Tofutsie socks

One pair down and the second limited edition colour to start. The third limited edition colour will arrive in december I think, so I am doing some other knitting first before I cast on for the second pair.

I wore the first pair yesterday with my bike boots, they were very comfortable. At first I knitted the first sock fairly short as I didn't know how far this yarn would go, then when the second sock got to the same length it was very obvious that I had heaps of yarn over so I did another 5 pattern repeats (20 rows) then did the rib at the top. I then had to undo the ribbing on top of the first sock and knit 5 more pattern repeats, then the rib again and then I was finished. They are now hanging on the line drying.

The second limited edition colour is a nice green with black and white twisted through it.

The Hemlock throw is getting alot of knitters in, it is really a lovely pattern in the thicker yarn. I haven't got any that thick (probably same as our 10ply). I have 10 balls of 8ply pure wool, which I have cast on and up to about row 40 something. I will need a longer circular needle very soon, so I have emailed Donni to ask her to order me a knit picks circular so I will be able to keep going with the lovely blanket.

Busy, busy, busy

I started my tofutsie sock on 9 September, and also still working on the baby jumper which just needs sewing up now. I finished my first sock last night and have been sitting here in front of the computer with the turkish cast-on tutorial in front of me and I have now cast on the second sock. See that bit hanging off there, this was the second bit like it in this ball of tofutsie sock yarn, and for around $25 AU I am not happy, it is really annoying when you get joins in the middle of a ball, but to have a bit hanging off is worse.

I haven't been doing much knitting the last two weeks, firstly Ruby wasn't feeling very well and #1 son noticed she had vomited and a bee was in it, he rang me at work and then kept a close eye on her for a while, she was just laying around, he put her inside with him and rang the vet, we meet there and when he looked down her throat, there is was, the bee sting, still in her throat, he got it out, gave her a needle and sent her home, I must add, that the whole time at the vet, after she dragged me across the road to the surgery, she wagged her tail, she only ever goes to the vet for her yearly needles and she loves going. Which made it really easy seeing as she was in pain.

Secondly #1 son and fiance had a party for their engagement and farewell combined, they have gone to Queenslands Gold Coast to look for work, they took 4 weeks holiday from their jobs down here and are hoping to get work while there and then just come home to collect their furniture etc and move their permanently. You can't see it but I am smiling, real big smiles. After 27 years or so looking after the boys and then the girlfriends move in, then #1 moves out for 7 years, then back last year, we are so looking forward to having our own lives back, well as much as parents can whether the kids are at home or not. It has been 4 nights so far, just starting to get use to them not walking through the door at any time. We just have to work around Ruby now.

We went to the 2008 Harley Davidson unveiling the other night, and I got to sit on the exact same bike I am getting, it had only arrived at the shop that morning, so it was great to see how it fitted me or I fitted it. As I am height impaired, it will need a bit of adjusting, down towards the ground a bit. But no drama, it felt pretty good, and will be even better when mine arrives and has all the lowering done and louder pipes fitted. Apparently my bike is in transit, and looks like being here by first week in December.

And some great news came our way on tuesday, we still keep in touch with our previous neighbours (they are older and retired), and we still keep in with lotto with them, well it finally paid off last saturday in lotto. We are sharing 2nd division of $12,720.60, so that is over $6,000 for my bike, I didn't need all of that, but will cover the insurance too now. I am now working on our savings plan for our trip to America in July 2009, I know it is a way off yet, but it will be here before we know it.

I wanna be a Rock Star

This was taken from Rox's blog. It makes fun reading.

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) - Flint Excel
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) - Bubblegum Shortbread Cream
3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) - A Phi
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) -Blue Dog
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) -Therese Wollongong
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) -Phian
7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink) -The Fire Engine
8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) - John Allan.
9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy) - So Mustick
10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ) - Joan John
11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) - (my 5th grade teacher was a Nun) Regina Rome (it doesn't need to be my country does it?)
12. SPY NAME/BOND GIRL: (your favorite season/holiday, flower) - Autumn Rose
13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”) -Strawberry pyjamasy
14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree) -Muesli Jacaranda
15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”) -The Knitting Storm Tour

September Knit Picks Options Contest

Mogs Blog is hosting a competition during September.

The September Knit Picks Options Contest

Go on over and check it out. You may just be a winner.

The Ecoyarns Sock Club

I joined up for Ecoyarns Tofutsies sock club. There is a new yarn every two months with a new pattern. I received my first ball of yarn with the pattern to knit on Monday, I only signed up last Thursday. There is a yahoo group where the sock designers hang out, which will be handy for any support needed with a pattern. In total there are 6 yarns and patterns. The sock club is open to 10 people only and as of 21 September it is now closed. I could have been the last to join after reading about it on fitknits blog.

I read through the pattern last night, not something I would usually do, but after some mishaps because I don't read a pattern first I thought I would. A turkish cast on - help.... I will have to google that one. The first pattern is a toe up, never done that..... first time for everything I guess and on size one circular's , well back to shopping for those, the ones I have used in the past are size 2.25mm.

I will post a picture of yarn and pattern soon. Here is some info about the yarn from the ecoyarns site.

TOFUTSIES
ToFutsies is our NEW Sock yarn. Not meant only for socks, it is a soft 4 ply yarn with an unusual content. 50% superwash wool, 25% SOYSILK, 22.5% Cotton and 2.5% CHITIN. It is interchangeable with many of the current sock yarns available now eg OPAL, Lana Grossa etc. Chitin is made from crab and shrimp shells and is a poly saccharide found in nature and fully biodegradable. It is perfectly suited to socks as it has anti odour, anti bacterial and wound healing properties.

I did a bit more knitting on the baby jumper in Shepherd yarn - well I have forgot the name, I will check that out later and let you know. No I just remembered, Pipkin, nice yarn, I am finding it a bit slow on knitting stitches it seems to stick a bit on the needles and it can break apart a bit so you get a single thread sitting there, of, just knit that with the next stitch, afterall it is only in stocking stitch, not noticeable and it is on 6mm needles. It does however knit up quick being a bit on the chuncky side, say around a thick 8ply or so.

Reflections

Life's Tide - go read the post by Mog's Blog, I couldn't have said it any better about our "every other tuesday" knitting group.

We are just like the book "The Friday Night Knitting Club". It could be us, who knows. Women from different walks of life, women who met because they knit. Women who may have never met if they didn't knit. But we did. And it is so wonderful.

So pop on over and read the post on 19/09/2007 "Life's Tide" and see for yourself about us.

More family news, my eldest son and his girlfriend got engaged last thursday. So both boys now engaged. Youngest son and fiance moved into their first place together (besides here). They are loving Western Australia, they are so excited, they have been out buying all the stuff you need to set up house. I can't wait to visit them, but probably not until the new year.

The eldest son and his fiance are moving to Queensland in a couple of weeks to look for work and somewhere to live. I really hope it works out for them up there. At least the are in a full on days drive, where the other one is a 5 hour plane trip or 4 day drive.

This week I am a year older (15 September), not sure if wiser, but older. Not too old though.

My new bike is one day closer to arriving, I guess that is good. Hopefully it will get here close to christmas so I will have all the money saved. Everytime I see a picture of it I get excited. It is a new model so I haven't actually seen it in person, well not many in Australia have only those who were at bike week in QLD last month. Here's a picture so you know why I am excited about getting my new bike. Harley Davidson 2008 Dyna Fat Bob.

Child Soldiers

I am slowly making progress on the tank top, I should get up to the armholes tonight.

I watched a documentary on dvd this morning that a friend loaned me. It is called "Invisible Children" it was made by 3 american boys who went to Sudan to see what the truth was, as they all agreed that the media portrays to the world what we believe the world to be, which probably is very true. We only know of what the media and the government tells us, unless we have seen things in life with or own eyes.

It is a very eye opening story of the children of Northern Uganda in Africa, and how the rebel army (LRA- Lord's Resistance Army) take children between 5 years and 12 years and teach them to kill, they scare these children into killing by making them watch as the rebels mutilate and kill other children. (In my opinion anyone who goes under the name of the lord is rotten to start with).

The War Affected Children of Northern Uganda:
CHILD SOLDIERS
Since 1987 rebel leader, Joseph Kony, has reigned with terror over Gulu (which means ‘heaven’), in Northern Uganda. In the name of the Lord, he has been fulfilling a ‘religious mandate’ to overthrow the Ugandan government under the guise of the 10 Commandments.
For 20 years he has led the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) on a spiritual crusade of murder, mutilation, abduction and destruction of whole communities. Unimaginable atrocities have been inflicted on a whole generation of innocent children.

Child Soldiers
More than 30,000 children have been stolen from their homes to join the LRA, where they are brainwashed and forced to serve as a part of the militia. These children, some as young as 8 years, are forced to join in on the horrific acts that destruct their own families and communities. In addition to being beaten and raped, these children also have to participate in the killing of the children who try to escape from the LRA.
Often little girls are sold as sex slaves to warlords, traded or even given as gifts for arms. Alarmingly, children make up over 80% of the LRA.

The above is taken from the Watoto website:

What would we do if this was in our own country or our children? A group of 6 women from my town are trying to raise $36,000 to build a group home with a home mother to put some of these children in some care and schooling through 'the Mission of Watoto'. I will list their website next week as I have it on my work email. One of these women use to work with me and her husband still does. The group have a stall at the Kiama Produce Markets on the 4th saturday of the month, they sell cakes and slices which people can help by making some for the stall or by going along and buying them. They will be holding a night in october with an auction and band to raise funds. Go check out the Invisible Children and the Watoto websites.

I am not sure that they would need knitting done for them as the day temperatures can reach 150. You might know of a group helping these people that you may be able to help. Maybe by just telling people around the world about this and then maybe somehow our governments might stand up and take a look at this situtation and try to give a big helping hand. Every day we hear about the atrocities in Iraq and Israel, but do we ever hear about the atrocities in Northern Uganda, I know I don't.

Ruby hadn't eaten her food early this morning, so I threw it on the grass as she will usually go and eat it then. But she didn't and a big black crow came flying over, I was hanging clothes on the line and looked to see where it went, but couldn't see in front of the garage, then Ruby came down beside me looking back up the yard towards the garage, then a loud swooshing noise, and the damn crow flew off with her chicken carcass, bloody mongrel things they are. She is frightened of them and won't bark at them, she was attacked by one of them a couple of years ago around her face, so I can't blame her for not going near them. Here is a picture of her not long after she just went and sat in her kennel. She doesn't like the camera either.

Summer Cotton Top

I did get out Salt Peanuts to finish off and maybe get some wear before the weather heats up. But last week we had some really hot weather for the end of winter, I am talking shorts and t-shirts, so I looked on knitting pattern central and found some wonderful cotton tops to knit. La Dolice Vita Tank (see left). I am knitting it in Heirloom 8ply cotton in green, it is looking pretty good. I did manage to knit some more last night at "every other tuesday night knitting" with Kerry, Rae and Ailsa, but not that much, a bit hard to knit pattern, talk and laugh at the same time, yes I am a woman, but some things are a bit beyond me at times.

And what happens when you start on summer knitting, you guessed it - the weather turns cold again. Well it is only the first week of Spring and it is too early to be warm, give it a few more weeks or so then it will start to warm up and stay warm. And hopefully I will have a new top to wear when it does.

Then there were two!

SNB was great yesterday, 25 knitters turned up, it was a lovely winter's day, started out sunny, then got a bit overcast but wasn't cold.

I finished the socks in Heirloom Jigsaw 4ply tonight. Now to look for the Australian 2ply Merino Pure Wool and see if it would suit the Trellis Scarf pattern.



Look what the golfie did last night. Even though it was beautiful to watch and only about 50 metres from our backyard, the noise was incredible and so scary to Ruby, she ran inside that quick I wasn't sure it was her coming through the laundry door. She didn't settle until very late and after letting her sleep on the lounge until I went to bed and then settled her in the laundry for the night.


Today we had a really nice ride up to the southern highlands across to the national park back to the coast with some friends, can't get much better. I can't wait to get back on myown bike again. Then reality, work tomorrow. I am going to have an accrued day next friday so only four days to work this week.

A sock, a magazine and some books

The sock is finished and I will be casting on for the other sock tonight (I was going to this morning before work but decided to blog instead).

Interweave knits arrived yesterday, and it has some really nice things to knit, especially the top on the front cover, I think I will be making that sometime in the future. Well after I finish Salt Peanut and a Trellis scarf.

A few weeks back I got two more books from Amazon off my wish list. The Knitters Stash and Knitting from the Top, I have only had time to have a quick look through them, as usual with most books I get, and then put them away to be remembered a long way down the track.

It's Friday and I am happy about that, one day at work then the weekend off, just wish it was 4.30pm now as I would be getting ready to leave work, but it is only 7.10am - bugger.

SNB in Wollongong tomorrow, on my way there I have to go and do some father's day shopping for son #2, he sent some money over with a picture of what to buy his dad from the super cheap auto catalogue.

While waiting for these pictures to upload, I cast on for the other sock and did a row. I do try to do two rows of knitting before I leave for work each day, so I have better get a move on now.

Jigsaw sock

The jigsaw yarn is looking pretty nice, I think I messed up on a stripe, but to get it even I would have had to break off the yarn and re-join it again and I didn't want to do that. A few more rows to go and then the toe, then start on second sock and try to get it to stripe evenly.

Irish Hiking Scarf

Around lunchtime today I finished the Irish Hiking Scarf. It has turned out very nice. I love the cable patterns and the Cashmino yarn. They go really well together.

Yarn: Heirloom Cashmino 8ply
Needles: 4mm
Balls used: 3
Time taken to knit: 4 days


I had a look around the floor in my yarn/computer room to see what yarn jumped out at me to be knitted next, I didn't know what pattern I was going to do either. The brightness of the Heirloom Jigsaw 4 ply sock yarn was the one that yelled the loudest and you can see why. I am just doing a basic sock pattern as this yarn is self striping. Just hope I can match up the stripes on the second sock. I am knitting these on 2 circular needles.

What I did last night

Went to Golfie for dinner and the meat raffle, I won a tray of pork chops, that was good. Came home knitted more of the Irish Hiking Scarf, I am onto the second ball, this yarn is so soft to knit. I might just finish this by the end of the weekend. I am having an accrued leave day off work today, plan to clean the house (yeah right) well my intentions are good, get all the washing done, do the shopping list and go grocery shopping. I would love to get back into the front garden and finish weeding it, but I don't know about that yet. It is only 7.30 in the morning and I should probably still be in bed seeing it is my day off work, and I have already eaten breakfast.

I also need to do last months treasurers report for knitters guild meeting tomorrow. Boy time is going too damn quick, I had forgotten it was the 3rd Saturday tomorrow and forgot it was a knitting day, yahoo.

I am going to see if the first load of washing is done, the dishwashing is already going, put another load of washing in, make a cup of tea and maybe sit and do a couple of rows on the scarf. The pattern is so easy, memorised it after only a few pattern repeats and did I mention how soft the yarn is - beautiful. So far done on scarf:

Irish Hiking Scarf

I have finished 6 feathers hats for my friend. I am now knitting for myself or to stockpile for whatever may be needed in the future.

I started the Irish Hiking Scarf late last night. I am knitting it in Heirloom "Cashmino" 8ply in Black. I got it at Daisy Design's in Daisy Street, Fairy Meadow, NSW Australia.

There was one ball of "Cashmino" in the basket of yarn I won at Daisy Design's Weekend Knitters Retreat in May and I bought another 2 balls that weekend to knit the Irish Hiking Scarf. It is so soft to knit.

As you can see below Ruby is being spoilt more so since #2 son has moved to WA. DH has her inside on the lounge with him of an afternoon, and I get a bit anxious putting her outside in her kennel. She has spent alot of nights lately sleeping in the laundry.

Great news from WA, #2 son and girlfriend got engaged on 1 August 2007. They are just so happy with themselves. They rang home here that night and told us the great news. He took her to the duck pond in a local park and got down on 1 knee and proposed. He must get the romantic side of him from me.

Moving right along

I finished the jumper for Guardian Pharmacy last night.
It is knit with Cleckheaton Country Naturals in 8ply and is size 10. The pattern is from the Guardian Pharmacy booklet of patterns for this year to knit, it actually is a Panda pattern. It was so nice to knit, pure wool is so soft and warm to knit with.

I have started knitting some beanies for a friend to give to Parkinson patients at Royal North Shore Private Hospital in North Sydney when they have the brain surgery to hopefully correct some of the symptons of Parkinson and give that person a bit of quality of life for a time. When my friend had the operation she was so grateful when I brought in the hats for her as it was the only thing that gave her head comfort while resting on her pillow.

Reflections

Don't really know why I called this blog reflections, maybe that is what I am doing. I am off work again (3rd time in 9 weeks) with the damn head cold, I just can't get rid of it, I nearly do, then if comes back and bites me. The Dr. says to rest, well that ain't real hard these days, I just don't really feel like doing much at all, I have forced myself to do some knitting as I know I have a room full of yarn still. I am just about done with the size 10 jumper for Guardian Pharmacy going to Mongolia, I think when I think of how cold these people must be gives me a bit of motivation to knit.

Rough year or two I guess, and if I be honest I would have to say it has knocked the stuffing out of me and that is saying it nicely (as people who know me will know). I need to 'get a grip' as I would tell my family if they were down or not themselves. I am a firm believer in 'mind over matter', and I have been telling myself I am going to get over this cold, I will feel better, I will be excited about things in my life.

To put it a bit more in perspective, most who read this know how much I love to ride and how much I loved my harley, and how I love to ride with DH with him or ride his harley, well the news of the week is that I have put a deposit on a brand new 2008 Dyna Fat Bob, and to tell the truth, I am not in the least a bit excited about it, can't even get a smile about it. I guess when it arrives I will, well DH is hoping so.

Anyway I am on another week off Dr's orders and resting, and trying to convince myself that I am getting over this cold and being down in the dumps. Oh and I am taking mulit vitamins and mega B, hope that does something. See repeated myself, am doing a lot of forgetting things lately, I can't even remember the pin to DH bank account which I use every fortnight to take his pay out for our budget, can't for the life of me remember, we were out riding on the weekend and had to borrow money from a friend as I forget the pin, had to go to the bank and order another one, luckily it arrived today as I have to get money out of bank tomorrow to buy food.


Well now back to getting on with my life and trying to get my groove back.

Pictures to follow of jumper when I sew up the seams.

Muddling through the muck

I am still muddling through all my stash, slowly but surely, with a few excellent buys along the way, but only for things I will knit for myself, so I can justify that in my mind.

I finished a size 6 pure wool jumper for Guardian Pharmacy and here is a picture.

I have began on another for Guardian Pharmacy which all go to World Vision which are still distributing in Mongolia, which is great as it gets so cold there, I can't image that cold, let alone being without enough warm clothing if living there. I am doing a size 10 jumper in good old aussie pure wool Merino. It knits beautifully, and is so warm.

I finished my MIL's gloves with a longer cuff like she asked for. The colour is a bit darkish but she only wants them to walk to her craft group venue, so she didn't care if they were black or dark blue, so brown and blue will hopefully be good, as they aren't supposed to be a fashion statement for her, just to keep her warm. I made the ladies size and made each finger 4 rows shorter than it needed to be, they fit me fine, so they will fit her well too.

Time goes by

Wow time is really flying by these days, I have been sick with a cold that has been hanging around me for over 5 weeks.

My youngest son and his girlfriend have left home and gone across the country to Western Australia to live as he has a job there, she is doing a trial shift at a local tavern near where they are staying and will live for a couple of years. They are staying with my husband's cousin and his wife until they get on their feet. Our son knows them well as he spent a lot of time with the cousins and children before the 3 cousins and spouses moved to WA. He started his job yesterday, they are near the beach, his job is on the coast at the water, so it will be just like home for them. He rings every night for a chat, he is missing us and especially Ruby, his dog, but we are spoiling her as she is starting to realise he isn't around. They are the two on the left of the picture with green top and a white top on, me in the middle and eldest son and his girlfriend on left, DH had to work.

Some photos of them leaving on a jet plane (jumbo jet).

I have been knitting for guardian pharmacy for charity which I will post next time. I have a day off work today, I have to catch up on washing (it has been raining for weeks now, except for the weekend, but with going to the airport and then away for the rest of the weekend I haven't caught up with it all), and to still organise the house as older son and his girlfriend are moving back home to save a bit, they want to move to Queensland. So DH and I will be stuck in the middle I guess, well closer to QLD than WA.

Salt Peanuts Cardigan

I finished the back of the cardigan, I am worried about running out of yarn. I used 3 balls on the back. It is 'the homeground collection' of dye free alpaca 8ply in Camel colour - dyelot 14543. I will have to try and chase some up. I got it from Donni so when I see her next I will have to remember to ask her if she can get more.

For Just Jussi, I wore the socks she gifted me, and now that she is back in NZ, she couldn't be with us girls from Wollongong SNB for the Knitting Retreat, so I wore the socks she gave me so we would know she was with us in spirit. I was still working on the blanket which I sat up (outside in the cold) with Ailsa until I finished it on Friday night (saturday morning 1am). Photo of socks taken by Tianne.

I ordered two books from Amazon not even two weeks ago and they arrived yesterday, #2son collected them from the Post Office today. The first book is Lace Style, it has so many beautiful lace designs to knit, and the second book is Artic Lace, which has the history of the Artic area, about the people and the knitting, it is going to be a great read along with some wonderful patterns.

CR & K Daisy Designs Knitting Retreat

Our LYS held it's first Knitting Retreat over the weekend at Mt Keira Scout Camp. It was wonderful, arrive Friday afternoon, make bed, get settled in, dinner at 6pm, knitting until around midnight, then Ailsa and I sat outside in the a bit too cold for doing that weather, and knitted until around 1am. I wanted to finish #2 son's blanket and I did. (Picture of The Lodge).

Saturday up early to a big cooked breakfast, and up to the lodge for more knitting and workshops. I cast on for Salt Peanuts from Interweave Knits Spring 2004 magazine. It said to knit with 6.5mm needles and as I never have a problem with tension I did just that. I am using an Alpaca yarn, which is not the recommended yarn, and I knitted away for most of the day, I got up to where I should have just finished decreasing for back shaping and knit straight until 29cm, I was already at 33cm and had only just finished the decreases, so how was I going to increase too far past the mark, well

the only thing to do is rip it all back to nothing, so I did.

(Picture inside the Lodge by the fireplace)

After swatching, about 3 times, I settled on size 4.5mm needles which I had to borrow off Tianne, thanks so much. So I got back to where I was on Saturday afternoon by the time I left to go home after lunch on Sunday, I knitted a bit more tonight and I have done the armhole decreases and now I am on the straight 25cm bit of the armhole. I just hope I have enough yarn, it takes 15 balls of 66m where my yarn is 100m and 10 balls. Hope it works out. (Picture looking from lodge to our Chalet's Kitchen and Dining Room). More about camp and pictures of knitting in my next post.