Public Holiday Progress Update

Today is Australia Day, and rather like Thanksgiving in the US it does have some negative connotations for some members if the community.  It iis a national public holiday in Australia, and so I am at home today.  I will be writing my thesis on and off today, interspersed with a bit of light housework and home admin, a walk (in between the heavy rain showers - still waiting for a good enough break!), and, of course, knitting!

The body of the Featherweight (by Hannah Fettig) is complete:

I am using Morris and Sons Australian 2 ply Merino Laceweight, and this is creating a gossamer weight cardigan in the colour French Grey.

Last night, while watching the Australian Open, I knitted a bit on the Spice Trade Shawl by Apple Tree Knits:

This is taking a little patience and concentration, and I have had to rip and go back several times, but I am determined to finish it. The yarn is Yikexin Wool, from Xian, China and so the pattern is perfect, I love the lurid spice colour.

Hermione's socks are languishing in their owl sock project bag:

But....I have had a new year lapse and some lovely yarn is on its way to me right now, from different corners of the globe! One is for a commission (but still fun to receive), the others are just for me - very exciting indeed and a great lift. Expect a post when they all arrive, and in the meantime enjoy your 26th January, wherever you are in the world, and whatever it may mean to you.

Show Success!

Having just arrived back from our UK trip, I realised amid the whirlwind of returning to work that the annual Kiama Show was nearly upon us, and last year I had resolved to enter some of my knitted items. 

It was no easy feat to submit forms and entries for someone who works full time, but with a bit of help from Mr Bromley Knits, who has a bit more flexibility in his work schedule than I do, I managed four entries.

We spent this morning at the show, and I was delighted to find I had won a first prize for my recently completed London Shadows shawl:

And second prize for my One Night Coat:

My other two entries did not win anything - the Kolmarden Gilet, which I entered in the Vest section:

And an experimental arm knitted cowl, which I don't think I ever blogged, but still had, and so I entered it in the Creative section.

But I was super happy with my outcome!

Best in Show was a beautiful Shetland shawl:

And I loved this Highly Commended cushion:

I've already started planning my knits to enter next year (show regulations state that knits are to be completed in the 12 months prior to each show), and had a request to exhibit any blankets I have completed in an upcoming art installation! 

Happy days and lots of knitting mojo. If you've ever considered entering a local fair or show - do it!

New Year, New Knits

Or should I say Finished Knits.  Finishing UFOs is something I really like to do as New Years Eve approaches, and if we stay in, I quite like to knit on the eve itself.    Having just arrived in beautiful Scotland, we were jet lagged so skipped the big Hogmanay celebrations, and I finished up three knits on New Years Day:

Anise, by Sarah Hatton, in Rowan New Shapes. I have the book, but this is available as a free pattern on Ravelry.  This knit is designed for big wool, but I used the heavy worsted/light chunky handspun I picked up at an op shop in Nowra with my sister last February, knitting the medium size on 10mm needles to create a loose gauge in this stiff and course wool yarn.  I had tons of it and also used it for the Pickles' One Night Coat:

So I have two yellow cardigans! One for each location that I spend time in; Anise can stay in Scotland.  I bought some yellow-brown coconut shell buttons from John Lewis in Glasgow earlier this week, but haven't attached them yet.  I wore Anise over a long sleeved white thermal and with navy leggings and boots on New Years Day, and have also been pulling it on as a bed jacket when sitting up drinking tea and surfing the net in bed during the long, dark, and cold northern winter mornings, so already getting a lot of wear.

I started Anise in 2015, but the following knit dates from 2014 at least, and perhaps earlier.  It began life as a poncho, subsequently abandoned.  It then morphed into what I hoped what be a warm hoodie in damp and chilly Yorkshire, using Susan B Anderson's top down raglan KAL recipe.  A yarn shortage meant I couldn't do long sleeves or a hood - abandoned again.  It was shipped to Oz with the rest of our stuff, so I threw it in my bag and flew it back to the UK, where it has become a half sleeved sweater:

I wore this on Jan 2nd with jeans and ankle boots, and it was very cosy.

And finally, I knit the top border on London Shadows, in coordinating black sock yarn as I had run out of the Katia Darling used for the bottom border and body of the shawl. This is awaiting blocking but here is a shot showing off the colours and drape:

London Shadows was a MKAL by Wild Prairie Knits which started on my birthday in 2015.  I participated as a treat for myself during a very busy year, and am very glad I did - I love it and what it represents; self care, time to do things I love and that restore me.  I will create more opportunities for this in 2016.