BLESSED SPEEDY

 Well today I finished three things All different but all related (sort of) Firstly these socks for my hubby Gary, who is VERY knit worthy as he loves wearing the socks I make him and even commented one time "I know you love me as you knit socks for me" - correct! The pattern is Vanilla Latte socks and this is the 16th (yes 16th) time Ive made them - its my go to pattern for easy mindless knitting.  The yarn is dyed by a friend of mine Heather from Heathermaid yarns and I bought it at the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show a couple of year ago.  It was caked in two skeins so I didnt have to worry about the socks not matching. Second finish is a book - A Court of thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas - my daughter Sarah told me I "had" to read it as she had not long ago finished it and really enjoyed it - I did too.  Its a fantasy read about love, fairies (or faeries) and evil beings as well.  Sort of a fantasy Beauty and the Beast but a really good read and I would recommen...

Over on  Ravelry  one of the forums I participate in is Aussie karma swaps. One of the ladies put up a challenge that we were to knit/crochet up one of our precious yarns - hence the title preciousness knit along. I chose to use up two skeins of art yarns beaded pearl and sequins yarn that I bought in a destash from another raveler.   Yarn is gorgeous - but naughty.  Doesn't like to be wound into a ball and is a pain to knit with and sewing in the ends was extremely challenging. I'm glad I didn't have a long and complicated pattern to knit with, just a simple drop stitch cowl pattern.  But it did turn out beautifully and drapes in a very lovely way. So I guess this is now TWO things finished in 2016 - I'm on a roll!

I participated in a swap over on ravelry called magic yarn ball. The idea is you choose a yarn and a pattern for your partner and then you rewind the ball and while doing that you include little treats and gifts in the ball so that as you knit the gifts fall out.  It's a great idea and really keeps you knitting so that you can find out what the next treat is. The yarn I was gifted was a knit picks yarn and lovely to work with and the pattern was charade socks. There were plenty of gifts in my ball but the best was the cow ear muffs. If the group organises this swap again I'll certainly be signing up as it was great fun.

I dont know about anyone else but I have HEAPS and HEAPS of crafty things that are just sitting around waiting to be done.  As part of a challenge to myself I am on a quest to use up my oldest yarn first - this yarn pictured is was an oldest unused yarn, I bought it over 4 years ago.  The pattern is this  one  which is was also one of the oldest in my queue on ravelry. Im quite pleased with how they turned out and have gifted them to a fellow raveller for a swap with the them "owls" as I thought they were an owly colour. Next finish - and next oldest yarn to use up was this lovely to knit with cleckheaton bamboo yarn, I made two fairly but effective dishcloths from it and I think they turned out quite well. The other challenge to myself is to go "cold sheep" = so no buying of yarn for at least til the end of January - so far so good - but oh its hard. Stay tuned to find out if I made it!

I've just finished the most gorgeous (but challenging) pair of socks I've ever knitted Ravelry linky  here . They were a test knit for a fellow member of ravelry and I started out knitting them in a gorgeous deep pink coloured yarn - unfortunately I didnt have enough yarn to make the pair so knitted a second and third sock from some handdyed yarn I had on hand - and I'm very pleased with how they turned out.  As I said before, a very challenging knit as every row is different so you have to watch what you are doing all the time. Also a finish at the same time was the audiobook version of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park - Audible linky  here .  I have found that I really like "listening" to classic novels as opposed to reading them - sometimes they are a bit hard going!

Managed to get a couple of "ufo's" (unfinished objects) off my list.  Firstly I finished the second sock of a test knit that I had been doing - I was distracted by working on another pair of socks (as you do) after finishing the first sock.  Im sure all you sock knitters can relate to that.  Interesting pattern and a great way the heel is done as you dont have to pick up any stitches. Secondly is my granny stripes blanket that I have been crocheting.  Really enjoyed it - the bendigo woolen mills cotton is great to work with and I do think the colours look great together.  Mind you I did buy way too much yarn so have enough yarn left over to make a second crocheted rug - think I might try a ripple blanket next time - stay tuned!

I've finished the first sock that I have been working on for a week or so now.  Its a test knit winter wheat  (ravelry link) and I'm quite pleased with it.  It fits well and the pattern is quite interesting - uses a different heel that I havent done before, you dont need to pickup any stitches which is quite nice.  Test knits are great as they keep you focused and keeping moving.  On the down side, the test only requires you to knit ONE sock so I've quickly cast on the second one in the hope that I will avoid the dreaded "second sock syndrome" (i.e. one sock is knitted and waits forlornly for its partner to be knitted)

With the weather being so hot - as can be seen by this photo that was taken two days ago in Cohuna (15 minutes drive away) at 7.30pm and of course with the cricket being on the television - thanks to my Grandpa who taught me from a very young age to really appreciate the "proper cricket" - i.e. test cricket and of course the "holy grail" of cricket - the ashes closely followed by the boxing day test, neither of which was on but still a great test game between Australia and Sri Lanka I have been working on not one but four projects at once, working on each as the mood takes me. Photo of all four is here - crocheted blanket in bendigo cotton, embroidery block from "love is" block of the month, a sock I am test knitting and chair covers for the two lounge chairs. I'm doing a bit on each in no particular order - just as the mood strikes me. But trying to do a "little bit" of each daily. Today I managed to finish the chair s...

How good does this look? It's the poisy mobius that I started a couple of days ago (for in the chair knitting!)  the colours are just gorgeous - it's very warm around my neck though so I dont know if I will be wearing it anytime soon as we are heading into the warmer weather - but Ill see

I've been making good use of my new chair.  Its in the outdoor area, near our back door and with a wooden box we have as a "coffee table" I'm all set up - todays effort is posie-moebius  (ravelry link) which I am knitting due to a group I'm in on ravelry.  You put up some yarn that you have that you dont quite know what to knit with it and suggestions are made for you - and then its on to the one whose choice you went with to choose next (hope that makes sense!). As you can see ipad and cuppa are also nice and handy, so I can listen to an audio book (currently Eye of the World by Robert Jordan) and sip, relax and knit away!

 Currently these are the three main things I am working on at the moment.  Firstly this quilt made of squares of Christmas fabric that I received in a swap I took part in in 2007 - refound them while I was cleaning up and having been putting it all together, it might even be ready for Christmas 2012. This knitting is what I've been working on in the evenings while watching tv - the pattern is water and stone (ravelry link)  - I started this in July and was kicking myself as its such a lot of knitting to do.  I'm using lovely madelintosh sport yarn which is a pleasure to knit with and I'm actually suprised how quickly it is going now that I have been applying myself.  And finally this stitchery block is block number two of a block of the month pattern I'm working on called Scandinavian Rose by Rosalie Quinlan.  I've finished block 1 and as you can see almost done block 2.  Using lovely cosmo threads which are a...

Well its grand final day in the afl today - hawthorn are playing sydney swans. Im not really that fussed who wins but if I have to choose Ill choose Hawthorn. And what have I been doing - apart from watching a bit of the footy as its broadcast live? Finishing off stuff - this time a pair of socks hermiones every days socks  and a table topper I've made from a "Dessert Roll" that someone gifted me years ago - its my own design, nothing flash but I quite like it! I buttonhole stitched the centre flowers after attaching them with vliseofix and pieced the background from the roll strips P.S. Swans won by 10 points

Who wouldnt feel great waking to this this!  This is what greeted me when I took Gary up his cup of tea this morning, while he was milking.  Yes it was a bit foggy - but the promise was there for a lovely sunny day to follow.  Makes you glad to be alive! On the knitting front - yes I've finally managed to do some knitting!  I've finished this pair of socks for me.  I've had three goes at using this lovely yarn for different patterns but the patterns just hadn't been doing the yarn justice - so went with a basic sock pattern ravelry link  which I think looks quite good with this gorgeous yarn - monsoon designs sock in colourway earth from space.  They are at present blocking and as soon as they are dry they will be introduced to my feet!

As I've hinted in my last couple of posts - I'm really reassessing what is really important in life. The past several weeks have really made me look at things differently. This morning I watched a calf being born - only 15 minutes old and already able to walk around - pretty tough these calves are from the word go. And me- well I'm not that good at resting, BUT, I have been creating and have realised that I am blessed to be able to do this.  I've been doing some embroidery - something that I hadn't been really liking or interested in for quite some time -but I've rediscovered my love....and being able to listen to an audio book while doing it is a bonus as well.  This Christmas Wreath stitchery was started more than a year ago - but its now done, quilted and bound and ready to be hung this Christmas. I have tended to do the stitching during the day, while sitting in the sunshine.  In the evenings I've been knitting a sock (well hopefully it ...

You probably all think Ive gone missing - I havent just been super busy Spent two full/busy/mind blowing days in bendigo learning all about the new committee that I have been appointed on the North central catchment management authority's natural resource management committee  (a bit of a mouthful!!!!) Here's the blurb about it from their website - The Natural Resource Management Committee (NRMC) is a sub-committee of the North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) Board. The NRMC advises the Board about environmental investment priorities in the region with a primary emphasis on protecting the region's rivers. In November 2007, the North Central CMA continued the development of its advisory committee structure by launching the new Natural Resource Management Committee, which is an evolution from our previous Implementation Committee structure. The key role of the NRMC is to provide community and local perspectives on the projects and functions of our organisation...

I couldnt help myself - Ive just finished these socks  (ravelry link to a nice ribbed sock).  They turned out quite well although the colouring wasnt what I thought it was going to be. A lovely lady who reads and comments on my blog quite often - Lyn  - commented that she always has a pair of socks on the needles so of course I couldnt go against that advise - thanks Lyn!!!! So I cast on these socks which are serpentine socks  and this time they are toe up for a bit of a change.  The yarn is knit picks stroll sport so they are thick ones and should be nice and warm for winter. BUT....because I have got a little bit organised and actually have several projects all bagged up with yarn and pattern and needles I just had to pick one out of that lot and cast it on too!  This pattern is holden shawlette  and Im using some "holy" wollmeise yarn for it. So I spose not too bad - one finish and two starts and sadly I almost started another project but I contr...

Ive just cast on a pair of socks to knit - the yarn I got from a swap on ravelry and the pattern was gifted to me also.  Ive put 5 or 6 yarns and patterns together in plastic bags so that I pick up one and just go for it - its working so far! Its funny about knitting socks - when I got back into knitting two years ago I just adored the look of knitting socks but was just too scared to have a go-Id actually knitting some socks on circular needles with that self patterning yarn years and years ago but they quite fitted right. So once I joined ravelry someone offered to knit me a pair of socks with my yarn - and they were beautfiul and fitted perfectly.  The knitter encouraged me to have a go myself - but this time with dpns (double pointed needles).  So I did - and loved it! Since then Ive made six or seven pairs of socks I think or it could be more - they are NOT hard and so easy and portable to knit and you can even knit them when its stinking hot! Coincidentally...

I was lucky enough to win two skeins of rowan siena cotton in purple (yes purple!!!!) in a recent karma swap on ravelry. As soon as it arrived here I just HAD to knit it up - and this is the results of one skein - the pattern is bathtime blossoms  (ravelry link) and from the one skein Ive managed to knit a gorgeous washcloth as well as a soap bag (just need to find/get/buy some lovely soap to put in it) I still have one skein left so Im debating whether to make another set and gift it at some stage. The colour is truly gorgeous

Ive had a bit of a finishing effort - this beret is called Tulipanaros and is a test knit for a fellow member on ravelry - the pattern is yet to be released but it is by Maria Naslund so I suppose you can search for it once its released - the beret will probably be gifted to my daughter sarah as she loves berets like this and I have made her quite a few already. This next knitted item is called Palindrome and the ravelry link to the pattern is here  I received the yarn and pattern from a fellow ravelry member in a swap called project in a postbag.  The idea is that you swap a ready made sort of kit with yarn and pattern.  The yarn is soy wool stripes/solids and the resulting scarf will be lovely and warm and soft - just not what you need to wear on a day like today which is looking to be 40 degrees celsius plus! The third and final piccy today is of my round robin which has finally made it home.  It is one I have done with an online group I am a member of called...

Well with one granddaughter born we are now awaiting the birth of the next one - my daughter Aimee's second and Mia's little sister. so.....whats a nanna to do but make matching outfits for them both all ready for when the baby is born.  The pattern is in threes a baby cardigan (ravelry link) Ive only used acrylic yarn but that is ok as they were made to be used and washed and used and washed......