hard life...

Life has been hard lately. No worries, no real tragedies, but stupid things at work and A LOT of pressure. I haven't exploded, yet, and keep comforting myself with some "evening therapy".

So let's start with the hats:

This one is a wonderful Woolywormhead pattern (rav link) called Aeonium. It's very easy to knit and the result is really impressive.

I knitted it with 4.5 mm needles with an unknown 100% wool that has a fantastic stitch definition!

This other hat is again from Woolly Wormhead! The pattern is Medici (rav link) and it is another beauty.

This time I used an alpaca blend and the result is super soft!

Finally a really clever pattern from a Ravelry friend that I test knit.

I love it and I'm so lucky I could make it!

bread making

sometimes it can be a bit adventurous

But it is always very rewarding!

ah, the witch!

I have been blocked "slightly" by a back problem.

So no much happening for me, except a wonderful weekend at home trying to recover. And as everything bad always comes with something good, I had a lot of time for knitting!

Now, I have some FO to show, but of course no photos, so just resist a bit: as soon as I get back some mobility, I'll be able to document my progress.

The photo is from two weeks ago, when we visited the fantabulous Genoa aquarium. I think it is appropriate, as I'm floating through space, trying to avoid tricky movements (though most of the people would say I'm a bit stiff, rather than floaty).

wonderful clouds

Spring is coming!

a birthday present

Two days ago we celebrated S. birthday.

I managed to finish something for her I'm very happy with!

And she did like it.

The pattern of this shouldrette comes from Vogue Knitting on the go - vintage knits, it is very easy and comes out absolutely well (rav link).

I used Mondial Merino Plus (52% wool - 48 Acrylic) and 6mm needles.

The colours are beautiful, and the shouldrette was very well received: it really fits well and will warm her up ... next winter!

Another shawl

This is a new shawl I just finished.

Pattern: Mormor's shawl by Emma Fassio (rav link) Yarn: unknown yarn from market, 4 skeins, approx 400m Modifications to the pattern: added a feather and fan border, as per lorelosthinteusa (rav link) This is one of the 10 shawls I plan to knit in 2010

I'm very pleased with the result and it was really a lot of fun to knit this one!

another ishbel

I have finally blocked it, and now it can have its own post!

It's another Ishbel, pattern by Ysolda Teague, knit using a wonderful skein sent me by Katie. It's a Yarn Yard wool, it has gorgeous brown shades and is very soft.

As it wasn't enough, I did the final repeats of the border using a Paton's tweedy - silky wool.

The points of this shawl are very nice, and indeed useful, as when you use the shawl as a scarf they help it to stay where you put it.

I took lots of photos, but will try to behave and stop adding them here now...

a severe case of "startitis"

Last weekend plans involved finishing projects... But instead I was hit by a severe case of startitis, and started four projects! One is huge, one medium and two small. And yesterday a started even another one!

Being far from my stash for a while, left me itching of starting new things, and now that I can access to it every evening, I start new projects everytime!

I have also started to write my first "pattern", well, not really a big thing, just a very simple and easy hat. Let's say it is a test, so that I'm forced to find a layout, and think what is needed to make a radable pattern.

catching up

Being back is good, and given the lack of posts lately, I do have plenty to write about!

So let's start with some finished knits, thay have all been given away at Christmas.

First a pair of socks I made for G., she had wanted them for so long, that I did manage to complete them before Christmas, so that she could finally have one pair.

I used a merino wool from the mill, so with no label but of excellent quality and very soft indeed.

The pattern is a generic toe-up sock with short rows heel that I made up as I knit. From memory, I started with 12 stitches, the foot was 48 stitches, and that's all about it. I had the measures of the feet, and made the socks accordingly. They seemed to fit, and are being used.

I'm starting to consider to write down the patterns I make, and have them on Ravelry for free, even though they are so basic and simple, that I think nobody could be really interested (and there are already lot's of this kind of patterns there!). Anyhow, I would do it as a selfish thing, so that I preserve some memory of what I do.

a long-due post

This is to officially thank Katie, a wonderful sp14 partner, who sent me a beautiful Christmas card and never heard back from me....

No excuses here, other than I did leave for a while, and left the card home, and was lost in many things. Of course, I knew I would write about this as soon as I got home, and here it is!

THANK YOU, Katie!

knit knit knit!

It is a long time I'm not writing here a decent, long post. Well, this is the period of the year when I'm away, and keep updated the other blog, and that's already quite a lot of work. And then I'm here working, and there is some time to devote to knitting and to friends!

The annual Melbourne pullover is progressing, maybe a little bit slowly, I fear I will not finish before coming home (eeek, only one week and a half is left!).

And I have been kitting also other things... One was sent out today to its new home. The other, which I show you here, has left for the states on saturday, in the hands of its new owner.

Infact as soon as I knew a dear friend here was leaving to the States I thought she needed a good scarf, passim from the 36°C here to several °C below zero there.

I managed to knit it in a week, which is quite an accomplishment for me. And not having nough red yarn (it was finished when I got back to the shop), I decided to make it in red and grey. And i'm rather pleased of the result, and hope my friend liked it too!

It's another Ishbel (rav link), pattern from Ysolda, and the wool is Cleckheaton Country Silk 8 ply, an 85%wool-15%silk mix that is very pleasant to knit and touch!

This is my third ishbel (the second is home, needing blocking and some finishing...), and I feel it is time to try some other patterns!

I have bought some whool here, I usually try to resist to temptations, also because there is not much room in the suitcase, but feel I might still have good occasions before coming back. I have already 4 fantastic special skeins in my hand (not counting a whole pullover + 4 skeins + 5 skeins for felting). Oh, shame, now that I read it, I haven't been so resistent, after all!

Trallallà

I'm so happy that i finally decided (after much debate within myself) to get this new toy!

It works perfectly, makes beautiful skeins and has the power to realx me! I can envisage myself at home skeining all that wool in my messy closet. This will bring some order and a lot of fun: what else to ask for?

Wise messages!

You can find the right directions all around you, it's just a matter of seeing them ....

alive and ... knitting!

Since I have left I haven't written much... Actally, I'm not writing much on the travelling blog either... I'm busy working, and in the free time catching up with friends and having good times with them. Of course, some knitting is happening (and knitting groups, and exploring knitting shops!).

Infact, I'm working at my usual Melbourne jumper, the only big project I'm able to complete every year... And here is proofs that this is happening!

I'm also working on other projects, I just completed a scarf which will remain here (no photos until it arrives to its owner), and i have also started another scarf for a good friend.

Australia day

December...

First of all,

happy Christmas to everybody!

Where is december gone? it was simply so busy, preparing for leaving with all those things happening, that I didn't have much time to write here.

We have now happily arrived in Melbourne, so I now will have time for delated updates (some finished objects, many projects that will have to wait for a couple of months, and maybe some new exciting findings?), and will resume also the travelling blog for family and friends (in italian).

Be prepared for some news soon!

another BSJ

Lately I have lots of friend waiting for babies!

Ah, that's the perfect occasion for baby knitting, a wonderful and rewarding activity.

So I have cast on, and actually also finished, another BSJ (Baby Surprise Jacket). It is a fantastic pattern, Elisabeth Zimmerman was a real "genius", as many say!

I bought this wool at Spaccio Mafil, a reasle from a big company, and thay have very nice wools. It's a bit of an expensive place (oh well, cheaper than any store) but they also have special offers that are really good priced. This is 100% merino superwash and extremely soft. I made it using 4mm needles, and then bought buttons at the market. I'm quite pleased with the result, and in the meantime I have made another baby jacket (different model) that only needs to be seamed and buttons. So be prepared for some baby items soon!

knitting my way through december..

I'm more busy than ever, so there is not much time for blogging. Actually, usually I collaps in bed quite early, these days, so also the knitting has been suffering. Which didn't prevent me from casting on new things!

I have some "secret" finished objects (FO), but others are absolutely public, and here they are!

Let's start with hats:

This is Urchin (rav link) by Ysolda Teague. Knitted with 7mm needles, with an unknown yard: a nice, fast and satysfying knit, ideal for last minute gifts (I made it in one evening!). Here is my page project.

Also this was a project that I did as a KAL with the kn.it group on Ravelry. I'm SO happy that I joined, there are so many nice and talented women there, and it was a pleasure to keep in touch with them, and we are planning many other group knitting events.

I find these group things particularly satysfying, we are a relaxed group, and when you are too busy you can just participate silently, but on the other hand when there is sometime, it's great to be able to interact and chat with nice people in a realxed way and on so many topics!!

Second hat is Mayrose, by Woolly Wormhead. It was one of the two mystery hats of the november KAL of the Woolly group on Ravelry. This has been pure fun, pity that I was not able to make also the other pattern, everglade, but I'll definitely make it soon, even though slouchy hats are not my fave (I plan to do it less slouchy).

This mistery Kal has been really good, with lots of nice paticipants and wonderful hats. I was a bit overwhelmed with work and followed silently, but I enjoyed myseld a lot.

fall

Lately the weather has been dull, with a lot of fog, and these are the views while I cycle to work...

Luckly, today it is absolutely beautiful, so I will close with another b&w experiment of mines... (but shot some weeks ago in Bobbio)

Lacy Baktus

Finally autumn has arrived: it has been raining the whole week-end, and we have stayde home finally doing tons of things that had been waiting for ever. First of all I have changed the weels of my car, they were really worn out and almost dangerous. This took almost a whole day, but with some patience, wemanaged to sqeeze in several other things while waiting. Then we cleaned the house, and also built a new shoe storage in one of the closets: now there will be some ordering and throwing away, and finally this part of the house will be tidy.

Knit-wise, I have been working hard on completing projects, and I'm now at the sewing, end.darning stage, which always takes ages.

But not to leave you without photos, here is a nice, autumnal scarf, a Lacy Baktus (ravelry link, flickr link).

I had these two skeins of this wool since a long time (it's naturalana, tesse by kroma, and I used 3.5 mm needles), and have finally found the perfect project to use them. I' very happy with the scarf, I used up every bit of wool, and managed to frog half the scarf notwithstanding the pattern simplicity! All in all i'm very happy of this scarf, the only downside note is that I would have made it a bit larger, but there is no wool left over!

My niece had asked me a poncho for christmas; luckly I had not started it yet as today she has announced me she wants socks! Hopefully, no more changes of mind.... I will cast on this week, as soon as I finish the lovely Ishbel I cast on last week!