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…

Majacraft Fusion drum carder Unboxing!

May 16, 2016May 15, 2016 | Sonia Knits

My ‘special’ birthday present has arrived! It is in indeed a Majacraft Fusion Engine drum carder!

Here is the unboxing 🙂

Wow it is impressive! It’s big and it’s beautifully made.

I had a dry run and made a batt right after the unboxing…

Big hugs to my husband for a great birthday gift, I don’t know why I waited so long to get a drum carder. This is going to be fun!

Thanks to Chantelle from Fiberific for her excellent and friendly customer service.

My new (to me) Ashford Traditional wheel

January 27, 2014 | Sonia Knits

I had some time, this lovely long weekend to tinker with my new Traddy wheel. You may recall I got this as a gift from my gorgeous little sister who thought I might need another wheel. I didn’t know it then, but I think she was right!

Not being an Ashford owner before, I downloaded the manual from the web and investigated what I needed to do and what goes where. I purchased a maintenance kit from Spun Out, have I told you how much I love this store? Quick as a flash it all arrived… some gourmet rolags may have also come along for the ride.

And ta da! I’m spinning! The maintenance kit covered EVERYTHING I needed that was missing from my wheel. It even had the orifice hook! First up, I’m spinning some Wendy Dennis Polwarth which I’ll ply with a darker natural Wendy Dennis Polwarth. Bendigo is coming…

Purl loves my new wheel too. She sat down beside me, mesmerised as the wheel spun around and around. Sadly a pillow case will have to go over the top of this wheel too when it’s not being used. Ahh the pitfalls of cat ownership.

An idea

January 2, 2013January 2, 2013 | Sonia Knits

I completed a couple of languishing spinning projects last week. For no apparent reason, I haven’t been spinning all that much lately. The fibre is/was Wendy Dennis’ Polwarth, purchased from the Bendigo Show… ohh… about 3 shows ago…

I’m trying to maintain a ‘first in, first out’ policy with my fibre stash. Because that is sensible.

Suddenly after plying the 2 hanks on the right, I had a light bulb moment. COLOUR AFFECTION! The much loved and well-knitted striped shawl pattern by Veera, requires 3 colours not 2. Luckily I just happen to have some Wendy Dennis brown Polwarth just laying about to complete the trio.

Oh how I love fibre stash. Am I the only one who hasn’t knitted a Colour Affection?

Happy New Year

December 31, 2012December 31, 2012 | Sonia Knits

There is something magical about beginning a new year. It can be a time for reflection and a time for some goal setting. Let me share my Knitting reflections and resolutions with you.

The Knitting Reflections part

I knit 17 things last year (not counting ‘group projects’).

7 of the ‘things’ were knit for other people. Granted they were mostly baby items; I’m happy I was more ‘giving’ this year and didn’t realise that.

I knit 3 garments for myself and only one of them doesn’t fit me (for now).

I knit 4 pairs of socks, 2 were knee-high, with one being 8 plyish in hand-spun. I knit only one other thing with my hand spun right at the end of last year (my scowl: shawl/cowl), which I’m unfortunately less than pleased with, just too many colours around my neck… if the gift-box concept worked for me, it would find itself there. But how can someone love, what I don’t?

I knit for Marilyn lots, and I loved every minute of it.

The Resolutions part

I don’t really set myself strict goals, more like a direction. If I don’t get there, I figure I probably didn’t want to go that way anyway. I want to spin more, knit more, blog more and knit more socks.

Spin more: I’m at capacity with my fibre (stop laughing) and I need to make room for the Bendigo Sheep Show, it’s only 6 months away you know. I’d also like to knit more with my handspun, because it still amazes me that I can make it.

Knit more: Well I’ve always want to knit more (with friends like Sharon), but I’m trying something different. I’m going to knit more projects at once, knit at a whim, knit fearlessly. Therefore improving my knitting mojo overall by not being stuck knitting one thing for 3 months (knee-high socks I’m looking at you).

Blog more: I enjoy reading the blogs of my friends and other knitters and spinners. I do feel like I’ve let the team down a bit this year by not blogging as regularly. I would be sad if my bloggers stopped blogging, I would have nothing to read! I was pretty chuffed at having 1,700 views to my blog last year, until I found Damian had more views than me!

Knit more socks: I’ve joined the Cookie A sock club for this year, so I’ll be knitting along socks with hundreds of people all over the world. I also plan to continue with the Vesper sock club too. I’m a little addicted to stripy socks. There were a number of sock fatalities last year, so the few socks I made really only replace the sock count.

I don’t know about you, but it’s the new year and I have Still Light to cast-on.