BORN TO READ AND KNIT

Meet Amber

2012-03-08T10:21:00.012+13:00

Amber is a one year old Red point Burmese and even though I am her mummy and have to think she's gorgeous, she is in my opinion super pretty.

I didn't think I could even begin to love another cat after my darling Peri died and I certainly didn't expect it to happen so soon. I was talking to a very good friend who suggested I go and have a look around the SPCA. I thought he was mad, but on the way home the idea just kept nagging at me. I was down to my last thirty km of fuel, I had about two hundred dollars to my name and only an hour before needing to be at the school to collect the youngest daughter. It was madness, what was the point of even looking, I knew that I didn't want any old moggy, sweet and cute as tehy might be. I wanted Peri and there wasn't anyway that was going to happen.
But the idea wouldn't budge, so I ended up at the SPCA. I walked up the row of cages, sad that these beautiful creatures had experienced sadness at the hands of humans, but none moved me. There was a very friendly calico in the last cage and I was going to ask to stroke her. The volunteer was busy so I wandered back down the row and there suddenly was Peri, well not Peri but his eyes, stunningly blue and wise beyond cat knowledge.

So there she was, a Burmese with blue eyes. Peri was a Chocolate point Tonk, which means he was half Burmese and half Siamese. She had been handed in two days earlier because her owners were leaving the country and couldn't take her with them. The volunteer wasn't sure if Amber could be adopted because she hadn't eaten since arriving. The cage was opened and my heart melted. I knew I could love this sweet little girl. As she rubbed and told me how happy she was to see me, I saw flashes of Peri but different. As I stroked her silky creamy fur she began to eat her biscuits and that was the moment I knew she was coming home.

Her original name was Angel and I think Peri sent an angel to ease my sadness. I thought she was deserving of a more elegant name and so Amber it was.

From the moment she came home, it was as if she belonged there. She wasn't shy, she wasn't scared, she took it all in her stride and was quite adamant that she didn't need to be left alone in one room to get used to the place. She greeted everyone with warmth and affection and stole our hearts in one fell swoop.

Even the gruff man who claims to hate cats and have no heart spent Saturday afternoon building a cat gym that seriously is big enough for a tiger to play on.

Elijah

2012-02-21T22:42:00.005+13:00

Ok so a little late, but better than never right, I've cast on for Elijah, the cute blue Elelphant by Ysolda Teague. The last one had a wee demonic slant to his eyes no doubt the reason Peri felt he had to be duly attacked and kept under guard. This one I swear is out to drive me insane. You start by casting on six stitches and joining in the round. I mean that's fairly simple even with small toothpicks. Seven times I tried and seven times those darn six stitches stitched me up. They twisted and turn and lumped together until I decided Elijah would have to live with a nipple in the middle of his head. Then we have the trunk. The trunk that everyone thought looked like a duck bill so now I've ripped it back to see if the second attempt can make it more pachydermy. How can a stuffed toy cause such angst? Maybe I'll have answers in the morning. If I survive the night.

On a completely different note, I found out last night that my eldest daughter has been reading my notebooks and journals for years. This makes me feel somewhat uneasy not because there's anything terrible in them but because the writing in them is my deepest soul revealed. I put the craziest thoughts down, for instance in 2004 I put that I wanted to walk up a mountain. I don't even remember writing that, but it was definitely my handwriting and not my evil twin, which I don't have but wish I did at times because then I could be bad and blame her. Sorry I digress a little. Anyway this year I did walk up a mountain. A big one.

This is an active volcano in the middle of the north island. It took six and a half hours to walk over the Tongariro Crossing but it was worth it.

Life goes on

2012-02-20T13:26:00.003+13:00

I can believe how much I miss Peri. He was such a part of everything. He would wakes us up in the morning waiting at the bedroom door ready to be let inside, and then follow me around until it was time to take Daisy to school. He always greeted us with a purr and miaow when we came home although sometimes it was a bit cross because we'd been gone too long for him.
He's buried in a lovely sunny spot under the bathroom window which was his favourite perch.
I know we have to look forward because there is no going back but it's hard to get used to the new quet house.
Beloved Peri.
Prince amongst cats
14-2-2008 14-2-2012

My Beautiful Cat

2012-02-15T00:09:00.005+13:00

Farewell Peri. I will miss you so much. You were the best cat In the world and I still can't beleive that you wont be miaowing at 4 O' clock for your meat. I am so sad that you've gone, five years was not long enough my precious boy.

So my wonderful Tonkinese Cat Peri died today tragically killed by some dogs. I'm heart broken he really was the love of my life.

Officially Unemployed

2012-02-13T10:40:00.001+13:00

but actually rushed off my feet. Really how on earth did I manage to run a home and work full time. It seems almost impossible to imagine now that I seem to spend all day baking and cleaning and hardly a minute for myself. Did time expnd in order to allow everything to be accomplished. I don't understand it but I'm looking forard to finding employment outside the home so I can have a coffee break and a lunch hour again, oh and the money wouldn't go amiss either.

2011-12-10T05:23:00.003+13:00

It's 5am and once more Lucy is awake staring at the ceiling trying to make sense of the mess that is her life. She knows each individual crack and bump having had the opportunity to study the ceiling in great depth despite only living in the place for five months
Five months, 3 days and 17 hours to be exact. She sighs and feels the tears begin to prick her eyes. When she wonders will it get any easier, when will she not yearn for his arms to be around her, when will she not long to see his smile, hear his laugh and feel part of a couple.
She knows the answer, of course she does. She's not stupid and if there had been any hope of him being the man she wanted him to be she would still be there. But still her heart hurts.
She tries not to think about how foolish she was, how naively she believed his lies, but she cannot help still loving him and that makes it so difficult to move forward. She wants to. She wants to be anywhere but in this pit of despiar which feels as though it wants to suck every ounce of happiness from her body, an emotion vampire.

NO! NO! NO!

2011-11-28T11:40:00.004+13:00

OMG can it really be December in just a day or two? How can that be, I'm not ready I tell you. I'll never be ready in time. Perhaps it could be postponed until February or maybe March. Perhaps the rest of the world could be frozen ( not literally) in time while I carry on merrily until I have finished both jumpers for Eldest daughter;

And managed a new Elijah for Youngest Daughter.

Pretty Please.

Perhaps this is what I need?

Universal success

2011-11-22T11:40:00.003+13:00

Sometimes I am a victim of my own success. I try things and it's as though whatever energy I put into it is generated tenfold. Most people would have a modicum of success me, I have an overload.
Confused, well that's understandable.
Let me attempt to explain.
I am a certain age and I know what I want.
Easy so far.
So I start with a list to clarify and make sure that I really do know what I want.
The list is the top 100 things I'm looking for in a man, because while I know I don't need a man to keep me, or to make me whole, I know that I would like one. A bit like I wanted a Tonkinese cat; I think it will be nice to have one around sometimes. I was right with the Tonk, I'm sure I'll be right with the man, so long as I choose wisely.
On my list are qualities such as kindness, honesty, openness and loyalty. Also things like intelligent and gregarious, as well as playful and protective. I have qualities like generous and passionate, considerate and caring as well as communicative and willing to commit.
All good things and things I know I like and admire. I also put down a few things that I know I need in a man. I know I need someone tactile and warm.
So far so good. I write this list on a piece of bright yellow paper and put it in my purse.
I believe in this list and within days it works. It works better than I could have ever imagined.
This is where it gets complicated. I get 6 dates. Six invites to dinner, or coffee, or a walk. I accepted all six; after all at this point there is no way of knowing which ones would be frogs and which one might be the prince.
And so begins an exhausting week. A week of juggling emails and txts and of needing more organising that a CEO.
Destinations and assignations, baby-sitters and locations all had to be considered and arranged.

One was a so awestruck he could say nothing but, "you're Gorgeous" I might be (well I like me) but really hearing it every other sentence for two hours, even my vanity got bored and went home.
One was still in love with his ex wife of twenty years. Bless he looked so sad.
One was a perfect gentleman but older than his years.
One had already let me down and once I'm hurt I'm best left alone.
Which left two.
Two possible princes.
Two choices.
One hard decision.

2011-11-17T14:42:00.000+13:00

happiness is nice, but it's temporary.
joy is something different altogether.
JOY
is a constant.

It's not dependent on circumstances
or people
but rather on a heart issue.

happiness is external;

joy is internal.

joy can be tucked deep in the heart,
even in difficult circumstances.

-Karol Ladd
The Power of a Positive Woman

Dream Job

2011-11-15T14:41:00.003+13:00

So my time in the military is drawing to an end, and while I will be sad to leave and say goodbye to what amounts to my "family" I know there will be new adventures ahead for me.
In preparation for this new adventure I decided to spend some time focussing on what might be my ideal job.
I know these things:
1. It must pay enough for me to keep a roof over us.
2. It must be close enough for me to not spend more than twenty minutes travelling
3. It must be between the hours of 0900 and 1500 (3pm)
4. It must be dealing with people, or where I get to talk a lot. I can't do silences.
5. It must be in one place, so not a lot of travelling or being away from home.
6. It must be creative.
7. It must be fun
So that should help the universe supply the right job shouldn't it?

Signs your cat's upset with you

2011-08-08T08:28:00.002+12:00

Just recently I've not been at home for the weekend. It's been a bit crazy and sad and so I've been staying with a friend to be soothed and distracted. This means leaving my beautiful Tonk, Peri, home alone. He's got plenty of warm beds to sleep on, an endless supply of food and of course his own entrance and exit. The first weekend he was a wee bit miffed and complained long and loud. Haven't not quite made his point he decided it was time to up the stakes. This weekend I arrived home to find not one, not two, not three but four different balls of yarn artistically tangled over every available inch of lounge. Not only where they so intrinsically mixed together they were also wet and chewed. Worse, he chewed yarn that a friend bought so I could knit her a jumper. Peri didn't miaow once this weekend. He just sat giving me that look that says, leave me again at your peril!

I'm so excited

2011-08-01T08:44:00.002+12:00

I did it....somehow I have survived the dreadful, terrible, awful yarn diet. I don't know how I did it, it was tough, temptation was every where, on the net, in the street. So many places to avoid and yet here I am at the end. I feel good. My stash is considerably lighter. Over 8 kgs of wool was knitted from stash. When I actually convert that into balls of wool even I'm staggered that I should have accumulated so much. Of course my first thought is to go out and celebrate by going slightly crazy in a yarn shop but then that would defeat the purpose of the diet and leave me seriously crippled financially. So instead I'm going to bask in my strong self will and determination knowing that I can buy now if I want to. I just don't want to....until pay day!

Some solace

2011-07-07T08:52:00.003+12:00

Winter solstice, darker days,
stormy skies and dreary greys
cloud the mind, stifle the soul.
Wind blows cold and colds run wild
wrapped in seasonal chill.
Stitches of warmth a solace of sorts

Shall I be excited or horrified. My daughter is a jumper thief. Oh the shame of it. I thought I had brought her up to have high values and morals, to know right from wrong. Somewhere along the way I failed. I'm not sure where. Maybe it was not taking long enough to transfer my skills and love of knitting to her more than able fingers, maybe it was a lack of woolly things when younger. Maybe it's being too quick to knit and therefore I have built unrealistic expectations. I do blame myself for her behaviour.
I knitted her a jumper, a beautiful red jumper with scooped neckline and delicate lace and cable pattern, three quarter length sleeves and the right size for her. It was a surprise. A surprise that almost left me a broken woman when she asked in that way only teenagers can, conveying both derision and scorn concurrently "is that for me?' before I could answer, she, again with that condescension only teenagers can quite manage, answered her own question "can't be for me, you wouldn't knit me that colour, I don't wear red, and you don't know my size.' Oh ye of little faith. Plus she was wearing red.
I love my daughter which is why she didn't end up with a needle through her side, or anywhere else. I did a Mona Lisa and smiled enigmatically. When she had trundled off to do teenagery things of which for my sanity I'd rather not know about, I put the offending article in a safe place, only slightly soggy and salty.
I then cast on in blue for the other daughter.
Two jumpers finished. The red for the oldest, blue for the middle. Red given to eldest who is far too young for amnesia but appeared to have no recollection of previous scorn and immediately threw the jumper on and hasn't removed it since.
Then with super sleuth radar she spied the blue. In vain I explained it was not for her, it was a size smaller, it wouldn't fit her, but she was not to be deterred and the jumper slid over her head like a waterfall down a mountain side. It was a perfect fit and off the jumper went with her. So she has two and the middle has none. I think I might be in woolly trouble here.
Also she took off so fast there was no time to photograph the evidence. Perhaps I could deny knitting them.

Return from AWOL or in wool

2011-06-29T13:56:00.007+12:00

It's been a while I know and words turn slowly as I settle back into this way of writing. I wonder whether wit can dry up and if so what would we use to moisten it once again. Would wine be a fine lubricant, a warm Merlot to loosen the mind and let language flow,or maybe a Chai Latte would be more refined, spicier and more cultured inspiring thoughts and words of distant places, but then again nothing seems to me to be more refreshing than a well brewed cuppa. Nothing in my mind beats tea.
I had the great delight in being treated to a very fine cup of tea the other weekend. We went for a drive and found some old fashioned tea rooms. I choose the high tea, complete with triangle sandwiches with no crusts and of course scones with jam and cream.
Deliciousness on a plate and on the palate. My beverage of choice was tea, but this was a tea of truly heavenly taste sensation. Named Girly Grey it embodied all that is perfect with Earl Grey and Lady Grey with just a hint of juvenile cheekiness. There was lavender under tones that quite took me to another level altogether.
This in itself was wonderful enough but the tea rooms also had for sale the cutest pink teapots, and I was lucky indeed to have one purchased for me to allow my further enjoyment at home. Sometimes the littlest things make the biggest impact. It was a happy happy day.

Of course it's not all about tea there has been plenty of knitting going on. Babies appear to be the order of the season, must be something to do with the weather, and so a few wee bits have winged their way off the needles at a rapid rate.

This is just one of the mini items, made from crofter yarn and using a Sirdar bamboo pattern it's adorable.

More knitting news soon, and I am seriously counting down the days to August when this yarn diet will at last be over. Never again will I do this to myself. It's been the worst kind of torture ever and despite having knitted a whopping 4kg of yarn I'm being to feel like going crazy and buying tonnes and tonnes just because I've been good for so long, so that kind of defeats the purpose. Staying strong for another four weeks though. I can do it.

Guilty

2011-06-02T19:18:00.001+12:00

Today is a great day. He was found guilty of all seven charges and we are at last free.

Victory

2011-05-29T15:51:00.003+12:00

As stated in the dictionary, Victory is:

1. a success or triumph over an enemy in battle or war.
2. an engagement ending in such triumph:
3. the ultimate and decisive superiority in any battle or contest:
4. a success or superior position achieved against any opponent, opposition, difficulty, etc.: a moral victory.

Synonyms
Victory, conquest, triumph refer to a successful outcome of a struggle. Victory suggests the decisive defeat of an opponent in a contest of any kind: victory in battle; a football victory. Conquest implies the taking over of control by the victor, and the obedience of the conquered: a war of conquest; the conquest of Peru. Triumph implies a particularly outstanding victory: the triumph of a righteous cause; the triumph of justice.

All of the above apply right now as My daughter and I prepare to be victorious over someone who did their very best to bring us low. It has been a time of trial and we are so glad to be nearing the end and to see him defeated at last and for good. We pray for justice and know we shall see it done.

And they lived happily ever after

2011-05-01T20:08:00.002+12:00

It was a beautiful wedding. The couple looked at ease and in love, with each other, as it should be. I wish Kate and Wills a very long and happy life together. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the wedding, every single moment. Sometimes things just seem right.

I think I've got it bad.

2011-04-29T10:49:00.005+12:00

The knitting bug I mean. You may all be shaking your heads wondering how on earth I'd missed such a revelation when you all knew it from the start, and I did know I was a wee bit obsessed ok a lot obsessed with knitting and yarny things. However whilst watching the latest episode of Desperate Housewives, my other not so secret vice I couldn't help exclaiming rather loudly and much to the disgust of the cat who was quite comfortable if you don't mind, and to the detriment of CP who almost had a heart attack that Paul's wife was knitting beside him in hospital. Woohoo. Who says knitting isn't modern and trendy. Ha in your eye critics. Sorry. Of course there was knitting in Desperate Housewives before but I missed that series due to military training. I know because I googled it. That's when I slowly realised how bad I had it, because I couldn't stop there. I had to discover more. Which I did. Monica knits in Friends, there's knitting in Wallace and Gromit, The Gilmore Girls The Virgin Suicides, The films Meek's Cutoff, Breakfast at Tiffanys and Audrey Hepburn in an old film called Quality Street.

I think it's great to see knitting out there in the public domain. I also heard that Katherine Heigl was going to make the film the Knitting Circle.

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T13:39:00.002+12:00

Just to wish everyone a very happy Easter. Enjoy the chocolate and other treats and be safe where ever you are.

Rugged Jumper

2011-04-08T14:22:00.006+12:00

Finished.
One Rugged Jumper.
For CNG (Cute Neighbour Guy)or more correctly CP (Cute Partner).
Wool, Paton's Wilderness although the pattern called for Rowan cocoon.
Pattern from Simply Knitting UK knitting magazine.
I love this jumper, I wasn't sure when I began but when you're asked to knit 'a rugged jumper' and you just happen to turn up a pattern saying it's a rugged jumper what can a knitter do but cast on. Even if it looks a wee bit odd. Of course I had to find a substitute mainly because I like both my arms and legs and didn't want to have to part with them to pay for Rowan's Cocoon; which though delightful at $20.99 a ball is too much.
So I hunted and researched and found Wilderness by Paton's which is similar enough to do a good job, brilliant job in fact.
It's knitted on big needles and just looks and feels like the snuggliest thing on the planet unless you knit it during the hottest part of the summer. Which I did. which is why I'm glad it's finished. Next project please!!

New Opportunities

2011-04-04T15:47:00.002+12:00

I am again at a crossroads in my life, but this one is a good one. The chances are that I am going to be surplus to the Navy in a few months due to defence cuts. That's fine, I always knew it wasn't going to be a forever thing. The crossroads is really about what to do next. I have the opportunity to buy a wool shop and we all know how much I love wool and knitting. I don't know if I can actually raise all of the finance needed but I know I can make this work. I can see the future, Internet sales, classes, knitwear fashion shows in the local school, spreadsheets to predict trends. So do I bust a gut to raise the money or do I tread the middle path and stay with something safer.

Happy Mother's day

2011-04-04T08:26:00.003+12:00

M-O-T-H-E-R

"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"
A word that means the world to me.

- Howard Johnson.

A very happy day to very special people. NZ gets to celebrate this day next month.

Principles of knitting

2011-03-25T14:16:00.004+13:00

1. Yarn. Lots and lots and lots of yarn. Not just wool, but bamboo, cotton, soya.

2. Storage for number 1. Clean dry and moth proof. Also child proof and invisible to non knitters who cannot possible understand the need to have so much surplus yarn.

3. Courage to frog if necessary and to try new things.

4. Patience to know that every thing can be undone and that even mistakes teach us something about ourselves or our knitting. Throwing knitting while momentarily satisfying is bound to result in tears.

5. Time awareness. Always remember that time goes twice as fast as soon as you set a deadline so if possible avoid saying when you'll be finished with a project. or knit twice as fast. Giving up eating and sleeping could buy you some extra hours but may have other side effects.

6. Acceptance. If you don't want to spend time swatching then accept that at least some of the time you're going to end up with a garment the wrong size or shape. If you can love the process and accept the result all good.

7. Have fun. Sometimes we forget that we love knitting, especially when the pattern's wrong and we rip it out three times.

8. Gift your knitting to those who will love it. Anyone who is likely to boil your garment might be better off with a good book. One that tells them how to care for woollen garments.

9. Let go of your knitting. Once you have gifted your knitting to someone worthy you are no longer in control of what happens to it. Even if they boil it. See 8 and learn.

10. Be proud of your skill and the result. Wear garments with pride and knit in public because it's not illegal or anti-social. Unless you use your knitting needles to stab the next person who comments 'OH you're knitting" inthe same tone of voice that implies they've just trodden in something unmentionalbe. See 4.

2011-03-21T08:16:00.004+13:00

I have been finishing off a few pieces as well as casting on for several new items. What's new there? I think my seasonal clear out, or rather move about of clothing items always unearths one or two items that inspires me to search through my not inconsiderable mountain of stash to recover that vital yarn I just had to have for a so pressing project that somehow didn't seem so pressing once home again.
It was as I was sorting through summer and winter clothes that I noticed I had quite a collection of neutral trousers and skirts, from stone to beige and a variety in between, and my mind began to see sweaters and cardigans that would so complement these existing items. In fact I spent quite some time merrily distracted from sorting looking through patterns.
My first thought was to grab my purse and head out to the local yarn store looking for even more yarn but something niggled away in the back of my mind and I began a full on rummage. I found this.

Well no actually I didn't find that because I had only done the back, and technically I found the yarn first and had put it away again because I knew there wasn't enough for an entire sweater or top. Then several happy hunting hours later I found the back. Then I had to remember where I'd just seen the yarn and then where oh where was the pattern. Luckily for me I did remember the pattern and the magazine it was in. The magazine the pattern was from was bought in 2009 and I am fairly sure I cast on soon after buying the magazine but then lost interest. I have to say there's nothing like an almost done item to make you want to get knitting.

I am very happy with the way it turned out despite me knitting the back and the front on totally different sized needles. It means the front is much tighter and more defined but you can't tell unless you stare at the back and the front simultaneously and there aren't many people capable of that feat so I'm happy.
It was made from soya yarn and has a really delicate drape.

Then I finally got round to putting buttons on my crofter shawl collared waistcoat. I love the striped effect created by crofter and am very happy that even without trying I managed to get the colours to match up on the two side pieces. It's a great fit and I know it will be worn often this autumn and winter, not just because lilacs and purples are my favourite colours but because it looks so smart on.

There are many other pieces on the needles, a baby blanket in white for a work colleague, another two beanies, a skirt, a dress, a rugged jumper for cute neighbour guy who is of course so much more than a neighbour now, a jumper for one of the girls and the last bit of a sock. I only have to turn the heel and then I'll be on the home straight, but it doesn't match any of my clothes so the motivation isn't quite there.
All of this is to be knitted out of stash. My knitting group and I are on a self imposed yarn diet. We have to shed at least 10kg from our stash before buying anymore yarn. We are determined to make a considerable dent in what will still amount to SABLE (Yarn Harlot)Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. We're doing this selfless act out of consideration for those who will be the executors of our wool wills. We don't want them to die of shock at having the equivalent of two life sentences of knitting passed onto them.
Like all diets it sucks.

Sunrise

2011-03-14T09:26:00.004+13:00

Just wanted to share a little piece of beauty amidst the chaos happening in the world. This was the view I was privileged enough to see when I had to get up early to escort the French Ship into port. I was stood on the steps on base looking across to the ferry terminal and was quite upllifted by the sight.

Tassels

2011-03-08T09:46:00.005+13:00

Knitting does of course help, it allows thoughts to be thought and for the pain to be processed. It is soothing and my therapy. The nights and mornings are getting a little cooler though not yet cold and soon the winter will be upon us. Many in Christchurch are still without power and I thought perhaps a simple gesture would be the way to show my depth of feeling for these people I call my own.
It takes four hours and about 110 metres of yarn to whip up a beanie. That seems very little in the grand scheme of things but it is something and so I have begun a beanie binge.
I will knit as many of these as I can over the next few weeks and send them to Christchurch were they will hopefully keep someone warm and remind them people do care.

Plain version

Tasseled version

Oh what fun

2011-03-04T10:49:00.000+13:00

Find out more here

Earthquake update

2011-03-03T08:17:00.002+13:00

Watching the news makes me feel so helpless. The devastation suffered by Christchurch continues to unfold before our eyes and each passing moment reveals the true horror being faced by people just like me. It seems so hard to carry on our normal everyday lives, it seems somehow wrong to take up a piece of knitting when others are so desperately trying to pick up the pieces of their lives, to reknit the fabric of their being. How can I even contemplate making rows upon rows of stitches when my fellow countrymen are without even the basics.
It will take years for the city too recover and it will never quite be the same again, the people will be changed forever by the experience.
For the rest of the country we can only watch and pray, doing what little we can to ease their pain knowing that it is not enough, that nothing could ever actually be enough.

NZ update

2011-02-24T18:22:00.002+13:00

It's been a crazy time here in NZ as we come to terms with the horrific news of another devasting earthquake in Christchurch. I am lucky enough to be far away from the trauma and upset but nonethless have been involved in the military response to the incident. I know many of you will have been concerned and I am touched by the level of care out there. I am fine as is all of my family. I am truly blessed and can only pray for those who are still waiting to hear news of their loved ones.

Happy Birthday to them

2011-02-15T15:19:00.002+13:00

Happy 21st to my son and Happy 10th to my youngest. Both Valentines Day babies. One now a man and the other still my sweet angel.

Not what I expected

2011-02-07T10:56:00.007+13:00

I wonder whether it is wise to experiment without some idea of the end result. I wanted to knit the boyfriend sweater shown in the above picture, but I had to use different yarn which I thought wouldn't make that much difference.
The finished piece was supposed to be a roomy slouchy sweater, one just perfect for casual encounters, walking the dog and such like.

It's from this book which is one of my all time favourites for the young women in my life. I've knitted the dress in this before as you might all recall. My biggest woe is that I can never find the same yarns over here in NZ and I would love to get my knitty mitts on some Elle Stretch or even some Bamboozle.

The piece I ended up with is much more fitted. It might not be quite what I was expecting but I have say I am very pleased with the end result. It looks modern and trendy, with just the hint of shape and flair.

So I used an organic cotton, natural with just the hint of a green nub running through it. I took the needles down a size and used 6mm instead of 6.5mm. What I really love about this sweater was that it was knitted entirely in the round. There was no sewing up. No seriously apart from weaving in the ends that was it, once I cast off the whole piece was done. I have never before picked up the sleeves at the shoulders and knitted them in the round but I am so pleased with the result I might do it that way all the time.
Even the shoulders were joined using the three needle bind off. What more could a girl ask for.
If you're new to knitting and want to step up from a small project to a bigger one this is the project to pick. It's simple and fast to knitt, hardly any shaping and no sewing up. Oh I already mentioned that didn't I? Well it's exciting.
I was going to give it away to my step daughter and then I wanted to keep it for myself I loved it that much. I did give it to her and it looks stunning on her slim figure. I guess I'll just have to make another one.

Hope everyone had a great weekend wishing you a fab week at work or home.

Socks

2011-01-26T14:20:00.006+13:00

Soft as silk,
like the sand on a beach
grains sieving in golden droplets
through velvety hands
made for summer fun and laughter
the colour of the ocean at play

Here are the finished Jandal Socks. They look quirky and in an odd way very trendy. They are incredibly soft and comfy to wear. I am surprised at how they turned out, perhaps a bit more length in the foot would have been better but overall I think they work. They are just right for the cooler mornings and evenings of late summer, early autumn as they give just the right amount of warmth.

If you remember the Yeti sock of an earlier post you will see I have made a few adjustments. I cast on 50 stitches instead of the 60 first time round and that made a big difference. Also these socks have cured me of second sock syndrome as knitting a second sock to complete a pair is a much better option than having to frog a second sock and then knit a third.

Details, I used Sorrento by Wendy. It has 133 metres per 50g ball, so I only used one ball to make the jandal socks. It is a mix of 62% viscose and 38%
cotton. Tension is 32 rows to 24 sts and needle recommendation is 3.75 mm.
I used 3.5mm DPN preffering the four needle method to magic loop, which incidentally I love for sleeves. The pattern was from the book below.

I will definitely be knitting another pair of these nifty foot adornments, well they're not really socks are they?

The ABC of me

2011-01-15T10:54:00.000+13:00

I found this while having a happy wander around the various blogs out there and thought I'd do my own. Enjoy.

The ABC of Me!

A - Age: I'm 41 but act 16
B - Bed Size: Kingsize
C - Chore you hate: Ironing
D - Dogs Name: Mouse, Toby, Jazz
E - Essential Start of the Day item: Coffee with two spoonfuls of condensed milk
F - Favourite Colour: purple
G - Gold or Silver: Silver
H - Height: 5ft 4inches
I - Instruments you play: None
J - Job: Naval Officer
K - Kids: 1 boy 21 3 girls 19, 17, 9 and 1 step daughter 12
L - Living Arrangements: We're going to build an extension
M - Music You Love: Easy Listening, Vanessa Mae Michael Buble
N - Nicknames: Midget
O - Overnight Hospital Stay: Fourth child spent 10 weeks in hospital
P - Pet Peeve: Last minute change of plans
Q - Quote from a Movie:
R - Right handed or Left: Left
S - Siblings: 6 brothers 5 sisters
T - Time you wake up: 6.30 am
U - Underwear: Silky and Lacy. White for work
V - Vegetables you dislike: Kale cabbage
W - Workout Style: when I really have to or someone else asks me
X - X-Rays You've had: chest
Y - Yummy Food you make: Cheese and bacon muffins
Z - The best place to Visit - France (for the Shoes)

Abominable socks

2011-01-14T08:49:00.006+13:00

No seriously these socks must surely be intended for some behemoth of a beast such as the abominable snowman or yeti. They are huge, they are beyond huge they are hideously big. I followed the pattern exactly, no heading off down a path of I think I know better than the designer. I cast on 60 stitches as required and off we went. Some part of my brain kept trying to insist that these looked a tad large, or it may have been the comments from those watching me as they looked askance at the completed rounds and raised their voices slightly at the end of the sentence, "They're for Who?" Clearly a little concerned for my sanity or judgement or possible both. I mean secretly knitting for a creature that doesn't exist probably does constitute madness in some textbook somewhere.

Of course being an experienced knitter, and oh so knowledgeable in ways of woolly things I dispensed with the swatch or tension square. I didn't trouble myself with such a thing as gauge. Oh how the knitting Gods are laughing at me now.
You see the book used sock weight wool and 2.75 needles. I used Sirdar Sorrento which is a DK cotton and acrylic blend. As for needle size, well I'm pretty sure they were bigger than 2.75, but not as big as 4mm. Sorrento knits to 21 stitches per 10 cms and the yarn the pattern used knits to 16 stitches.

I think I see the problem. Wrong yarn tension and too large a needle size, meaning what should have fitted an average woman is now wholly suitable for your average monster foot. So the solution is either knit another one and post them off hoping the Yeti is suitably appreciative of my time and efforts or cast on using less stitches for the second sock, see if that solves the problem, and then knit a third sock the same as the second sock. Alternatively I could just bury them in the WIP pile for a millennium or two.

Be thankful I spared you a front on view or you would have had to deal with a hideous foot as well as a hideously mis-sized sock.

Socks and things

2011-01-10T13:31:00.006+13:00

I have been busy. I have been blessed with some time off and I used it wisely to take the girls out and about and to do some knitting and reading. The reading you pretty much know about but the knitting has been quite different. I completed a pair of green anklet socks for youngest daughter. I thought I might be finished at this point but it would appear that every one in our House has developed a sock fetish and no-one is to be left out of the loop. All it would seem must be knitted a pair of socks.
New Year new challenges, I can meet this demand surely, I am a woman of some talent and knowledge, I know I can over come the dreadful second sock syndrome which I do suffer severely from, surely with two pairs under my belt it can be done. I feel vaguely confident.
I agree, rather too rapidly perhaps, that yes, everyone shall have socks! I hunt for patterns and needles and yarn. That was the fun part. I was almost lost for days in the raptures of rediscovering my stash. I re-arranged and stroked and deliberated over choices until I thought I had it all decided. I even emptied a suitcase in the process so now I have space for more yarn! Oh happy days indeed.
I emerged triumphant all ready to cast on. I showed the next recipient my choice of sock and watched her face plummet. She wanted the same sock as the other two girls. The same sock!! My face followed a similar descent to hers. Not TWO more of the same sock. What was this, Ground Hog day?

But I am a nice person and so I cast on for another sock
The pattern is Dolce
I used Sirdar Fair Isle for these which a very soft Acrylic mix. I like how they look even if I know the pattern off by heart at this stage.
To save my sanity from disappearing any further than it already has I also cast on for a nifty pair of Flip Flop socks. Yes you did read correctly, Flip Flop socks. Or Jandal socks if you're a kiwi, or thong socks if you're from Oz.

TTPT

2011-01-04T10:07:00.006+13:00

Thanks to Some of a kind for this post.

I have managed to read a fair bit over the past few weeks, mainly due to it being summer and long lazy days on the beach.

I've read Ape House by Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants. I have to say it didn't seem as deep as her first book but it was enjoyable nonetheless. Sam, Bonzi, Lola and Makena are not ordinary monkeys. They are capable of reason and of carrying on deep relationships, they also know American Sign Language. When an explosion destroys their lab and frees the apes to an unknown location there begins a hunt to save them from a money making mogul who plans to make a reality TV programme with them.
There are times when the plot feels heavy and a little contrived but mostly it's an enjoyable read.

The other book I've read this month was a Christmas present from my son, Distant Hours by Kate Morton. It starts with a letter lost for over fifty years and takes us on a Gothic mystery tale as Edie tries to unravel the past and uncover the secrets that haunt all who have lived at Milderhurst Castle. The book is well written with some imaginative prose and deeply descriptive sections. The characters feel vibrant and well rounded and the book hooks you through the multiple layers of mystery and secrecy to the end.

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T09:46:00.000+13:00

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T13:42:00.001+13:00

2010-11-29T13:25:00.003+13:00

Together,
part of a pair,
symmetry unfolded ,
completeness in likeness.
Pale as fresh lemons, soft as a cheek,
the whisper of mischief in these young feet.

I did it, I overcame the reluctance to make a second sock. It looks fab and the excited recipient couldn't wait to get them on her feet. The only drawback, the people watching me make these put in their own requests and now I have to make another three pairs!!

Socks

2010-11-20T08:26:00.003+13:00

Yarn overs, slipped stitches on thinnest slivers of wood
spaces appear at set intervals, gaps with meaning
sliding and turning
circles of purpose and pattern
music in fibre gradually growing
covering toes with love.

Usually socks have me. They come in pairs and that challenges me. One is fine, but the thought of doing it all over again just causes procrastination of epic proportions. This time however, I have to overcome.

unravelling

2010-11-04T15:11:00.003+13:00

Tugging gently, yarn crinkled, bent like curly ringlets suddenly set free. Each loop unlooped, undone faster than they were done. Winding the ball, gathering back in the yarn, time running backwards, mistakes rewound, erased, put right. Unstitching what was, memory removed, second chances granted.

Contentment

2010-10-23T15:17:00.000+13:00

Sun falls in my lap dancing on my yarn. Voices bounce in and out, joy and happiness hand in hand, soft fur against my skin, a cold wet nose nudging for affection, blue eyes reflecting love and a promise of all that will be and all that can be found in a pair of strong arms

tension

2010-10-22T22:09:00.000+13:00

Holding taut and yet not tight, the whisper of weight hovers on a finger caught between the ball and the garment. Rhythmic motions back and forth, uniformity amongst a row of soilder stitches making neatness out of air. Tension that is not stress, but my inner fabric woven from years of doing and being. It holds all things together. It holds my peace and my harmony.

Just knitting

2010-10-21T10:21:00.004+13:00

Steam rising as tea slowly cools, momentarily forgotten as stitches slip seamlessly from needle to needle. Back and forth, structure growing, pleasure in the making, soul soothing progress.
Stitch after stitch, row after row thoughts entwine and time passes. Contentment rises and tea goes cold. Pieces finished, lying waiting for completeness. Soon. Soon say the needles.

I caught a virus

2010-09-30T09:21:00.004+13:00

I swear I did. It crept up on me unannounced and unwanted. I wasn't looking for it and I had no intention of succumbing to its seductive powers. I thought I would be immune and able to resist but I should have known that resistance is always futile. Darn it. It took me a while to recognise the symptoms, feeling slightly light headed, heart racing and hours lost in contemplation. I caught the virus here . It was definitely a virus that made me follow all the links and drool over the wonderful patterns. I must have been feeling ill to add to my every increasing list of would like to do projects, 78 at the last count and those are only the ones I'm admitting to. I hope I feel better soon.
But alas while my immune system was down I was hit by another virus. I caught this one here It was a particularly virulent strain. I was powerless against its onslaught and the easiest thing to do was ride with it. So I cast on something new. It was the only thing to do, the only way of being cured. I mean the purple dress is at a too hard stage. My brain needs time to process the complicated mathematical equations needed to make it fit. Ulrike needs the pattern and that was burnt accidentally by CNG who thought it was rubbish. The sock needs the heel turning and that's fiddly. I can't remember what row I'm up to on the black wrap with two lace pattern repeats and I'm bored with my calico top which is not knitted with calico.
So under the influence of this virus I hunted out a ball of Sublime cashmere which was given to my by the owner of the local yarn store a year ago. It was a nice gesture but I did wonder what on earth I would ever make with just one ball.

By coincidence I bought a knitting magazine yesterday and in it I found the perfect project. A narrow scarf, with a simple but sweet shell pattern and I was away. I don't feel guilty at all. I mean I couldn't help getting sick, could I?

Making modifications

2010-09-27T11:17:00.005+13:00

I have just learnt that no matter how long you've been knitting and no matter how much of an expert you might think you are, knitting has a cunning way of reminding you, sometimes via a lot of frogging that you're not as clever as you think.
It started with a dress, the most elegant, romantic dress. One with style and panache that I knew without any hesitation would be perfect. Perfect to knit and to wear. A dress made for summer evenings, for picnics and cocktail parties. A dress that would stun all who saw it.

The dress is from Vogue Knitting and can be downloaded here
So full of excitement I cast on 288 stitches and began the first round. Three rounds later I realised it was twisted and had to start again. I'd also realised that 288 stitches was going to be quite wide and although there is a lot of shaping the finished bust size was still going to be generous on me. So I decided that I could just do less pattern repeats, so instead of 288 sts and 12 repeats I cast on 216st. Easy I thought. No need for nasty complicated maths that hurts my head and makes me want to swear. No good if I happen to be knitting in my break at work. Sailors might be masters at cussing but it's still not ladylike or officer like.
But then then five decreases into the pattern and about 110 rounds I begin to think that it might be too small. After all it gets to just 12 stitches in each repeat which is only 108 stitches in total. I decide no worries I won't do all the decreases. I stick at what seems like a safe 14 stitches in each pattern repeat. Still easy peasy no complicated maths.
Until that is I get to the waist shaping and realise I can't just make 2 stitches in each repeat because then the next row doesn't work and suddenly I'm up to my neck trying to figure out the maths to make it all work. It requires several pieces of paper, two cups of tea and two painkillers (for the headache). Finally I think I see what to do. I will just take the waist up to 18 stitches per repeat and adjust from there, because now I have to keep track of how many rounds in order to get the armhole shaping in the right place. I'm thinking that might be important, or I'll either have an evening gown with orangutan arms or a scrunched up tunic. Now having roughly figured that one out I realised I have made a mistake in my thinking right back at the beginning. I have to divide for the front and back to shape the armholes. This requires an even number of pattern repeats. That's why 288 divided by 24 equals 12. 216 divided by 24 equals nine and no matter how much I fume I cannot make nine and even number. Maybe it's time to let this one rest awhile, until I see how to make the back and front equal without destroying the pattern or the universe complies and makes nine divisible by two.
Lessons learnt here. Read the pattern all the way through before starting out on your modifications. It saves a lot of pain killers.

Rain and yet more rain

2010-09-17T14:28:00.003+12:00

The weather here in NZ at teh moment can only be described as wet. Now it is only just spring so I'm not complaining too loudly and we do get to see the sun, just not it would seem at the weekends just lately. The rain pours down and mostly that makes me happy. When it rains I feel totally justified in curling up on the sofa, ( my rocking chair is still in my house not at CNG's)fire blazing and needles going hell for leather. Perfect. I know that I'm not alone in finding this sort of day just great but it got me thinking about what would happen if the rain didn't stop. I mean Noah built an ark and took two of every kind of animal, except for unicorns who clearly didn't get the memo in time. I'd build an ark, or more correctly I'd find a man (CNG) who could build an ark for me, coz even I know that a knitted one isn't likely to be totally waterproof even if felted. Then I would fill my ark, with every type of yarn and not just two of each ball. There are only so many projects that use two or less skeins. I'd also have two of every type and size of needle, because different yarns need different needles and although I might not use my 2.25mm very often I wouldn't want to discover out at sea surround by nothing but water that I actually did need that exact size to get gauge. Then I'd have to take two of every pattern, just in case one got a bit soggy around the edges and there might not be electricity for a while so no photocopying, plus I wouldn't be able to look it up on Ravelry.Then I realised that if I printed of my favourites and my queue from ravelry I might just be responsible for a world wide shortage of paper, not to mention the weight of all that paper, might just sink the ark anyway. Oh and I'd need to live to be 510 to stand any chance of finishing them all. Well let's hope the rain stops soon.

Not much (knitting) luck lately

2010-09-13T15:02:00.006+12:00

I seem to have hit an all time low point in my knitting over the last couple of weeks. I'm a little bemused but it's as if all my tools and instruments are out to baffle and confuse me. I swear they have a mind of their own when left in the knitting bag overnight. Perhaps they are taking some revenge for the works forgotten and neglected or perhaps now I've tipped into my forties my skills have up and vanished as the neural pathways in my brain erode faster than a freshly picked flower with out water.
Firstly, the beautiful Crofter jumper that was to be part of CNG's birthday present just wasn't right.

Here in the pattern it looked manly and rugged, the colourway seemed to be just right for a man outdoors. As I knitted with the same colour, it just appeared a little well, peachy. valiantly, because as you all know I am not one to give up I continued even though the nagging doubt grew and grew. I knitted it large, because I know my man likes a bit of room in his sweaters, but even so I was worried that it was going to be too small. Maybe I brought the bad karma on myself, but as I sewed the final seam, I had to face the truth. On me the jumper looked stunning. The colour was perfect for me and although roomy still a flattering fit. On my man, it looked girly and too tight. I refused to photograph it because I just felt so dumb to have stuffed it up. Never mind CNG was very kind and understanding.
So I continued with the brown vest. I felt onto a winner with this one, the colour he asked for and a pattern already tried and tested but knitted the next size up coz he didn't want to look as metro. As seen below in the earlier stages.

The deadline for his birthday was fast approaching and I felt the heat as I spent Friday doing the neckband. I swear I had another ball of yarn so I could do the arm bands, but though I hunted in every ridiculous and non ridiculous place I could think of and a few I couldn't the ball was no-where to be found. No where. How could that be, balls of yarn don't just check themselves out of my stash, or any bodies stash for that matter. I've never before run out of yarn, but it would appear that was exactly what had happened. I was looking at an almost finished vest and less than 5 grams of yarn. What to do. So I did the only thing a sensible knitter would do, since frogging seemed way too drastic and jumping up and down on it too dramatic, I did a row of crochet around the armholes. Problem solved. CNG knows no different and while I'm not thrilled with the end result it does work, sort of.

I'm also working on a pattern called Ulrike from Let's Knit, a slouchy over vest perfect for spring days. I cast on the required 77 sts and did the rib and several rows of pattern. I was using a cotton and acrylic mix and I frogged it twice because something just wasn't right. It felt too dense, too tight and after some discussion at knitting group I finally pulled it off the needles and cast on again with a bamboo and cotton blend, Sirdar's Flirt. Much better. Maybe I'm back on track.

Scented Yarn

2010-09-06T08:54:00.003+12:00

While browsing blogs, instead of doing my work, (I am the queen of procrastination when it's something I don't like doing) I came across the following link.
http://www.sugarncream.com/newsletters/august2010web.html
I have to say I'm intrigued. Has anyone tried it out there?

Signature colours

2010-09-01T10:00:00.000+12:00

Colour has always been important to me, but more so over the last year or so as I've been able to let my natural inclinations come to the forefront. For many years there was a misconception in the family that my favourite colour was pink. I can't remember how it started except that it wasn't my choice and suddenly lots and lots of my things seemed to be pink. Family and friends gave me pink presents. I even owned a pink motorbike, but all the time only I knew it wasn't my favourite colour.
My favourite colour has always been purple, deep royal purple, but any shade is too be loved. When I was free to finally buy my own car, I chose a puprle one. It was a deeply satisfying moment. I knitted a purple sweater and bought a purple Ipod. But last night I noticed that I have another favourite colour or more correctly colour combination. It was CNG who noticed first and I was surprised but even as I started to deny it I realised it was true. I love neopolitan ice cream colours, pink brown and cream all together.

I have pjs in this colour combo, a running outfit, my knitting bag and a half finished blanket. Guess I've been busted. I want some yarn in this colourway now. I just don't think I will be happy until I've made something with yummy neopolitian yarn. And I know exactly what to make with it. A laptop case for my new laptop. Just need to find yarn and a pattern. Better start hunting.
Hmm I wonder if they make a neopolitian colour car?

I had a birthday

2010-08-31T09:03:00.002+12:00

I can't believe another year has whizzed by and suddenly I am a year older. It has been a bumpy year in many respects but it has also been a year of tremendous personal growth. Maybe life really does begin at, Shhh don't say it too loud, the youngest child still thinks I'm 21, forty. I feel more settled and sure of myself than I have for a long time. I know what I want for the rest of my life and can look back and see where I've made certain choices and the the consequences I've had to live with and I can accept these decisions have made me who I am.
The next year is shaping up to be pretty good.

Going Retro

2010-08-24T11:42:00.006+12:00

It's funny to think how style changes over time and how everything seems to have a natural cycle. There's a time when it's in fashion and the latest thing that everyone simply must have and then it gets put aside for the next craze or fad. It lies forgotten and neglected but never quite thrown out until one day it becomes cool again. I'm not talking flares or even eighties style leg warmers here. This is way cooler. CNG who never ceases to amaze me with his stash of vintage style paraphernalia has done it again.
I have the most delightful knitting bag. It was made for me in my favourite colours by another very generous blogger as part of a swap. But sometimes because I am driven by some OCD lurking in my brain to carry at least three projects around with me, I need smaller bags to go inside my Mary Poppins style knitting bag which holds so many treasures I often can't locate the one I'm after although several other lost and needed items might just surface. I was using good old Glad plastic bags, because they're cheap and see through and well I had them in the house. Had I spent my seven weeks off work being productive and not sitting and staring into space then I might have had other options. Ahhh well time gone is time gone.
So there I am merrily knitting away out of my highly desired plastic bag, when CNG looks and shakes his head. Then he disappears and comes back with.... drumroll please for such is required at this point.

It was love at first sight. How could it be otherwise. It was just so retro and cool and perfect. Of course it was his mother's knitting bag and I feel especially honoured to be using it. For me it's like being given an engagement ring.

A quick peek inside and you will see that it didn't take long for some of my WIP to make their way into the bag.

Here we have three of my works, there are a couple of others gathering dust forlornly in an bag but I refuse to think about them right now. They will get done. I'm just not saying when. The browm on my favourite needles is a sleeveless vest for CNG, he asked for this one, colour and style although it has taken many weeks longer than he would have liked for it to be finished. The purple was a feather and fan dress for me. I say was because just after taking the photo I realised that the thing was twisted. I'm sure you can imagine the horror I felt upon my discovery. For a moment I tried to convince myself that it wasn't twisted and all would be well. It didn't work so after 2 hours and 45 minutes of work ( I don't know whether to thank my ipod knitting app for that information or smash it) I had to frog back to the start. The third piece on Bamboo needles is a black jumper for me. I'm adapting the pattern to suit me, so I hope it won't end up being frogged as well.

It has been a while...

2010-08-08T11:33:00.004+12:00

Since I have blogged but Computer troubles at my house have meant no access to the internet. It has been strange not to log on and browse the net and I would love to say I've discovered more time and completed many projects but that would be a bare faced lie.

I've had six weeks off work to deal with a nightmare situation, the one that every mother dreads and while I had every intention of being incredibly active, instead I sat and mostly contemplated. This was exactly what my mind needed and I now feel more at peace than I have for a long while. It hasn't changed the situation but I am more able to deal with it and there is much to be grateful for.

Good news on My Cute Neighbour Guy. Great news in fact. We're not going to be neighbours for much longer. In fact we're going to live in the same house. It's going to be brilliant. We just have to work out where to store my substantial yarn stash and integrate the dogs and that's it. We've taken our time and set a very slow pace, so slow at times I thought we were heading backwards but patience does have its reward.
There are finished projects to blog about but I need to relocate the Iphone cable first, I'm sure to find it while packing and then I'll post the latest pieces.

Houston we have lift off

2010-06-03T09:19:00.007+12:00

CNG and I have been living the dream just lately. Just last weekend we were lucky enough to be given the opportunity to go up in a Helicopter and fly over Auckland. I was pretty excited especially as the only other time I've been in a helicopter I was required to jump out into the freezing depths of water below. There's nothinglike a fear of heights and of being submerged to dampen even the most exuberant personality. We took CNG's brother and his two daughters, my daughter and of course CNG's daughter. My youngest is the smallest one looking away from the camera and Sophie is standing right next to her.

All the girls

We flew at about 1100 ft over the inactive volcano Rangitoto, it's the dark shadowy mound at the rear of the photo, over the North Shore Peninusula and our street and then around the Sky Tower. The photos were taken with my Iphone so not bad all things considering.

I love my man and I love how keen he is for me to knit for him but there are limits. This last creation was chosen by him entirely, pattern and yarn. However he then expected it to be ready in next to no time. The knitting part took just three weeks, but it then needed blocking. CNG understands the concept of blocking but not how long the process can take especially in winter with pure wool. Every hour for three days he kept checking and asking if it was dry. In the end I brought it to his house so he could monitor it personally. Thus I turned up one evening to find him wearing a still damp jumper.

Now I had no intention of knitting another jumper for him for quite a while. He's had two jumpers and a sleeveless vest, enough for any man surely and ample proof of my love and devotion not to mention my scorn at any sweater curse. Fingers crossed and touch wood! But then I saw this pattern and the pose made me think of CNG and the previous photo and I just knew I wanted to knit it for him.
This time I'm being canny. He doesn't know it's for him. He wanted a chocolate brown fisherman's rib, but I will need a long stay in a mental ward if I do any more ribbing. So I can knit away and not be asked how much longer. It will be a surprise.

This uses Sirdar's Crofter, an acrylic but let's just say I am a yarn slut and will use anything. It is very soft though and I love the way it creates Fair Isle without the tangles a dozen balls of yarns usually produces. It also goes a very long way, just 8 balls to do a man's jumper.

I am loving how it's turning out and even if CNG doesn't like it I'm sure I will want to wear it.
Now proof that I don't just knit for him and that I am not neglecting others in my family of lovingly created garments I cast on for a jumper for Daisy. This is another Sirdar yarn called Kisses which has a very subtle self striping efect that is scrumptious. The photo doesn't really show this at all. This colour makes me think of caramel and toffee. I've finished the front and back and have cast on for the sleeves. She is very excited as it's been a whilesince she had a jumper from me.

Daisy's jumper

Monster Mash

2010-05-18T14:18:00.003+12:00

Here's Sophie's Monster which she is very proud of.. She put in a stirling effort and finished it in time for Mothers' day here in NZ which was last weekend.

The jumper, not the best shot but seriously if I took a photo of it now you would think it was the oldest saddest jumper you had ever seen.. It is literally being worn to death. Can't say I'm not a little chuffed with that. Second jumper almost finished.

Sophie's rabbit which she feels is not perfect enough to be blogged but I think is sweet and deserves recognition. Crafting continues while the boys play golf this weekend.

By request

2010-04-24T13:27:00.002+12:00

It would seem that everyone wants to be mentioned on my blog and so the time has come to talk about CNG's youngest daughter Sophie. She has been very proficient in the knitting department. i taught her last year and she has taken to the craft like a duck to the proverbially water. She is a natural. She has completed a scarf, a rabbit that she thinks is retarded but seriously is just cute. She's currently working on a monster from the Osbourne Learn to Knit book and a scarf for her teddy bear Snuggles. What a girl.

Happiness is....

2010-04-22T11:13:00.003+12:00

Finishing a sweater and having it appreciated. Appreciated by not just the recipient (CNG) but also by his teenage daughter, praise indeed that she has taken to wearing it almost constantly since its completion. However my heart did almost miss a beat when I espied her wearing my handiwork whilst she was cleaning cars at the local garage. I must remember that what happens to my knitting after it has been gifted should not be cause for panic. People are allowed to do what they want in it. However the hole that was discovered that evening was not met with such grace I have to admit.
CNG being utterly fantastic then decided that the sweater curse must truly have been averted due to his sweater being utilised by daughter and that as curse was now defunct I should have no problem knitting a second or even THIRD sweater. I happen to think he might just be right.
We went the next morning for him to choose the yarn and pattern for the next one. He chose a jumper done entirely in Medallion rib, (rib is not my favourite stitch but hey if it looks good on him) and he chose a multi yarn, Cleckheaton Paintbox, in browns and charcoal. It looks fabulous and so long as I dont think about the 76,000 stitches in it I can hold onto my sanity.
Since Saturday I've managed to knit up to the armholes on the back, but the rest of my life is falling by the wayside so it might be time to get some semblance of balance back.
I will post pictures if teenage daughter happens to be around when the camera is.

Progress

2010-03-31T19:59:00.006+13:00

has been made in several areas.
Firstly the weekend away was great. Cute neighbour guy and I had a lovely time and grew closer as a couple. He wore the vest I knitted all weekend which was so sweet of him. It's going so well that I am yet again working on his jumper. I've finished the front and the back and have now started on the sleeves. Just as well as the weather has begun to grow colder and it wont be long before it will be needed. He is getting impatient for it as well, and loves telling people that I'm making something for him.
I also responded to a cry for help from a friend who had attempted a scarf only for it to turn into a monster blanket, wrap affair. The only option was to frog and start again. Trouble was there was a deadline. Only three days to get it finished. Yikes!

It was black and a scrumptious blend of possum and merino. My friend had bought 8 X50g balls each covering 120 metres. She'd cast on 120 stitches. I cast on 35 stitches and just knitted every row until I'd used three of the eight balls. It looked long enough. Deadline met. Just.

Better go and do some more knitting I think I might just be on another deadline. One that it gives me great pleasure to be on.

Milestone

2010-03-19T08:02:00.003+13:00

I am so excited. Cute neighbour guy and I are heading away for a weekend together without children! It's going to be so good to be alone with him at last. Of course it's taken the kind of organisation that would make organising a world conference seem like a walk in the park.
Between us we have 6 children, 3 dogs, 2 cats, 10 rabbits, and 2 fish to find carers for. It wouldn't have surprised us if arrangements had gone on well into the next decade. But somehow the planets have aligned in our favour and things have fallen magically into place.
So early on Saturday morning we're heading South to Thames, a beautiful town on the Coromandel, for some well deserved us time. Let's hope the sunshines on us and we have a wonderful time.

Finished

2010-03-10T11:45:00.004+13:00

Despite serious motivation issues (or more precisely lack of motivation issues) Tatijana's top is finished. As you can tell by the photo she is totally delighted with it. Me, well let's just say I think I could have done better.
No I'm being too harsh. It was always going to be a challenge, dearest Tatijana had decided on a completely different top and we went looking for the yarn for that. Nothing in the shop was just right, it was the wrong ply, the wrong,colour, the wrong texture. At times I wondered if we might be in the wrong universe! Then she found a new pattern (the above top) and fell in love with it, but again didn't like the suggested Yarn, Natautica. She had been drawn to the Zhivago home several times and in a moment of lunacy I told her that of course I would be able to knit her top in a completely different yarn. No problem that the pattern stated it had a very particular tension.
There the issues began, the dreaded tension square was an absolute must, no way round it this time. If only there had been just one tension square. It took 8, yes 8 to get even close to the right tension. But finally knitting could begin in earnest. Notice the loops. They created the second issue. Despite the tension being almost right the loops when knitted were way, way, way too big. So another round of minor experimentation was called for. Finally I discovered that by using a much smaller needle just for the loop row I could get the effect desired.
The top is knitted sideways and is only about 100 rows. It should have taken days but instead took weeks. Am I pleased with it? Not entirely. Am I glad I made it? Absolutely. It looks beautiful on Tatijana and I am very pleased to have been able to make her something she will take back to Germany with her.

Drum roll if you please

2010-03-03T07:29:00.004+13:00

At last you all get to see a picture of cute neighbour guy. Last Friday was the biannual Officers Ball and my date was no other than cute neighbour guy. I asked him way back in October to be my date and he agreed but as regular readers know it's been a bit of a rocky journey since then. I am very happy to say that the path has smoothed and we are now officially a couple.

The ball was fantastic, red carpet,guard of honour on entry and lots and lots of dancing. I had the best time and I know my man did too.
Now hopefully I will be able to concentrate on some knitting.
For those who asked here's one without the shades

I wish

2010-02-17T11:29:00.002+13:00

I had some knitting news to share but sadly I have been terribly slack in the yarn department. I have three projects on the go, a second sock for middle daughter,a pink beaded affair that is progressing in minute increments. At the current rate she may be able to pass it on to a daughter of her own, or possibly a grand-daughter.
Then there's the sweater for you know who that is in abeyance because of the you know what curse. Let's not give fate any more ammunition at this point. A cease fire has been declared and it maybe wise to build up stocks and reconstruct before facing another onslaught.
And last but not least I am knitting a top for a friend. I started out very enthusiastic and willing, the project isn't complex and the back was knitted in days, but now I am procrastinating like a greek philosopher over finishing the front.
It is a lesson to be learned here that agreeing to knit for someone else is likely to end in tears, probably theirs.

Dilemma

2010-01-27T12:27:00.003+13:00

As you know from the previous post I have been busy. Busy trying to not be hurt because cute neighbour guy doesn't know what he wants. For a few weeks it was all full on and then I asked him outright if he was willing to be my boyfriend. I know that you're not supposed to do this but really seven months is long enough surely to decide if you like a person enough to do more than have a cuppa with them. I knew after the first week but then I do tend to operate at super sonic speed. His answer was vague and confusing, so I took it to be a resounding NO. Luckily having wept several continents previously I was able to avoid being washed away this time. I met someone else online and we decided to meet. It was fun, it was relaxed and it definitely has potential to continue. So we met severl more times and then he asked to meet the kids. Then my youngest let slip to cute neighbour guy mummy had a boyfriend. Funnily enough cute neighbour guy's reaction was that he thought he was my boyfriend. Maybe I'd skipped off to another planet during that discussion!! He then said he was ready to see where things might take us, if I wanted to.
My dilemma, what if he's only doing this because he doesn't want anyone else to have me. Should I trust him given that he's inadvertently hurt me twice now. My heart says him, regardless of the pain, but my head says new guy is a much happier and healthier option. See how dizzy my head is with it all.

Ok there's busy

2010-01-26T22:43:00.002+13:00

and then there's just plain stupid. I have decided I need to slow down as the relentless pace just can't be good for me. So many things to do so little time, so I have been trying to focus and prioritise in an attempt to regain a sense of slow. it might be working but everything is still going too fast to be sure!!

The Curse

2009-12-24T08:52:00.002+13:00

There is no doubt December has been a tough month to live through. Not withstanding the challenges of living with two teenage girls, it seemed for a while that the sweater curse was going to land on my head with a resounding "Take That" and how dare you be so smug as to think you could avoid me. Needles lay neglected mid row, I add in deep shame. Yarn held no attraction despite its siren call and the lure of wondrous things to make. The duvet looked warm and snuggly and more inviting that getting up and pasting a smile on my face.
But I am a big girl and there are only so many tears you can cry before you start to feel distinctly soggy and in need of wringing out. Plus puffy eyes and a red nose only works on those blessed with supernatural beauty. I just look plain ugly when I cry. Having run out of brown bags to wear over my head and thus unable to avoid scaring the neighbourhood kids, (Halloween being long gone,) it was time to shake off the dust and step out bravely.
Cute neighbour guy realised after my short hibernation period that I was more important to him than he had realised and the curse has been beaten back to a respectable distance. I fear it may still be hovering somewhere in the vicinity and I am not yet ready to continue with the sweater requested and started. Perhaps a safe pair of socks instead!
Happy Christmas to you all and roll on 2010.

Teenagers

2009-11-10T12:34:00.000+13:00

Living with teenagers is a pretty good method of contraception. Not only do they stay up late, bug you whenever you might possibly be in the midst of a romantic moment, pull faces if they see you being smoochey, their emotional rollercoaster is bound to make you think twice about multiplying the human race.

Unfortunately by the time you’re living with teenagers it is well and truly too late to do a lot about it. Perhaps the answer is to make it compulsory for every couple to spend a month with two teenagers before making the decision to have a baby. Babies are the easy part, sure they cry and have dirty nappies that can make a nuclear meltdown look pleasant, but they are utterly adorable and totally cute. They smile their gummy smiles and even the most sleep deprived feel an extra boost from somewhere. Teenagers do not evoke cuteness. There is little that is cute about a teenager. They may be interesting, challenging and good fun (when they want to be) but they are also a whole parcel of contradictions.

The worst thing about teenagers is their ability to recall every word of every conversation you’ve had with them. They will sniff out discrepancies like they were two week high kippers. They will use everything against you and you have no weapons that will effectively deal with this, unless you are also able to record all conversations so you can be 100% certain about what you actually did say. Not likely since pregnancy, childcare and constant erosion of the brain cells will have diminished your memory to a quivering mess.

Please be kind and save a teenager, make their frazzled parents a strong drink and offer a large sponge to soak up their tears of frustration, know that you are doing a huge service to mankind as you prevent a murder. Remind the parents to hang on in there, like infanthood time is short and it will pass and the teenagers will emerge as butterflies from cocoons to take their place in the greater world and perpetuate the cycle of life.

Finished

2009-10-30T18:26:00.004+13:00

but no photo because it was grabbed hot off the needles so it could be worn to Christchurch down on the South Island of NZ where the temperatures are a little cooler than our Auckland norm.
Yes I finished the second piece of knitting for cute neighbour guy. And it fits him. Beautifully. He looks so hot (the good looking kind, not all sweaty) in it.

It was a simple sleeveless vest as seen in 500 Days of Summer and Couples Retreat. I had no idea it was going to be so trendy, when I started knitting it. I think I may have slightly aggravated my cinema companion when I kept nudging her to point out for the 100th time that the vest on screen was identical to the one my needles were clicking away furiously trying to finish. I don't think she cared after the first twenty times. He wanted it so badly I didn't even block it. The pressure was on, he even thought something might have gone wrong with it because it was two days later than expected and he hadn't seen me knitting it. He was right.

The first time I got to dividing for the neck I had two less stitches than expected. Usually this wouldn't faze me but with the other effort turning out too small I just couldn't risk it. So I frogged back to the armhole shaping. Away I went again, staying up late to try and make up lost time. As I started to divide for the neck I realised that I had inadvertently been following the instructions for the crew neck when I wanted a v-neck. A few choice phrases were to be heard especially as I had to go back to the armholes again. Of course the last time cute guy had seen it, only the neck needed doing, hence its disappearance for a few days while I caught up. I'm thinking these minor hiccups are protecting me from any other bad karma possibly linked to the giving of knitwear to a male someone special.

I used the Zhivago pattern book, weekend knits, a book that I have used so often it's beginning to look a little sad. Why didn't I photocopy the pattens first. I wish I had now. I didn't use Zhivago though, I used Spotlight's basics Merino, which was only $3.99 for 50g. I used 300g in total so not a bad price. It was surprising even to knit with and not at all scratchy. BUT it does mean he can't just throw it in the washing machine, however, I intend being close enough to leap to the rescue should it end up spinning where it has no right to spin.

Now though he loves it so much he wants a jumper. He really really wants a jumper.

I have, of course, already cast on. No curses here.

A trip down memory lane

2009-10-13T12:34:00.004+13:00

The internet is a wonderful thing indeed. Thanks to an old school friend on the other side of the world I have just seen photos of me that I didn't even know existed.

I'm the small one with dark hair at the front.
Me aged around 11 or 12, at Secondary school would you believe, I look about 5!! The best thing is seeing how like me my youngest daughter looks. So scary.

Daisy age 5

Daisy aged 8

Confession

2009-10-07T17:58:00.009+13:00

is they say good for the soul and while I can try to hide I know my sins will always find me out. When you choose to put things into the public arena then you have to expect there to be some kind of accountability. Thus it is with me. I asked about the supposed "sweater boyfriend curse". I explained my cunning plan to devise a way of thwarting any such possibility, but curses are not so easily fooled I have discovered. I decided as you might know to knit a sleeveless hoodie, as surely the lack of sleeves made it safe. It was safe. Very safe. After hours of knitting and even more hours of sewing up especially sewing up the pesky hood, and a lot of cursing and tweaking with the zipper to be ready just in time for cute neighbour guy's birthday, disaster struck. I was gutted. I didn't see it coming and I still can't explain what went wrong. No we didn't split up. The sleeveless hoodie zipper thing was too small. How bad did I feel, definitely smaller than Tom Thumb. I would have liked to take the offending article and crawl away to my lonely rock somewhere while I tried to work out where exactly I'd made a mistake. I measured him, I checked my tension, I knitted the correct size. But it fits me, not him. The curse clearly outwitted me.

But all is not lost, being the wonderful cute guy he is, he has very sweetly allowed my transgression to be left to gather dust, unspoken of, until today when he shows me a picture in a magazine of a guy wearing a V neck slip on vest and says, "You could knit me one of those couldn't you. You could use the yarn from the other thing to save it going to waste"

I was speechless. Not only does he still want me to knit him something, but he totally understood the concept of frogging. Not that I have any intention of frogging it. I like it far too much for that. It could have been made for me don't you think?
So I am set to cast on for the slip on vest after all I no longer have any fear of a curse. This cute guy likes my knitting even when it goes wrong, he suggests frogging and is ready to ask for more. How can we not be meant for each other?

Any good confession also has some atonement and I have already made amends for my sin. I knitted a pair, yes a pair of socks. I am so pleased with myself. It's the first pair ever off my needles.

They are knitted in Patons dreamtime 4ply which is 100% wool but very soft and cuddly. The beads were put on using a 0.75mm crochet hook rather than threading them on prior to knitting. I thought it would be quicker that was as I am way too impatient to spend time on threading. It wasn't quicker but I did enjoy the level of concentration required, thus the reason why two socks were created. Next time though I'm not using such a light colour.

Look what I had done

2009-09-21T19:55:00.000+12:00

I am smiling because despite the pain I am high on endorphins or what ever the heck the body pumps out to make you feel good. I feel invincible because I have overcome an almost crippling fear of needles. I have more excuses not to visit the dentist have a blood test, or get vaccinated than a dictionary has words. Even when ordered to have such things done I am pretty adept at wheedling my way out of it or at least delaying it in the hope of it being forgotten forever.

So I hadn't really considered ever having a tattoo. Never. It just wasn't on my radar. But Cute neighbour guy has lots. Both arms, chest and back, and they do look cute. So my perspective changed somewhat. Then we started talking and I realised that they were more than decorations they were declarations and I realised I wanted something that would be a physical symbol of all I had gone through and survived. I wanted it somewhere private where it wouldn't ever be on show unless I chose to do so.

I chose a dolphin because they symbolise joy and protection both of which I have a great need for in my life. I also think that my nature is quite dolphin like, I am quite a playful personality. I loved this design because it also embodies New Zealand's Maori culture which I have embraced fully.
Cute neighbour guy lied when I asked him if it hurt. He said it was just like being scratched.

I was scared and it hurt a lot. But I did it and I love it. Now I feel ready to tackle anything.

Finding me again

2009-09-21T07:48:00.003+12:00

Some of you will have noticed from my comments on your blogs that my name has changed. I thought long and hard about whether it was worth the effort of reverting back to not my maiden name but my fahter's name which I took on in my twenties. After all, what's in name? Quite a lot it would appear. I needed to re-discover a time when I was strong and happy, a time when I felt I could do anything and problems were no more than minor hiccups in the fabric of daily living. I needed to feel that I was that person again and that meant shaking off a name I had never truly felt comfortable with.
I have taken that step and feel as though life is opening up with possibiliites again. I have also overcome a huge fear which I will post about soon. I just need to get the camera issues sorted so I can show you all the evidence.
Knitting progress will also follow. I have actually started on a second sock, a partner no less for a sock now sitting eagerly awaiting its match. This is further proof that changing your name can indeed lead to great things. Never before have I managed to knit two matching socks.

Thank you

2009-09-04T18:43:00.002+12:00

for all your wonderful comments. I've cast on for a sleeveless hooded vest in the hope not having arms makes it a non sweater and therefore exempt from any possible universal curse vibes. Of course I know it's perfectly safe because the curse is aimed at boyfriends and cute neighbour guy and I are not yet at the point of being that closely linked, at least not to the rest of the world. Maybe at some point in the future who knows. I hope so. For now though we're just having fun, hanging out. The knitting is keeping me focused and busy that's for sure.

Your opinion please

2009-08-25T17:21:00.003+12:00

I am well aware of the saying that if you knit a boyfriend a sweater/jumper he won't be your boyfriend for long and wondered whether my bloggy mates might be able to help with a dilemma around this theme. Cute neighbour guy who has been a constant in my life for the last 10 weeks would really, really like me to knit him a sweater. I have shared the superstition with him which he believes to be utter tosh and part of me goes along with him. BUT.. do I want to tempt fate and go ahead and knit him one!! I know it would be a test of faith to do so, after all I believe this was meant to be and it is all working so nicely that truth be told I would be a bit upset should it suddenly fizzle out. Yet if it's going to last then it will regardless of a jumper, won't it? So I was just wondering whether anyone can help. he doesn't want socks or a beanie. Do I say fiddlesticks to superstition, I laugh in the face of such foolishness ha ha, or do I bow to the weight of those who have gone before and already wept their tears?

You know someone really cares when

2009-08-18T16:54:00.008+12:00

despite not terribly conducive weather, a lawn the size of a small country a million other things they have to do and a lawn mower that's decidedly temperamental they offer to cut your grass.
It was a mammoth job, and one that I had been putting to the bottom of my very long to-do list for at least 8 weeks. Hey I reasoned more to myself than anyone who actually cared, in winter grass doesn't grow much and besides I didn't have a spare 3days, to get stuck in unless of course it involved knitting a lawn. That I might have done. I thought about bribing/threatening the children but frankly three of them are bigger than me and the smallest couldn't manage on her own. I bemoaned the fact slavery was abolished several hundred years ago but moaning didn't get the grass cut surprisingly. Then last night inspired by a glimpse of sun I decided to tackle several spiky plants the size of triffids clearly intent on taking over my home sometime in the next week and went to cute neighbour guy to borrow a spade. He lent me the spade but then came down to see what needed doing. At this point I was doing my best independent female routine which doesn't really work as I weigh less than a bag of cement apparently.

Cute guy then says, I'll do all of this tomorrow. And he did. And he told me to go and knit while he did it all. It took three hours. My hero. It would have taken me three months at least mostly because I would have been distracted after the first five minutes and got involved with something else, then I would have gone for a drink, then something to eat, then... you get the idea.
I am so pleased and excited at having a nice garden again. I even got the hammock out for a while despite it not being the best weather yet. Spring is on the way though and now I can enjoy being outside again.
But there's more if you can bear to read on. A few weeks ago we went to a DIY store, I know, not my first choice of shopping experience but cute neighbour guy wanted to choose some paint for his bathroom and he convinced me to go with the lure of pink pegs. I had a great time but alas not a single pink peg to be found. I was disappointed because I needed the pink pegs to motivate me to finish a project. Then yesterday when I called in to spend some time with my cute neighbour guy he presented me with pink pegs!!

My joy was complete. I offer no apologies for being a simple easy to please soul. So here is the finished item and a picture of the pegs.

My neighbour is awesome.

The Rules For Being Human : Pearls Of Wisdom

2009-08-14T14:02:00.000+12:00

The Rules For Being Human : Pearls Of Wisdom

Another FO and an update

2009-07-27T17:51:00.007+12:00

It has a been a busy time for me, trying to meet all my regular commitments and failing spectacularly. I have managed to keep up my knitting, things would be looking dire indeed if I had needed to sacrifice knitting time. So I have another FO. This has been made in Sirdar's Balmoral, in the purple. I fell in love with the colour the instant I saw it and even though it was way out of budget at $11 a ball, I had to have it. The jumper is a Zhivago pattern, from their book of weekend knits which incidentally doesn't mean you can knit the patterns in a weekend. I wish. No the patterns are more casual and suited for weekend living. I first knit this pattern about five years ago in a beautiful deep teal. I loved it. Unfortunately so did my daughter and eventually she was able to persuade me that she was the right size for it to be reluctantly handed over. She loved it. She wore it as much as I had and then mysteriously it disappeared. Perhaps it had been stolen by a Zhivago loving bandit, perhaps the dogs had mauled it, perhaps another sister had cut it into mini blankets for bratz dolls. We went with the first choice as there were no traces to indicate the other two possibilities. We have since come to the conclusion that it was most likely a washing accident perpetrated by the one who has now left.
So I resolved o make myself another one or two. I have already cast on in Zhivago sage green for another one. And daughter has agreed to buy the yarn so I can knit her one of her very own, as mine won't fit her any more.

I have no idea about the date on the picture they were both taken the same day. Perhaps eldest daughter's camera was fixed on the wrong date.

The best thing about the purple jumper apart from how nicely it fits, the cable panel which is also on the back and what a gorgeous colour it is, is that it was knitted on cute neighbour guy's mum's needles. He's so amazed by the fact. I have been spending quite a lot of time at the neighbours, just being neighbourly you know how important it is to get to know people who live nearby. At least now I no longer need an excuse to go by. And he makes me a cup of tea while I drone on about all wonderful things knitting related, like how I found The Yarn Harlot's meditations for knitters book in the library. Score!! I have to keep reminding myself he's not as interested in the stuff as I am, but whenever I glance at him he's smiling so that's a good sign right? Besides, he's found a very effective way of changing the subject and while I really love wool and yarn, I am liking his tactics a lot. We keep pretending we'll be bored with each other soon, after all how many cups of tea does it take for the attraction to wear off, but then I remind him just how long I've loved tea, and he says perhaps it will be about the same time I get fed up with knitting. We both feel pretty confident that's never going to happen. Besides he just gets cuter.

The time has come

2009-07-08T09:13:00.005+12:00

to remember that this is supposed to be a knitting blog, and not romance update central, although there have been developments with wonderful neighbour guy. First let me share a project recently finished after being on the needles for three years. Three years! I have no idea why it stayed there so long, I only had the sleeves to do and I was already halfway through one. My memory is hazy but I think it might have been on the needles when I joined the navy and so was left during training and never picked up again.

So about two months ago in my yarn colour co-ordination exercise which was really another word for procrastinating about actually tidying up I came across it again, remembered how much I loved the colours and yarn (Zhivago, a mix of acrylic and tencel) and committed myself to finishing it. As you can see I did. I love it. It fits beautifully, the colours are so fresh and vibrant just right for dull winter weather and it's so soft to wear. It makes me think of ocean breezes and summer days.

To other things then, the needles from gorgeous neighbour guy belonged to his mother who passed away fifteen years ago from breast cancer. I thinking the gift of these needles is actually quite a big deal for him and I don't think he intends to lose contact with them!
We meet several times a day. Usually when I happen to walk past his house and I have discovered many reason to go that way so far I've;

1. put something in the bin by the bus stop,

2. checked the bus times,

3, walked the dogs to the end of the road

4. Walked up to see if daughters are on way home,

5. Posted several letters to fictional friends

We will ignore the fact I have a bin at home, I don't use the bus I use my newly up and running motorbike ( courtesy of gorgeous neighbour guy) or the car, dogs are totally pooped from too many walks, and daughters are already home.

The best bit and the bit that makes me feel a lot less like a stalker is that on my return trip past his house he always happens to be outside, and he always invites me in for a cuppa. We have spent a lot of time having cups of tea and long chats not to mention some kissing ( shhhh don't tell the kids). It would seem that this is indeed the start of something very special.

what are the odds

2009-07-04T15:38:00.003+12:00

Of there being a good looking single guy living just four doors way from you who not only happens to like you but gives you knitting needles to boot. I kid you not that's exactly what has happened. I didn't even know this man a week ago when he happened to smile and say hello as I trundled on past with littlest one on the way to school. He does have a rather cute grin! He said hello again as I returned from the school trip and somehow we got talking about firewood of all topics, well it is winter in NZ and it was a cold morning. I mentioned that I needed to get some and he offered to assist. Always a welcome offer. Anyway he was good to his word and on Wednesday a large box of firewood arrived on my doorstep. Naturally I went up to thank him and he then offered to get the pink motorbike back on the road. She's been sadly neglected since Manila and the battery had gone completely flat. I was delighted as I've missed the thrill of zipping along on two wheels. So the bike is fixed, hurrah, but I am making a long story endless which wasn't my intention. To thank him I invite him for a coffee, I know living on the wild side as always, and we get chatting. He's very good at talking and asking questions. Somehow I end up telling him about my knitting addiction. Not usually something I share so early but hey the moment felt right and he jumps up and dashes off. I sit stunned for a minute wondering what aspect of knitting he had a sudden aversion to, the dreaded acrylic word maybe, flashbacks of crazy maiden aunts and lurid colours of Christmas jumpers past. I had barely time to recover when he's back carrying a container full of needles. This is where I feel I may have scuppered things a little because I could barely contain my excitement. I love steel needles for some projects and these were all steel, and lots of 8's and 10's, all I could think of was how many more projects I would be able to cast on with these new needles. Clearly he now thinks of me as totally insane with a very odd penchant for steel needles. I wonder whether he'll take to hiding behind the curtain as I stalk, sorry, walk past. Oh well, I can dream that he will think I'm awesome until then.

Single life

2009-06-23T12:48:00.003+12:00

It's funny being single again. I knew it had to be and that it was the right time to walk away but the reality is quite different. In many ways I love it. I like watching what I want on the TV and having control of the remote. I like throwing on some old clothes to slob out on the couch without worrying how bad it looks, I love having the whole bed to myself, apart from the cat of course. I love being spontaneous and doing random things because I don't have to consider anyone else at home. The children are so accepting of my ways and are used to going with the flow. I love sing star Sundays, and lazy reading mornings.....but....there is a part of me that longs to be in partnership again, a part that needs someone else to share things with, someone to be in balance with. I know it's early days yet there is a part of me that is scared of how it will all pan out. How does this dating thing work when you're nearly forty? Is it now OK to call a man or do we still wait for them to take the first step? I have so many questions that at times it feels like my head might spin off into orbit. .
It's not that I need a man to make me whole, I know that I can and do manage on my own. I want one.
Then I stop and remember Rome wasn't built in a day. Jumpers don't knit themselves, stitch by stitch, row by row they grow. Each day passes and brings with it new experiences and one day someone special, someone just right will walk into my life. Single life is about getting ready for that day, enjoying the journey and making the most of life

Shutterfly | View Shared Pictures

2009-06-18T09:49:00.000+12:00

Shutterfly | View Shared Pictures
Just something the girl guides got up to over the last few weeks with lots of help from a friend

Farewell faithful friend

2009-06-15T15:41:00.005+12:00

Today I had to make the hardest decision I've ever had to make and trust me there have been some tough ones. Ollie My four year old Shih tzu,ran away last week and must have been hit by a car because he returned home limping. The limping got worse and this morning he was totally paralysed in his back legs. He was clearly in a lot of pain. The vet diagnosed a ruptured disc something that small dogs like Shih tzus are prone to. He said surgery was an option but unlikely to be successful and the recovery slow. I had to let my friend go in peace. I know it was the right thing to do for him but I still feel like a total heel. I held him as he slipped away and then spent a long time sobbing over his body.

He was a very placid dog and took everything in his stride. He never complained or made a fuss about anything. I hope he's having fun playing now.

What no knitting!!

2009-06-06T13:36:00.004+12:00

Amazing as it will probably sound I haven't knitted a single stitch since last Monday. This factor is serious enough to throw all the planets into total confusion and may have a lasting impact on other more serious spheres such a world peace and the seasons. I can't remember the last time I had a voluntary break from my compulsive two stick habit. I am beginning to suffer from withdrawal symptoms, my hands twitch and I found my self stroking a machine knitted jumper counting the stitches. But it has been worthwhile and I have been having a lot of fun.
It would seem that since the marriage break up at the start of the year certain elements have been realigning themselves and one of these would be my social magnet. Last week it went into warp drive and every minute of my time was suddenly wanted somewhere else. Even the dog felt neglected because she missed one walk and had two others that passed in a flash she was required to go so fast.
I am definitely not complaining, but it does mean that there's little to blog about. I have finished a jumper that languished patiently on needles for three years. It's been worn almost constantly as it is so warm. I also made a set of wrist warmers for number 2 daughter but I haven't sewn them up so they don't really count. There are projects on the needles, two summer ones have been placed out of sight and mind until the cold snap is over. Even if I finish them they won't be worn for several more weeks, possibly months. I am working on a green jumper for me and a blue one for Daisy. The idea was to get them done quickly to wear this winter but the way things are going it might be next winter wear instead. For once I don't mind, it is nice to be popular for a while and I intend to make the most of it all.
While I am blogging I have a question for you all. Where did you meet your partner/boyfriend/ husband. Just a bit of harmless research to prove that love really does find us in the most unlikely places

The dress

2009-05-24T21:05:00.003+12:00

So here it is. Knitted in just one week, thank goodness for slim, short daughters. I used Elle Stretch found by happy accident in the local Warehouse. Cost $4 a ball and I used 6 balls. Elle is 90% acrylic and 10% stretch polyester. It knits beautifully, vewry smooth and fast adn lasts for 125m.

I did it

2009-05-20T22:34:00.002+12:00

At the final hour I cast off and while I didn't get a chance to sew in the ends it was wearable. Unfortunately there wasn't time to photograph before she dashed off into the sunset and we haven't been in the house at the same time since. I plan on tying her down if necessary tomorrow. Whew I don't think I can face circulars needles for at least ..... a week maybe!

It must be love

2009-05-11T12:55:00.002+12:00

Snippet of conversation with teenage daughter.
Daughter: mum I need a new dress
Mum: Why's that
Daughter: I want to look nice for my boyfriend's birthday
Mum: where are you going?
Daughter: For a meal
Mum: Can't you wear something in your warderobe?
Daughter: Mum!!!
Mum: how much do you need then?
Daughter: Will you knit me one?
Mum: errr, I guess so. When do you need it for
Daughter: Next sunday
No reply from mum. She's on the floor in shock. How fast does she think I knit. A halter neck dress by next Sunday. I'm not making any promises but I'll give it whirl.

Verdict

2009-05-06T22:17:00.003+12:00

I worn the trousers to my knitting group on Monday just so they could see them in the flesh so to speak. The trousers are surprisingly heavy, much heavier than I thought they would be and I need to adjust the elastic in the waist band so there's less drag. They were very easy to wear and very warm and comfortable. The bottom didn't sag at all even after two hours of sitting knitting, but... the knees did. It was a most disappointing moment when I stood up and my knee continued to protrude. I'm not entirely sure how to solve the problem.
I guess I ought to give some facts and figures, being right brained I tend to forget the details. I used a bamboo and cotton blend from Spotlight $4.99 a ball. It's 50% of each. I used 11 balls each giving 82 metres on size four and a half circulars. The pattern was from Phoenix Bess although I adapted the original number of stitches and used a different waist band.
I will definitely make another pair but in black or navy and using a yarn with perhaps a little nylon or Lycra in.
Thanks for all the great comments, I really enjoyed knitting these. I will wear them a lot around the house and wearing them will continue the healing that knitting them started.
No matter what God is still good and I am still blessed

Finished

2009-05-04T18:27:00.005+12:00

Whew, although these only took me two weeks to knit the last couple of inches really did seem to take forever.
I haven't blocked them yet and there are several places where the yarn was less than perfect so the overall effect is spoilt. I am going to reserve judgement until I've worn them.

I think they fit better than I thought they would.

But should they be worn outside or relegated to the confines of the house only.
Perhaps in a different yarn? Or in black?
Honest opinions sought please
Perhaps they need to be frogged and made into something more sensible.

Another clue

2009-04-25T12:04:00.003+12:00

Colour isn't brilliant but of course the camera is in China with beloved eldest child.
Can you guess what it is now??
A pair of trousers. I know what you're thinking, honestly I've been there myself but for over six months now I have had this burning desire to knit a pair of trousers. I know it's utter madness and I am seriously in danger of looking like an inmate of the local home for lost souls and the deranged but I just think they will be the most comfortable things in the world to wear. I just adore wearing both my skirts and so surely the trousers will be the same with spades.
These are as I said a cotton and bamboo blend which has a beautiful silky sheen, so soft and hangs with just enough weight to add movement. Unlike socks which cause me double angst with second sock syndrome there is none of that with these, I have already cast on for leg number two and even have a second pair of trews on needles in a different blend.
There's a long long list, probably longer than Santa's good children list of other projects that are way more urgent but these are healing me in ways that only uncomplicated knitting can. I just need not to think about what I'm doing right now although I do worry that perhaps at the end of it I might not be able to think again.
OK back to the other leg. Watch this space for the first showing of the finished project. I promise I will share here before I wear them outside.

Guess what I'm knitting

2009-04-24T23:23:00.004+12:00

Rhythmic, steady and uncomplicated, endless circles of stitches, knit. knit, knit. By the time these are done I will have reconnected to my bounce I'm sure. Knitting always heals my inner turmoil. But can you guess what I'm knitting? Go on look closely.

Can you guess what it is yet?

it's cotton and bamboo, my favourite on beautiful wooden circulars.
Inspiration from this designer

I'll reveal all later. Just need to do a few more rounds to still the trouble and soothe the soul. Thank you all for your kind words thoughts and prayers. Knitting my way back to my bounce.

Too sad to post

2009-04-21T13:25:00.001+12:00

Just feeling overwhelmed by lots of things going on right now. I know it will all pass and that God's hand is in it all but I can't quite get through the dayswith my usually air of positivity. If anyone sees my bounce could they send it back please.

Sometimes the details escape me

2009-04-15T13:56:00.007+12:00

I can't help it. Being almost totally right brained means that I can sometimes miss the obvious. Usually it's OK as I have enough children who are more balanced brain wise to keep me on track. However on this occasion it took a while for me to find the solution even though it was staring me in the face. Literally. The problem? My adorable teenage son who is as we speak/write on the seven seas sailing for China asked to borrow my digital camera. Of course as a loving mother I said yes instantly. It was the day after I had arrived back from Manila so my joy at seeing him was high and the full extent of broken items yet to be discovered.
I then realised after several days that it was going to seriously hamper my blogging. Text only posts can get a little mundane even for the most ardent blogists. What to do became an obsessive thought and I began to look very seriously at the price of new cameras. The fact that my bank balance has been on a rather drastic detox is only a minor issue.
Then as I sat replying to an email it suddenly struck me that there was a funny looking gizmo at the top of my laptop and I remembered from some fuzzy little used part of my memory that it was indeed a built-in camera. See the solution was right in front of my eyes but I could only see the big picture.
So here are a few shots of the latest knitted pieces. The skirt was knitted in Manila, the only thing I actually managed to knit I was so busy having a good time.

The sparkly wrap took only two days to knit and was an impulse buy when I went to Spotlight in a cheer myself up expedition.

The bluey/indigo lace piece is going to be the green top and went all the way to Manila and all the way back again with not a stitch being knitted.

Home again

2009-03-31T23:20:00.003+13:00

Back in New Zealand in body if not yet fully in mind or spirit. Bloggy Friends I am sad to say that I lost my heart to the Philippines and now suddenly everything here seems less than before. I made so many wonderful friends over there and had so many good times that it felt like a year instead of a month. I cried so hard at the airport, much more than I cried when I left the UK for NZ. My emotions are all over the place right now. Still I did go to social knitting and normal knitting reports will be transmitted once the tear ducts stop leaking. Don't want to electrocute myself or fry the yarn.

Singing.

2009-03-20T00:03:00.002+13:00

I can't sing. I'm not just being modest here, as if I would ever be backwards about coming forwards. My ability to hold a tune ranks in the serious deficiency realm. My voice itself might just about pass muster but I am flat and have a unique way of arranging the notes so they have very little in common with the original song. Honestly me singing is a crime against the ears.
Before you switch off totally and go and search another blog there is a point to this. On March 17th, (St Patrick's day, to those in the know) We - my two colleagues and some people we'd met went to the Hobbit House here in Manila. It's a bar where the wait staff are all dwarfs. Anyway there was a band playing. Wonderful I thought and settled down to listen. My new friend scribbled something down on a piece of paper, gave it to the waitress who took it up to the stage, the next thing, my name is being called and I am being invited to go up on stage and sing. Oh fellow bloggers can you imagine my utter horror. This is a public space. I don't even sing in private without issuing a warning to the local surroundings. I attempted to locate my invisibility cloak but I'd left it at home. I then prayed desperately for an earthquake or some other disaster to save me. I don't even drink so there was no alcohol buffer to offer immunity from embarrassment.
All the while my new friend, relegated to mere acquaintance by now, is leading me resolutely towards total annihilation. Somehow, I swear I don't know how I found myself standing on the stage with a microphone in my hand and being asked what I wanted to sing. Well My mind was in lock down and the only song title I could think of was Top of the world by the Carpenters, purely because I'd seen it on TV the day before. By now it was very clear that there was only one thing to do and that was to sing and get it over and done with. So I did. I sang in public, in front of at least 50 people, 48 of whom I will thankfully never see again. I am sure it was awful, but the funny thing is I really, really enjoyed myself. I loved being on the stage and even knowing that my voice was awful didn't matter.
So I have learnt to sing as though no one else can hear you. It's fun. But out of respect for other people I have been going to the local Time zones where they have private booths and you can sing along for just 50p a song. Brittany Spears watch out!!

Homesick

2009-03-15T14:16:00.003+13:00

Manila is great, busy, exciting and as energetic as I am but truth to tell I am longing for home. Sure I miss my kids, but more than seeing them and dealing with the day to day needs I want my routine back. I want to wake up and walk Mouse on the beach as the sun peeks over North Head showering Rangitoto in golden light heavy with the promise of a new day. I want peace to comtemplate the gifts given to me and prepare myself for the blessings of the new day. I want to hear the gentle rush of waves upon sand, not the blare of traffic and the dicordant blast of angry horns.
I want to banter with my colleagues and attempt to raise their energy levels by a degree or two by being impossibly bouncy. I want to stand on the veranda outside the office with a coffee in hand and listen to the general hustle and bustle of the place. I want to go to my normal weekly things, Pilates, Spin, Social Knitting and Rangers. All those things are part of who I am and without them I am beginning to feel a little adrift. Staying up til 4am dancing isn't really who I am although it has been a lot of fun. Not so much fun getting up at 6am because my body won't reset itself.
Still I am not complaining, just sharing, after all in ten days I will be back in NZ and the threads of my life there will seamlessly be interwoven into the part of God's grand tapestry that has been created from my vist here. I know that I have things to learn from this visit even if I'm not entirely sure what they are yet.

Alison in Mall land

2009-03-07T11:52:00.002+13:00

A little like Alice when she fell down the rabbit hole and it went down, and down and down, I found myself feeling a little disorientated as the malls here go on and on and on. I wondered where it would all end and whether there might be a potion somewhere that when you drank it made you a thousand times richer.
Seriously you go in the front,side or back door and then a long time later if you are very lucky and very good at navigation you will find the way out. I have never in my life walked into one shop of many shops and seen so much of everything. Everyhwere
It's like walking into Debenhams or John Lewis and the entire floor is all one thing, like bags, shoes. And no matter how long you walk for there seems to be no end of it all. The you walk out and there's another one. I didn't realise just how many brands of shoes there are, Kickers, Keds, Van, Converse, Hush, and on and on.
At first it seemed like shopper heaven but actually I find it all overwhelming. There's so much choice that I almost can't make a decision.
I just can't begin to imagine where all that stuff would fit in the world. It also made me stop and think about how much of the world's resources was being used to produce such an over abundance. I think that if all production stopped it would still be several years before all the goods were used up.
Still Manila is very large and busy and it is a wonderful opportunity to be here. I might just be better off leaving the purse behind.

Giving up for Lent

2009-02-28T13:56:00.003+13:00

I told everyone I was giving up NZ for Lent but they all said it didn't count as I wasn't leaving until two days after Lent started and would be back two weeks before it ended. Having landed in Singapore on route to Manila I agree, how can I possibly be depriving myself when I am having such fun. I guess it will have to be Coke Zero and chocolate after all. At least my family will not be harmed in the course of this lent as they are still in NZ.
I was also super organised and bought the Easter eggs before I left NZ. I hope they don't melt while I'm away.

Off to Manila

2009-02-26T21:06:00.002+13:00

Things will probably be very quiet aroud here for the next four weeks. I'm off to Manila to teach instructional techniques to the defence force over there. I am really looking forward to the trip but can't guarantee how much time there will be for blogging. Looking forward to catching up with everyone in April.

Note to self

2009-02-21T21:53:00.003+13:00

Despite a generally feeling of buoyancy, and over elation, described by those less empathetic or maybe just brave as over animation I have learnt this week that I do not bounce well.
It came as a bit of a shock to me to find that when confronted with the business end of a piece of wet tarmac, the tarmac wins. I would never have laid bets on that one. Me the invincible would surely merely skim the surface rising unscathed while the tarmac would be left crushed and dented. Alas no. I took a corner on my motorbike and lost traction due to a combination of rain and oil residue on the road and the scooter skidded. I thought I might be able to ride it out, but the lean was too great so the bike and I parted company while I introduced myself to the road. I'm not overly impressed with road's manners, a bit gritty for my liking so I won't be heading back that way any time soon. No real damage done, A few bruises and a partially dislocated shoulder, the bike needs to be touched up all along the left flank. Thank heavens for protective clothing.
Other note to self
It is good to be alive.
This morning As I walked with Mouse to the village I took the time to enjoy the moment. It was a beautiful morning, I smiled at everyone I passed and bid them all a chirpy good morning. I care nothing if they choose to think I'm the nutter of Devonport. I bought a coffee and sat drinking it and reading a magazine, no rush, no hurry and when I was ready Mouse and I continued our walk.
It was such a simple pleasure, the feeling of a new day before me filled with promise and expectation. Being still and not moving into the next moment without having fully lived this one. Meeting good friends and knowing that I was loved. Greeting strangers that they might know they were loved. What a great day.

Happy Valentines means

2009-02-15T19:46:00.006+13:00

I can hardly believe my baby is eight, and my big boy is nineteen. It certainly doesn't seem nineteen years ago that I was a very proud and nervous new mum, gazing in wonder and trepidation at the squirming red bundle I'd been given. We've had lots of fun and a few tears along the way, normal family life and it can't have been that bad can it as I repeated the whole experience another three times.

I may have been trying for one with a head?
And then to get another baby 11 years later born on the same day. Definitely npt the way it was planned. I had rather hoped for an Easter baby.

Have you ever

2009-02-10T21:50:00.002+13:00

bought something, got it home and then the item vanishes into thin air? Unfortunately I'm not talking about the kind of things that disappear because we've eaten them. Although I've done that heaps of times.
I went out on Sunday and broke the resolution of no yarn buying until stash was used up in order to put something away for my trip next month. I could have used stash, but nothing felt quite right for a trip away and it had to last a month. So I discussed with my favourite shop assistant in my favourite yarn store and a decision was reached. I would buy some denim blue Serenity to knit a T-shirt with as I already had the pattern. It was then agreed that I would have a second project's yarn ( from stash) posted halfway through my trip. I'm sure you can all see why this assistant is my favourite.
I know I picked the yarn up. I remember it being there when I had a coffee and I took it out of my bag to show. I know I put it away in my bag when the food arrived and I vaguely recall putting it somewhere safe when I got home. I put it somewhere safe so I wouldn't be tempted to cast on for the trip project before I actually went on my trip.
However I tried to find the yarn on Monday and though I searched high and low, and in every possible location the yarn has vanished.
I even went back to the coffee shop in case I had left it there but nope.
Somewhere there's a little borrower with enough yarn to make hundreds of borrower blankets. They also have two pink pads and two packs of coloured pens that arrived at work were handed to me and promptly disappeared.
It wouldn't be so funny except I actually teach memory skills so you'd think I'd be able to remember what I did with them.