The Return Home

To finish off the holiday posts, I really need to catch you up on the parcels waiting for me on my return home. Waiting for me at the post office were my copy of Yarn Magazine and some other bits and pieces.

There were 3 cones of cashmere DK in Amber (from a weak internet induced moment because the exchange rate was so good)

The March sock kit from Red Bird – with 1.5 skeins of Jitterbug in Mardi Gras

The March sock club kit from Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin’ Sock Club (2paw – turn away now) in gorgeous greens

My bagswap bag from my wonderful partner Bex – a mitred felted bag, a skein of beautiful 2 ply from the Knittery, and some realio-trulio amethyst stitch-markers:


This week has been just as bad because I exchanged the Jitterbug (because I already had that colour) and ended up buying 2 more skeins – so one skein of Mardi Gras has changed into a skein of Blue Parrot, a skein of Vatican Pie (Look away Rose Red) and a skein of Velvet Plum (look away Bells)

A Ravelry person was destashing some sock yarn and I ended up with some Madeline Tosh sock yarn in Dusk and some Yarn Pirate Killer Bees!

And finally, we did an enormous grouip order from Blue moon Fiber Arts – I seem to have ended up with some Fire on the Mountain mediumweight sock yarn and

Some Raven series silkie socks in Ravenscroft (How did that happen?)

I really need to stop this and pull back until at least a little of the stash is knitted. To that end I have finished a cardigan in Jet (from the Jet I acquired when it was 2 bucks a ball at the Doomlight of Spot sale) and am about to cast on the Slouch Rib Cardi, also in Jet. (Then there’s Montparnasse and Tahoe to come)

I’m on a bit of a cardi jag at present – for some reason I’m finding them more interesting than jumpers. Who knew?

In, Out, Shake it all about!

In
Oh Lordie! More than I can say!

Can we say lots and lots and lots of yarn-that-is-not-stash? Please see previous posts!
1 gorgeous bag (Bagswap from Bex)
Amethyst stitchmarkers and matching 2 ply yarn (ditto)
Happy Spider Sock Yarn (Gift from Happy Spider) in Blackberry!
1 Gilet and 2prs trousers, 1 pair leggings (TS14 – see shopping with Jejune)
6 books
1 pair trousers and top, 1 pair jeans
1 pair shoes (settle, Rosered, you’ll see them soon) paid off lay-by
Yarn magazine, Simply Knitting (2 mags), Jo Sharp knit 6
Creative knitting (gift fromTaph)
3 ACS pattern books

Out
2 wooden jigsaws (gift to child care)
4 pairs trousers, 3 jumpers, 11 tops and T-shirts (Lifeline)
5 Books (ditto)
3 pairs sandals, 1 pair Blundstones (Lifeline)

Shake it all about
Finished Cardi from Spotlight Jet ($2 a ball sale)

Not enough out, but I’m pleading that I was on holiday and I’d ask the jury to take ACS at Wangaratta and Bendigo Woollen Mills in mitigation when considering sentencing!

S.E.X. in Wang; Or, the Chilling Conclusion!

OK, we’re about to leave Canberra. Did you know, you can hide.. sorry… carry 2 packs of Zara and 10 balls of sock yarn in the front zip pocket of a medium sized case? Just in case you ever need to know (Yes, Georgie, I’m looking at you!)

We hit the road and by dint of stopping at a certain American fast food place and the judicious application of lollypops we survived the drive to Rutherglen – where we stayed at a wonderful unit complex in Corowa.

It was substantially cooler, so we immediately purchased some wine (in fact we stopped at 2 wineries on the way) and scouted takeaway food options. Settled in, got tired kids asleep, and I plotted.

Thursday was winery day, including lunch at a wonderful place called The Pickled Sisters Café (which just happens to be smack next door to a very nice winery – gosh!) and then we visited a couple more – and the children fed turtles at Pfeiffers winery.

Friday was my day – I have been in training for this one for a while! I organised lunch at Brown Brothers at Milawa, a quick trip to the Milawa cheese factory, and planned a route which led past Australian Country Spinners at Wangaratta!! They sell wool there for a bit over $27/kilo!!! And some is cheaper! (and some a bit more expensive!)

I planned our stop there for pre-lunch – because I am not totally insane! I have a very real appreciation of what happens when I have a few glasses of wine and am let loose in the vicinity or yarn!

I had a lovely time (if the place hadn’t been nearly full, especially of lovely grandmotherly ladies, I would have rolled in it all!) I bought lots and lots of Jet and Country Silk, Shadow Tweed and Country Prints, and Patonyle, Patonyle, Patonyle!! Including a 600gr monster cone (Patomonster) of printed Patonyle (heelllloooo, Baby Surprise Jacket!). And some Velvet Deluxe. It almost didn’t fit in the car, but when I suggested we just tag the kids and freight them home so there was more room in the car for wine and wool, the Accountant wasn’t impressed!

The Princess offered to sit on the wool, and Destructoboy is only short, so there’s lots of room under his feet. Besides, packs of yarn are flat and squooshy. You can used them to pad wine bottles.

So after spending most of the day drifting around Rutherglen, we tootled Melbourne-ward and back onto the ferry for the trip home. I still find myself chuckling over my not-stash (sale wool does not count – nor does gift wool, or wool you’ve almost forgotten buying). I occasionally hug my Patomonster.

And you all know my secret now. That’s right – Yarn magazine issue 9 came out while I was away – and it has my article in it!!!! Woo hoo! (Happy dance, happy dance!)

What I Did On My Holiday (Part 2)

Just before we get in to Canberra, I realised there was a bit of a gap in the blog! I hadn’t put up the lovely parcel I received from MadmadHousewife (finally – after customs and Quarantine had finished with it – and just slightly before we decided it had obviously been lost in the mail). This wonderful book:

and some maple syrup candy and lollypops (which seem to have disappeared – no idea where!). This arrived literally just before we boarded the boat and after the car was stuffed to the gunwales, so I didn’t get a chance for a proper look inside until we got home – so many things to make and what a great way to bust stash! I’m going to practice next week when some projects get under control.

These also got finished – either just before we left – the Nutkins in the Knittery merino/Cashmere in the Sea Life colourway

The Noropups were finished on the road.

Back to the trip. We arrived safely (didn’t throttle over excited children on long car trip – 6 or so hours in the car can be eased by the judicious application of lollypops). The wonderful Bells had organised a little lunch meeting with some of the Canberra Bloggers, so having packed husband off to work in Queensland and consigned children to the SILs care I sallied forth into central Canberra.

We had a lovely lunch and I got to meet Bells (who delivered a small package I had asked her to purchase for me when a certain Canberra shop had Zara for 2 dollars a ball! And she is even lovelier in person), Georgie (glowingly pregnant and even younger and slimmer than her blog indicates), Jejune (bouncy and generous and not yet purple) and the wonderful QuiltingMick (a fabulous crocheter and blogger and a joy to chat with).

It is so great to meet blogpals in real life (and a little nerve-wracking, too! – I knew I would like them – after all, we’ve been chatting and emailing and such – but what if I disappointed them? What if they were expecting someone wittier and funnier and more glamorous? If they were, they were nice enough not to let me know!). Much knitting and crocheting and petting of yarn took place – along with a bit of eating and drinking. The waiter even asked for some socks!

After lunch, when everyone except Jejune and I had to make their way back to offices, she offered to guide me to the two shops I wanted to visit. I’m afraid I rather enabled her at the TS14+ shop while I picked up one or two items. I was also lucky to get out of Borders without making any purchases. We gave Jejune a lift home after shopping and she met the poppets and SIL – Thank you Jejune – for your navigational and guiding expertise!

Easter passed in its usual haze of chocolate and excitement. We visited the National Gallery, Questacon and Dinosaur Museum. The Easter Bunny visited us and the children turned into feral chocaholics with the frenzy of an Easter Egg Hunt. On Easter Monday the girls had organised another little get together.

For an isolated knitter, the internet and her blogpals are a lifeline. Yarn people (knitters, hookers and spinners) are generally fun, generous and slightly obsessive. Meeting them in the flesh is a wonderful treat, and I hope to do it again soon! And if any of you are coming to NW Tasmania, let me know!

So Monday was spent with Bells, Georgie, Taph and the Happy Spider. Just lovely to see Taph and Spidey again (I met them last year) and so lovely to let yarn fumes wash over us and chat and knit and pet yarn and exchange tips and patterns and stories. I even received a present from the Happy Spider – some of her glorious sock yarn in Blackberry!

Thank you all again for your time and generosity! I looks forward to lots more meetings – both virtual and real – and a special thanks to Georgie and Bells for being such great organisers!!

Next post will cover Rutherglen and deal with WHAT HAPPENED AT WANG! (A tale to chill your hearts and credit cards, dear reader!)

What I did on my holiday (Part 1)

Goodness me! We got back yesterday and I’ve barely had a moment to breathe – what with the post holiday stuff! (Washing, tidying, shopping for food, organising stuff for school – you know!)

So this is only a half post – I’ll sprint from Tassie to Echuca and spend a little more leisurely time tomorrow in and around Canberra!

We went to Melbourne on the ferry and barely drew breath before speeding into Bendigo, and finding the rather well camouflaged woollen mill, where I sprinted for the Bargain room. I basically ignored all the stuff I can get at Bendi anytime a bad move as I later discovered – more anon – or at least in a day or so) and went into the back cave of treasures! Found that Bendi used to have sock yarn – called Miami – a wool/cotton/nylon mixture which seems to bear a bit of a resemblance to Socketta. Stocked up. A lot.

Then added some dark Purply- Blue aran (18 x 50gr balls at 2 dollars a ball) and 3 200gram skeins of colonial in a colour called Foxglove (think Jacaranda trees) for 7 dollars a skein! Caressed some sunflower yellow baby wool and some other bits and pieces, and managed to tear myself away.

Off to Echuca. My lord it was hot! 40 degrees –ish while we were there – lucky we had a pool, but hard to convince children to stay inside when they’re on holiday! (At least till the worst of the sun was off the pool – luckily we had packed DVDs!) Echuca meant Mandie from Ewe Give Me the Knits (one of the Greatest names in creation).

We had morning coffee and talked. And talked. And Talked – and since we could both talk for Australia, it was great fun! Mandie gave me some lovely gifts – Two beautiful rovings – one merino in colours called Turbulent 1

The other a merino/bamboo in the Blue Gum 1 colourway.

There were also some gorgeous skull stitch markers – but they are currently in service!

It was wonderful to meet yet another generous and funny blogger – and now I have to learn to spin – just to make something wonderful from such gorgeous rovings!

Oh my, Mr Rickman!

Gosh! Look at THIS!

What can I say - envy envy! I wish Alan Rickman would dance with ME like that!!

I'm just going to fan myself and have a cup of tea, a Bex, and a nice lie down!

I'll see you all in a couple of weeks - we're off on holiday tomorrow and I don't think I'll really be internettable!

Have a lovely Easter!

Awake!!

Awake, for morning in the bowl of night
Has thrown the stone that sets the stars to flight
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam

The last two mornings I have been walking when the sun came up. I see a lot of sunrises, generally from inside the house, but at present we are in the transitional time of year, just before daylight savings ends, when sunrise doesn’t happen till around 7am and in less than a month it will suddenly jump back to being 6am, and this little brown duck is likely to still be tucked up in her bed then! I hope!

Currently, it is quite light just before sunrise, and then the sun hurls itself over the horizon and taa daa! Daybreak! I am generally walking along the road and look across the paddock where Lucerne has just been cut (mm, the smell of new mown hay), across the river and the trees beside it and over to the hills and here comes the sun!

Yesterday was bird day. Ducks in the creek I cross over; native hens; free range chooks and a number of roosters in one of the paddocks I pass; a hawk hovering low, looking at some poor small creature in the grass; a blue crane (heaps around here); a small colony of what I still call plovers, but are really masked lapwings; and some water bird, hidden in the willows, who goes ‘boink!’. Of course, the usual suspects were out as well, crows (actually forest ravens, native to Tasmania), starlings, blackbirds and sparrows. I didn’t see any sulphur crested cockatoos, black cockatoos, our local kookaburras or lorikeets – nor did I see the resident blue wren (willie wagtail!).

I love living in the country. I happily put up with the lack of pavements and even the fact our roads have no shoulder, just to be able to smell the hay (and occasional roadkill!), and to watch the sun rise.

I am also enjoying possessing an iPod. I walk faster while listening to music and although my walk is taking the same time each day, I actually go further (hell, yesterday I even RAN – for about 200 metres – but it didn’t kill me and I didn’t stop, just kept on walking after undertaking this dangerous activity). I’m looking forward to walking in new places while we’re away.

In knitting news, the neck inserts on Bella are occurring much faster than I imagined (it also helps that I am actually knitting them, instead of hoping that it would happen by osmosis or something!). I am likely (touches wood) all things being well (crosses fingers) to finish her before we leave (pats rabbits foot, invokes saints and knitting goddess and throws self to ground realising she has just put the kiss of death on ever finishing Bella).

I am narrowing down the knitting which must accompany us on holiday and trying to decide whether I should sneak in a pattern book, given that we are calling into Bendi and I may be ultra inspired to cast on something during the trip (Yes, I am bringing my Knitpicks with me so I will have needles – why do you ask?)

Off to referee the fight of the century, tidy up, put out the washing, wash up, clean out the car and put stuff away. Decluttering often happens as a side effect of this haphazard housekeeping. Cheers!

Whatever Happened To...?

You're The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe!

by C.S. Lewis

You were just looking for some decent clothes when everything changed
quite dramatically. For the better or for the worse, it is still hard to tell. Now it
seems like winter will never end and you feel cursed. Soon there will be an epic
struggle between two forces in your life and you are very concerned about a betrayal
that could turn the balance. If this makes it sound like you're re-enacting Christian
theological events, that may or may not be coincidence. When in doubt, put your trust
in zoo animals.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Oh no!! Is it March already?

I’m a bad blogger. I blame Ravelry and its seductions; everyone else’s blogs (which I’ve been reading); the enormous bounty of Autumn which I’ve been trying to bottle, dry, chutnify, relish or freeze; my children, who I’ve been trying not to kill; and the fact I’ve got a secret and you’ll all know it soon!


Here, just for Taph, is a very poor photo of my chenille bag. Sorry Taph - I'll try and do better!

I’ve not finished a WIP since the bag swap bag. I’ve started a cardigan before Bella is quite finished, I’ve half a Nutkin to go and half a Noropup, and half another bag. I want to knit socks and cardigans and jumpers and bags and toys and kid’s stuff and live in a clean house, but – there just never seems to be enough time.



Got my Book Depository order in 10 days in 6 parcels. I am in love with Norah Gaughan, worship at the altar of her genius and want to bear her children - in short, I have my copy of Knitting Nature and only stern words to myself about bag swaps etc (and a number of WIPS which need to become FOs) has stopped me casting on most of the book. I also got Victorian Lace today, the Knitters Almanac, the First Yarn Harlot book, Zoe Mellor’s Nursery Knits and the Best of Interweave - for 52 pounds - Heaven, I’m in Heaven……..


I kept snorting coffee out my nose while reading the Yarn Harlot book (now I remember what keeps me going back to her blog) and nodding and realizing that all the things she said were so true – except the bit about ‘core stash’. I intend to knit ALL my stash. (Which is actually not stash according to the rules of Stash as Promulgated by the High Priestess of Stash.) Sometime. When I have time. Maybe next winter. Or the one after. Definitely by the one after that.

I’ve also been fairly good about acquisitions this week. Apart from some cashmere I’ve ordered. I’ve actually managed to get through the week without buying anything. Much.

Last week, you may remember, I bought an MP3 player. It didn’t work. So I took it back and exchanged it for an iPod shuffle. Much of my computer time this week has consisted of filling this up with music – ready for my first walking adventure with it tomorrow morning. Other than that, nothing has darkened my door, except those books.

Mind you, everything which went out this week went into the recycling bin or rubbish. So:

In
Books as above
Interweave magazine (at last)

Out
Piles of papers and stuff (recycling)
Old lipsticks and eyeshadows – shopping bag worth – rubbish
3 tops and one pair of jeans – Lifeline

That’s it! I need to do lots more this weekend – a long weekend. De-cluttering, preparing for some time away and attempting to tidy the house for the house-sitter. Will one long weekend be enough?