New Year's Plans

I have been knitting for a couple of years now. I have been a lucky girl to have knit with all kinds of yarn. I've knit with softest merino wool and scratchy cheap wool. I've knit with cotton, bamboo, corn, tofu, shellfish, plastic and silk. I'm knitting with cashmere. I'm knittting with angora.

I don't pretend for one minute to be an expert on fibre by any means. But at least now, when I read about a blogger's project I can imagine what the yarn is like. And that increases my enjoyment of reading blogs so much. I can imagine what that soft sock yarn feels like when someone is knitting a lace sock. I can imagine what those cashmere wrist warmers feel like as someone slips on the finished pair. I can imagine how that silk slips over the bamboo needles, and how that linen hurts the knitters fingers while they knit.

The more I knit the more I can appreciate other's knitting.

This year I am going to take on more difficult projects. I'm no Yarn Harlot or Eunny Jang - not even in the same universe. But since learning more about fiber this past year has increased my enjoyment of other's knitting so much, as well as my own, learning about pattern should do the same.

Here I go - first projects are a lace shawl and a vest from Vogue Knitting Never Never Land.

Cashmere merino mix.....
Angora.....

Wish me luck.

Scared of catching SSS

When I first started knitting socks, I read so much in so many blogs about Second Sock Syndrome that now I am scared to catch it. As soon as I graft the toe of the first sock I cast on the second sock. I just continue to be in love with the colourway or lace pattern or whatever attracted me to start the socks in the first place.

I have come very close to suffering SSS when I came back from the states in the middle of last year. I started a pair of socks for a GF in Seattle while I was there, fully expecting to finish them before I came home. Right! The first one was done, the second started. I packed them in my suitcase full of new wool and forgot about them when I got home. I had made up a little pattern and I couldn't remember it when I finally found the lone sock. So scared of SSS am I that instead of sitting down and figuring out the pattern again - I ripped. I dampened the wool (corn actually - it is Maisy) and it sits in my stash again. I am pretty sure that it was the coward's way out but I don't care.

So earlier in the week when I felt the need for socks (when it hits it is worse than my craving for Sammy's Calamari or dark chocolate M&M's!) and I got into my state's stash for sock yarn and found Socks the Rock (oh,no, I've lost the ball band - it's around here somewhere).

It is so beautiful! I cast on immediately and knit through the second season of Entourage (it's a little young and boyish with lots of girls in bikinis which isn't my type of show at all but some of it was entertaining)


I grafted and cast on this morning.

I knit a little flower in the back of the sock. I'm not really a wearing flowers type of girl but I thought this colourway was strong enough. Now that it's finished I can't really see the flower but I like the look of it on the back of my leg anyway. Like a little secret.

New Year, Old Knits

Happy New Year! This year will be full of fun, adventure, joy and warmth. I can already feel it!

And full of knitting, quilting and sewing. I have so many projects knocking on the door of my craft room. It's a bit scary, actually, to go in there. All the colour, wool, fabric and dyes are jumping out at me - pick me! pick me!

Christmas came and went with lots of handmade gifts that I did not take pictures of!! Do you think it will be too weird to ask Shirl to pull up her pants next time she comes over?

I did get a little snap of one friend's new hot water bottle cover...

She's always wanted a hot water bottle - I can't believe anyone lives in Canberra for winter and doesn't have one. This one was so much fun that I am making lots more - I'll show you when they are finished. By the way - I dyed the orange and red wool - with Kool-Aid!! It was fun and easy and smelled like my childhood.

And for me - my new tofuties socks. Love them - they are so soft and yummy. I have enough left over for a little beanie, I think.

Felting Fun

I've been having a felting lot of fun!
Christmas presents.

Some parts of each object are felting more than other bits but that is part of what I like about them.

Now I think I will reinforce them with a little bit of fine wire and wrap them up!

I can't wait to do more!

Kindof but not really!

I'm not sure exactly what went wrong but I know what I will do next time and there will be a next time!

I knitted this scarf and did a Nicky Epstein to it - wrapped it around balls, secured them with rubber bands and attempted to felt it.

First of all I knit it too loose to hold the size balls I wanted to use. Second I used styrofoam balls - um, they float (duh!!). The mohair didn't felt at all! I put it thru 4 wash cycles. I'm sure it was a combination of trying to felt something when it won't sink into the hot water and knitting it too loose.

But it did turn out interesting - I just haven't made up my mind if I like the unwanted stretched out result or not?

I will try Nicky's methods again - her book Knitting Never Felt Better is a gem.

I do feel better about my other attempts over the weekend.

They were quick and fun! They will both be in mail to colder climates for Christmas prezzies.

Knitters - show us your tats!

I've been inspired by Bells to show my tat to the blogging world (not that so many people read my blog!) but, well, here it is...

When I made the committment to stay living in Australia I decided to get a tattoo of 'home' to carry with me always. This is an Orca whale design from the Pacific Northwest Native Americans - where I am from. There used to be lots of Orcas in Puget Sound when I was younger and living there. I always loved them. So this is my little bit of Seattle that goes with me wherever I go.

I don't know if it has been done before but I too would love to see other knitters tats and hear the stories that go with them!.

And tomorrow I am doing something with this -



I'll share when it turns out fantastic. Cross your needles for me!

Buttons and Christmas Presents

I found some buttons in my bedside table drawer! I don't remember buying them. I don't remember what I bought them for? But I love them - I'm sure that's WHY I bought them. And they look great on my Chinese Vest.

So I got my vest out of retirement (from the winter cupboard) and sewed on some buttons.

Now, it has been almost cold enough this past week in Canberra to get out the Winter clothes again, but I resisted. But the cold did make it easier to knit hats and scarves for my son and his partner who are wintering in Seattle. They are planning on doing a lot of snow boarding.

Neither one of them read my blog or even know about it so there is no fear that they will see this before they open presents on Christmas morning. Wish I could be there to see them try on their new hats! Oh well, sigh!