A flock of sheep

Over on Ravelry there is a group called Aussie Karma Swaps. I have been having quite a bit of fun over there participating in various karma swaps. At the moment there are swaps running for sock yarn, leftover yarn, natural fibre yarns, the kitchen sink where anything goes and many others. My favourite is the handmade swap and I have swapped hand knitted toys for lovely totes and project bags. My last couple of swaps netted the following lovely goodies:

A gorgeous flock of handmade sheep cards made by Allison70. I think they are ever so cute.


And after watching the threads closely I finally scored some glass stitchmarkers made by the very talented sthrnx.


I have been knitting but the completed things I can't show you yet and the wips are just not very interesting at this stage.

A year later

And I am still working on my Summer Squares blanket. Despite all my good intentions my pile of squares is growing ever so slowly.



Last week I finally managed to add two more squares to the pile. I still intend making a queen size blanket so I still have a long way to go!



I really don't know why I am so tardy because I love knitting these squares. Perhaps its because there are too many distractions? Like this Featherweight cardi I have started for the ColourMart competition.



And then there's the Lilac Stole I need to finish plus all the knitting I've been doing for a couple of swaps I'm involved in (and forgot to take pictures) and then there's some socks I need to knit, not to mention that new laceweight calling my name.......

My summer is here already

I have finally had the opportunity to photograph my completed Summer Swatch Me Sampler. This has been a wonderful 12 week project consisting of the sampler as well as many other side projects and culminating in a design your own project.

 

 

 

 

The stats for my sampler:
Yarn: Australian Country Spinners 3ply pure wool (also possibly know as Cleckheaton Babysoft)
Needle Size: 3.5 mm
Finished Size: 91 cm x 137 cm
Beads: Miyuki Triangle 8/0 Amethyst Lined Light Blue

I am currently working on the Lilac Stole which is yet another of the possible Summer Swatch Me projects. The yarn for this project is ColourMart Cashmere Merino 2/14NM on 3.5 mm needles. And I am using size 8 seed beads in red.

 

And just to keep life interesting I have also cast on the Crest o' the wave stole in Touch Yarns Kid Mohair Merino 2 ply.

 

And next week, thanks to Mary, I will be casting on for the Featherweight Cardi for the ColourMart competition on Raverly.

From my window......

As a teenager and young adult in South Africa, my favourite radio program was one called From my window... the sea. It was a program that focused on literature, poetry, art and music. I spent many a hot summer's afternoon with my my bare feet on the cool slate floor, listening and dreaming to this program. While we were visiting Queensland last month this program often came to mind as I was presented with beautiful scenery - often while looking out of a window! So here are a few photos of some of the beautiful places we visited.







And I simply couldn't resist these sheep. Not quite sure what you would do with their fleece though....



As for knitting? Well I do have something to show but we have had so much rain that I have not been able to photograph it yet. After 13 years of drought I never thought I would be able to utter such words again. Victoria is awash at the moment with many unfortunate people experiencing flooding. Nevertheless it has given me great delight to walk in my garden and feel it squelch underfoot.

Queensland socks

Here I am back again from a lovely holiday. I don't have much to show knitting wise though. I did very little knitting while we were away but I did manage to knit these socks.



The socks started life as a pair of Tuscany socks. They are toe-up socks. Once I started the pattern on the leg section I found that it didn't really grab me. Perhaps I should rephrase that because they grabbed a little too much - the legs were a touch too tight for me. I didn't want to start all over again so instead I ripped back just the legs and then knitted a simple slip stitch pattern which I borrowed from the Lava Flow pattern.



Oh and the yarn is Opal Neon. This was also my July Personal Sock Club Yarn. I'm running behind now because I haven't even looked at what August has on offer for me. I think I might have to let it lie for a while because I am eager to get my Summer Swatch Stole finished. I have some catching up to do - such a lovely prospect.

It was warm and sunny in Queensland and we managed to miss the awful weather that Victoria experienced in our absence. We have come home to definite signs of spring.




What a welcome sight!

By the skin of my teeth

I have managed to complete one more project before leaving for warmer climes. Haruni, my tenth shawl for the 10 shawls in 2010 group on Ravelry.

The shawl is still wet and blocking in these photos and there is no time to wait for the shawl to dry. I knitted this in Bendigo Woollen Mills 4ply Luxury in Ice on 3.5 mm circulars. My only modification was to knit an extra repeat of Chart A.



I had a near disaster 4 rows from the finish when my cable broke and I watched my stitches running away from me. It took me ages to transfer the stitches and then carefully pick up the stitches that had run away. Fortunately it is a very easy pattern and I was able to hook the stitches all back in place.



Now as to the travel knitting. I am taking along a pair of socks for the plane trip and the Featherweight cardi for the balmy tropical evenings.

Annie, I will be gone for 3 weeks and will only have intermittent internet access. I have already signed up for the Klabouter KAL but will only be able to knit the shawl when I get back.

Did you mutter something about measurements Mary? I don't think I quite heard you!

Decision time again

Before talking about my need to make decisions, I want to show off my new socks.



These are the Trail Socks designed by BadCatDesigns and are part of the Summer Swatch Me project. This is such a good KAL. We are knitting a sampler and have reached week 7. Each week, in addition to the sampler pattern, there is also a pattern for either a hat, mitts, socks, scarves or bookmarks or any combination of the afore mentioned. Treat yourself and go and check it out if you haven't yet.

I knitted these socks using Little Lotus bamboo sock yarn on 2.75mm needles. And note that the socks are mirror images!

Now for those decisions. I am about to leave for warmer climes. We are heading for the sub-tropics for three weeks to escape the last of the winter. So what do I take with me to knit while I am away? I'm thinking maybe socks (I have yet to knit both my July and August Personal Sock Yarn Club socks), or a scarf or maybe another Featherweight cardi or some combination of these. What would you recommend?