sarahdotcom:
Crumpet just reminded me that I haven't been very good at advertising my new blog address!

You can now find me at fingers and toes

sarahdotcom:
Here's the Headline News cap from Stitch n Bitch Nation. I finished it ages ago - oops for not posting a pic! I just didn't really feel like taking a photo of myself!



In other news, my cabled hoodie is almost finished:



I have nearly finished sleeve number 2, then I just have the hood to go, and the finishing - I have to put the zip in and weave in a LOT of ends. Does anyone have any tips for sewing zips in?

I thought I might re-start my failed ballet cardigan project. You might remember I ran out of yarn and thought the collar was turning out way too long. Actually, now I think it WAS ok - but there's been another disaster! The colour I was knitting it in has now been discontinued! The yarn's only been around for a year, so it's weird they've discontinued it already. I guess I'll have to think of an alternative to the collar - maybe I'll sew some ribbon onto it or something. I don't know...

Anyway, when I was in Ballentynes trying to find the yarn for the ballet cardy, I found a new yarn.... this is the second nicest yarn I have ever found (the first being Kashmir Trendsetter, a cashmere/silk blend that my aunt bought my Nana to make a scarf with. Unfortunately Nana's almost blind - my aunt doesn't really seem to realise this - so the scarf will never be knit). I digress - introducing Naturally Me:



What better name for a luxury yarn? It's 80% merino, 20% cashmere, buttery soft and comes in gorgeous colours. I bought 6 skeins in black because I want to make a vest - will that be enough? I think I will modify the leftovers vest from knitty to have cables and to (obviously) be all one colour.

This yarn makes me feel so special. I love having nice things. I'm so glad I'm not a communist!

sarahdotcom:
I've been around, but internet access has been limited lately. I finished Kerry's scarf but didn't take a photo before I sent it off. The yarn was horrible - it was broken and knotted in so many places. Luckily it's so furry it hid all of the joins, and Kerry loves it.

I also finished the cabled newsboy cap - I'll post a pic sometime, promise!

My yarn arrived from Ebay so I got to start the cabled hoodie. Here's a progress pic:



One pattern repeat down. I'm really enjoying it so hopefully it won't take all winter to knit! I have vest plans too, and hat plans.

sarahdotcom:
Sorry, I dropped off the face of the earth for a while there.

I didn't come close to finishing my Olympic Project, Orangina, so I'm putting it away until spring. It's autumn now, the weather has turned nippy, so it's time to turn my mind to winter projects.

I think I'll occupy myself with a few small projects for now but maybe start a big project just to get the ball rolling. I'm going to make a Basic Cable hat with the green yarn my Fiber Godmother sent me, and also another green hat, this time the Newsboy Cap (both patterns are from SnBN) in my new favourite yarn, the Jo Sharp Aran Tweed. It's scrumptious!

I'm also almost half way through a very pink, very girly, very fluffy candyflossy scarf for our old receptionist, Kerry. Kerry was our "Launchpad" girl for 2005. Launchpad is a scheme that was started by my firm but has spread to offices everywhere. It takes school leavers (usually people who want to leave after year 12 - school here goes up to year 13) and places them in offices for a year. One morning a week they go to Polytech to learn various skills, mainly to do with business. After the year is up a lot of them are ready to go on and do further study, and a lot also stay in office work as well. We have three ex-Launchpad girls on staff. One of them has just finished her legal exec qualification, and another is nearly there. Anyway, I digress. Kerry has just gone down to Dunedin to do Occupational Therapy and is really sad, cold and homesick. Hence the scarf.

As for big projects, as I think I've mentioned before I really want to make the cabled hoodie from here:

http://www.patonsyarns.com/patternbook.php?PBS=500989%20

I have the pattern but as yet have no yarn. Should I use the recommended yarn (which would mean buying it on the internet)? Does anyone else have any recommendations? I want it to be cozy, but I don't want it to pill easily. I also want to make it in natural cream, for classic cabled goodness.

I also still have the yarn for the Hourglass Sweater. I don't think Mum's going to knit it after all.

And there is the 10 balls of gorgeous green Cashmerino that I have no idea what to do with. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know! Otherwise I think I may have to try my hand at designing something myself.

I haven't received my FG parcel yet, but by the same token I have not actually checked the mail. Hopefully my mail redirection is working, I will go and check the PO box today.

Oh yes, which brings me to news I think I may have already alluded to: I have moved out of my shiny inner-city pad and am currently crashing with my parents in the country. It now takes me 1 hour to drive to work (SHUT UP anyone who lives in LA or Auckland) as opposed to 12 minutes to walk. The whole situation was really stressful, getting OUT was even more stressful (like, Police were called stressful) so frankly I'm glad that particular (short) chapter of my life is over! Thank god I never told Flatmate From Hell that I have a blog.

Right, back to normal, boring knitting coverage! That's enough interesting to last me a while!

sarahdotcom:
Hi FG! *waves*

More coherent post later, I promise. Too tired to string words together right now!

sarahdotcom:
Did I post this already? Team Kiwi now has a blog over at http://teamkiwi2006.blogspot.com. Many many thanks to octopusgrrl who has been picking up some of the slack due to my complete unavailability lately. If you'd like to join the blog, just comment or email either of us with your email address, and we'll send you an invite. We're already up to seven members with possibly more on the way, hurrah!

sarahdotcom:
Yesterday there was a card to call left in my mailbox (unfortunately my mailbox is just a slit in the wall, so parcels won't fit through it. They'll buzz if it's a courier, but regular parcels they just take back to the post office - mind you, I'm never home for the couriers anyway). I didn't know what it was - either my Ezibuy order or my FG package. It was the second!

Yay! FG went with a green theme - hmm, I think she's realised I quite like green. Here's what I got:



I feel SO spoiled. I love it all! The knitting notecards are awesome. And the yarn feels lovely. I think I will make the basic cable hat from SNB. I need to get some 5mm dpns, and then I can start!

I'm really looking forward to package number 2 for my Fiber Goddaughter. I keep thinking of cool stuff I can put in. I haven't got any yarn yet but I'm sure I'll find something she'll like!

sarahdotcom:
Here's one from the lovely jennnk:



And I had a go at making one of my own. Aren't you proud?



Thanks for all of the supporters who are helping out Team Kiwi! I can't wait til the Olympics actually start, I know there will be heaps of support and encouragement coming our way.

We also have a new addition to Team Kiwi, welcome to octopusgrrl who will be knitting her first socks (you may want to head over to Jenn's lj for a first sock button!)

Last night I cracked and unpacked my Orangina yarn for some training. Now, I'm keeping my yarn in reserve until the big day, it's an Olympic secret! (or it could be that I've packed my camera) The good news at any rate is that I got stitch gauge and am only slightly off on row gauge, but that's easy, I'll just do more rows! However, since Denise needles don't come in size 3 I'm going to get RSI working with horrible cold metal needles. Nasty. I wish there was more available in the way of needles here in Christchurch. Maybe I'll check Spotlight. On the other hand, it is meant to be a challenge, and on these needles it will be...

sarahdotcom:
Just so's I don't forget it:

Materials:
1 50g ball DK/light worsted weight yarn. I used Jo Sharp Silk Road DK
Set of 4 4mm DPNS
Yarn needle

Gauge: sorry haven't a clue as I gave the hat away in a bit of a hurry!

CO 100 stitches using the cable cast-on method. Divide over 3 needles (make sure there is a multiple of 4 on each needle, it's useful!).

Knit in K3, P1 rib until hat reaches desired length. I tried mine on by bunching it up on the needles and putting it on my head.

Start decreases:
Row 1: *K2tog, K1, P1, rep from * to end
Row 2: *K2, P1, rep from * to end
Row 3: *K2tog, P1, rep from * to end
Row 4, 5, 6: *K2tog, rep from * to end
Break off yarn and thread through a yarn needle, run needle through remaining stitches and pull to tighten. Weave in ends.

sarahdotcom:

Sign up for Team Kiwi here, if you haven't done so already!

The rules can be found at Yarn Harlot.

Team Kiwi buttons supplied by the wonderful crazycatladymel:





Also, shout outs to Jussi who made this button:



Thanks Jussi!

Edit: Just looked up the time difference between Torino and here. The opening ceremony kicks off at 8pm February 11. That will be 8am Saturday 11 February for us. We actually have a bit of an edge over everyone else, as we will have more daylight hours to complete our knitting in!

I've postdated this so it stays up the top.

sarahdotcom:

Right! I have decided I will be making Glampyre's Orangina for the Knitting Olympics. I have this beautiful soft bright green baby cotton that I'll use, and now that I have the pattern I know it'll be easy enough to alter if I don't get gauge.

We have a new addition to Team Kiwi! Meet Natalie. We're a small team so far, but determined! The Olympics don't start til February 11, so there's plenty of time for the rest of you to sign up.

What I'd love to see are non-knitters joining. The idea is that you are supposed to knit something that is a challenge to you, so why not take up the challenge of learning to knit? You could aim to make a pot-holder or dishcloth by the end of the knitalong, or even a simple hat with big yarn and needles, etc. If you are in Christchurch you won't even have to spend any money, I will let you dig through my stash and lend you a pair of needles. And I'll be ever so proud.

sarahdotcom:
Yay, I got a card from my Fiber Godmother. Thanks FG! It's beautiful.

This blog will be a bit low on the knitting content this week, I have packed my yarn away and will not be casting on for anything else until I am safely ensconced in my new apartment.

I'm thinking of attempting the Hourglass Sweater for the Knitting Olympics. Would that be absolute madness? I have a feeling something with short sleeves or sleeveless would be more achievable. Talk me into/out of it.

sarahdotcom:
Here is the hat:



Hopefully it will keep Dad's head warm when he's out on the farm. Although maybe not, as he still refuses to wear the fingerless gloves I made him (he doesn't want to wear them out). Dad wouldn't model it because it was a really hot day.

The yarn I used is Jo Sharp Silk Road DK tweed. It's a semi-felted 2-ply yarn, 85% wool, 10% silk and 5% cashmere. Absolutely lovely to work with, although my extremely sharp DPNs did split the plies a few times. I doubt that would happen if the needles weren't pierce-your-skin sharp though (must do something about that - I injure myself every time I use those things!)

If anyone would like the pattern please let me know. I made it because under pressure of time, I couldn't find any hat patterns that I liked. It's a really simple k3 p1 rib, but I know it's nice sometimes to have a pattern to refer to (because that's usually what I like!).

Also, crazycatladymel made me these AWESOME Team Kiwi logos for the Knitting Olympics! She got the flag right and everything! I was going to have a go at figuring out how to make these things, but she must have read my mind.

sarahdotcom:
This page took so long to load I can't remember what I was going to write!!

Are there any Kiwi knitters out there who want to do the Yarn Harlot's knit Olympics? I think we definitely need a Team Kiwi!

sarahdotcom:
Yay, so although I meant to make it to work this morning and haven't gotten here until now, I've already done half of my work and it's not taking nearly as long as I thought it would.

I feel terrible since we're celebrating my Dad's 60th birthday tomorrow and I haven't got anything for him yet. It's sort of crept up on me. I was going to spin and knit a jumper from our sheeps' wool (ha, remember that plan?) but the wool really isn't all that great. So I thought I might spin up some baby alpaca (cria) and knit a hat, but, er, so far I have about 25 grams. :/ It's not my fault! It was raw alpaca and I was just spinning from the lock, and didn't realise how grubby it was until my hands came away black. So when I washed the finished yarn, it reduced in bulk by about 50%!

So I went to Knitworld and bought some nice Jo Sharp DK tweed instead, and will knit a hat tonight, with luck. If anyone has any pattern suggestions, please comment urgently! I can't even find my SnB book now!

And maybe buy him a DVD. I really hope he's not expecting that jumper...

sarahdotcom:
All done! Better images and comments tomorrow, cross my heart.

sarahdotcom:
I really have to stop making promises I can't keep! Work happened, and the knitting rate has gone right back down again.

I am however up to the straps of Butterfly. They're so boring who knows when I'll finish - at the moment I've only done most of the first one (of four). I have woven in all of the ends so that's something.

I think I might join the Yarn Harlot's knitting Olympics, but as for what to knit I'm not sure. Of course, I may be too busy doing my Knit the Classics project, which I think I will make the Erte Cloche.

I promise I'll put the links in when I'm a bit more awake...

Also stay tuned for some stash giveaways, just as soon as I get myself organised!

Oh, and Fibre Godmother: I'm moving on the 28th or thereabouts. Will give you my new address when I remember but I'll be getting my mail forwarded so hopefully nothing to worry about.

sarahdotcom:
Um. So. I bought more yarn.


I know, I know!


I solemnly swear that I will not buy any more yarn until I have finished:
* Butterfly
* Cable 8 (assuming my yarn for that arrives - the store I ordered it from has to get more in because she can't give me 11 in the same "dyelot" - it's natural-coloured yarn but apparently still comes in dyelots!)
* Erte Cloche (which is what I bought the yarn for)

Butterfly's coming along really well and I'm happy with it. It's a little bit funny at the sides, which I have fudged a little in order to do it in the round (which was perhaps a bit silly of me - it is going to look weird at the sides because of that, but oh well, at least there's no sewing up!). Hopefully blocking will fix everything! No photo because lace is a pain to photo. I am up to the bust increases though. So there should be another FO in the next day or so! (two in a week, won't that be a treat!)

I haven't checked my needles to see what size I need for the Erte, so I may need to buy some. I bought some really nice heathered greeny-blue sock yarn to make it with. I didn't buy any contrast yarn - I either won't use any (I'm thinking of trimming it with a ribbon) or will use something from my stash.

I'm enjoying Fibre Godmother. I'm going to enjoy spoiling my Fibre Goddaughter. It's a pity I can't blog about my plans because that would give it all away! But I'm really glad I got who I got, I read through all of the surveys before it started and she was the one I wanted!

There might be an FO in my next post so stay tuned!

sarahdotcom:
The handpainted merino/alpaca worked up perfectly into an umbilical cord hat for my cousin Rachel's baby (as yet in utero, which is good since my aunt is still here for the next few days).



Believe it or not, this is the first hat I've made. I'm pretty happy with it! It's so small it worked up in an evening of watching Black Books on dvd, and very easy to make. I'll definitely make one for every baby that comes along now!

sarahdotcom:
I ordered some Pakucho Organic Cotton in avocado for the Cable 8 tank top from IK Spring 2005.

It's the most expensive yarn order I've ever made, but all of the reviews of it are great, the colour is lovely, and I approve of the organic principles and the help it gives to the community. I can't wait to receive this yarn (I hope shipping is quick, I'd love to knit this while it's still summer!). And yes, I know it's really cheap over at Elann, but they were out of avocado and don't know if/when they'll be getting more in. And I figure this way there's probably more money going to the people who made it, I don't know how Elann manages to sell yarn so cheap otherwise.

Today I have to find some 3.25mm circulars for Butterfly, and a 30cm 4.5mm circ for the sleeves of the Hourglass, which Mum still hasn't started yet (I may have to confiscate it and make it myself). I don't think I'll find the circs for the Hourglass, but I do have some dpns if all else fails.

I might also keep half an eye out for some yarn for the Erte Cloche... I'm also quite keen to make either Jenny or Martha from Rowan 37 so will see what yarn Knit World has and whether I will have to order it from the net instead.

Rowan put the preview for Rowan 39 on the website and then pulled it again. I didn't have much time to look but what I saw, I didn't like all that much. I really, really like Rowan 37 and I'm considering getting 38, but I guess I'll have to wait until February now to see if 39's any good. And maybe knit more stuff from 37 in the meantime to make it a bit more worthwhile!

Oh, I forgot to mention that yesterday my first subscription issue of Readymade arrived! Yay! And my tshirt, and a badge.