Tip of the Week: Health: Avoiding candida with antibiotics

WARNNG: don't use lavender oil during menstruation as it increases the flow and lengthens the period. The usual warnings apply for pregnancy also.

My first of many tips:
When on antibiotics, keep lavender oil in your bathroom cabinet. I know you can get products to take with antibiotics to avoid thrush but they can be expensive. Use lavender oil with a carrier on the inner thigh and buttocks each time you take a tablet and you will not get thrush!

I am SOOOOOOOOO over this jumper and disappointed with it - it has gone from being one I couldn't WAIT to make, to being the bain of my life! The rib is boring as bat**** and once I started the front, the 2 little stitches of reverse stocking stitch did my head in, such that I gave the whole 14 stitch pattern away and just did the rib all the way up. I also didn't like the big ribbed panel in between the seed stitch panels which stretched across the bust - looked odd. I got fed up with having to chop and change the stitches every 10 rows AND most of that panel got lost in the cord anyway!!!

Think I stitched up the neck a bit too high - was worried it would be too low for classroom but could be an inch lower at least really.

Began on 3.25mm as could NOT find any 3.5mm needles in my stash or in shops. Did both sleeves and back but the back piece was too short after stretching it out so restarted on 3.75mm. Made M size on these needles as I didn't want it clinging and showing all my rolly bits ahahha. Added 3 inches length to back but then too long so had to pull out 1/3 of the back (was up to shoulder shaping.....sigh!) Only added 2inches all up. I knew if I didn't undo it, I wouldn't wear it. Friday 2nd Aug; unpicked it......that hurt...literally. Nearly up to neck shaping. Fingers, wrists, thumbs, elbows, shoulders hurt.....so does my butt from sitting on it so long, knitting lol. 3/3 rib is very tedious on this size needle.

GRRRRRRRRRRRR. OH, for the glory days of knitting when close enough was good enough.
This yarn has an EXQUISITE sheen and stretch to it.                  

Sleeves:
Didn't have my reading glasses when I started so began making increases along ends of rows rather than two stitches into row, as recommended in pattern. Worked out still. Decided to make decrease of knit 4 together when decreasing at the armhole as didn't get the required stitches to decrease otherwise- too few stitches decreased. Pattern says 3 but won't work.

Finding the pattern a little tedious - small needles, same ribbed pattern on back and sleeves, slow progress, sore arms!

Sat Aug 10th: Began front. Did 6 rows and already fed up with the two stupid reverse stocking stitches! Have had to keep redoing them the following row SO decided to give the 14 stitch change a miss also. Much of this pattern obscured by cord anyway so couldn't see point plus cabling on different row as well - just want this sucker finished.

V Neck Edge
UGH! What stupid instructions!!!!! Decrease for the neck at the sleeve edge? Yep, made sense. Well, I haven't done a V neck in about 10yrs so I was rusty BUT the wording of this really didn't make sense to me. When you divide for the v in the centre, you'll do the left side first. On the RIGHT, you'll pick up the stitches from the holder but make your extra stitch straight away. I did mine at the end of the back row which made the seed stitch border look higher on one side of the v than the other. I'm going to crochet slip stitch the centre a little anyway so won't matter too much - don't like the gap left there with the division and no seed stitch.

I ended up omitting the p2tog as it looked REALLY ugly so opted for a sl 1, k1, psso one stitch in from the edge. Prob should've made it two but I had reached my limit from unpicking it 4 times! grrrrrrrr. Unfortunately, I had too many stitches because after the initial multiple decreases for the armhole, I didn't know whether to keep decreasing that way or stop? Again, the wording....sigh. I just had to keep decreasing until there were only 33 st left for the shoulder decrease. Got to the 18cm length limit with two stitches over...35 SO first two decreases after that for the shoulder, I dec 5 each row then reverted to 4 as stipulated.

Omitted adding extra stitch for 9cm neck edging as going to slip stitch with crochet needle to join.

What hallucinogenic was I on when I did the first side? I CANNOT get the other side the same.....groan. Unpicked it 5 times......sob.

Well, unpicked a total of 9 times. Front and back are joined but the decreases didn't meet perfectly. Not impressed. Also, the 9cm band for the back of the neck was a right royal pain. It was too long and even after shortening it by an inch, is still not sitting right because the outside stitch is too wide and the band buckles. If I hadn't invested so much time in this, I would've unpicked the whole damned thing. Now time to re-knit the sleeves then depending on the amount of yarn left, I may need to stitch a small collar to cover the loose seed stitch border on the neck back. And the hits just keep on coming! THEN have to do the icord!!!!!!!!!!! Completely unimpressed to find the rib patterns front and back don't match; 2/2 rib and 3/3. HOW did I miss that when reading the pattern?

Sleeve is 2inches short of armhole and I am NOT happy. I've meticulously recorded each row for front and back and they match. Likewise, I've recorded every row and every decrease and the sleeve does not reach the shoulder! Going to have to unpick this.....will this pain and suffering never end? The decrease instructions for the sleeve are ridiculous! Ended up decreasing 9 times 1 stitch at each end every four rows instead of two. Fits!
Sleeves are a bit long now but doesn't matter...I just just roll them up a little. Also, my hands were so sore after making 3m of icord so I only did the front panel. I think it needed to be two cable panels above the first to give it more of a diagonal look rather than one panel as you go across - looks a bit too straight. Nevertheless, the jumper from HELL is done! NEXT PROJECT???

Hi

I've just gone to check out the yarn for my next project and realised it's 8ply grrrrrrr. WAS SURE I bought 10ply but have just been on the website to check it and .......it's 8! The bonus is that there's 400m on each ball so I've got 1200m/1312yds so if I make the small size which was for 39" bust, I MAY be able to get away with making it on 4.5mm needle instead of 4mm which will make it a comfy fit. If I HAVE to use the 4mm, at least it will be a snug fit. Maybe I'll start with the sleeve first? This is the jumper with the cowl.....rather like the cowl so will see how much yarn I have left. According to the measurements, it will be 4inches too long for me SO there's another saving on the yarn. Reckon 4" front and back should save me a couple of hundred yards which will go into lengthening the sleeves: I'm not a short sleeved person when it comes to jumpers. The yarn I bought for this project is from Bendigo Wool Mills is called Tasman Blue and is incredibly soft....that's pictured below.

I'm not fussed with the collar on this as it's a small, round neck, which I don't wear well. Am going to have to make it lower and wider. Rather like the cowl too but will have to see how I go with the sleeves to know whether I'll have enough yarn for the actual jumper.

I'm hoping to finish the Bergere orange V-neck sweater this week. I made the sleeves first on 3.25mm needles as I had no 3.5mms (stipulated by the pattern) and 3 shops I visited, had none in stock. Can't believe that for all the sets of needles I DID have, the one size I needed, I couldn't get! Once I did the back though, it became clear that the length was lost in the stretch of the garment as it rode up. I started it again on 3.75mms....still no 3.5mm in the shops! Once upon a time, near enough would've been good enough but I knew that if I didn't fix this, I'd never wear it!!!

I'm about 2/5 through the front now, having already re-stitched the back and I'm hoping to get away with using the 3.25mm knitted sleeves so I don't have to re-knit them on 3.75mm I've made the body on. This sucker has killed me....tiny needles and boring rib back and both sleeves grrrrrr. Can't wait to get it finished so I can get on to my new blue cable knit!

Cheap Yarn For Aussies

Well, when I die I'm sure that I will flash back to many memorable moments yet I wonder how many of those moments will be emblazoned with images of YARN!? lol. I have spent SO many hours, days even, on the computer, trolling websites for cheap yarn, sometimes, to no avail. In order to perhaps provide assistance to fellow Aussies who do the same and perhaps know more than me, or less, I've decided to make a list of the websites/companies I purchase yarn from overseas. If ANYONE finds this useful, then I've earnt one brownie point from the bloke upstairs. If others see fit to contribute to it, all the better ; together, we will work to make the world a better place for Aussie knitters hahaha. I will add to this list over time and invite you to do the same :-) Happy knitting, OH, and crocheting!

*Please post ONLY companies who ship to Australia*

 www.yarn-paradise.com (by weight eg 1660g = $24.90. Several options avail varying price, according to speed of delivery required. I always receive my goods within 5-7 working days)
www.abundant-yarn.com
www.herrschners.com (aka yarnsale.com)
www.marymaxim.com
www.royalyarns.com (International Shipments: $14.99 FLAT RATE and sent via USPS International First Class or International Priorty Mail. If postage is dramatically higher than $15.00, we ALWAYS seek your approval for the additional shipping charges) 
 www. supermart.com

I have visited you, Blog, over the last 14months, but with little activity or interest due to work constraints. I am back in the hope of new and exciting things. Something has happened to change my world and I am hoping it will begin right here.

Tomorrow, I will join my family at a my uncle's graveside. Sadly,  he finally succumbed to liver cancer. I thank God that his suffering, and the pain endured by his wife and surviving son, are now over. We will miss him terribly but are comforted in the belief of the hereafter. He is reunited now with his parents, and beloved son, taken from us too early at the tender age of 16. God speed uncle Bob. x Here's a little something for you, written by me.

Loss

 

Though angels lie in silent wait

Another soul to the Lord to take,

Mourn their loss and grant them wings

For now they are cradled in the arms of our King.

Free from earthly bonds of pain

We toll the loss like silent rain

Earth angels alight, reach out a hand

To comfort and quell the grief of man.

Know that you are truly blessed

That the Lord will grant you peaceful rest

Sweetest dreams will come your way

We will all be together again…......

some day.

Wheel Of Fortune for 2012 and Sewing Projects 2222 and 6799

SO, worked on my new wheel for this year in the last days of 2012 with a friend. We cut pictures of everything we wanted to manifest in the new year from magazines and voila!....within 2 days, two had already manifested!!! BRAVA!

Hubby chatted to a mate who's a Cabinetmaker about what he could do to re-vamp our kitchen doors and Rob immediately offered to let Pete use his workshop to do the job! SO EXCITED!!! I will finally get a quality but inexpensive makeover for our kitchen. It's presently left me with open cupboards but I don't care as I know it's a project started at least. The second 'eureka' moment was scoring a pattern at the fabric shop for a shorts style jumpsuit. I had a picture of Jennifer Hawkins in one on my wheel. Can't wait to whip that one up now!  Looks pretty simple but I have to get another project done first...





 A couple of years ago I bought some stretch cotton for this Vogue dress. Once I read the reviews on Deepika Pattern Review though, I had second thoughts. Comments gave the indication that there was 'bagging' around the waist gathers and one lady had decided to stitch the gathers flat. As I am short waisted AND have a little pot belly, I opted out of making that one. Bugger. I really now want to get stuck into using the fabric that I have already bought and stashed. Now that the fabric shop down the road has closed, its counterpart in Balcatta is far more expensive and I can't seem to jag any fabrics I like for $7-$15 per m any more. Disappointing. I don't want the hassle and expense of silk chiffon OR silk satins but there's little available other than these in prints. Also, the bengay stretch I used to get at Greenwood is not stocked at Balcatta....rats! All in all, my choice of fabrics is now limited. I rarely find any  fabrics I like at Textile Traders so I shall have to check out the much lauded fabric shop in Vic Park....though I'll have to pack a picnic lunch to get there lol.

ANYWAY, back to the pattern..........I've opted to make a few outfits in preparation for my return to work in a few weeks after a near 3yr hiatus. My body is not the same shape as it was and I absolutely refuse to pay $150 for a lined dress I could whip up in a few hours for a quarter of the price. Same with some GORGEOUS chiffon tops I saw in Forever New......again $150 as the neckline is sequinned.  I CAN DO THAT!!! Again, I have STASH of 3 chiffon fabrics!!! So, here's what I'm getting started with... I'm using my stash of mocca stretch cotton on New Look 6799, the fitted dress bottom right. I've bought white topstitching cotton to give the dress a nice trim. Think it'll look FLASH!

After this one, I'm keen to make one of those obscenely expensive chiffon tops using Simplicity 4659. I'll shorten it a couple of inches, again due to me being shortwaisted, otherwise I look cut off at the legs lol. Debating whether to make a cami top to wear underneath or line it ...just hate that look where the chiffon dulls when the lining finishes and you can see the colour of trousers or a skirt at the bottom of the shirt.....but that project and its details will have to wait lol. ONE AT A TIME!

Report Time

Well, the end of the school year in Australia brings report time!
Both my boys have achieved some great results this year thanks to some hard work at home, some consistent effort on their part, and some bloody good teachers. There has been some significant achievement in areas where grades have gone from C or D to As, and we are SO proud of both our boys.

Wish the report card for my birthday was as good. Afraid it was one of the worst days of my life, filled with stress and tears brought about by people and factors outside our control. THANKS BE TO GOD, that influence is now behind us and we can move on, but seriously, as friends and family have already acknowledged,  we HAVE  already had more than our fair share of pain and stress in the past. BLAahh. Anyway, we look forward to a quiet Christmas with loved ones, friends AND family, who've yet again proven, that we are loved and valued by them all. So blessed we are to have such an awesome group of people around us. I've always borne witness to the phrase "It could be worse," but in the last week, each day seemed to have found a new low. Still, we have come out the other end of a difficult situation so we move on! AND, yes, there is always someone else out there who has it worse than us, this I know.

SO, we head into Xmas with very few gifts organised for our kids. What do they NEED? Little. What would they like...a few things, but what to choose for them? Ugh. Too hard a question lol. Might make myself a cuppa and go finish Bec's capecho. At least then one more garment can go on the 'Finished' section of the Craft Report Card for 2011 ahahhaa.
K