M.I.A. or A.W.O.L?

I know I've been missing for a while. I've been so busy!
Alice has her communion on Saturday so I've been up to my eyes organising everything. Poor lamb, she's really nervous. She has her Preliminary piano exam on Friday, and her communion on Saturday. She's reading a Prayer of the Faithful at it.
Fingers crossed all goes well for her.

In knitty news, her A Good Stripe Dress won't be ready for Saturday. I had half hoped it would be so she could change into it for later in the day, but it's not to be. Ah well.

In even better news, I persuaded hubby to order me a set of Addi Click Interchangeables for my birthday! Woot! I got them for a great price from my LYS, only €89.99. That's the best price I've seen.
I also got a copy of Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer yesterday. I must find time to read it now!

Oh! And, hubby is off to Stockholm, Sweden next week on business. I've been scoping Ravelry for yarn shops over there so he can compensate for him getting to see Stockholm while I work and look after Alice. Yum!
Happy knitting, and I hope that normal service will resume after the weekend.

I'm sew good!

I couldn't resist the pun in the title.
But, it's not in vain. Look!

My Kimono peg basket. I'm so proud of myself! I didn't think I could do it, but yes I could! Isn't it fabulous? I know the sewing or shaping isn't the best, but for a first project I think it rocks.

And the best thing? I have more than enough fabric left for another one, if not maybe two with some creative cutting. So, Tara, you never know what the postal elf might deliver! ;)
I can't wait for washday now so I can put this baby to use!

You may remember I said I had got a bedsheet to practice on before trying it with my lovely fabric. Well, I decided waste not, want not, so I thought it might make a cute doctor or dentist or nurse outfit for one of Alice's teddies. I snipped open the sleeves and bottom, put it on one of her teddies and she promptly decided it was a priests outfit. So, I give you Father Ted! I laughed myself silly at that one. For anyone who doesn't know it, Father Ted is possibly one of the funniest comedy shows to come from Ireland in years, hilarious antics of a rural parish. Just a pure scream. Anyway, here he is!

Just too cute.

In knitting news, as this is meant to be a knitting blog, the Good Stripe Dress progresses. Man this is a slow knit! I'm on the last full round before the end, so there are 500 stitches in a round now. Phew! Still, it's looking faboo. Can't wait to finish it so I can try it on her!

Doesn't the cream stripe look great with the pinks?

I'll want some instant gratification when this finishes, so I'm thinking some charity preemie knitting and yay! some baby knitting for my best friend who's knocked up with number three! Say the girl chant with me for her please. Two boys and counting. Itsagirl, itsagirl, itsagirl. I think I shall knit only pink things by way of sending karma vibes.

I'm still waiting on my Cookie A book. *sigh* when will it ever get here??

So it was back to work and school today after two lovely weeks off. Boo. The weather was just glorious here last weekend and today (rub it in God, why don't you!), so I didn't see my cherub from morning until chowtime and liquid refreshment. It was great! Hence the sewing progress achieved. I'm so proud of my little sewing machine, still going strong at a century old. If only I could say the same for me!

Start saying good weather prayers for me now will you? The communion is Saturday week and if it rains, I'm screwed!

Easter is almost here

Thank goodness, Easter is almost here. Looking at the Easter eggs on top of the kitchen presses is driving me nuts! I'm not the biggest chocolate fan in the world, but they've been taunting me for a few weeks. Tomorrow it shall be mine. Oh yes.

Progress continues on the Good Stripe Dress:

It's going well so far. Except for the provisional cast on. I think I'm lacking something in the brain department that enables me to "get" this technique. Did you ever have that problem with something, no matter how hard you try it just won't sink in? Yeah, happens to me quite a bit. I've watched loads of videos, followed picture tutorials etc and no go. So, I was thinking of maybe knitting a little epaulette for the shoulders to hide the shocking join. We'll see. Other than that, it's fantastically mundane holiday knitting. Can watch movies, put the work down to constantly answer the doorbell when Alice wants to come in "just for a minute to get such and such to play with" (grrr).
I jest. It's been great being off this week.

While on the hunt for the 3mm circs, which I got btw (yay, although both were in different lys on the opposite sides of the city) I succumbed. I know, I know, but this stuff is really cheap and I really want to make a Noro Striped Scarf. So, how do you like these two colours togther?

It's King Cole Mirage DK. I love the colour changes, and I thought the grays would be a nice contrast to the deeper blues & greens of the other ball.

We went to Disney On Ice last night. Great fun. I just love it. The costumes are great, and there's fun for everyone. It was Finding Nemo this year.

So, Happy Easter one and all. Eat too much chocolate, or, if you don't want your egg, I'll gladly take donations....

Surprise, baby!

From this:

To this!

I think this pattern is amazing. When you're knitting it it's all over the place, but two simple folds at the end and it's a super cute baby jacket and the only seaming is at the shoulders! EZ was a total genius. Aren't the buttons cure too?

This is part two of my charity knitting, part one was three really cute petal baby bibs from One Skein, that I forgot to take a picture of! I'll have to make some more so I can get a shot of them. They were really quick, about a night each.

I've almost turned the heel on my long languishing Jaywalkers. I got 5 1/2 hours knitting on and off done on Saturday as I had to bring my Mother to hospital. Her ring finger had swollen up and I had to get her wedding, engagement and eternity rings cut off. A horrible experience. I felt so sorry for her, she was really upset and ikn a lot of pain. I've told her I can get them repaired in the jewellers, but now the rings have gone missing. I think she may have thrown them in the bin not realising what they were, and forgotten. I went through the small bin this morning (ugh) but no sign, so it looks like I may have to tackle the wheelie bin. Plus my Dad is very sick with a tummy bug since Thursday. I got him to miss playing the organ for mass yesterday as this week is probably his busiest week of the year in the Chruch, with Easter. I really hope he gets well soon, it's taken a lot out of him.

In slightly better news, it's the school holidays!!! woot! I'm off for two whole weeks of fun. Although the weather had better improve, it's lashed rain here all day.
Kids bored + rain <> happy Mammy. (sorry, nerdy programmer peeking through there)

I tried out the sewing maching at the weekend too. I bought a bed sheet to practice on before destroying the lovely fabric, but something appears wrong with the machine. It doesn't sew thread every time it goes through the fabric. It seems to skip a few holes, then sew one or two then skip another bunch. Unsure why this is, or how to find a solution.

I've decided to cast on for the Good Stripe Dress too. Swatching at the moment, hopefully all goes well!

Enjoy the rest of your week! I must resist the urge to visit a yarn store now I have the time to go during the day...