My pretties

Lots of things to show off this time, boys and girls!


This is the gorgeous 2ply wool I got at the Wool Fest last weekend (Old Bus Depot Markets) which makes me think of spring time, and a cone of pink Bendigo Woollen Mills 4ply pink I found at Salvos for $3 (aren't you jealous?). I think I'm going to turn these two into a lovely lacey pretty shawl thingy, using a pattern from THIS :


Wow. What a book. This was a total treat for myself - we've had a rough couple of weeks, with my dotter being very ill, and doing the diagnosis run-around. She and I both needed a knitting pick-me-up, and this book has done the trick. It's wonderful and I will bring it to SnB to show off and make you green with envy share.


And here is the sock I'm knitting for my dear hubby, using a classic ancient 60s-era Patons knitting pattern. I shall not be drawn into 'Mega Sock' territory again (see earlier post for photos and sob story). The blue Patonyle was from Salvos (part of the cache that broke my 'Use What You Have Month' promises!) and the new Heirloom is to make sure I don't run out of wool - I'll do a series of stripes or something (thanks for the idea, Taph!).


This is my 'comfort shawl' - a very simple pattern, easy to do without mistakes while watching telly. The yarn is an 8ply something, feels like wool, and very soft. I've another smallish ball of it, so I'm near the end of this one. I think I'll add a Feather and Fan edge along the bottom, so I'll be heading into that territory soon. There are over 300 stitches on the needles now, so each row takes a while!

And last of all, my Jaywalker Socks are DONE - haven't got a pic yet, but rest assured they are very comfortable, and I'm totally over knitting that bloody 'herringbone' stitch pattern very happy with them, they're just gorgeous!

Sunset Wool

This is some pale pink Totem that I've 'reclaimed' from a vest (via Taph), and have successfully dyed with food colouring. The photograph doesn't do the colours justice... it's mainly a deep red orange, with lighter orange tints, apricot, pale pink, and warm yellow.

I was really lazy creative about it - I soaked the wool in white vinegar for nearly a day, then I just dripped undiluted Pillar Box Red and Yellow food colouring directly onto the wool, swished the pot around, then dumped the lot into a glass bowl and microwaved it a couple of times. Voil-la!

Wooly Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to me - and all of you mums out there! A sleep-in, pancakes for brekkie courtesy of teenage son, gorgeous red hand-knitted 8ply ankle-socks with bobbles courtesy of terribly clever teenage daughter, a trip to see the Bald Archies at Tuggeranong Art Centre, and dinner by same teenage son this evening... the day is good :)

My Nanna CALLED me today - I don't think this has happened for possibly decades - certainly not in the past 10 years (as you've probably guessed, we're not very close). She thanked me yet AGAIN for her mohair scarf - so yes, it was a hit :)

May at last, thank God!

Phew - made it to May - only slipped up once, with $5 spent on some yummy yarny things at Salvos... but it's a relief to get PAST Use What You Have Month and out the other side. Just in time for me to snap up a vintage Aero needle gauge at Salvos for 50¢!

I've finished Interweave's 'Priscilla's Dream Sock' number one, which as you can see, has turned out more like 'Priscilla's Nightmare Sock'. I am not going to knit its pair.... the size is way too big, despite my doing the right gauge, being careful with all the measurements and stitch counts etc etc. Although the length fits my hubby's foot, it's never going to fit any bloody foot a bit too wide - and this is despite my adding decreases to the foot section. Sigh. I did find the short row shaping for the heel and toe interesting, though - and trust me, it's easier to be shown how to do it than to read it from written instructions (which is what I did, and nearly went spare in the process). And there's a cool 'historic Greek' binding off used for the toe seam. I think it's destined to be a Christmas Stocking.

Annyway, the lovely soft green 8ply which broke my "UWYH" pledge is being turned into a nice plain shawl, using a combination of these two patterns - the plain Comfort Shawl, and the Feather and Fan Comfort Shawl. I'll do a feather and fan edge, the lower third or so. The top 2/3 is in stocking stitch with 6 rows of garter stitch at increasing intervals. It's nice and easy, and so soft!

And lastly, today is my MIL's birthday, and she called to thank me for the knee warmer (see below) - she says it does fit, thank goodness, but the top wasn't elastic enough to hold it up, so she's going to weave some elastic into the top.