Selfish knitting

Well, I got sick of knitting for others (the festive spirit only goes so far, it would seem!), and with all this coldness decided I needed a new cardy. And a hat. And some mittens. But one thing at a time - back of new cardy:

It is Jo Sharp's Wrap Jacket, from Knit Issue 3, knitted from soemthing that I can't remember at the moment (the details are on my ravelry thingy), but it was the biggest bargain in the entire world. I bought it in Australia a few years ago when Lincraft had started stocking more yarn, but knitting hadn't quite caught on the way it has now. Also, it was a little uncool on the shelf, plain and lonely next to all the blingy big sparkly fashion yarns. So it went on sale. And I picked up 15 balls of lovely German 100% merino in a very usable colour for less than $20 Aus dollars. I actually think it was something like $16, but I lost the receipt eventually. For those that aren't sure, thats about £8. Insane. And worth bringing with us to the UK.

This pattern seems to be working out ok so far - I am knitting a size bigger due to not quite getting gauge, but not liking the fabric when knit on bigger needles.

I am now forcing myself to knit hats for poor little new babies who are desperately cold, I reckon. I really just want to get on and finish this though! And then there are the grand plans for the hat, and the mittens....it'll be spring by the time I am through!

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Revelry

Well, no - Ravelry, actually! I am now in - wordsandstitchs (surprise surprise). I have done absolutely nothing yet, cause I literally just got the message, but I will spend a fair bit of the weekend exploring, no doubt!
And there has been knitting...dreadful, self-indulgent, egocentric knitting that is all about me and nothing about christmas presents! but this does mean it is blogable. Except I have to wait to the weekend to scrounge any little speck of natural light for pics - so I promise, photos soon!

Winners! There are winners (finally)

Sorry to everyone for being so slack - I am not sure why I thought I would be able to sort out the blog competition in the middle of last week, being the potential (and actual) disaster that it was. And then, our new computer turned up on Friday, so I have spent any available time getting it online and up to speed. Which it now is, and so....

Winners!

Given that none fo the winners listed a preference for a prize, I just allocated prizes according to draw, based on how they were listed on the blog post. So, S did the honours, and...

Congrats to Jenn, who won the yarn, Turtle won the shawl pin, and Stephieface won the book! Yay! I don't have email contacts for Jenn or Turtle, so if you could email me with your address details, little parcels will be heading your way soon!

Thanks to everyone who entered - it has been great getting to know some new blogs, and seeing what everyone else is doing.

Billions of Buttons

Well, not billions, but some. A lovely postman delivered this on Saturday morning, a purchase from EBay. What a great Saturday - buttons, knitting, new friends, then partying to the wee hours.

There are some beauties in this lot - I am very happy. Something ridiculously lovely about all these buttons. And despite what S might think, there is a purpose to them all, but it is a bit of a surprise (and you'll only get to see if it works - otherwise, we'll just call it a collection!)

Total Lack of Bitching

This is surely the only complaint I could have about the UK Stitch & Bitch yesterday. Completely devoid of bitching. Apart from the fact that I was late to meet up with the wonderful Esmerelda (yes, she is every bit as great in person as her blog would lead you to believe) it was fantastic. Great company, friendly friendly people all around, knitting happening everywhere you looked, and the stalls...wow. A few from folks that I hoped would be there, things I have looked at for ages but held off buying. Some were completely new to me - even the extremely local Oxford Kitchen Yarns, whose stuff was so pretty. The Natural Dye Studio yarns were spectacular - E & I spent some time marvelling at how they could possibly be plant dyes. Anyway, I bought a few things. Well, a little more than a few, but most (well, half) were presents & stuff so I can't blog them all yet.

Here's what I got for me....

Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Shop Aran weight yarn. I loves loves loves this - I was thinking a hat maybe? Maybe for me? Is so very good, I want to pet it all the time! Even S thinks the grey is nice. Was very reasonably priced and they had some spectacular garments.

This is one of the fantastic Natural Dye Studio merino tencel sock yarns - it isn't quite right colourwise - a bit more greeny and variegated. But gorgeous. So lovely and shiny and gorgeous. For socks, once again for me, I reckon!

And this is for you! Well, for one of you, anyway. This is the contest yarn - 100g (460y) of Knitwitches Sock Yarn, machine washable Blue Faced Leicester/nylon, in the colourway Wine Gums. It is a much richer, deeper purple than in the pic, with subtle variations. I love it. I am going to have a hard time parting with it!

So get commenting - I'll draw winners on Thursday!

And finally - guess who bought one of these? And it wan't me....

(excuse the bad phone-camera pic)

Sweet Weekendy Bliss

I'm sorry, I just have to have a little gloat. Not only did I make it through the week, and most importantly through a big seminar presentation this morning, but tomorrow, I get to go to this, buy yarn and meet this fantastic person in actuality! And then a party! I am afraid that the excitement may be all too much for me. Well, the excitement and possibly the champagne.

Let just forget that I haven't finished all the work I need to do for next week - and its looking like a killer. Instead, I'm going to go and have the celebratory one, maybe even in the bath...mmmmm. Happy weekend y'all. I will return with yarny prizes for my contest (don't forget to comment!)

Autumnul shades

I love Autumn. Since we moved to England, it has really become a favourite season. There is such rapid change and shifts in colours and growth, and it influences my moods...I feel nostalgic and homely and...kind of grown up (which of course, I would deny at any other time of year). I have made bramble jam and quince cheese, I yearn to make bread and meals with beans. Most of all, I love the fungi.

Ever since I was little, I loved mushrooms, toadstools and fungi. I remember trying to grow them, once I learned about spores (very unsuccessful). I remember making spore prints from mushrooms, fixing them to the paper with hairspray. I haven't eaten many, but our recent trip to Italy reignited a passion for fungi, mainly due to fresh porcini.

Anyway, here are some pics from my recent fungi encounters whilst out and about in the local area:

OK, this is just moss - but ain't it pretty!

More Contests Even!

Miss T is having her blogiversary contest too - go check it out!

Contests everywhere!

Looks like 'tis the season!
Esmerelda is having a 100 blog celebratory do (blog snap!) so see what she has to give away (lovely lovely things!)
Anne is having a contest for November too - she is asking for your favourite patterns, so is a good way to sneaky a look at what everyone else is knitting too!
Go and check them out - and good luck!
(oh, and remember to say that I sent you! )

100 Posts!

( Random pumpkin image - totally irrelevant)

It feels like only yesterday.... actually, it doesn't. It feels like years and whole other lifetimes ago that I started this blog. But only 99 posts later, I feel such gratitude to my little rambling blog - I have met wonderful people and feel that I am part of a wider community of knitters and genuinely great folks. So I figured it was time for a little celebration! A competition, even!

Here's the deal:
Post a comment telling me about your most successful/disasterous/favourite yarn substitution. I am deep in the throes of trying to use up my stash - gleefully substituting yarns and only sometimes getting it right. I am keen to hear advice, pitfalls, and pointers! I'll pick winners via random number thingy.
Also, if you wanna put this competition on your blog, you can - anyone who enters and says they came from your blog will earn you an extra entry.
Now - the goodies!

• As I am going to the London Stitch 'n Bitch next weekend (small scream stifled) there will be a yarn prize from there. Sorry not to be more specific, but I will run the comp until after next weekend if you wanna wait to see.
• Also, there will be one of my dad's 'shawl pins' available (pictured below or more info here if you didn't see them before) - probably one of the ones pictured. They are hand-carved from Tasmanian timbers.
• For the non-knitterly, there is a copy of Richard Flanagan's 'Goulds Book of Fish' - my favourite Tasmanian piece of literature.

So what are you waiting for? Post away! And let me know which prize you would like (or if you don't care!) Entries close Wed 14th November.