I don’t blog much anymore but I still do a lot of making.

This last week I finished my Milobo Cardigan.  The ribbon is black velvet.  I like the look of it through the eyelets but don’t really know how to tie it to look nice.

I made a needle roll for my circular needles.  The green fabric was a gift from Sheridan long ago.

And I got all of my blocks back from the Chaletgirl block swap.

I really enjoyed being part of this swap.  It was such a small commitment and really easy to do.  And look what I got in return.  I have no idea how I am going to lay them out but I want it to be a little more interesting than a simple 9 patch quilt.

I have also cast on for a Jo Sharp jumper (a few times).  It should be going faster than it is but I am taking my time.  I have also had to rip back a few times too because I want it to be just right.

The yarn for the project is so yummy, and the most that I have ever spent for one knitting project.

While in Melbourne I made a special effort to drive out to Bendigo just to go to the Bendigo Woollen Mills factory shop.

It took almost 2 hours to get there and the weather was shocking for driving. It was 9 degrees when we left Melbourne and almost 5 when we got to Bendigo at 10am.

It is a well laid out shop and I really would have enjoyed myself if I didn’t bring the kids with me. My little boy also thought he was in heaven walking into a room filled with squishy “balls”. So once strapped into the pram, he didn’t stop screaming to get out. And my little girl was overly helpful. So even with the distractions I managed to buy a “shitload”.

This photo is from the bargain room looking out into the main store. I was too embarrassed to get my camera out in front of the assistant.

I bought

3 balls of 5ply colonial in Brown



3 balls of 5ply classic in Smoke (for a new milobo)



1 ball of 8ply rustic cedar fleck to take my total to 4



1 ball of 8ply cotton in latte to round out my collection of BWM cotton

then 4 balls of luxury (2 pink,2 white) for my sister

1 ball of red 8ply for Alison (we must catch up for dinner soon, at least to give you this wool)

and a ball from the bargain room 8ply blue/red for my dad – cause he wants an ear flap hat.

Not too bad. 2.8kg of wool for just shy of $130. I also needed to buy a vacuum space bag to fit it all home in my suitcase.

The colonial brown and the blue/red where the only things that I managed to get from the bargain room. And they weren’t significantly cheaper. I guess like all factory outlets you have to be there at the right time.  I probably would have found and bought a lot more from in there if I had the time and the patience (sans children).





Regardless of my lack of bargains, going was a highlight of my trip. It was awesome just to see all of the wools together and compare colours and to squish the balls.

The kids ended up having a good day as I took them to an indoor play centre (Bendigo Fun Factory)  to let off some steam for a couple of hours before the drive home.

I have never really been into dying yarn before. For my last swap I bought my swapee some Kool aid sachets from wired for fibre, so I got a couple for myself just to give it a go.

Now it astounds me that people drink this stuff. If it is toxic enough to dye then it can’t be good for you.

Anyway – the three flavours I got were tropical punch, mango and black cherry. The wool I used was spotlight basics 100% wool in cream.



I used wired for fibres Kool Aid 101 tutorial which was just fine.

First I wound the balls into a hank using my niddy noddy.



Then I soaked the two hanks in cold water for about an hour.
I put the sachets into old soft drink bottles and put about 1 cup of water in each.
The first ball (in my lasagna dish) was quite wet still when I poured the dyes on it, so the colours blurred a lot.



The second ball (in my pie plate) I wrung out so it was just damp. This tended to hold the colours a lot better; not so runny.



I used my food dishes because you cover them with plastic wrap and microwave them.
And to my surprise once they were cooked the dye was set. The water around the wool was clear. After letting them cool, I rinsed them off and hung them out to dry.



Then wound them into balls.

The one that was wetter is a lot more subdued where the colours ran together. The other one has quite distinct areas of each colour.

So now what do I do with them.

I guess they will just sit and wait for something to inspire me.

I really should do a knitted and crocheted swatch of each just to see how they look.

But now that I have had a go at dying I don’t think I will do it again. It was fun …. but not for me.

I have created a totally huge and totally unachievable queue on ravelry.

I have a small stash of yarn destined to become things and I am determined to make them all.

My projects are

1.
february ladies sweater by flintknits

from 3 balls of BWM black alpacca

2.

top down round yoked cardigan by milobo

from 3 balls of BWM Rustic in cedar fleck

3.
Lilta Dinum by Cheryl Oberle from Folk Shawls which is a knitted faroese shawl. This will be a challenge and might be beyond my skills.

(this one is by toomuchwool)

using my BWM 2ply in havana

4.

Cinnebar Crochet cardigan by Doris Chan from Everyday Crochet

using some brown wool that has been in my stash for years

5.

another eva shawl also by milobo at without seams

using my BWM 3ply cone in moss

6.

a crochet lace scarf using one of the patterns from this Japanese Crochet Stitch Dictionary

using some plum laceweight Habu

If I manage to do all of this then I will spoil myself and buy some Kaalund Enchante silk in poisettia

7.

to make an Arrows stole by Annette Peavey.

this is vhanna26’s

Its a doozy of a list isn’t it.  I reckon that if I try and complete a project every two months I might get through my list by the end of the year. Then I would have all of these new knits – 3 cardigans, 2 shawls, a scarf and a stole.

This is just my knit/crochet list.  I have lots of other sewing/quilting projects that I want to do too.  And all of those pop up “must makes”.

This time next year I will look back on this list and see how I went.

It is going to be a big year!!

I also made Emmeline a February Babies sweater. It is from Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Knitters Almanac. Funnily enough it is the February pattern.





I used Bendigo Woolen Mills (no surprise there) Mystique. This would have to be the best yarn that I have ever come across. It is a 75% wool 20% mohair 5% alpaca blend and of course it is being discontinued so there is limited colours left. I used apple green.

I used 5mm needles because that is all I had and it seemed to give the fabric a nice drape when I did the swatch. So I don’t really know what size I made, I just hope it fits her next winter.



I was a little selfish choosing this particular pattern because it was sort of a trial run. I really want to make the adult version. I have 3 balls of (you guessed it) Bendigo Woolen Mills Black Alpaca ready and waiting.

I figured that if I could do the baby version I would get a good idea about he construction and see if I was even capable of knitting a bigger one.



I hadn’t knit in a long time and although it wasn’t overly difficult, it was a little challenging. EZ (aka Elizabeth Zimemrman) writes her patterns more like a recipe than line by line instructions. I did OK.

There are a few mistakes in it and I stuffed the lace pattern a couple of times – obviously while watching TV or screaming at the kids.

But overall I am pretty pleased with it mainly because I made it all by myself.

Once I finish hand quilting (BTW what a stupid time consuming idea that was) a lap quilt for my little girl, I will cast on my black alpaca February sweater.

I needed a quick crochet fix after doing lots of big projects.

The fat bottom bag is from the Happy Hooker book. I used my some leftover red Bendigo Woolen Mills 8ply cotton and 5ply wool. I held the two strands together and used a 5.5mm hook. Both yarns were different reds but together they look great.






The bag turned out a lot smaller than I anticipated, but I love it. I fits so much … stuff. Great for just ducking out the door with the necessities.

I was just part of a rainbow swap on ravelry – in the australian swappers group. (I apologise to those not on ravelry).

It was a pretty simple swap.  $25 budget with the requirements of including at least one ball of red yarn.

I got a package from K10.  There were lots of red goodies.  Some are pictured below including some beautiful Habu lace weight merino. It is the most delightful plum colour.

I have been admiring this arrows stole pattern for ages and this might just be the perfect yarn for it.

I sent my package off yesterday. I took some photos but due to technical difficulties (damn camera), I lost the images.

I don’t think that I would call this afghan “exquisite”, it just happens to be the name of the pattern by Terry Kimbrough that I made for Sheridan aka Chalet Girl.

When I first learned that Sheridan was going through IVF again I decided to begin a crochet afghan for the new baby.  I chose to crochet something because I knew it was something that Sheridan couldn’t make herseIf.  I chose the pattern and bought the wool and began immediately.  All the while, every stitch I was thinking of her and her little family, hoping that the whole IVF process would work and thinking positive thoughts for her.  Almost like a prayer shawl.

Anyway, I have been keeping this project a secret for so long.  I gave it to her while I was visiting because there was no way I could wait another couple of months for the baby to be born.  Here it is in her baby girls room and this is it on ravelry.

I decided on a Terry Kimbrough pattern because all of her patterns are not only beautiful but have that heirloom quality about them.  The exquisite pattern is on the front cover of the Heirloom Afghan for Baby booklet . I bought my copy from crochet Australia.

The wool I used is Bendigo Woolen Mills Classic 5ply in Holly.  I really wanted to use a gender neutral non traditional colour and I thought that red was the perfect choice.  I bought 3 x 200g balls, but only used 2 – about 1000m (1100yds).

The pattern is surprisingly easy and I didn’t have any major problems.  Considering I only started crocheting Xmas 07, I am extremely happy with the end result.

I finished the main body at the end of march.

I dragged it out again in June and not long after I found out the recipient was going to be a little girl.

Then all of a sudden it was finished.  So I made an effort and blocked it.

And it was well worth it.  It turned out really well.

And now here it is where it belongs. In a little girls room where it will be used and loved. Maybe not made “for” the baby but it was made for my very special friend, whom I would do anything for.

xx

Quick news flash for those that live in Sydney

I was looking at Virgina Farm Wookworks’ site yesterday and noticed a banner saying that they are having a market day on 3 Sept 06 between 10am and 3pm.
I emailed them and this was part of the response I got from Jenny

The banner is advertising a monthly market day on behalf of the Black & Coloured Sheep Breeders Association where members sell fleeces, carded wool, natural coloured and white yarn (handspun and commercial), hand dyed yarns, finished goods such as hand knitted/woven scarves, socks, jumpers, etc 

They are located in Annangrove in the Hills District which is only a couple of kms from where I live.  I haven’t heard of the market day before and I will definately be popping in to check it out.

Before I did my chores today I went to the two local wool shops and made a small purchase from each. I had to use lots of self control. Very proud.

From The hornsby Wool and craft nook I bought two balls of Jo Sharp, Alpacca Kid Lustre in cork. It is kind of a pinky, mushroom grey/brown colour. I am going to use this for the day flower scraf from Stitchin Girl for my holiday project
I also bought a ball of Sirdar DK cotton in bright purple from Cherryhills. My plan is to make some bibs, washcloths and other baby things for a friend who is expecting her second child. They don’t seem to be exactly the same weight/ply but I am sure that they will knit up ok. It doesn’t bother me that much, I will do it anyway because I just love the way the colours look together.

My bolero patterns also arrived today. That was so quick, I only ordered them about 5 days ago. I knitted up my wash cloths for my swap (more about that tomorrow) and the Heirloom cotton is lovely to knit with and feels so soft. I will get a couple of balls in white for one and use some Wendy DK cotton that I already have in mauve for the other. Then all I have to do is ship them up to mum for her to make them. Well, I have to make her feel needed.