Ever get the feeling you’re going to run out of yarn for a project? I actually cannot ever recall this happening to me. This is something that happens to other people, not me.

So I’d cast on ‘plain and simple’ late last year, believing it was only going to take me 2 skeins of Wollmeise, because that’s how much I had in my stash. Never mind the actual amount the pattern specifies. Sure I’ve made a few alterations to include some waist shaping, that’s gotta be less yarn, but probably not enough to compensate.

So nine months ago in my wisdom I cast on a 4 ply top, it’s knit to sock gauge on sock sized needles. I’m never going to do that again, you can quote me on that.

The upside is, I only have this much yarn left. Which means, I only have this much knitting left. I guess it will be a boat neck rather than the ribbed fold-down bib. I’m ok with that.

Or I can get another skein of wollmeise… and try to blend it in… and knit for another 6 months…

I love surprises, especially when I’m making the surprise. There’s the whole ‘don’t let the cat out of the bag’ part. The planning, the deciding, the satisfaction of making something special for a special person.

So when ‘someone’ in my knitting group announced she was having a baby and then very graciously said, you don’t have to make me a group blanket because I’ve got several already made… it only made the surprise more of a surprise! Challenge accepted.

“Ok (insert name here), you don’t need a baby blanket, but have you made the Monster pants yet?!”, was the thought I had in my head, of course I didn’t say it out loud, that would ruin the surprise…

I made the monster pants once again for a most awesome gal. In colours I know she’ll love, I made one improvement on my last pair. The pants have a waist band. Poor Marilyn’s pants have started sliding down now that she crawls. The band can be adjusted as well, with a bit of unpicking.

I can’t wait to give them to her tomorrow, after which this blog entry will be published, I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise.

There will also be several other surprises given tomorrow by other members of the group. It’s going to be a squee fest.

This weekend, I was a hermit crab. Well not one literally, but I stayed indoors for most of the weekend. I baked, I knitted and I listened to a back-log of Stash & Burn podcasts.

So inspired by Nicole on Stash & Burn, I’m seriously considering cataloguing my stash in it’s entirety on Ravelry, photos, yardage, the lot. I want to know, how many yards do I have? and how does it compare to serial stashers?! Have I reached SABLE (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy)?

Then again, I may be better off blissfully unaware. 

Oh cripes! I just got another Cookie A shipping notification…

I’m 2 pairs of socks behind. And I’m not even knitting all of the patterns. My hope was to finish one of the 2 designs in the club yarn, every second month.

Despite advice to skip to the current sock yarn and pattern/s. I don’t want to. I’ll catch up, I know I can. And if I finish the Tulip socks before the next parcel arrives, then I’m only one behind… I hope the parcel man is slow…

Another Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show is over. I had a lovely time this year and only spent a fraction of what I did last year and I still had a wonderful time. Granted, I didn’t go with a shopping list, I didn’t need one, because well, this little squirrel has all the acorns she needs and then some.

I was very happy to be wearing my newly acquired gumboots, the rain and slooshy mud did not worry me at all. I did feel the crowd numbers were down, I don’t know if it was the weather or economic times that have kept people away.

My usual favourite stand-holders were there. It’s kind of nice to return to the show year after year and have a fair idea where the stores are situated. It was very enjoyable to browse and shop and enable with friends.

Here a few treasures I found: Stranded in Oz sock yarn, a ‘yarnie’ by Spindle Woody, a Turkish spindle, some Softrope fluff and a spindle bag from Spun Out. I tried out the spindle as soon as I got back to my room, my goodness how easy is a Turkish Spindle to spin with? Why didn’t anyone tell me? It spins itself!

Did you enjoy Bendigo this year?

I feel quite strange. Tomorrow the annual Sheep and Wool show begins and I feel quite calm…

Whilst I’ve planned for this months in advance, the normally panicky, anticipation I’ve previously experienced is nowhere to be seen.

Perhaps this will be a low-key year for me, it’s been well documented that last year, I lost my head. Maybe I’ll do a Pransell, and only buy one skein, or worse, nothing… now that doesn’t seem likely.

The funnest part about Bendigo, is being surrounded by all things fibre and sharing it with friends and the constant squees. Maybe I’m getting a little excited now.