Stitch. Read. Covet. Blog.

Stitch: I could certainly be very happy wandering around my wooden floors in a pair of these socks come Winter. Whether or not the pattern would be too much for me is another matter entirely. But I do believe they are beautiful, beautiful socks.

Read: This looks like a fabulous new read. Blogger and baker extraordinaire Lorraine Elliott explores food, blogging and happiness in this new release. What more could a girl ask for? Congratulations to Lorraine!

Covet: I can see this brooch on my new navy velveteen blazer. I really can. I may just have brought it before I publish this post... There are others in Evie's store however, if like me, you see yourself sporting a cheeky hand painted face on your coat this winter. (Check out her super sweet tooth fairy pouches while you are there!)

Blog: Megan is the kind hearted blogger behind 'The Byron Life.' Journalist by day, Mama, crafter and simple living advocate always, Megan's blog is a delight and an inspiration. Her current series about North Coast Bloggers will have you settling in with a cuppa as you are introduced to some truly gifted, creative women.

-

So dear readers, what have you been stitching, reading, coveting or blog-loving lately? Leave a comment below so we can share in the goodness.

Yarn Along

Since last weeks Yarn Along I have managed to knit my first heel flap, turn the heel and work the heel gusset. I felt quite pleased once I managed it. Though I have struggled a little with this pattern. The directions do not always seem clear to me. I'm not sure if it is the way it is written or my inexperience. (If you have Moda Vera 'Noir' sock yarn and intend to knit the pattern on the band, my Ravelry notes might help.)

I have only a couple of chapters left of 'The Book Thief,' and I shall be sorry to finish it. Though the book sits beside our bed, I have been listening to the audio version. It makes for wonderful multi-tasking. This week I have been folding the laundry on the bed, while Emerson kicks her chubby legs and we listen to Allan Corduner read. His expressiveness and pronunciation of the German words are not without value either.

I have downloaded my next audio book and wonder how it shall compare.

-

Joining in with Ginny's Yarn Along.

Ravelry.

Weekending

Sometimes, I stay up late at night while the rest of the house sleeps. Sometimes I read, sometimes I write, sometimes I reminisce with an old movie. At such times I feel I have the whole house to myself. Though I am equally comforted knowing that my loves lay dreaming beneath their blankets not far from me. There is peace and quiet late at night. The cat sleeps beside me and I sacrifice an hour or two of sleep in return for quiet concentration. 

It's times like this that I can slowly unravel the secrets of turning a heel when knitting a sock. I tuck myself in satisfied with my efforts. When the children wake me earlier than usual those mornings following, I sometimes regret having stayed so long from bed the night before. 

But not when I have a heel as evidence of my evening.

Yarn Along

Once I cast off the Raglan and Lace jacket I was working on last week, I cast on for my first pair of socks. My first pair of socks. Socks! Words could not adequately express my excitement to my husband. He smiled his sweet (slightly baffled) smile and nodded, before inquiring about the golf vest he requested prior to Winter. But socks! Socks have been the epitome of knitting for me. The pinnacle. My knitting aspiration. Since first picking up the sticks in earnest last February, my aim was to one day knit a pair of socks. They seemed like such an incredibly difficult endeavor. They looked difficult. The language sounded difficult. And double pointed needles? They were too scary to comprehend. 

I have been slowly working my way up to knitting socks. Ravelry has been charting my progress. Socks are my twentieth knitting project. There have been vests and jackets, cardigans and cushions, kerchiefs and a hot water bottle cozy. There were cables, ribs, lace and the introduction of double pointed needles. And now there will be socks. 

Then perhaps lace socks, cabled socks, stripey socks...

There has also been reading and the discovery of audio books. Crafters in the know need read no further. But, the revelation that is audio books! 'Reading' and knitting at the same time. Two birds, one stone! I have been knitting round and round while listening to the wonderful narration of the equally wonderful 'The Book Thief.' 

So much to knit and read, so little time.

-

Joining in with Ginny's Yarn Along.

Ravelry.

Weekending

Recently we signed up to have solar panels installed on our roof. It's has been part of our plan since buying this house. Not only will we be producing our own energy, we will also be feeding electricity back to the grid, resulting in payment. Firstly however, we have to pay off the panels. 

This new weekly expense necessitated a rethinking of our budget. It had been a little too long since Dave and I had sat down together with pens, paper, calculator and bill file, and tallied our annual expenses. But it was with great satisfaction that we added up the figures, divided that value into weekly expenses, re-named our accounts online accordingly, allocated money to savings and allowed ourselves a little pocket money too. It felt good to have worked it out together, to have a plan, to have short and long term goals. It also confirmed how the small changes I have made, like using cloth nappies and making our laundry detergent, are having a positive impact on our savings. 

While we have been implementing our new budget we have been spending a few quiet weekends at home working on projects. And there have been many to keep us occupied. From building a new garden bed in the front yard, edged in bush rocks from a friends property, to planting out onion seedlings in the veggie patch. At Cohen's request, he and Dave also built a home for our old friend the possum. I found this guide to making a possum house (I hold no grudges Mr Possum, just a scar from your scratch) and the boys set to work, adding their own flourishes to the design.

Emerson and I checked in on their progress as I washed my way through the pile of laundry that had accumulated after days of rain. The veggie patch was weeded, a jacket cast off and my first pair of socks cast on while listening to an audio book. And by Sunday afternoon our tree was wearing it's new possum house, Cohen was impressed with Dada's tree climbing skills and both boys were eager to keep watch last night by torch light.

Sadly, I think it may take more than one evening for a possum to make that little house his home.