Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Finally

Blogger actually let me in. I have only been trying on and off since 8 am this morning.
I guess blogger felt I had other things to get done first.


I still haven't found my chibi, but I did buy myself a new wool needle from Spotlight.
I grafted the toes and now have two finished pairs of socks.

Thuja socks in Cleckheaton Country - storm colourway.


Patonyle socks in unknown colourway - I lost the ball bands - but it reminds me of candy almonds.


After all this finishing I am really wanting to cast on something new.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

An almost done WIP or where did the chibi go?

An almost finished pair of Thuja socks.




I just need to kitchener that last toe and of course now I can't find my chibi.

I had it out on the coffee tabe only days ago to do the other toe, so you wouldn't think it could have wandered too far away.

I have searched but can't find it. I am thinking perhaps it has been hidden.



Kit pretends she doesn't know what I am talking about.

The start of the patonyle socks.

Spotlight are currently stocking patonyle again. They don't seem to have a huge amount in stock and I don't know if they will be ordering more in. I say grab some while you can.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Stripey Socks are done.

The Lion Brand Magic stripes socks are done. I can't say I particularly like these, but it was good to try out a new (to me) yarn.





After knitting socks on 2.25mm or 2.5mm needles I found it felt really wrong to be knitting these on 3.25mm needles. The knitting felt all sloppy.
I am looking forward to working with some patonyle again soon.

And in UFO news I have decided that seeing as March is already halfway over, this months project will be one that doesn't involve a great deal of work.
In fact it wont involve any knitting at all.






The lotus blossum tank has been sitting in the basket untouched for months.

Everytime I pick it up to work on it I am doubtful. I don't like how it sits on the model in the picture. And in person it looks really big. Wide big. Wide like it could go around me twice.

Solution: frog and reclaim yarn. Some knits are just not meant to be.



Monday, March 12, 2007

Knitty

Yes, the new Knitty is out and I totally love Dashing.

I have managed to resist casting on immediately, but that doesn't mean I didn't hunt through the stash for a suitable yarn. :)

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Public Speaking

I am a very shy person and generally don't have much to say for myself until I get to know people and feel comfortable. This is often misinterpreted as me being standoffish, rude and snobby.
Crazy Aunt Purl does a fantastic job of explaining the fears and anxieties of meeting new people, of entering a room full of people and feeling they will judge you that you should go and read her and then come back here.

Most people have some fear of public speaking, but seeing as normal speaking can be scary for me, public speaking is just HUGE.


I completed Certificate IV of my studies last year but the graduation ceremony wasn't held until this week.
It was at this ceremony that they wanted me to speak.
Not only did they want me to speak, I was to present some of my work.
Share it for all the world (ok not the world, 60 or so people) to see.
Shall we just say denial.......
For weeks I have been living in denial, not reading through my work, not practicing presenting it.
Stubborn, hope it all goes away, denial.

Just as stubbornly the date of the ceremony got closer.
And closer.

Until the 8th of March showed up in my face and it was just there.
I considered not going.
But I really wanted to see my classmates and see what direction everyone had gone in.
I figured I could go and if it got too bad I could just leave...

So I went and I got my certificate from the minister of education and training.

And I sat, and listened to the rest of the stuff that goes on at these ceremonies.

And I waited....( they seem to think it's funny to put me last so I have to sit terrified and shaking even longer.)

And finally ( it always feels longer when you are waiting)
it was my turn.

I went up there, I found my page, I said my stuff.

It flowed. I didn't mix up my words. They were listening.

They were paying attention and taking in what I had to say.
They were understanding what I was saying and laughing where they were supposed to. And in that moment I forgot to be scared.
I was almost a little bit excited......... ( I said almost).

And then it was done.
I had spoken in front of all those people, and the people with titles and I was still alive.

And the best part......
was when people, people I don't know, people who came there to support other students, came up to me to say they had liked my work.

I had feared and done it anyway.
I went home on such a high.
I couldn't sleep for hours.

No I don't want to do it again, speaking in public still terrifies me; but that rush of getting past the fear, for even that moment..... maybe bungee jumping isn't such a bad thing.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

What does this mean?



A few stitchmarkers and the remnants of a ball of Rowan Calmer, what does it mean?






It means that I finished Shedir. All of it. Every last twist. Every last stitch.

I really don't enjoy knitting all those cables.

I love how it has turned out and all those cables are worth it.

This was my main project for Project Spectrum this month aswell as my UFO for February. It is really nice to be able to cross this one off the list.


Sunday, March 04, 2007

Catching up

It feels like it has been so long since I have actually had a decent chunk of knitting time let alone actually finished anything, so it is with a feeling of relief that I have managed to finish the happy feet socks.




Cleckheaton Marino Bambino knit on 2.5mm circs.

All yarn was from the same dyelot, yet one sock pooled and the other didn't.

The softness of this yarn more than makes up for any misbehaviour of the colours.

Bright and cheerful, a nice contrast to the gray of Shedir.

I came home from tafe on Friday to find one of thos little slips in the letterbox saying I had to go to the post office and pick up a parcel. I am expecting a few things soonish but nothing just right now so spent all night wondering what it was.
I ended up deciding it must be some promotional materials from Yarn magazine for a display I am putting together for my studies. Yes I managed to include knitting in an assignment :).

Miss B and I went to the post office Saturday morning to find it wasn't what I was thinking at all. It wasn't any of the things I thought it might have been.

Kimberly had sent me a belated birthday present. I had no idea this was coming which made opening the parcel even more fun. Of course Miss B insisted I open it all before we got home and is now trying to claim the knitting notebook.






Coffee, Lindt chocolate, notebook with divided sections for notes on needles and patterns, tea and yarn.

Yummy Yummy alpaca/silk yarn from Misti Alpaca. This is one of those yarns I have been seen about on line and have been dreaming about. Now I have my very own to to go and pet every 5 minutes. It is so, so soft. Thankyou so much Kimberly.

Something else I bought a few weeks ago, but is still in hiding as it is to be a gift, was some yarn from Lynne. As much as I can't show you the yarn right now and the colours are not what I would have chosen personally, I love the yarn. It is soft and there are lots of colours I want. The service was friendly and fast, with Lynne happily responding to my request of using money order.

I have been avoiding this site purely because I don't trust myself not to order any more yarn from her now that I know just how nice it is. But that doesn't mean I can't send you over there :P Go on, have a look.

Happy Shopping.