Swimming upstream

My sister-in-law's birthday is coming up, well it has come and gone but before the birthday itself I had decided to knit something for her. Every year when her birthday comes around we can't think of the 'right' thing to buy, we also have to mail it as they live in Canberra. This year I thought a wrap would be great. 'It's cooler in Canberra', I thought 'she could always use a wrap in spring/summer'. I had been wanting to knit something with Rowan's Kidsilk Haze and found River from Book 38, 2 balls of Kidsilk wasn't bad for a wrap and I plunged right in as soon as my goodies arrived from The Wool Shack.




I am a total beginner when it comes to knitting lace, this is my first lace project and I felt like it was a battle at times. I usually knit when I am sitting in front of the TV, half watching and half knitting but I found I had to read every second row. I couldn't memorise the pattern. Nevertheless, after two weeks and a trip to the local wool store to purchase sharper bamboo needles River has become almost longer than me. I am on my last pattern repeat and after 11 of them I'm sort of glad but I am also unable to finish because I'm waiting for another ball of Kidsilk Haze. It seems that 2 balls were not enough for me and I am planning to knit the scrunchy beaded thingy that holds it together at the front when it is worn.
I hope my sister-in-law likes it, I agonised about the colour (Ice Cream - I love the name) I thought it might have been a bit too pastel but I'm happy with it. It feels beautiful against the skin and is sooooo light!
This is River so far...

I suppose knitting with the Kidsilk Haze hasn't been that challenging, I'm ordering 3 balls in Smoke so that I can knit another River for my other sister-in-law. I think that from now on River may become known as the Sister-in-law shawl, that is until I make one for myself.

I had also bought some Opal sock wool, I havn't done socks before either but I have been itching to try so I am waiting until some of these other projects are out of the way.

I just can't resist throwing in the latest picture of the latest child. We were all home today, my 5 year old has been home with a bad cold the last couple of days and we have been stuck inside. So when the sun came out today and it was actually warm for a change we all spent some time in the sun. It seemed to get even sunnier when daddy got home a bit early. I love the sun making his fuzzy hair glow... (the babies hair!).