Newest Short Term Gratification

So I have some finished knits to share, but there's two chances of my posting the pictures I just took out the front... buckley's and f.. well, not much chance let's say...

So instead I bring you a couple of peculiar shots of my newest short-term-gratification knit, or the yarn at least.



Some lovely handspun by the Yarn Wench, purchased many moons ago, several years infact, before I was a spinner myself.

Morning Glory Bower - 122 yards (5 oz) of comfotingly soft merino in a super bulky weight.



I'm only a few inches in to this newest project, but I'll post photos soon! And photos of the beret will follow too - but since my camera disappeared the other night amongst the drunken shenanigans we're left wth our old camera, which was replaced since the LCD screen broke and you can't see what you're taking photo of! Suffice to say the beret shots aren't so fabulous...

Block of Icing

Hurrah for finished knits! And hurrah for self indulgent finished knits of lovely yarn in lovely colours for... myself! 

We all know how rare it is for most knitters to knit for themselves - and such is the case with my knits, so I'm thrilled to have finished one lately that is destined to keep my very own head nice and snug in the cooler months :) 

I adore Ysolda Teague's work, and this design, the Icing Swirl Hat is one of the patterns in her Whimsical Little Knits collection, which I've pre-ordered am am thoroghly enjoying each little pattern as they arrive, like delicious sweet treats discovered in a treasure hunt! It is blocking here in the suggested method of using a balloon. First up I blew a balloon up nice and large, then realised I had NO chance of getting the beret over it! Take two, I blew the balloon up inside the beret - perfect!

I'm very much looking forward to when this lovely wool, silk and cashmere creations has dried and I can try it on!

Saturated

We had big thick rain drops yesterday - they built to torrential rain that whipped through the camp and kept everyone under cover or dashing madly from one patio to another. Patios that barely kept the wind and rain off those huddled beneath them. It was almost like a ghost town - everyone huddle up inside out of the storm. Plastic outdoor chairs were thrown across the ground and washing torn from the line to lie sodden and cold wherever it landed.

All night the rain and storm continued, the wind whistling and whining as it raced past structures and bent the trees way over. I had a very sound and dreamless sleep, but have woken today absolutely drained of all energy. Normally the rain and storms energise people, especially me. The increased negative ions in the air smell great with the rain and storm and get the mind all alert and functioning. But today I can barely hold myself upright and keep my eyes open. Felt similar last night actually and didn't even knit a stitch. Might have something to do with the walk I took out in the rain before it really got heavy, and then the running about through camp inbetween gusts. Either way - I'm counting down til hometime when I can crawl under the covers and pass out for a while.

It's such a shame to miss the rain up here though - it's almost a magical experience. The ground is so parched and dry then all of a sudden the skies, thick with dense cloud, unleash a relentless pounding of water that fills the gutters and creates ginormous lakes of water. Last night the frogs were so loud they almost sounded like cattle. Amazing that plants and animals can live out here - with extreme heat and lack of moisture for so long, then sudden gluttonous flooding

p.s Have lost my camera, so no photos for a little bit - I'm hoping it will be handed in to the office and all will be well :)

Photo update!

It's way past time for a photo update for the progress I've been making on my smooth brother's suave scarf.

This is (in case you need a reminder since I've been knitting it on-and-off for so long!) the yummy Tortuga malabrigo worsted knit up in the Yarn Harlot's One Row scarf.

Sadly my first ball has run out but I've left the second down at home! Drat!

Comical Creatures of the Night

Working away we have one day off every fortnight - the RDO - and it is a much celebrated event, usually involving copious and excessive alcohol consumption by 85% of the camp. This RDO Friday night we're celebrating a bevvy of January birthdays including mine from the 9th!

To make it particularly special we've set a Creatures of the Night dress up theme - for anything that comes out at night!

Here are some of the plans we've made up for costumes, in whiteboard drawn comic form...

My outfit (which I made up on my lovely new sewing machine over the holidays) is a Night Faery:

Big black wings - my skirt of sparkly green, black and silver satins - black top with the coloured satins sewn around the neckline

My fabulous mate Jo is similarly attired, as a Dark angel...

Big black wings - black singlet (it's super hot up here, remember?) - tiny black tutu with red trim - black knee legth tights for modesty (not drawn)

And Jen decided to go for something a little different - a pirate wench!

Red skull bandana - roughed up jeans with oversized belt buckle - big gold hoop earrings - sword!

I'm very excited :) Only two more sleeps til we get to play dress ups! it really is fun being a child inside - I highly recommend it *grin*

Tum-tum

I have begun my maiden voyage into the realm of Knitted Toys!

I've long admired and adored the work of Mochimochi Land's Anna and plan to make many of her pieces. But planning is one thing and doing is another still, so I'm wrapped to now actually be in the 'do' phase of knitting a Mochimochi toy :)

I'm knitting this one for little bubby Bosko, who is now 1-and-a-bit, but still has only received ONE knitted goodie from me - and it didn't even fit! I've in fact had a long and very bumpy road knitting for Bosko (the first baby of my longest childhood friend) - but that's a tale for another time. In short, I decided a knitted toy was something he couldn't physically outgrow, and wouldn't need to fit his measurements - seeing as he lives interstate and can't try on knits-in-the-making.

I chose Tums, the charming little hippo in the mochimochi menagerie, because Z had a little soft-toy hippo when we were little and I thought it fitting that her little boy should have one too :)



So far Tum-tum is still in pieces and needing a body and limbs - but he's getting there!

Hot.

I'm still learning exactly what that word can feel like.

So I thought I'd share a few experiences I've enjoyed/endured up here, in case you've lived your whole life without extreme heat - or extreme temperatures at all maybe.


Can you pick me? I'm the one in the middle :) It's compulsory to wear all of this gear, sleeves fully buttoned down, long pants - all of thick, highly durable material - another layer of protection against the elements.

• Lately the run of weather forecasts have all started with a '4': 46, 43, 48... to the point that it doesn't actually seem abnormal anymore. In my summer days back in Perth I remember being appalled by the heat if the weather hit 40 degrees celcius. The world seemed to shut down - 3 days in a row and school was even cancelled.

• This is one of the few places, I'd say, that you can have a really warm shower just by turning the cold tap on full - even at 8:30 at night - even at 5:30am!!

• I cannot even imagine working out in the field in this weather. The fieldies absolutely have my respect for what they put their bodies through - largely without complaint. Some areas they work in even reach 50 degrees (122 fahrenheit). Can the human body even function in those temperatures?!

• The air is hot, the breeze is hot, but above all the sun is hot and being in the direct sun is crazy toasty. Workers have to wear gloves before picking up tools or they need first aid treatment for burns. No touching the steel either - it heats up as hot as a branding iron.

350 tonne crane in a heavy lift - crazy amazing stuff but all in a day's work

I'm constantly amazed by experiences up here, not only the heat but so any other elements of life. The Kimberley and Pilbara are almost like another planet - a beautiful, harsh, striking and stunning planet, full of new and eye-opening experiences.

Not long now!

Yes, that's right! Not long til my next FO - I can just feeeeel the finished object juices bubbling away on the simmer... The CobbleBoulder is almost complete!!

I have 4 rows to go til I finish the actual knitting, then I must seam the arm pits and sew in the ends et voila!

Scrumptious Skoot is still at home (pooh..) but will be flying back up in a few days (yay!!) so he can try it on then. My only concern is that, being a hugely massive oversize jumper of joy, the neckline may be too hugely massive and oversize.. but we will have to wait and see!

Hurrah!!

p.s. Apologies for no pictures this post - current internet is still very frustrating, although at least I can log on enough to post now!

Nemisis.

I'm feeling very fecked off.

*commence rant*

When a government decides to sell off public amenities such as power, gas and.... telecommunications... things can go pear shaped.

We're working in a pretty remote area at the moment and the only form of internet available is via wireless modem, which is only given by ONE provider. So of course one is obliged to sign up with them, or relinquish access to teh internets for 4 weeks at a time - the latter is not an option.

And so this company signs up THOUSANDS of people to the wireless get-up, all using the same single provider in the same area. So when everyone knocks off after work and heads home, they're all logging on at the same time and.. uh! whaddaya know?! The provider can't handle it so you get status reports like "Network busy. Try again later." when trying to connect to a service you pay FULL price for.

If you can't provide the service, don't sign people up.

Or - like a nightclub or air service - if there's only room for x amount of people before things go pear shaped - ONLY SIGN UP x AMOUNT OF PEOPLE!

*end rant*

Thankyou for your time.

Inspirational Wall Mural

In browsing the internets lately I've stumbled upon this fantastic wall mural a couple of times...

Such a simple concept, and so well executed by this very inspiring family of creativites! Pinot Leia, Dita & Arwen make up "Our Artful Life"

I highly recommend checking our their blog and particularly the fabulous pictures and movie of the colour and character the mural transforms on their wall spaces!

I've added their blog to my subscriptions and look forward to enjoying many more of their delightful artful endeavours :)

Free Berroco makes my day :)

So I'm subscribed to the Berocco emailed newsletter and yesterday somehow wandered from there on to their free patterns listing - Ah! Right! It was their sparkley sock yarn that made me do it - bloody tempting stuff, luring me away from my single-minded blogging...

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed trolling through their stacks of online free patterns and found a few that I'd like to knit up at some point too, which is always a bonus ;)

Such as, this funky skirt - Kiltie


And a super cute doggalog coat - Buster


Thank you Berroco! :)

I know Drops has some excellent online free patterns too - I must take a wander over there too sometime when I have another inordinate amount of time free for browsing!

Holiday Adventures!

This is probably the quickest way to catch up on all the adventures we've gotten up to over our holidays from work - if I leave it too long while I compose a written commentary to accompany the shots, I tend to miss out on posting altogether!


Target shooting on a trip to the farm (I only shoot holes in paper and take down evil tin cans, plus plaing on our super fun plink-o-matic - no animals are harmed in my shooting adventures!)


Watching the giant headers zoom along the paddocks - amazing the hundred of thousands of hectares taken up by wheat and other cropping in Western Australia - do THAT many people eat grains?!


Scrumptious Skoot helped out our mates on the farm by fixing a part for them while we were there - Scamp got into the action with his own welding helmet too ;)


On the drive home I just had to stop the car to get a snapshot of this one.. an echidna crossing - don't see many of those around!


Hmm.. upholding the aussie stereotype there a bit... Ute - Swag - Wide Blue Sky - Parched Farm Land - Trail Bike... Nevermind, it's killer fun ;)


Wave rock!

Stay tuned for instalment II of the Holiday Adventures! ( I know I said that about the WIPs montage for 2008 and never followed through... sorry about that.. )

Busy Birfday Girl

Well my goodness me!

My birthday has swung around again - and this year it has been action packed! I have loads of photos of our adventures over the last week or so, as we've had our Scamp staying with us so we've had MANY an adventure!

Adventures such as meeting Mr Bob Tail Lizard here!

I spent this morning quite leisurely and we saw the ever-so-cute if somewhat reinforcing-of-archaic-damaging-gender-stereotypes Tale of Despereaux which I (stereotype reinforcement aside) thoroughly enjoyed. But this afternoon has been a mad scramble to get all of our bits and pieces - plus all of Scamps things - all packed and ready for our return back up North to work, and Scamp's return to his mum's! I've been washing, cleaning, organising, wrapping, packing, sorting, cooking.. I'm sure you can imagine! It wouldn't have been quite so hectic, but for Scrumptious Shweetie's knee being bung at the moment - so he's couch-ridden! Poor thing, it sounds dreamy, being stuck on the couch - for we knitters it would be a paradise of forced idle time to lap up the knitting opportunities! But for an active chap who love getting things done around the house - it's been horror! Nevermind, maybe I should get him knitting..?

Not much knitting progress to report - I've done a little on CobbleBoulder and Bro's suave scarf, but apart from that I've been, you guessed it, too busy!

--p.s.-- I was in fact SO busy on the 9th that although I've posted this under the 9th Jan, I only actually got around to hitting the 'publish post' button on the 10th! Sorry for the delay!

5 Things

I can't even remember where I found this meme - to be honest it's been sitting amongst my draft posts for sometime now, so I thought I'd better finish it up and post it at last!

5 things in my bag

• Two smaller bags with current knitting projects nestled inside
• Safety B. Bear, a well worn little chap who travels everywhere with me, from Mum
• Small plastic packet of hair pins
• Lovely green retro style wallet
• My favourite hat! Purpley grey background with floral design, little brim, super cute.
  

5 favourite things in my room (house)

• Arthur - spinning wheel
• Edith - sewing machine
• Framed photos of all my loved ones and nearest/dearest
• Beautiful antique oak cupboard in my studio - passed down through the family
• Our gorgeous scarlet modular couch
  

5 things I have always wanted to do

• Travel extensively and wildly
• See auroras in person
  
• Adventure across Alaska (or part of it) on a dog sled
• Do up an old classic car
• Home school our (future) children
  

5 things I'm currently into

• All manner of fibre crafts (of course!) - knitting, spinning etc.
• Newly into... SEWING! Must introduce the new machine too in the next blog post..
  
• Playstation 3 - how bizarre, I've become a complete console game nut!
• Gin & Tonic - the perfect deliciously refreshing summer evening drink
  
• Pixel puzzles - very different, very logical, very ADDICTIVE!

5 (4) people I'm tagging....
Cindy 2paw! Ms Inoriz! Michelle (knitty bitty)! Ann of 1MoreRow!
[Don't feel obliged to take on the 5 Thing baton, of course, but it is very fun ;D]

2008 Knitterly Retrospective

Completed items in 2008:

Highlights:

• Stranded colourwork for first time
• Finishing my first large jumper project and LOVING it!
• Knitting a shawl for both my grandmothers
• Steeking (small scale!)

Stay tuned for a WIPS unfinished 2008 mosaic!

p.s. I've realised a few of my projects, such as Dad's socks, have evaded the mosaic maker! Nevermind, it still gives a good representation overall :) 

Beautiful Beach

We spent a beautiful afternoon at the beach yesterday with the Scamp and Scrumptious Bum's family

Absolutely gorgeous weather - we didn't want to get out of that stunning water! 

Scamp is staying with us for this whole week, so I'm a little distracted as I type this! Not sure how much posting will be done in the next several days as we're heading down to a friend's farm for a while too - phew! Well, what a holidays for?!