posted by Lily on family, knitting, thrifted

4 comments

Oh my! It’s been so many weeks since I lasted visited here. What a slacker!

These past weeks have been filled with essays, exams, pracs, an absent husband/father (3 whole weeks!), solo mothering (of the girly, furry and feathered varieties), a visiting mum/nan, a whole week all by myself (oh that was so long and quiet) and not much else.

Well there was a little sock finishing and wearing (picture huge grin of glee that I have finally managed to knit and wear a pair of socks!) … and that matching stripe business – utterly serendipitous – I couldn’t possibly manage such cleverness intentionally!

… on a solo day trip to the Gippsland that was an awful lot of fun – involving a dear little second hand spinning wheel that came home with me, the fleece of a local Corriedale all smushy gillyweed green and bluebottle blue, and back road alpaca adventures. More illuminative pictures and stories to come :-) but here we have my on the road beverage of choice … the strawberry milkshake …

… and the most extraordinary shop sign I’ve ever seen … but one that quite excites Julian and I as we sit together, night after night, planning the goodness that will hopefully come Bootville’s way in the next few years.

Now I’m sitting by the fire at Mum’s. She bought the cutest little record player that plugs into the laptop and we’ve spent the afternoon playing her records fom the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. We have laughed until we’ve cried – and had to open the windows we got so hot dancing to the Village People. You can picture the disbelief/horror on Abby’s face!

Isn’t it a funny thing … all those records have been standing quietly in boxes for over two decades. Not a sound peeped out of them. All of our stories and memories hid quietly with them. And now, with a simple little spinning tool and a wee needle they have burst back into life. Mum is once again dancing with the junior cycling champ Graham Ellis at the Saturday night dance in Benalla.  The words to Bucks Fizz’s one hit wonder that we belted out over 30 years ago (am I really that old?) at the top of our lungs in the pool in Malaysia are effortlessly springing to my lips. We’re all – aunties, uncles, cousins, grandparents – squashed round the dining table in Coorparoo after a marvelous day at the 1982 commonwealth games. Yes, this little record player is filling us with delight … and sometimes a little sadness. Amazing.

As is this ball of wool – amazing that is. Is it not the biggest you’ve ever seen? I bought at it the Salvo’s in Sale (that’s a small country town, not a shopping experience :-) for a wee $2.50. I’ve knitted up a swatch on 7mm needles. Goodness – it could stand up by itself. I shall try 9 mm when we get home on the weekend – ’cause I found a lovely vest pattern on ravelry that should be just the ticket.  All I need to do is convince this yarn it wants to knit up at 14 rows and 10 stitches to 6 inches. I think …

Until then, there’s this thing to finish.  Man am I over this cardigan.  Razor lace stitch and I – we are not on speaking terms.  However, top down, sleeves pop out all by themselves, seamless cardigan pattern – adore!