Shoeday Tuesday

Exactly 16 hours after reaching Perth , I decided that the wardrobe that has pretty much stayed the same since I moved to the country needed a bit of a restyle. I needed to kick out the country bumpkin mentality and take back that city style. So, I headed out for a big shopping day and didn't come back all too satisfied except for two pairs of new shoes, a high waisted skirt and a shirt for work, and a black lace dress for those nights out ;)

While I'm 1 month away from recommencing my former life in the Corporate World (i have one more stint on site, training and some time off) I thought I'd christen city life back by adopting Shoeday Tuesday as on Michelle's blog . Being a fellow junkie (owning over 70 pairs of shoes), I'm not ashamed to say that shoes are my weakness and something that a girl can never have too many of ;)

Here's a pair I bought together - delectable black suede round toe stiletto pumps (to match that little black lace dress I bought of course!) .

The one with the boring sweater, the waiting and the RIP

I'm moving back to Perth next week, so I have been hesitant to order new yarn and start new projects. Instead, I've been trying to use this time to finish up loose ends, clear out those spinning bobbins, and pick up any hibernating projects I currently have.

At the moment, I'm working on Thermal, which has been languishing for what feels like an eternity. I've only got the sleeves and finishing left to do on it, but it is very slow going and just plain boring. After two days of knitting, I've got perhaps a third of a sleeve which is putting another damper on the whole project.. *sigh*. Just keep plugging away I guess?

And how is CPH going? Well, the weather hasn't been all too friendly lately so CPH is still blocking but is fairly dry to touch so I'm hoping another two days and she'll be all done.

And completely off topic, but I was rather shocked to hear about Michael Jackson's death this morning. So, in his memory and for nostalgia's sake, I've been listening to his tracks all day(well, his number ones anyway).

Regardless of his personal life and scandals, I thought he was a fantastic musician who did so much for the music industry. RIP.

Finishing touches

Just putting on the finishing touches of Central Park Hoodie... (apologies for the underexposed photos... it's fairly dark and gloomy at the moment, and I don't have a tripod to keep the photos sharp)

Seaming up the hood and finishing bands

Knitting up a little belt to match

Sewing in the ends

And now for blocking!

Like a kid on crack in a world of colour

When I was was younger, I developed a fascination for glitter pens, high lighter pens , gel pens, sparkle pens, all those fancy pens that cost upward of $3.00 a pop.

As a teenager coming from an asian family, my parents would never question me when I told them I "needed" something for school. To them, it was all an investment towards a brighter future, and anything that I required, they were happy to pay for.

My dad used to pick me up from school most days as we lived three bus rides away from the central private school that I attended (It wasn't always the case.. it was only after we moved houses that it turned into such a distance), and once a week, we used to stop by at Bookland to purchase new school items.

I was clever in those days. I knew that if I picked out 20 glitter pens at $3.00 a pop, my dad would surely question my "need" for them. So, I would pick out about 3 pens each week and hide them amongst the awesome spiral notebooks and wicked unnecessary tape dispensers and sharpeners I would also covet and never was I questioned about these purchases.

At the end of term 2 in year 8, I remember looking at my vast pen collection and realising that I had amassed approximately 70 gel/glitter/sparkle pens over the 6 month period. I must admit, I did feel a tad bit guilty after tallying up the expense in my head, but the colours and the sparkles just won me over. I was like a kid on crack.

Many years on, I no longer buy sparkle pens. I discovered the gel in them would often freeze up after non-use over several months. But I do still love colours.

So, like a kid on crack, and regardless of my lack of "end product" for them, I just love playing with the world of colour and dyes that I have found myself in...

(My other half calls this one: Buzzing through the lilies)

(Swimming in fruit punch!)

(Some more strawberry jam)

Spinning yarns

A little bit of spinning that I did last week but wasn't able to photograph because the weather was so bad, and because the yarn was out to dry.

#1: Terracotta became this:

Singles Yarn

100% Merino

Approximately 127 metres to the skein, 50grams

Thick and thin still (still trying to get consistency!) , but average of 14wpi, or fingering weight

#2: Strawberry Jam became this:

Singles Yarn

100% Merino

Approximately 178 metres to the skein, 80grams

Thick and thin still, but approx 13wpi (sport weight).

I didn't like this one when I first dyed it, but it has grown on me. Plus, it's super soft!

A letter to knitting karma

Dear knitting karma,

I have been good lately.

I have worked hard at finishing my friend's birthday sweater (now fairly overdue...). I have finished knitting all the main parts - both sleeves, both front sides, and the back.

And most importantly, I have been monogamous in my knitting and haven't strayed from the one project.

So I ask this kindly of you.

I ask that the pictured 1 and a bit cakes of yarn is enough to finish my project.

Enough to knit a hood, a little belt , and to do the finishing bands.

Please knitting karma, I hope I've done enough to deserve some good karma my way...

Yours faithfully,

Me.

New play toys

I love receiving parcels - even if it's me paying for them and expecting them! There's something exciting about opening up the package to see if what you've purchased is exactly what you thought it would be .

I came home the other night to a whole lotta new things to play with :

3 new books: "Start Spinning" by Maggie Casey, "Teach yourself visually Hand-Dyeing" by Barbara Parry, and "The intentional Spinner" by Judith McCuin-MacKenzie

Inwood - Smith Handcarders, 90ppsi

Ashford Competition Lazy Kate - I found out that the Ashford LK was able to fit the Majacraft bobbins (normal and jumbo) , was tensioned, and was a lot cheaper too!

1kg of Chocolate Coloured Finnx fleece from a hobby spinning farm in Adelaide

And this is what I did with my handcarders .. turned roving into rolags..