Work in Progress

The Beanie Queue

| Sonia Knits

I don’t knit a lot for others, so when I do, you can bet it means a lot to me.

This winter I knit my brother a beanie, I can’t believe it’s his first one from me. He absolutely loves it, and I’m stoked.

I saw a friend who I felt definitely needed one of my beanies; she was cooking in the kitchen whilst wearing a store-bought beanie. Knitters don’t let friends wear store-bought beanies! I twisted her arm to ‘allow’ me to knit her one.

Then over the Sheep Show weekend, another friend saw me knitting my brother’s beanie and wanted one too. He was pretty envious and pretty upfront about asking for one. Of course I said yes, … but there’s a queue.

After the Bendigo weekend the woolliest weekend of the year, I found I needed to buy new yarn for this beanie queue! Both Thi and Tim wanted a charcoal coloured hat, and believe it or not, I didn’t have spare ‘beanie’ yarn in my stash for that. Sure I had a jumpers worth of charcoal yarn, but I wasn’t going to sacrifice a large project for a couple of hats.

I placed an order with Bendigo Woollen Mills, for a selection of yarns that I thought could work.

I bought two balls of their Classic 8 ply in Charcoal, which is great, because that’s the colour both Thi and Tim selected. Bendigo ‘Classic’ is a crepe-plied yarn. I’ve never been a fan of crepe yarns, but my opinion changed once I cast-on for Thi’s beanie.

The texture of the crepe is really ‘nice’ to knit. It’s a well-structured yarn, but still soft and not scratchy. And Bendigo Woollen Mills has an extensive colour range in ‘Classic’ much more so than their Luxury range. Why have I not noticed this before? I’m now looking at their colour card in a completely new way. Deep Rose I’m looking at you.

Whilst I had cast-on for Thi’s beanie… I got an invite to an older colleague’s retirement lunch. I knew this colleague was retiring, but I wasn’t aware of exactly when. So the order of the queue has changed once again. Damian at this rate may get a new beanie in time for next winter.

With the short deadline, it turns out I can knit Petite Knit’s Oslo hat in 2 weekend days.

This is Richard’s beanie in Luxury 8 ply in Blue Denim, it has been cast off and is currently blocking. I hope he likes it and thinks of me and my Bendigo adventures when he wears it. In the time that I’ve worked with him (12.5 years), he indulged me, by listening to my stories from the sheep show weekends with great interest, what a guy.

Crochet Mojo

| Sonia Knits

My crochet mojo is back baby!

I’ve recently picked up my Nimue blanket (designed by Shelley Husband) once again. Completing the centre square ‘Avalon’ and getting back to the 24 Caltha squares that lay around it’s perimeter.

This Saturday, I took a class with the designer of this blanket at Sunspun. I took along my Avalon block to the ‘Sit and Crochet’ which was held in the morning to show Shelley. It was great to spend some time with Shelley, chatting and laughing along until we got to the serious stuff in the afternoon. Sunspun is my local yarn store, but I don’t get there very often. It is such a nice welcoming space, the owner Virginia is lovely and some of my friends also work there.

The class I took was ‘Granny Square Academy 2’. Having made all of the squares in Granny Square Academy 1, I thought this class would be fun. I was not wrong. It did take a little brain power, but there were lots of laughs along the way!

I really enjoyed making the 2 squares Shelley selected for us to undertake. ‘Invisible Jesse’ is really cool and 3D, one of my favourite squares ever. I’m now all inspired to finish my Nimue blanket, but there’s still loads to go.

Meanwhile, I’ve knit my brother a beanie. I’ve never knit him one before, I don’t think it will be the last one either. I’ve also cast-on a DK weight pair of socks for Damian, which are working up super fast. I think I’ve finally gotten to the bottom of the fit issues for Damian’s socks, with a 3 inch heel flap, the first sock fits him like a glove.

I now have more ‘orders’ for more beanies from other friends (I’m also inclined to make the Oslo hat for Damian). Damian has selected the yarn for his 2nd pair of DK socks, surprisingly pink and green! And I’m thinking about picking up that cardigan I started a few months ago. And I’m thinking about my next sweater cast-on… so many things 🙂

5 Sleeps to the Bendigo Sheep Show!

| Sonia Knits

I’m sorry I haven’t posted in such a long time. Apparently when you enter into Woolcraft competitions, you’re supposed to be a bit secretive about your makes until the judging has occurred. That’s no fun! I’m not even sure if that applies to blogs, is a judge reading my blog right now?! I highly doubt it.

I can confirm three sweaters and a pair of socks have been entered into the Woolcraft competition! My second pair of socks have missed out, because well, that was a pipe dream.

Since completing my entries, my intentions have moved to my Nimue crochet blanket by Shelley Husband, that has darkened my living room basket for 2 years, 2.5 years! If you recall, I stopped working on this when I realised I’d bitten off more than I could chew, by also working on my Hand Spinning Certificate at the same time.

I’m actually really enjoying making this once again. No deadlines, no homework, no competitions (definitely can’t be entered into any show, because it’s cotton).

I haven’t forgotten about my ‘Cast-on a sweater a month’ goal. I’m hoping to recommence those shenanigans in August. I’ve got a blanket to finish and there seems to be a few people in my life who need beanies right now. It’s very chilly in Melbourne, and sadly the forecast for Bendigo weekend is cold and wet.

I’ll be back on Friday, with my latest completed sweater (when the judging is over!)

May Wrap up

| Sonia Knits

It seems I have fallen off the blogging wagon, I’ve only been knitting my Pressed Flowers pullover and it’s taken f-o-r-e-v-e-r. I do love it though, but mosaic knitting takes twice the time it seems.

Can you believe we’re nearly half-way through the year?

We had a belated birthday (for me) and a combined birthday celebration (a niece and a sister) with my family a few weeks ago. I was gifted this Amigurumi sheep by my sweet niece who’s 12! I was completely blown away by her talent for such a young age. It took her 2 weeks to make, and it’s perfect. I’m in love.

Last weekend, I was stuck on sleeve island for my Pressed Flowers pullover, and I needed to do something other than knit the sleeve for a day but without starting something new… so I did some spinning. I have 200 grams of this beautiful merino fibre from Cat & Sparrow, which I picked up at the Sheep Show last year.

Finally this past Friday night, my Pressed Flowers pullover was cast-off and ends were sewn in. Now to block and take some photos, yay! Next time, I promise.

On Saturday I attended the annual Handknitters market in Coburg and had a wonderful time. It feels like a very long time since I’ve indulged in a yarny event and I might have bought more than I intended. All sock yarn, so that doesn’t count now does it?

A cast-on pause in May

| Sonia Knits

Last week I made the decision to not cast on a new sweater in May. The excitement of casting on with reckless abandon, has taken a pause… but only for May! I currently have 3 sweater/cardigan WIPs, and I feel as though that is the most I can cope with at one time.

I’ve been working solidly on my March Sweater, the Pressed Flowers pullover, and I hope to finish it up this month as well as make some good progress on my other 2 WIPs.

I’m now on the rib of the body of my sweater and I’ve divvied up the gradient yarn in 2 for my sleeves; I really hope I have enough, eek…

I’ve also cast-on for some Stephen West socks, Painting Honeycombs, which I’ve been wanting to knit since they were released last year. Using some stash yarn in Patons Patonyle fluro orange, and some mini skeins from advent calendars and left-overs. My friend Jade gifted me this gorgeous honey bee stitch marker, how perfect.

Whilst I was away in Daylesford, a sneaky purchase was made from my favourite self-striping hand dyer Danni of Half-baked hand dyed.

Isn’t it gorgeous… it was sitting by my Painting Bricks sweater WIP when it arrived, and I think it’s a perfect match.

I’m looking forward to getting lots done this month, so the excitement of a new cast-on returns for June.

A very Busy April

| Sonia Knits

I’ve been away the past 2 weekends doing fun things. Now I normally wouldn’t like to be away 2 weekends away in a row and bookended by work, but this is how April has shaped up.

My first weekend away was to attend the Majacraft Magic Camp! Majacraft is a New Zealand Spinning Wheel company, for those who are not aware. I headed off late one Friday to Lake Dewar a YMCA camp, somewhere between Bacchus Marsh and Ballan.

It was a beautiful setting with some wonderful teachers and attendees. Organised by Janet Day, I was really glad to have experienced Spinning Camp! There were 4 teachers/classes in total and I got to attend each class. It did make for a very busy weekend, but also thoroughly enjoyable. I haven’t been away on an organised ‘fibre’ retreat like this since attending TAFTA Geelong Fibre Forum retreats maybe 15+ years ago. Gosh, I wish they’d bring back some knitting or spinning classes to that retreat.

It was really interesting to meet Spinners from all over Australia at the meals breaks. Queensland spinners are super active and have several events/camps going on each year, really surprising with their climate. It was great to meet spinners who have great passion for the craft.

This past week and weekend I celebrated my birthday and headed off to Daylesford with my girlfriends who normally do a lot of quilting.

In between this getaway and our last getaway, some of my girlfriends have become addicted to sock knitting…

How lucky am I?! They also still quilt and sew… but not as much!

I’m also making great progress on my Pressed Flowers Pullover. I’m hoping to wrap this up by the end of April, but that doesn’t seem likely!

Paul Klee Sweater

| Sonia Knits

Yippee my Paul Klee Sweater by Midori Hirose is all finished! I’m very happy with how it has turned out. The yarn is from Kate Davies’ Advent calendar of 2023 which included all the colours from her Milarrochy Tweed yarns, plus all of her new colours released in the club. It was a very happy happenstance. Whilst you can choose to limit the number of colours used in the yoke, I decided to use 22 of the possible 24 colours from the Milarrochy Tweed range, and the additional charcoal colour for the body and sleeves.

I have been busily knitting on my March Sweater, Pressed Flowers by Amy Christophers. I’ve just divided for the body and sleeves. Originally I thought I would be knitting to the second size of instructions (the pattern has a crazy amount of ease), but I found that my row gauge (or my gauge overall) was smaller than expected, it’s hard to tell with mosaic knitting. But when I placed my yoke up against another yoke I’ve knitted, I could tell there was not going to be any ease, if I’d divided at that point. So I needed to knit another repeat of flowers before dividing for the body and sleeves. I think that was the correct decision, no one has time for sweaters that are too tight to wear.

My lovely basic stripey Christmas socks are also off the needles. The yarn is by my friend Danni from Halfbaked Hand dyed. Now that I don’t have any socks on the needles, I’m feeling a little lost.

I’m casting on for my April Sweater today… or maybe just a swatch, more on this month’s Cardigan… after I get back from a Spinning retreat next weekend. So much to do, so little time.

Mid-March update

| Sonia Knits

A couple of weekends ago, we attended our very first Lost Trades Festival in Bendigo. It was very unlike our usual Bendigo Sheep Show weekends in mid-July when the weather is super cold. At 38 degrees celsius, it just didn’t feel right, it just didn’t feel like Bendigo! Unfortunately for the organisers who did a terrific job, the crazy hot weather was against them. It meant that we spent about 2 hours at the show, before returning to the house we hired for the weekend to find relief under the air-conditioner. And I got to knit on my Pressed Flowers Pullover!

Last night, I finally cast-off on my Paul Klee Sweater (the January sweater cast-on), there will be modelled photos soon, once the ends are sewn in and it has had it’s bath, oh and the zit on my face has subsided…

For the final week of March, I’m going to focus on getting as much of my Pressed Flowers Pullover knit as possible. There’s a new cast-on scheduled for April, and I’m only 2 months behind 🙂

Another Month, another jumper cast-on

| Sonia Knits

We have begun the third month of the year, which means I’ve cast-on for yet another jumper! Both January and February jumpers are still incomplete, but I’m enjoying them both thoroughly.

I have reached the point in my painting bricks sweater (February), where I actually love it! I was having serious doubts about this one, up until this point. I’ve begun thinking about what I’ll wear it with, and what new additions to my wardrobe I’ll need to make this a super fun outfit.

My January sweater the Paul Klee sweater by Midori Hirose, is still needing the second sleeve, but with the long-weeknd here in Victoria, I’m hoping to find some time to finish it up. For those not in Victoria, the forecast for the next 3 days is going to be 37/38 degrees celsius. Which is terribly disappointing to me, I’m not sure how I’ll cope except to stay inside.

This is the yarn I’m using for my March cast-on, for the Pressed Flowers pullover by Amy Christophers. The Pressed Flowers series of patterns has been selected by my knitting group for our Bendigo Sheep Show sweater this year. I figured beginning it in March was probably wise, so that I didn’t leave it to the last minute and not finish it in time. The main coloured yarn is by Miss Click Clack, purchased a few years ago and it is absolutely gorgeous. The contrast gradient of colours is by My Creative Garage. I purchased the minis set at the Sheep Show last year, and I’ve added a couple extra minis from her advent 2 years ago, to ensure I have enough yardage.

I am enjoying knitting the pattern now that I’ve moved past the short rows, gosh they were a bit tricksy, I had to pay a lot of attention there. But I think it will be smooth sailing from here on in.