WIPs and WNIPs

Thanks for all your comments re wine – it’s just lovely to know I have so many soul sisters out there, willing to drop everything and have a glass (or two, or three). Willing to drink while cooking (even it the cooking just consists of making toast!). If you’re ever coming to Tassie, let me know and I’ll put the sparkles on ice! Here’s to you!

We had a happy family day yesterday. Took a trip to the northern Capital for some shopping before the Princess’s 5th birthday on Thursday, and Destructoboy’s 3rd, 15 days after that. (Yes yes – they were both supposed to be Virgo’s, and both turned out to be Leos – Princess was 6 weeks early and Destructoboy 2 weeks early – both C-sections – I’ll give you all the details later – over a bottle of wine). The Accountant and I are both Aquarians – me with Leo rising, which makes for occasional fiery exchanges.

The Accountant kept Princess occupied by taking her to look at toys which we had no intention of ever buying for her – but it’s amusing to watch her run from one thing to another! I raced off with Son in stroller and on the way back to rescue the Accountant, the Shopping Goddess smiled. I found 2 really nice tops reduced to $9 (yes $9) from 60 – of course I bought them – need you ask?

I’ve been sympathising with Georgie on her shopping woes – as it’s well known that you never find anything you like when you look for it – only when you’re (a) in a hurry to get somewhere else; or (b) you have no money, and your credit card is maxed out. As I don’t wear ‘work clothes’ any more – only jeans and t-shirts (at least I’ve finished the preganancy/breast feeding/ pregnant and breast feeding/pregnant/breast feeding four and a half years so I’m out of maternity bras and forced t-shirt wearing). T-shirty things minimise ironing (which eats into my knitting time)

Grabbed the tops, had lunch with In-laws and played in the park and then the best bit!

Picked up my wonderful and now entirely functional coffee machine. The genius coffee machine doctor had finished it, the In-laws collected it for me, it cost a quarter of what I feared and it’s back home.

I love my coffee machine! This meant I could have a latte this morning, Princess could have her frothy hot chocolate and Destructoboy could have a babycino. Hurrah!

Oh dear – I’ve almost finished the Swing Jumper – it’s been such fun knitting something easy, that just whizzes along – I’ll finish the second sleeve tonight and start sewing it up after blocking it and tomorrow will put the crochet edge on the neck and bottom and Voila! An FO (and of course now that I’ve committed myself by saying all that aloud, the Knitting Goddess will strike me down for Hubris!)

I’ve also almost finished the travelling feather and fan scarf (which I will put the sort of pattern up soon as it’s the second variation I’ve knitted). Just half a ball of Jet to go and the ends to weave in.

What will I start next? I have no socks currently on the needles, so I think I will get the June Red Bird Sock of the Every other Month Kit (Polyglot) on the go. This is knitted in Collinette Jitterbug and the colourway is ‘Mardi Gras’ – so cheery and fun – just have to wind the skein into a ball.

It really is imperative that I start these as last week I received my little parcel from Canada and it was my August kit, which was the yarn (Scheepjeswol Cotton 8) for 2 pairs of socks and patterns for 2 pairs – an easy lace, and a tangier variation – 1 pair aqua and 1 pair jade green. As these are cotton, I’ll probably save them for summer knitting but if I don’t get a move on it’ll be October and another will arrive and I’ll start getting overwhelmed.

Considering that my stash currently contains wool for around 50 pairs of socks (at a conservative estimate) it’s time I got a move on!

This week also bought the arrival of some Rowanspun 4 ply and the buying of some Noro and Silk Road, so I think I need to get my head down and backside up (at least metaphorically as it’s very hard to knit in that position!)

Possibly I will take a couple of evenings to make some Squatty Sidekicks so I’m getting ahead on the whole Christmas thing. And then it will be time for Childhood, followed by Juno. And then more socks and then some Fibretrends knit then felt animals. And then the Katia Cardi in the Knittery boucle. And then the Kauni cardi. And the Turtle walk socks by Spidey. And the swing jumper again. And the Black Dog jacket – maybe in silk garden. And the Arcadia jumper. And the, and the and the,

Reset. Reset. Reset.

So much knitting, so little time!