Mother's Day Scarf is off the needles...

and is blocking as I write. It is a couple of days after mothers day, but as I have been sick all through the weekend and still very sick with a bad head cold I took the extra time for finishing it.

I didn't get to see my Mum for mothers day as I was sick and don't want to spread my cold around, I am struggling with it so my mum really doesn't need it. I will try to see her over the weekend coming before her and dad go travelling around the countryside for winter.

Pattern: Luscious Lace Scarf by Knitting Pixie Design
Yarn: Flinders Island Fleece Pure Merino 2ply
Needles: Addi Turbo 2.5mm circular
Time: approx. 2weeks.
The pattern is a lace weight which must be around a 4ply and knitted on 3.25mm. I used a 2ply with 2.5mm needles and cast on the same as per pattern and knitted 30 repeats instead of the stated 15 repeats, as it wasn't long enough at 15 repeats. 30 repeats maybe a bit too long as when blocked it is 6ft long.
I have for a while now wanted time to be home to catch up on some things, but the only time I can get time off at home is when I am sick and we all know that it is impossible to do much if anything while sick. I have been pushing myself though, in between resting, coughing, blowing my nose, sipping hot lemon and honey etc etc.

I got out the book Socks from the toe up and managed to turn the heel on one circular needle, not that the instructions were for one needle, but I managed it and I am now on the leg length.

Now that I have worn myself out by doing this post, I am heading back to the lounge for some more much needed rest and a hot lemon and honey drink.

What a wonderful weekend

The weather was just great for riding down the coast.... a whole 823.5ks rode on the weekend, and yes my wrists are sore, that is probably more from all the knitting I have been doing than the riding.

I love the ride down through Ulladulla, Bateman's Bay, Cobargo, then over Browns Mtn through Bemboka, Nimmitabell and Cooma, it was 14 degrees when we arrived just before 4pm. We had a two hour 'happy hour', beer, wine, bubbly, nibblies and then shower ready for dinner at the Ex-servicemen's club Cooma.

Sunday morning it was a crisp 3 degrees when we walked to the main street to have breakfast, it was nice as the sun was shining, with the fog hanging about the hills, the autumn leaves so thick on the main street and I love the mosaic pictures at the roundabout on the park, I forgot to take the camera to breakfast so no photos. The mosaic pictures remind me of the chalk drawings on the pavement in the Mary Poppins movie.

We then rode to Canberra through thick wet fog, which was from just out of Cooma's main street to Bredbo, then the sun shone. We rode to the War Memorial, had a very quick walk through some of the memorial, had morning tea then back on the bikes to ride to Gunning for lunch via Gundaroo, what a nice old, old town Gundaroo is, it has very nice and very old buildings, the pub looked so nice (and old). Gunning is where my dad was born, he lived in Wollongong in his teen age years and he and mum are still in the Illawarra in our family home. Some had lunch at the pub and some of us had lunch at the Merino Cafe, I have been there before with DH and it is very nice. There are some old shops with old things in them, a nice little gift type of shop and some cafes which were open today (sunday). I love the autumn colours and the main street of Gunning was spectacular, with yellows through to ruby reds, the leaves are just amazing. I love autumn. We rode the old Hume Highway back through Breadalbane to the now Hume Highway which was a nice but bumpy ride. It was nice with all the leaves over the road and as we rode through they seem to dance and tumble all over the road. I guess being the old road it doesn't have much traffic we passed 2 cars on the way and it is about 33ks from Gunning back to the highway.

Top photos: left - DH behind his bike. right - my bike.
Middle photos: left - Australia's White House (Parliament House old (in front) and new(at rear)where all those big children play. - A tree in Gunning's main street
Bottom photos: left - Tree's main street Gunning. right - DH laying in gutter fixing my loose pipes (main street Gunning) - gotta love him.

I haven't done any knitting since thursday night, and not sure if I will be awake long enough to do any tonight, I am pretty tired.

I have some photo's of some of the places we were today along with the socks I learnt to knit on 1 circular needle last weekend and a scarf I am hoping to finish for my Mum for Mothers Day it is the Luscious Lace Scarf and I am using the 2ply Merino I bought a few years back at a Knitters Guild camp. It is a Tasmanian Merino of which the company now operate out of Canberra (Canbra) and I can't remember the name.

Blogger is not playing nice and won't upload my photos, so I will try later to get uploaded.

Easy Riding...

I am sitting here reading blogs of the people I knit with, whether that is often of once a year, I have them listed on the SNB site: www:stitchnbitchwollongong.blogspot.com so it is easy to check who has updated and I can see what people are doing.

I have been getting my ipod ready for the ride tomorrow and now sitting here listening to born on the bayou (??spelling) (now that is hinting at my age), I love this music. I should be going to bed and getting a good night sleep, but I never seem to be able to the night before going away.

DH is in bed, Ruby (dog) is on the lounge asleep under her blanket, she gets spoilt in cooler weather and before we go away as she has to look after herself overnight and outside.

I have all my warmer clothes ready to go, the unflattering dry rider pants and jacket, as it will be damn cold riding down the coast then over Brown Mtn to Cooma. We ride back via Canberra and this year a bit out of our way to have lunch at Gunning (my dad was born there - not why we are going there sunday though), then ride the old road home through Breadalbane, Goulburn, Robertson and then down my favourtie riding mountain Macquarie Pass. There will be about 35 of us and we always have a great time together. I will get photos and put some up here.

Listening to my favourite of all favourite bands INXS. This is my riding music so I had better turn it off before it is out of battery and I really need to go and get some sleep. Well just after this song - Bitter Tears.

A camping we shall go, hi ho the merryo a camping we shall go.....

well knitting retreat we shall go.
It was a great weekend being the 4th knitting retreat held and the 4th I have attended. Arriving just before dark on Friday afternoon, to an already nearly full lodge with people knitting, chatting, and looking at all the lovely yarn on offer.

This has been the most enjoyable of all the knitting retreats, and I have enjoyed each and everyone, but this year was so much better. A great mix of like minded people, of all ages and from varying background and occupations. It is wonderful that so many people can be together for 2 1/2 days and enjoy everything happening on the weekend.

People are so keen to talk to others about what they are doing themselves or what the other person is doing, some enjoyed dyeing yarn on the saturday, some enjoyed sitting outside in the beautiful autumn weather in a beautiful location. Everyone enjoyed talking, knitting, eating and getting to know a little about one another. You could sit and knit while chatting or just sit and knit, no-one minds if you are silent for a while.

We had a great theme night with dressing up in op-shop formal, it was so good that I didn't even notice while eating dinner on the saturday night that the table runners were old newspapers, I did notice that at breakfast sunday morning. I think I was so busy taking in all the different outfits that the newspaper went un-noticed. The trivia was one by "anyone who is anyone"??? and an enjoyable time we all had during trivia.

It is great that we have such dedicated people who own our local yarn store CR & K Daisy Designs, Daisy Street, Fairy Meadow (NSW), who each year have put on such a wonderful knitting retreat.

Many new friends were made and old ones enhanced. Shades of Grey, Bellsknits and a room of my own have written very nicely about our wondeful weekend and have some great photos. I did take my camera, I didn't take any photos. Too busy have a great time I guess.

I learnt something new also, for a very long time I have wanted to learn how to knit socks on one circular needle, I usually use two circulars. And thank you so much to Kylie, Jodie and Fiona for showing me how to do the cast on, invisible increases (grandmother and great grandmother), and knitting the socks on one circular.

And that is what it is all about, people getting together enjoying each others company, knitting, showing people how to learn new things, and having a good laugh, chatting, and the anticipation of the next knitting retreat.

Jumper all done....

and I am very happy with the way it turned out, just hope it fits OK. I will know next weekend when we visit.

I am going to have to rinse it as I must not have rinsed the yarn enough when dyeing as the darker border yarn did turn my fingers purple while knitting. I just have to remember if I use vinegar in the rinse to stop it from running. I did the 6 - 12 month sizes in number of stitches but the 1 - 2 year size in the lengths.

I have started a plain stocking stitch cardigan for my self from stash (not old stash) in Country Silk in the dark grey colour, it will go with most or any colour I wear. It is coming along nicely, at first I thought this plain knitting isn't growing very quickly but after 2 days since starting it I am just past the armhole cast off on the back, so not too bad. Although I am finding that all this plain knitting is making my wrists ache, not sure why that would be, maybe that few seconds longer for pattern stitches is enough rest for the wrists while knitting.

Had a great Easter away with DH and friends, 5 days away from home is a pretty good break from normal everyday stuff and it was nice and green, so nice to see they are getting some rain out south west.

Next weekend we will be visiting #1 son, daughter-in-law and grand-daughter, we can't wait until Thursday after work when we fly up there.

The beanies were really well received at the place I sent them, they were in their own words "blown away" by the beanies made with such care and love. They like the fact that there were different patterns, colours etc used as the homeless are individuals like us, and as they said it is the small things that matter. So you know me, even though I have a hectic knitting plan this year, I am thinking of different patterned beanies I can make and send in the near future. I will keep to my knitting plan too, I am a few weeks ahead of schedule with my knitting. Who knows by the end of 2010 I may be able to see the floor in my craft/computer room.

I am trying a new outlook on my housework this weekend, usually I bust myself up about doing a bit each night eg. dust monday night, clean kitchen tuesday, bathrooms wednesday, you get the idea, well it never seems to work and if I get behind, I think well there is next monday, tuesday or whatever. So now I am going to try doing all the housework on the saturday that DH is at work, I think it will work pretty well as with just the 2 of us at home now we don't seem to make much mess....well I don't make much mess...you know what DH's are like.....don't know how to close doors, toilet lids etc etc. And this new plan will leave time then just to dust over floors and tidy as I go through the week and have time to sit and relax and no more busting myself up over not feeling like doing housework each night after work.

This morning I have alreay nearly washed all the washing and hung it out, I have written all our addresses into a new address book, this time in pencil as the old one was such a mess with so many family/friends moving, changing phone numbers etc. and now updating my blog, then I will go dust and vacuum for the next lot of housework to do. Hopefully all will get done before DH gets home around 2pm and I can sit and knit. The only temptation is each time I went out to the clothes line I was tempted to pull some weeds and get stuck into getting the vegetable patch ready for winter plantings. I have to stop myself from gardening this morning until all housework done. Gee this is going to be hard for me.

Stash busting continues...

and it feels good.
I had not quite a full ball of Shepherd 3ply pink pure baby wool, so I got out the good old and I mean old (vintage) bootees book by Paragon and did the 'Fairyweb' bootees, still had wool left so I started on the 'Lullaby' bootees, when I had finished them I still had a bit of wool left, was pretty sure it wasn't enough for another pair of bootees so I did a pair of 'Pretty Pair' slippers from the same pattern book. I had some wool left but not enough to really do anything else. The 2 pairs of bootees can go towards my knitting for Albion Park Show. Gotta love stash busting especially when it is going towards show knitting. Knitting plan going well at the moment.

I started on a jumper for my grand-daughter, I am still waiting for her parents to measure her, but I don't think they have a tape measure, which I will rectify when we visit in April. I am knitting the 'Lacy Sweater' from the Zoe Mellor 'adorable knits for tots' book. Seeing as I haven't got her measurements I started to knit the 1 - 2 years (she is 20months) as I was doing the border I realised that it seemed as if it was going to be too wide, so I decided to do the 6-12months (yes she is tiny), as I was knitting up the back I wasn't sure if it was going to be long enough, so I am knitting the 6-12months size in width and the 1-2years in the length. I am hoping it will fit. Time will tell in a few weeks when we see her. I am knitting it in the yarn I dyed last year at Knitters Camp (only about 5 weeks to this year's camp). It is a really nice and easy knit. I am not sure that I like the reversed stocking stitch though, it should look better on the front with the flower pattern.


The weeks are just rolling into each other with lightening speed or so it seems for me. I think it is because we plan our lives so far in advance that the days just seem to fly by. Maybe I should give away diary's, list and anything that makes time seem to just fly quickly by.

Another week goes by....

A busy and sad week in the house this week. An uncle of DH was killed in a car accident early hours of Monday morning on his way to work, he had 4 children aged 32 down to 24, they are around our boys ages, he was 61. Life sometimes is so unpredictable. And we always say we should live life to the fullest, but we forget until something like this happens.

The day after I had my 'every other Tuesday knitting group', I love this time of an evening knitting with some really special people. I decided even though it was a sad time that I was going to celebrate and I took along a bottle of champagne, nice champagne by Brown Brothers, Zibibo Rose, just beautiful. They asked what we are celebrating, I said I wish I could tell you I have won lotto, but I haven't yet, I said we are celebrating breathing and being alive. We toasted to breathing, living, friends, good times, bad times, knitting and whatever else life is made up of. It was a good night. We drank it early in the night so we were OK to drive home a couple of hours later.

I organised today (friday) off as DH is off this weekend (3 days), we were going to go for a ride for lunch today, but then he had to work today, Oh well there are other days to ride. We have the funeral tomorrow and then we are going up to stay with #2 son Tim and Abby for the weekend. Tim will finish work around 5pm so we shall be there by the time he gets home.

On the knitting front this week, it has been a bit slow, didn't feel like doing any or anything on Monday, but I did manage to finish last night another pair of 8ply socks for the Aussie Troops in Afghanistan and I have started on a pair of pink bootees, the bootess can go towards the Albion Park Show knitting for 2011 and it is another stash buster. All my knitting of late is stash busting except for the Indian Summer knitting.


Last Saturday I did some sewing, I did the aprons for myself and Aahliyah. I had enough for 3 aprons, I originally was doing 2 for me and 1 for Aahliyah of the leftovers. I decided that I would give one to Kristen, then thought well if I give one to Kristen then I will give one to Abby, so we now all have 1 apron each. I will give Abby hers on the weekend and Kristen and Aahliyah their aprons when we fly up there in 4 weeks.


I took a picture of a Rose from my garden, I have about 25 or so rose bushes they all have a beautiful smell to them, so I do smell the roses each day they are out.

Halley's Comet Hat's

It's friday, and you gotta be happy about that - I am even more happier as I am having the day off work (accrued leave - can have 2 days each month - YAHOO! - and I do try to). DH is at work, next friday he will be home and then every other second friday I will be having off with him till the end of year except for 3, which will be great, we can probably go for a ride and have lunch in some nice places. He gets every 2nd friday, saturday, sunday off. Sometimes my work commitments don't allow the same day off together. I dyed my hair, a bit darker than normal, and wouldn't you know it, while my hair is looking - well you know how it would have been looking, the doorbell rings and it's the postal delivery guy, damn I hate that, but anyway I made his day by having to answer the door and sign for the delivery. He will probably appreciate whoever else he sees today a bit better after seeing me so scary looking.

I found a nice hat/beanie pattern called Halley's Comet Hat on Ravelry, it knits very nice. I have done 2 for the homeless bringing my total to 10. I have about 40 other beanies that 2 other women have knitted as well.

This week I also knit a baby beanie to go with a jumper for a christening. Knitted in Big Baby from stash, gotta love this stash busting.

Just as I though I had a grip on my stash busting, Donyale emailed me and asked if I wanted yarn she is re-homing, and naturally I said yes. The other weekend I called around to her place and collected a big, I mean big plastic stripe bag (you know they type I mean) full of lovely yarns, knitting needles (which some I have made use of this week)which I will be using for more charity knitting throughout the year. Thanks so much.

I made a very big list of what I intend to knit this year, I even put in what dates I would start and finish each item - pretty stupid I know, but I am a head of schedule at the moment. I am going to have a go at putting the list in my side bar. Maybe that will keep me on track.

I have on ongoing project of knitting a blanket with all my left over sock yarn, I have wanted to learn how to do the 'magic square' for sometime now, so searched for a pattern, found one, and have started a blanket. Not to bad, will look better as it grows I am guessing. The bright colour I am knitting now I have been thinking while knitting it that I would have enough to do grand-daughter a pair of socks, and there is some of the same colour in the yarn Donyale gave me, so I am sure I could still use some for the blanket too. I may have a look for a pattern for a 1 - 2 year old size this afternoon.

Bollywood is off the needles

and I am so happy to have finished it. It was a nice knit even if I did stuff it up on the very second row and didn't read the pattern properly (always a problem with me) and have 2 splines on my shawl, but it all worked out well. I did knit an extra 10 pattern repeats than what the pattern said as my plain knitting was a bit longer than intended by not doing the 2 splines, so I was only increasing 4 stitches on the increase row and not 6 stitches. I knit until near the end of the yarn then did the crochet cast off, very pretty.


I did finish another beanie the other night, just for a change of pace. I started the beanie for SNB last saturday as I wasn't sure how I would go knitting a lace pattern while trying to talk, listen, eat etc that we do at SNB, but I did pretty well at it and didn't make any mistakes and didn't need to take the beanie out and knit on it while there.


We will have a christening to go to on Easter Sunday, I found I had a knitted baby jumper just plain knitting in a varigated blue, white yarn, so I am doing a beanie to go with it, I may do some mittens and socks/bootees, but not sure yet.

Then my plan is to get onto knitting something for my grand-daugher, we are flying up to visit them in mid April and would like to have something done for her for winter. I got a pattern book by Zoe Mellor "adorable knits for tots" with some very nice things in it, so will probably do something from that book.

I have tried to contact Just Enough Faith in Sydney so we can organise to drop off the beanies for the homeless so they can give them out on their nightly food van. I haven't heard back and when I googled them, I found some stories of how the owner had been gambling the money (he had used his own money for many years to feed the homeless nightly) he had got from donations, and I don't think they are still going, the website is still there. I will have to look for another charity that will give all the beanies to the homeless in Sydney.

Bollywood Shawl & Beanies

I have now finished 7 beanies for Just Enough Faith in Sydney.


On Wednesday night I wound the skein of Knitabulous yarn from the Indian Summer Group for the Bollywood Shawl. It wound very easily, no dye on my hands, and sat down to start the shawl. With very fine yarn and 3mm needles it is going to be slow going. After 2 nights knitting I have got about 200 stitches on, I have to knit until I have 265 stitches and then the pattern begins. Maybe I will get to the pattern by Saturday at SNB.

I am having an accrued leave day today, this week I started walking in the morning early (5.45am) every second day I take Ruby for a walk with me. DH prefers to stay in bed. This morning even though it is my day off I did get up at 6am and go for a walk, came home, showered, ate breakfast outside (which I do every morning - just so relaxing), I am up to my second load of washing, I have emptied the back room wardrobe and nearly emptied the 3rd bedroom wardrobe, (putting what #1 son and family didn't take with them into 3rd bedroom wardrobe) and all our spare stuff in the back bedroom wardrobe, then will set both up as visitors rooms. I have uploaded some photos and I am now posting here and it is only 8.30am. Looks like it is going to be a very productive day.

Catching up with photos....

not that I take good photos, not sure if me, the camera or both.

The pink set is from Kiama Show, the dress won 1st place, the 3 piece set didn't get a place.

The socks are in Thorobred 8ply yarn knit, the are going to Aussie Troops in Afghanistan.

The beanies are from the yarn that DrK destashed to me, they are going to Just Enough Faith in Sydney. I have more of this lovely yarn and will be knitting some more beanies as soon as the socks are complete.

Forget to take photos

I keep forgetting to take photos of my knitting. I have made one pair of 8ply men's socks for Aussie troops in Afghanistan in a 2 x 2 rib, I knit them in Country yarn, they looked really nice, thick and warm. I made them longer than the pattern as I though that would be better, but apparently they can't show over their boots and they still have to wear their army socks over the top, so my own thoughts weren't such good ones. I am sure that they will be well worn and like anyway.

I also knitted through the week another cotton bag, a woman at work asked me if I would make her one and I said I would, so that job is out of the way. I am now on my second pair of socks for aussie troops, this time I am just doing a stocking stitch sock and to the instructions this time so they will fit how they are needed to.

I am still getting use to there being just the two of us in the house, and Ruby of course. Both boys and their families have moved, #1 son, daughter inlaw, grand-daughter have moved much further north to the NSW/QLD border near her parents who moved there last September, he has a job which he starts Monday and they found a townhouse and move there from his inlaws on Tuesday. #2 son and daughter inlaw are now back from WA and 3 hours north of home he is working with same company he was with in WA but will move to new company in March, they have just got a house and move next friday, so the house is looking a bit empty with all their worldly goods gone, I can now arrange the house the way I want to.

We have already moved our loungeroom to the back rumpus room as the air con. is there and is easy and more economical to cool/heat that area instead of 3/4 of the house just to get the main loungeroom cool/hot. I am going to sort out the other rooms and store any stuff they have left in one of the wardrobes, that way I can pack away our suitcases, blankets etc in the other room wardrobes.

We have had rain most of the past two weeks now, with a beautiful sunny day yesterday and now rain again and forecast for the next 3 days. Great knitting weather, after a bit of house work, a very small bit of house work.

Seeing as I am home along (DH at work) I am burning all my candles throughout the house, I am trying to get rid of them all as I have started to buy beeswax candles are they are healthier all round, for humans, air, and house. They are very hard to come buy here and are expensive, but I like the idea of how environmentally friendly they are and good for the air and keeping dust levels low in a house. Anything for less house work.

I will try to remember to take some photos of my knitting in future.

Kiama Show.....not happy Jan!

I put a 4ply Pink pure wool baby dress in Kiama Show which got first place. I did a 3 piece baby set (matinee jacket, bootees, bonnet) old fashioned I know but that is what the category is, it didn't get anything. It was the same pattern as the dress. As I was looking at the knitting yesterday, people were commenting on how beautiful the dress and set was.

Now for the bitch.....yeah I do it well.....and it isn't sour grapes either.

There were a couple of 3 piece sets, so I would imagine I won't be the only unhappy knitter, what came 2nd was an acrylic cardigan a headband and bootees, of which the cardigan pattern and the bootee pattern were different. I know this person from Guild. She also won the category "any other item knitted not already mentioned" which opens it up to a huge amount of different items. Well this same person won with a pair of bright yellow bed socks again acrylic yarn and to me looked machine knitted (which this person does) with multi coloured WAIT FOR IT.....'Ostrich' yarn around the top now this won first place in this huge category.......WTF were the judges thinking......who TF were the judges this year. I reckon the people who entered in these other categories and SHIT items won a few categories this year....and yes this is my opinion.....but a lot of you know my knitting too....so you know I will be fair in what I say. Now to decide whether or not I will re-join Kiama Show next year or even knit for it in 2011. That I will decide soon. As usually I would be pissed off enough to have already said I will not enter Kiama Show again....and I am true to my word.....so I will just ponder the thought for a while.

Anyway.....enough of the bitch in me.

I am off to SNB in Wollongong in a few minutes via my very very favourtie yarn store - CR&K Daisy Design in Fairy Meadow (Daisy Street), to see if they have some 3.75 addi circulars, I am now knitting the 8ply socks for our Aussie troops in Afghanistan (it gets freezing over there - I was shocked when I learnt that) and need a second pair. At the moment I am using a 3.5 and a 3.75 which there isn't much difference, the only thing is one is attached to a 1 metre length and is a bit of a pain while knitting.

I also have started to knit my left over sock yarn and I am doing it while learning the magic square to make a rug. I am not going to match squares with colours I am just going to knit until the yarn is all gone then join the next colour.

Stash busting is well under way.

I will add pictures of my show entries when I get them back tomorrow.

Show Prizes

I put 4 items in the Albion Park Show this weekend and did pretty well. I was a bit apprehensive about putting knitting in for the first time, as I felt that you had to be a long term show goer to win anything, anyway I knitted my fingers to the bones the past couple of weeks since after Christmas and started and finished a jumper for myself in Shadow Tweed, I started and finished a pair of bootees in 4ply pure wool, I started and finished a tea cosy which I totally love, I had already knitted a 3 piece baby set and I stitched it together last week.

Results were Bootees and Tea Cosy - 1st Place - $5 each; Jumper and 3 piece Baby Set - 2nd place - $3 each = $16 in total. Won't make me rich - Yet! but I do like having the certificate with 1st and 2nd written on them.

Pictures taken of my knitting while on exhibition (they are behind a cage surround so it is a bit hard to get good photos).

Show Item complete in 13 days

I have completed the jumper for myself knit for either Albion Park Show or Kiama Show. If I can pick my items up on the Monday after Albion Park Show then I will enter this jumper and other items, if not, then they will be entered in Kiama Show.

Started: Monday 28 December 2009
Finished: Sunday 10 January 2010
Patons Pattern Book "Shadow Tweed" Book 1263
Pattern: No. 13 (lucky number) Cable Yoke Sweater
Yarn: Shadow Tweed - 56% wool, 40% acrylic, 4% viscose - 133m
Colour: 6911
Needles: Addi Turbo Clicks size 7mm (pattern said 6.50mm but I didn't have any)
Amount of Yarn: 7 balls (as stated in pattern)



It was a quick knit as it is probably a 10 or 12 ply yarn, it will be a very warm jumper as it was terribly hot while knitting and having it rest on my lap. I guess you have to expect that knitting it in summer.

Wow, that went fast!

The second package for the Indian Summer Yarn Club by Knitabulous has arrived. I was laying in bed (8.30am)trying to convince myself I should get up, when I heard a car pull into the driveway, I got up and had a look, a white van was there, so I went to the front door (whick is glass)(in my pj's), it was a delivery woman from Australia Post.

I got back inside, opened the parcel and it was another lovely surprise from Knitabulous.

I must go back and tell you about the first package as I didn't blog about it. It has some really lovely green shades of yarn, some tiny bamboo needles (like toothpicks) which I am capable of breaking easily (must find another great idea for them instead of knitting), a lovely sock pattern called "Shantaram" by Knitabulous. a "Knitabulous" lip balm and some Chiradelli (spelling) chocolate, I love that chocolate, I had a fair few pieces in San Francisco last year, would love to go back there and not just for the chocolate.

This new package has another great colour yarn in purple/mauve colours....beautiful....some very nice petite stitch markers, a pin cushion, a tealight candle - smells really nice, and a "Choo Choo Bar", I love choo choo bars, they are hard to come by, they actually stopped making them some time ago, but obviously they are back in production....yahooo.....black tongue here I come....I will have to eat that sometime today.



The only regret with the Yarn Club is TIME.....I don't have enough at the moment.....yes I am still on holidays.....but with knitting for the Kiama Show heavily underway.....time is of the essence....I will have to plan to start both these in February.

Welcome 2010....

Happy New Year...........here is to be best year ever!

I stayed up and watched the fireworks in Sydney on TV last night, I did have a couple of micro sleeps while the fireworks were going on.

I am going to be more organised and busy this year with what I have planned on the knitting front.

For the last time....I AM going to knit through my stash in 2010. I know I have been saying this for the past 2 years, well this is the year.

I finished 11 cotton bags for gifts for Christmas, the last one being finished the day before Christmas Eve....ya me!


I have gotten back to show knitting. I decided that I would enter Albion Park Show this year seeing as we moved here early 2009. I joined the show society, got the details and while knitting away on a baby dress read the categories for the knitting section....guess what....no baby dress mentioned. Put that away and start on a jumper for myself which there is a category for Women's Jumper/Cardigan. I am doing it in Patons Shadow Tweed which I bought from my favourite LYS, CR&K Daisy Designs at Fairy Meadow (Daisy Street)at the last "every other tuesday night knitting group". I bought it with some of my winnings for Charity Knitting. I have enough for 2 jumpers/cardigans for myself. It is knitting up very nicely and very quickly, it must be about a 10ply.


I have finished the 3 piece baby set, just have to block...yes I will have to block it (I don't block anything if I can help it). I am half finished a baby dress which now can go in Kiama Show.


While knitting away like a mad woman for the both shows, I read even further on the rules of Albion Park Show, you have to collect your items between 1pm - 3pm on the Sunday of the show, apparently the pavilion closes at noon on the sunday....go figure. Anyway on that Sunday my Aunty has organised a family day at her place as her son and his family are visiting from USA and he would like his girls to meet up with family as they have been living in USA for the past 4 years and it will probably be another 5 years before they come back again. So I think the thought of knitting for Albion Park show will have to wait until 2011....bugger. I still have my entry tickets so I will go and check it all out on the Saturday and see what type of knitting people are putting in. They even have a "feathers" yarn category, now that shouldn't be hard to win as how can you tell mistakes etc in that yarn.

I will finish my jumper, then get back to the baby dress, and by entering Kiama Show only then I can enter more items as I have more time to knit.
I still have to get started on my socks from "Knitabulous" knitting kit as the next one will be arriving very soon.

Then back to charity knitting starting with some 8ply socks for our troops in Afghanistan, then some beanies for "Just Enough Faith" in Sydney in time for our winter.

Tomorrow I have our very first Knitting In The Great Outdoors (KITGO) at Jamberoo from 10am, I am so looking forward to it, the weather says showers but they have a covered area, so I am going Rain, Hail or Shine. And Marti I wish you could join us too, it would be great to meet up with fellow "Tribe" members. You never know one day....dreams do come true you know.
Here is my rocking chair where I sat and knit yesterday (getting too hot in lounge chair)