Shaelyn

For my cousin on her 50th birthday.



A lightweight, airy shawl. Perfect for evenings in her tropical part of the country.



Knitted, dyed and delivered last weekend along with the one for her mother's 80th birthday - they had a mother-daughter joint birthday reunion at The Windsor and thoroughly spoilt each other! Ravelled here.



On a more sobre note, the week was soured by the devastating news that, with no warning or consultation, the Steiner stream at Footscray City Primary School, where all three of our boys attended flourished before we moved to the other side of town, is to be axed at the end of December. Needless to say the families directly affected are reeling. They're also now angry and taking action. If you care about proper community consultation, due process, and/or the provision of alternative educational methods in our school system, I urge you to visit their website, sign the petition, write to the minister and if you can, attend the rally this Sunday 6th November in the Treasury Gardens. Please support this fabulous school and the wider Steiner/Waldorf community by spreading the word. Thanks.

Terra redux

For my aunt on her 80th birthday.



Enormous, soft and cuddly.



I finished knitting it on Friday night, blocked it Saturday night, delivered it Sunday morning.



I think she liked it.



I do.

Ravelled here.

a bit more about my new shawl

I said the Terra shawl wouldn't get its own post but I changed my mind. I love this shawl so much - it's enormous enough to really wrap yourself up in, and the yarn (Bendigo Woollen Mills Rustic in 'graphite') has a lovely drape and extreme squish factor.

I neglected to mention that I didn't have the pattern but just winged it, with (it must be admitted) only moderate success. The last two lace repeats are slightly dodgy due to the excessive fudging of numbers, and one day I may rip it out and redo those bits because I now have the pattern. I know, I should have just bought it at the start and followed the instructions as clearly, Jared Flood is a better shawl designer than I. Anyway I now have the pattern and have almost finished another one in a lighter grey Pear Tree Yarn, this time for my aunt.



Don't look too closely at the dodgy bits, just marvel at its impressive wingspan, ok? Then go and knit this shawl. Seriously, you need to. (Hint: use the pattern).



I've been on a[nother] serious shawl kick lately. Not only have I finished this charcoal one and nearly completed the light grey version, but have only ten rows to go on my office shelf project which is a stripy green and black number, and have cast off and dyed red a lightweight Shaelyn shawl for my cousin (daughter of the aforementioned recipient of the grey shawl). Lots to show and tell when I get a minute.



For those of you who asked, Son #2 loved camp. After a year filled with camps (Year 9 - six camps!) this one was the 'no technology' camp, which means they camp with just the bare necessities; no tents, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, stoves, backpacks or raingear. They each take three woollen blankets rolled up into a swag and tied with a belt or rope, with one change of clothes tucked within. They toss a week's worth of food (lightweight, no packaging etc), a cup, bowl and spoon, a billy and some matches into a dilly bag which they have made themselves (Son #2 can be seen sewing his bag here). The camp teacher gives each child a large piece of heavy duty black plastic which serves as their sleeping mat and/or shelter, raincoat, and swag cover. Then they set off and canoe through the flooded Barmah Forest for a week while their parents worry about them. Upon arrival home they downplay matters such as near hypothermia (extended swimming in the icy river), extreme cold at night (three blankets being almost sufficient but not quite) and sunburn (yeah I must have missed a bit with the sunblock), and instead focus on how AWESOME it all was. Thank heavens.

And now if you'll excuse me I have to finish a grey shawl by Sunday and bake a cake for the school Spring Fair on Saturday, in addition to becoming a cello virtuoso in time for our performance "gig" at said Fair.

(We do like to say band and gig. We are so mature).

this week ...

• I forgot to buy my regular bunch of lilies when I did the weekly shop so I picked a posy from the garden. Must do this more often.


the wormwood perked up after ten minutes in the water, even though it looks sad and floppy here

• we are rabbit-sitting the next door neighbours' little black lop eared bunny. Soooo sweet. Please lawd, do not let the thing die while it's on our watch.



• Son #2 got out the sewing machine, propped it on the kitchen bench and made a dilly bag (for camp next week) while I cooked risotto. Good to have company in the kitchen. Good to see a 15 year old boy sew, too.

He threaded up the machine like a pro and when I checked it was perfect. Oh Mum, he scoffed, I've done it a thousand times at school! Gotta love that Steiner education.



• Wore my new shawl. I finished this just before we went off on the gypsy wagon and wore it a lot on camp. With embroidered peasant skirts and gold teeth, while playing the accordion. Ok I lie, but I wore it with jeans. (Modern gypsies wear jeans).

The shawl should probably have its own post. (But it'll have to be content with this). It's the Terra shawl from Brooklyn Tweed and seriously, I had to cast on for this shawl because I was starting to dream about it. I was obsessed, I tell you. The pattern didn't particularly grab me when it first came out but then I started to see lots of rustic-yarned versions on Ravelry, and then this sent me over the edge. My version is Ravelled here for those of you who need the full gory details.



• Sent this photo to a friend who collects faces in inanimate objects.

• Was grateful to live in an age of antibiotics and Panadol. And cranberry juice. Gawd.

• Laughed at the dog who has done little more than this since we came home from our holiday.



Did I show you this? After the first day of trotting behind the wagon he chose to ride indoors.



• Missed Penny the Clydesdale.



• Got an iPad at work! Having fun with it. Have told the boys it's very sad but the institution's insurance policy means *I'm* the only one allowed to touch it. Ahem.

• Sewed another strippy-quilty-patchworky cushion cover.

• Received a gorgeous knitting book. Stand by for a giveaway soon.



Ciao.

what i did on my holiday

Full set of photos here. Horse and wagon booked from these folk.