I never promised you a rose garden

Well, husby never did promise me a rose garden, but we got one (albeit a small one) when we bought our new house the year before last.

But it was in a sad state of affairs, our little circle of roses. Only one of the bushes really flowered (surprisingly profusely, given it hadn't really been well looked after) and a couple were close to, if not already, dead.

Until a month or so ago, when my mum suggested we replace the past-it roses with nice new ones. It seemed like a good idea at the time. So off to the nursery we headed, and bought 5 nice new bushes, each a different variety and colour (red, white, yellow, pink and yellow/pink) (there's a gap still for one more rose variety, which the nursery didn't have at the time). We pulled out the old dead bushes (leaving the tallest one, that still flowered well) and dug out the grass from the circle. And put a sandstone edging around the circle, using old stones that had been lying around the house. And put down weedmat and bark mulch. And a few small gardenias to act as groundcover below the roses. It was hard digging, especially with the fading light and approaching cold.

Of course, when I say "we", I mean husby and my mum, who worked darn hard to do all this (that chair in the "before" picture was my perch, supervising the workers!) I think we did a pretty good job!

A finished object!

So we've been home from hospital for a week today (OMG a week today! Hasn't that flown!) and I have actually managed to do a wee bit of knitting. Not much mind, only about 10 rows, but enough to finish my qiviuk scarf. Which I'm counting as a win!

You probably won't recall (as it was over a year ago) but DrK picked up a teeny tiny ball of qiviuk yarn for me when she was in the UK - only 28g but a very nice 218yd/199m of laceweight softness. I decided on this scarf as the best way to use it, and now that it's done, I need some advice (which I'll get to shortly!)

Details

Pattern: Scroll lace stitch pattern - which is the same as that used in Anne Hanson's Alhambra scarf - but which can be found free on the internet (here, for example). I really like this pattern, although it is lace on both sides (with a p2tog tbl thrown in just for extra "fun"!).

Yarn: Windy Valley Muskox Qiviuk, colour 3005 burgundy - a reddish brown ball of softy soft softness. I managed to get just over a metre of scarf out of the 28g of yarn, which is a nice length for the mild winters we get here. And oh my, it is lush stuff. Have I mentioned how soft it is?

Sticks: 4mm bamboo straights - old school!

Time: 12 April 2009 - 19 May 2010 - I don't know why, but after leaving this for ages, I suddenly picked it up again a few weeks ago and worked on reasonably solidly. And if I hadn't gone into labour two Saturdays ago, it would have been done then! Not that I've needed to wear it in the last two weeks anyway!

My question is, do I block or not? I really like the textural look of the stitch pattern (both front and back) as is, but I do wonder if the already soft yarn will become even softer with a wash. And will it look nicer with the pattern blocked out too? I've pinned it out to give you an idea of how it would look:

Tell me dear blog friends, what do you think? Block or no?

Ambitious, much?

So this was the knitting I took with me to hospital last week:

All carefully thought out projects - nice easy stocking stitch or garter stitch, none requiring much concentration - from the top - husby's Retrofit cardi - one sleeve done, and plenty of yarn to start (and finish) the second sleeve; then at bottom right, a Baktus scarf, using the same yarn as my Happy socks; then bottom left Cascade Heritage sock yarn for simple stocking stitch socks.

And here's my progress while in hospital:

Yes, the observant - or even the most unobservant - amongst you will notice that it is in fact the same photo! I did not knit a stitch in my 4.5 days/5 nights in hospital. I thought about it once or twice, and I had at least one project beside me within arm's reach at all times, but I did none!

Yes, I probably was a bit ambitious. But I figured if I took none, I'd miss it.

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Thanks so much to you all for the lovely comments (and emails and texts and gifts) on Connor's arrival - it was so lovely to read all of them from hospital, many during the night feeds (thank goodness for netbooks and mobile internet access etc).

Coming home was surreal - same familiar environment but everything so different! But we've settled in very well so far. On the plus side, he is an excellent sleeper and feeder (so far...touch wood!) and on the down side, he is also an excellent explosive poo-er and wee fountain (although at least I know his internal systems are working!) (and I've also become a lot quicker at getting a cloth over his bits while I grab a new nappy!).

A couple more gifts which gave me a giggle, not because they are funny, they are just lovely - but the giggle came because not only:

are they the same lovely garment, but they were also made by knitting blog friends both named Kylie!! (DrK's version on the left, KGirl's on the right!) Great minds! And so thoughtfully made in different sizes too! Thanks Kylies!

Welcome to the world, baby boy!

Introducing Connor James (sorry about the crappy webcam photo!), born 11.15pm Saturday 8 May 2010. Weighing in at 8lb6oz (yes, despite Australia using the most excellent metric system (tee hee), most people still refer to babies in pounds and ounces - but for those who don't, 3.81kg) and measuring 51.5cm, Connor arrived via c-section, because despite the contractions, he stubbornly refused to engage - living up to one of the "meanings" of his name - strong-willed! Wonder where he gets that from...

Socks!

After what seems like an age, I finally have another pair of finished socks! Although not Personal Sock Club socks, I'm afraid. I have seriously dropped the ball on that idea!

Details

Pattern: Generic stocking stitch toe up sock, using Judy's Magic Cast on and Wendy's toe up gusset heel flap instructions for the heel, and a sewn bind off (after earlier trying to be clever and failing with a tubular bind off - and you all know how that turned out!).

Yarn: Wendy Happy, a 75/25 bamboo/nylon sock yarn, in colour 2502 Gemini. I picked this up in Tasmania last year, to match these shoes:

Pretty happy with these!

Sticks: I knit these at a tighter gauge than usual, as I was a bit worried the bamboo might stretch - so 64 stitches on a 2.25mm KnitPicks 80cm circular (normally I'd do a 64 stitch sock on 2.5mm at least). And they fit great! Hope they'll hold up with washing and wearing.

Time: Oh my...I just checked and I started these on 21 May last year!! I didn't realise it was quite that long!! That's what happens when you keep a project for commuting and rarely commute! I finished them on 10 April - so not quite a whole year...

One of these things is not quite like the other one!

I actually didn't intend to make the stripes match between the socks, but as it turns out, with the exception of the toes, they did! Totally on accident! I did the sock with the orange toe first - and there was a knot in the first grey section - obviously, the first bit reversed the colours. But I can still hardly believe that the second sock matched the first so well. I'd never have achieved that if I'd actually tried!

Cook from a Book challenge #6

I have a small confession to make - this is not actually from a book I own - I found the recipe in the paper a couple of weeks ago - it's an extract from a new book which is called Recipes My Mother Cooked.

I thought it sounded easy and yum. And I had a friend coming over for lunch, and I happened to have a couple of sheets of puff pastry in the freezer, so the ideal time to make it!

Egg and Bacon Pie:

(Check out the puffiness of that puff pastry!) It was delicious! I downsized the recipe - which uses 10 eggs (plus one for the pastry glue!), because I don't have a pie dish big enough to hold a 10 egg pie! But it was still plenty for 6 servings, which meant leftovers the next day! Woo hoo!

Very very easy to make as well. And could easily be tarted up with the addition of other ingredients too I think. Peas or corn, capsicum, maybe tomato, perhaps some grated cheese.

And can be eaten hot or cold. Very versatile!

Keeping Track - April 2010

Obviously last month (with NO incoming stash) was such a shock to the system that I had to make up for it this month. With this:

and this:

(although the latter, Fleece Artist Somoko, was the last shipment of a year long sock club, thanks to Knitting Inspirations!).

The Cascade220 is for a zipper cardi for husby - I have been promising him one for a while - and since the Webs sale is on (and still is - until the end of May!), I went for it. Except of course, now that he knows I've got the yarn, he wants the cardi immediately!

So I've even swatched. And am about to cast on the first piece. Lucky husby! (although I make no promises about when it will be finished!)

In: 18 x 50g balls

Out: 7.5 x 50g balls

YTD: +22 x 50g balls - giving a monthly average of 5.5 x 50g balls. So still not toooo bad!

Surprise!

No, not the arrival of Teddy! But rather, the completion of a Baby Surprise Jacket! I'm pretty sure Teddy has enough knitwear, but I couldn't resist making one of these anyway - just for the experience, if nothing else!

And I'm so glad I did!

Details

Pattern: Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman - the most clever little pattern in the world! About a page of pithy instructions and a few pictures and diagrams, and that's it!

Most amusingly supplemented by a 16 page BSJ wiki on Ravelry! Which, I must admit, is very helpful (even if the length of it does make me giggle). I'm sure I would have gone wrong at least once, if not a few more times, without the wiki. So yay and a big thanks to all the contributors!

Yarn: Handspun by my buddy Donni (Moggy and Me) - featured previously on the blog here - about 370m/100g, in what I estimate is a light sport weight. Lovely stuff - do love knitting with handspun, and it worked out fabulously with this pattern.

Sticks: 3.75mm KnitPicks Harmony options

Time: 13 April - 30 April 2010 (although I did finish all the knitting in a week, I took my time seaming the shoulder/arm seams). And thanks to my mum for sewing on the buttons (I HATE sewing on buttons!). I had these buttons in my stash and I think they match perfectly!

Modifications: I wouldn't call this a modification exactly (it's hardly rocket science or a new idea), but I added a crochet edge around the neck, because the garter stitch edge was quite uneven. I also tossed up about putting all 5 buttonholes in (as many people only do the top 3) but I figured I'd put them in, and if I don't want to do them all up, then I won't! But at least I have the option.

The neck looks a bit small to me too, but I figure I can leave the top button undone too!

I really really enjoyed knitting this clever garment. From all the attention it gets on blogs and ravelry (over 11,300 projects!), I know that many people consider it a "must knit" for all knitters. And I agree!

And that got me thinking about what other patterns might be considered a "must knit" - I'd also include Kate Gilbert's Clapotis, and a top down raglan jumper pattern (but which one?) and probably also EZ's pi shawl (and no doubt at least one more of her patterns), maybe the Lady Eleanor entrelac shawl, definitely at least one pair of socks (probably two - toe up and top down) and definitely something fair isle and something cabled - I just can't decide on which patterns would be considered to be "the definitive" fair isle or cable pattern!

What would be in your top ten?

Big blanky for me!

I bought this great yarn (Karabella Margrite, an 8ply/DK 80/20 merino/cashmere blend) when an Australian online yarn store closed down a few years ago - there were only 5 balls in the red, an awkward amount for a project - not enough for a garment but too much for most accessories - but I couldn't resist. Like all good knitters, I knew the yarn would tell me what it wanted to be eventually.

Then when I saw DrK's huge red Shetland Triangle (Ravlink), I knew that I had found the project for my yarn. Just not the time to cast on...

Until one day in December last year, I had the knitting blahs, so I decided it was time, time to start my own huge red Shetland Triangle.

Details

Pattern: Shetland Triangle Lace Shawl by Evelyn A Clark, from Wrap Style. A lovely, easy, beautiful pattern, which uses the fir cone lace stitch pattern which I love! Looks like a blobby mess pre-blocking...but apply water and a some Soak wool wash and magic happens.

The pre-blocked size was 144cm/57" across the wingspan, and 65cm/25.5" deep.

Post-blocking, I achieved a wingspan of 190cm/75" and depth of 98cm/38.5". Fabulous!

Yarn: Karabella Margrite, 4.5 x 50g balls. This yarn is expensive, but has amazing yardage (154yd/141m per 50g ball)! I ended up doing 13 repeats of the body pattern and tossed up whether to do another, but really didn't want to end up short of yarn, and I'm glad I made the right choice, I wouldn't have had enough for that extra repeat.

Sticks: 5.5mm KP Harmony Options

Time: 9 December 2009 - 9 April 2010. While the beginnings of the shawl went quickly, I thought it was never going to end - those final rows were quite long! But I got there in the end!

And I'm so glad I did, I love it! It will be my lovely winter blanky shawl. If only it would actually get cold here - we're in mid-Autumn and still having daytime temperatures of 25C or higher (that's 77F for my US friends). Not that I'm really complaining. But this weather is not so good for the knitwear!

SHOESday: itty bitty

Bells' post today (which you must check out if you haven't already!) gave me an idea. Even if I am no longer buying new shoes (much...) I have some other new shoes I can show off:

Are these not the coolest little boy shoes ever!! (For my American friends, Dunlop Volleys are Australian made tennis shoes - since 1939 - that are so daggy that they are cool again. Although not as cool as Converse All-Stars) (I'm not sure if there is a UK equivalent?)

These were a gift from my second baby shower (now I really really feel spoilt saying that - as if one shower wasn't enough, which it totally was!). Rather than bore you all with even more stuff, you can check out the rest of the loot here on flickr if you wish!

Although I will leave you with a picture of one other gift.

I don't know whether it's a good or bad thing that apparently this is an essential for new mothers!!!

I promise there will be actual knitting content coming up on this blog soon!

Some more goodgoodies

In addition to the gift spoilage reported last time, there was also a lot of Good Things to Eat - including these most excellent Teddy biscuits, made by the clever Bells:

And this most excellent Little Ted cake, made by the cake-maker extraordinaire, MissFee:

(I still have the head...I can't bring myself to eat Teddy head!)

I also wanted to show this gift, which was given to me by the ladies of my crochet meeting (part of the Knitters Guild). It was made by a member of the Guild, who I understand is quite elderly and whose eyesight is not what it used to be.

If I can still knit this well when I am older and more blind than I already am, I shall be a very happy knitter indeed. It really left me speechless, it is such a treasure!

A 2ply laceweight shetland style shawl which is almost big enough to cover the top of a queen size bed. It's just amazing! And with my favourite fircone lace in the centre.

Really, words can't do it justice. I am so very lucky.

So thoroughly spoiled I am!

Partners-in-crime DrK and Bells organised the best baby shower for me, last Sunday. All knitters, all at my house, lots of food and drink and knitting and fun. And presents, for me! Knitters really are the best people!

I don't have photos from the shower itself (yet), but have lots of loot to share and people to thank, so bear with me for a photo heavy post (and no linkys to blogs, sorry, it's taken forever for the photos to load as it is! But you'll all know who I'm talking about I reckon!).

For muslin and flannel wraps, facewashers, and cot blanket, George, Jody and Bells!

For cute clothes (the outfit on the left is actually a very chic brownish/grey, all the way from Paris!), Lyn, Sue and MadMad (who sent it from the US to arrive in time for the shower!):

And George! (note the teddy theme...)

For books (lovely books!), DrK and Barbara:

For the coolest toys ever, Natasha, Lee, Margarita and George (Natasha also gave me a bottle of Moet - hurrah for grown up presents too!! Can't wait to crack that open!):

For handmade blankies, Kristie, Ailsa and Zeph:

For the coolest artwork, Kris:

For the handknits (what knitterly baby shower would be complete without them!), Donna, Kristie, MadMad, ProbablyJane (visiting with Lyn all the way from the UK) and Ailsa.

And I saved the best for last!

Jody and MissFee managed to completely surprise me by secretly organising a group effort! This fab blanket was made up of squares contributed by Rachel, Jody, Donna, Kris, Sue, Ailsa, George, DrK, Al, Zeph, Natasha, Helen B, Ceri, Donni, Margarita, Lyn, MissFee, Bells, Jess, Karen, Barbara and Lee!! I just wish the picture did it justice - I shall have to take some more tomorrow in better light, so you can see the red ones in particular.

Completely blown away, I was (and still am!) And very very spoiled! Thank you everyone, so so much. xx

Cook from a Book challenge #5

Or, more correctly for this post, Cook from Cindy2Paw's Blog!

Today I made these:

Red Velvet Cupcakes!

I decided I was going to give these a go as soon as I saw them on Cindy's blog, and since I was having visitors with a bunch of kids today, the perfect opportunity arose! Or at least, I thought it was perfect but on reflection, making cupcakes with red food colouring and a cream cheese icing - for kids - was perhaps not as perfect as I originally thought...oh well, some of the kids loved them, some had to scrape the icing off and some weren't that keen.

But I managed to polish off 3 of them in quick(ish) succession.

They were delicious! Although I couldn't get the icing as thick as I think it probably should be (and I only made half as much as the recipe specified, which was still plenty). I would definitely make these again! Red cupcakes! Red! Chocolate! Cream Cheese icing! What's not to love! Thanks Cindy for the inspiration and the recipe!