Busy, busy, busy. So busy in fact, that I’m blogging at 11.30pm, when I should be long in bed, and I haven’t knit a stitch in two days.
And I’m missing it sorely. I need the stress relief.
The dance comp.
On Saturday afternoon and evening, Em competed in two sections. Each section required two dances. The first was the ballet section, and required a character dance first.
Em’s character dance is a Snake Charmer.

Then she had to do her classical routine.

See the trophy? First place!
A little bit later on, her second section was a tap section and required two tap dances.
This is her first one.

This is her second.

See the trophies? First place again! Way to go, Em!
Did I get the scarf done?

You bet I did! I finished it at the comp on Saturday night. I also finally finished Em’s fluffy socks on Saturday.

She’s pretty happy with them, and has declared them a perfect fit. She also doesn’t want to take them off! (First pic is much more accurate colourwise)

As long as she doesn’t go telling all her friends I’ll knit a pair for them!
To anyone who I owe an email to, my sincere apologies. I’m flat out keeping up with all the crap I’ve let slide, and I’m exhausted. My house is a pigsty and the sewing I’m being paid to do is seriously behind. And it’s all stressing me out just a little.
I’m having difficulty finding time to knit over the past week and a half or so, and when I do find the time, I’m lacking motivation. I’m working on a pile of stuff I’ve promised to other people, and right now it feels like obligation knitting, not knitting for enjoyment.
If it wasn’t for loved ones, I’d throw it all aside, but it is for loved ones, and I know they appreciate what I make for them. It’s just not inspiring!
I’ve been promising myself that I can knit all sorts of wonderful things just as soon as I finish the second Fair Isle glove, and one or two other small projects. But I might need to start somehting gorgeous just to kick the motivation into gear.
I just happen to have a single ball of Cashmerino Aran, and the new Knitty has a rather fetching pattern which just happens to call for a single skein of Cashmerino Aran.
Hmm.

Saturday Sky!

Yes, it’s winter in Sydney, and this is the second absolutely beautiful Saturday in a row. Just so you know I’m not throwing up random blue squares, here’s some sky with a bit af tree.

Twinkie has been playing in the sun.

And there’s been some knitting.
After quite a bit of nagging, Em finally got me to teach her how to knit in the round, using DPNS.

She’s knitting a beret for her aktraditions doll, Imogen. And doing a pretty good job! She’s also had to learn “m1” increases.
And we’ve had a dance comp for the past two days, and we’re back again this afternoon and tomorrow. A pretty goopd haul so far, 3 first places, 3 second places, a third place, and a highly commended or two. And a nomination for the scholarship section tomorrow.
I need something brainless, and easy to pick up and put down when I’m at these things, so I started a scarf. I’m using Patons “Jet”, a wool/alpaca blend that I’m really enjoying.
I decided on an easy pattern, but I think it’s knitting up nicely.

Here’s a closeup of the stitch pattern.

I wonder if I can finish it today or tomorrow?

It’s school holidays. Again. Am I the only person who is starting to think that these kids have too many holidays?
Anyway, as a result, there is little or no knitting going on.
But I baked!
Anyone who knows me is now shaking their heads in disbelief.
I noticed that we had some chocolate chips in the cupboard, and got a hankering for chocolate chip cookies. Being ever-so-creative, I noticed lots of other yummy things in the cupboard, too.
Behold, milk-and-white chocolate chip, mini m&m, nut and peanut butter cookies.

And they were even better than edible!
In knitting news, the ends on glove number one have been woven in. That’s it. No second fluff sock done, no second glove cast on, but I’m having some serious lace yearnings.

I knew I wouldn’t finish the glove on Sunday. I jinxed myself.
Well, really, I started playing computer games and never picked up the glove.
However, I finished it last night.

Well, almost finished. There’s an end or two to be woven in.

Of course, that’s just glove number one.
These gloves were supposed to be a stash busting exercise, using up the leftover yarns from my Fair Isle Sampler Hat.
Guess what?
The main colours, the green and the blue? I’ve run out and need to order another ball of each. I will end up with more of those yarns than I began with.
Stashbusting, my butt!
Twinkie knows that if she gets into her hutch at night, she’ll get vegies.

So she thought she’d give it a go in the daytime. Nice try!

It’s Saturday!
Saturday sky in Sydney.

It was a beautiful sunny day, but cold. Those were the only clouds in the sky, but the rest of the sky looked like this.

And that’s a bit boring, isn’t it?
Knitting? Yes, please.
Anyone with some forethought would have taken these pictures while I had the camera out during that beautiful sunny day, but I have no forethought, and so I had to take the pictures on the night setting. That’s why they’re crappy.

The glove is growing fingers. Hopefully I’ll finish the fingers tonight. Of course, now that I’ve said that, I won’t. I’ve jinxed myself, no doubt.
The fluffy socks continue.

One down, another begun.

I’m up to the heel flap, and that means I’m done with the fluff. It’s all smooth sailing now. Who wants to bet that I just jinxed myself again?
Sharon had a little competition a week or two ago, and I won. Look at the yummy yarn she sent as a prize.

Mohair boucle in gorgeous blue and purple shades. Thank you, Sharon! What to do with it? A scarf? A simple triangle shawl on big needles? Oh, the agony 😉