There is a new baby on it’s way in my family. Gosh no, not mine. It will be my sister’s second, a brother or sister for Marilyn. As Marilyn arrived 3 weeks early, I figure I’d better get into action in case the second arrives early too.

Originally my sister had said she would find out the sex of the second child, but now she has decided against that, so I can’t make a gender specific blanket. Oh yes of course, I should say we are talking about baby blankets here. Each of my siblings who have children, gets a blanket per baby. It’s a good system.

I happen to think my sister was quite keen on the blanket I made for Baby William, here:

And for all intents and purposes, this would have been a great option to just make another one, maybe switch the frame colour a little, so it was a little different. I have half the yarn left-over from all the contrast colours and I would only need to purchase the border colour. It would also mean that I would be using stash that is waiting for another baby to arrive in the winter months…

But no, this next baby is arriving right before summer really begins. And because I’m a show off and I like seeing my baby blankets put to use, I’m opting for a cotton version, and something a little different.

Patons put out a great book last year(?) called Modern Crochet: Book 1316 and I bought it. I think I’ll make the ‘Polka Dot Rug’ (picture at the top), but modify the amount of squares so that it is pram size. If their cotton wasn’t a cotton ‘blend’, I would have also used their yarn. But alas I think it’s only 50% cotton. So a Bendigo purchase is on the horizon.

What are you planning to make?

 

The last few weeks I’ve been checking out a few ‘new to me’ knitting video-casts; which are podcasts with pictures!

I can’t emphasise how much I’m enjoying this new development. When I thought listening to podcasts was pretty awesome, having actual footage of the podcaster presenting is even better. The funnest part is the ‘show and tell’. Whether it’s WIP’s of FO’s that are being discussed to ‘in the mail’ segments. Yes, even fabulous hand-dyers and designers get excited about woolly packages, just like me. Best of all, it’s wonderful to see, watch and understand how ‘down-to-earth’, generous, and ‘normal’ these knitting heroes are. I think when you record yourself on video, there is no where to hide!

You should give it a try!

Check out Skein Yarns and the Susan B Anderson video casts on iTunes. There’s a couple of others I’m still to try, if you have any recommendations please let me know.

Warning: Watching knitting video-casts could lead to more project queueing, etsy purchasing, book purchasing and project dreaming, you have been warned.

 

My Honey Cowl is moving along, it’s my social knitting project so it’s not getting a lot of attention. It’s about halfway through and I’m loving how smooshy it feels. I’m still hoping to have it done for this cold weather.

Welcome to another week of Yarn Along with Ginny! Go and take a look at what everyone else is knitting and reading this week over on her blog.

I’m reading Stephanie Pearl Mc-Phee’s latest book: ‘The Amazing Thing About the Way It Goes: Stories of Tidiness, Self-Esteem and Other Things I gave Up On’. I think that I’ve read all of her other books as well, but it’s been a little while between readings. I have to say I am enjoying it very much so far. Not a lot of knit talk yet, but I’m ok with that. The book feels warm and cozy and there’s that humour that I love about her. I’ve only read the first few chapters but it’s the kind of book you pick up and feel that you are supposed to be reading this book right now, it’s comforting and familiar and it somehow has a message for you.

I’ve progressed with my Hooray Cardigan, and I’m pretty certain now at this stage this ‘Use it or lose it’ project is a keeper. I’ve tried it on and it doesn’t feel as scratchy as it does to knit. I think I would like to make this cardigan again at some stage with a softer yarn as well.

I’ve also been listening to the first Game of Thrones book, which is going wonderfully well.

See you all next week.

It’s time! It’s time I went back to San Francisco and complete what was not done (properly) the first time. I’m going to Stitches West next year!

It’s funny how my experience in ‘stalking’ Wollmeise (or insert any other online lustful yarn brand here) has been a skill that was transferrable when it came to booking for Stitches.

Firstly I booked my hotel. Rather than wait for the hotel blocks to be booked out and my dreams of visiting SF again flash before my very eyes, I learnt I could book a room a few days before at full rate (which was only slightly higher than the Stitches rate). Done.

To make my time more enjoyable I thought I’d take a class (it also gives me access to the market preview the evening before the market sessions officially opens to the public). I decided on Anna Zilboorg’s ‘Surprisingly special techniques’ as my number one choice. I also understood this might also be the number one choice of most people as she is the keynote speaker for the event itself.

12am on Monday evening, my Wollmeise shopping experience came into play. I was logged in to the XRX (the home of Stitches website). I had the class page up and when the clock ticked over to midnight, I refreshed my page, placed the class in my cart and I checked out. At this point the adrenaline kicked in. I submitted my payment details and then came my confirmation. Wow what a rush!

Speaking of Wollmeise now this is the ironic part, last Friday night after a tip-off on Twitter, thanks Martina Behm! I rushed over to the wm website to see a number of multicoloured skeins of 4 ply available. I have never seen this. Ever. I played, I popped 3 different skeins in my cart just to see what would happen(!). It seems the site now has a new shopping system, I had these skeins for 10 mins until I purchased them or I lost them.

The universe has a sense of humour that is just plain cruel. I removed the items from my cart and closed my window… because I’m going to STITCHES! I’m excited, can’t you tell?

I’m participating in ‘Yarn Along’ with Ginny and friends.

This week I’m very happy to announce I have finished reading ‘The 100 year old man who climbed out of a window and disappeared’. After my initial interest in the book it waned a little toward the end. I’m not ashamed to say I sped read through the last 30% of the book.

But onto new things I’m getting around to reading Stephanie Pearl Mc-Phee’s latest book: ‘The Amazing Thing About the Way It Goes: Stories of Tidiness, Self-Esteem and Other Things I gave Up On’, I’ll report on this next week. I’m still listening to Game of Thrones in moments when I don’t feel too bad about popping my earphones on whilst Damian is at home; I’ve just gotten to the part where Bran gets pushed out of the window, so really early on in the scheme of things.

I’m spinning a bit and getting down to some serious cabling in Veera’s ‘Hooray Cardigan’. If I could only knit with one designer’s patterns, Veera would be it. She suits my knitting and wearing style to a T.

This is fun, see you next week.

 

Well hello there, I bet you didn’t think I would be back again for this week! I’m participating in Ginny’s Yarn Along with several others including Sharon.

As some of you would have seen, I finished my Colour Affection just in time to wear to the Bendigo Show at 10pm on Thursday evening to be precise. The only problem with casting-off, was that I no longer had a project to take with me on the train to Bendigo. This was rectified by casting on for the Honey Cowl in SHIBUI Baby Alpaca. I’ve been hankering for more winter accessories in some new colours other than my usual pinks. It seems this season it’s all about blue.

Whilst I cast on at home and knit a few rows that evening to ensure I hadn’t twisted the cast-on row, it wasn’t until the train journey that I attempted to establish the pattern. Let’s just say my first couple of slip stitch rows are not perfect, but after that I managed to correct the pattern to the staggered slip stitches it needed to be.

I’ve also been spinning more frequently this week, at one point I was using 2 wheels at once, it was fantastic!

I’m still reading “The 100 year old man…”, I’m still enjoying it, but now I just want to know how it ends! Each alternative chapter is written in the present, whilst the others are written in the past, it feels like it’s building to something, I’ll be really disappointed if it’s not! Either way, I’ll be ready to start a new book next week.

 

As part of the Little Dipper Yarns KAL for June, I cast-on for the much famed ‘Colour Affection’. It’s a great pattern!

I fear projects that are largish and have a bit of ‘plain’ knitting, and whilst Colour Affection appears to be miles of brainless knitting, I actually found it quite fun to knit. What does that say about me? ha ha ha.

There was a little bit of debate about the colours I did go with. Some felt the colours were too subtle against each other. Whilst others cautioned me about the style of increases. But I was not concerned, most people who have made a Colour Affection shawl have made more than one.

I’m so pleased with it! It got it’s first outing at the Bendigo Show. Yay for the annual parade of knits.

I’m still working out the styling for wrapping the shawl.

I weighed the remnants of my Little Dipper Yarns after casting off and it appears I have 150gms of LDY left to use on another project… sometime down the track.

I already have the yarn for my second Colour Affection project, but I think I’ll take a break from the pattern in the interim. I’m not sure that I would change the pattern method for the increases, I think Veera (the pattern designer) knows what she’s on about, she hasn’t let me down yet.

Many years after attending my first ‘Bendigo’, that is The Australian Sheep and Wool Show, it’s kind of nice that it is still exciting.

This year I opted for the train trip up and back for the Friday. After staying the weekend for the past few years, I felt it might be time to give Damian a break, even though we’ve enjoyed every year. Limiting myself to just the day, also means I can keep a lid on things.

So I caught the 7:09am train from Southern Cross Station to Bendigo and was joined by equally excited friends. We also had a surprise friend join us, which made it even more fun!

And… I actually stayed within budget, sort of. I had no shopping list, because we all know ‘I don’t need anything’. But I still managed to find things, special things, that just had to come home with me.

Birds-eye view of the yarn: From left: Dyed by Hand: White Gum DK x 2 green hanks. Kathy’s Fibres 4 ply yarn in ‘Jewel’. Stranded in Oz Jezebel in 4 colours. Moseley Park MCN in a Neon Rainbow colour way.

Side view of the yarn

Some IxChel Camel Bunny Silk (and a pinkish braid not pictured here)

2 braids of Kathy’s Fibres BFL/Silk in her fabulous ‘Jewel’ colour way.

My train buddies said I was quite restrained, I’m not so sure. I think I came home with more than last year in terms of yarn and fibre. I love everything I got, and I hope to use some of it sooner rather than later.

There were so many highlights to the day, but mostly it was spending time with great friends and all the laughs. Congratulations to Chris for winning 2 first prizes for 2 of her competition entries. Her fabulous gradient dress was also part of the Wool Craft fashion parade at 11am. It was a wonderful moment and I’m so happy for her.

Until next year!