Day 23: Raindrops on roses and stitches of knitting

Today's Blogtoberfest post is brought to you by Rosered's List of bloggy inspiration. If you pop over to Bell's place, you'll see she's doing a post on the same topic.

Today, it's #14: the favourite thing that I have knit.

It's a tough one for me. You all know I have issues with knitting large things, and so tend to knock out small stuff, like beanies or scarves. Larger projects often make me, well, bored, and other times apprehensive. A project needs to be really engaging for me to keep on with it; otherwise I'll just pick it up less and less often until it finally makes it's way to the bottom of the knitting basket, where it has a very long holiday.

That's a very long-winded way of saying I don't really have that many FOs to choose from. I've only got 10 listed on my Rav projects page, and several of those have been gifts. There are a few more listed on my (embarrassingly outdated) blog, but you'll see many of those are small stuff.

Anyhoo, my favourite thing. I've actually got two.

1. My clappy

It was fun to knit, it's made from custom-dyed yarn from a local yarnie, so it's one-of-a-kind, I love to wear it and it looks so glam, and I always get compliments on it.

It dead-heats in the favourite stakes with....

2. PJ's Little Star Sweater

It seems I never blogged it as an FO, but it's from Zoe Mellor's Adorable Knits for Tots. It was my first crack at intarsia, and my first time knitting with cotton, and it came out a treat. And PJ just looks so darn cute in it! Of course it no longer fits - this was last winter. Maybe if I stopped feeding him, he might stop growing....

I always wanted to do him another one, in red, white and blue, but when he announced at the start of this winter that he wasn't going to wear jumpers, I thought I wouldn't waste my time. Maybe next year.

So those are my two fave FOs.

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The Blogtoberfest Inspiration Word for Friday is participation. Thanks Rosered!

Every now and then everything comes up roses

I guess everyone has them now and again - moments of clarity that transforms what you're doing or how you think; an epiphany; an "a-ha" moment (and I don't mean Norwegian bands in tight jeans).

My mum taught me to knit when I was about 4 or 5, and I knit in exactly the same style as her. Until recently, this was pretty absolute; I used standard Australian patterns from ACS, almost exclusively their yarns, and I knit garments the same way as my Mum (whom I should add is a brilliant knitter who test-knit for ACS in the 70s). That is, in pieces - back, front(s), sleeves, sew up seams and pick up stitches for neckbands, button bands etc.

I thought that's how one knit.

I never thought I'd say this, but I reckon Donald Rumsfeld may have been onto something when he postulated that not only were the "known unknowns", but there were also "unknown unknowns".

I had no idea that my knitting would be so transformed by my exploration of the knitting community via the web and blogging. There were (and still are) indeed unknown unknowns.

The knowledge that has transformed my knitting, probably more than any other thing I have learned recently, is that garments can be knit in one piece, from the top down, or bottom up. One piece. No seaming.

Although this isn't anything new to, oh probably a goodly 99% of the knitting world, it was news to me a few months back when I figured it out.

One piece. No seaming. Wow.

It has changed the way I look at garment construction. I now understand how things go together to make a garment and if I see a pattern knit in pieces, I immediately want to know if it is essential to construct it that way, and if not, how I could make it in one piece. Without seams.

Although my first top-down one-piece was a wrap (so it was straight, really), my current deadline WIP is a roll-neck jumper that I've done in this style, in the round. I can't show it to you right now, because it's a gift, but let me tell you I am totally chuffed with how it is working out. I reckon it might even fit the intended recipient!

Now that I've got the top-down seamless by the short-and-curlies (to borrow a very elegant phrase from my mother), I am really looking forward to the next "a-ha" moment that transforms the way I craft.

What was your ephiphany?

p.s. the spellchecker in Blogger reckons Rumsfeld should be "misfield". Maybe someone should have spell-checked his name back in, say, 2001, and taken the hint.

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The word for Monday is lend.

Rock a bye baby

Thanks for all your great comments about MCNs - its so interesting to hear other's experiences! One of the selling points I forgot to mention was nappy rash - Princess Grace had it when I was using disposables in the first week or so (before I was confident she was big enough for the clothies), but after 24 hours in cloth - gone. And not a skerrick since. How good is that?

When I put the Princess to bed of an evening, I usually sing her a lullaby as she lays in her cot, swaddled up like a sausage and big eyes gazing up at me.

Sadly, I can't write music and so can only tell you the words, not the tune:

Moon, moon, shining and silver,
Moon, moon, silver and white,
Moon, moon, whisper to children,
Sleep through the silvery night.
Shine, shine, shine, shine,
Sleep through the silvery night.

I've heard it a few times on Playschool, but haven't been able to find anything more on it.

It's become a special quiet time for the Princess and I. She seems to like my singing - possibly the only person in the world who does, as Beloved snorts when I try to sing and even Pirate Jim says "Stop singing Mama!" if I try to sing along with Playschool!

Before PJ knew enough about music to know my how bad my singing is, our special song at bedtimes was "Twinkle twinkle little star". First time around I didn't have so much confidence, or Playschool, and my repertoire was very limited. He'll sometimes still let me sing it, and sings along now too, which I love.

It got me to thinking though - what's your favourite lullaby? The one you sing (sang) with the special wee ones in your life, or the one that was sung to you.

I'd love to hear about it!

Decisions, decisions

I have mentioned to a few people that I was completely stunned when I discovered the Princess was a girl. Speechless even. Beloved says my face was priceless at the moment I was told.

You see, when she was still on the inside, I was convinced she was a boy. 99.9% certain. I felt it in my waters.

Just goes to show what my waters know. Nuffin'.

It took me several days to come to terms with the fact that I had a girl. I kept opening her nappy to check. Yup, still girl-bits. I may have even said to my mum "What on earth am I going to do with a girl?". Because after nearly 3 years with Pirate Jim, I feel like I understand what makes boys tick. (Can someone remind me of that statement every 12 months or so? Ta). I was all prepared for another boy and not at all ready to start thinking about how girls work.

So now that I have a girl, there are so many cool things to knit. For some reason, I feel that "girls" knits are so much more creative and interesting that "boys" patterns. And more interesting colours too. Probably a bit gender-ist of me, but nonetheless that's what I feel.

And so with the huge range of choices available to me, I am completely and utterly paralysed by indecision. I have no idea where to start. There are probably only a couple of cold months left here - it will take me time to knit, then she'll grow, so maybe I should knit for next year, after all she was gifted so many lovely things that fit now.....(and if I was a half-decent blogger and friend, that last phrase would be linked to the post where I'd thanked everyone for their gifts, but well, I'm still working on that!)

But there is one thing I've decided on. Given there was purchasing of yarn whilst in labour with the Princess, some of said yarn should make a garment for her. Remember the Wollmeise?

150g / 500 m / 574 y of 100% merino superwash 4ply / fingering weight in stunning reds to almost orange colourway.

But what to make? There has been some discussion with helpful people about the February Baby Sweater (Rav link), which I love. Classic, but contemporary. But y'know, I don't really "get" EZ, and I know I'd just get all angsty about trying to follow her "pattern", especially after reading some of the issues other Ravellers have had with it.

And so, dear readers, I am seeking to draw on the wisdom and knowledge of Blogland. What should I make? Something for now, something for next year? It's going to be an heirloom (I hope), something special to keep.

Should I suck it up and try the FBS? Do you have another suggestion? I would really like to knit something for my daughter!

Tell me what to do before my brain explodes!

It's oh so quiet.....

Shhhhh. Please. I'm savouring the quiet. The lack of bustle. Being the only person in the house (well, almost).

Our Germans guests (all 5 of them) departed Friday morning, giving us just enough time to wash (some of) the sheets and towels, vacuum up all the dried play-doh (that stuff gets everywhere) and re-stock the fridge before the arrival of dear old friends from our Darwin days.

B & C now live on Kangaroo Island, along way from Canberra, and we see them terribly rarely. But they were in the area (visiting relatives about 200kms away), so they "dropped in" for a few days. It was a fabulous visit, reminding me how much fun we had in the "good old days" and how I wish we could see them more often.

But in the true style of old friends, it was as if we'd seen each other just last week. We had a lovely couple of days, eating out, meandering around the National Gallery, endless cups of tea.

They left us this morning, and now I'm revelling in the emptiness of the house, and have taken my time feeding and cuddling the Princess, thinking about all the other things I need to do.

Tomorrow.

Shhhh.

A very special post

I'm still here.

I contemplated taking Rosered's suggestion to save my 100th post for the arrival of the bump (who's ready for the live streaming?? Kidding!!), but an opportunity to good to pass up has presented itself.

What nicer way to mark one's 100th blog post than with a celebration of the kindness and generosity of knitters, crocheters and bloggers?

I have commented before on the joy and acceptance I have found with the Canberra SnBers. Ive been going for a bit more than a year now, and look forward to the regular gatherings so I can catch up with those whom I now regard as friends, ooh and aah over everyone's projects, paw through new books and pat new yarn and meet new folk. I was introduced to blogging, and a whole new world (literally!) of blog-friends, through SnB.

On Tuesday evening, at one of the regular gatherings, I was reminded once again of the importance SnB and blogging now has in my life.

I was presented with the most gorgeous, thoughtful, generous gift for the bump.I cant do it justice with any single photo, but you get the idea: a blanket made from squares knitted and crocheted by a raft of SnBers and bloggers, sewn together and edged in crochet.

I'm not sure if it was evident, but I was quite speechless and overwhelmed that this has been going on behind the scenes for so long and with so much enthusiasm!

I love it - both because it is so lovely and snuggly and perfect for the Bump, but also because it represents all the things I love about being part of the SnB and blogging communities.

I would like to thank everyone involved, both local and remote: a special one to Beth Bynnag for organising, coordinating, sewing up and edging, and to all the contributors: Jejune, Othlon, Kuka, Taphophile, Happy Spider, Quilting Mick, Silkydoll, Luckycat, Twitchy Fingers, Rosered, Tinkingbell, Monnsqueak, Olivia, kms, Bells, and the bloggless Jacqui and Krissy.

So finally my 100th post (you were so right Bells! June - and only just!) and Im so glad I had the opportunity to make it about something special. Since the Bump Sweepstakes is still going, I think there will a random celebratory competition sometime down the track.

Thank you all, more than you can possibly know.

G x

p.s. The Bump Sweepstakes are still open, of course, but enough with the middle-of-the-night predictions already! Please!

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ETA: It had to happen, It nagged at me when I wrote the list, and I thought "I bet I'll forget someone".

And I did: Caffeine Faerie, Im so very sorry!! It wasn't on purpose, I promise!

Did someone say nesting?

I guess maybe I have been. Just a little. That big long list of Things To Do Once I Start Maternity Leave is slowly getting shorter. I have been cleaning, washing, baking, making (more) lists, sewing, and yes, some knitting too.

I figured that despite recieving many gorgeous gifts already (about which I will blog later), I really should knit something for the Bump myself.

Inspired by Bells, I started a Pi Blanky a couple of weeks ago, in Bendy 8ply Classic in Tuscan.

You need a nice warm, bright blanky in the Canberra winter. I'm keeping it simple, just the YO increases for the pattern, although now I'm in the "knit 48 rounds" section, I've put in an extra row at 24 rows.

Although it's great, mindless round-and-round knitting, Ive decided to put the brakes on because I've got some outstanding gift knitting on the needles.

That didn't stop me casting on a pair of longies in Happy Spider 8ply Wakame.


What did stop me, however, was getting to the gusset of the longies and needing a second pair of 4mm dpns. Now I know I have at least one more set (I'm sure I've two), but do you think I could find them?

Not in my needle cases or boxes (just dont ask. I am in dire need of needle storage solutions.)

Not in this knitting basket......

And not in this knitting basket.

What I did find, though, was a huge bloody shambles of WIPs, random small purchases, sample cards, ball bands and general crap.

It called for some cleansing. I am pleased to report that I frogged no less than five languishing WIPs:

• a BSJ in Happy Spider 4ply (I just can't get the hang of this pattern, as much as I long to),
• a beanie in Jet that I can't get the cable pattern to work for,
• a baby kimono (from a Sirdar pattern - in pieces! Why would I knit one in pieces and then sew them up? Hah!)
• a Debbie Bliss baby jacket both in pieces (hah!) and 5ply (w-a-y too slow)
• a baby beanie in Peaches and Cream that just wasn't working.

And relocated no less than 25 balls of yarn back to the stash cupboard.

Still no 4 mm dpns.

But it feels much better! And I have identified some good hospital knitting:

• Cobblestone jnr for PJ; Im up to the sleeves and just need to concentrate
• Monkey socks that have been OTNs forever
• the rest of the Pi Blanky

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got stock on the stove, 2 loads of washing to hang out, and I believe there's the back of a cupboard somewhere that might need cleaning....

Breathe....

Yet again, another week (and more!) has slipped by and my blog lies neglected. Ive missed yet another This is....but I dont think you really want to see a photo of my forehead, since my brain is my main creative space right now - I dont really have a physical space right now.

My first blogiversary was sometime in April, a date which I duly missed. I voiced my regrets to Bells, and said "that's OK, my 100th post is coming up, I'll celebrate then". I thought she was being a teeny bit unkind when she said "Oh, sometime around June then?". But of course she was right. I just checked - this is post 97.

Maybe July then? Har har.

I finally finished work on Thursday, after scrambling a few last minute items for my manager. Despite all his claims that I didnt need to do any handover notes, and trying to brief him for several weeks, I spent an hour with him on Tuesday morning explaining one small part of the what Id been doing for the last two years - how I'd put it together and where the files were.

At least they gave me morning tea!

Today is really the first day I've felt like I can settle and take a breath and "start" my leave - we went to visit Mum and Dad on Friday for the weekend, then Monday and Tuesday have been full of appointments and errands.

Including one with my OB, who calmly said "So 10 days to go then?". Hmmm. Yup. 10 days. 8 now.

That means 8 days to get through the huge list of things to do that Ive been compiling for the last couple of months: "things to do when Im on leave". Like catch up on our 7 or 8 loads of washing, find and wash all the teeny tiny baby clothes, the cot sheets and the spew cloths, set up the nursery room so I can find said things, clean the pram, clean the grusome alien life-forms out of the fridge, try and get through some more unpacking / re-organising / decluttering (that's wishful thinking!). I'll be a lady of lesuire.

That also means 9 days until the next tranche of Germans for 2008 arrive - Beloved's sister and her 3 girls (aged 10, 11 and 13). In their (and my) defense, they booked in first, a whole year ago. Its just a quirk of timing.

But it does mean 4 extra people (5 when their dad arrives 3 weeks later) at a time when things are already likley to be somewhat busy. However, they're very self-reliant and although it will be crowded and busy and hectic, it wil all be OK.

There has been some knitting, but that will be blogged later when it's gifted. Hopefully soon - it's already overdue.

There has also been significant expansion in the bump department since I last updated you - but that's another post.

Who knows, now that I'm a lady of lesiure, maybe I'll get to post 100 this week!

On the move, and desperately seeking...

Today we pick up the keys to our new house and start moving. We have been packing and cleaning and moving furniture downstairs (with the very welcome help of Bells and Sean on the weekend - thankyou!). My Dad is coming up today for a few days to help Beloved actually relocate stuff.

So now the telly is sitting on a box covered with a sarong and we are playing freezer roulette for dinner and reminiscing about we were students and this was standard practice! All we need is the bricks-and-planks bookcase to complete the look.

Of course moving house means moving phone and internet connections, so we'll be offline for the next few days. Not that I've been particularly communicative the last weeks (sorry if I owe you an email! I still love you, honest!), but at least I could be found if needed. I'll check back in when we're all hooked up again.

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I also have a request. My non-blogging, non-Ravelrying friend, Dr Fe, is desperately seeking a discontinued yarn. Its for a Zoe Mellor pattern (fair isle cardi - Rav link) that she'd like to knit for her daughter, Little Miss M. I thought I'd throw the request out there and see if anyone has a ball lurking at the bottom of the stash. Hell, even part of a ball might do it - its for part of the the pattern, not the main colour.

She's after just one ball of Rowan Cotton Glace in the colour Bud (800). It seems to be as rare as hen's teeth. If you can help Dr Fe out, please let me know.

Alternatively, if you can suggest a substitute (that will knit up fine in fair isle in combo with the Cotton Glace - she has all the other colourways for the pattern), please let me know too! It seems to be on of those annoyingly unique yarns - not quite a 5ply, listed as DK in yarndex....

Thanks!

See you on the other side of packing box hell.....

Children learn what they live

Those who know me well know that I often feel the need to talk about stuff, that I have to share experiences to try and understand my feelings, get some perspective and try and find a way forward.

I had an experience today that affected me very deeply, and even though I've already downloaded on a couple of understanding friends and discussed it at length with Beloved, I'd like to share it a bit further. This post is really a record for myself, so I'm sorry if it's rambling or overlong or pointless.

My office is about 10 minutes walk out of Civic (the CBD part of Canberra) and to get to the main shopping area I need to cross the main road through the city. I was waiting at the pedestrian crossing for the lights to change, and noticed that on the other side of the crossing were two women and two children.

One of the women was holding the hand of a little boy, aged about 4 or so. He was clearly trying to get her attention, although she was talking with her companion. She would turn to him every few seconds and say loudly "Quiet!", "Be quiet!" and then finally "Shuddup!". With this last word she reached up sideways with her right leg and kicked him, quite hard, in the back of the thighs, hard enough that he staggered forwards a step or two.

He started crying and his mother dragged him back to her side and turned to continue talking with her friend. I was quite shocked that first, she would quite deliberately hurt her child, and second that she had no issues with doing it in public, at the side of the busiest road in the city.

We all waited another 15 seconds or so for the lights, and the little boy was crying and still trying to get his mum's attention. I felt sick and appalled.

Just as the lights changed and the cars came to a stop beside us all, she turned to the little boy and raised her hand. "Are you gonna shuddup? Just shut the f*** up will ya?".

The little boy cringed away from her, and she said, again very loudly "Come on!" and pulled him across the road.

I had to force myself, after a couple of seconds, to step off the curb and cross the road, walking in the opposite direction to the woman and little boy. I wanted so much to stay on the side of the street and confront her, to say "do you have any idea that how you're treating your child will affect him for the rest of his life?". But then if she had no qualms about kicking, hitting and swearing at her son in public, then she wouldn't take very kindly to being embarrassed by a total stranger.

So I took a deep breath, stepped off the curb and crossed the road. By the time I got to the other side, I was crying. I felt ill. (Can we blame the hormones at this point? Makes me feel a little less silly). I kept my sunglasses on, walked very purposefully the 100m or so to where I was to meet Quilting Mick for lunch, and thought I was doing a fairly good job of holding it together. Until QM saw me, and exclaimed "Oh George, what's wrong?" (clearly not such a good job then). She very kindly listened and sympathised and discussed and distracted me with socks and yarn and noodle soup. Thanks QM. Then I went back to office and emailed Bells, who was sympathetic and understanding and distracted me with the steek jacket. Thanks Bells.

Maybe that mother was having a particularly bad day, and her son's behaviour was the last straw. There are myriad variables and circumstances that I don't know from those few seconds contact.

We've all had those days; I've had countless, when I'm fully ready to give him away to a passing stranger, but I don't kick and swear at PJ. I talk to him sharply, I withdraw my attention, I abandon whatever we're doing and come straight home, I take away things he likes, but I never physically or verbally abuse him. I had the feeling from the way they interacted, that this behaviour was quite usual for the mother and not unexpected by the child.

Perhaps this incident, even though it only lasted about 30 seconds, has affected me so deeply because my hormones are all arse-about, or perhaps it's because I'm beginning to realise how much of a social and economic divide has developed in our country in recent times. So that people who don't have access to resources and facilities (because they can't pay for them) just use the skills and tools they were taught by their parents and peers. (Although I'm sure it's not isolated to the results of 10 years of Howardism in Australia.)

How many people out there are parents, who have no idea how to be parents? Who don't know how to give a child the skills and tools they need to deal with conflict, anger, stress as they grow up? Because they were never given the same skills by their own parents. If they grew up in a household where it was normal to use violence and shouting and threats and anger to solve problems and deal with stress, then they think that's the way to deal with it in their own households. I am coming to believe that children learn what they live.

I worry now that the little boy I saw today will probably be yelled at or hit again today, or tonight when he doesn't want to go to bed or eat his dinner. That when he goes to school he thinks it's OK to hit other kids who make him mad or to throw stuff when he gets frustrated. That he wont have any respect for his mum, or any other women he meets, and so wont tell her when he goes out. That he'll get into fights when he's a teenager, that he'll hate authority and start rebelling by stealing cars or throwing rocks through windows or spray painting the underpass. That he'll leave school early because he doesn't deal with the structure and rules and will only be able to find unskilled work. That he'll wind up getting a girl pregnant when he's still a child himself, and find himself having to work to support a family he didn't want. And that I'll see him in 15 years at the pedestrian crossing, telling his kid to "shut the f*** up or I'll whack ya".

Maybe I'm a cynic, a glass half-empty kind, and he'll be a whiz at maths and economics and go onto to uni and work for an international merchant bank and live on the North Shore of Sydney with harbour views. Or he'll find himself an apprenticeship and train as a builder and make more money than you and I will ever see and marry his childhood sweetheart and have gorgeous kids and love them within an inch of their lives. But it feels like the odds are quite firmly stacked against him, and he'll have to fight every step of the way to break out of the cycle. On the other side of the coin, I know that not every kid whose life takes a rough path comes from a home where they don't have love and support and kindness, and that all the love in the world can't stop them self-destructing. Life is certainly not so straightforward.

Beloved and I work hard, every day, to do our very best to give PJ a safe, loving, supportive and happy environment. Yes, we have boundaries ("the" is not the most used word in the English language: its "no" by a country mile), and we have conflict and we have tantrums and we have meltdowns, but we work really hard to be consistent and explain things to PJ and be firm but fair.

It's hard; every day I question myself and how I'm approaching things; I read books and talk with others and Beloved and I are constantly reviewing our approach. But some days, oh, some days, I am within a whisker of lashing out, through frustration and anger.

But I don't; I never do. I walk away and go to another room and take a very deep breath (or cry or scream or yell at the cat). Even though I realise I am lacking in many qualities I wish for my children, and can't be the ideal parent, I do my best every day to teach the skills they need to navigate through a sometimes hostile and difficult world and find their own path and be happy and safe. If PJ goes off the rails, it will be because he made the choice, not because he had no choice.

Perhaps what hurts even more is that I don't have the first idea how to help kids whose parents aren't able to give them that happy safe place and those skills, or how to help the parents who were never given those things themselves. In a civilised, affluent society, surely there must be something we can do?

But I've already downloaded enough (if you're still reading that is!) and that is probably enough for one post. And I'm crying again so I can't see the keyboard (damn hormones!).

I think I need to go and give PJ a hug (and try not to wake him! Silly Mama!) before I try to forget that there are so many things I can't change.

Taking aim

The mere fact that my promised post about my thoughts on the incoming year is 2 days overdue (4, if you count the fact that I should really have posted on the first) should give you a hint about the sort of things I'd like to tackle in 2008. Does it count that I've basically broken the resolutions aims I haven't even formally made yet?

I've never been one for making resolutions, since I'm both very bad at deciding what I should resolve to do (aside from inanities such as "be happier" or "world peace") and very bad at keeping anything more specific. My resolution for 2004 was "to give blood" (remember that one, kms?) and I still haven't done it!

So this year, I am making some aims rather than resolutions (thanks, Donna Lee!).

I know I am a procrastinator of the highest order, which can lead a lot of useless diversions, laziness and "can't be botheredness".

Whether it's cleaning the bathroom, going that extra mile at work, starting a new knitting project (especially on a deadline - make that doing anything on a deadline) or unpacking those boxes from the move in February (that's Feb 1997, when I moved to Darwin), I would quite often rather hang about and think about it than get stuck in and just do it. If I do start, chances are I'll get part-way through and get distracted and it never gets finished. (OK, between you and me, usually Beloved finishes it. One of the myriad reasons I adore him!)

It's strange, because I feel compelled to be organised; I have been know to make lists of lists I need to make, and am never more productive than when I have clear goals, tight deadlines, and (perhaps most critically) people who will be affected by the outcome.

So for 2008, I aim to live more consciously, instead of just thinking that I'll deal with it tomorrow. By this, I mean consciously make the decision to suck it up and do whatever task is at hand. Consciously work at my parenting skills; consciously identify and work at my weak points at work; consciously plan so that the week goes more smoothly.

I think, for me anyway, the key to this is be more organised: keep a running list of tasks, use my diary religiously, consider myself as one of those who will be let down if I don't complete a task, make tasks short, focused and realistic.

Another important part of this aim will be to declutter the house. I am a world-class hoarder. No further evidence of this is needed that the fact that it took us TWO shipping containers to move our belongings from Sydney to Canberra earlier this year. Two adults (who have cohabited for 7 years), one toddler, a dog and a cat should not have that much stuff. No wonder I can never find anything.

I'm not going to sign up for a seven-things style declutter (yet!), but will try and include one task each week that moves towards this. Lets just see how we go with this one, shall we? Remind me to check in in about a month!

Of course my 2008 aim extends to knitting. The first 10 weeks of pregnancy really knocked me about and knitting made me feel worse; I fell out of the habit of picking it up at any spare moment.

In the vein of being more organised, I want to use tools such as Ravelry and this blog to keep track of WIPs, plans and stash more rigorously. I aim to set aside time to maintain and nurture both these things without feeling guilty about neglecting other things. I would also like to use the blog to try and document goals, tasks and progress, knowing that someone will read it and know whether or not Ive at least tried to do them.

I will also (please don't read this bit, Beloved - I know you'll use it against me) knit as much as possible from my stash. This isn't by any means a full-on commitment, just a promise to check what I have and try and knock over some of my planned projects before I buy more yarn.

So, there you have it: a wishy-washy non-committal kind of almost-promise to think about trying to work towards becoming a better person.

It only took 4 days of procrastinating to get there!

Reflections (or other naff post title of your choice...)

Lots of my blogging mates have been reflecting on the past and coming years; I've been thinking a lot about both too. Because I wouldnt know brevity if it leered at me, offered to buy me a drink and tried to feel me up, tonight I'll reflect on the past year, and tomorrow will think about the coming one.

2007 has been a very interesting year, not least of all because I've joined both the blogging and local SnB communities. The insights and friendships that both have given me are nothing short of inspiring.

We moved to Canberra in February 2007, and I shortly after went to my first local SnB gathering. As an introvert, I would never have had the courage to do it if I didn't already know kms, and persuade her to introduce me, as it were. I was dead nervous (she had to meet me outside the cafe - no way was I going in on my own! They might eat me up!), but it's been one of the most rewarding things I've done in the last year. All of the Canberra SnBers are wonderful, and many have become friends. So thankyou all, bloggers and non-bloggers, for enriching my year in so many ways, and making me feel so welcome in a new city.

As a new blogger in 2007 (you may have noticed I'm always just about the last one to notice something interesting going on!), I have been amazed, excited and overwhelmed by the friendship, generosity and support of fellow bloggers. Who would have thought you could become such friends with people you've never met? And I've had the pleasure to meet quite a number of fellow bloggers in the flesh - even better. I don't want to name names for fear of leaving someone out, but if you are a regular or sometime reader, commenter or not, thankyou for making me laugh, cry, think, knit and feel compelled to share my own experiences with you.

Knitting has waxed and waned a little for me this year; I've had maybe a dozen or so FOs, maybe twice as many UFOs and more wishes than I can count. Stash enhancement has featured strongly (stop giggling down the back - I'll blog it soon) and I've discovered the joys of luxury and indie yarns. Oh, and the web as a source of patterns, and the bottomless pit that is knitting books. Just what a hoarder loves - more stuff!

My year has had myriad other ups and downs, too many to document (and many I'd rather forget), but as I am extraordinarily lucky to have supportive and grounding family and friends, an amazing husband who indulges me and a little boy who teaches me something new every day, the ups outweighed the downs many times over.

Thankyou to everyone who enriched my life this past year. I am lucky indeed.

Did anyone get the number of that truck?

Today I graduated from bed (where I have been since Wednesday) to the couch.

Can't do more than a few minutes on the computer, can't knit (even thinking about knitting does me in), thankfully can read for short periods....thank goodness the cricket's on the radio.

Normal services will resume shortly.

No Guilt Stash

I hereby adopt the No Guilt Stash manifesto as developed by Bells and Amy.

No Guilt Stash Manifesto

I will neither defend nor apologize for my stash. My yarn brings me joy, and therefore brings others in my life joy.

Through my hands I do good in the world. I knit with love for friends, family, and strangers. Yarn is my medium.

I promise not to let my stash acquisition interfere with personal relationships or financial health; yet neither will I give in to pressure from significant others to reduce my stash.

I will not judge others' stash. I can admire it, be inspired by it, even covet certain skeins, but it is not my place to pass judgment on quantity or quality.

I recognize that stash management is personal. I fully intend to knit my beautiful yarns, but I refuse to be guilted into doing so on anyone's schedule other than my own.

I understand that it may take many years for a yarn to reveal its destiny, and that yarns that have been in my stash for a seemingly long time just haven't met their correct pattern. I won't feel guilty about this.

I also recognize that yarn can have many destinies. It can be a reminder of a special trip, a friend, a time in one's life. It can be comfort or inspiration. It doesn't always need to be knitted to fulfill its destiny. I accept that some yarns in my possession may never be knit by me.

I believe in the karmic properties of stash. I willingly share with other knitters, and I realize the stash, like love, will grow when it is shared.

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Thanks Amy and Bells!