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!

Wednesday WIP – Bees

May 6, 2015May 5, 2015 | Sonia Knits

This week’s post is all about Bees. No I haven’t lost my mind and decided to give the Bee Keeper’s Quilt another look-in. Nor have I picked up my hexagon patchwork quilt. Nope. But I have finished listening to The Secret Life of Bees! It was a great listen and I was satisfied with the ending, I don’t want to give anything away!

My final birthday parcel arrived and it is a Bee-themed circular needle case by Chicken Boots Studio.

If it wasn’t sweet enough on the outside, the interior bee-hive fabric won me over.

My nephew’s Tama vest is complete, and I hope to have some modelled photos for you next week. Now back to catching up with all my other new WIPs.

Wednesday WIP

April 29, 2015 | Sonia Knits

This week I’ve been knitting on Romi’s Mystery knit along Shawl. I’m really happy with how this is coming along, I’m a little behind on my clues which I’m certain has something to do with me stopping to look at my knitting and thinking how pretty it is!

I’ve also been knitting my nephew’s winter jumper, despite his age (!) I’ve had to cast on for the 3 year old size. I’m making Tama by Kelly Brooker. I’m using Little Dipper yarns, and I’m loving the semi-solidness of the blues. I picked up some buttons from Buttonmania in preparedness for finishing.

I’m still listening to ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ by Sue Monk Kidd. I can’t wait to hear how it ends, even though it’s been a few weeks.

What have you been working on?

A very good mail week

April 24, 2015April 21, 2015 | Sonia Knits

One way of making your birthday go on and on… is ordering gifts online that don’t show up in time for your birthday… or a 12 month yarn club subscription, but I digress…

So my yarn gifts didn’t arrive on my birthday… so this happened…

Which was super fun…

And I got the yarn for my Ursula Cardigan a dream cardigan (by Kate Davies)! Poor Ursula (my human friend) there’s an unofficial knit-along happening in my knitting group right now, which makes for confusing conversation.

These are the colours I chose, with the light grey being the main colour of the cardigan. My cast-on will probably happen long after the knit-along ends, but it’s been on my wish list ever since the pattern was published. Dreaming about projects and finished objects all plays a part in my life as a knitter ~~and yarn hoarder~~.

And then my 2 yarn parcels showed up a few days later. The first was the result of being enabled by Susan B. Anderson’s Instagram feed. She’s dangerous, and awesome and I can’t bring myself to unfollow her, because I.DONT.NEED.ANYMORE.YARN. But my birthday month was coming up, and you know you’re allowed to buy yarn for your birthday even when you really don’t need any.

These are Gales Art sock blanks, and I’m so in love with these.

And then, I let my fingers do the walking and bought some of ‘Clara’s Yarn’. It’s birthday month remember…

I just can’t stop smelling this yarn, it’s so sheepy and gorgeous. And if you were here in Melbourne Melanie, I know you would love it too. I bought enough for a tunic dress, just in case I wanted to make this.

Anyone want lessons on how to make your birthday great? Just talk to me. As one friend said, I do birthdays right. Now I need to knit myself out of this avalanche of yarn, send tea and time… time would be good.

Wednesday WIP – The Birthday Edition

April 22, 2015April 22, 2015 | Sonia Knits

I’ve had an interesting birthday. There was not as much fanfare this year (no really, stop laughing)… and I couldn’t put my finger on it. Even my colleagues were asking if I was feeling ok?!

And then, at work, I made the rhetorical statement, ‘I have nothing to live for… after Stitches!’ It was quite tongue in cheek, but all the same they are the words that came out of my mouth. I think it came from a place where I have to say I’m quite content and I didn’t need a birthday because I didn’t need anything…

But then I was wrong. I was remembered by friends and family (and surprised by my husband, he’s still good at that), that made my birthday great. Amongst the lovely gestures received, I was surprised, no shocked, to receive two handmade gifts. I felt extremely lucky. Yeah, I was floored to have received handmade gifts (handmade by the gifters themselves). That means time, and it probably means the ‘L’ word too, but I don’t want to get all soppy on here.

My photographer was on the blink when I took these photos, but seriously, 8 mini stockings for my Christmas Tree… just adorable.

And then this:

A cake and coffee coaster, an awesome surprise.

There was also a couple of cards in the mail, and I could hear the voices of the people who wrote them. I wish I sent cards more often, I feel like I’m an undeserving friend when I receive one.

For my birthday… I bought myself yarn… but somehow posting about it here doesn’t seem right. So I’ll leave it there for another day.

Sonia Knits

The adventures of a Melbourne Knitter

Author: Sonia Knits