the soul!!! You can see where I stuffed up the picking up stitches after turning the heel. The other side is worse - it has a couple of little holes in it :(

What a lovely welcome!

2007-07-12T00:53:00.001-07:00

Thank you so much to everyone for such a warm welcome! Although what, other than warmth, could one expect from those who love knitting - lol!

I'm looking forward to browsing around on everyone's blogs and seeing what wonderful creations there are to drool over and covet.

And a HUGE happy birthday to the beautiful Bells for Friday! I hope lots of lovely things come your way.

There is a disaster looming over the weekend. Next to no knitting!!! I have a friend coming to visit who is definitely NOT the crafty type. She arrives tomorrow afternoon and is staying until Sunday evening. So there might be some desperate clicking going on into the wee hours of Monday morning! What is wrong with me that I am half wishing she wasn't coming so I could spend more time knitting? Should yarn be in the Schedule of Class A Drugs? I guess it's healthier than many other addictions, so perhaps not.

I am loving making this baby jumper - it grows so quickly! A couple of hours and I'm up to shaping the armholes.

Here's the pattern of the bubby jumper

And an update on my scarf. Don't look too closely - I made a mistake early on in the piece! But I thought it would be too hard to frog so I just kept going. The recipient won't notice and, if she does, she won't mind in the least :) Oh, the joy of accepting friends lol.

Alas, my brown jumper is still the same. Shame on me!! But I am doing nothing but brown jumper tonight! (trudges off, shoulders slumped)

Is it too early for a Knitting Nemesis?

2007-07-11T00:47:00.000-07:00

The brown jumper. Ugh! I hate it already! A bit of background. My younger brother, David, has some health problems associated with diabetes. Recently he stayed with Glynn and me for 2 weeks whilst he had eye surgery. At the time, I was knitting Glynn's navy jumper. David was very impressed with it and asked what the chances were of me knitting him one the same as he liked the pattern. It's just moss rib and very plain. "No worries!" was my response, being only halfway through Glynn's at the time and thinking I'd never tire of it.

So we jumped on the Bendigo website and ordered his wool. It's a lovely chocolate brown called "Mulga". I decided to do a sleeve, then the back, then the other sleeve, then the front - saving the most interesting bit until last.

But I now know it's going to be very hard work to finish it! It's very uninteresting knitting the same pattern in the same colour for such a long time. Hopefully the knowledge that my brother will really appreciate it will be enough to keep me going.

I've been rewarding myself with one pattern repeat on the scarf for every 20 rows of brown jumper! The scarf is now about 50cm long. But today I decided I needed another interim treat, so bought a pattern book of baby jumpers and some Zhivago in navy and a bluish-grey. A friend is giving birth to a little boy in September, so he'll get a nice little present! I'm also going to knit him a jumper in Merino Bambino, as recommended by Bells. But there's no reason he can't have two!

Back to the brown jumper .....

A brave new world

2007-07-10T05:19:00.000-07:00

Being entirely new to the world of blogging, I am filled with both fear and embarrassment. Fear in case no-one reads a thing I write and embarrassment in case someone does!!

A great friend of mine, Bells (sorry - don't know how to do hyperlinks yet!) has reintroduced me to knitting. I did a little as a child and I'm sure my grandmother used to despair of my butter fingers! Happily, I seem to have gained some co-ordination along with my wrinkles and have managed to knit a couple of things so far.

Bells has been very encouraging, despite my no doubt elementary questions and I think of myself as her apprentice (or Paduan if we were Jedis).

My biggest worry is that, because I jump in head first and try things that are too hard for me, I will become frustrated and chuck it all in. So I'm hoping to become part of the knitting blogworld so I have access to that world of experience and encouragement. Maybe in time I can add to that!

This is my beautiful husband, Glynn, in the very first jumper I made! It's less than a week old!

My younger brother has put in an order for one in the same pattern, with chocolate brown wool. One sleeve down, one back waistband down and many, many stitches to go! For pretty relief, I'm also working on a "branching out" scarf. I've been desperate to knit lace and what's the worst that can happen? There are worse things in the world than frogging and starting again. That's a philosophy I hope I can hang on to!