A brief pause

I am disappearing for a couple of weeks. I'm going to Perth to meet my mother who is coming from South Africa for a nice long visit.

Unfortunately I am going to have to leave my Snow Queen behind. I have just started on Chart F.



I hope I will still have enough internet access to be able to visit blogs and Ravelry while we are away. I'll think of you all as I relax on the beach!

Finish Line

I finished my Traveling Woman for the Short Track Shawl Event in the Ravelympics a few days ago but I hadn't got round to blogging about it until now. So here she is.



The yarn is sock yarn from Ewe Give Me The Knits. But unfortunately I don't know what the colourway is.



This is a very quick and easy knit - a real pleasure.




I also finished my Jeweled Steps using the Flat Feet sock yarn. I like the colour but I did find knitting with such crinkly yarn was hard on my wrists and I had to keep a close eye on my tension.



Here is a close-up of the steps. Wrapping the stitches with this yarn was not ideal.



And for the first time I tries my hand at EZ' sew cast off. I've never bothered in the past but decided to give it a go and I was surprised at how easy it is and I'm pleased with the smooth finish.

I'm getting there

I have been away for a few days. We went to the coast and I made a new friend.



A gorgeous King Parrot.



These wild parrots are amazingly trusting, especially when food is involved. And while I was feeding the parrot a few curious Sulpher Crested Cockatoos arrived.



Some knitting has been happening. I am knitting Traveling Woman for the short track shawl event in the Ravelympics. The yarn is sock yarn from Ewe Give Me The Knits.



And I am more than half way through Chart E of my Snow Queen Shawl.



BadCatDesigns has also just released a new shawl pattern, Persian Princess. Have a look at Mary's beautiful version.

Starting over

I started Chart D of my Snow Queen shawl and found that not only was I having trouble with making the nupps but I was also not happy with my stitch definition. I figured that my yarn was just too fine and inflexible. So yesterday I ditched the whole lot and started afresh using Bendigo Woollen Mills 2ply in Almond.



Now I'm much happier. I have yet to start Chart D with the new yarn but the few nupps I have made so far were much easier to make so I am hopeful that all will go well.

And while I was paying a visit to the frog pond I decided it was time to admit that my Maltese Shawl was never going to progress.



I started this shawl more than a year ago and although I have picked it up a couple of times since then I just can't get into it. So I admit defeat. The yarn needs to be used for something else and one day I will try the shawl again but with a different yarn.

Beginnings

I seem to have started (and continued) a few things of late but I don't have much to show for my efforts.

Firstly here is my Snow Queen shawl. I have completed the first three charts and chart D now awaits my attention. I noticed it has a lot of nupps in it so I am going to get plenty of opportunities to conquer this technique.



Secondly I have started to knit a pair of Jeweled Steps. I'm knitting with Flat Feet for the first time. It is a strange experience. I like the colour changes but its a little awkward knitting with crinkly yarn. And the knitting looks a bit bumpy as well but I'm sure that will smooth out once the socks are washed and blocked.



And finally, I have opened my February Personal Sock Yarn Club and the yarn is from Ewe Give Me the Knits. This is destined to become a Traveling Woman.