Return of the prodigal

I’m Baaa-aack!

Hurrah, the month has ended and I’m back on-line – I’ll try to ration myself this month and not chew up so much broadband – mind you, a lot of that was, I think, Black Dog Knits fault – I mean, you find the site, you find the yummy designs and you – download them, and print them out and start knitting them and planning for them – what do you expect!

This morning, I had a look for a cardigan pattern for Daughter’s Ladybird jacket and think I will use The Childhood jacket from Knitty.com. In red and black. With a hood – Daughter loves hats and hoods.

We had a great weekend, despite the lack of broadband – Saturday we took a drive up to the Central Plateau, for the kids to see snow. Remember, Tasmania has the same climate as Tuscany (except no-one says ‘Wow, Tuscany, it’s freezing there’), so to see snow in winter we have to drive into the mountains. We found snow – not a lot, maybe 4-6 inches deep (10-15cms), enough to build a small snowman, for daughter to make a little snow angel on a clear section and enough to throw snowballs at each other – also enough for daughter to put a handful down the back of my jeans – brrrrr!

Very occasionally – maybe once in ten years it snows at sea level in Tassie – I remember a flatmate’s birthday being distinguished by lots of snow in Hobart many years ago – we made snowmen in the park at midnight and buried bottles of champagne to chill. People skied down the main street and little old men threw snowballs at passers-by. Almost everyone had the day off work, except me – I lived 2 blocks away, which until then I’d considered an advantage! The next day it was all gone, but it was fun while it lasted. That day there was snow on the beaches over the whole state.

I have also been in Florence on New Years Eve when it was snowing – so Tuscan climate here, not Scottish!

Sunday was our first ever Birthday Party at a fast food restaurant – not the M one, the other burger place, and I was quite surprised by how much fun Daughter had – loved the playground, ignored the food (except for Lemonade) won the prize for the best costume of the girls – it was Pirates and Fairies and she went as a Pirate Fairy – think Pirate – with sparkly wings. Lots of loot, and a wonderful time had by all.

We are not fast food and takeaway junkies. When on holiday I adore takeaway, but it tends to be of the Vietnamese, Thai, Italian, Japanese variety, rather than fast fast food. The children have been to burger restaurants maybe 3 times each – mainly because they are near highways when we are driving long distances and have toilets and undercover playgrounds. Small country towns don’t often have much fast food – we have a fish and chip shop, and I understand there is a pizza place open on Friday and Saturday nights – but hey – I make better pizzas than we can buy round here – and they have all the stuff we like on them!

For those who asked - here is the progress on the swing jumper. I have finished the back and am up to the armpits on the front. I am enjoying just knitting away with easy increases and decreases and hope to finish the front tonight and start on the first sleeve - after I've done the ironing!

Thanks to Bells, have also discovered a new blog – Rachel – also known as the Mad, Mad Housewife – read her most recent posts this morning and almost cried laughing – that is a woman who really knows the joys of family life – check her blog out if you haven’t already.

I also caught up with Bells domestic blogging – why is it that even when women work outside the home that somehow cleaning up the inside of the home becomes their responsibility? I tried to remember the last time a man (any man any time) cleaned a toilet in a house I was living in – and I couldn’t! Even when cleaning duties were (apparently) split evenly (I do the dusting, you do the vacuuming, I change the sheets, you wash the floor, I do the bathroom……) I always ended up with the toilet!

I will ponder this fact!

Humbled and very, very chuffed

Thank you so much, you fibre fairies out there in the blogosphere! Thank you for your lovely welcome - and for the fact that you actually read the blog!!!


It's a very odd expereince this blogging thing - While I was revving myself up to it I was very excited - but also a little worried - for one thing, as I don't actually HAVE a life (I have children instead of one) would there be much to blog at all. For another, would it be too much like taking my clothes off in public (which happened when I was younger, slimmer and drunker - and anyway it was for art!). What I find, instead on reading your comments, is that it's more like writing a letter to friends who understand - and might I add that your comments also reveal you to me- those that understand the parenting and those fibre foxes who want to know what the sock-in-progress is knitted with - yes, this means you Spidey!















In fact, the sock in progress is 'African Grey' in Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, and of course the Monkey Sock pattern from knitty.com (please don't be upset with me websites and blogs - I'm still working out how to make the links!)









As for the Lift and Separate, it's finally FINISHED!!!!!! Last night I set in the remaining sleeve, blocked it, and c*****eted around the hole for the tie. I love it very much but it was rather an exercise in endurance - all that 1x1 rib (my unfavourite stitch - not at all like 2x2.





Tonight I return to the Monkey socks. Thanks for the other comment from Tasmania too - I adore the Northern Capital of our state, which has at least one wonderful yarn shop and also Waverly Woollen mill, which apart from making lovely blankets is also a pusher of 8 ply wool. It also used to be the home of Coats Patons (which pushed from a factory outlet) but that now long gone.





Today it is pouring with much needed rain. We haven't been as droughted as states on the Big Island, but the farmers are still quite chuffed about the whole rain thing! I just remind myself that Tasmania has the same climate as Tuscany, and 2 Tasmanian wineries just took out gold medals for Pinot Noir. This is overlooked by those who mistakenly believe we have the same climate as Britain (or in the case of some North Queenslanders, Siberia). The Tuscan climate means we (editorial or royal as I am not directly involved) make great wine. Well, I am involved - I drink it!





Possibly the best thing about Knitting the Lift and separate in Geranium alpaca from Bendigo is that red wine won't show!!!





Just one more little bit of yarn porn to brighten your day. In my list of recently completed projects I forgot this one. Its a pattern from a Creative Knitting Magazine last year (I think this is the vaguely Australian version of Simply Knitting - is that right? Someone out there will know) It is knitted in Katia Nepal which took me months to track down and was eventually bought from England and sent by airmail and was STILL cheaper than buying it a Sp****ght!


This is one of the very few occasions on which I did not substitute yarn. I am a professional substituter - you will see some examples in future posts (she says almost confidently!)






Every time I wear it people comment about it - it has inspired 2 friends to take up knitting again and was almost the easiest and fastest thing I have knitted in ages - 1 night for each front and sleeve, 2 for the back and 2 for the collar - 1 for bands and one for sewing!



NB. My major knitting time is between 8 and 10pm when munchkins are in bed. Occasionally I get to knit in the car on longer trips (to our Northern Capital for example) when the Accountant drives. Knitting during the day is impossible because the damage to knitting and to persons which can be caused by a 2 year old boy with pointy metal objects should not be underestimated!!!!

Just as I finish - I would welcome any tips etc (especially on making those troublesome links and taking better blog photos) This is a huge learning curve and any help is more than welcome!!!!