I blame Ikea

This room has always been a junkroom and the door is kept closed. I have wanted to improve the room by adding some bookshelves but never really had the time. Miss A and I went to Ikea, they had a great bookshelf system on display that might just work in that room. That afternoon, after a few calculations I roped Miss A into helping me clear out the room, it was just going to get a tidy up at that stage. Then maybe we could put the bookshelves in bit by bit over the next few months. It was so cluttered we could take 3 steps inside the door and that was it.

Over 4 days we fixed it up:








Day 1: We cleared it out. After clearing out the room we could see that it was pointless putting in new bookshelves when the carpet was so awful - split and tearing and worn in places, so...we started ripping out the carpet.
.


Day 2: Now it was almost bare it looked better We got some carpet tiles from Bunnings and over the next day they were laid. Then we went back to Ikea to order the bookshelves and came back home to finish laying the tiles. After dumping everything in 3 other rooms it looked so messy that we had to get the back room in order fairly quickly as I couldn't stand having it so messy.









Day 3: We finished the carpeting the night before delivery so we just had to wait for the bookshelves to arrive. We assembled them (that was fun) and put them in the room. The first one took an hour ( and a few melt downs) to put together, the second one took 45 mins and by the third one we had the steps down pat so the rest took 30 mins or less to assemble.





They fit along the long wall round the corner and almost along the length of the short wall.

Day 4: Now we just had to put back in everything we had taken out. Would it all fit? Would it look messy? Would we have more space?



The room looks fantastic, there is room for the rocking chair so Miss A can have a quiet place (so can I ;) )





It all fits, with room to spare! There is heaps of space on top too. I even attached the bookshelves to the walls for stability. Although now I think I need to readjust them as the shelves are together at the tops, but have a half a centimetre gap at the bottom and I fear they are angled toward each other rather than straight. Which means unscrewing them and I know how much fun I had getting those screws in the first time!



Here's the view from the doorway:


Clearly more than 3 steps.

This was a long overdue home improvement, we worked from the time we woke up to the time we collapsed into bed for almost 4 days. My back hurts, my feet are dirty and my hand is numb from the screwing in of many screws and my bank balance has dropped. Like I said...I blame Ikea, but the room now has a nice, fresh feel to it.

Wollmeise Wednesday

Wow, This is a yarn that I have wanted for ages! I can't believe that I managed to actually get some.

It is Wollmeise Poison Nr 5 and I will love it and pet it and call it George



One of these will definitely become an Ishbel.

I also managed to buy some other colours, oops:

Petit Poison


Fliederbusch


Der Letze Versuch


Purple is my favourite colour.
The camera does not capture the beautiful colours of the wollmeise at all, they are lovely.

Christmas has definitely come early.

Spooky

We don't celebrate Halloween in Australia but over the years it is becoming increasingly popular. This year, as a favour for a friend Miss A and I went to the Parents Without Partners (PWOP - there's a whole 'nother post there) Halloween Party.

Of course we had to dress up gah!:

Miss A looking scary as the Grim Reaper and me as Buffy The Vampire Slayer. So easy to do BTVS - wack on a blonde wig and go find Mr Pointy and we're all set. This is the best picture of BTVS although I couldn't work out why the flash wasn't working, it took me ages to work out that my finger was covering it - and I have 6 photos to prove it. I wish I could blame that on the blonde wig but unfortunately my brain has decided not to work properly for a few weeks now.

My friend and her daughter went as a witch and the devil. I can post this pic as it doesn't show her face and I don't like posting pics of others without their permission and if i asked her then she would know about this blog and shhh it's a secret.


They had some activities for the kids like this one:

Miss A and her team had to wrap a small child in toilet paper, you can just see the poor little paper-wrapped boy. They also had an eyeball and spoon race.

It was a good night lots of music and most people made the effort to dress up.

Watch out, she's comin' for you, and you and.....you!

Delights

I was lucky a few weeks ago, I am not often lucky but must have gotten some good karma from somewhere - treat people nicely, have some patience, be kind etc lol.
I managed to catch a Wollmeise update following the steps posted by RoseRed. Here's my first lot of Wollmeise:

L to R we have Fuschia, Aquarius, Hortensie, Rittersporn and 2 Ballerina.

Here they are close up the camera did not capture the colours quite correctly they seem to glow IRL, but it does show the difference in colours especially with Rittersporn.

Fuschia

Aquarius

Hortensie

Rittersporn

Ballerina

I can't get over how tightly twisted the skeins are they are very firm and stick out, not soft and floofy and falling over. I'll see how they go when it's time to wind them into balls.

The knitting goddess shined on me again and I now have some Poison Nr 5 ( along with a few others) on its way here, hopefully this week (it takes only 7 days from when it is marked 'dispatched' ...cool). I have wanted Poison Nr 5 since I saw it being knitted on someone's blog just 2 years ago, and my heart skipped a beat. Will post pictures when it gets here.

The Taming of the Yarn and Maybe I Need To Get Out More

The yarn has been surprisingly easy to tame, no tangles at all, such relief. lol. Here it is in my drying cabinet - looks like a fridge but it has a fan at the bottom and it will blow hot or warm air upwards. I think this is from the 1960s or 1970s, great for driyng yarn.

Here are the balls all dry and ready to knit:


And here it is reborn as a Viking Cable CPH. Loving the challenge of incorporating the cables into the CPH pattern. Not much of a challenge for some but for me it is.



Having issues with trying to work out what needles and what size to work in regarding jackets. Ms Koalajeans 2 below, is much better than before and I am so much more likely to actually wear it BUT maybe I went too small, now I ummed and ahhed over the sizes and calculated and thought and you know...thought it would be ok but it has turned out a bit on the small size. I like how it looks on, it is passable but not perfect, but no way can I do it up, it will have to stay an open jacket. (At least I don't have to go searching for a button) It could be and inch or so longer.


What do you think for the next one? Do I just go up a needle size, I know it will be more drapey and that would be ok or do I go up to the next sized needle or do I do both. How do you work out what size to knit?
I feel if I cannot make one that is just right - with all the agonising over sizing that I am doing and to have it not come out as expected according to my calculations - that I may just give up altogether. ( I hope I don't and don't want to but I cannot keep reknitting completed jackets lol) And gauge geez, I am so close to correct gauge if only possibly maybe a quarter of a stitch out and then I remeasure and it is bang on gauge. The only other things to change are needle size or pattern size.

There must be something wrong with me at the moment I was watching Casino Royale you know the James Bond movie with Daniel Craig and after the movie was finished I was so upset, for days people, for days. Here was James ready to give up his career for this woman and she ended up crossing him (to save his life it turns out later) and drowned herself and he tried to save her. I was so upset because he was in love with her and she was not just another lay to him etc and it ended badly. This has been on my mind for days now. I just feel so bad for him. I need to watch it again, but Miss A won't let me: "Gee Mum I'm getting worried about you". Weird huh?
Maybe after all the womanising we find out why he distances himself from his ladieez. Just as he begins to open himself up he shuts himself off again, perhaps it is because I can relate to that.

Maybe I am just in love with Daniel Craig's James Bond, no that couldn't be it, must be something else.
I will need to watch the next movie to find out ;P

The demise of a jacket

These school holidays I had three major goals -besides getting a good rest (four days in my pjs counts for that right?) and gosh how nice that was - wait I am still in my pjs now, guess there is a fine line between relaxing and slob I will let you know where that line is when I find it.

Anyway the goals were:
1. to finish Ms Koalajeans take 2
2. to frog my Cental Park Hoody Oh Nooooo!
3. Block the vest

Well it was easy reknitting Ms Koalajeans and here she is...




It was a little snug straight off the needles so I am hoping that a good blocking will stretch it out a little. It is still heaps better than how it was before.

I also had to block my Bracken Vest which I think I finished a few years ago and then stuck it in a bag in the top of a cupboard ready to block.
And now my CPH. I loved this hoody, it was one of the first jackets that I knitted (second actually) unfortunately I chose to knit it in a size that was about 2 sizes larger than I needed. (what was i thinking?!)

Oh and since then I have learnt the importance of recording size knitted and needles used etc. I have to reknit this but have no idea what size needles were used. I think I used 5mm not sure, and I have to go hunt for the pattern, I have a vague idea of where it could be but that's it. I will have to go to Ravelry and look at the cover of the magazine it was in.

Here is my lovely assistant assisting me wind the pieces into balls:

After about and hour ot two, this is how it looked:

Can anyone forsee any problems winding this back into balls? It was okay on the swift but off it, it puffed up and now it looks like fancy cushions!

Here it is soaking in some Soak Wash, mmm smells nice.
Still soaking at the moment so I will post more pictures of it later. I will weigh it down a little to get rid of the kinks. I knitted Ms Koalajeans 2 with kinky yarn and it was not nice, it was rough in places.

Now, off to do some R&D (research and development) on Ravelry, I will not be frogging and re-knitting anymore jackets!!

Friday Fill In #142

1. My car needs a wash.

2. School Holidays are coming up next.

3. Lately, things seem like they are going to be great.

4. My knitting room is one of my favorite 'hiding' places.

5. What happened to that piece of chocolate I had here?

6. Re-knitting Ms Koalajeans is not impossible!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to resting, tomorrow my plans include recouperating and Sunday, I want to knit because I don't have to work yay!

Croak

See this....
It is now several balls of wool. I could not envision wearing it outside the house, it looks dowdy. Must say that they yarn is yummy and soft and I still really want it finished, just in a smaller size that's all.

I made the decision to rip it out and re-do it. Not a hard decision considering it didn't turn out like I had wanted it to. It needed 25 rows taken out from the underarm to chest section and 5 cable repeats off of the bottom. If that was all that was needed I could probably have cut and grafted, however I felt it was too wide a the back neck as well. Now this is not a case of not swatching or not measuring because I measured and swatched and checked it all the way along. Although it did stretch a bit lengthwise, I think it's a case of not realising that the fabric would have a little more stretch and that a smaller size would be okay too.


So now I have this...

I didn't reskein and soak the yarn to straighten it, I just wound it into a ball and started knitting it up. The stitches are a bit wonky so I hope they will settle after blocking.
It is now two sizes smaller and my fingers are crossed even tighter this time ( no I have checked and rechecked the figures/gauge/etc and I am sure that this time all will go well.

Andy doesn't really care as long as I sit still.
He insists on squishing himself right up next to me and the arm of the chair EVERY time.

Friday Fill Ins #139

1. He was a little bit odd at first.

2. Sunny days are what I look forward to most this time of year.

3. My best friend is my daughter.

4. Life sucks to be honest with you.

5. Appearances can be deceiving.

6. The last person I gave a hug to was my cat Andy.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to dvds and knitting, tomorrow my plans include more knitting once I get off the internets and Sunday, I want to stay in my pjs and knit but I have to work!

Friday Fill In #137

Oops missed a few:

1. When will my prince come? lol

2. Ice Age 3 was the last good movie I watched.

3. Everything has its beauty but even that doesn't last.

4. Fast food is what I had for dinner. (see 7)

5. I'd like your stash.

6. Home is where I want to be right now.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to getting rid of this headache, tomorrow my plans include lounging around in my pjs and Sunday, I want to not work !

I have the need to stay home and lounge about tomorrow. I have cast on Mr Greenjeans in Koala Luxury 10ply and so far it is down to the rib and cable part.

This is my first top down raglan and I am loving it so far.

Friday Fill In #135

The tooth is all fixed and works well.
I have finished my first uni assignment for this semester ( there are 6 ) and will treat myself by starting a new project. High on the list is Mr Greenjeans, in BWM Luxury Koala and some scrummy Fortissima Mexico Country Clour sock yarn.

Finishing my assignment is a huge weight off of my shoulders, I have been forgetting things at work which has been worrying. I feel more able to handle the load of this semester at the moment but that could change as the semester progresses.

I have finished all of my custom-knit projects unfortunately I did not get to take a photo of the mobile phone bag that I finished, and the feathers scarf is now out of the house. Now it is time for something solely for me.

Friday Fill In:

1. It's time for tea.

2. Spotlight; it's not a bad place for yarn sometimes.

3. I must be an obsessive knitter.

4. Knitting is the best thing I have ever known.

5. My socks are simply handknitted.

6. The last time I laughed really loudly was when Miss A made me.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to surfin' the internet, tomorrow my plans include work and Sunday, I want to blow out the candles ;) !

Friday Fill In #134

Not much has happened this week, we had decided to go to the movies and out for dinner but that was not how it went. We got to the movies and before it even started I had busted a tooth on a Chocolate Eclair ( a chewy toffee ). Dinner was a soft Macdonalds hamburger because I did not want to break the tooth further - it is pretty bad, luckily it doesn't hurt yet. I was able to call the dentist before the movie started, unfortunately they don't open on Saturdays.

1. Breaking a tooth is not the end of the world.

2. Sitting here, listening to the sound of rain falling, I feel comforted I love hearing the rain falling on the roof at night it helps me sleep.

3. Chocolate tastes so good!

4. Sometimes, putting others first is necessary for the good of all.

5. Sock yarn is breathtaking, really.

6. Well, maybe there is a god.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to sulking over my broken tooth whilst surfing the internet, tomorrow my plans include work, having someone come over and fix my roof, visitors Saturday night and Sunday, I want to sulk some more spend time with Miss A playing Wii Sport.

Join in here: Friday Fill Ins

Late Friday Fill-In #133

1. Frozen Pizza and ready made garlic bread make a quick and easy dinner.

2. Interweave Knits is the book I'm reading right now.

3. July brings back memories of winter.

4. That I would beat Miss A at WII bowling was obvious.

5. They say if you tell your dreams to someone they will laugh at them.

6.You've got to think it over.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to staying up late, tomorrow my plans include work and Sunday, I want to go to the markets!

Friday Fill Ins

Lame I know but this is my first time.

Socks!

Two pairs of socks have been completed this month:

Yarn: Vinca - #549
Needles: 2mm
Cast On: 68sts
Comments: Interesting yarn to knit with, lovely colour changes. Firm fit.


Yarn: Opal 'Lupin'
Needles 2.5mm
Cast on: 68sts
Comments:
Accidentally snipped the working yarn at the ribbing and had to reattach :( fortunately it didn't muck up the matching striped too much. Had to add some more black yarn 2 rounds before the end of the toes otherwise one would have had yellow and red at the tips of the toes. Very easy to match this yarn.

I have decided that life is too short to be saving the 'good' sock yarn. I had been waiting until I was worthy of the good yarn - not saying I am now worthy just giving up on that idea as no matter how careful I am during knitting, a small error inadvertently creeps in, whether it is a missed decrease found after the toes are kitchenered or me not remembering if I crossed a box on my ticky sheet. Socks are rather forgiving and mistakes like these do not affect the end product.

So I am going to be knitting up my Noro and my long petted yarns and my excitement for sock knitting is now bordering on the crazy side :)

New Socks!!

Holidays have been spent writing up lesson plans, studying and some knitting in between.

Spotlight had new sock yarn out so I had to try it. It is Moda Vera Noir. A little scratchy in places but hopefully it will soften up with washing. It was also very thin in one or two places but for only $12.95 ($8.95 this week on special - typical!)



I also finished my first pair of monkey socks, these seemed to take the longest time as I could not decide on a pattern, much time was lost researching patterns on Ravelry. One is bigger than the other because it got tried on a lot.


My third lot of Teaching Practicums starts on Tuesday, so I will be tired and grumpy for the next 8 weeks, I have 5 x one day per week sessions followed by a three week block.
I have prepared a unit of work containing 9 lessons on plant life cycle / germination etc.
I have decided not to do a teaching prac next semester as I feel it would be beneficial to have some more ideas for lessons by doing other fun units such as Maths and Science (oh boy) for both 2nd sememster AND Summer Semester. I need to do Summer Semester this year or my plan to finish in 2013 will not happen.
It is finally raining here and it is expected to continue for the next week, yay, lesson plans are almost done with one more to go, so that leaves the rest of the holidays for knitting. We all know how great it is to be sitting inside under a rug knitting, while outside is grey and dull and wet (or is that just me?)