Fyrewitch's Knitting Adventures

The Week of Casting On

So finally my must do October knits are out the way. Now I can get onto my must do November knits. To my dear Pay it Forward people from all those months ago, I haven't forgotten you, and this will be your month.

This week I've cast on:

The Pretty Thing pattern from the Yarn Harlot. We had our ups and downs initially resulting in two lots of frogging and starting over. I'm well into the pattern now, and enjoying it thoroughly. And it is certainly very, very pretty. It's not for me - no use for cowls in sub-tropical Queensland. I hope the recipient will be happy. I'm doing these on my new Addi circulars. They are great, but my one complaint would be that they aren't quite pointy enough. Unlike Knit Pros, which you could use as a weapon if you really wanted.

A stole that I'm doing for Gabrielle from American Yarns in a gorgeous blue baby alpaca.

Not quite casting on, as it's crochet, but I've started a blankie for my cousin's oldest son. I think I have the perfect teen boy colours, so I hope he likes it. His mother will love it because it won't show the dirt.

I probably shouldn't mention the blanket I've started but not finished yet, or the two pairs of socks I still have on the needles. I probably should also not mention that I'm planning on casting on another pair of socks today - which will be a gift for the same lucky person who will be getting the cowl.

Have I mentioned that I would really love a clone? Or maybe the power of super speed. Hmm, the needles would probably catch on fire!

My Day

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then here's a few thousand words for you. A few photos from my day so far.

 

One of the things I love about this time of year is that it's Jacaranda season. I drive by this lovely specimen a number of times a day on my way to and from school. The Jacaranda is a Brazillian native, but loves the Brisbane weather. It's actually classified as a weed here, but how could you possibly call something that pretty a weed? 

 

It's also well and truly into the geranium season. This one is my favourite. It was one of the first plants I bought when I moved into this place, and it  hasn't missed a year.

 

 

Of course crafting is always a part of my day. I'm working on this blanket for a friend's birthday later this month. I'm actually hoping I will finish it today so I can present her with it tomorrow. She complained  a couple of years ago that I never gave her handmade gifts. I explained that was due to the fact that it was practically summer at her birthday. She didn't care. How lovely!

Once the wavy blanket is complete, I'll be heading to my mother's birthday socks, but I may take a brief detour ... I ordered some Knit Pro circular Needles from Kiri at Yay for Yarn! They arrived yesterday. So I may take a brief respite from gift related crafting to try to teach myself magic loop. Yay!

FOs

In spite of all evidence to the contrary, I have actually been  crafting my little fingers to the bone. I finished two items yesterday.

  I freestyled this little top for the Witchlet. (I love the term freestyled, it makes you sound all creative and free spirited, instead of the realisty of being too lazy to find and follow a pattern).

It's crocheted, all trebles, using Moda Vera Paul yarn that I scored cheap from Spotlight last year.

It's a little big for her, but she'll grow into it. She thinks it's great.

 

 

These are socks for my mother, to replace the previous pair I made her. She managed to shrink them. Onya Mum!

I've immediately cast on another pair of socks, as Mummy dearest's birthday is coming up. I've also got another pair on the needles, which I've christened my "Can't be Arsed" socks. I cast them on at about 11 the other night because the yarn was calling my name and I just wanted to see how it would knit up. They will probably just be house socks as the yarn is a bit too thick to wear with shoes, so I thought I may as well go all out in my laziness. I knit a row before joining, which is sinful, and frankly, a whole lot easier, and only did 5 rows of rib (which is my most hated part of the sock).  I'm wondering what other sock knitting blasphemies I can perform before this pair is over.

There has been crafting

With all the other excitement in my life, it's been a while since I've actually talked about crafting and given you anything interesting to look at.

So, here we go. I wavy blanky for Tina is complete!

Ain't it purdy?

I've also made a bookmark for a swap partner.

Cute huh?

And last but not least, I've entered dishcloth world. This one is also for a swap partner.

The fancy needles are special square needles that I got from Yay for Yarn. They are lovely to work with. I was a little concerned I'd snap them using them with the cotton, but they survived!

I also need to share this special moment with you.

Poor starving boys. You will note the full bowl of food right next to them.

I love Sundays

I was going to entitle this post "Sunday Blessed Sunday", but then though that it sounded as though I was going to start on a religious rant, which certainly isn't my style. But happy Sabbath to those of you who celebrate. :)

It's nice and cool and rainy here today, so I'm looking forward to doing lots more juicy blue blanky work today after a short stint on the puter.

A few photos to share.

  This little fella I'm very proud of, it's taken months watering and protecting from the harsh sun to actually get this little sprout. It's going to be an avocado tree when it grows up. The witchlet was very excited to see it. I was going to give up on the seed about a month ago, and dug it up only to discover that a huge root had erupted. Patience and tlc has paid off.

This little guy is one of my regular visitors. It's at the point now that I have parents bringing their babies to feed on my shed. I get all sorts of pigeons and doves, pee-wees and even butcher birds. I also get lorikeets in the winter, but not so much in the summer. I'm hoping to get a photo of the pee-wees having their daily bath, they're so cute.

Also my boss (who is a 29 year old Russian boy) was making fun of my crocheting and crafting skills in general, so I will be decorating his desk with these tomorrow.  I'm also going to make him a pair of socks to bring him over to the dark side. He has chosen the yarn so I know it's stuff he will like. Another purchase from yarnomat, which gave me an excuse to buy another yarn from there which I had my eye on. They should arrive Monday or Tuesday and photos will be forthcoming.

My Flat Feet socks are progressing nicely. Part of me wants to knit them up as fast as possible to see what they look like when they are done, and another part of me wants to savour every single stitch because it's just so lovely to work with. Fortunately I have the blanky deadline looming so I'm pretty much having my hand forced y that at the moment. And yet another part of me wants to buy up every square of Flat Feet yarn I can find because they are just so pretty! There's a sock club running for the USA and Canada, but yet again, nothing for us poor old Aussies. I've emailed Conjoined Creations begging, so we'll see if I get any suggestions.

Also, I've discovered the Sticks and String podcast. David is a man who knits, who lives outside of Sydney and podcasts about it. How wonderful to find an Aussie bloke who does more than drink beer and watch footie.