Still here!

I'm really slack at keeping this up. Maybe that's why I don't keep a diary!

But I have not been idle!!

I have been slowly restocking my etsy store  http://www.etsy.com/shop/danie17  and it's starting to look pretty good. Haven't sold a damn thing but a lot of people have had a look and favourited things so, can't complain.

I've been doing some commission work for a lady in Geraldton who wanted two of those thread-through scarves with the leaf-like ends for gifts and a beaded cuff like one of the ones I have but in a different colour. After we went through the frustration of trying to settle on colours for the scarves she kindly sent me the wool so all I had to do was knit it up. Easy!

I was so pleased when these were finished. But the yarn was lovely and soft!!

So now they're done and she's received them, all I have to do is the cuff. A little more tricky since I was entirely out of my beading and jewellery findings. So after ordering it all from etsy, I've finally got enough to start.

Still waiting on beads for fringe where loops are.

There are elements I'm not 100% happy with, like the loops at the bottom aren't as neat as I'd like but that's just me. I'm seriously thinking I need to buy a brass extender chain to use as a fastening for it but I think I'll try and find an Australian supplier. I'm waiting on the dangling beads for the fringe on the cuff so it's not finished yet! But at least started, finally!!!

But my biggest achievement to date is finally finishing the light cardigan I was going to wear when I thought I'd have to wear formal attire at my pseudo-son-in-law's  graduation. Soon found I didn't but now I have this lovely crochet cotton thread cardi that goes so well with the dress and spares everyone from having to view my flabby arms since I think I'm a bit old to be able to wear spaghetti straps in public. 

I wish the light had been a bit better but no one here in the wheatbelt is going to complain about rain!

The little buttons were a spur of the moment purchase that has turned out to just suit this project.

I may not get to wear it with this dress but I'll be taking it to Canberra when I go in a couple of days and see if it goes with the dress Dear Daughter will be wearing because she does need to go to the formal ball. I think that would more than make up for me not wearing it.

So there I am so far. No doubt I'll update when I come back from Canberra.

Happy Knitting :)

Okay, and the list of completed works...

This is what happens when you don't keep up with this stuff. I've got a heap of projects I've completed since moving to Carnamah. But should I put them all on the one post? It's not like I don't have enough wip to keep me busy!

Ah well, let's see...

I finished the Shetland Shorty almost as soon as I'd finished unpacking my wool room...

Then I started to go through some of my stash, trying to use up those bits that were too much  not to use but not enough to make anything substantial.

So I made a waterfall scarf...

And a ripple scarf out of the same cotton-ribbon yarn.

 I used up a small ball of really pretty blue-teal flecked acrylic I'd been promising to make a pair of mitts with since there wasn't enough to do anything else with it. 

Turned out really nicely :)

I used some ice green yarn I had, from Bendigo Mills, beautifully soft and made up a very simple shawl.

Tess of the D'urbervilles Shawl

 Using some nice earthy coloured acrylic yarn I'd bought at Spotlight in Geraldton and marked another project off my Ravelry Queue with this simple scarflette with flower. Took only a couple of days to knock up!

Used an old penny turned into a button for the flower's centre!

Oh yes! My proudest project though was the Hex Mesh Socks that I finally finished after what seemed like forever! I used up all the yarn I'd reserved for them and was forced to use some white baby yarn that I had on hand to finish them. But it looks really good, almost like I meant to do it that way! So proud!

They look so PRETTY!!

So there we are. I've been in Carnamah, what, two maybe three months? I reckon that's a pretty good haul! And that doesn't even include the 4 or 5 projects I have on the go at the moment! I have all this stash and so many ideas!! I love it!!!!!

Okay, I'll calm down now. 

Happy Knitting :)

My Shop is Open and with Stuff to Sell!!

Yes indeedy! I finally got brave and started putting just a few of my things on there at a time. Still getting really pretty pics of my pendants but so far I've got about 5 knitted items and 1 tatted pendant up on my shop site.

These are the knits. I've only shown 1 set of mitts because I've got three of the same design but different colourways. Very cosy and easy fit!

 

I've got heaps more to put up! Since I'm such a compulsive knitter I have to get rid of some of it before me and my family get smothered under it all! So please come and have a look. You might find just the perfect gift for someone this christmas, be it a cosy knit of a piece of unique jewellery!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/danie17

Look forward to see you :)

A Worthy Pattern for a Worthy Yarn

I spun this gorgeous, scrumptious merino I bought from a craft store in Denmark called Majestic Merinos a while back and spun it as a two ply into one reasonably large skein and then set it aside because I didn't want to waste it on anything shabby. 

I remembered a pattern in one of my Spin-Off magazines for a lovely yet simple scarf. Since I tend to despise scarfs that are just one long strip of mindlessly boring knitting this pattern had the attraction of a small wedge being knit on each side as you went back and forth over the scarf. Perfect! And it only took me three days to do it!

I used upthe whole skein and it looks so good! Feels great too! Now all I need is to get another project up and running. I've still got that alpaca and wool combo to use up!

Happy knitting :)

Finally, some of my Handspun!

I've had all the fibre club fibres from EGMTK's spun up and waiting to be used for ages but since most of them were only about 100g worth it's been difficult thinking of what to turn them into. At least I've finally created something with the fibre "Canopy", 50% Polwarth and 50% Bamboo. A small scarflette called "Pimpelliese"

Probably one of the nicest shawl/scarf patterns I've knit to date! The lace edge is incorporated into the actual scarf so tyou don't have to sew it on after, making it a lovely single piece of fabric with no inhibiter to it's stretch by unnecessary seams.
I washed and blocked it, the points came out lovely and the colours are really pretty. Feels great on and looks great. Very happy :)




Happy Knitting :)

Sometimes stuff just doesn't work so...

I started knitting a scarf called the Loopy Scarf which has a cable-like stitch pattern.
















But I had a lot of trouble with the pattern. Eventually I got sick of it and unravelled it to start something else. But I wanted to start something I didn't have to think too hard about.
I got down "One Skein wonders-101 yarn shop favourites" and decided to give "Shrug This" a go.
As it turns out, good choice!
It took me less than 24 hours to knit and that's including 7 hours sleep between when I started and when I finished! Very, very quick!
And here is dear daughter modelling it for me :)






















































I'm going to knit another one with the same yarn since it did so well with this one but a bit longer in the body and sleeves, maybe with ties to secure it under the bosom.
And then I can go back to Brianna's top after a little rest.
Happy knitting :)