A boring post

Nothing very interesting in this post, just thought I should write something. I'm working part time, now, and have been doing more hours because of it being so close to Christmas - the silly season shoppers wise. We are gearing up for the big Card Holders sale on 6th Dec, which means we will be open until midnight. Ive pulled the late shift - starting at 11am, and finish at 12am. We get to have strawberries, ice cream and cherries as a reward. The cherries will be fresh, as they are just starting to sell some now, and the strawberries should also be fresh. We are also allowed to 'dress up' in something Christmassy (sp?). I've got a santa hat, and need something else - my sister has a red santa jacket thingy, hopefully I will fit it.
We have our end of year work function tomorrow night, and will be wearing a mask, and there will also be kareoke. Dont think I will be singing, though - I cant sing to save myself!!!
My daughter has gotten engaged, which is really great news. They have set the date for 15th November, next year. I want to lose some weight before the wedding - not too much, but something. I've already started to change my eating habits, and have some exercises printed off that I really need to get started on. Natasha is already writing a list of what they need to do, and get, for the wedding.
Ahh well, I did say this wasn't a very interesting post. I need to head off to bed, it's early I know, but I'm tired, and have work tomorrow. I need a good nights sleep.

A rather boring post

This isn't much of a post. I'm just checking in on my own blog. I got me a new laptop, and having fun being able to go online without having to wait for the PC being free. I'm still keeping things on the PC, if only because this isn't set up to a printer, yet. That will probably be next on the list.
I'm also STILL getting used to Ravelry. I'm not too sure if I really want to own up to the stash I have. It's not even organised, a lot of it is still in plastic bags. AND, it's still all over the floor, BUT, NOT, in the lounge any more - at least, not ALL of it. I think my patterns are more organised than my wool, and so are my books. But they are easy to get into order. LOL

Time to add something

I reckon it's time I added something here. I've been too busy getting to know Ravelry, and sadly neglecting my blog - NOT a good thing to do. I've got a couple of pictures to finally add. These are both of my MS3, which had it's first public airing on Monday.

Finally some pictures.

I finally have my camera back, and have a couple of pictures on it to post here. These are of the 'Aran Weight Victorian Lace Shawl' from the Elann free patterns. I did this for my sister - who is modelling it for me. I did it in a lighter weight wool than that required in the pattern, but stayed with the same needles. I LOVE the way it has come out, and want one for me. I've got some Caressa that I'm seriously thinking of using for this pattern.

Ravelry invite . . .

I got my Ravelry invite last night!!! This site is going to take me a wee while to get the hang of, AND I need to take pictures of my stash. Not sure if I really want to admit to how much of a stash I actually have!! LOL OR how many UFO's, and WIP's I have on the needles. I really AM trying to finish things off, and NOT buy too much. But, wool has a habit of following me home - true!!!!

Time to add something.

I've actually got some pictures to add here, once I get my camera back. I finished my MS3, and have blocked it as well. I've also got some pictures of the Aran weight Lace Shawl I made for my sister. But that has to wait until I get my camera back off my daughter. I actually can't remember what other pics are on that camera, will have to see once it is returned.
I'm now a working woman, having acquired a part-time job. I've only done two days, and already am doing extra!! They have a card-holders day on Thursday, and I'll be working all day then. Guess that will be good for me, because it will bring me up to speed real quick. Hope I cope alright.

I forgot to add this in my previous post

Here is a picture of my daughter on the occasion of her 23rd birthday, which was on Sunday. I did the usual, and cooked up a special birthday dinner, which consisted of chicken, with whole lemons inside - her favourite way of having chicken. We also had roast potatoes, done the way Natasha likes them - crisp on the outside, and soft on the inside. For dessert, we had fudge brownies, with whipped cream, and chocolate pieces added on top of the cream. All this is something we DON'T eat too often - thank goodness. Natasha and Tony, her boyfriend, came home for dinner. Tony had taken her to Wellington for the weekend, as his present to her.

This took forever

Or, at least, it felt like it took forever. Towards the end, each round was taking me AT LEAST 5mins to complete. There are 29 rounds to this table topper. I called it a doily in an earlier post, but I was mistaken. It is clearly NOT a doily, but instead, a table topper. I love the pattern, but am not sure if I would do it again. I got the pattern from a Crochet Monthly magazine that I get. I have blocked it as much as I can just for the picture. Need to do it a bit more, just to get it to spread out better.

MS3 Clue 4 done

I have finally finished Clue 4 of MS3. The reason it has taken me so long is because I've also been doing a pineapple doily - in crochet. I'm still working on the doily, and am only a few rounds from the finish, but, of course, it is taking longer to do each round. So, I take a break from it, by doing the stole, and I take a break from the stole by working on the doily. And dishcloths.

Anyway, here is a picture of my clue 4. It's not blocked, or anything. Just hanging from the back of our couch. I can't show the whole length of the stole, because it is too long, now. Not a very good picture, but will try to do better next time. Now on to clue 5, and the wing!!!!

The smallest cloth I have ever done

I know, two days in a row!!!! BUT, I have a picture, actually a couple of pictures, of the smallest cloth I have EVER knitted. This little masterpiece was knitted in very fine cotton - the sort you usually use for doilies - and on 2.25mm needles. I hav deliberately left the ends unweaved, just so you can see how thin the cotton I used, is. It DOES actually have a little heart in the middle. Next time, I will use even smaller needles - maybe even bamboo skewers.

Some cloths

In between doing the MS3, I've been working on some cloths. They are quick, easy, and a nice break when you have had to visit the frog-pond AGAIN, for the second time!!! Completely ripped out the blue stole I was working on, it was too floppy. So, before casting on AGAIN, I decided to take a break and do these cloths.

This is called June 3 Cloth by Jo Winslow, and is crocheted. I did it with one stand of a blue/white thin, cotton, with one strand of jute. I like it, and have only just realised, how the colours slant - never noticed it before.

This one, which doesn't show up very well, is called Ridged Openwork cloth, by Jo Schubert. It is knitted, in a lovely pale blue, which is lightly variegated with other shades of blue.

And now for the last photo. This is a Kiwi cloth, by Susan Brewer. I knitted this one today, and it is in a pale orange cotton. I LOVE this cloth - being a Kiwi myself - as we New Zealanders are called.

Now back to my stole - the cream version without the beads. AFTER I finish the bag I'm knitting. Or as a break from the bag. Hey, they could end up being a break from each other!! Until the Harry Potter book comes out on Saturday, anyway. Then ALL knitting is on hold until AFTER I finish the book. Could be looking at an all-nighter here.

Mysterystole3

I have joined, and started the stole from the above yahoo group. I have finished chart A, and chart B, and here are the results. Of course, it will look much better once it is blocked, but that needs to wait. The wool is unknown. It is on a good size cone, with no labels. I got it from a local second-hand shop. It is thin, and I am using 4mm needles. I am enjoying knitting this up, and seeing what the pattern will become.

These are my accessories

You know how we are told to accessorise? Well. . . I do, but, not the way most people think of accessories. Mine are my scarves. I have a goodly collection - actually, I have more than I thought I did. I find scarves another good way of testing a pattern, a yarn, a combination of colours, and they are sooooooooo easy to whip up.

Anyway, here are a few pictures of all the scarves I have in my collection. The pictures aren't the best, because it is a dull, cloudy day over here.

Actually, that is a picture of me!!!!!!!!!! lol Wasn't meant to add that here, but will keep it anyway. Now you know what I look like!!! On to the scarves.

These particular scarves are made from various wools. There is even a sock scarf in there. It's the one between the brown, and the one on the end. The second scarf. It was fun to make.

Another three scarves done with some fancy yarn. All three were done on biggish neeldes, from 8mm up to 15mm.

And now for the last picture. These four are my latest creations. Well...except for the yellow/multi coloured one, that was finished ages ago, but just got it's ends sewn in today.

The green one, and the brown - the one next to the yellow scarf - were both done with Moda Vera Butterfly. The green one was done on 6.5mm needles, with a drop stitch. The brown was done on 15mm needles. The other scarf, and the picture does it NO justice, is made from recycled silk fabric, which has been spun. I did it on 6.5mm needles, and a 1x1 rib. The yellow one is the multi-directional diagonal scarf from Iris Schreier's book Modular Knits.

Enforced knitting time

I have been forced to stay off my feet for a few days, so am using that time to try and get some of my UFO's under control. They are ALL clamouring for me to work on them, but I only have two arms!!!! It is winter over here, and there are weather warnings out due to the heavy frosts we are experiencing at the moment. These frosts are so heavy, peoples car doors are freezing shut!!! On my way to KITE, (where I do my computer course), yesterday morning, I fell on a patch of ice. Yes, I was walking, because KITE is only a five minute walk from here. Anyway, I have done minor damage to my right knee, which means crutches, and rest. Good thing we are onto the last week of this semester, and have a weeks break before going back for more.
I have come to the conclusion that you CAN have too many WIP's. This is more so if you have something on the needles - in really hairy mohair - BUT you don't have the pattern to match, AND you don't even know WHERE the pattern is - not good!!! Try unpicking REALLY hairy mohair - or even contemplating frogging it - brings on nightmares I tell you. Today, I found the pattern to match my mohair creation, and will have sweet dreams of how it will look when finished. I need more bags, to keep pattern AND WIP together. One for each WIP, or UFO, whichever may be the case. That's a few more bags I need - AT LEAST eight more. Hmm. . . is that a sign I have too many?!?!?
I HAVE finished something, though. It's a scarf. Out of recycled silk material. I knitted it on 10mm needles in a 1x1 rib. Have been wearing it since I finished it. Should really get a picture taken. At least this didn't need blocking, and I'm sure it is getting longer everytime I wear it!!! LOL

Another garment finished.

I've finished something else, and am feeling pretty good, because I actually didn't let myself get too distracted by other patterns - either those I already have on the needles, or those I've printed off over the last few days - and goodness knows, I've printed off a fair few patterns over the last few days!!! I really need to live forever, just to be able to knit, or crochet, all the patterns I want to do, AND to use up my ever growing stash.

Anyway, here is a picture of the cardigan. The flash has made the colour look brighter than it really is.

I got the pattern from the October 2006 English Woman's Weekly Home Series Magazine. This magazine also has some cute mice to knit - called Alan Dart - Dickensian mice.

Started ANOTHER project

I've started yet another project. This is a square made from leftover sock yarn, and it's knit in the round - as round as a square can be!! lol Can't remember the link at the moment, but will go look for it, and add it here, later. I really need to get some of these mounting WIP's and UFO's complete!!! It's not easy being good and NOT starting anything new!!! lol

Has it really been that long?!?!?

Crikey, I didn't realise it had been that long since I last posted here!!! I am NOT a very good blogger, am I? I do actually have some pictures to add, when I get them taken!! lol I've actually just started a modular crochet scarf, what an interesting pattern!!! It's from the Spring Interweave Crochet magazine, that I just got today. I know, it's a magazine with patterns for Spring, and here we are, heading into Winter!! But I like the patterns, and LOVE looking forward. Lets see just how long this takes to make.

Some UFO's to report

I must say, I like this new setup, it makes things so much easier! Anyway after such a long time of not posting here, I have some UFO's to report.

First is a pair of socks that are going to be winging their way to New Orleans next week.

This next pair are ones I made for my sister. They were quick to make, because they are only ankle type ones. BTW, Laurel is actually modelling both pair of socks.

And last, we have the Rock-Snot Scarf that I made for Laurel. The reason I called it Rock-Snot is beause the yarn looks just like that! Here is a link to show what Rock-Snot actually is:http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/pests-diseases/plants/didymo/

Here is the picture of the scarf.