The scales didn't lie.

As most know, I'm halfway through my 2012 "cold sheep". Meaning I have made a commitment to not buy any yarn, no matter how much of a bargain it is, this year. So I'm using the stash I have, not only did I use up every little bit of 1 x 100g Chubby Sock wool, but also finished off the left overs from the last Chubby sock I made:

Cadence Socks with left over toe and 2m of it leftover.

Now onto my last FO (Rav speak for Finished Object). A lovely pattern, Cadence is one of those rare patterns that I can't adapt to be bigger. I have some beautiful 5ply, no longer available, theknittery Chubby Sock Wool in Smoke and I can knit it on 3.00mm and use the 64sts lacy pattern. Almost a perfect plan..

Stretch Cast on

So I made one, using a nice stretch cast on, I found here, which worked well on either a bigger needle or both together, it did turn out well. So back to .... I made the first one, then started on the second, then halfway through I realised I didn't do the cast on properly and I wouldn't be able to put it on. Then I saw how little I had left and decided to get out the scales and weighed the finished sock and then remaining wool. Well, I wouldn't have enough. What to do? Either start over with another yarn? undo it and take out some rows above the heel in the first sock? or... I found some leftovers from the last socks I made out of TK Chubby, weighed it with the second sock wool and the combined weight was just a bit more than the first sock.

So.. I decided I could live with the toe in the different colour, same wool stock, not undo the first sock to have roughly the same amount of other coloured toes, it will be in my shoes. I didn't want a join further up the toe if I could possibly help it and the colour will fade a bit after a couple of washes.

Anyways, I did have enough to make it all the way to the end, with just the toe to do. And am pleased to know the scales don't lie. I did have enough combined wool to do the second sock - with about 2 metres left! So glad it wasn't the other way!

Pretty Ribbons: aka Putting Stuff in Shows

In January, yet again Eleanor stood in front of us begging and pleading for us to enter some of the shows around Sydney. So this year I took pity on her pleading self and asked if she would like one of the Kate machine knit shawls I've made - yes she would, so I gave her the shawl and some money to spend on entries. The idea is to promote machine knitting, a cabinet filler, and Wildhoney's (Natalia from Russia) Kate Machine Knit shawl is lovely, it's what all the girls in the family got for Christmas.

Anyways, Eleanor entered it in, along with her stuff - some shows it did what I though - made a nice display and in two of them I got pretty ribbons, a FIRST in the Castle Hill Show and a SECOND (and $3.00 - yes that's correct three dollars) from Hawkesbury Show, now isn't that nice?

It's next excursion is to the Sydney Craft and Quilt Show Macknit display- however I'm not going to hold my breath for pretty ribbons in that one - we get a lot of entries and the general public votes for their favourite item. A nice filler it will be too, I'm pretty sure they won't let me put the pretty ribbons on it! No.

Sydney Royal Easter Show 2012

I meant to post this last month. oops.

This year the show featured "Fabulous Fibre" in their central display in the middle of the craft pavilion. The big square was shared a corner each, the machine knitters with the handknitters, spinners and felters. The weather was rainy, with a few days of sun.

Anyways, here are some photos of our corner, taken just before the public descended, some items were on loan and items from all over the state donated for the Winter Warmers display then on to the Red Cross.We had lots of people do some samples of machine knitting to hang on the front of the display and we can use them in future displays.

Our corner of the display

Some of our items on display

I had a lovely time knitting in the corner and chatting to the passers-by. We had a lot of them when the there was a downpour throughout the day. That and we were opposite the cake decorating!!!

Edit to add:  Here is me:

Hi there! Me at the show.