Halloween

I know some people don't like Halloween. That it's just an *American* thing (which it's not really, but that's a whole other discussion). But we do find it a bit of fun and the boys are interested in it. And hubby being of the North American persuasion, means that it gets a look-in in our home.

We get a few trick or treaters around, so we *decorate* the front of the house a bit to let them know they are welcome to knock on the door.

Last year was the first year I relented and let DH take the boys around to a few of the neighbours houses. Luckily they were all very accommodating and the boys had a great time.

But another bonus of Halloween is the opportunity to do some themed crafting with the kids.

Felt bats and pumpkins, ready to go!

Progress

I've been monogamous with my WIPs lately. And I'm making good progress with the one I've chosen to be with me day and night at the moment.
Maybe I'll even get to wear it during the season it was meant for, and within the same year it was made!

I do feel a spring clean coming on though. And maybe a UFO week coming up. I feel it's time to be realistic about a few things that have been sitting at the bottom of the UFO pile. A few breakups are going to happen. My mind is made up. I just need to break it to the UFOs gently.

Some more TY purchases

Here are the rest of my purchases from Tangled Yarns...

Malabrigo Silky Merino in "Plum Blossom" - there's two other skeins, this one is balled and waiting to be transformed into this (Rav link).



One of these little cutie-pies....

A Stitch Pixie project bag,

And one of these gorgeous shawl pins.
Not that much yarn really. I was more restrained than I thought!

Knitting vs Housework

I was pondering these two things this morning. Mostly because the piles of folding and washing seem to be multiplying faster than I can take care of them. And because my children seem to have in-built crumb-spreaders, and I'm forever sweeping or vacuuming up crumbs. And that's not even the half of it.

In some ways they are both alike. Housework is repetitive and boring. Knitting can be that way too. I can see why some people might think that knitting is about as interesting as folding the clothes, or doing endless loads of washing. So why would you bother?

Well my pondering led me to the conclusion that yes, while knitting can be repetitive and boring and sometimes a project can feel endless (especially when my mind is already thinking about the next thing I want to start making!), that at least there is an end to it. Sure, you might knit something that isn't terribly interesting to make - something mindless for tv watching perhaps - but at the end of it you'll have something. Even if it is the most mundane thing you can think of. A bit like this....
Not-very-intersting garter stitch (to me at least, I'm not a fan of knitting garter stitch). But as I was making it I could see it growing and changing and become something. Something that would be useful. It's this pattern here. A not-terribly-interesting cushion cover. And it's only one half of the entire pattern, so I still have more garter stitch to go. But it's going to be something I can use. And there is going to be an end to it. This project isn't going to continue to haunt me - I can never make another one if I like! And when it is finished I'll have made something.

The housework never ends. I never feel like I've achieved anything with it, because as soon as something gets "finished" I turn around and find more there waiting for me.... more washing to do, more clothes to fold, more dishes to clean, more tidying to do. The list goes on. It's not satisfying to me.

So in my world, in a Knitting vs Housework match-up.... Knitting wins everytime :)

I suspect it's the same in your world too?

Some sewing

In a frenzy yesterday morning, fuelled by the thought that if I did something constructive it would take my mind off the shocking headache I had, I made this.
Does this fabric look familiar?

I had a bit left over.... perfect for making a matching cushion cover for our new couches. Although I'm actually going to put this cushion on our *old* chair from IKEA.

I followed this tutorial for making the cover. Super easy to follow. My first time inserting a zip. It was really easy to do. Sadly my workmanship is still lacking a little, so I won't show you the stitching around the zipper LOL but it is good enough.

I have a few more I need to do so I'll be more careful with the next ones. Turns out I was sick anyway - the headache was the beginning of something worse :( - so that's my excuse for my less-than-perfect stitching, and my can't-be-bothered-unpicking attitude.

There's no place like home

It's nice to go on holidays.... but it's nice to come home too. I think we probably stayed away a few days too long. It was fun though... rainforests, reef, mountains and finally, beach.



I got a little knitting done. Mostly completed on *rest* days when Miss F was napping in our apartment(s). Fortunately for us our accommodation was overlooking either the pool and/or the beach so DH was able to take the boys out for some fun and I could still be a part of it while knitting from the balcony.

I was also lucky enough to make a visit to this place....

I could have spent all day in here (not to mention how much money I could have parted with!) but I had DH giving me the *hurry up yarn shops are boring* look, and hungry children that needed to be fed. I got to catch up with the lovely Lesley from Cherub's Kiss too.

Here is one of a few purchases....

There were a *few* more. I'll post those a bit later.

We also got to meet up with the lovely Sarah Bean and her boys for a play in the park. Sadly I don't have any pictures of that as I left the camera in the car.

And now we are home. Back to the old routine. Except the old routine is a bit off since the car isn't working :( But happy news is that it will be fixed tomorrow. And I will no longer have to rely on other people to ferry my children about. More happy news is that due to not having to ferry my children about, I am stuck here at home, with time to knit :)