New Pattern Release

April has brought with it a new pattern release - Boomerang Shawl - just in time for the Northern Hemisphere's summer time... This was installment 2 of the Charlisa Yarns Christmas Gift Yarn Club from 2012 which is now on general release to non-club members. A nice easy knit designed for laceweight yarn in an easily remembered pattern - would be an ideal first lace project.

The pattern is available from my Ravelry Store and also my Etsy Store (if you have a Ravelry account its better to purchase on there as you get updates if there are any made in the future of the pattern).

I've also finished a few projects that I've had on the go...

namely Miss 6's Zeg Warmers and my Schoolhouse Tunic - my first attempt at a machine sewn garment.  I was really pleased with how both came out.

And now I have my very first handspun sock yarn (VP from the pencil roving - I 3-plyed it and its come out lovely - just trawling this afternoon for a basic sock pattern that I can knit it up with:

WIP's

After my last blog - ha ha - I somehow started a whole raft of projects... so much for having too many unfinished items!!  I haven't had any time to do any pattern designing or hand-dyeing of yarn or fibre but am hoping maybe over Easter I might get some time to dye.

I have finished Miss 6's Cinnamon - she is very pleased with the finished cardi.

I've started a new crochet blanket.  As its been very hot here & the chevron blanket I am already working has got very bulky (am only half-way through it) and has to sit on my knee whilst I work on it - its a bit too warm on a 30C+ degree day to work on so I have shelved it until we get some real, continuous Autumn weather.  Granny squares will be a bit easier to deal with until the weather cools right down...  The pattern I am working from is Granny Square with Circle Centre pattern by Blair Stocker - a free pattern available on Ravelry and I'm very pleased with the squares so far...  I will have to make a lo-ot of squares for a king single sized blanket - lets hope I have bought enough yarn!

I've also started a new knitting pattern since I finished one - I'm knitting a pair of Georgie Hallam's Zeg Warmers (leg warmers with a zig zag pattern on them) for Miss 6 who has a penchant for leggings with socks in the Winter months which I think look yuk!  Nice pair of leg-warmers to wear over the top will be warm & a bit more stylish.  I'm knitting with VP Max - first time using this yarn from one of my favourite yarn dyers - lovely.

I'm also still working on Mr 2 (now Mr 3!)'s quilt - just have to do the edging of the quilt now so it should be finished this weekend - hurrah - that means I can start another quilting project...

Jillaroo General Release

After a couple of months of physio I am happy to say I'm 'fighting-fit' - or should I say 'knitting-fit'!!  Hurrah!  To celebrate I started knitting up the pattern Cinnamon (a girl's cardi) for Miss 6 this week.

The Jillaroo sock pattern that was the 1st installment of the Christmas Gift Yarn Club in 2012 is now on general release - you can buy it on Ravelry or through my etsy store

This week's craft group was a bit sobering for me - not the company - some lovely ladies and a good chat and giggle is always had - but a lady had died and left her crafting projects/items - boxes full as I'm sure we all have kicking around the house... anyway it was all kindly passed onto the group but there were many many UFO's in there which got me to thinking what would happen if I dropped dead tomorrow? - I have umpteen various projects on the go at once - all of which I consider important to finish.  How sad to see this lady's unfinished projects sat in boxes all of her ideas & items she wanted to make - I am going to make a concerted effort to organise my projects better and try - ha ha! and do one project at a time in future.

Talking of multiple projects - oops! I bought some lovely cotton fabrics today at the discount table... I am thinking clothing for next Summer for Miss 6...

First Project of the Year...

So as part of my 'Happines Project' and my year of doing what I want, I have always wanted to crochet a blanket... I started a week ago to make a Chevron Blanket in grey and yellow - these colours seem to be very in right now & are the colours of our spare bedroom...  I am aiming for it to fit a Queen bed - the spare bed.  The project certainaly won't be portable for much longer - it was hard to work on it at Knitting Group last night...

Happiness...

Firstly Happy New Year!  We had a very hectic Christmas and holiday time but managed a quick beach break to the very beautiful Port Fairy.  The photo was taken Xmas Eve.

Last year was an incredibly busy and difficult year for me - we moved from New Zealand to Australia, the kids needed settling into a new country and a new way of life and so did we!  I had to try and build a network over here from scratch which is still an ongoing process.  We bought a newly built house, did a load of work to it, landscaped a garden from scratch and I started Charlisa Yarns...  It makes me feel tired just thinking about it all - and I am truly glad to see the back of 2012!

So here's the thing... I ran myself ragged last year and made myself ill on several occasions. My son doesn't do 2 days a week of childcare like he did in NZ which enabled me to work on patterns, creating items etc., however, I carried on as if he did, trying to cram so much into the year.  So here I am this year with 3 free hours a week once Mr 2 turns 3... to do all of the weekly chores and run a business.  Like trying to fix a square peg into a round hole - it just won't go.  I realised that I wasn't spending the time I needed to on the kids and I was ending up frazzled trying to do everything that I wanted to do and look after the kids at the same time then getting frustrated because I'd not achieved what I wanted.  

I am parring back on things for 2013.  The etsy stores will still remain open...  I will be dyeing as and when I get the opportunity rather than on a regular day.  Pattern designing will happen as and when I get the time. I will be attending Laurimar Town Fair on 9th February 2013, but as for going to St Andrew's Market - that is on hold pending me fixing a shoulder injury as there's a lot of lifting involved in setting up my stall and I am under the physio at the mo!   Once I get more time and the shoulder is fixed, regular dyeing will resume as will the markets.

I'm dedicating this year to my Happiness Project - I, as all Mums do, spend my time running myself ragged to make sure everyone else in the family close & extended is happy.  This year I decided to do it differently - stuff wasting my time worrying about and running around after other people trying to make sure they are happy (obviously the kids & hubby are exempt from this!  I am not that ruthless ;o) ), stuff wasting time on Facebook, stuff time consuming mess and disorganization. Its all about making sure I take the time to look after myself.  Hence the physio that I have put off despite not sleeping a full night for a year due to pain!  I am taking the time to organise my life and have a clear out, make sure my health is sorted, get into a fitness regime and to enjoy the kids & hubby. 

Happy knitting/crocheting! x

Warning - toy does not come with batteries...

This week's blog will be a departure from the usual work stuff since I am officially 'off' now until the end of January (although the yarn shop and the design shop's current stock will still be available from 8th January.)

So how many of us are running around like headless chickens trying to get a spare moment to wrap the kids gifts - only to find when you do find the time that you have some assembly, batteries/accessories to buy or some work to do on their gift before its ready for wrapping?

I thought I was prepared. I had bought my daughter a simple weaving loom for her to learn to weave on and stashed it away months ago.  Although when I went to wrap it I took it out of the box and found that the amount of yarn on the tiny project that came with the loom was small.  It was not going to make anything that she could use.  Naughty Mummy couldn't help but meddle! So I spent over an hour re-warping the loom with some rather nice varigated 'Naturally' Yarns Merino, Possum and Alpaca with some nylon (wish I'd seen the yarn's contents before gifting it to Miss 6 as it would have made lovely luxury socks, but nevermind, she'll love it and it will make a fantastic scarf!) .

There were no pictures on the instructions and the wording 'you may need to seek some help' was obviously aimed at the child assuming that the parent knew how to weave already or perhaps was an engineer.  Had I not had weaving experience it may have taken longer to fathom it since I had already eagerly ripped off the project that came with the loom without seeing how it was warped.  I even did a little weaving to start her off so that on Christmas morning she'll be ready to go on a scarf project rather than having 5 minutes worth of weaving with what was supplied. 

 I had a lot of fun making Christmas bunting.  It was super-simple to make and looks very festive.  Once Christmas is over I am thinking - seeing as the tree is in our playroom - of making some fun bunting to festoon the room with year-round.

Craft-wise all knitting and designing is on hold at the moment as I make a crocheted gingerbread house - I am not far off finishing so will post pics up once its done.

Time for a break...

I've spent the last couple of weeks knitting like mad for a custom order I took on at a local market.  Unfortunately the only photo I took was such terrible quality its not worth putting up here.  I will be re-knitting the pattern and launching it next year - a scarf and stole in 4-ply yarn.

So whilst my knitting hands have been so busy there has been no pre-Xmas dyeing and also my fibre-prep/dyeing has ground to a halt.  We have a few overseas visitors arriving next week until the end of January (finally got the curtains & a few other desperate home projects done!) so the shop will be temporarily shut over Christmas until 31st December, then will be open for January for existing stock only - no custom orders or new stock until February 1st.

I also will not be attending any markets until the end of January, and am preparing for the Laurimar Town Fair which will be held on 12th February.

Merry Christmas - have a peaceful holiday.