tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69590969205647183702024-02-20T01:38:51.700+10:30Confessions of a Serial CrafterLou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.comBlogger246125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-44349167072535158302011-06-29T10:05:00.002+09:302011-06-29T10:17:17.868+09:30Phases<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Do you go through different phases with your knitting? Or whatever craft(s) you like to do?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">After a few years of knitting it's becoming apparent to me that I do. For a while it was socks. I couldn't get enough of knitting socks. I even started this year out (again!) with my stash-sock-club, and I did well with that until my new phase started to take over...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Next it was scarves and cowls. Particularly cowls. I think this was fueled by the super-bulky and extremely lovely </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.organicwool.com.au/head-heart-hands/">Head, Heart & Hands</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> range. Of course I nabbed some of this when it first came out and then wondered what on earth I'd do with one skein of super-bulky yarn! Scarves and cowls it was! I couldn't get enough of them. Strangely so, considering scarves were never really something I wore and not something I really wanted to knit because I perceive them to be generally boring. Not so when they're done in chunky yarn! And they've come in extremely handy when I'm standing at the bus stop at 7.45am and it's only 5 degrees!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">But now I can feel a new phase coming on... this time it's cardigans. I can't get enough of looking at them on Rav and queueing them or favouriting them. I've even finally cast one on for myself!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Hopefully I can finish it before the next phase starts. Socks are looking good again.</span></span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-15294188795735004392011-06-09T21:01:00.003+09:302011-06-09T21:26:58.249+09:30Planning<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Do you plan your days/lives at all? Even just a little?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I try to. We menu plan and I've also tried out a few purchased things to help me keep things in order and running smoothly. I have finally decided though, that good old Microsoft Outlook works well for making sure that appointments and deadlines are noted and easily seen. I just put everything into the calender, print out the month and put it up on the magnetic board. Anything that comes up can be written in and we (hopefully!) don't miss or forget anything. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">That is as long as I remember to check it. But it is up there and it means that I don't necessarily have to have all the information in my head. Anyone else in the family can look at it and see what's going on too. At least that is my theory.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Recently though, things have gone a bit pear-shaped. I've lost my focus and I'm starting to do things on the fly again, rather than plan it out and stay on top of things. One of the big problems I'm finding is fitting in homework with everything else. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">We now have two children at school and we also changed to a new school at the beginning of the year. Not only do we now have two lots of homework to supervise each night, but the level and commitment expected at this new school is much higher than we've previously been exposed to. Add to that a 3-yo who is the Queen of Tantrums (especially in the afternoon when I'm not paying as much attention to her!) and things get kind of crazy around here. Just tonight we've been doing a last minute project due tomorrow which I completely forgot about and of course the 8-yo has not been proactive about. Of course most of this falls to me to supervise because I'm at home with the children most afternoons. It's draining to say the least!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">So I've been reading </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://planningwithkids.com/">Planning With Kids</a><span style="font-family: arial;">. I now feel even more disorganised than I already did! I don't know that I want or need to be as structured as their family is, but there are certainly some tools available which might help me get things back on track here. </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://planningwithkids.com/2010/04/08/getting-organised-at-home/">This</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> page has lots of things that I'm interested in giving a go. I certainly need help with making sure our afternoons run smoothly and it's definitely time to get the kids doing some regular household chores.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">My biggest problems really are that I don't seem to be able to sustain any long-term organisation. I find myself giving myself a break (and knitting when I really shouldn't be, or procrastinating on the computer) when I think I'm on top of things, and then within a few days we're back to chaos, and forgotten homework, and the big one - what on earth will I make for dinner?!? I love getting organised, it's just staying organised that I have a problem with!<br /><br />So this weekend I'm planning to plan! As long as someone remembers to get new printer cartridges so I can print all my plans out. I should put that on the calender.<br /><br /></span></span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-25103720925280678292011-06-08T10:23:00.003+09:302011-06-08T10:51:57.247+09:30Milo Madness<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">There was a </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/milo-3">Milo</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> KAL over on Ravelry during May. Of course I completely abandoned all my other knitting projects to take part in this event.<br /><br />It was a lot of fun seeing all the different Milos popping up on </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://tikkifabricaddict.blogspot.com/">Tikki's</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Ravelry group.</span></span> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The Milo would be one of my favourite kids patterns. It's so adaptable and suits girls and boys. Plus it knits up really quickly, which is always a bonus with growing (and fickle!) children!<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">I managed to churn 3 out during the month.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXnkI992RekWUt5IPCaEkXIOOz0gtr8iIghQhwF73BMFYEgTeqMewNtFUruY8k0GvDIFKGiyZvRt2cwwNsZVWllDO3TNpPJN7GNzrdFtoZdyiqUl1asfbhhYHgBjxurTZRTC50R_vgeSU/s1600/IMG_8559.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXnkI992RekWUt5IPCaEkXIOOz0gtr8iIghQhwF73BMFYEgTeqMewNtFUruY8k0GvDIFKGiyZvRt2cwwNsZVWllDO3TNpPJN7GNzrdFtoZdyiqUl1asfbhhYHgBjxurTZRTC50R_vgeSU/s200/IMG_8559.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615651064134363826" border="0" /></a><br /></span></span> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtQo4V1UV3143HmP3L_CELlSem_ZDLdUFy6QbZwePy-0UmDzIp9Wr-n2fUcSOyRxPncZ64IqkgJfBNEj-wPaxDiw8cBb0fy0LRErhEkPteHNTGNZ5W0ph4Ma6yp1ra8TrJl60suWxPT8/s1600/IMG_8768.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtQo4V1UV3143HmP3L_CELlSem_ZDLdUFy6QbZwePy-0UmDzIp9Wr-n2fUcSOyRxPncZ64IqkgJfBNEj-wPaxDiw8cBb0fy0LRErhEkPteHNTGNZ5W0ph4Ma6yp1ra8TrJl60suWxPT8/s200/IMG_8768.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615651070192481650" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMhibYRwz7cGVFFPfkauIgkqF4SYvmkQS72dyo9MfMvjpxi-0-kQK1Q3gr1WlfIa3VTg8iIFs4h39LcUuMuJ00KaXzFVcFPlGcSgJusc-0bva0kOwkeWqR5zaYDUDKxiEESMQIcVSVdk/s1600/Cupcake.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMhibYRwz7cGVFFPfkauIgkqF4SYvmkQS72dyo9MfMvjpxi-0-kQK1Q3gr1WlfIa3VTg8iIFs4h39LcUuMuJ00KaXzFVcFPlGcSgJusc-0bva0kOwkeWqR5zaYDUDKxiEESMQIcVSVdk/s200/Cupcake.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615651057106697218" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">I charted the cupcakes and the hearts myself with the help of some online </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/matrix/e-index.html">knitting graph paper</a><span style="font-family:arial;">. It was a lot of fun making them up and then tweaking them to get them to fit.<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Fortunately Miss F has deigned to wear them all and even wore all three in one day! I'd call that a completely success!</span></span> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">There's plenty more KAL Milos to be seen on Rav, so go check them out if you're already a member there. </span></span><br /></div>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-55496865498682481462011-05-09T11:55:00.011+09:302011-05-09T12:23:46.697+09:30Passive-Aggressive Much?<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />I got some beautiful hand-made Mother's Day cards from my boys this year.<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Inside the one from L were these lovely sentiments...</span></span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DUdM1tLnm9bvB1_seW4PdqWX3lhdt8Kpb4F63AgXcRDSGQqiL6PbkZZJ0ZeGXC8xIedyBcjBZjwcodizx3Bbbzocpn3OXnFtlyNJvs6ohGCtM_4azCgXThmU5aNg0-3B-rtxrNU2KNc/s1600/scan0001.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DUdM1tLnm9bvB1_seW4PdqWX3lhdt8Kpb4F63AgXcRDSGQqiL6PbkZZJ0ZeGXC8xIedyBcjBZjwcodizx3Bbbzocpn3OXnFtlyNJvs6ohGCtM_4azCgXThmU5aNg0-3B-rtxrNU2KNc/s320/scan0001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604537659776785154" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Hmmm... good candidate for <a href="http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/">PassiveAggressiveNotes.com</a> ?</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">He did clarify, after I asked, that my "complaining" relates to them not doing what I ask them to do, for example, cleaning up after themselves, tidying their room etc, so it's not really about me just complaining A LOT. Still.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">And I like how he wrote I cook "food". Not "great food" or even "good food". Just "food".</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">This card is definitely a keeper.</span></span><br /></div>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-39081664991776970472011-04-18T11:16:00.004+09:302011-04-18T11:56:55.693+09:30Easter<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">These little guys have been popping up on Ravelry and they are so cute I just couldn't resist making some!</span> </span><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1SqK16Y7M-iM17OE4RES5bxWeRu9_-kh60UIHqgAF-gxkxkjTpgUoyGy6FznJqO4_40IYn3QBCEifXw8ktULvxXok5zPytPIbNIQlF9yR93yyVx5vpeH6wMl9ern-X3TFQ9LEe4xb_c/s1600/IMG_7995.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1SqK16Y7M-iM17OE4RES5bxWeRu9_-kh60UIHqgAF-gxkxkjTpgUoyGy6FznJqO4_40IYn3QBCEifXw8ktULvxXok5zPytPIbNIQlF9yR93yyVx5vpeH6wMl9ern-X3TFQ9LEe4xb_c/s320/IMG_7995.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596742839170272546" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:85%;">My plan was to hang them on the "tree" with the other Easter decorations I picked up recently. </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" > The "tree" is actually just some branches with lights on them.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-OfTdVh3UyddObQF64pOAZPF-TKMLrWh4FRHR5HWbPKCcPuDEMIbaR7RM2mr7ecRotSX7tUiBi1cLEmQtmc5qqXf9lslPebzCku2GmyJACn8QFvBbAn8rXEDX5YZqDShtWj33udv7PQ/s1600/IMG_7993.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-OfTdVh3UyddObQF64pOAZPF-TKMLrWh4FRHR5HWbPKCcPuDEMIbaR7RM2mr7ecRotSX7tUiBi1cLEmQtmc5qqXf9lslPebzCku2GmyJACn8QFvBbAn8rXEDX5YZqDShtWj33udv7PQ/s320/IMG_7993.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596742843188364994" border="0" /></a></span></span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">They make a nice decoration in the room and at Christmas it occurred to me that I could hang some baubles on them and it might look good. It did! So when I found some sparkly Easter egg decorations in Spotlight I brought them home and decorated the tree for Easter.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUCFsnBWWv_qsgDTea2U8Vdn4k9ZAj5J4Z2UMNaGQG1HFnlgv8_MatFyaDR_hUvCe9btHz1CLMcjlqbQSbqWVWNPz_h4io2EIhQayXN7CjMiJFH0oK6U66TDfJNrcbXIkVIOzpeh6r_4/s1600/IMG_7989.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUCFsnBWWv_qsgDTea2U8Vdn4k9ZAj5J4Z2UMNaGQG1HFnlgv8_MatFyaDR_hUvCe9btHz1CLMcjlqbQSbqWVWNPz_h4io2EIhQayXN7CjMiJFH0oK6U66TDfJNrcbXIkVIOzpeh6r_4/s320/IMG_7989.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596742841764064354" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">These little guys lasted on the tree for about 5 minutes before Miss F figured out a way to get them down and spent the rest of the night running around with her chick-chicks. I think I'll let her have them fo</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">r Easter. She can really do without all the chocolate.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcE0Wiex6YXzP6x8yOY1lBli4PYuNcWHt0s7a6J7aNH-SztvYzrAEze5_BCiqCcxJQcAS3Ug7Nx46PGojBt9rCx1jD8TBCWDagV0HhyA4QZ0Byn_5czvm75gguHWUZLPB-9U5w35QZ3AA/s1600/IMG_7990.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcE0Wiex6YXzP6x8yOY1lBli4PYuNcWHt0s7a6J7aNH-SztvYzrAEze5_BCiqCcxJQcAS3Ug7Nx46PGojBt9rCx1jD8TBCWDagV0HhyA4QZ0Byn_5czvm75gguHWUZLPB-9U5w35QZ3AA/s320/IMG_7990.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596742855084609458" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">I used WOOLganic 8ply for all of them and they were really quick to whip up. I did two in a couple of hours and one more later that night. They still need some feet, but for now they are ok and looking really cute.</span></span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-10011305863495851332011-03-09T10:58:00.005+10:302011-03-09T11:14:49.439+10:30Socks<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">I'm obsessed with them at the moment.</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />So far I've turned this<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxk3c3aF36ltzdd6mIGx1lIbc4dNsjAajJSdQa3RfsPQBsO38S51snf4x0PFmfPnN98c-mDn3nYoYDO8cmb4sFxb3AJ_GTFDC0mKfSVb7NHiojn0pEC6w5VqNxXbsgHea4ngU0uI51wbE/s1600/IMG_7718.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxk3c3aF36ltzdd6mIGx1lIbc4dNsjAajJSdQa3RfsPQBsO38S51snf4x0PFmfPnN98c-mDn3nYoYDO8cmb4sFxb3AJ_GTFDC0mKfSVb7NHiojn0pEC6w5VqNxXbsgHea4ngU0uI51wbE/s320/IMG_7718.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581873245398456466" border="0" /></a><br />into these.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSoP1dgm5ZdRw-7_QSheWDwJ2t14RfnRlK9zU_y6RL8aGtDWH_yCLmM8EBhzSr1mFzpAwcJ8LVQzDzLE1MsPGtMQCraiHhyphenhyphenqo_rILzybfyunlLe-smI1ALm68Lrq2S-3YUWdJm00F_os/s1600/WhispeLace4.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSoP1dgm5ZdRw-7_QSheWDwJ2t14RfnRlK9zU_y6RL8aGtDWH_yCLmM8EBhzSr1mFzpAwcJ8LVQzDzLE1MsPGtMQCraiHhyphenhyphenqo_rILzybfyunlLe-smI1ALm68Lrq2S-3YUWdJm00F_os/s320/WhispeLace4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581873254262331858" border="0" /></a></span><br /><br />And I've cast on (and ripped out) another two pairs.<br /><br />I've decided that I need to challenge myself a bit more now though, so I'm itching to cast on one of these patterns also -<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bmp"> bmp</a> and <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vellamo">Vellamo</a><br /><br />I'll probably go with Vellamo.<br /><br />I've got some variegated sock yarn that I just can't find a good pattern for (hence the ripping out!) so I'm thinking it might look good broken up with some black.<br /><br />I'm not sure I'll have a finished pair of socks by the end of March, but I'm trying!<br /></span></div>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-35095324490890607142011-02-17T11:53:00.006+10:302011-02-18T10:00:15.865+10:30Janaury<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Hello Blogger my old friend...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">ok, I won't inflict any Simon & Garfunkel on you, but I will give you a run-down of January. And yes, I know February is half over already.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:arial;">During January there were socks...</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmx7axzzvoIOuuBKUepuZsJH6L1kuVh_g6xaHa5t-_QoTxoSYdHGT00LpsQI6CWFFF-tzq8mcfVMKtYiIfBMHA8TKPERHYICYX7VL4hLw7aDr8BxiRD6BabIchPVN-YNO4ANTAfilUuhY/s1600/IMG_7709.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmx7axzzvoIOuuBKUepuZsJH6L1kuVh_g6xaHa5t-_QoTxoSYdHGT00LpsQI6CWFFF-tzq8mcfVMKtYiIfBMHA8TKPERHYICYX7VL4hLw7aDr8BxiRD6BabIchPVN-YNO4ANTAfilUuhY/s320/IMG_7709.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574468968299777474" border="0" /></a><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/leyburn-socks">Leyburn</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> socks.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;">This is one pair.<br />Fun pattern and great for variegated yarn.<br /><br />There's another half-pair of a different pattern (one lone sock) which is going to the frog pond soon.<br /><br /><br />There were child-sized shrugs...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDFoeYDjhS4uEII0H2bDum91gRuiL9RD0L9ri1EztWv0Iak8AJh7Dc8FeUfp4qs0vuE_WKni3XQq2OQ4168bOrPlQuTt6dimQMdM_mMz5ey60zpviP24tA4fiSodHGwBuSnxMnSjQMj8/s1600/IMG_7700.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDFoeYDjhS4uEII0H2bDum91gRuiL9RD0L9ri1EztWv0Iak8AJh7Dc8FeUfp4qs0vuE_WKni3XQq2OQ4168bOrPlQuTt6dimQMdM_mMz5ey60zpviP24tA4fiSodHGwBuSnxMnSjQMj8/s320/IMG_7700.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574468997818998770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Never Not Knitting's </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/chloe-8">Chloe</a><span style="font-style: italic;">.</span><br /><br />Not quite finished, just needs buttons and loops.<br />Miss F is not bothered about the lack of these and is wearing it anyway.<br /><br /><br />And Cowls...<br /><br /></div><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWkrmrD0_9J6PQtfQ9BoRpsU-y4DhwLsZ6yvsl3iBQKpp3hzN3YGKoXUtqVCzWkqt__FhKtrmdyYdeVgXo2uOysIU3lW6xKUN0jelcBJbGcuKfc9NN_iKf5bJy2-RvPdbiEiUalZQOhk/s1600/IMG_7717.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWkrmrD0_9J6PQtfQ9BoRpsU-y4DhwLsZ6yvsl3iBQKpp3hzN3YGKoXUtqVCzWkqt__FhKtrmdyYdeVgXo2uOysIU3lW6xKUN0jelcBJbGcuKfc9NN_iKf5bJy2-RvPdbiEiUalZQOhk/s320/IMG_7717.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574468968907481186" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dew-drop-cowl">Dew Drop Cowl</a><br /><br />This was from a Ruby & Sage club slot, and I actually started it right after receiving the yarn.<br />Halfway through I discovered I'd twisted my stitches and that was the end of that for a while!<br />Just needs blocking now and it's done.</div><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjViEJOz5hWAqcRTBqTH48fgxHaivCDOMR6TOEAx9A_eH-s5QmwsExLtklxYVhTBRfNQ-2LheYnZlb9nICIZWE2ifjB1LwU4jygl68sfsore6XQ3CX4Em80y8yZ9Ae9cMpx_VRWXQrF4xc/s1600/IMG_7691.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjViEJOz5hWAqcRTBqTH48fgxHaivCDOMR6TOEAx9A_eH-s5QmwsExLtklxYVhTBRfNQ-2LheYnZlb9nICIZWE2ifjB1LwU4jygl68sfsore6XQ3CX4Em80y8yZ9Ae9cMpx_VRWXQrF4xc/s320/IMG_7691.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574468979462842450" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/a-noble-cowl">A Noble Cowl</a><br /><br />This is one of those patterns that has survived many Ravelry queue culls since I joined up.<br />It would easily be my most favourite knit for a long while. The yarn is madelinetosh DK and it's just beautiful. Now we just need some cold weather so I can wear it!<br /><br /><br />February might not be as productive for me though.<br /><br />I do have these on the needles...<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShdQNsByoLNFTS6GE1cyf2wIH8ITngX_k56y1dwdFNBzvWlSFD2zlRaOJOefYf2869T1ZLOeIAtqL2SW4j2FmOMcP1Wfz-XbGBWQYC7ihmwSV_J4TuTJzq10ZfdFVQpgoUO5ZC649Xh0/s1600/IMG_7718.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShdQNsByoLNFTS6GE1cyf2wIH8ITngX_k56y1dwdFNBzvWlSFD2zlRaOJOefYf2869T1ZLOeIAtqL2SW4j2FmOMcP1Wfz-XbGBWQYC7ihmwSV_J4TuTJzq10ZfdFVQpgoUO5ZC649Xh0/s320/IMG_7718.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574469006032507666" border="0" /></a><a style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;" href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/whisper-lace-socks">Whisper Lace Socks</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I've been a bit addicted to these. The lace pattern and the colourway are both so pretty and I haven't been able to put them down. Unfotunately this means sore hands, so I'm taking an enforced break from them and the other WIP I have on the go.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Both the boys are now at school also, so things have become a bit busier around here. More homework to supervise plus a new school with a longer commute. The upside is I only have one child at home with me, but without a brother around to play with her or distract her when I need it, it's actually a bit more demanding than having two at home. She even tells me to stop knitting these days if it's not a convenient time for her to have me doing that!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Hopefully I'll also have some sewing to show off next time. Fabric is all cut, I just need to find the time to sew it together.</span><br /></div>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-53609940378648387892011-01-07T15:20:00.005+10:302011-01-07T15:54:03.057+10:30Books<span style="font-family:arial;">I used to read a lot pre-kids. Until recently though I don't think I've read a novel in about 5 years. Sometimes I just don't have the patience for it. Sometimes there are just too many distractions around here for reading - I certainly can't sit down with the kids around and quietly read a book! And with little ones that for a while didn't sleep through the night, picking up a book often put me to sleep!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Somewhat ambitiously though, I bought <span style="font-style: italic;">Eat Pray Love</span> to read on our overseas holiday. I thought I might get an opportunity to read on the plane - that didn't happen, but I did find other times to get through it while we were away. With nothing else "new" available to read when I was finished with that, I picked up <span style="font-style: italic;">Pride & Prejudice</span> which I've had sitting around for years. I hadn't actually read this one before, but I am a great fan of the story and of course of the BBC mini-series. I'd tried to read the book many times in the past, but for some reason couldn't get a rythmn going with it so never got very far. Maybe it was being able to picture Colin Firth's Mr Darcy that helped this time?! Not sure, but I flew through it and then hit the <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/WEBSITE/WWW/WEBPAGES/homepage.php">Book Depository</a> for more reading material.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And now that I'm riding the bus for nearly 2 hours each week, I've decided I can use that time to really pick the habit up again.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwUrRP3ARFg0BDaN7ldVonAOLmspM7ekUhGSMZwaBIcbRVKSt19z0VCnqupP2SEiu7p0QKiv_w1KU9FkHYCwiJr8hA99hCzTUBX8Kk-vsuL3Z8cxYWSaiNGv9ua-QgFmE_sVg9nTOCn_k/s1600/IMG_7538.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwUrRP3ARFg0BDaN7ldVonAOLmspM7ekUhGSMZwaBIcbRVKSt19z0VCnqupP2SEiu7p0QKiv_w1KU9FkHYCwiJr8hA99hCzTUBX8Kk-vsuL3Z8cxYWSaiNGv9ua-QgFmE_sVg9nTOCn_k/s320/IMG_7538.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559304288514566850" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So far I've read all but one of the above books in the last 3 months. I'm currently on <span style="font-style: italic;">The Book Thief</span>, which is turning out to be quite intriguing. It's a lot longer than the others so it might take me a while to get through with only 2 hours a week to devote to it! If you haven't read<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Lovely Bones</span>, then I recommend you do, but have your tissues handy! I couldn't put that one down.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I do try to read a bit at home these days too. Now that the kids are getting a bit older and less dependent on me, it's easier to feel less guilty about taking some time out for me. Although it can be a bit difficult trying to read with a 2yo climbing on and off your lap! There was even a lovely moment last weekend where L and I were both lying on the couch together and reading our respective books, undisturbed.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Bliss.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I did get another book that I wanted for Christmas too. Not a novel:</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQQLO17DEaJ3MjzHoVIsnlaLWw-Q_vWYWff8sBPZW7DMAx1-I47tpL77Gkp17J3OJ8vUF3qSappAIe-HcZgHcft6gNdevDVGeMmTxLS6v3NQHxsTKQRusEGiGscRI9ySFi7x_vkY5j9g/s1600/IMG_7540.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQQLO17DEaJ3MjzHoVIsnlaLWw-Q_vWYWff8sBPZW7DMAx1-I47tpL77Gkp17J3OJ8vUF3qSappAIe-HcZgHcft6gNdevDVGeMmTxLS6v3NQHxsTKQRusEGiGscRI9ySFi7x_vkY5j9g/s320/IMG_7540.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559304290053794530" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Even the kids are interested in this one! I know a lot of this is on the<a href="http://www.bakerella.com/"> Bakerella blog</a>, but the book is so cute and I needed a suggestion for DH for a Christmas present. I probably wouldn't have gone and bought this for myself, so a perfect opportunity to get my hands on it!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And I treated myself to something knitted related too:</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIxoiExS1Xr8-J8qFsJjRXjPlIFijXthYzp8zkMyVVNnKW2KTyYl1-9QS6I4-FuYfLuAeHGqpsTZeCq49hjX4Zd7uJEP_y7LSN3ZumfrUgBeqVHlcQZ2l7NiJ6oYKloyH8tu2p4gNgTXY/s1600/IMG_7542.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIxoiExS1Xr8-J8qFsJjRXjPlIFijXthYzp8zkMyVVNnKW2KTyYl1-9QS6I4-FuYfLuAeHGqpsTZeCq49hjX4Zd7uJEP_y7LSN3ZumfrUgBeqVHlcQZ2l7NiJ6oYKloyH8tu2p4gNgTXY/s320/IMG_7542.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559304297967699122" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I thought it was about time I learned how to do this so I can avoid Second-Sock-Syndrome in the future. I'm yet to give it a try, but I'm planning a DIY Sock Club for this year with the sock yarn I've accummulated, so hopefully this book will help me plough through those less painfully and with 12 </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >PAIRS</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> of socks to show for it!</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"> My only disappointment with this book is that the socks pictured on the front don't appear in the patterns in the book.<br /><br />Do you like to read? Do you have any recommendations for me?<br /></span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-66118173986513939922011-01-05T14:55:00.003+10:302011-01-05T15:09:38.215+10:30Bye bye, 2010<span style="font-family:arial;">I achieved my goal of finishing my two WIPs before the end of 2010!</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">The first was my <a href="http://craftconfessions.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-knitting.html">mum's Christmas socks</a>, and then these:</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERlQwR3p4tvsFPtYRa7rzK3IncUfjv24eOTEK4ahl8zf_3BfgECfSYvC1OghSOwiSUj6PH49AvaB2dpmPbORfrNpaPLKZYjAKTdOOPsjDi9jP1B9WQ3ziKwuVjPEaTXVQNwas-_-5t5k/s1600/IMG_7501.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERlQwR3p4tvsFPtYRa7rzK3IncUfjv24eOTEK4ahl8zf_3BfgECfSYvC1OghSOwiSUj6PH49AvaB2dpmPbORfrNpaPLKZYjAKTdOOPsjDi9jP1B9WQ3ziKwuVjPEaTXVQNwas-_-5t5k/s320/IMG_7501.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558554884759426290" border="0" /></a><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/flutter-by-socks">Flutter-by</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> socks (Rav link)</span><br /></div><br />These were a really fun pattern to knit up. They went pretty quickly too, which is great when you have two of them to make!<span style="font-family: arial;"> I had knit the first sock before I even started my mum's socks but I put them down to make hers. I had actually intended to knit one of these and then knit one of hers, and then do the same with each second sock. But Christmas crept up on me and I needed to finish mum's socks first.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Anyway, I scraped these in by finishing up the foot on our little after-Christmas camping trip, and grafting the toe on New Year's Eve! Yes, what an exciting life we lead... me knitting at home on the couch on NYE. But really, we had spent 6 hours driving home that day and life with small children means our days of partying are kind of over. I even skipped the ringing in of the new year and went to bed at 11pm!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">So apart from a couple of UFOs which are really long-term WIPs, I was project free at the beginning of the year. Kind of.</span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-78640912263509107162010-12-15T15:48:00.004+10:302010-12-15T16:06:19.368+10:30Christmas Knitting<span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >I said I wasn't going to knit any Christmas gifts this year, but then all the Christmas knitting on Ravelry got the better of me.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >I decided on a pair of socks for my mum.<br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqYN182TgppmVB_5YUQXw4vhAnv1WerINnnkmB-omP31dsrj4P1AjiFtB6QZ_dspG9g7L5ptY3HA1B-REnUI8qUieAagDcLXEN6QS3ww5bJ98d95oX-j_MyqnRondI6Y2G5Hn1KPWc5U/s1600/IMG_7206.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqYN182TgppmVB_5YUQXw4vhAnv1WerINnnkmB-omP31dsrj4P1AjiFtB6QZ_dspG9g7L5ptY3HA1B-REnUI8qUieAagDcLXEN6QS3ww5bJ98d95oX-j_MyqnRondI6Y2G5Hn1KPWc5U/s320/IMG_7206.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550778083290508354" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >She's a knitter and has a few pairs of socks made by me already, so I know that she appreciates them. I don't knit for anyone that doesn't appreciate the finished i</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >tem anymore. Hence why no one else in my extended family is getting any knitted gifts!<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >These are <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/shurtugal">Shur'tugal</a> and they were a lot of fun to knit. I love the features in the heel flap.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RaPDCPcone0_e7-njqMCJ4P0zodNQ3r4hHmM-2P6h6mgaKvHX6e7B95HI-M0_9-mCHIzixOjuDpct4xDNMVnSC1_9vMBiUr0790EfbveL71SGQl240CBEYsGf4JZ07fiUzuz7lct4RE/s1600/IMG_7210.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RaPDCPcone0_e7-njqMCJ4P0zodNQ3r4hHmM-2P6h6mgaKvHX6e7B95HI-M0_9-mCHIzixOjuDpct4xDNMVnSC1_9vMBiUr0790EfbveL71SGQl240CBEYsGf4JZ07fiUzuz7lct4RE/s320/IMG_7210.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550778095005989362" border="0" /></a><br />I did make a mistake on the second sock after picking up the gusset stitches, but you can barely tell. I'm still not sure exactly what I did wrong, but when I got to that point on the second sock the pattern didn't make any sense to me whatsoever! And I know that wasn't the case with the first sock. That will teach me to leave such a long gap between the first and second socks! Or to take notes with the first one.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >Anyhoo... I have decided that I must learn to knit two socks at once to avoid this and second-sock-sydrome in the future. That will be my challenge for 2011.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >I've also decided that there will be no more new projects for 2010. I currently have 2 active WIPs that I want to finish off and that will be my task for the rest of the year. One is a whole sock so that will probably take up most of my time!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >Hopefully I'll make a couple more posts with more FOs before 2010 comes to an end!</span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-47104999643495232602010-12-15T14:04:00.005+10:302010-12-15T15:43:31.934+10:30Decorating<span style="font-family:arial;">We are getting in the Christmas spirit around here finally. All the birthdays are over with for the year and we are able to concentrate a bit more on relaxing for the next couple of weeks.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwF6IExyCUvk-Q5QI57mahXOdZ5dIg5f-87hTbtxivS4ZBuQWXXqraNLy1Vo6YRhjii09xuyBXwIr2XdNBA1UAS3Hvh3Xhf8fHtIthQKD2QJTHcIyeLTnS3kXlshfcJYFaBUUe2wJGXU/s1600/IMG_7191.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwF6IExyCUvk-Q5QI57mahXOdZ5dIg5f-87hTbtxivS4ZBuQWXXqraNLy1Vo6YRhjii09xuyBXwIr2XdNBA1UAS3Hvh3Xhf8fHtIthQKD2QJTHcIyeLTnS3kXlshfcJYFaBUUe2wJGXU/s320/IMG_7191.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550771835053003394" border="0" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The tree is up and we finally got the advent calender up last night.... only 14 days late!</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">But better late than never. Although I'm not entirely sure it's the best idea with Miss F, who is a bit too young to understand that you only get a treat from the calender once a day!<br /></span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3Y76fsuBwe4ESl0Vx40slZASY3jqeMEDecMPUMr7u0RYHmQKN7oU1dF961gvHtr-ZhdqCN4QrLJ5SJaU1dTaous4pRlgRrRxQBuR8Cx-9CPgbMlNBkkeaXH_7yD2YxAtpUR4jeQJ3o8/s1600/IMG_7188.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3Y76fsuBwe4ESl0Vx40slZASY3jqeMEDecMPUMr7u0RYHmQKN7oU1dF961gvHtr-ZhdqCN4QrLJ5SJaU1dTaous4pRlgRrRxQBuR8Cx-9CPgbMlNBkkeaXH_7yD2YxAtpUR4jeQJ3o8/s320/IMG_7188.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550771824599776370" border="0" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This year we finally have a tree that is taller than the adults! One day we'll have a real one, but for now it's just a fake. I like the traditional Christmas colours - red, gold and green - </span><span style="font-family:arial;">so we've gone with that theme. It helps that we already have plenty of decorations that fit the the</span><span style="font-family:arial;">me! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1QnvcJVf5F8SYCWjYTgd-KfqUwD40_Ri4iBPNRzbWLc7yMh0j1hUOebzLhIs83FNlDe2Fsry6onFAXedETNvC_d1qLV02sFdfUUBBiiiloXyP_tt-3KRLUzVQOYCc605ed9H5sj65Ucw/s1600/IMG_7192.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1QnvcJVf5F8SYCWjYTgd-KfqUwD40_Ri4iBPNRzbWLc7yMh0j1hUOebzLhIs83FNlDe2Fsry6onFAXedETNvC_d1qLV02sFdfUUBBiiiloXyP_tt-3KRLUzVQOYCc605ed9H5sj65Ucw/s320/IMG_7192.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550771842259293842" border="0" /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6M9SVpkIXxTbD3ZMI1yPdqegWURm7GJVPzuRfUv6wrnsLvFcOLMJnH2yCmqTsY0IwZq3MXYejevy2BHXqptr8AD1DrD4QR6tbUeEhasnW9fc1MJTKBHunO7JfFmtB03ne7-QnEwqpA5g/s1600/IMG_7190.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6M9SVpkIXxTbD3ZMI1yPdqegWURm7GJVPzuRfUv6wrnsLvFcOLMJnH2yCmqTsY0IwZq3MXYejevy2BHXqptr8AD1DrD4QR6tbUeEhasnW9fc1MJTKBHunO7JfFmtB03ne7-QnEwqpA5g/s320/IMG_7190.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550771828887859362" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The kids are on school holidays and I plan to spend my non-working days hanging out with them, decorating the rest of the house and hopefully managing some crafting before the 25th. No Christmas crafting though. That's another hassle I don't need to put myself through!<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhpJ3mQXogAmerTGLD6VnhEJShz5FV5-X3Oz6dG5Qdy3JXhP9i102_MGD5jKL8wX5lPbFLUS1-Fek0J2SBm6NbhtiYA1vFhHHOGvSIxb890L3VoP4HjrVJQLYbR0xJgky6XI1hGoy-6w/s1600/IMG_7202.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhpJ3mQXogAmerTGLD6VnhEJShz5FV5-X3Oz6dG5Qdy3JXhP9i102_MGD5jKL8wX5lPbFLUS1-Fek0J2SBm6NbhtiYA1vFhHHOGvSIxb890L3VoP4HjrVJQLYbR0xJgky6XI1hGoy-6w/s320/IMG_7202.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550771843924437058" border="0" /></a></span></span></span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-8384817083609242302010-11-19T13:57:00.003+10:302010-11-19T14:07:35.558+10:30Christmas is coming<span style="font-family:arial;">Earlier in the year I made the decision not to try to make any knitted Christmas gifts this year. I was doing ok until I decided to make a pair of socks for my mum. Then I saw all the Christmas stuff start popping up on blogs and Ravelry, and I started to get ideas....</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">I've managed to contain myself pretty well, but I did think that some little things as stocking stuffers for the kids might be nice.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXqcPLHLW1s16Qmgo-QRPzvzB_mWovfGoDjlCDeMy3pqWbkPT7oap_JLJavkDUbuiG8CWnMSE9zIVvT-KTcfpna46TacrPhRFZXRloHGUa3W6YHMdLVQndpXRQPkab5x9nQePSLeK3BE/s1600/IMG_6871.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXqcPLHLW1s16Qmgo-QRPzvzB_mWovfGoDjlCDeMy3pqWbkPT7oap_JLJavkDUbuiG8CWnMSE9zIVvT-KTcfpna46TacrPhRFZXRloHGUa3W6YHMdLVQndpXRQPkab5x9nQePSLeK3BE/s320/IMG_6871.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541099804251663106" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqoEjuID7b5PUdtIALaaX641UcYI64mz04kgBb1FtOEJwv-n5dIpSVyVLRZ2pgoVYKX6FAN6Z2ixoA2LxkDQlPSKvoiyjjKzZuQeion19kgp5X6YIrCMln0jVkMIlTYKLapD_HznakTo/s1600/IMG_6871.JPG"><br /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;"> Pattern is </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://megankelly.typepad.com/littlethings/2008/12/little-rocket-pattern.html#tp">Little Rocket</a><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >. Great use of left-over yarns!</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">Now I'm considering what else I might be able to whip up, and who I can gift them to! I must get control of myself...</span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-65563793180413111832010-08-30T11:55:00.007+09:302010-08-30T12:08:16.711+09:30Long time no blog<span style="font-family: arial;">Wow, it's been nearly a month and a half since my last post. I haven't really had anything to say, and not much to show off either.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Things have been very busy around here lately - we're going away overseas very soon which is taking much organising. We've been searching for (and have hopefully found!) a new school for L & M which has been pretty stressful. All our weekends seem to have been full of kids activities and illness has been and gone and come back again. Not to mention the most boring job in the world completely sapping all of my energy. Busy, busy, busy.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I have finished another Milo recently though. I winged it with this one (although the larger sizes are now available with the pattern purchase I believe) - it's sized to fit my nearly 8yo, although I probably could have made it a bit roomier in the body for him. Still, it fits nicely and he seems to like it. And it's another Shop-the-Stash project off my needles (which means yarn out of my stash). </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnKYsquq_qk-ZKdgzMzE_CdpmsfMg8XZDq2XpzVqmbrMHCX3UnRa1p5COGfFoPLsdTiXL9sJq2AT_uvBH-n-9VouYzPG29CoZsIexlkak13OmIVxH9YWSvMKtU0ZjDJXJssGi25XYweEA/s1600/P8250077.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnKYsquq_qk-ZKdgzMzE_CdpmsfMg8XZDq2XpzVqmbrMHCX3UnRa1p5COGfFoPLsdTiXL9sJq2AT_uvBH-n-9VouYzPG29CoZsIexlkak13OmIVxH9YWSvMKtU0ZjDJXJssGi25XYweEA/s320/P8250077.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511025397680294802" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Speaking of Shop-the-Stash, I think I've been doing a bit more shopping-<span style="font-weight: bold;">and</span>-stashing, than shopping-<span style="font-weight: bold;">the</span>-stash, but it's the thought that counts right? I do look to the stash when I'm ready to start something new. I'm not buying new yarn to make projects with. I'm buying yarn to add to the stash. Then I can shop it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Anyway, that's all from me for now. I don't expect I'll blog again before we go away, and in fact I'm not sure I'll blog again at all. I'm not really feeling the motivation for it right now. That could be due to all the craziness and illness that has been through here lately, so I'll see what kind of motivation (and energy!) the warmer weather brings with it when we return from our holiday.</span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-29411513339947753522010-07-15T14:11:00.003+09:302010-07-15T14:22:51.528+09:30MmmmmMalibgro.....!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I do love this yarn. It's so buttery soft and knits up so easily. I do find it a little grabby though, and my cast on tail always seems to felt up before I've finished knitting with it. I hope that's not an indicator of how the garment will perform!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Anyway, another FO<br />(</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:78%;" >I was going to wait to post a whole bunch some other time but I'm on a roll now so might as well go with it</span><span style="font-family: arial;">).</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUD4caQO4zTqDAiy2A3CI9VbyTg3QPmwsLgqMKB948ulz1FBS1o3Aq3JU3OmrQDiZge8HB39dvg6kA2fFNc6j9y_mnm5NdI_bZoG57Gmt-u6YtR29-_XpkaGF3Q2wd5Ud30Wp7jHHz_A/s1600/P7150041.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUD4caQO4zTqDAiy2A3CI9VbyTg3QPmwsLgqMKB948ulz1FBS1o3Aq3JU3OmrQDiZge8HB39dvg6kA2fFNc6j9y_mnm5NdI_bZoG57Gmt-u6YtR29-_XpkaGF3Q2wd5Ud30Wp7jHHz_A/s320/P7150041.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493989972285711986" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">This is </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/just-enough-ruffles">Just Enough Ruffles</a><span style="font-family: arial;">. And the pattern name is very apt - there certainly are just enough ruffles in this! Although I seem to have flattened a few of them with blocking. The colour is "Damask Rose" and although it looks quite pink in the photo, it's not so in real life. I'm not sure I like the colour all that much now. It's more of a dirty pink. But it's so so soft I don't think I can let the colour affect me enjoying wearing it on chilly mornings when I'm catching the bus to work. It was a really fast knit - the ruffles took the longest, and even those seemed to go pretty fast. I'd like to knit this again for sure.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">And a little WIP. </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJ0YdZdf9_6hclwVHZhEHnGA4wes0XUisjCBFM1SeXi9c-7R-PpJKWrFP0UGVUMedRY-KWsaZERkZDfK7TkxFTOESrVlMZBqG0xOlHs5TRouRjNTsU1u3KnB5zDrDd4Ymp-fLsP72U5I/s1600/P7150042.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJ0YdZdf9_6hclwVHZhEHnGA4wes0XUisjCBFM1SeXi9c-7R-PpJKWrFP0UGVUMedRY-KWsaZERkZDfK7TkxFTOESrVlMZBqG0xOlHs5TRouRjNTsU1u3KnB5zDrDd4Ymp-fLsP72U5I/s320/P7150042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493989982578209762" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The actual crocheting part of this is done. I intend to sew it to something else to use as a cushion cover. So far I don't have anything to attach it to. I keep meaning to go to the Op Shop up the road and check out their clothing section for a suitable item, but I never seem to find the time. I must do so soon though because our couch is cushion-less, and it looks a little bare.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I used the </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/neat-ripple-pattern.html">Neat Ripple Pattern from Lucy of Attic24</a><span style="font-family: arial;">. So easy to understand and follow for a non-crocheter like me! </span><br /><br /><br /></div>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-37759996038403207602010-07-15T13:41:00.003+09:302010-07-15T13:57:00.670+09:30Bloom<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm a bad blogger. I mean to blog more than I do, but I just can't seem to find the time for project photos lately. Take a look at my Rav page if you know me on there... lots of photo-less projects! I'm trying to get caught up now though. One good thing about blogging infrequently is that when I do get around to it at least I'll have a few projects to show off! I have about 6 WIPs at the moment, all in varying stages of finished-ness. Hopefully I'll be able to get my act together with posting them here.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">But for now I've just got one FO.</span><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-1M3l3iJmDaGh8RSnkQ7bJK7Rli0b4nSGWl5ZFHPDbzv-ITIODF9oRCzheBVjL7bsElyyJgB8E_TnD8K1u64pOMldvbEYRwFzMePzewTtehyphenhyphenDGDRcGISBCK-udqOOyrcKw3MRtjXq2Q/s1600/Babybloom1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-1M3l3iJmDaGh8RSnkQ7bJK7Rli0b4nSGWl5ZFHPDbzv-ITIODF9oRCzheBVjL7bsElyyJgB8E_TnD8K1u64pOMldvbEYRwFzMePzewTtehyphenhyphenDGDRcGISBCK-udqOOyrcKw3MRtjXq2Q/s320/Babybloom1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493983143199373762" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50dmrfA39z6icslluvZ_aGTupAfK_PMD188ziXpP1sFhn82MeJMpk5lACk4m4S3H73hcLVO2gEGOcOJ4ITvBq5M1K_wKcbOQienkAV113incYsXp7Ci5rhr5cQE7KRcnHVKjJfxb3vzs/s1600/Babybloom2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50dmrfA39z6icslluvZ_aGTupAfK_PMD188ziXpP1sFhn82MeJMpk5lACk4m4S3H73hcLVO2gEGOcOJ4ITvBq5M1K_wKcbOQienkAV113incYsXp7Ci5rhr5cQE7KRcnHVKjJfxb3vzs/s320/Babybloom2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493983152773824066" border="0" /></a><br />This is <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bloom-9">Bloom</a> by Tikki. You may recall I was a<a href="http://craftconfessions.blogspot.com/2009/09/bloom.html"> test knitter</a> before the pattern was released. That was a medium size done in 8ply.<br /><br />This little bundle of pink sweetness is a small size in BWM Luxury 4ply in "Baby Blossom". It's destined for a friend's own newborn bundle of pink sweetness. I love this colour and pattern together! The style and the lace pattern is so <span style="font-style: italic;">pretty and sweet</span> and the colour is so <span style="font-style: italic;">pretty and</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">sweet </span>also. A perfect match!<br /><br />In other crafty news we've been playing with Sculpey. Need a bit more practice but it's lots of fun. Hopefully I'll have some of that to show off sometime soon too.<br /></div>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-87890499127601589332010-06-25T13:37:00.003+09:302010-06-25T14:19:47.713+09:30IKEA.....<div style="text-align: center;">...addicted much?<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eGDCebf-Ce2LK571MVdMh1C4TQcj_xNbCLL3cvBOx24xQOCksBqWIpvQ16NmSbsmAQZwzj9L7bneRTTxR28brxpMw4ySyEaLN0bi43v_Mdq9UcUjRdqqMVkHW_fxCPGWbAl_sk3rkN4/s1600/P6250005.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eGDCebf-Ce2LK571MVdMh1C4TQcj_xNbCLL3cvBOx24xQOCksBqWIpvQ16NmSbsmAQZwzj9L7bneRTTxR28brxpMw4ySyEaLN0bi43v_Mdq9UcUjRdqqMVkHW_fxCPGWbAl_sk3rkN4/s200/P6250005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486561670926588498" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-av9wcbdRI8Wb4fo8AnaTGd6JlQxW3zz2LqPAUC7HtJM-PMX2nAJa_6rIMwwlCNhHzxbVQj5rc4zpRtF1HZ88HZg-DluB2kit73h0RBOw19oJ1HqQtNoiV2w1USu2ur73a5QnxE3ajKo/s1600/P6250003.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-av9wcbdRI8Wb4fo8AnaTGd6JlQxW3zz2LqPAUC7HtJM-PMX2nAJa_6rIMwwlCNhHzxbVQj5rc4zpRtF1HZ88HZg-DluB2kit73h0RBOw19oJ1HqQtNoiV2w1USu2ur73a5QnxE3ajKo/s200/P6250003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486561648949570450" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQitmQ5ZNuDERLW3H5ZuXz52u8C0k-0JY-Z1G8vzHOi7qk0AW2WGR4K5jR-ouxR-i56Mk4E5H_RpTvzhSIbmpQ09j9YruFBfXRpeKQK649EcubAl4iTBGGONorM2uNkDp0_sPgRcAKEVg/s1600/P6250002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQitmQ5ZNuDERLW3H5ZuXz52u8C0k-0JY-Z1G8vzHOi7qk0AW2WGR4K5jR-ouxR-i56Mk4E5H_RpTvzhSIbmpQ09j9YruFBfXRpeKQK649EcubAl4iTBGGONorM2uNkDp0_sPgRcAKEVg/s200/P6250002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486561640733724770" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34D2JdcIMNgois7q5TNJqQiMdPeWwrxoMKcuIxzH4eENW_SaNyo5H-ltb7bf_RzejkNIBa7XkjlTT6yVePkoIGB_e9cT3Qv0CsSBlSIPknWFWU45Z8B5Cfy2nkQNJkmfazMgkYActk4c/s1600/P6250001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34D2JdcIMNgois7q5TNJqQiMdPeWwrxoMKcuIxzH4eENW_SaNyo5H-ltb7bf_RzejkNIBa7XkjlTT6yVePkoIGB_e9cT3Qv0CsSBlSIPknWFWU45Z8B5Cfy2nkQNJkmfazMgkYActk4c/s200/P6250001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486561634035876242" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjFKPN7B4UfOodCxcEuWoNk9X1W5fQY8wn1fR68bay7g6pz3tgn8aspHPYQXqmKPnbE3WpKqRibJgcHrDGEBc957gqRyhEK9JREl8f9IiHWU4vSqdld0P7Rnjgs-1C0tpd0zN4KNYXAQ/s1600/P6250004.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjFKPN7B4UfOodCxcEuWoNk9X1W5fQY8wn1fR68bay7g6pz3tgn8aspHPYQXqmKPnbE3WpKqRibJgcHrDGEBc957gqRyhEK9JREl8f9IiHWU4vSqdld0P7Rnjgs-1C0tpd0zN4KNYXAQ/s200/P6250004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486561665052948818" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">and that's not even the half of it.</div>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-55688858177067021662010-05-27T12:51:00.003+09:302010-05-27T13:01:23.352+09:30Cupcakes<div id="{03A8F096-6820-47E0-81D0-7CFE0547DAA7}" style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;">Miss F recently turned 2.<br /></div><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFH5g6La_O4TvIqIGxfrIODoQqJ85Gunkxl4x-3K9MqgWrejNqXp0rmf7ybZCcZL_0pIGq7opvm6Hg75Hyi0r638y16qKAanJdyNR2C3FnykQNIaNzMSa-1tVcu3FNPSad7qOfLgIrh8/s1600/cupcakes2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFH5g6La_O4TvIqIGxfrIODoQqJ85Gunkxl4x-3K9MqgWrejNqXp0rmf7ybZCcZL_0pIGq7opvm6Hg75Hyi0r638y16qKAanJdyNR2C3FnykQNIaNzMSa-1tVcu3FNPSad7qOfLgIrh8/s320/cupcakes2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475786358499408690" border="0" /></a><br /><div id="{34072794-6009-4F03-965C-F0F3DF75F05C}" style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;">I decided cupcakes were the way to go for her birthday cake this year. And buttercream icing was the perfect choice too! I've got a cool little syringe-type thing with different tips for icing, so I had plenty of fun playing with that.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;">But then I couldn't decide which topping to go with.<br /></div><br /><div id="{63AA7BB0-BFD1-45F5-BE70-96188F1E42A5}" style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;">Sanding sugar?<br /></div><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmVvb5JX7rEaJ17WCnQuTkRGMYIejN7dX_xGN0PzapnyjOLNL10fETEF6B-QKgmbTwHB35bXf5lsrly0DtkSstkIggFL1rgh1gM_AzU37wwB7IPNxn_GBiD9Jcpzlv3nKAZmySa_qU9Q/s1600/cupcakes3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmVvb5JX7rEaJ17WCnQuTkRGMYIejN7dX_xGN0PzapnyjOLNL10fETEF6B-QKgmbTwHB35bXf5lsrly0DtkSstkIggFL1rgh1gM_AzU37wwB7IPNxn_GBiD9Jcpzlv3nKAZmySa_qU9Q/s320/cupcakes3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475786379220381858" border="0" /></a><br /><div id="{68F8A14E-3526-4CA1-91C3-A21EB2BD848A}" style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;">Hearts?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE_bgo1ls7mAz_bjwnAuezQMARWTMsIltvgZa215B2QGGilvcCq_oU79brc-hsRnXZRlR4N1cNewrGuxsbC0cAkmaqTzDYY_qnnNgJr_lFT_nbKxzmJp5kH8Fa-axGTnJ7KV1odCU2gE/s1600/cupcakes4.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE_bgo1ls7mAz_bjwnAuezQMARWTMsIltvgZa215B2QGGilvcCq_oU79brc-hsRnXZRlR4N1cNewrGuxsbC0cAkmaqTzDYY_qnnNgJr_lFT_nbKxzmJp5kH8Fa-axGTnJ7KV1odCU2gE/s320/cupcakes4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475786387122424706" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div id="{4EDC8B4B-9813-42AB-80C2-736D3506E2CB}" style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;">Butterflies?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwyyRDK70dfgh-V51ueBcsUe-b7QVLH0VK6b_XLFQ0v5_6qhqtFQKvLmid_XZwRc2qCBIru21xAWPiRNEv4IKx-lEdMvB4aJyEbPrLGGEnBcSWVyq-7gGB36-y474gDq90NC9VXRes2GE/s1600/cupcakes5.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwyyRDK70dfgh-V51ueBcsUe-b7QVLH0VK6b_XLFQ0v5_6qhqtFQKvLmid_XZwRc2qCBIru21xAWPiRNEv4IKx-lEdMvB4aJyEbPrLGGEnBcSWVyq-7gGB36-y474gDq90NC9VXRes2GE/s320/cupcakes5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475786398184251778" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div id="{D0C716EB-04C3-4FCA-B2B5-1DA7F63F110A}" style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;">So I went with them all.<br /></div><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCmB_kcca08P8U4lauk2D_b8-8meZxc87X-mjeRDiznQfBBrLUhPIarlfJeOFxBeVBjsT25GUA6iQXhfyswL8MIqVJvf_zZM2ZUp1lWvmTf7la2U9NA0JTUCwot7srZ1JAcrBmK0DnL8/s1600/cupcakes1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCmB_kcca08P8U4lauk2D_b8-8meZxc87X-mjeRDiznQfBBrLUhPIarlfJeOFxBeVBjsT25GUA6iQXhfyswL8MIqVJvf_zZM2ZUp1lWvmTf7la2U9NA0JTUCwot7srZ1JAcrBmK0DnL8/s320/cupcakes1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475786368771530914" border="0" /></a><br /><div id="{C9063F02-7BEC-4AF8-92EB-6581CAEE6A6C}" style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;">Vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream. Yum!<br /><br />I used a packet mix, so cheated a bit, but did make the buttercream icing from scratch.<br /></div>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-79159227423621999422010-05-19T13:36:00.005+09:302010-05-19T13:53:46.290+09:30Knitting in Public<span style="font-family:arial;">I've been doing a lot of it lately. Well, maybe not a lot by some people's standards, but a lot by mine, considering I haven't ever really KIP at all before.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Public transport is my new method of getting to and from work, and despite a few hiccups with times and getting on wrong buses which involved having to beg a driver to let me off at an intersection and running back two stops when I was already late, things have been going ok. And with the trip being approximately 30 minutes each way it's at least an hour of knitting time per day! It seems to keep the other people on the bus from wanting to sit next to me too, so plenty of room for me! Maybe they are afraid of the pointy sticks?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I've seen some people looking at me strangely, and I caught someone watching me the other day. Mostly though, I'm in my own little world. And I was going great guns on my "bus knitting" until I discovered that I'd twisted my stitches back at the start, so now I have to start again :(</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But I do have another FO. </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olearia">Olearia</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> - the latest from </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://tikkifabricaddict.blogspot.com/">Tikki</a><span style="font-family:arial;">.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeW-ZS1q-GvhCTCBS1g7kFr_5zjWkw1BXz359KM_UqkhuOQjfM5wAjV6Zjg_4c4Kqvti4hHnWLxq5D85WEQMOYl_4GC0ubp7JT2za7kaUpXb-uDDJy0RI51jW9G6-76Tihi2y7LU_sUM/s1600/olearia3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeW-ZS1q-GvhCTCBS1g7kFr_5zjWkw1BXz359KM_UqkhuOQjfM5wAjV6Zjg_4c4Kqvti4hHnWLxq5D85WEQMOYl_4GC0ubp7JT2za7kaUpXb-uDDJy0RI51jW9G6-76Tihi2y7LU_sUM/s320/olearia3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472830286596836738" border="0" /></a><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgaXIYTNJu6qxfXdWZKYKFGRELPomee309k9gJ3OrdjVBWuhvpMjXzTv4p9BPnilCUZiBszeuPvuQ66y4IopMKvYnxN64HdD8RzarCpk_vrjAddLFpW9d6MEk0QU6gGNINYcFIGMhuR0/s1600/olearia2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgaXIYTNJu6qxfXdWZKYKFGRELPomee309k9gJ3OrdjVBWuhvpMjXzTv4p9BPnilCUZiBszeuPvuQ66y4IopMKvYnxN64HdD8RzarCpk_vrjAddLFpW9d6MEk0QU6gGNINYcFIGMhuR0/s320/olearia2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472830296697133330" border="0" /></a><br /><span id="{C7EC7A04-734F-4B79-A985-029A40686D9D}" style="font-family:arial;">I snapped this one up as soon as it was released. So far just the shrug version, but I'm itching to get a cardigan version on the needles soon. Very quick knit and nice and easy. I used Woolganics 8ply and didn't swatch. I'd say that I need to go up a needle size next time. I'm a pretty tight knitter though. Miss F seems very happy with it. She especially likes the buttons. So much so that I suspect she swallowed one of them before I got them all on the shrug! One is missing and can't be found. She had some in her mouth. I'm keeping a lookout!</span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-19652512637157554932010-05-14T14:09:00.006+09:302010-05-14T14:22:52.279+09:30Foliage Shawl<span style="font-family: arial;">Sometime ago - before Christmas I think - I participated in a pattern- swap-Kris Kringle-kind-of-thing over on </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="https://www.ravelry.com/account/login">Ravelry</a><span style="font-family: arial;">. Everyone was assigned another person and the idea was to buy a pattern for that person from their wish list. I love this kind of swap! So easy, no stress, don't have to spend time making anything - just look at their list and buy something that you know they want. Easy! And patterns are relatively inexpensive too.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I was lucky enough to get the </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/foliage-shawl">Foliage Shawl</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> pattern from my swapper - </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://monsterknit.blogspot.com/">Kris from Monsterknits</a><span style="font-family: arial;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I had the perfect yarn for it too. And here it is:</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX88AChouqnV8SAGa2y0wd_7meJjwAu9IJhSMAOwOO7REJ9CXAWls-BkwKmU-H5pfLyihgvgkeB46yJM1bUFfWMmzXPxvu-hQsDfJaijlu0R_sYUIdsi0pfatXotzqn-Uz_mKi3MMZFTY/s1600/P5140087.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX88AChouqnV8SAGa2y0wd_7meJjwAu9IJhSMAOwOO7REJ9CXAWls-BkwKmU-H5pfLyihgvgkeB46yJM1bUFfWMmzXPxvu-hQsDfJaijlu0R_sYUIdsi0pfatXotzqn-Uz_mKi3MMZFTY/s320/P5140087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470982956271936578" border="0" /></a><br /><span id="{E1F755A7-5A0B-42B5-BD88-77CE2EFDE99D}" style="font-family: arial;">It's done in The Knittery Merino/Cashmere Sock yarn in "Passionfruit". Sadly The Knittery is no more. Thankfully I have a small stash of this yarn undyed though!</span><br /><br /><span id="{790A44DE-CB0A-4F87-9376-ACABB7B2CD01}" style="font-family: arial;">It was a pretty quick knit, although the border took most of the time and I will confess to putting it down for a while for a break before finally finishing it off. But it's done now and I love it. I've even worn it to work already and it is super warm on the chilly mornings we've been having here lately. </span><br /><br /><span id="{5154A0D8-843D-47DE-9878-D990659EBB6C}" style="font-family: arial;">Photo isn't that great since it's not really easy to photograph a shawl alone, and the only helpers I have around right now are either sleeping or likely to run off with it and use it to scoop up dirt.</span><br /><br /><span id="{979D2433-23D4-4A76-A50E-DDD688431425}" style="font-family: arial;">It's probably appropriate that the Foliage Shawl be photographed on a plant anyway.</span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-80363582769666256682010-05-06T10:39:00.002+09:302010-05-06T10:58:52.670+09:30So far so good<span id="{C55E1005-38D2-4B7B-82FF-3A14E0F7C9C5}" style="font-family: arial;">First week back at work has gone ok. Work itself isn't too stressful (yet!), it's the getting there and getting home that cause some dramas. We're still working it out, and after a minor kid-pickup disaster on Tuesday I'll be trying a new way of getting there next week. I so wish I didn't work in the city though. I know to some people that would be a huge drawcard, and once upon a time it was to me too, but now it's just a drawback. But I do (and right in the centre of it I might add) and I'll need to try out a few things to see which is going to work best now. Plan A has been a relative failure, so on to Plan B.</span><br /><br /><span id="{4930047B-5DB9-410B-9226-072CB1A7F5D5}" style="font-family: arial;">I know it's only been one week (and not even a whole week at that) but I suddenly feel like I've got far too much on my plate. And here I am blogging, to add to all of that! Until last week I was feeling a little bored, and now things seem to be moving so much faster. I'm certainly glad I didn't opt for more than 2.5 days. Joining the gym at the same time as returning to work probably hasn't helped either. Just another thing to fit into what already seems like too-short days.</span><br /><br /><span id="{5FA9BF49-5DB7-4173-A9C8-29376DFC4006}" style="font-family: arial;"></span><span id="{33B16B23-3DBC-4F20-8171-4D12A2B341D0}" style="font-family: arial;"></span><span id="{0116D218-959E-4064-B65F-EF2AC37E1696}" style="font-family: arial;">The big event this week - if you can call it that, I wasn't all that excited about it - was another year of my life passing by. It happened without a great deal of fuss (or presents I might add :( ) but I did get woken by my boys with birthday cuddles and kisses. Having to go back to work on that day kind of took the focus away and I actually kind of forgot that it was even my birthday.</span><br /><br /><span id="{321D785F-91C9-4C0F-81B8-57E422F9074A}" style="font-family: arial;">There's been no crafting of any kind at all this week. I've been far too tired in the evenings. Hopefully I'll adjust to that soon. I do have an FO to show off but it's a hard one to get good photos of and the weather has turned cold, wet and grey (which I don't mind!) so photo opportunities in good light are limited.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Back soon with something crafty I hope!</span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-9159039766347783832010-04-28T09:07:00.002+09:302010-04-28T09:21:02.906+09:30Changes are afoot....<span id="{139AB674-61B3-4E14-B9EF-B13E5AC6B54D}" style="font-family: arial;">This is my last week as a stay-at-home-mum. Work begins on Monday. Last night my "team leader" (that phrase makes me want to do air quotes for some reason) popped around to assess my home workspace for OH&S reasons. He really should have come around after the kids had gone nuts and pulled every toy/plaything they own out and strewn it from front door to back door, as they frequently do. Then I might not have passed the "no tripping hazards" criteria. But he would have got a more realistic view of my what I'm dealing with here. Ha ha.</span><br /><br /><span id="{CA90D6F2-2442-40FB-9082-79DD18B35017}" style="font-family: arial;">I also took a big leap yesterday.... I joined a gym! I'm very excited about it and keen to get started, but it's a bit like the work thing. It sounds good in theory but I'm actually going to have to go there and do something. That's the hurdle I need to get over! I'm meeting with a trainer on Saturday morning though, so I'm trying to start off on the right foot with a clear view of what I need to do to achieve my goals. The good thing is a friend also belongs to this gym and she knows I've joined, so hopefully that will be an incentive to get along and make an effort. Not to mention the kilos I need to shift and the fitness I need to gain.</span><br /><br /><span id="{1D0C6520-7324-4C01-8961-65AF7799E249}" style="font-family: arial;">I've been making grand plans in my mind about how I'm going to manage all these new commitments, after 4.5 years of just having to make sure children were fed and clean and that I remembered to pick them up from school and kindy! So far it's all still in my mind. Hopefully I can put it all into practice. To do it there's going to have to be changes around here also. The other occupants of the house don't know it yet, but they soon will.</span><br /><br /><span id="{AB508CDA-EAE9-4629-ADFC-2C7E863EF6DB}" style="font-family: arial;">In knitting news I have been crocheting. So maybe that's not knitting news? Although when I say crocheting, I mean making chains, following instructions, getting instructions wrong when I thought I knew what I was doing and then ripping everything out in frustration. So all I have to show for it is a ball of yarn with a crochet hook shoved in it looking like some kind of bizarre stabbing implement. I did feel like stabbing myself after all of the work I put in for nothing though!</span><br /><br /><span id="{4B267D59-4A8B-4940-8E48-ED12B81F6E14}" style="font-family: arial;">And the big news of the day is little Miss F is 2 today! Wow, that went fast. So Happy Birthday to my beautiful daughter.</span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-57024311630231524842010-04-19T11:47:00.005+09:302010-04-19T12:06:15.899+09:30Ta-Da!<div id="{7736F8C0-CF25-42F3-A27E-F87590985786}" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:arial;">It's done*!</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tfHn69qdEOzDw1y-btykRFp5eLunujPXgZN7WM4WlvfX6ELYvWdXC5h5cLHYJkg_wsS_C6hpG5ucoetHG4EHjg7pXl41gZOzp594wUmP1yZ5GLvGq_3A_PqadhRfDMBHAwJrc3EpEBI/s1600/blanket.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tfHn69qdEOzDw1y-btykRFp5eLunujPXgZN7WM4WlvfX6ELYvWdXC5h5cLHYJkg_wsS_C6hpG5ucoetHG4EHjg7pXl41gZOzp594wUmP1yZ5GLvGq_3A_PqadhRfDMBHAwJrc3EpEBI/s320/blanket.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461668727850288226" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qcl6LUTqQNdBgcatmMYyi1oHn0UrccBQKKcaHsScD4Tajvn3xV-1aSxQx6umKztwM1HsQTfFINQxsQF7pAh5NhDBMjNdNHNH2e5rPHUOewPDeZENPls9T_JlhoD-vHAVgMh1w9SYZtY/s1600/blanket2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qcl6LUTqQNdBgcatmMYyi1oHn0UrccBQKKcaHsScD4Tajvn3xV-1aSxQx6umKztwM1HsQTfFINQxsQF7pAh5NhDBMjNdNHNH2e5rPHUOewPDeZENPls9T_JlhoD-vHAVgMh1w9SYZtY/s320/blanket2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461670165023402674" border="0" /></a><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHGHIC0GLziaVppqOJaiSCsmOJRyMZpOirqcs7chQN4DISo_xSWbzTe_JPNH2gQXLn2owtyi7owE7pV_miqJHI4H1_JLmIKd5aBQTalOUHoJp5pACmAkWFewLnreJ5yw58pRI-vSE8ns/s1600/blanket3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHGHIC0GLziaVppqOJaiSCsmOJRyMZpOirqcs7chQN4DISo_xSWbzTe_JPNH2gQXLn2owtyi7owE7pV_miqJHI4H1_JLmIKd5aBQTalOUHoJp5pACmAkWFewLnreJ5yw58pRI-vSE8ns/s320/blanket3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461668738681240994" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">The blanket is about cot-size (assuming you are familiar with cots!).</span><br /><br /><span id="{1C79C664-977D-4744-9C37-36754088521E}" style="font-family:arial;">All up about a month to make. And although I did get a bit obsessive about them for a while there, I did take a break from making the circles in that time also, so it was a reasonably quick project.</span><br /><br /><span id="{007FD9D5-F911-4B0E-A967-D3AD955FF684}" style="font-family:arial;">I've gone with the random look, although it's more planned-random than random-random. I did struggle with the thought of random for a while there, but then I came up with a plan.... I made all the hex rounds the same colour as the centre round on each circle. Then I put them together in rows of 9 (since I used 9 colours) and made sure I had only one of each colour in each row. I also tried to spread all the colours out evenly so I didn't end up with clusters of the same colour anywhere.</span> <span id="{7D35FFC9-9A13-4712-A30F-8798F6A36DB6}" style="font-family:arial;">I think it's turned out nicely and I'm really happy with it. It's big enough to go over one of the kids if they are lying on the couch and all of them really love it too. Even DH loves it! Actually I think he loves the fact that I'm done with it so I can get back to knitting his blanket!</span><br /><br /><span id="{AF5D9364-8E96-4096-86B4-8CEFCA6283BD}" style="font-family:arial;">I'm going to have to take a break from knitting for a while though. My hands are still giving me quite a bit of trouble so it's not an enjoyable thing at the moment. I also only have two weeks left until I return to work. I have so much to do before then! The kids have started childcare successfully - in fact they are there now and I'm at home alone!! First time in almost 4.5 years I've had an entire day to myself. Now I must go do some housework...<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span id="{6E8AC905-BCAE-4B11-83A7-FD4BB828EB87}" style="font-style: italic;">*It's not entirely done. I'm calling it done for the CAL at Tangled Yarns, but I would like it bigger. I have yarn left so I'm going to just add to it as I feel like until it is at least big enough to cover my legs while sitting on the couch on a cold night</span></span><br /></span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-67397593308175435732010-03-29T10:00:00.002+10:302010-03-29T10:10:52.695+10:30Seventy Two<div id="{6AC9E6B3-941E-4BF7-B26B-FD0B4A8FB561}" style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;">That's how many circles I've made...<br /></div><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwASldHvrHxEzZFiHLySFqNo5d7CDmljEaE-mxzjfWQGQtMZ0p219RlTz8e-m1T9kCSlyQcllhrv91BVI-8HH3akXz_TSzTm0ZsGeFEKHnDKur4Ulfmkjcxc3_I7ElJ1DUyKm7gwslPo/s1600/circles.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwASldHvrHxEzZFiHLySFqNo5d7CDmljEaE-mxzjfWQGQtMZ0p219RlTz8e-m1T9kCSlyQcllhrv91BVI-8HH3akXz_TSzTm0ZsGeFEKHnDKur4Ulfmkjcxc3_I7ElJ1DUyKm7gwslPo/s320/circles.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453833145916947058" border="0" /></a><br /><div id="{D57E6A6B-3F20-4FE0-9BEF-FDBE594FDFDF}" style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;">I've finally started joining them together!<br /></div><br /><span id="{E1696ACA-D3E7-41F1-AE63-157BAFA23A8A}" style="font-family: arial;">After much deliberation, I have decided to go with a random colour scheme. It's taken me a while to be comfortable with the thought of this. Although I'm not being entirely random. I'm doing the hex round on each in the same colour as the centre circle. I'm doing this to ensure I use all the colours evenly, as well as appease my need for less random-ness! Hopefully it will all work out ok. So far I've joined 5 together, and I think I'm going to have a sizeable lap blanket from what I already have. I'll see how it's looking when I'm done.... 5 down, only 67 to go....</span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-19219540520814598852010-03-15T10:45:00.005+10:302010-03-15T11:02:33.168+10:30Powering along<span style="font-family:arial;">All up now I've made 30 circles!</span><br /><br /><span id="{9436EB27-AA60-487F-A60B-929906FB27EA}" style="font-family:arial;">We worked out that there are approximat</span><span id="{9436EB27-AA60-487F-A60B-929906FB27EA}" style="font-family:arial;">ely <span id="{AA01BCA5-EB45-4E1D-8446-82B42270FB08}" style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">504 colour combinations</span> available to me with the 9 colours I'm using! So that means that I should be able to finish the blanket without repeating a colour combination!</span> <span id="{E4E85433-B65C-4601-A941-1D82C8EE675B}" style="font-family:arial;">I'm still undecided about what colour to use as the "hex" part and for joining them all together.</span><br /><br /><span id="{FFD64B21-C570-46B4-ACB1-B7D67932F1AA}" style="font-family:arial;">As luck would have it, I am currently knitting something in dark navy, so I took this photo of a circle with each colour on the edge placed on my knitting to get an idea of what it might look like.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhASNxNlNtT0lFp82zTTD9o1HVHuZXoXGBmTAD92z10cECwVyS9VM8Z_utUNoqE32xF5r-AZTrEZWgKj-HnGlyPdEri7kM8mt9uImCTCs4d1tzrCRBv1vtM4FR0NEQbo_NLy3p0UzAveHA/s1600-h/P1010007.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhASNxNlNtT0lFp82zTTD9o1HVHuZXoXGBmTAD92z10cECwVyS9VM8Z_utUNoqE32xF5r-AZTrEZWgKj-HnGlyPdEri7kM8mt9uImCTCs4d1tzrCRBv1vtM4FR0NEQbo_NLy3p0UzAveHA/s320/P1010007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448650342353345922" border="0" /></a><span id="{C3DAFD1B-E683-4046-B1D3-6B0A7D0E7D91}" style="font-family:arial;">I do like the way it looks. Any opinions welcomed :)</span><br /><br /><span id="{92233727-CB58-41AE-A26E-98497DE336B9}" style="font-family:arial;">I do also love the fuschia and the purple, but if I use one of those then all the circles that finish with those colours will maybe be a little lost. I'm not sure. For the moment though I'm going to just continue making circles until I have used up all my yarn. I'll made a decision on the final colour then. That should give me plenty of time to think about it!</span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959096920564718370.post-73210326546824596452010-03-15T10:31:00.003+10:302010-03-15T10:44:12.567+10:30Here's some I prepared earlier<span id="{B4CC46D1-5166-4F35-A75A-3CF821B55D52}" style="font-family: arial;">While the hex's seem to have taken over my life, I do have some other stuff to show off that are actually a few months old now.</span><br /><br /><div id="{FF633854-89E7-46A4-A6ED-75A463A06F5D}" style="text-align: center;"><span id="{B9BA364E-2F03-4BCA-BFE0-9A59AEC4AD83}" style="font-family: arial;">I made these shorts for the boys for Christmas.</span><br /></div><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicax1B7COSi1UZ6LaAoPWHKJ2B600PrL0ma4Gs371bhdiFF0yXouRuX29m0DPZiBODI3wad5NuSm9B2vqwh7y8bS0U6X96ZPi33AckXnVhTN-EqBs5wUm9aQWHDy8xbw9NGveeFiNAf50/s1600-h/P1010002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicax1B7COSi1UZ6LaAoPWHKJ2B600PrL0ma4Gs371bhdiFF0yXouRuX29m0DPZiBODI3wad5NuSm9B2vqwh7y8bS0U6X96ZPi33AckXnVhTN-EqBs5wUm9aQWHDy8xbw9NGveeFiNAf50/s320/P1010002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448645350102451154" border="0" /></a><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHdBrWSCxKcXIUjK-guhLgehyxIG8wVXuS-AOwy1ZETqoFmmCIBhbjusLiQZ7s9ZyiQVfSbsNv__2BdOtv35WGe7sj1mJiMKkPFv2sU8N9Q5BIiieVzTLMzxw3Enc07VwtK13dUTjX98/s1600-h/P1010003.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHdBrWSCxKcXIUjK-guhLgehyxIG8wVXuS-AOwy1ZETqoFmmCIBhbjusLiQZ7s9ZyiQVfSbsNv__2BdOtv35WGe7sj1mJiMKkPFv2sU8N9Q5BIiieVzTLMzxw3Enc07VwtK13dUTjX98/s320/P1010003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448645356180867938" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span id="{DFA3307D-B764-4803-83CC-D46B7DCDB324}" style="font-family: arial;">I "made" the pattern myself, by following some instructions on how to do this using an existing pair of shorts and tracing around them. Unfortunately I cannot find the link to the instructions right now, so I shall describe what I did.</span><br /><br /><ul style="font-family: arial;"><li>Fold the existing pair of shorts in half - so that the "fly" part is folded in the centre (hope that makes sense?!)</li><li>Neaten and flatten them out, place them on some paper and trace around them</li><li>Add a bit for seam allowances to the tracing</li><li>Cut out the pattern piece and cut the fabric</li></ul><span id="{B2254B2D-4184-4BF0-836B-FA9E5666CB69}" style="font-family: arial;">I've probably missed something there, but it was really as simple as tracing around a pair of shorts that already fit, cutting and sewing. Don't forget to allow extra at the top and bottom for the waistband casing and a hem. </span><br /><br /><span id="{9249D2AE-AA13-49CC-AE5F-6CA817E83ADD}" style="font-family: arial;">These actually turned out a little bigger than I would have liked, but I did learn a few things and I will have a better idea of what I want and how to get it if I try this again. Either way, the boys love them and wear them so all is good!</span><br /><br /><div id="{68A5D4A7-673D-40F3-9DB8-C5B52F607B13}" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I also knit this little skirt for Miss F early in the new year. </span><br /></div><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSDZ_7D3_uIIqAuNhL2srSGh5lYgGl0TAEzE6JGac7xMYyHdFuOAbZ__t7Q9Ci7nqygi9_aViDXjPHmC4AYQ8geKh6vnNC3M40dx05QaQ7s2Eu1e8IPZmLA5AmTIJ14wuR_SXVBWVg2E/s1600-h/P1010001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSDZ_7D3_uIIqAuNhL2srSGh5lYgGl0TAEzE6JGac7xMYyHdFuOAbZ__t7Q9Ci7nqygi9_aViDXjPHmC4AYQ8geKh6vnNC3M40dx05QaQ7s2Eu1e8IPZmLA5AmTIJ14wuR_SXVBWVg2E/s320/P1010001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448645333545679762" border="0" /></a><span id="{756963A6-E0B8-437A-9CD5-65C8498A638A}" style="font-family: arial;"> The pattern is loosely based on the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pinwheel-sun-hat-8ply-or-dk-version">Pinwheel Sunhat</a>. Next time I would make it slightly bigger, but as is it fits ok. If she didn't wear cloth nappies it would fit better! Must work on toilet training her!</span>Lou's Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745024640417503507noreply@blogger.com0