Indulgence Knit - Bilby Yarns Handspun Scarfette

I should preface today's post by saying that this is not the post that I thought I would be writing today. I had planned to write about the sweet little custom vest I am knitting for a friend of my mum's grandson and show great pictures of the finished result. However, mother nature intervened by striking both Little B and myself down with a nasty gastro virus.

Having said that, I now have a new barometer for telling how sick I'm feeling. Try this for size (this only works if you're a knitter):

1. If you're lying in bed, groaning and can't even visualise knitting - stay in bed, you are very sick. (That was me on Day 1)
2. If you are ok to do very basic stocking stitch but can't fathom anything more complicated and become unstuck with a minor complication - you are on the mend but not yet fully functioning.
3. If you can actually concentrate enough to do normal everyday knitting (anything other than a garter stitch or rib scarf) - your brain has obviously recovered and you can go about your daily business.

So having now been a bit side-tracked, I can show you something entirely different. The first is my new system of organisation (I finally figured this out on the weekend). This has been brewing for a little while but is not yet fully implemented. It is a system of showing me visually my priority stash/projects.

On my desk I now have three boxes. The top one is for family and friend knits. In there at the moment is the beautiful  caramel yarn from Candy Apple Lane that is slated for a vest for a close friend's little boy and the two balls of Aquarium Luxury that will complement the variegated yarns for my boys' vests. In the bottom right corner are the yarns to be used for me projects. I'm thinking of another cardigan and possibly a lace wrap. The bottom left is for custom knits and design yarns. I haven't entirely filled this one yet - it has currently the yarn for a custom vest and a custom cardigan but I have a few ideas of what else I would like in there! The bag at the top is filled with projects that are finished and awaiting a good home or more sensitive knits in progress like my Suri Alpaca Lap Blanket that will not fare well in the rough and tumble of my normal knits in progress bag.

I can also show you what knitting I did do yesterday (as Day 1 was a total write off). By midday on Day 2 I could actually get my mind around doing a bit of basic stocking stitch and so I started back on the Suri Alpaca Lap Blanket...

...until I hit a snag. I had inadvertently dropped a stitch about 10 rows down and the effort of picking it up was excruciating. I also totally stuffed up the garter stitch part of the picked up stitch but given it was 3ply and fluffy....I just couldn't face undoing it. It is therefore put aside for the time being.

However, I wanted to perk myself up a little and couldn't fathom picking up the stitches around the collar and one of the sleeves for the custom vest so I started on the scarf I have been dying to knit for myself. It is a slightly modified version of Paula's Scarfette, which is a great free design by Georgie Hallam from tikki designs. I made this pattern recently for my mum's mothers day present as well. This time I am doing it in a beautiful 10-12ply dark blue handspun by Bilby Yarns.

You may remember this yarn from the August giveaway last year. I had bought about 300g worth of this beautiful yarn at the time. This is a mixture of merino and silk and feels absolutely gorgeous. I've been eyeing it off for almost a year and enough is enough. Why not start now?

Fortunately, this pattern is very simple and only requires a very little amount of cabling - no tricks here. It also goes really, really fast so that is absolutely wonderful from a self-gratification perspective! By late afternoon yesterday, I was well underway with this beauty and could safely say that I was going to be able to be back at work today.

 Having said that, I'm not quite sure I'm up to picking up stitches tonight yet so I may have another delightful evening with this scarf before going on to other projects!

Cotton Cardigan and Sunday Afternoons

After a very busy and somewhat topsy-turvy week, it was a real pleasure to have an easy-going Sunday at home with the boys. We somehow all managed to do exactly what we wanted to do - the boys playing lego, my lovely husband cleaning out our family car that is unfortunately going to the scrapyard (there's part of the topsy-turvy week!) and I was taking the opportunity to photograph the finished cotton cardigan.

This is the A-line cardigan by Debbie Bliss from her Amalfi book. I've modified it slightly to give it a different edging. The lace pattern is called Falling Snow from the Vogue Knitting Stitchionary 5.

 

You might be wondering what my lovely boys were doing while I was taking the photos. They were on my bed, playing with the globe right next to the photoshoot!

This photo is only included to show you the fit, which I am pretty happy with. I've only safety-pinned it together until I receive the beautiful buttons from Sheepish by Sarah. Apart from that, this photo illustrates some very important mistakes to avoid when having your photo taken -  a) actually check yourself in the mirror before asking to someone to take the photo - always remember to straighten your t-shirt and comb your hair, b) make sure you are not staring into full sun, c) don't ask your husband to take a photo when he is quite obviously in the middle of something.

Today was also all about being together and so along with some home cooking involving Big B (beetroot hummus dip), we went on a family walk through the nearby bushland. The boys were very keen and charging ahead...

We found a curious lorikeet on our travels...

 And also came across a beautiful banksia tree...

Here's a dried banksia up close...

All in all, it was a wonderful Sunday and a great way to let the stresses and tiredness of the week roll off! I'm rounding off the day by getting back to knitting a little vest for a friend of my mother's grandson. Looking forward to it!

Minibreak in Adelaide

It's Mother's Day here in Australia and it has been a really special day - whole weekend in fact. My lovely husband and I had the privilege of being able to take a few days away together without little boys, courtesy of my parents-in-law (to whom I am very, very grateful!).

We spend two wonderful days discovering Adelaide in all of its autumn beauty. We spent the vast majority of our time walking through amazing parts of the city. My husband worked out we walked about 15km the first day (not including things like shopping or finding somewhere to eat) and 9km the second day in the morning (plus additional in the afternoon). Let's just say, it was a perfect excuse to enjoy Adelaide's great restaurants and wine guilt-free!

Here are some of the highlights from the Botanical Gardens...the tropical world of the bicentennial glass house

 The giant waterlilies in the Amazon Waterlily Pavillion...

 The cactus garden in a beautiful glass house...

One our travels too, we went shopping and I visited a beautiful shop called Button Bar in the picturesque Adelaide Mall. I was just excited by the great range of buttons when my lovely husband told me: "I can't believe you haven't spotted the wool yet". In the back of the shop was a range of luxury yarns including a wide variety of Noro yarns....my husband had to take a hike for a while as I settled in for a really enjoyable perusal of all the fabulous yarns (not that he minded I hasten to add!). Of course, I just had to get a ball of Kureyon sock yarn as a souvenir and a couple of buttons!

As you can see, I've been working on my cotton cardigan and hope to get it done this week! I've also started a custom vest in 8ply Serenade. I was going to proudly show you what two plane trips can enable but...I realised yet again that sleep deprivation and any sort of pattern following is fraught. I have now to undo about 3 hours worth of work....grrr. Nevermind, these gorgeous booklets made by Big B and Little B can only make me smile.

 

 Nothing says I love you like a lizard! I've got great new Mothers Day pictures also from the boys in my study so once I've reorganised by shelving I'll show you. I'm also proudly wearing my macaroni and bead bracelet.

Sparkly Pink Ballerina Dress 2

This week has been wonderfully productive in terms of knitting! It is with great delight that I can show you the completed Ballerina Dress (Design is Rainbow Dress by Georgie Hallam and yarn is DK sparkle from Candy Apple Lane) for my three year old niece. It is beautifully girly and although the camera doesn't quite pick it up, it also sparkles in the sun or under lights.

It has pretty picot edgings on the arms and at the hem and I think it looks adorable. It is just missing a little white ribbon where you see the line of holes under the bodice.

 

 While the dress is lying peacefully drying on top of my bed, I can tell you about the hairier moments of knitting it on the plane to and from Adelaide this week. On both flights I was sandwiched next to two blokes and the look of pure disgust was quite remarkable upon having a female knitting between them. Especially something that is very very pink and sparkles most eye-catchingly in the lights of the plane! I have to admit I was a little embarrassed at the prettiness of the knit but soldiered on regardless. After all, who in their right mind is going to turn down two and a half hours of child-free knitting time?

I've also started again my three-quarters finished cotton cardigan with the intent to have it almost done by the end of the week - I'm on a roll here! Only the right front side to go and of course the seeming and collar. With a bit of luck I'll get to wear it before it gets too cold!

Sparkly Pink Ballerina Dress 1

It is a very quick hello tonight as I am in the midst of preparing to go to Adelaide before dawn tomorrow and I'm running a little behind schedule.

My beautiful niece is turning three in a couple of weeks' time and I wanted to make something very special for her. I bought some gorgeous DK Sparkle "Soft Pink" from Candy Apple Lane a little while ago with her in mind and have been hunting for the right pattern. I've finally succumbed to the very cute Rainbow Dress by Georgie Hallam and this is how it is turning out:

I've decided to do the picot edging cast off which is very pretty and have also included a space to thread a white ribbon when I'm finished. Unfortunately the camera didn't pick up the sparkle but you should see it under lights! This is a very girly knit for me but I think it should be just right to tickle a three year old's fancy.

Also, I promised I would share a picture of the yarns I bought in Balingup. The larger one with the pinks and purples is a handspun hand-dyed alpaca from Jalbrook Alpaca and the other two are from the Melanian Sheep Breeders Association - 4ply wool. Pretty cool don't you think?!

Alpaca Lap Blanket

What an amazing avalanche of an April! It seems that every week we've had at least three momentous occurrences both happy or sad at a time and I'm left really clinging to the canoe this week. After one more trip to Adelaide on Monday and Tuesday, I'm really looking forward to Mellow May!

As you know, after weeks of knitting for the Balingup Small Farm Field Day, I am now really enjoying a bit of relaxation knitting. I've taken up the beautiful Suri Alpaca 3ply from Lawithick Farm and am knitting away.

 I love how soft it feels and the fact that it is a little fluffy. I'm learning with this piece as I haven't worked with anything so fine before. Unfortunately this won't be long enough for a wrap so it will just have to be an ultra soft and extremely luxurious lap blanket!

I can't wait to see how it turns out...

Also, I've cast on a little Rainbow Dress (design by Tiki Designs) for my niece who's turning three shortly. I'm making it out of another of Candy Apple Lane's beautiful yarns - a pink sparkle yarn. Unfortunately the pink sparkle hasn't quite come out in the photos but will look great on the straight stocking stitch part of the dress.

Next time, I promise, there will be better shots of this beautiful yarn!

Balingup Small Farm Field Day Adventures

I've just arrived back home after the Balingup Small Farm Field Day, exhausted but absolutely thrilled to bits with the weekend. AnnaBirgitte and I had a great day talking to lots of people. I manned the stall, which was to our surprise really busy and AnnaBirgitte, who was the official photographer of the Field Day, was busy taking fantastic shots of all the activities, produce and people.

 

We also were absolutely delighted and totally shocked to be awarded one of the two prizes given for best craft stall! The vine and little old Sluggy, the knitted slug, did get people talking as did AnnaBirgitte's flags (not pictured above).  I have to say I did get some really odd looks once people noticed the slug but then that's all part of the knitting fun!

I came home with my tubs of knitted and crocheted goodies are very much depleted and in their place, you won't be surprised to learn, I also brought home some lovely hand-dyed yarn from Jalbrook Alpaca and from the Melanian Sheep Breeders Association. I'll take pictures of them soon to share with you I promise!

I leave you with a few more of the beautiful Balingup Scarecrows and I'm now off for a cup of tea and a long relaxing knit....