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!