Wednesday WIPs – Two more sleeps!

July 15, 2015July 14, 2015 | Sonia Knits

My Grace cardigan is finished, hurrah!

The design is by Jane Richmond and the yarn is Lisa Souza’s Organic Merino. It was a real pleasure to knit to the pattern and the wool, oh my, the wool was so nice to work with.

I have the perfect souvenir from Stitches West, my new favourite cardigan.

Gosh my hair looks short!

This by default, is now my ‘Bendigo’ cardigan… squee, just 2 more sleeps!

As a late addition, I thought I might also need a new cowl to go with my new cardigan.

It’s a(nother) Honey Cowl, in my hand spun. Coincidently it is also organic merino, but the fibre is from Southern Cross Fibre. There were 5 different colours and I tried to blend them through, somewhat. Here’s hoping it’s finished in time for Friday.

Meanwhile I’ve also begun ‘the’ baby blanket. I’m so excited by how this is turning out already, have I finally found the perfect baby blanket pattern?

Wednesday WIPs – Pre-Sheep Show, Bendigo

July 8, 2015July 5, 2015 | Sonia Knits

With a title like that, I guess you’re assuming I’m ‘stashing-down’ and bracing myself for the biggest show of the year. Well, you’d be half wrong.

The Australian Sheep and Wool Show, held in Bendigo each year is just two weeks away. And yet on Friday night I found myself on a train to Bendigo to rendezvous with my lovely husband for a weekend away. The concept of going to Bendigo without a Sheep Show was a little foreign to me, but I went with it.

This helped sweeten the deal…

Then finding a breakfast place that had granny square blankets for the diners outside, totally charmed me. Needless to say it was too cold for any diners to take up this offer, granny square or not. But I still thought it was great.

And I figured a trip to this place, two weeks before all the ‘crazy’ knitters descended, could work in my favour.

And it did. My rainbow projects can now come to fruition. I can ‘shop the stash’ whenever the mood takes me to knit a rainbow dress or cardigan for niece M … plus another half dozen baby blankets, some mitts for a colleague, stuff for me, but I digress.

Don’t these balls look small?! Until you put them into a bag… then some crazy optical illusion thing happens…Whilst spending a few quality hours with Damian in a wine bar and knitting by the fire, I returned from the bathroom only to find a knitter chatting to my husband. What a lovely occurrence! She pulled out her latest knitting project and we both sang the praises of self-patterning knitting yarn. She may have also left with the name of my yarn supplier to get some for herself…

And did I mention it was freezing in Bendigo?

Now that I’ve done some scouting of Bendigo, I feel super prepared for anything! Pack ALL the woollens.

Wednesday WIPs (and a FO)

July 1, 2015June 28, 2015 | Sonia Knits

I finally have an FO!

These are my Xeriscape socks (Cookie A’s April Club). I really enjoyed knitting these. They were simple to knit and, the easy-to-memorise patterning, was enough not to get too boring. I would make these again as my ‘go-to mindless socks’.

And my June club yarn has arrived and it’s gorgeous! I’m hoping to make the next deadline for the competition, but as per usual there are a few other things I need to get done and cast on first.

This stunning fibre also arrived for the Southern Cross Fibre club, I got the colour way ‘Peacock’. It was a lovely mail week.

I’ve been working on my Grace cardigan and with any luck, there will be some modelled photos next week.

I’m listening to The Goldfinch as mentioned last week, and I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying it. I’m only about six hours into listening for a total of 32 hours, I still have a ways to go.

Wednesday WIPs – Purple

June 24, 2015June 21, 2015 | Sonia Knits

Hi there, it’s been another busy week around here. But being busy is good. I popped my head up and realised we’re half-way through the year already.

Despite this there has been time for knitting. I’m still working on my Cookie April socks, I’m onto the second one and loving the basketweave pattern. It’s so simple and squishy, I love it. At the time of writing this, my next shipment of Cookie A sock club has not arrived, so in my mind I’m not behind!

I’ve also done some more spinning this week…

Whilst watching Susan B Anderson’s latest video cast.

It is IxChels Cashmere Fling. So lovely…

I received ‘thank you’ eggs from the chooks for my knitted vest this week. A whole dozen!

I’ve finished listening to Colourless by Haruki Murakami. I really enjoyed it. I’m now listening to The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. So far, it’s great! Do you have any audio book recommendations?

Wednesday WIP – Cookie’s Xeriscape socks

June 17, 2015June 14, 2015 | Sonia Knits

On the eve of receiving my next Cookie A instalment of sock yarn and patterns this week, I picked up the single cuff I had knit in the Agave pattern (April’s pattern). I went to begin the leg pattern of twisted stitches. I then discovered I had knit one part of the cuff wrong, deciding I could ignore a column of purls that were supposed to be knits, I began the leg. I have to say, it’s probably my ‘busy-ness’ at the moment that made me give up on those twisted stitches. I was not enjoying them at all. And the fact the cuff had a mistake, sealed it’s fate.

I ripped it out and cast on for the easier but still very attractive Xeriscape socks. Why didn’t I do that in the first place?! I’m enjoying knitting my first sock so much that the doom of having the next parcel arrive is not a big deal. Sometimes easier is better.

The yarn is Mrs Crosby Sock, it is 100% wool, so I am knitting the sole of my foot on 2mm needles to tighten them up a little. The yarn itself is quite tightly spun, so I’m optimistic that these socks will last…

I’m listening to Colorless by Haruki Murakami. I have discovered a new time in my day to listen to my audiobooks, which is making me very happy. Audiobooks are the best! I’m enjoying the story and find the parallels between this and Murakami’s other books interesting, particularly when it comes to dreams.

Thursday Catch-up

June 11, 2015 | Sonia Knits

I thought I might catch-up in pictures. It’s been a few weeks and before the silence gets too long I just wanted to say ‘hi’ this is what I’ve been doing.

Secret Knitting business for a Richmond Knitter…

It involved cake and cupcakes and Girl Guide cookies…

I inspired my colleagues to make Pom Poms (as you do). Someone made the largest one, it’s the size of a rockmelon! I thought that was meant to be the pom pom maker size for a hat topper, I guess not…

I helped Ursula on her stand at the Handknitters Guild Annual Yarn and Fibre Fair. It was fun being an enabler for once!

I went away for yet another crafty weekend…

I did some knitting and left the quilting to the quilters

Then Jo showed up with goodies from the Red Beard Bakery.

A weekend progress shot of my Grace Cardigan. (I’m now up to the sleeves!)

Damian’s been making some outstanding food at home, and dessert…

I knit a chook sweater, but the chook didn’t want to wear it…

I attended a Crafternoon, my last one for a while with a very special Knitter.

We presented her with a blanket the group had made. Ahh… such sadness, and happiness for the amazing friends made through knitting.

Our best blanket yet I think…

Wednesday WIPs – Planning

May 27, 2015 | Sonia Knits

This week I’ve begun thinking about the next baby blanket I need/want to knit. Planning is my favourite part of a project!

The blanket is for my new niece/nephew due to arrive in September. Can you guess the gender of this baby?

A couple of months back I found this ‘Honeycomb’ stroller blanket pattern on the internet. I just love hexagons. What’s more, is that this blanket is an all-in-one deal. There’s no sewing patches together. I’m really tired of sewing patches together.

I also thought it would be good to use my stash yarn (hahahahaha). Turns out I didn’t have as many options as one might have thought shopping from my stash of yarn. I love the combination above though. The majority of it is vintage Jo Sharp wool DK. I’m going to use the ecru/white as the main colour, with the ‘colours’ as the hexagons themselves. It’s going to be a pretty rainbow.

I’ve begun listening to Haruki Murakami’s Colourless. And it’s interesting, his stories always are. Hopefully I can give you more of a summary next week.

I have cast on April’s shipment of the Cookie A sock club… only 2 weeks to go before the next one arrives ::gulp::

And I’ve been knitting on my Grace cardigan by Jane Richmond. The yarn is Lisa Souza’s organic merino, and I’m so in love with it. It is yarn that I bought at Stitches West and I’m so excited to have a lasting souvenir of the event.

Wednesday WIPs – ‘Winter Set’ complete, sort of

May 20, 2015 | Sonia Knits

My poor neglected husband who got ‘only’ mitts last winter, in November…

Now has the matching beanie and scarf for his winter-set…

Except …

Apparently the scarf is too short to wear.

There is no more hand spun, and I wasn’t ‘allowed’ to make a cowl. Oh well there’s always next year…

Wednesday WIPs – Winter is here

May 13, 2015 | Sonia Knits

This weather Melbourne has been experiencing is terrible, so terrible it’s great for Knitter’s like me. Because there is nothing outside I want to go out for. Apparently it wasn’t so bad on Sunday, I wouldn’t know, because the view from my window told a different story.

On Saturday I did venture out, and gave this lovely young man his winter vest/top. He has a bit of room to grow into it, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem for him.

The yarn is ‘Little Dipper Yarns’, and it is divine. The subtle shading in the semi-solids in a stripe pattern is so dreamy. The buttons are from Buttonmania. I seem to take my partially finished projects when I go in for assistance with buttons. I find it motivating to have all the bits and pieces for finishing by the time I finish knitting, then there is no excuse to finish a project.

I’ve also knit a little on Romi’s Mystery Shawl knit-along. Take note there is no spoiler alert here, because I am woefully behind. I’ve just completed clue 3, and the last clue, clue 5 was released over 2 weeks ago.

I think it’s pretty all the same, and I have enjoyed knitting it. I’m just not sure, whether I’m knitting this for me… or my mum… I could have her birthday sorted well ahead of time. I think I’ll decide once I’ve cast off.

If I sound different this week, it’s because I’ve got a sore throat and it’s bumming me out. Hopefully you’ll have chirpy Sonia again next week.

Speaking of things that are making me happy. Pip Lincolne’s new book, Craft for the Soul. I read the first few pages and I wondered whether she was writing about me!

Sonia Knits

The adventures of a Melbourne Knitter

Author: Sonia Knits