Sunday Sky: Jacaranda watch - week 4

But first, given it's been pouring rain today (albeit without thunder and lightning), a musical interlude (I'll provide the words, you provide the tune):

Raindrops on roses

And whiskers on kittens (that one's for you, Alwen!)

Pancakes for breakfast

And tall spiky flowers

Jasmine flowering over the verandah...

These are a few of my favourite things!

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Now, back to that jacaranda...I thought I was going to have to disappoint you all but when I went out to take today's photo, I found purple flowers on the uppermost branches!

You still can't really see them in the photo, but trust me they are there.

Soon enough, the ground will be carpeted with the purple flowers too!

Oh a lovely lovely day

Husby and I spent a lovely couple of hours lunching with some of my favourite people at a fab little pub in the Southern Highlands of NSW (for those of you who remember the film Babe, which was made in this region, rumour has it the director, George Miller, spent a fair bit of time at this particular pub!)


I forgot to take a picture of the pub itself (d'oh! it was gorgeous! One of those English style two storey pubs covered in vines with a lovely verandah out the front, built in around the late 1800s I think).

But I did get some from the garden, looking over the hills behind the pub. No doubt at least one of my companions will post some more photos!

What a glorious glorious day. Perfect spring weather, sunny but not too hot, good pub food, excellent desserts, and fabulous company. Bliss. I really didn't want to leave!

FO Friday: Well, almost...

I had grand plans of finishing this in time for today's post. But I didn't quite get there - I still have to set in the sleeves and sew the sleeve seams.

But I thought I'd show you anyway, or at least a sneak peak. With any luck, I'll actually have it done by next Friday! With buttons even! So I'll give you all the details then!

Thanks all round

Thanks everyone for the lovely comments on yesterday's post. I've been longing to share my story for such a long time. I asked husby how many comments he thought I'd get on the post and he thought about 30! He was truly amazed and touched by everyone's well-wishes (as was I). And to the couple of commenters who have had a similar experience to us, but without the happy ending, we are both so so sorry - it just sucks, as simple as that. Hugs to you all.

I also want to thank Amy, who had the good timing to post a lovely parcel to me which arrived today (with a thump on my front verandah, waking me up from a lovely sleep in!).

Look at the lovely goodies! I had to laugh when I read the card, as Amy had sent me some genuine Rhode Island maple syrup (her home state!) and wrapped it so thoroughly (triple layer huge bubble wrap stuff and a zip lock bag!) to ensure it didn't break or leak! I had a giggle when I opened it! And I am definitely having pancakes for breakfast on Sunday!

And yummy lobster pot dyed yarn (so cool!!) and handmade linen tea towels stamped with autumn leaves from Amy's own backyard! So very cool! Plus a little present for my mum, as she helped out on something I made for Amy's baby girl last year. Thanks Amy, you rock!

WIP Wednesday: My latest WIP

Before I get into the WIP details, I'd like to tell you a story - it's kinda long, but I hope you'll stick with it, because there's a good payoff at the end. Or at least I think there is.

Once upon a time there was a Girl. This Girl had decided that she really wasn't that keen to have babies (when the time was right) - she thought she was too selfish, and also squeamish, for that. And that she was too short-tempered and impatient to be a good mother.

Anyway, one day the Girl met a Boy, and eventually they decided to get married. They talked about babies beforehand, and the Girl, who was a bit more mature by then, decided that it was a good idea to have babies, but not right away (the Boy agreed with that!).

In late 2004, about 5 years after the Girl and the Boy got married, the Girl's father became gravely ill. As is common with serious illnesses, it made the Couple realise that they shouldn't wait any longer to take the important step of having a family.

Fast forward to 2006. The Couple still do not have a family. They decide it is time to seek out some assistance. At around the same time, the Girl meets another girl who is in a similar situation, and who is also a knitter (knitters are the best!). These two Girls become firm friends, even though they live in separate cities, although thankfully in the same country!

After 6 months on basic drugs, the Couple start full IVF treatment. Their first embryo is transferred on the Girl's father's birthday. But it doesn't work. Neither do any of the other 7 IVF transfers performed over the course of the next 2.5 years.

If you haven't done IVF, the Girl (and her friend) can tell you that it is hard, that it is heartbreaking, that it involves many many needles, many bloodtests, many ultrasounds (and no, they are not performed externally!), many hormone drug induced moodswings, and many disappointments. But despite all this, the Couple persevered through the treatments, as they thought it was their best chance of achieving the family they so now very much desired. The friendship of the other girl was invaluable support to the Girl during this time. Only someone going through the IVF lottery really knows how it feels and what to say and what not to say (example of what to say: "Oh, that sucks, I'm really sorry you have to go through this, I hope it works for you"; examples of what not to say: "Oh, you just need to relax, and then it will all happen"; or "I KNOW it will happen for you" - no you don't! If my specialist fertility doctor doesn't, then you sure as heck don't!).

When the last transfer didn't work, the Couple decided that was it. They weren't going to spend any more time (or money) on IVF. If it didn't work after 8 times, it wasn't going to.

If the story ended here, then the moral would clearly be "be careful what you wish for". But this isn't the end of the story.

As the Girl headed towards acceptance of the fact that she would never carry her own baby, and the Couple had initiated adoption processes (itself no easy feat and also no guarantee of a family), the Girl noticed something weird. She felt like she was about to have her monthly cycle, but it didn't happen. For days. So she found an out of date pregnancy test in the back of her cupboard, and she thought, "what the hell, I'll take it".

And she did. And it was positive. But it was expired - it might be wrong! So she bought another test (well, 2, because they come 2 to a box). And she took the next test. And it was positive! And the next day, before a blood test to confirm, she took the 3rd test. Yep, it was positive too! And all confirmed by the blood test.

In a state of disbelief, the Couple somehow passed the couple of weeks until an early ultrasound, where they could see the little blob and most importantly, hear the little heartbeat. Still almost fearing to believe it was real, the Girl started making arrangements for doctors and hospitals (because you have to book so early!! OMG). And managed to pass the time (sans morning sickness - hurrah!) until her 12 week scan, which was all good. The Girl slept really well that night.

And here's a picture of the 12 week blob. The head is on the right, with the right arm over the head, and the spine is the white line along the bottom. The legs are crossed (most modestly!) over the body.

So that's my latest WIP. Because of course, the Girl is me.

Fatigue

Like Bells, I must admit I'm suffering a bit from posting fatigue. I felt like I was going ok there for most of the month, but today hit and I've got next to nothing...

But here's something I am happy about - we had it installed last week, before the hot weather really hits us - every time we see the weather report, we kinda hope it's going to be HOT so we can fire it up (so to speak). Although of course, I do try to keep the house cool to minimise the need to switch it on. But the run of 38-40c (that's 100+F) days we had this past summer convinced us we need to get it.

And of course, the ability to knit on whatever WIPS I want during the summer had NOTHING at all to do with our decision!!

Baking - more baking!

Roxie asked what I made to take to the stash reallocation afternoon tea on Saturday.

You need wait no longer!

I made Schnecken!

You can read all about it here. And then immediately go and make some for yourself. They are one of the best things I've made from Nigella!

(and for those of you who want to know what yarn I bought home with me on Saturday, you'll have to wait a bit longer!! But don't worry, I will reveal! I can tell you that I only brought home 100g more than I took! Not bad...!)

Sunday Sky: Jacaranda watch - week 3

Gah! Still no blooms!

In the absence of jacaranda blooms, let me show you our callistemon (or bottlebrush as I always call it):

And our little shrubby rose bush, which has a few early blooms:

and which promises to burst forth full of flowers very soon:

What a lovely spring day today! Come on Jacaranda, you're missing all the action!

A lovely lovely day

I had such a great day today! Our SnB group decided to have a "Stash Reallocation" afternoon tea today - the idea is that we all bring along any items of stash we'd like to "reallocate", along with some sort of afternoon tea goodness, and see what happens! Someone even brought a small suitcase of yarn to destash!!

Of course, I had grand plans of only getting rid of stuff and not buying anything ... I'm sure you all know how that turned out ...

But in an effort to distract you, here's the huge afternoon tea that awaited us after de/re-stashing! Gee, you need a good feed after yarn shopping! (the devilled eggs didn't last very long!)

And this was our resting spot after, because it wouldn't be an SnB afternoon tea without knitting going on!

What a lovely afternoon it was! Thanks so much to MissFee for so generously hosting!

Julie & Julia ... and me

Tonight husby and I had a date. We went for dinner to a local cafe and then a movie at our local cinema! Except of course, husby was late for dinner (he blamed the new train timetables!) and then he fell asleep in the movie...(thank goodness I noticed and woke him before he started snoring!)

But I loved it! Julie & Julia. Wonderful movie. Exactly the sort of movie I like to see at the cinemas - good story, great characters, funny and entertaining, without being shallow or dumb. And of course it had a bit of extra meaning for me, because the book upon which the movie is partly based provided a shared inspiration for Bells and I in starting our Nigella blog. If it weren't for Julia Childs being in Paris and needing to do something, and ending up co-writing a cookbook, and providing the impetus for Julie Powell to start a blog about her experiences cooking her way through that book, which blog in turn became a book, which was read by Bells and I (are you still following?), then we would never have become such excellent friends!

I was especially pleased with the Julia side of the story, as it is vastly expanded on what was included in the book (because it comes from another book about Julia) - but she really did have a most interesting life, and approach to life - she really lived it! And apart from anything else, the movie covered a range of unexpected things in small but significant ways, in particular McCarthyism.

Since Julia and her husband Paul lived until they were in their 90s, husby has decided we should also buy Mastering the Art of French Cooking and ensure we slather all food in butter, because, hello, it can't be bad for you, can it??!!

It's time again

It's time again for Southern Summer of Socks!

We've decided this year to host the group mainly on Ravelry, since it worked really well for the Tour de France KAL.

Hopefully lots of people will join us!

As for personal challenges this year, I think it will be pretty simple for me:

1. Finish 2 pairs of socks from my personal sock club (including the ones I'm currently knitting!) before the end of this year

2. Try to finish the other 5 (yes five!!) pairs of socks I also have on the needles right now, by the end of SSoS!

WIP Wednesday: Personal Sock Club

I can't believe my optimism at the start of this year - putting 12 packages of yarn away for my personal sock club 2009. I'm only up to package #5!!! Oh dear! Well, I think if I can knit up half the packages by the end of this year I'll be quite happy. (It's not like I haven't knit other socks this year too). And then I'll still have 6 lovely packages waiting for me in 2010.

So here's package #5. What is it, I hear you all wondering?

Ta da!! ShibuiKnits Sock yarn, in "pebble". Quite variegated, and a very different colour range than that I normally go for. Oh well, nothing wrong with a bit of variety. Or maybe these will end up as a gift for someone.

I had only one pattern idea for these when I put them in the package at the start of the year, and that is the pattern I've decided to go with.

Yes, No-purl Monkeys. A very nice variation on the Cookie A pattern from Knitty. I like this very much. Only 4 pattern rows out of 11.

Easy to remember and quick to knit. Just what I need right now!

Mmmmm, warm bread out of the oven

But not here...

You need to go over here for today's post! It's been a while between posts, but I've finally baked something! Bells, I'm pretty sure it's your turn now!!!

Sleepovers

I don't remember having too many sleepovers when I was a kid, until I got into my teens, it seemed to happen more then (with my girl-friends people!!). Don't know why, it just didn't happen much. Maybe because I lived in a small town and it was very easy to see my friends after school as well.

Although I do remember an epic sleepover with my friend H on her farm. I remember being very jealous of farm kids, who, apart from the long bus ride to and from school, had so much fun on the farm - they could drive when they were 12! And ride motorbikes around the paddocks! And H had a dirt tennis court too! And an outside cubby. And a great dress up box! And a dam to swim in (not that I did much I don't think - ewwwwwwwwww leeches!)

We had husby's 10yo niece over for a sleepover with us on Saturday night. I think when I was her age it would have been the last thing I'd have wanted to do, since all my uncles and aunties were, like, 1000 years old. Whereas of course we are sort of less than *cough30cough* years older than her!

But hey, we have a Wii:

And we made pizza from scratch!

There can't be more fun than kneading the dough by hand! And making a face on your pizza using the toppings! We didn't even have time to make my excellent choc chip biscuits. I can foresee another sleepover in the future!

Sunday Sky: Jacaranda watch - week 2

Not a lot of change in the Jacaranda bloom watch over the course of the week. I can see what look to be small flower buds on the branches - but they are all too high for me to get a close look!

But check out that blue sky!!! I haven't seen that for a while. Hello old friend!

The guild

Earlier this year, I joined the state knitting guild. It's an interesting organisation, run predominantly by older women, many of whom are excellent knitters and/or crocheters, but who are not necessarily up to date on current trends in knitting (including in particular the internet but also modern or newer designers and yarns). (This is, of course, a generalisation, as the guild, like any organisation, has all types!) And perhaps this is more of a perception than a reality, but there also seems to be a reluctance to share information (eg judging standards at the shows, contents of the guild library and archives etc) and a whole lot of politics. The politics is also, I know, pretty standard in most organisations.

Sometimes this apparent inability of many in organisational roles within the guild to embrace the internet and all it can do for knitting is frustrating for the more internet savvy knitters, and it results to some extent in the guild being seen as a backward organisation which reinforces the stereotype of knitters as little old ladies making things that no-one would wear. Which is a real shame, as there is a lot of knowledge and talent amongst the guild members, not to mention an element of charitable work which is also valuable to the community.

Nevertheless, I figure that things in the guild which I think are less desirable will never change if "new blood" doesn't join and take part in guild activities. Not that I expect anything to change overnight, or even quickly but it will get there. Membership is important both to help effect changes I'd like to see, as well as to see how the guild really works from the inside, and to experience what is good about it as well. I've found a branch of the guild that contains many knitters like me - not all internet savvy but all genuinely interested in learning and sharing skills, as well as having a fun time. Not to mention meeting in a heritage building with million dollar harbour views over Circular Quay in Sydney!

Sometimes I feel kind of weird about being a member of a knitting guild, but then I wake up to myself and remember I must feel proud - I love to knit (and crochet) and I love to share my pasttime with other people who love it too - and that is something that, I hope, all members of the guild have in common. So the guild, notwithstanding the concerns I personally hold about it at present, is an excellent way of doing this, as well as sharing and learning from others too (and teaching other people how to knit and passing on the pleasure in that way).

If you have a local knitting guild or similar organisation, are you a member? If not, please think about it - you might not want to get involved in the organisation side of things, which is absolutely fine, as just getting together with other knitters is such a great experience (and no, I'm not going to say it's empowering!!).

FO Friday: Chevron Tote

Ok, well I'm sort of cheating with this one, as it isn't quite finished...but I need your advice on handles, which we'll get to shortly... . I had hoped to have it completely done by today but I kept putting off the actual felting part of the project - I was a bit scared about how it would go, since I have a front loader washing machine, which makes the felting that one bit more unpredictable, as it's harder to check on progress.

Anyhoodle, let's delay no longer! Here we are pre-felted:

And with small red moleskine knitting diary for scale:

Details
Pattern: Felted Chevron Tote by Leslie Ann Bestor, from Interweave Crochet Winter 2007. A very easy crochet pattern which uses only dc (sc for the Americans) and chain. Big yarn, big hook, a lot of chevroning back and forth, but easy peasy.

Here is post-felting - again with moleskine for scale:

Yarn: Cleckheaton Vintage Hues, shade 1273, 7x50g balls. This is an EXCELLENT yarn for felting (phew!!). Of course, it's discontinued now ... sigh. I'd never knit a garment from it (the colours are too wild!!) but for a felted bag done in chevron stripes, I don't think you can find a more perfect yarn. I LOVE the way it crocheted up and the way it felted!

Hook: 7mm - lovely carved wooden hook from Lincraft (of all places!). No idea if this gave me gauge as hello! felted bag! gauge not really that relevant. I did start with a 6.5mm hook though, and found that was a bit tight for the yarn, so basically just use the size hook that feels right for the fabric.

Time: 3 June 2009 - probably tomorrow (after your feedback...)

Modifications: I made the initial chevron part about 10cm/4" longer than the pattern specified (ie 98cm/38.5" in total) - I didn't think it would hurt if the bag ended up bigger than the pattern specs, it's a bag after all! And more size would give me more felting leeway anyway. This also meant the base had to be correspondingly longer, and slightly wider too. I also added a couple of rows of dc around the top to allow for a turned inside hem (as I'm planning to line the bag as well).

Now, for your views. I bought two sets of handles for this bag at the Craft fair in June - I just couldn't decide which would be best. And I still can't (although I do have a slight favourite). So can you help me?

Should I have:

A: Cane handles - my aesthetic favourite, although they are a less practical choice than

B: Longer (p)leather handles - the colour match is pretty good and they would be more practical, but ... I just don't think they look as good as A!!

What do you think (and why!)

Techniques Thursday: Buying the WM

You all know what I mean when I say "the WM" don't you?

If not, it's this:

The fabulous fabulous handdyed German yarn!

I thought I'd share some tips to help nab the elusive yarn - this is what works for me - hopefully it will for you too! Of course, things (like the way the online shop works) might change, so you'll need to keep on top of that stuff yourself!

1. Bookmark the shop site! And find the WMaholics Anonymous group on Rav. You don't have to join, but they have some pages showing most of the WM colours knitted up in stocking stitch socks, and have threads showing colour comparisons etc which are very handy. Most useful is the WM update - Time Watch thread, which tells you what time the shop has updated over the last few months and what colours and bases were available. The other very handy thread is the WM shop update chat thread. This is a HUGE thread, so don't try and read through it. It's stickied at the top of the group page so you can't miss it!

2. Familiarise yourself with the colours - there is a huge range and not all of them will be in any particular update. Personally, I prefer the semi solid colours but others adore the rainbow or highly variegated colours. Make a list of the ones you like. Try to stick to it if you manage to hit an update!

3. Online shop updates usually (but not always) happen weekly. Often on a Friday (but not always). The Friday updates over the last few months tend to happen around 9am German time (so that's around 6pm AEST - a most convenient time!). Check the Time Watch thread for patterns. Of course, an update can happen at any time (including weekends) so don't rely on the patterns absolutely!

4. Post stalk the WM herself on Ravelry. She sometimes posts indicating updates won't happen in the next X days, which saves you wasting time stalking! For example, when she is doing a market, it is highly unlikely that she will do an online update as well.

5. If there hasn't been an update for a while, then the chances of one occuring increase!! That's usually when I stalk.

6. When you are ready to stalk, open the shop site in one window or tab (and log yourself in). Open the Online Shop Update Chat thread in another window/tab, go to the last page, and just keep refreshing it. You can participate in the conversation (the members chat A LOT!) but I don't usually (I try and do at least some knitting while I'm stalking!!) but someone will always indicate when an update occurs. The shop site usually goes completely grey immediately before an update, but this might have changed recently. Of course, you can just keep refreshing the WM site without worrying about the chat thread - up to you!

7. As soon as someone on the chat thread says an update is happening, immediately start refreshing the shop site (F5 key on my computer!). When the page comes up, shop like the wind!

8. The popular colours will go first, and the whole update will often sell out within 5-10 minutes, so you need to be fast. Put whatever you want in your cart, and check out as soon as you can. Small shipping envelopes take 2 skeins of sock, larger ones take 5 skeins - so that's the most economical way to buy, if you can (for Australia at least).

9. Some people choose to buy whatever colours they can get, and then swap or sell them if the colour is not what they expected. That's not a bad option, but if you do buy some of the less popular colours (and there are some!) then you might find it more difficult to swap for a more popular colour - but you never know!

10. Sometimes yarn won't be listed on the "in stock" page, but will appear on the page for the yarn itself - these are called "Easter Eggs" (because you have to hunt for them!). Usually if someone finds an easter egg they'll say on the chat thread, but by the time you get there they'll be gone!! So if there's a particular colour you REALLY want, you can have that yarn colour page open in yet another window/tab if you want, and keep refreshing it too. I don't tend to do this, as I figure lots of windows open makes the shop site work slower.

11. The shop update will sometimes include grab bags - these are kind of like lucky dips - either 2 skeins of sock or 5 skeins, usually organised by colour but some are also random. These skeins are ones which the WM considers are not true to colour, but which in most cases are very similar. They are labeled "We're Different" but you can usually tell what colour they are meant to be (once you know your WM colours!).

12. Don't panic if the shop site seems to crash a lot - you won't lose your cart from that, just keep refreshing.

13. You can, however, lose items out of your cart during the checkout process. You are only safe once you get to the paypal screen! So be quick!

14. Once you've shopped, enjoy the adrenaline rush and have a nice calming cup of tea. Or whatever your beverage of choice is!

So, there hasn't been an update in a while ... tomorrow might be your lucky day, if you are in the market!!

WIP Wednesday: Loppem

You know how I bought this yarn last month?

Well, it was so soft and such a lovely red, and the right amount and weight to make Loppem, a pattern I've wanted to make for such a long time ... so I couldn't resist!

I even swatched! Twice!

Weirdly, I got the same stitch gauge each time, but different row gauges (neither of which were the required row gauge!). So I went with the one that just felt right (the smaller sticks) - the larger swatch was just too floppy and open for my liking.

And I also read about 50 million threads on ravelry detailing the various problems and errata with the pattern. I think I'm all sorted now.

Well, except for the photo magically appearing upside down here...

The yarn (Naturally Sensation) is lovely to knit with - a soft, slightly fuzzy angora/merino worsted weight single. Mmmmm. Yummeh! I think I need to try to finish this before it gets too hot to knit on it!

Wisdom

The other day, husby and I were discussing DrK's upcoming birthday:

Husby: How old is DrK again?
Me: How old was she last year when we went to her birthday party?
H: Oh yeah, she was 40.
M: So how old is she going to be this year?
H: 40! Because ladies don't get older once they turn 40 do they?

What a shame that's not how it works for men! Happy Birthday Husby!

Revisiting the 80s

Speaking of the 80s, husby and I spent a reasonably large portion of the weekend watching the top 500 80s songs on the foxtel. No idea on what basis the list was made (sales, weeks in the chart etc) but it was too much fun not to share. The memories brought back by so many of these songs were in turns funny and cringeworthy! No images in this post but those of you who were around in the 80s will be able to supply your own mental images, I'm sure!

Here's the top 20:

20. Wake me up before you go go - Wham. Yes, I did have a "Choose Life" t-shirt (they were way better and rarer than the "Go Go" t-shirts!!) - with (OMG) pink flourescent writing. I wore it with white trousers (with the cuffs rolled up to 3/4 length), white and pink flouro double belt, pink flouro socks and clear plastic shoes. Oh my... I'm pretty sure there's no photographic evidence - thank goodness!

19. Simply Irresistable - Robert Palmer. Oh, if only the tight black dress, slicked hair and red red lips would actually suit me. A much better outfit choice than the Wham tribute.

18. Never Tear Us Apart - INXS. Oh, poor Michael Hutchence. I wonder if he would think the manner of his death was fitting for the way he lived? Love the violins, the bass and the sax solo. Where would the 80s have been without the sax solo?

17. Footloose - Kenny Loggins. ooooh. A song guaranteed to make you dance!! A do love a dance movie for good mindless entertainment.

16. Run to Paradise - the Choirboys. This was practically an anthem for Australians during the 80s. So far, the mullet count in the videos is not as high as I thought it would be. Only really Andrew Ridgeley and 2 members of the Choirboys. And also only one acid wash shirt so far.

15. Take on Me - A-Ha. Who did not fall in love with Morten Harket after this video??

14. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2 - well, it wouldn't be a top 20 without at least one U2 song. Although I hope this isn't the only one in the countdown.

13. Love Shack - B-52s - but of course! Ti-iiiiIIIIIN roof! RUSTED!

12. Working Class Man - Jimmy Barnes. Barns-SIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Another unofficial Australian anthem. Possibly to Australia what Born in the USA is to Americans? Classic scene of the sweaty yelling Barnsie in front of the burning cane fields.

11. Down Under - Men at Work. This is almost a joke song. But a worldwide hit anyway. With a flute solo. And an obvious mouthing of the F word in the video - love it! But oh dear, they appear to be drinking Fosters! Clearly a video made for the overseas market!!

Any surprises yet? How about the top 10?

10. Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper. Love Love LOVE this song. And Cyndi Lauper. And the entire album (which yes, I do still have - as an actual record...). Score one for the sideways mullet, Cyndi! And who remembers the movie of the same name, starring a very young Sarah Jessica Parker (and also with Helen Hunt) and the classic line "I just LOVE to dance".

9. Power and the Passion - Midnight Oil. Hmm, this is a surprise. What a trip seeing Peter Garret (now a federal government minister) "dancing". I probably would have put Beds are Burning higher than Power and the Passion. Interesting.

8. Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams. Another pull you on the dancefloor hit.

7. Heaven is a Place on Earth - Belinda Carlisle. Was it just the 80s that seemed full of one-hit wonders?

6. 1999 - Prince. Finally, a Prince song! But again, this wouldn't have been my pick for #6. What about Purple Rain? When Doves Cry? For a relatively unattractive very petite man, Prince is sex-personified. A live-in-concert must see!

5. You're the Voice - John Farnham. Well, I guess it wouldn't be an Australian 80s top ten without a Farnsie song. Hello Derryn Hinch in the video. Also, Farnsie gets double points for his mullet. And for including a bagpipe solo (although this was clearly a homage to AC-DC!)

4. Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi. Another "but of course!" song. The head hair! The chest hair! The chest hair! I remember listening to this album in my friend Rebecca's bedroom, over and over again. And Jon Bon Jovi went on to guest star in an episode of the West Wing. Who'da thunk it!

3. Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran. No surprise to see a Duran Duran song in the top 10, although I was never a huge fan in the 80s - I liked them more in their later years.

2. Thriller - Michael Jackson. Wonder if that means Madonna is #1?

1. Like a Virgin - Madonna. Weeeeeeeeeeeeee! Have always been a big fan of Madonna, ever since I saw her perform Holiday live on Countdown (my, now that was a long time ago!). Especially early Madonna, where she was slim but not gaunt, toned but not over-muscled. A woman with a great sense of style, constantly re-inventing herself. Not that I agree with all her decisions, but I don't think she's the worst role model a person could have.

Well, that was fun, for me anyway! Do you agree with the top 10/top 20 choices? It was a uniquely Australian list I think. What songs or artists would you have put up there?

Sunday Sky: Jacaranda watch

Something which pleases me greatly about our new house is that we have a jacaranda tree in our backyard. Jacarandas are native to South America, but you'd be forgiven for thinking they are Australian natives by the number you see in Sydney (especially on the North Shore and in the Eastern Suburbs), as well as in Brisbane - almost anywhere along the coast, really.


They have the most divine blue/purple flowers, and I'm looking forward to mine flowering. There is a huge jacaranda in the main quadrangle at the University of Sydney, where I studied - the saying was that if you hadn't started studying for final year exams by the time the jacaranda flowered, then it was too late!

The leaves are started to come out, so I reckon it must be gearing up to flower soon ... I figure I'll keep a close eye on it over the next month or so, and hopefully by the end of October will be rewarded with a beautiful display (followed by a carpet of purple flowers on the ground!)


As you can see, a grey day in Sydney today - perfect for staying inside and knitting!

Chicks with Sticks

What better way to spend a rainy Saturday than with a few of my former work colleagues, eating, drinking and knitting?

We've been getting together every 6 weeks or so for the last 3 years, taking turns to host and everyone bringing a little something good to eat (I think today I came home with more than I took along in the first place!).

Sometimes we watch an 80s movie and quote our favourite lines, or like today, listen to 80s music and have a bit of a dance. And there's always always lots of chatting and laughing and sometimes if we're lucky, a little bit of knitting too!

A couple of the group are newish mums, and were talking about another member of mother's group who "finds getting together with other women so empowering". It's interesting, because I kind of recoiled when I heard that, and then I asked myself why (internal monologue of course!). It's not that I find being with other women unenjoyable or disempowering, I suppose I don't think of it in those terms because I don't generally feel a lack of power or other imbalance in my life. I have a good relationship with my husband - we enjoy each other's company but are equally happy to do our own thing from time to time. I have a bunch of friends (many of whom I've met through knitting) and I have regular playdates as well as being happy with my own company. I feel comfortable in my own skin.

For all that, I feel very fortunate. Perhaps what I was feeling was a bit of sadness about this other woman because it seemed as if something was missing from her life before her mother's group. I know I would feel very sad if I didn't have my regular knitting circles. But would I feel disempowered? I don't think I would - but I would very much miss the companionship and friendship of a great group of people.

(I couldn't resist snapping a picture of the guest towel - the mother of today's CWS host, Miss E, has recently bought a fancypants sewing machine and has been having fun with it!)

FO Friday

So I figure to get through this month of blogging every day, I might need some regular posts. So I'll start with FO Friday. Of course, this means I have to, you know, finish stuff every week ... so hopefully that'll happen too!

Fortunately, for today's first FO Friday, I have something I whipped up a little earlier (well, ok, I finished it the other day). Just in time for spring's warmer (ie not sock wearing) weather, I present my favourite ever sock pattern (so nice I've made it twice!), the embossed leaves socks!

Details:

Pattern: Embossed Leaves socks by Mona Schmidt, from Interweave Knits Winter 2005 and also Interweave's Favourite Socks book - buy this book, you won't regret it!

I am a total sucker for a knitted leaf. Pretty much anything with a knitted leaf on it and I'm there! Not everything mind, but just about! I simply love the ability to create one thing (a leaf) out of something completely different (knitting), and still make a practical, beautiful item (socks!).

Yarn: It was so good the first time, I figured I wouldn't mess with the recipe. Koigu KPM, 2 skeins of mossy olive green (col 231/0204). Love! I have seen these socks knit in other colours, but because I am literal, I do think they must be knitted in green! (although I do accept another autumnal colour may be appropriate as a second choice!)

Sticks: The cuff is 1x1 twisted rib, which can run a bit tight, so I used 3mm sticks for the cuff, changing to 2.75mm for the main part of the sock. This is probably a bit loose for Koigu, really, but important to ensure fit!

Time: 2 June 2009 - 25 September 2009. To be fair to these socks, they actually are a quick knit. I just had a bit of a break between sock #1 and sock #2 to work on other things.

Modifications/What I learnt: No modifications. I even tried the weird cast on prescribed for the sock, and found it didn't work - ie I couldn't get the sock over my ankle. Instead of ripping, I figured I'd try undoing the cast on, and doing a sewn bind off. To my utter surprise, when I undid the first cast on row, I ended up with a tubular cast on edging, which is probably what was intended, but not described properly (in my opinion) in the sock cast on instructions.

(I don't know why, but my camera ate the colour out of this photo...)

For the second sock, I did a different tubular cast on, and it worked perfectly! A lovely stretchy edge which fits over my ankle easily. Very clever and I will definitely use it again. If I can remember which one it was! (No, I can, it's the one where you cast on half the number of stitches using waste yarn, then do yo's between every stitch on the first row with the regular yarn, then do a bunch of rows where you slip every second stitch, you all know the one I mean, right? Right?)

I especially love the toe in this pattern, as the purl stitches and decreases continue the lines of the last set of leaves to finish them in the toe. So clever!

And finishing these socks means that I can get out my, um, MAY personal sock club package...well, what's a few months between friends?!

Keeping Track - September 2009 (and Blogtoberfest)

Oh my, what a month of acquisitions September was.

Best to get it all out of the way, like ripping off a bandaid!
In: 54 x 50g balls (those darn Wollmeise lace skeins are a whopping 300g each!!)
Out: A measly 7 x 50g balls (I blame an excess of sock knitting this month, and a temporary desertion of the knitting mojo. And while starting a new project every day for 7 days was heaps of fun, it doesn't use as much yarn as you might think!)

YTD: 175.5 x 50g balls. An even bigger oh dear than I've said previously...

I don't know if this is going to help my stash problem but I've decided to do Blogtoberfest this month too! Peer pressure! So many of my blog and real life buddies are doing it, I figured I may as well join the torture fun!