Here Be Knitting

The Knitting. I'm Baaaaaaccccckkkkkk.....

I'm back, I'm feeling much better, thanks for asking and The Knitting has actually ahappening been :)

It seems to be a season for multiple repeat knittings of the same pattern and I'm not immune.  Here is my very own Simple Beaded Lace Scarf completed 4, almost 5, times.  One for me (the multi-colour Ovation) and 4 for stash gifts (Using Elann's Kidsilk Haze equivalent in mohair/silk):

I love this pattern.  Very simple, great TV knitting, but the finished scarf is just stunning.  Easily made into a goassamer thin night time jewelled beauty or a wonderful addition to a day wardrobe.

I've also finished Sock One of the Embossed Leaves:

The Girl very begrudgingly allowing me to use her leg as The Model.  Another easy pattern that gives a lovely fabric. 

I've also begun another pair of simple socks - The Hedgerow - for Her Dad. I'm knitting these with STR yarn (again!).  They are stretchy, soft and quick to knit:

 

The yarn is darker than it appears here and the pink is more a blood red - the problems of taking photos late at night.  As there is a history of Her Dad's socks ending up as gifts for others, I hope he actually gets to wear these ones.  Especially as knitting for Size 12 feet really is a labour of love I would prefer to repeat only very ocassionally - so very like child birth really :)

The Hanami is through pattern repeat 4 and now about halfway through repeat 5 (although photo is only to end of 4):

As you can see, an awful lot of difference from the last photo :)

We are planning on heading out to The Block tomorrow, so I should have some photos to share.

Just to leave you with some taste tempers - some wonderful sock patterns I have discovered that I plan on knitting soon:

Primavera Socks and

The Firestarter Sock (click on the last sock in the photo to take you to the pdf).

Enjoy.

Enough for now...

And the Winner is (Part Two)... and Tomorrow is Important

We spent the rest of our tourist time in Sydney in and around the city centre. My favourite photo from our time away:

It is from The Rocks region of Sydney.  It reminds me of what cities are all about - The People.

Her Dad's favourite photo:

No longer in service, but these buses faithfully took him to and from school when he was a wee lad!

The Girl's favourite photo:

She loved the aerial roots of the Port Jackson Fig.

We all loved:

The beautiful sandstone in and around the foreshore.  Mrs Macquarie's Chair is a very famous example and here is Our Girl having a great time on it:

Tomorrow is a very important day for all Australians.  Our new Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, will issue an apology to Indigenous Australians for what are now known as the Stolen Generations - when Australia forcefully removed young Indigenous Australians from their families.  An abhorrent practice that began almost as soon as Europeans arrived and continued into the 1970s.  This Apology has been a very long time coming, marred by Political fighting, and that length of time has, I believe, lessened our Nation.  Tomorrow is the historic first step in beginning the Healing.

Just a few more photos of beautiful Sydney:

And the ability to survive and thrive; the palm growing in the chimney pot:

Enough for now...

The Ramblings. And the Winner is Sydeneeey (Part One)...

I'm still feeling pretty cr*p - so we won't even go there.  We will, instead, have a tourist break.

We have spent a few weekends of late in Sydney.  It truly is a beautiful city. 

We came down to Bradley's Head:

Especially famous for 2 things  -

1 Because of its position on the Harbour, it has been seen as important in the defence of Australia.  Firstly, from the Russians during the Crimean War. (Also during the two World Wars, but I don't think that's as intriguing as the defence effort we put in for the Crimean, which when you think about seems to have been an awful lot of effort for not really a very great risk?? - so therefore much more interesting) 

Military machinery and extensive tunnels dug into the hill for the men.  So dark, you can see The Girl feeling her way through them:

And some more of these extraordinary tunnels:

2 And, of course, Bradley's Head has spectacular views of the Harbour.

Here are some natives enjoying the view:

A termite nest with arguably the best real estate in Australia - position, position, position!!

And the views?  See for yourself.

Enough for now.....