So yesterday I mentioned that I got good mail. Have I mentioned how much I love to get mail?
Around two weeks ago by pure coincidence, two separate ladies from the US each contacted me asking if I could assist them in obtaining the pattern book that the lacy cardi is from. (This one)
So, swaps were organised, and again by coincidence, both of my parcels arrived yesterday.
First, from Tammy I received this lovely parcel.

Knit Picks Wool of The Andes, ready to jump into my dyepot, some lovely stitch markers, girl scout cookies (yum!) and a lovely little scarf in gorgeous blue and black. Em hasn’t seen this yet, becuase I’m sure it will magically vanish if she does. Much the same way the girl scout cookies vanished.
And Traci sent this.

Koigu! Yummy koigu in shades of pink and brown.
What a droolworthy day! I’m sure you can see why I was happy with the mail yesterday.
The Trellis Lace Scarf is blocked. Stay tuned.

Lets start with a Twinkie pic today, just for something different.

She’s mowing, I think.
The sleeves on the pink cardi are actually going pretty well, but I’m at that stage of this project where I start thinking “Will this never end?”

I am knitting both sleeves at once, as is my preferred method. If I knit them one at a time, I get too bored with them, and they get tossed aside. On the other hand, doing it this way doesn’t really feel any quicker!
But I have a finished project.

That pile of Cherry Tree Hill Possum Lace is really a finished Trellis Lace Scarf. Ah, the wonders of knitted lace. Stay tuned for blocked pictures, and for mail.
I got some very nice mail today!

I haven’t mentioned the Trellis Lace Scarf in a while, but I have been working on it. Most of my knitting time is being spent on the cardi, but I pull out the scarf for a few rows each night.
I’ve now done 20 repeats, out of a total of 23, but last night, disaster.

Sorry for the crappy picture, I’ve still not got the hang of the night setting on my camera. But I’m sure you can see those dropped stitches.
Part of the pattern calls for a 7-into-5 cluster. Basicaly, you’re knitting into seven stitches at once. And I missed two of them. At least this was the only time I did! I tinked back 4 rows and recovered all the lost stitches, and now it’s as good as new.
Twinkie resents being blamed for the hole inthe wire door. Although she’s being naughty this week, everytime she’s caught she gives me the “Not me, Mum!” look.

Would this face lie?

Bits and pieces.
Em is learning sewing at school this year. I should have taught her long before now, but I’m a terrible teacher. I lack this tiny requirement called patience. She seems to be picking it up well, although I have a few doubts about the ability of the teacher.

They made boxer shorts. Em has a little frangipani obsession this year, so despite the fact that the school was willing to supply fabric, she somehow conned me into buying this fabric.
Pretty good for a first garment! (Please don’t mention the uneven leg lengths. And the teacher gave them narrow elastic for the waist.)
She also got the test results for a maths test this week, and even though she regularly reminds anyone who will listen that she “Can’t do maths”, she topped the grade with her mark. Out of 180 kids.
Gee it’s fun saying “I told you so”!
In other sewing news, the concert sewing has started. Yes, for the dance concert in December. And to replace some more of the solo costumes Em has outgrown. At least this year, I only need to make around 75 concert costumes!
But I’ve been getting some knitting done. I finished the cardi fronts.

Ahoy, Sleeve Island!
Twinkie has been a naughty bunny this week. Despite the fact that she stopped chewing everything up when we had her desexed, she has started it again. She has chewed a hole in the wire door. (That we already replaced due to her chewing). She gets under the beds at any opportunity and starts chewing anything she can get her teeth into.
Anyone want a bunny?

Busy, busy, busy weekend!
I went to the dentist, and found that the tooth needs to be surgically removed, but he took pity on me, and has agreed to leave it be for the time being. Let’s hope it behaves!
Em had a wonderful birthday, and we went to the steak house as she wished, and she deemed the day to be the best day ever.
On Saturday we went to Stitch n Bitch. Somehow I seem to never get much stitching done at these events. I also forgot the camera, so no pics.
The cardi is progressing nicely, though. I’m up to the armhole shaping on the fronts.

It’s actually going much quicker than I expected. See the cute little rounded corners on the fronts? Here’s a close up.

These edges are supposed to be finished with crochet at the end. I haven’t quite figured out how I’m going to manage that yet.
Yesterday we delivered the shawl to the Easter Show. My confidence took a hit! They’re beautiful! When we got there, we queued, then after we registered the shawl, we got to walk down to the table for the section the shawl is in. I didn’t get to hang around and have a good look, and everything was nicely folded, but there was a gorgeous cashmere shawl there. I’ll take pictures when we go back, but there is some very stiff competition.
Twink spent the weekend looking for food.

Now, she’s definitely not underfed, but she’s never been known to say no to more!
And the pigeons are getting braver. They know where Twinkie’s food usually is, and aren’t afraid to come in looking for it now.

They even seem to get a little indignant if we’re late serving breakfast!