I love my Secret Pal

Well, I know she's an Aussie (assuming she is a she!) and I also know that "they" are amazing! She is a last-minute "Angel" and boy has she done well! Picture first, then a list:



4 skeins of Silk garden,
1 ball of a hand-dyed slub yarn (100% totally Australian, mate!)
1 ball of Opal cotton sock yarn (hmmm....)
1 miniature bookbinding kit
2 sets of old UK-sized double pointed needles (a girl can never have too many needles)
1 book of pure, unadulterated SOCKS!
A pattern for a hand-crocheted scarf (I've never seen anything like that before!)
A pattern for a beautiful shawl/stole
Some froggy chocolates! (see this entry for why)
And a lovely postcard that (to me anyway) looks like eucalyptus leaves from a distance.

So, I'm thinking of wrist warmers from the slubby wool yarn, some lacy socks from the Opal, possibly a waistcoat or shawl from the Silk Garden.

Progress on Christmas gifts: I've done with the second sleeve on my Dad's raglan and I'm now on to the body (and I'm getting nervous about the amount of yarn I've got left), Mum's waistcoat is going slowly, the Mystery item #2 hasn't moved a single stitch, neither has the scarf.

Ta, Ta, for now.

Added: 01/12/04
Hello Secret Pal 3.2! I just recieved an email from SP 3.1 re. the book, and you are quite right that I didn't know there were two of you! I really feel spoilt now! Thank you both!

The great Ample Knitters button exchange

Thank you Zelda!

1 elephant,
4 gold filagree buttons,
6 metal (and I think stone) buttons - 5 small and 1 large,
3 rhomboid "tortoiseshell" buttons.



I love the internet!

Baby got back

Well, Klaralund does, anyway!




I sewed up about 5 cm/2" of the back, just to stop it slipping off my shoulders and I left the garter stitch at the bottom to act like vents. All the details on mods, yarn and pattern can be found here.

I'm mid-way through updating my home pages, so some will still have the old font, and some the new. It looks really messy at the moment, but it will look better in the end!

It's been a year since my Grandad died (it seems simultaneously longer and shorter than that). After he died, I made my tribute to him in the best way I knew how: I knit a jumper in his honour. I'm wearing it today, but I wear it all the time and I think of him whenever I do.

Tommorow: the great Ample Knitters Button Exchange!

Aww, how cute!

I was asked to knit some preemie stuff for my mum's friend's friend's baby (still with me?) and these are the results:



I couldn't get a good photo of the colour - it's pale blue.

OK, some other stuff: it was brought to my attention by the lovely Emma that the blogger default for comment posting is for registered users only. Oops! I've now rectified that so anyone can post, so if you've tried in the past an couldn't, you can now!

Secret Pal 3 is drawing to a close and I've really liked sending stuff to my pal, although I'm waiting to recieve my goodies - I can't wait!

I'm still not sure about the shrug/shawl/bedjacket now. I'm thinking of either my own version of this as seen on Froggy or this as seen in Knitty - so another shrug or a waistcoat (vest)? I'll mull it over because I'm still going strong on this:




and this:


and these:



Phew!

Shrug/shawl/bedjacket is no more

The more astute might notice that the Shrug has gone from 40% to 0%. It's gone to the frog pond.

The pattern is from here and it's written for a worsted weight mohair. I was making it from Rowan Cork which is a chunky yarn. I'd guessed about the number of stitches I should cast on and I think I got it about right. However, I've decided to dump the 8mm needles in favour of the 10mm I should have used in the first place.

Ah, well, there in lies a lesson!

Klaralund done!

Well, it's been fun while it lasted, but Klara is finally finished. Obviously when I say finished what I actually mean is I've still got one seam to sew up and I also need to wash it, but still!

I finally got around to buying a digital camera and it should be here early next week - yay!

So, pictures of Klara tomorrow (assuming it stops raining for five minutes).

Addendum: (12/11/04)

Camera arrived today and I finally got pictures of Klara. Please bear in mind that they are terrible quality because (1) it was very dark and (2) I was taking the pictures myself.