Knitting, but not Today

Last night I stayed up late and finished a beautiful (I hope) shawl knit with beautiful Malibrigo (I know) sock yarn. Today I was going to soak it and block it but I just didn't get to it. Anyone who has knit lace knows that if I post a photo now it will just look like a purple lump of tangled wool. The blocking deserves attention so it will have to wait until next weekend.

Last week I finished one of two socks knit out of left-over stash yarn. I used the Bendigo 4 ply for another project and had bits of three balls left-over so my brother will get a pair of socks. These aren't a Christmas present, just socks. But who wants to post a picture of one sock?

I am also madly crocheting away on the big blanket for my friend's 60th coming up in February. I love the way it looks and it is about 2/3rds finished. I'll be very proud of it when it is done and will absolutely post a picture when it is.

Lots of knitting but no photos.

Today I made some more aprons. I got the pattern from Sweetwater's Simple Home book. I really love this book and plan to make more projects from it.



These are late Birthday presents for two friends in the states. I hope they like them. They were a lot of fun to sew. I have turned my study desk into the sewing table for December and January until uni starts again. I have a couple of projects ready and I also will be sewing some pants for myself.



A couple of weeks ago I sewed a shirt for myself and when I went to trim a seam I cut a huge hole right in the front. I'm not sure how to save it - I was so disgusted I just folded it up and stuck it in a plastic bag to look at later.

I am so looking forward to sewing and knitting with abandon over the next couple of months. I am taking 3 weeks off over Christmas but I am not giving myself any sort of list of things to get done in that time. I always feel so guilty when I don't accomplish all I said I would. I will make a list each morning of things I would LIKE to do on the day, but they will just be suggestions. I'll just see how I go.

Finished and lovely

These are Embossed Leaves Socks from Favorite Socks. The wool is Socks That Rock and I love it. These socks were an absolute delight to knit and my ball of wool lasted only until the very last stitch. I can't believe that there was exactly the right amount of wool for these socks.

When I got this book I made a promise - well, more like a suggestion to myself that I would knit every sock in the book. I have knit 6 of the 25 in the three years I have owned it. And now I've gone and bought another sock book because I just can't help myself. The Knitter's Book of Socks by Clara Parkes and I will have to knit every one of them too. Lots of socks to look forward to this summer.

Fire Trucks, Star Wars and Baseball

My Grandson is waayy into Fire Trucks at the moment. Everything in his little world stops cold at the sound of a siren. It's hard to find Fire Truck fabric.



Grandson was introduced to Star Wars by his Star Wars crazy father so ... Thanks Sarah Bradberry for the design, our little Storm Trooper has a Bendigo Cotton cap for winter. BTW he isn't 2 yet and loves the Wookie.




I am a huge baseball fan. One of the only ones I know here in Australia - well, one of the only girls I know. My mother is a big fan too so we Skype about it sometimes. I buy a subscription to mlb.com every year to watch games on my computer. I don't watch too much tv so this is a great time for knitting, crochet etc. And I always have a World Series (I know - it is the worst title for a final since really, it's only the US and one Canadian team in the league although there are mostly players from other countries) project - usually socks. These are Embossed Leaves Socks from Favorite Socks. I'm such a fan of lace patterned socks that are easy but look spectacular. This is a good pattern.


I always worry about running out of wool so I either buy too much or knit short socks. This is a very old ball of Socks that Rock bought 5 years ago in the states so there is no chance of getting more. So I knit part of one, break the yarn, knit part of another, and continue until I run out of wool. This is probably not the most efficient way to do it but at least I will run out of wool at the same spot on both socks if I do. I have some lovely purple sock yarn just in case.



Yesterday's game was the most exciting games I can remember ever watching. Today will be the last game of the year and I won't get those socks done - I have housework to fit in between innings and pitcher changes so I won't have solid knitting time. But I am so excited about this game today - Go Cards.

I mowed and I sewed

Bush Figs even the birds won't eat - worse luck.



Spring has sprung and I had a mowing frenzy this afternoon. Feels good.



Inspired by my friend Nettie (who knits, sews, works fulltime at a highly stressful job, mothers, grandmothers - all in one life! Inspiring) I got out the sewing machine and made a couple of aprons. My grandmother used to have 'house aprons' that she wore around the house constantly - I have photos. I have made some patterns but these aren't them. A while ago I was given some old dresses that a friend's mother sewed for herself but didn't finish before she died. I said I would make aprons and now I have.



The pocket is the yoke.

I love them but....

What do you do with the bright hot pink fake flowers you got from your son on mother's day?

I'm a Catherine's Wheel Fan

I really love Catherine's Wheel - thanks Catherine wherever you are! I just hope I don't burn out and die! The one with the alternate cream wheels is for me. The other for Catherine's 60th birthday next February. I can't believe we are all getting close to 60! I started it well and truly with enough time to finish it and with these cold evenings lasting a little longer it is quite nice to have it on my lap.



It is quite strange that 3 of my best knitting friends have been crocheting lately - all independent of each other. I love it. It's great to mix it up a little. Can't wait till next long weekend to get stuck into Breaking Bad season 3 and Catherine's Catherine's Wheel.



I'm on the lookout for my next project. I have three blankets on the go, so need small things to break up the monotony (IF it all gets boring, which so far it has not). I bought My Grandmother's Knitting (there's a lovely little shawl in there) and have ordered The Best of Interweave Crochet. Fun things to come over summer! Happy Needles everyone.

I have been knitting too.

But I have also been crocheting. First time for anything other than a border in years. I have always loved this pattern and wanted to do something with it. The only problem is I have to look at it while I do it. Knitting I don't have to look anymore.



These are for my god-daughter's sister. Calorimetry from Knitty.com.



Several babies due soon so I am prepared with two boys sweaters - Debbie Bliss inspired cardigans.






And a new spring jacket for Daisy. Just needs to be ironed and mailed.



And finally for me - Multnomah scarf. Really lovely and I wear it a lot.



I have been searching for another crochet afghan pattern that I like because I have a lot of wool to use up before I can buy more - and I am feeling an urge to buy more. So if anyone has any favourites please let me know.