Wednesday, 26 June 2013

CV - five things about me

1. In winter I exclusively wear trousers and striped socks

365_343

In summer I love dresses

365_198

2. I'm building a huge curtain using bottle caps (see my life list, it's somewhere there!)

365_213

3. I spy rocks

40020033

4.  I love photography (also knitting, but it doesn't count here....)

DSC_0135

5. I would love to raise my chickens

IMG_1717


Corner view is a weekly appointment hosted by Francesca at Fuoriborgo, where lovely participants from all over the world gather together once a week to share incredible ideas and experiences.

Friday, 21 June 2013

steeking!!!

This year I have a knitting plan to accomplish: to produce a sweater each for my family. It's quite a task, and I foresee I'll need more than a year, but I have thrown myself into it with enthusiasm.

I have already produced a nice sweater for mum, so I just need only anothe 6 sweaters after all (+ one for myself, maybe).

So the most sensible plan was to start with the smaller one.....

DSC_4357

and maybe throw in something new to learn, such as steeking! And color work, using icelandic wool.

DSC_4879

The pattern is Olga by Olga Hallgrímsdóttir.
It is really easy and satisfying.

DSC_4361

And it was a success!

DSC_4528

Thursday, 20 June 2013

another woollywormhead hat

I finished thia quite a long ago.
I really love it!

DSC_4995

It's a woolly wormhead pattern, houndale, I love them all!

DSC_4978

The construction is simple and clever, and the finished hat fits well and is lovely!

DSC_4979

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

CV - sights / special places of interest (that aren't mentioned in tourist guides)

Last week I went to Aspromonte, in Calabria to work in the field.

We crossed the Messina strait to go there from Catania

IMG_1647

The landscapes are stunning

IMG_1544

IMG_1537

IMG_1531

we met great people

IMG_1498

it was hot but breezy

IMG_1564

and there were flowers and insects

IMG_1550

Unfortunately this beautiful place is not a touristic area, it sits in the middle of lands dominated by organized crime, and even though the people you meet are really great, it is not a completely "safe place" (do not mistake me, if you go there nothing will happen, and you'll have a good time). It saddens me so much that today in this country there are places where people do not have the same rights and opportunities as in the rest of the country, and my heart explodes when I see such beauty left to itself and exposed to savage exploitment, in the hands of few who oppress the majority.
Corner view is a weekly appointment hosted by Francesca at Fuoriborgo, where lovely participants from all over the world gather together once a week to share incredible ideas and experiences.

Tuesday, 18 June 2013

last week in Catania

Last week we were in Sicily.
I love Sicily, it is so varied, rich of history and landscapes, friendly people and good food: what do you want more.
We were in Catania to work with great people.

IMG_1683

The symbol of Catania is the Liotru, this nice elephant

The town is great, by night

IMG_1650

and day

IMG_1721

Full of pictoresque and interesting views

IMG_1676

IMG_1669

and churches

IMG_1688

people

IMG_1689

life!

IMG_1708

there were huge murals

IMG_1710

IMG_1712

and views

IMG_1731

and the Etna smoking in the background!!!

IMG_1753


Friday, 14 June 2013

a little failure

I had eyed this nice model (Escargot by Veronica Parsons, here free on knittyon Ravelry since a long time, and I have finally given it a go....

DSC_3850

It's a gorgeous hat and a simple knit, but it came out SO big that I had to frog it!

DSC_3852

I will re-use it for something better fitting!

Thursday, 13 June 2013

we are back

We have been away to the field

IMG_1547
(fiumara in Calabria, near Bianco)

and to a wonderful place

IMG_1654
(Catania, Via dei Crociferi by night)

meeting great friends, working hard, having fun and surviving accidents.....

IMG_1637

All is well, life is varied, as usual.

IMG_1630

Wednesday, 12 June 2013

CV - Europe

Europe is my home, I still remember when the Euro came into life, I was working in France and all became suddenly so much easier.

365_286
(Amalfi, Italy)

And no more customs when moving.

365_332
(Paris, France)

And the proudness of being part of something bigger, different but united.

365_250
(Mariánské Lázně, Czech Republic)

Of course there is still much a way to go, but so much has been done! I like Europe, I'm convinced it is the right way to go, and maybe you should know a little bit more about it too!

365_253a
(Nurnberg, Germany)

Corner view is a weekly appointment hosted by Francesca at Fuoriborgo, where lovely participants from all over the world gather together once a week to share incredible ideas and experiences.

Wednesday, 5 June 2013

CV - somewhere else

Here I am back after quite a while, life is being complex and full of things, but all is well. And I could not return with this theme, after all right now I'm somewhere else, in the field with colleagues (more when I get back!).

365_034

Tuesday, 4 June 2013

a small baby cardi and some hats

While we were away at the beginning of the year, I knitted a small baby cardi for E. In the meantime we have seen her again a couple of weeks ago and she has grown so much! I love her, she is so cute, always smiling and of good humor, so bright and sunny, she really brings happiness wherever she is.

365_038

The pattern is simple and satisfying

DSC_3397

It is the Top Down Garter Stitch Baby Jacket by Nancy Elizabeth Munroe, free on revelry, knitted with 3 skeins of cleckheaton county 8 ply. It also involved going button hunting, which I confess was really a lot of fun, and made me discover a nice little shop in the outskirts of Melbourne.

DSC_3391

Finally, with the leftover yarn, I managed to knit two hats:
the first is kilkanna, by woolly wormhead, one of my favourite hats designers (go and have a look at her website, there a lots of free pattern, and she has a great group on Ravalry too.


DSC_3764



DSC_3815


DSC_3812

The second is staggered, again fro woolly wormhead, and again a great, easy pattern that is excellent for men and women alike.

DSC_4379

And it is also double face!

DSC_4376