The past week I've been knitting the beginnings of a intarsia vest for Daddy. 

Anyway, while unattaching, and reattching all 9 threads 4 times in the space of 10 rows, I was lead to the conclusion that you REALLY have to love someone to knit them an intarsia garmet.

Sigma's Difficulty vs Love Scale
Knitting style:   Ranking                 Amount of love
Plain                   4                     Quite a bit, only because it's tedious
Ribbed               2                     A lot... again, the tedium
Fair Isle             5                     Probably just fond, fair ilse is quick and interesting
Cabled               3                     Considerable.
Intarsia              1 (Highest)      Could be compared to mountains



Intarsia means that when the colours change mid row (in this case due to checks) you change your thread and then knit that block with that thread.
Fair Isle, you carry the unused colour behind the knitting until you need it again.

Here are some pictures of the wool pile taken with my webcam, so excuse the poor quality.  The pile actually goes back to the sewing machine... which is about 2 feet/60cm form the edge of the table.

And pictures of the beginnings of my intarsia jumper that requires SO MANY different colours.

My Wool has arrived!

The day after the presentation, I ordered wool from Bendigo Wool Factory where you can get good quality wool for less than $3/50g ball (which is amazing). I ordered the equivelent of 80 balls to make 4 different projects: a vest, a patterned jumper, a lacy jumper and a long cabled cardigan.

Anyway, they say 3 days to ship out, then 4 days to arrive, but it arrived today! Only 3 business days later! It's extremely exciting. Now I don't know where to begin!

Yesterday Karen and I embarked upon the epic task of Switching Rooms. Believe me, it was epic. Epic, and we triumphed! The rooms are now officially switched... and CLEAN. I would go as far to say dustless, but they are pretty good! This was the beginning of our wondrous APEC weekend.

We rented The English Patient, Chicago, The Children of Men, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Crash, Tristan and Isolde, and A Beautiful Mind as a part of our fun filled movie watching and knitting weekend. So far we've watched Raiders of the Lost Ark and all of the above except the last two. So far (save Indiana Jones) they are all movies I'm glad I've finally seen, but probably won't see again. They are (generally) rather good!

Karen is knitting a blue mohair jumper with a nice neckline and I'm knitting myself a white jumper with dark blue fair isle patterning.

Tonight we are dressing up and putting on the heels to go out to dinner with our cousins Hannah and Abi. It shall be fun AND exciting! I just hope we can find a restaurant.....

Easter was fun! I went to Grafton to see my grandparents for 4 days. We ate a lot of meat and 5 veg, viewed slides, had computer lessons and such.

( Before Easter, Mum and I went to the Easter Show )

Yesterday Karen taught me how to knit and I'm knitting a baby jumper for one of my future cousins. It's very cute and little. The needles are quite small though and the wool is fine so it's taking a while.

The house continues to be an interesting and stressful experience. If anyone ever suggests that I should live with two dog owners at the same time again, I will run away in fear. The good news is Jenny is coming up for 8 weeks :). Yay!