i feel like i have just emerged from a very long tunnel into the light. this last couple of weeks in particular have been supercrazy. at the time you just get in there and do things, but when its all over you realise how crazy it was and how many other things got neglected. like housework. and washing. and even, at times, the dogs. i wasnt home much last week with long days at work and then long nights of singing practice and choir rehearsal.
on that note (haha) we finally made it to the performance on sunday afternoon. i was in the front row of the choir on stage and got to look at javier, the guest baritone soloist, a lot.
he was cute, a total diva, but boy can he sing. this was the stage set up just before i had to go backstage and warm up.
the choir started the show (an afternoon of mozart pieces) with ‘ave verum‘, which we had learnt by heart, then there was an hour or so of arias, duets and trios and orchestral pieces from a number of mozart works, performed by the soloists and a small chamber orchestra. the soloists were superb, especially the mezzosoprana anna yun. also, beautiful! (she walked past us on the way out and we muttered about mugging her for her dress). then we had an interval, then we all came back on to do the entire Requiem mass. it was great – a few glitches with some of the instruments and the timing but really, the choir sounded great and we had a great time. which is the most important thing really. a few of my favourite people came to watch and we had coffee and cake after and it was really great to have people come and see us. we start rehearsal next week for a ‘wollongong at the proms’ kind of thing. a bit of a change of scene. i will miss the mozart though. it was really hard to learn but it was amazing to sing and is still buzzing around in my head. i was pretty anxious about performing though, i slept like a baby sunday night when it was all over!
the whole rehearsal and concert anxiety thing came hot on the heels of the guild display organising. everything seems to have finished up ok, i have some items i need to post back to people tomorrow. i just havent been able to face them before, if you know what i mean. i had a moment of weakness at the end of the display where i thought of taking on a more formal role within the guild, eg, exhibition co-ordinator or webmaster. but i’ve decided not to, at least not for now. im in a bit of transition at home (there has been a hitch to the housemates moving out plans but hes on his way, its just a matter of when now), and i have a HUGE few months at work coming up, including the conference in baltimore, a conference in brisbane and a govt talk fest in melbourne, all within 6 weeks of each other. plus there are major structural changes happening across the institution and whole heap of scrambling to do about project deadlines and future career trajectories.
and really, while i enjoyed being busy, i think i just want some time to BE for a while. to not have a million things zooming around my head and not knowing what i’ve forgotten today. to not have to rush here or there or worry about fitting everything in. to not have cloths endlessly piling up on my bedroom floor! and most importantly, time to knit.
it turned sharply cold here last week (its eased off again now) and my hands were cold and i decided i needed mittens. i’ve never made any before, and i knew i wanted to use this yarn,
some sanguine gryphon ‘bugga’, a lovely gift from rosered. so i looked around and decided on cranford. i’ve always liked them, even more so having met their truly lovely designer when she visited sydney a couple of years ago. the only thing was i didnt want lace all the way around. i want to wear them when im out and about, even out in the paddock with sheep (i have at least two more trips for that planned this winter) so i decided just to do the lace on the front of the hand. i whipped up one really quick, in a single day at home watching season five of ‘friday night lights‘ (i miss that show. i miss tim riggins in particular).
then it took me a few more days, including this last saturday spent at knit camp
(i didnt stay over because i had rehearsal and then the concert)
and finished them up yesterday.
because of the modification involving the plain on one side
i had to swap the pattern needle around to make sure the thumb was on the opposite side. so for the left hand i knit two repeats of the pattern (over 20 stitches) on needle one, the thumb stitches on needle two and the plain on needle three. then for the right hand i swapped that around,
so i started with the plain, then the thumb, then the pattern. i think they turned out alright!
actually, i love them. such an easy quick pattern, beautiful yarn, a perfect fit. im going to make an ishbel beret with the rest because it kind of matches, then im going to make another pair of cranfords slightly longer, with pattern all the way around, in that gorgeous sundara ‘red roses’ petite sock.
after i finish the ‘celes’ scarf of course. and the ‘flaming june’ cardigan. and the ‘line break’ shawl……
k xx
The Cranfords look great and will be gorgeous in red, longer up the arms. What a great idea!
A quick, satisfying project in a lovely yarn was the perfect choice after the few weeks you’ve had!
I love your blog. I also get inspired that you sing on stage and knitting ! the mitten is so lovely ! I wish i could do both of them like you ~
Wow what a weekend! So jealous to see that line of knitters in the sunshine. Hope you had fun. And the mitts are devine!
busy times! you are very wise to recognise that now is the time to let others take the tasks on, and grant yourself some quiet time, I think.
and how perfect are those gloves for just that? enough to keep one interested; yet not too taxing. (red gloves are warmer, too…or is that faster?)
They are beautiful. Reminiscent of a sock pattern called Rheims. Before I realized they were mitts, I thought you said mittens and I was thinking ,”but they have holes in them, that can’t be very warm”. Sometimes I forget where you are.
Just say NO to more involvement! Take some time to just be and enjoy yourself.
heh, yes everytime i think its cold i remember washington dc right before christmas when it started snowing and think of you!
Such a lovely round of successes from singing to knitting! Well done
Gorgeous mittens and they looks so squishy and soft ad warm. The plain non-public side is a good idea. I loved singing with a choir, I think it is the only thing I liked about Mass!! Sometimes I am like that, the event overwhelms me and I need a little time out before I can deal with it again. Sounds perfectly reasonable, as does saying no sometimes or rather letting others say yes!!
Such a busy – but very productive – time. I suspect as you reflect on these activities they’ll become more and more pleasurable. I’d forgotten how much I like the Cranfords. These look lovely. Longer ones would be less Cranford in appearance but equally lovely – and warmer!
Great mitts and a lovely colourway. Making a longer pair’s a great idea too, they’d be nice and warm all tucked under a coat.
I think being crazy busy can be fun, but only if it’s in short bursts. Definitely need quieter periods to be able to appreciate all that’s been achieved in the busy times.
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