Oh how could I have deserted you my blog!

It may appear to some tat I have been totally slack and not up to much but I assure you good readers (if indeed there are any of you out there), that I have been turning over the stitches and moving on with the knitting projects as well as cycling up a storm.  I have also been working - yup that ole 4-letter word again but hey, it pays the bills and there's been a lot of those lately as well.

I hereby promise to post a little more often - maybe once a month even - and update you all on the movements Chez Harrow.  You will hear for instance of my acquiring clippy type cycling shoes for my birthday and of the spectacular fall - no speed involved - just a sideways OMG-I'm-going-over-splat type fall that has both my knees looking like one of those hand-dyed fibre plaits - purple, green tinged with yellow and there's a hint of blue-black as well.  Ouch!

I have also finished stuff - THE BLACK LACE for one and the Featherweight Cardigan for another.  Also several assorted shawls, scarves and hats some of which have gone to recipients of swap parcels and some that will be appearing at the Perth Royal Show (more on that later when I know how that's worked!) 

Went to the Australia Sheep and Wool Show for my birthday with a couple of knitting friends to meet many other of my knitting, spinning, dyeing and various other fibrey craft type friends (courtesy of the Rav).  It was an absolute blast and I'd go again in a heartbeat.  You can tell from these pictures how much fun it was and that was just dinner!

Anyhow - must be going to get some sleep so's I can get up in the morning and do it all again in preparation for next time....yaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwnnnnn!  Nighty, night!

Different Views of Toodyay - Queen's Birthday Long Weekend (June 5-7, 2010) - Part 2

To contrast with the previous post, on the first weekend of June the lovely HelenG and AnnL of Knitting Inspirations held their annual knitting retreat at Avalon Homestead in Toodyay.  Husband Perry rode the distance to Toodyay while I took everything else in the big car with my bike in the back - a great splitting of workload I thought.  I got to spend a little longer in town doing a few things I had deferred for far too long and then a weekend knitting - no downsides there at all.

We had a number of things planned into our weekend - a workshop on top down knitting, planning a sweater - how to change yarns and deal with differing gauge, knitting with beads and finishing techniques.  We had a yarn market on Friday afternoon and a parade of FOs (Finished Objects) before dinner that evening.  Saturday night was to be a pyjama party and on Sunday, lunch was planned at Pecan Hill, a short walk from the homestead.  I had asked attendees who would be interested in a bike ride to Rivermist Alpacas, about 18km away on the Northam-Toodyay Road.  A group of six including Perry and myself were to ride.

Evenings following dinner were taken up with the knit-a-long (KAL) for Ann's new top down pattern or finishing the never-ending stream of WIPs (works in progress) that seem to accumulate around the house.  I had at least six to eight going from scarves to socks and cardigans.  Much wine was consumed and chocolate was seen at various points around the 'comfy chair' room.  The coffee machine was also well patronised.  All fibre-y things were in evidence - spinning, knitting, crochet and also tapestry plus a bit of weaving on the gotta-have-it-now miniloom.

I managed to cast on and finish a cabled beanie on the Saturday.  Also made progress on several other projects that I seem to just carry around lately.  I have become convinced that some are being unravelled as I sleep as no amount of knitting time is making any of them closer to being finished.