On the home straight!

So I guess I am a 'finisher' when it comes to knitting. Don't mean to gloat at all you others with 10 or so projects on the go, but I usually work on one or two projects at a time (often two, it's useful to have a small and a big one, or an easy and a hard one - so I can change depending on the situation!).

Having said that, I haven't quite finished Starsky, but so nearly nearly there! I've finished all the knitting. Last night I blocked the pieces since the stockinette is so curled up it would be difficult to sew. I tried to avoid blocking it sideways too much as I still want it to cling rather than hang. Think I'm going to have a loners Friday night tonight and sew it up because I want to wear it! There's not that many weeks of coldish weather left so I want it now!

In other news, I have a new job for a bit, for two weeks anyway. I'm helping with a big tender and it's at a different office - in St Georges Terrace. The cycle here is a bit more dicey, but I'm experimenting with different routes. The work isn't difficult at all but definately a nice change from reception! After the tender's done it'll be back to the reception desk for a few days and then another week in Yandi.

Learning to be a good blogger

I need to remember to keep my camera with me, so I can be a proper blogger. I've done loads on Starsky now, but I haven't taken any photos to prove it. Progress photos seem to be an important part of knitting blogs so I'm failing on that already!

So instead, I'll ramble a bit about projects I'm planning on doing...

I've already mentioned The Sunshine Sweater, by LilyGo. Hopefully mine will look something like this -



Mine will be a bit more dark sky rather than sunshine, as I'm using the blue/black variegated yarn I wound up before I went to Yandi. It'll be my first top-down raglan type thing, and will probably take me forever because it's 4-ply. This is all part of my attempt to exist without a large stash of yarns. I was starting to grow a big stash in Wales, but I downsized before I came to Australia. I'm still using up what's there though! After Starsky and the Sunshine Sweater I'll definately have to go shopping though.

As well as knitting, I've been thinking about sewing again. This is mostly due to inspiration from lupinbunny. Last summer she sewed a dress from the butterick pattern below - and I want one too!

I've got some nice batik fabric I bought in Malaysia a long time ago, it'd look great with a contrasting plain fabric I think. It's been so long since I sewed anything (about 10 years) that I'd try it in a cheap fabric first. Of course, I don't have a sewing machine, so visiting Mum would be essential - having her clever sewing brain nearby is helpful too!

The new Harry Potter movie opens tonight!! I'm going to try to see it, because I am a sado obsessive Harry Potter fan. I'm really hanging out for the new book too.

Back at the ranch

I arrived back from Yandi last night. My flight was delayed because of the weather in Perth which was so annoying, but it's nice to be home. I hope you like these shots of our day trip to Karijini.

There was such an amazing contrast between the dry landscape above and the lush plants and pools in the gorges. We went for a swim in this pool! The waterfall has warm water flowing into it - paradise!

Below is my Starsky in progress. This photo is a bit out of date - I've finished the back and nearly all the front now. I think I need to learn a better cast on, looking at the photo it's a bit messy... but I'm not going to worry too much at this stage!

Starsky Arseky

I don't really have much to report. Days are kind of similar here, and I only have one knitting project to write about. Maybe you'd like to hear my daily timetable? It's not exciting, but a change from Perth anyway...

5.30am - Get up, dressed, breakfast in the mess, make up my lunch in the crib room.
6am - Either get the bus or a lift in a car from camp to site. The sun starts to come up about now and it's beautiful if I wake up enough to notice.

Work from whenever we get here (about 6.20am) until 4.30pm. There are moments when I have a lot to do, and other times (like right now) when I have time to surf the net. I then get the bus back to camp, read or knit a few rows for a bit, then head to the gym. The last two nights Fi has come with me to the gym which makes it less boring - I'm actually starting to enjoy it. I then shower and go to dinner in the mess. Then back to my room to knit and watch movies or tv. I might rebel from my set timetable and go to the wet mess tomorrow - if anyone else is going. We have a day off on Sunday so I'm planning a trip to Karajini National Park.

Starsky is going well. I finished the back last night and will start the front tonight. I'm amazed at how far each ball of blue faced leicester goes. I've only used 1 1/2 balls for the back, my gauge is spot on and is measures up fine. I think because the fibre is so light the length for each 100g is really good. It's definately very 'lofty'. Good thing too because if I ran out I'd have to order it from the UK!

Starsky

I'm still talking to myself, I think. My nice little secret blog... ahhhh.

I've been working on Starsky, was going great speed until the armhole shaping, when suddenly stitches didn't seem to match the instructions and my poor head was getting a bit confused. I think I've sorted it now by staring at the pattern online - when I get back to my room I'll be able to see if I'm right.

I was getting worried about going too fast on it. I only brought 2 spare balls of wool with me, and I've already started one. I'm going to make myself do other evening activities like going to the gym and walking to make sure I don't run out before I get home! Ideally I'd like to just finish the third ball before I leave. I would like to wear this before it gets hot again!

This morning we had 'Pitstop' health checks. (Health checks made to look cool for blokes by using lots of car terms). I was given a rego sticker that confirms me as a 'hot machine'. Oh so healthy, non smoker, not overweight (yay), good cholestorol, glucose, blood pressure, blah blah blah. They were dead impressed with my flexibility since I can reach well past my toes. I am trying to keep active here since I'm not cycling to work, but the gym can be boring - I went last night, but hmmmm, not my cup of tea really.

Yandi yahoo

So here I am, working at Yandi (minesite in the Pilbara region) but with not a lot of work to do! My job here is payroll, and I cover when the regular person goes on R&R. It really only needs a half day handover, but because there aren't many flights we've got two days! So, here I am, surfing the net and writing my blog.

Despite the red dust, I've brought my (white) Starsky to work on. I'm nearly half way up the back. I think that's pretty good going since I haven't worked on it that much and the cables are pretty damn tricky! I'm getting used to them now but I don't think this is a pattern that I will be able to memorise. I'm liking the look of the banana leaf cables though. I'll take some pictures but I can't post them up until I get home.

Winding winding winding

I spent most of Tuesday night using Clementine's ball winder. Last year I went to Wonderwool in Wales. One of my purchases was 540g of 4 ply variegated yarn... all on one giant hank. It looked like this



With only a few tangles, and lots and lots of winding, it all finally looked like this



Yay! My plan is to make Lily Go's Sunshine Sweater. I've purchased the pattern, but I'll do Starsky first, as it's more of a winter knit, and there might be some properly cold weather to wear it in!

My knitting blog

The two previous posts in this blog were both accidents! (I wrote them for craftyaction but clicked the wrong button).

I only set this blog up because the blogspot system made me - otherwise I wouldn't be able to post on craftyaction. But maybe I should use it? I do have another blog from my travels, but it's not the most user friendly, so shall I start a new knitting themed blog? Oh decisions. Hey what the heck, might as well. If I don't tell anyone I'm writing here, no one will read it anyway, and it won't matter that it's not so flash.

Ok, decision made, I have a new blog! Yay!

Hint for the charity knitters

This hint comes from Ruth (otherwise known as Vicki's Mum).

How to not worry about gauge when knitting charity squares:

use any ply wool

cast on 1 stitch

increase x1 beg each row till 6 inches or a big as you want your square, then decrease x1 beg each row till 1 stitch. Crochet squares together. Nerrida at Zonta last night had a great rug made this way all different muted colours joined with blue crotchet.

I'm definately with the crochet idea. Who would want to sew squares together? Mind you, I'm working on Starsky at the moment (cables driving me bonkers) so no chance of me doing charity knitting of any kind!

Why do I knit for birthdays?!

I so often decide to knit something for someone's birthday etc, then find I'm up against a deadline, often miss the deadline, and have to show people their half finished birthday pressie.

I've got two on the go at the moment - lace socks for Lady (my grandmother, I've always called her Lady for some reason). They're nearly nearly finished, but her 78th birthday was on Saturday, so I had to show here the finished one sock and take it back.

The other thing is muuuch bigger, it's a Colinette bedspread sized throw for my Mum who will be 50 on Wednesday. I did most of it when I was living in Wales, but still need to finish the lace edging. Even though it's only eight stitches on 8 mm needles and I only need to do about 3 metres (it's a really open lace pattern) it's taking me forever! Part of the reason is that we've been living with Mum so I've had to keep it hidden, and now we've moved I keep trying to organise our flat rather than work on this. I really wanted to have a big tada moment with this but I think I'll be presenting something half finished again.

Another one is a jumper for Andy, and because it has no deadline (except maybe winter?) it'll probably stay in it's half sewn up stage for awhile.

Next big project will be for me and me alone!