Hat Finished

I have completed the free Yarn Bee hat pattern in the light pink amazon yarn. I am very happy with it , think it's looks better than the pamphlet, thicker & fluffier. Although being for a child I may put some hat elastic in the ribbing as it stretches quite easily. I have started another cable beanie in pink acrylic from my stash, toddler size this time. I'm making up a package along with the yarn bee hat and blue baby shoes from previous posts. I decided I didn't like the dolphin buttons on the shoes, and I am going to replace them with buttons I won off Ebay. I'll make a bonnet to go with the shoes, and hopefully get it all in the mail sometime next week. The person who's children I'm knitting for has previously been so greatful for my knitted gifts, as her Mum passed away a number of years ago and was a knitter. So she didn't have anyone to knit for her babies. I also like to knit for her as she has no problems with bright colours. A bright purple mini baby poncho was greatly appreciated. Back to the needles.

Bit of a Non Event

Went to The Spotlight Knitting Party at Penrith, but it was a non event as the staff member running it was ill, so it consisted of a raffle of a tolley full of knitting goods , mostly acrylic yarn . You got a ticket for each $5 you spent. I was expecting some kind of specials on yarn, but everything was normal price. When on to show my friend what a real LYS looks like at the Wool Inn and picked up two more Paton pattern books, surprised at the better price.

On the doggy side of things , The Schipperke Association of NSW is running a fun day on the 18th August starting at 11am at the Canine Complex on Luddenham Rd, Erskine Park, Sydney all breeds pure or mixed welcome. There be some fun games and a sausage sizzle. Anybody interested can leave a comment.

Mysteries Solved & Unsolved

The drop stitch shawl is finished, the mystery of the extra yarn , it turned out smaller than it was supposed to. Not a bad thing mind, being that I'm only 4' 11" . A trip to Lincraft gained two balls of light pink amazon yarn and a pattern book and some thick round needles. I'm thinking the Yarn Bee free beanie pattern from spotlight in child size for the yarn. Also in the mail this week from some of my birthday money YARN mag back issues & first of my subscription.

The purple beanie has not appeared, so will probably do a replacement black & red stripes, this time. From Knitting Daily http://www.interweave.com/knit/books/favorite_socks/default.asp, looks great, but appears to be in short supply , will probably have to wait till Christmas anyway.

Spotlight Knitting Party tomorrow, taking my friend who I taught to knit and who has taken to it like a fish to water. She picks a lot up from just watching me on the train. Just gets ideas and goes for it, possibly a designer in the making.

Purple Beanie Where are You??

It's gone......my young friend informs me he had the beanie yesterday morning at work but it disappeared sometime during the day. Don't know why somebody would take it especially with thread still hanging off it, but you never know do you. So no pic of the beanie :-(

The shawl is nearly finished, pays to look at the instructions occasionally, I only had to increase to 113 stitches not 133 as I has stuck in my mind. Should just manage to get the last lot of wraps on the needles. Not sure why I am only up the 3rd ball of yarn when the pattern says 5. Another mystery....

A Busy Few Days

My baby turned 13 on Sunday, so it was a busy weekend , Saturday I took her and friend to Parramatta to shop , she likes Borders and a hot chocolate at Gloria Jeans up stairs. I wasn't allowed to go to Lincraft :-/ Hopefully the yarn sale might be still on and I'll get there this week sometime. Sunday was housework before all the party guests came. All in all a good weekend.

I did manage to finish the cable beanie (just about), my first cables, don't know what I've been worried about all these years. It's kind of magical I think how they shape themselves, I thought it would be much more complex. I will hopefully have a pic of the beanie, the recipient still has it, I need to bind it off , didn't finish it completely as I thought it was a bit short, and wanted him to try it on first. Hopefully I will catch up with him tomorrow to finish the job.

The drop stitch shawl is going well , but with nearly 40 more stitches to increase, I'm already having trouble fitting the wraps on the needles. I have started a very basic garter stitch scarf for my husband in Moda Vera Flirt (black/silver) , it is soooo soft. Think I will do gauntlets to match it , and the cable beanie.

Spotlight Knitting party on Saturday, just have to decide which store to go to, yes I am spoilt, I have two within a fairly short distance from home.

Sad Few Days

We attended my husband's Grandma's funeral yesterday, it wasn't sudden really, she was blind and not really with us anymore. A stroke took her took her in the end. She was a lovely lady, when I first met my husband Christmas' were always at her house. Seems when her health began to fail the family seemed to fragment as well. It was a lovely service and the day went well all in all.

This morning Marty went back to his breeder to find a happier life, so more tears were shed when the Jet Pets man arrived, but Marty took to him straight away so was happy to go. He got to stay inside with us last night after his bath, he was a different dog, so happy to have all our attention and not share it with anybody else. Made it harder to let go, but concreted in our minds, that he really needs a home with people around all the time that he doesn't have to share with any other dogs.

On a happier note, got to Spotlight on Monday , 20% off the already on sale yarns. Picked up some Moda Vera Luxury (purple mist), a mohair blend for a shawl. Loved the drop stitch of my last scarf. So the shawl is being done the same and well under way. Would take a pic but light is dreary day and night at the moment , and dark shades just don't come up well.

I have had lots of lovely comments on my drop stitch scarf at work , which is really nice. Some ladies wanting to know how to knit it. Pity I was in such a straight state this morning, left one of the needles behind and we couldn't really find a substitute for a long 7.5mm needle to demo on my shawl. Have to get it right for tomorrow, as is my last week of this temp assignment.
Must get back onto the cable beanie as well.

I'm 40

What a lovely day I had yesterday. My Husband and Daughter had secretly planned a surprise party. Lots of goods friends turned up, one driving from interstate with a friend and 3 littlelees, an awesome effort. All the friends I don't see often enough, even though they don't live that far away. My husband may not do much too on birthday occasions usually, but when he does he does it well.

Here are a few of my gifts, the yarn is dark purple (my favourite kind of purple).$50.00 to spend at Spotlight, 20% off tomorrow , good timing but as always when I have a gift voucher I have no idea what I want. Would like to attempt a shawl. The scarf I whipped up from my stash for myself (Moda Vera Jasmin), as I don't have a knitted scarf and being a knitter I thought I'd better change that. It's kind of ugly, but I think I like it. It let me try drop stitch and got me away from the cable beanie. I get a bit thingie , when I have cast on more than 100 stitches, it takes so long to do a row.

A book I bought a few weeks ago, I think I will even make stuff from it. Looks bright & colourful with simple patterns. I went back to the books I received when I was down with the lurgy. I like this from "Yarns to Dye For".