Spring is Sprung! The Grass is Riz!

It's Spring, it's Spring! Or at least, it is spring today. The weather forecast is suggesting rain for the next week and for most of the rest of the month, but today it is spring. The bees are delirious with the beauty of the day - and so am I.

For the first time in weeks the washing is flapping on the line, the breeze is soft, warm and gentle, the sun is shining, the sky is blue and the only clouds are the little fluffy sort. Life is good.

Life is so good, I couldn't resist sneaking on to the kids' trampoline for a bounce - which made me feel all dizzy when I got off!

In fact, life is made even better by the fact I have finally finished Tempest. The ends were a complete sod to sew in (and next time I will use Dr Bones suggestion and carry them up the sides as neatly as possible!), but she is finished and I love her. This is really the first time I have made such a form fitting knit - she is snug (and will become less so as I lose more weight - fingers crossed etc), and I'm not entirely sure about the buttons - I needed 16 - 15 plus one for luck or accidents) and they were probably larger than would be thought best because the buttonholes grew with blocking. The colours are vibrant, so I went with transparent buttons - because I couldn't find the mother of pearl ones I really wanted!




Children are on holidays and showing tendencies of becoming loud and excited, so they and the guinea pig will be outside for a fair proportion of this glorious day.

The Princess has expressed a wish to undertake some sewing, so we will be doing that shortly, and then packing will happen for our short trip. I finally have the wonderful Meet Me at Mike's book (a beautiful book and a must have for those who want to support Australian mde and especially Australian hand-made!), but todays small sewing will come from the 1970s books that have been hanging about since I was just a bit older than the Princess.

Yesterday was another rainy day, so we went to the Imaginarium, where the kids went wild, raced the (virtual) dinosaur and learned about bugs, space and puzzles. I knitted.

Have a lovely weekend. Enjoy the spring. At least until it starts raining again!

Zippedee-doo-dah, Zippedee - ay!!

The Clappy has left the needles, I say again, the Clappy has left the needles!

That’s right, the Knitting Goddess smiled upon me and I finished the Clapotis on Saturday night – so a 16 evening knit, including my presence at 2 unavoidable non-knitting meetings and an evening of entirely fruitless tinking, knitting, tinking, knitting because I have no memory and can’t write decent instructions to myself.

Comments: I love it, and fully intend to do another next autumn in wool or wool blended with something – the corn fibre drapes beautifully and looks very nice:

But it has no memory and is, effectively, un-blockable. It’s also not so warm, so great around the shoulders on a cool night, but no so great for the real cold. I also must have MUCH wider shoulders that the designer, as it’s not as long for me – but I presume that if I’d used wool I could have blocked it longer. On the definite plus side it took 5 (yup, 5) 50 gr balls of the aMaizing (130m/50gr), so 250gr rather than 400gr.

Yesterday’s surprise lunch for my Father in Law was great – and was, indeed, a total surprise. It was his 70th birthday and lots of fun. The added bonus was knitting time in the car coming and going to the northern capital, so my Tulip FandF sock is on the instep stretch (sock on!).

This week, however, I intend to finish Juno. She has waited very patiently for me to return to the cables, been shunted aside for my case of the Clappy and I will now finish her collar, block and sew her (because given how cold the weather is, I will need to wear her for the next month or so!).

I managed to prepare a tomato bed on Saturday, but everything has stalled since then, so hopefully the tomato plants will get into their bed tomorrow. Raven, if you ever get to Tasmania, I will happily provide room and board in return for some gardening help!!

It was also fun getting dressed and made-up (rare events since the advent of motherhood). I wore a new kimono style top and new red Rivers shoes, and actually felt rather good! The Princess loved wearing a party dress (her mother was also pleased because any wear for a party dress is a good thing before it’s grown out of), and even Destructoboy looked respectable.

All in all, a good weekend. Finished the new Southern Vampire novel and can now return to the book which keeps getting put aside because library books always take precedence over those I own, After all, there are no overdue fines on MY books!

I also invented a rather nice barley and lentil pilau, involving the above ingredients plus preserved lemons and ground coriander, sumac and a finely chopped tomato (inserted at the end). It makes enough to feed an army and has provided meals for days – I’ve been teaming it with gently sautéed gourmet mushrooms for lunches at least twice (enoki, shitaki and oyster) – yum!

Back to the grindstone – washing up and tidying await me!

The French Probably have a Word For This

Why is it that I have my best ideas at 4am and then never remember them later? At 4 am this morning, I was lying in bed, having got up to comfort a sick child (now son – daughter better) and was thinking about knitting (as you do) and the blog (as you do), and came up with a wonderful, wise, witty yet highly amusing take on life, the universe, and everything. Unfortunately, I have no idea now what I was thinking about then.

So unless it suddenly comes back to me, you’ve missed out!

Spring is definitely here.

These are living proof of why laziness is a wonderful thing – as is the fine art of procrastination. The first year we moved back to Tasmania (2000), I planted tulips in what was then a flower bed. Seven years later, we’ve ditched the flower bed, but I never moved the tulips, despite fully intending to for at least 4 years. They have now naturalised, and come up happily every year, spreading over a wider and wider area (which then can’t be mowed because of the tulips). Ain’t they grand?!?

Additional proof of spring is supplied by this:

This is the weeping cherry with the Mt Fuji ornamental cherry in the background. Don’t they look fine? Normally I don’t approve of pointless trees – especially those which only look good for about 2 weeks a year – but when they look good, they certainly look great!

My favourites are fruit trees, because they look great, then you get fruit. This garden has been established for a loooooonnnngg time. We have evergreen magnolias well over 15 metres tall, we have camellia trees – not bushes, trees over 10 metres tall (just ask Kate), quinces and apples, enormous old mulberry trees held together with equally enormous bolts and every spring flower you can think of.

The poor garden is horribly neglected, but does its best to look good under the most trying of circumstances. I have tomatoes I must plant out, but I am a bit loath to do so, give the fact that we’ve had gales and hail, rain and wind, sunshine and there’s STILL snow on the mountains.

It’s hard to believe that NSW and the ACT are sweltering, when it’s so cold here.

On the knitting front, I’ve been working on a sock design for SSS and hope to have it written up and on the needles next week. Some of it baffled me when I tried to translate a lace stitch into not only knitting in the round, but knitting in the round inside out and upside down. We’ll see.

The Happy Clappy will be finished tonight (having said that so confidently, I am bound to be struck down by the knitting Goddess, so I’ll re-phrase it). I hope to have the Clappy finished tonight – It looks beautiful, even if I do say so myself, and I can definitely see another one sometime in the future.

The Princess has improved, healthwise at least – I’ve considered listing her on eBay several times in the past week, but I doubt anyone would bid. Now Destructoboy has been struck down. It’s an odd lurgy, this one. Mild fever, general lassitude and off the food-ness, some headache and sleepiness, and a high level of whinginess and clinginess. Just what a mother needs!

The sad fact is, that when they’re REALLY sick, they’re actually terribly nice. Small, snuggly and sweet. When they’re on the mend they’re whiny, whingy and annoying – prone to tantrums and unexplained storms. When they started fighting and yelling at each other last week, we knew the Princess was well enough for school.

So, she only attended half the circus class, but did manage her entire 45 minute first swimming class yesterday and actually swam – huge excitement all round.

That’s more than enough. We’re off tomorrow to the northern Capital for a surprise party (ssshhhh! Don’t tell!) and I will finally get some sock knitting in on the lovely Tulip feather and fans. Hurrah!!

Hopefully life will return to what we fondly regard as normal by next week!

In Sickness, and More Sickness

We’re back to needing wine again, folks! I had to collect Princess from school at lunchtime as she faded again. She’s been knocked around by some bug – fever, tiredness and sometimes a headache – but went to school today because I figure that if you’re well enough to fight with your brother and yell at your mother, then you’re well enough for school!

My mistake – she lasted the morning then went downhill. She and the aforesaid brother are watching ‘Peter Pan’ and squabbling quietly while I write this post!

Sorry – just got noisy and required intervention!

OK – the De-cluttering Stakes (As of today!):

IN

Red Bird Sock kit for September (I haven’t knitted any yet!) a mosaic sock using Jo Sharp Silkroad

2 balls gorgeous sock yarn from Donyale
4 balls of Blue Schepeswol from Good Yarn Karma

400 grms Touch DK wool

100 gr Touch boucle mohair in copper, browns etc

100 gr Touch brushed mohair

The red shoes
3 bras
1 wrap cardi from Op-shop
Some kids stuff from Op shop
6 gorgeous large crystal beads – op-shop

OUT

6 Bags kids clothes sold on ebay
1 crappy video – (rubbish)
2 balls sock yarn – ebay
1 large bag stuff to Lifeline
1 Nightie –gift
Bottles and jars – recycled through local veggie shop
1 bag kids shoes –gift
Book – Gift
4-5 pattern books for Taph! (posting today!)

I’m going to say that I’m slightly in front again this week, but I’ve been a bit of a yarn pig! The next few weeks are likely to be better – the School Fete is in 6 weeks and I intend to donate LOTS to the white elephant and book stalls!

In other news, I won a voucher to the lovely Donni’s Knitpicks store, which I think I will use to expand my Options kit! Lucky me and even luckier Georgie – winning an Options kit – She’s over the moon!!

I would love to spend more time on Ravelry – at present I upload the odd (some VERY odd) photo to Flick’r and try to list that on Ravelry, but that’s about it – I do drop by to collect messages though!

The Accountant has weakened and given my (over)use of the Web has upgraded me to a 12 gig plan (hurrah). This is basically unlimited but slows after the first 12 gig every month – I can live with that!

Glorious spring day – spent some of my limited morning off in finally finishing the Squatty Sidekick (by sewing on a button) and I did some time in the ‘Green Gym’ raking up grass!

Back to the slaughterhouse – I will make pizza tonight which allows for cold pizza lunches for the next day or so – and cool the fevered brow of my first born. I will also wait for the Accountant to get home so I can pour my first glass of the good stuff. Cheers!

Always Take the Weather With You

Hurrah for Carolyn – who remembered what I had forgotten! – I could see in my mind’s eye a pair of gorgeous red lacy socks with a balck beaded cuff (and due to the fact that my brain disappeared at about the time my daughter appeared I didn’t know whether it was a fabulous design idea of my subconscious, or if I’d seen it somewhere). A cursory search of the usual suspects (own books, Knitty.com, some free internet patterns) didn’t turn it up, but she did! Of course, the Yanr Harlot made one from a kit!

So here’s to Carolyn and her functioning brain! – mine gave out years ago! I’ve emailed the kit supplier, and asked if it would be possible to buy a copy of the pattern, and am awaiting their reply. I really hope they say yes, because otherwise I am going to have to design my own, and we know what that will mean! Nightmares and a probably unwearable sock! Not to mention copyright issues, unless I make it entirely different. Ay me!

For those of you who have signed up, the Southern Summer of Socks starts today!!! – Unless, of course, like me, you have a handicap because you started early! So my SSS starts tomorrow – Yay etc. I will probably try to finish my Clapotis before I continue on the socks though – because having too many WIPs is slightly stressing me – I am so close to finishing Juno and the Clappy has 4 repeats to go before I start on the decrease section.

I really like the Happy Clappy. And I think I may make a wool one next autumn, but next on the needles are several pairs of socks, some Christmas presents, Black Dog’s swing jumper in Silk Garden and Bella in the Amerah silk and Bendigo cotton. That’s more than enough to keep me occupied until nearly Christmas.

It’s been a very blustery and changeable end of September. We’ve had gales, huge amounts of rain, hail, some sunshine, snow in the mountains and yet, spring still marches on.

You’ve got to love the way nature goes “Nup – don’t care about the weather. This is spring, and I’m going to wear my best clothes!”.

My Princess is currently sick – she went to the cinema for the very first time on Saturday with her best friend and best friend’s mother and came home complaining of a headache and sore eyes. She’s been running a fever since then, along with general down-ness and complete lack of appetite (most unusual for the Princess). She’s better today, but still somewhat demanding, so I’ll leave this now.

But as I leave, just a thought. KMS was discussing the’Friend’ thing on Ravelry. I’m with her, in that I don’t think that Ravelry’s a popularity contest. But just to make me feel better, all my blogpals are Ravelry friends, right? Have I missed anyone I should have invited? If I have, it’s because I haven’t had a chance to spend much time there, but I really don’t want to feel like Sleeping Beauty’s mother – let me know if you’re feeling overlooked and sad, because trying to exclude people is not the aim (despite being elitist and invitation only!!). Remember, it’s about yarn and knitting and the size of your stash!!!

The Handicap Stakes

I’m glad we’ve got that whole handicapping thing out of the way. Most of you seemed to think that holding off and giving the SSS a days head start was a reasonable handicap – so we’ll stick to that. I do enough frogging because I’ve completely stuffed up – it sort of seemed to be mocking the knitting Goddess to frog when you haven’t made a mistake!

It’s been a particularly tumultuous day here in Tassie – in 24 hours we’ve had torrential rain, sunshine, blustery winds, hail, more sunshine, more rain, more wind and generally more of everything – we’ve probably had snow up in the mountains.

My mother used to use an old saying about March in the Northern Hemisphere coming ‘In like a lion and out like a lamb’. That probably accurately describes September in Tasmania. Some days let you know that summer isn’t far off, and other wild blustery days point out that it’s not that long since winter finished. As September finishes in 2 days, I hope the weather gets its act together and goes out like a lamb (mmm….. lambswool).

A friend of mine’s mother has just returned from a holiday in New Zealand and purchased for me some glorious Touch wool (in turquoises and greens) some Touch brushed mohair (in green, turquoise and purple) and a boucle mohair mix in reds and browns – she also snagged a tiny sheep and 2 gorgeous sheep buttons and the lovely bag it all came in. I owe her some money but she’s got great taste!!

I think I mentioned in a previous post the prospect of incoming books. I decided to blow this months allowance on Amazon.com and purchased some knitting books which are either ludicrously expensive or completely unobtainable in Australia. I am awaiting their arrival and will dutifully add them to my ‘IN’ list when I have them in my hot little hands. They don’t count as ‘In’ till they’re here (just as they don’t count as ‘Out’ till they leave the premises!).

The Accountant returns in a very short time – we are looking forward to his return – especially the children and especially the Princess (did I hear any murmurs of ‘Daddy’s little girl’? – too right she is!).

I’ll pop this up and try to get photos of the new wool soon. In addition, I’d like to point out that Donni’s yarn is tooo gorgeous – but will not be cast on until after the official SSS start date. (I won’t be caught again!) But certainly (as per some backroom discussions) the thought of the Rosered yarn in a lacey pattern with a yet to be determined black cuff and even possibly beads (which I have never knitted with) is rather fetching. All ideas and pattern pointers gratefully accepted!

Let's talk about Spring, Baby!

Let’s think about spring for a moment. I love spring. The first day I can wear shoes without socks always feels as if we are finally on the way to summer. In this little piece of Tuscany we like to call Tasmania, spring is a fabulous season. Daffodils, jonquils and narcissus blanket gardens and grow wild in paddocks. The grass is so green it’s almost blinding. Little white lambs gambol and caper (gambolling is a thing only a little lamb can do) and run back to their mothers and bounce off again.

Fruit trees burst into blossom. They explode so quickly, I am always surprised you don’t hear a “BANG”. The deciduous magnolias put some real effort into their blooms and so do the camellias. Rhodos and azaleas look splendid. Trees start gearing up to put on leaves again. Spring is fun when you have four real seasons.

My major complaint about living in Queensland was that we were left very short of seasons. You really only had wet, dry and jacaranda (though I adored jacaranda and the way they stood in lakes of purply blue petals). The lack of proper seasons was reflected in the fact there were no proper spring flowers – if you wanted tulips or daffodils you had to put bulbs in the crisper of you refruigerator. No raspberries or currants, no good apples and pears, I missed proper summer fruit – although I was deeply in love with mangoes.

I adore all the seasons. Spring with its lushness; summer with its fruit and warmth; autumn with the crunchy leaves and harvest; winter with blustery winds and very occasional snow. I missed the seasons in Queensland and in Hong Kong. I love being back in Tasmania and watching the rounds each year.

Late spring brings the joy of lilac and crab-apple. One of my friends swears by checking the warmth of soil with her bottom – if the soil’s too cold to plant things, so is her bum!

Spring is done properly here. I saw my first bumble bee yesterday. I know that they were introduced to Tasmania, probably smuggled in by tomato and capsicum farmers. I know that they compete with native bees. But they’re so gorgeous and furry and buzzy and just too darned cute for words, how can you not love them!

Life is good and generally happy. Still de-cluttering – started a new bag for Lifeline last night, and I need to get some stuff listed on ebay (maybe tomorrow) and try to clear out another room. Currently 3 rooms of our house are junk rooms! This means they contain boxes and piles of junk that need to be sorted, housed or disposed of. Much of the junk comes from my Dad’s house. When he died I inherited most stuff, and when my stepmother moved out of the house 2 years later I got more! All of this needs to be sorted, and much will move on to new homes, one way or another.

Some of it has serious sentimental value and some has historical value. So it needs careful sorting and cataloguing (a task best accomplished without assistance from children! I plan to tackle the dining room at the weekend, then perhaps the big room the following week. Bits and pieces in between!

If I get this right, I’ll end up with more room for yarn, books, and shoes. A win all around, I think.

For those who are interested, the Birkenstocks came courtesy of ebay – just type in Birkis and your shoe size (European style). The cat ones also come in sheep, lion, cow, pig and horse varieties.

So here’s a toast to spring! Join me in a glass of something bubbly and alcoholic – oh it must be champers (let the appellation controlee lot deal with that one)! Yay, Spring!

I have a dream....

Absolutely typical spring weather we’re having today – pours with rain, blows with wind, sun comes out, everything goes still, warms up, buckets down – repeat the above in different order. Couldn’t be more typical spring if it tried. This means the children are housebound (at least in the cold, rainy, blustery bits) so they have been fighting.

In addition, there have been up to 7 children in the house today at varying times. I love drop-ins – and because our house is big (and my standards are low) it’s a pretty good place for kids to play on rainy days. The children weren’t here alone – their mums dropped in as well – an excuse for coffee and a gabfest. One of the mums is an import from the USA – her DH is working at our local (frequently under threat and much maligned) hospital – this hospital has rather become a political issue recently – personally I don’t care who pays to run it – they’re my taxes and I want a local hospital – politicians certainly don’t have to travel an hour to their nearest hospital!

I’m teaching her to knit – I tried to get her started on dishcloths – and that’s what I’m encouraging her to practice on, but she’s currently just practicing the knit stitch with a ball of nice wool and some bamboo needles I gave her. I believe that learning knitters should have nice materials to start with – I also believe that scarves and novelty yarn are things that novices shouldn’t have to start on.

While I now knit scarves with aplomb, for new knitters they are an often insurmountable endurance test. Why do we make new knitters start on scarves? Start on something small and achievable – like dishcloths, or hats or even mittens. Small, achievable and providing an enormous confidence boost when finished.

Let’s not even talk about novelty yarns and the beginning knitter – whose great idea was it to give new knitters something impossible to see the stitches in? The only advantage is that if a stitch is dropped you can’t see it and the knitting doesn’t particularly unravel.

It’s as if we say, ‘In order to join our Illustrious Order of Superior Knitters, you must complete this endurance test. Here, knit this scarf, which will take you forever (or at least seem like it). Knit it with awful, horrid feeling wool, on yucky plastic needles. You will not be able to see your stitches, so you will never know where and when you are succeeding and when you have difficulty. Do this thing and we will allow you to knit with yarns which feel lovely, on beautiful needles and make superb easy things which will boost your confidence a give you a sense of achievement. But only after you have been completely put off the whole idea..’

And we wonder why many enthusiastic learners never get past the scarf!

Since I have become a born again knitter, I am extremely evangelical in my approach to this knitting stuff. I love to spread the word about the wonderfulness of knitting. So I try to start beginners on lovely yarn, with needles that feel nice in their hands. I try to pick easy projects and stay away from scarves (other than for teddy).

My newly knitting friend hadn’t brought her knitting around for a while. In the middle of her practice bit was a section which looked a little odd. I examined it closely and realised that in that section she had knitted through the back of the stitch – so 2 inches of her knitting was twisted stitches. It looked nice, but different to the rest. She said she thought it felt strange while she was knitting it! We’re back on track now. I’ll get her onto purl soon – and then the world is her mollusc!

It still amazes me that all knitting is just those 2 stitches and some pointy sticks. Lace, cables, aran, colour, fairisle, intarsia, tank covers, clothes, seat covers, tea sets, art works, hats, afghans and booties. All 2 stitches. Incredible. Unbelievable. As Elizabeth Zimmermann says – ‘If children and people of limited intelligence can master this, how much easier must it be for us, with our superior intelligence’, - or words to that effect.

So take your life in your hands. Liberate some nice yarn from your stash (thickish is good), buy some nice needles on sale or from the op-shop. Prepare to be a missionary in the name of the yarn. Be evangelical. Spread the word.

Teach someone to knit something today. But not a scarf!

Why are there no films I want to watch?

It’s a hard row to hoe without wine, my friends! After a beautiful spring-like weekend – during the days of which I actually did not wear a jumper for the first time since, I think, last May, today is rather gloomy.

Juno grows slowly. You may have guessed by now that acres of rib – whether 2 x 2 or 1x1 - is not my favourite knitting diversion. But last night I reached the armpits at the back, and discovered that I may have unintentionally got gauge – a pity, as I was trying to get greater than gauge – larger needles, larger size.

I am not a tight knitter, nor am I particularly loose – but I was hoping for a bit more coverage – we shall see. Tonight it’s armholes ahoy as we reach for the neckline. I must say, I adore the way it looks – if it’s too tight when I finish I will be forced to lose 10 kilos, just to make sure I wear it!

As a defence mechanism against 2 noisy, housebound children, I buried myself in my collection of Interweave Knits (all 5 of them) and decided on my next 6 projects. I find that looking through knitting publications with my fingers in my ears whilst humming tunelessly allows me to ignore the sounds of mayhem and carnage which swirl around me. I can be deaf to all but the loudest screams and still hear the cry of a really hurt child – or a desperate request for assistance in getting to the toilet – with very little effort on my part.

Part of the reason Juno grew so well last night was the excellent movie we watched – ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’. I was a bit concerned it would be rather Boy’s Own, or Action oriented, but it was great. Wry, gentle humour with laugh out loud moments and Anthony Hopkins playing a charming old NZ codger. It was a great and I heartily recommend it for plain knitting.

I adore foreign films. My only problem is that subtitles force me to watch the screen all the time, so I can only make major progress on the plainest knitting. Most American/Hollywood films allow all sorts of knitting – not only is the dialogue generally loud, the plots are currently both banal and predictable and the so-called comedy films never make me laugh enough to lose row and stitch markers, or pattern sheets onto the floor.

It may seem odd to say it, but I think recent movies are really catering to a lower common denominator than I actually thought existed. I’m not even sure who these movies are aimed at. The comedy is not particularly funny, the action seems to consist entirely of CGI special effects, the characters are annoying and unsympathetic – to say nothing of being so two dimensional that I’ve seen Birthday cards with more rounded characters.

Plots are predictable, writing is drab or expletive laden (and don’t think I’m a prude, because my range of cursing has been known to make Marines blush – now, there’s an idea for a colourway – Blushing Marine, - red, Khaki, olive, sand and brown). Overall, they’re just dull, dull, dull. And unmemorable. I’ve often been caught being completely unable to remember whether or not I’ve actually seen a particular movie, until it starts. And sometimes not even then.

I don’t get to the movies much – 2 small children make that a venture I’m not brave enough for – and quite frankly, most recent movies I couldn’t be bothered to pay good money for. Even bad money.

What’s going on with Hollywood? The rest of the world is making great movies – think France, Spain and sometimes England (providing they don’t have to cater to too many ‘Stars’). Think of some of the really interesting stuff coming out of Japan, China, Korea and Hong Kong (can’t resist a good chop-socky – or anything with Jackie Chan – who does his own stunts instead of relying on CGI). I’m only likely to bestir myself otherwise for something from Pixar.

The rest of the world makes great movies and Hollywood does lame remakes. Or remakes fairly lame TV series. Or tries to please everyone and end up pleasing no-one with half a brain.

There are so many wonderful books in the world. So many great stories, so many wonderful actors and directors and writers. So how come there are no movies I want to watch?

Unfit Mothers and Approaching Spring

Spring is definitely almost here. Maybe. Certainly just around the corner. If it wasn’t for the frost last night today would have been a pearl of a day.

Social interaction day for mum – we went to play group, which means getting together with other mums and chatting, while our little dears play – or tear each other limb from limb - depending on the age group, the audience and the desirability of the toy involved.

Luckily, being a beautiful day meant lots of outside play, so I could stand around ‘supervising’ them, while actually knitting my travelling sock (blue faux fairisle Patonyle), and occasionally saying ‘No’, Well done’, or ‘STOP THAT!’.

I tuck the ball into the wrap over bit of my Lift and Separate, and knit furiously, got the cuff and some leg done today.

Last night I almost finished the Turtle Walk socks – one more pattern repeat and the toe and we’re outta here! They look just beautiful. New broadband allocation tomorrow so you can see pictures – and just for Rose Red I will include some of the shoes!!

Even ordered my Happy Clappy KAL yarn (A-maizing from Ecoyarns), so I’m feeling ready to go. Mind you, I was seduced by the fact that silk was on sale so I ordered some of that too – I’m a lost cause – really I am.

I felt slightly better when I read the Yarn Harlot’s post today, at least about the WIPs – with just 2 pairs of socks, I am way behind her WIP level. But Juno beckons, so at least I have 1 ball – hand rolled, so it’s a ziplock candidate. I also won some Knitpicks DPNs on ebay – in a 2.5mm – which the LYS doesn’t stock so I’m feeling waaaaayyyyy ahead of the game.

Kids are being kids today – so there’s been an awful lot of following them around cleaning up messes – including THAT sort of mess – so I’ll be very pleased to have a glass or so of something alcoholic tonight. Dinner’s almost certainly sausages, new Kipflers and broccoli – cooked while I read the gourmet delights I COULD be cooking from the new Delicious.

Tomorrow I’ll make something more exciting and worthy of respect.

I’ve decided that I am an unfit mother. I’m so unfit I pant when I run up a bill. So I’ve decided to work on becoming fitter. This means walking – not being nicer to the children! It’s always been well known I’m a completely unfit mother that way – Fiona O’Loughlin is my role model for motherhood – except for the ciggies – gave them up long ago and have no intention of starting again – just the wine, humour, and lack of respect for modern parenting methods – that’s what I like about her!

Drunken unfit mothers of the world unite!!! You have nothing to lose but your dignity!

Good Days and Great Days

You know it’s a GOOD day when:

You wake up and the sun is shining and it’s warm and NOT FROSTY and the sky is blue and it feels like spring and the first bluebell is out and the garden is full of spring flowers that have required absolutely no effort from you!;

It’s your morning off and motherhood stops at just after 9am and doesn’t resume until 12.30;

You get the mail and there’s Pansy dyed sock yarn from Spidey, 3 kilos of coffee and 1 kilo of chocolate you ordered on the internet from Coffee Hit, and the new issue of Delicious;

You know it’s a GREAT day when:

The Accountant tells you that you can keep the Medicare money because it’s 50 bucks and it’s lots more than that and you pop some money into your credit card instead of out of it;

You pop into Rivers on the off chance and there are 2 pairs of perfect shoes (one black Mary Janes, one red leather and they are 29 dollars and you have the money!;

You pass the Red Cross op shop and there is a pair of sky high orange rope soled wedge espadrilles and they are your size and brand new with the price tag on and they are 4 dollars!;

You go to your LYS to buy some DPNs and they have new yarn to show you and it is called Sublime by Sirdar and it is so gorgeous you absolutely must have some (baby cashmere – merino silk and cashmere, and kid mohair – too too nice) so you lay-by some (supposedly for Christmas presents – well maybe!);

You get home with time to spare to read blogs (even though you’re over your broadband allowance (too bad)) and people have said lovely things about your last post.

How great is today? Really, really great!

Georgie, you asked about the cast-ons – and I bet you know them too!!

Knit-cast on (knit into each stitch
Cable cast on (knit between each stitch – firmer edge)
Crocheted provisional cast on
Knitted waste yarn provisional cast on
Long tail cast on
Figure eight cast on
Thumb cast on
Twisted German cast on (related to long tail but gives more stretch for sock tops or beanies)
And my favourite weirdie:
It’s a traditional Guernsey cast on for making traditional Guernseys – it involves cutting off around 8 metres of yarn, doubling it, wrapping it several times around your thumb and making stitches through the doubled over loops. I’ve no idea what it is called, but you get a sort of mock-picot look, with a knot every fourth stitch. Only ever seen it in that pattern and in one book about traditional English knitting as peculiar to the Channel Isles

So that’s 9 – but I’m sure there are more and that someone will tell me what they are (or if the Accountant buys me the Vogue Ultimate Knitting book for Christmas – as requested – I’ll learn some more.)

Gotta go – off to resume motherhood and enjoy this Great Day!