Skilled!

I've learnt to knit AND read at the same time! Combining my two favourite past times together truly makes me happy! Gimme a H-A-P-P-Y!

My knitting mojo

The need...
To create,
To envisage,
To plan,
To dream.

Right off the needles went Ishbel, and I've started MinO for the boy. I got this pattern kit from sis last year for my birthday. It is to fit a 1 - 2 year old.

I better get cracking then.

my favourite knitting pattern

Meet Ishbel. She's totally gorgeous, useful, a joy to knit. So much so I'm knitting a second one for one of my favourite girl. She's in New York, I reckon it'll be just in time for Spring.

This one was for my sister's birthday back in November. It seems to long ago now. Yikes!

Weekend, failed knitting & Olga

Happy weekend to all. It's a hot and blustery Sunday, about to peak at 37 degrees. We have all our blinds and windows shut and the air conditioning idling at 27 degrees. Must be enough to get us through the day.

Cyclone Olga is descending upon Queensland as we speak, hence bringing all this crap weather. With a name like Olga, I can't help but think this bird is gonna be a mean one.

See the red vest? I busted my gut to make this for Liam for Christmas and I finished it! But you know what? It wouldn't fit through his head! Knitting = failed! Pondering if I should shave off his ears or rip off the neckline and start again. Both involve alot of pain, I'm sure.

By the way, ONLY kidding about shaving off Liam's ears. Don't go calling the DHS on me now.

ghost of my knitting past part II > the Cobblestone

Oh my gosh, I have finally finished it! 2 years and counting... I had time to get married and have a baby, but apparently, none for finishing this sweater! Gahhhhh!!!

Thank you Jared, for the wonderful sweater, but next time, I know my limits!!!

Also, I ran out of wool (blasphemy!) towards the end. But I think the contrast makes it quite special too.

xx

why cannot enjoy?

I was stirring my four-day old soup* when I had a startling revelation.

I was thinking about knitting (I don't actually know when this obsession began) - and I realise I don't knit as much as I think about knitting because I feel guilty. You see, knitting for me is pure pleasure; it's my time, it's about me, me me me me me me! And if I knit all the time, I'm enjoying myself too much. Then I think about how my time could be better served elsewhere.

I am such a sicko. Sigh... story of my life [the knitting one at least].

Put JB on the Jolly Jumper today, and he went crazy! Even did what we thought was an Irish jig. Sort of, a little bit... yeah, like whatever.

*Made chicken soup on Monday, and still eatingon Thursday cos my beloved's been out all this week. [sigh]

gauging

It's lonely being a mum.

This was my discovery for the day. Not the lonely like "being by oneself" kinda lonely. But lonely like no really knows what you think about every single minute of the day. The all consuming thought of the child you are growing. I wonder if my beloved feels lonely. Probably not. 'Cos he's got me. Men are wired differently. Not that I don't have him, I do, but he gets to go to work and have an external life besides me and JB. So to him, we're his extensions. As for me, I live inside my own head alot lately.

Yeah, I worry too.

Anyway, here is a picture of the Pebble Vest with wooden buttons. Told ya, this mama is one big sucker. Also lazy lah. JB's worn it once because it's stil only April, but no one would know it is autumn with the way the weather was going, all hot and sunny. That's Melbourne for you. The vest is too small now, so I am giving it to my beloved's cousin's baby.




Lesson to learn here? Do gauges. Else nothing will ever fit. Knitting gauges are what I call "lost knitting time". I can't possibly count that in as part of the project, 'cos then my slow knitting will become even s l o w e r. Boy, am I slow. You know the story you read as a kid about being slow and steady winning the race? Skip that story. It's all about teaching kids all sort of life traits. Slow and steady never really got me anywhere, except coming last in all my running heats.

And here is my latest project. Something I have gauged and started knitting. Using the same alpaca wool sis gave me. Let's hope JB gets more than one wear from it. Better get crackin' eh?

Have a great weekend xx

Weekend / knitting, eating, bumming

Finally finished the Pebble Vest for JB. Weaved in and all. Now, all I need to find are those dang buttons. Off to Lincraft tomorrow! Woo wee...

{egg+bacon production line}

Also realised that we do eat alot of egg+bacon sandwiches. They are so darn easy, my beloved literally whips them up in less than 10 minutes!

Hope you had a lazy weekend like mine.

Ghosts of my knitting past / part 1, the shrug/sweater

So, I did mention in an earlier post that 2009 is a year for just being. May I just add that's it's also going to be a year for finishing. Things I've started, but haven't finished, things I've thought of, but not followed through. Yes, already I've been on the right track.


See this shrug - I've promised it to C two winters ago. Yes! And I've finally finished it, it's such a hugeeee weight off my back. Now everytime I start on a new project, I don't have this haunting over my shoulder. I have to say, there is immense satisfaction in completing things. Just don't let me drag on about how hard it was yesterday, frantically trying to finish the last five rows. But the other reason for the deadline was also that today is C's 30th! I've known her for 12 years now, and it's been a joy all the way. I'm so glad I could at least present her with a promise I made her all those years. And she's been extremely patient (although she did give me endless grief about it).

Anyway, this is it. Stephanie Japel's Two-Toned Shrug, done on 8 and 5mm circular needles. The wool is Graphite (from the Rustic range) 8-ply from Bendigo Woolen Mills. It was overall, a joy to knit.

Next up, my beloved's sweater (Jared Flood's sweater from Interweave Knits Autumn 2007).