RAINCHECK

November 22, 2022 | Sonia Knits

So after my brilliant record for walking consecutive days in a row (and getting a lot of reading/listening done); it rained a lot last week (and it continues to do so). Nevertheless I still got a few walks in and listened to The Comfort Book by Matt Haig.

I read/listened to one of Haig’s fiction novels earlier this year (was it earlier this year?!) titled, The Midnight Library. I think everyone has read this, so I don’t need to tell you it’s good, but it’s good. Then listening to The Comfort Book this week, which is more of a ‘self-help’ book, which I wouldn’t normally gravitate towards let alone admit to reading, was also not bad. Some of it is repetitive, and some of it is jumbled, which the author freely admits to upfront. I certainly can see the correlation between this book and The Midnight Library. It is read by Matt himself, which in itself was comforting. I found some really strong messages in it, but I’ll leave you to read it, to find out for yourself.

Last Sunday week, I attended my second-last class for the Spinning certificate. It was a Creative Yarns class with Janet Day. Janet’s a wonderful teacher and it was a joyful day learning from her. We begun with ‘Beehives’ probably the hardest spin for the day, chosen to be practised first, because our concentration was at it’s best at the start of the session.

Then we moved onto ‘coiled’ yarns, ‘super coils’, and ‘auto-wrap’ yarns. Finally we witnessed Janet make ‘Wolf Yarn’, which is a core-less core-spun yarn, named by Judith Mackenzie because it kept the wolf from the door. Janet explained, once mastered it is fairly quick and looks impressive so sells well, hence keeping the wolf from the door.

I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow, I’m listening to a new book.

Consistency is Key

November 12, 2022 | Sonia Knits

It’s funny how when you sort out your priorities, things get done, or get closer to being done.

Whilst walking this week, I needed a shorter book to follow last week’s epic 16 hour listen (not done in one week!). I chose to listen to After Dark by my favourite Japanese author Haruki Murakami. It’s a five hour listen, which is pretty short for Murakami.

It delves into the sub-culture of Tokyo city After Dark, the time when the trains stop running, and before they begin again in the morning. Having been to Tokyo and being kind of familiar with the area spoken about, I found it interesting and a bit of an eye-opener. It is of course, a work of fiction, but the events could all be very real. As with all of Murakami’s stories, there’s always 2 or more stories going on and the dialogue is wonderful. The second story was weird, in Murakami fashion but tied in (at the end) with the main tale. I’m not sure I would recommend this book unless you are a Murakami fan, or are interested in the night life of seedy Tokyo.

Sticking with Murakami, I finally listened to Murakami T: The T-Shirts I Love.

Yes, Murakami is massive into T-Shirts (and vinyl albums), and has quite a collection to write about. I really enjoyed listening to his first written in the 1st person book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. I also enjoyed listening to his take on his T-Shirt collection, he has a great sense of humour. Surprisingly, Australia (and Melbourne specifically) was mentioned on couple of occasions, which was fun; imagine running into Murakami here! He had good things to say about our second-hand record stores. The duration is less than 2 hours and it was a fun listen. Coincidently on some of my walks, I’ve been breaking out my ‘Murakami’ T-Shirts purchased from Uniqlo a couple of years ago… he would totally avoid me if he saw me. He likes to keep a low profile.

Murakami’s latest 1st person story book, Novelist as a Vocation, has just been released, but I’m going to save that one for a little while at least.

I’ve been knitting on my mum’s socks this week. Amazingly, there is progress:

The patterned sock is an older design by Cookie A, called Tulip Socks. I think I’ve knit these once before. A great pattern by Cookie, as always, the easy lace stitches makes it look fancy, when it’s really not difficult to knit.

This week, I’ve started the process of setting out my Spinning Folio, I have quite a bit of work ahead of me, but I’ve got a plan or at least the process in place. Who know’s how I’m going to get it all done?

This week

November 6, 2022 | Sonia Knits

I finished listening to Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton. It was pretty damn good, probably one of my favourite reads/listens. I would highly recommend it. It took me a while to get through the 16 plus hour listen, but with a new walking/listening regime in place I polished off the book in no time.

This week, I also worked on my ‘Colour’ spinning homework. This was a class I missed because I was in Brisbane with Damian. Luckily, I know a thing or two about colour. The homework is still a drag though, despite how pretty it is.

And I’ve reprioritised my projects once again. With Christmas just around the corner, I want to make sure I do actually finish my mum’s 2 pairs of socks in time. Of which, I’m only on the 1st sock of each.

My Stephen West MKAL shawl has taken a back-seat, along with my Nimue crochet blanket. I love all of these projects and I look forward to getting back to them early next year.

EmBRACING MY PACE

October 29, 2022 | Sonia Knits

‘Embracing my Pace’, the catchcry of Stephen West’s Mystery Knit-along this year, is something I’m most certainly working by. I mean, I’m not knitting slowly… but the first clue (of four) is a killer. At times I found myself wondering how cruel it was to set this as the very first clue. Some kind of twisted test of resilience set by Stephen. I think it will be interesting to see how many FO’s will be completed with this MKAL compared to his other recent years of the KAL.

Just as the fourth and final clue dropped on Thursday night, I was still finishing up my very first clue. Here is is pre-braiding:

Here it is after the weaving:

I’ve watched and seen all of the spoilers for the remaining clues as they’ve dropped. And I’m excited to do each bit from now on in. But now that I’m soooo far behind, it’s not really a knit-along for me anymore, it’s a WIP.

With Christmas coming along, I’m hoping to get at least the 2 pairs of socks I have on the needles for mum, finished in time. My knitting dance card is full for the remainder of the year.

The beautiful blooms on our tree, have been a joy to watch as they grow each day. Will it ever stop raining?

This morning on my walk (yes, a new routine I’m trying out), was a real treat. I left home at 7 in the morning (unheard of) and came across a bit of activity at my local park.

Pretty cool huh. Mind you, I don’t think they’re cool when they’re sailing past my house dangerously close.

It’s the long weekend, and I’m here for it. A bit of catching up on my spinning homework (as always), spending time with family, and maybe even a bit of knitting on clue two.

A Three Month Catch-up

October 21, 2022 | Sonia Knits

As I write today, it’s Saturday and it’s pouring with rain. I’m so thankful I don’t need to go anywhere today, and it’s a good time to take stock.

Warning! This is going to be a photo heavy blog post!

I thought I might start here. These 2 photos represent all that I’ve been spinning for the last 11 months as part of the Spinning Certificate I’m undertaking at the Handweavers and Spinners Guild of Victoria. There is still some 3 classes of spinning to come, to add to this pile of yarn, then I’m somehow going to put it together into a folio of samples and notes. There’s also a major project to add to this body of work. Pretty impressive huh? Once I have all of this in a more presentable form, I’ll share with you some more of what is here. This is all handed in, in March 2023, so there may be a big update then.

In August, Damian and I went to Kyneton for about 10 days. It was a good opportunity to catch-up on some spinning (!) and to eat lots of delicious food, and to relax.

We also got down to Du Fermier in Trentham and shared a few laughs and good food with Annie Smithers.

In September, there was more spinning, making secret blanket squares for a friend’s wedding blanket, a visit to mum for her birthday (I visit her as often as I can now), I picked up my finished quilt from the long-arm quilter and I stayed in Hepburn for a long weekend with friends.

In October, I went to the Royal Melbourne Show (the first time in years!) with my sister and niece and nephew. I also went to Brisbane with Damian and had another lovely time there.

I begun the Stephen West Mystery KAL when I got home from Brisbane … and ‘I’m embracing my pace’. I think a lot of people are… not so many spoilers online this year, oh Stephen what have you done?!

Clue three has been released on Thursday night, and I’m still on the first clue, about half-way through… (more than what’s shown here)

Last weekend was a visit to mum’s and seeing her beautiful snowball blossoms, a trip to Murrumbeena for a friends’ quilt show. Our Weeping Cheals (Cherry) tree has begun to blossom this week.

This weekend I’ve got a catch-up at the guild tomorrow, I think we’re getting down to the business end of our course. So today will be spent working out what to take with me tomorrow, and hopefully knocking over more of clue one of this mystery shawl. And it continues to rain outside…

Somethings have had to give

July 30, 2022 | Sonia Knits

It has been a while since my last blog post; as you may have guessed… my Spinning certificate has taken over my life, or rather just all of my free time.

Since I was here last, I’ve had to make some hard decisions. Like pausing my crochet in the Nimue crochet blanket-along. I was really enjoying it too 😓.

I’ve even had to slow down on knitting my mum’s socks, just to get my Magnolia Bloom Tunic finished in time for the Bendigo Sheep Show.

And finish it, I did, with about 3 days to spare…

I didn’t have time to block my Tunic, I also dared not to. During the first ‘wearing’ the length grew by a couple of inches, thanks Alpaca! I was cosy and warm wearing the dress outdoors at the show, I didn’t even need a coat. I was a tad too warm wearing it to the Women of Wool lunch though.

My knitting group the Richmond Knitters, contributed the major prize for Zigo Zago’s annual Bendigo raffle this year, and I squeezed in some time to make a couple of patches from Shelley Husband’s Granny Square Flair book. I’ve always wanted to know how to crochet 3D patterns, and now thanks to Shelley’s instructions I’ve done it.

But mostly my ‘free’ time has been spent, trying to claw back from being so far behind on my Spinning homework. It seems that when I feel as though I’m catching up, I have another class, which produces more homework samples. It never seems to end!

I’ve found merino the most difficult fibre to wash. I ended up washing it, lock-by-lock, I kid you not, after my first batch was a bit felted and rubbish. There’s been a lot less fibre prep, that I’ve had to do with the recent fibres, and it has been a welcome change. I never want to have to wash fleece or any other fibre for that matter again!

So far I’ve spun: 3 kinds of wool, mohair, alpaca, cashmere, angora, and several man-made fibres. I’m now up to my Silk (5) samples, and I’ve got Cotton (3) to go as well. Tomorrow at the guild, I’ll be learning to spin Flax, and the homework just keeps coming…

Don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying it all very much. I’m learning heaps in a lovely environment of knowledgeable (and fun) women.

Overcommitted?

April 16, 2022 | Sonia Knits

Maybe? When I sign up for things, I never think I won’t be able to stick to project deadlines, my thoughts are how E-X-C-I-T-I-N-G-! Which of course is not very realistic when it comes to meeting said timelines. But are timelines, really timelines when it’s all for fun? Well, some of it is anyway, and my undertaking of a Spinning Certificate at the Hand spinners and Weavers Guild of Victoria is a bit more serious than my other project goals, but still fun…

Let’s just put my current goals here, so that I might stop signing up for more things…

– Stay on top of my Spinning ‘homework’ for my certificate

– Knit Mum 5 pairs of socks this year

I cast on the third pair (haven’t finished the second pair yet) for some simple plane knitting on my last trip

– Knit the Magnolia Bloom Tunic for the Richmond Knitter’s Bendigo KAL

So far I’ve only knit on this at knit night. I just know if I only worked on this, it would be done in 2 weeks, it’s just sooo chunky!

– Participate in the Nimue CAL … yep this one might have been the straw that broke the camels back.

I’m clearly obsessed with this… and with just Clue 2 in, I’m already behind. But how much fun is crochet and learning new things?!

I still think all of these things are very achievable in somewhat the allotted time! Some of my timings are flexible and others really are not. Thank goodness for long weekends.

My Grandma

February 27, 2022 | Sonia Knits

I wish I had met my grandma, I always knew we had a lot in common.

I missed meeting Stara Mama (my mum’s, mum) by about 4 months, she had to return home to Slovenia in January, in the year that I was born.

My grandma was creative and an avid crocheter and stitcher. In the year that she visited my parents here in Melbourne, she was prolific in her making.

Yesterday, my mum showed me the suitcase of things grandma made and left for us to treasure; this is only part of it, mum has already given me crochet makes that I’ve tucked away for safekeeping, as I’m sure my other siblings have also received.

Mum said that Grandma would stay up late crafting every night. And in the morning she’d be up before everyone else with her light on in her room crafting away. I loved hearing this from my mum, because I do that! Well, the staying up late part, not so much. But the getting up early to craft, most definitely. When Damian is away, I also get to do this in bed with a cup of tea.

Whilst seeing my mum, I had her try on her first sock, and it’s perfect. The second one is not far off being finished either. I’m so pleased to be able to give my mum something she will love and wear. My mum has cold feet, just like me.

Normality restored?

February 22, 2022 | Sonia Knits

This past weekend, I did some travel knitting…

I hopped on my first plane since forever … Christmas 2018 (New York) I think…

I travelled to Queensland to visit Damian for the weekend. I was that excited to be on a plane again, anyone would have thought I was going to New York or Japan or far, far, away. I felt quite emotional and happy to be in the air again.

And Queensland is only 2 hours away.

I always go for the window seat, can you see my excited face beneath the N95 mask?

Of course flying again was just one highlight of the trip, the other was spending time with Damian.

Eating delicious food…

And knitting in airports and on the flight itself. I enjoy sock knitting most when I’m travelling, it is the perfect project! All that waiting, is not wasted time.

I’ve finished knitting my mum’s first sock, and I cast on for the second sock for my flight home. I’m hoping they’ll be a good fit for her, how suspenseful!