A Quik Chat

Yesterday morning!

It was 3 degrees at the coldest point that morning early!

But this was tucked up nice and warm inside to finish drying! This strawberry icecream merino angora handspun is destined to a special person who I will not name in case they see this page!

More stuff through the mail,kids fight over who takes in the red card to pick up the parcel ! There for a while they would ask as I picked them up from school "can I get the parcel today?",and be dissapointed when told" no, there was nothing today".
I have just recieved a parcel from Norway which held the ragg wool that I ordered a while ago from a lovely lady who was offering free freight! Enough for about two pairs for me!

This was through Ebay but Nicole Bow has since started up an online shop where you can source all different things from Norway,including more ragg wool!! I love the outfit that the girl is wearing on the opening page!Have a look www.greatnorwegianstuff.com ,I like to see the landscape photos of other places probably "cause they differ so much from our own.No wonder Europeans say wow when visiting down under!

I am going to use this wool to knit some warm socks(what else!) and am keeping an eye out for more of the thicker types!These socks will be just a basic sock easy no brain ones!

And another of my favourite 8ply sock yarn is the Filatura Di Crossa501, the last Fila that I did was a pair for my Mum(which I still haven't posted) and it was lovely to work with but not nearly as soft as this wool, to touch anyway.I have a strict list to finish, so as much as I want to!!!!These stay locked in the increasingly bigger Sock yarn Bin! Jane from Sweetfern( Ebay) has included some heel reinforcement and a sample of the yellow.There was a really nice green so maybe next time!

All the wattle is flowering around here at the moment and I have been wondering if thats why I have not been feeling on top of things,verrry crappy in fact,( even though I am still in the grip of this fluey type of bug). I had the flu shot at school a couple of weeks ago so am also thinking it could be part of trouble too! The last time I had a F shot was when I was only 8yrs old (my parents were spooked by a huge gossip thing going around that a very bad bug was going to hit the area so off we were dragged kicking and screaming to the doctors).

I am hoping that we will get some rain in July this year so the wild flowers will flower properly,we've been in WA for 6 yrs this Xmas and I have hardly seen any yet,only the little pink paper daisies and they were lovely!

Well things are looking very much on the go for the One Skein Swap, I am very busy planning a project to do with one ball or skein and I am really stumped as apart from scarves and mittens,what can I do! I don't want to felt as I haven't ventured into that yet, the skein itself should be okay as I have heaps in my stash,including handspun/dyed yummies! and a great friend in the LWS for ideas but the gift thingy.......The more lucky peoples have found the One Skein Book!www.oneskein.blogspot.com/Though with the samples showing knitted cupcakes, I would like to see more inside before parting with some hard earned sock wool dollars. I'm not sure if we 'talk'to our Pals or just answer the questionaire, but being the first time I have done this, maybe I will just stay quiet!

Well I managed to post a bit,I beat my teenage son as he commandeers the computer when home from work and I can usually only have free rein at 430 in the morn!

• I have cooked tea/dinner(pasta bake tonight!) and then I will
• pick up kids from school,then
• have to be ready to go to a School Council prep afternoon at 430 to 6(another first for me) then fly back and
• pick up kids from home then back to our school to attend a school Country Week meeting......Biggggg Breath...... so Son No 2 has a chance to go in the Hockey team in Perth and
• hopefully remember to put some fuel in van in between!

I really feel like crap,

Oh I also have to do reading with No 4 son who is struggling, (he has a learning disorder) and he has a new Dragon of a teacher who will probably do wonders with him but is very pushy,and not very happy when told ,no we didn't do reading last night as kids were over the top and they are lucky to be alive this morning...........

Stay in tune,I have some wool angora handspun soaking ,waiting to be transformed into some gorgeous pinky something!

Whoopeee

I found out yesterday that Pat has another hockey game today(must be to make up for the June long weekend) so I HAVE to go in for a 5 oclock game,which means I can drop him and a friends boy off at stadium and fly down town to Kmart and grab a bit more of the Clinker yarn for me to play with(please note yarn diet long since gone!) and this time I shall also get 4 balls of black to make a plain v-neck to wear over school shirt at work,warm,practical and son no2 shares same size as me, so economical.
I am trying to be good as I have found some nice fleece,in my fav colours too, that I want to try with the spindles that I have just recieved from Canada!I have plenty of stuff here, buuttttt,(long pause) I want this particular type of fleece and any excuse will do! Shhhhh DH might hear......
Has anyone tried spindle spinning ? I have some info with pictures so will learn by trial but hearing from others would be great!

Edit,Mission accomplished,

• 6 balls white clinker
• 6 balls Black for work vest!
• 2 sets needles
• more rows counters,Lost old ones

Now I think I did okay,my other secret purchases are safely in reach...........................

Some progress

I went and took some piccies of a few things ,then rang my Mum for a usual 3 hour weekend chat ,and finished a few little projects that I then didn't photo.....however

This is a jumper I did Winter 2004 and on surfing some journals(sounds better than Blogs) I came upon a person(please forgive me,I can't remember who) knitting a Savannah from Nundle Mills(Minx Knits) and this person was worried that a certain colour was a bit standoutish so I am posting my jumper to show how the bright Sweet Pea colour from Bendigo(thought Nundle mill wool a bit coarse).My point is, I was worried too, but when finished it was just right and still earns comments even today when it is my least worn article!

Kogo skull cap is actually finished,I will get a "model" tomorrow if I am lucky as it is quite good fit on a 7 year old.

The best bit I have more left over to do the scarf,and that I am fudging as I haven't done a childs one before! 30 sts on 41/2 mm needles,soft rib and just wide enough to wrap around a childs neck,I hope anyway!

This is my Clapotis,Yep I joined the club in making one,I haven't used any markers as I found it easier and faster than to negotiate around the fiddly things.Its done in a lovely burnt orange Zivargo and it hasn't come up very well in the light but it is quite lovely! Now I have got to the first dropped stitches and it appears a bit too soft as it is 8 ply and the original calls for more of a 10 ply,and I have used 5mm needles ,probably a mistake but I was after a softer one anyway(well thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it!) Its a gift so am pushing to get it done!

Now I have finally picked up the Country Silk 8ply that the lovely Beatlewear has already finished so at least I can see how fantastic it looks, and am glad the girls at Cheryls (LWS) talked me into getting this colour.I have asked them however to put away 8 balls of the lighter green as I still like that colour too which is destined to be a vest like the cashmerino(Heirloom) pattern in a Australian Creative knitting Mag had some time ago!I really want to do a Jo Sharp vest(same mag) but all the projects keep popping up!This new purchase is my reward that can be started upon finishing the clapotis!

I found some goodies in Kmart yesterday, but as I had DH and Kiddies with me I couldn't focus but this was a obviously a good buy.I won't say a great buy till I have done something with it of course but the bonus is the meteridge ,machine washable and pure wool! I opened my mouth too much and have had two people ask me to do hand dyed socks for them and of course I said I can(kick me KICK ME HARD) no time to do my own fun spinning bits and experimental patterns and I had to do this! My fault,I am too nice,these people don't knit and I can't help but share the joy of colour and form.NO I am not just showing off either and neither am I going to make any money.They will only paying the cost of the materials! Kmart have this big sale and half the stuff they had I haven't seen in there before, I would like to go back and get some more so hoping it is a stocked item.I think I payed just under $3 each , 25 to50% off,its reasonably soft so I will see how it goes!

I love this froggy photo,Hanging On is its title ,I pinched it from a journal from some guy in the USA ages ago,I look for these sorts as I find them inspiring..............darn it I just love photography..........

I have these two portable projects I carry everywhere for those few moments when a couple of rows can make a difference!

This the latest Kogo beanie which I changed to a skull cap style thing more to alleviate the boredom than to be different but I think it looks neat.I will get one my boys to model it when finished!

And the Patonyle pinks is still going!!!!! Poor hing is alone too,I really do a lot of knitting and have a plan in place to finish projects: 15 mins at smoko (school) to work on Kogo, 1hour or more at night before sleep, locked in bedroom away from kids who should be asleep(they do if they think I am!), and a few rows while things like posting ,cooking(burnt chops,he he he),sitting in car waiting for school bell(but only on cool days! I think every knitter does these but the first two are nearly a garrantee(unless DH complains of course!

And lastly I couldn't help but have another rose..........

Behold the other rose purchase,a Pink Peace,I haven't seen one in full bloom and couldn't resist,Nurseries are the same as Wool Shops to me ..........

PS Isn't it huge!!!!!!

I don't know if I have been blind or just out of touch, but has anyone seen www.beadopalwoolqueen.com.au/store.html, I just finished buying some opal wool and she sent the address on the invoice! Its about time we had access to some different opal at affordable prices!

Edit,The blog won't link to this site but thats the address!

And this is the silly jonquils that have jumped up at school,mine are covered in emerging flower buds just in time for them to be hit by frost!
We are having some very warm days but the nights are really fire hugging!
Cheers

To all the Mums out there, hope you had a lovely day(spent mine watching No 3 son playing hockey in Kal so no sleep in for me!)
But they were ready for me first thing with all the goodies they had managed to secret away in their little hidy spots with items as photo frames(very nice ones ) candle holders,cards,character soup cups(huge), bath salts etc
My DH not having planned anything as per usual,gave them $20 this morning, to go shopping at Waldecks(garden centre) and of course I leapt at the chance to get a Eureka Lemon and an Empera Mandarin, that I had wanted for a while and also managed to use a gift voucher that I had been given last year for my******* B'day,,,,
In short its been a great day!
Cheerio all..................

Not much to show

For this week as yet,might to try to swing a couple of photos tommorrow. The weather has been lovely here during the day but crikeys 5 in the morning is curling the toes! We had a light frost on Monday morn and our lovely science teacher Terry told us cherrily that it was 1' in Kal when he was out doing his walkies before coming out to Kambalda.Something I didn't need to hear as my fingers were decidedly numb even inside mitten(not hand knitted ones yet, as usual too many things on the go)
Heres a photo of another gehko that the boys found,no idea what he is but he was feisty little fello and gave No 2 son a real nip on the finger!
There a photo! Not knitting but at least its not all boring writing, see how I go on weekend.......

Isn't it fantastic, I woke this morning to hear the Tassie miners are out and safe ,at last!!!!It brought tears to see the reunion they had with their families and to see them walk was wonderful!

Here is the St Ives Mine Resue Team thathas just completed the competion(above ground) and did very well!

They came close by a whisker to getting alot more awards but as it is they

• were awarded the Best New Team
• First aid
• and came 5th in the 15 teams that competed!

They came very close to a couple of other wards but they were thrilled with what they won!

And I am back at part time work which is great as I can be home before anyone else and get a little peace before the boys arrive! I shall miss the extra money as all the this months full time work went into paying for a great big stove and new washing machine! However my partner is expecting so she will be on maternity leave in the next couple of months and I will resume the full time job for while!This months has been great as a training time for mr to get used to being on call and all the organisation that comes with the job! I particulately enjoyed each days routine so that the maximum was achieved !

See these handsome fellas, these are some of the mine rescue team that are training here in Kambalda at St Ives which on Lake Lefroy.Not exactly sure what their base is called but thats it roughly!
I put this in ( hope they don't rouse on me) as a thought going out the team of rescue people who are at this moment trying to release the two fellas in the Beaconsfield mine in Tassie. there aren't many training here(Kambalda) so they are very important peoples. These are the silent and often annonamous faces who risk their lives to rescue others! They know the risks and the danges to be faced when doing their job and most are volunteer!
One of these blokes is my DH( and I'm not tellin which one!) and already he has been involved with a few underground emergencies so I can say I understand what the Rescue teams are doing in Tassie and salute them for doing it!!!!

And isn't little fella gorgeous too, the boys found him one night after begging me to let them go out Steve Erwin style looking for lizards that come out at night! This little fello was actually more colourful in life than the night flash shows him to be! Hes on my hand so that gives an indication what size he is.I can't remember his name but will try to edit later for those interested!
The boys are so keen on this stuff that they have their own sites to tell all about their exploits!
Rest assured that this "slow" gecko was released unharmed back where they found him!


Here is a bit of progress on the Freedom cotton zip up(sounds better than cardigan I think) Very slow but I have heaps to do and its a bit boring and the cotton isn't so nice to knit with,hoping it will soften with the first wash!!!!!!!!







This is another KOGO beanie finished at last but I have started another grenn and gold one as the co ordinator sent another bundle of Totem and Cleckheaton this time with enough to do the scarf as well!
This blue/pink one isn't machine washable but was only$10 to knit while I was waiting for the second bundle so I though it was okay! I love knitting with these brands so I don't mind the same colours either .The Holiday one actually feels a bit felty but not bad to work with and it is made by the same Australian Spinners Group!
And this is my next spinning project,as after looking at Yarnivorous efforts I have split the roving into 8 lengths so I can try to keep the colours from mixing too much,well this the theory any way! All I have to do first is get the last of the White wool that has the wheel in its grip so I can try out this experiment!Should be fun!






Lastly this acute photo of my oldest taking my littlest to the little boys room while we were at the park on Sunday, he did this voluntarily and without be asked and it looked so cute watching T. looking after B.