Weekending - out in the world

For my birthday (in December), Kris treated me to a yoga and wine tour, which we went on on Saturday. it was a fabulous day in every way (except the weather, cold and wet). There were ten women on the tour, and then all did yoga with the organiser, Sab, but mainly didn't know each other, and everyone was open and chatty and lovely. We were meant to start with yoga in the vineyard, but since it was pouring rain we got to do it in the barrel room.

We then had a wine tasting, drove to anther vineyard, had a wine tasting and lunch and went to a third wine cellar in Healesville, before heading home. The pace of the tour was perfect, the company lovely. One thing that struck me was this was all a forty-five minute drive from central Melbourne. We can't go far out in the world yet, but there is so much to do right here.

On Sunday we got up and went for a run down to the beach. We've been doing this (at least) twice a week since July. This time, we ran past the Bowls club, and it was full of people playing bowls. When we got to the beach there was a major triathlon happening. Loads of people swimming, riding, running, the place was pumping. It felt very lively and affirming.

The sun has finally come out, and I've been sitting on the balcony spinning.

The thing about spinning (for me) is that it's a numbers game. Unlike knitting I have to make time to do it, or it doesn't get done. I've got to get on with this yarn for Leon's winter set. I've got about 4.5 out of 6 bobbins spun up, and I have to finish it, ply it and knit a hat, scarf and mitts before winter comes - I guess before April. Since I don't feel like we've had much of a summer, it feels odd to be looking towards winter, but there you have it.

Have a good week, and I'll be back on Wednesday to tell you what I've been knitting and reading for Unravelled Wednesday.

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Geogradiant MKAL Part 1 - that was unexpected (spoilers)

Stephen West released the first MKAL clue on Thursday night. I started knitting it without looking at spoilers. When I got up on Friday he had sent through an "alternative" clue one. I then went and had a look at the spoiler thread to try to work out what was going on. Which was that some people thought the pattern looked like a "German hate symbol". I knit on anyway, since I was half-way through. Then he took down the original clue, replacing it with a mitred square in garter stitch. The Ravelry forums and Instagram are a complete shit-show, even though Rav is being moderated. It's been a bit disheartening, having something that is usually quite light and fun weighed down with all this. I admire Stephen's quick and sensitive response to this drama. I also feel that anything can look like anything if you squint. To me this looks like a Celtic knot. I think mine is pretty, and I'll knit on through all crises.

Linky Wednesday - the one with the drama

The drama about the Stephen West MKAL continues, and I can't be bothered with it. It's meant to be a fun, interesting, communal knit and and that's not what this year has turned in to. Stephen has done his best in a difficult situation, but I'm just not feeling it. Meanwhile, Israel is at war, and we (as a country) are going to vote "no" on a referendum that asks for basic consideration for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders. So yeah, lots of turmoil here. It's very tiring. I'm knitting a sock and considering what happens next. Luckily the reading was dramatic in a good way. I'm reading a NetGalley review copy of Last Summer at the Lake House and it's great. Super dramatic family drama about three sisters who loose their father unexpectedly and then find out that the family has secrets. I 've nearly finished it and I don't know what I'm going to read next. I've got a bit of a break between review books, so maybe Sta

Mussleburgh musings

I made a Mussleburgh hat earlier in the year, and even though I thought I was following the directions exactly it did not come out quite right. It was a little bit loose. My head is 51 cm, my gauge was 7 stitches, so according to the pattern I knit the right size. It's also a little bit shorter than I would like it. Too long for a beanie, too short for a good turn-up. I couldn't work out why. I still wore it, but it was not quite right. When I decided to knit one for Elise I knew I wanted to make it longer, and tighter. After I finished Elise's (with 24 fewer stitches) I realised something about mine: Now, this is a knit tube. I know how to knit tubes. When I make sleeves or socks, they don't balloon out in the middle. So I decided to reblock it. The instructions actually specifically say to fold it inside each other after blocking, but I probably folded it and dried it on my head, because that's how I block my hats. Not this time: Now it's longer and thinner

What I made, by Sharon

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