More Finished Objects!

Ripping out the first lot of Miss A's Fetching's was the way to go! These babies knit up extra quick - maybe due to the fact they are one repeat less and a larger yarn than I previously used. They have turned out slightly larger than the first ones.

I am itching to make another pair for myself as these are comfy. The first ones that I made for myself I didn't bind off loosely enough and it is slightly uncomfortable, but these ones....mmmm.

Yarn: Country Silk in Pink
Needles: Boye size 4 US


Another FO is this hideous scarf in something called 'Sparkle' - thin and nubbly and sparkly - I think came from Lincraft or Spotlight. I have had it on the needles for over a year and it is good to get rid of it. I asked Miss A if she'd like it and her face lit up she thinks it's great.



After rearranging my yarn stash I have found all my UFOs. The Vest with the yarn that made my fingers peel (as soon as I find it that is - it has some good circulars and a very nice stitch marker- can't for the life of me find the damn thing) and the Eyelet Baby Hat, that would fit an adult, have gone to the frogpond. Not too bad but I don't think I'm gonna finish the Mermaid toy from the 'Knit A Square Make A Toy' book or the family of guinea pigs Miss A wanted last year - I have the yarn for them though oh what was I thinking ?!?

Here's to knocking off some more UFOs hey?

Let the Renno's begin

While I am on holidays I have been taking the time to do some small repairs to the house.

Of course I only remember to take the 'before ' pictures afterwards! But not with the bathroom, I remembered so here are some before and after pics: Eww! yucky. Now bear
in mind that Mr Ex said it was too expensive to fix, can't be done etc and for less than $150 and a week and a half and much effort it is nearly completed.

I scraped out all the old grout, siliconed around the edges, re grouted, and waterproofed the shower.
The main thing was letting every step cure. Silicone needed to be left 72 hours, new grout 72 hours and 24 for the waterproofing. Can't wait till Saturday as the shower will be back in action yay! Bathing with a shower hose has been fun but give me back the shower!

I had to redo the bathroom because I had that part of the house restumped and lifted and

the consequences of that repair was lots of cracks to the tiles, tiles falling off and gaps in the corners of the walls. Not counting the gaps and broken tiles that were there already plus a leaking shower.
Such a blast doing this all by myself, oh but Miss A did bring me buckets of water on request for wiping the grout off. Who needs a man??

Here is a list of what I have done so far and a list of what needs doing, I am so proud that I did these things by myself (I am listing them because I need a record of what I have done because fixing a house up becomes so overwhelming and it feels good to look back on completed repairs) :
*Installed a doorbell

*Pantry cupboards - painted, reshelved, new door handles
*Re mortared the chimney - a lovely bricklayer did this for me

*Fixed leaky shower taps

*Backyard cleaned up, bathtub pond,orange tree and passionfruit vine removed - thanks to a great
friend and her husband who came down one day and backyard blitzed me

*Antenna - never had a proper working antenna and can now watch crystal clear crappy tv

*Laundry tap - fixed in 5 minutes after having no tap for the last 10 years, just a broken one

*Verticals in my knitting room - thanks Vista!

*Created a knitting room - see pics below

*Purchased two comfy recliners for knitting room

*Rainwater tanks fixed to stop leaks

*Checked smoke alarms - I have 11 foot ceilings and a heavy ladder, this was no easy feat!

*New outdoor setting all set up

*Bathroom regrouted, sealed and waterproofed

Here's my backyard...a bit of a blank canvas at the moment but plans for veggie growing and flowers abound. Oops probably shouldn't have emptied the grouting bucket right there. You should have seen it when it was an overgrown jungle, this pic makes it look good!

To Do List

-Clean the gutters

-Buy a lighter ladder

-Dig the garden and make a veggie patch

-mulch garden

-Rolladoor

-Replace bull nosed verandah

-Paint house inside and out

-Curtains for computer room

-New bathroom vanity

-Resilver bathroom mirrors

-Remove rubbish behind the shed

-New screen doors

-Restump other side of house

-Make a cat enclosure down the side of the house

Knitting Room

Here are some pics of where I sit and knit:

The recliners are covered in rugs because the cats like to climb up them and scratch them and I don't want them to. Therefore the cats are only allowed in the room when I am in there too.

Bookshelf with books

Yarn stash, yep this is all of it, all in the one place, so I can look at it and it can shame me into using it up.

Here's a pic of the completed Central Park Hoodie. Yarn: Bendigo 12ply Rustic in Damson

Miss A's CPHoodie now has a completed back. Yarn: Bendigo 12 ply Rustic in Pink Opal

Miss A's Fetching went to the frog pond and was restarted with 5 stitches less and on bigger needles and now it is way easier to knit. Yarn: Country Silk? in pink

Now I get to knit them while I wait for the grout to cure before being able to paint on the waterproofing at 9pm Thursday night (The sooner it goes on the sooner we can use the shower)

First FO of the year

Hopefully it won't be the only FO this year!

I have just finished the Central Park Hoody....not totally happy with it as it is a tad on the big side but it is perfect for wearing over a jumper :( Next one will be two sizes smaller I think, I wanted to wear it over a tshirt not a jumper as well, but it is nice and warm and was cozy at the park yesterday.

Had a family reunion picnic in the city where it was cold, windy and drizzly for a bit and the hoody kept me nice and warm.

Sorry no pics as yet. But trust me it is finished.

I have now started on Miss A's CPHoody in Pink Opal from Bendigo. As soon as she'd seen mine it was like "Make me one!"

What's that? Where's the afghan I just bought all that wool for....dunno....I cannot decide between a nice cabled, single stranded throw (dammit Jess ever since you sent me that link....) which would take me forever and I'd need to sit right next to the chart, or a double stranded, garter stitched, sewn up block version - which would be a quick knit, nice and thick.

So what sort of throw should I start? Thick 'n' easy or thin but cabled?? both?
I have selected a fawn coloured shade of the Cleckheaton Country and a matching flecked one as well which I was going to make the Lion Brand Winter Night Afghan.

Bearing in mind I wanted a throw for warmth and something to chuck over me when I feel like napping on the lounge. And the fact that I am a pretty slooow knitter oh and feel the cold hmmm...I thought the blocks would make a nice portable project but having now sewn up the hoody I am not really that keen on seams.

Bendigo's 12ply rustic would make a nice cabled throw, but I have the stuff to make the thicker one. That's why there is no afghan started at this house


New Years Resolutions:
1. To not eat so much chocolate -does not include the four chocolates I just ate for breakfast this morning.
2. To not purchase more yarn - does not include the Socks That Rock Club membership I just paid for and we will not mention the cost of this again or I will have to go into a whole 'nother post about why I signed up! Nor does it include the purchase of any yarn to make an afghan of some sort when a final decision is made.
3. To never let my backyard/frontyard/side of house become overgrown again - ever! Such a pain to have to wrangle into submission singlehandedly. I wish that I had remembered to take a photo of how bad it was but I think I am ashamed of how bad it was and don't want all of blogland to know.
4. To save money - for improvements on my house. Sadly neglected for years and I mean something like 15 years! Needs TLC (Truck Load of Cash)

Doing well so far aren't I?