Ag May ...

We've moved a lot over the years, both with kids and without.  I don't mind it, really.  However, I always feel the tension when the first Summer and Winter rolls around.  I just don't know what these seasons will bring to our new abode. And in this new place, Winter brought a corker!  Mould and condensation!  I have never had to deal with this before.  Mould now ranks up there with bugs - I can't stand it and it makes me crazy.  I don't know, I think it makes me feel dirty. Anyway, it hasn't been all fertiliser.  There's been a few roses along the way. A spot of knitting anyone? My year long project - meant for the older cousin but finished in time to fit the younger one Woollen jumper getting its second lease in life A little something to keep the little one warm How do you find settling into a new home?

Here are my handmade efforts for Christmas this year...  I'm pretty chuffed with the outcome and, with the whole clan in attendance this year, their appreciation made all the late nights so worth it!!!  Love you guys!! Home made star by Little Miss M.  Santa came to visit and forgot to wipe his shoes at the front door! Technically a "Bon Voyage" present - pillow bags with pillows.  I'm so happy with the outcome as it was my own design.  The inspiration, though, came from here .   For the little girls Two of the Three Little Maids   (thanks to Jodie Carlton of Vintage Ric Rac for sharing her awesome designs and sewing know how) Crocheted ballerinas  (I left the finishing of these until last and I'm so glad I did - these little ones killed my hands!!) (Thanks to Mia Zamora for sharing this wonderful design)  With this type of reaction, of course it's worth the effort!!! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Do you tell jokes?  I don't.  Hardly ever anyway.  One - I don't know many jokes. Two - I can't tell jokes.   I stutter the punch lines which ruins it.  Or I'm laughing before I finish telling which, again, ruins it. And three - I have a really BAD sense of humour.    Only my husband gets it.   He gets my humour and reacts.   It's why I married him.     And yes, please note the purposeful use of "reacts" rather than "laugh" because ... yeah ... no ... he doesn't always laugh.  And the times when he does laugh he's usually not laughing at the joke; he's usually laughing at me.   But that's ok because that was the point of the joke - to make him laugh.  Which he does.  Why he's laughing ... well, that's secondary, isn't it? And what about pithy witty comments?   I'm full of them.   Clever, imaginative one-liners.  But, again, it's all in the delivery.   I mutter.  And

Finished!  I finally finished Little Miss M's winter jumper!  And just one week short of the end of winter - hahaha!! This is a wonderful pattern .  Even though it took me just under 3 months to finish it, this is a very easy pattern (I think I would rate myself as an advanced beginner knitter).  It was my mistakes and lack of energy that made it a longer project than it needed to be.  I am so happy with the results - I love the look, the fit, the yarn, the colors.  I'll have to make sure that I do the Fair Isle a bit looser next time - it was the first time that I had tried knitting Fair Isle.  (Don't be scared - it's easy!) Would I recommend this pattern?  Definitely!    - For a beginner because it's such an easy pattern to knit up and   - for anyone else that likes the look of the jumper and  - for those of you who have a sweet little girl like mine who, upon seeing the completed jumper on herself, threw her sweet little arms around my

Today - I'm thankful for my ever-talented, extremely determined younger sister. Remember this mess ?   Well, it has been a bedside project because I couldn't be bothered re-winding the yarn.  The problem with bedside projects is that I tend to want to go to sleep when I am in bed (yeah - go figure). Anyways, I was inspired by my sister's effort to pick this up and get moving again.  So, sleep be damned, I'm going to finish this.   I'm still not sure how I feel when, after I had finally gotten through all of the yarn that I ripped back, I find that I have nearly finished the body.  What a HUGE mistake!!  I ripped back to the neckline!  I really don't know how I knitted so much and not questioned how the garment was shaping up. At least now, it's no longer a bedside project.  And this is where babywearing + fussy baby + knitting = productivity!! Will I finish this winter jumper before the end of this winter??

10,000 stitches frogged. To be replaced by 2800 stitches. Sleep deprived mistake. Now a mess next to my bed. No longer a portable project. AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!

I've been plagued with guilt of late.  I seem to have made a lot of things for other people and not much for my little girl.  So, armed with some time off, I've got a list of things to make for my Little Miss M.   Seriously, while my homemade/handmade gifts have been well received and the recipients have been profuse with their appreciation (hence why I keep making stuff for them), there is nothing that can compare to my Little Miss M's loving thanks complete with hugs and kisses and declarations of how much she loves the things that I make her.  And the ongoing appreciation when she says she wants to wear that <insert garment here> that Mama made.  Makes me melt on the inside. Little Miss M also does that with the clothes that her Lola has made for her.  Saying that she would like to wear "Lola's pants" and even going so far as one afternoon asking to call her Lola so that she can say thank you for the pants.  And this is months after she has received

As promised - the Milo Vest in action.  I got too lazy to block.  I'll block it after I wash it.

A lovely (and EASY) pattern from Tikki - the Milo Vest.  Unlike my other knitting project , this was a breeze and completed (minus the blocking) in under 2 weeks!  The yarn was not anywhere near as delicate, so I was able to stick the ball under my arm and knit while standing on a train, waiting at the lights, watching Little Miss M in the park etc etc etc... Little Miss M seems to like it.  Her other vest (store-bought) had a front opening with a zipper that annoyed her to no end. *Sigh* Oh the feeling of accomplishment.  *Sigh* I'll post an action shot later (one that shows off Little Miss M's lovely two-year old belly :) ) So that's Creative Commitment Knitting number 2 for 2010 done.

Yeah!  Finished!  Finally! Blocking - still don't know what I'm doing here.  I really wanted to make the "flutter" a bit more fluttery, but it's back-breaking work this blocking. But I'm loving the scarf; even the color is ok now that it's been washed and blocked. I hope you like it, F.  Merry Christmas!! Oh yes - that's Creative Commitment Knitting number 1 for 2010 accomplished.  Now to start (and finish) CC Knitting number 2 for 2010.

*Sigh* I started this scarf a year ago for my big sister after making another (different) scarf for my lil' sister.  It's not difficult and not really time-consuming unless you're already lacking in time.  I just picked up a few other hobbies in the new year and left this at the wayside.  Now I'm on my way to finishing it (yah!).  I'm not too crazy about the colour; I started it when I was in a tan/brown phase and now I'm into BRIGHT BRIGHT LOUD colours.  Still - I think my sis will like it.  Here's the work in progress - A few things about this project :- - I love my Knit Pro needles for this project.  My needle stash is made up of mainly Addis, but on the advise of some sharing member of Ravelry, I decided on the wooden Knit Pro circulars - it's not as slippery. - Be faithful to filling out your chart as you go along.  The pattern is really easy to follow and remember; but a tired and distracted mama and I would forget how many rows I had done since I