So far behind that it’s kinda embarrassing!
There was a Halloween party. I was too busy swilling wine to take too many pictures! I went as Leia, complete with bagels.

Alas, the bagels did not last and had to be repaired with bright green Wollmeise, which was the only yarn I had on hand.
Zena went as the Cookie Monster.

Seriously, how fab is that?!? And once again, although I took my camera, I failed to put it to use.
Then a bunch of seriously fun people went away to a fab place for an awesome weekend.

Sewjourn. Highly recommended.


Great company.

Questionable table manners. (had to be quicker to get that!)

Dancing!

Highbrow literature.

Great views.

and Hanging Rock. We tried to make a sacrifice, but she refused to get out of the car. Besides, they wanted $10 just to enter the parking area!
And amongst all that, there was some knitting.
KawkawEsque saw some action.

Still on sock one.

Hitchhiker is growing. 32 points or so, but only halfway through the skein. I think I’ll get more than 42, but we’ll see.

Not much happening with Sophie.

The Valentine cardi is seeing most of my knitting time. I finished the body while I was at Sewjourn, but the body looked way too small. So I blocked the cardi when I got home, before I started the sleeves, in case I had to rip it out.
Happy to report that the fit is just fine!

Not feeling 100% lately, so to save you all from interminable boredom, we’ll go picture heavy.
Here’s where the knitting is at.

Valentine Cardi.

Hitchhiker Scarf. No Progress.

KawKawEsque Socks.

And yet another Sophie for a workmate, who is having a baby.
More projects than I usually like to have on the needles, because lack of progress drives me nuts.
And a picture I took of Em on the weekend, just so you can all see how much she’s grown up.

Plum Frost is done. Has been done for a fortnight, even! Fortuitously, it was done just in time for our last Guild meeting!

Fabulous knit, maybe a tiny bit on the big side. I desperately wanted to wear it to Guild, and it was still damp on Friday night. Fortunately it dried in time, although I’d figured if it was on the damp side, my body heat would dry it in time!
Specs:
Pattern: Plum Frost Pullover and Cardigan by Elinor Brown
Yarn: Harrisville Designs New England Shetland
Needles: 2.5 & 3mm Addi’s. I started on Knitpro/Knit Picks Harmonies, but one snapped.
Mods: I made the body and sleeves a little longer, that’s it.

Great pattern, beautiful yarn. I got mine at Yarn and Fiber Company in New Hampshire. But I wouldn’t recommend them. I ordered the yarn in July 2010, and didn’t get the last of the order until November 20112010. Contacting them is near on impossible, and getting any kind of response about the status of your order is impossible. Never again.
But if you can get your hands on the yarn, it’s well worth it!
In other knitting news, there’s very little. I started the smallest of the Three Brr bears from Spud & Chloe.

I got the body done, and the head. Then I decided it just looked weird, so I frogged it.
I’ve also started a Hitchhiker in Knitabulous fiftyfifty wool/silk.

The mojo is a no-show!

I am crochet disabled. This is a fact. On Saturday night, a simple crochet steek almost defeated me. I was extremely close to throwing it in and getting out the sewing machine. But I persevered.

Steeks marked.

Steeks crocheted. You don’t need to see the preparation shots. Imagine lots of swearing and foot stamping. In fact, I shouldn’t have said anything.
Back up, and pretend you didn’t read anything else I said. Just see the steeks marked, then crocheted. Ta da! Easy!

Preparing to cut. I always put a magazine or something inside the garment so that I don’t accidentally cut the back!

It’s started. Oh my God.

Half way up, not falling apart. (Me or the jumper!)

Done! It’s a cardi!!

Open.

Inside close up for those so inclined.
Phew.

I’m not sure that I’ve ever mentioned that I have a bit of a thing for buttons. Always have had. When I was a kid, my mum had a huge tin full of buttons. I spent many an hour with that tin, sorting them out into colours, sizes, styles.
Even when Emily was little she used to play with my buttons, counting them out and piling them up.
I’ve acquired a few new ones lately.
These arrived this week.

I got these from a lovely lady in New Zealand who hand makes them. You can find her here.
We got some new buttons in at work, too. And a few of them have followed me home.

I especially love the little white shell ones with the pink flowers.
And there’s a lovely antique store down in Berrima called Peppergreen Antiques, which is sadly closing down. They have an incredible range of buttons. I managed to restrain myself and bring home only a few cards.

Buttons. Love them.
In knitting news, this many ends to weave in should be against the knitting law.