I smell a rat...

Seems I just left a whole lot of posts in draft instead of coming back here!

There was a little knit a long for a very cute rat - not much yarn or knitting required but look at all those ends.

When she was done Ratty went out to investigate the herb garden bed at the local community garden.

What is this lovely looking green stuff?

Yum, Spinach...

but I smell something delicious in the kitchen

Look fresh cake!

All these adventures before going home to entertain Maggie the cat.

Quite unusually for this time of year the gardens in our neighbourhood are still green.

Hope there is some green in your world, (probably without the rat)

Pattern: Rats by Sara Elizabeth Kelner available on Ravelry

A yarn pond transformed

 I engaged in some serious yarn collecting at the beginning of winter, which had me entered in a draw for even more yarn!

Hello winner!

I collected a lot of colours for working up more colourful hats as part of my demonstration at the National Wool Museum, Geelong.

I'm half way through the demonstration period and not half way through the yarn, guess I better just knit faster.

Here are some of the hats I've been working on in the past month, oh, there are a couple of stragglers in this group, that you may have seen here before.

I am enjoying the transformation from yarn to hat and the opportunity to talk to museum visitors about knitting generally and the techniques I use to make the hats.

How do you like your hat?
Bold and colourful
Bright and fun
Snug or slouchy
With a big pompom on top

Hope you're warm and cosy this weekend.

All about the beanies...

I used this picture and

used this yarn (4 seasons 8 ply wool from Spotlight) to knit up a couple of beanies...

Using an alternate modular construction, which means the beanie can do double duty as a tea cosy if required.

And, as one just wasn't enough I added some other colours and knit another with a similar top piece but a more conventionally constructed hat. This one includes a friendly native who likes to hang out in the tree.

It seems I have knit a number of hats in the past year so tagging was easy.

This lot got boxed up and sent off to take their part in the Alice Springs Beanie Festival. Just this once the Post people co-operated and they have already landed at their destination.

I wonder if any of them will find new homes?

It appears winter may finally be on its way to these parts, so lucky I've worked up a few more just for family and friends.

Oh, and the beanie making isn't over yet...

Just this week I cast on a few more.

A lovely soft number in this beautiful blue/green Knitpicks Preciosa,  that refuses to show its true colours in pictures.

The knitting is actually all done on this one.

A little one for a special little person that joined the extended family recently, perfect for using up a little leftover Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 4 ply in Denim.

Ready for the band to be added.

And a, just because I still have more of this Cleckheaton Country 8 ply peachy pink colour, and I wanted to try this design, (the cream is the same brand yarn).

I've progressed past here and finished the colourwork, only the band to go.

It's been a good knitting week all round.

Wishing you a weekend of fun in your creative space.

Otto the turtle

Had an adventure sans arms and legs.

We were lucky to spend a few days in Daylesford recently where the colours of Autumn are really making a show.

The sunshine and blue skies provided perfect conditions for a little stroll around the lake where Otto decided he should undertake a little rock climbing, he says the view is better from up there.

Then he was down on the pontoon by the lake where, honestly I thought he was going to take a dip, even without limbs. Though he says - he was just looking to see where the duck had disappeared too.

Speaking of Ducks they are a very friendly lot and walked right up to us, Otto wasn't so happy about this as these were big and he thought they looked hungry. I believe they were just opportunists but he jumped in the bag, all the same, to stay safe.

A little rest up the tree was in order after all those adventures.

We had a lovely time in Daylesford where I visited the Chocolate Mill - this way to the decadent delights and little afternoon snack.

Hope you have time for a little adventure in your week.

Saturday...

Taking things easy and getting in a few rows done on my latest scarf project, because surely winter will come again one day...

I may have taken a little trip to the Spotty store to stock up on yarn while it was still a bargain, even though the cashier tried to charge me full price! What is up with that?

Her excuse was that yarn wasn't her department, seriously what is that computer thing for that she uses?

Nice jewel tones to go with some brights I may have collected in the last month.

There are plans for all this yarn, but my hands apparently don't work as fast as my grand ideas think they do?

Hope your weekend is off to a good start and there's sunshine in your creative space.

Anybody out there?

Just dropping by...

To see

It may be a disease...

There was a lot of hat knitting going on last month, when we just happened to have the hottest October in forever! 

So there's a couple of red hats - one with cables and one with lace in some vintage Cleckheaton crepe from the oppy. The yarn is lovely to work with and a good strong red colour. The pumpkin orange hat was to rescue me when I left home for an entire day without my knitting! I went past Lincraft and picked up yarn and needles to cast on immediately. Emergency averted. 

The last week of October was all about playing with all the colours. Lots of brights paired with some darks to make the very colourful hat. And for a completely different look reds and browns together with varying degrees of contrast.

The odd couple were also completed in October. Socks are good for all the seasons. 

I now have three almost finished mittens, just thumbs to go. 

I don't need reminding that we're expecting a long hot summer!

I'll be ready for the cool mornings (if they ever return).

Hope you're enjoying your week so far.

Two tales...

First there was a lovely stroll through the gardens on the way to work.
Now here's an odd concept I was organised and on my way early, so instead of running up the hill and arriving out of breath, I got off the train a stop early and walked across the gardens.

A perfect spring day, lots of blues and greens and ooh, pretty flowers and almost mature ducklings chasing dinner.

Yes, that's me making shadows, I love the big old trees here.

This week I've been playing with all the colours in my knitting bag, well maybe not all of them, but certainly a good portion of the Bendigo woollen mills Luxury colours that I have.

Trying this group together has been a lot of fun but I really think I need to add a couple of different ones to the mix. Time to add to my available colours!

Yarn shopping here I come!

Wishing you sunshine and flowers on this happy Wednesday. 

Friday night In

Last night was all about the knitting... 

Almost to the heel of the sock and made a start on a new hat in the reclaimed red yarn.

The mitts are still waiting for their finishing touches and the blanket is still awaiting the final colour stripe.

 Today is close to perfect- sunshine, blue sky and a gentle breeze so I took my knitting and went for a walk to the beach.

Good for keeping hands busy while having a little sit down in the sunshine and the shade.

Thanks to Wendy for hosting FNSI. 

Wishing you sunshine on your Saturday. 

FNSI October

So the last 2 weeks have sped by in a blur of yarn in all the colours, (oh, and the landscape, and planes of last weekends short break in the country).

Tonight I'm prepared for a quiet night in with a number of projects in various stages of completion. A comfy couch and a project for every eventuality...

The blanket is ready for a final stripe in the pretty green, the orange and blue are a sock in progress, well it is cast on, the blue with all the speckles are mitts awaiting their finishing touches and the red is waiting to be cast on, another hat and mitts coming up!

Wonder which of these will get the most attention tonight?

Hope there are lots of your favourite colours in your creative space this weekend.

The plan was successfully executed

There was a point last night when I thought I may not get the last coaster finished but after a short break and a little chat, I was good to go again and....
These

 Became these.

All that's left is weaving in the ends.
There are two of each arrangement.
Using random cottons from the stash and a 1.5mm hook.
Very addictive and perfect for when one needs something to just flow from the hook.
More colours coming soon.

Check out what happened in other creative spaces this week over here.

Thanks Cheryll for hosting.

Yeehaa!

I remembered it was time for catching up with friends, before it was all over.

I'll be working on this set of coasters that I started during the week.

Sure I'll enjoy a little snack with a beverage too.

Thanks to the travelling Cheryl for hosting. 

Hope I make some progress on these to show tomorrow.

Happy stitching in your corner.

More of the same...

Yarn arrived

Knitting at the beach 

Nearly done this star blanket 

Starting again at the beach!

Finished

Coffee and knitting 

Knitting and cake in the sunshine 

Another finish. 

The pictures tell the story much better than my tired brain after too much working. 

Hope the sun has been shining in your corner, too.

Hooked on stars

There's been a lot of hooky action here so far this month.

All about the stars!

 I started with this gorgeous blue and red number in Bendigo woollen mills cotton, but was soon distracted by another yarn stash that has been threatening to become a blanket for a few months now!

 While I'm deciding how big I'd like to make the red/blue one I've been working on one or is that two from the other stash!

Almost done with the pink and yellow number. Now working on a scrappy version.

All projects are interpretations of the rainbow ripple baby blanket by Celeste Young  

There may just be an empty bag ready for filling up with nice new yarn and all its potential! 

Hope you crafty stars are aligned for action.

August- Where exactly are you hiding?

There was a little knitting action in the craft space.

There was finishing and plenty of starting!

For the OPAM record, a couple of days late, 7 finishes last month.

Three of them are the same design worked up in different yarns for wonderful effect, as I worked the first one in an Angora mix the working name of this design is fluffy bunny colour. Ha! In the picture they are the white(angora mix), the green(100% alpaca) and the orangy/pink one that is a beautiful merino single.

The red cowl is another new design, Deloras will be ready for testing shortly.

The father's diamond socks went down a treat after I rushed to get them finished when the celebrations were moved forward a week so the parents could enjoy a trip with my brother and his truck. They're currently enjoying a little outback adventure. 

A pretty pink headband accompanied me on a run around kind of day, it's a fabulous project for on the go.

The mythical wings shawl, that's the one with all the bright stripes is a test knit for the Gabrielle. A very clever design that gives a nice triangle shape without all the stitches of a top down design.

It was a big month of knitting and finishing, the needles are currently waiting patiently while the hooks are having a turn. Haha!

Hope your days are sunny and bright.

So what exactly does 5 kilometres of yarn look like...

when worked up into fun (or not so fun) projects?

Stashdash is a fun challenge organised by the KnitGirlllspodcast.

Red cowl/scarf in Bendigo woollen mills vintage

Just like any fun challenge there are various goals – this year the choices included, 3k, 5k and for the organised dashers there was a 10k. The challenge includes WIP's so those in the know line up a whole lot of almost done projects for finishing during the 7 week challenge. 

As a new comer this year I was very unprepared with only a couple of small projects on the needles at the beginning of the challenge, but a little crochet project put me in the running for the 5k so I just knitted through all the hours to make the goal a reality.

I know you've seen this before - Pastel star blanket in Patons Big baby 4ply

The rules are simple, there are no restrictions on using old yarn or finishing old projects, any yarn in your possession is considered stash, no matter that it came into your possession during the challenge.

The white collar - fluffly like a bunny - Bella baby angora mix - beautiful

I was pleased with my finish including finishing The Father's socks which pushed me over the finish line on the last day.

Diamonds on a sock for The Father - Bendigo woollen mills Luxury 4ply Denim colour

 Everybody has their own strategy for keeping up the momentum over the challenge period.

Red Vest - in Moda Vera Faith

I could have made the challenge a whole lot easier by working on tried and tested patterns instead of playing around with new designs.

Next year I may even be ready with several WIP's lined up at the starting line.

Diamonds for Helen in Bendigo Woollen mills Luxury 4ply - Lake colour

13 - Projects completed – Diamonds were a huge part of it – Dad's Diamond socks, Diamonds for Helen shawl, Diamonds in a Hat, there were diamonds on a headband (or four), Moon beams, Holiday Affection, Pastel star blanket, Fluffy like a bunny collar, a red cable cowl, my new red vest, my socks with hearts, the second sand tracks scarf, and a headband featuring the cable design.

All together here - lots of squishy yarn fun and no serious dent in the stash

Love me some yarny fun.

Hope your Wednesday is wonderful.