New Yarn

Mama Llama bamboo sock yarn in "venice"


Miss Babs Merino in "Spring Violets"
This is going to be a Clapotis for me


Miss Babs 100% Cashmere in "autumn leaves"
I don't know what it's going to become but, I love it so much, here is a close-up!


These all came from the lovely Jen at The Woolgirl

Merino Cashmere Yarn

This is the divine Merino Cashmere Sock Yarn from Daphne at The Knittery.
It's so soft that I just want to use it as a pillow. Above is 'Warm Pinks' and below is 'Midnight' and yes, I have 3 skeins of each.
Daphne is donating $5.00 from the price of each skein of the 'Warm Pinks' to Breast Cancer Research/Charities.

Why 3 skeins oof each? I'm going to make a couple of fingering weight lace wraps or shawls.
Oh, I also got an Addi Turbo Lace Needle ------ gorgeous and really pointy for quick and easy yo's, I might try and sneak a couple in with each order until I have all of the sizes I need.
Did you like the way I said 'need' instead of 'want'?

This lovely blue and gold parcel is ready to be despatched to Courtney,
My Tea Swap 4 Pal.

I'd like to say it was being posted tomorrow, but, it's Geelong Cup Day.
Yes, we have a Public Holiday for a horse race, so, the post office isn't open until Thursday.
As I work for a national company, i'm off to work, my lunch is packed and ready to go.

I've been shopping

Oh dear, I've been bad. I had such great plans to not buy any yarn to add to my stash.
Then I had a trip to visit The Loopy Ewe then Wool Girl and The Knittery.

I've received some of the orders and the rest are still coming, some of the shopping was for Swap Treats, but, I must admit that most was for me! Oooooh, there are some yummy yarns coming and there will be photos. It's all either lace or fingerring weight yarn. I don't have any projects in mind, I just bought yarn that I loved.

My Tea Swap pal is Courtney, who in her blog today talks about Qiviut.
Yes, I covet Qiviut, I dream about it and perhaps I should go on a yarn diet so I can save up and get some.
Okay, I admit that save and yarn are not words I use in the same sentence and Wool Girl does have some in stock!

I've promised myself that before I cast-on any projects with the new yummy yarn, I'm going to finish two or three things that are currently on my needles.
Is there a cure for 'serial starting'?

When reading Lime & Violet's Daily Chum I was lured to
Skein Queen's Etsy Store.
Ooooooh, she has some gorgeous silk/cashmere.
I may have bought the Raspberry Mocha.

Where are the metal needles??

There has been an audit of the knitting needles, all metal ones have been put into their respective pairs or sets, tied with tartan ribbon (the world is a happier place when tartan ribbon is used), labelled with their size details and delivered to the RSPCA (the lost and unloved kitties or puppies will benefit) opportunity shop (or thrift store as they are known in the US).

The sales lady smiled knowingly and said "sore hands' when I took them in!!
Clearly, no-one should knit with metal kneedles.
So from now on it's plastic or wood for me!

I've just spent a happy half hour in my garden with a bucket of warm water on aphid patrol.
Yes, it's that time of year when the roses have lovely buds covered in bl#*#*dy aphids.
So, I patiently do the squash and remove with hot water.
I don't use spays as I like the birds in the garden.

Gardening is still basic as we are still in the grip of a drought, yes, I'm still showering with the 3 buckets which then get used to water the garden!
The roses are thriving on the tough love.
usually at this timeof year I'd be planting punnets of violas for summer colour, instead, I'm leaving the thrift and dianthus that have have survived and infact flourished.

I've received my 'Tea Swap 4' pal ------ Hi Coutney.
So, I've done a little 'on-line shopping' with a local yarn dyer,
Oops, I may a have also ordered some treats for myself.

Here is my questionaire for the Coffee Swap

1. Whole bean or ground? either
2. Fully-loaded or decaf? either
3. Regular or flavored? either
4. How do you drink your coffee? latte, cappuccino, mocha, short black.
5. Favorite coffee ever? not sure, will think about this.
6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do? i haven't met a bean that I haven't enjoyed.
7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee? chocolate, biscotti, jelly beans.
8. Anything else about your coffee preferences? only that I get to enjoy one regularly.
9. Yarn/fiber you love? any natural fibre
10. Yarn/fiber you hate? not hate, but, I don't enjoy synthetics
11. What's on your needles? lace knitting, some more lace and baby hats.
12. Favorite colors? purple, blue, grren, pinks
13. Allergies? none
14. Anything you really love, really don't like, or just need to get off your chest? Nope, but, thanks for asking!

I'd forgotten about metal needles.

They make my hands, wrists and arms hurt -------- even my elbows hurt.

My mother always knitted with tortoise shell or plastic needles, she said that metal kneedles made her hands ache.
I should have remembered this
Now I should explain that if mum was awake she had knitting in her hands, hmmm, that might be where I get it from.
Actually. my nanna and nanny were the same ------ it's obviously in the gene pool.

I'm making a pair of fingerless mittens for my bestest friend Andrea's dad (Norman), he has Parkinsons Disease.
He is having circulation problems with really cold hands, so, some left over Bendigo Alpaca is perfect.
I have the yarn, now, I needed new DPN needles.

Off to the LYS I go and the choice is Bamboo dpn's at $18.00 or metal for $6.50, it seems simple really.
Yes, I bought the metal ones and one and three quarters mittens later everything aches and the bamboo dpns are beckoning.

Is there something going on that I haven't joined recently?
The current tally is,
Knitters Coffee Swap Three,
Knitters Tea Swap 4,
Secret of Chrysopolis Shawl
Secret of the Stole
Mystic Wayers Kal
------- more details and some photos are coming!

Pathology Results

this 'fat lip' is officially 'a benign lession'
yay, for pathology results
Pearl slept through the happy news!

I've joined the Secret-of-Chrysopolis Shawl,
Now let me clarify that i usually join and watch these knit alongs,
but,
I've started knitting, the first clue has 89 rows, I went to bed last night having finished row 30,
the next clue is released on friday, I suspect that I may falll behind.

It has taken 3 attempts to get row 7 right, so, I have embraced a life-line, stitch markers and a heavily gridded pattern,
I'm using Mist Alpaca laceweight, which is a delight to knit with.

Ravelry is still fascinating, I just browse and go oooh, aaaah, a lot.
There are some amazingly talented knitters out there.

I've just had a phone call from my bestest friend of over 30 years, Andrea
Today is her birhday
Her question "am I 46 or 47 today?"
My answer "we were both born in 1960, so 47"
Her reply "I knew you'd know!"
Happy Birthday Andrea, see you for dinner tonight.