Our Santa

Hi everyone

If you were reading my blog last year you would have noticed how I love Christmas.

Well this year has beeen totally flat - no decorations - nothing.

Last night, hubby insisted on getting at least something out this year.

So he chose the Santa which he bought

Here is our lone Christmas decoration

He stands just over 65cm/2ft tall and you should be able to just see the Fibre Optic Lights which constantly change while his head slightly rotates

Merry Christmas to all

and a Fantastic New Year

Just a little something

I have been knitting this while contemplating my jacket

It is missing an essential item, which I have yet to find

Any ideas as to what it might be???????

Want a gift idea?

Maybe a stocking filler or a Charity gift

Well pop on over and visit Linda at Chalky's World

She has just put up a very cute little pattern that I am positive children of all ages will love

She calls them "Luvvies" and "Hearties" - so cute

I know I will be knitting and crocheting up a few for Knit4Charity when they require a toy

She really is a very lovely lady

So drop in and say Hi

Carols by Candlelight

Browsing the web yesterday I came upon an Australian first.

Something I had absolutely no idea about.

Quoting from Wikipedia, which quotes from an old Australian newspaper "The Argus" 24 December 1949 p25 Supplement (which if your interested can be accessed via Trove)

"Carols by Candlelight is an Australian Christmas tradition that originated in southeastern Australia in the 19th century and was popularised in Melbourne in the 1930s. The tradition has since spread around the world. It involves people gathering, usually outdoors in a park, to sing carols by candlelight, accompanied by a band. Today, the largest such event is the original Carols by Candlelight, held annually at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne's King's Domain Gardens on Christmas Eve, since 1938, 71 years.One of the earliest forms of Carols by Candlelight began in the 19th century, when Cornish Miners in Moonta, South Australia would gather on Christmas Eve to sing carols lit with candles stuck to the brims of their safety hats. The tradition spread through Victoria and Melbourne until it was popularised in 1938 by Norman Banks, a radio announcer then with Melbourne radio station 3KZ. Whilst walking home from his night-time radio shift on Christmas Eve in 1937, he passed a window and saw inside an elderly woman sitting up in bed, listening to Away in a Manger being played on the radio and singing along, with her face being lit by candlelight. Wondering how many others spent Christmas alone, he had the idea to gather a large group of people to all sing Christmas carols together by candlelight. The first ever such event was held in Alexandra Gardens the following Christmas, 1938, and was attended by around 10,000 people"

I am always totally amazed at what I learn while doing genealogy research.

You just never know where it will lead you :-))))))

P.S. I was going to insert a photo from Carols In The Domain (Sydney), but I really don't want to invoke copyright - SMH has a great shot here from 2006

P.S.S. Trying really hard to get the Xmas spirit and failing even easier

Just noticed

Hi everyone

I have just noticed (due to an email I sent Kimbles) that I may have been replying/sending emails to "noreply.blogspot" or something like that when I hit the reply button to your lovely comments.  So there are must be lots of replies floating out there in the nether world.

Sorry - I should pay more attention

Oh my, so sad

I have been working on a project for about a month now.
The first attempt (which I only gave a glimpse here) did not fit - loved the project though
Second attempt ( a glimpse here) has come to a screaming halt with only the border to go

Love the jacket, love the pattern.
I felt a real sense of achievement while making this as it was graded "Intermediate"
A lot of frogging did go on while making it.  Not because of the pattern.  Because of my lapse in concentration.

The problem ?????
Well, in the photo the back V sits so very nicely
But on me the ?@# thing curls and won't sit flat and looks totally stupid
Hubby warned me as I tried it on at different stages
But I kept hoping and hoping and fingers crossed that the weight would make it sit flat
But nope - it just won't - very, very sad Maria

It would seem that this wool is cursed for me.  Not my usual choice of colour.  But I wanted it to go over my coloured tops and a neutral seemed best

Back to square one

Aussie Maria's Australia

Hi everyone

Another memory post

And yes they are scans of photos ☺

CUTTA CUTTA CAVES

Northern Territory

Apr 1988

A tropical limestone cave

Very humid and warm down there

I have a bit of fascination with caves

I have visited Cutta Cutta Caves, NT; Jenolean Caves, NSW; Wombeyan Caves, NSW; Naracoorte Caves, SA; and Princess Margaret Rose Caves, SA 

Bye for now

Give-away

Pop on over to The Garden Bell for a fun give-away

And while your there keep reading

Kate is such fun

Wonderful taste in music

Speed demon with the hooker - crochet variety ☺

Not a bad artist either

And an amazing amateur photographer

Just got to love her posts

Rambling

It's raining, it's pouring

The old man is snoring

He bumped his head on the back of the bed

And couldn't get up in the morning

Don't know if anyone has noticed, but I have been erratic with posting lately

Having a lot of difficulty with what I should write

Thinking it sounds great in my head at night

But total rubbish in the morning

Well last night I decided to write that rubbish

Just cause!!!!

Hopefully you won't find it all totally wacko ☺

A couple of sneak peaks of what I have been creating

Yes, I have been crocheting and knitting

You may recognise this yarn from a previous post here Unfortunately that project got to 80% completion, only for me to find that it was a bit too small for me :-(
To adjust it I would have had to undo the lot and start again
So instead I frogged it and started a completely new project

and then there is this

Yep a little knitting too ☺

The Ashes

Well we are back from QLD, tired and totally worn out - lots and lots of walking were done and lots and lots of watching cricket too

Only a few photos were taken as I just did not feel like getting behind a camera - rather be "in the moment" - if you know what I mean.

• So, we got to see Siddle take a hat-trick the first day!!!!!! What an atmosphere in the stadium for that - the roar was unbelievable.
• Doherty made his Test debut for Australia and took wickets!!!!!
• Hussey (Mr Cricket) made 195!!!! He is one of my fave players - so down-to-earth
• and Haddin made 136!!!!!

Not bad for 3 days

Now I have to say that we had lots and lots of conversations with Pommies - Australian Pommies and English Pommies.

Absolutely amazing how many were at the cricket ☺ ☺ ☺

BTW - "The Queen" was sitting in front of us on the 2nd day, but I felt rude grabbing a photo, but "shim" did make the local papers.  She loved to go walking and often was found stirring up the Barmy Army (who were on the other side of the oval from us, a bit hard to find in the photo) when they were too quiet with her graceful wave  ☺  ☺  ☺

Nov 2010 GABBA 1st Ashes Test

And now a thank you - for no particular reason, other than its nice to say when its not prompted ☺

Well done to QLD Transit Authority (I think that's what they are called)!!!!!!

They provided FREE!!!!! buses from various points in the city to and from The Gabba

Very, very handy for us

It was chaotic at the end of the day, but moving over 35,000 people would always cause a problem

And to Brisbane Council who had a LARGE number of double bins (garbage/recycle) strewn throughout the city.  The streets were lovely and clean.  A pleasure to walk.

P.S. - Just noticed that I have over 300 emails and 300 blog feeds to read.  Oops, it will take me a while to catch up with eveyone.  But I will eventually

Bye for now

Colours

Thank you to everyone for the info on the colours, especially to Caz, who had the full explanation.

I had very, very, very vague memories of an art class way back when as she described it :-)

That triggered some old memories :-)

And it would seem that the majority of the comments sided with hubby about the colour.

General census is gray

But I am adamant it is brownish in tinge

☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺

Have a wonderful weekend

Santa Claus is coming to town ....

Are you all singing yet?

Pop on over to Caroline's blog - The Kansas Hooker where she has posted a pattern fore one cute Santa

Isn't he just adorable!!!

Funnily enough I have no red in my stash to make him - as yet

How can that be - red is one of my favouritist colours

Been thinking about colours lately

..... and I have a question which I hope someone knows the answer to

The colours above are seen everywhere in nature

Why is it that brown never shows up in a colour wheel?

I know its a mix of colours.

Is it because its a mix plus a colour?

Much discussion has been going on between hubby and I about colours.  When I ask for input we seem to "see" colours differently.  I admit that what we are looking at is not "pure" colours.  They definitely are a mix.

An example is the "Blue Violet" above - I see it as blue and hubby sees it as purple.

Turquoise is another one - hubby sees it as blue, where I see it as greeny

My current project is another one of these - I see it as a brown, hubby says grey

What's your thoughts????

P.S. - If anyone sees Spring and the Sun, can you please send them back to us.  They seem to have got lost.

Hope Brissie's warmer than here :-(

Mandala's

Hi everyone

Way back in September, a lovely lady named Pammy Sue at Scotty's Place had a give-away of 8 Mandala's that she had made.

I was a lucky winner of the 16" Aqua Mandala - Yeah!!!!

Now it must have been a very slow boat from the US, but last night I had the wonderful surprise of a parcel.

Isn't it so lovely

And the yarn is so very soft.

Pammy Sue what yarn is it????? Feels very soft, sort of cottony/acrylic.

And you should feel very honoured Pammy Sue.

Normally my coffee table has bits and pieces of projects and books etc on it, for handy reference.

But I just had to clear it to show off this wonderful gift.

Thank you!!!, thank you!!!, thank you!!!

So if you have never visited this lovely lady, pop on over.

You never know what you will find - crochet, food, or just plain crazy, funny Pammy Sue

Scarf in Late Spring!!!!

What am I doing???????

Just a little something I whipped up.

It's been on my "one-day" list for a while

I wanted to see how this yarn knit up - not much better to knit up than to crochet cause of its splittiness.  But it is lovely soft and silky - darn

And this is a very quick project - only took me an afternoon

Pattern link here for the Bow Knot Scarf

Made with Patons Smoothie DK and 4.5mm needles

Centre bit is 46cm/18in

Used 46g/92m

So wonderful one ball project

As I wanted something loose around the neck - I really HATE anything firm around my neck.

So I am able to just lightly stretch this over my head and it sits a bit below the neck, just a little

I have a lot of trouble wearing scarves

Love the way people are able to wear them as accessories etc - just not me

But this is something I could wear

No fiddling or adjusting

But as I really don't like the colour, its not for me

But this will be great for my charity knitting

P.S. - there is a big project I am working on at the moment, but I want to see it completed before I share with you all.

And I'm off to Brisbane next week

Hubby's adding another notch to his Bucket List - Watching Cricket Test Match in every capital city in Australia

First Tuesday in November .....

Hi everyone

For everyone living in Victoria, you know the basics, but I have a little extra, so please read on.

For everyone else - The First Tuesday in November is Melbourne Cup Day.

The State of Victoria has a public holiday for a horse race - lucky!!!!

I have a very, very, very small link

It is a very, very, very old link

The entrance to Flemington Racecourse (where the Melbourne Cup is held) has a very long paved entrance.

Within these pavers are tiles with previous Melbourne Cup Winners

So while we dodged the massive crowds trying to enter the Racecourse for Derby Day (Saturday) I got hubby to snap a very quick photo with his phone

Complete with the tips of our shoes showing!!!!

My connection??????

Well, my Great-Grandfather, Thomas WHITE, broke Zulu in!!!!!

Yep, Zulu won The Melbourne Cup in 1881!!!!!

How's that for a Melbourne Cup connection

And yes, Melbourne lived up to its reputation while we were there - wet and cold

Every day!!!!

But it was the first time that has happened to us

Last Friday night ....

Hi everyone

Well I thought you might like to see where I went and what I saw last Friday night.

Travelled to Homebush Bay (Sydney Olympic Park) with D3 to see this

D3's hubby was a cast member,

so we were lucky enough to get free seats.

Warning - this is a stadium, I don't have a super-dooper zoomy camera, a lot of things moved very quickly and it frequently was dark

So here is a glimpse of what went on

The Royal Imperial Guards

A galleon was created out of 4 separate parts complete with slaves and guards

And, of course, chariot races.

Now this was a very hard photo to take

They were moving FAST!!!!

This is an open-air sporting stadium, so lucky for us the storm that was brewing held off till the next day. 

And what am I doing this Friday????

Well, hubby and I are flying to Melbourne for the weekend.

This weekend also happens to be Derby Day at Flemington!!!

So just may have to visit

To attend The Melbourne Cup is on our "Bucket List", but I'm sure we can make-do with The Derby!!

So I'll catch up next week

Aussie Maria's Australia

Hi everyone

Having a memory lane moment while trawling through my old photos - yes real printed photos!!!!

So that will explain the colour saturation

Random photos of places and areas that have left a lasting impression with me in my travels ....

Mataranka Hot Springs

Northern Territory

Apr 1988

Three of those tiny little blobs in the water are mine ☺

This tropical stop is just off the main highway that connects Adelaide and Darwin, and is renowned for its thermal pool – a sandy-bottomed lagoon fringed by palm forest and a rejuvenating swimming spot for weary travellers up and down ‘the track’.

This place was heaven after the heat and long, long, long, long, dry, red open flat areas.

Might have to show that one day too ☺

Is it a Shawl or a Scarf or a Cowl????

Hi everyone

Love, love, love this idea

Messes with your head

But so rhythmic

And it works so easily and so well

Are you wondering what it is????

Well with the help of my wonderful model, Nicholas, I hope to explain

It's a shawl

Its a hooded scarf or just a scarf

Or a snug cowl

Details - Pattern Moebius found here

I used scrap 8ply acrylic mohair (Yuck) and 5mm hook

Foundation row 140

Approx, 110cm circumference

Great idea and I really loved the way it worked

Round and round

But no end and no beginning - well at least when you have finished it

Sur-prise!!!! Sur-prise!!!! Sur-prise!!!!

Hi everyone

I received mail yesterday.  "So what" your saying.

Well, for one thing it wasn't a bill!!!!!! Yeah.

Secondly, it came across the seas to me!!!

So I opened the plain brown envelope and found this ....

That was enough to make me smile

My favourite red mixed with a rainbow of cottons

Who is Alison???

Pop on over here and say Hi to Alison at Alisonb2

A very lovely lady whose favourite colour is Purple, lots and lots of colour and craft!!!!

But the note?????

What did it mean

Well I just had to find out

So I opened the wrapping and .......

opened the wrapping and .....

opened the wrapping and .....

By this time I am giggling, I know what Alison meant

But I also had to explain to hubby why I am stopping and taking photos

So he had a quick run-down on blogland etiquette

So what's next?????

And what's inside the violet paper?????

To be honest, I didn't care

I felt like a toddler - far happier with the paper than caring what was inside ☺

But I did open it

Wonderful, tiny, bright, gorgeous rainbow buttons

Of course they have rainbow cotton with them

Ideas are spinning - what to do!!!

No rush, I can just admire for a long, long time - if I want

Thank you so much Alison for such a wonderful consolation gift

I haven't moved them from my coffee table, so I can keep looking at the wonderful colours

I hope your day is filled with rainbows and sunshine

(Unfortunately, Alison's gift is as close as I can get to sunshine here today)

SALE!!!!! SALE!!!!! SALE!!!!

Hi everyone

Just a quick little post, just opened my mail and found that

Bendigo Woollen Mills has their SALE!!! on now

The yarn whether cotton, merino or alpaca is Australian yarn

And remember their balls are 200g!!!

Wonderful prices

And orders over $30 are free delivery - not sure about overseas
Sale ends 30th Nov 2010

So pop on over - I will definitely be stash enhancing

I already had an order in my head prior to receiving this mail

BTW - I am not connected with the Mills, just a lover of their yarn and had to share

You can click on the tag "Bendigo Woollen Mills" to see what I have made with their yarn, but I am not showing what is in the stash - just in case hubby reads ☺

Link is in right hand side or above

Have a wonderful weekend

Smoothie Sunshine

Hi everyone

Well we finally had a bit of sunshine this morning, but even while I type clouds are rolling over it.  Not rain clouds at the moment, but they are predicted.  So as I was lucky enough to have finished the blanket and have a small glimpse of sun, I took some photos

While you can't "see" the pattern with the varigation, you do get the feel for the basket-weave effect.

The pattern I used is from Project Linus (an American organisation I think), pattern name is Sideways Shell Baby Afghan, pattern here or if your on Ravelry (which is where I was able to see the stitch) here

I used Patons Smoothie DK with a 5mm hook

Now for whatever reason, I have trouble with foundation chains.

They do not stretch, they twist, they do not give the neat start I require.

So I modified the pattern by doing a Foundation Double Crochet (sc for USA) row

And it works beautifully - for me anyway ☺

My Foundation Dc Row is 120 stitches

Measurements - 90 x 90 cm

This is a super simple, little thinking, soothing (for me) pattern

And it looks wonderful!!!

Well, unless you make your own, you will have to take my word for it.

It shows up much better with solid colours

Now I'm not complaining, rain after a drought that has gone on for so lllllllooooooonnnnnnnggggg is extremely welcome.

But please a little bit of sunshine in between is great for the soul

I know, I know, won't be long and the permanent heat will be here

We celebrated D3's daughter yesterday and I was going to show you the results of Lady Helsie's World's Easiest Chocolate Cake, but there were not even crumbs left over

So the families verdict is

Bye for now

Hi there

Hi everyone

Yes it is Sunday morning, so why am I here?

Well, hubby left while it was dark this morning to play golf and I thought I would catch up with blog-world.

Now I do have something to show you, but the weather has been overcast for almost 2 weeks now.  And I really think it has gotten confused and thinks it is now Autumn, a little cool, not Spring, a little warm.  ☺

I wanted to take a nice, sunshiney photo, but it seems to be going against me - so you will have to just get a glimpse of it.

Now before I show you, I will tell you the story ....... didn't I mention something about that in the last post

 ☺ ☺☺

About a month ago I mentioned that I was not alone in the hospital waiting room crocheting.  So while us ladies chatted and compared notes - I really admired her lovely pattern, which was for a baby blanket.  She could not remember the name, so I tried to work it out by looking at it - Nope, not my forte!!!!  I could not follow what she was doing - I was chatting and working on my project at the same time - I'm just not that talented ☺  She did mention it was really easy and was always her fall-back pattern.

So I have been scouring the net, but unfortunately I really needed to see a close up of the stitches to confirm I had the right pattern - it took me a few weeks of searching to find that close up - came close lots of times, but was never quite sure.  Then I spotted a close-up of some-ones project on Ravelry - Yahoo!!!!  I found it.

Now hubby's cricket season has started and this has become a perfect, no actually PERFECT, pattern to work

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I will show you a little glimpse

Eventually .......

Firstly, I am working this in Paton Australia's Smoothie - an acrylic which is not usually my choice.

It has been discontinued and a bargain is a bargain

And I was very surprised how soft and squishy and SMOOTH!!!  this yarn is

Ok all good so far

But there is one drawback, and for me a MAJOR one

See if you can spot it in the photo ....

Yep, it sure is splitty

Lucky I'm using a slightly rounded head crochet hook

I still have to be careful that all the strands are looped

This would be so difficult knitting or crocheting with a pointy head

You really can't see the pattern too well with this yarn, but it is still working up so lovely

It looks like a basket-weave when done in one colour - another project which I will definitely be starting shortly in more male colours, or in neutral colours

As today is D3's hubby's birthday and D3's is on Wednesday, I am off to have lunch with them and D2 and partner and a whole lot of other invitee's.

Eventually hubby will join us to

But he will miss out on the scrumptious lunch

Hope you all enjoy your day of rest

Mini Xmas Stockings 2010 Challenge

Mini Xmas Stockings 2010, originally uploaded by Aussie Maria.

Hi everyone

Knit4Charities has a mini Christmas Stocking Challenge. These are handed out to the homeless and those in difficulties, mainly children. A little something is popped inside, such as Candy Cane, Lollipops, Lollies etc. Just to give a little cheer at "that" time of year.

They are expecting that over 5,000 will be turning up - and that's only in the Brisbane area!!!!

So here is my input for the challenge.

The knitted ones are from Jean Greenhowe's site - very quick and so very simple. I used more of this pattern as the yarn went further and the colour changes worked better.

The crochet one on the left is a side-to-side pattern, another quickie, but I didn't like how the colours worked - even mixed me up in the head ☺

The crochet one on the right is a hexagon folded - loved making this one, but again I did not like the colours spinning. Will probably rework this in plain colours and solid trebles (I did this one granny style)

These would also be a fantastic idea for a recycling/reuse Xmas wrapping/bag if you have tiny gifts or Advent calenders or Tree Decorations or Teddy's Boots or Doll Boots or ...........

Bye for now
Off for a lovely long weekend - Labour Day on Monday holiday

Whirlwinds

My mind is a whirlwind at the moment

If you care to join me, please read on

But you have been warned

From the start

I have the yarn, it is a beautiful soft Australian cotton

I had an idea

But I wanted to test it first - just to be sure

So I pulled out some gifted acrylic to try

This is the pattern or picture I used for my idea

But I only worked trebles/dc's

Ok, so my idea worked and I am happy with it

But I would prefer another row of white

Then Crochet with Raymond's Mandala kept popping up

Kept playing with my mind

Even Scotty's Place is having a give-away that involves these Mandala's

Pop on over and check it out

And of course, hubby pipes up and says "Why don't you make a circle blanket"

So I just had to - didn't I

But not another new project

Oh no!!!!

So I added it to this

Another one that I am happy with

But I have just noticed that I have a wavy thing going on

So a bit of work required when working this big

And what has prompted this

Well D3's friend has just found out that she is having a girl

And I gave her this, which was made a while ago

Just in case ☺

Just a plain granny square in a lovely, squishy, soft cotton

Perfect for an end of summer/autumn baby

Ok, so what did I decide on???????

v

v

v

v

v

Well, that's another story ............ ☺ ☺

I did warn you

For those in Australia - have a great long weekend

And I hope your footy team wins - whichever code it is

Enjoy all the bbq's and socialising

Harrys Vest

Harry's Vest, originally uploaded by Aussie Maria.

Hi everyone

Wanted to try a simple new pattern - who doesn't ???? ☺ ☺ ☺
And I wanted to check out this wool in a knitted pattern. I have used it repeatedly for crocheting and loved it and wanted to see how the fabric would turn out - WONDERFUL!!!!! is the answer to that

So I made this for a friends little boy.

Very simple and quick. But I still have to check sizing. This size is for a 2 year old. Now the little boy is only 13 months old, but we breed them big down-under. Hopefully I will be able to get a photo with him in it - if it fits!!!!

Details - Pattern here
Yarn - Bendigo Woollen Mills Classic 8ply in Mulga, stripes are Bendigo's Luxury 8ply in Citrus - used a total of 118g
Needles - 4mm
Size - 2 years, measures 53cm around chest

Modifications - worked the front straps to 3" and joined, measurements were then the same as back, without the overlap for buttons.
I did not understand the patterns method of casting off, so I did it my normal way.

Definitely this one will be repeated in lots of sizes and colours. A quick knit for a baby or toddler

Bye for now

BTW - Anyone else have a Ravelry queue longer than their projects completed??????

Australian Rainbow Flowers

Hi everyone

I have had a thought spinning around in my head for quite a few days now, and yes, my head has been hurting with all that spinning ☺☺☺

So for no particular reason, other than to stop spinning, I am going to create my ......

RAINBOW
of AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS 

here just for you

and more importantly for me

So that when I get around to having a garden again, I will be prepared with my flowers

BTW - All of these plants are ones I have grown in my many gardens from time to time, a lot of these I repeatedly have grown in each garden.

First off, please note that none of these photos are mine, I went trawling through Flickr to find them and will give credit where due

So now for the
RED

this would have to be our Bottlebrush

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sara_michael/2102858022/

ORANGE

An Orange Flowering Gum

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26217912@N06/4298805549

YELLOW

would be for Wattle

http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgiesharp/4967144910/

GREEN

 While its not seen as a "flower" this would definitely be in my garden, as long as I have a shady spot
Green is such a hard colour to find in flowers

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aus-blick/4838280278/

And when I checked my first thought, which was the Australian Native Orchid, I found the flowers were whitish too

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tgerus/4941518088/
 
BLUE

A really hard colour for me to find anything, so I chose an Iris

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53stude/2479746085/

 

INDIGO

This is a very hard colour for me to find something, so I ended up with these - Bracyscomes, which I might add still seem purple to me

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26073031@N06/4907083846/in/pool-aussieflowers

 

VIOLET

for our Native Violet, which is tiny and is used as a groundcover in shady, dampish spots

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pearlphotos/250121652/

Hope you enjoyed my day-dreaming as much as I have

SIBOL

Hi everyone

Just a quickie post of some squares I posted to Sue for SIBOL Challenges
If the colours work for Sue, they are left to right -

• one granny square for the Bonfire Challenge
• one white square for the Black & White Challenge, pattern from Jan Eaton's 200 Crochet Blocks #64 Sunshine Lace
• one granny square for the Christmas Challenge

I bought the outside yarn because I loved the look of it in the yarn ball. While I still love the colours, I have found that it is better to work plain granny squares with them as the colour changes are so quick you would never be able to see any pattern.