It’s Been a While.

Almost six years, in fact. But between Ravelry and other social media outlets, I just haven’t felt the need to post here, so I let the blog slide. Shit happens, let’s move on.

But now we live in the age of Global Pandemic and Social Distancing, and it feels like a good time to exhume this beast, so here I am.

Let’s jump right in with my most recent finished objects – two t-shirts:

 

Pattern: Flora Top by Stitch Upon A Time

Fabric:

• Floral – Organic cotton lycra knit from Spotlight;
• Grey geometric – 100% cotton jersey excavated from deep stash;
• both – cotton quilt fabric fat quarter for the bias binding.

Mods: Cut exactly to pattern in the L size, because it fits like it was made for me. Only place I differed from the instructions is in the use of bias binding to face the neckline, sleeves and hem, because I love the finish I get (plus, look how cute!)

I love this pattern, it’s super comfy and super easy – just two pattern pieces and four seams, thanks to the cut-on sleeves. I find it really interesting that a tiny little bit of lycra (from memory 5%) can make such a difference to the fit; the grey shirt has a lot more positive ease, even though I cut both shirts to the exact same size.

I don’t know how often I’ll be posting here. I’m not setting any rules. I’ll just put stuff up as feels right. Mostly, I want to sew more, and I want a place to document that.

24: It’s the 4WD anniversary.

…and if it’s not, it should be.

My most excellent husband bought me this piece of awesome over the weekend.

Do you see why I married him?

Doctor Mambo

This little heartbreaker arrived on Saturday. He is a 4 month old Cavoodle (cavalier spaniel x poodle). His name is a compromise – Boyo wanted to call him Mambo, and Sasquatch wanted Doctor – which is already being shortened to Doc. He is amazingly friendly and well-behaved, and has adopted us all without any dramas. The boys think he’s fantastic, but don’t quite know how to handle him yet. This morning he goes in for his final round of shots, after which he can go to the park, and to puppy school and the boys can show him off to all their friends.

Marking My Territory

When I first told my sister we were buying a house, she said “As soon as you move in, paint a big patch of colour on the wall, just because you can!” Well, it may have taken us a while to figure out which wall, and what colour, but we have finally done it.

The colour is called “Seductress”, and in the tin it looks like blackberry sorbet (I don’t know why, but I almost always think of colour in food terms).

Dry, it’s more of a cranberry in the daylight, becoming a deep wine red at night. I love it to bits.

Oh, and the other thing about the wall?

Two New Pairs!

First up, the Posh Frock Red socks:

The Vital Statistics

Cast on: 2nd November, 2013
Finished: 15th December, 2013
Pattern: Spice Man basic toe-up by Yarnissima
Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug, colourway #159 “Morello Mash”
Needles: 2.5mm Knitpicks fixed circular
Modifications: Garter-stitch gusset, K2P2 ribbed leg and upper foot. Judy’s Magic cast-on, Jeni’s Surprisingly Stretchy bind-off, and a 2×2 cable up each side of the leg, just to keep things interesting.

Next, Saturday Morning Cartoons:

The Vital Statistics

Cast on: 30th October 2013
Finished: 15th December 2013
Pattern: Purl and Zag by Jeannie Cartmel
Yarn: Ms Gussett Sock, bought Bendigo 2010
Needles: 2.5mm Knitpicks fixed circular
Modifications: This pattern is actually for a toe-up sock with short-row heel, but I just used the stitch-pattern and plugged it into my standard top-down sock.

Bourbon caramel nuts with black sesame and sea salt.

Teacher gifts:

My original plan was to do cookies, as usual. But then I was trolling around Pinterest (as you do), and found this recipe.

Easy, delicious, and different. I’ll definitely be making these again.

Baby Birdies!

We think they’re about a week old, and already they are just about bursting out of the tea-cup-sized nest.

The Battle of the Hills Hoist

Washing clothes these days is somewhat of an adventure, because hanging them out to dry means braving the wrath of the two extremely foolhardy Willy Wagtails that built their nest in the angle of my clothesline:

Every time I go near the line, they fly up into the air, swooping close to me before landing on a nearby perch, puffing themselves up as big as possible (which is to say, not very) and furiously scolding me with a loud “CHOOCHA-CHOOCHA-CHOOCHA”.

I tried explaining to them that this is my clothesline, which makes me their landlady and deserving of respect, but they were about as impressed by that as I was intimidated by them (which is to say, not much).

New Sockage.

Not one, but two new socks on the needles!

As promised, bright (right) green socks: the yarn is Ms Gusset sock, bought at Bendi in 2010, pattern ‘Purl and Zag*’ by Jeannie Cartmel, which is one of those “just one more repeat” patterns that practically knit themselves.

Also, I needed something to knit in the car on the way to the wedding, so I cast on a very plain* (I can’t look at my hands or I’ll get sick) toe-up in some Jitterbug from my very first Bendi trip in 2008, colourway ‘Morello Mash’, which just happens to match the frock I wore to the wedding. It didn’t get any play on the drive home, as I was feeling a bit seedy (I had a really good time), and thought I’d better not push my luck.

*Rav-links

A Weekend Away.

This weekend just past, Tech Support and I dropped the boys off with friends and hied ourselves north to the Hunter Valley for the wedding of our beautiful niece Stephanie.

It was a gorgeous day, and a good time was had by all.

Steph doesn’t realise it, but the above pic shows exactly how much T.S. adores her. He wouldn’t dance with me at our wedding, but he danced with his niece.