I am so sorry I caved in

Hi everyone

Thank you for your suggestions on my "title".

It would seem that the general census loved Kim's suggestion of "Ambi-stitchual"

But I am surprised that no-one suggested - Ninja Hooker or Hooking Ninja ☺☺☺

That's enough fun and frivolity

You should know by now that I prefer to knit/crochet with natural fibres (except maybe Mohair) and that a HIGH priority for me is to use Australian fibres because they are one of the best in the world and it supports our local industry.

Well, I'm very sorry to say that I caved in.  It's my LYS fault as they suddenly had stock of a small amount.

I bought Noro Silk Garden!!!

Couldn't help myself, I have been admiring the colours for years in various projects on Ravelry and blogs

Yes, the yarn is natural fibres - 45% Silk, 45% Kid Mohair, 10% Lamb's Wool

But its a Japanese yarn

So I thought, one ball just to try it

It's a thick to thin yarn

And its high level of silk.

A couple of days of mulling over a project that I would wear and show off the lovely colours and use only one ball, I finally found something.

Very plain and simple

My attempt at taking a photo in the mirror of the back of it ☺

And if anyone's thinking "Wow she did well out of one ball!!!"

I have to be honest, I was a wee bit short and needed a second ball  :-(

Pattern here

 

So what am I sorry about?

The yarn quality of the Noro

I know it was thick and thin, but the thin part was almost like knitting with string, so very rough.  The thick part was a bit better, but not very soft at all.  Very hairy to the touch. With the high quantity of silk in the yarn, I thought you would have been able to feel it - Nope, NOT AT ALL!!!!

And then when I was sewing up the one very small seam - the yarn broke, not once, but four times.  It stretched and became like fleece separating!!!

The colours are gorgeous, but at $14 a 50g ball - not worth it to me.

This has been my one extravagance with yarn and I am severely disappointed.

So the grass is not greener on the other side

Now in the last photo there is a glimpse of another project

This is made with Australian yarn - 75% Wool, 15% Silk, 10% Mohair

So very, very soft and you can definitely feel the silk

Thank you

Hi everyone

Well, yesterday we came home from another doctor's visit for hubby (all clear so far) and I found a card from Australia Post in the letterbox advising me that a parcel had to be picked up.  The card said "M. T???" and as both hubby and I share that initial we were trying to work out who it was for.

Hubby insisted that I had bought something online and he wanted to know what it was.

I was insisting that I had bought nothing and had no idea what it could be.

This went on for about 5 minutes when hubby suggested that it was "one of those bloggy things".

I said it couldn't be cause no-one had said anything to me and I had not given my address.

So, this morning I went to the Post Office.

The lady kept checking with me as to what my name was.  I was a bit confused, cause it was written on the card and I assumed the parcel.

Well, she handed it over and I walked out.

Then I looked at who it was for and where it was from

Lucky I did that outside the shop, cause a laugh escaped my lips

The parcel was addressed to

"Aussie" Maria T????

When I saw who it was from, I knew I had to get home quick to look and take a photo ☺

Yes, I did "smile" when I opened it

This wonderful Thank You package came from (please excuse the excessive use of adjectives)

the delightful, caring, always full of laughs, amazing, sharing, eccentric, fun-loving, colourful, crazy,

"Crochet Diva"

Kate

otherwise known as T.G.B. or The Garden Bell

No, I am not going to show what's inside, but let me tell you it smelled divine, tasted great and a part will be used for a long time and remind me frequently of Kate - how wonderful.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you

Words don't seem enough

Yep, she did it again - I had a tear in my eye because of her thoughtfulness

I am either laughing or teary with Kate

From "Aussie" to you, Kate

Just a little peek

Hi everyone

Just a little peek at what I have been up to lately

Photos are not to good as its overcast with a chance of rain - Yahoo!!!!!

A little, but very bright,  crochet

And a little round and round knitting

Ok, I have a question.

You can see I do both, so am I -

• Bi-stitchual  ;-)
• Kni-chet or
• Cro-it???????

Circulars

And yes I am playing with these too

First Attempt

and the finished product

Pattern - Easy Baby Cardigan (free) ; details here

Only modifications were the sleeves (yes they are missing)

I did not have the right size DPN's for them, so I went up one size and made it a vest by just doing an edging.

A very simple, quick knit, which I will be using again

Yarn - Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 8ply Citrus (top photo is truer to colour)

This is a gift for an upcoming, unknown sex, baby

It's the simple things sometimes ...

... that can bring about happiness and contentment

For me ....

• A drop in temperature of 15C and most importantly about the same drop in humidity
• Months and months and months (could even be years) of searching patterns and I think I may have just found what I am looking for
• And just as importantly long-stored yarn in stash which is exactly what I need for this project
• To once again have a hook in hand and not have the yarn stick E-V-E-R-Y single stitch

I have worked one pattern repeat and so far - I AM IN LOVE

Already planning another!

And that all came together over one day

And if your not sick of this yarn yet ...

Just another project with it :-)

Worked in the 24 month size pattern

I was intending to give this to hubby's grand-neice for Xmas.  But we must breed them big down-under as there is no way this would have fit her and she is only 18 months old :-(

Bye for now

Dogs

Hi everyone

A spur of the moment decision by hubby found us travelling to Sydney late Saturday afternoon.

We met up with a his work colleague and wife for dinner at Diethnes.

This restaurant is his work colleagues favourite restaurant and we found out why.

Great old fashion atmosphere, fantastic meals and excellent service.

We will definitely be returning for more wonderful meals.

And then on we went to .........

Sorry no photos, it was that spur of the moment.

What an amazing show!!!!

6 Fantastic Fit Male Dancers!!!!!!!

2 Amazing Female Drummer's!!!

A totally sexy, funny, energetic, fantastic entertainment experience

Now I really want to know - why do not the male counterparts that I know do more with basic tools???

Ladder, Grinder and Metal Apparatus

Life would be filled with laughter and awe if more could be seen

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend

P.S. Finally had a very tiny break in the heat and humidity - well ok it was only temporary, its scaling straight back up

KAL Update

Hi everyone

Do you remember me mentioning that Elaine from Down Cloverlaine was having a KAL?

Well, it has been finished since the 21st of January, so I'm late to show.

But better late than never

Lucky for me I took the photo straight after I finished

Cause this little one would have definitely disappeared in this heat ☺

Thanks Elaine

Another idea has now sprung ☺

The pattern is now on Ravelry for all to share

And just in case your not too sure - its a Polar Bear ☺

Pay It Forward

Hi everyone

It seems that my PIF gifts arrived safely, so here's a glimpse of part of what I sent.

You can read more about it on their blogs

I made hotpads/potholders

On one side was this ......

A little reminder of me - A outline of Australia, in our wonderful colours of Green and Gold.

Pattern here

And the other side ......

A Purple Bell for The Garden Bell, A Pink Pig for Mrs Twins, and a Purple Kitty for The Woolly Adventures Of A Knitting Kitty

The patterns for the above are all on Ravelry.  You can link to them from my projects here.

This was my first time at sending a gift to my blogging friends

I'm so glad they liked them

I don't think I have any readers in FNQ, but if so - please take care and lots of luck with what is to come

Bye for now

What to do

Hi everyone

I seem to be in a quagmire at the moment

And I will not share photos of that ☺

I do have a project on the needles at the moment (yes knitting again)

Love the yarn (wool/silk/mohair)

Love the colour

Love the pattern

But something is just not working for me

It's been sitting there for days with me not touching it (I have worked 3 pattern repeats)

My fingers are itching to knit or crochet

But nothing seems to be grabbing my interest

And the reason ????

• the heat (a week over 36C) and humidity (over 90%) - probably
• is the yarn not right for the pattern - maybe, it does not quite match the thoughts I had for it in my head
• that the project is for me - maybe
• another project messing in my head - definitely(and this one will be a gift for autumn or winter)
• and another project in my head which is still looking for the right pattern/inspiration/idea, and has been there for about 6 months - definitely
• the fact that they're knitting projects - a tiny bit, I think I may need to work both a crochet and knitting project

Anyone else suffering these dilemma's?????

Thanks for reading

P.S - Thank you all so much for your kind words on my Silky Oak Zen - definitely not something I am wearing for a while ☺