Change of direction

We got the new curtain rail installed, made all the measurements for both the new rail and the old one in the bow window and worked out minimum fabric requirements.   I was 11m short of what I needed unfortunately so the fabric I was going to use has gone back into the sewing room for later use in the boys room.   In the meantime some calculations were required.   It was determined that to get new fabric was going to be over $700, assuming we could find something we liked around $20pm.  That was more than we wanted to spend, way more. 
We ended up looking at premades.  Looked at The Warehouse and also Millers; I found one I liked at The Warehouse which surprised me.  Millers had nothing I liked and they were more expensive, the quality was the same too.   We ended up going with The Warehouse, have ordered them, just waiting for them to be delivered now, not sure how long that'll take but hoping not too long as it's getting colder.

These are the curtains we're getting, $365 including postage.  Had to get the 2 biggest sizes to fit our windows, and I'll likely have to turn the hem up on one, but that's better than paying through the nose for customs.   Once EQC have assessed the place we can repaint as well, the colour we're using is a nice ripe wheat colour which should look fantastic with these curtains.

Getting onto other matters, namely knitting.   I've finished the first Bug Out Mitten

 I'm not happy with where the thumb joins to the gusset.  There's a slight jog in the colours.  I'm going to try something different for the next one, going to try knitting the thumb from the tip down as well and joining to the main part and then continuing on, the first version will work fine for plain mittens, you'd not notice any jog, but it doesn't work for the colourwork.  The second mitten has to wait a bit though as I have 2 time-sensitive projects to do first.

I've also got another mitten project in the planning stages, it'll be child sized for my eldest son.  He suffers from night time bed wetting and is actually doing really well with this improving.   He was told by the nurse we go to see that if he can be dry for 7 nights in a row then he'll get a special treat.   Luckily I had something in mind as he's been admiring my beetles.   I told him if he can then I'll design and knit him a pair of skull and crossbone mittens.  He's really, really pleased with this idea.  I've done the basic design stuff including the chart and I've got the yarn.  Black and off-white in JohnQ four ply which should work really well.   If need be I'll bump other stuff down the list to finish these, this is very important.

In the meantime I've got to the fifth repeat on my Citron shawl, there will be at least 2 more repeats as I still have a lot of yarn left.   The photo doesn't do it justice, I need to get it on a longer cable to be able to see it properly, but here it is:

I love handspun yarn, no-one else will have one just like this, and it should be a grand size just in time for winter all going well.

Tonight I cast on one of my time-sensitive projects.  This is Amory by Kim Hargreaves, it's a beautiful, elegant jersey and I'm knitting it for the Colourmart summer contest.  Not expecting to win anything with it, but it means I get to use some absolutely lovely silk/cashmere yarn with beautiful drape.  I'm knitting it in lilac, so use your imagination

This is the yarn:

I have 6 weeks to get this finished.  I also have another shawl I'll be test knitting for, it was originally going to be ready to knit on 11th April, but has now been put back to the 18th.  Fingers crossed.  My yarn is ready to go, using a sport weight cashmere/wool blend (Madelinetosh Pashmina from memory).

My main problem is going to be it's school holidays for the next 2 weeks so I won't get as much knitting time as normal, especially as I still have to work.  However, Liz (my Mother-in-Law) has agreed to take the boys overnight on the second week, Thomas has part of the first week off and I have a weekend craft getaway so I'll be able to get some done in those times.   School holidays will be a bit of a challenge.  Not much spare money and a lot of places I'd normally go to are off-limits after the earthquake.   Thomas will take them swimming a few times, a few park visits, some movies at home as well.