TdFKAL Wrap Up

As the riders in France begin the final, fearsomely anticipated stage of the tour, chez moi it is a time for reflection...
My goal for the Maillot Vert was to design and knit a vest/une tunique for ma petite fille, et voilá l'Ondulation:

Verdict? I am really pleased with this! It was knitted in the round, designed on the needles, guesstimated and tinkered around with as it reached the bodice (Miss V let me put it on her for about 10 seconds to check for chest fit 10 days ago), and ended up being a great fit! (I know that Jet relaxes, so it shouldn't be as snug after a wash) The shell stitch edging around the bodice, and more open version around the hem, were my first attempt at edging a knitted item with crochet, and I'm glad I did so - it was not as beautiful without them. The buttons were the best I could do with the range on hand in Spotties, but I doubt I'll bother trying to find better ones - they are turquoise butterflies on a purple background, and very sweet.

And Mamzelle V checking herself out in the mirror was too cute to pass up :>


Pour la bonification, deux versions du Calorimetry:


Et comme les domestiques, qui donnent un peu de la variété, quleques WIPs:


I have enjoyed being part of the Tour de France KnitAlong again this year, and being the captain's understudy was great fun! Watching the gorgeous French countryside was very refreshing in the depths of our far less picturesque winter, although a little exhausting what with being on the other side of the globe and supposedly 'working' at my 'job' all day...
Socially speaking, it was lovely to meet a team of new knitty friends, and to take advantage of the many links to surf around the blogs and Rav pages of other KAL participants. It also gave me a new way to surprise and bemuse my new work colleagues (a TdF knit-a-what??), and Ribby Man has had no shortage of admirers amongst the small boys of my acquaintance!
Speaking of that dashing figure, he assures me that the hero of Team Rabobank, Denis "the Menace" Menchov, will be giving him a personal interview about his success in the TdF, so please stay tuned!

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J'ai un maillot vert!

Bonjour mes amis! J'ai quelque chose de vous montre: voilá Ondulation!!

Hier soir, devant la télé, j'ai tricoté comme un rouleur à la descente et j'ai fini cette tunique 40 minutes avant le fin de stage 14!! Pourrez-vous voir le cycliste de Rabobank sur l'écran? Aujourd'hui, pour la bonification, je vais coudre des boutons, et peut-être je vais ajouter de la garniture au crochet.

(Watching Bram Tankink in the breakaway last night, I finished the knitting of Ondulation, and now I need to add buttons and probably a little crochet around the edges for that little extra je-ne-sais-quoi!!)


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There has been progress...

on TdFKAL knitting:
(Click here for big)

And I even snuck in a cable or two on my SKP08 Rattlesnake Creek Sock:

All that, and no serious housework, a quick trip to the LYS in Moonah wherein I gazed at, fondled, ummed and ahhed over various items (Naturally Vero, Sirdar Sublime, JS Silkroad Aran Tweed, Bizarre (Italian something), Kureyon sock & funky stuff in the bargain box) but walked out with only the two circ cables I went in for!!!!!
Next there was 20 mins poking around an antique place, reading blogs at home, and an afternoon chatting with parents of one of Miss 5's friends at their house over tea and cupcakes, Lemon meringue cupcakes (oh yes), shortbread and smartie and choc-chip bikkies. Now the MOMD is in the kitchen preparing child food, and putting on a lamb roast for us, I have time to blog, and there's nothing much planned for tonight or tomorrow... {cue Julie Andrews} "Somewhere in my youth, or childhood, I must have done something goooooood"

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There were two in the bed last night

Two extras, that is!
When I abandoned the repeats on tv and hied me to the bedroom, I found DD#1 asleep in the middle - not surprising, other than I thought she'd already gone back to her own bed an hour earlier. The second occupant, however, normally sleeps outside - my lovely dog Holly (thankfully recently washed) had opened the gauze sliding door and come a-wandering in, trotted around the bed a couple of times (judging by the straw mulching there this morning), then discovered a convenient pile of clothes from which to launch herself onto the bed, where she snuggled up on my side, against my pillow, beside the sleeping DD. I gently encouraged (ie picked up and carried) Holly outside, and requested that the MOMD put DD#1 in her bed. Some turning of pillow and brushing of linen later (girl and dog were on top, not actually under the sheets, thankfully) I was able to hop in, fondly recalling scenes from Holly's puppyhood, when she would nest in the basket of (dirty) washing, and find smelly socks to chew on...

But that's not why you're here, is it?

You want pictures!!! (Well, Tink does, at least :D )

Progress on the Clapotis:

(Click here for big)

The start of the Daughter Tunic:

(Click here for big)

Progress on the Jacobean Sock the First:

(Click here for big)

Accidental Alpaca Acquisition:

(Click here for big)

Magical Mystery Vest Magic Swatch:

(Click here for big)

(May I just say, because it makes all those linkys so much easier, that I LOVE Tabbed browsing!!)
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