Bendigo and the finish of my time with Tour de Fleece this year

The purple and black I bought LAST year at the back room in the woollen mills.

The yummy jitterbug I won at the Rav Brekkie. My 9 week old sons socks won for us.

Tour de Fleece

Well I have been busy, but not with spinning. Up until recently, but here is my goal for the Tour. I want to spin up this alpaca. I have one bobbin full now and the second is half full. I will only ply this with 2 strands. It will make and approximate 8ply. I am hoping there will be enough for the FLS. Fingers crossed.

Hugh's Ribbed Longies

top back of pants and bottom is front

I just knitted these up. I made up the pattern as I went. Here is the pattern. So I don't forget how to make them.

Yarn Cleckheaton prints 8ply machine wash 2 and a bit 50gm balls
Needles 5.5mm for main and 3.25mm for waist band circulars both

Cast on 40 stiches for each leg (pretend you are doing 2 socks at once)
Knit 2 by 2 ribbing until it is 11cm long

Start increasing in pattern 2st at inside leg every 5th round 4 times (16st per leg)

Tricky bit.

Crutch

Cast on using turkish caston 16 sitches (8front, 8 back). By using this cast on you avoid sewing up later.

Keep on knitting in 2 by 2 rib for 2 rounds then do first of 3 short row blocks. These make room for nappy in back.

Work to end of gusset, wrap and turn, work to end of gussett, w&t, work to previous w&t, pickup wrap and work with stitch, work another 7st then w&t, work to w&t then another 8st etc....

So you work an extra 8 stitches into each short row until all are used. Go back to working rounds.

When back is around 10cm work next set of short rows then last set at 16cm. work 5 more rounds.

Change to smaller needles. Work in 2by2 rib still.
Work 20 st then K2tog 8 times (in rib, so knit knits and purl purls) work 40st then another K2tog 8 times, work 20. You have now decreased for your waistband.

Keeping in 2 by 2 rib work 5 rounds, then work yarnover, K (or P) 2 tog, this is your drawstring holes.
Work another 10 rounds. Cast off with larger needle. Sew in ends. and make twisted cord, thread through.

Yay longies done. These fit Hugh now and I have to turn up the legs by half. I predict he will be wearing them many months from now. He is around 5 weeks now. Photo of him in them soon.

So I don't forget Russell's foot dimentions

surprise!!!!
Foot length 25.5 cm
Ball 25 cm
Arch 28 cm
Heel depth 7.5 cm
Leg length including heel 13cm
Calf circumference at top of sock 31cm

Now I wont loose his measurements.

LONG TIME NO SEE

After much to do, I am back to blogging. Not sure for how long or how regularly but I will try for once a week.

News......

I have sold all the coloured sheep! and bought a new washing machine!!! I now only have 6 white sheep left. A bit sad but I was allmost out of feed for them so selling was the best option. Plus I needed the money as both my 5kg washers died. I now have a 7.5kg fisher and paykel that is a dream to use.

Milly is now almost 2. Hasn't the time just flown. Toilet training and talking are the go with her.

David is a big boy in grade 1. He loves school.

Mark is a few months away from his "L's". Scarey.

After not knitting for around 4 months I am now at it again. I recently competed in the latest Death by socks with one kill. I am now knitting a baby set from Drops Designs. Showing my confidence in my knitting I am steeking the cardigan. The idea of doing stranded knitting back and forth just sends me to sleep. So in the round I went. I am now knitting the sleeves.

I will show and tell when I have finished it.

I am also knitting a pair of socks for Milly. She has been fondling my knitting and yarn plus stealing my socks. So how could I deny her?

Off to knit some more.

Bye