Saturday, July 29, 2006

I Finished Birch

OK - Birch is finished, it is GORGEOUS, it is also HOOGE (which, as you all know, is the same as huge, just bigger) and I haven't even blocked it yet. I am totally stunned that I could cover so much area with less than 75g of KSH. I'll post a picture once I darn in the ends and block it.

I'm also onto the leg of the first of my Pomatomus socks. Turned the heel last night so I could knit on an easy bit while waiting at the gym for the spinning class to start. Well, the leg pattern is MUCH easier to do without the printout. The foot is a bit of a pain as you have that extra little "triangle bit" but the leg just GOES.

Fine - all of you out there who are waiting for the follow up post starting "I stuffed up my socks" go think of something else RIGHT NOW - there will be NO tempting fate here.

Have a good weekend everybody. Pics will follow.

Sunday, July 23, 2006

Photos

Hi All
As promised – here are some photos.

Me with my new haircut. Yes, I now have almost no hair and yes, I got it done at the barber shop when I took my son for a trim. I LOVE having my hair this short – seriously low maintenance. My PI shawl – just the edging needs to be done now. It’s for Miriam’s little girl. Hopefully I’ll get it done when she’s still of a size to use it.

Birch – not bad for a little over a week’s worth of knitting.

Birch close up – this bit is right at the bottom so if you see a mistake PLEASE just keep quiet.

My loot from the sale – all at 20% off. The pink and blue KSH will be used to knit up Christmas presents. The green is about 900m of 4 ply cotton. I know what I’m using the KSH for; just need a pattern (for ME) that I can use the cotton in. I’m thinking a nice summer tank top or something. Suggestions?
Jackie’s bag. Bag made from Knit Picks Wool of the Andes “Natural White”. Pattern made up as I went along. Felted / Fulled to make it a bit smaller and more durable. Buttons sewn on as directed by daughter to make a flower. OK – two posts in one day – I’m getting better. I’m off to visit one of the mines tomorrow and will only be in a fit state for blogging from Wednesday. Will try to post then.

Have a good week everybody.

A new Spin on Knitting in Public

Yesterday I went to my first ever spinning class - the exercise bike kind of spinning, not the wheel and wool kind. I've been to the beginner classes once or twice and decided that I needed to take a leap.

Being ME I got to the gym early and took some knitting with me just in case I had to wait for the studio to open. As luck would have it, the room was already open and once I'd got the bike all set up I realised that I could, indeed, fit in some knitting. I HATE to sit around doing nothing and as all I was doing was sitting on a bike and pedalling I needed something to fill in the time. The lady sitting next to me expressed some interest in what I was doing; I commented that maybe next time EVERYBODY would bring knitting to kill time before the class

My conclusions are:
1. Lace is not a good choice for knitting on a bike, even an exercise bike. Next time I'll take a sock. Even though I didn't knit during the actual class I think socks are much more portable.
2. I need to cut my hair and I need a bigger sweat towel. At least I'm not as bad as the woman two rows in front who left a little puddle of sweat on the floor under her bike Which, BTW, she didn't clean up! All together now YUK!!!!
3. I need to get out of my winter hibernation mode. Basically, I need legs that are shorts friendly as I nearly DIED of overheating even though I was in tracksuit pants and a T-shirt.
4. While not as fit as the maniacs in the front row I'm not as out of shape as I thought.

Other than that I got my hair cut, went to the pre-sale week at Arthur Bales (20% off all purchases over R150 - like THAT is a hard target to reach) and got some KSH and some cotton for SOMETHING.

Jackie, naturally, wanted SOMETHING too so we got her 10 pink buttons. I then knit her up a little bag which I felted last night. We'll sew the buttons on today and I'll post some pictures tonight. I made the pattern up as I went along and will probably do something similar for myself for a “carry along project” bag instead of the old shopping bag I currently use.

All in all, other than the flash thunderstorm that lasted JUST long enough to get us all a bit wet - it happened at exactly the same time as I was fetching Michael and Leslie from Magic - Saturday was a good day.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

I am a HORRIBLE Person

OK - I am a horrible person. I have still not sent Gina her birthday present, I have still not finished the baby shawl for Miriam, and I am currently neglecting just about everything I possibly can just so that I can knit on Birch. I think this is the most wonderful pattern I have ever knitted. The KSH knits up all soft and fluffy and it really feels like you are knitting with thin air, it's just so light. The whole casting on 299 stitches went just fine, I haven't made any mistakes that I couldn't fix on the next row, and as the number of stitches decreases it just seems to be going faster and faster. I am almost finished with my second ball of KSH, and feel very much that I am just about on the home stretch.

Another indication of what a monster I am - Gina was the one who helped me get hold of the pattern and we were going to have a knitalong. I was going to "just cast on" and wait for her to be ready.

No hate mail, PLEASE.

On the plus side I've been to gym twice this week.

Photos of knitted stuff will follow when I have the time. That is, when I've finished Birch.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

I am still here

Yes - the title says it all. I am still here, busily knitting on the PI shawl for Miriam's baby girl who arrived earlier than expected. I'm doing the border now as I'm sick of the bloody thing. I've also got 2 more lace shawls in the works, my eye on "Three cornered and long shawls", a pile of socks to knit for the 6YO, and must REALLY get Gina's birthday present off in the post.

My tax form is also due on Friday.

I want a 48 hour day!