Hello My loves!!!

So, its been awhile... Unfortunately what with uni and work and a few relationship catastrophes and a friend being in hospital, the blog has somewhat fallen by the wayside... I'm sorry to say that I was also a little scared to come back, it was so long after awhile, and then it just got longer and longer... So, as an apology, I send you a picture montage of my life in of late...

A teeny weeny blanket for a little girl, because he teddy was getting cold at night, and so clearly had to get her blanket... Its a very basic design, just basket weave with coloured rows, but it makes it interesting and used up a bit of the stash :)

The start of a shawl for my sister. I used the Holden Shawlette pattern, which was a nice started and suited the yarn quite well :)

These are some very sweet crocheted snowflakes. I made them to put on top of all of the Christmas brownies, just for something a little extra. I also put on each in all of the special cards :)

The brownies themselves, mostly all gone... With about 2 blocks of dark chocolate in them these brownies were like heaven, in a very heart attack inducing way... There were brownies and peppermint bark and caramels, and it was an amazing time to be living alone...

Lesson

I must not go to the op shop during my lunch break.
I must not go to the op shop during my lunch break.
I must not go to the op shop during my lunch break.
I must not go to the op shop during my lunch break.
I must not go to the op shop during my lunch break.

I ended up with 4 new circular needles, a HUGE pile of yarn, 3 photo frames, a half finished blanket and a dress. What do I do with all of this!? I have no space for the yarn I already have...

Hiatus

So, I finished exams and am now enduring the intense wait until 5 o'clock this afternoon, when all will be known (eep!)

I'm now working 6 days a week, as well as trying to fit in all the seeing people thats supposed to occur over the holidays. Trying to fit housework and organising my units for next year around all that is proving difficult. So, knitting has suffered a wee bit. However, I cast on for a simple double rib beanie for mine bestest friend. I'm also plodding away on my socks, and have taught my boyfriend's sister how to knit. Huzzah, another conversion!

The jumper is having a nap, because I just don't have time to do all of the huge drop stitch stuff, especially as my only knitting time is on busses and trains. I've been sorting out christmas presents, and I thoroughly recomend Oxfam for those that are confused. Its a donation to someone in need if you're american, and if you're in Europe, Hong Kong or Australia, you can buy some really georgous handmade gifts, which are often recycled.

In other news, I'm still going on with my super long socks. I started to get excited about my gloves again, and started to cast on, but then promptly realised that I'd lost the pattern. Normally, I would photocopy another one, but unfortunately this had all of my corrections added to it. Good move Mara...

However, there has been a slight issue with my fingers. Alas, I have broken two of them, and so have been struggling with the issue of knitting while half of my hand is splinted.. But, my splint is now gone, and I just have a finger without a fingernail..

Due to the coming christmas time, I'm taking a small hiatus from my regular knitting exploits. I'm dissapointed that the Yarn Harlot hasn't finished her new mitten pattern in time for me to make christmas gifts, but hopefully it will be done in time winter :) A sad point of me having to put non-christmas gifts on hold is that I do not get to continue with my Beekeepers quilt. This is dissapointing, because it is a really fun pattern. I haven't done a huge number of 'hexipuffs' yet, but I'm working on it! And, it is the first onlilne pattern that I've bought, so that quite exciting.

I am however continuing with a crotchet experiment. I'm just doing granny squares, and eventually they will be a very weird, oddly shaped quilt that will perfectly match my bedroom :)

TITLE!

Alas, a terrible fate has befallen my first pair of socks. I didn't mention this plan, but initially started trying to do a pair of Bellatrix socks. They were going to be all ready for uni next year, and when I run away from home to go to the harry potter exhibition in Sydney. However, they have been frogged. I'm thinking my plan of knitting them in 8ply (DK) yarn was not going to end well, but I was in blissful denial. They sort of worked for a bit, but then I got a bit depressed mid train ride, and realised that the lace runs pattern just wasn't going to work out. So, they're not just going to be a pair of standard socks. Admittedly, they will be knee high and in a verigated pink, but still.

Being in a rather warm country, its a little hard to do christmas knitting, because everyone's heads will be too warm for hats. But I will try. My baby blanket is having a bit of a nap, because its not very easy to carry around with me, so is somewhat missing out, due to the severe time restraint of having a life (I lie, its only because of exams. I don't really have a life...) But, I have finished the back and started on the sleave of my jumper, which is a rather fast knit, due to being in drop stitch and a HUGE gauge.

This means, that if I hadn't had a freak out about the fact that she's one of those annoyingly skinny, tall people, it would've been finished considerably earlier, hopefully in time for winter. But, no. Christmas is the new goal, me thinks. The gloves are still waiting for me to get excited about them again, but no doubt it will happen. Eventually.

Project Update

So, there has been a severe lack of blog posts for awhile. I know, you're devestated... *cough* Anyway, we can blame that on the exams. More about that later...

Right now, the issue is that of a slight disapointment. I live in Australia. Which is a hot country. And is not America or Canada. This means, I do not get sock summit. I do not get Rhinebeck. I do not get Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee's book tour. And, I generally feel a bit left out, because teenagers generally don't knit. And if they do, they're not super social or good at it. Unfortunately. So, Once I have a degree, and I know someone somewhere in le americas, I'm moving country!

Hence, I've spent a large portion of today looking up ravelry groups in Perth. Its not going too well. But, with the change of my work hours, I should be able to start attending the bi-weekly snb sessions at uni :) So, that brings us to exams. Not very fun, I must say. Trying to revise the entire Human Structure and Function course is a little boring, after 3 weeks. There has been a lot of palmcard writing, a lot of note reading, a lot of running away to have dinners with friends. And a lot of hiding from it all behind a nice knitting project. I still have about 7 on the go simultaneously.

So, we will move on to photo time.

Adam :)

The adorable recipient of my layette, in lemon yellow. A sweet little boy, only a few days old here. Because everyone loves photos of babies!

Jumper for Clare Bear

Adventure in glove making

 So, the progress on my second jumper. I have a very close friend, who I've know my whole life. She requested a jumper (admittedly, I think she was hoping it would be done at least during winter..) But, its pottering along. I find it hard, because its a little too large to carry with me as I travel the city going to work etc. However, I will get there in the end!



Now, a considerably more depressing project. I am, sadly, suffering from second glove syndrome. But, its not for lack of trying. that charming pile of orange yarn was once a quarter of an arm warmer, but due to calculus being unable to help me count, I ended up being about 10 sts short, making it much more toddler sized, rather than Mara sized. I also gave myself a strain injury to my thumb, because, unfortunately, DPNs do not seem to like me :( But, we'll get it to work eventually.

Now, a fun post :) My first attempt at entrelac, which will hopefully join some other components to make a nice blanket for an anticipated baby. So far, I don't actually have any indications that there will be a baby, but I'll pressure my cousins into it somehow...




So, on that fun note, I shall bid you farewell, as I have a super fun and exciting diagram of a nerve synapse to draw :)

Layette

So, the charming lemon yellow layette I've been working on is a-ok :) I sent it off to karratha this morning :) Because, every summer baby in the desert needs a hat, booties and matching mittens :) For patterns, I used the patons pixie hat, with adjusted cable, the booties can be found here, though some of it is a little hard to understand if your first language isn't English, and the mittens are here. Though, I did adjust both patterns so that they weren't solid garter stitch, but could concievably be a set. Yes, my spelling leaves much to be desired. And, I know I'm silly, and didn't take a photo before sending it :/ Sorry! Also, I'm super happy now, because I have a whole 2 followers!! HOORAY!

Monotony

I've always loved that word. Mo-no-ton-y. Its fun to say.. Anyway, on to the knitting stuff. I've finished my booties, and they turned out quite well :) The blanket has stopped being a one piece be all or end all, and now its going to be done in squares, so that when I get bored with something, I can just start a new pattern! Hooray! I'm back on track with the jumper, because I finially reached the armholes, so it wasn't just the same thing constantly. I get annoyed when knitting patterns are very repeditive.

So, my photography skills are lacking.

Anyway, booties. Yes, my room in the background is very messy. Its how I like it.. *cough*

So, the baby stuff is all working out fairly well, and I'm currently looking for a nice cardigan pattern for my first cousin once removed (Flynn, as featured here) There's also a pair of wristlets in the making, because my arms get cold while I'm at work, and I need to be able to type.

They're a pattern I'm making up as I go along, and will just be done in stocking stitch me thinks. I'm using a synthetic moda vera yarn, in orange, which has some interesting black bits intersperced. should be fun :)