Slow down!
Right now, everything, slow down, or I’m going to have a freakin’ temper tantrum. Or something.
I’m having one of those weeks, where everyone I have any contact with seems to want something from me, where my list of tasks awaiting my attention just gets longer and longer, no matter how much I do, and nothing is coming out the way I expect.
I’m just having one of those weeks.
And to top it all off today we’ve reached our broadband limit and our speed has been throttled. I’m surfing the internet in slow motion. And I don’t like it!
Not a lot of knitting has been achieved this week. I did finally finish the Stupid Slinky Socks last Friday. I’ve been waiting to get a picture of the Empress wearing them, but it just hasn’t happened. (Back to that flat out thing). So I gave up and took a picture on the sock blockers.

They’re fraternal twins, and I’m just glad that they’re finished. The first one was done on two circs, which I detested. I had trouble with the foot length, the toe and the afterthought heel.
The second one went much more smoothly, thankfully!
Specs
Pattern: Slinky Socks by Rae Blackledge, from MagKnits.
Needles: 2mm. Two circs on the first sock, dpns on the second. Different gauge for each method!
Yarn: Four Seasons Hot Socks, with KnitPicks Essential for the toes and the heels.
And now they’re done, I’m over them.
I did manage to finish the Hemlock Ring Blanket. It took 4 hours to cast off, all of which was done during Em’s dance lessons. But it isn’t very attractive yet.

Yet to be blocked. The only space I have big enough to block it is my bed. And it’s so thick and heavy, I’m going to have to wait for a nice hot, dry day. Today it rained, so no blocking.
Apart from that, all I’ve managed all week is one repeat (8 rows) of Nicole. So now I’m heading to my sofa, where I’m going to spend the rest of the night, with my feet up and Nicole in my lap!

Not quite sure what happened to my weekend. One minute it was Friday, next thing I know, it’s Tuesday night.
Saturday afternoon was most enjoyable. I got to Stitch n Bitch for the first time since May! It was only a relatively small turnout (about 15 – 20), and I had to leave early, but still the best way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
Saturday night, Em had a dance comp. She did well, but it was go, go, go all night, which always wear us out.
Then we lost an hour for daylight savings, and on Sunday, I went on a Bus shopping trip to a bunch of outlet stores, which was fun, but very tiring.
Not much knitting has been done in all of this, but I did manage to acquire my longer cable from Donni, and I’ve been working on the Hemlock Ring Blanket. Tonight I got up to the cast off row.
This is going to take hours. It’s a convoluted cast off, but it’ll be pretty when it’s done. About ten years from now!
I did finally finish something else.

The Hanging Garden Stole is finished!
Specs: Hanging Garden Stole by Sivia Harding
Yarn: JaggerSpun Zephyr in Ladyslipper
Beads: Crystal/Pink 3 x 10mm daggers from Earth Faire
Needles: 3mm Addi Lace Needles.
Finished Size: 46 x 168cm
The only modifications I made was to only do 11 repeats instead of 14. And I’m glad I did because I think that 168cm (66 inches) is long enough!

Close ups?


The colours in the close ups are way off, much too pale, but I thought you might like to see some details.
I’m really happy with this one!
Back to the Hemlock I guess.
But here’s another Twinkie broom picture, just to tide you over.

Every single time someone sweeps the floor this happens.

It’s time for a knitting round up, I think!
I’d love to show you the finished Hanging Garden Stole, but I can’t.
It’s not finished. Well, it’s blocked and all, and I’m very pleased with it. But I still haven’t fixed that dropped stitch, or woven in the ends. Next time.
The Slinky Socks.

Coming along quite well. But last night, I discovered a problem.

Obviously, I’m less stressed using dpns. My gauge is different, and this sock is bigger than the original. At this point though, I don’t care, I just want them over and done with. I think the first one was a little on the tight side anyway. (I’m going to keep telling myself that!)
They’re nearly done now. Just a little more foot to go, then I can do the toe and heel, and forget that they ever existed.
Ooh, I did finish a whole other sock.

I couldn’t resist. When I finished my last post, I had to go cast on my little red sock kit that I got from The Loopy Ewe. At least it came out right!
The Hemlock Ring Blanket is temporarily stalled.

My needle is full. I can’t fit any more stitches on the needle. I’m up to row 112, which is an increase row, so I’m stuck until I get a longer cable. The chart goes up to row 116, but I’ve still got plenty of yarn, so I’m just going to keep going until I run out.
And Nicole is the current front runner.

This is a great knit, and I’m really enjoying the Cathay. Here’s a closer look.

I’m just starting the body patterning, but I’ve already used up a ball and a half of the five balls of yarn required. I love a quick knit!
In other news, Karen over at Needles and Wool had a competition a little while back, and I was one of the lucky winners. Look at the lovely package that arrived in yesterday’s mail!

A gorgeous hank of Handspun Corriedale from Crown Mountain Farms, some luscious Lindt dark chocolate, lovely little notecards (I really love notecards!), and a super cute little sheep kit. I wanted to cast on for the sheep straight away, but I’m saving it as a reward for finishing my Hemlock.
Well, I’m trying. But you saw how successful I was with the Red Sock Kit!

Yesterday was another hot day in Sydney town. Too hot to have the Hemlock in my lap, but a perfect day for blocking.

I love the blocking wires. Straight lines are never a problem any more. I used to use the “thread a strand of yarn along the edge to get a straight line” method, but this is easier by far, and more precise. And less pinning!
The first time I ever had to block out something large was my Feather and Fan shawl, I ran out of pins halfway around and had to run down to the supermarket to buy more.
Anyway, I soaked the Stole for about half an hour in warm water, then rolled it up in a towel and squeezed out the excess water gently.
I threaded the wires through the edge stitches, and used 12 T-pins to hold the wires in place. That easy!
I did discover a problem in the blocking.

I dropped a stitch while I was casting off! I’ll have to frog the cast off row and re-do it. Apart from that, it’s looking good!
As I said, it was a little hot to work on the Hemlock, so I cast on for something new.

Chicknits Nicole. I’m using Debbie Bliss’ Cathay. So far, so good.
We’ve been making a few preparations for our upcoming vacation. (The plane takes off in 8 weeks, 2 days, 1 hour and approximately 30 minutes). Excited? Me?
One thing I have prepared is my travel knitting. It arrived this morning from The Loopy Ewe.

ShibuiKnits Sock in Orchid, in a Loopy Ewe Purse Pal Tote. I like to get the important things organised. We have no luggage yet, we haven’t booked the care hire, and we only got our passports last week, but I’ve prepared my travel knitting!
One of the (many) things I like about The Loopy Ewe are the fun little extras that Sheri pops into your package. Look what I got this time around.

A mini sock kit! I was tempted to cast on straight away.
Twinkie was unimpressed.

But then again, it usually takes food to impress her.
Bunny feet and tail!

I have worked on the Hemlock Ring Blanket this weekend. Not non-stop, but a lot.
But it hasn’t grown much at all.

Last night, I began row 92, which is a pattern row. There I was, merrily knitting along, when I suddenly realised that I had far too many stitches in just one of the repeats.
I’d gotten a bit cocky on the last couple of rows, so I’d knitted along without bothering to count too much. And I stuffed it up. So badly that I couldn’t fudge it and fix it up.
I had to rip back 10 rows.
Doesn’t sound like much, does it? How about when it’s around 400 stitches per round? I sat up until 1am, and have only just now, at 3pm, got back up to row 93. And started the second hank.
But I had to stop, it’s 32.5C right now, and I can’t bear having it in my lap any longer!
But I do have other knitting news.

Look Ma, no needles! Blocking tomorrow, with my new blocking wires. Stay tuned!