Christmas knitting!

"Christmas Knitting"









The kids are home and the holidays have started at least for them as I will only have Xmas day and Boxing day but there is a bonus I can just get up in the morning and go to work so can be home an hour earlier ,no lunches to make and no last minute making sure they all have soxs and uniforms in their draws!!!
Christmas Knitting so far has been successful! I haven't finished the lovely Irish Hiking Scarf but have the address of the recipient and will post it to her!

Heres a close up of cables ,I love them!!!! As for the other knitting I was able to finish two pairs of Fetching in Tapestry and two washcloths in Sirdar Cotton DK.I can tell you that this stuff is gorgeous to work with and I will definitely be looking into a cardi or something for a coolish spring/summers night(like at the Community Xmas Tree last night,I was cold by the time I got home!!!)

Any ideas anyone? i have to check The new Jo Sharp Book there may be an idea or two there!!

This is the third cloth that I started just before the fireworks last night,They make lots of light they do!And funny looks I did get!!!

This is a really lovely ivory colour and I think I will use to make that cardi,the others were soft pastel colours such as powder blue soft lavender,pink and green.I teamed them with a small tube of hand cream from Innoxa that are all different "flavours ". This was a house pattern that I found on this address.I had it memmorised quickly and will probably do more later as a stock up for little gifts as I always seem to get caught for time!!!

The last and only half done is a lacy one that I will add later,in the lavender shade,again an easy one and rather enjoyable.These are intended for the two office ladieswho make my life easier and forgive me when I forget to take my securteurs with me or don't answer my mobile because the lawnmower is on......

Edit, The finished pics of last cloth....

I made amistake in nt adding a garter st border on the bottom and didn't see the problem until I had finished the pattern adn was about to cast off,I think its lovely anyway...

A close up of the pattern,it was easy to memorise and will probably do another for a late pressie for my Nanna...I gave this to a staff member in the office along with a tube of lavender hand cream.I didn't recieve thanks but the other lady was thrilled with the above cream one, though puzzled as to what it was and even confered with the registrar until I asked her for her opinion later(of the yarn not pressie) and she loved it.

As for the lavender recipient it will probably be the last handmade gift I will spend time on as it looks like office politics has been the issue(all because I asked my assistant to do her job properly,she thought she had a cushy position to come and go as she pleased,it was noticed by my boss so I have worn the blunt of someone elses directives and as the office person is friends with that family,I am the biggest B@#*@, but as I said to my boss at beginning of my position,I will be a great supervisor at the end of my term,she agreed.....I am a really nice person really.......I am very appreciated by everyone else,especially when I bring smoko in ,LOL.........

GTS

GTS, heavens is it Sunday again?


I have a great love of Grevilleas and these show why!
Grevillea sylvia,
This small tree is about three years old and for a while was an ugly slow growing shrub that although always had buds or a flower was decidedly disappointing for me anyhow!
This year it has thickened up and is growing a lot better so now I can enjoy its lovely flowers.From memory its around 4m in height but I will check on that.
I saw today on the ABC Gardening show, a park dedicated to these plants which are a member of the Protecae family (something I didn't know!)


















This time I have used my hand as a gauge to show how big these flowers can be in the ideal situations which has been a nice thunderstorm and mild temperatures.















I saw acouple more on the ABC that I intend seeing my local nursery about,one of which is called a bannana bush G.simplex, prickly but a strong scent, so thats one I will be tracking down with the other two I think were G. Bulli Beauty and G.Bulli Princess. These had fantastic colours and again the size of them is fantastic!
Cheers....

GTS

I managed to get some photos this week that I can post for the GTS so at least I can participate this week!!!
Last Sunday I was too busy doing my Resume,and everything was put on hold! Even the housework though I issued instructions to the boys to do a bit which actually worked as the house wasn't too bad!!!!

Hydrangeas, this a blue one that was donated by Woollies last year to the school and although there were originally 8 only this one and a pink one survived.Its a nice size and I hope it will gain some height this summer as the frost didn't touch it during winter.

There was a pink one but the light wasn't very good to get it just right and it didn't produce flowers as nice as the blue one.I am thinking of getting the soil tested in around both plants as they close but separated by cement walkway.The blue plants soil wasn't touched,the head gardener at time just planted it with some soil wetter but the pink one was treated with manure and soil improver that I added at the time of planting. It will be interesting to see how the colours bare up( if they survive next winter as the last was warmer than normal but there were a couple of black frosts that the lawns are only just recovering)

Lookey here I did take a photo of the pink one but as I said it didn't flower as well but at least the bush is fairly healthy and may do something later.

This week they will get a liquid feed of magic grow to boost them,interesting to see how they go with that.

This is the bed that the blue hydrangea shares with some tiger cannas so that has probably helped to protect them from the heat and the frosts.

Well thats my entry for this sunday and now I have to work on my own garden!!!!
Cheers..............

Saturday

I managed to get a reasonable sleep in or a doze in but I felt much better! I resisted the urge to get up to make sure my oldest made it to work at 6,I thought it would be good if he could fend for himself too.Poor DH has had to buy his usual bacon and egg burger at the BP and in saying usual I think he has been running late plus my cooking efforts lately has made this a pretty true comment . The kids think their throats are cut as there haven't been any cakes or biccies either!!
I have finished the basic cleaning but as usual it probably wouldn't pass muster for some as I have two good friends who don't care as they are true friends even if their homes look great!! I use the excuse that we are renovating!!!
I actually managed to get a couple of piccies.....














This is the possum merino that I spun up a couple of weeks ago,its quite soft and pumped up after it was washed. It was on the nose and I was not going to knit anything with it until that had been fixed.
A close up of the twist which has some variation in it ,but I'm happy and will start something with it after the Xmas stuff is out of the way.I'm thinking of a beanie with a cable or two.....









This is the Irish Walking Scarf that I started at the pool(I do not swim unless it is 45') waiting for the boys to have a cool off. The wool is 'Sensatation' an angora/wool mix that is nice to work with and fluffs up a fair bit after its worked.I like it but wouldn't knit a sweater in it as I think it would be too warm but scarves etc ,wonderful (at around $6 a ball it would be an expensive jumper). This is about 30 mins work though interrupted as always by curious onlookers who lately, have been girls trying to get to know me for the sake of my good looking oldest son,LOL.....














This scarf is for our 4th sons teacher who has done afantastic job of teaching him this year as he has learning disability under the High Functioning Autism umbrella.When she started in the second term he was still in kindy to preprimary level of reading though she reckoned he had less than that in skill. Now he is going into year 5 next year but hes at year 3 reading level and she has started him on the schools readers to give him a chance next year and issued instructions to us to pass onto the succeeding teacher that he's not do tests in a test situation but rather be evaluated during normal daily work! I think I will have afight on our hands as depending on the nature of the new teacher some do not take kindly to "interferance "in their teaching methods.Hopefully the Principal will reamin the same and he is very for parent interest.This teacher specialized in Auditory Memory and children with the problems that No 4 has.Thats why I am really trying to get this finished.














These the nearly finished mittens from Knitty, these are going No 4 s aide that helps him and the class where needed.She has been with him for just over a year and I had made a ribbed scarf last Xmas so I thoughtI would make matching coloured mittens for her.....Very quick but its findng time to actually sit and get them done.
Lastly a little herptology to finish(hope thats spelt right)!
A lovely little blue Blind snake, a Ramphotytyphlops australis, blueish because he is loosing his skin.
We rescued him from school as they all thought it was a venomous snake and really freaked! Should have seen their faces(teachers and staff not students,we don't want them to copy and pick up bities) when we handled it.The same went for a desert banded snake ,non venomous,of course and my "snake expert" son knew what it was and dived into the bucket to hold it in excitement. Never the less I gave him a talk about showing off in front of others who may try to copy him.
We have a few snakes turning up at school as its so dry and we do have afew mice popping up here and now too so thats bringing them in.
Only two w eeks of school and its been hot,40' on Thursday ,so am looking forward to the holidays so I can change my routine to do hard labour jobs in the early morning instaed of blowing the grounds.
Thats it for now I have to go and set up my new reticulation for the front of house (my DH is leaving me to do that and has said I..I mean Me....Myself is the expert on such things as this, can't believe it,I will take that as compliment as he is the one to take that title in this house.....)

Free at last free I tell you.....

Well I managed to sort of finish the resume,I am pleased with it but will be thrilled if its good enough to keep my job....Government jobs are so full of how to do it their way.You simply can't put what you can do and a work history ,its all about criteria and adressing it corresctly with the right amount of SAO s.

Anyway I have a great person at work who can do these blind folded and she has graciously offered to help polish it up a bit with a date to do word sleuth next Monday after lunch and as I have asked heaps of her and her time(shes actually using some DOT time to do this) that I feel very guilty and want o repay her with a small gesture.I can't see myself whipping up a pair of socks in a week though I could try!!!!! Any suggestions!!!!!!

I have nearly finished a pair of pink mittens in Sensation, started an Irish hiking Scarf for the firts teacher who has been able to get my Autistic,(high functioning) to read and I am writing a beaut letter of commendation to district office and all but as she went hiking in Tassie last holiday (on her own) this pattern should suit!!!!!

I have to do two, no, three tea cosies out of the Simply knitting Mag for my Boss,and two wonderful friends, a pair of socks(thick ones they are quik) for a sort of friend (only because I promised them ages ago when we were good working friends(we won't go into that here,never know whos reading)

There my online friends you can see what I have to do in this time.I always give myself tasks and then push to get it done!!!!

Oh another thing on list!!!! a latch hook rug,around 90 x 65 cm of a white tiger peering out of bushes,this was supposed to go to an collegue who loves anything tiger and connot find a tiger rug,I can do around 3 inches a sitting,do the maths,not much hope by Chrissy!!!!!!!!!
But dispite this panick I am so full of relief,my garden is calling along with the freedom to cook goodies,take kids to pool,sew(must do No 4 quilt,Mums Quilt,start looking at Dads quilt,hes looking like getting sick again) and knit and of course Spinnnnnnnnnnnnnn.....

I am posting this dribble and will be back with piccies(as promised before......

GTS

GTS....I took this photo this week,being thrilled to find it as normally these hold their flowers up fairly high.I am not sure of its name but will try to do so research...
This is a fairly straggly tree but the size of the flowers makes up for that,it would be great as a specimum plant in a larger garden/arbortorium!

Its Sunday again...I have been slack with piccies but hopefully if I can get some work done on resume I will have time to do them!
I have started a pair of mittens for a special friend for Xmas and still have heaps of other gifts to make,at least it hasn't been too hot yet,otherwise I will be doing a lot of quick shopping!
Green Thumbers

Heres my contribution.......

The first on left is a veiw of a group of natives in a garden bed in full flower,mostly bottle brush with a few like disomas scattered through them.There is a small gardenia but its under cover.At the back there some grevilleas and melaluccas that have flowered at a later stage!

The second one is a bed just developed and was the original spot for the roses I showed recently.The area was dug over and replanted with shasta daisies,mass planted with petunias and in among them are the original society garlic.It has proved very popular and has recieved many comments on the colours!This was an earlier photo so it has much more visual colour now!!!Garlic to the left and shasta to the right,I love these as they are hardy and will put on a display with no real problem though regular inspection for aphids in among the daisies is recommended!!!!

We have a long week shifting that mulch around to where it was needed the most and of course there a massive down pour of rain including hail on Tuesday (that got me out of going to the pool with the kids!!) and I reckoned there was at least 40 to 50 mm though one person measured 35mm on the other side of town.There was a lot of water going down our street.......

Its Sunday!!!!

yep its here again,and this is my first piccy as I am so totally pleased with it that I had to show it off...
now it doesn't look much, but this what it was carrying.....

Mulch! wonderful mulch...(sing a little ditty)

Isn't it just so yummy!!!!Lots of sticks though as its from Eucalypt stumps I think from the clearing in Kal where the new town dam is being built!

This was delivered last Thursday to the school as part of a donation from a company specialising in garden soils etc.The lovely Principal has given me full use of that pile( which doubled overnight) to apply as I wished to the school garden beds as I see fit....boy its like Christmas,i have been battling soil problems for a while and this will see a lot of water saved (and money too)

This a view of a row of nearly mature Alyogyne huegelii,a lovely hardy native hibiscus.I noticed that if left a bit dry it will flower much more profusely but it is a very green ,almost unnaturaly green as compared to a lot of other natives!
Heres a close up of the bush,a bit blurry but the wind was moving the bush about and after dropping my camera a few weeks ago it doesn't focus a well...
A better look at these gorgeous flowers on a small plant that is planted to the left in first photo!

As requested by several fello Green Thumbers, this is a close up of the Fire Embers plant I featured last week,again a bit fuzzy but you can see the typical Grevillea flowers!

Well thats it for the Green thumb,

To the kniting side I have recieved all my Blue Faced Leicster roving all 2 kg and it is gorgeous to feel but I get the opinon that the English mills are a bit odd with the milling as it smells distictly of sheep pee so it will be aired a LOT before I start spinning(at least I will have the house to myself,LOL)

Secondly I have finished the first sleeve of the Central Park Hoodie(I had to fog the two as I got the needles mixed up and wasn't sure what I used!)

ThirdlyI am lusting after this....louet its lighter than the Ashford Joy,I could take it anywhere.....

PS picies next time......

Green Thumb Sunday

Join
If you like,its going to be fun!!!!
Heres my first piccy for Green Thumb Sunday!

This is Fire Embers Grevillea,lovely little flowering ground cover,one of the last plants I procured for school for this year, as my budget is getting low.This Grevillea is worth growing for the flowers and I like ground covers as they help protect their neighbours from drying out too much!Not only that ,it has flowered continuelly for the last two months since being planted, with more buds coming!A close up photo of flowers would be handy so wil try to get that later!

Now this is my knitting blog but the Green Thumb has put this site as the main one to participate! So for knitting content,well it will just be on other days!!!!

Green Thumb Sunday

Help

Well not now ,Hubby found it where the kids had been so good and cleaned up,they put it where I wouldn't have found it for eons.
I actually emailed The Wool Shack to ask if they had anymore copys but luckily for me having found mine,they had sold out!
Thanks heaps to those who offered the pattern/book! There are some wonderful peoples out there!
I am really desperate!
IN the morning rush this morning (at 4.30) I somehow mislaid my copy of Knitscene Fall 2006 which had the Central Park Hoodie pattern in it! Does anyone know of a stockist online( in Australia) where I may buy another copy,this pattern is the only one I will do in it, so it seems expensive to buy another and not just cut losses, but its an easy and comfortable cardie!
I checked The Wool Shack and sent them an email as it wasn't on their magazine list,bugger so it may be sold out!
Anyone out there have an idea?
I have looked everywhere but its vanished!!!!!but will keep looking anyway!!

This week!

I have been busy at work through the holidays,The sports oval had to be cut down with the whipper snipper while the assistant was hand mowing as the clover got away after the ride on mower lost a spring .It has just been fixed with the generous help of DH as I couldn't have got it on with my hands not being strong enough(thoratic syndrome is also giving me gip and the large ammounts of spinning I have been doing isn't helpling either!)!I owe big time there now.......(DH loves to have me in debt)..
At home the kids have been doing the house work each day so they had a good time with their extra pcket money in Kal on Thursday!
I have nearly finished the second sleeve to the CPH and anticipate that tommorrow during my break after we mow the school lawns...
The spinning wheel has been going all weekend with the Moody blue wool spun and plied(bought that months ago from Hawthorne Cottage) and have started on some Possum wool fromNew Zealand(DH has nick named it Possum twat fluff to which I retorted that he will be wearing it as a beanie next winter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
The Possum is verry felty on the bobbin and I suspect it will give me some trouble plying as the Ertoel Wheel is fast and you have to have your wits about you and quick to boot...
Today has been very cool and windy,I think its coming off the ice too as it has cooled off a lot since the sun went down, Winter PJ tonite as DH is back on night shift.
We have had a nasty couple of weeks here as member of my H crew was killed in a mine accident and it wasn't good as H was on the rescue team and knew him quite well(though I didn't have the pleasure of meeting him myself as he lived in Kal)
It was a shock especially for myself as I had had a feeling of dread the day before that awful feeling that something wasn't right)but had put it out of my mind.
Being my RDO and having spent it in Town shopping I didn't find out until a "friend " called me after school was out. After telling me a 43 year old had been killed at that mine and then waiting for that to sink in(DH is that age and I had been out of contact all day) proceeded to let me now it wasn't him.I could understand a friend wanting to know if we were ok but she never called back so the general concensus is that she was only after gossip....not only did she frighten me ,she also had called my oldest son(16) when he arrived home from work, asking questions about where his father worked,but he was not aware of the fatality until I arrived home he was the first to greet his Dad at the gate just to reasure himself Dad was ok....
I cannot bring myself to be anywhere near her and avoid running into her at school,keeping myself at the other end of school until the bell goes for I am not sure what to say,i also get the feeling however that she doesn't want anything to do with us anyway from her lack of contact! Dh was furious as the information leaked from the mine too early as well so hopefully there will be afew pineapples going places out there...
I just had to get this off my chest so I apologise if my ramblings are boring,I will be posting some piccies of spinning shortly to live page up and on other news I have been on the hunt for some Blue Faced Leicester top and by golly I found some.. a long way away but fairly cheap I think at moment so I am enjoying my little find,also some alpacca fleece maybe tripping to my front door too,I just love new fibre....

Sock time

Heres the sock that is slowly coming along(down to heel now) and I hope to finish it this week(and pigs might fly!!!) LOL
I will have heaps left over too,its a bit coarser than I would have liked but being a five ply its fairly quick and just thick enough to make boot socks for my elastic sides next winter!

And I am so excited,this lace weight arrived this week,the magazine with the pattern for Icarus will be here shortly from The Wool Shack in Perth...Heavon knows where I will find the time to do it but its waiting for me,

The skein is some merino that I spun this week to clear the bobbins so I could spin that alpacca silk and merino that I have been trying to get to for the last month(or two) Its spun too,only 100g boohoo... I have to get some more as I think I got around 110m in a 8 ply, out of the roving that I had to play with, so I will need at least another 100 to 150 g to make a scarf.Its a bit overspun in parts but I am quite happy with it and only when I knit it up will its true nature appear.... picture soon....

Birthday Wishes

A big Birthday Wish to Shazza, welcome to the Club and yes!!!!! Life truly begins at 40...........

A flower from the outback,hope you're enjoying your day, cheers.......................

(an image by EdwardHung 2000)

It didn't take them long...

Just looky at these,has anyone tried them yet? I am dying to find out! Fancy coming up with the idea in the first place!
I wonder if you could knit in the cinema!!!!
Went shopping yesterday and bought the last of the Panda 5 ply(we think,its not labled) to play with 8 balls in all,as all the new dyes have arrived along with 400g of Moorit fleece that has me looking everywhere for the rest of my treadly as it won't do to use the Ertoel wheel,too fast!!!!The fleece was supposed to be fresh of sheeps back but its a bit stiff so with the weather warming up,I wiil be able to put it out in the sun!
Its a sort of dark caramel to smokey colour,I missed the lovely caramel one but this has a long staple, 6 inch, so I am happy to play with it.I must find someone closer so I can 'class "it as it comes off baa baa.
The wheel I was dreaming of is the Ashford wheel and I like the idea of being able to fold it away and take it places to show people how spinning is done(had a lot of surprises looks when I prattle on about spinning,especially when I am expecting a parcel.....)

this looks interesting too,I was looking at the adds on the inteweave site this morning !its fromLittle Knits in Seatle which I gather is in the States,I am sort of dreaming about getting a skein just to try it ,it would be neat to give to one of the staff at school and tell them what it's made of, Sea Weed....Looks very interesting,if anyone has used it let me know what you think of it.isn't it fascinating what yarns can be made now.....

Late as usual

Beware Snakes below.......down further I mean!

I am posting another quickly as I really want to 'talk 'at the moment!
H has taken son no 1 to KAl to pick a parcel up that he left in the shop a week ago and to get some parts for his bike!
We went to Coolgardie for their annual Coolgardie Day on Sunday(great day out but I have been left with a disgusting house and no time for this week to do it) and he was included in a demo with the BMX team from Perth so his enthusiasm has been stoked up again!

This from our front door(picture me trying to hold back three energetic kids wanting to play,dog included) it was glorious.....lawns are really greening up now!Heres another one as it will most likely be the last we will see for a while!

I went looking at the New Knitty and have already picked what I want to do!The wrap which although a bit finer than I would normally knit looks gorgeous, Serrono looks interesting as does the scarfy thing! Lucy looks niccccceeee too,imagining it in some purple merino silk roving from Hawthorne cottage! Desicions......

Must finish other things too!

I have decided my next big purcahse is the fold up spinning wheel that I had the priviledge of looking at at my Auntys house three years ago.It folds up like a flat brief case and is intriguing.Not telling Hubby,he will have a fit!! He is building a Blow cart for us to use on Lake Lefroy for weekend jaunts.... If anyone knows anything about the spinning wheel ,could you let me know whatever about it? I am researching it at moment and all I can remember is the price tag!!! $500 abouts(a big secret this will be )....

He wasn't impressed when I told him how much Fluffas haircut was going to cost too..$120..need I say more!

I will leave you with a close up of a very young brown snake the boys decided to make a movie star before I made them take the poor thing out to the bush...

I thought I would try to draft a post this time and add to it !
There are photos to download but too lazy,I mean too tired to get up and go out to get the Card .

Above is the Geraldton Wax one of the recent aquisitins for my new garden out the front of the house,everything I have put out there at the moment is at least, looking happy!

I managed to get the( CP for the KAl) started and relised that my tension was abit tto stiff so hav undone at least 6 inches ,or should I say frog back to ribbing and started again with 5.5mm needles and already I can feel the difference!
It was softer,I used 5mm as the patern said to but I can't find the card from Bendigo Wool to see waht It says about the aran wool! Its Denim in colour and I thought this would be more ageless and suit my casual life style as well(though I have been told to book this time next year for the Races where Hats and the whole dress up bit will be th eorder of the day)! The photo is a bit dark but as usual the wool is very nice in person! And gorgeous to knit with.

I have however already planned the next colour if this pattern is good to me!

I need to finish one more Dishcloth so I can forward it to the lucky person! The garterlac was a bit confusing so am going to restart it when My DH is on night shift and stick it until its finished.I am not silly but I found the instructions a bit puzzling to follow so nee to keep on it .With that in mind I will try another pattern and leave the garter one till I have the brain space to follow it.

We are looking at doing up our house here but are also talking about only the basics so we can think about moving to Bendigo for a change.I am not very happy with my lot and there may be more opportunities for th whole family.However We are earning a very good income here,and one son is in the student council etc ,another is settled with his aid,though the others including the oldest may like the shift.We can't afford to move really, but a bag each?(mine will be massive as I will not leave my stash,sewing machine .......) Of couse the politician son re councilor wants to stay also because he is setting up his lizard thingy.... oh what to do.....This is my Tibouchia,I was told at the Nursery that it has a lovely smell...When it came out I was sad to find it has no smell,silly woman..maybe when its happier?

One of the plants that have moved to my place(I planted the other one and its doing well)

I am thinking of starting a garden blog as I am always collecting photos of flowers and bits that belong in one!

This is one of the latest dye jobs and although I wasn't happy as I was working on them I am happier now as they have been balled up!

The blue is Mulberry with Raspberry and the three toned on is Mushroom,Oak and Raspberry!

Since I enjoyed this little adventure I have gone on to order some more colours including black,pale blue and few more that I can't remember by name but i am hoping to try Beatlewears watermelon colour way!

The pale blue on the right is a dipped ball method and I am quite pleased with it though I would have liked a slightly darker tone,maybe if I skein it and overdye it with the blue that is coming from Hawthorne Cottage! Just a bit as I was trying to imitate a Cloud colourway that I saw on Dave Daniels ,its Cleckheatons Country and so soft to knit with. The mushy one is by the way a PAnda brand that came in 100g balls and although I haven't knited a swatch yet looks like a 5 ply so am keen to do apair of socks!

Thats it ,I have managed to save this to adjust for another time and it worked!!!! so I am off to finish cooking tea! I'll leave with a close up of the Tibouchia.....