Defection?

Lately I feel like I am being drawn to the other side. I have always thought of myself as a weaver rather than a knitter, but I have caught the knitting bug and can't stop.
It is not only machine knitting but also hand knitting. Maybe it is the cold in Melbourne, maybe it is the portability of hand knitting as I have been in lots of waiting rooms recently, or maybe I am just going through a phase......
I am also pleased that I am using yarn from stash, especially the beautiful stuff from Avril.
This amazing knit item is one of Setsuko Torii's designs in her book 'Zoom on Knit Textures'. I have substituted a different yarn for the Pafu (pompom yarn) but using the 3 strands of wool stainless steel yarn.

The combination of stocking and moss stitch in the knit gives this very subtle corrugated texture in combination with the unique characteristics of the yarn.

Some 4 ply alpaca from stash, and I knitted this cowl for a gift. I found the pattern on Ravelry; an amazing place and believe me, I have spent a bit of time there as well. Probably why another reason I have been so quiet on the blogger front.....

I have been trying to put some order to my stash and I was confronted by how much yarn I have in stash. Machine knit is great way to use up odd balls/cones for a quick and beautiful present. I knitted a modified version of Kozue with some possum lace-weight yarn for a friend visiting from Europe. It was a shock for her to be in COLD Melbourne.
Mum also wanted one and I did a cashmere version for her.

Another skill that I have put into practice is maintaining my machine. 

 Some very simple tools and I can look after my relatively new acquisition:

It is an oldie but a good one. It has a light carriage and has been a life saver on my shoulder. It does not have any fancy punch card function but enough to allow me to knit the Kozues, and the part circular shawl.
I also participated in a knit-along for the first time. It was the Kakomu, a hand knit pattern that I opted to knit up on the knitting machine. Yes, I have caught the knitting bug but not so much infected that I would knit miles of stocking stitch.........