Let the spinning begin...

Two posts in June - say what!??!

Not a lot going on though! Seriously! We went to the NRL (Rugby League) game and it was a bit chilly. Think ice rink temperatures but with wind because it's an outdoor stadium. It's a MASSIVE outdoor stadium (we went to ANZ) that holds 80,000 people. There were 20,000 for this particular game. The Doggies lost, they deserved to though, they were playing pretty crap. However, it was cool to see it live. I would like to see another game at a smaller arena because we could only see what was going on if they were at the end we were closest to.

ANZ Stadium during warmups

The four of us watching the game

 Other than going to that game though, we haven't really done anything else for the rest of June! We had an inside job, repainting the entire interior of a rental house. That is all. It has been raining (downpouring) for nearly two weeks. So it's been a bit of a, curl up in the evenings, kinda time!

Can you see the rain!?

 On Friday the 28th we went into the city to look at a job and on the way home we stopped off at the famous Harrys Cafe de Wheels to have a meat pie. I am not such a big meat pie eater - but that's what they are famous for, so I tried it! Cute little thing topped with mashed potatoes, mushy peas & gravy. It was pretty good for a meat pie. They also do other non-traditional flavours and hotdogs.

Harry's Tiger Pie

Now it's Sunday. Yesterday we did literally nothing. Well I did a ton of plying - but didn't even get out of my pj's all day! I can't remember the last time that happened!

Upcoming?! Well it's only about 27 days until my parents get here!!!!!!!! Other than that, I don't know that there's any immediate plans.
Needles: YEP! Still working on the Market Bag by Vicki Square in Katia Paper yarn ? I am using 10mm and 6mm needles for this one. I think that I will spin a bit more today (TdF after all) but I will get this done so that it's a June FO!!!!

I am nearly done, but haven't taken another photo.

I finished my Everything Old Spinning Fibre  it is 50/50 SW Merino and Silk, and in the Lady of the Lake colourway. This is what I plied up all day yesterday, and it's gorgeous. So soft. I have to re-measure it on the niddy noddy when it's dry, but my initial meterage count was 630m!?!? That's freakin' crazy, AND resulted in a VERY full bobbin! I did fractal spin it. So I split the braid in two, then the second half I split into thirds (not entirely evenly) and plied them together. I think there is a fair amount of barber pole, but it's such soft colours it's not a crazy obvious thing. I imagine this is going to be a shawl, and I think it is going to make a lovely fabric! I'll post another photo with the finished info when it's all dried up and in a purty hank! Stay tuned for a lot more spinning as Tour de Fleece started yesterday!

Finished! FULL bobbin eh?

I completed my Level Up Socks by Heather Kinne who is BoutrosBabe of Highland Handmades! I knit them out of Friday Studios, Monday Base, Shades of Pemberly colourway (Jane Austen Club) and loved my first self striping! The needles were 2.5 Chiaogoo 40" circles, and I did them 2aat Magic Loop! I didn't worry about matching up the stripes, and I love them anyhow. I am not a perfectionist with these types of things. One day I will strive for a perfect pair, but for now I am just enjoying the stripes!

Finished ankle socks!

I also just recently cast on some fingerless gloves for George. I am making him the Man Mitts by Yvonne Ellsworth and am using my Gnome Acres Merino Nylon in the Leonardo colourway. I will be doing these slowly as July is mostly going to be spinning!

Finally - I have started on my Tour de Fleece spinning!


I got some yummies from Yarn Vs Zombies on Etsy. She's based in Melbourne and does a lot of COOL stuff! She did a fun little thing for TdF called Zombie Bites. I got the #4 pack which has in it 3oz of fibre. 1- Merino/Possum blend, 1- Corriedale, and 1-Alpaca/Extra Fine Merino. This is what I chose to start off my TdF with. I split each in half and am spinning one at a time. Then I will either spin the 2nd half in a different order, or split them each twice to get more change. Not sure yet! It will be a 2ply. I started with the Possum blend - and it's in batt form. Me & batts...we don't get along. I suck at them, I find them difficult to draft & work with. I feel like all batts want to be slubby art yarn. Oh well, it's only 1/3 and I'll figure it out! Oh - I am spinning this on my TRINDLE because it finally came! Woot!

Here's the Zombie Bites!

Here's another deliciousness I got from Yarn Vs Zombies - Calico Cat

More Goodies?!
  Phat Fiber Box : Yes. Yes I got another! So last month was Superheroes, and this month was Villains! C'mon! I had to try to get both so that I could ply them together!!! Forever struggling against one another - Good VS Evil!!! However, I took each apart and weighed them all out. Each box has about 4oz / 100+g in it! Which surprised me, and which I cannot fit on a spindle! So I may have to divide & make two same same but different skeins!? I was going to do this first for TdF but now because of my dilemma it will be 2nd or 3rd.

My first Phattie - May SuperHeroes

 

My second Phattie - June Villains!

That's all this month - though I did recently discover that I was a lucky winner of SockBunny's Fitness Along, so I will have another skein of her amazing stuff headed my way!

I got the Trindle, but apparently did not take a photo. Oops. So I will have one of it in use next time! :)

Fitness:

I am done Insanity. Well. Pretty much. This was my last week and I found it a bit hard to be motivated with the weather & the doing the same workout over and over and over again for so long. So I missed 2 days. I made up for one, but missed one entirely. I also didn't eat so great, but I missed my weigh in today - so will check tomorrow. However, I lost 10lbs so far doing Insanity. I got past my 2nd weight goal. I have one more that I am thinking about trying to hit - but really I am back in the zone I want to be in & from here on out what I really care about is toning up & getting more fit & lean. I have to do the final Fit Test tomorrow to see if my numbers have changed since the first. One thing I noticed a couple of days ago is that I have BICEPS! Now I always have, but usually they are small and if I flex you can only see it if I rotate my fist and the little muscle moves around. Now - I have an honest to goodness bicep with a regular flex! I am STOKED! Now I need to work on definition!
 
My plan remains the same: to start running again, 3x per week and figure out a strength training program 3x a week. I will continue using MyFitnessPal to track calories in and out.  
I still have to sign up for City to Surf, and I still have to sign up my parents for the Colour Run!

Travel:

Well there has not been a lot of this going on, however, once mum & pops get here there should be a fair bit! Some road tripping down into Victoria, seeing some coastline & seeing some outback. We're also thinking we need to head up to Queensland and see either Port Douglas or the WhitSundays. Some of this we will have to hash out with the parentals and it may all be a bit "fly by the seat of your pants" but it will be fun! Mum & dad and Spyros will see a whole bunch of new areas of Australia, and I might see a couple too!