Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Blog Giveaway Winner!

Okay, so I'm a day late with this.... best of intentions and all!

The winner was picked via a random sequence generated by the Random.Org website, just to be totally fair.

And the winner is....

.... Carla!

I've dropped her an email to let her know.... so if you didn't get one.... it's not you :-P

It's been fun though (as well as a sneaky way to get my blog viewed) and I may do it again sometime so it doesn't hurt to check back now and again. (Though that may me another sneaky way to get views)

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

In the Spirit of Christmas

.... and for the sake of karma.... or whatever you'd like to call it!

I announce my own Blog Giveaway!

Being given away is one custom-made handknit item of the winner's choosing from the list below:

  • Beanie-style hat (any size)

  • A pair of socks

  • A pair of shorties (baby or toddler sized)

  • Pack of three cotton dishcloths

To enter, simply leave a comment, and make sure to include your email address.

The fine print:
Winner may choose one of the above items, and give input into fiber choice and colour. However, pattern used to knit it is of my own discretion.
A valid blog and/or email address must be given to enter, so I can contact the winner. However, it will not be used (by me) for any other purposes. Entries close at noon (NZ time, or +13 GMT) on Christmas Eve (24/12/07) One winner will be chosen at random on Christmas Eve (24/12/2007) no later than 7pm. I reserve the right to show off the finished item here at a later date. International entries are welcome.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Quick Knits and Spare Time

No, I still don't have my needles - my original needles - back yet, as the suitcase is still missing and now Air New Zealand have no interest in knowing me.

BUT thanks to the lovely expedited and personal service from Green Beans I have some 4.5mm 30cm and 40cm circular Addi Turbo needles, so I can knit my standard longies / soakers. These are actually slightly different than what I usually use - which is 4.0mm - but I figured, since I didn't have this set yet, if my original needles ever turn up, bonus! and I'll have the extra set.

I've been so glad to get the needles that I've already put them straight to work.

First with the Forest Longies - knitted as part of a swap with a friend for Secret Santa gifts. They're done in the The Wool Company Utiku Multi-dyed "Forest" colourway - which seems to be fairly unique to their retail shop (as opposed to the website). They're a size medium, for a 6 month old boy.
Forest Pants
The Forest longies were started on Thursday morning (in a bout of insomnia) and finished while watching the Friday evening news the next day. So quite a quick knit - but I'm pleased with them! Do really like the way the pooling's worked out in these.

Secondly, some newborn sized longies in Cleckheaton Vintage Hues for Meep, courtesy of World of Warcraft. This morning I started to download the Burning Crusade expansion pack (trial version). In the time I was waiting, I cast on the pants. Approximately 3.5 hours later, I'd finished the bum-portion of the longies, and the download finished, and I ran the installer. Then ran the program. But now I have a major patch to download. So I went back to the longies. I did both legs, the weaving in of ends, and the kitchener stitch at the crotch. Took a photo, uploaded it, put it on Ravelry. And now wrote the blog.
Meep Vintage Hues Longies

The patch download is now at 63%. Perhaps I should work on another pair while waiting!

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Murphy's Muses

Quote from the Nov 16th post of The Yarn Harlot:
Luckily, the yarn was cheap, and the knitting is fast, and I think that increases my chances. The muses are buddies with Murphy, and the more time and money you spent, the more you attract their decidedly cruel sense of humour. Maybe if I knit faster...they won't see me go by?


This is the story of my Rosebud sweater. I was inspired to do the sweater, largely, simply because I could. Rather, I wanted to have knit a sweater because I kind of felt like a fraud calling myself a knitter - indeed, even thinking myself reasonably advanced - and not having ever made myself (or any other adult) a sweater. Plus, I continually browse Knitty and am continually inspired, and never do anything about it. Oh, and I'd fallen in love with a particular yarn, and knitting a sweater is about as close to marriage to a yarn as you can get. Plus it's a good excuse to completely blow the yarn budget. ("But honey.... it's for the sweater!")

My original goal with the sweater was to have it finished in time to wear it for the late autumn / early winter season that I would be in whilst visiting California this year. I left on the 18th of November. At that point, I had the body of the sweater completely finished. I had one sleeve finished, and the other sleeve was started. Simple, I thought. I'd finish it while there. Something to look forward to and keep me busy at the same time.

While over there, I ran out of yarn.

Probably this is my fault. The pattern originally called for 11 balls of yarn for the size I was doing. But I'd been playing it by ear and thought that each sleeve shouldn't take more than a ball and a half to do. I'd make it. I knew I wouldn't have much to spare... but certainly I'd make it.

I didn't make it.

Rosebud - Sleeves - WIP

I had a few choice words to say about it. But I got over it. All this meant, would be that I'd finish the sweater at home, after buying a final ball of yarn. I probably wouldn't wear it until late March, after giving birth to Meep, but as the pattern was based on a maternity sweater and I'd added a little length besides, it'd be a fantastic post-natal sweater. Plus the seasons should be changing right around the time I give birth. Perfect.

So I packed it diligently away in my suitcase for proper care when home. Along with a good other number of things... including a ton of scrummy new wool, my brand new shiny Knit Picks Options set as well as some Harmony double pointed needles, and the couple projects I'd brought with me (some now completed, some still in progress).

And then Air New Zealand lost my bag. Not all bags, mind you, but just the one with all my knitting gear in it. Including the sleeves of the Rosebud sweater. Air New Zealand assures me that they're "tracing" it, but at this point it's been nearly a week and I'm not holding my breath.

The irony is, the body of the Rosebud sweater was packed in the other suitcase. Which made it home to me without any problems.

So for now, at least, I present...

The Rosebud tank.

RosebudTank