Catching up like a fast pilot

 Well back on Easter Saturday I took a break and caught up with School friends that some haven't seen me in 20 years. A great afternoon but would have been better if the reason we came together was a tad nicer than the one we had. We had said farewell and see you on the other side to a friend.

All being that most see me on Facebook they knew I was snowed under in work to knit and crochet and one was game enough to ask how was it all going. Still it was good just to get together and catch up.

 So another break between all the swamped under of madness list I have to make was Last Sundays Wings Over Illawarra Air Show with Matt Hall of Red Bull Air Race fame as guest. We have a rule with my friends no knitting when the planes fly so I had a day off.

 Matt did a great display and was a lovely guy to meet and get a picture with. Yes I choose to go for the Gold pass this year which include my meals and refreshments. As well as access to nice facilities and meeting Matt Hall. I am saving for next year as well to get the same pass.

So at Afternoon Tea while planes fly out I hit reality I have bootees, beanies and vests to knit for one place, 2 tea cosys for another and 7 baby sets for the other. I have to knuckle in and do serious work. So I am ticking off the off the orders and making progress. This week I am on the Baby sets and hope to announce a website soon that they will be sold on.

Just a matter of Shawl

Well it all started with a bank error and once the pay rolled into my account other money started to roll along too. I already had planned to work on a baby set over the easter break until a call came, 1 shawl on order please. So on the Thursday night I started (21st March) and had a 3 week limit. Thankfully I was close to the edge come Monday. I then get a call for 2 teacup teacosys to be made and have until May on that. So I have still got half an idea how it should be and then right after a ISB Performance I get yet another call and its another shawl and a 4 weeks completion frame.

So 2 shawls, 2 tea cosys and a baby set along with bootees and beanies extra. My weekend was to be crocheting. Well I was planning a short outing to catch up with friends that lasted much longer and was very enjoyable. I think the fact that a 20 year gap between conversations made it a good night.

Well I made it to 2 rounds of the edge of the 1st Shawl and will work on the centre of the 2nd while at work this evening.

Sample of wool

 A Part of the work I have been assigned to make has been using Alpaca Ultimate to show how the yarn looks made into garments. The yarn will be sold via the Country Treasure website when it goes live. So we have baby pink 4 ply in Pat jacket above and Motif Jacket below.

 Then we have Sky Blue that looks a lot more like a steel blue to my eyes when worked up. It became the Dolmain Cardigan and next along the line is White into a Heather set beanie. Hopefully the whole set.

So all this work and time has meant I got behind and also had delays due to the humidity. Now Autumn is here I can relax watch sports or DVD's and get stuck into it all. If only the Bandmaster will understand this work is more serious and requires less time in the band room doing music and more in the chair working.

cruising along the months

Well I have a new computer and a lot still to setup and there might not be photos for a tad longer yet. I have a ton of stuff to make and its all out of hand. I also have Salvos Market Day and not a lot of stock yet. So this week is busy with too much to stock and too many places to stock up.

Hopefully I get my camera software installed soon to add pics again.

show times

Well December and January go along in a sense of crazy not the whole festive and Carols thing but the fact shows are right on the heels.

So I started out with Dapto show and well 1st for baby set, 1st for best knitted scarf and then 2nd for the 2 pairs of bootees, Matinee Jacket and Crochet jacket. Pity it is not a big patronised pavillion either it was a case of the same lot trying to see who gets what this year.

Kiama is this weekend and thankfully its healthy in entries. I did snatch a 1st for the crochet jacket, 2nd for Baby set and 2nd for a baby vest in alpaca. I cannot complain but didn't enjoy the lecture of one lady  making sure I knew what times to do things like drop off and pick up. The ladies who have done this for many years have not got used to me like Dapto have. I only turn up and people know me by name not only as a sponsor but as a member and entrant. So different between the 2 for my age group one openly looks for you the other trying to say you know nothing after many years of membership and entering.

So now it is back to making stock for the 2 places and back to the hamster wheel so it seems.

Getting there

 Set 3 is a BWM set and well 4 is the same pattern only in alpaca. Hopefully I get some more wool for the stock building before the go live next year.

 But a change is on its way and well I made a fresh tea cosy for Kiama Show. It may get more embellishing yet but so far this is it. Pattern from Art Viva says its is a medium pot size but it is on a 8 cup pot so its a large size.

 Cute and easy teacup and saucer.

 My new special garden bed courtesy of my neighbours.and all planted out with various seeds.

This rose is a new addition for me Gift of Grace and has a beautiful perfume.

Fire in the Blood!

 Well it has been mostly working on the baby sets bar 1 night of excellent distraction. I spent last Saturday night at Sydney Congress Hall listening to a band of Youth aged between 14 and 30 with a ring in dad as well. The Sydney Youth Band were celebrating in music the 10 years of time since it was formed and wow what a night and some very challenging pieces were played. I can say I am friends with a number of them as well.

 But work has been completed before the trip to Sydney. Shale Lace is done and ready to go once I get the Heather set no 1 done. It was an ok pattern once I got over the 279 stitches a row for 14.5 cm. But all good its done and the website should go live in early 2013.

 These bootees were a tad different to my normal pattern so once I got the 1st done I had the 2nd real easy.

So this weekend is for another set and then we will see how we go for a Monday posting date.