C'est fini!

La Tea Cosy Crown...

C'est Fini!!

=D

Quick knit!

Yesterday I whipped up a quick baby knit - very satisfying! All I have left o do is seam this little puppy together!

It is one of the Elf Hats from the faaabulous Charmed Knits book! Such a cute little tea-cosy crown, and so quick to make as it's only garter stitch all the way :)

I used Bendigo Woollen Mills Harmony yarn, which is an entrancing blend of wool (30%), cotton (69.6%) and lycra (0.4%) - LYCRA! Yes folks, enough to give a bit of stretch and boing to your knitting - hurrah! But still a lovely soft yarn - delicious!

I think it'll be perfect for my new little niece/nephew down here in windy Perth - but also good for my new little Darwin munchkin, when their family moves back up north - cotton will be great, not too hot!

It'lll look fab all seamed up - such a cute little top to this knit! We'll have to wait for it though - I've been cooking up a STORM tonight, for a co-worker's farewell lunch tomorrow. It's a bring'n'share function, and though I put myself down to bring a savoury dish (mini puff pizza wheels) I've also done up a golden muesli slice and I have mega-choc choc-chip cup cakes baking as we speak! Yay for baking! Yay for knitting! Yaaaaaay!

Frolicking Fibrey Glassware, Batman!!

Check out the fantastic new addition to our kitchen ware!

Sheepie glasses!!

Wandering down the aisles doing the grocery shopping I could NOT leave these on the shelf! What knitter, spinning or otherwise fibre-enthused person could resist I ask you!?!

Such cute widdle sheepies frolicking about!! They look so delighted and happy!

Let's be fair now...

I've been vegetarian for about 12 years now - so it's really a part of my lifestyle I don't even think about anymore - it just IS. I've noticed over the last few months, or maybe a year, however, that my palette has changed slightly. I had NEVER been a coffee drinker before, partly because I had NO NEED for the extra stimulation the caffeine would provide (of course, this didn't stop me from drinking caffeinated soft drinks) but mainly I found it far too bitter - no matter how much sugar and milk I added.

Lately though I've been SO enjoying a morning cup of coffee made with lovely coffee grounds and a little plunger. I boil the kettle, trot off and do something else til it's ready, pour it over the spoons of lovely rich coffee grounds in the plunger, then trot off again to busy myself whilst it brews, and brews and becomes all lovely and tasty!

Perhaps my palette is finally becoming adult? All growed up, as I like to say! I'm still not an olive fan, and think I'll always prefer sweets to savouries - but isn't it interesting how our likes and dislikes can change so dramatically as we progress through life?

Another change I've been experiencing is in my mind. As I said above, vegetarianism is something that is simply a part of my life, not up for compromise or re-thinking. But I've found myself becoming.. MORE vegetarian.. or perhaps leaning towards veganism lately. I have trouble eating eggs unless I can distract my mind from what's going on there, and have always had a funny phobia of dairy - "is this off?!?! Is it? What's that funny bit in it?" If the cheese has been out of the fridge for longer than 20 minutes it's inedible as far as I'm concerned!

But now that awareness of where things are derived from is extending further, into food groups I never expected to have hampered by ethics - LOLLIES! Of course most jubey, squidgy lollies are made from gelatin. And gelatin is made from hooves and horns and other such delightful animal parts. Tasty, huh? Our lolly-tin at work is always a source of mid-afternoon energy and we all tuck in every now and again, lining up the colourful treats across the top of our keyboards to pop into our salivating mouths when the phones are quiet for a moment or two. But now I find myself only picking the chocolate ones, or the hard boiled ones. No more squidgy gelatin lollies for me - I find it too hard to reconcile in my mind. And that's a good thing. I'm not disappointed that my damn ethics have stopped me from having a tasty treat!! I feel glad to be mindful of these things.

So, as a result when I was in the store the other day needing to top up on my coffee supplies, I looked over the shelves and shelves of various, exotic, european and fancy-pants packets not knowing one from the other - and one stood out as the definate and easy choice.

The Fair Trade coffee.

No more expensive than the other brands, and as I've ascertained from my morning cuppa, equally as delicious. Plus, the added bonus of no ethical baggage to carry with me all day! I think it can make such a huge difference to one's life to do these little tiny things. To be true to your integrity, morality and personal ethics. Not to compromise, even the tiny stuff, because it's easier, or quicker, or slightly less expensive etc.. To me, the wealth of reward I get back from this mindfulness in life is so significant, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Yes, it can make life seem slightly more complicated, and of course I'm not a saint - there are many areas in which I fall down - driving to work each day and back for example - but as long as we each maintain our integrity and value system, don't cut corners, uphold our own ethics - imagine what a difference that would make? Imagine a world full of honourable and genuine people - it's certainly food for thought, isn't it?

Chasing Lace

The last couple of weeks I have found myself feeling such an urge to immerse myself in the Swallowtail Shawl lace knitting. I have been LOVING it!! It seems to flow from my needles with elegance and fluidity - the shawl slowly growing larger little bit by little tiny bit. It is so satisfying!

I am driven to knit more and more! Tonight I forced my eyes to stay open and un-sleepy while i knit 6 consecutive rows, enjoying every stitch, and not wanting to have to put it down simply because I was tired!

Alas, I needed to put it down on a high note, rather than bumble my way into error and catastrophe (and tantrum most likely). But i did make it to the halfway point however! You can see the highlighted yellow half-way point on my Keeping Track sheet, poking out from beneath the shawl in the second photo. Half way through the 2nd Budding Lace chart - hurrah!! =D

Knitting the lace shawl for someone special and very loved makes the experience all the more meaningful, and my knitting all the more frenzied in my eagerness to present the finished gift! I don't want to get ahead of myself, I want to be Zen and enjoy the current knit. To live in the knit. Be the Knit. BUT... after this shawl I'm looking forward to making another lace project - the Flower Basket Shawl, for an equally special and loved somebody -my needles'll be tasting lace for a little while yet I'd wager!

WAHEEEE!!!

I sat up last night and charted out the first RS row of the Hoodii pattern, from Right Front, through the Back, then the Left front...

AND IT WORKS!!!!

WHEEEEHEHEHEHEHHEHE!!!!

*does crazy happy party dancing*

I shall now recommence The Knit!!!

The World of Alice

By a fabulous sequence of serendipity I had the fabulous opportunity this week fo seeing the West Australian Ballet Company's 'Alice' - and it was phenomenal.

Such skill, such strength, mind-bending set design and costumery, heart -stopping music supplied by the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and stunning technical lights display.

The Ballet began with Wonderland progressed through the Looking Glass, and ended with a delighted and astounded Sash.

Bigger Oh Noes!!

Unfortunately this Hoodii post has not it turns out ended up being the "Hurrah! this is awesome! I'm about to start the cables!!" post I had in mind..

I've been knitting away at a great rate of knots, LOVING the knitted fabric, the tweedy goodness and the feeling of knitting my first jumper. Yesterday I reached the end of the ribbing - which is 6 inches seeing as I'm doing the body a little longer than normal.

SUCH excitement! The anticipation of being able to get cracking on the real pattern part of the jumper! So close! Just around the corner! I had to FORCE myself to Put. The. Knitting. DOWN!! and go to sleep! It was so tempting to keep going, but I told myself I it would have to wait 'til tomorrow.

Just as well I did. I've come across a bit of an obstacle.

I know.. an OBSTACLE! This is NOT what we want! I suppose it is a learning experience in disguise as an obstacle.. but I still have that sinking feeling in my stomach.

See, I've gone to start with the Right Front part of the pattern, on the RS and have decided that I will omit one stitch from the K18 on each Front, and omit 1 stitch from each of the two K18 sections on the Back - that way taking care of the 4 seam stitches. Simple, right?

Well! LITTLE did I know!!

It seems I may have buggered up utterly! *grim look* I think I may have needed to set up my ribbing differently. Instead of doing K2P2 all the way along, I may have needed to go K1P2K2P2 and continue on with normal 2x2 ribbing - but start with ONE KNIT/PURL STITCH! Oh no!! Have I totally come undone?! Will I have to frog SIX INCHES of 194 stitch wide fabric?!?! *slightly hysterical eye twitch*

Look at it!! How can I frog that?!

*calms down a little* alright.. I have a plan.. I'll calm down. Then I'll eat some chocolate. Then I'll get out the graph paper and a pencil. Eat more chocolate. Poor a glass of Gin'n'Tonic with lemon. Mark out the ribbing.. eat more chocolate...

Let's see it we can figure this puppy out!!

p.s. By the way I'm VERY excited to be part of the Central Park Hoodie KAL which I've been stalking for some time and thoroughly enjoying all the CPHs being made and all the hot tips being discussed. I've posted a similar account of my ribbing woes over on the KAL - hopefully someone will come to my rescue with a simple twist or turn that will save me from frogstering my lovely knitting!!

*contented sigh*

How satisfying to have a lovely warm shower after work, and wash one's hair with an organic, sweetly scented solid shampoo

And follow that up with a dinner of delicious home-cooked vegies

Blissful!

At least it's only a little bit...

[NOTE: I have decided to rename my Montego Bay the Bunker Bay since Montego bay doesn't hold any significance for me as a location - whereas Bunker Bay is such a lovely West Australian spot - and I love it!]

Well, at knitting group this weekend I did the deed - *sigh* - yes, I had to frog what progress I had made on my Bunker Bay Scarf!

The pattern, you see, is all knit stitches (K2Tog, YO, Knits etc..) on the RS, and all purl on the WS.. so what do you think? IT CURLS!!! The curling at the bottom is taken care of by the braided tassels that are added on to the finished scarf - but the sides will still curl in and DESTROY my knitting satisfaction!!

It was discussed with my knitting companions, and we decided that knitting 3 sts of garter at the edge of the scarf, instead of the stockinette prescribed by the pattern would be the way to go.

So I frogged.

Here is the Bunker Bay PRE-froggage...

And POST-froggage!

Oh dear!!

I cast on again last night and just did one row - at least it's back on the needles!

It was great to see all the folks at knitting group again - such a lovely bunch.

Particularly nice to see Michelle as she's been off gallivanting around the world these past few weeks, getting married and all sorts!!

We had some fun with the swift and winder at the book store, and I gifted her the Secret Project I've been working on this week - Matching His'n'Hers Cotton Face Cloths! I'm very happy with them - particularly as it was my first go at crocheting an edge, and I love it!! Must work on my finishing skills though, i really must!!

Oh noes!

Look what I found in my letter box yesterday!!

I had missed a very exciting delivery while I was out!

'International Signature Article' - you know what that means...

FIBRE RELATED GOODIES!!!

The anticipation will have to build til Saturday when I pick it up =D

fleeecey baby

This past weekend I got out my huge fleece bags and decided it was TIME! Time to get cracking on preparing the fleece for spinning, and eventual jumper knitting!

First up I carded the fleece...

Thus opening up the fibers a bit and allowing some of the sand and grot to fall more freely out.

Carding turns the fleece into lovely fluffy batts of fiber - looook!

A lot of people don't card their fleece before hand, and prefer to spin straight from the fleece just shorn from the sheepie! I wanted to put in the extra work though to wash, rinse and dry the fleece - I'm not a huge fan of spinning "in the grease" (lanolin) although it is fun just taking the clumps from the bag of fleece and spinning them straight off - all corrogated with the crimp of the wool - amazing stuff!

So as I was taking them off the drum carder I put them in the laundry trough, which I had filled with hot HOT water, and a little dish detergent.

The fleece fibre batts were left in there to soak their little lanolinny selves til they were nice and clean!

After a time, maybe half an hour/an hour or so, I carefully drained the water out of the sink and removed the fleece (felting the fiber is a BIG risk when you have warm water and soap combined!) - transferring it all to the large tub of clean hot HOT water I had awaiting their rinse!

I let them soak for a while in that tub too, as I pottered about getting other things done.

When it was time for them to come out, i geeeently squeezed the excess water out and laid them out on the airing rack to dry.

The next day they got a bit of sun time too, basking out in the rays to dry off completely.

And now that batch is done! So I've popped it all into a little freezer bag and squished all the air out to close it nice and tight. I'll keep it all aside until I've carded and cleaned the entire fleece (3kg!!) then I'll card it all again to re-fluff it all, and I'm even planning to card some lovely alpaca through the fleece before I spin it - ooohhhh!! yes, I'm excited too!! ;D

Hoodii Goodii!

The scrunchy grabbable, squidge-tastic Hoodii is coming along marvellously!

Along with the alteration of knitting the pattern 'in the round' ( or all in one piece, seeing as it's technically a cardigan opening at the front, and not a 'round' as such) I've decided to increase the amount of ribbing at the waist, to make for a longer jumper - I like a nice snuggly warm low jumper fit - I hate when my midriff gets cold when I lift up my arms!! So instead of knitting the k2p2 ribbing for 4 inches, I've decided on doing 6.

So I worked out what my overall Hoodii torso length would be given that additional 2 inches - and it came to 26".

I marked out 26" on a piece of cotton and Voila! it's perfect! As you can see above(size comparison represented by the ring), measured against one of my other cardigans (I actually tested it against two different jumpers just to be sure!) I have a good 3 or 4 inches of length over and above the torso length of that waist long work-style black cardi. Hurrah!!

I'm absolutely loving this yarn now, too! My initial concerns upon receiving the yarn, was that it was quite coarse and not nearly the luscious texture I had in mind. But now that I'm knitting it up into more than a guage swatch, I'm really loving it! The swatch test proved that the yarn will also soften a little more once washed - so it can only get better from here!

Since I'm knitting the Hoodii in one piece, I'm able to sort of try it on as I go, although in a more clumsy way than with a normal top down jumper design - I have to juggle the edges and hold it on my waist to see what it's looking like, while making sure no stitches escape off the ends of the needles. I did this a short while ago and had a bit of a panic...

"Oh no!! It's too small! LOOK! There's a gap there in the middle - it won't meet even with the ribbing STRETCHED!! But I'm knitting the 44" bust! That should give me 2" of ease! Are my hips THAT out of proportion from my bust?!?!"

and then the moment of realisation...

"oooooooohhhh...!!

...

...the BUTTON BAND!"

hehehe *dopey look* I had forgotten that of course the button band will add a few inches to the width of the cardi - ensuring a perfect fit! Phew!

Well, it's a deliciously rainy, wild and woolly evening out there tonight - so I'm off to bed to snuggle down with a nice warm lovely and knit some MORE!!

p.s. In other news.. it's quite difficult actually, to take a self timer shot of oneself whilst sporting a partially completed and tangle-tastic piece of knitware...

Pixette

I want to send out a massive, sparkling CONGRATULATIONS! to Mrs. and Mr. Pixie on the arrival of Pixette into their family :)

By the words of my favourite Irish proverb:

Bricks and mortar make a house,
but the laughter of children makes a home

Thinking of you three and sending you warm fuzzies from across the globe!

Crud.

The booty knitting has hit a bit of a bump in the road..

uhhmm... see, I was seaming the other booty up this afternoon and had almost finished, mere minutes before needing to hop in the car to get to our waffle meet-up for tasty foods and catch up time... I was going really well too!! Sure, my finishing and seaming skills do need work, but I'd managed to make really quite a good job of it.. in fact I'd made quite a good job of it all the way up the toe of the booty plus the top of the ankle that isn't meant to be seamed.

ah.

No problem! I'll just snip the seaming yarn, weave in that end and it'll be done.

*siiiiiiiiiiiigh*

Do I really need to tell you what happened? I'm sure you can guess.

Yes. I cut the wrong thread of yarn.

So after tugging at it, unravelling a little and saying to myself "noooooo, I haven't cut the KNITTING, I've cut the SEAM, it just looks strange!" I actually allowed myself to realise that yes, I had fked it up.

(I'm sorry Anne - I know your daughters read my blog - Hi Girls!! - But you have to agree.. taking scissors INCORRECTLY to knitting warrants the 'f' word!)

So anyway, I'll try to unravel a bit more til I know where I'm at, then rejoin the yarn and knit the top up again.. and if that doesn't work they're such a little bitty booty I'll just knit up another one. So not really such a massive drama - but I feel sort of.. disloyal, and.. unforgiveable, that I've CUT my knitting! My actual knitting! I'm appalled!

*sigh* nevermind! To make it up to my knitting mojo I picked up three balls of lovely bright zesty cotton while out and about today

MANY more booties to come!! =D

Progress report

With all this casting on and many coloured progress bars on the left sidebar there, that don't seem to really be going anywhere at the moment.. well I thought I needed to do a progress report on the knitting situation!!

Montego Bay has been spoken for earlier, and after my nice warm wheat-bag has heated the bed sheets sufficiently ( it's a somewhat blustery, stormy night out there - perfect for snuggly down with a lovely and a wheat-bag!) I shall hop right into bed and keep on knitting away with it to get a bit more substance to the article so I can decided whether I'm happy with the width and gauge.

Ma Hoodii is coming along great guns =D I'm really enjoying it actually! The k2p2 waistband rib is a lovely relaxing knit, not as boring as rows upon rows of stockinette, but simpler than the Montego etc.. very nice indeed :)

I'm working the waistband for longer than the 4" outlined in the pattern - I like a jumper to come down snugly over my hips rather than leave a gappy midriff when I raise my arms.

This photo is a bit flashy so doesn't display the shade of green accurately, but gives a better view of the flecks of crunchy tweed in amongst the yarn.

And I have half of a finished object to report also! I say half because of the Bernat Organic Cotton Bubby Booties.. I've only seamed up one!

I really must work on my finishing skills, I just winged this one - but am really keen to get a good book on finishing techniques so I can seam up and such with style! Any book suggestions?

I was eager to finish the pair of booties, but when I looked at the clock after finishing this one I decided that it would have to bide 'til tomorrow, for now my warm bed and lovelies await!!

I've gone and done it!

I've cast on Montego Bay!

I'm THOROUGHLY smitten with this yarn. The Ming is like knitting with liquid clouds - it is divine

I've less yardage than the pattern calls for, but the yarn is a thicker weight, so I've cast on fewer stitches and we'll se how we go - 39 stitches cast on, using 5.5mm Options needles.

Central Park Hoodite!

Well, there has been action - but of a different sort than planned! I finished penning a shirt I'm making for skoot nad now that it's past 9pm I've lost some of my hooospa and can't really face casting on a slippery (if delicious) silk lace project! I am ready to sit in bed and simply knit away on my Hoodii! Yes that's right! The Hoodii! =D

I'm really chuffed to finally have the Hoodii on my needles - it's been on my mind on and off quite consistently since even before January when my lovely Mum gifted me all the scrummy yarn required to kn it it up. The sizes given in the pattern leap from 40" to 44", so I've decided to knit the 44" bust size, even though my bust is currently 42". I plan to lose weight and become a fit and lithe individual, but who knows, really, when that will take effect on my mammaries, and I don't want to spend heaps of time knitting up a luscious jumper that I won't fit! Plus the extra 2 inches will be a good amount of ease in the pattern I expect :)

Knitting with the Donegal Tweed has been nice, but we got off to a rocky start. See this? TWIST!

And not twist of the good, healthy, happy spinner kind - the FRUSTRATING horrible twist that sometimes gather in yarn as you pull it from the wound ball. It is one of my absolute pet peeves - I cannot STAND dealing with built up twist energy in the yarn running from my knitting to the yarn ball.

So after a short time of pulling and thrying to 'push' the twist back down towards the ball so it wouldn't set my stitches askew I decided THAT'S IT! Something HAD to be done!!

So I completed my first attempt at spit-splicing! And it was maaarrvellous!! =D

Who'd've thought human saliva could be such a useful knitting accessory?! hehehe!

I rejoined the knitting yarn to the OUTSIDE of the ball this time, so it hopefully woun't be so twisted up with potential energy there, and I'm really please with the join - nice and smooth, in fact you can't even tell it's THERE! The donegal tweed felted together so well it looks like an normal strand of yarn again! And no twist! WOOOHOOOO!!! =D I had to use the Spit-Splice again a little later when the twist did indeed build up again, and the splice was great again!

I'm SO excited! This means I can knit away dreamily and not be concerned if the energy starts to curl up the running yarn - I can simply break it off, de-fuse the twist, fray the yarn ends, suck on them and rub 'em back together and keep on knitting!! Hurrah!! =D

And with that, I'm off to nice warm bed with my Hoodii and Chilli-muffin in tow!!

p.s. hehe can you tell I like green? I noticed that the picture above displays - green yarn, green blanket and green jumper! Hmmm!!

A plan for action!

Righto! I've decided that if I can finish both pairs of bubbie booties I have on the go, AND do two rows of the Swallowtail shawl tonight... THEN I'll allow myself to cast on for Montego Bay!

It's an incentive! A plan for motivation and positive affirmation! I liiiike it!

Here is where I'm at with one pair of bubby boots - all I have to do is seam them!!

The other pair are a little further away from the finishing line - but not by muuuch! Well.. maybe a little, in fact I don't know if I've even got enough yarn to finish the second bootie! Ah well! =D

Oh dear..

I've been gripped by the sudden and ALL -ENCOMPASSING desperate urge to knit this out of this.

Thankfully I have the dreamy Artfibers Ming in my stash - which is the why/where of the birth of this plan - how could I not knit this up immediately?!!? I have waited SO. LONG. since welcoming it into my stash all the way from San Fran in a friend's suitcase. It needs knitting. It deserves knitting.

And don't they go well together? The pattern and the yarn?

I think so. And a quick, simple lace scarf like this shouldn't take too long? I'm excited!!

p.s. I'm aware this may be pushed to the back-burner given the number of knits on my needles at present.. but I wanted to be organic. I wanted to go where my passion pushed me, where the warm, fresh tasty sniff of a new knit and pattern blew in the wind! And I like that the yarn won't just be static, stagnant in my stash - it will be on its journey!

p.p.s I was editing the post just now, adding pictures and links etc.. and in the html what did I see? The word "justify" - code to align the paragraphs etc... *sigh* I admit it! That's what I was doing.. justifying the knit!! My blog sure knows me well by now!

Redunkulous Cosie!!

Oh my goodness! Cute Overload blows me away on a normal day, but today produced even more volcanic eruptions of squealings of glee, when the cuteness of fruit, cosies and KNITTING were combined to produce THIS!

AN APPLE COSY!

Don't you just ADORE this fabulous little knit-vention?!
You can check out more of these fabulous knits (such as a Pear Cosy!) at the inventress' etsy store - Jacqueline Knits

Knitti in the Citi

The Citiknits knitting group I'm part of is SO. MUCH. FUN!! I look forward to it very much and each time it swings around I delight in the great company, variety of projects to see on the go, and of course the stimulating conversation and warm, friendly company.

Meeting fortnightly is perfect - and though I have to drive a long way to get into the city, which on a weekend is that last thing I want to do after 5 days commuting long long hours in the car to and from work, it's worth it for this group! And I don't mind for this group!!

Last fortnight there was an excellent turn out of we knitterly folk, including Sophie - new to our fold from the Eastern states, pictured above holding her crochet table runner, sitting with the lovely Mei and her current sock.

Here Helen helps another avid Sock Knitter - look at that fluorescent yellow-lime yarn!!

Anne here working on her Lorelei top - lovely! And Carmen working studiously away on her socks! Such fabulous people to spend a Saturday afternoon with!

This week fewer folk were in attendance, but it was an equally enjoyable, inspiring and relaxing time. I have started on my Central Park Hoodie (or "Hoodii" as I like it *grin*) and as I'm still in the ribbing section it was quite blissful to have a simple knit on the needles that I could work on without much attention, whilst chatting and ogling what everybody else was up to!

Last week when I saw Anne knitting up the lovely Lorelei pattern, and that it took only 2 skeins or so of the Knittery 4 ply.. I couldn't resist and snapped up a skein of the Forest Moss colourway - a yarn over which I have been drooling for sometime now, so it is excellent to finally have some in my little nestie featherings!

The colours are divine, and the yarn so soft with the cashmere content and merino - yum yum! I plan to knit up a Lorelei also, and had reserved the other Forest Moss merino cashmere 4ply skein Anne has (through Knitting Inspirations) - although I may end up needing 3 skeins total to accommodate my pups, in which case I'll simply order another one. No dye-lot dilemmas seeing as each skein is individually done so they are ALL unique dye-lots!! I picked up the 2nd skein from Anne today, and I must say they look very lovely together on the mantel-piece at home!!

p.s. At the Citiknits group one even occasionally sees a book.. in their namesake!

Sockers for Skootas

Here is the project I have been feverishly knitting away on for the last three weeks! My first completed pair of socks! Hurrah!

Skoot's been away for the last few weeks, and I decided I would knit him up something lovely to present to him on his return! He's a BIG sock fan, loves his socks, so of course that was the obvious choice of hand-knit item to make for him!

My lovely friend Chez taught me her method of knitting socks - Cuff down, with a dutch heel and kitchenered toe. So starting with a double strand long tail cast-on (my first try of this - it was excellent fun!) off I went, knitting madly and having a fabulous time!

I had taken the scrumptious Skoot's foot measurements some time ago, but decided to go for a ribbing design to ensure a snug and delicious fit. I used the Opal yarn I had secretly bought for him a while back from Anne and Helen of Knitting Inspirations - the colours are perfectly Skoot :)

Using 2.5mm Addi bamboo DPNs, which I adore, I had such fun knitting these up, and they seemed to whooosh off my needles at great speed!! I had a blast doing the dutch heel - I think it a fabulous way to do a sock heel! Can't wait to do more!

Skoot is absolutely delighted with them, and declared them too good to even walk on the clean floorboards with! I insisted they be worn, however, as that is what they were knit for - for him to wear and enjoy! We even took them out for a walk in the bush with us! But we've put a No Work Boots veto on them - leisure and bed-wear only!

I'm very keen to get cracking on another pair - I'd like to try knitting from the toe up with the dutch heel, so I can use up AALLL my sock yarn and produce a nice high cuff. That would be just brilliant :) I so enjoyed having a Skoot project on the needles that I could focus on a think of him while knitting - it's a strange and ill-fitting thing to be away from your significant and treasured loved one for such a time - there are good things and bad associated with it. One of the good things is productive knitting time, and fabulous orange socks for Skoot! =D