Frisian Frillies

Yeah, the second instalment in the series! I got a lot of knitting done this weekend. And a lot of housework. Because, however much I love knitting, whenever there's jobs to be done around the house, it always feels like I'm playing hookie if I just sit on the sofa all day. So I cleaned the fridge and defrosted the freezer. Did 5 loads of laundry. Cleared out and rearranged three drawers in the kitchen. Removed the last beetroots from the garden. And looked at the garden helplessly, as there was nothing to do (especially with a week of severe frost coming up). And then I got back to knitting. It started out quite innocently, my knitting efforts, with only a few rows done on Monday, then finishing off the ribbing. Which I had to knit twice, as apparently me and reading don't go together. I had read (I thought) 3 rows each of each colour, where it said 5. And if you find that out after you've finished? ... Not nice. So rip rip rip I went, and back to the start... And h...

Well, I didn't lose it, but I did finish it! Last night at SnB I started weaving in the ends and I was finished at about 1-ish. Result: we overslept this morning and had to rush the kids to school and kindergarten ;) I'm very pleased with the result. I did have to jiggy the pattern a bit, I started with L and needles 7, ended up knitting it as an M with needles 6. See, I ain't fat! I also made the body a bit shorting, just coming over my hips now, as I'm only a tiny midget compared to the lovely model on the Garnstudio site. ;0 Excuse the flash-o effect on my tits, they have that effect on men (one of whom took the photograph). Onwards and upwards! The rest of the yarn will be used for titbits, haha, no really, for a bolero, but not for me, for Dear Daughter. Also from Garnstudio, and I think I've figured out how to knit it. If I have some left after that, I might knit wee S some socks... And the scarf, here it is, being used and loved, as intended. It's nice an...

Yoohoo, I got all my Sinterklaas presents in da house! This means no more worrying about what to buy for whom, just a few small items to knit and some poems to write, but the pressies have all been wrapped up and hidden, so time to go back to knitting! I also got the knitting needles size 6 which I needed, so tonight, after some ironing, it's back to the Lost sweater... Here a first picture of my progress! O yeah, and tonight I've also taken some pictures of the Golden Oldies I mentioned yesterday. My mom seems to have an endless stash of magazines, hidden away in dark cupboards which she is now clearing out to hide Sinterklaas and X-mas presents in... ;) It's an ancient 'Annie Blatt' and my mom knit several sweaters out of this magazine, some for the Handwerkhuis she knit for and some for us, like this one in white, for me: And here a few little 'folk' gems, of which the Nordic one is definitely added to my wish list: This last sweater was a labour of love...

The same problem she had with her pinwheel, I have with my green sweater. It's o so cuddly, but waaaaaaay too big. So, back to the drawing board. I decided to rip while knitting it up again with a needle a size smaller, changing the positive ease into a bit of negative easy, I hope, to show off my gorgeous svelte figure ;) But guess what: I don't have size 6 needles! Drama... Only dpns (yep, big ugly, white plastic ones...) and I have to say, knitting a sweater with dpns is not a good idea ;) My armpits and the stitches started complaining after only a few rows. So, to tide me over, I knit Saartjes booties as a surprise gift for someone pregnant, started on my socks for the Vintage Sock Exchange, finished my mittens for the mitten exchange (yep, teaser to come as soon as I can find batteries for my camera, grrr), did some more scrapbooking and finished watching Lost season 2. Season 3 is already lying next to the tv, so as soon as I get proper size 6 needles, I can start on th...

Today it was my turn to take wee H to the pool. First because wee H had a birthday party after swimming, which was cancelled, because of an ill birthday girl (awwwhhhh), and then because big S was too sick (poor bloke) to cycle through wind and sleet to get her there. But I was glad I went. H has now progressed to stage 3, which means she is in the DEEP pool. And by deep, I mean big human tummy depth, but for a little 4, nearly 5-year-old, it's mighty deep indeed! She was a bit awe-struck when the group ran straight for the deep end (she missed last week's class, so wasn't prepared as well) with their floaters. But a few gulps and a kiss and hug from mummy later, she happily jumped in as if she'd never done anything else. There I was, sitting upstairs, glued to the window, waving like a lunatic and giving her the thumbs-up. She did great, I'm so proud! After X-mas, she'll be going to stage 4, if all goes to plan. On a knitting note, I've contacted my upstrea...

Stash will arrive tomorrow ;)