Branching Out

Progress on vest!!
I'm about 5 inches into the front of JT's vest so if I can just keep up the momentum It will be finished in a couple of weeks. Which is good because I'm itching to begin something else!!!!

A few people have enquired about the stitch pattern. To do it, you need a multiple of three stitches and it goes like this:
Row 1: K1, then knit the second stitch and before slipping it of the needle bring your yarn forward and purl it together with the third stitch. Bring your yarn back to the back then keep repeating these three stitches to the end of the row.
Row 2: Purl to end.
Repeat the two rows over and over and over -et voila!

Progress with Lace:
Here is Branching Out last week:


Here is Branching Out today! I'm happy, I'm feeling like a pro (please dont laugh at my chickenshit lifelines)


The Tribe:
I received a wonderful parcel from, my match Amysue. She's a clever girl and worked out that I do a bit of quilting (when I can fight my way into my terribly messy and overflowing sewing room) as well as knitting and so there was a lovely pack of fat quarters in 1930s prints in a peppermint green and violet colourway. The notes included did say that the name of the fabric story was 'Lilac Time' but I choose to think it is violet not lilac and I will make something for Bronte Violet from the wonderful Quiltmakers Gift book that Jade sent me when Bronte was born.


Also included in the parcel was some Karaoke which I've been wanting to try. I think I'll knit a Kueropatra's Snake Scarf with it, then there was some black gourmet salt - very unusual! (I am a total salt addict!) Some georgeous ecquadorean dark chocolate, a VERY hard looking jigsaw of buttons which the girls want to help me with - what fun!! And last but not leaset a georgeous hat and booties that Amysue thoughtfully knit for Bronte. What a fun parcel to open - Thanks so much Amysue!!!

Rustic Texture

I'm knitting this great vest for JT. I know you already know, it's called Rustic Texture, it's an old pattern by Jo Sharp. Here's a nice close up of the rib pattern, which I've seen in my Harmony Guide called 'supple rib'. Isn't it nice!

So, after a whole lotta knitting - I have the back finished and I'm a few inches into the front. I started swatching the day after Bronte was born. So if I can keep up the pace I could finish it by mid next month.....(touch wood!!)


What a stupid photo. One day I'll get my act together in the lighting and shot framing department.....

Pals, Secret & Otherwise

OMG!! I just got both the youngest off to sleep and two Kookaburras started making a ruckus outside the window.... Ahh all is still quiet - phew!!!!

I'm sorry about my last post peeps, I was letting the tiredness get the better of my cheery self. I'm feeling MUCH better today partly because there has been a few nice things happening and partly because I've had a few quiet days at home and a couple of good nights with Bronte in a row.

Firstly, I got a wonderful parcel from my One Skein Secret Pal, and then a lovely parcel from my Tribe buddy Amysue, and a cheer up ecard from my One Skein Secret Pal as well.

AND JT and I bought a new mattress and latex pillows as a third child pressie to ourselves and it is heaven!!! I wish I could sleep the whole night through in it, but since I can't I'll just be happy that I can enjoy that blissful moment of sinking into it two or three times a night instead.

My One Skein Pal is great. She's been in touch heaps and has sent a very generous parcel with TWO AND A HALF skeins (the naughty thing) and lots of bath goodies for me and the girls which are already used and didn't make it into the photo. The yarn is a hand dyed Alpaca/Merino from the Natural Dye Studio in East Anglia (UK) Isn't it wonderful! Just look at those cards they're hand made and just georgeous!! The petal bib from the One Skein book is for Bronte and she kindly put in the rest of the ball of Rowan Handknit cotton for me to play with. Last but not least is the wonderful beaded stitch markers that complete the ocean themed gifts. You have gone above and beyond One Skein Pal! I wish you would give me a clue about who you are!! The letter was lovely too, all sealed up with wax - Aren't Secret Pal exchanges FUN FUN FUN!!!


Staytuned for a shot of Amysues great parcel soon...

A week in the life of Stripey

I am suprised to discover that my last post was longer than a week ago. A longer break than usual for me. I suppose that my inattention to the blogosphere has been due mostly to the little bundle of joy pictured below and the fact that this week was my first at home alone with the three little darlings....


It was tough. Really tough. It coincided with Milly beginning preschool (which has shorter hours than daycare) and I am suddenly the daycare and preeschool shuttle bus. Unfortunately the shuttle bus times interfere with the sleeping and feeding routines of lovely number three. I'm suddenly feeling every bit of the sleep deprivation.

Nevertheless on the knitting front I did manage to do the following:

• Finish the back of JT's vest. Hooray now to get moving on the front so he can wear it this season.
• Complete three repeats of the double width Branching Out. (A big deal for me - It requires HUGE amounts of concentration which I dont always have at the moment.)
• Correct several mistakes in said Branching Out. (A huge achievement for me!)
• Pick up my wonderful One Skein Pal's parcel from the post office. (Oh it was magnificent- photos soon!)
• Go to the Stitches and Craft fair in Sydney and resist buying any yarn.

Photos of One Skein pressies and knitting soon......

Knitted Gifts

Here is a montage of beautiful special gifts that were knitted for Baby Bronte. Hand knit baby pressies are so special and we appreciate every stitch girls!! Over the last few weeks she's been the best dressed bub! Lucky it's winter!!


Clockwise from top left is Donni's Baby Bolero from 'One Skein' made from Patons Zhivago. Donna had plenty of time on her hands obviously because she knitted not just a hat and booties but the cardy and mittens as well. I'm not sure what they are knitted from but they are very snuggly and soft. Then Ailsa's georgeous Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino super stylish red coat. This coat also fits Gemma who is nearly two, so I can see it getting lots of wear! lol. Then Jussi's lovely fine cardy, machine knit from some wonderful 'fruit tingle' coloured Lorna's Laces.

We are very lucky girls here in this house. Rachael also sent a very generous package of baby goodies (below) and some hand made bibs made from Amy Butler fabric 'sew stylish' and the most delicious chocolate I've ever had. New Nestle Heaven, white choc with rasberry filling. YUM !! Of couse it did not get photographed because it was already gone.


Thanks so much girls! Bronte is having such a hard time getting dressed every day! There's so much to choose from. There's also more special knitted things that are a bit bigger that she hasn't worn yet so stay posted if you are an admirer of baby knits!! lol

All Knitting - No Baby Photos

So I've been knitting more than I thought I'd be able to with a newborn. Bronte was born three weeks ago tomorrow and the day after she was born I began swatching for a vest for JT that I've been planning for years.

I bought the yarn at a craft fair about three years ago from the Bendigo Woollen Mills stand and I'd been searching for JUST THE RIGHT PATTERN for that long. A couple of months ago I found it. It's called Rustic Texture Man's Vest and it's a Jo Sharp pattern that's out of print from about ten years ago. It was pretty hard to get hold of and Jeanette did her best to help me then Jo Sharp's office came to the party. HOO RAY!!

So far I'm loving it. I've almost finished the back. It's a rib called 'supple rib' where you knit one then knit the next stitch without slipping it off the needle, then purl the same stitch together with the next stitch. You repeat that for the whole RS row then purl the WS row. It makes this lovely rib with a kind of moss stitch in the middle. The yarn I'm using is an 8ply heathered deep red. I'm enjoying the knit. I think he'll get to wear it this season!! AND HE LIKES IT!!


AND in AMAZING LACE news. I've managed to knit one repeat of my double width Branching Out (see how its going to look double width in my cut and paste version below) without mistakes - woo hoo!! AND here is my home made magnetic device for keeping place in the lace chart. It's a shopping list magnet with a hole in it perfectly shaped to show a part of the chart so I don't lose my spot. It's working!! I'm having fun.

Trek to the rescue

Very soon after my plea about losing my template, the wonderful Trek from Trek Casts On just emailed me all the code I needed to resurrect my sidebar!! Oh mucho gracias Trek!! I dont need to tax my memory or buggerize around with all that html again!!!

Amazing Lateness Lace

Amazing Lace Challenge #1

Introducing the Team:
Team Leader: The Stripey Tiger- Newbie Lace Knitter.
Team Member: Bronte Violet - Very Newbie Lace Knitter.

Other Team members:

• Branching Out - Courtesy of Knitty. But I'm choosing to knit it twice as wide. (Perhaps a mistake for someone who has not knit an entirely lace item before!)
• Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool - Lovely and light, freshly wound into a ball and violet in colour. generously gifted by Cece.
  
• Red 5mm straight needles - stolen borrowed from Stripey's mum.

Team Report:
The Stripey Tiger and Bronte Violet are pictured here cheerily learning together about k3tog, yo, ssk and other complex manouvres in yarn. Stripey is as new at lace knitting as Bronte is to the world. Shown in the shot is a practice swatch as Stripey has decided (in her wisdom) to knit it twice as wide as the pattern suggests.


Here is the sample showing all mistakes immediately after accidentally knitting a pattern row when they have been knitting the purl row. (Bronte blames Stripey - "Get it together mum!!" she was heard to say during the debarcle) This is a minor setback for the team who have decided to frog the sample in its entirety and begin the 'wide' version with plenty of lifelines!!


Both team members would like to acknowledge the many helpful tips and encouragement given by Jae from Some Knitting Required.

Note:
The Competitor has already failed this challenge due to lateness of the challenge submission!
Perhaps she will do better with the next challenge??!!

Waaaa!!!

I've been playing with my template today and accidentally deleted more than half the buttons, links and stuff in my sidbar. It's all gone! Including my archive links, hit counter and EVERYTHING!!!! blaaaahh!!

What a DISASTER!!!! It's sickmaking! How annoying to have to remember what was there and try to fix it up!

Oh well! out with the old and in with whatever I choose to put there one day instead! *sigh*

Clever Tribe

We've been having such a nice time lately at home with our little newborn. We've just realised that we never have a holiday at home. If JT takes time off work we go away camping and see stuff so its such a novelty to have time to do things we never do like go out for lunch together, watch DVD's at in the middle of rainy days or go shopping together. Its great fun!

Bronte is still being a good girl and Milly and Gemma are still liking having her around. So far she's the best knitted for baby you've ever met if that is possible. Every time I see the knitting gals someone has a new special thing for her.


This one is a pretty amazing thing. It is the most georgeous blanket that Donni organised The Tribe gals into making on the sly for me. She even sent balls of yarn overseas to the tribe gals there and they sent back their squares. Donni crocheted them together when they were all here - all this and I had NO IDEA!!

Thank you all so much!! You'll have to let me know which ones you made. Donni put tags on some of the squares but some fell off before I had it memorised... It looks great on her cot and I did go to sleep on the lounge with it on my knees the other say so you'll all be happy to know - It works!!