Treasures, Arrrr

Well this isn't so much of a treasure (arrr). This is the Regia I'm doing Swallowtail #2 in. It really is a sock yarn, it just doesn't feel quite right for a lacy shawl, but I've had it hanging around for years, and I may as well just do something with it. By the way, it seems that Blogger only does pictures in giganto mode. I'm working on a solution!


This is a treasure, have a look at this baby!

It's probably not obvious, but this is about 4km of 31 wpi merino which I bought from the Salvo's for......$3!!!!!! Holy Moses that was a good find. I don't expect anything like that to happen ever again. Sigh. My only problem is that I covet it so much that I can't bear to use it. I look up patterns, or attempt to design patterns, and none of them seem worthy! I would really have to dye it if I were to wear it, because I just don't do white, but how can I possibly dye it when the next day I might change my mind? I know I know, I could always buy something similar. I was considering possibly using it to make Margaret Stove's Flowering Eucalyptus Shawl and dyeing it a eucalypt or olive green, so I tried to find one on Ravelry knitted by someone else, but no one seems to have done it on there, and it would be good to see how it turns out, because I can't get much of an impression from the photo's in the book (Creating Original Hand-Knitted Lace). I guess the only thing to do is knit some samples and see if I like how it looks...but still, that wool is so gorgeous.... Another option I've though of is to knit some gorgeous amazing baby shawl of my own design for the baby (-ies) I will one day have, but I don't know if I can capture the zeitgeist required for such a sentimental undertaking. Maybe that sort of thing ought to be done when the baby is known to be coming to harness then necessary emotions to create something amazing.

Well I think I'm going to Stitch and Bitch tonight. I'm pretty nervous, going all alone, but the automatically generated reminder email was encouraging to newbies!

Woopidoo

Well I'm back at last, and I've finished the Swallowtail Shawl. Here it is just after casting off, before blocking:

Being blocked (on a blanket wrapped around a huge piece of cardboard from a recent Ikea acquisition - unfortunately the main blanket is grey, the same grey as the wool):

And some close-ups of course:

And me wearing it, front:

Back:

Whew. Talk about procrastination of a lifetime. I've been frantically knitting this in order to avoid writing my Annual Report and Thesis Proposal Review. I'm trying to be half good, so I haven't allowed myself to blog, hence why I haven't posted recently.

What I think about working this pattern:
Nupps - At first I was wondering "why the hell make nupps? They're a pain in the arse and look like a mess", but now I see why. They were a bit painful at first, but if you just allow heaps of slack, it's not too much of a drama.

Cast-off - I love the cast-off used in this pattern, I've never seen it before - k1, *k1, k2tog*, repeat to end. It's a lovely springy edge, not tight and ugly as they often are.

Size - it's a bit small, but I knew it was going to be.

Wool - not the best colour, a bit scratchy, and fibres seem to come off, float around and make me sneeze, but I guess you can't expect too much for a $5 handspun bargain. I weighed the shawl when it was done - 152g - I weighed the remains of the ball - 153g - a bit creepy.
The pattern - once I used my brain, it was really easy and clear to follow.

So I was thinking that next I would finish that Versatility adaptation I mentioned in the last post, but it keeps buggering up! Very irritating. So, for the moment, I'm going to do something I didn't plan to do, I'm going to knit the shawl again! I have this variegated sock yarn in blues and greens made by Regia (the photo of which I have temporarily misplaced). It's just to fill in the gap until I can afford some yarn for something more substantial. I'm in the mood for lace at the moment, and I just don't feel like working on the other projects waiting in line...

Speaking of lace, I've joined in on A Long Lacy Summer on Bells's blog to keep me motivated, although it's all casual, so I won't get too worked up. I'm considering making a doilie or a lace tablecloth from Marianne Kinzel's First Book of Modern Lace Knitting which is funny, because Bells is too. I need to get some cotton though, so next payday will be the decider.

Something else new for me is that I may, possibly, go to Stitch and Bitch tomorrow night in Civic. I'm scared. I tried to get someone to come with me, but to no avail. The message says newbies are welcome and all that, but I'm not accustomed to new people and all that. I'm such a coward. I really will try to go, although it is on Uni Pub kebab night, which is breaking my heart.

I've also joined Ravelry, and am terrified of the potential it has to suck entire weeks out of my life. There is just so much candy to taste that I'm at risk of becoming morbidly obese with knitty treasures. Lordy me.

One last thing, because I really have to get back to writing that report. The shawl I wore for my wedding. It was knitted by my grandmother for my mum to wear at my parents' wedding, which was in about 1973 I believe. I was married back in April this year. The pictures don't show the shawl all that well:

Hubby looks pretty freaked out in the last one. Well he was freaked out. He wouldn't look at me for the first half of the ceremony because he thought he might cry! In a good way though!

The shawl is a lovely length, made from handspun silk. It feels like heaven and is nice and warm for a mid-Autumn afternoon. I gave it back to Mum, and don't have any decent photo's of it. I'll see if I can get some. In case you were wondering, the dress was made by my favourite clothes designer in the universe, High Tea with Mrs. Woo, a Newcastle (Australia) designer.

Blogger is an effing pain in the arse to use.

Back to work!

Gee Whiz

Holy Smokes! I just discovered that there are a bunch of Canberra knitting bloggers. I'm exhilarated and terrified. Dare I enter the world of Other People? Anonymity is so warm and cozy...

Catching Up

Okay, my latest projects, in rough chronological order. I did once have a rule that I am only allowed to do one knitting project at a time, but I decided that was boring. Why have one mess lying around when you can have dozens?

#1 Hmm, started this some time early 2007 I think. My version of a fisherman's guernsey. Here it is up to the armpits, in the round Zimmerman style:

And a close-up of that decorated panel:

This jumper/sweater/whatever is designed to fit around my rather large bust without being a sack. The moss stitch and cables panel begins below my boobs and up to the shoulders, and below the boob region it's just plain knit. Unlike traditional guernseys, the pattern doesn't go around the back. The idea is that because the moss stitch is stretchy it will stretch over the lumpy region while the plain parts stay where they are. You'll get what I mean when I finish it....one day. I've started the first sleeve, but I put it down a long time ago and haven't picked it up again. I have to remember all the numbers and wotnot and just haven't got my arse into gear yet. The wool is from a lambswool op-shop jumper I ripped.

#2 Started October 2007. Norwegian patterned socks.

These were supposed to be hubby's birthday present last year. He has two gorgeous Norwegian cardigans, one hand-knitted by his great-aunt for his father. I've been promising for quite a while that I would knit him a jumper version (steeks and all) of the handknit cardie so he could wear it around without fear of damaging the heirloom. Well it's an expensive exercise for us struggling artist/academics, so I started a pair of socks to whet our appetites using the patterns on the cardie, but I guess I just got sick of knitting more bloody socks, so I put them down, one day to be finished, maybe. I don't really like them all that much. I actually hate this shade of grey. It looks so artificial. When I eventually get around to the jumper, I'll use Rainbow Wools. Their colours are just lovely, and last time I checked they had a nice realistic grey!

#3 November 2008: Ugly Knee Rug

I knitted quite a nice scarf in this pattern a while back. A few weeks ago I decided to knit something, anything. We had just moved and I was organising my (surprisingly small) stash, and I decided to use up all of the tail ends of the 8-ply wools. I just started this because I knew it would be brainless. I'm not sure that I like it much either, but I'll keep plugging on.

#4 November 2008: My own version of Amanda Williams' Versatility in the recent issue of Knitty.

Long story. I fell in love with this pattern, mostly for the concept. So clever. My only problem is getting wool which is 114g/113m. That is huge. I found some very close, but in hideous colours and variegations. I'm not too keen on buying yarn unseen over the internet unless it is very cheap, so instead I bought a colour I could live with (Patons Inca, can't remember the colour) in a fairly heavy weight and designed my own more lacy version, a hybrid of Versatility and Susan Pierce Lawrence's Branching Out. However I keep making booboos with numbers, so I have to rip out the latest attempt, re-chart and start again. In the meantime we have...

#5 November 2008: Evelyn Clark's Swallowtail Shawl.

And a close-up:

It has actually progressed a fair bit since this photo was taken. I've finished the budding lace repeats and am up to the beginning of the end. I saw this on Franklin's* blog and decided I would just jump to it. I'm using some handspun I bought at a garage sale. I couldn't believe it when I found this stuff, about a kilo of handspun, 18 wpi, for $5! I'm sure the woman selling it couldn't have been the spinner. The other stuff she had was all odds and ends of acrylic.


I'm not sure exactly what the fibre is. My aunt thinks perhaps mohair or something goaty, because it has lots of longer black hairs, and it is quite fluffy, although not too much so. It's not terribly silky, a bit rough in fact. Anyway, this should be finished within the next couple of days.

Well now we're all up to speed, the blogging process can begin. Next time we will look at what is on my to-do list.
I have been very naughty, because I've been working on this entry for over an hour, and I really should have been writing my Annual Report. Sigh. By the way, I apologise for the terrible quality of the images. I shall endeavour to do something about it. I'm also having trouble with the consistency of blogger's layout. I'll see what I can do, because I loathe bad formatting!

*Isn't it funny how if you read someone's blog for long enough, you feel entitled to refer to him by the first name, even when the person in question doesn't know you from a stalker? I'm not a stalker by the way.

Holy Mackeral and a History

I simply can not believe that this blog is still here! I'm going to start 'er up again. I also can't believe that I made this blog pink! Must fix that. I've been knitting lately, and have been feeling the urge to share it. Maybe one day someone will actually read this.
It's been a long time, and so much has happened since I last updated. I'm going to just get it all out right now, and maybe it won't come up again, or maybe it will.
Well....
Soon after my last entry, I knitted a guernsey for my beloved brother Alex, who a few days after I had started this blog was diagnosed with a brain tumour. I had taken time out of my studies to help my mother care for him, getting him to his treatments etc. His tumour shrank and we got back to life as usual. I knitted that guernsey in 4 or 5 weeks in order to get it to him for his 30th birthday. I learned to knit while walking (ball under the arm) and knitted my brains out. I got it done and got it to him, and he loved it and wore it happily. Four months later, a new tumour had grown, and within a few weeks, Alex died, on the 20th of September 2007 at 4.10am. There is absolutely no point at all in me trying to express anything about the whole issue. There is nothing that humans can say which means anything in the face of death. All I will say is that it has been hard, life is completely different, and I will never ever get over it. A few weeks later my cat Pussal died at 15 years old of a snake bite.
On the 3rd of March 2008 I started a PhD on metal vessel manufacturing technology of the Bronze Age Aegean (don't ask, please!). On the 26th of April I got married to Bubbadoo (not his real name). About a month ago my 90 year old grandmother had a stroke. Last weekend my new cat Kujo died three weeks after I acquired him! Soooo.... the universe has twisted my life into something entirely unrecogniseable. However, I have recently started knitting again because I have spent long hours sitting with my grandmother in hospital. She can't talk, is half paralysed and sleeps most of the time, but it's comforting to be with her, and I hope she gets something out of it too! The doctors say her higher functions are gone, but that's bollocks. I have a few projects on the go, and I need to share them, so there will be piccies to follow.
Another thing. I am an extremely shy person, terribly introverted and embarassed over the most ridiculously minuscule issues. I love writing, but am always horrified by anything I write as soon as I write it, especially once it is in the public sphere. This blog will hopefully force me to just write and let it be, and maybe that will bring me out of my shell. I will not edit anything after I've written it, and hopefully one day I will use my real name. You may think I'm being ridiculous. Part of me knows that I am, another part wants to scrunch into the foetal position rocking back and forth just at the thought of thinking about writing for other people! Please be kind!

This program will be resumed shortly...

Never fear legions of fans and admirers, Disquina will soon be back in action after she finally finishes her 7.5 years of university on Thursday the 21st of June at 12pm! Stay tuned for more rivetting tales of knitting and self-righteous bitching!

I'm really bad. Haven't updated in a long time. BUT I'm still being constructive and creating stuff. I've learned crochet! At least some very simple crochet, and I'm making a veil for belly dancing! Here's the progress so far:

And I know you can't see what I've done to the edge. so here it is:

So simple yet effective. I'm putting on another row with some coins so that it jingles a little bit. My grandmother showed me how to do it, and now that I know, I reckon I could make entire dancing outfits. My next feat will be a coin belt with gold-flecked maroon thread on red or purple velvet (haven't decided yet). I think the veil will be finished by tomorrow.

The veil is actually a royal purple chiffon, though of course you can't see it in the shot, and the crochet is this lovely glossy cherry-coloured thread; it reminds me of that Beatrix Potter story, I think it was The Tailor of Gloucester or something like that, and the tailor is freaking out, because he's run out of cherry-coloured twist (actually, the cat hid it).

And next:

Oooooooooh!!

Aaaaaaaaaaah!

I am so spoiled! Madeline you are a legend! It's funny to be getting these pressies from the other side of the planet, and then find they're being sent by an Australian! Everything is beautiful. I can't believe you told me I could rip out the panta. I love it! It's a bit warm to wear it for too long at the moment, but it'll be perfect for Winter. Nice and big, almost hides my new short hair (good for greasy days)! I liked it so much that I looked up the pattern and knitted another one, but somehow the shape isn't as good as your one. I forgot to take a piccie before the batteries died in my camera. Next time! As for the wash cloth, it is so beautiful that I don't want to wash my filthy face with it! The Rowan cotton feels lovely and soft. One day I'll knit something in cotton. The stitch markers will be good too. I've made some for others, but the only ones I've used myself are these little plastic rings from spotlight, half of which are broken before you open the packet. And that soap is humungous. It smells lovely.

I've had such a great time with this secret pal business, but I've been so busy that I feel I haven't had enough time to do it justice. Who would have thought that the day I started this blog, May 11 I think, that my brother would be diagnosed with a brain tumour and my whole world, and that of everyone I love, would be turned upside down. It's been almost 6 months since then, and I feel like a completely different person. I would never have survived without the support of my lovely boy Luke, and having knitting there to keep me busy when I started to become obsessive with grief. I've taken up belly dancing, which I love so much, and I started running three days a week, and have lost over 10kg as a result, and regained my self-esteem, I've quit smoking and I now only eat beautiful food made by nature, not man, and my body is loving it. Watching someone struggle for their life makes you re-evaluate your own, and I've discovered that life is absolutely fucking fantastic.

Enough drivel. The Melbourne Cup is about to start, and I've got some crocheting to get on with.

Damn Buggeration

Alas, I've decided to rip the sock and start again. Ladders! Freakin' ladders are forming between the needles, and it doesn't matter how tight I pull the stitches at the ends of the needles, they just won't go away:


I've never had this trouble before, and I've decided that it must be that the tension is too loose, so it's getting ripped and I'll start again on 2.25 needles with 60 sts round, instead of 48 sts on 3mm. I did actually notice earlier on that it seemed a bit loose, but I chose to ignore it, and now I pay the price! Very slow progress, but I've just been busy doing other things. It's getting pretty hot these days - was 33C the other day. Not natural knitting weather I suppose. We'll get there though.

Hair 'n' Stuff

Here we go, a bona fide blog entry!
Well after 20 years of long hair, I've finally had the chop. In this pic I look pretty haggard, but it's really not that bad!

I think maybe I look older, but like I'm having more fun! I did actually cry a little when she cut it off, which was pretty embarressing, but the haridresser had been a bit snappy with me before, and after I cried she was a lot nicer. That's terrible isn't it? It makes me sound like a sooky lala! Anyway, that's how I am I guess. Crybaby at the drop of a hat.

And in other news, I have been knitting again! I went to the Canberra Spinners and Weavers group this morning with my grandmother, which we usually do every week, but lately I've been busy travelling with my bro, getting him to appointments etc., but today I finally started those socks with the Fyberspates sock wool generously bestowed upon me by my lovely one skein pal. While the exchange is supposed to be over, I have the excitement of having it drawn out a little longer. It's funny, but I feel this strange connection to you secret pal, although I have no idea what your name is, what your sex is, what you look like, anything. Despite this, it's nice to send off or receive a friendly email. It seems you're like a guardian angel watching over my shoulder - or at least my blog! Well I'm sure that's all silly. Here is the beginning:

This one is a toe-up, which I've never done before. I've knitted so many top-down socks that I'm sick of them, so I thought that I could learn something new this way, plus I can use up all of the wool and make the socks as long as possible. I started the sock using the toe cast on from Anna Zilboorg's Fancy Feet (a book I love and adore and am dying to get a copy of), but I don't like how she does the heel - leaving a gap and putting it in afterwards - so I'm trying a heel from Wiseneedle.com. At the top of the sock I'll be doing some entrelac like on Dad's socks, but this time I'll try to avoid making them bulge so much. The width of the foot and leg is 48 stitches on 3mm needles, so they're about 18cm around. Seems to be working out so far. I absolutely hated starting on the toe - so few stitches on so many damn needles! But now I'm on to the brainless knit, knit, knit. I can't wait to see what the entrelac will look like with this wool.

I'm having a bit of an issue at the moment. Knitwankers. People who think that they're king shit because of how they knit. I've had several knitters mention to me that they don't use patterns when they're doing this that or the other, as though that makes you amazing, a genius ahead of your time! Sometimes I use patterns, sometimes I don't, but who gives a crap? Knitting is a creative process which people do for their own entertainment. It doesn't matter how you do it, and thinking you can piss all over other people who are enjoying themselves anyway is pretty pathetic. Besides, there is always someone better than you at anything you do, no matter how good you are at it. Comparing your skills to others is just pointless and soul destroying. Do it for the love of the art, not to make you feel that you're better than others.

Sorry, bit of a rant there. We're all equal. That's all. Man, I wish I had some kindred spirited knitters to talk to. The spinners group is okay, but often some ladies just sit around complaining about the younger generations (of which I am helplessly part, no matter how hard I try to be 50 years older!). Last time I went I was getting so offended that I had to go and sit outside with another lady who was on her own in the sunshine, and we had a lovely chat. Life is so beautiful, aren't there better things to do other than complain about everything? I guess I'm a bit of a hypocrite hey? One good thing I've noticed about the older ladies is that (most of them) actually listen when you talk, pay attention to what you say and remember it for later reference instead of just waiting for you to finish so that they can talk about themselves!

Ah, enough bitching. Better go before I become annoying.

I'm in Trouble

Whoops, haven't updated for almost a month and I got in trouble with the Aussie web ring dudes. I just haven't been knitting! I'm a very changeable person, and I have about a trillion hobbies. I've been sewing new clothes, which I desperately need, and working on my Kombi, which needs a hell of a lot of work. I didn't really think knitters would be interested at all! I'm also about to get my hair chopped off. It's been long for as long as I can remember, so I'm a bit freaked. Sigh. I'll try to do something knit-related to update with. Not enough bloody hours in the day.

Holy Balloony, Batman

Wow, I don't know where to start.
I just realised that people have left comments on this blog. I had no idea! I'll have a look at them when I've finished this. I can't believe that anyone is actually reading this!

Well, maybe I'll start with this!:

Yes! It's me and Bubby about to take off in a balloon! And here's proof that we did:

I particularly like this photo. We had to drive around for about an hour to find the right spot to take off from, and I was sure that the wind would be wrong and we'd have to wait till the next day, but then it just happenned!

Bubby was very snap-happy. And before you say it yourself, I know that I look like some kind of freakish gypsy witch or something. Here I am on my broomstick! Cackle cackle.

Well I didn't finish the socks in time for Father's Day, so Iwrapped up the first sock and gave it to Dad, and the other should be finished soon. Everything's been so crazy. I just found out that one of my friends has just bought a house, and my best friend from primary school has just had a baby! Jeez, and I still feel like a little kid messing around and having fun. Apparently I'm supposed to be all growed up now! Well I can tell you, I ain't doin' either of those things for quite some time.

Anyway, now on to the grand finale. I got a box from Mr. Postman. I opened it a little bit and there was a box within the box...

So I opened it a little bit more, and discovered a little treasure trove of red goodness!

And then I just went apeshit and opened all of the little packages and squealed with delight at each one!

Well Jeanne, this is absolutely beautiful! You put so much thought into it, and it was so exciting! Oh yeah, and Pussal enjoyed his part in the excitement!:

Mmmmm, Tasty Morsel!!

Pussal is so unaccustomed to receiving gifts that he wasn't quite sure what to do at first, but he soon made short work of that morsel!

I'm starting to feel a bit guilty that maybe my packages aren't quite up to scratch! I loved how every little parcel had red stars on it! I'm wearing the lipbalm and earrings right now, I've eaten half of the skittles (whoops) and I've drooled over the magazine several times already. I love this world, where you can receive a beautiful gift from someone on the other side of the planet who you've never met and there's so much thought put into it! Sorry, I sometimes go all gooey over the beauty of life.

Thank you once again Jeanne, and I hope that the present you receive from your pal makes all your care and attention worthwhile!

One sock down

Well, it's been quite a while. I've just been so busy. It's funny how life always has lots of stuff happening to keep you busy all the time. I went to Newcastle for a few days last weekend, and back home I've been making meals, cleaning up and washing clothes. That stuff keeps me busy all week, and then on the weekend I have back logs of people who want to see me. I seem to be forever running around for other people. It doesn't really matter, I have a good time anyway.
Tomorrow I'll be sending off the last package to my one skein secret pal, and the package for my favourite colour swap pal. Other than that, all I've managed to do is finish the first father's day sock.

Apparently Father's Day is next Sunday, so I'd better get cracking on that other one!
Gotta go and make lunch.

Flaming Pants

I'm a liar, thus my pants must be on fire. I didn't update the next day, nor the day after, or even after that. Sorry.
Anyway. This is going to be a long post, but I have to be quick because I have to cook a lamb roast tonight for my grandmother's 88th birthday. That's insane, 88. May we all be blessed to live so long. FO's, there are a couple. The chevron scarf as promised:

And a close-up:

It's quite long but I love it. I wanted to have a photo of me wearing it to give an idea of scale, but I feel funny asking people to take photo's of me, and the best I could get myself was this:

That's me looking shitty because I couldn't get a decent photo. Lovely, isn't it?

Then there are my purple pots - my felting (fulling) experiment:

I felted some handspun and threaded it through for a little coin pouch. I think they're cute. Everyone laughs at them. People are stupid. I guess I'm just a misunderstood genius. Sigh.

I don't have enough time left to say everything else damn it. Well I'll try. I've been dyeing again, this time with food colouring. It works really well. I don't know how fast it is, but according to my source, it's no worse than other dyes:

A bit blotchy, but a bit more attention will sort that out. I was so excited by them that I went out and bought every colour I could find (except black). Then I bought some spun silk from the Spinners and Weavers shop so I can have some more dyeing fun with it:

I also borrwed this:

People are always going on about this book, so when I saw it I thought I'd better have a look. It's a nice book to read, chatty and laid back. I've decided that I'll be starting a sweater soon for next winter. Speaking of Winter, it's crazy, look at this:

Violets! And Winter hasn't finished yet! Well if the violets think it's Spring, then I will too. They smell fantastic. Pussal helped me photograph them:

Pussal likes me to take photo's of his bum.

Anyway, in the meantime I've started some socks for father's day for my Daddio:

More insane socks. I'll tell him that's they're just bed socks so he doesn't feel obligated to wear them to work and get picked on by the macho wankers he works with. My dad is such a legend.

And of course, last but definitely not least, the moment you've all been waiting for - well the moment I've been waiting for - the second package from my one skein secret pal!:

Thank you once again, secret pal for a lovely present. The yarn is sock yarn by Fyberspates in Wales. I already know what to do with it. After I started the socks above for my Daddio, which were inspired by some Tibetan entrelac socks from a special sock edition of Spin Off, I decided that I'm going to make entrelac socks with the yarn, because I think the effect of the striping on the entrelac will be really interesting. Another project to start! Oh well, I'll finish the socks for Dad first. I really must start that jumper too. Anyway, the magazine is fun. There's a nice ribbed camisole I'll try out some time. I love looking at ads in magazines from other countries. Maybe I'm a bit weird. No, it's that misunderstood genius coming out again. I just find it fascinating to see what people can buy overseas. We're so deprived of quality here in Australia, especially Canberra. All of the independent small manufacturers and shops are pushed out of business by huge chain stores who sell the cheapest nastiest crap they can find. I'm so jealous of the variety overseas. Back to the point. The pencil case is great, especially now with my new-found interest in felting. I'll fill it with knitting crap soo enough! At the moment I use this really annoying box for my stitch markers and wotnot, so now I have something groovy to use instead! Lots of fun. It's from Paris! I find that very exciting, since I've never been out of Australia. I find the whole concept of just being able to pop overseas for the weekend fascinating! We're so isolated here that it costs thousands of dollars to get anywhere, even to the other side of the country. I think it's quite cheap to go to New Zealand. I will one day! Actually, I just discovered a 22 day textiles tour to Peru. You get to learn Andean textile crafts from the locals, and it includes trips to Lima, Cusco and Macchu Picchu. I am so going there! The tour itself costs $3,900 US, the flight there is separate, so I'll be saving for a while I guess. It's called Puchka Peru.

I just noticed that I've been moaning a bit about my country. Well the goverment is fucked, but the land itself is absolutely beautiful. Some of the people are okay too!

In other news, I've been collecting for my favourite colour pal. I hope he/she/it likes what I've collected. I think I would explode with ecstasy if I receieved it, but I guess that's because it's all to my personal taste! Besides, a surprise is always much more exciting than something you choose yourself.
Ah, all finished. Better get going.

Excitement and productivity

Oh so much to be excited about. I think I'll have to make them a list so I don't forget anything:
#1: The package slip has arrived for the package from my one skein secret pal has arrived. I'll have to wait till tomorrow to pick it up, but I'm getting pretty excited! More news on that tomorrow.
#2: I've been collecting some treasures for my favourite colour swap pal. I hope that this person will enjoy what I'm putting together. It's definitely more expensive than it's supposed to be, but I just can't stand the thought of sending someone a crap package. I just hope that I've chosen the right shades of this person's favourite colour. There's a lot more to a colour than its name!
#3: I've been dyeing wool with food colouring! The colours are fantastic, and so cheap. I'll have to see how fade resistant they are. I'm once again left wondering how people can eat this stuff - what is it doing to our insides? So far I've been dyeing these skeins of 12 ply Merino that have been hanging around for years, just annoying me. I had 3 skeins which were white and a few more that had suffered from a bad dyeing job some years ago with a eucalypt I can't remember. I overdyed those ones and got some lovely orangey shades. Tomorrow I'm going to see if I can find some big bottles of the stuff. It goes so far! At the moment I'm going for 5ml dye per skein, and there's still a little colour left in the pot.
#4: The chevron scarf was completed several days ago, and I think it's fantastic. I'm going to try and get a really good shot of it tomorrow in the sunlight.
#5: I've been felting! Although apparently to the purists it's called fulling. A rose by any other name still smells as sweet (or something like that). I've knitted up three little pouches and chucked them in the washing machine on hot (shock horror!) and I think I rather like the results, although everyone around me responds with polite silence.

That's it for now. Back with pictures tomorrow!

Stupid Happy Girl

Here I am at last. I've moved house, back to Mum and Dad's place; I swore I wouldn't ever do it, but you would never predict the situation that has arisen in our lives at the moment.
The bamboo scarf is finished.

Yes, sorry, it's an extremely crappy picture. There's a problem. It's far too long. In fact it's about twice the length it should be. I was so keen to finish the ball that it didn't occur to me that maybe I didn't need to finish it. So you know what I'm going to do - I'm going to rip out half of it. I haven't gathered the courage to do it yet, and new projects have kept me from thinking about it too much, but if I don't do it, I'm just going to have this beautiful scarf hanging in the cupboard for the rest of my days, and it would be such a waste. Anyway, it'll mean having more bamboo yarn to do something with. When I get this done then I'll take a proper photo.

The chevron scarf is on its way.

Here it is after one row was completed - all 453 stitches (it's knitted lengthwise). I spent hours casting on and doing that first row (the first row is always the worst) and the next day realised that I had made a great error, and ripped it all and started over, only to realise once I had cast on all 453 stitches again that I hadn't actually done anything wrong in the first place! Stupid girl! You live and you learn. So here it is about 10 rows in:

And you can already see the zigs and zags coming through:

I'm having great fun with this one. Do you like my colours? Well I do. I don't know why it's suddenly come to me that I have to knit all these scarves. This one should be done pretty quickly, and then I have a couple more projects up my sleeve.

Guess what I got for my birthday?

eep! So pretty. Noro Silk Garden. 45% silk, 45% kid mohair, 10% lambswool. I chose two different colours so I could use the beautiful slip-stitch pattern in Boo, Too from Knitty. I have to use them wisely, as this is all I could get. I'm thinking of mitten-type thingo's which go up the arm for as long as I can get the balls to go. Arm-warmers I suppose. The other option is of course a scarf, but I already have more than I can use, and Winter only lasts for one more month. Oh I am ever so happy.

The other project in the pipes is Snowball's Chance in Hell from The AntiCraft for a friend of mine who I think would love them. She's one of my favourite people, and I thought she deserves something funky. Only problem is that you have to measure the person who's going to wear them. How will I manage that? Maybe I'll have to get her really drunk.