The Clap is done

I couldn't believe it, I actually finished the clap in 19 days, on Friday I wasn't sure I would even finish it, but with a lot of stress in my life the past 2 weeks, well what else could I do but knit.

Sunday I was just into section 4 and I was on my last 2 balls of wool, I was about 3/4 through section 4 and down to 1 ball, I started to panic as the shop I bought the yarn from last year has closed down. I just kept on knitting through the damn heat of the day and last night around 10.30pm I finished it, I ended up with about 2 metres of yarn left. Boy was I happy.

The wool I used was and Australian Wool, Heirloom Heatherwood 8ply 100% Wool, in a moss green colour which will go with a lot of winter clothes I have.

The Stripey Tiger had sent me info on Team Clapotis, so I swiftly joined in that on Friday, only to finish the clap on Sunday, but it is nice looking at all the other clapotis in the making.

And the Clap is coming along

I have done about half of section 3 now, I am so enjoying dropping those stitches and I can't wait to get to the next 8th row to drop another stitch.

I have emailed the person running "Team Clapotis" and will join that, thanks Stripey for letting me know about it.

Knitting Olympics Part 1 - The opening

I started my Clapotis on the 10 February, and had to rip it back 3 times, it was getting a bit late in the night, and obviously I was tired, and kept making the same mistake, KFB instead of Ktbl, anyway, got up bright and early the next morning and got stuck into it.

I have just completed the first set of 12 rows on Section 3. I am off work for 3 days this week, going to Central Coast with DH, so I will get a lot of knitting done hopefully while he is at work.


The above was written on Monday, it is now Thursday, and I have been away, I finished the Caitlin Scarf for my Goddaughters 9th Birthday this week and I am half way through section 3 of the Clap (so all you clap experts will know how much I have done), boy this is going to be a close call getting it finished by 26 Feb.

Pictures of Caitlin Scarf and Clap to come soon.

Another week gone by

It never seems to stop, always thinking about the next knitting project, thinking about when am I going to have time to get into the garden and try to get rid of a few million weeds. Well I guess you just have to bite the bullet and plan these things, and make the time.
Yesterday I thought I would go home and do atleast 1/2 hour weeding, got home and DH had got the hot water system valve so we set about changing that, after many attempts of getting the valve in the correct positon to connect the pipe to that leak was fixed, so what happens, the bottom tap on water system where the cold water comes in decided to leak, did I mention that this house which is a retirement plan if it works out is a "Money Pit", so DH changed the washer and rubber ring, that job done, then the cold water tap in the laundry wouldn't turn off, so DH set about to change the washer in that tap, couldn't get the damn thing apart, so he did it back up, it is a tap that requires a bit of elbow grease to turn off at the best of times, well it is harder now, if only DH had used a bit of elbow grease in the first instance, and if he had used the tap a bit in the time we had been here he would have realised that the tap does take a bit to turn off - there was nothing wrong with it to start with as it turned out.


I had started a beanie for a charity in Sydney "Just Enough Faith" then realised that our Goddaughter's birthday is in less than 2 weeks, so I got am making up a design for a scarf, and will either do mittens or hat to got with it, and hopefully this will all happen before this Saturday when the Winter Olympics start. The charity beanie can wait until after the Knitting Olympics.


I have ordered my new computer and will get broadband internet connected, it should be ready in a week or two, I can't wait to get broadband on, I can see a roster/or lots of fights happening at my place as DH and #2 son are already going on about what they can do on the internet.

I got the bargain of the year on Saturday, I have wanted for a long time a pair of Harley Davidson boots, but they are too damn expensive, so seeing as I had won some money I decided I was going to get them boots, Frasers in Wollongong are ordering my size in, they had a pair of nice slip on Harley Davidson shoes, the guy there asked if I was interested in them as they had them in a size 6, I tried them on, he said he would do a good deal, He asked if I wanted 2 pairs, I said what would I do with 2 pairs, he said wear the second pair when the first pair wears out, I thought what a smart arse. Anyway these shoes are $129.99 each, I decided I would get a pair, he said he would do 2 pairs for $70 each or 1 pair for $90, I just looked at him, thought and bit and said "How about $65 each and I will take both pairs", he laughed and said you drive a hard bargain, so he gave them to me for my price and I got 2 pairs of shoes for the price of one. See it isn't often they get a women in with small feet. The boots are supposed to arrive this week so on the weekend hopefully they will fit nicely and I will get them too.

These are the shoes I got.

Good one Donni........corner to clean....stash, stash and more stash

Well Donni went and did it, showed where she needs to clean up her stash. I took these photos on Tuesday but didn't blog about it, I thought I would wait until I could handle flashing the stash (mess). Thank goodness you can't see it all inside the bags etc.

Well here goes the mess first.











Now for the stash packed away in drawers.
Bottom drawer - Baby Yarn


I am going to try and knit all that stuff on the floor this year, including the huge cone of 2ply in a terracotta colour into some nice lacey shawls.

So how is that for wishfull thinking, I guess it beats having to find space for it. I will try not to buy any more yarn, well only for special things like goddaughters birthday etc if I don't have something lurking around on the floor or in the drawers.

On the subject of not buying anymore yarn (that will last until March). The Kiama Knitters Guild are having a bus trip on Saturday 18 March 2006 to the Southern Highlands to visit a few (well I think 5 in total) wool shops, 2 in Robertston, 1 Berrima, 1 Mittagong and 2 Bowral. There are seats available if any of the SNB girls would like to come along. The cost for the bus trip is $25 per person, it will be leaving Kiama approx. 8am on the day and will pick up at Kiama Downs, Oak Flats Railway Station and Albion Park, these times and pick up points are to be confirmed at our knitter guild meeting in February. Let me know if you are interested in coming along.

Winning Streak

I had a great lot of luck over the Australia Day long weekend. At the NSW HOG Rally held in Jindabyne (NSW Snowy Mountains), my bike was voted as the "Best Sporty", I got a trophy, cleaning products, American Beer hat and t-shirt and a sash.


We rode home on Sunday morning leaving The Station Resort at 7.45am, we arrived home at 1.10pm, it was a great day for a ride. We were very tired from a full long weekend of fun. We normally go to the local Golf club (the golfie) which is only 300 metres from home, for the meat raffles on Thursday and Sunday nights. I was really tired and wasn't going to go, in the end DH, #1 son's father-in-law and I went to the meat market, they also have the members badge draw after the meat market raffle, the first number drawn didn't belong to a member, so the next number out was, Yes you guessed it....it was my member number, yahoo, and what a noise I made, I was so excited, so I pocketed $2,550. I am thinking of buying a laptop and getting wireless broadband put on, I will see how I feel about that idea in a few days.

On Tuesday I got my knitting back that I had entered in the Kiama Show, the acrylic blanket didn't win, but the Vest I knitted for my Dad Won First Prize with prize money of a whole $4. I was told by a Knitters Guild member that I got 99/100 for sewing up, I was so pleased as that was the first time I had seamed anything in Mattress stitch, and it was so much easier and nicer than back stitch.




So I am pretty well on cloud 9, happy with the last few days events.

Jaywalkers on show

I thought seeing as I have already worn these socks that I should take a photo of them on my feet. So here they are:

Knitting Olympics

Well I have gone an done it...I have joined the Winter Olympics Knitting Olypmics hosted by the YarnHarlot. I am going to knit the Clapotis, I know most of you have done one, but it is something I wanted to do way back last year, I have the yarn and so now that all the Christmas knitting is over I can knit something for myself.

My Knitting Chair

A while back Cece posted her knitting chair and tagged me to do the same, so here it is, it is a recliner lounge, which is very handy for me, being height impaired my feet don't touch the floor, so it usually is in the recliner mode when I am sitting/knitting. During this hot weather I find that mostly I am knitting on the 3 seater lounge, as my arms don't touch the sides and get all hot and sweaty....come on winter. What you can't see is the coffee table in front of my chair, choc a block with knitting magazines, books, needles, the jaywalker socks had a home there for their entire coming to be.


I have been knitting outside on the back and the front (heaven forbid - in full view of passersby) verandahs, I have even taken my knitting over the road to where #1 son was living and knitted on their front verandah. At this time of year it is nice to find a cool spot to knit. Our back verandah faces west so it is good in the mornings and the front facing east is great in the afternoons.

Jaywalker sock knitalong

I have finished the Jaywalker socks.


They came out pretty good, considering I had a couple of problems while knitting the second sock, I had a few bamboo needle blowouts, the first one just kind of broke, not all the way through, but enough to stop me using it, I thought I would be clever and glue it back together, but that idea was short lived when I snapped a second needle, they were the bamboo needles I couldn't get here in Australia and Cece was wonderful enough to send me a set. I think I will need to get my socks soar on two circulars book out and learn how to knit on them. I already have the circluar needles thanks to #2 son giving them to me for Christmas.

I'm Back

I am back at work today, I tried all weekend to think of a really good excuse as to why I should have the next 3 days off before Australia Day on Thursday holiday and as we are going to HOG NSW Rally this weekend I will be off also on Friday and Monday next week, well I guess 3 days the first week and 4 days the second week back at work will ease me into it again.

I am dissappointed with myself, I had been eagerly waiting to see my gift to Marti for the 1st round of matches arrive at her place, but after reading her blog this morning, it doesn't look as if it ever arrived, I am so so sorry Marti, I didn't forget you.

I had been knitting madly for Christmas, I got my dad's blanket finished Christmas eve, and then casted on for #2 son's girlfriends cotton top which was for her Christams Present, I finished it on 9 January, she was OK with that and it turned put pretty nice. The only problem with it was that it was way to long and her boobs were hanging out every which way, so I had to take drastic action and get the scissors out and cut it at the shoulders, I had used Kitchener stitch instead of seams on the shoulders, It wasn't too bad, so cut away I did, then undid the rows until I thought what would be good, took another measurement and then redid the shoulders.





I have since then knitted a baby hat, another blanket for my Aunty, as she visited my parents the day after boxing day and loved their blankets and just loves purple, so Mum asked me if I would knit one for her to give to her sister for her birthday, which isn't till September, but seeing as we had so much rain during my holidays, I got it done. I also finished my sock knitalong,

For Christmas my boys both gave me knitting items, #1 son and girlfriend gave me a lovely hard cover book with 25 cushion patterns, and #2 son and girlfriend gave me two pairs of circular needles for socks.

#1 son and girlfriend have now moved from her dad's across the road, I miss them already, they are only in Mangerton (Wollongong suburb) with her mum and step dad, they are all self contained now in their own 2 storey granning flat.

Miss Purl (Danielle) send me some beautiful stitch markers and a lovely card by her favourite artist, thanks so much they will come in so handy.


I knitted some fingerless gloves for Shannon as she suffers from cold hands, I hope they make it to you while the weather is still cold.



I read the book on Tasha Tudor, what an amazing women, to be living today but in the style of the late 1800's, she does just about everything, from knitting, spinning, weaving her own material, candle making and all in her house built in the 1980's (I think), but in the 1800's style home, fuel stoves and all, wouldn't that be lovely in winter time.


It's my Mum's birthday today, she is 68, I had better remember to ring her tonight. She had her left elbow operated on last friday, which she says feels much better now, it will just slow her up for a few weeks, so no golf, lawn bowls or much else for now.

I had so much to say, I should have written it all down, but this is probably enough for now.

Merry Christmas

I am so tired, my inlaws arrived at our place this morning at 6am to give Christmas presents, I was in a deep sleep dreaming away, when I was startled by DH jumping up saying shit....there here. Now at 8.31am I am at my desk and wishing I could go back to sleep. My FIL is having lung surgery tomorrow for lung cancer, he is looking great, so all should go well, his hospital stay will be about 10 days, bummer being a few days before Christmas, but you take a bed when it is offered, and with cancer you don't need to delay it any longer than necessary.

The inlaws seemed to like their blankets I knitted them, I am coming up to half way on Dad's blanket, only 4 more nights knitting and two of those we will be out, boy oh boy I need more time, maybe I will have it done by the time Mum and Dad are leaving our place on Christmas Day, but with temperatures expected in the high 30's, maybe not.


I got a lovely gift from Shannon this week, a CD of Christmas Carols and a lovely card, I am getting a new CD player for Christmas so guess what will be the first CD to play, thanks so much Shannon.

Yesterday I got a gift from Sharon, a lovely handmade stocking with my initial on it, a Caramello Bear, it was yummy! A Koala crossing fridge magnet, some candy canes, a lovely card, and a family newsletter, I will read it soon I promise, just a bit busy at the moment, I did look at the photos on it though.

I finished the Felted Wine Sock for my boss, and the scarf I did earlier for a Manager in my department, I gave it to her this morning, she loved it. Thanks Sharon for sending me your copy of Yarn magazine with the pattern for me to borrow, but I had already got a copy, I will send your copy back soon, thanks again for the lovely gesture, do you know what, it arrived on Sunday, a knock at the door, DH answered, a lady handed over the parcel, and we don't have weekend delivery only usually letters by the postie on a Saturday during Christmas seaon, and I don't think we have had any of those this year in Kiama.














Only two more working days then off for over 4weeks...yahoo.

Marti I hope your parcel arrives soon (you will get two now, the original match parcel and just a small Christmas parcel), I was hoping it would before I finished work tomorrow, so I would know you got it OK. I will try to get on the internet at #1 son's and check while I am on holidays, well before he moves from across the road, they are going to move in with her mother and step dad who have bought a house in Wollongong with a granny flat out the back, so they will have a bit more privacy and be closer to work, but I will miss them, #1 son is going to miss being at his father inlaws, he loves it there, and he will certainly miss his swim in the river and walk on the beach each day, but they will have a swimming pool in the backyard and the beaches will only a 5 minute drive.

I wish you all a very happy christmas and a great New Year, and I will catch up with you all in the new year. I hope to see alot of white Christmas photos on blogs, it just looks so lovely.

Cece, I forgot to take my knitting place, I was walking around with the camera this morning thinking that there was something else to take, but I couldn't remember, and as usually I just remembered now while typing this.

Have a great Christmas.

I'm so lucky....lucky, lucky

Wow, I have been so spoilt this week, I received a beautiful little angel for the christmas tree, the tree went up last night while I was out with the girls from work having dinner, so I put the angel on the tree this morning and took a few pictures.

I think I need to have a bit more light, this is taken from the other side of the room, the tree has been put up downstairs in the rumpus room, which #2 son and girlfriend use as their loungeroom.






This one shows the boxes from where the decorations are kept, now just to get them packed back away till after Christmas.














I received my Tribe gift from Lisa yesterday, thank you so much, I really have to learn to spin now, I think I have everything I need, but a bit of knowledge would be advantageous. I got some beautifully coloured rovings to spin (help), some lovely stitch markers, a CHOCOLATE Yummy! I am taking it to work to have during the day (well as long as it will last once opened) and some garden soap, now Lisa I know I said I have a lot of gardening to do, now I will have to get a move on and do it, and this soap will be so good to wash up with, thank you so much for the lovely gifts, you really did give me things I like.



Aren't they just great colours together, I wish I had great colour sense, to put colours like this together.







DH took this picture of me on Saturday night we were ready to go to the HOG christmas party.

All the Aussie tribe members little gift for christmas have been posted so hopefully they will receive them this week.

And finally, but still not finished this is how much I have done with Lucky for my #1 daughter in-law (no they are not married, but have lived together for nearly 5 years so I class her as my daughter in-law), her birthday was Monday and her party this Saturday, I have plans to get it finished tonight.

Christmas Knitting still to get done, Dad's blanket, then I have to find some wool that will felt well and make two felt wine socks, so I guess my cotton top and the one for #2 son's girlfriend (who lives at our place) will have to wait, as there are only 11 more knitting nights left and we have some nights out in that, and I don't finish work for my holidays until Thursday 22 December.

I love Mail...

I received a parcel from Cece yesterday, she made me a lovely dark purple booga bag, a skein of knitpicks...yes knitpicks dye your own yarn, and some lovely note cards with a knitter on the front, she really knows how to make someone's day, I needed some things to bring a smile to my face.














My recent ebay finds are a box of blue and white cotton, a spinning book, and wool gathering book (see previous post).














This is some of the knitting things I did on the weekend, the first colour on dad's blanket for his christmas present and 6 more rows on Jaywalker. I did get a couple more tribe pressies done last night, but I can't show photo's just yet, I am hoping that I can get them all to my tribe members for christmas day, that way every time we us it on Christmas Day we can think of each.




I also got the book Millinery Knitting by Annie Modesitt.

How'd I do.....

I didn't get too much done on the weekend, I did get half of my tribe christmas gifts done, I will post the USA ones on Thursday (I have to wait until pay day), I did manage to get out and shop for an outfit for my DIL party, I did get a bit down with the whole thing, the shops seem to have all the same things which didn't suit my shape, I ended up at a shop which has some very nice classic style ladies wear, I have a couple of their outfits for good wear. I really like the dress, #1 son and DIL aren't too sure, but I told them I like it and feel comfortable in it. I then tried to get some shoes to go with the dress, I want some nice summer strappy shoes, well my fat little feet don't fit nice strappy shoes....BIG BUGGER. I do have some court shoes with a bit of a heel that will go with them, will look around here at lunchtime this week for shoes.

To top it off while in dress shop, I spotted some really nice 3/4 length denim shorts for $89, tried them on, well I am short remember, they were a perfect jeans length, so I didn't get them, then while walking up the street towards the local spotlight store, I came across the Red Cross Second Hand store, well they had a brand new pair of Katies brand denim 3/4 length denim shorts for $10, and in my size - bargain of the day mate.

I only got through the first colour of dad's blanket not a full repeat let along 4 repeats of the pattern (which consists of 2 colour bands as in other blankets), what else did I do, oh yeah, I did manage to clean the bathrooms, YUK!.

I did wash all of Ruby's blankets and packed some away now that the weather is warming, how hot is it going to get today - expecting 30 degrees, I hope it doesn't get that hot. #2 son bathed Ruby yesterday.

Our friends came over on Sunday we had a great afternoon, we ended up going down to the golfie for the meat raffle, we won another 1/2 ham, which we opened last night. Our friend won a turkey breast (already cooked), she also won $30 on a poker machine, put a couple of dollars in the machine next to win and got another $80, then moved to another won with a couple more dollars and won $50, she is so arsie, anyway she ended up shouting dinner, so we ended up there until nearly 10pm, we were the last lot in the club - and their photos of their wedding in Bali are absolutely gorgeous.

I received another ebay win on Friday, it is a book on spinning, weaving and dyeing, with another called Wool Gathering which is similar. I had a quick read, and can't wait until I learn to spin. Maybe in the holidays I will have a practice.

I even did six more rows on Jaywalker KAL.

I will post some pictures later of what I have been doing.

Another Christmas Present done

Mum's blanket for Christmas is off the needles. I just need to sew in the ends and it will be done. I have done 4 rows on Dad's blanket, no pictures yet.














And a close up of pattern














This is how much I have done on Jaywalker, it isn't a very clear picture, maybe next week I shall have a better one.














This weekend I hope to:
Get my Tribe members Christmas giftie done (well maybe the overseas ones)
Do atleast 4 repeats on Dad's blanket
Clean all the bathrooms (3) I hate that (thank goodness for Enjoi)
A few more rows on Jaywalker, so I can get a decend picture, like everyone else's lovely jaywalker socks.

I have to go shopping tomorrow and find something to wear to Seanna's 21st Party.

I would like to finish painting the bulkheads around the kitchen (12 months since the new kitchen went in - I want it done before Christmas)

I would like to paint above #2 son built in wardrobes (same as kitchen)

I would like to weed a small side garden and plant the Lavender I bought the other week before it dies in the pots.

We are having friends over Sunday arvo to show us their wedding photos in Bali in September, we had to cancel, which I am glad about now as it was when the bombs went off for the second time.

Wash Ruby's blankets from her kennel

And the list should end here as my weekend is only two days, not the 10 days I would need or like to have to do the above list.

I need to clean the outside windows (well the ones I can reach), I would have to do them with a bucket of water as we aren't allowed to use the hose to wash down any hard surfaces or vehicle, we have had these water restrictions for over 12 months now with no end in sight, I also want to wash all the floors (we don't have any carpet anywhere in the house, except for a carpet mat in #2 son's bedroom, but this may have to wait.

I will update with what I achieved next week. Wish me luck

I hope everyone is healthy and happy.

Talking of happy, my #1 son had a new drug this week for Crohns, he will need to have it every 8 weeks, it takes about 4 hours on the drip in hospital while being monitored, and it costs $4,000 a go, I am so glad our public hospital system is good at the moment as he doesn't have to pay, his specialist is the head of gastroenterology (Spelling ????) at the hospital, although the hospital system does seem to lack in some areas. So far he hasn't shown any side effect signs, and I hope that it works for him, as it doesn't suit everyone with Crohns.

I would really love to sit down outside with my knitting and a nice cold bourbon and coke, but I need to get to work. Thank God it's Friday.....Yippee