Tuesday, June 23, 2009

It's Tuesday and I Can't wait...

to get more hours in the day.
Originally uploaded by Larry Jones


Maybe it is the fact that we are currently into our shortest daylight days of the year or the fact that I am a sleep deprived mother but I have 100 things that I want to do and dont seem to be getting any of them done at the moment.

If anyone knows where to purchase extra hours let me know.
And for those int he mood for a little Blogland love - pop over to Little Munchkins. Novy has two brand new Oliver + S patterns up for grabs.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Hanging up the needles.

I have a confession. I am a messer. I am not a very good house wife and would prefer to knit or sew then clean. Welcome to my little world.

Anyway, after searching for a set of needles in this mess yesterday. I descided that enough was enough.
I searched the internet for a solution to the problem of the tangled circulars and miss matched needles. I found this which I thought was a great idea, but still a little messy.

I also came across this
great tutorial for a knitting roll. Which is also lovely. But I dont need to take all of my needles with me when I go out for a knit and natter with the girls.

So I put my ideas and brain into action. And this is what I came up with.A double sided hanging organiser for your knitting supplies. Everything in the one spot and all nice and neat. It can hide away in the closet with your coats or why not have it out for everyone to see.


Side one: Little pockets to house crochet hooks, DPN's, Staights, Stitch Ruler, Stitch Holders, Wool Needles, Tape measure and a few spare spots for extandendinf the family.

The opposite side has a little spot for those messy circulars and three large pockets down the bottom for my Boyne Interchangables and my Knit Kit (when it is not in my handbag.
So what do you think - I am thinking of making up a few and seeing if I can sell them. Would knitters that are not sewers buy one of these? Please let me know.

Now to put my thinking cap back on and think of a storage solution for a set of Addi Clicks as requested by Kelly after I presented her with this little sockyboxy last night. And a little roll big enough to store the essentials for a knit night!
But first up I really want to finish knitting a little Jacket for Baden.

Until then, stay warm and happy knitting and sewing.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Pretty in Pink!

I am getting a little excited about the up and coming birth of my new little niece. She has been named and now we just have to wait for her arrival (that is if the name stays the same!)


Anyway - this is a little beanie to go with the socks that I knitted a few weeks ago!

Many thanks go to my extra well behaved model for the photo session - Strawberry Shortcake. For more cute photos pop over to my Rav project page.


Pattern: Eva's Hat (for baby) by Barb Kopacek
Yarn: Patons dream time 4ply - this colour and yarn has been discontinued but is lovely and oh so girly
Needles: 2 x 3.25 circulars
Started: June 13th 2009
Finished: June 16th 2009
Mods: None - although I could have made it slightly bigger (maybe the next size up) It fits SSC very well with a head measurement of 33.2cm. Fingers crossed that Steph has a little bubba not like my boofas that measured 35 and 37cm.


I have also been fighting with the machine today and managed to put a zip in - Yay - am so happy with that. Anyway. I can only give you a sneak peak as it is going to the lucky commenter for my 22222 hit giveaway.


And yes Bec - you spotted it in the last pic - it is indeed the mushrooms. I will be making myself one of these very very soon.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

It's Tuesday and I can't wait...

to show you my new sewing machine.

Purchased a month ago and has not done very much work at all. I really have to do something about that. I seem to be spending more time sitting on the couch knitting at the moment!

Off to finish a newborn beanie and then I am going to hang up the needles so I can get some sewing time in and break in this new machine. Actually I need a little help - how big were your babies heads when they were born? I think that this beanie is going to be a stretch and is more like a premie size then a newborn...

For those interested it is the Janome CS995 and I love it!

For others playing head over to ButtonsByLouLou and see what others are showing today.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Knitting for Me

Can you believe it - I actually picked up the needles and what came off it is something for ME! I am so excited.

First up a cable jumper. Not overly happy with the colour and after all of the work that I have put into it I dont really like it. Yes, it looks good and is passable to wear outside of the house. But it is itchy and bulky. I am going to knit myself something for summer and see how I like lighter yarns on me.

Pattern: Patons Book 1259
Yarn: Caressa DK - held double through out. Purchased in 2007 when I fell pregnant with Baden and had grand plans LOL!
Needles: 7.5mm and 8mm circulars
Started: May 1st 2009
Finished: June 13th 2009
Mods: Cast on and joined in the round (so I did not have to sew up the seams)


Next up is a scarf I went out and bought two balls of NORO. It looks so lovely but oh my. It really is a love hate relationship with this yarn. I would love to know how customs let it through with so many burrs in it. Honestly - if it was not for the colours (oh the colours) this would be in the bin. It is itchy and scratchy (lets hope that after a soak I can soften it up a little more - blocking did zilch) ranges from a tightly spun 5ply though to a bulky (ball band states that it is a 10ply!)


Anyway - for step by step and day by day upsets with this project - duck over to my projects page (you will have to have a Ravelry account to view it)

Pattern:Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf by Karen Baumer
Yarn: NORO Silk Garden
Needles: Started on 4.5mm Knitpic straights (on loan from Kelly to try out) Frogged and ended up casting on with 6mm as I did not want this scarf to cost almost $40
Started: June 9th
Finished: June 13th 2009 - just in time to wear on Saturday night - I weaved in the ends at Gelatissimo
Mods: Knitted on larger needles than the pattern recommends and did the alternate triangle at the end (listed on the pattern)

I returned Kellys needles back to her in this special little case to keep them safe
(hopefully she will allow me to try them again later in the year)

Sunday, June 14, 2009

WWKIP Day 2009







Well what a day - I had massive plans, but they all got thrown out when Tim had to work and this sleep deprived Mum descided that she was not going to go out for the morning with two toddlers that would fight for attention.

I did however meet up with the Knitting and Knotting (our local SnB) for a regressive dinner.
It was only while we were sitting down last night that it clicked that we were indeed eating from different places around the world - wonder if that was the plan and I missed it.

Anyway. We started off at Gelatissimo and enjoyed a coffee.

We then moved onto the Indian Restaurant for mains - the rude owner said "What are you doing knitting for - that is for at home!' I knew there was a reason why I no longer support her with my business after being turned away over a year ago because were were indeed 'pram people' (although her meals are always nice)

We then went for a cool walk up to have Japanese (although some how wires were crossed and we did not end up having a booking - which was fine because I dont think that I could have actually fit one more grain of rice into me) I also learnt that crows gard some of the street signs in town - I have never noticed these little metal creatures on top of every fourth pole LOL.
So, we went back for another coffee and dessert to Gelatissimo and finished up the night at 11pm.

Kelly finished off a vest for Jayden and then started a pair of toe up socks (with Bec's help) Bec, knitted/frogged/knitted/frogged and then cast on a pair of toe up socks. Kerrie worked on a pair of longies, Isobel knitted a sock. Kate fought with the picot edge of a sock (this sock has been a WIP for three years) and Elisabeth worked on the second glove to keep her chilli hands warm while walking to Uni.

And I cast on and knitted a whole two rows of a new born sized beanie - I was obviously enjoying the company - oh and flicking through the new Yarn and Knit1 Magazines.

I then came home and knitted on the couch with Tim while he watched the end of The Rock on TV - and I actually got more knitted in the hour on the couch then during the night.

I am enjoying looking around blogland and seeing what the all the other knitters got up to on WWKIP Day 2009

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

When it is Wet and cold outside...

Stay in and have fun


I think that it will be a week of wet and cold weather - similar to last week.




Being a mixture of the weather and the fact that it was a Public Holiday here yesterday (not that the Dad in the house got the day off he was busy at work, but that is another story) Amelia and Baden have a slight case of cabin fever. Not wanting to venture out (There have been a few suspected cases of Swine Flu here and I am happy to stay in the safety of our home and away from it) I have been thinking up ways to keep them busy.


Last week we started the base for a 'Mr Grassy Head Man'
Look what has happened in a week




And we did a little experiment

3 pea seeds in a glass and two out in the garden. I think the ones in the garden are a little water logged - but it was fun watching these grow each day.



I will be doing a few of these little Toddler ideas over the winter I think and am slowly finding some great blogs so I will share those with you too.

Just don't run inside - cause this is what will happen...

Ouch!