It's Been A While

Sorry it's been a while since I've last posted but it was a bit out of my control as we had to move house but that wasn't too bad.

The main hold up was organizing reallocation of our internet service. They told me it would take 3 days it took 21 we now have internet but we don't have land line so there is no house phone.

And to top it off they had to give me a new home number because of their stuff up although to be honest I didn't really mind the change in phone number. But that is not all... oh no... they also sent me a bill charging me for internet service and relocation fee none of which I should have been charged for..... but it's all sorted now and lucky for me I kept on top of it all. For all my trouble they have given me 30 day free phone and internet service.

And now for some knitting I have finished the Tilly scarf by Lisa Lloyd from A Fine Fleece. I had this in mind for a friends daughter but didn't get to finish it in time for her birthday in May so not sure who I will give it to now perhaps I will still give it to Sophie but as a very belated present. I love how the cables really stand out in this scarf.

I used 2 skeins of Cascade 220 in Candy Pink
5mm/US 8 Needles (probably should have used 1 size larger)


Remember the photo of all the gorgeous yarn from Virtual Yarns well I started on the Seaweed shawl and I am really enjoying knitting this. This is the first time I am using this yarn and the texture and the feel of it is just amazing. It's light and has a sort of spungie feel to it it's really really nice.

And now for my Seaweed shawl by Alice Starmore... surprise surprise I actually swatched (swatch picture below) and was quiet proud of myself perhaps I am starting to use my brain better in my older age?!
The photo below is of the actual shawl I am about 3/4 of a way through it can't wait till it's done.

And now I need to tell you about a fabulous online yarn store I found Lush Yarns . These girls have some beautiful hand dyed and hand spun yarns and the two gorgeous yarns below I bought from them.

The first is 50% merino 50%silk Lt Fingering Weight 700mt colour: Butter destined for a shawland two skeins of 20%Silk 20%Bamboo & 60%Wool 4ply Fingering weight in the colour: Envy a shawl too or socks.
Both these yarns are amazingly soft they feel beautiful to the touch. Next on my shopping list will be their handspun hand dyed yarn.
They also sent me this gorgeous sterling silver pearl stitch marker as a thank you with my order.

Well that is it from me for now. I guess the good part about not having an internet connection was that I got to do some serious knitting.

Take care all and very happy knitting!

Two Shawls and a Third later

Time for some updates. And so as if there is not enough to do at the moment in my life I decided to give myself extra work and knit two shawls at the same time. I bought this wonderful pattern back in January from Nancy Bush at The Wooly West .

Because Kim was so ill at the time and my mind was on so many other things I kept starting it and making mistakes and frogging it about 3 times. Then I put it down and didn't touch it for months not only did I forget what I was up to but I could not find the paper work I was using either.

Usually I photo copy and enlarge the graph and then make notations as to what row I stopped at etc. But because of all the turmoil going on in my life I have no idea where I put it. So frogged again right back to the start up row but at this stage there is nothing to show you yet of my progress perhaps next post.
And I invested in some beautiful Alice Starmore yarn a while back to make her pattern from Piece Works Capillifolium Baby Bonnet Yarn but instead of making the bonnet I want to knit a scarf from it as there are no grandchildren for me yet on the horizon. The colours of this beautiful yarn is simply stunning. But of course I couldn't stop there.................................
I had to buy the beautiful Seaweed Wrap kit...I chose to knit it in the colour Sundew and when you first look at this colour you think its pretty ordinary but when you get into the sun light it lights up and is the most amazing colour. So this is my other shawl that I've started to knit and as much as I hate doing a swatch I actually did do one.
I love the Alice Starmore yarns and there will be other projects that I will definitely be purchasing from her there are so many beautiful designs it will be hard to resist and wait until I finish some of my other many projects but wait I must. I have to be strong and resist.

I guess that's about it from me DS and I are off to have some Yum Cha for lunch at new Chinese restaurant DD discovered and says it's the best food so we are going with DD and her man and then after that to my newphew's 18th birthday. My sister in law invited all of us for afternoon tea today after having a huge party last night so I hope they are up for us all visiting.

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend! Until next time happy knitting!!!!!!

Some Knitting

Here's a small post of some of the knitting I have been doing.

Back at the end of March my wonderful late husband bought me some gorgeous yarns from The Yarn Girls and he also bought me three great knitting books. "Early Mother's Day present" he said to me.

And he asked me to knit a scarf from this lovely MarL La by Classic Elite Yarns.

It turned out really lovely and it's been cold here in Melbourne lately so I wore it today for the first time when I went out with my Mum and she made a comment what a lovely yarn and scarf it was. She had no idea how special this scarf is to me until I told her.

Every time I'll wear this scarf I will always feel that he is with me because he saw me make it and he really loved it.

Commelina is finally finished also I feel like it took for ever to do. I am really happy whith the way it turned out. I used Sea Silk by Hand Maiden Autumn colourway absolutely beautiful to knit with and even though the yarn is variegated the lace still stands out beautifully. There seems to be a bit of a halo from the silk which doesn't really appeal to me but I am still pleased with the out come. I guess that's all for now. Thank you once again to all of you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers it means a lot to us and we will never forget it and we very much appreciate it.

Thank You!

Thank You

Thank you all very much for your thoughts and prayers we greatly appreciate it. These are extremely hard times but with time and support from our wonderful friends and family we will get there.

My son is back at school to give him some normality and it is also helping him to take his mind off it a little bit. I will be returning to work soon but there is still so much to do.

I have done a little knitting but only mindless stuff too hard to concentrate.

Great Sadness

Kim passed away yesterday 6th April 2009

He will for ever be in our hearts and will be greatly

missed.

Sunday 15th March 2009

I can't believe it's been almost a month since my last post days are just flying here at the moment I guess runing around doing hospitals, doctors, blood test, scans and school drop offs etc etc time has to be moving fast.

Well after not having rain for 80+ days we finally got some yesterday and did it pour. It's nice that it rained finally we certainly need it but why can't it just rain normally then we wouldn't get flooded. We got flooded again in the garage and I had to do some heavy lifting and saving items because the water was coming in fast. I couldn't figure out why I had such sore muscles in my upper arms and stiff legs when I woke up this morning then I remembered...garage flooded. This also happened in December the last time we had deluge I think our weather is becoming more and more tropical...very odd.

Here's a photo of all the water it was up to my ankles and I was soaked to the bones but at least I managed to save some things where as in December I was at work DH couldn't lift things as he is ill and as a result we ended up loosing many valueble things.
I finally finished my son's Jo Sharp V-neck jumper. I won't say I am happy with it because I am not really but it will have to do. It was very long mindless knitting but at least it's done and DS likes it. It is way too long on him but he will grow into it. I just can't get myself to pull it back and shorten it. I know it wouldn't take much time but I am being lazy and besides there are many much more exciting things to finish
Like my Autumn Rose after hibernating for 12 months I have finally picked it up again and started doing some serious knitting on it. As you can see on the photo I had to frog it back because I made a mistake and then pick up all 296 stitches again.... I did that better then I thought I could. I always do some mindless knitting between complicated stuff to give my sore hands a break and at the momement it is two Noro Iro scarves inspired by Jared Flood from brooklyntweed but more about that later in my next post.

Well that's it for this post. Need to help out with homework and think of something to cook for dinner.

Hope you all had/have a lovely weekend with lots of knitting done!

Sunday February 22 2008

I have storage issues and have been buying some of these plastic tubs to put my stash in. So far I have bought four medium size (10 litre) ones but still need to get many more. I chose the medium size ones for easier handling because I find that the large are hard to move around.

I have also started listing my stash on Ravlery but am still a loooong way from done.

It has been extremely hot and very dry here in Victoria not really knitting weather but I have been doing some knitting.

My personal 2009 stash bust I am a little behind in but hope to catch up. I knitted Kim a pair of Seeded Rib Socks from Ann Budd's book Knitting Socks. It was a quick and easy knit. I used Araucania yarn which I bought from Yarns On Line. I used 3.75mm needles but probably should have used 3.25mm but I wanted to make a comfortable pair of socks for him as his feet seem to be swelling up a lot lately.

The green pair I knitted him a couple of years ago have a hole in the toe now and they need mending. He want's me to mend them as they are the pair he wore to his first lot of chemo treatment and want's to wear them to this lot as well. Says he doesn't care what colour I use for the mending he just wants them done so that he can wear them.
This treatment seems to be making him a lot more ill and he has lost a huge amount of weight.
In the past month he has lost 22kg/48lb the nurses and the doctors at the oncologist unit suggested we see a dietitian at our next visit which we will do. I am struggling to keep my spirits up but I must for everyone's sake. I try to keep myself busy to take my mind off things but that doesn't always work.

The William Street socks are my next item I need to finish which are part of the 2009 Stash Bust Bags. I love the way the cables look in these socks.

I try to work on all my other UFO's and must set aside one day a week for these. Thanks to Rebecca at Socks-for-Mum for inspiration I've joined the group on Ravelry - One Day A Week UFO's and bought myself an organiser to help get me organised.

I never use to be so disorganised. I don't know what or when it happened but I seem to have lost my organisational skills somewhere along the way. Perhaps it's part of getting old, who knows. And on that note that's it from me.

Happy knitting to all!