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.

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.

FNWF- I was there were you?

In keeping with yesterdays theme I started something new last night as well as adding some rows to the in progress projects.

You can see the finished hat on the left, the new cast on is the red on the right, another scarf/cowl idea, next up all the colours will be a hat for a little person and they're all sitting on top of the blanket in progress which is growing more slowly now.

I'll be around later to see what everyone else was stitching up.

Thanks Cheryll for hosting this fun event.

A long weekend here so I'm looking forward to more uninterrupted creating time.

Winter Woollies

A collection of woolly items completed in May...

Cables and texture hat in mystery 5 ply wool/acrylic mix

Dreamy sandtracks scarf in Shepherd 4 ply baby wool - two strands held together - one pale grey the other a blue multi.
If anyone is interested this pattern is currently testing here.

Heart a hat in two colour ways with hearts aligned at the top and bottom, both knit in Cleckheaton Country 8 ply.

Chocolate and cream variation of the Makallie Hat knit in Cleckheaton Country 8 ply.

Sandtracks 2 in one strand Shepherd 4ply baby wool and one strand Bendigo Athena 4 ply (at back)
and Watery Cables knit in 10 ply Cascade baby alpaca, a variation of the Sandtracks design.

Another heart a hat, this time with the hearts centred and knit in Cleckheaton Country 8 ply.

May OPAM thanks to Kris and Peg for coordinating this wonderfully motivating party.

May your woollies keep you warm this winter.

A little knitting

Using two shades of blue this time, one pure wool and one wool silk mix.

Lovely. 

On a perfect Autumn day.

Hope your weekend includes some stitches.

Dreamy...

The way my scarf project felt upon completion.

So I may have been sitting in my knitting space for most of this week!

After the false start last weekend I couldn't be more happy with this finished product.

Nothing like a deadline to get the needles moving at lightning speed.

Soft and drapey with lovely texture.

Finished and delivered.

One last picture posing in front of the pretty flowers.

Knit with two strands of Shepherd baby merino held together on 4.5mm needles.

The yarn was incredibly soft to knit and even softer after it had a bath.

I almost didn't part with it. I just wanted to pet it constantly.

Luckily I had some yarn ready to cast on another hat for the journey there and back so I could put this gorgeousness out of my mind.

Wishing you all a little loveliness in your creative space this weekend.

Remembering the sun

I love the way the angle of the sun changes the perspective of my view.

In this late afternoon shot, the sun gives me the height I lack and illuminates the water. 

My interpretation in knitting. 

The beginnings of a scarf this time, using one strand of pale grey and one of tonal blue, I'm getting some highlights in the fabric. 

I am enjoying the crispness of the morning and evening, and the sunshine between the showers of rain.

Hope you are enjoying your corner of the world.

The New Year has been all about the knitting...

but that may soon change?

Well next week will herald the beginning of the work year for me, I'm easing in gently.

I finished my new tank top while relaxing on New Years Day. The Noro played very nice and made the stripes the same on both sides of the front neck. Yay.

Catch in Gem cotton and Noro Taiyo sock

Next up was a simple garter stitch scarf (I know the pattern is called a shawl), it is lovely and light and the little lace edging was knit with the body and kept things interesting enough for this to move off the needles rather quickly.

Sweet Summer Shawl in Misti Alpaca -French Wine colourway

I started and am now at the hem of this sweet little short sleeved cardigan which should be perfect for the cool evenings to come. Well it will be if I get it finished before the cool days set in. Ha.

Ariane in Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury - African Violet

Unfortunately the Father's Christmas socks have languished while I worked on all these projects for me, but it seems I need to get the foot done in a hurry as I will be visiting the old people this weekend. Best get off here and get a move on with that foot!

Hope your 2015 is off to a fabulous start and your needles are singing.

Spring is coming

This week was a lot about being out and about...

An excursion to the wool museum at Geelong with friends for the scarf exhibition.

Lots of loveliness to admire there.

On a grey day I visited with the Old people and noticed all the colours in their neighbourhood, as while I live near the beach they live in the hills and the colours are very different there. There is an amazing array of greens in their neighbourhood at present, oh and the wattle is brightening the world too.

The hook has been busy with all the colours making this gorgeous pattern in cotton.

Playing with the special camera effects creating all kinds of fun patterns and getting ideas for future projects.

I made a dent in the basket of colours but now I have small left overs, there may just be more colour play.

I learnt in this project that all the 4 ply cotton yarns are not created the same but they worked together nicely. 

Oh, and the mother generously donated another bag of cotton yarns to the cause! Best get the hook moving faster.

Wishing you all the colours of spring.

Finishing up

Is what I did with my long weekend after I got up extra early on Friday to go to the local dawn service. In no particular order there were Elephant socks, the sock head hat and Diamonds and fur scarf.

All those pretty autumn colours were fun to work with but I may be ready for something in my preferred colour pallette next? I wish I'd ordered my new yarn last week so I had more choices of projects to work on next. Guess I'll just have to work on an old project or use some of the yarn I already have while I wait for new yarn. Hope you weekend was productive too.

Seasons..

A pretty scarf for autumn.

Yarn Freedom Spirit. Design my own

The colours in this yarn remind of me of autumn in places where leaves change from green to pretty colours before carpeting the ground. We don't have many trees like that here so it is fun to play with this yarn of the season.

The hook has been busy making more hats with leftover or donated yarns.
A pretty doily inspired pink/purple one and

red diamonds.

Both hats modeled by a fellow yarn ball, not sure what I will use once I've knitted that boring grey/green yarn?

The beach from a different angle.

The moon was coming up over the water, even though the sun was not yet asleep, it was very large.

Wishing you lots of colour in your creative space this week.

Start all the things...

right after I finished one sock I cast on for the second one and then this pretty yarn captured my attention.

It was very vocal too, so I gave in for some peace, it is autumn after all, even if someone forgot to inform the weather service.

The red and green really do match the colours in the main yarn.

The pretty autumn tones in the multi-coloured yarn are quite deceptive, just like autumn there are some very dark greens and browns in there so I'm thinking that I will need to brighten this up a little with the red fluffy and some of the never-ending green yarn together. As you can see the multi-coloured yarn is really just two strands of lighly spun wool which have been loosely plied together making it both soft and fragile. The entire length is made up of contrasting colours.

Not much else happening here while I readjust after the conclusion of Daylight Savings for the season. 

This week has been made up of a succession of Fridays and Saturdays for me I really have been challenged lucky I wasn't required to be anywhere early.

Wishing you a week as colourful as the season.

Clicking....

that is the noise my needles make.

Finished knitting the scarf and started another hat.

A little stitching happening around here, too.

Hope your weekend includes some stitches.

Finished, finished, and finished

I know makes a change from starting multiple items, hope no one is too shocked.

The warm collar matches the green hat, just right for Mr4 on these chilly mornings.

This purple rabbit has been waiting months for some stuffing - all finished now and sent off to her new home. I just found the old picture I completed the stitchery back in January obviously I got distracted and she was left languishing on the unfinished pile well not any more. This is a design from Melanie Hurlston's Sew Little range of patterns.

Finally, I sewed the buttons on my purple textured vest to finish it too, only a month after all the other work on it was completed and buttons acquired. It sure is just right for this weather and has had more than one outing already, cosy.

After taking a lot of photos's and not being happy with the way the colour looks on the screen I decided to go to the Bendigo Woollen Mills site to look at the colour swatch there and it looks very similar to my photo colour when in fact the actual colour is deeper. The name of this yarn is Purple Storm from the Luxury range.

That's two things off the just need a little attention and I'll be done pile. Yay.

Still playing with yarn and hook here more cosiness and a little frivolity.

Happy Creating in your cosy place.

More yarn and some fabric...

This gorgeous pink and blue yarn was just the thing to brighten up the grey days of the weekend past. I made another spiral scarf, this time for when Ms 7 celebrates next month.

I cut and stuck these Japanese girls from the Millamac pattern I brought at AQC last month, all ready for some hand stitching this week after work.

They are destined for a pillow case for when Ms 14 celebrates in two weeks time.

Guess I'd better sew quickly they need to go in the post.

Sure enjoyed having a long weekend, hope yours was filled with all the things you like best.

(even if you didn't get an extra day)

Happy Creating

Playing with yarn

I got busy and made some stars from Michelle's pattern printed in Notebook June 2010.

Look see a nice stack - what can it be?

A pretty scarf for MS -J.

The yarn is a soft to touch tencil and acrylic mix in really gorgeous golden brown tones, but the lack of natural light lately makes everything look dull.

After seeing this pattern made up around blogland, I knew I had to give it a go and had just the right yarn in my stash to make it in.

I used Cleckheaton Studio - mohair mix - in the most gorgeous deep purple.

South Bay Shawlette pattern free from Lion Brand yarns.

Other fine examples in blogland by Leah and Michelle.

Just the right weather for playing with yarn, got some more hooky goodness happening here.

As it is a long weekend there may even be some activity in the sewing room later.

Happy Creating