ShiKnits

ashik0.auriae.org

2005-02-28T09:52:00.000+10:30

I was just wanting to remind everyone where my new blog is. It's not so new anymore, but still. So here's my new address: http://ashik0.auriae.org, hosted by Krysta!
So don't forget to update your stuff! Thanks!

New Blog!!

2005-01-26T22:14:00.000+10:30

I think I would like to start entering the "Month of Softies". It's a great idea, and something to keep me focused that happens every month, you know? I really need to get out more. I need some sort of sport hobby. I'm going to join the netball team this year. For sure. I was int he Special Interest Program, but I was getting bored with such a commitment, it took away two subject choices..And I didn't really like anyone in the class.

Ok, from now onwards, I will be blogging at the shiney, new blog!! So just, head on over there, change links and whatever, you know the deal! Hope you like it!

I'm going to leave this blog up though, for archives and all. I still have to get that all happening, too. I did as much as I could tonight, with uploading stuff...But, GAWD!! I need to go to sleep! Bye bye guys, and bye bye blog!

The Zopfpullover and the Dress go to Maccas..?

2005-01-24T12:46:00.000+10:30

Oh. MY. GOD. I love this, it's so cute but skanky, which I think was the point. I wish we got "Project Runway" here in Australia. Anyone taped it and willing to send? Or is actually not that good?

Finito Zopfpullover!!

Zoom.

Zooom out.

Alright. I do like this yarn, but it's kind of getting fluffy already (like I've been wearing this sweater for years).
As for the collar troubles...I just got sick of it all and cast off all remaining stitches, then double-crocheted around the top. I kind of fold the front bit under so there's more room around my neck and it ends up look ballerina-ish. Very cute, if i do say so myself! I'm pleased with it, really, all I need to do it somehow make it stay folded down (when I fold it down, you can't see where I started doing the neck decreases or anything, because it loks REALLY bad. But itr kind of keeps flipping up and unfolding itself)

I'll do some better pic later. I tried to get my little bro to take some good ones of my, that were bigger (my arms aren't really long enough to do anything 'cept close-ups!) but...let's just say, he'll never grow up to be a famous photographer.)

Also. Good news. Two good news's. 1- I have Macca's "training" tomorrow! Yay!..2- I started on the dress. I've sewed the front and backs bodice pieces together, and then sewed them to their respective skirt pieces. All I have to do is the upper bit which has elastic to hold it up, do the zip and the hook and eye, the straps (I think I'll do a halter neck) and hem it. I wont be hemming it that much, not at all, because I had to shorten it to make all the pieces fit!
The dress is going to be gorgeous, though! The fabric and design make it so vintagey (and I'm not referring to the 80's when I say vintage, I mean nothing before the 50's)..Kind of like the house maid or something? IT's really cool looking, anyways. I don't know how often I'll actually be getting to wear this one, though. Aaand, winter is on it's way! Well..I have a month of February, I spose, and maybe a little of Autumn..But that's not as dramatic, no?

Oh yeah, and the new blog design is coming along nicely. I had to just make a new one after I mangled the other one. I dunno what I did wrong. Haven't even looked at it though. But everything's looking good. Yay!!

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. - Scott Adams

[Shi Listens to: Paul Van Dyk's Blauer Himmel M - BT - featuring Tori Amos (08:02)]

Sock! Sock! Sock!

2005-01-23T13:55:00.000+10:30

She finished the sock!

Too big.

Waaay too big.
Here's to my foot being 2 inches smaller than Angelas!
Very quick post, I know, but I really do have to get going on my dress (I managed to squeeze the pieces into 30cm less fabric than whaat was needed!!). I'm doing all I can until I need the zip, hook and eye closure and my steely blue ribbon!
Bye bye!

[Shi Listens to: We Will Become Silhouettes - The Postal Service (05:01)]

2005-01-21T17:22:00.000+10:30

Oooh!! I got this in the mail today from Carolynn! Yay!

Vintage Knits by Sarah Dallas

And I broke the new layout. I haven't done any more on the socks, either. Today has been less than productive.
So, I'm off to try to work out how I killed the new layout, knit some sockage and see whats for tea!
Oh yeah, and Dad got the sweater for Bonsai, as soon as I get the pictures, I'll put em up here.

[Shi Listens to: Older than You- Eskimo Joe (05:42)]

I'm a murderer.

2005-01-20T20:48:00.000+10:30

I thought I killed my computer. It was a horrible moment. I truley hope it never happens again.
Want to hear the story? So simple. I got a new mouse. $20. Post Office Brand (yes, the same post office that has no postcards!!). Read instructions. Tried to install. Discovered it was a USB mouse as well as mouse with green plug. Removed green adapter and use USB cord. Reset computer. Computer claims it needs to "Boot from Disk". Panick. Reset. Still broken. Run out of room. Tell mother. Wait for B to come home...
B pointed out to me that the BIOS hasn't been enabled to detect USB mice or keyboards. DAMN, wish I had've known!! But it's so cute! It's all working now, I used the green adapter thing. It's about as big as the palm of my hand, and all silver and grey and shiney.
I won a double pass to go see "Elektra"! I mean, if I had the choice, that wouldn't have been mine, but I WON!!! And over the past few days, I've earnt over $20 from a $1 scratchie! Never quite what I wanted, but you know?! It feels good!
So, Mum's been wanting to see it. We'll go together. Should be good. Have to pick up the tickets on the 27th (day before my birthday *wink*wink*).
Got whole lot of books from the library. Including one about SQL. I don't even know what that is..But I figure it's good to know these things because Krysta is going host my blog (once it's been set up and everything)!! And it's going to use Wordpress. Which needs an "SQL database"..I don't even know what that is!
I'm gonna have a new layout, too, which I'm working on now. I realize that I'm not a girly girl, and that pink is sposed to be "girly", and that pink is always the common colour in all my desgins. I know, I know. I don't even like the colour. But it's so..good with green. And now black. Yay! Screen shot of what it'll look like (so far):

Hm, that border around the i-Frame shouldn't be there, though. I don't know how to get rid of it!! I've put "border=0" everywhere!...But it wont leave!

And a pic of the sock so far (oh yeah, the yarn came on..Wednesday? Tuesday. In the afternoon. I dunno. I mnea, I like it..But it's kind of kiddish. It's cute using the real definition of the word (ie;attractive in childlike way: endearingly attractive in the way that some children and young animals are,so ugly it's attractive). Gawd, I hope she likes em!!

I swear it looks better in real life!
And to my Sock Pal...Tell me you're alii-ve!

[Shi Listens to: Tori Amos - Wild Horses - (05:43)]

9% Loser and 58% Bitch

2005-01-18T11:18:00.000+10:30

See, Max, what more proof do you need that I'm COOL? Eh? :P 9% loser. I was kind of hoping for more so I could be proud and laugh. But, sorry, I'm just too cool, there's no way to escappe my coolness Max. And, would you be so kind to pass my results onto Adam and Tyson for me. Danke :P

Unstuffed head and body of knitted lamb. Part of a nativity scene pattern which I recieved in the mail yesterday form GlittrGrl..I hope it turns out alright. The good thing is that it's gotten Mum into knitting again, because she wants a little herd for herself.

My scrappy needle roll I wipped up last night.

Opened..Wooden needles are unfinished pine dowel, not expesive bamboo. I like my aluminium ones mucho better.

$2 remmnant fabric from Spotlight visit yesterday.

$5 pattern which I will manage to get out of the remmnant fabric (the pattern says you need 1.6 metres..I have 1.3..I can do this!!). I reckon I'm gonna make it a halter neck, with the straps made out of a satiny ribbon, really thick. With the same ribbon (a nice bright, steely, velvety blue), I will tie a nice bow round the waist to sit at the back. It'll look really cute. Yes, I do have big plans for this fabric!

And here we have the only knitty thing I have been working on..And slowly at that.

Flower Basket Shawl on 5.5mm needles.
It's off the needles because I'm going to start it again, too many badly covered mistakes. But, I'm not really sure if I should do it with the 4mm needles of the 5.5mm. 3 size difference. Hmm. I don't know which one looks best? Scroll down the the last post, or maybe the post before, and you'll see the one on 4mm needles. Hm. I'm not sure which I like :'(

Oooh, but I did join the Flower Basket Shawl Redux, hosted by Amanda of ClothesKnit.com.

And l'order de sock yarn has been dispatched. Recieved and email of notification..a couple of days ago? Yesterday? I dunno. But I'm not execting it here before Friday. Which SUCKS to no end. I'm so behind compared to everyone else in the Sockapalooza. I'm so used to being ahead of everyone and finishing first..And, ooh, the HORROR!!

I AM 58% ASSHOLE/BITCH!

I am abrasive, some people really hate me, but there may be a group of other tight knit assholes and bitches that I can hang out with and get me. Everybody else? Fuck ‘em.

Take the ASSHOLE/BITCH test at Fuali.com

[Shi Listens to: The Exies - Ugly - The Exies (03:19)]

Bad Hat

2005-01-16T16:53:00.000+10:30

I cut out and interfaced all my hat pieces. (The paper is the printed out instructions for the hat. I use "Wild Things!" by Wild Ginger.)

I killed the sewing machine. No, not really, but it was my fault that it wasn't working. Excuse: Because I use Bernina's at school, I wasn't threading the threading right, I kept missing a hook. Oh well. Least it's working now! And I actually know how to use it. It's a great machine.

The hat on the other hand..IT's CRAP. C-R-A-P. I haven't finished it yet, I'm not sure that I will. It's all stiff and pointy and CRAP. I'm angry. And now I've gotten to a point where I have to laborously baste some pieces together by hadn, and can't jst munch through them on the machine. I think it will lie in it's current state for many a long day.

Angela's socks toe. Loooove this yarn. Donna let me know that the Bendigo Woolen Mills sell the same stuff (under the name "Harmony") for $11 for 200g. If I were to buy 200g of the Breeze, it would cost over $20. So this is a very good saving, which I'm quite happy about! They don't have a website, but you can call them on +61 (03) 5442 4600. ("+61" is our country's code, the (03) is the code for Victoria, and then the rest is the phone number..There's a special toll free number if you're in North America, but you'll have to google that.) Today's Sunday so I can't call to get my sample card, but I will first thing tomorrow morning.

The Flower Basket Shawl. Almost one complete repeat of the Lower Chart or something? The second chart. I'm going to rip that out (again, when I start the latest one it'll be the 6th time I've cast on for this) and knit it on bigger needles. It's just not getting that open, lacy look. And honestly, those leaves or whatever are tiny compared to the ones on the model.

[Shi Listens to: Inertia - The Exies (03:26)]

2005-01-15T16:07:00.000+10:30

Well, I got my copy of Interweave Knits Fall 2004 a few days ago! It's good. I like IK, it makes for interesting reads..And the techniques thing is cool. And I'm sure some of the patterns really appeal to women older than me, but I never find anything in there that I really like for myself.

From this issue though, I'll be knitting the Flower Basket Shawl for my Nanna. She's quite crafty, but I don't think she's really into knitting. I started it on the yarn from Honeymoon...But it's all nasty and acrylicy and scratchy, and I don't think it would ever really block well. I mean, you're sposed to soak the shawl for 20 mins and then pin it out to block. But That would do nothing, it's like trying to soak plastic. But it's such a pretty colour! So then I thought "Hey, what about the Arabella cotton?" And I've got more than enough, so I thought I could make some fingerless gloves for her when she's crafting or something? I dunno. But she'll like the Arabella cotton's colour, she's always liked that colour.

I mean, I haven't started yet. I've re-started it using the Honeymooon yarn at least five times, I keep messing up at the same point in the pattern. It's so damn annoying. I'll check the eratta, but I'm not sure that it's a fault in the magazine, the chart looks pretty OK to me. It's human error, which is the worst!!

So you all know I joined the Sockapalooza, no? Well, yesterday, I finaly got the details about my pal. She doesn't have a blog or anything, but her name is Angela. Just for future reference, if you hear me talking about "Angela's Socks" or something.I ordered the yarn last night. That'll take about five days to get here, too. Two balls of Heirloom's Breeze.

Aages ago, when I ordered the yarn for the Shapely tank (which turned into Arabella, which in turn will become the Flower Basket Shawl), I liked the look of that Breeze stuff, and ordered a green ball. So I swatched that for Wendy's Generic Toe Up Sock Pattern on 3mm needles, and the gauge was spot on. It's a lovely yarn, I can see why they reccomend it for socks. It's 30/70 cotton/wool blend, with a tinsy bit of lycra in it. It's so nice to knit with, and feels gorgeous. This is definetly what I will be knitting socks out of from now on. But anyways.

She said she liked variegated yarn. I'm sorry, but I really don't like the stuff, and you can't really get much sock yarn here, anyways. So I thought I'd do stripes, make it colourful at least. So green toes, heels and cuffs, with light pink, dark pink and green one-row stripes in between. I've already done the toe for on sock..But that's as far as I can go, until I get the pinks. PLEASE HURRY, Mr Postman!

Sorry, no pics, J has camera with him at the Block. Ahh well.

(I've re-started JAck in Apricot. Had to do a bit of maths because my row gauge is waaay off, but it should be fine now.)

(The fucking sewing machine didn't get fixed properly. The fault is now officially intermitent, because the guy had it working perfectly, all stitches and all tensions!!..But it won't work for moi.)

(We may take it back in the next few days. We may not...I may have killed it completely by then.)

(B suggested I "Bash it up", wich really sounds funny from a serious 40-something year old, who is as straight and normal as men get.)

Edit: Check this out. I think this person needs to pull their head out of their ass when they say :

Usually self-obsessed Angelenos will find it hard to ignore Australia between January 13 and 21.

Uh.Ok?

[Shi Listens to: Kickout - The Exies (03:21)]

New Christmas

2005-01-12T18:15:00.000+10:30

Shit, this is getting to be truely pathetic. You know what I woke up thinking? "Yay, today is Wednesday, which means tomorrow is Thursday, which is the night before the day I get my sewing machine back!!"..That's tuey sad when that's the first thing on your mind when you wake up!!
It's like how I used to be a few days before Christmas. Of course, I've gotten over the whole Xmas thing, adn my Birthday thing as well. I wish it was still as exciting, but it just isn't. Prolly never will be.
I like Cobbers (for those under-privelidged souls who don't know what Cobbers are, they are thick, chewy caramel covered in a thin layer of chocolate. They hurt your teeth if you they're not softened).. But, boy, do I hate the chocolate. It's so yuck and el-cheapo! And it kind of flavours your mouth..EW.
I picked up Shedir. Trying to finish all current projects before starting anymore.

Shedir

Zopfpullover

Arabella (to be frogged)

Jacke in Apricot

Honeymoon (to be frogged)

Mr Bean Teddy Bear

That's what I've got to get done. Yeah.
Posted the stuff to Dad, today. The doggie sweater and some cards and things from the boys.

[Shi Listens to: Sweater - Eskimo Joe (02:18)]

Bush Fires

2005-01-11T15:20:00.000+10:30

Well, it really is the season. I'm surprised there haven't been more. But now, there' one right on our door step. A few km s away, I'm not sure how many, but with this wind, ...Hm. I think everyone's a little worried. I'm not sure if I am. For some reason, even when I was a kid, sitting in front of the TV, watching the news with all the people who's lives had been devistated from fire....It never worried me. No matter how close. No matter how much you could smell the smoke. Fires are interesting. I'm sure it's scary up close to a big one that's about to kill you or burn down your house, but luckilly, I've not yet experienced that.
I was wondering about what I would take out of the house if we had to go.
I would definetly take my bag. It has my life in it, and I take it everywhere I go. Wallet, house keys, mobile, MP3 player, spare batteries, scrunchies, paper, pens and permi's.
Everything else, apart from maybe clothes, would just be maybe grabbed carelessly in my hurry to get out.
If I were running this home though, or had my own car...I would be packing it now with everythig I love and need..Everything in my room. I reckon I'd be puttin my computer in there, too. The TV could stay. Oh, My guitars! 'd have to take them. There's no way they'd fit if I tried to take em in the car with the rest of Mum and everyone. I'd have to hide them somewhere...I don't know where I'd put them.

[Shi Listens to: Everything Will Be Alright - The Killers (05:45)]

Elastigirl!

2005-01-10T15:32:00.000+10:30

Why yes, I have been watchin little kids movies again. And, wow, you're right again! The Incredibles! Disney and Pixar are a good breeding pair.

Mama thinks that there should be none of my own personal thoughts here and she will only allow me to continue blogging if it's all crafty. You'll just have to read more carfeully now, wont you.

Pictures:

This is it! Sorry about the crappiness of the picture, I'll take some better ones soon.But it was late and dark and gloomy. I fiddled with it in PhotoShop to make it clearer..But it went kind of pinky. ODD.
But, the point of this picture is to show you that I've finally done it! It's wearable! Even though it's 42 degrees celcius today, IVE FINISHED!!! But I still won't count it as completely finished, coz I'm yet to do the cuffs. That'll be something I prolly wont do for a few weeks. But you know.

I cut out the pieces for my hat that I'm going to make. It'll be my first ever completed sewing project on that machine. I mean, I've done stuff at school, on the good old Berninas (you want a good machine, you buy a Bernina!) but this time it'll be better coz it'll be done in my own home and I wont get marked on it or anything. I wont have to do this big write up on how it went and all this other pointless crap. Yeah. That's how I feel about school. Right noe. It'll change soon.

I see -White
I found -Scissors
I need -Time
I think -too much
I know -not enough
I find -diffuculty
I want -love
I have -some
I wish -upon a star
I love -living
I hate -selfishness
I miss -Dad
I fear -numerous things
I feel -uncertain
I hear -pink noises
I smell -
I crave -
I search -everywhere
I wonder -alot
I regret -nothing

I don't know, I just couldn't answer those two bolded ones. This is one of those things that you have to answer with the first thing that comes to mind..And nothing came to mind. Weird.

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.

"No. Never a troll"
-Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

[Shi Listens to: Sweetest Goodbye - Maroon 5 (03:47)]

What I've been up to

2005-01-08T22:25:00.000+10:30

My over locker..Excuse the mess. My sewing machine is in the workshop being fixed. Mum got it when she was 19. She is now in her 40's. But it's a great machine, it just needed to be serviced and fiddled with alot. I'll get it back next week.

Mags and books I've gotten, L-R: "New Idea Encyclopaedia of Knitting and Crochet Stitches" , "Needlecraft" by Jean D Lane, Phildar Ete 2004, and Knit.1.

The first two I got for under $% all up from a Rotary Book Exchange place, which was next to where we put the sewing machine in. The New Idea book is really good, I see some great hat's and scarves coming along for the Winter. I'd doubtfully use any of the stitches or designs on a sweater or anything, but maybe some of them would make nice little edgings or something. $2.

Needle Craft is a text-book type book, but it's all about how to use the sewing machine to your best advantage, different seams and stuff. It's actually quite a good reference book, it'll definetly come in handy. And it was only $2.50.

Phildar Ete 2004 was from a trade, it's in Dutch though. There's not really anything in there that I like, now that I've got it. Which is kind of dissapointing. Coz the trade all up end up costing me $20. I know that doesn't seem like much to those of you who have real jobs, and a steady income...But I don't have either. The Macca's deal is yet to be updated, I've been told to expect a call either this week or next week. Grrrr.

Knit.1 is..For those of you in Australia, who know the teen magazines, it's like the Dolly of knittin Magazines. Trying too hard to be hip, full of impractical, or just plain useless things. I mean, it all looks great, wicked photo's and I love the layout (not to mention the fact that it's in English)..But, There's maybe one thing in there that I'll knit, and that's the neck thing. With Button's up the side. You know? But that's about it. Everything else is just trying too hard. I hope it's not something that people find in a million years and is "vintage" and they think everyone actually wore and knitted things like that. That would be horrible.

Went to Spotlight today. Yay! The visit was in anticipation of the sewing machine returning. I bought fabric for a hat I'm going to make. I'll draw up some templates and write up the pattern or a tutorial type thing later, maybe. But I'll have to wait 'till I get the sewing machine back. But aaanyways. Here are the fabrics. I'll make a nice big sling shoulder type bag thing with what's left seeing as I got a metre of the green stuff and 60cms of the flowery stuff. I also got some interfacing, though taht will only be used on the hat. Maybe the bottom of the bag....Maybe.

Zoom of lining. I love that sort of fabric. And that style with the white background and the blue flowery things happening? It looks delicate and lacy. I love it!

Also, I've been playing with my Zopfullover. AS you may recall, it was too short. So, I bit the bullet and cut off the bottom garter stitch rows. Picked up the stitches. And started knitting a 2x2 rib(to match the collar) until it was long enough. Now, I just have to do the front piece's ribbing (I've cut and picked up stitches..knitted two rows.) and the sleeves. The sleeves weren't too short, but they weren't as long as I'd like, and I like to roll cuffs up. And it would just look stupid if the had garter edges while everything else had ribbing. So there.

[Shi Listens to: One of These Thin - Nick Drake (04:51)]

Tom-Tom the Model Cat

2005-01-07T11:50:00.000+10:30

Intorducing :Tom-Tom!
This big boy is modeling the "Bonsai Sweater" from Ashik0's new line, called "Camo". The style is comfortabley loose, and boy does Tom look good! Here we see the boy eating:

And here, a sultry Tom stretches in his new favourite outfit for this Winter:

The finished article:

(The obligatory candid camera shot, taken by the younger sibling of the Photographer):

Enough of that crap. I finished it last night, but did all the weaving of ends and crap this morning. Then spent an hour trying to get Tom into it. I worked out that if you just shove his feet through the holes, then you just have to slip the rest of it over his head and it's fine. He isn't the intended recipient, that's why it's waaay too big. I think it was really heavy for him, too, because he was walking sort of how I would imagine a disabled cat would walk. It's about 150gms, I'd say, used about one and half balls of Elle's "Galaxy" in shade 426. I do actually really like the yarn, and would probably knit with it again, even though it's fully acrylic. The only thing that would stop me from making anything much bigger than the Bonsai Sweater would be that fact that it wont wear well. I had it rolled down as a turtle neck for the Tom-Tom coz he's got no neck, and that was just for the photo-shoot, he didn't move around much, but when I took it off, the underneath, where the fabrics had been rubbing against itself was already fluffing up. But, you know, it was cheap.
I reckon it looks really good, and it'll look even better on the fat little pug that Bonsai is. I'll have to post it to the Father in the next few days. As soon as I get pics of Bonsai in it, I'll show you.
I'll put the pattern up soon, it's just a rip off of the one on Knitty, I just altered it to be more puggy and to work on thicker yarn.
And, pictures of embarassing work unifrom. No, there will be no shots taken with or without my knowledge of me in it. You snap a shot of me looking like that, I snap your neck, K? Well, maybe not, but I look like a 12 year old.

Note the nifty Maccas emblem on sleeve and cap. Also, note how the belt is cool because it's styled after a "Skaties Belt". That shirt is XS, by the way.

Zoom

[Shi Listens to: Such Great Heights - Iron and Wine (04:11)]

2005-01-05T14:29:00.000+10:30

Now, I was thinking about stocking up on cheap, thick yarn while it's cheap, and knitting a whole lot of doggie sweaters for the RSPCA. And I came accross this part of the site. The childrens part. The part where theres this game. And while it only entertained me for maybe a minute today, you never know, I might go back. Doubtfull. You might like it though. Check it out (it's the grey cube, you have to try to click on the moving square in it, bottom left of the screen tells you what to do, sort of)..
Hm. Yes. The Doggie Sweater. I thought it would only use one ball, but I just thought I should buy two, just in case. LUCKY!

Tweezers for sizing (only thing I could find in my room that has universal size). That's one ball of the Desert stuff. Glad I got tow, now, eh!
But I fear that it's gonna be too big! I mean, he is only a pug!

[Shi Listens to: Kickout - The Exies (03:21)]

Bargin Bins RULE

2005-01-04T21:44:00.000+10:30

Brothers and I got mulah for Xmas. Brothers are DESPERATE to spend mulah the minute they get it. So family goes down to Big Shopping Centre.
Guess what Neeky-burger* got?

7mm needle swatch. Oh yeah, the yarn is called "Galaxy" by Elle.

You really do pay for the packaging, eh? $3.50 for something worth $12. But, it's been destroyed and stickey-taped back together...So it was el-cheapo.

So, I've started knitting up a new sweater for my Dad's dog Bonsai. Some of you may remember the black and green one I did ages ago? Well, he grew out of that, so I started this one. I normally hate variegated yarns, but this looks kind of cool. I think it's coz it's all..Desert-Army-type colouring. Camo. It's gonna look so good on Bonsai!!

I've also just recently discovered "Craftster.org". I love it, it's great for inspiration, even if you don't actually re-make what someone else has made. My mind is full of ideas. I love it!!

*Neeky-burger is what Chantals Uncle calls me. He's a big kid.

[Shi Listens to: I Miss You Now - Stereophonics (04:51)]

Bit Bitchy today..

2005-01-03T12:29:00.000+10:30

I remember this one time, when I was younger. Maybe in year 2 or 3. My best friend ever was this girl called A. I still know her, she was in my care-group last year. But we were best friends, we did alot together. Then, she moved to Murray Bridge. And I forgot to get her new address, so I could send her a letter. So I asked someone who I, at the time, considered to be a friend. She told me that A only gave her address to people who she wanted to talk to and be friends with, and if she hadn't given her new address to me, then A2 (person I thought was friend) couldn't give me the address. I was so hurt. That's probably what started my real, passionate hate for A2, the silly cow. Just so those who were wondering know. I've kind of gotten over her being such a bitch, and what she did (haha, no, not just with-holding the address), she's no longer really a part of my life. But she's one of those people that, it really wouldn't bother me if I never had to see them again. If she died..Well, I don't want to say anything horrible, but, I wouldn't be crying.

I don't know what made me remember. I think I was looking at my school photo from year seven. We were all so proud and happy. Hmm.

I taste like Peanut Butter.

I am one of the most blendable flavours; I go with sweet, I go with sour, I go with bland, I go with anything. I am practical and good company, but have something of a tendency to hang around when I'm not wanted, unaware that my presence is not welcome. What Flavour Are You?

Aaah, the thunder is so nice this time of year. It's just such a change from the heat..though it hasn't been too bad this season. But it's all dark and cloudy and grey on one half of my bedroom view. If I look the other way, I can see blue skies and fluffy, white clouds. Either way, I can still hear the thunder. Like a big cat in the sky. You know how sometimes it's more of a little, yapping dog? And then it's a big angry dog? Well, this time it's close to a giant cat purring. I LOVE it!
I love the smell of light rain..How it smells, and makes everything else's smell stand out more. Oooh, I could sit here for ever.

Came across this :Stain. Weird, I'd love to participate, but I don't think that The Mother would approve.

Didn't end up going to the movies, Talia felt too much like a pile of crap. We're going tonight though. Even though it's a public holiday(!!). On the 3rd of Janurary? you ask in horror. Why, yes, sadly so. You see, in Australia, we are a LAZY BUNCH and slack off work on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Also, the days after that are officially "Public Holidays", so we slack off then, too. Then, there's New Years Eve and Day, which we slack off on, but then we wait until January 3rd, a MONDAY to have an official day off. SLACK. SLACK. SLACK.

SLACK.

OK. I'm CALM. It's the rain, I swear, it like, revvs me up. Makes me a little too..MOOODY. Plus, you know, girl stuff.

Where has everyone gone? My favourite posters are getting slack!! Well, cept a few. But most haven't posted in such a long time. I cry. I'll go now.

Byye the way. In case you were wondering...No knitting, of late. My gauge, though stitch wise is perfectemondo, is mangled on the rows. Plus, I can't get the erratta (I'm talking about the Jacke in Apricot.) Anyone like to join me, though, in a bit of a knit along? I'll host and do buttons or whatever?

[Shi Listens to: sparks - cold play (03:47)]

No Excuse.

2005-01-01T16:54:00.000+10:30

In the last few days, I've watched some of the best movies I've seen in my life. "Garden State"...My God. I just finished that. It's a really beautiful movie. I am a little emotional, it's that time of the month..But right now, I'm feeling really...Touched. It was just such a nice story, and I felt empathy and like I was in there, watching it play out in real life. Zach Braff is so...cool. He wrote that story, so he must have been really feeling it all. I'd love to know what inspired him to write a story like that. Something in his life must've...done something to him. It's just a reallly...nice movie to watch. I spose you could call it a chick-flick, though..But...Aahh, it was refreshing. I want to meet someone like the guy Zach Braff played, I want to be Samantha. You know?
I don't know that It'll do so well in Australia, I don't know when it'll open here, or if it already has...It was another copied DVD.
As was Wicker Park. Now that was WEIRD. But interesting. And that made me want to meet the guy that Josh Hartnett played. I was close to tears, I think, he just loved her so much.
Also watched "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". I was confused at first, but it did mostly sort itself out in the end. I think it's one of those movies that you have to watch a couple of times, but I don't know that I'll bother. It left me slightly dazed though, you know, like I'd just woken up from a different world. Wow, there's something wrong with me lately, I'll spare you from more ramlbings.
Aaanyways, next on the pile is "Ladder 49", which I doubt very much is going to be anywhere near as deep as either of the last movies mentioned.
Happy New Year, eh? What'd everyone do? We (as a family) were gonna go down to Glenelg and watch the fire works. But I just couldn't, I was going to collapse from PAIN. So I sat in bed most of the night watching "Blonde", the Marilyn Monroe movie. That made me sad, too. Poor girl... I never knew much about Marilyn Monroe..I hope that movie was close to the factual bits. Then, i watched the fire works. Then I think I fell asleep. BORING. Apologies.
Pictures? No, I have none. I have been doing little knitting, I've tried on the Zopfullover many times, hoping that maybe it'll have stretched or just magically gotten longer or something. It hasn't.
I did join Alisons Sockapalooza, though.
No work, I think I'm going to have to call and remind them that I've been employed there and am waiting. They told me I'd get a call, but I haven't, which annoys me, coz I believed. So, on Monday I'm gonna give em a call. I hadn't gotten around to it because of all the public holidays and the centre being closed and everything. By Monday there's no excuse. So, Monday it is.
Chantal and Talia wanted me to go see "Team America" with them tongiht. If I remember correctly, it was me who called Talia to see if she wanted to come, but she was in Melbourne at the time. And then I told her I didn't want to go to Chantal's tonight, plus I thought we were gonna see the fire-works. And that today B's mum and dad were coming over. So..I don't get it. I think I'll go anyways. Wait, now I am going, I'll just take lots of pain killer type drugs before I go.
Hm. That's about it. Se, I don't do much.
WAIT. Yesterday, we went to the pool. My family and C and her kids. That was really fun. I met a guy called Habib. There's this TV show, "Fat Pizza". And one of the guys always goes "OH MY GOD, HABIB!!" whenever somethign happens. And my brothers always say it now. And being around them makes me say it. And then we met a real-lif, in-the-flesh Habib. Hehe. He was cool. Someone I'd like to be friends with.
Mel and I are gonna go to the pool soon, just us I think. Chantal thinks it's dirty, and Talia get's burnt too quick. So, remind me!!
Alright, enough rambly crap. Sorry to bore you. So long...

[Shi Listens to: The Only Living Boy In New York - Simon & Garfunkel (02:15)]

Odd stuffs

2004-12-30T15:41:00.000+10:30

Oook, over the nxt few days I might post stuff that looks stupid or whatever, but it's so that it's hosted somehwree and I can link to it as a new page..If you get me..I'm trying to fiddle around with Java-Scrpit mini window things and stuff...I'm not sure what I'll do...So..yeah.

I'm Hello Kitty Flower Fairy!

Edit: Oh dear..Someone got here by searching for Teeny Boppers + pic...I'll go die now!!

[Shi Listens to: get it faster - Jimmy Eat World (04:22)]

14 Balls of Austermann Candy!..For $20!

2004-12-29T16:33:00.000+10:30

Look where I went today!

Guess what I got??!...14 balls of Austermann's Candy!! I just love this stuff! I've used it before on a hat and it's the softest, most lovely yarn. It feels like polar fleece!!

But, the reason why I'm so excited is because:
1) I was checking out all these different yarn suitable for Rogue. To get enough of a quality yarn, it was going to cost close to $100.
2) When I bought my chocolate brown ball for my hat, it cost me $8.99.
3) Today, the label on the ball said $1.99. I was very excited. That meant it was only going to cost AUD$28.
4) Once I dragged it all to the counter, the woman scanned it and said "Oh, it's only $1.49 a ball!"..YAY! That means that it only cost me $20 for enough good quality yarn to knit Rogue!

Zooooom...

Here's a good shot (from Elann) of the texture.

Now, the yarn is 100% Nylon Microfibre...And I'm not tooo sure about how it' going to sit with the cables of Rogue...So, I'm going to have a bit of a swatching session.

Surely you non-knitters *cough*Max*cough* can understand the coolness of getting something that was going to cost $100 for only $20?

Alright..I think I'll leave now. I don't know if I'll post again soon, so just incase I don't before New Years...I hope everyone has a

Happy New Years!

Edited:oh My God! You have to check this out! (Maybe not if you get offended easily..)

Sewing Box and Apricot Jacket

2004-12-28T15:49:00.000+10:30

Guess what I started today?

My own sewing box!! Yay, won't have to use Mum's anymore! It's all el-cheapo stuff, so everything in that pic ('cept the mat) cost $9. And, the guy at the counter was my old neighbor. Jai. He is cool. Easy to talk to. You know how sometimes you come across people who you don't really know, but would feel rude if you didn't actually ackowledge them as more than the person behind the counter, and then you both feel uncomfortable? Well, he's the only person who isn't actually a friend, or even an associate, who...didn't make it uncomfortable. Just thought I'd share that with you. A rare insight into the mind of moi.

And, a three days ago, I started my very own Apricot Jacket! That is the fron-left piece, and it took me two days because I kept not reading things properly. Im still not happy with the neck decreases, so I'll prolly have to rip and redo for what will literally be the fifth time! (Not wholly frog, just to where the arm and neck shaping starts..Not too bad)

And here's the start of an arm. Look at that fat needle!! 7mm when I was told I'd need maybe a 4.5/5 mm one!!

Now, that front piece is 70cm long. That's down to the end of my hips. Past my bum. I don't think it's sposed to be that long. And, with the yarn being partially cotton, it's prolly gonna stretch. So I think I'll be maybe re-knitting all of it. I think I'l knit both pieces at once. God, I wish I had a ball-winder. I think I'll get one with my X-Mas money. Yeah, tha'ts what I'll do.

It's brother H's Birthday today, he's ten. After the giving of the gifts, we hurriedly got clean and dressed, and went and saw "Meet the Fockers". It's a great movie. Great actors. It was actually better than the first one!! Everyone should see it, whether or not you liked "Meet the Parents"!

Hm. I think that's about it.
WAIT!!!! Christmas!?! Yes, Christmas. That was good. Quite good, actually.
Woke up in the morning, recieved and gave gifts, ate cake or something for brekkie.
Visited M and sons. She fed us ham and cheese *what is that French roll...? I can't remember the name for life of me :'(* while we watched the nightmare before Christmas.
Lunch: Loverly Chinese. We had a banquet. I was going to burst, but I just had to keep eating. It was so nice!
Auntie G and S and son came and went. C and children came. They hung round for a while. We children decided to ditch the oldies and went down to the Primary School. People were there. People who were throwing things and these little wooden castels that they had set up on the oval. I didn't get it. Very weird. We also tried to climb rooves of buildings while we were there. It was our little thirll. I wasnt tall enough o be able to reach everything. I probably could've gotten up, but there's no way I was gonna be able to get down.

And that's it. Bye bye.

[Shi Listens to: Dookie-Full Album - Green Day (39:44)]

Honey, I'm Home.

2004-12-24T13:53:00.000+10:30

Weell..Someone got here after searching for "Vicious Attacks cauhgt on tape"...? Yess, that's definetly what you will find here...
I started watching "The Rage: Carrie 2"..But then my TV died. I don't think I'd be able to cope with Carrie, but The Rage seems..alright. I'm no horror movie fan, so this is a large deal for me.
Laziness is not to blame, really, for the lack of posting.
It is close to Christmas.
Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday I was at Marion with Mum, doing the Christmas shopping. Also, on Thursday, I spent most of the day wrapping the presents. While I wrapped, Mum had to do all the cleaning and cooking and crap, while the brothers sat there playing Frozen Throne.
Then, today..Mamma and B got married! I didn't know till Wednesday, and the brothers and B's kids only found out today, as we were heading to the Registry Office. It was just a nice little gathering of people, relatives of B and family friends of Mum. (Mums family are in another state...We've kind of made our own family here, of good friends and all.) I would show you pictures, but Mother would shoot me if she came across them.
It was an emotional thing, I started crying because everyone else was, I couldn't help it! But then we went to a really nice cafe.. (Mondiali?) and have a breakfast/lunch meal. It was very nice.
I was thinking about purchasing Noro Knits by Jane Ellison. I do quite like Butterfly and York, but I'm not sure if it's because of the stripy Noro yarn.

Butterfly, from "NoroKnits" by Jane Ellison

York, from "NoroKnits" by Jane Ellison

Ok. Now, for a while, I've been wanting to get myself some fake dreads. A while ago, I even bought a whole lot of the hair needed (It's ok, it's plastic, fake hair, I didn't make some poor woman in a thrid world country chop off all her hair for two bucks!)..But it's just so time consuming, and I have no-one to teach me how to dread it properly..Believe me, the art of dreading hair is a skilled one!
Anyways, so here is how I would love to have my hair! Kohl is

Anyway, I have to go now, I just thought I'd reasure Max that I'm alive :P

EDIT: Got Mail!..Figured I may as well take the much needed photos..

IK and Vogue Knitting are both from Brandy, and the masses of Kool-Aid's from Kristine! YAY!! I think there's one more package of the lovely drink stuck in the poat, coz I got the first, then the third..So now am awaiting the arrival of the second..GRR. Australia Post is a bit of a let down..

The finished Zopfpullover

The lovely minty ballety-shoes and clutch I had with me/on me at for the Wedding...I love them!

And Finally, I'd like to wish you all a very

Merry Christmas

and a Happy New Year!

New Monitor, Very Joyous

2004-12-20T16:36:00.000+10:30

Why yes, it is joyous that I have a new monitor! It's amazing the difference that it makes! I used to look at my blog and think "Geez, it'a so small and fuzzy..I think I need to make it more ledgible!!"..And now I look at it and it's just as clear as any other blog...As Blinky Bill says, "Amaaaaa-zing!".
Hm. I haven't done much in a while, nothing at all really. No knitting, it really is too hot. It's not been below 38 in a few days now..Everyones just slow and dying. It's truly horrid. And weird, too, coz the week before it was raining, and sometimes this week they're expecting storms. It's this global warming, somethings bad..They reckon that by 2060 or somethign, the whole in the Ozone layer should have healed up..If we keep going the way we're going (with the being careful of CFC's and cows farting and stuff)...But I dunno, the weather is getting weirder and weirder.
Hehh, listen to me rambling about the weather, of all things!
Hm. So, I think that's all.
Oh wait, no, it's not all! I've been seaming up the Zopfpullover. It's fully seamed (Thorpie says it's "fully sick, maate") but it's tooo short. So, I think I'm going to have to chop away the bottom six rows of garter stitch, and then go a nie length in the ribbing I used for the nice collar. I can't continue in the cable because there's a few foundation rows and all, it would be messed up and you'd be able to tell the I'd killed it and tried to cover up. No pictures, coz the mother still angsty about this bloggin' stuff. And everytime I ask for the camera she reminds me and asks if I've "done anything about that website?"...NO AND I DON'T PLAN TO. She's got Brett in on it, too. They're both telling me now about the woman who had her child cut out of her womb! Poor woman, it's horrible, but it's nothign to do with me. I'm SAAAAAAAAFE. Someone please, what shoudl I do to quel her irrational fears?

[Shi Listens to: crazytown - Revolving Doors - (03:40)]

Knitted Nativity

2004-12-17T20:50:00.000+10:30

This is that necklet/necklace that C got for me from Phuket. Her, her sisters and their mother all went on a nice trip there for a few weeks. When she bought this, she was told that the beads were hand made out of coconuts...I dunno, they feel pretty plasticy to me!

The knitted nativity that we've got. The mother of a different family friend knitted these up for us! When we first got them, I couldn't appriciate or understnad why it took like, 6 months for her to get them all done. Now I understand! They're very well made!

My favourites, the purly sheep and their sheppardy buddies :P The sheppards (and the rest of the people) are about 20cms tall? I'm not sure, I haven't measured, this is just a guesstimate.

OH. Now, I think I would like to knit these. They're not the ones that we've got, but they're probably just as good, and something that I can knit. And the patterns free. And it's all so cute!

If you really like the ones that I've got, let me know and I'll take some pictures so you can try to reverse engineer them. I think the woman who knitted them passed away a few years ago..Not sure. I know that he doesn't not speak to his mother anymore, anyways, so I wouldn't be able to get him to get the patterns.

Hum. My computer screen is now dying. Gawd, I'm sick of having crap. I'm risking sounding spoilt and brattish, but I think if I'm gonna have something that I'm gonna use as often as I use this computer, then it should be good. I mean, B's son has two computers in his room, while I have one shit one. The screen. MY god. It's just...It looks like a little kid has come and just smeared their dirty fingers across a piece of paper. And drawn with a pink highlighter down the left hand side, then put it in a puddle or something so the pink spreads.

So, I (*again*) may or may not be back soon, you never know. The moniter has gone back to normal again..But it's still..Wrong. It was old when we bought it four years ago third-hand. :'( ! My life is on the internet?!?! I wont be able to cope,. I'll have to leave my room and socialize with real people.

I went to the movies today. With Chantal and Talia and Talia's friend Chloe from Perth. They're an odd couple, would never have picked her to be friendly with Chloe..Talia's just too..Alternative? And Chloe, she's really cool, but she's more into...She's a cool teeny-bopper, if you get me?

Saw "Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events"...I want to call my firstborn Lemony Snicket. I'll go marry some guy with the right last name. Well, no, not really, and imagine having to grow up with that name?! It's not even the guys real name, it's apparently his name spelt backwards or something? But it was amusing.

Christmas List:

1) For the Mother- Either a Sheryl Crow CD, A good Cook-Book or something else nice I see. Still haven't managed to find anything for her. I will, though.

2) For Brother M- ~~No idea. He neds some clothes. MAybe some shorts?~~Got him two pairs of nice cottony boxer shorts for $7.99!

3) For Brother J- ~~In all seriousness, I'm going to get him a few pairs of socks. Maybe a real cook-book for him too. Or a good fictional read..Suggestions? He's nearly 12.~~ I got him two pairs of really good socks, which added up to $7.89 or something.

4) For Brother H- ~~I've seen some stuff. Like the Skaties belt & Wallet set in that cheapo-shop..I don't remember the name though.~~ Got him just a wallet. That was maybe $8.99?

5) For B- What do you get for your mothers nearly 44 year old partner? He doesn't have time to read a book, we've got hundreds of movies, he's got all the music he'll ever need, and I don't know what size he is in clothes.

6) For the Father-Is there any point? That means that I would have to get something for Coleen. I don't not like her, but, she's not living with me or caring for me and not really important to my life. Plus, I'd have to ship it. And Dad rarely calls on X-mas anyways. He did a few years

Cheap, no? Three gifts for siblings who don't love me and would never buy me anything (nah, Brother H would, he's the youngest and as yet untarnished by the world...I'm sure they would if they had the cash.) for under $30. I'm happy. Still have to get something for the mother, though. Hum. And B. Mother doesn't even know what to get for him..

This blog has become more of a notebook than a "diray" to me...Funny that....The screens just remangled, so I'll be off, byebye!

[Shi Listens to: Hard Act To Follow - Grinspoon (03:26)]

She went Skitz

2004-12-16T16:49:00.000+10:30

Well.
I started knitting these socks last night. Twice. I wasn't worried about gauge, because my feet are tiny, I fit kids sizes. The last pair before this pair of shoes I bought, they were kids shoes, size 5. WRONG, I tell you!
Anyways..Seems I was just a little too carefree. I'll just need to get some "bigger" yarn. And a better pair of cirics, this pair..it like, grates the yarn as I try to move it round!
Great pattern though. I've never actually completed a pair of socks before. I hope to finish these, though. I think I'll get some good yarn and make them for Talia. She wanted me to knit her a pair of socks.
I think everyone should read this. Not only is the whole blog great, this particular enrty is just...Hehe, I know it's no laughing matter, but it's just really well written. Like, the whole thing. Very interesting.
Hum. I think that's about it. I'm sorry, Max. I have nothing to write about. Other than how sad I am about how Talia is going to te "Nerd School" next year! I'll miss her. Quite alot. I mean, I'll still hang round with her, maybe it'll make me get out more and stop spending so much time in my room on my computer. But ... It's not the same?
I have a Christmas gift list that needs to have somethign done about it. So maybe I'll go shopping like a real teeny-bopper with Talia and Chantal for X-mas gifts.

1) For the Mother- Either a Sheryl Crow CD, A good Cook-Book or something else nice I see.

2) For Brother M- No idea. He neds some clothes. MAybe some shorts?

3) For Brother J- In all seriousness, I'm going to get him a few pairs of socks. Maybe a real cook-book for him too. Or a good fictional read..Suggestions? He's nearly 12.

4) For Brother H- I've seen some stuff. Like the Skaties belt & Wallet set in that cheapo-shop..I don't remember the name though.

5) For B- What do you get for your mothers nearly 44 year old partner? He doesn't have time to read a book, we've got hundreds of movies, he's got all the music he'll ever need, and I don't know what size he is in clothes.

6) For the Father-Is there any point? That means that I would have to get something for Coleen. I don't not like her, but, she's not living with me or caring for me and not really important to my life. Plus, I'd have to ship it. And Dad rarely calls on X-mas anyways. He did a few years

My friends and I tend not to bother with x-mas presents for each other, it's just a silly formailty all the silly little teeny-boppers feel the need to partake in.
Max, you are not deserving of a gift.
Did I tell you Mother went skitz at me over this blog? I told you how she was a little worried. Well, after I spoted that, she came back in and was all..I dunno, she just got all "I want you to get rid of it! I don't mind if you have knitting stuff up there, but get rid of the rest of it!".
"No, Mum, there's nothing bad on there! There's nothing that people can use to find out anything about me, other than what I tell them!" (Or somethign to that effect)
"Let me read it then!"
"No way!" *gasp of Horror* "There's private stuff on there!" *thinking now, 'DAMN! SHE CAUGHT ME OUT!!'*
"EXACTLY, Monique!"
But the reason I don't want her reading it is coz it's mine, not hers. Because everything on here is too current. Because they're my personal feelings, and I don't let anyone that I have to see face-to-face on a daily basis read it. Cept Max. But he cheated and found the blog himself using his Super Slueth abilities.

[Shi Listens to: Turn Back Time - Aqua (04:07)]

Drive-By Sets

2004-12-14T21:25:00.000+10:30

Well, if you've been here sometimes during the past few days/hours, you may have noticed the ever changing style of the blog.
There were about three in the space that has passed since the last post. This is the one I have settled on. I knid of like it. I quite like it. It's just a little..I dunno. There's a few things that I would like to fix up...But you know, it serves it's purpose.
I had my Orientation at Macca's today. Yay! I thought I was gonna be the only one, but there were six of us all up. These two other girls from my School, two girls who I've never seen before. And a guy. He seemed cool. One of the girls who went to my school was pretty nice, she tried to make conversation with everyone...We were all a bit quiet. I knid of felt a little out because I was by far the youngest..They were all at least in year 11. Ah well, they were friednly enough.
I'll be waiting now for a call to go pick up my uniform, and then later on a call for when my fist trainging shift is. It's wicked cool though, we all actually get payed for the orientation, plus the training! I was there for maybe an hour and a half Wonder how much tht'll be..Maybe $2 all up or something? Hehe :P
Well...No pictures, but a question..I've been wondering what I should do with this Fantasy Naturale (I've got 500g/5 balls/700 yds/? metres of "Sage") that I had planned on using for the "Apricot Jacket"... Any suggestions? Anyone? I lurve the colour, and it knits up quit nice..just not at the gauge required for AJ. Hum.
Oh. I'm so grown up :P I got my bank-card today! So now, I don't have to go in and do the whole deposit slip deal, and don't need the mothers signature anymore.
I showed Mama the blog today, because I wanted to proove to her that the Web Design Course I've been wanting to do is not going to end up being wasted fees. I think my aim was lost on her when she actually started reading what had been written and saw her name. She was all like "Are you sure it's safe?? What if people come and find us?"..Yes..And how many of you know where I live? My whole name? Very few, if not only Max and Erica.
Gar, I think the internet just blew up, so that's the end of that. You may never even get to see this post. :'(
Do you like the layout? Constructive critisisisisism is always asked for!

Merry Christmas

2004-12-13T11:43:00.000+10:30

I think it's finally hit me that it's Christams. It's the season to be jolly. And I am. So much is right in my world. School puts on so much pressure, socially and accedemically. But now school..Wow, it's just great! I'm free! And it's Christmas! I love Christmas!

OK, now for some much needed pictures.

Pieces of the bear. Bit's with cream are the arms, next is the body pieces, above them the legs, and the little bits are the paw pads. Just have to do head and ears and then seam it all up! Yay!

Arabella...in carboard box to help keep everything un-dirtified.

No real excuse for the poor quality...It's cloudy, I'm tired. I don't do pictures well. I tried. I really did. Maybe.

I was gonna show you a pic of this nice little necklace a family friend brought back from Phuket, but the camera's batteries had almost run out, it was barely able to transfer the images! So, Brother J is charging tha batteries as we speak, and soon a pic will be up of that, too.

Ok. I spose that's it. I need to go post a few things to some people. Yes, Max, I'm a smuggler.

[Shi Listens to: Horny Eyes - Eon Automatic (01:49)]

Socks and jocks for the Wooden Heads

2004-12-12T18:09:00.000+10:30

I had stopped knitting that Mr Bean Teddy Bear for a while, but have started again, because I'm broke and think Mother really needs a nice gift. I mean, I'll get her somethign, she needs a nice cookbook or something for inspiration (not paying out her cooking, she's a great cook, but she always wants to do all this different stuff but takes too long perfecting the dish and gets bored. Now you know where I get it from!). But she always likes somethign hand-made. Mum's prolly the only one in the family who would appriciate a gift like that. I think I'll just buy the Wooden Heads* (that's what Dad's side of the family call sthe boys. To Mum's side, our family is the Mukah-Mukah Tribe..I think because there's so many of us) socks, seeing as they're always getting munched on by the washing machine and never resurfacing. Then the ladies decid to wear my precious few socks!?!? I don't think so! Socks and jocks.

Anways, I'm knitting it again at half the size. And the gauge is mucho smaller, aussi. So the bear is gonna be minature! The legs would barely fit a pencil's width down the middle!? I hope I can sew it up alright and stuff it and everything.

Promised pictures? Maybe tomorrow or something. The owner of the camera has actually left the home to spend time with his "friends".

Yeah, I'm feelin' real controversial now, see, I'm even listening to EMINEM. I do actually like this song though. I can take that. I'm neutral with Eminem. You like him, that's cool. I wont hurt you. You don't? Cool too. Not that it matters what I think of your musical taste. Told you, I'm feeling werid.

*It's funny, I sign cards to Dad "From Button and the Wooden Heads" (I'm 'Button', dunno why). It sounds like some sort of eighties band :P

[Shi Listens to: Halies' Song - Eminem (05:00)]

The death of a 'puter

2004-12-10T13:47:00.000+10:30

Just posting to tell you that the coputer is on it's death bed, prolly inhaling it's last looong, drawn out breath as we speak. Some thing is wrong, very wrong. I may or may not be back so soon.
I will try though. And same goes for emails, I may or may not be able to check them, I'm not sure.

2004-12-09T17:24:00.000+10:30

Was watching "Elf"..Boring movie.

2004-12-08T18:04:00.000+10:30

Welll..Something is wrong with "Hello from Pisca", so I can't get my pictures happening.
I was going to do a:

""
Remember this?
< --Place picture of Shapely Tank -->
Now it looks like this:
< -- Place picture of messy, handwound balls of cotton, conected to prgress so far on "My Arabella" -- >

""

But now I can't because I cannot upload my pictures anywhere. I'm not going to waste precious PhotoBucket space if I don't have to, plus, it's too much bother!

Brother M is out of hospital now. That's a good thing. The whole needles-shoved-into-back-of-hand-for-24-hours-thing has grossed me right out, makes me shudder just to think about it. He has to take big, fat, GINORMOUS tablets now...I did tell you he was in hospital, didn't I?

[Shi Listens to: I'm All For Believing - Missy Higgins (03:11)]

I got the job!

2004-12-07T16:03:00.000+10:30

Guess who got the job at Maccas?! 'Tis I !! Yay! And it is also moi who cannot stop grinning. So happy! They're gonna give me a call on Saturday, (I've come to believe exactly what she says. When I applied, I was told I would get acall in teh next two days...I got a call later on that day. I was told that I would get a call before 3 pm. I got a call before 3pm) to tell me when to come in for orientation. I spose I'll get told everything else on Orientation. Mk.

Brother M is in hospital. Over night! On a drip. Nah, it's nothing bad. He's had this cyst on his face, for years, ultra tiny, but no doctor has been gameto remove it because of the it's postion in relation to the main facial nerves. Until now. Because it's become infected. Big and swollen and gross. So he's on the drip for 6 hourly antibiotics to quickly get down the infection, then a few days oral antibiotics, and then under the knife to have the un-infected cyst removed from his face.

I downloaded Mozilla Firefox a few days ago and had been using it. It's not very good. I don't like it. I like change, though I am a person of habit. And it just takes over the computer and mangles it. It blocks alot of my programs. It makes my blog look shit. It moves thigns around. It's NOT GOOD.

I've been given a movie called "carrie" to watch. It's an R-rated, Stephen King Horror film. I don't know that I'll be able to cope. To watch or not?

I have a job.

[Shi Listens to: Irreversible - The Exies (03:03)]

Blue Patches

2004-12-06T13:18:00.000+10:30

Tom, my Tom-Cat... He just refused to look at the camera.

Thunder.

No lightning.

All the while, there's still patches of blue?

Yesterday it was hot as. Today there is lightning and rain and coldness.

Chris-D just appeared in my door way and scared the crap out of me. He's too quiet. I jumped out of my seat and slammed my foot into the ground...

My scalp feels a little better, though.

The Blackwood Christmas Pageant

2004-12-04T20:30:00.000+10:30

It was such a non-event it's not even funny.
I didn't even see Santa properly.
No pictures, I considered nicking Brother J's camera, but decided against it. He would have shot me.
Jono and Lockie got in a bit of a biff. Jono's mates had to step in and Lockie got kaned. Or so I hear. I'm not sure, I'm hearing conflicting stories.
I thought I looked like a bit scraggish, then Jono said I looked good. I must've thought right.
Was a little awkward with Chantal there.
To Max's disappointment, no-one got hit by any floats.
Mel slept over.
To Daniel's disappointment, there was no lesbian activity. I'm "Straight" as "Straight" can be.
I burnt my scalp in the shower this morning.
To my disappointment, it hurts a lot.

That just about sums it up.

Mel and I went to Westfield. She was penniless. I figured I wasn't gonna buy anything, seeing as she couldn't. We went into all the rich shops and tried on stuff. Then we went into the cheap shops, and tried on some stuff.

Haven't picked up any knitting in a while.

[Shi Listens to: Could Have gone Mad - Poe (05:21)]

Job Interview: 11 am Tuesday

2004-12-03T15:19:00.000+10:30

Yes, that's right,I have a job interview! While it may only be for MacDonalds, and hey may have a whole line-up of little hopefulls comme moi, I don't care. I really hope I get this job, because as I've been told, and come to realize for myself, it just opens so many doors for future jobs. I do hope all goes well! Send good luck and *confidence* my way!

Tonight I am heading down to that Blackwood Pageant. It's an annual thing, and I go every year. Have since..for ever! Mel and Talia are definetly coming, I'm not sure about Chantal, she's in a shit so I don't really look forward to her coming right now. No bitchiness, though, I am happy...I think.

Today we had a visitor. Mylor. Well, her name is actually Jess Moore, but everyone calls her Myloor. I don't know why. I think she used to go to Mylor Primary or something? Not sure. But, while all of her class mates were attending school, as she was supposed to be doing, she was at our house with B.'s son, M.. She just walked in and goes "I'm gonna stay here for a few hours, K?" to M., not to my mother, or B, the owners and adults of the house and home. But to the estranged (not really) son who no longer even lives in the home. He lives with his mother, but comes here when food runs out, entertainment stops or when he's feeling extra grotty and greasy and gross, and needs to make the rest of us feel sick. I swear he doesn't bathe or anything. And then he comes to our home and wipes his greasy head all over our couches while smooching this silly skank. My God, they are 12 years old. No, wrong, 13. And B. can't do anything about it, because if he tells M to go to school, then M will just nick off back to his mothers place, not school.

So, our house must now be re-christened "The Drop-in-Centre" ala "Home and Away" (silly Aussie soapie). M.s friends, male, female and all those inbetween are, and I use this term rarely, quite simply, dropkicks. I don't even know what that means, but I know that's what they are.

I think I mortally wounded Shedir. And the Zopfpullover needs stitches, in all senses of the word.

2004-12-01T18:59:00.000+10:30

The cute little $2 bracelets that I got from the el-cheapo shop today, there's a matching pink one that you can see in the background. I quite like 'em, even though they're jingly and sequeny and all. I found them in the little kids dress-ups section. So very cute!

The Zopfpullover, lying there, dejected. Poor thing. I think I should actually do something about finishing her up. As you can see in the last photo of it, it is a little to short, but it can look OK if I wear a longer shirt.

Shedir, I actually think she'll be too big! Too long and too fat around! I'm nearly heart-broken!

So that's about it. I'm no longer in school, we could get "Work/Family Leave" as of December 1, and that's today. It's cool, Brother M still ahd to go to school, and I didn't! Yay :P

Hm. That's about it. Yes, I said that, didn't I? Sorry Max, nothing new because I haven't actually done anything worth mentioning. Well, I haven't done anything.

[Shi Listens to: Powderfinger - On My Mind - (03:19)]

2004-11-29T19:15:00.000+10:30

Questions were asked. Answers were given. Talk was repeated. Threats were made. To carry through or not? If I choose to, you may want to say byebye to Axel for the last time, NOW, Max, because he will no longer be with us tomorrow.
That was just a little tidbit for Max to chew on.

Yay. I'm progressing nicely with Shedir. I still don't have any pictures, because..It just looks really scrappy when it's not stretched over my head. It's hard to see the cables, they just look like messy ribs. I WILL take a picture soon, though, maybe when I start the top shaping, which should be either tonight or at least tomorrow.

Oh my god. I got 24/36 today for fabrics.She was all nice and "Wow, I just loved it, Monique, it's so cute"..'It' being my bag, and she gives me a 4 out of 8 or something. I mean, GAR. Don't suck up to the student, woman. That's not even a pass, you need 55% at least to pass. All up thgouh, including the theory, i got the 24/36..A low B, I think. Grr. Not that that makes for interesting reading.

So, on that positive note, I'll be leaving.

[Shi Listens to: The Ramones - Spiderman - (02:06)]

I'm a little moody today, I don't know why.

2004-11-27T18:19:00.000+10:30

The Zopfpullover. See, WAY too short. Sleeve hole is WAy to tight. Neck opening is WAY too small. But I think I can still make it work. By the way, that's the skirt I made. It's a lot cooler in real life.

Hum. Well, I've got the Fantasy Naturale down to 5 sts/inch on 6.5 mm needles. Is something wrong? Didn't I get that same gauge on 5.5mm needles? Well, tomorrow I'm going to see if Johnsons (some shop up in Blackwood, it sells..School uniforms, mens clothes and..crafty things. And odd assortment) and try to get some 7 and 8mm needles, see what I can do with that. I don't want to have to be altering this pattern. I want to just knit it from the book, you know?

Oh, well, you know that swap that was going to be for Phildar Ete? Well, that fell through because there was a book that was important to the swap which I just can't seem to get my hands on. So, I have no real use for "Resort Knits" anymore. So if anyone's up for a swap, then I'd be very willing to trade, just leave a comment and I'll get back to you ASAP.

Hm, I've started on Shedir, so far it's going well. I'm into the first cable repeat. No pictures yet, because it's looking pretty scrapy, and I've given the camera back to the rightful owner.

The Zopfpullover is just sitting on the floor of my room, in a crumpled pile. Maybe it's because I'm lazy. Maybe it's because the last four days have all been over 33 degrees Celsius. Maybe it's because it's a litttle mangled.

I'm a little moody today, I don't know why.

Wow, you should go over and see Norma's Rogue, it's soo cool! I've picked out the top three colours:

Cleckheaton's Merino Supreme for my Rogue. I was going to do a Tweedy thing, but it would be too epensive, and who needs drabness in Winter? Though, it doesn't really matter all that much right now, because like I said, it's been very hot of late.

[Shi Listens to: Other side - Red Hot Chili Peppers (04:16)]

Shoe/Earing Harlot.

2004-11-26T17:28:00.000+10:30

Wow, how perceptive is this?

You're a young knitter, just starting out. Welcome
to the fold! Find yourself some nice soft yarn
and grab a latte- it takes a while to finish a
project but it's well worth it.

Are you a knitter?
brought to you by Quizilla

Hm. Well, things actually went good with Adam today. He ended up sitting next to me, and we were talking lightly. I knew I had to say something about what Jess did. But I was scared. So I sat there for a while, and then I did it.

"Hey Adam, I honestly didn't ask Jess to send that email!"
"Oh...How'd you know about that?"
"Uh...She only just told me last night..."
"Ooh K"

And he kind of faded off. But then, after that, it was easy, you now, no tensness. He went back to normal. If not slightly nicer, like how he was a few days ago, when we were kind of..peaceful and happy. I was surprised how easy it was to do that, actually. Because it was admitting to both him and myself that I still quite like him. But once I started, it was just so easy to do. It's kind of like scary Orals. You get all worked up and spastic..And then it's like. "Oh, it's over"..By Orals I mean Oral Presentations..That still sound kind of sexual. In school. Oral Presentation, you know what I mean.

I can't believe that yarn is too thin!? I got the gauge eventually on 6.5mm needles..I think. Or maybe it was still 4 1/2 stitches and inch. I can't remember. But, my god! I feel ripped off. And I can't return it. I've opened a skein and been mangling it. I lurve the colour, too. I want to use it for something. If only..Hum. I'm going to have to just.. I was considering doing the bigger size. But it's still not quite big enough on the gauge that I like. I spose it is a jacket, though. I'll do some more maths tonight.

No actual progress on anything, really. Knit-wise or in life.

Still stuck with Axel/Adam. I thought I had decided. But I haven't. This always happens. I don't really want to make a choice now. Well, either way, it doesn't matter because I don't think either of them feel the same way about me. OOhh Well. I was just proud that I confronted somethign today, without actually being confrontational.

Heey. I got some new earings. From Le Cheap. Yes, that's really what the shop is called. Their little emblem thing is a bird. Get it, cheep-chEAp? I love them, they're green and shiny and when I wear them and move I can hear them. Whee! I obviously haven't bought earings in a long time. Wow, I just wrote "needles" instead of "earings".. Either way the sentence would be true.

I'm a shoe/earing harlot.

Oh yes. I've been reduced to eating sugar. Heated up in teh microwave.

[Shi Listens to: Poem - Taproot (03:46)]

Quiz

2004-11-25T17:55:00.000+10:30

What Color is Your Brain?
brought to you by Quizilla

""
ORANGE:
At work or in school: I need to be "hands on": I like to play games, to compete, and to perform. I enjoy flexibility, changes of pace, and variety. I have difficulty with routine and structure. My favorite subjects are music, art, theatre, and crafts. I often excel in sports. I like solving problems in active ways and negotiating for what I want. I can be direct and like immediate results.
With friends: Planning ahead bores me because I never know what I want to do until the moment arrives. I like to excite my friends with new and different things, places to go, and romantic moments.
With family: I need a lot of space and freedom. I want everyone to have fun. It is hard for me to follow rules, and I feel we should all just enjoy one another.
""

Look what was waiting on my bed when I got home?

2004-11-25T17:10:00.000+10:30

Look what was waiting on my bed when I got home?

No Flash

Flash...Colour is greeny. It's called Sage, if that helps. This is the most accurate photo, colour wise.

Wondering why it was on my bed when I got home? So am I...I think the Mother might well have placed it there. I'm all boppy and happy now! =)

So, now I can start on my loverly Apricot Jacke! This is very, very good. I think I shall start tonight. I'm not sure. But, I'm actually knitting something for the Mother...Did I tell you already? I'm knitting the Mr Bean Teddy Bear for her for Christmas. I have not quite a month to knit a 45cm tall teddy. I reckon I can do it. I kind of remember writing this down before. Did I link to it, though?! Just checked, no I didn't. So here we have a linky!

Wow. Adam was being odd to me yesterday and today. I thought he was just being and idiot. Then I find out that Jess had gone "Oi, Adam, are you gonna go out with Monique? She likes you? Are you gonna go out with her?" Holy shit, what is this? Did she do it on purpose or is she just a little silly? With Jess, I don't really know. I think she's just so blonde and didn't realize what she was doing; she prolly thought she was helping, even. Oh well.

But, you know, in a way, it did help. If Adam is going to behave like that (there wasn't anything in particular that he has done, it's more what he hasn't done over the past few days), then do I really want...Like, is there any point? So, I've just decided to give up. I'm sick of this. Every time I like him, someone else always tells him and he backs right off. SO he's obviously not that interested. Pooh to you too. Neither am I! Rar. Scary, no? So, Axel it is. He knows I like him, and he's still fun and still treats me the same way. Guys suck. Who needs them, eh?...They do make good friends though, loyal, like dogs =)..That was for you, Max. Max-Dog and the Chest dog.

Har Har. I feel I should explain the "Revi, Alan" on the "Hating" list. What a positive list that one is, eh? Anyways, he's my S&E (Society and Environment...) "teacher". I've honestly learnt nothing from him this year, other than the fact that not all teachers are nice. I already knew that, he just reinforced a previous lesson, really. Anyways. To cut a long story short, he has currently kicked out six of us. Kicked six students out of the class. I've only got two more lessons of the year with him, so I won't be trying to get back in. I'm happy; Will, Axel and the ChestDog have been kicked out, too. Oh yeah, and Max and Keith got kicked out after I did. I got kicked out because I was doing my English work instead of SE (aren't I a rebel?!). Max and Keith were playing "Rock, Paper, Scissor" across the classroom. Axel...well, he probably deserved it, he doesn't work in SE. Will...Will and Daniel don't even know why they got kicked out. FIVE MORE DAYS. I can COPE, I WILL LIVE.

I'm off to go start on the Apricot Jacket (Pattern 25 in Rebecca 27)...I ordered an extra skein for that Cabled Cancer Cap in the Knitty Fall Surprise Issue. I love that hat. I love cables, so there you go!

Buh bye!

**Update: I'm going to go kill someone..The magazine and the labels all say that that cotton is the perfect gauge for the Jacke. It is not. It's got 5 sts/1inch on 5.5mm needles?!? The suggested needle size is 5 mm!**

Oops. Cut knitting.

2004-11-24T19:45:00.000+10:30

Bad pic...No Apology. No Excuse.

Silly girl was undoing some wacky sleeve-body matress stitch, when she got frustrated and whipped out her trusty, fat scissors. She proceeded to snip, snip snip. Little did she know, she had cut into her precious sleeve. Bad, bad little girl.

But, luckilly, it was just the bound off edge of the sleeve, so not much harm done. Least I caught it. But, I'm annoyed that I actually amde that mistake! So, I think I'm going to leave the whole seaming thing for a little later, maybe this weekend.

I started knitting the Mr Bean Teddy for my Mum for X-Mas. When I made bears (real one, out of mohair and stuff) she always wanted them. But, I was doig it for myself, you know. Just something that was all mine. But, this will be cool. It's easy to kniw, just kind of...irritating coz I don't have a small enough row counter, which I have come to rely on so very much.

Hum. I did have more to say, I think, but Mc Leods Daughters is now, on. Sorry, I really do love this show, and it's the last episode. I may write between add breaks. If theres writing below, then you'll know that I ahve. If not, so long!

[Shi Listens to: free.mp3 - Phish (03:46)]

Speechless

2004-11-22T14:02:00.000+10:30

Wow. We we're drving back from Cumberland..I can't even remember why we were down there. But we came back, and we're at Gelnalta Train Station, waiting to cross...And then I see bitumen ripped up around the tracks. And CFS tape. My eyes follow this messt trail, until they come to rest on the cause.

The night before, a train had de-railed. Right at the station. The Belair Train line. That train line is part of my life, I use it at least once a week. I have friends who use it every single day. So I'm sitting in the car thinking "Oh my GOD! All these people that i know catch that train, what if they were on it when this happened?" I was panicking. There were still CFS and police loitering around, and the train was still sitting there. There were cranes and trucks and everything around the site, too.

Then someone points out that it was a freight train. I let out an audible sigh of relief, and was then lost for words.

Recently, one of the most modern trains in Australia derailed, luckily no-one was killed, but it was full of passengers. One of those trans-country trains. It was all over the news, but it never really hit me. Then something liek this ahppens, so literally close to home, and it hit me hard. I mean, WOW. I just...You won't know how I feel unless it happens to you, and no-one even died.

I got home and promptly began searching the net for pictures. No pictures up yet, but what do I find? I come across many sites with stories about the same thing happening two years ago, around this time of year.

Go here for the story about the most recent happening.

I'm still...Wow.

Lost. For. Words.

Knit wise, I've done the decreases for the armhole...Maybe ten more cms to go and then I have to seam and weave ends!! I hope to all the gods that it fits over my humungoid head!

Illness update: Head: Blocked ears (am constantly losing my balance and nearly falling over), blocked nose and pained throat (can't really breathe using either), gungy eyes.
Body: Neck must have been broken during my restless last night. Legs feel puffy.

So, yes, I'ma very joyous girl today!!

Am actually missing schoool and my friends..This was to be my last week, and I kind of wanted to take advantage of it, because I'll doubtfull be put into the same care group again next year. I wanted to do something about Adam. I wanted to talk to Axel. Wanted to help organize this Paintballing Expedition.

Will ~~probably~~ hopefully be at school tomorrow. Adam was tlaking about this on Friday, saying he didn't want it to be Friday for the first time since he could remember. He actually wanted to come back to school the next day to be with his friends and have fun. What is wrong with us?

[Shi Listens to: Fade Into You - Mazy Star (04:55)]

Mangled Blog

2004-11-21T19:20:00.000+10:30

Apologies for the double post today, especially to those who Bloglines Notifier. It can get irritating.
But, I'd just like to point out that , yes, I do realize the blog is slightly mangled. But you know what? I recently came a cross a light-bulb discovery. I'ma slack perfectionist.
I hate things to be imperfect, improper, or just plain wrong, and it bothers me immensely. But at the moment i/ really couldn't be bothered working out what the hell is wrong with it. I've been at it for at least two hours now, moving it around, pixel by pixel. But it won't bloody well work. So..Grr!
And "Yay!"..I'm not going to school tomorrow, Mother realizes that I'm about to die. Not really, but she see's that I'm sick, plus two of three younger brothers are sick, too. Which helps my case.

The Endangered Back Zopfullover Frog

2004-11-21T10:17:00.000+10:30

My My my, My my my....What a loong soong. He just repeats "My my my, Mymymy, mymymy"...Yes, boy, we get it!?

It seems like every few days I'm telling you I'm sick. It's happened again. I think this will finally actually turn into a real sickness. Well, it already is. You know when you have the coming's on of illness, but they just kind of wander away? This time, the bad boy has decided to stay.
Blocked nose, sore tummy, blocked ear, sore throat, throbbing head. Yay!

Last night, instead of sleeping over at Talia's place for her birthday (I didn't because I was sick, she invited us down to the cinema. Chantal finally got out the house**.

We went and saw Bridget Jones' Diary: The Edge of Reason. What a let down?! I loved the first movie. I mean, this time around, they kept the characters, but so much was just...forgotten. And dropped. It was just...Boring. What was the point? If you have to ask your self what the point of the movie was, then obviously something is wrong. So, something is wrong with that movie. It was just a waste of time. By all means, go see it. You'd probably want to have seen the first one, though. I don't know...It was just...wastefull.

Not that the actual outing wasn't fun. We came into the cinema late. Chantal managed to make as much noise as possible; I think she actually wanted to get kicked out again. Then these two old women came and sat right next to us. I mean, we were in the back row, the very back row. It was funny listening to them though, because every time a character, or us, said "curse words" i.e., Shit, damn, fuck (and any extension of the word)...Or when Bridget took magic mushrooms, you would hear a little gasp from both of them. More amusing that the movie, almost.

After that, it was most fun, we just ran around the part of the shopping centre which wasn't closed off. There were signs saying the closed off bits were alarmed, and I was tempted to test it out...But didn't want to cause any embarrassment. Would have been funny though.

Poe says "I'm amazed, when push comes to shove, what I'd do for you"...And it made me think. About allot of things. I'd love to feel that way about a person, and for them to feel that way about me. It would be so nice. So maybe growing up isn't that scary.

Which then takes me to "What's the point of 'crushes' and 'going out' with people in school, you'll doubtfully marry them, or spend the rest of your life with them?". So I think, and think. And come to the conclusion, that as well as school, these year really are just about learning and preparing for the real world. They teach you the surface things in school, school education, academics and all. But everything else we've got to figure out for ourselves. Some people will just never figure it out. I hope I'm someone who does before I get old and grey.

I was happily knitting along on my back piece yesterday. Until...Until I though, you know, I'd better make sure it's as wide as the front pike. There was much discussion as to whether or not removing the cables would cause need for re-sizing. But, the cables were made with mass increases over the first two rows, so I though I'd be ok. Alas, there was at least an extra inch on each side. And so close to the armhole shaping. I think that I really could have finished that whole piece over this weekend, especially being sick. Now...I've done maybe and inch. Yay. Oh well, though, these things happen.

Such is life.

Alrighty, bye bye. Have fun...

**Chantal has, wait for it, Insomnia and Chronic Fatigue. Do not ask me how this works, I don't know. But, she's so stupid; she did bring it on herself. She doesn't come to school much anymore, maybe one week (in all seriousness) this entire term. She doesn't get out of the house much, and she can't sleepover because her doctor has put her on some sleeping plan.

[Shi Listens to: Funk Me Harder - Eon Automatic (02:16)]

Oh Ee Oh Ee Oh, Ice Ice Ice...

2004-11-19T18:02:00.000+10:30

Max wanted a story about ice. So I have one. In a sentence.
"Axel, Daniel and Aaron held cubes of ice in their hands for at least half an hour each a few days ago, until their hands began to blister and peel"
Yay!?

Well, I finished the front of the cable top...But I don't know that the way I did the decreases is going to fit my head?!? I think I did it too small, adn am going to have to go back and undo it somehow. How am I sposed to do that with cables, though? Hmm, I just picked it up and tried on kind of..I think it will look alright if I kind of, don't seam all around to the opening, if you knwo what I mean? Like, if I just join the plain bits on each side together, I think It will look ok...I hope so. It'll kind of hang out like a collar. I was going to put a 1x1 ribbed collar on anyways, so that will just make it bigger. Cool.

L'image ici:

Sleeves and front piece, you can see the plain bits which I will seam, yes?

And I had to take this, it's such a beautiful day! It's all unco and liney because of the fly screen...Oui, I didn't even go outside to take that pic...I'll go outside tomorow though!

Well, it was Talia's birthday...Uh, yesterday. And tomorrow I'm going over to have tea at her place (her Mum is a good cook, she's all Health-Food Nutty, but everything she cooks is really nice!) and spend the night there.

Alright, nice, short blog for today. See?! I know I wasn't posed to even blog, but at least this is short! :P

[Shi Listens to: Chemical Heart - Grinspoon (04:40)]

I'm a greedy, evil little girl

2004-11-18T18:08:00.000+10:30

I'm a greedy, evil little girl.
But, hey, guess what? Axel is cool, he's designed this little character, it's this really ugly, goofy rabbit, with these big fat human teeth that stick out everywhere..But it's so cute, in it's own way. And in art they're doing stencilling. So he's going to stencil it onto a t-shirt for me! It was this boring grey top, with a big, fat neck..But it was cool. So he'd better not destroy it! I think I cna trust him not to...I hope so, anyways.

Hm, I knit a little bit more last nioght, I think I should have this front piece done at least by tomorrow, but hopefully tongiht. then, all i have to do is plain stockinette, which, while boring, will be very quick, because I can knit and be on the computer at the same time. And, I've got the coming weekend to work on it, too.

Ugh, any males that may have come across this blog, take heed. Girls (or most girls that I kow, anyways, including me) quite like it if you tell them they look good. However you say it, so long as it's not sleazy. When you don't shut-up and make the girl feel uncomfortable, and when she leaves say "Bye, Sexy"..You're just going overboard, and have no chance. So, give compliments, but you don't own us! We are independent women!

But it was good, because when I told Adam about such happenings to me, he got all tense and protective. Then Axel came over...

Still can't choose between Adam or Axel..And, I'm not sure if I'm imagining it, but it seems that they're fighting with each other all the time. Over stupid things. AHHHGHGHGHHGRRGGH. I don't know what to do, I can't just keep playing them both, it's not fair on anyone! I'm so frustrated and confused...

I'm looking forward to using this Kool-Aid, too, to dye up some nice green and pink wool! I'll porbably just get some cheap Merino from Spotlight or something, but it's still wool and of dye-able sunbstance.

Well, I had a chat to Lockie, and he wont be hurting Jono...He was joking about it, but everyone took him seriously. I think he likes being "tough". High school has changed so many people.

Got out of class on-time, tonight, which is good, considering that the last subject was Fabrics. FAB. She has no clock, so we've got no idea when we should start packing up. Which is OK when Maths is next, but not if it's the last lesson of the day and your bus is the first to leave.
Anyway, I missed that. Caught up with Adam, who also missed it. We were kind of deciding which bus to catch, when Axel came along with his friends. Wow, he actually approached me with Adam there. Loverly. So we were gonna catch Axels bus, but got too frustrated waiting. So, we cauhgt another one. But the bus that we caught was running late. So, we get off the station and find that we've missed the next bus we had planned on catching. Joy. So me and Adam and Jim had to wait around for half an hour, after spending at least 20 mins on the other bus already. Yay. It was interesting, when James was listenig to his music or whatever, Adam would talk lots and lots. He quite likes talking, which is good. But whenever James started joining in, Adam would kind of stop, like we were having a private conversation. Which we weren't.

"How trivial?" you may be thinking. Well, to that, I say "Boo!". I'm not as old as you, I'm still growing up.

Not much on TV again, so extra concentrating on knitting. It's half the temperature it was yesterday (40 down to 21), so I'm happy to knit away. The rest of the week is sposed to be pretty cool, so that should allow for knitting time.

I'm really looking forward to getting this top from Axel, I've given him pretty free artistic liscence, he's good with colours and design and stuff, he knows what he's doing. I want it now, so I can show you pretty pictures!

Well, this was going to be a short post, I'm sorry. Maybe tomorrow I'll have nothing I need to share, and this will make up for a lack of post then. Yeah.

[Shi Listens to: Stiches - Orgy (03:21)]

Interesting Day..

2004-11-17T18:38:00.000+10:30

Today is so hot. Everything is moving slow, and it's the type of heat thats makes your head just throb. And when you walk in th door, you don't need shit form your mother.

It's too hot to knit, even with the air-con on. I can only just type this, my fingers are red all ready. If only my bad circulation stopped working well right now. I'd be nice and cool.

Cool, Kool-Aid! I got four little packets in the mail yesterday. I'll post a pic when I've got all of them (long story as to why they're being sent slowly).

And just when I thought everything was going to be alright, and easy. Adam.....For ever I've liked him. Jess came up ot me today and goes"You and Adam are really good friedns, aren't you?"
"Uh, no, not really, why would you think that?"
"Oh, Max just said that you were..?"
"Uh, no we aren't really, I mean I like him, but you know?"
"Nah, I mean friends, you don't like like him???"
"Well, yeah, thats what I mean, I really like him. Like-like him. But don't think that I said anything or tried to break you guys up or anything, I didn't, I wouldn't do that!"
"Oh, yeah, nah, I didn't think that at all..."
I don't think she did. But it was sad. I felt kind of bad for her, she is really a nice person, and she still does feel for him. She wished me luck with him, which was nice, especially when she still likes him....

But then there's Axel. Oh, Axel. There's just so much about him that I love, and so much that I love to hate. HE's so fun. And just..I don't know, lately I've felt lke it's him trying to get my attention, not me trying to get his.

I don't know if I'm just imagining that. I kind of don't want to grow up. I don't want to have a husband, but I want a family. I don't want bills, but I want a job. I don't want a house, but I want somewhere nice. You know? I spose I have no choice, and if I did, I'd prolly just go with it, but still. I'm in no hurry. My worries are trivial, my life is fun, there's rarely anything really wrong in my life. I like it how it is. But I spose, as I grow...I'll like it more? At least, I hope I will. I don't know.

Ok. I had a good day, so I'm off to enjoy it even more, while its still light. This si the best part of the day, really, in Summer. Once you've cooled down, that is.

Max made me laugh ss hard I cried today. Thats' the best feeling in the world. I want to do it again, now....

[Shi Listens to: Hello (Album Version) - Poe (04:31)]

I got new Earphones.

2004-11-16T18:44:00.000+10:30

Well, no knitting of late. Well, as of today, anyways. I might do a little more of the front piece tonight, while in bed watching TV. Not much on tonight, so I should get alot done (don't have to concentrate so much on the TV if it's only got boring things on).

As for our Paintballing, Ross decided to take charge. We're going on the Wednesday of Week 9, instead of doing the whole school week long excursion thing. Wont explain that because I don't really get it, it's different from last year. But basically, it's just your whole year level getting together and doing to the beach or whatever. I don't really find that interesting, I'd rather do things with just my friends. Which is what I'm doing. Yay!

Wow, I never knew Paintballing cost so much?! It's $300, but because ten of us are going, it'll only be $30 each. Still, you know?

Oooh, this may sound malicious or vicious or just plain selfish..But finally Adam and Jess have broken up. Everyone knew it was coming, she never hung round him unless she wanted something or had no other male attention. I'm not sure of the details...But anyway. I've really liked Adam for a long time. And everytime I get the guts to kind of share that with him, something comes up. Like, just stupid things. And I get over it, and go after someone else.

This time though, I wont be immature about anything. I want him to know how I feel, and he can do with that what he wants. I'm sick of all this immaturity that high-school is.

And serious, my school is messed up. Jono, you know, I told you about him. Well, he graffs too, and tagged over Lockie, who is also one of my friends. It was an old faded tag, which wasnt that good anyway, and now people are coming up to Jono and telling him "Oh, Lockies gonna bash you for doing that!"... Lockie wouldn't hurt a fly, I mean, he's buff, and I'd be scared if he was coming for me, especially if I had Jono's lack of height. But the immaurity about it, the fact that all the year eights are making such a deal about it, when nothings going to happen, the fact that they were pushing Jono around and had him in a circle, abusing him, is pathetic. They're so hungry for this kind of thing. I swear we were never like that. Lockie wasn't even at school today?!

The girls are so sexually aware it's not funny. And the things they do to try to impress the guys is just..degrading. These two silly little girls were "hooking-up" (kissing with tounges) today in front of all those silly year eights, to try to impress the guys. Sure, they would have loved it, but afterwards, you hear them talking about those two, saying what sluts they are. Not impressed, just glad that they know those two will be "easy" at the next "party".

I wouldn't call it a party, either. A gathering of drunk children, who try to smoke whatever they can.

Sorry about that, I felt it needed to be shared with those who have children. I havent seen that movie "Thirteen" but from what I hear, most of it does happen. Depends what school you go to. My school is more into the whole Hip-Hop culture thing, the B-Boying and the graffing and the break dancing. Pot comes with that. Most of the time, with this years year eights being the exeption, sex is not really...It's not important. But, one of my friends goes to a school where pot and grafitti is wrong and bad, but sex is fine. It just depeneds. I'd rather be in my school, though, because, contrary to popular belief, you don't just get offered drugs. If you want pot, you know where to get it from, but that's it. And if you pressure a girl into doing ANYTHING, you'll get killed. By any guy who thinks you've done something wrong. Whether or not they know the girl. Or you. Respect is very big in our school, I think.

Well, I'm off...No homework, teachers are slacking off, very good, so I think I'll knit a little more. I'm very proud, this whole jumper, I haven't used a cabel needles once. I don't know that I like cabling that way or not. Maybe with the more simple cables it will come in handy.

PS.I got new earphones, today. Nice big ones, that sit around your ear, not the painfull ones that sit in your ear. You should get some, too.

[Shi Listens to: Pain - Jimmy Eat World (03:05)]

Kangaroos

2004-11-15T21:03:00.000+10:30

Well, tonight after school I finally managed to send off the cute little keyring for Kristina, in exchange for some Kool-Aid. Pink and green, like the blog. It's funnny, ever since I knew the difference between colours, I've hated pink...I think it's the image that can come with it. Dumb blonde, girly....But now I kind of like it. Still wont wera nything pink, but I never used to wear skirts, so everythings changing.
Back to the keyring...I forgot to take a photo. I'd alway remember because it was sitting on my desk, looking at me...But when ever I had the camera out, I'd just forget. You'll just have to imagine. It's soo cute. A woman in the city makes them, all by hand...Well, with tools, you know. Anyways, It's this cute little wooden kangaroo with a joey in her pouch, and both have these mass grins on their faces. Not smiling, grinning, which is cooler.
And it's a keyring! For those of you who don't know what a kangaroo looks like (honestly, I've been asked "What's a kangaroo??")...Here we have a kangaroo...:

Ok? Yes, that's a joey in her pouch. You might like to google marsupials, it's all very interesting....Or are there marsupials in other coutnries? That could just be me being un-educated, when I'm thinking I'm all cool and smart...Huuuh.

marsupial [maar sy?pi ?l, maar s?pi ?l] (plural marsupials)
n
animal with a pouch: a mammal, for example a kangaroo, wombat, opossum, or koala, having no placenta and bearing immature young that are developed in a pouch on the mother’s abdomen.
Order: Marsupialia

[Late 17th century. From modern Latin marsupialis , from marsupium (see marsupium).]

-marsupialian [maar sy?pi áyli ?n, maar s?pi áyli ?n], adj
-marsupian [maar sy?pi ?n, maar s?pi ?n], adj
Microsoft® Encarta® Premium Suite 2003. © 1993-2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Well, I'm kind of happy at the momnet! Nanna and Pa are over and I only knew about this as of this morning. My family all assumed someone else had told me. Lovely. But, they're here now, and it's nice. They live in Melbourne, so we don't see them much...It's nice when we do though, it makes it all the more special.

Another reason I'm happy is because I finished the other sleeve. Goodie! I won't post a pic because I'm lazy, and because it looks just like the other one, seamed and all. I still have to do the rest of this front piece, though, and the back...I think I should have left one sleeve for later, I really quite enjoy them! So quick and satisfying, but I think one should always be left at the end...

The final reason for my joyous mood is that we're going paint-balling or laser-squirmishing or something. I can't remember what exactly. And it's nice, because I'm going with people that I kind of thought only thought of me as a school friend, you know? Like, gawd, I'd love to spend heaps more time with them, Adam especially..He knows it, too. But, I kind of figured it would never happen, and I accepted that. You know how you have school friends, bus friends and after school friends? They're generally all different. I hope we actually go! Max, I'm leaving it up to you to organize, we all know Adam can't. Who else is going?

Oooh! And just one more thing before I leave...We all need imaginary friends. How much conversation can you get out of people about them? I mean, I don't even have to pretend to talk to Diego and Markus (Deigo, body-guard of moi, big, buff, not too bright, from Mexico. Markus, body-guard of moi, big, but not as big, not as buff, very smart though, very quick, from Bolivia. I ordered them over the internet. They got here on the weekend.) and we've talked about them for ages now (we as in, people at schoool). It's so stupid and immature, but everyone needs that in their lives everynow and then. Something small and stupid, that is just really..entertaining. It's our own little story. Today, they thougt I had been kidnapped, so they went and torched Adams room..Not his house, just his room, because I had been telling them how they need to bash him up because he's horrible to me. I can't remember exactly what it was that he did, it was funny at the time. We'll probably have gotten bored with it by tomorrow, but it was fun today. So, I think everyone should go out and pretend that they have these really buff body guards from South America, and you have to do a good job. People actually thought I was serious when I was talking about Deigo, "What kind of name is that, Neko? Who is he, what are you two going out or something?".."Haha, carefull, he'll come and bash you! Serious, he's heaps jetlagged, he only just got here Sunday, he doesn't need people like you paying him out."
Have fun.

[Shi Listens to: Nazi Halo - Jack off Jill (02:44)]

Happy Again

2004-11-13T21:36:00.000+10:30

What is this post for? To confess my never dying love for a guy called Jono. My god, is he cool! He's officially, the best beat-boxer in the whole world. I love him! He is brilliant! And modest, too. What more can a girl ask for? He's just...Huuh. So cool. A great friend, too. We talked for four hours, tonight. From 4:50 'till 8:59. My god. I've never, ever spent that much time talking to someone. EVER. Not even boyfriends over the phone. Or best friends over the phone, for that matter. Cept if I was sleeping over at their house, but even then, we aren't talking all the time.

His beat-boxing though, this is one talented guy. I'm not into aall the hip-hop culture crap, I like the Hoods because they came from my area, it's a bit of loyalty ot the locals. I don't mind the guys that graff, but only if it's an art that they feel passionate about, not if they just do it to be cool. I don't mind the pot, so long as you keep it out of my face. But this Beat-Boxing is new to our schools little Hip-Hop Sub-Culture. The culture is part of the school, so I accept it. And some of he guys are really, really good. Jono and David are just..Masters! And when they do it, you can see that they're enjoying themselves, you know, which is the best thing.

Jono did a little clip for me tonight, and it's cool coz it's a little about me. Well, not about me, bu too me. For me. Really nice. The Talent!!

So Jono...I love you, you are brilliant!

This is one of those ultra speedy, heaps quick friendships that happen too quick. I think this can only go a good way ,though, to FRIENDSHIP, not abuse.

As for my last post, I think I will leave it up, because it's how I was feeling at that time, you know? This is a record of all my feelings, as I feel them. So, none should be forgotten. However, I think I was making a bit of a big deal over nothing. A little thing I like to call PMS. Yes, guys live the good lives. But, yeah. i didn't make anything up, but I was overly affected by it.
Thanks Kristina, you said everything I needed to hear.

What is the point of this big silly picture of me? Well, it shows how perfect the fit of that sleeve will be, and it shows me wearing the skirt. The sleeve doesn't look that fitted, eh? Well, that's because it's falling off my arm as I have nothing to hold it up with. But, everywhere else, it fits perfect!! I'm so glad that I followed the pattern!

I do agree that my arm looks .. dislocated. As far as I know, it isn't. May hands aren't really that red in real life. The colour in the top corner of the mirror is a sticker I nicked off ADam...It says "Lookin' Good!". Loverly.

Fabric close-up. I love this stuff. It was cut out in squares for a quilting project, and then shoved in teh fabric bin. There's masses more. I could make a whole wardrobe with it and still love it, it's so cute! And cool.

Perfectly fitting seamed sleeve, plus sleeve in progress.

**Blurry pictures because I'm groggy and tired and stuff.**

[Shi Listens to: t-Lil J mix - Jono Munn (00:56)]

No Knitting Content. Self Pity.

2004-11-12T21:52:00.000+10:30

Just a warning, this is a depressing post. Let me wallow in self pity.
At least I don't cut myself. Honestly, I overheard a conversation, a silly little year eight decided that she wanted to get pregenant. But then, she and her bunch of "friends" went off to all go cut their wrists together. One of them spent the night before hacking up his chest, so now its' all raw and cut up. Joyous, really. Why they feel the need to discuss it at school is beyond me, the fact that they feel the need to actually perform such acts of self mutilation sickens me.

I just need to have a bitch. I know some people write up posts that is all negativce and bitchy and then don't acutally post it because they feel satisfied that they've expressed their feelings and on't need to inflict it on anyone else. Well..My blog, my feelings. I may well feel satisfied after this, I might post it and delete it ina few dys, I don't know. Who cares, really?

At the moment, I don't feel very nice. I don't understand what is happening. People around me keep getting oppourunities that I don't feel they deserve. I don't mean that in a selfsish way, I just think that there are better people out there who deserve these things to come their way, and these other people who are taking up all these lucky breaks are just..Being selfish. I don't think that I should be getting all these oppourtunites, at all. I just...I don't want to say any names. I don't understand what the world is coming to.

There is this person at school. I suppose you could say he is harrassing me. I'm not sure. It doesn't bother me that he thinks he can treat me like shit, I really don't care what he thinks, and if he does think he can treat me like that, he isn't deserving of me giving a crap anyway. But the fact that he completely disrespects me in front of friends and people whom I hold in high esteem really bothers me. The fact that he will do things and then tell people that I am having a go at him. And the worst part of it is that he's doing this because he feels rejected by me. Which he is.

When I first became his friend, we got very close, very quick. Whenever that happnes with me, I freak out and back off, just as quick. Most of the time, the guys feel the way I do and we just go back to being friends, and it's nice. Most of my male friends I'm only friends with because of relationships like that. Quick, panic, and then relax. That's what my whole life is like.

But this guy, he just couldn't cope. And he started to be disrespectful. So I wanted nothing to do with him, I don't need that shit in my life.
After a while, he let up, and I tried to let him back into my life, slowly, because he seems to be pretty friendly with one of my best friends. I don't like to clash with my friends friends. It's just a waste of time.

But everytime I "let him back in", he starts the disrespecting crap again. I'm totally sick of it now, I want nothing to do with it. Or him.
I don't talk to him, I don't look at him, I don't provoke him at all. I'm never rude, I just do not have anything at all to do with him.

Yet he continues to behave this way. All the little things add up. Like today, I was sitting with three other male friends. He began throwing paper at me from across the classroom. Then, he came over to our table and just stood behind me, putting pencil shavings in my hair.
I didn't even notice until Max pointed it out to me.

D came late, and instead of sitting with the Bad Person, he came and sat on the end of the tabe with us. The Bad Person couldn't coipe with that, because he was under the impression that they were friends. So he came over again, and leaned over D, just looking at me, trying to intimidate me. I told him to piss off many times, he continued saying "Nah, I'm fine". Then R got shitty at him and told him to nick off, too. Now, R is pretty buff, and the Bad Person is a weedy thing. But he continued to stay there. Then D spoke up, and told him to go away, too. He was annoying the crap out of everyone. And he couldn't cope with the fact that D had told him to leave me alone, R had told him to piss of, and that Max had left the table with the Bad Person to come and sit with us. I can't remember what exactly happened after that.
It was nice that R and D stuck up for me.

Oh yeah, I remember, he was going on "Oh come on cry Monique, I can see the tears in your eyes. Come on, just cry"...I mean, for shit's sake. I felt like I was going to hit him. And I could probably have done some damage, too. Not much, because he is a bit bigger than me, but enough. I mean, what has it come to when I actually feel violent towards someone?

And there's nothing I can really do about it. I don;t feel like my safety is at risk, but I am sick and tired of him trying to make me look stupid in front of people that are important to me. Respect is so important to me, if a person doesn't respect you, how can they trust you, and without trust, how is there any friendship?
Friendship was all he wanted. He's lost my respect completely, he has no chance. I never thought I was better than him, I never treated him like crap. Ever. I just can't believe someone would be so jealous that they would resort to such tactics. And now he's going to give D a whole lot of shit for sticking up for me. Which means that other people are becoming involved.

What proabaly gets to me, almost as much as the trying to make me looks stupid (which doesn't work on my real friends, because they all know and respect me) is that he tries to work on Talia, and tries to make me feel jealous. He's just making himself look stupid. Talia likes him. Fair enough, i know that. And I know that when he sits with her and thinks he's "taking my place" Talia doesn't see it like that. But I think that she shouldn't let him behave the way he does, I wouldn't let anyone do that to her, which makes me second guess my friendship with her. And then I think alot of nasty things. Many of which I wont say, because that's pretty hurtful and I don''t mean them, so whats the point in saying them? But, me and Talia were having a discussion, which she started, not me. She doesn't get along with guys as well as I do. I get along with them becaue I've got three brother, I've grown up with guys all my life. They are better friends, they're loyal and you can read them easily. You know who you can trust and who you can't. Most of the time.

And, I'm a flirt. Not in a slutty way, it just makes people feel more comfortable. I'm not physical with people in general, because I have wide personal bounderies. No touching me, no touching you. Except if theres a mutual "thing" going on.
So I think that she kind of likes that The Bad Person is paying her attention, in a good way, and not me. Now, this may sound really horrible and all, but it's not. She's not a bitch like that.

But, if she could get over that, then the Bad Person would not feel able to attack me all the time. Talia is his only access to me, if you get me?
Well, this has been a long boring post. I'm sorry. I probably will tkae it down. Or at least edit it. Heavilly. I just need to express how I'm feeling.
Those of you who wouldn't care wouldn't read the whole tihng anyways, so it doesn't matter. I proabably wouldn't read the whole thing.
I just wish everything would stop. There's too much going on in my life at once, I want to work through everything one at a time, but I can't.
What a destructive species we are we are?

Crappy Photgraphy

2004-11-10T19:14:00.001+10:30

Photo's really aren't "my thing". Sad, I used to be a photgrapher. I think I'm better at manipulating photos than I am at actually taking them. Sad...

The pattern mag I bought yesterday...It's for a swap, I don't think I'd ever knit anything in there. It's all nice, but nothign is really "different" or "interesting"..To me, anyways!

Click to go to the "Publications" page, it's the one down the bottom, you can have a scroll through the patterns in it. I can get you one, if you'd like, too.
The other one I have to get is "Metro"..I don't mind some of that, but again, I probably wouldn't wear any of it. I like to look at books like that though, for inspiration. Sometimes it makes me realize how much I like something else, and sometimes it makes me want to design my own thing.

The Circular Stitch Holder based on the one in SnB..Funny how everything in my life lately seems to be Calico colour. I don't even like it! Made it today. Along with a skirt. Seriously, in 80 minutes, I made a needle holder and a skirt, no planning or anything, just "on the fly"...I'm quite proud of myself.

Where I'm at with the Zopfpullover. I'm reknitting that sleeve, frogging as I knit. This cotton is so..It just springs right back into shape!

I need a way to spin up a ball...I need to have two balls happening to do this neck. I want to do both sides at the same time, I find it really helps.

Bye bye.
Sorry there was nothing interesting for you...I've run out of time, I'm off to watch McLeods Daughters..Hehehe! I know you'll love that.

[Listening to: God - MayStar (05:44)]

Up to my underarms!

2004-11-09T10:52:00.000+10:30

I am aware that there is mass crinklage at the bottom...I think it's the way the cables are started, you make a couple of the cable strings (I mean, come on, hat are they called? The individual cable bits that get moved around?!) by increasing a bit, so that could well have a bit to do with it.

Just past the Arm hole shaping. My god, this piece is in dire needs of a good blocking...I hope that'll neaten it up at least a little bit!...When it's stretched out over my body, though, it looks really cool, alot neater and less homemade...No-one will be insecting it anyways, so that's alright.

Close-up of silly mistake. You can't really notice it unless you know its there. I hope. If you look in the top left corner of the pic, one of the twisty cable bits looks a little mangled. I don't know what's wrong with it thoguh, I didn't leave anything out or twist it the wrong way or anything..?

I've deicded for sure that I'm going to do the back plain, mostly because I think that the way this sweater is, the cables on the back would just be over-kill. Also, I'm fearing bordem. Knit ADD. But then, masses of plan stockinette stitch might push me right over the edge...At least I dn't have to concentrate to do it, though. With this cable, although it's fairly intuitive, you do need to be either cabling or doing something else, you can't do both.

If you've read the comments from the previous post, you'll know what I'm about to discuss...If not, here you go:

That's such a shame about your sleeve - did you perhaps miss a section of the instructions? It might be an idea to write down each "step" in language you can understand on a new piece of paper, and cross them off as you've done them, that way you can keep track of your progress, and work out any tricky spots in the pattern before you start. Also, about the neckline, have a look at your Rogue pattern for the V-neck cables, as they might give you an idea as to how to split the cables. Otherwise, draw up a cable chart (look at the rogue pattern again to see how she's done this) and then take out the section for the V/round neck and see what you're left with cablewise. Hopefully I'm making sense...

-Erica

Well, that's what was relevant to what I'm about to say:

I read through the pattern again, full this time, not just reading the bits I wanted to. I now know what I did wrong. With the sleeve that is. The details are boring, but basically, I didn't read the pattern right.
While reading throught the pattern, I discovered that on both the front and back, all stitches are left live. Around the neck, that is. Because you do a garter stitch edging. So, I'm going to just use an odd short row type method...I'll just stop knitting some stitches for the shaping... =)

I'm off to the city (I know, I should be in school, but there's this Aquatics excursion and I didn't want to have to be running around in the cold, surrounded by a bunch of squealing girls thrusting their barely covered breasts in every which way.. I've got better things to do. So do they...! I'm not always so blunt.) with, you guessed it, Talia! I honestly do have other friends. But, Talia is crafty, and I have to buy a gift for Chantals birhday. Which is today. But we're getting together on Saturday.

Bye bye...

[Listening to: Kringle - Jack Off Jill (02:53)]

Cabled Sweater Progress

2004-11-07T13:28:00.000+10:30

Grr, I'm so stupid..Well, no, I wouldn't say that, more that I do stupid things...Well, whats the difference? Someone who is stupid is only stupid because they behave stupidly, no?
Well...What happened i no big deal. But, I'm a little miffed. I knit the entire sleeve..A whole sleeve. In a 20sts/28rows gauge. Not bad. But it's mangled. The pic below looks ultra mangled because the stitch holder is too small.
The worst bit is that I can't fix it, because I don't know what's wrong. In the schematics, it says that the cap should be 8cm from where you do the first bit of cap shaping. Mine is more like 4cm..Ugh. And, I did everything it said to do! Grr...
I think I had to rip it anyways, because I did it in the large size, because I thought my gauge was off, when it wasn't. But still, that wont solve the problem.

Here's the begginings of the cabled sweater I'm making. It's Pattern 26 from Rebecca #27, the green one in the picture with the Apricot Jacket.

The MASS sleeve.

I'm really enjoying the cables. I love it! It's slow going though.
I'm not arthritic, at all. But my hands have been hurting. I think it's because I'm cabling without a cable needle. The just irritate me. The way I hold the needles cause the muscles or tendons or whatever between my knuckles to hurt. And the webby bits between my fingers. But all of this is just on my left hand, and I'm right handed..I don't get it. It's some sort of repetitive thing because after a good nights sleep, I'll be knitting along, thinkg "yay, my hands don't hurt" when all of a sudden, the start. Well, maybe more gradually thatn "all of a sudden". But you get it.

[Listening to: Ja tvoja ne pervaja - Tatu (04:19)]

Cabled Sweater

2004-11-06T15:42:00.000+10:30

If you know me, you know i love cables, passionately. One of my first ever hats (well, my third) was a cabled chemo cap. Ever since then, I've just loved cables. I sometimes knit cable swatches just for fun, because they just look really cool.
Anyways, now, I've never knitted full sweater yet. Ever. And now, I'm in the processes. Lovely. It's got mass cables! Even better! It's pattern 26 from Rebecca #27, the green cabled sweater pictured with the Apricot Jacket? You know?
I'm only doing a sleeve at the moment, it's just plain stockinette, kind of boring, you don't want to see pictures till it's at least near the cap.
Now, Max did discover my, as you can see from the comments to the previous entry. He is a school friend. It made me realize that I'm very different in different worlds. That was probably why i didn't want anyone from school or home discovering my blog. Because that's the two parts of my life that I strive so hard to keep separte, mixing. Home and School, then the net.
School is where I am most free and happy, I have my friends, I have my security, I have shoulders to cry on, I have friends to share everything with. School is a place of comfort, and I really can't see myself not being there. Once Year 12 is over, that's the end. No more school. Ever again. I think I'm starting to understand what people mean when they say that these are the best years of my life.
Home is warm and cozy and risk-free, but it's still stressfull. At close glance, it could seem that it's because my friends are more important to me. It's not that, they are just a important, but in my other world. At home, you have your family. What have you got if you loose them? Blood is thicker than water.
Then the net. All these people that could be anyone, and you have to believe what they say. How can you proove anything against them? All these people that I talk to confidently, yet there is no way I'd be so confident or..."bright" if I met them in real life. People are so much more approachable when all you have is the written word, or the odd picture.
I even use different words in ym different worlds. Different tones and facial expressions. I'm constantly told that I'm very sarcastic, but that's only at school. That's that world.

I don't know..
Someone told me I was the biggest flirt they know.

I placed my first international net order today, with Pattern Works. For the Apricot Jacket. Fantasy Naturale by Plymouth Yarns. In the colour "Sage". I was torn between Celery, Sage, Mint, Grass and Green, and Sky or Taupe. Mostly greens. In the end, I just went with Sage because that's what first caught my attention. I hope it's nice!
It's gettig shipped to my Dad's place first, because that will save around $20 on shipping and all. Money down here is tight. But I dn't mind, because it makes us all really enjoy and look forward to things that some of my other friends just take for granted, you know?

So there you go, Max, this whole post wasn't just knitting. You were mentioned twice. I would share NEGATIVE thoughts about a certain Keith who did not stop touching me all assembly..*prod prod*"Monique, Monique! That guy said this..Hhahaha, he said that! HeheHE!"..I too, have ears, boy.

[Listening to:A man Called Adam-Barefoot in the Head - (02:05)]

The Postie Came

2004-11-03T17:46:00.000+10:30

Look what I got in the mail!!

(Click to see what was in it..And what I also got recently!)

I was so excited, becaue it meant tha I could knit up my Naturelle 8/8 from Elann (no link because it's out of stock now)...But, even though it said that GGH's Java and the Naturelle were of the the same gauge and thickness and stuff...It's just too thin. It's too thin! ARGH! So, now, I have to buy yarn. And, being in Aus., which does make me feel deprived sometimes, I can't get my hands on the right wieght yarn, with the right compostion.
Will have to order off Patternworls, because I want to, and because I have the catalogue! I'm going to get this, in Sage (#8013)...I really like that colour. Plus it's cheap. So..Yeah!
But, before I do spend the money..I'm going to have one last try at getting the gauge for "Jacke in Apricot"...
And hopefully, i will actually like it. Waaaaa...
The thing that bothers me is that...I was informed that the yarns matched, you know? But they don't!

No knitting pics, because I haven't been knitting anything! I've just been bumming around! And wanting to knit, but not being able to, because I have nothing to knit! Any suggestions for an 8ply/DK weight cotton/acrylic/unknown lend? Something spring/summer-ish? I'd rather not have to pay for it, either seeing as I'm going to have to beg mum for the money for the Apricot yarn...I need a job!
Which reminds me, I applied for a job at Big W (department store),Woolworths (despite the misleading name, it's a supermarket) and all the little other things that they own...So, hopefully, an opening will become available!
Bye bye!

[Listening to: The Day You Come - Powderfinger - Internationalist (04:01)]

Odd Art

2004-11-01T19:31:00.000+10:30

I did this a while ago...I like her face, but not the rest of her body, that's why you can't see it! But, it is "Odd Art", I don't know that I'd even call it art, more just... a drawing?

I posted it mainly for lack of a better pic to show, but also because I kind of like her. I kind of don't, though. Safe! She is someone that I would not like if I met her, she's too sulky.
Excuse the crumpled ness of the paper, too, please? It's kind of mangled, and the scanner is actually good, so it pics up everything. And also the lack of pencil skill I have, comined with the lack of pencil quality...

GARR! I have nothing to knit. I'm a waiting on Rebecca, who should be here at least by tomorrow, Wednesday makes it one week..Sposed to be here in 3-7 days! I want it now!

I'm also trying to make a swap happen for Rebecca #28, which would be nice to have.
And *YAY* I have some Kool-Aid on the way! Well, not technically, but, kind of. Kristina is sending some over (Changin' Cherry-Green, and Strawberry Lemonade-Pink), as a swap. I'm going to find something nice and cute for her, something Aussie, on the weekend.
Swaps seem to be pretty fun, not that I've ever actually *completed* one, yet... :P Fingers crossed, eh? Something always comes up, generally, someone has a better offer. Which is fair enough!
Hum, I'm off to pine for Rebecca, fondle my yarns, flip through the Pattern Works Catalogue for the millionth time this week and maybe, just maybe, do my homework!

Note to self: Must get references from teachers for work...

[Listening to: Chemical Heart - Grinspoon - Unknown Album (27/04/2003 11:19:26 AM) (04:40)]

Calling all Vickis!

2004-10-31T12:32:00.000+10:30

Calling all Vickis!
There is a Vicki who has subscribed to my blog, but I can't find yours!

Pattern Works, Swaps and Hallowe'en!

2004-10-31T10:54:00.000+10:30

Well, since I started High School, I rarely, if ever travel in the car. Only if I need a lift to somewhere. And, with four children who would all like to sit in the front seat, it's even more rare that I sit in the front.
Yesterday, I needed to get to the Station (catching a train to the city with Talia). Mum took me in her car, I sat in the passenger seat. Low and Behold, guess what was on the floor? Something I'd put in for so long ago that I forgot about it! A free Pattern Works Catalouge! The "Fall 2004" one. Geez, I wish I lived near that place! Prices seem OK, and what a range!
Mum had picked it up from the PO BOX weeks ago, and just left it in the car because it wasn't for her or Brett. That irritates me. It could have been really important. You know? And she just left it there. Under everyones feet, to be crapped up and ripped and all.
Ok, I have some feather yarn I would like to trade...Here's the pictures!

The black one is opened but unused.

Colour close-up...It's more reddy-purple than bluey-purple.

Ok?

Well, after the city, we caught the train back to Talia's place and got to work.
We'd been to Spotlight and Lincraft, but only spent our mulah at Spotlight, being cheaper.
It's Hallowe'en, today, but Mum wouldn't let me do it..Sad, sad, I know. But to the point, Talia wanted a skirt, she wanted to dress up as an evillish fairy. She's got a sewing machine, but she doens't know how to use it. That's where I came in.
She bought 3 meters of this maroony-purpley nylon netting, which really shouldn't be used for clothing, and we pulled some black materials out of the sales bin.
We proceded to spend at least an hour and a half pinning in some pleats. Then, I sewed the pleats in.
That would have to have been one of the hardest things I've ever done with a sewing machine. The machine is much faster than the ones at school, plus the mesh was soo slippery! But, you couldn'y really see the wanky stitches, so all is well.
I felt the need to share because she might be coming over a little later with my mate Shaun (who will be dressed as a Hobo..He doesn't need to try that hard!! :P) and if she's wearing that skirt (which I stayed up 'till 11 o'clock last night doing!) I'll take some pictures! It's seriously very cool! (I don't mean to brag, I'm just proud!)

Doggie Sweater

2004-10-28T17:35:00.000+09:30

Hey, Dad sent me the pictures of Bonsai with his sweater on (the one I made for him). It does actually have dark green stripes at either end, and around the holes. You just can't see them, too dark or something?
ARGH! Far out, something is up with "Hello", and it keeps saying that I'm not on the internet..Which I am..So, I'll try to post the pics again, tomorrow or something. They are really, really cute, though!
And, is the banner happenng for anyone yet, I don't see it? And, it's not like the host is down, because Photobucket is fine! ARGH! What's wrong?!

**I take that back!**

Grr, but now my comments aren't working, I hope I haven't lost them all..AGAIN!!

New Design

2004-10-27T21:20:00.000+09:30

Whee! New blog! Do you like it? I changed it alot, like, the colours and everything. Changed the pictures..Well, there was a cool little pinup girl, but, I wanted it to be more original.
The pictures don't seem to be workig, though..There should be a banner happening across the top0..But it doesn't seem to be working at the moment...I don't know why.
I'll have to sort it out when I have more time.
The interent is barely working, the dickhead Telstra man managed to cut the DSL cables, so it's only temporarily working. I may not be back for a few days.
But, I leave you with this: "My Daddy's getting me Rebecca #27!!" It's in the mail!

I'm off to go watch "Blue Heelers", my litlte Aussie cop show!
Byebye!

2004-10-24T12:46:00.000+09:30

Haha, wouldn't this be fun?
Imaginary Girlfriends
You know, if I was old enough, I'd probably do that. Little effort, a bit of fun and some money. Sad how much I need money. I think it would be fun though, it would be like living in a fictional book or something.
(I didn't come across this site, I read about it at the Smiling Tiger)
Hey, has anyone read The Da Vinci Code? I've heard about it, but not what it's about?
And here's some interesting spam I got today. I like these ones, they always make me think of interesting things:

replied floor fly neighbor statement, more pocket ladies circle bound saying however soon.
tying your mountain restaurant spirits worthy must. given grew told statement scarcely death, board progress forward everything reason must altogether remember.
speech so loved attention played too catch grabbed been. practical length spite for pay secretary? house stranger whether cant below hearing heart without. top sentence ready now.

2004-10-24T10:20:00.000+09:30

Typical! I poke too soon...The mag is worth $45 in Australia, and I don't have that much money for myself, let alone to be spending on yarn for a swap for a mag that doesn't really interest me that much.
I couldn't rip her off, and I think she was aware of being ripped off...So, yeah. If you're interested, the post is here.
And, I'm going to put up some pictures of yarns I would like to swap for the things I have listed here.

The pictures will have to come later, as Brother J (he got a better digi-cam when we went with Dad) seems to have taken his digi-cam with him. He's sleeping over at his friends place. A girl. Pornographer, anyone? Well, maybe that didn't need to be said. Like alot of things. But I said it. So I'll leave it there.

2004-10-23T19:37:00.000+09:30

I'm in the process of swapping somethign Australian for Rowan 36...I'd love to make Lisette!

In a nice, plae blue, or cloudy grey, though.
And, I don't know what, but something draws me to this one:

Also, those crocheted skirts are interesting, do't know that I'd actually wear anything in that magazine. Maybe gifs, though. Still haven't knitted anything for Mum, yet. She wanted a Shapely Tank... I'd rather knit something that I'd really enjoy though, and haven't knit before, you know!?

2004-10-23T11:51:00.000+09:30

I am Progressive Girl
Click on the picture below to read more:

Take the 'What Kind of Girl Are You?' quiz at CookingToHookup.com

2004-10-21T18:03:00.000+09:30

Well, haven't posted in some time, eh? So I am now!
I've actually been knitting quite alot, but have very little to how for myself, which is unfortunate!
I've started on my first ever jumper... Even though it's Spring , soon to be Summer...Oh well.
It' coming along quit nicely. The pattern's supposed to fit 34" bust, with 2" ease, so you cast on36" worth of stitches and knit straight up... I don't think so! I've just put in some decreases every 7 rows...Subtle, but hopefully effective!

The good shot

Blurry, but cool

The 2.6 pound cone..I don't know how many grams that is, it doesn't say..?

The fabric close-up...This is not blurry, just the way the fabric is, I love it. (The fabric for the skirt I'm making in Textiles at schoool)

(It's actually supposed to be white, but it's kind of see-through, and there was the brown mat underneath it, so it came out and odd, almost purply colour?!? What the?)

I left a project on the bus tonight. Normally that would be ok, but it's due tomorrow, thats the only reason I brought it home, because I hadn't finished it in class today. This teacher is an asshole. I doubt he'll be reasonable and let me do another one over the weekend...Grr. He was going to fail me anyways, he always does.

Hm, well... I'll be off, so long! Have fun!
(I'm going to try to get a job at Woolworths, how pov? Ah well, I need the money! Can't keep asking Mum for yarn money!)

2004-10-15T17:46:00.000+09:30

You appear to be a Knitting Adventurer.
You are through those knitting growing pains and
feeling more adventurous. You can follow a
standard pattern if it's not too complicated
and know where to go to get help. Maybe you've
started to experiment with different fibers and
you might be eyeing a book with a cool
technique you've never tried. Perhaps you
prefer to stick to other people's patterns but
you are trying to challenge yourself more.
Regardless of your preference, you are
continually trying to grow as a knitter, and as
well you should since your non-knitting friends
are probably dropping some serious hints, these
days.
http://marniemaclean.com

What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Oh my God I am peeling! I got sunburnt, alot...And am now peeling. I've never, ever peeled in my life...from sunburn, anyways. Ever. This is very new and...ughy. I don't like it!
Did I tell you the good news? I bought Rogue!! Weee! But, you know how I was going to use the Naturelle 8/8 from Elann? The stuff that Dad brought down for me? Well, The only way to get gauge on that was to use 5.5 mm needles, which made the fabrics pretty flimsy and all. Good for a nice, light jacket, but not something like Rogue...So, either I'm going to have tp buy some other yarn, which I would rather not. Or, I can try to work out how to do it all with the other gauge. I mean, that's how I did my Shapely Tank (shit, I'd better get around to finishing that, eh?)...So you'd think I'd be able to. I hope I can!

2004-10-14T18:53:00.000+09:30

My new guitar!...Well, it's new to me, anyway...My muso cousin didn't want it anymore, and when Mum and B went over to Melbourne while I was with Dad, he gave it to them to give to me! I love it!...

But...We have to take it down to the city to get it fixed, because the bit where you plug in the lead (on the guitar) is mangled and wont work...Well, not properly, anways. I tried four leads!

Still haven't bought Rogue yet! Am waiting, waiting, waiting. B is the only one with a PayPal Account, and he's been at work whenever I remember or am on the computer. He should be home soon...I think.

I hope...

I swatched for Rogue, and though the fabric is pretty Flimsly, I'll wait till I start on the cable swatches before I decide to change yarns.

Well...I think that's about it, other than I've started on my first ever French Knot Garden. It's just lots of French Knots on Calico in different colours and stuff to make it look like a fluffy garden. My Nanna gave me a book with lots of "patterns" I spose, for French Knot Gardens. And, seeing as I couldn't find a gift for her when we went shopping, I decided I'd make her one! I think she likes that I like crafty stuff, you know? She's got few other people to share her passion with, because all her friends are mostly the outback 4WD type!

Oooh, and Erica sent me a little demo-ish CD of her and her band, Eon Automatic..I feel they deserve a mention, because they rock! I'm normally not into the more mellowish music, but lately I've been getting into it. So, this is great! You can download some songs from Erica's Blog and the Eon website, so...Go check it out, the music is great!
So, thanks Erica, love the music, keep doing what you love!

And for now, byebye to all....

2004-10-13T17:32:00.000+09:30

My my! Am back! Got back on Sunday, but have just been relaxing lately. It's been nice!

I thought that I'd get sooo much knitting done...But I didn't do anything! Not even one stitch! I fixed up some ends on the Shapely Halter, but that was it...Oh yeah, and about that Shapely Halter... I was stupid and didn't leave the ends anywhere near long enough to be hidden! With a Knitter's Needle, that is. So, I think I'll just get a crocheting hook and weave the threads up the seam.

I got my Elann goody from the father! I'm very happy with it! 2.6 pounds of "Naturelle 8/8", Fibre Content: 74% Recycled Cotton, 24% Acrylic, 2% Unknown Fibres...
It's really soft and all! Very nice. Mum thinks it looks like string. I think that's fair enough, and agree slightly, but I think it will make a really original and unique Rogue! It's very natural, easy, stringy...It's different enough to be cool, and alternative, without being stupid looking, if you know what I mean?

Yes. I've finally gotten the guts to buy Rouge! I was thinking "Holy crap! USD$6, that's going to be a million dollars!" But it's only lik, AUD$8.20 or something! I payed more than that for a bear pattern I never used! So, I'm going to buy it! I'll have to use B's PayPal account, because I don't have one, and don't have a bank account, either. WEll, I do, but it's only one of those *free* (I think) kiddies ones. The ones they'd sacrifice if a scary man with a balaclava and a gun came in.

Now, let me warn you that I did not take the photographs, Brother J did. I'm not saying "they're bad so it's not my fault!"..I'm just letting you know!

I like this because Brother M is completely blurry, but that girl (who looks really bad...who is also me) is not blurry at all...It's a cool little contrast.

I don't know why I like this, but I do. A little threatening...But nice.

The father trying to display affection...I actually did give him a nice hug, I'm not that horrible!

The Pool...Duh!..There were two!! Lovely!

Someone who has never used a digi-cam before tried to take a photo...Nanna!

2004-10-02T21:25:00.000+09:30

Well, I'm gone tomorrow! I'm not sure of exactly when I'll be back, but I think around Sunday...I've got school Monday, I hope I wont have to go if I get back on Sunday. Prolly will though.
I leave with only two..things to say, I spose. Requests, kind of...
I really need help with chosing the colours of the tops that I get for spinning! I plan on spinning it as thin as possible, then plying it together, and making a really *pretty* scarf, with dropped stitches, inspired by "Clapotis"...So, I want to ply two differnt colours together. That's the plan. I don't know which colours I want, though. Please help!
The selection is : here.. Leave your suggestions in the comments, please!
And...If anyone has a spare Rebecca #27 lying around, I'd pay to take it off your hands! I really, really want to get my hands on that issue!
Well...Dad should be here around lunch time tomorrow...Will miss this whole deal alot! Bye bye!

2004-10-01T21:20:00.000+09:30

Hmm, today was ok (we went down to the city). Me, C and T. I didn't know C was going to come, but she did...And we wiated and waited for her to come...We missed the train, grr!
Hum, the doggie sweater, it's just too big. Not even a big pug would fill that up. More kelpie size...So I'm going to go through and rip it out. Grr. I don't like that. Se, this is the pressure of gift giving, something always goes wrong, and people get let down. That's why I don't normally do it. So, I'll have to make it again. The whole thing. How crap?!
Haven't done anything else on the Shapely Tank, will prolly do it when I go with Dad.
Socks..Have done more, but Brotehr M's taken his camera back, coz he want's it to take photos of stuff when we're with Dad. Oh well. That just means that I'll have more pics to show you!
Hmm, here we go! I'm going to actually get into Spinning! I've found some fibres which I think are not that way out (price wise) plus, it doesn't cost a million dollars for postage. So, I don't know what colours? I figure I'll just make my own spindle, not very hard at all. B has alot of wood-working gear in his shed. Plus..There's this joinery joint over the road, they do all wood stuff. I was thinking that if spinning is something I'm still interested in in a few years, then I'll maybe get them to make me a wheel? Or would it be a safer option to pay extra and get and Ashford Wheel, or something "good"? I don't know these things, and it's not like there's a Spinning Guild or anything around here.
Anyways, I was going to get the fibres from Virginia Farms Woolworks. They've got a great range of colours, too many for me to make a good desision. I was even drawn to the ice pink...I was thinking Ice-Pink and Silver? They would look cool together, and I don't have anything pretty, I feel that whatever I made from that could be very pretty.
Oh yeah, I was also trying to get my hands on a copy of Rebecca #27, if anyone has a copy that they would like to sell, or trade? I've posted about it in the Knitty boards..But no-one seems to be very interested? So, if you are, please just tell me what you would like in return!
Ok, so, you probably wont hear much fomr me in the near future, because I am going away with my Dad for a week. To eet his new wife and hang out with his Mum. She's cool. Dad's cool. And the new wife seems to be ok, from what contact I've had with her. Mind you, that's only emails, so..Hmm.
So, unless I post tomorrow, you wont hear from me for a week, at least!!
Bye bye, will miss this whole thing (the blog, the people, the knitting!)!

2004-09-30T16:29:00.000+09:30

Well, I've finished seaming the halter, now all that's left to do is the border..And the weaving of ends. I'm not sure what I want as an edge, though. Like, do I want a neat little row of single crochets? Do I want 6 rows of ribbing? Do I want some garter? I wouldn't mind it how it is, but it's just a little unfinished loking and feeling. I'd feel better if I did something to it.
Wow, I've really got the hang of seaming now! I'd say my seaming was better than the knitting (the actual knitting of the top is still pretty unco, even after my attempt at blocking...I think I'm going to block it how I was told (iron wet towel over the top of it) once it's all done. I reckon so.

Here is the almost finished Halter!

Close-Up

I don't reckon it looks too bad. Very comfortable! I think you should all go out and buy some Heirloom Cotton! IT's so nice. It has weight, but it doesn't feel like it will stretch down or anything like it's not heavy or anything. Very nice and soft. And, I ordered one too many balls, so now, seeing as I've got 1 and a hlaf bllas left, I'm going to make myself some fingerless gloves.
I 'm torn though. Do I want some lovely neat, clean lined gloves that match the top...Or do I want to use some of the lovely Katia Diana that I bough ages ago. I just bought it coz I wanted it, with nothing in mind. I was on my last $10 note, and just though "I need to spend". It's really soft and lovely. I thought maybe that as the body of the glove, the palm of my hand, and the cotton for the fingers and cuff....It would look cool and origianl, but not...clean and simple, which is what cotton is. I'll work it out!
Ooh, and my socks! Well, my sock. It's coming along nicely. My gauge is off, by half a stitch an inch, but that makes it fit better coz I've got miniscule feet...A friedn once asked if they were bound like they do in China (I don't know if they still do it, but in china...Or is it Japan? I think it was China, they would tightly bind the womens feet with strips of fabric or whatever, so that they couldn't grow properly. The lack of size is supposed to be beautiful, but also indicate..I don't know what the word is. Inferiroity?))No, they weren't, they're just small.
I'll take a pic once it's a little bigger...Sad, today I've knitted ten rows of a sock. That's it. Oh, well, I seamed most of the Halter, too, but that didn't take that long. So, at 5:44 pm, I've..Knitted ten rows of a sock. Lovely. Very productive, aren't I?
I forgot to say, it's the school holidays! It has been for a week now, it's great!
Me and Talia are going to do a cheapo/spend-less city visit tomorrow. Going to check out the Art Gallery and the Museum. The Art Gallery doesn't interest me nearly as much as the museum does...I mean, I 've got nothing against it, it's just that Talia is going to want to hang in there all say. Not my thing. I need to be constantly doing something. Not looking at paintings. So Talia, if you're reading this (you'd better not be!)...Don't stay in the frigging Art Gallery all day.
Mm, and if I say "Oh, I'm bored, let's go look in the Museum"...She'll get all "You always want to do what you want to do.'I want this, I want to go here, I'm bored'..Why can't we do something I want to do?"...Uh how about ... WE ALWAYS DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO?!?!?
Sorry, I just had to let that out.
Grr, we were going to go Rock Climbing, that would have been heaps fun, but Mum wouldn't let me. Eeh, I'm not a two year old. I know Im no adult, but, you know?
Well, I'm off to try to get some more sockness done,
Byebye!

2004-09-29T11:47:00.000+09:30

Welll...I thought I made a post last night telling you good news (ie. I was starting my first sock)..But it hasn't shown up yet. So maybe it never will.
As for socks. The pattern I'm using is very good and simple and easy to follow, especially seeingas I've never made a sock before, so this must be pretty good. You can find it at The Green Eyed Grrls Knitting Blog, on the left hand side, down a bit. It's pretty good, I'd say!
But may actual attempts are pretty pitiful. I just frogged it all then. I think the real problem lied in the fact that I was using 4mm DPNs with the thinnnest thing before lace-weight...So...Everything was holey.
Hum. Todays, Wednesday, and Dad's here on Sunday. Already I'm thinking "Argh! What to pack?"...I'll need all of Friday and Saturday to actually get my act together. I always pack too much, and generally forget the important things. One time I forgot to bring undies. The good thing was that I needed new ones anyway, so maybe that was a sneaky-subconcsious thing? Haha.
Anyways, knitting to pack? Well, By then I should have seamed the Halter (taking ages to dry)..So that will be clothing, not knits. Should have finished the Doggie Sweater (have done one more row since the last picture, serious!). Uh. Oh yeah, and I wil be starting on a pair of gloves with the left over cotton from the Halter, so I'll bring them.
See, Dad's bringing over "Stitch 'n' Bitch" and this stuff, 2.6 pounds of it!

Heheheheheeee!!
I was thinking of maybe making Rouge out of that? And maybe that sweet as jacket from White Lies. Which one do you think? I know I'll have enough for both...But I only want one out of it...I'd like to do alot of differnt things with that cone. Thats alot of yarn, too, compared to what I usually have, anyways. 2004 metres, approx. I think. Something liek that. And thats the number this year is!! Hehe..
Hum, what exactly is recycled cotton? Like, where does it come from? What did it used to be?
Oh dear. I found that post that I thought I'd lost. I posted it in the Down South Knitting Blog. Ooops, have removed it now. Sorry, didn't mean to do that!
Ok, I'm off. Have fun all!

2004-09-28T15:56:00.000+09:30

Grrrr...Here's what I got in reply from my questions about the crapness of everything getting ultra big:

Hi there,

Thanks for writing in. Currently, Blogger Support does not support
questions regarding customized template code or CSS/HTML in general.
Please see our Blogger Help article for a pointers to more resources:
http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=115

Sincerely,
Blogger Support

Argh! So, I got myself a new blog-skin, from BlogSkins.com. The credits are all at the bottom of the bunch of entries. But, I did all the
colours and pictures and stuff, just the actual layout and deign and all (which is very good and cool, you should
check out her other stuff!) isn't mine.
Something was odd in this template, though, and comments didn't work...Now they do though, because I went to Enetation and got their comment thing. But, when I put
it in this blog...All my otehr comments died! Awww! That sucks! But, I spose, sometimes sacrifces have to be
made...
Oh, just a reminder about my Net Ring, I think I'll put up about it on the Knitty Boards, but anways, here we go:

Join
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If you do join, don't forget to upload the picture to your own server, if you don't know how to, message me!

Knit-wise....The pieces of my Shapely Tank are drying now. I "blocked" them. But I think I may well have to do it
again, it's prolly done nothing. I just wet it all down (after pinning it, of course!) and let it dry...In this thread on the Knitty board, I was told how to do
it properly...You should go read that, if you've got no idea, just like me..
I like the people there..Everyones so nice, and as far as I know, it's real. No-ones pretending to be nice. I
spose you don't have to on the net, there's no point. So it's all genuine. I like that. IT's very good.
Grrrr...The camera conked out again. Batteries died. RIP Little boys, your replacements are on their way.
Mum's gone out to get some stuff...Eeeh, she's gone to pick up a bingo thing she put on Lay-buy..I'm not sure
that it's bingo...You know, with all the balls in it and you wind a handle and it jumbles everything up and spits
stuff out? I'll take a picture. I personally don't see a use for it. We don't play Bingo. We don't wind handles.
IT's just not the done thing in this household.
Today I started working on my *new* website. It will be up, soon, hopefully. The blog will stay, but it's just so
much easier if I host it with the site. So I think that's what I'll do. Not sure yet.
Cute HTML is a very good program, for those who would like to try their hands at a little HTML. I quite like it,
anyway. More than FrontPage, anways.
Oh-k.
Hmm...Picture time!

Here's some dowel DPNs. 4mm and 8mm, all up (I got some 9.5 mm, too) it cost about $5...Better than $6 a set!
I'd had the dowel for ages, but was afraid I'd break the pencil sharpener...It still works fine!
These aren't anwhere near finished though, I've still got to sand them down and laquer thema dna ll, but, when they are done, pictures will be up!

And here's the blocking Halter.

Ok...The colours look odd. Those towels are a ruby-red in real life. But that's pretty close to the colour of the halter. Less...bright and in your face though!

2004-09-27T10:35:00.000+09:30

Do you like the new blog? I don't think the images are working because PhotoBucket has died. I cn't log on to it, and the pics aren't really showing up. This happened toa few people quite recently, so maybe it's my turn now?
I would like to be able to make really small thumbnails to click on to go to bigger pictures, because I don't know how well the layout will cope with bigger pictures, plus, it would take even longer than usual to load.
**Wait, I was wrong, PhotoBucket is not broken, must just be my computer..It's running at 56.6k speed! ARGH!**
Mk. So, until I work out the mini-image/thumb nail deal, here's some pics...

The progress since..Last night or yesterday or something, of the back of my shapely halter. When I took that photo, I was up to row 24 of a 30 row increase thing. Once I've done the increases, all I've got left to do is stockinette for somethign like two inches...About 15 rows. So I will definetly finsh the actual knitting of the garment *today*.

The one with the bad lighing is my pair of boxer shorts that I was tlaking about a while ago. They're much darker in real life, more like dark coclate brown. They make me want to eat chocolate. They look heaps better in real life, anyways.
Mmmk. So, I'm off to try to upload some pics onto PhotoBucket...Can you see those pictures above? I can't! And, I uploaded them with "Hello", too... Gree. Maybe it reall yis my computer. maybe it's mangled. I think it's due for a little bt of a fixing up...I'm not sure. Will have to check it out with B.
And, count em now, Monday, Tuesday Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday..Dad get's here on Sunday.
I will call my first daughter Wednesday, I think it's beautfil name for a girl... And for a guy, too. Just, it's pretty, reminds me of Spring. Saturday is more of a guys name, I think...
Mmmk, byebye!

2004-09-26T14:03:00.000+09:30

The blog is stil mangled. I sent ina complaint/question to the good (*hopefully*) people at BloggerHelp, asking why it always gets all big and mangled like this. It looks horrbile!
Knit-wise, have started the back of the Shapely Halter. Was considering writing up a pattern,but it's not really mine, so I think I'll just write up how I altered it so much, with like, a choose-your-own-adventure style thing.

In answer to Lauren's question, (How did I do the food dye yarn?):

I just kind of wrapped the yarn around may a hand amillion times, so it was kind of "butterflied". Pushed it off my hand into a big glass salad bowl. Then, I dropped LOTS of food dye onto it in random places, red and blue. Mushed it around in the bowl a little, put some more in. Then, I let it dry a little bit and hung it off a coathanger in the sun for a couple of hours.
Very easy, but not practical, because the dye seriously falls off. When you touch it, it dyes your hands, too. I think prolly vinegar may help, but I don't know, and I may not even bother with it. I want to get some of that "Wilton's Cake Dye". That would be better..From what I hear, anyways.

Last night, I was fiddling around in PhotoShop 7 (which a friend kindlegave to me) and I made myself a banner. Eventually, I will make my own templte, or alter this enough to be unrecognizable. Until I have the skill, I"m kaing graphics. I don't know if I like it. It's kind of dull...And spots aren't realy my thing. But, I tried.

Click here to see the banner, it's too big to be displayed in this blog alone.

And here's another silly little quiz I cam across. It's sort of true, but not really.

You are Mohair.
You are a warm and fuzzy type who works well with
others, doing your share without being too
weighty. You can be stubborn and absolutely
refuse to change your position once it is set,
but that's okay since you are good at covering
up your mistakes.

What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

2004-09-25T17:31:00.000+09:30

Ooh, noice!
(I meant that 'o' in there, the word is pronounced like 'noise' except with the 'c' noise of 'nice'...It's the way all the woggy people at school say "nice". Hehe. Nice as in "cool". Woggish is not meant to offend; I do not mean it offensivley. Now that there was an Aussie slang lesson. Class dismissed, but don't forget to come back tomorrow!)
Have regained camera usage and am happy. Have pictures to show, also.

It's weird, when I got the other camera, Auntie G's, I just decided that Brother M's camera was crap and that I didn't want to use it ever again. Now that I've used it again, there really is nothign wrong with it. Sure, the colours and lighting are off, and it's bluky, and old...But I like it. And it works.
So, here we go:

The colours look so bad...But this is the doggie sweater. It doesn't look that crap in real life...I hope.

This is the food-dyed yarn. And a garter swatch. My fingers turned blue. The yarn used to be the colour of my Honey-Moon Tank, if you remember?

The makings of a Shapely Halter..Un-blocked, and slightly mangled, it's rolling under on the left hand side, thats why you can only really see that shaping on the right.

Ok? Happy? I am! Still havent managed to cast on for the back yet. May well do it tonight. Might even run off and do it NOW. Fancy that.
This frigging blog template, though, it's really giving me the shits. It always get's all shitty with me and mabgles, causing me to grow frustrateed and angry and swear...Not that I don't make a habit of it or anything!
Ok. Well..I'm off. It's still nine days til Dad's here. I wont bore you with the hours. One time a guy in my class was so bored that he worked out exactly how many lesson we had left till the end of the term. He must have been very bored.

Am listening to: She always Laughs at the Most Horrible Things by May Jacob (May*Star)

2004-09-25T14:06:00.000+09:30

Oooh, I forgot to say, that, a while ago, I *founded* a WebRing.

|Join |
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^{Powered by RingSurf}

Ooohk? So, please do join. There aren't any other memebers, other than me. It's sad. And lonely!! So I figured if I "advertised" it on the blog, then at least some of those who read and are from Australasia would maybe join? That would be nice!
Emailed Dad, and have full details on trip now. He will come and pick us up on Sunday, from B's house. Mum met Auntie G at work oneday, then she met all of Auntie G's family, her brother being B and living a street away form us. Dad and him are both into cars and stuff, so they always got along really well. Will be nice for Dad to catch up B, hopefullly.
Yes, Sundya round about lunch time (give or take a few hours). They're drving down from Sydney Airport, with Nanna Hope. So, they're gonna want a van or some sort of people mover!
C (Dad's wife, who will also be coming, looking forward to meeting her actually) sent me the pic below of Bonsai. I think He's quite cute, but am now thinking that the Doggie Sweater may be too big for him! ARGH.

2004-09-25T10:42:00.000+09:30

This is Bonsai, my dad's little pug that I'm *slowly* making a doggie sweater for. He's so cute...In a weird way.

2004-09-24T22:23:00.000+09:30

Mummy, Mummy, look what I've done! I spent all week on this cute little halter, look at it! It's ruined!

How do you mean, deary, it looks fine?

No, Mummy, look how long it is! If I was more daring and a little more skanky, I ould wear this as a dress!

Monique, you are a silly girl. Give it here, and I will show you.
{Mummy takes the front of the Shapely Halter, which still has the straps on the needles, hanging it around Moniques neck by the cable of her Circ..Even though she is knitting it flat)
See, Monique. Look at your chest. See how there's these two lumpy bits that stick out? They are called "breasts". Even though yours are still.. petite, they take up alot of space and fabric. They make your Halter fit perfectly, don't they?

Why, yes, Mummy, I see that you are right...How silly of me to not hold it up against myself before threatening to rip it out?

No, I did not really ask my mother for help.

Today was odd. Me head feels like it's going to fall off. Serious. And coz my necks sore from me trying to nurse my head, my shoulders are in agony. And that makes my back hurt. I think I'm really sick. And Dad's here in a week..Well, ten days. But still. I want to be bright and happy and healthy for that small holiday! Cheery!
Hmm, what else is up? Yes. The Shapely Halter. Well. I have finished the front, pretty much. Well...Totally. It's great, the colour, especially! I love it! It's purply/mauve sometimes, and then it's plae blue at others. You can't tell what colour it really is most of the time. The light changes everything. So, it can be feminine and tom-boyish at the same time...Very good.
On a more disturbing front...One of my brothers friends (in year eight, I'm in year nine) who I thought I was pretty good friedns with, has...He's gone all...Tryhardy. It's horrible. "W" was someone who I had huge respect for as a person and as a friend, someone who I stuck up for against my own friends...I put myself at risk, both socially (not that I really care) and physically for him. And now it's all for nothing because he's become a pot-head druggie type guy who takes ten Panadol at a time because he likes the way it feels.
When people are drunk, stoned or simply off their faces, I have no time for them and just ignore them, I don't look at them or anything, I just walk on by.
Today, after school, he comes up to me and Shaun, while we were waiting for Mel, and goes "Oh no, Monique, it's the holidays! It's the last day, I'm not going to see you for two weeks? Oh no, I'm going to miss you.." and was just drawling out all this crap. I actually found myself not listening and just walking away.
This is the guy who..I don't know, he's not people smart, and he's not really school smart, but he's aware, and I respected hi for that. He was someone who I cared for. I just...It really disturbed me...That he comes to school and swallows ten Panadol, or goes and has a smoke at the station, to impress the un-impressable.
Sorry if you found that utterly boring, but it's something that I can't stop thinking about and that has bothered me very much. I can't do anything about it.
We're going to get some batteries for Brother M's camera, tomorrow, so should have pictures!!

2004-09-23T19:56:00.000+09:30

Erica pointed this out in the Knitty Coffee Shop. I would like it alot. Though, I don't think I'd wear it right now, seeing as it's getting close to Summer. I might buy the pattern some other time. When I've got the money. Just like Rogue.

Wow. I'm on a little bit of a high. Did you know people think I'm a pot head. And then, other people, if I tell them that I am a pothead and that I smoke all the time and stuff (which I don't, I am not, and I do not endorse) they don't believe me and think I'm too innocent. Sad. I'm happy to be innocent though.
Again, I'm slightly off. Like a rotten egg. Just to make it very clear, I don't do pot, or anything else like it. It's a natural high. Just had to clarify that.
Have finished the increseaseseseses for my halter top, will put in three short row wraps just to ensure long lasting..Fitness. Size. Yes.
I think that's all I have left to say. This is a fairly short post, then, compared to usual. I think I will scan my Shapely Halter. What've I got to lose? Other than respect...Hehe, or not.
On the sewing/stitching front, I have finished my boxers. The pattern is a really old crap one, and I blame it for the un-goodness of them. Like, the fabric is great, and the sewing. But, they're all...unco around the legs, like, hard to walk in sort of. I don't know. I'll sleep in em tonight, and see what happens.
Bye bye.

2004-09-22T20:30:00.000+09:30

Wow. It feels like I'm lying down, with lots of gravity and stuff. And someone has their hand curled in a fist. And they've got it rammed into the middle of my chest, pushing as hard as they can. It hurts alot. Especially when I breathe. Argh. I don't like pain. AStham, mum reckons. I know my body, and I know my asthma, I've had fourteen years of it. This is not asthma. This is something else. It feels ... odd.
Alot happened today. Knit wise, not much. I've been knitting my Shapely Halter (odded version of the Shapely Tank). I've almost finished my decreases.
I got the short-row thing too, though it took me while, and some help was needed. But I got there. They seem a pretty valuable thing to know.
Now pictures again...Will be on holidays soon. Should be nice. You know there won't be access to the internet because we're staying in a hoilidy/caravan park by the beach. As id Dad is onyl staying for a week? I mean...Yes, (commence that narrator guys voice..Mental blank, cannot remember his name)" the Father has not seen the offspring in over three years, going on four, yet this time, he only visits them for a single week. Perhaps next time, his time with the offspring will not be so short."(End voice)
Hehe.
Now for the School/Social stuff:
In fabrics, am making a pair of chocolate brown boxer shorts. They are very cool. I've pretty well finished, just have to hem one more leg, and do somethign about the ends, then I'm done! I think they're pretty good for my first real sewing machine project. I'll see if I can use the school digi-cam to post some pics? I'll ask about it.
Mmk. I can be a smart ass, I'll admit. But I'll only be a smart asss, and behave with out respect, if I hold no respect for you. I'm very big on respect. It's just something that menas alot to me. And my teacher, Alan Revi (please do report him! Have him hung, or at least jailed). ALAN REVI. MR ALAN REVI. Again, my teacher, ALAN REVI, is someone whom neither I, nor the rest of the class, have any respect for. Neither as a person, or a a teacher. At all. He doesn't respect us as students, or even people, so how dare he expect us to treat him well? So, I was being a smart ass and muttering things under my breath, bitching about him really lud so he could hear, paying him out and stuff. There's a bunch of us who do stuff like that. We display our disrespect.
And then he just snapped. "Get out, MONIQUE! AAAAAAAAARGHHHHH! DIE CHILD, DIE!!!" style. So, I got out, witha big fat grin on my face. I knid of hung around outside the class room, because I couldn't pack my stuff and go home; I'd left most of my stuff in there. Otherwise I would have. Then, a few minutes later, he comes out and leans over me all menacing like, and tells me never to "treat me like that again" or he'll call my mum. Ugh great threat there, he already had a meeting with her when he failed me, and she has no respect for him either. He'sa sneaky, lying shit-head. He was telling em to stop being so rude. I was just looking past him with a big grin on y face, I couldn't believe it, I was honeslty trying not to laugh. And then A(that guy I like) and the rest of the class came out, because the bell had gone. Cheering me on. I was going to say something before everyone came out, but I felt like he would have seriously hit me, the way he was leaning over me. Ugh.
Teachers are supposed to be there to teach us and support us and make us feel good about school. I don't like going to school on Thursdays because I know that I have to spend 80 minutes first thing in a classroom with Revi. I was honestly considering skipping, for a while.
It's not good, when a student is driven to that, by a teacher. Because if I skipped one lesson because I just didn't want to go, what's stopping me skipping others?
"A" tells a mutual friend that he doesn't like me, but some other girl. It didn't hurt me at all. I think I have a real interest in him. I wanted to know him since year eight. But, as much as he says that, I still feel like he does like me. He acts as if he does. I dont get it.
Oh well.
Stuff is weird. Maybe I should scan my shapely halter. Just shove it in the scanner and go?

2004-09-19T20:05:00.000+09:30

Oooh, the yarn I died is beautiful. But, I'm now wondering whether or not I'll be able to actually knit with it, because when you touch it, all the dye come off on your hands. And, when it get's wet, the dye literally drips off. It goes right back to it's natural colour (Baby Blue). So..Yes. I think I should've vinaegared it. Might have to wash it off and do it again with the vinegar. Oh well. I will take picutes, though, before I do that.
Did I tell you, that the reason the camera was removed from my posession (without asking me first, or letting me know or anything..Not that it's actually my camera, but still...) was because Auntie G was going on holidays and needed it. Fair enough.
Brother M's camera has died. I think it just needs more batteries. But honestly, I used up almost a whole set of four batteries in abouthalf an hour. It just mows throw them! And, it takes up mass battery power to transfer the pics from the cam to the comp. Sad. It just dies.
I've made a discovery! I am very proud. I had seen this shop, "The Needle Nook" as a supplier on the Patons/Cleckheaton/Panda sites, but never really thought much of it. But, I came across the website, I think from a link that another Adelaidean-Knitter gave me. But, they're proces for the yarns that I can afford are great. I wouldn't know if the higher class brands prices are good or not, because I don't buy them, so I don't know prices. But, I do know Cleckheaton and Patons prices. And these are fairly good. Not as good as Spotlight, but only just off. So, I will try to get up there next time I need new supplies. I would rather support smaller businesses than something like Spotlight. Thgouh, I have applied for a job there now. If I get hired, I'd better be getting discounts, eh?!

2004-09-19T13:30:00.000+09:30

Haww. Because I am without a camera...I'm doing quizzes so the blog is still colourful. Sad, I know. But I feell...sad. ARGH. I need a camera!
Shapely tank. Have to put up a progress thing, eh? Well, anyway, have restarted it for the third time. Am totally altering the pattern sizing and decreases and stuff, but It's still the Shapely Tank. And I'm making it a Halter top. Short rows though, are quite getting to me. I can pick up wraps Ok on the Purl side, just not on the RS. So, yes. Something is wrong. I'll work it out.
Penny. Better go and do some more, now, eh? Two weeks till they get here. Dad's mum called before, sh'es coming down too. She's pretty cool. Not a decrepit old lady. She goes on all Steve Irwin Steryotype outback adventures. But, we plan to knit and crochet and stuff while they're over here. I'm going to teach my nanna to crochet. Funny that, eh?
Well, I had an experience today. Food dye and wool. Nice. (Hint, want to remove food dye from your hands? Toothpaste em! The full story is on the Knitty Board..Somewhere). I think what I did is called "over-dyeing". It was pale blue Patons "Big Baby". Just got sme blue food dye and some red food dye and a bowel. Sat in my room and squirted. It was fun. I rinsed it a little, in hot water, but I didn't want to run all the dye out. I think I should have done that vinegar thing to make it stay in a little better. I mean, I don't want to go purple when I knit it! I'm going to amke a little mobile-phone holder with it when It's dry, so it's not like it'll be washed or anything. Wont get wet.
Hum. Am off to do some homework which should have been done weeks ago. Not really, but it still should have been done. I'll go sit outside and do it.
Bye bye!

Which flock do you follow?

this quiz was made by alanna

Which X2 Character Are You?

Do you cluck or do you roar?

this quiz was made by alanna

How random are you?

this quiz was made by alanna

Am listening to : Tori Amos' "Daniel" ("Cornflake Girl" just came on as I wrote that)

2004-09-18T10:11:00.000+09:30

..I think I've come to a decision. I think I'm going to have to frog Honeymoon. I love her, I really do. But he's just sitting there, useless...Using up yarn and needles. I'll probably never wear her in that yarn anyway, seeing as it's wool..Not cotton, wool. I will make her again, one day though. You never know, maybe even this summer. Why not just leave her till you come back, you ask? Because I need some gloves to keep the chill off of my hands..They just get so damn cold, even now that it's Spring to Summer. It's horrible. Also, surely there are many things that are more suitable for 4 ply wool. Maybe a nice lacey cap. Or a tiny first time ever felted project. I don't know yet. But something more useable will come out of it. The yarn will be happy. I will be happy. And, The needles can go on and start with the cotton I have for my Shapely tank. I have to go and do some mathematical calcultions..Because, the smallest bust size there is 36". I have about 34", smaller prolly. But, I would like to be able to grow into it a little. So I'm going to aim for a 34" bust on it. If I have a gauge of 22 sts to 4 inches, when the gauge that is called for is 20 sts to 4"...And you cast on 90 sts. That means that the bottom would be (90/20=4.5, then 4.5x4=18..This is because there are 20 stitches to four inches. If it was 20 sts to one inch, you wouldn't times it by anything afterwards, if it was 20 sts to 5 inches, you would times by five) 18 inches. Done in the right gauge. On my gauge, it would be (90/22=4.09090909099090909091x4=16.3636 etc") so we'll say 16 3/8". At the bottom. And at the bust. Multiplied by two (to get what the measurement would be almost 33". That could still work out, because if I add the short row bust shaping..Yes.
What about the waist though...You decrease to 80 sts..Which menas that(on my gauge) it would be about 30" around. Hum..Well...That should work. It wont be tight. Prolly a little too baggy. I've got about a 24-25" waist. That's 5" off. Hmmm...I'll have to dcrease more. I want it to be a little bigger than 24, again, so I can grow into it...Eeeeh. I come home to escape maths! I'll stop sharing this with you, now. If you would like for me to help out with maths stuff, I'd quite like to help. Even though I claim not to like it, it's something that I'm generally good at, and I like to solve problems. Yes, If you need maths help, I can show you how to do it if you'd like. Just leave a comment. I'll work this tank out, I will I will I will.
Do you like the pics below. You have to click on them to really take it all in and really "get" it. I really like the simplicity of the flowers in the second one. I really like that image.
Bye bye,
Thanks for listening to me crap on!

2004-09-18T09:54:00.000+09:30

I took this a while ago, I told you I think. I just up and outsided. Took some pics for the website. I have done zero work on that, since then. But oh well. Progress will be made. I think It's a cool pic.

2004-09-18T09:52:00.000+09:30

I took this from my bderoom, but through my..Dirty mouldy window. It's not normally like that, it's just that it's been very dewy in the mornings lately. Also, it was focusing funny. AGain,, I just like the picture.

2004-09-15T17:53:00.000+09:30

Well, Stuff has been happening lately! I got my yarn! I would take pictures, but my Aunt needed her camera back..Which means I'll have to ask my brother to use his camera..But, the batteries are quite low, and I don't like to ask him. But, all up, the postage was wuick, the yarns are excellent, and I'm very please. Especially this cotton, it's so nice! It's soft and thick and heavy at the same time. It's lovely!
I was stupid and didn't order enough though. I don't know why. I need four balls instead of three. Oh well, I'll just order another. But it does annoy me, because of the postage and stuff. I mean, It was only $4.20 for the origianl order, which is good, but that is a whole ball of yarn. I don't know. Money doesn't come my way often, and when it does, I don't want to spend it on postage.
Oh well.
Have frogged those intarsia gloves. I thought I'd mastered intarsia in the round, I think I'm OK at it, but not on something that needs to stretch like a glove does. I'll do it one day. But, for now, I'm just doing one gloce light blue and the other medium blue. The colours look great together. Tis good.
Have done a little more on Penny. Not much. Maybe it's about..2-3 inches long now? It ends up being twelve inches long. Long itime to go, plus, I'm still increasing. Haven't yet worked out how much I'm going to increase it. Will soon; when I get up to it...
(For those of you who don't want to hear about teenage crushes and stuff, I'd advise you to stop reading........now)
..I like this guy. He's very cool. He had braces. He got them taken off, and now he's actually attractive, like, physically. Well, his face. He doesn't have the best body, as far as I know. I think I"m used to guys with good bodies. One of my boyfriends was a boxer. It's good, we're still friends now. He's a geat guy.
But back to the current...guy. He has the best name ever. I always though it was cool, even before I liked him. His Dad's French. His Dad's name is Pierre. His name is Axel. Not pronounced like ax-l, as in the axle for cars and wheels and stuff. ACk-Sell. I love it. Heh, he's not posh about it either. He lets people call him 'axle'..He only points it out if he doesn't like the person.
Anyway. I quite like him. And as usual, I don't know how he feels about me. I can generally tell if a guy likes me. Most girls can. But, whenever we actually like the guy, we can never tell. We fear making fools of ourselves, yet we don't want to seem like we';re not interested. What a predicament? It's truly horrid.
I was thinking, like...It's just a crush. I wont marry him. I *Hopefully* wont bear his children. After highschool, it's doubtful I'll ever see him again. So why do I care so much? I think it's a learning experience. That's what "crushes" are. Practice. Learning. People skills. Life skills. Stuff that they neglect to teach us in school. I think we should be taught more about sex and marriage and jobs and things. They spend all this time, and we spend all our parents money, on us learning maths and shit like that. But what are we without friends and family. I mean, sure, we get Sex Ed sometimes. But that's just "Don't have sex and you wont get pregeant." or "Have sex and you'll get AIDS". Stuff like that. I think that just arousses curiosity. Humans are curious beings. We like to know stuff. Experience it for ourselves, not just hear it second hand.
I'm going to go and do nerdy maths homework, which wont help me be a person, it will merely increase my smarts. It wont make me, or anyone else a better person. And our persona is what we get critisized on most. I want People lessons.
Bye bye.

Am listening to: Rain City by Turin Brakes

"When ever I come back, the air around us, is making the same sounds" Death Cab for Cutie's 'Movie Script Ending'

2004-09-13T19:51:00.000+09:30

Argh. As much as I hate quizzes..I'm knid of addicted. I got an eMode nesletter today, and just clicked on the top link. This is what the quiz spat out:

Ashik0, your mobile styleis Spunky and Spontaneous

It's a good thing a wild child like you has a cell phone to rescue you from sticky situations. Always on the go, you're a curious soul who loves to try new things and meet new people. You follow your heart and trust your instinct - whether it leads you to adventure in exotic places or start conversations with strangers.

While you're usually not the type to chat on the phone for hours, you never know when you might get lost and need directions or get hungry and need a restaurant recommendation. Sure, marching to your own drummer is nice, but you certainly know when it's time to call in for backup. Let's just hope you don't need that SOS any time soon.

Oh yes. I spose it's farily true. I'm wild child. I'm generally on the go, but that's the way I like it. Who wants to sit there and just bum around?
Eeeh, I apparently have "chilblains". My fingers and toes are all that's affected. I think it's coz I'm always getting my feet wet, lately, like jumping around in puddles and stuff. And my hands. Well, normally, I used to wear gloves. i've stopped wearing them, because people coo at them and want to wear them and stuff. Then, I don't want to wear them once other poeple with their dirty grimy hands have worn them and smooshed them all over their faces and all. I'm big on "clean". My room is in a mess, but it's not "dirty", if you know what I mean?

As for knitting. Well, I haven't done much. If you recall, I was doing Honeymoon as part of a Textiles assignment? Well, I got 30 out of 36, which is just an "A". I felt I did well, though maybe deserved a couple more marks. Oh well. Here's what I got, broken down:
For the Actual Creation (Which included Honeymoon and a Teaching Aid, just a pamphlet teaching someone how to knit), I got 7/8

For the Planning, I got 5.5/8

For Investigation (Other Pattern Options, different yarns that could have been used), I got 6.5/8

For Self Evaluation (Saying what I could have done better, how I thought I went, etc), I got 7/8

For Independence and Motivation, I got 4/4

So yeah, I'm pretty ...not happy, but not dissapointed. I was pretty happy though, that I got 7/8 for the Creation, seeing as Honeymoon wasn't even finished! If I had've finished her, I prolly would've got full marks for that part.
Wondering why it's all out of eight? Because of I.B, or the international Bacelaureate (I've got no idea how to spell it). Our school is becoming and IB school, so, they use IB marking schemes, apparently. I think teachers mark how they want.

Am still awaiting my yarns from Ozeyarn. Three days now. Though, we haven't cheacked the PO Box yet today, B (Mum's BF, I'll just call him B from now on, he's not my Dad, not my step-dad, he's my mum's partner. I have no problem with him at all, I quite like him. He respects me as a person, and also as a feamle, so thats good. In turn, I respect and appriciate him.) should hopefully check it on his way home from work. Hope he does. I was told to expect it within three to five days. Maybe that was working days..In that case, it's only been two. I ordered the stuff,I think, on Thusday night? But I got an email on Friday saying "your order has been dispatched". So, Friday, Saturday, Sunday..Monday. Hum. I'd better hurry up! Hope it's there! I want to take pics of my first ever net-yarn order!!
B should be home soon...I hear doors opening and closing, I shall skip down the stairs and check!

Oh well. It was B, but he didn't check the PO Box. Mum and him are going to on their way up to the block. We're getting a new house, and Brett has owned this block of land since the eggingng of time, so it's always been "The Block" to us. Even when the house is built, I think it will still be The Block. It's nice. The house is MASSIVE!

Picture time!

This is the Double Knot Cable from Girl from Auntie. Haven't finished it, but will soon. It's good to do, I quite like cables. Especially loving these open and closed loop ones. I'm getting better each time I do them! Love it!

Making slow progress. I'll have it finished, Have about three weeks to get it done. This is double the gauge though, and takes heaps longer to do everything. If you look close, you can see the different colours, but serious, It's so much brighter in real life. (My altered Penny)

Am listening to: "Caught by the River" by The Doves

Homework

2004-09-12T12:19:00.000+09:30

Since I woke up this morning, I've been trying to do my homework, which i've had four days now to do. Friday and Thursday, i was actually too sick to do much, plus we went out. I was so sick we had to come home, from the shopping centre, when we were on our way to get me yarn. Thats how sick I was. I didn't have S.E.X I was that sick.
This is what I've done so far:

Alexis Alvanos, a left-handed Handballer from Greece, says that he only came across this sport by chance. After being named "Best Player" in the cadets category three times; once in the mini category and twice in the junior category, it must have been a pretty lucky chance. On top of that, he was a member of the Greek Champions team in 2001-02 and 2002-03.
Alvanos is ambitious, he would like the have a career in Handball

Normally, I'm a very good write who loves what she's doing. Surely you can tell i"m not enjoying doing this. It's so frigging boring. The guy, Alvanos..He just doesn't interest me. At all. So, yeah.
Not much knkitting done. Have been trying to do this Double Knot fomr "Girl from Auntie's" free cables section. I keep screwing up. It's not that it's hard, just that I'm not able to concentrate at the moment. I don;t know why. But it sucks.
Oohh! You know how I was a snootty little girl and asked Dad if he could get me "Stitch 'n' Bitch" ? Well, he didn't reply to me (our only contact is emails, which doesn't bother me..I can kind of be less personal, which makes me more comfortable)..So, I sent an email saying "Don't worry about it, if you don't want to get it. Thats Ok, but.." And asked him for this. I swear I will pay him back, it's just that if I bought it and got it sent here, it was going to cost $17 AUD just for postage. Now, for that price, I got my cotton and my Breeze from Ozeyarn! ($17.50, to be exact, but who's really counting?)...So, I ask if he could order it for me and have it sent to his house, then just bring it down with him when he comes over. So that's cool..I wil pay him back, though, because he got me Stitch 'n' Bitch! Wee! That's very cool. I thankyou, Father, though I hope you're not reading my blog.
Argh. I wonder what I'd do if Mum or Dad found this? I know it's not like I have all this real personal stuff up, but Mum wouldn't be able to cope with pictures. She'd figure that the next picture would be onme of me, and she wouldn't be able to cope. I wouldn't post a picture that would make it possible to recognise me if you saw me, or track me down or anything. I just wouldn't like that. Knowing that someone could find me, and my house, my family, my life. Not good.

Listening to: Jem-Just a ride

2004-09-11T18:21:00.000+09:30

This is the Celtic Cable from Girl from Auntie. It was fairly wuick to do, knit up on doubled over 8ply (sport weight) and 5.5mm needles.

These are the yarns being used on my Penny. Hum. I've knit so many half and quater Penny's it's not funny, and each time I frog em, it's great coz the yarn just turns out the same! The colours are brighter in real life...

Though the picture is crappy, this shows the beads that I got from the Bead Hive in the city. For the green and purple ones, it was $1.50 for 10 grams..or was it 100 grams..Whatever. The wooden beads were two dollars, already in that packet, and the rings on the side were 15c each. Hum. Above them all are my sad attempts at my own stitch markers... The wire I got was cheap #24 gauge. I didn't know what I was buying though. I just bought it. I think I'll just use the rings. They're 4mm. Pfft, good enough. I use 4mm-2.75 needles too much, so that's cool.

2004-09-11T17:17:00.000+09:30

Ooh. I woke up this morning, and thought "Monique, you don't need the computer, you can live without him. You don't need the sore aeyes and the late nights. You can entertain yourself and live a healthy, computer free life.". The plan was to have a totally screen-free day. No computer, no TV, no nothing. I folded. I turned it on because I needed music. I can't knit without music. I was never tempted, either to get up n dos tuff on here, either. We went out, to the Shopping Centre. Got some 4mm DPNs, a row counter, cheap and shotty, but at least it works, and some beading wire for my stitch markers. $9.45. I felt that was a bit of a rip off. Oh well.
Came home. Knitted some more. Bummed around. Then, again, folded. Here I am.
I found the good digi-cam. Family friends are lending it to us. For how long, I don't know. The driver isn't on my computer. So I'm downloading it now. But I don't think the ports on my USB Hub are..programmed or whatever. That almost made me sound like I knew what I was talking about, eh?

I am a Hippy

Which America Hating Minority Are You?

Take More Robert & Tim Quizzes
Watch Robert & Tim Cartoons

And again..

I'm a Philosopher/Scientist!

Which Enemy of the Christian Church Are You?

Take More of Robert & Tim's Quizzes
Watch Robert & Tim's Cartoons

One more...

My Phase is Olbos

Which Phase of the Greek Tragic Cycle Are You?

Take More Robert & Tim Quizzes
Watch Robert & Tim Cartoons

Now it's over.
Well, we have chicken and chips for tea. Mum and tht have just gone out to get it now. After that, will be posting pictures which I took today..Like, of the cable that I did..Which is pitiful, even Mother, who thinks the little things in life that I do are "Great, Beekus! ('Beekus' is anickname which come form the family, fist it was 'Sticky Beak', then 'Stickey Beekus' then just plain old 'Beekus'! Evolution!)..Even Mother said "At least you tried"..Awww! I hadn't even payed it out yet! Must be really bad. But, I didn't mind doing it. So, I'll just keep doing it till it's good, then I'll keep doing the Durrow Cable (both mentioned with links to in previous post) until it's perfect. Then I'll buy Rouge. Yes, yes I will. Then I'll make her. Yes, yes I will.

Ooh, and something else which I was wanting to make was this : Raglan Cardie from Rare Yarns. I knwo the exact yarn which I'll be using, cheap and nastie, but it'll be my first ever cardie...first ever anything. I've never made anything bigger than Honeymoon, and I never even finished that! So, yeah. And it's not like it'll always be touching my skin. So, yes, I plan on just using some Cleckheatons Country 12 ply. Cheap yarn, but it's not that bad, I've used it before. It's very..Every stitch is defined, which is cool. I know you're sposed to use the boucle yarn..But I'm not paying that much money for something which I don't even like that much. If the pattern turns out really good, and I'm liking it, then I'll porlly make it again. I want to put a big collar on it. Some nice cables up the side. Though, that will prolly detract from the simplitcity of the whole thing. I don't know yet. But I know I'll be making it in a nice bottle green, seeing as I love the colour yet have no clothing in that colour. Only black, blues and browns. Thats my wardrobe. Thats it!
Am off to experiment with "BloggerBot" and "hello"..Pics should be up!

Second Day Off

2004-09-10T09:42:00.000+09:30

Well. It's my second day off school. Sadly, it's a Friday, which means that my sickness is going to run into the weekend, which means that I can have no social life and will spend two days straight waiting...waiting..waiting, for my first-time-ever-from-the-net-ordered-yarn!! It's from Ozeyarn, I decided in the end. They were the cheapest, and when I sent for a sample card a few days ago, it cam in seriiously..like, two or three days. Which is quick for Queensland to Adeleaide post, which is normally absolute CRAP. Takes a week to get it from here to there usually, and the same time to ship something over seas, prolly, too! Least it was fast this time!
Yes, so, I got three balls of the Hierloom 8 ply Cotton for my Shapely Tank ,in the bluey mauve. Believe me, it's more blue than it looks on the net!
And one ball of the "Breeze" stuff. For Mon Petit Chou, in green though. I'm regretting that a little now, but oh well. I don't like pinks and all, though..Green isn't particualrly suitable for lingeree. Then again, I'm me, and I'm not suitable for lingeree!
I'm still pondering as to how suitable the actual yarn is for something like Chou...You know what? "Chou" means cabbage or cauliflower. I think Chouchou is the correct term though, as in "darling, pet". Then it's "My Little Darling" instead of "My Little Cabbage"..Though, mines gonna be green, I may well call it my little Cabbage. Hehe.
I also sent for a free sample card from Rare Yarns. That should be here soon, I hope. Though, I think the prices are way out of my price range. Way. The only people who would appriciate such expensive, quality yarns would be those you can make stuff out of them themselves. So what's the point? Maybe as a present for me when I've got a job!
Yes, I am going to apply for a job at Subway. Just casual, after school stuff. Also put in for a job at Spotlight, the big craft chain in these parts. Though even if "I was an employee, I would not reccomend you go there looking for really good yarns. Like, they do have some good stuff, like Katia and all. Other long German names and French yarns and stuff, but most of the stuff is pretty expensive for what it is. Huge range though, for those just starting out. I shop there because I can't afford anything else and don't mind any yarn, so long as it's soft. Yeah.
I would actually more like a job at the LYS. There are two, one is full of snotty, look-down-their-noses on you people, though there is one nice woman. The other is run by just this one lady who is nice and helpfull and all. I would like to work for her, you know? But I don't know how to ask for a job! Like, I don't want to appear to be implying that she can't run the joint herself. Uh. Yeah. So, I will ponder.
I just took a photo of my progress in the altered Penny. Mm. The camera..died. I planned on tkaing more.Liek of the yarns I'm using. The colours are great. I'm not sure if I like them together. Oh well. Mum said Dad would like it, greys and blues. I like them normally, I'm just not sure if I like these greys and blues together. Also wanted to take a photo of the stopped WIP, my too cool for school gloves. Though, I could do with some glvoes right about now. Did I tell you that a few days ago my toes were so cold and uncovered that they went a bluey-purple. Not the reddy-purple, the bluey-purple! ARGH! Though, I think that calls for socks more than gloves. But my fingers are still cold and in need of glovage. Am going to learn how to knit socks. One day.
I've decided that I now, officially, quite like crepe yarns. I mean, sure, they may not be suitable for EVERYTHING, but who's going to stop me?! They have this nice squishy, bubbley, stretchy texture. They feel like cord. I really like it.
I also plan to one day make Rogue. I haven't yet bought the pattern. I will soon though. But for the moment, I'm improving my cableing skills. I though I was alright at cables, I made this cable hat once. From Head Huggers. And it was easy. The cables were good. Good, I say! But now I'm trying that Simple Celtic cable from Girl from Auntie, and there are holes everywhere. So, I'm just going to keep trying till it's good. Then, when I am satisfied with my skills at cables, (I'll probably try the Durrow cable, too.) I will purchase the pattern. And the millions of dollars worth of yarn. *Sigh*.
Mm, it's good. I'm not intimidated by things like that, because I like to learn. I like to have more knowledge than others, not to be (or think that I am) better than then, but so that I can share with them. Because don't like to share much, other than knowledge. Even knowledge will only be shared with those worthy. Hah, aren't I royal?
Ok, well...Seeing as I have no pictures to post, which is disappointing and simply annoying, to both you and me, I must now say good bye1
Byebye

Am listening to "Wish you were Here" cover by Phish

Home Sick

2004-09-09T11:17:00.000+09:30

Well, I am at home, sick today. Am very sick. Uncomfortable. Tired. Runny nose. Aching muscles. Sore head. Just too uncomfortabel to be in school.And I was fine this morning, just a little chesty. Ugh. Very sad. I even feel too sick to knit. Though I prolly will do a little more on this dog sweater. I swear, it was so much easier to knit it in the round....I reckon I'll frog it and just do it again, in the round.

The City

2004-09-06T19:19:00.000+09:30

Hum. Went down to the city today. Forgot to say, we all got a day off from school because the Royal Show is on, so they figure if they give us a day off, then we'll all go then. Few people do. Mostly people take advantage of the day off school and go to the Show some other day.
Anyways...Got down there, wandered around a bit, and went to find some cotton. I want to knit Bad Penny...But I couldn't find what I really wanted. All I could see, cotton wise, was this Fiddle-De-Dee stuff. It's all textured and crinkly though, and didn't have colours I wanted. I was considering buying white and dyeing it, but I hear cotton is mucho arder to dye than wool, and I have no experience in either.
So, I think I'll have to buy some off the net. As much as I don't want to. It was heaps more expensize anyways, and you got less aswell. So, I think I'll get cotton from Ozeyarn.. I put in for a sample card today, so, hopefully that's got cotton on it....Well, it diesn't really matter, does it? Either way, I'll get it. Well...I wanted to get it from Ozyarn, not OzEyarn, coz Ozyarn seem smaller and stuff, I like to support the underdog...But, OzEyarn is cheaper and you get more for it. So..Thats it, I spose. Now, to beg the mother for the mulah! Though, she's a good mum. She supports me in choice thta I make, and money that I spend, coz she trusts me now...Now at least. She didn't used to. I was feral! That's another story.
Anyways. Got some lip blam from the Body Shop. Bought some yarn, second hand, might I add..From this creepy second hand shop...I Picked it upa nd liked it, coz it was exactly what I wanted, and it looks great with the other colours for the doggy jacket. The yarn was out the front of the shop, in this big stand. I picked it up and went into the shop to get it...Argh, I don't know what it was about this woman. She had these weird eyes. Like, they looked like contacts, but I can't tell. Uh, this horrible bright blue around the outside witht the muddy brown around her pupil. It was just, it wasnt nice to look at. She looked like one of those people who you just steer right away from. You know? You don;t look at them or near them and just keep going if they talk to you. But then, she was nice and talking and sutff. I tried to be polite, I though I was... But my friend said that I seemed really rude. Mmm...I couldn't stop thinking about her on the way home. She was just too creepy.
Holy crap! I was so excited! Sadly, I had no money left, but I went in anyways. To St Vinnies, I mean. Second hand shop. Notthe one in the city, the one on the way back, we got off the train and went to St Vinnies, then caught another one the rest of the way home. But anyways. There were so many knitting neeedles and acsessories and STUFF! Like...A whole table dedicated just to knit-knacks! And, when yo walk in the door, you see this big unopened bag of wool, 750g for three dollars. Three friggin dollars. Gawd, I wih I had money left. I would've got it. A ncie navy blue colour. Deep. Cool. ARGH! The woman was kinda rude, though, she kicked us out coz it was near closing time...But, we could have been buying stuff, you know? And, it was five minutes left, and they were having a good chat amongst themselves, wasnt like they were waiting on us or anything. Mmm, just the way she said "Girls, were clsoing now, if you could please leave."...It was very unsavoury.
ARGH! I can't get that creepy woman out of my head. Argh argh argh!
I've noticed I'm starting to be more..Innovative, I spose. That's prolly not the best word, but it will do...Innovative with my knitting. Like, when I first started, if I wanted to amke something which required a few different yarns, and what I had was fatter or skinner..I just wouldn't use it. I'm now realizing that different sized needles can be used to make the gauge the same. Liek with my Doggie sweater. The yarn I bought from teh creepy lady is a bit fatter than my other stuf. So I'm just using a smaller needle when I get to it, you know? Like, the pattern is just stripes, so i's not hard, but I never would have thought of that.
Ok..Well, I'm off to finish casting on for my new sweater (I had done two inches, but I ripped that out when I got this new yarn, coz of the colours, it just had to go first (light blue, grey blue, silver grey..that prolly doesn't sound that good, but it looks cool when the balls are next to each other in that order. Plus, it's all like, angora mixes or brushed wool or mohairified, nice and soft and squishy. It's going to be so cool!! I'll take some pictures, just have to get the camera from the brother...I generally wait till I have something to show before just asking for the camera, coz they all ask questions. I don't want to have to say "I'm taking pictures to post on THE INTERNET for everyone to see..Mother would spaz out!)
Bye bye

PS, I found this...I don't have a secret pal..That I know of. I just thought it's be fun to fill it out!
1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high-end/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you? I wish I could be, but I go by softness, not brand.
2. Do you spin? Crochet? I crochet, I did before I ever knitted..And I would love to spin!
3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.) I'm only allergic to my friends cats and dog, nothing else. Not even my own cat.
4. How long have you been knitting? Since...Not very long ago. A few months...?
5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No..I will now though!
6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) Anything citrussy..Sweet and sharp. A bit of lavender is nice, too.
7. Do you have a sweet tooth?YES!
8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? I'll do anything, so long as I'm busy! I always make b'day cards and stuff like that..I'm open to most things.
9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? Yes, I own few CDs, I just download/"steal" mp3's. I like rock, metal, punk, aussie hip hop...Whatever. Just not country or poppy things. Teeny-boppers bug me.
10. What's your favorite color?..Totally green. I like "cool" shades, like greens and blues and purples.
11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Live with family, ie. everyone but Dad. I have a cool cat called Tom (hehe, origianl, he's a tom cat!..Well, he was.)
12. What are your life dreams? To have a long, happy and full life.
13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? I lovefat, chunky yarns, but anything is cool. I like to knit smaller stuff sometimes. Good old Aussie merino wool is just...*sigh*
14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? Itchy acrylics! I have nothing against anything, excpt itchy things. This includes some wools.
15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s? I'm going through a tank phase...They're too cool!
16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Probably quick scarves..And I like to knit my own stuff, that I'm amking up and writing down as I go along.
17. What are you knitting right now? Some gloves, a doggy jumper and Honeymoon.
18. What do you think about ponchos? They're ok. I don't own one..They're heaps better than shawls, though..They're ok.
19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Circ's coz I don't like to purl.
20. How did you learn to knit?The internet. Mum taught me how to knit, like, just that stitch, I couldn't even cast on or purl or anything, when I was like, eight. I re-learnt not long ago.
21. How old is your oldest UFO? Would have to be Honeymoon..Who is....A few weeks, maybe a month or something?

Mk. Insightful? I doubt it. But oh well.

Buttons!

2004-09-05T14:49:00.000+09:30

Ooooh, I've just made some buttons, and I felt a real ned to share them with you!

and

I think they actually look pretty cool! They're in my side bar, too. Please, if you're going to use them, DON'T STEAL MY BANDWIDTH...Please save them onto your computer (Right Click >Save As) and then upload them onto your own server. I use PhotoBucket, but I've heard good things about PNavy, too, so..yeah.
I'm pretty happy with the way tehy turned out, as you can see. In the mostly green one, the leafy things are eucalyptus shrubbery of some form...Was in the back yard.
Also (Gawd, I love Photoshop!), theres this pic. It's of my eye. I mangled the lighting and brightness and contrast. Not too bad, if I don't say so myself!

I like how you can't see the bottom of the eye. Everytime I look at it, it makes my eyes feel weird..Odd. I feel like I've seen that pic somewhere before..Which isn't possible. Unless I subconciously copied someone. If so, I'm SORRY. Tell me!
...Well, I'm off for a coffee with Mum soon, she's coming to pick me up (she was at her friends place gardening or something.) I think she thinks I don't get out enough. I don't get out that often, but I don't really feel the need to. Wouldn't mind being fitter, though.
Hey! Guess what? We've got this wood-working furniture place over the raod from my house. If, in a few months, maybe after Christmas and my birthday (When I'm generally stocked up on cash), if I'm still interested in spinning, I'll try and see if they could custom make me a spinning wheel. Or, maybe it would be safer to just buy one somewhere? I don't know. But, it's not mattering at the moment, coz this could be something I grow bored with. Any Aussie spinners out there? Care to lend me a hand if I get a spinning wheel?
Bye bye..

2004-09-05T13:57:00.000+09:30

You can call me Daria now.

You are Daria.
Thinks fast; Talks slow.

What Daria Character are You?
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Hehe.

I signed up with Port5 and am trying to put together my own website. Trying being the key word, here! I just don't get all this ftp crap. I know a little HTML and some CSS, but I'm quite capable of making stuff up as I go along. Though, I haven't even worked out what will be actualyl on this site. Prolly just knitting stuff, and spinning if I really get into it. (When I go down to the city I plan on getting the stuff needed to make my own drop spindle.) Also, some guitar and song type stuff. Bit's and pieces of knowledge which I would like to share. Just stuff. It should be good. But I haven't really even started yet.
I have too many hobbies. And there are so many more things I would like to pick up. Plus school. AGH. I don't need a life, I just need longer days. Even then, I'd be screwed.

Paine

Which Final Fantasy X-2 character are you?
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I went outside just before to take pics for my website. Stuff from the garden, greens and brons. That's the colours of my site..I hope. The leaves and things will make nice buttons. The camera conked out before I could take a photo of the sweater for Bonsai, there's not much to see anyways. I just really like the yarn!

My Bonsai

2004-09-04T16:51:00.000+09:30

Well. Like I said, I've started on my own Doggy Sweater. But, I ripped that out coz I mangled it. So, now, I'm making my own, from my head, just using the rough, though slightly larger than, measurements from Penny. I've added and inch to everything, pretty much. Also, because of the fact that I'm going to have to buy more yarn, but only will be able to buy more on Monday, It will be knit differently. What I'm doing, is knitting the first two and a half inches in the round, (2x2 rib), then knitting it flat for another ten inches, adding selvage on each side. Then, I'm going to do a garter increasing thing with the other yarn, which I will sew into the middle of the knitted falt ribbed bit. I'll show you when I'm done. I'll post a pattern.
Another patten on it's way is the bum-gloves. I haven't even taken a progress pic of them yet..but I havent done much, thats all. They'll be really cool! And odd, too. Very easy knits.
I am becoming interested in dyeing wool. I can't get Kool-Aid over here, so I'm having to explore other methods. I don't want to do anything toxic. And today, I came across how to make natural dyes, from plants and flowers! This is a wonderfull idea. I've seen it done in a lbog once before, and the wool just comes out beautifully! It's wonderful, because teh wool is natural, the dyes are natural, no-one inhales any toxic substances, nothing bad happens. And I feel it would add all the more to those hand knitted projects. I could make my own natural colourways and everything. And, being flowers and plants and roots and nuts, things of nature, you see which colours really suit each other. All the more natural. Natural colour selection. I think it's really spiffy!
So...I want a swift and winder and spinner and all that. Then , I can spin my own yarn, make my own dyes and dye it. Think of the cool stuff you could make? It would so add to a gift! (Not that I know what all that stuff is though. I'm doing a good Google at the moment.

My Dad's going to be here in..one month! that's four weeks, twenty eight days! Well, not really a real month, more like a calender month, but still. Not long now!

Oooh, I"m all excited about this natural dyeing and stuff! plus, did I tell you I was going to make my own stitchmarkers? Will get supplies when i go to the city! (If I've got enough mulah!)
Oooh, and you know what's the coolest thing? I've finally got my friends interested in knitting. Like, I didn't even do anything. I never pushed them. I just let them see how much I love it, and all the cool stuff taht can be made, and now they're asking my to teach them to knit! YESS! Too cool!

I asked my Dad if he could get me "Stitch n Bitch" by Debbie Stohller..I hope he does. I don;t like to ask, but it's something that I would really like to own. The patterns in it look great, I've heard many good things, and I would like to have a reference to cary around. Plus, I like to read, an apparently it's a good read, too. I hope he gets it!

Ok...Well, I think thats it! Bye bye!

I'll post some pics of the yarns I got from the schools stash which I'll be putting to good use in my Bonsai Sweater...soon.

Killed Honeymoon

2004-09-03T20:33:00.000+09:30

I killed her. I never thought I'd ever be this stupid. But...ARGH! I would pull my hair out, but that's not my style. ARGH ARGH ARGH. I decided that "I'm cool, I'll make this a halter top, seeing as I'm having trouble with the shapings and all! Then, I'll really like the top, it'll be finished sooner, and..yeah!"...So I unravelled the back falp-bit. There were lots of snags because the yarn kept splitting..I spose you knw where this is going? I hit a large snag, and knot, almost..I reached for my scissors, and gave one might "snip"...And all my hard work was undone.
Well, that's a bit of an over-statement. I snipped and important bit, which was like, the end of the flap, I just though it was a snag. So, I'll ust go back down and pick up all the stitches from further down, unravel it, and I'll be set.
Sadly, this was sposed to be my Textiles assignment. Mrs Turner said though, that we can show un-finished works if it's big or we havent managed to finish it. The marks we loose for this term can be added back on at the end of the semester.
Have started my own version of Penny, but one again have cast on WAY too many stitches. So, back to the note pad and the measuring. It is hard, seeing as I don't know how big the dog will be eventually!

Bye bye,
Ashik0