Alone in the Stash

Hot enough for you?

2007-02-21T19:16:00.000+11:00

Cos it's way too hot for me! Ash has been like this all week. We are both too Tasmanian to enjoy this kind of weather. Bring on crisp, Autumn, knitting-friendly weather!

There has been very little knitting lately despite all the wonderful yarn calling to me from the recently expanded stash. I have found work somewhat overwhelming these last two weeks as I get used to taking calls and the relentless pace that goes with them. Also discovered there are definite withdrawal symptoms from lack of Knitting Coven attendance. My plan is a nice plain sock that can be worked on in my lunch break, perhaps with some regia cotton, to get back into the swing of things.

Ciao,
Fifi and Ash

Sock it to 'em

2007-02-12T21:15:00.000+11:00

I have returned! with actual finished things!! These are the Thuja socks I made for my mum. They came out a wee bit short, but she assures me they are wonderful anyway. Mums are great, aren't they?

I have finished my first two weeks of training at Anonycorp Call Centre. So far I have learnt not to sexually harass people, not to defraud the company, and about a bazillion arcane codes and regulations. There have also been entertaining videos, including the old favourite: how not to injure yourself in the workplace, and an enthusiastic American dude, with Donald Trump hair, explaining why selling stuff to the customer is good for them. I have finished my opal petticoat socks just in time to wear for goodluck as I take my first calls tomorrow.

I have been kinda tired and haven't got a lot of knitting done, but there has been some stash enrichment (it's not sock yarn, so that's ok right? right..?) Unfortunately my dodgy monitor lied to me. What I thought was a lucious raspberry red was in fact a putrid pink of the one exact shade I HATE!! So if any one wants two skeins of pink Cascade 220, as shown on the right below, please let me know. First in, first served.

ETA: The cascade has found a home. Thanks, Katt!

Been a long time

2007-01-11T14:03:00.000+11:00

I have emerged at last from the depths of the stash after a long holiday. The first strip of the Tweed Throw is done. I have also started a sock - River Rapids from Sockbug in some lovely Knittery merino in Coral Reef colours. If I was doing this again I would probably use a less busy yarn to show up the pattern more. Hopefully I will have some knitting photos soon!

In other good news, it turns out they want me sooner rather than later for my new job. I am starting a month early at the end of January! Today I bought some work clothes and an a new iron (the old one is sadly deceased) in preparation for the big day. I'm so excited I'm counting down the days.

At the last S'n'B meeting, our kind member Caroline gave everyone a knitting noddy for skeining yarn. I'm off to have a go with mine now, so I can do some dyeing this afternoon.

Ciao,
Fifi and Ash

!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-12-21T15:08:00.000+11:00

Ok, I know I said I wasn't posting again till after Christmas, but there have been DEVELOPMENTS!!

They called about the job. There were only eight places in the January intake and I wasn't one of them. Then..they said they wanted me for February!

Roll on the new year! Ok, I have finished sharing now.

p.s. Terry Pratchet may believe that multiple exclamation marks are a sign of a deranged mind but some occasions obviously merit an exception! Like this!!!

Christmas on the silkroad

2006-12-19T15:58:00.000+11:00

Look what's arrived!! As an early christmas present for myself I have bought the last nine balls of Silkroad Tweed Aran for my throw(scroll to the bottom of the page). I found the best price at Yarns Galore. I haven't bought from them before but they were really nice and my parcel arrived promptly.

I'm so excited, I have finished the first square already. It's pretty quick to knit on 5mm needles. Here it is reclining in my parent's backyard. This feels like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Warning: Non-tea drinkers may want to skip this bit

I have had a few misadventures with Tea this week. On Friday I went to Hobart for work and we dropped into Starbucks. It was sweltering hot on the way down so I was in serious need of refreshment and eagerly ordered a large iced tea. Guess what arrived? A cup of cold water and ice with four tea bags in it. Not sweetened or anything. Ew! They charged me about $3 for that travesty!!

Since then I have been trying some different herbal teas at home and right now I'm drinking Liptons Ginseng and Lime. I can't say I'm wild about the taste although it's growing on me, but the ginseng does seem to perk me up. However, I am a bit dubious about its claim to Lime as a close inspection of the ingrediants show orange peel and lemon peel but only something called Lime "Flavour" right at the end. I suspect something dodgey out of a bottle that has little relation to round, green things that grow on trees.

End of waffling about tea

As this may be my last Blog before the 25th, I would just like to wish a merry Christmas to all my awesome readers and fellow S'n'Bers. Happy holidays and happy knitting!

Secrets

2006-12-14T18:22:00.000+11:00

The other day we swapped Secret Santa gifts at my SnB. I received a gorgeous Log Cabin rug from Sharon. Thankfully, since I don't have a camera at the moment, you can admire it over there. I gave my pal a simplified version of Craftaholic's Mermaid mittens in the new merino cashmere sock yarn from the Knittery. Pomotamus is a really fun pattern, even if it requires my full attention, and I can't wait to make myself something in it.

Now I have started another secret project for Christmas but have run into trouble. It uses fishermans rib in one part which is basically k1 k1b till end then repeat the row. K1b here stands for knit into the stitch below and, after checking some instructions on the internet, I think I'm doing this part right but the pattern does not look like the photograph?! Any advice?

Thanks to everyone for the good wishes job wise. The interview actually went well and the interviewer was really friendly and lovely. I guess it is not their job to scare people after all! The final stage is some group activities next week. We will find out on the day whether we have been succesful. Fingers crossed!!

A job hunting we will go...

2006-12-07T17:23:00.000+11:00

What a crazy week!! After finishing school last week you might think I'd be relaxing and catching up on my knitting. Instead I have had extra hours at work (which means extra money, so not all bad) a marathon testing session for a call centre job, another unrelated job interview and tomorrow I have the interview stage for the call centre thing. Apparently I did really well on the tests but there was some concern about my less than impressive resume. I imagine this will mean some interrogating on that topic tomorrow. Eeek!
Next week I'm taking a break no matter what. Oh, and I will try to catch up on everyone's blogs..I haven't forgotten you all!

My David Attenborough moment

2006-11-25T18:19:00.000+11:00

Today I saw a Blue Tongue lizard in the yard. It was stripey like a Tiger Snake. No one else seemed to understand how exciting it was. I tried to get a photo but it just looks like a twig because I took it from so far away. I wasn't game to get too close because my Uncle used to have one as a pet and my mother insists it bit peoples toes; also it was very still, so I was afraid it was dead and being feasted apon by creepy crawlies, which would have been icky and spoiled the moment.

Fifi and Ash
In our natural habitat

P.S. It's also my Dad's 60th birthday today. He doesn't generally read the blog but still - happy birthday!!!

Tolerance Day - are you feeling warm and fuzzy yet?

2006-11-15T20:23:00.000+11:00

I spent today out at Westbury where they were celebrating Tolerance Day. They had decorated the railings outside with lots of bright scarves! They were mostly just garter or stocking stitch but in cheery colours and they looked very effective. I'm sorry I didn't have a camera with me to get some photos. It's always good to see knitting out there!

We were promoting our little anonymous community group and I went around with a couple of the guys who need some extra help. A nice lady from the Corner showed us how to make stress balls with balloons and rice, and then gave everyone a free condom. Another lady told us all about the health benefits of herbs and how she uses a coffee plunger to make her herbal teas. One recipe had me really intrigued: A raspberry tea you can make in winter - dried raspberry leaves and about half a dozen frozen berries. I didn't get anymore specifics so I don't know if you'd need to sweeten it or not.

In the afternoon a group of African ladies came outside to dance and drew quite a crowd. One had her baby strapped to her back with colourful fabric who seemed content to sleep through the whole thing. After a while some other people joined in including this old dude who started tentatively bopping along to the side and was promptly pulled into a conga line by one of the ladies! It was just one of those genuinely lovely moments.

Then I got home to some GREAT news!! Congrats Suzi!!

Deadlines

2006-11-11T18:34:00.000+11:00

Well, have I been a bad blogger. I'm in my last month at TAFE at the moment so I have a whole bunch of assignments and tests to get through before freedom! FREEDOM!

As for knitting, I'm working on completing some second socks and a TOP SECRET project for December, which I can't possibly tell you about. No, really. Fingers crossed, I will get it done in time. There has also been some stash acquiring. I managed to get 9 balls of Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed for about $45 on Ebay. I have had my heart set on making a throw of hers, just because of the colours, ever since I saw it but haven't been able to afford it. Unfortunately I still need another 9 balls, but now I know about it, I will keep an eye on Ebay and hopefully get lucky again!

Otherwise nothing exciting is happening. I have taken up gardening (along with knitting and sudoko, I think this makes me an honourary middle aged person!!) and have a motley collection of herbs and a tomato plant, in pots on my porch, and snow peas in hanging baskets. Miss Darkside just gave me a chilli plant as well. She is hoping to enjoy the culinary benefits I think. This is overly optimistic, as I have a plant killing track record of genocidal proportions.

Ciao,
Fifi and Ash

If you hear strange noises

2006-10-17T17:05:00.000+11:00

..be not alarmed. It is just me running around my house making incoherent noises of joy over my new SOCK TOTE. It is so ASTONISHINGLY BEAUTIFUL, I think it deserves capital letters and exclamation marks!!! A huge thank you to the talented and generous 2paw! Unfortunately I could not get a very good photo because someone kept getting in the way.

I had a great Accounting lesson today. It was about Depreciation and our teacher brought a large purple toy car which she waved about excitedly while explaining the capitalized costs of new assets such as motor vehicles. Every now and again she would accidently set it off and it would starting playing a jaunty tune, that sounded suspiciously like "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!" It was rather surreal to be having Playschool flashbacks in that particular class.

Ciao,
Fifi

Ash in the Stash

2006-10-12T17:07:00.000+11:00

Miss Darkside wanted to share this pic of Ash napping on the stash basket(and her own photographic genius!)

Yesterday, I went to sit on my favourite bench by TAFE that overlooks the Cenotaph. As I sat down something caught my eye. Free Book! It was a Bookcrossing book. I have never spotted one in the wild before so it was kinda cool. However it was a romance so I left it for a more appreciative reader.

Long time, No see

2006-10-09T16:17:00.000+11:00

In my usual contrary fashion I have finally made a Panta...just in time for Summer! Still, I'm very happy with it. It's nice and cosy and doesn't look as daggy on me as I expected. You may have to squint a little at the dark, blurry photo and pretend it's a Magic Eye kinda deal to confirm this.

Miss Darkside kindly frogged my disasterous attempt at the Falling Leaves sock. After listening to me moan about how I couldn't stand the sight of it, she took the yarn home promising to make me a Jaywalker. Thanks Suzi!!

I also dug my half finished Pippi Long Sock out of the knitting depths. I had managed to drop a whole bunch of stitchs and panicked and hid it away. Turned out picking them up was not anywhere near as traumatic as I thought and I knitted the foot in a couple of hours. Now I have four first socks needing partners.

There is just one problem...

Friends, I'm going to my knitting chair. I may be some time.

Knit Wish List

2006-09-21T16:39:00.000+10:00

I am in love with the new knitty!! I have my heart set on Viveka and Ivy(?the wrappy one?) Unfortunately I can't get the yarn they use for Viveka - does anyone know a good substitute I can get locally? Even better if it comes in a bright red like the one pictured! There is some recently aquired Bendigo I could use for Ivy but I think I want something green. Sigh. I sense some expensive stash enrichment coming up!!

I really like the cabled socks as well, but I suspect it would take me until the next ice age to finish them and I have nine pairs worth of sock yarn to knit up before then!

Fifi

Ash's Travel Diary

2006-09-13T18:50:00.000+10:00

Day One

Morning - The journey to Hobart is long and tedious. At Oatlands I am allowed out of the infernal box. A flock of ducks waddles toward the car. I glare out the window most ferociously, but maybe they can't see me with their beady little eyes, as they don't appear intimidated.

Eat part of chicken nugget. Refuse to get back in box.

1:30 - We reach our destination. Refuse to get out of box.

2:30 - After ignoring all coaxing, am brought out to "socialize." Hide behind a basket for several hours. Tell my human with meaningful look, am NOT being timid, am merely keeping dignified distance until feel properly introduced.

Late that night - accidentally shut self in loo and must wait to be rescued. Holiday bit of a bummer so far.

Day Two

3am - Make up for yesterdays confinement by having a good rampage. Manage to knock over several jars and rouse the human looking nicely irritated.

10am - Explore rest of house. Try to eat artificial plant. Not Good! Find bathtub and roll deliriously in it.

1:30pm - Spend rest of afternoon hunting flies. Humans are slightly alarmed by my mighty fly annihilating skills. All hail the ferocious one!!!

Day Three

Morning - Human goes out all day to shop and visit relatives and other trivial things. Brings back pretty mohair yarn but won't let me play with it.

4pm - Catch more flies. Munch a couple but sadly lose a wing and other interesting parts on human's homework. She makes quite unnecessary fuss.

Day Four

Morning - Time to leave. Refuse to get in box. Chase some yummy meatloaf thrown for me. Find self in box. Damn.

Until my next adventure,
Ashley

When cats and yarn go missing

2006-08-28T19:59:00.000+10:00

Ash did his disappearing act again on the weekend. He got out when I was bringing in the washing and I didn't see where he went. I called for him for ages but he didn't come!! Then I walked around the nearby houses peering in to people's yards like a weirdo.

Eventually reinforcements were called in and my mother talked to several of the neighbours, who were very kind and helpful, but no luck. After sitting all afternoon with the door open waiting for his little face to appear, I had to give up and close the door on the dark and the spitting rain.

I moped across the room with all kinds of terrible scenarios running through my head. Then guess who wanders out of the bedroom yawning and stretching and looking completely innocent??! I swear, he can't keep this up, or I will go prematurely grey.

On the knitting front my knit mojo and my pink alpaca are still MIA. However, this lovely rustic has finally arrived!! I'm going to make a simple stocking stitch jumper with a ribbed shawl collar from a Bendigo pattern.

In other good news, I have finished all my major assignments and only have a dull, but straight forward, Occupational Health and Safety thing to do. Then in a couple of weeks the school holidays arrive. So much knitting time!!

Ciao,
Fifi and Ash-in-disgrace

Wok & Roll

2006-08-23T17:26:00.000+10:00

Recently I added a couple of cook books to my collection. I tend to buy them like certain women buy shoes. My collection keeps growing even though I have never used quite a few of the ones I already have.

Anyway, I've set myself the goal of cooking my way through Kylie Kwong's Simplified Chinese Cooking. Except for the squid recipes, despite the helpful step-by-step illustrated instructions on cutting its head off and so on. Miss Darkside has kindly offered to assist in the adventure by eating the results. Always so generous! So here are my observations so far.

Mongolian Beef
This one I will be making again and again! It uses mince so it's economical, and it makes the house smell like chinese take away. Yum! I liked it so much I made it for the parental units for Sunday lunch. It seemed to go over well, although my father had to smother it in salt and pepper before he had even tasted it. He does this to everything.

Stir Fried Chicken Fillets and Cashews
I added some bok choy. Dry sherry and boatloads of garlic make for yummy vegetables but Miss Darkside thought the chicken was a bit bland. She was placated with some soy sauce. We both agree our mother will love it.

Stir Fried Beef with Oyster Sauce
This reduced Miss Darkside to incoherant noises so I think it's a hit.

Stir Fried Chicken Fillets with Honey and Ginger
Sweet and spicy, this is better in small doses I think, but Miss D liked the bold flavours.

I'm also finding you can never have enough ginger, spring onions or sherry. Must start buying the really BIG bottles of the latter from now on.

The Great Escape

2006-08-20T18:01:00.000+10:00

Ash got out yesterday. He has always been an indoor cat, because we live on a very busy road. At first I was not concerned. He seemed to be just creeping about and sniffing at puddles and invisible things on the ground. I'd just ambled over to catch him when he spotted a gap in the fence and suddenly he was off!!

"Ash! ASH!" I call in my best 'I'm not mad, I'm not mad at you at all. If you come back right now, you won't believe how Not Mad I'll be!!' voice. He is GONE without a backwards glance. I crawl under the straggly trees in the corner to reach him and now I can hear a dog barking right next to me. I can see him peering through another gap in the next door neighbours fence. And then a huge snarling snout pokes through and just about takes his whiskers off. There is hissing, there is a bottle brush tail and then he's galloping down the driveway towards Very! Busy! road.

Now I might have paniced a little, because I try to squeeze through the gap. I don't fit. In fact, I'm sort of stuck and I can hardly breathe. Ash has dissapeared. Common sense kicks in and I extract myself and run round via the road and charge into nextdoors yard. He's right there hiding behind a pot plant. When I pick him up he clings onto me and stays still and quiet while I walk him home. I put him down and he trots off and rolls in a patch of sunlight and squints at me like nothing happened. Typical cat!

Busy Bee

2006-08-11T16:41:00.000+10:00

Some lucky members of the Fifi household get to do this all day.

I really want to make one of these felted cat beds, there are some great examples, but I suspect he wont use it. It's his mission in life to find bizarre places to sleep. In a drawer, on top of the monitor or squeezed in to a little cardboard box on the fridge.

Alas, I don't have a feline schedule at the moment. I have four assignments to do over the next two to three weeks, plus my weekly accounting assignments. However today is my day off school, and no work either this week because my boss is in Hobart. I've almost finished mum's first sock and hope to get it done tonight.

Fifi

p.s. Alpaca is still not here. Woe.

p.p.s Despite this I'm about to order more yarn.

Stash enrichment...almost

2006-08-04T19:18:00.000+10:00

Today a parcel from Bendigo arrived. I was very excited until I opened it and my alpaca was conspicuously absent. They are out of stock so I have to wait for it! Miss Darkside ran off with her loot which I'm sure she'll tell you all about soon enough. However there is some lovely blue to start some 8ply socks for mum. They will be quick and I'll get to try my new pony pearl dpns.

Also, this is why I don't do these stupid quiz thingos. I always get results like this. There is something very wrong here.

Your results:
You are Robin

Young and acrobatic. You don't mind stepping aside
to give someone else glory.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz

Sock!

2006-08-03T19:09:00.000+10:00

Here's one I prepared earlier. I'm going to try and get the ribbing on the second sock done tonight.

What I've been up to...

2006-08-02T17:46:00.000+10:00

So far this week I have:

1. Finished one sock (photo soon)
2. Done one accounting assignment
3. Watched 11 episodes of the West Wing season one
4. Done a spring clean of the entire house in time for a rental inspection this Friday.

Well, ok I haven't quite finished the last one, perhaps due to number three. I finished hoovering half an hour ago and Ash has only just come out of hiding. Still to do: trashing all the junk mail that seems to congregate on every flat surface and stacking all the books that don't fit on the bookcase. I tidy the books regularly but Ash likes to hurtle around and take flying leaps off them.

My Bendigo shade card turned up the day after I whined about it on the blog. I am so impatient some times. After much debating I have ordered some alpaca to make my jumper and some blue 8ply to make socks for my mum. Back to obsessive checking of the letter box!

Ciao,

Fifi and Ashley

Brief Message in a Bottle (Fifi is still alive)

2006-07-20T17:13:00.000+10:00

I started a sock on the weekend and got as far as the heel. Then I started back at TAFE and haven't got any knitting done at all! The sock is in my new opal petticoat which even Ms Darkside admired despite the pink. I am going to get it out tonight while the West Wing is on and hopefully make some progress.

Fifi

p.s. The Bendigo shadecard is still not here! I am moping despondently.

The Best Laid Plans...

2006-07-13T19:10:00.000+10:00

My holidays are almost over. I had great intentions of finishing some things but instead I've started them. I made this hat over the weekend. It's the Bamboo Stitch hat from Knit Simple made with Patons Jet. It was really quick to make although it came out a bit on the snug side. I think they might have used a slightly bulkier yarn.

In other exciting news I've decided to take the plunge and get enough wool to make myself a jumper. This will be a long term project. If all goes well it may be ready by next winter. I haven't decided on a pattern yet but I'm waiting on a Bendigo shade card. This means obsessive letterbox checking is in order. No doubt the neighbours will think i'm waiting on something urgent and/or illegal.

Today I went op shopping and found a book, Kids Knits by Leslie Anne Price, for $2. I'm not sure I'd ever make anything out of it, partly because I don't have any kids to knit for, but mostly because it is full of fairisle like this -->

Wow.

Dyeing Disaster

2006-07-08T16:44:00.000+10:00

One of these was wool. The other was an evil acrylic imposter that sucked up my carefully prepared dyes and spat them out. Now I have a steaming pastel lump that's good for nothing. Also I have to find something to make with just 50grams of self striping 8ply. Grrr.

Sock Addicts Anonymous

2006-07-06T17:44:00.000+10:00

Look what just arrived from Germany!! This is one of the new Opal Petticoat range. I like it because it's girly, but not in an obnoxious way.

Unfortunately this means the lid no longer fits on the sock yarn box. Those of you who know how slowly I knit will realise how ridiculous this is. It took me 6 weeks to finish my first pair of socks. At that speed I have a 2 year supply at least.

I solemnly and publicly swear this is the last time I buy sock yarn until at least half the stash has been knitted. ~~Except the cheap Opal I just bid on through eBay, because that's to knit for other people so it TOTALLY DOESN'T COUNT!~~

Somebody stop me.

Bags of Fun

2006-07-04T15:54:00.000+10:00

On Saturday I went to the knitting party at the Blackspot of Doomlight. Some of the other S'n'Bers came too and had a chat. There was yarn and needles to knit squares for charity, so I had a go at a varigated orange and green monstrosity. I hit the famous knitting black hole near the end and threw a hissy fit. Suzi had to finish it for me. It just refused to grow!!!

I also saw a nice bag made out of ribbon yarn. This is my version though it still needs handles and a lining. It's soft and scrunchy feeling and alluringly shiny.

The Guardian Angel sweater has been put on hold untill I get some expert advice. That's where you come in. Yes, YOU. As I mentioned earlier, I put a cable in the front so I wouldn't be so bored. But now the front is not as wide as the back. It's only about a 1.5cm difference, does this matter?? Do I start over; block it into submission; or just carry on my merry way? This is my first jumper, so I'm not sure.

This morning I enrolled at TAFE. From next semester I will be a full time student, so the next S'n'B will be my last for a while. It's a bit sad, but I will be reading everyone's blogs and hopefully seeing you all at the market and any evening get togethers that may come up.

Ciao,

Fifi and Ash

In a fickle mood

2006-06-26T17:30:00.000+10:00

Forgive me, it's been a week since my last blog. I have limited internet access untill the end of the month.

I am still finding it hard to commit to any single project. I have started a lengthwise knit scarf in blues and a pair of toddler socks with my left over opal. The falling leaves socks are waiting to be frogged because I don't like them anymore. The back of the GA sweater is finished at last. It seems freakishly large to me, but others more famillar with little people assure me it is 2yo size. The plain stocking stitch was pretty boring so I'm going to put a cable or two in the front to keep me awake.

This afternoon I cooked up a big pot of Minestrone with more veggies than you can poke a stick at. I think it will do me good, as I have come home to toasted cheese sandwichs a little too often lately. The perils of living alone! Ash is grumpy because he was shut out of the kitchen for the afternoon. He has an unfortunate fascination with things boiling on the stove. I have told him that cats and boiling water don't mix, trust me on this. But you know what they say about curiousity and cats...he won't take a mere humans word for it.

Tonight I'm going to bite the bullet and try to finish Sharfik. I guess you'll find out tomorrow if I'm succesful!

Fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun, sun

2006-06-18T12:37:00.000+10:00

Suzi's sock yarn came home with us for sunday lunch so I grabbed some photos of it sunbathing on the balcony. Enjoy!

Houston, we have a problem

2006-06-17T17:12:00.000+10:00

Today I planned on dyeing. I spent most of the morning winding yarn into hanks. Snag no.1: I have two balls of Patonyle. One is brand new and gets wound around two chairs on opposite sides of the room. Then it is tied at carefully measured lengths ready to make my self striping tiger yarn. All is well! (Perceptive readers will be hearing that movie music now, when something nasty is sneaking up on the unsuspecting heroine.) Then comes the op shop Patonyle. Wind, wind, wind. Where is the yarn gone?? Oh, there is a break in the wool. No worries, I'll start again. Windy wind... (you know where this is going, don't you?)

Fifi: Another end? Why do I have another end?? Suzi, look at this boogelly wool!!
Suzi: *unravels yarn all over the floor*
Fifi: You know I have to untangle that, right?
Suzi: I think we may be oka- oh!
Fifi: Arghhh!
Suzi: I think someones cut the ball..
Fifi: Arghhh!
Suzi: ..if you look here there's all these ends..
Fifi: No! I don't want to look!
Suzi: I'm afraid it's boogelly, Fifi.

So, the tiger-yarn-to-be is hanging in my wardrobe, away from Ash's playful claws, untill I get another ball. I dyed some blue patonyle for Suzi instead. She wanted varigated blue, purple and black. I tied it into thirds and dyed it in the microwave in two containers with the rest left as is. Snag No.2: It takes an unbelievable amount of dye to make black. I started out following 2paws instructions and measuring with my little plastic spoon, and ended up sloshing in every colour and running out to Suzi with samples going "is it dark enough yet?"
"No! Blacker! BLACKER!"
Well, we got there. The result is on the Darkside.

Snag No.3:I decided to finish off with some rainbow 8ply for me. This was also wound around distant chairs, as I tramped back and forth dreaming of the self striping results. I confidently go to pour in some vinegar. A little trickle comes out. I shake the bottle. Nothing. It is all gone! At this point I'd really had enough, so I stormed off to stuff more yarn in the wardrobe.

But there is some random good news as well. For those of you who have made Jaywalkers, Grumperina is offering sock yarn to the 350th or 400th person to submit a pic to her gallery. Yesterday, a friend leaving for Melbourne offered me some of her jewellery. I picked this neckless and shiny bracelet. I am a sucker for shiny things! Also, two Dulaan hats finished. They are kind of cute and not as washed out as in the photo. I'm being nagged to put the pink one on the stall. If I do, I will keep the money to help post the other Dulaan items we have knocking about.

Ciao,
Fifi

Notes from the fish pond

2006-06-12T21:59:00.000+10:00

I have the attention span of a goldfish. I keep starting new things, mostly not even interesting things. Such as:

One baby mitten in Merino Bambino, second started for Guardian Angel.

A new square for the stash rug with some novelty yarn that hypnotised me into buying it at the Blackspot of doomlight^{TM Cindy}. Here is a photo of the squares so far. A big thank you to Sandra D who knitted some for me!

I borrowed some bamboo dpns from Suzi and finished a pink Dulaan hat,('Barbie') that's been laying around for ages. Immediately started another one with brown cleckheaton and furry brown mohair (I'm calling it 'Wooly Mammoth')

A Falling Leaves sock in Hot Socks. The toe up instructions seemed really confusing so I'm doing an ordinary sock and started the lace chart from the top instead of the bottom. I'm not sure if the pattern is turning out right yet but it looks interesting so I'm just gonna keep going!

Then this arrived...
Coral Reef from the Knittery. I feel another new project coming on...

You knit what?

2006-06-07T17:33:00.000+10:00

I just discovered You Knit What? They make fun of bad knitting patterns. There is a bit of drama at the moment after they did an entry on knitted shorts from vogue's K1 and the designer showed up and threw a hissy fit in the comments and then on his blog. I have been looking through the archives and laughing myself silly although there is the odd thing I actually like.

Topi is finished but has a droopy brim. I have to wear it tilted back on my head so it doesn't cover my eyes! Oh well, I still love it. Next up is the bamboo stitch hat from Knit Simple. When I popped into Blackspot of Doomlight they had a sale on, so the yarn aisle looked like a bomb had hit. Still I grabbed some patons Jet while it was on special. Naturally they were training a new person, and someone wanted to make a lay by (which is an incredibly convoluted process apparently), so there was an enormous queue waiting for ages.

I've also turned the heel on the first Pippi longstocking. I couldn't find the kind of bright colours I wanted, so it's sort of camouflage colours instead. It had to be shortened a little because I have stumpy legs. Seriously, I buy short length pants from Target and still have to cut off about 5 inchs! I am jealous of tall girls.

That's all your knitting excitement* for now. Ciao!

*_{Actual excitement not included}

Sock curse strikes again...

2006-06-05T17:16:00.000+10:00

Here is the jaywalker I spent four days working on last week. Isn't it beautiful? Guess what...

It doesn't !@$#ing fit!!! It's been frogged and the yarn banished to the bottom of the sock stash. I am cold and unforgiving on matters such as these. I have decided I need ~~some instant gratification~~ another challenge so I started the Pippi Long Stockings from S'n'B. They are knitting up super fast in some el cheapo 8ply from the Blackspot of Doomlight^{TM Cindy.} I started yesterday and have half the leg done.

Suzi brought me a Guardian Angel book the other day. Last year I made bootees but now I am a more experienced knitter I want to attempt something more substantial. So my first sweater is on the needles. It's just boring stocking stitch at the moment but it's handy to take with me in case I need something simple to fill in time.

Tomorrow I can get the thingo for Topi and I will finally have something finished. Here's a sneak preview.

Topi, Jaywalker and Sharfik! Oh, my!

2006-06-01T15:43:00.000+10:00

Topi is almost finished. It just needs another inch on the brim and some plastic reinforcing thingo to go inside. There was some concern at the Knitting Coven that it would be too small but it fits! It magically grew as soon as it came off the needles. The yarn striped perfectly around the sides. I don't have the camera at the moment so the grand unveiling will have to wait.

In the mean time I have started a Jaywalker inspired by seeing Suzi's. I'm using some of my new regia. The colours are hard to describe but it's safe to say they are not going to be everyone's cup of tea. It's brown, olive and dark grey with tiny amounts of pale blue and lemon. I think these will go quite quick as the pattern is very easy and I'm in a real sock knitting mood.

Not content with nagging me about Sharfik in real life, Suzi has taken her crusade to my comments. I have not knitted any more of it and I WILL NOT knit anymore! It is tedious beyond belief. It is a dull, grinding, soul crushing slog. Just looking at it fills me with lethargy and strong feelings of knitting aversion. So from now on around here it is the scarf-that-shall-not-be-named.

Uh, anyway. Today was my last day at TAFE before the school holidays. Yay! No more getting up at 7am or standing at bus stops while my nose goes numb. Even better? Lots and lots of time to knit!

Up Market (updated!)

2006-05-27T16:50:00.000+10:00

Edit: I am too lazy to write a new post so I am just adding some new photos to this one.

Last night I finished the armwarmers. They feel very soft and were just the thing to keep me toasty at the market today. Our knitting group has a stall. I dutifully worked on Sharfik while there so I feel no guilt about coming home and starting something new! It's Topi in some varigated Te Awa that's been lurking in the stash for months trying to lure me away from other things. The deep purples in it aren't showing in the photo, it's not really denim like that.

The market was like Paddington station and everyone seemed be there at some point. Ms Darkside kept me company and worked on a mitten. Cindy came by to chat and model her Moebius scarf with it's cool untwistable twist. She assured us it was very easy but despite hearing the explanation several times I still feel I would need diagrams. Many, many diagrams. Sharon was also there in the afternoon as we finally got some sunshine and dethawed somewhat. She was knitting a funky pink sock and sold a pair too. Score!

I am thinking about making a few things for the next one. A month should be long enough, even for me, to get something simple finished. Perhaps mittens or a hottie cover? Sandra D has suggested baby socks with my leftover opal.
Ash has been an unholy terror since I got home but has finally settled down into his favourite spot to watch me blog.

Hurry Up Spring, Hurry Up Knitting!

2006-05-23T16:47:00.000+10:00

I have started the Hurry Up Spring armwarmers from S'n'B Nation. I love this pattern! The chart bit is so exciting, I tend to rush round the rib part to get back to it. The cabled vine thingy is showing up better now I'm about half way. The photo is from yesterday so it is a bit out of date. It will be great to get them finished so I don't freeze at the bus stop in the mornings.

Sharfik has not been completely abandoned. It's about 80cm now, so the end is in sight. I have made myself promise not to start Clapotis untill it is finished as extra motivation. It's just sooo repetative!

MYOB threw a hissy fit today and lost all my morning's work. I spent the last half hour of class starting all over again and will still be catching up tomorrow. Grrr!

Big Day Out

2006-05-20T17:00:00.000+10:00

Today I gamely volunteered to go on a "family drive." We were lured out by the promise of a church fair at Westbury but it turned out to be very disappointing. However we headed on to Deloraine and tried out the new pedestrian suspension bridge over the river. It is not as wobbly as the gorge bridge, which used to terrify me as a child. The water was very pretty, bubbling over the rocks below. We pondered over a mysterious object in the depths for some time before realising it was a rusty shopping trolley on its side. Love to know how that got there! It will probably be dredged up in a few hundred years and considered a fascinating relic of earlier times.

It was quite chilly and Mum put her new mittens to good use (finally finished them!) I took a photo but it turned out boogelly so just picture some navy fingerless mittens here. Seen one pair, seen them all really.

There is an amazing shop there filled with indian clothes, beaded jewellery and every kind of Buddha statue imaginable. I fell in love with a hat. Yes, forgive me, I have sinned and BOUGHT knitwear!! In my defense it is very beautiful and 100% wool and from Nepal AND has tassels!! I am not much for pom pons, but I can't resist tassels.

In another shop window I saw Tasmanian wool socks for $35 a pair! It didn't say whether they were handmade or not but at that price! I thought they looked rather plain too.

Anyway, Ash and I are home again. Hot water was finally fixed yesterday afternoon. Thanks for all the good wishes for school, it went well. It is only four mornings a week so it's not too onerous. Ciao for now!

Holiday

2006-05-17T18:43:00.000+10:00

Ash and I have taken an unexpected holiday as I have no hot water!! I am too pampered to take cold showers in this weather. Hopefully it will be fixed by tomorrow. He is enjoying his palacial new digs in the old dog basket.

I'm starting at TAFE tomorrow as well. I got my textbook today, it weighs a ton! It took them ages to find it, as they only just got them in.

I had a great time at Stitch and Bitch yesterday, and acquired some beautiful yarn. The collective squeal when the sock yarn arrived was priceless. Sadly, it is now at home being luscious without me, so I can't begin anything!

In other knitting news, I got some rosewood needles the other day. I know some people rave over these but they are not working for me. When I got them out of the packet there were two chips out of one! It's also hard to get the stitches off the needle (although that may be the novelty yarn?) and then they make an annoying raspy sound when I knit! Perhaps they will grow on me?

Snuffles

2006-05-14T18:07:00.000+10:00

Yesterday I woke up with a nasty cold. I shuffled off to an all day workshop anyway. I was early and got my sock out, only to discover I've lost the fourth needle somewhere! So no knitting.

Since then I have been too busy moping and snuffling to do anything useful. So still no knitting! I haven't got any new photos either so these boring before and during dye photos will have to do.

The beige crinkly stuff is patons new yorker. It's 40% Alpaca/60% acrylic, so I wasn't sure it would dye but it came out a lovely light grass green. I have five balls of the stuff, so when it's all done I plan to make a wrap.

OK, I promise to be more interesting next time...

Random stuff...

2006-05-12T19:48:00.000+10:00

I have not done much knitting or blogging this week as I have been quite busy with the local arts group I do some admin work for. Still, on Tuesday Ms Darkside and I went op shopping. I scored 12 balls of cleckheaton 8ply for $8.80! Seven balls are purple crepe and may go to feed the stash rug if I can't think of anything else. The rest are a rich red and I am thinking of making Topi and perhaps matching mittens.

I also found a couple of old pattern books. They are both full of ugly patterns but one had some pages of stitch patterns and the other had a basic sock pattern and a crochet deerstalker.

I picked a Honeycomb Aran pattern from the first book and started a new square for the rug. Mum has done a few plain squares for me so far, so I asked Suzi if she'd like to do one. She muttered something about skulls and "Maybe when all my other UFOs are done..." so I won't hold my breath!

I have done some dyeing as well, so I'll try and get some photos over the weekend.

Adventures with yarn

2006-05-06T19:07:00.000+10:00

Hi There!

Ms Darkside has finally nagged me into getting a blog. Still I must thank her for helping me with all the buttons and other blog thingamajigs. I'm used to being the geeky one in the family.

I have finished the hottie cover just in time for the colder nights. Turns out I should not be let loose in spotlight unsupervised, as I managed to buy two balls from different dye lots. When I joined in the second ball it was a completely different colour sequence. It took some fiddling and sewing in of lots of ends but I got both sides to match. I think the obsessive sock knitters at my SNB have been a bad influence.

Also I have been experimenting with food dye. It's much easier than I expected. You just squish the colour into the yarn then zap it in the microwave. I love the result but since I just used leftover yarn there wasn't enough to knit anything substantial. So I made do with the phone cosy from Stitch and Bitch.

Thanks for the kind comments. Glad Ash didn't scare anyone away!
Fifi

Under Construction

2006-05-05T17:30:00.000+10:00

We're not open yet! No peeking! Come back soon!