Happy Mothers Day!
I hope everyone is having a wonderful day. I got some lovely, lovely presents.

Tea things, and some p*rn. A Japanese stitch pattern book, my kind of p*rn anyway. I told David and Emily I’m going to use up all my stash knitting up nothing but pretty, pretty swatches.
So the Vest is plodding along towards done. I actually thought it would be done by now, but I haven’t knit much the past couple of days. I spent last night plugged into iTunes playing stupid games on the computer.

We’re off to my Mum’s house for a boozy lunch, so provided I don’t drink too much, I should have the body finished today.
Or if I do drink too much, I may have an interesting variation on the other side of the front!

Project Monogamy is just not in my nature. If left to my own devices, with no self imposed rules, I would spend all of my knitting time starting new things, and never finishing anything.
So I normally impose upon myself the 3 Project Rule. One pair of socks, One lace project and One garment at any one time. There’s leeway in that, I might have gloves on the needles instead of socks, or a cabled scarf instead of a lace project, but only ever 3 projects at once.
Right now I have just two projects on the needles. David’s stripey red socks, which have been untouched for days, and his cabled vest.
This cabled vest is showing me the upside of Project Monogamy. I cast on on May 3, four days ago.

I have just joined in the sixth of 10 balls. I’m halfway through in four days. Lovin’ it!
I am not loving the knots I am finding in this batch of Jet. We’re not talking about little knots, I’m talking about big fat knots that take 10 minutes to unravel.

(That’s a bonus shot of my new sheepy pj’s for Evelyn!)
That’s happened in three out of the six balls so far!
We’ll see how long the project monogamy lasts – I’m meeting a local Raveler tomorrow to discuss sock knitting, so I’m pretty sure the socks will be back out then.

Having finished Em’s jumper/sweater, I’d promised David that I’d knit him a vest. Having nothing suitable in the stash, on Friday I headed down to Daisy Designs in Wollongong to get something. Had a lovely knitting day, and picked up a pile of Patons Jet in green for the vest.
I brought home the nice paper bag full of yarn, and put it at the end of the sofa, ready to be cast on.
I didn’t get around to it on Friday night or yesterday, and last night we went out for dinner. Arriving home, we settled in and I realised that I could hear a suspicious rustling noise.

Twinkie had found the paper bag.

No yarn was harmed in this process.
A few labels were ripped, but it’s not the yarn she’s interested in, thankfully.
Last night I cast on the vest, after making a few adjustments to the pattern. I decided to omit the seams and knit it in the round, which wasn’t any hassle, but casting on 192 stitches without twisting them turned into a mini drama, as did the gigantic knot in the middle of the ball.

But all is now well, and the vest is cast on, no thanks to Twinkie, or the knot!

Another one finished!

I’m happy with it, and Emily professes to like it. In fact, she wanted to hug it.

There’s a little room in it too, in case she ever actually gains any weight, and grows around instead of up!
Specs:
Pattern: Deep Rib Sweater (Style 17) from Patons Australia book No. 1260 “Inca and Jet”
Yarn: Patons Australia Jet, a 70% Wool, 30% Alpaca Blend in Shade 12, a shade that is now sadly discontinued.
Needles: Knitpicks Nickel Plated Options, 4mm and 5mm.
I love this yarn! I made a scarf for a friend in it quite some time back, but this is the first time I’ve used it in a garment. It’s a nice lofty yarn, knit at 16.5sts – 10cm (4″), and it knits up super quickly. I’m so impressed with it that I’m going to get some more and knit a vest for David.
I gave the whole thing a bath in some “Soak” before I seamed it, and I’m pretty impressed with the “Soak” too! I used a sample pack of “Flora”, and it smelt heavenly, and the knitting is lovely and even softer now.
Something gorgeous arrived in today’s mail, and I’m itching to cast on.

It’s the kit for the “Magic Carpet Ride” Scarf from The Woolen Rabbit. Isn’t it gorgeous? I’m not usually much into oranges or browns, but this colourway is called “Moroccan Spice”, and it’s beautiful. I can highly recommend Kim’s service, the kit arrived in just over two weeks from the USA, and shipping was exceptionally reasonable.
I’m dying to cast on, but I have to be strong, and wait at least until I get some beads. I’m really trying to wait until I finish something else I started last week.

An Aran Scarf in Sublime Yarns “Cashmere Merino Silk Aran”. This stuff is gorgeous, too. Perfect for a scarf, not a hint of scratchiness at all, and the perfect colour to go with my new red winter coat!

Well, it’s been a busy week at Casa del Random. Emily had a dance eisteddfod for most of last week, we spent Monday night, and most of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday sitting in a cold school hall. She did pretty well, and had fun, but I think I achieved more than she did!
It’s prefect knitting time, except that it was a dark hall, they turned out the lights, and that meant I had to stick to plain stocking stitch. Luckily, Emily’s new sweater fits the bill perfectly. Day 1 I dropped a stitch, and had to rip back 10 rows when we got home, but apart from that, it was all good. How good?

All done, ready for blocking and seaming! I finished the knitting up on Saturday night, assisted by my new and very cute stitch marker.

How cute is that?!?
The sweater is in the bathtub right now, preparing for blocking.
Saturday was the opening day of the Wollongong Stitch n Bitch exhibition. After two weeks of rain, the weather gods smiled upon us and the sun came out. It was a gorgeous day, but unfortunately, I failed to take the camera out of my bag even once. Great weather, great company, knitting, what better way to spend a Saturday afternoon?
Yesterday we took advantage of the continuing good weather and went to the Fish Markets for lunch, then had a wander around the city. And I started something else.

Socks for David, in Opal 6ply. No pattern, just 56sts, 3 x 1 rib on 2.75mm needles. I’ve worked out that if I knit a pair of socks a month, and don’t buy any more sock yarn (as if!), it’s only going to take me four years or so to use up my sock stash.
That’s not long. Maybe I should stock up!