Little One

Oh dear. I can't believe it's been almost a month since I last updated! A lot has happened, as tends to be the case when you let blogging lapse for a while. I feel really bad about that because I know my Secret Pal has had very little to work with and very little blog-based thanks. I'm usually a lot better at blogging than I have been showing lately.

So what is newsworthy and what can I just write off as "stuff happens"? Newsworthy item numer one would have to be my third SP package, thanks to my Secret Pal (who really has been wonderful, despite the lack of entries here). I am not exactly sure when it arrived but I picked it up from mum's this afternoon (all my packages get sent to mum's) and it contained two skeins of a linen & cotton blend yarn, a beautiful crocheted-edged handtowel, a very cute pen and some delicious chocolate! It would be my favourite, if I could get it here!

The towel has pride of place on my towel rail in the bathroom - I think all my towels could benefit from a nice, crocheted edge...

The reason I haven't been crocheting much (and I have been doing a little) lately, particularly this week, is because I adopted a kitten last Saturday who has been keeping me on my toes and would be impossible to crochet around. Given his penchant for my yarn, I haven't actually attempted crocheting - I think he needs to be a bit older and grow out of this psychotic kitten phase before I start dangling yarn in front of him and expect him to ignore it. He's really very sweet, 9 weeks old and from the RSPCA (where everyone should go to get their pets). He hasn't got a name yet because I haven't found one that suits him that he responds to but we're working on it. Usually he's "Sweetie", "Little One" or "Cheeky Chops" depending on what he's doing or how I'm feeling...

The best time is, of course, "snuggle time" and he really is a snuggle-loving cat and he does sleep on my lap when he's all played out. I love it when he does that but I must admit, I am not terribly keen on the midnight crazies which keep happening (starting around this time and going on for goodness knows how long - I get exhausted just watching him and then eventually I fall asleep). I am sure one day I'll come home from work and want to play with him and he just won't be interested, too busy trying to sleep or whatever, so I try and appreciate his playfulness now, even if I am literally covered in scratches. He hasn't learned his manners yet but he's getting there.

Poor Angel, she came over for a visit this evening and she was petrified of the kitten. Angel has been putting on weight lately and she's really quite solid - added to the fact that she needs a good haircut and I have been dealing with a 500g kitten, when I saw her tonight, I was more than a bit surprised. She felt heavy, too - as I discovered when she clambered up my back and perched her rather rotund body on my shoulder! In addition to having the only dog in the world who is frightened I'm going to run away from her when we go out, I can also say I have the wimpiest dog in creation. She is at least 10x the size of the cat and she becomes even more of a quivering mess if he so much as looks at her. I hope kitty settles down and Angel can learn to live with him because I really want her here with me and I might not have been so keen to get a cat (although I do love cats) if I didn't think it would be good for her to have company if she does come here, instead of being here by herself when I'm at work.

Anyway, it's ominously silent "out there" so I must go and investigate because, as I have learned, ominous silence during the midnight crazies is not the best thing. I'll leave off with two photos:



I have some more updating I need to do so hopefully tomorrow will be a good time for it!

No Aphrodisiac

I have been so slack posting lately but even worse with my crocheting - I haven't done any crocheting worth mentioning for what feels like the longest time. It's a bit sad really, when I'm watching TV I want to crochet but I don't know what to start...

Today has been very boring, I just cleaned...

I don't usually bother with YouTube but I really wanted to listen to this song tonight and I can't find my CD so ...


"No Aphrodisiac" - The Whitlams.

My Secret Pal has let me know another package is on the way, I am looking forward to it arriving safely and hopefully soon. The first one arrived rather quickly so who knows? My Spoilee can look forward to receiving a package shortly, too - I am not sure how long it will take to reach it's destination, never having sent anything to this particular country before but I hope it doesn't take too long. Photos etc will be posted at the conclusion of SP12, if I remember.

Question of the Week - 6

What is your favorite type of project to take along on holiday/vacation?

On the rare occasion that I do go away on a holiday, I do usually take some crocheting with me - or I buy something to do while I'm there, depending on where that may be. Doilies and light things, cottons etc are good for warm weather holidays when I spend a lot of time at the beach and anything is good for cold weather holidays.

I learned to knit while we were on holiday in Ulla Dulla, I also ended up with a very bad case of hives while I was there, but that has nothing to do with why I don't particularly like knitting. The fact I was using Very Pointy Needles and was knitting Very Tightly and ended up almost with blisters on my finger tips might have something to do with it.


Angel is spending the weekend with me, my sister and I went for a drive this morning with the dogs and Angel borrowed her "cousin's" coat - which does look very cute on her! My sister put a daisy in her collar but Angel was determined not to show it off for the camera.

102 wordsSpeedtest
...and just to prove I have too much time on my hands - it's freezing and my hands are numb but not a bad effort. Now if only I could turn it into a useful and marketable skill...

Question of the Week - 5

What a week! I am so glad it's Friday today...

1) Where is your favorite place to go for vacation/holiday?

I haven't travelled extensively - really, I've hardly travelled at all but two places that always remain very welcome holiday destinations are the Blue Mountains and Currarong (on the South Coast of NSW). They are two very different areas, one being inland and part of a mountain range and one being coastal with lots of beautiful beaches.

2) Where is one place you’d like to go?

I have to pick just one? Impossible.

Outside Australia, I'll say "Europe" because well, Europe covers quite a bit and there are many places within Europe that I would like to visit. Closer to home, New Zealand also has to get a mention and it's the most likely place I will actually visit in the near-ish future - I have heard it is beautiful over there.

Within Australia, one day I will look forward to taking some time off work and spending my holiday going all around Australia and visiting as many places as I can. Just me, a map and some form of transport (car, train, bus, boat - anything that works).

Question of the Week - 4

1) What yarn (that you don’t have/haven’t used) would make your stash “complete”?

Hmm, that's a tough one. I don't think I have an answer to that at all. I have a lot of different yarn in my stash - most of which, I haven't used (there are more yarns that I haven't used than those that I have). I don't actually think there's any particular yarn that would make my stash complete, the same way I don't feel that by not having a particular yarn in my stash that it is 'incomplete'.

Just for reference, some yarns I haven't got in my stash (off the top of my head):

Hemp
Recycled silk
Linen
Anything "Tilli Thomas"
Any of the popular sock yarns everyone else writes about in their blogs
Camel
Angora

2) What yarn do you never want to be without?

I originally interpreted this part to be "if you had to choose one yarn to use for the rest of your life, which would it be?" and it did my head in. I have since interpreted the question to simply be what yarn would I always like to have, without necessarily having to do away with all the rest. To that, I would have to say - a good quality finer weight yarn in a variety of colours, like a 4ply which is quite a versatile sort of yarn, good for baby items, shawls, socks (I will finish them one day!), toys etc.

Kiitos - Thank You!

I went to mum's place yesterday after work (which was a longer day than usual, for reasons I can't go into here) and it wasn't until we got home from shopping that we noticed a package near the door - it was a Secret Pal Package! I heard from my Secret Pal that something was in transit but I wasn't expecting anything this week - I am surprised how quickly it arrived.

Not pictured is the lovely card that was included. It was touch and go whether I'd be able to take a photo before I ate the chocolate, too - but somehow I managed!

This was a "green" themed package although Secret Pal is not sure if the theme will continue...if I get any say in the matter (and it's quite alright if I don't), I quite enjoyed the colour-theme idea (I've meant to do it before but I am not organised enough).

The green "mesh" underneath the items is a beautiful Solomon's Knot shawl which is actually quite gorgeous and the little Wooden Heart is so sweet, everytime I look at it I feel as if I'm Elvis and I start singing "Wooden Heart" - now I do have a wooden heart. I'll get a better photo of the shawl when I stop being so lazy - and the pretty card.

Secret Pal's identity is still a secret but now I know that SP is from Finland. I had a feeling SP was from Finland and it is always nice to be right!

(I wrote all that this morning before work but then I realised I was getting late for work so I saved it for now)...

I took the Shawl to work to show some of the ladies and they were all very impressed - they thought I had made it so then I loosely explained the SP concept and that my scarf came all the way from Finland and somehow that made it seem even more special. I am sure a few of them wish they were in SP12! They have recommended I try my hand at a Solomon's Knot shawl, too, and I just might.

I took this photo a few weeks ago when my little darling was staying with me. She spent all day with me yesterday, too, and I'll pick her up from "Grandma's place" tomorrow when I've done everything I want to do and then she can spend the rest of the weekend with me. Chocolate, a good book, some new yarn to play with, my puppy and the football - sounds like an ideal weekend to me!

Thanks again, Secret Pal (I don't know if "Kiitos" is actually "thank you" in Finnish but according to google, it is).

Indecision

Yesterday was a lovely but busy day, I was on the go from about 8 o'clock and I didn't get home until 12:30am last night (or this morning, if you want to be technical). It was very nice to get home.

Now, on Friday evening, as I had one eye on the football and the other on my crocheting, I got the sense that this Filet Rose afghan just isn't working. I am of the belief (at this point in time) that the hook I am using is actually too small and I am considering whether I should write-off the yarn I have already used and the progress made (since I can't frog this yarn) and start over, or if I should persevere and finish one block of the pattern and see if it redeems itself.

What I have actually done is start a new Filet Rose afghan, using different yarn and a bigger hook, I'll see how it looks and decide which one to continue. I've got about a month before I need to have a finished baby blanket and thus far, I have not even decided what pattern I'll be using. It took me a little less than a month to start and finish the PCS, so I suppose I can always fall back on that if I have to but...I'd rather choose a different pattern. I had better get cracking, hadn't I?

I should have the first lot of yarn for SP12 to send on it's way on Monday. I'm not sure if I will send it all in one go or if I will not send any of this order yet - I have a few other things in mind as well.

I haven't set up my swift and winder here yet, I don't really need them at the moment but if I do, at least they're not too far away.

Another Rose

I sent off "a little something" to my Spoilee yesterday - nothing major or too exciting, I just want to see how long it takes to arrive and it's a bit of an introduction, I suppose. I heard from the vendor that the yarn I have ordered was posted yesterday so I should get it today or Monday.

I bought "Crochet Today" yesterday while I was out. I often don't find any crochet related magazines (although there are a few knitting ones) so I was happy to see it but there's not a lot in there I actually want to make but...I started one of the patterns anyway - the Filet Rose Afghan pattern. I do like the way this looks.

I haven't tried Filet Crochet before so this is a bit of fun. I think I'm up to Row 5 or so, I don't mind working from the chart but I would personally prefer a shorter, repeating sequence because it is easy to memorise a pattern like that - because this one changes, I have to keep referring back to the pattern and counting but I suppose I'll live. I also prefer working in the round and I don't have to worry about that pesky foundation chain but I couldn't avoid it with this patternl

Another reason I haven't tried Filet before is because I actually don't really like it so I'm not sure how I'll feel about this when it's done (or at least when the first pattern block is completed). I think one of the reasons I find Filet Crochet so unappealing is probably because it's usually done in cotton thread. I'm doing this one in the Lincraft Romance in a pale mauve. I don't mind a bit of fuzziness in my crocheting (helps hide the inevitable mistakes!).

Anyway, tonight I am not allowed to sit on the couch and crochet until I have cleaned this place from top to bottom - it's a mess and I have my sister and her friend coming over for coffee before we go out tomorrow night and I'll be out all day with my 86 year old friend, I'm taking her shopping, so I won't have any time to clean and tidy tomorrow - it has to be tonight. And when everything is nice and tidy, I can resume my position on the couch and crochet to my heart's content.

Question of the Week - 3

What would you consider the perfect amount of stash?

Well, this is a hard one. I should say exactly what I have now is the perfect amount - but it mustn't be, because I still want to buy more (even though I currently have kilometres of gorgeous yarn that hasn't been used).

I'd really rather use what I have but it seems to me as if all the skeins of yarn I have scattered about (and they are scattered, here and at mum's) just mock me every time I try to use them up. Either I haven't enough of any one type for the particular pattern, or the gauge is wrong or something, it's just not suitable in any number of ways.

Sometimes, when I do buy something specifically for a pattern or an idea I have in mind, it doesn't work out (actually, this happens a lot), so I end up with yarn that I have no current use for. I would like to think that eventually, I'll find the right pattern for it, so I'll hang on to it just in case.

There is something to be said for having beautiful yarn around, even if it is just to occasionally pick up and admire...and I do like playing the "now, what can I do with this?" game.

When I organise myself here, and bring all my yarn over, I will take some photos of my very modest stash.

Question Of The Week - 2

As a kid, what did you look forward to most about summer vacation/break/holiday?

When I was at school, our Summer holiday usually started the week before Christmas and we didn't go back to school until the start of February (from memory, it was usually about the 2nd of Feb).

I looked forward to Christmas & New Year (of course) and spending time outside playing, swimming, visiting friends - not having to go to school! As kids, you couldn't keep us inside. I remember the weather being gloriously hot (I was at an age where heat and humidity didn't bother me!) and roaring thunderstorms after two or three particularly hot days. My sister and I would stand on the upstairs balcony and watch the sky turn yellow and we knew we'd be in for a storm worth watching...

SP12 - Question of the Week

What's your favourite Winter drink? (Since I am in the Southern Hemisphere and it's Winter now).

The season doesn't really matter because, Winter or Summer, my favourite drink is coffee. I was quite happy to read this article, it makes a nice change from all those "coffee will kill you!" stories I hear and see on the news.

Day to day, I usually just drink instant coffee but my very favourite coffee of all is from Gloria Jeans (I love their "Irish Nut Creme" coffee) and I like to have that whenever I can. We do drink Turkish coffee every now and then, usually after a Turkish meal or when friends are over - it's a bit of a novelty I suppose, slightly too labour-intensive for us to do it every day.

Over The Rainbow

I set my alarm for 4:45am yesterday morning so I could watch Germany vs. Austria but I was tired so I only watched the first twenty minutes before I went back to bed. I was happy to hear Germany beat Austria 1-nil and I will watch the highlights on SBS this afternoon. Now I'm watching the Netherlands vs. Romania and keeping a nervous ear on the commentary from France vs. Italy. It looks like it'll be Italy and the Netherlands going through and I can't say I'm happy about that.

My weekend was very quiet and I watched a lot of TV again - Series 1 of "Love My Way" as I had previously only watched an episode here and there. I had intended to go to bed early last night but I wanted to watch Andrew Denton's interview with Sir David Attenborough on Enough Rope. I am really looking forward to the rest of this series. Quite honestly, I think I could watch any interview in the world, as long as it's Denton asking the questions.

I saw a pretty rainbow on Sunday afternoon, I am sure my neighbours must think I'm mad when they see me snapping photos off my balcony, I don't know if they can work out what I am taking photos of but it's usually the sunrise. At least there aren't usually many people about early in the morning.



Very faintly, you can see there's a second rainbow. It had been drizzling fairly softly but steadily all day. It actually did look quite striking on an otherwise grey and miserable day. It doesn't really translate well to a photo, or maybe that's the fault of the photographer?

I've got a bee in my bonnet over two patterns that don't currently exist in any form but my imagination...and I wouldn't have a clue how to turn them into something tangible. Not in terms of writing the pattern, that I could do - but the actual pattern. I'm just not sure how to create some of the designs I would want in order for the actual pattern to be how I imagine it to be. I think I'll have to try and draw it out and then see what I end up with.

I haven't had a response from Spoilee to my second e-mail but I went ahead and ordered some yarn for her, it'll take some time to get here because it is dyed to order. I also bought a pattern that I hope she hasn't already got and I have a skein of yarn here that I will also send. Based on these items, I've met the monetary committment, and I would also like to make something...still trying to figure out what that will be.

Sick Again

I was up in time this morning to see France get thrashed by the Netherlands in the UEFA Championship. I had hoped France would put up a good fight but they just missed too many opportunities. I enjoyed the game anyway.


I stayed at mum's place on Thursday night and I ducked up to the local post office on Friday morning and managd to pick up 20 postcards for $6.00 - they were listed at .50c each but he gave them to me for .30c each. Unless you head into the touristy areas, like the City itself, it's hard to find postcards, and the ones I have found are at least a couple of dollars each (some are $4 - $5) - which makes Postcrossing an expensive habit when you factor in the postage costs, as well. I was very pleased with my postcard haul and now I have my next batch of postcards all ready to send.

When I was at work on Friday, I discovered I had a flat tyre. In theory, I can change a tyre but I didn't have to put my theory into practice because for some reason there are no tools in the car. I suppose I should've checked at some stage before I needed to use them but I did check that I had a spare so I just assumed that I would have the tools but no dice, I'm going to see if I can pick up a set from a Ford wrecker because I don't want to go through this every time I have a flat tyre (although I hope that is not very frequent!).


Anyway, we (we being mum and myself, mum answered my SOS and came over to help me) managed to badger a nice man who worked at a nearby petrol station into coming over and changing it after he finished work. He took the flat to repair it and mum picked it up for me today - it's in her car. I've got some kind of bronchitis and another cold so I don't feel like doing anything but I'll either go and pick it up tomorrow or she can drop it off to me if she's in the area.

On the crocheting front, I haven't gotten much done - I started two patterns with good intentions but neither is working out the way they should...I think my yarn choices might be to blame. I actually did start looking around Ravelry a bit, even though I've been signed up for a while, I never really spent much time over there - I can see how it becomes addictive.

Finland, Germany & the US, oh my!

I woke to a beautiful sunrise this morning, which might not seem such a novelty except it feels like such a long time since I have seen a pretty sunrise. Yesterday was another pea-souper in the morning but the day was actually quite nice and I hope today will be just as lovely.

I finished the Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl (except the ends) and took it into work to show the girls, they were all suitably impressed and complimentary. They're very sweet. And I'm very proud of my CTS, it's completely ridiculous as a shawl because of the size, at least on me and the people I know, as we're all lilliputians. Maybe if I had a Very Tall person to give it to, they could use it as a shawl...it'll do fine as a rug to snuggle up in during the cold Winter nights ahead.

I started one of the patterns I wanted to try last night and either the pattern has a mistake or I made a mistake but I can't for the life of me work it out - and I am usually very good at working out my mistakes so I think this might be the pattern. Nevermind, I'll undo it when I get home tonight and start again. Today I'll work on a different pattern, if I have the chance.

I heard from my Secret Pal - Hi there, Secret Pal! I haven't replied because I am trying to work out what the problem is with my e-mail, but I will reply very soon - if not from that e-mail, I'll use a different one. How annoying that things choose Secret Pal time to go haywire.

My sister sent me a message yesterday asking me if I tried the cupcakes so she must not have read yesterday's entry. I will send her a message in response, directing her here. If I'm going to go to the trouble of blogging about her cupcakes, she can go to the trouble of reading my blog...

What else? Well, I came home yesterday to three (three!) postcards, two from Postcrossing (Finland & Germany) and one from someone I had sent a Postcrossing postcard to (USA). I like this whole Postcrossing thing! There are some pretty postcards floating about the world...

The test e-mail I just sent myself came through fine, so perhaps whatever glitch existed in the system has worked itself out now? I will investigate further when I get home. As it is, I spent too much time admiring the sunrise this morning so now I really have to get moving.

Photos tomorrow, I hope.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Sunday was a much quieter end to my weekend. If I am brutally honest (and why shouldn't I be?), I was actually a bit bored! I had planned on going shopping but money is a bit tight this fortnight thanks to car-related expenses and not being paid correctly for the last two pays.

Of course, I made up for my abstinence yesterday (after being paid correctly) and spent more money than I should have but I did need a few new things

The weather is miserable - there has been no sunrise to speak of all week. I'm not convinced the sun has broken through the clouds even for a minute. It's been raining fairly steadily now since Sunday and it's quite chilly in the evenings here. I snuggle up on the couch in my dressing gown and put my crocheting over my legs and that keeps me warm and cosy.

I'm still working on the white Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl and my gauge is off (are you surprised?) so I am ad-libbing a few extra rounds. The Lincraft "Romance" is actually quite fine but the furriness of it bulks it up a bit once it's crocheted. I am using a 6.00mm hook instead of the recommended size...I am looking forward to getting this one finished, I am not sure how the extra rounds are going to settle in.

I brought some yarn home with me from mum's place last night - it's annoying having a lot of my stuff over there but, at the same time, the yarn is an issue because I haven't got much space here to store it. I found three skeins of a ribbon yarn I bought years ago and I started crocheting a very simple scarf last night, I would've liked to wear it today but it's not finished - next week is soon enough.

I'm looking forward to the start of SP12, I've been rummaging through my patterns and picking out items I would like to make and hopefully I will be able to match a few things up with my Pal when I get the details.

My beautiful zygocactus - it doesn't look like much in the picture but it's really quite lovely. It needs to be repotted and I'd like to put it in a hanging basket but I will wait until the flowers are gone.

I was only saying to myself on Saturday "I've never sat out here [the balcony] when it's been raining, I wonder if I'll be sheltered?" - yes, it's quite well sheltered, providing the rain isn't coming in horizontally. Considering those photos were taken from 10am - midday, it really was a black old day.

SP12 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to crochet with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

The more I play with natural fibres, the more I like 'em. I would prefer not to receive plain acrylic yarn (although it has it's place) because that is a yarn cheaply and easily available to me already (but I have nothing against interesting acrylic blends). I am not a big fan of novelty yarns because they are just too cumbersome to crochet with. Thick & thin yarns often don't work well with crochet, in my experience.

2. What do you use to store your hooks in?

A pencil case and I do have a crochet hook case but I have no idea where it is (damn moving).
3. How long have you been crocheting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

A few years now (I forget - 3 or 4), a friend taught me. I suppose I would be an intermediate crocheter, I surprise myself sometimes with complicated patterns and then fail miserably when it comes to simple ones.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Yes, Amazon - I will look up the link.

5. What's your favorite scent?

Sweet scents like vanilla, gardenia, rose.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Sweet teeth! I love chocolate (if I get an American Pal - it's been a long time since I've had those yummy peanut butter cups!).

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I am trying to get the hang of spinning with a drop spindle, kindly gifted to me by my SP11 Pal. I have had a lot of fun dyeing with Kool-Aid in the past, also.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

My taste in music varies a great deal, I'll give anything a go. Yes both my stereo and computer are MP3 capable.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

Hmm, well pink is a favourite and bright 'jewel' colours, not a huge fan of yellow or orange, or muddy sort of browns...rich earthy colours are nice, though.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

Single and I have a dog.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

We're heading into Winter now so they're all appropriate, I tend to wear scarves or shawls a fair bit but I don't usually wear mittens or ponchos.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to crochet?

I like blankets and rugs, shawls...toys and silly items are fun, wearables other than shawls and scarves are a challenge for me but one day I'll get there!

13. What are you crocheting right now?

Doris Chan's Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl in Lincraft "Romance" (mohair and acrylic). I need to get started on a baby blanket soon, too.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Of course, they are the very best kind.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Straight or circular is N/A for me. As far as hooks are concerned, I don't like plastic ones as they tend to break on me. I mainly use my metal hooks.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

Yes, the winder was a gift during SP9 and the swift I purchased from eBay.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

From when I started crocheting - don't ask me to pick just one, I have quite a few! The most recent of which I just discovered is one Rowan Tapestry Seraphina Shawl (and I am sure there's another one floating about in a different colourway but until I see it, I'll pretend it doesn't exist).

18. What is your favorite holiday?

I like all holidays but I do really enjoy Christmas.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

I collect old photographs (wedding photos mainly), porcelain and china (tea cup sets, pretty plates & bowls, figurines, thimbles and various other dust catchers), Russian dolls (nesting dolls), clowns & frogs (not ugly clowns).

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I would like a copy of the Cathedral Rose Window afghan pattern, it's out of stock on the website but I don't know if it's available elsewhere or in stores in the US.

Any interesting crochet patterns for small projects that use up small amounts of yarn (one or two skeins).

I'd like to try this Lace Mohair round shawl pattern from kpixie or any other lacy crocheted shawl pattern.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

How about being able to follow a pattern without making mistakes? Apart from that, I can't think of anything.

22. Are you a sock knitter crocheter? What are your foot measurements?

Not really, I have one completed crocheted sock and one partially completed crocheted sock (not sure where they are at the moment - or what hook I was using at the time). I am very envious of knitted socks. I have to measure my feet again.

23. When is your birthday?

April 4 - been and gone for another year.

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

Yes but I haven't really gotten into Ravelry yet - I will have to look up my ID, it's probably angel_crochets.

Just Popping In...

Sign-ups for SP12 are underway and I've signed up. I think the joining fee is a good idea - $2.50 is a small amount per person but with 300 participants, it'll add up. I'm happy to think that if it's not all used for SP12, then they'll donate it to charity. If you can't give $2.50 then I guess you probably aren't going to honour a $30 or $60 committment. Anyway, I'm looking forward to SP12!

In other news, I've sorted out all my car-stuff so I am quite pleased with that. It cost me a pretty penny to get it fixed, then the green slip, pink slip and registration but hopefully, that's the last for another year.

Minnie, I am persevering with the drop-spindle. The results are pretty ordinary and I don't know if I'm doing it right or wrong but I have a play with it for a few minutes each night and one day it might "click" for me. I'm just using the plain fibre to practice with. I'll have to get a photo of my progress but it's rather embarrassing.

On the crochet front, I've given Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl 1 a break until I figure out what other yarn I can use to finish it off and Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl 2 has been started but I think I am going to re-do it because my gauge is off (as usual) and I made a mistake and ended up with one extra space which I have studiously ignored and continued the pattern as it is meant to be continued but that extra space is sending me batty.

I've got some photos on my camera I have to upload, there are a few nice sunrises (as usual), and I bought a lovely zygocactus on Sunday and the buds are all flowering now so I'll have to get that up here, too. I joined Postcrossing and have five postcards in transit so I hope they are received soon, I'm looking forward to getting mine - all that's coming in my mailbox are bills (or letters addressed to the previous tenant and previous owners!).

That's about it from me, Kim is coming over tonight so I have to pick Angel up after work and then hightail it over here and get the place cleaned and tidied, it's a bit of a mess at the moment since I haven't spent much time here this week or last week. Yesterday was the first day for a while that I came home straight from work and didn't have people over or somewhere else to be.