Sad then happy

OK , so I might have more or less recovered from the shock of discovery of m...m...moth damage. Here's the awful evidence.

But, you know, it's not irretrievable. Setting aside the fact that I don't actually have enough of the same dyelot to complete my Eyelet Cardi, this damage is actually close to the bottom of a top-down knit. Just unravel a dozen or so rows, join in some nice fresh non-moth-vandalised yarn and knit away. Yes, it's possible. Will I do it? Yes, it's possible too. It will require several deep breaths and an act of faith to think that I actually have enough yarn to complete the project, but it is doable. Hmm, I'll think on it a little longer.

On a much brighter note, look at what I bought from Kathy's Fibres. Now where is that spinning wheel?

Gotta go. Lost in Austen is about to start.

Where's the knitting?

Most of my knitting over the past month has been for the Blankets of Friendship for the victims of the Victorian bushfires. Here's the latest square in progress, using mainly machine washable Bendi from the stash, with some stripes of donated yarn from the generous people of Canberra.

The rest of my knitting life is full of WIPs. Here are just a few.

This is Ilene (rav link). This one is a real live WIP. It's for a secret swap partner. More later.

This next one may not be classable as a WIP because I don't know if I'm ever going to finish. I present a lone Retro Rib Sock (Rav again) from Interweave's Favourite Socks. It's long, it's done on fine needles (which I have cleverly returned to the needle drawer and now have to guess the size if I ever want to do its mate), it's done on stash yarn from some op shop or other (can't remember), and it's a pretty easy pattern. But I botched it - not badly, but just so much as to not really be happy with it. So I will call this an almost dead WIP.
Next I present the lovely Peapod Jacket in Heirloom Breeze. This cute as a button cardi was started shortly before we even knew about ma minette, and she is now 19 months old and way too big for it now anyway. This can be a languishing WIP - destined for another baby (or possibly the frog pile).

And my lovely Chic Knits top down Eyelet Cardi. I love this, but would love it more if I finished it. I started it maybe a year ago, but it languishes too. You see, I almost ran out of purple Zara and now I'm too nervous to do any more. I hunted high and low for the same dyelot, and ended up buying a few more balls in the same colour but a different dyelot. I know, I know, I should just bite the bullet and knit. Maybe the colour difference won't be too great, but it's a bit tricky to hide in an all-in-one knitted piece. I'm at the sleeves, which are picked up live from the bodice and knit in the round, making it a bit difficult to use the old trick of two rows one shade, two rows another, etc. So if anyone has any ...

STOP THE PRESSES. Just ducked out to check the ball band. sniffle. Seems the moths have decided this little number has been sitting around too long. sniffle. Too upset to photograph the evidence.

No longer a WIP. Too cross to write more.

Happiness is...

...contagious.

What better way to spend a birthday weekend, than at the beach, with people you love.

Bliss.

It's a family thing

When my Mum used to travel, she always brought me home a souvenir teatowel. Yes, I've had some beauties in my time - Ayers Rock (that's what it was called in those days), some dolphins somewhere, lots of Australian wildflowers. I use to think it was all a bit daggy.

Mum returned from one trip with no teatowel! Where was my souvenir teatowel? She knew that I thought it was daggy (well, yes, but I still wanted one). She did actually bring me some lovely teatowels, and after she died, I found some that that she had kept, pristine, maybe to give to me one day?

These days, my girls have taken up the baton and they bring me teatowels from their wanderings around Europe, and gorgeous almost-too-lovely-to-use teatowels from the States, where they call them dishtowels. Now the Four Sisters play. We all love it.

So when my favourite sister undertook to find me an Obama dishtowel (I am, of course, in love with the man), she had something delightful up her sleeve. Look at the masterpiece she made me for my birthday. (Photograph shamelessly stolen from Hashi's blog.)

He is, isn't he?

Hip to be square

I can't begin to express the helplessness I have been feeling for the past week. I have my life, my home, my loved ones. Many Victorians do not.

There are lots of things I can do to help: donate $$ to the Red Cross, RSPCA or Wildlife Victoria; give blood; make lovely things to donate or raffle or auction; buy raffle tickets. Lots and lots of things - there are lists of ways to help all over Australian blogland.

Most people prefer to give help quietly, discreetly, privately. As well as their own private ways of supporting the fire survivors, many Canberra knitters are knitting squares.

Through the wonders of Ravelry, Canberra knitters are getting together, literally and virtually, by fetching and delivering yarn donated by the good people of Canberra, and by knitting and seaming squares to make 'blankets of friendship'. Interested? Go here.

Meet Gail

This Long Lacy Summer project has not been my favourite knitting. My preference for cooking is a step-by-step, written list of ingredients and a well-explained method. Translating this to knitting, I like my patterns to have every stitch clearly explained. I didn't quite get this with Gail. This is no criticism of the designer, but more a comment on my naivete with lace. Ravelry provides the evidence that many, more-experienced knitters have breezed through this pattern.

The result though, is a pretty and tiny shawl, which will probably be more suitable as a scarf. That is, if this summer ever ends.

Specs: knitted using 3 ply wool, hand-dyed and gifted to me in a Ravelry swap by Sarah on 4.5mm Knitpicks interchangeables.

Road trip

I'm planning a trip to the desert.

Which desert? This desert...

Woo hoo!