Here Be Knitting

The Knitting. The Pair that is and The Pair that should have been

It has been a long and hard week.  Work has been intense with a number of night meetings.  But... I now have a week off and I am going to knit and listen to some Audio Books.  At the moment I am listening to "Knitting" by Anne Bartlett - an Australian novel about grief, friendship and, of course, knitting.....  When I have finished with this one, I will give this to my Canadian friend, Shelagh (hello Shelagh!).  I have also purchased "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak.  It has received many positive reviews and I really can't wait to get started on it.  I am making myself finish "Knitting" first - a bit like my knitting really, one project to be finished before another started.  I never take much notice of this rule with my projects, let's hope I can do it with my reading/listening!

I have finally (finally, finally....) finished one pair of socks:

Knitted with King Merino yarn (unbelievably soft yarn).  The pattern is my generic sock pattern - very straight forward, mindless TV knitting.   Knitted on 3.25 mm needles and sized for a smallish man's foot, although super easy to size up or down.  They have a knit 1 slip 1 heel flap and a non-kitchener toe decrease that works well.  If you would like the pattern, let me know.

This week, I also began the second pair for my Sundara Yarn Socks:

Which I promptly totally stuffed.  The small ball of  yarn is the sock that was, unwound, ready to begin again.  And... I thought I was doing so well, already halfway down the leg in less than an afternoon.  However, when I put the sock up against its mate it was clear something was wrong - I had commenced them on too small a needle!  They were too tight and my 17 repeats of the 2 row pattern were nowhere even close to halfway down the leg.  Woe is me - you can see where I have begun again, picked myself up and put myself straight back on that bike, but it is hard, very hard.  All I really want to do is start another pair of socks:

This is Sundara Yarn's Dahlia Colourway from her Petals Sock Club.  The yarn is beautiful - she has an unbelievable eye for colour.  I didn't sign up for the second half of this year for a whole pile of reasons - I'm not keeping up with the kits she has already sent me, I am a member of the STR Club (and I'm not keeping up there either), but mostly I just can't afford to be a member of more than one overseas sock club - it is too darned expensive.  Not overpriced given the small dye runs, the original patterns, the postage, the lovely yarn etc, but I still can't afford it. :(   As soon as I get my current sock nightmare off the needles, I am going to begin these (and for me - woohoo).

I've been a little naughty and have purchased some yarn from Lincraft.  It is 70% bamboo and 30% cotton which is soft, soft, soft. And the colours are soft and pretty.  Enjoy the yarn porn:

I think these will become some soft summer hats.   The plan is for simple rolled brim hats that I can knock over in a night.  Nothing like an instant fix.  The Girl quite likes to keep her head warm on our cool spring afternoons and she likes the red variagated and hates purple, so the purple hat will become a gift.  My sister is expecting a baby next April.  They live in hot QLD, so a soft and cool bamboo hat will be perfect.

I have made progress on "The Thing that Sits on the Sofa" (AKA felted flower scarf).  The main scarf has been knitted and I am 1/4 of the way through the knitting of the flowers:

They look a little like the teeth it feels like I'm pulling while I work on this project. There are only 12 more of these to go and they take almost no time to knit and when it is felted and done it will be beautiful.  If it wasn't a gift for my bestest friend, I would throw the whole thing out. I don't know why this project in particular has gotten to me - it isn't particularly offensive and it is mindless knitting great for TV - so what is my problem?  Perhaps don't answer that.... :)

The last of my knitting photos today is of my next big knitting project.  I have had the yarn for over a year now and the pattern is a Knitty one from Autumn last year (I think):

The pattern is Serrano and is a lace jacket with a zipped front.  I am a little worried about inserting the zipper and getting a great finish, but I will cross that bridge when I get to it.  The yarn is Anne from Schaeffer yarns and the colours are pretty accurate, at least on my monitor.  I need something with some challenge now that I have Her Dad's vest off the needles (although not yet actually finished because it too has a zippered enclosure that is making me nervous!).

I have been knitting furiously of late because I think we have a big decision coming up.  I am the primary income earner for our family.  I make a very good wage, but am ready to increase my salary, particularly as I want to do more travelling and get more serious about saving for retirement etc.  I have been asked to apply for a job in Hobart in Tasmania!  The job is right up my alley, a great new challenge and paying a lot (lot, lot...) more that I currently earn.  I know money isn't everything but the organisation is one that I 100% support so this is attractive as well.  It will mean having to sell our block and beginning again with another.  But Tasmania is so beautiful with almost perfect weather that I think it might be worth it.  The Girl is OK about a new adventure but Her Dad isn't so sure.  I have still got to have an interview and I'm not the only one so it is still a long way from mine.  But, how do you decide these things......

Enough for Now....

The Block. The Day The Girl Got Injured

We went to The Block today.  It was a glorious spring day - about 20 degrees C, sunny,with only a hint of a breeze.  The moon, however, didn't seem to realise that it was time for bed:

So far, we have seen five birds from the parrot family:

Galahs  Sulphur Crested Cockatoos Eastern Rosellas Crimson Rosellas Gang Gang Cockatoos

We managed our own photos of the Gang Gang today.  These were clearly a mating couple, although we aren't sure if they mate for life or take a new partner each year.  The male has the distinctive red head while the female is busily breaking off and eating gum nuts:

Both lovely.  While they sat and ate, they chatted away to each other in what we think was a bonding ritual - very cute.

We hope our block will also have the Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo visiting from time to time.  They are majestic (although noisy) birds!  There is also a chance that we will see cockatiels.  We have, of course, already seen our fair share of Kookaburras, Australian magpies   (luckily ours haven't started swooping yet which could prove to be a nightmare) and also the delightful and tiny Blue Wren flittering amongst some bushes - too fast for us to photograph!

As we travelled down a gully today, we saw a new wombat home (click on the photo - definitely easier to see "large") - unfortunately its occupant was beating a hasty and noisy retreat from the enormous threat that had arrived at its burrow!!

While out and about today, we also came across two new flowers.  One a beautiful new orchid (we think) and the other flowers looked very "pea like" so we assumed perhaps a native leguminous plant of some sort (although very happy to be corrected if anyone knows):

 

As we came back up to our house site:

The Girl injured her ankle.  Quite a nasty sprain and The Girl was in a deal of pain.  We elevated and iced and she sat for the rest of the afternoon.  Once the initial shock was over, she didn't really mind - she got out her game boy and whiled away the afternoon:

Poor kid!  Tonight it is quite swollen - not quite sore enough to stay away from school, however (The Girl was bummed about that!), although she will still be limping. 

Just 2 more photos to finish.  The sunset tonight was just too beautiful not to show you:

And.... finally..... some yarn porn:

Enough for now.....

The Knitting. Which Way Do You Swing?

I'm left handed.  Always have been, always will be.  When I knit, however I claim some ambidexterity.  It all came about because I hate to purl.  Always have done, always will do.  I can purl when I need to for ribbing, seed stitch etc etc, but will avoid it whenever I can.  So, I cheat.  I knit left handed and then turn my knitting and knit back right handed. 

But, I'm not smart (if you knew me, this wouldn't surprise you).  For years, (and years and years and....) I read patterns and tried to make my left handed knitting row the rhs of the knitting - I reversed shaping when I needed to, changed cables, altered deceases and lace knitting was a nightmare that I simply avoided.  And then one day it occurred to me that given I already knit "back" right handed I could just think of this as the rhs.  It wasn't a huge insight, but sometimes the smallest ones can make the biggest difference.

 

Suddenly, I am reading patterns exactly the same way as my right handed colleagues.  I can cable in the same way, decrease in the same way and most importantly knit lace without hurting my brain.  I get to swing both ways and get through my patterns with my sanity intact.  So, which way do you swing??

My other confession is about my knitting "style".  I am a drop and throw knitter.  Always have done, always will do.  I am certain this makes me much slower than most other knitters (it's my story and I'm sticking to it); it can sometimes (although this is rare) throw my tension, particularly with yarns that have no memory; and with some lace patterns it seems to alter some of my stitches -  they distort them a little.  I have just begun a pattern from Victorian Lace Today (the green one of the cover) and one stitch in the repeat pattern in one of the rows ends up bigger than it should:

   

You can see the yarn overs to the left as you look at the photo - considerably bigger than their right cousins (and they distort the stitches around them as well) and the only thing I can put it down to is something to do with my dropping my needle as I throw the yarn.  I'm too old to change my knitting style - has anyone else got any suggestions about the problem or ways I might fix it - all suggestions gratefully accepted.

To finish today, I thought I would throw in some spinning eye candy.  The wheel is my Sickenger Wheel, handmade by a family just outside Coffs Harbour.  As you can see, I don't treat my wheel very well, but it still rewards me with beautiful yarn.  This is a hand dyed silk merino mix - soft in the hand and a delight to spin:

Enough for now....

The Block. Sunday 16 September

We went out to The Block on Sunday afternoon.  It was quite late by the time we got there - about 3.00 pm.  It was cool and windy and we immediately began with a fire to cook/burn (what's a BBQ without some charcoal) our sausages and to boil our billy:

You can see the wind mussing with the flames.  Our poor billy has blackened but faithfully gives us the best hot tea.

We came very close (not!) to some wildlife:

This hawk hovered over various spots trying to land a good feed.  We didn't see it catch anything, but certainly not from a want of trying.  He/she and two mates then spent a good deal of time fighting over territory, chasing each other off, loudly calling and declaring to each other, before eventually all seemed to lose out and they flew away!!

This is a wombat hole!  We have wombats... really!!

Go here for further info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wombat  Ours are the Common Wombats.  This is a mult-generational hole and is currently in use, although the occupant hasn't come up to say hello to us!  The closest we have gotten, to date, to one of our residents is the sight of a rear end scampering into the scrub!

A posting from The Block just wouldn't be complete without the obligatory photo of a wildflower:

We "think" it is a native orchid.  It is tiny (again) - only about 5cm tall.  Totally beautiful, very powerful yet so delicate.  This is is a strong pink while there were others almost white and some purple.  We thought it must be different aging in the flowers.  Breathtaking.....

As we were there so late, we stayed for sunset.....

Simply Beautiful!!

On the knitting front, I have finished the first of my gifted black socks.  At least now I have a pair, however mismatched :) :)

The purple mohair scarf (also now known as The Thing on the Sofa) continues along, every so slowly.

Enough for now.....

The Knitting. It can sometimes be like pulling teeth!!

I have set myself some knitting for gifts.  All three projects on the needles at the moment are for others and 2 of them are late already!

The yarn and pattern are from Sundara Yarn's sock club.  The yarn is based on the colours of the strelitzia and the pattern a simple slip stich knit and purl combo.  Looks impressive doesn't it?  Wrong, wrong, totally wrong!!  I have had this sock finished for at least 2 maybe 3 months and I cannot bring myself to complete its mate.  Poor,lonely sock. I would rather clean toilets than finish this sock.  I don't know why, there is nothing wrong with the pattern, it motors along very nicely.  But, the one, poor sock sits accusingly in the basket.  At least I have a few weeks to finish it - this gift isn't due until early October.

This sock, which I have just turned the heel on, is another gift.  It was due as a birthday gift early September.... sigh....  It is my own generic pattern and the yarn is a super soft Aussie merino yarn.  These two sets of socks are due to be given to my parents-in-law.  If this one suffers the same fate as the one above, do you think they would mind sharing their one sock each between them??  I wonder, could I argue that two halves really do make a whole  :)

This is one of my latest acquisitions and I immediately fell in love with the scarf on the front cover - it is just too lovely for words....  So, I decided I would create one to give to my bestest friend for looking after our Labrador, Molly, while we rent a house that has a yard so small that the only way you can swing a cat (let along a lab) is if you keep your arms pulled in tight by your sides!!  Here is my work in progress:

Having to knit over 200 cm of straight stocking stitch in mohair is dead boring (where are those toilets that need cleaning??)!  I usually love knitting something to felt and don't mind at all the idea that you knit something huge to shrink it, but this time, this time it is sending me batty.  I am at about 160, no make that 162.7 cm (and who said I'm counting...) so not much further to go.  I have altered the pattern slightly with a garter stitch border which I will repeat at the other end.  The yarn is a Jo Sharp mohair and is purple rather than the blue showing here.  This one is late because I would love for Merilyn to wear it before summer and also for her to actually receive the gift while she still has our Molly would be totally great.   

Enough for now.....

The Block - Sunday 9 Sept

On Sunday, we spent a lovely day at our block.  We arrived around lunch time.  The girl and her Dad collected some firewood and we got a lovely fire going - just right for the boiling of our billy.

We went for a walk to one of our little creeks.  It is very cute - a babbling brook amongst the trees.  The Girl could do no wrong this day - she CHOSE to wear her new knitted shirt (Ok, probably only because that was the last clean thing in her wardrobe, but heh, it was ON!).  She can be seen in her hiking boots amongst the rocks and the moss:

 

The light at this time of the year is fantastic.  Everything was shining this day - even the trees had a wonderful glow:

On top of our hill - where our house will eventually belong - are some beautiful sundews and wildflowers:

The Sundews are tiny - only about 4cm.  But they are very hungry!!  This one has at least 5 insects in its sticky tentacles.  Isn't it glorious!  The wildflowers are just beginning to appear.  This one is stunning - again tiny but so much detail and pure colour.

Tomorrow, I think some knitting...

The First Time

Well, I've gone and done it.... decided to launch myself in the world of blogging.  A little late, I realise. You could even argue that I've missed the boat and am furiously paddling behind on a piece of flotsam, hoping to catch up sometime this century.  But you would only say this if you weren't nice.  And, I'm sure that could not possibly be the case, so, please be kind to me and let me have my ramblings :)

What is it that I want to blog about? A good question, and I think I can answer, at least partially:

Knitting (so now I just don't want to think about knitting, I also want to write about it all the time - poor you)

The "Getting onto our own Piece of Heaven Saga" (we have recently purchased 200 acres of bush just outside Canberra). We have no power, water, sewerage, phone, house (house, did I say house!).  A virgin block that we want to make our own.  It should be a fun journey.