Uracher wasserfall

So, just like that, not once but twice, a beautiful post vanishes! Gahhhh!

Just some photos then.

The children wanted their portrait taken on every stump! I soon started distracting them so they would walk past them…

   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Above photograph by Lily.
    
  The fairies who live and play here are this big!  If I was a fairy I would live in this hole and that would be my slide to your house…
  
Well, maybe a few words because the walk to the Bad Urach  waterfall really is beautiful and an easy path of about 1.3 km. the woods are enchanting, the creek you walk beside burbles merrily and my children where so entertaining (and cute in that outfit Cedar) it helped lift me out of the mental mud.  Walking is good therapy. Especially when it’s somewhere gorgeous. Even though the forest Wass being loped that day, it’s shocking to see these beautiful mature trees cut down! Perhaps they are weed species like the camphor laurel on our area.

Things where really compressing for me, in our last days in Germany. The end of a four month chapter in Europe and beginning transitions towards home, tying up threads and feeling all the feelings. Hey, you’ll be happy to hear we sold our van the evening before we  flew  ! I know I know!

Keep calm and knit! I reconnected with my knitting pins to make lily this Little Sallops beanie. I enjoyed the pattern and have made it before, and will again no doubt. It’s satisfying to see something I have made, loved and worn, Cedars shorts I made from this pattern, and his wool/silk blend sunny yellow shirt is from Engel. The Engel factory is nearby and I relished seeing the origins of these wonderful clothes and the bargains in the seconds outlet! 

I’m so irritated my original words vanished, this is a mere ghost of it. Anyway, i guess it’s practice for non-attatchment…

I love this apply cherry berry part of Southern Germany and we are so blessed to have friends to stay with. I realised just before we left there is a thermal spring bath in Bad (bath) Urach, something to go back for…..

Oh my god. Do this again? I need a long time for the challenges to fade and the good memories to take the front seat! For all you sitting at home and wanting to travel abroad with a family! It’s amazing to soak up other cultures and history and be inspired for our own home and garden and community and education and speak other languages and see my eleven year old conversing in German with the village kids and eat wonderful fresh cold climate produce and visit nearly every living relative I have and eat ice cream and play croquet with my 93 year old grandfather and hold hands with my Grandmother and observe Cedar soaking up every element of Opa’s farm education and walk and walk and walk and sniff mountains and flowers and watch your children blossom and find their place in family and soak up stories and places and wonder at this big beautiful world and live into how other people live and be inspired and expand ones reality and mind and overcome difficulties and be more capable and resilient than I ever thought I was and cherish friends new and old and be courageous and be kind and and…. 

And far out! It’s exhausting and over stimulating and challenging and difficult to meet four peoples needs and live in a 2.5×3.5 m space and doubt your choices and wonder if there’s a darn good reason most people don’t do this and and to be ungrounded and find your way when you know nobody and no one is inviting you in and you are lost and can’t speak the language or find a decent cheese, I mean camping place…. 

So yes, maybe one day we will make a trip to Europe again.

Because really we didn’t get very far….

Have you travelled extensively with your family?

Where would you go if you could?

Travel well friends.

Roselinde

Riva Del Mare {a mama knit}

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I recently completed this beautiful Riva Del Mare shawl.

finally knitting something for myself and lady it’s had a lot of wear and a lot of admiration.

the delicate lacy knit has a leaflike pattern along the outer edge which appealed to me. i haven’t done masses of lace projects, but i enjoy the concentration needed and turning lines of gobbledeegook code into something oh so gorgeous!

i may make those socks one day mama…IMG_0248

i ended up test knitting the pattern for Joan and enjoyed it so much I will use it as one of the patterns in my Introduction to lace knitting workshop {for adventurous beginners} at Weave in Bellingen in November. don’t be scared. adventure beyond knit and purl into the holey land of lacery…

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can you even guess the piece begins at the top centre and you knit in a ever increasing arc? so clever!!!IMG_0246

Joan appreciated my photographs so much she has featured them on her pattern! That was exciting for me! you can see them here.

fun fun fun

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i have found the small kerchief a very satisfying size project! i;m looking for another…

might be the thing for that ball of Canadian handspun…

thanks to my beautiful model, you know who you are x

ps i even blocked it! i’ve never done that before….. proper good one knitter now!

 

fisherman pullover & little scallops

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I began and completed the little fisherman pullover in Tasmania earlier in the year but lo and behold here it finally is. documented proof i can make a pullover on round needles! hooray!

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i am gradually progressing to more complex and larger items of knitting which is sensible isn’t it?

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these original shots from Tassie are so adorable! look at that long golden hair.. all gone now…

and remembering to use the pattern as a guide, don’t stress out about a stitch here or there i say… or a row of knit instead of purl…

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i made the sleeves short so he can wear it two thirds of the year instead of just the few cold months.

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the fisherman pullover was knit from hand spun, plant dyed alpaca found in the salamanca market Hobart.

it can be accessorised in many ways…. tractor and wings, or drum and no pants….

beautiful fluffy yarn. hot tip, berry berry fluffy so don’t use for smaller children as they tend to eat the fluff stuff.

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beautiful though. and cleverly made too large to get some good wear from it!

Cedar calls it his ‘packa’

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Yes thats my own designed Windy Day Bonnet above… still fits!!

here’s another windy day bonnet for a little English Rose

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and then the little scallops beanie. inspired by Fox’s Lane

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intended for the 3rd birthday but came in a day late as i had to make and unravel three times to get the sizing right. yep third time lucky. {next time just follow the pattern Rosi} i knit quite loosely and my things stretch quickly too big so i try to compensate. this knit taught me how to carry over colors when making patterns, fun!

took a while to get the tension right. check out my progress

details on Ravelry

cuties! Lily has on her Perfect Beret
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what are you knitting?

I can’t decide what to make next… i have one ball of divine turquoise blend hand dye 4 ply which Jesse got me in Canada years ago i am ready to use! any ideas… {he will now get me multiple balls of yarn the clever man}

The Perfect Beret

I just had to post these shots because I am melting in gorgeousness when I look at my girl.

Her playful shiny imaginative personality is expanding into our family in so many beautiful ways.

She is coming onto nine years old and her attentiveness keeps me conscious.

Beautiful Lily we share it all, and in it all is a lot a lot of happiness!
IMG_0829 IMG_0838 IMG_0831Here we are visiting friends near Bellingen and we are watching the ducks coming in from the pond for the night, it’s oh so quiet as we watch their antics and giggle

she hears me clicking photographs and turns around to display her great outfit!

Vintage leather shoes

dress from LazyBones

Woollen vest from Moon Unit (i am currently awaiting more clothes from them including a red wool cape!)

Mama made Perfect Beret

Gorgeousness, I’m so glad to cherish these soppy moments….

 

Wool winding

Wind up the thread now
Wind up the wool
Twist it turn it
Til it’s full
‘lily’s composition this morning’

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New skeins of yarn from The Woolly Jumper in Tasmania
Hand spun and dyed alpaca. Lovely.
I put the skein over my feet and keep it tangle free as it goes over to Cedar or Lily who spin my new Royal wool winder and sing.

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And very soon we have lovely centre pull balls of yarn ready for a project…

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I am very pleased with my op shop find for $10 and now will look out for an umbrella swift to make the job a single handed option.
I first used a wool winder last year while I visited my family in WA. and am again delighted at how easy this tool makes wool winding! Hooray!!
unfortunately now I will need lots and lots of skeins of wool to make good use of it…
Xx
What tool have you which makes your work easier, speedier or more fun?

Right now

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Right now I am knitting, ( a requested pink beret) while I alternately watch my daughter now named
( miss wholoveshulahoop!)
Happily hooping and my boy happily digging and sandy.
Adventure bay, bruny island, beautiful tranquil sheltered bay, warm sun, island vista, full belly, simple joy after a few confused and anxious days:)
So grateful the wheel keeps turning!
Blessings
Xx

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Lily’s February sweater

Well, I finally finished Lily’s February girl sweater!

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hooray! my most complex and challenging knitting project so far.

I learnt so much with this project, practically and internally

so much required from me

including patience

persistance

invention

commitment

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persistance

imagination

bravery

overcoming tedium

presence

attention

there are alot of p words aren’t there?

one last one…

pride!

beautiful aint it!

IMG_4683it’s the February pattern from Elizabeth Zimmerman’s book, The Knitter’s Almanac

adapted to big girl size with lots of trial and error! remember this...

an excellent, amusing guide to knitting projects throughout a year.

you can see my ravelry notes for the February girl Sweater/cardigan here…

Are you still knitting this late in the year if you are in the southern hemisphere?

and what are you starting to warm yourself in the coming months if you are in the north?

happy clicketty clacking

R