Beads

I thought I would have a go at making my own stitch markers. The few that I do have are lovely, and on closer examination look quite easy to do. As luck would have it, there is a scrapbooking/craft/bead shop literally on my street, that has only opened relatively recently. I've been itching to get in there, but most of the time I have the boys with me and this isn't really conducive to browsing beads, without worrying about whether someone is destroying another part of the shop LOL Well yesterday I decided I just had to go, kids or no kids, so M went in the Ergo (what a wonderful invention that is!) and L had the promise of a trip to the DVD shop (right next door) to encourage him to behave himself. I got a couple of tools, some wire and some beads and today I made my very first stitch markers while the boys ate lunch :)


And a close up of the beads. I chose everything based on the beautiful beads with the roses on them. They were nearly $4 each! but they are so beautiful and the rest of it was relatively inexpensive so that makes up for it :)



I think I have a new addiction LOL

I'm signing up for their next beginner beading class :)

No camera :(

So I'm sitting here, DH-free this evening, and thinking what a good time to update the blog with pics of my progress so far. Kids are in bed and not sure when DH will be home. But can I find the camera?!?! And L and I made a superb chocolate cake this afternoon - whipped cream in the centre and chocolate frosting on the top... nothing better than a chocolate cake with whipped cream and frosting YUM - and no, chocolate cake is not on the CSIRO diet plan. I also wanted to put up progress pics of my yarn swap longies, but I can't take pics to load :(

I also went up to the local scrapbooking and bead shop and bought myself some goodies to try and have a go at making myself some stitch markers.

On the upside, my new needles arrived today so I can get on and finish those BFL longies!

Now my dilemma is... what do I do? Knit the yarn swap longies? Knit the BFL longies? Have a go at the stitch markers? Or have another piece of chocolate cake?!

Yarn Swap Longies

The colours in this make me thing of sherbert, for some reason. My mouth almost even feels fizzy when I look at it! LOL I really like the way this is knitting up, so big thanks to my yarn swappee :) I'm not following a pattern with this one. Just took M's measurements and I'm making it up as I go along and we'll see if it fits :)



I haven't really had much time for knitting in the last few weeks unfortunately :( Too many nappy related things going on and then some household stuff in the last few days. Hopefully I'll have the house sorted and back to normal by the end of today and I can sit down this evening and keep going on these.

Stuck

So I've just discovered that I do not have the correct sized needles to do the legs on my BFL longies! :( I have just purchased them though, so now I have to wait for the mail next week! The agony! On the upside for DH I can get stuck into that rug a bit more. He was pleased to hear that! LOL Or I could even pick up those socks again... hmmmm... will have to have a think about it. Or, I could also start knitting up my yarn swap wool into longies on different sized needles?? Decisions, decisions!!

Check out these babies!

Well, nothing I made so not crafty on my part, but made by others :)

Lucky to receive some Outrageous pads from the last Greenbeans stocking, even though the cart oversold. They are just beautiful, and the dark pink velour pad up the top was an extra from Stacey for having to wait for them (and the wait was minimal so it was very generous of her). Also the cutest print with cows on it from Girly Bits. The Outrageous pad with the dragonflies and flowers on it was kind of a custom, since Stacey ran out of the PUL that I had purchased at the stocking, so I got to pick a new PUL and matching velour too!

My Budding Artist

L loves to draw. And he's not too bad at it, for four years old, if you ask me anyway :) He's also into the "crafty stuff" as he calls it! and he has a box of "crafty stuff" which he loves to get out and do. I'll take a pic of that one day. But for now here are some of his drawings from last night. Oh, and he wrote all the words on the drawings himself too :) They are cards for me! Also note the happy faces. DH pointed out that all the animals and people he draws always have happy faces.

Elephant and Giraffe

Lion and Wombat

My other new toy

Bought this second-hand off a local NC-er (you know who you are LOL) and love it! Think I pulled something getting M into it though LOL L was much easier as he can hang on. I'm getting better at it though, and DH even used it over the weekend and liked it!! Ha Ha! Just need to get M used to being in it. He's still not quite sure I think. Were meant to be using this for our OS trip in June, but since that's all gone pear-shaped, I'll just have to make use of it around here. Will make going to the shops easier I think. My pram does not fit through most checkouts :( usually only the disabled one, and sometimes that's the one with the longest line because it's one of two only that are open! Anyway, will make things easier somehow. L is probably at the top of the weight range, but doesn't feel heavy at all!

Inspiration needed

These are a pair of shorties that I knit ages ago. They are BFL from Monster Knits that I bought way back at their opening. My plan was to have a go at dip-dyeing, but I've been too afraid to try it since finishing them! My other problem is that I am way too indecisive and don't really know what to do with them. I decided on colours, then I think, no how about this? and then I think, well, how about that? and then I'm all confused and don't know what to do. What if I don't like it? What if I mess it up? I know I should really just go for it, and I better do it soon or they won't even fit M by the time I finish them. I guess the worst that can happen is that they'll end up being the next bub's shorts instead of M's. Sigh.

Blah, blah, blah

Bad dye job

This was some wool I dyed up that was originally to be used for the NC spring swap. I'm not sure what happened, but it certainly didn't turn out as I'd planned! In the end I didn't use it for that and it's since been sitting in my stash, and I wasn't planning on using it because I didn't really like it. But, since getting my wool baller I've changed my mind! Looks totally different balled up. Lots of purple, and I like purple, but still think it might be a bit much for me, but I will definitely knit it up and see how it turns out. Worst thing that can happen is that I have a pair of pants for M that he can bum around in at home, right?! It was white NZ utiku before I got my hands on it, so again, a bit furry for my liking but should be fine for rough and tumble.

Soaker and embellishment finished!

Finally finished the embellishment last night. Took ages, but that's probably because I started it twice and ripped it out and ended up doing something completely different to what I originally thought. I think it looks ok. Hope the recipient likes it!

My Stash!

Some pics of my stash. Now, I know this isn't really a lot of wool compared with some people I'm sure, but for me, it's a lot! Especially considering that I only started knitting less than a year ago. And this isn't all of it. Just the most interesting parts of it LOL





L-R from top:

NZ Chocky Swirl 200gms - think this will become some longies for M.
NZ Gems - not sure what to do with this. will probably end up being a soaker. Only 100gms. Although I really don't like how the NZ wool becomes so furry, but makes great outdoor pants since I don't mind if they get dirt on them LOL

FBF Merino custom dye "Black Rainbow" - this was dyed up by Rach from Stitch Sista at Four Bags Full on Ozebaby for me as a custom job. I LOVE IT!!! but.... I'm too afraid to knit it up :( I don't want to ruin it. But there's only enough for some shorties anyway, so I will probably leave this until later in the year and make some fantastic shorties for M! by then I should have built up enough confidence LOL

The two skeins are BFL in "Pacific Moon" from the Natural Dye Studio. Only 100gms so will probably be a soaker, but not sure when I'll get to knit that up.



Second pic starts with some BFL in "Earth Sky" from Monster Knits. Again only 100gms so I think this can wait to become a soaker.

Next to that is 100gms of Knittery Merino in "Blue Rainbow" which I got from Angel Blossom. Love it too! But will have to wait for soaker weather I think. Longies take me too long to knit up and I want to knit some other stuff too.

In that pic also is the Merino Supreme for the child's hoodie that I'm going to knit for L. Some Patons Zhivago, which is for a shrug for me, if I ever get around to it!! And some of the wool for DHs throw rug. Only 2 of the 25 balls required!!!!




Last pic is all my undyed stuff. FBF Merino is the two skeins (and I have another 3 coming!), the round ball is the leftover BFL I got from Monster Knits way back when they first opened (the other half of it has been knitted into shorties). The four other balls are merino from Tas Knits (I think). Anyway, bought direct from the store on ebay. Not as nice and soft as the FBF merino, but will probably be great for a pair of play-in pants. My next problem with this lot is what to do about dyeing it all!

New Toy!

Being a public holiday and all here (gotta love horseracing!) I didn't expect any mail delivery, and particularly not a parcel delivery, although I do have a few things in transit. Anyway, knock on the door this morning brought this lovely surprise!


Scored this on ebay last week for what I think is a bargain. DH has been my "wool baller" until now, and he has done a wonderful job LOL but I really don't like the way the hand rolled balls roll all over the place when knitting. And I have a load of skeins here that I would have to eventually get him to roll, and I'm sure there will be more in the future, so I think this is a great investment :) L loves it too. We've been madly balling wool today! well, only my yarnswap wool, and then I re-balled some other yarn that's been hand rolled. Must knit faster so that I can ball more wool LOL

Yarnswap

Here is the yarn I received as part of the Woolaholics February yarnswap. I don't know what the yarn is but should make some great longies for M! Dyed with koolaid I believe. Can't remember the colours used, but I think the blue was strawberry. Anyway, should be nice and bright when knitted up.

Here it is balled

Got a few other things to finish off before I can start these though. I need to learn to knit faster! Or get another set of arms. Or clone myself. Now, there's an idea. I could get the clone to do the housework and then I could knit to my heart's content! LOL

WIPs

Some things I'm working on atm

Jaywalker socks for the Woolaholics knitalong. I'm stuck at the heel and TBH haven't been bothered to keep on going. Novelty has definitely worn off LOL No need to worry about SSS around here... I can't even get the first sock finished! The idea of knitting socks seems so great, and to put something warm and cosy on my feet (although these are destined for DHs feet) that I have made seems so satisfying, and *homey* but I just don't think I'm ever going to get there. DH suggested I try knitting socks for L and M first and if I can finish those then I can get on with these! Might have to go with that suggesting. Doesn't help that DH doesn't like bright, interesting socks, so chose the most boring colour there was. Pattern is quite nice though and I like the zig zag. Quite easy to knit, but just not doing it for me right now. I do love knitting with these bamboo needles though. So light feeling.

A lap-rug for DH

This is DHs anniversary present LOL 7th anniversary gifts are wool or something else that slips my mind right now. Anyway, very slack me didn't organise anything for DH for anniversary last year (in October) so he requested that I knit him a rug. Hmmmm..... even bought me a pattern book of rugs for Christmas, to get my butt into gear to actually do one LOL So I've cast on - all 254 stitches!! - and I'm about 20 rows into it I think. Knitting this with Cleckheaton Country Naturals, which is not the recommended yarn, but it's a rug, so who cares, right? Doesn't need to fit. I would actually prefer that it turns out bigger than the pattern says it will, so didn't bother with gauge swatch, not using correct size needles, or correct yarn LOL Takes me about a half hour to do one row! I've set myself the goal of trying to do at least one row a night. Figure I'll be close to finishing it by winter if I keep at that rate. Progress so far.... have not done one row for about a week. I didn't say WHICH winter I'd be finished by :)

Curly Purly soaker for a friend

This is Four Bags Full merino from Monster Knits and it is so lovely to knit with. I just love the colours too. Knitted up really faster after I got through all that ribbing in the waistband! Seems like that takes forever. Now I'm onto the last leg cuff, but can't seem to find the motivation to do it. Ho hum. I don't really like picking up stitches, and my leg cuffs always seem to flare a bit. Not sure what I'm doing wrong, but have changed my cast off method and that seems to have helped some. At least I know the leg cuffs with fit around any chubby thighs that might be in them LOL Had to upsize the pattern a bit, due to not using the recommended yarn, but it's good practice to do that I think. I'm getting pretty good at adjusting patterns for my gauge now, and so far everything has fit! Fingers crossed I'm on a roll! So anyway, the number of stitches in the crotch is more than the pattern, but I think it will fit anyway. The original pattern seems to be a bit narrow in the crotch, at least for my liking, with the one's I've knitted for M. But other than that I love this pattern and I see plenty more curly purly's in my stash in the future!

Longies for M

I bought this wool from Ali at Bumnround at the Four Bags Full store on Ozebaby. Hand-dyed BFL. It's so lovely. I couldn't wait to get these going but had to finish something else first. Have made some great progress with these. I've done the curly purly waistband (can you tell I love it?!) but am kind of winging it with the rest of it. I want to add some short rows in where M needs them, and the picky pants pattern doesn't seem to put them in the right spot, so I'm going to add them where I want them instead and I'm going to try a different technique than suggested in the PP pattern. Also want to change the gusset a little bit, as I want more stitches in the legs in the end. So we'll see how it goes :) Could be interesting!

Picky pants in Gems

More picky pants :) (it's the only pattern I have!!) These are knitted in gems from NZ Wool Company. They turned out pretty good, and they were actually knitted before the NC swap one's, but couldn't find the pic :) Still fit Marcus at 15 months so happy with that, and are starting to look like shorts, not capris ;) DH much happier about that. Not too happy with the way this wool gets really "furry" though, but it fine for everyday wear I think. Happy for M to wear these outside at least LOL I have chocky swirl to knit up also, but I think I'll save those for longies, and I've already got longies on the needles. Will do a WIP post next I think.

Nappycino Spring Swap

These are the shorties I made for the NC spring swap. They are the Picky Pants pattern (which I've since discovered I shouldn't have used for a swap so won't be doing that again!) and I used Treliske Organic Merino purchased from Living With Awareness. So lovely and soft. I dyed the wool myself with food colouring, also purchased from LWA. They dyed up so nicely and I think I did a reasonably good job on the knitting :) I did try to knit these with two balls at once, but my technique must not have been quite right as I ended up with a visible *line* down one leg where I'd changed balls every couple of rows.... hence the star embellishment LOL doesn't affect function though, and I believe the recipient has been very happy with these :)

Had a lot of fun making them.

I also did a matching tee that I stencilled myself using fabric paint, which turned out really well, but don't know if I have a pic of that. will have to have a look later.... M is awake now and need to go pic L up from kindy.

More stuff to come :)

.....and other stuff

Ok, first post in blog.

Have been a serial crafter all my life. Always wanted to be crafty for some reason, but not exactly sure why. Maybe to feel the satisfaction of having made something that actually was (a) useful, or (b) cool to look at. Haven't succeeded in either until recently LOL Many an unfinished project has been ditched into the big after several years of it hanging around, in the hope that I'd one day finish it, or better yet, it would magically be finished all by itself!

Anyhoo...

so the cloth nappies finally got me going and I've found something I really enjoy and which I seem to be able to produce useful items from. Knitting!! yes, knitting. Mum tried to teach me many times (I've even made a crocheted blanket before - will put a pic up later - out of many crocheted squares!) but knitting never really took my fancy. I think it comes from all those ill-fitting jumpers my mum made for me which I *had* to wear or hurt her feelings LOL you know the ones.... too long arms, too tight cuffs, just-not-right fit. She's a good knitter, don't get me wrong. Just never seemed to fit right and probably put me off the whole thing. Also probably had something to do with all the scratchy, acrylic yarn that she used.

So this blog will keep track of all my projects, knitting and otherwise, and I might even post a few other bits and pieces along the way. We'll see how diligent I am :)