What are you doing?

I am reading: 

Daughter Of Persia: A Woman's Journey From Her Father's Harem Through The Islamic Revolution 

by Sattareh Farman Farmaian

I am really enjoying this book.  Sattareh became a social worker after studying in the USA in the 1940's.  She was an integral player in the changes in Iran's welfare system and provides a great insight into the history of this country.

I am watching:  
As usual I am watching the current series of True Blood.
I have also started watching The C Word but have mixed feelings on this one.
My guilty viewing is the new Dallas series, I swear it is like a train wreck, you just can't turn away even though it is so very bad.

I am cooking:
Back into it this week after a two hiatus of holidays.  At the moment I have soup bones on the go.  I got a large back of meaty beef bones at the local butcher for $1.  Can you believe it!   The have been in the slow cooker overnight and are the stock is sooooooooooo full of gelatine and so shiny!  I plan to make Beef noodle soup with liver dumplings.  This is something I used to have years ago and remember it being very good for you and very nice so I will see if my memory can recreate it.

I am sewing:
The endless saga of my 40yo quilt!  It is almost finished and I will devote a full post to it eventually.
I am up to wadding stage on it and have finished front and back.
I am also doing some pyjama pants for Nienna at the moment,.
This is the front of the unfinished quilt

I am knitting:
Again, for Nienna.  I am doing a rainbow dress as a tunic top.  Using purple and pink striped Bendigo woolen mills yarn and it is knitting up quite nicely.  I just hope it fits!

So what are you up to??

a bit of knitting

A hoodie for the girl. She chooses some odd colours at times and this was no different.  I jazzed it up with a bit of flora.  Unfortunately this pattern book is starting to get a bit small and this is the last I can squeeze her into I think. Shame as it has some lovely patterns.

The wrist warmers are to match and are off ravelry, they are Rose's wrist warmers from Dr Who.

 (yes she does have  2 tops and a skirt under the dress under the hoodie!)

Yarny goodness

Nienna put an order in for a new cardigan.  She is quite specific in what she wants and we finally found a pattern to suit her glamorous lifestyle LOL

I refuse to spend too much on yarn for her things as she is rather hard on clothes!  We used the spot light merino which is a reasonable yarn and comes in great colours.   I love the colour she chose too.

This pattern came from the Berroco Comfort- book for girls #291.  I bought this ages ago at Tangled Yarns in Brisbane when I was up there for work.  Heads up to Brisvegas folks as this store is awesome!!

I did the largest size in the Ferris pattern and did a short length with 3/4 sleeves for summer.  I was quite pleased with how it turned out but gee I much prefer knitting all in one piece rather than having sew pieces together.

I really like the front bodice on this.

Christmas swap

This year I am only doing one swap with the Tassie Knitters on Ravelry. Thanks to being sick all week I managed to get all my gifts finished and ready to post. I did a ruffle scarf out of lovely 10ply Jo Sharp cotton with a matching ruffled flower brooch. A tree, star and globe handstitched felt tree ornaments, some stitch markers also made by me and some BWM 8ply that I dyed some time ago. Plus a few choccy goodies! I hope my recipient likes this loot!

Knit graffiti

Just some of the knitted embellishments we spotted around Launceston yesterday, I am sure there are plenty more that we missed too. The pillars of the Town Hall were impressive but paled compared to the knitting room. This was mind blowing. An entire house and it's contents and people/animals knitted . This project began in 2003 and included around 500 nursing home residents. You can read more about it here. If you can get to see it then please do so as it is sight to be seen. You are not allowed to touch the exhibit or take photos, but they do sell some postcards that can be seen in the collage below.

 

warm

snuggly cats

flannelette nightie made by mama

 

old style shawl

 

rainbow clapotis

 

Been a long time

Been a bit slack at blogging lately. Haven't been the best due to a bad depressive episode but seem to be coming out the other side again. Starting to suspect it may be hormone related. Meds have been increased again and Dr has discussed changing meds if they don't help but I am hesitant to do this.
Anyway, as a result I have defered Uni again for the semester and will resume next year again. I just felt too overwhelmed and stressed about it all this semester.

It has been very cold here so haven't been getting out too much. Mostly at home by the fire. My mum came up for this week to help me out and keep me company. They worry so much about me and I feel so terribly guilty about this. She will head home tomorrow and resume her own life again, until the next time.

Have been doing heaps of reading and knitting. I finished 'In My Skin' by Kate Holden, True Blood book 10, Methland, a Henry Reynolds book and a book on female convicts in Tasmania in the past week or two. Have watched series 1 and 2 of The Tudors too which has been enjoyable.

As for knitting I was in a ravelry swap recently and received some lovely gifts from my swappee and felt thoroughly spoilt. I also finished knitting my clapotis and love it! Still working on a Tess D'urbiville shawl and have started weaving a table runner for my mum.

Beren turned eight and had a great birthday. He got a new bike which he was wanting and went for dinner to the local Mexican restaurant (no parties this year). He put an order in for a sponge cake with strawberries, nice and simple :)

Bit of a bender

A knitting bender that is. All these babies about the place I felt the urge to knit wee things. Mind you the first blue pixie hat was way too small so Nienna's baby scored that. Hoping the stripey hat will be better sized. A little frock for the wee Matilda, some shorties for a little angel and a cowl for myself for those frosty winter mornings that will hit all too soon

 

No boys allowed Saturday

today Fieona and I swapped children. She has the boys and I have the girls. They have pretty much done their own thing while I have pottered. I blocked a teensy skirt, made some deadly caramel popcorn and some fudge brownies and picked some garden goodies.

Later we are all going to have a movie night with indoor picnic for dinner :)

 

 

 

 

some knittin'

Some longies for Miss Matilda! the first hand dyed by me and then knitted and embellished with some wee flowers. the yarn is Bendigo 8pm and colour from food dye. Oh and pattern is Pimp My Longies

 

 

These are jet and the pattern is the spare ribs shoaker. Fabulous pattern to follow I might add.

 

Final is the vest I was working on forever. Really fluffed on this as I did the back larger than the front lol. Looks ok though

 

and on the creative front..... (last post for now I promise)

I have been finding time to do a few bits and bobs when the kids go to their father's. First two are little outfits that went in Nienna's Christmas present for her baby born and the lacey knit is a falling leaves scarf finally finished, this was knit with bamboo and falls every so softly. next up is a UFO surprise so can't say too much on here. Second in the greens is a top for myself, have done the back and will start on the front when the purple project is finished. I have also done front and back (greens) panels for a quilt for Nienna. First time I have done a quilt so a bit wonky and a bit nervous about next stage.

 

 

 

 

finito!

Finally knitted something for myself other than a scarf or hat AND actually finished it! I still need to block it but I really like how it turned out and it fits well. Nice quick and easy knit too.

The little wall hanging is for a friend who has just had a baby. Baby's name is Tove which is Swedish I think. I am pretty sure she doesn't check this blog out but if she does then she has ruined the surprise for herslef LOL

 

 

madness round here I tell you

This week saw me in Melbourne for work. I went 2 days early and caught up with some friends which was awesome, and fell off the yarn diet wagon (ho hum). Here are some of the lovelies.....

I also went to an awesome seminar on Monday. It was called Mastery of Membership and I thought it would be a bit 'motivational' but it was brilliant and I really hope I can use a lot of the info I gained.

This weekend my folks are coming to spend with us, we will celebrate my birthday early as I head to Brisbane early Monday morning for 3 days for work once again. This time for a meeting with staff from all the other states and territories which will be great. Nice to put some names to faces and swap stories, ideas etc

oh, my daughter turned into shapeshifter and became a giraffe

I saw a beautiful rainbow, well there were three but only one was bright enough to snap a shot of. It was so vibrant against the black backdrop of a stormy sky

More weather........this time snow on Mt Wellington. Lots of it and the photos don't do the beauty justice but as I was driving at the time I feel I am excused.
So in a few posts that has been my couple of weeks. I also got vomitted on by Nienna at 1am this morning, had my hair cut and coloured AND was the recipient of a beautiful card and gift voucher from my boss and the committee to say thanks for all the hard work I have been doing. This of course made me cry but also feel very appreciated :) Um, my tummy feels unsettled so I hope I am not catching whatever it was Nienna puked over me LOL
Off to watch torchwood and do some knitting.

Oh and before I forget one of the highlights of my past week...........


yes!!! my pretties :) The gorgeous incubator, ergh I mean Charlotte made me some lovelies for my feet, hand dyed, 8ply bendigo and just divine.

and just when you there it was over.............. one more indulgence.....this made by the beautiful Shannon for my birthday, a Noro scarf! not sure what breed of noro but it is pretty and soft and lush... I am so spoilt :)