OOOHHH LA LA!

I finished a project! Check out my Beret!!

Be Careful What You Wish for

Just a quick one. Here is a picture of the quilt Mrs Mc made for sister. Sister wanted a Kombi, so sister got a Kombi!Better be careful what you wish for!

I am off Biscuits!

Hard to believe I know! I find they don't go well with braces. Yup folks that is right I am now the proud owner (for the next 12 months) of braces. Thankfully they are only on my bottom teeth, but still they are a little challenging. I am not used to having to think so much about what I can eat. And I am not used to eating slowly. And I am especially not used to stopping mid meal because I am bored with eating. What is that about??

On a good note I have lost a couple of kilos, which is good for my cholesterol. And I am eating healthy food. Again, what is THAT about! Although I have discovered a new found/remembered love of ice cream!!

So what are on my sticks?

• Well I am still finishing off the shawl for my Mum. I am EXACTLY 4 rows from finishing. I nearly finished it while visiting my parents but had to frog it due to a huge mistake made in row 1 of the edging. Unfrickingbelievable! IT'S FINISHED!!!!
• Jo Sharp Cardigan for my Mum. This one is a birthday present.
• Headband for Al. Made a couple for sister, will post picks soon.
• And finally, I have yet to cast on a cardi for myself. It is from here, and will be made in a grey tweed colour. Love it love it love it!
• I also have two secret squirrel Birthday presents. Not of the knitting kind, something a bit different, noice, unusual! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!
  

Bali

Howdy Peeps, we're back!

Had a fabulous time in Bali, a week's a pretty good time period for a holiday there I reckon. Didn't get much of a chance to sit next to the pool drinking Gin and Tonic though. Apparently JD doesn't go on holiday to look at the inside of hotel rooms. I know, his argument is so screwed up. It wasn't a hotel. And if you're next to the pool then you're not inside the room anyway. Der him. Anyway, he's not coming next time. And I still got to drink the Gin and Tonic.

Brief photo tour? No worries

The view from out little porch where we sat and had breakfast everyday (how fricken good are banana pancakes? ho my god). I read here when I was allowed in for the afternoon too. Lovely.


Walking through rice paddies to temples. I like that these things are called 'rice terraces'. They do steep the same way as some of the terraces in the back of newtown.


And we spent most of our days with these things. I hate monkeys. Really, really don't like being around them. JD, on the other hand, adores them. (Don't be deceived by the photo. Nasty, vicious things they are!

This lot weren't too bad, I guess. Although I prefer the photo to the real thing.

And this, for you Kel, was our room door. Now why you wouldn't want to look at this I don't know...

Stuff

There hasn't been an update for a while so I thought a general one was in order. Here's what I've been up to:

Going to the zoo


Going on the Puffin Billy




Baking cake (raspberry yoghurt crumble cake)


And squeezing in the smallest amount of time to make my 15 gifts for the blog meet up yesterday

Sockalicious!

I have been trying to post about these little beauties since I recieved them last year. So here they are, socks a la OCC!!
Isnt she clever! the yarn is Lorna's Laces, but I am not sure what the colour is called (they are rainbow coloured!).

Lookey here

I'm knitting socks!



I'm just on the easiest bit for now - which is probably why I'm having so much fun. I'll report back in when I'm on the heel flap.

My projects for 2007

Well, it is a new year and this year I decided to organise the patterns I want to try.

First up, and keep this quiet because it is for my Mum's birthday, is the Forest Canopy Shoulder Shawl.

In the always lovely Lorna's Laces, Vera this time. BrownPants and Shazmina Bendi have been whipping these up and I know my mum is going to love it.




Next up is one for me. Actually, the rest of my projects are for me. After a spurt of knitting for birthday and Christmas presents, I'm going to get around to those projects I have wanted to do for myself for months.

Jo Sharp Beret. I knit this for my sister and fell in love, so decided to knit myself one. I'm going to use the Jo Sharp Desert Garden Aran cotton in Onyx.

Jo Sharp Sweater. I fell in love with this pattern the first time I flicked through Shazmina Bendi's Knit book. It's the reason I bought the book myself! I love the way the Desert Garden Aran knits up! I was a bit scared about taking on a grown-up item of clothing, but kniiting with this yarn is making it a joy. My progress so far...




Stitch 'n Bitch cardigan. This is another one I fell in love with straight away - over two years ago now! How long it has taken me to get the confidence to take on an adult size piece of clothing. I am still a little intimidated as it is on 3mm needles, but I am determined. It will be a long term project.

So these are my top projects for 2007. I'm sure a few other things will slip in, and I have a few things on the needles at the moment that I have to get finished (including the second of my boudoir booties), but I have put these patterns out there now so I stay on track.

I'll keep you posted...

My mum stole my socks

Despite a 40 degree day I finished the socks.


Things I learnt:

1. It is a popular misconception that socks naturally occur in pairs. They don't. At all. The pairing process is a long and painful one.

2. Do not knit socks in front of your mum if she has the same shoe size as you. She will take this moment to recall all of the times she didn't get to wear the shoes she purchased based on your logic that since you had the same shoe size you could share them. Then she will steal the socks as some form of compensation and before you know it you're sockless again.

3. When you cast on your own compensation socks (or socks number 2) you will realise that magic loop is much easier for sock knitting than double points.

p.s. these are mum's shaved, tanned legs. Just in case any of you thought I had gone mad with sock grief.

I really need that Cabana boy

You know I was thinking last night, as I drifted off to sleep, that I really need a live in man maid!

After getting home from work and
1. Sitting down with a cold, non alcoholic drink (the fridge was bare!).
2. Then getting up and feeding Princess Meena,
3. Then feeding her again because you know there is a vast difference between Fishermans Basket Snappy Tom (she hates it) and Seafood Platter (she loves it)
4. Then watching Neighbours (yes, I watch it and I like it!)
5. The making my dinner
6. Then putting on a load of washing
7. Then washing up
8. Then having shower
9. Then trying unsuccessfully for an hour to get Princess Meena inside for Sleeps.
10. Then Finally going to bed.

I didnt have any bloody time to knit

AGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Cape bleugh

I've been complaining about the increase sections in the cape i'm making at the moment but haven't been able to explain it properly. This is what I'm talking about:


You basically turn your work every so many number of rows to get it to flare towards the bottom. Problem is it leaves these dent-type stitches through it. I don't know if I like that, it looks a little sloppy.

But then I look at it from a reasonable distance as a whole and it seems to look OK.


But the I see the collar, which is even worse.


There must be a better way to increase stitches without leaving such messy spots. I just don't know it.

If the sock fits

You better make two (sorry for the crappy photo, I was too excited to wait).

Hoorah for losing sock virginity!

ho ho ho

Merry Christmas kids - you especially Kel! Did you get my postcard? I hate to ruin the surprise but I've been waiting for ages to hear you mention that you got it....

Mr Sadieandlance and I have been busy running around the country side doing family visits north, south west and back east again - all directions. It's been great and lovely to see everyone. And look what I got up to at Grandma's:

Spinning! And here's my end product:

It was really really really hard (you need some sort of co ordinatioon or something) and so my end product wasn't exaclty mind blowing but I managed (just). And we even pulled out Grandma's carding machine and had a go at carding the wool old skool.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

I know we're spread all over the place for Christmas, but i'll be thinking of you all while i'm sunning myself on a beach in Queensland.

Have a great Festive Season everyone.

(Funnily enough, Christmas season coincides with homebrewin season. And it's a serious affair this year!)

Christmas Deco's

Hi All,
Robyn asked me to post these to ya'll so I thought this would be the logical place to do it. She received these yesterday and loves them!
There's some little globes


And some lovely kimono's


Sammy loves them too (isn't she beautiful! Even if she is flashing her lady parts!)


Robby said she had an audience for her photo shoot too :)


Great job Al!

To do 2007

I have a backlog of projects. Not the unfinished object kind (although I have those too), the 'take a mental note and make that one day' kind. So I have decided the end of the year with new beginnings etc. Is a good time for some of these projects to make their appearance. This is a 'live' list, but I thought I might document the beginnings of it here. But really I'm just hoping the rest of you will put up your 2007 ambitions, craft or otherwise.

1. Buy more craft books.

I recently got this haul in Melbourne. Melbourne rocks for all things craft related. Shits all over Sydney. Anyway, these books are fabulous. Especially the Elizabeth Zimmermann one. I was telling B that her books are more like knitting philosophy than pattern books. I love it. B wasn't so keen on the idea, so maybe i'm demented. But it works for me :)And it leads me to:

2. Knit this
This is the best pattern for a piece of baby clothing i've seen. I think it's gorgeous. It also gave me an excuse to buy the book. Now can one of you please add 'have baby' to your list so that I have someone the make it for :) Thanks!

3. Make this
This is my most ambitious (and unlikely) 2007 project. I just don't think I have the sewing skills for this. It involves piping, and unless they have a cheating foot for that it sounds like it's going to be rather painful. But I think they look just fabulous finished. See here, and here. The fabric is ready and waiting:


I expect i'll need this too, with all the traveling to Down by the Beach in Country Victoria, Melbourne (I'm inviting myself :) and the Sunshine Coast (the parents have decided to cease the itinerant lifestyle and have purchased a block of land. They say the house will be built by Christmas next year. They have already invited John's parents and brothers to a big family Christmas next year. Hooray......? This makes me mildly nervous. Only Mildly. They already spend time together without John and I.)

4. Oh how I love thee, Shetland Triangle (Three rows down, second one across)
I have seen some fabulous versions of this. Interestingly, most of the ones I've seen that I really like are in dark or scarlet reds. I reckon I've got me clap to cover off on the days i'm feeling like a scarlet women (I wear it a lot) so I've got this instead

It's bloody hard to find deep green yarn. I get a bit swoony whenever I walk past this. I can't wait :)

5. I will felt
In brighter colours of course! I still don't have a 'knitting bag' and I think this would make a good one. Especially in Noro or bright stripes. And felting looks like fun. Once I get over the fact that you intentionally sabotage perfectly good knitted items.

6. I sock, therefore I am
Oh how I covet thee, Pomatomus. Especially after seeing this (I'm not stalking you, Elliphantom Knits, really i'm not). And I already have the yarn:


Martini anyone? Tis the season. This obviously means I need to make a pair of simpler socks first. I'm thinking this will be good Christmas knitting while Robbie (JDs mum) and I sit on the balcony and use her army of boy-children to bring us Pimms and Dry (with just a slice of cucumber, thank you very much).

7. On the crochet front
My grand plan is to finish a garment (not an accessory). I'm thinking either this or this. So whoever it was with 'have baby' on their list, you better make it twins. And make one a girl. A girl that likes to wear dresses. Shaz, i'm thinking this is sounding remarkably like your genetic gene pool (hahahaha, only teasing). Gorgeous patterns though aren't they.

8. My oldest and dearest UFO

Sometimes you carry baggage, both literal and emotional, this is what this is to me. I don't really feel ready to write about this yet. But it's about time I dealt with it.

Did I tell you?

That I got this for my Birthday?

I dont think I will be getting much work done next year!

Except for knitting of course!

Baking Fiasco (or How Shazmina LOST the Xmas Spirit)

Ok, so yesterday was the day I was to make the THREE Xmas cakes I had decided to bake for gifts to some of my peeps. What a DRAMA it turned out to be!

1. Was aiming to start the process EARLY Sunday morning. First fatal mistake, forgot to buy Treacle. Made an early morning (9am) dash to local Franklins, no treacle. Ok, made a dash (9.37am) to local Woolworths, not open until 10am. WHAT THE F*****! Waited for it to open. Purchased missing ingredient and a couple of extra things, did some quick xmas shopping and returned home by 11.15am.
2. Started step one, which involved boiling Guinness and treacle and soaking fruit. Second Fatal mistake, had to wait until the mixture was room temperature to go to next step. Do you know how long it takes for something to go to room temp in the middle of the day in summer??? TWO HOURS MINIMUM!
3. First time I have baked in the oven in my apartment. Fatal Mistake Three, trying to bake TWO cakes at a time in an untested oven.
4. After 45 minutes of the baking time, the cakes had blackened edges and bounced back to the touch AND skewer came out clean (very weird). So I pulled them out. Fatal mistake Four, they were very well cooked on the outside but not on the inside. Top of cakes collapsed under the strain.
5. TWO delicious Guinness fruitcakes ended up in my bin. What a waste! All that beautiful Guinness, treacle and fruit and it ended up in the bin! And the people who were going to get these cakes, will miss out on their deliciousness :( Luckily they didn't know they were receiving them!

What about cake number three I hear you ask? Well I cooked it on a lower heat and checked it every 15 minutes and it came out beautifully! AND it is all mine!!! MWAHAHAHAHA! After all the work I put in, I figure I deserve it all to myself! Ok, I may share a piece or two with you guys, but they will be very small pieces and you only get one each!! MWAHAHAHAHA!

So there you have it. Sunday 10th of December 2006 will be forever known as the Xmas Cake Disaster of 2006 (or how Shazmina spent a quiet Sunday sweating over a hot stove FOR NOTHING!!!)

100 degrees in the shade...

That's what my poor Caccie is thinkin'... poor luv.


Actually truth be told it was 40 degrees today (not 100) and 37 degrees expected for tomorrow...not 100 but you know, might as well be.

The whole of Victoria is on fire and unfortunately my Sister chose this weekend to come and visit for bridesmaid shopping, poor thing.

(( That's me in one of the 15 dresses I tried on and this is us and our sneaky dressing room photos taken while fake coughing. Aren't I a Good Maid of Honour?!))

So, 40 degrees indeed...luckily I've been sustained, not by cider but, by this...

"Hmm...hot country thirsty colonists"...

Ahh James Squire Golden Ale, quaffable indeed, summer dinking - I concur. (read the label). Thanks for the inspiration Brownpants!

I Love a good Fart Joke!

You know I do! :)

And this is HILARIOUS!