My Knit Niche

I've gone and done it

2006-11-19T22:51:00.000-08:00

Meet me at my new place:

www.knitche.net

I'll put the coffee on.

I'll post something later

2006-11-17T08:12:00.000-08:00

I have no electricity at home. As it turns out, every bit of happiness in my life requires me to be plugged in to a power source. /sigh

Also, drying and curling your hair at your desk provides lots of amusement for your co-workers.

Moving....maybe....

2006-11-06T21:10:00.000-08:00

I'm contemplating moving over to Wordpress. I have no particular argument with Blogger...but Wordpress just seems so cool with neat little buttons to push and flashy little themes to play with when I'm bored.....if any of them were already "knitting themed" I'd already be a memory!

And that's the weekend gone

2006-11-05T20:59:00.000-08:00

I've had a great weekend. Some visiting, some tinkering, some knitting, some viewing, some shopping -- little bits of lots of things that made for a fun couple of days.

Saturday morning, I went to the Langley Spinners and Weavers Artisan Show in Fort Langley, BC, with Tammy. She was my secret pal a few months ago, and invited me to go with her. I'm so glad I did - she's so much fun, and so funny! There were some lovely things there, and I'm pleased to say that I was quite restrained in my purchasing (and not at all because Tammy had already bought everything! I'm kidding!) I bought some Opal sock yarn and some gorgeous handspun llama. I'm not sure yet where the llama will end up (for now I keep it close to hold against my skin every now and again).

As for the Opal, I originally thought of socks for me - but I think Lisa & Anna will like the colours a lot more. I'm going to stick to an easy pattern - speed is the name of the game for me at this point (since there are sweaters intended to be Christmas gifts for each of them languishing somewhere in the basket).

After the fibre show, I met up with my mother, my sister-in-law and a friend of Mom's to see "The Queen". I'm not going to gush, too much, but it was an amazing film. Helen Mirren, who's work I have long admired, was simply astounding. She brings to a role, no matter what the role, such dignity and intelligence. She is, in my opinion, too good for an Oscar. In any case, I highly recommend the film.

I've turned the heel on my socks - I'm too lazy to snap a shot right now. I've decided to make them plain all the way up to the ribbing. Boring, maybe, but it suits the patterns in the yarn. The heel turn wasn't perfect -- but the video about short rows here made it so much easier to understand. But...be sure to watch it to the end. and not try as it goes....there's a crucial bit of information you need which made all the difference!

My Name

2006-11-02T22:35:00.000-08:00

I'm having way too much fun with this:

HowManyOfMe.com

There are:
807
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

That's my married name. My maiden name is a little more exclusive:

HowManyOfMe.com

There are:
68
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Statistically, my first name is the 14th most popular. My husband and kids are 2,397th (or 227th if you use his full name), 2,397th and 2,762nd. My kids had 3 & 2 other people with the same first and last name. My husband also had 3 -- but it jumped to 145 when his full name was used.

What have I learned from this? Not a damned thing. Now I'm going to go plug in the names of everyone I know.

Temptation

2006-11-01T22:44:00.000-08:00

Some months ago, Tammy sent me this yarn as my secret pal. I was a little intimidated by it -- I desperately wanted to make a pair of socks, but the needles I needed were sooooo tiny and I've never had great luck turning a heel. But, finally, one night last week I could no longer resist its siren call. I absolutely love the colouring -- it's far less orange and much more burgandy than the picture would have you believe. I'm also loving the toe-up pattern, but I've run into troubles with the heel (no surprise there). I'll be making the second attempt as soon as I work up the nerve.

I can't say enough about how wonderful the fabric feels...it is the very definition of comfort. I find myself knitting the sock and being impatient about getting to wear it.

I do need to start setting some priorities for knitting -- there's no way in heck I'm going to make my Christmas list, but there's still hope of knocking off a few more items. I think I might take a project to work and fiddle with it on my coffee break. The problem there is I don't always take a coffee break so that might not get me much further ahead.

Seriously, could this post have been any more boring? I was contemplating entering the NaBloPoMo but, really, does the world need a month of posts like this one? Yeah, I didn't think so either.

Bumblebees

2006-10-22T01:25:00.000-07:00

So these are the mittens I scrapped the Jaywalkers to work on (not that I've gotten a lot of knitting done in the last few days). In any case, it's a fun pattern and there's a good chance I'll do another pair. Though I think I would like them better with a more subtle change in colour than the black and yellow (which is supposed to be gold, but gold is awfully hard to find) that I picked.

In the background of the pictures is a new table cloth. I went to a "Women's Show" today and was pleasantly surprised at the variety of displays (though not a single knitting related booth!). There was something for everyone - from the woman who works outside the home, to the stay at home mom/wife. Booths for weight loss products stood shoulder to shoulder with "empowering" displays which were lined up with those that showed you how to decorate your home and be a good hostess (which is where I got the tablecloth). If this is what the women's movement has accomplished - I'm good with that.

The tablecloth is stain repellent (not just resistant - repellent!) and though it was a little spendy, I like it well enough and I did need one for the dining room. The only irritant is that I was a little pressured into buying it by my mother. She does that frequently; finds something and tells me how much I should buy it, how perfect it is, yada yada yada. I know she means the best, but honestly, sometimes I just want to tell her to buy it herself. I never do tell her that - most often we just move on or, less often, I tell her why I don't want whatever the something is. But sometimes, I cave and buy it.

I guess I should have stopped at that "empowerment" booth for a bit longer.

Emergency posting

2006-10-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

I don't usually post from work - this is in fact a first - but I want to get this down before I forget. I was telling a co-worker about the "Newfoundland mittens" that I started (I scrapped the socks and switched projects, but that's a story for another post). She was interested to see the work in progress so I brought it in after lunch and showed it to her.

Another co-worker was present. She looked at me incredulously and said "You have time to knit? I have so much to do, I don't have time for that!" And, she followed it up with, "Besides, my husband saw me knitting once and told me I was too young to knit."

Oh. My. God.

I believe my right eye imploded as I kept my temper in control. How dare, how dare, she question the amount of time I work and what I do with the time I have left over. And "I'm too young to knit"? Aaarrggghhhh.....I can't even type an answer to that.

I love Youtube

2006-10-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

This is one of my all time favourite songs, "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers.

I gotta admit, though, I like Club Nouveau's version as well:

Jaywalker

2006-10-16T23:00:00.000-07:00

Despite my absolutely abysmal record at completing two socks (I do well with one, but number two...not so much), and ignoring all rational arguments with myself about the folly of casting on another project, I've started a pair (yeah, right) of Jaywalkers. I'm using Socks that Rock "Spring Fling". I gotta say I love the yarn. I am using a larger variation of the original pattern - my feet passed dainty a long time ago - so I'm not going to make the socks as high. We'll see how that goes.

And I swear I'm not going to cast on the Newfoundland mittens, the pattern for which Maggie was so kind to send (picture here). Though I do have the yarn already selected.....

Purses

2006-10-13T20:16:00.000-07:00

I found Katy's site while blog hopping...I don't want to lose the link...I love the purses she's going to try to recreate!

Quick fixes

2006-10-12T21:22:00.000-07:00

I was wandering the web, looking for a quick knit -- needing a completed project fix! -- and I came across this page. The hat is adorable, and it going to be my quickie...but is that baby not the most adorable thing ever?

As for the hat, I'm going to grab a ball of something and just knit until it's done.

A collaborative effort

2006-10-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

Well, it's not knitted, but it is a finished project. Actually, it had been finished for years. Literally. And then languished forgotten in the back of a closet...and not just a closet, but a closet in three different houses! Finally, my mother pulled it out and reminded me that it even existed asking, "Why don't you get this framed?"

And so I did. It wasn't exactly inexpensive to have it done, but they did a lovely job on the stretching, and the mat is just about perfect. And there was another reason for having it done well. I didn't do the whole picture myself (it's needlepoint by the way - people who haven't seen it up close have thought it was a painting). I had started it and completed about 2/3's when I lost interest. It sat untouched for quite some time until a friend offered to complete it for me. She did and returned it to me for framing, which I put off until this past spring.

Her name was Allison. Nearly three years ago, she committed suicide. She never understood the high regard people, myself included, held her in. Maybe more precisely, she never felt worthy of it. She was a lovely person, and had a tremendous skill for needlepoint and cross stitch -- the work she produced was extraordinary. I'm happy that I have this shared project as a remembrance of her.

Left is Right

2006-10-09T21:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks right, but what a major pain. I've reknit the same 4-6 rows so many times now. Finally, I ended up writing down what I did on every row -- that at least helped me sort out where I needed to go. I'm still liking the result, though I have to not look at the lace pattern too long...I start seeing a kind of Jack'o'Lantern grin repeated throughout. Not quite evil, but....

I did go to work for a few hours - I have a quarterly report due on Wednesday. All I've been doing so far is the prep work, hoping that all the work I've done in the last two years will all fall into place and make the final report relatively simple. It has gotten easier every quarter, but I'm really pushing the envelope this month on getting it "officially" started.

By the way, yesterday's meal turned out pretty much perfectly. I always enjoy having my brother and his family over. He's about 18 months younger than me, and as I kid I couldn't imagine a more horrible person. That's not true, there was my sister. So I couldn't imagine two more horrible people. But they improved with age and I'm happy to count them not only as my siblings, but as two of my best friends as well. I have an older brother as well, but he and I never fought. He was always, and still is, cool.

Options

2006-10-09T08:41:00.000-07:00

I figure my options for today are:

- go into the office and probably have to work very late Tuesday & Wednesday evenings.
- not go into the office and definitely have to work very late Tuesday & Wednesday evenings.

Note the complete lack of knitting in either option.

What's this button for?

2006-10-08T22:30:00.000-07:00

I appear to have upgraded my blog to....well....another version of Blogger? Something that works with Google...somehow or another. I was lured by the promise of "dozens of new template designs". By dozens, I assume now they mean the same ones with different titles.

The Pink Cardigan Blues

2006-10-08T21:02:00.000-07:00

I've moved along on the pink cardigan and have reached the point for dividing for the armholes. In theory, this isn't a difficult task. Knit X stitches for right front, move to holder, cast off Y stitches for armhole, knit Z stitches for back, move to holder, cast off Y stitches for other armhole, knit remaining X stitches for left front, and continue on those X stitches. Not so hard.

The difficulty is the lace pattern. When dividing for the arms, one continues to knit in pattern - fair ball so far. However, the divides for the armholes end up with me having a yo at the end of a section - as in the last stitch is yarn over. At this point, though I've kept with the lace pattern I'm more than a little puzzled about how well this is going to look when I sew it up. For now, I'm going on faith and sticking with the pattern, but I'm going on record as a skeptic!

Thanksgiving dinner

2006-10-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

The table is set. I debated using paper plates, but decided on the china (actually, it was my mother-in-law's) at my husband's urging. He pointed out that if we continue to save it for a special occasion, and if Thanksgiving doesn't qualify as that, then what occasion possibly would? Plus, with only six of us, it's not like we'll be doing dishes forever. And I do love my dining room, so any excuse to use it works for me.

The turkey is cooking. I always seem to make far too much stuffing - but this year, it was exactly perfect. I'm not sure if that's an omen...but I know it's smelling awfully damned good in here right now...and there's still 3 more hours of cooking to go!

And the last dozen Cob's Bakery dinner buns, fresh baked this morning, are waiting. If you know the Lower Mainland, then you probably know Cob's Bakery...and you know why my husband had to get there by 9 am today to get the rolls. Yum.

Time for me to have a shower and then maybe squeeze in a bit of knitting on the pink cardigan before it's time to peel the potatoes and prep the brussel sprouts.

Happy Thanksgiving

2006-10-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

Technically, Thanksgiving is tomorrow but I'll be cooking a turkey dinner today for my husband, and my brother and his family. Just the six of us, but I'm sure it will be a lovely meal. All in all, a turkey dinner is an easy thing to cook - so it should be just a nice relaxing afternoon/evening. A little Canadian Thanksgiving trivia for you:

"The history of Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to an English explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Orient. He did not succeed but he did establish a settlement in Northern America. In the year 1578, he held a formal ceremony, in what is now called Newfoundland, to give thanks for surviving the long journey. This is considered the first Canadian Thanksgiving. Other settlers arrived and continued these ceremonies. He was later knighted and had an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in northern Canada named after him - Frobisher Bay."

Source: Twilight Bridge

I've updated a few things on the blog, not the least of which is finally adding Tammy to my blog links. Long, long overdue. And I picked up her Library Thing link. I'll be spending more time poking around there!

I added a few things to my project section, and sadly only moved one to the completed section. I did delete one that I've abandoned completely...that counts as progress doesn't it? I console myself by remembering that I haven't added all the projects I did complete this year. Maybe not so much console as rationalize why those damned cabled mittens are sitting at the bottom of my basket. /sigh

It's back to the needles

2006-10-07T23:39:00.000-07:00

So, here I am, back again. One might think back from the dead, but nothing nearly so dramatic. It's been a busy summer with work, squeezing in a week's vacation (the photo is from our trip down the Oregon coast), and spending far too much time playing World of Warcraft. While I still like playing the game, I've recently come to realize that although it doesn't make me feel as old as I am, it makes me realize how young I'm not. Which can be more than a little depressing. So I'm making a huge effort to break that particular addiction -- and focus more time on the addiction that matters...knitting!

To that end, I give you a little cardigan that's in the works. Ideally, it will be completed for Christmas for Anna, and since I like knitting it so well, there might well be a second coming for Lisa -- though there's another cardigan already well underway for her (an update on that later). The yarn is nothing fancy, a simple worsted acrylic. I know, acrylic is a four letter word -- but really, this is going to a busy household for a two year old. It just seems so much more practical versus a high mainteance fiber.

The cardigan is knit in one piece, save for the sleeves - so hurrah for not much making up in the end - and the pattern is included in the Fall/2006 issue of "Knit It".

More not about knitting...

2006-07-05T22:35:00.000-07:00

Obviously this has nothing to do with knitting either....

....unless you're knitting for a ninja, maybe.

Nothing about knitting....

2006-06-12T22:54:00.000-07:00

...but almost as important. I heard a rumour today that the Stones may be playing a concert in Vancouver this year. I missed seeing them in Seattle last year -- there's no way I'm going to miss this if it happens.

The one other band that I want desperately to see is the Eagles. I've even joined their fan mail list. I was browsing for videos and came across this acoustical version of "Hotel California":

I suppose that says a bit about my high school years that I can sing every word of every verse. And I guess it says a bit about the Eagles that it is as good today as it was 30 years ago.

I spoke too soon

2006-06-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

My lovely Jemima Puddleduck sweater has regressed, uhm, a little. I had completed the front (with the picture of Jemima), one sleeve and was 3/4 of the way up the back when I realized that my gauge for the back & sleeve (7 rows/inch) was different than for the front (6 rows/inch). For all three, the stitches per inch were pretty bang-on. So, I pondered for a few hours what to do. It occurred to me that if I pressed on, I could run into problems when I went to make up the garment - particularly seaming the front and back. Then I got to looking at the front and the imperfections that had irritated me only slightly before, now began to jump out at me.

The solution? Frog the front to the ribbing and try it again. I'm a few rows back up and like it so far. I've also used some slightly different techniques (which I found in a back issue of Interweave Knits). I'm also being super careful of my gauge and checking every colour change a few times before going on to the next row.

And, if I could get my camera to work (or for that matter, find it), I would provide some evidence.

It's really June?

2006-06-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

The days & months are flying by and work has become evermore hectic, leaving a stingy amount of time for knitting (and even less for blogging). But in that meagre time, I've made some progress on the sweater for my eldest granddaughter (a pullover with a picture of Jemima Puddleduck). I'll post pictures soonish-- but I'm having trouble with my camera (it may just be the batteries).

I do have a vacation planned for mid-July. We'll be renting a motorhome and travelling down the Oregon coast. Sounds like premium knitting time to me!

Hats what I'm talking about

2006-05-09T22:49:00.000-07:00

The time is flying by! But, I have managed to squeeze in a little knitting time. I finished up the hat & booties and sent them in the mail. I was still a little concerned that my friend's wife would react badly to getting a package from some strange woman her husband met on the internet, but I'm assured she loved the items. The baby is due in another few weeks, so maybe some day soon I'll have a picture of her modelling the hat and booties.

And that's not all the knitting! I've managed to finish not one, not two, but three (!) hats. The one at the top I made from the pattern on the wrapper of some "Velvet Spun" sent to me by my great secret pal 7, Tammy. I think it took all of an hour to make -- and it's awfully darned cute.

The grey & blue striped one -- well, that took a little longer, but mostly because I kept putting it aside. It's more or less a version of this pattern. One thing I definitely learned -- skull caps are definitely not flattering on me!

And the third hat is from a pattern book from Cabin Fever. The yarn is from the odd ball boxes and is not the nicest I've ever worked with (I suspect it may be precisely this yarn people who hate acrylics are referring to). But, in the end, it turned out okay. I wanted to try intarsia before I begin a planned sweater for my granddaughter. I think I kind of like it! I'm going to try another from the book before tackling the sweater -- though the sweater picture is in many respects much easier than the pattern for the hat.

Final destinations for the caps is not yet known -- but I suspect they may go to charity (I have to meet my quota somehow!).

Quiz time

2006-04-22T08:33:00.000-07:00

You scored as Elinor Dashwood. As Marianne's older sister, Elinor lives at the other end of the emotional spectrum. She rarely reveals her intense feelings and is more concerned with being honest and loyal than having what she deserves. Even though her intentions are pure, she sets herself up for loss by constantly placing other people before her own needs. Overall, Elinor is gentle and rational but is just as capable of radical emotions (despite her withholding them) as her sister.

Elinor Dashwood

84%

Elizabeth Bennet

78%

Charlotte Lucas

66%

Jane Bennet

59%

Marianne Dashwood

47%

Emma Woodhouse

47%

Lady Catherine

28%

Which Jane Austen Character are You? (For Females) Long Quiz!!!
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Alive and knitting

2006-04-03T22:57:00.000-07:00

I'm still alive, and still knitting -- though completely distracted from my Christmas list (already!) and my charity knitting (quelle surprise!). I've whipped up a present for an online friend who (along with his wife) is expecting their first baby in June.

It's a little weird in that I've never had a conversation with his wife, but I play an online game with him (and I play way too much, but that's another story). Anyway, I mentioned to him one day that the next day I'd be going to a "yarn show" which he found greatly amusing. After trying to explain the whole thing to him, I told him I'd make him something for the baby & send it on the condition that he cleared it with his wife first. The last thing I want was for her to be upset or feel awkward by some Canadian woman sending gifts to her baby via her husband who only knows her via the Internet. He says he did and that his wife is looking forward to the gift, so one more bootie & a little sewing of seams and it will be ready to go.

Hurray for secret pals!

2006-03-23T21:26:00.000-08:00

Another package from my terrific secret pal!

Two (!) yummy packages of yummy licorice! Some lovely honey hand cream. And three (!) kinds of yarn! Some impossibly soft alpaca, some impossibly cute "velvet", and some impossibly tempting sock yarn. Plus, patterns! And what great timing -- on my birthday-eve! Thank you secret pal!

And just who is my secret pal? Well, say hello to Tammy over here!

Thank you, Tammy, for making my first secret pal so much fun. I loved every package and all of the yummy things you sent (and I have to admit -- especially the licorice!),

Two hats are better than one...

2006-03-22T22:44:00.000-08:00

In a slight detour from the Christmas knitting (undoubtedly the first of many, many detours), I've made a couple of little hats for my nieces. The youngest (almost 4) is particularly fascinated by my knitting and on her last visit asked if I would make her a hat (she'd tried on the stocking cap). I said I would love to and her answer still makes me giggle:

"Should I go upstairs and wait while you knit it?"

Well, I didn't finish during her visit, but they did knit up very quickly (one for each of the two girls).

The "heart" one is from this pattern and the lace one is an adaptation of this pattern. Now I'm just hoping they'll fit -- our family's skulls tend to the larger size and I know my older niece already has trouble fitting hats that are sized for kids. Our family motto should be "One size fits all....not!"

It's beginning to look....

2006-03-15T19:24:00.000-08:00

Did you realize that there are only 288 days until Christmas! Quite the shock to realize it's right around the corner, isn't it?

Well, I'm getting ahead of the game this year. I'm going to start planning (and knitting) gifts right now! First up, the scarf on the left. It's another Irish Hiking Scarf, but I love the pattern and how it knits up so it's not likely to be the last one you see here either. I'm contemplating adding the Irish Walking Hat, or a variation thereof, but I have a limited amount of yarn available. It's stash so old that I have no idea of its origins. In any case, it's intended for my older daughter.

Other potentials for gifts?

Husband: no clue. He's not a sweater kind of guy and mitts/scarfs/hats have limited usefulness where we live. I'll think on this a while.

Mother: pretty wide open for choices but limited windows of knitting opportunities since she lives with us. She does travel some -- so maybe I can work something in those absences?

Elder daughter: See above for the scarf. Also, I think I'll finish the Mariah for her. This would be a good choice both in style and colour. Plus, it would get another WIP off the needles! Wouldn't match the scarf at all though...but I can live with that.

Younger daughter: She's asked for a poncho, and even pre-approved a pattern. I have the yarn, I have the needles -- I just need to work it into the schedule. In addition, maybe a scarf as well? Possibly Wavy.

Younger daughter's fiance: No freaking clue. Definitely needs a little more planning -- and a whole lot more consulting.

Elder granddaughter: I picked up a kit today for a pullover. It is so adorable, I think I gasped out loud when I saw it. It features a picture of Jemima Puddle-Duck but it's not an overly complicated graphic, so for a first time intarsia it should be okay. I'll be casting it on very soon.

Younger granddaugther: I came across a pattern in a magazine for a cardigan and dress - so cute. I'm giving that one serious thought.

So, you see, it's not a long list....but it's got its share of challenges. The completion order (as I see it today) will be:

Scarf
Jemima
Mariah
Poncho
Everything else.....

One down...but....

2006-03-14T21:50:00.000-08:00

The stocking cap is done. The pattern is from a very old book (circa 1960) that I got from my mother-in-law. There are some frightful looking hats in there, but this one was cute. And, judging from my nieces' reactions -- it should go over well. Despite the fact that we have no real need for winter hats around here, they both asked if I would knit them one. Which of course, I will.

Not the stocking cap though. I thought this might be a little more fun for a milder climate. They both want it in pink (of course), so I thought I might find some ribbon to weave through the hearts -- different colours there to know which is which.

As for the stocking cap and mittens -- those are the first completed projects for my charity knitting for this year (well, for any year since this is the first year I'm doing it). While I'll probably keep to hats & mitts, my goal is one project per month -- 12 finished goods at the end of the year. Now, the question is, will I fudge the count and mark a matching hat and mitts as two items? I suspect I'll find out that answer in December.

Now if I could ony finish....

2006-03-07T23:37:00.000-08:00

I've been poking away at the mountains of yarn I have to work through, and while that pile doesn't seem to be decreasing all that much (there always seems to be one more "Oh my god, there's another box!" at the back of the closet, the pile of completed (and nearing completion) projects is coming along.

Witness the baby sweater to the left. The pattern in here. I added the yellow stripes (and I'll do the same on the sleeves), partly because I had yellow to use up but also because I wasn't entirely sure I'd have enough blue. I think I could have added another band of yellow around the chest -- but I like it all the same.

I need some nice buttons though -- something cute and probably blue & yellow, and I guess maybe a little boyish. Any suggestions, including suggestions for online button stores?

And, because one new project is never enough, I found a pattern book for cabled mitts knit in a bulky weight yarn. And two needle mitts at that - dead easy to knit, I just wish the seams would sew themselves.

Red Hat Society

2006-02-26T22:27:00.000-08:00

My mom has decided to join the Red Hat Society. I'm not exactly sure what the ladies do -- I suspect it might involve panties and Tom Jones, but that's entirely speculation on my part. So, Mom's commissioned me to make her a, well, red hat. She had found a pattern in an old Paton's book from the 60's. I know she like it a lot, but my answer when she asked me to make it was "You're not serious, are you?" I think that may have dampened her enthusiasm for the style.

So, I went out and got this book. It actually has some cute things in it -- particularly the slippers, but also a nice cloche (not the one on the cover, though that's cute too - just not so much for a senior citizen, imho). I know I have some genuine wool tucked away that might just felt up perfectly. Of course, I say this without ever having felted a thing in my life -- I'm just buying into the propoganda that it's soooo easy! Next weekend, work permitting, I'm going to try a slipper. If it goes well -- then it's on to the hat!

Mittens anyone?

2006-02-22T23:41:00.000-08:00

I'm going to try to complete some knitting for charity this year. I'm not sure yet what organization I'll donate to -- but I think I'd like to make a pair of mittens plus a hat or scarf each month for the year. One of each a month seems pretty doable. So here's the first pair of mitts (also the first pair I've ever made). I'm about 50% through a matching stocking cap to go with it - pics of that in a couple days.

More stuff for me!

2006-02-21T18:37:00.000-08:00

I've only had one secret pal -- but she is clearly the best one ever! Just look at what's come in the mail today! First of all -- the yarn. (The candy really does come first, but this is nominally a knitting blog, so first the yarn.) Three balls of "The SRK Collection - Truffles" -- yes! chocolate yarn! -- and a ball of "Lana Grossa - Mega Boots stretch" that has a pair of socks hidden inside, begging to be set free.

Then there's Tigger stickers (I danced with Tigger at Disneyworld -- he's my favourite!), some adorable knitting notecards, a pattern book called "Celebration Days - Handmade gifts & treasures" and "Knitwit - 30 Easy & Hip Projects" (which I have long coveted!).

And...the candy. Caramel milk chocolate and licorice. Yum!

Thank you Secret Pal!

Things I have knit in the past week

2006-02-15T22:01:00.000-08:00

I finished up the Cherry Leaf Scarf. In the end, I'm not very happy with the result. The scarf itself is okay -- but the finishing I opted for (which was completely in keeping with the pattern) looks terrible -- just three rows of flat garter across the end (the beginning end is all nice and, well, pointy like leafs). There is a second option for finishing -- but it would involved frogging half the scarf, and I just don't have the heart for that. So, for now at least, I'm calling it finished.

And I finished up Haiku. I loved knitting this little sweater. And I'm more than happy with the results. It's in a size 1-2, so it's not going to fit for another few months -- but it's still going in the birthday package! The other picture is of the buttons I used -- sorry for the blurriness, but you get the idea. My sister-in-law has a huge stash of great buttons and was gracious enough to donate these 4. They couldn't have been more perfect!

Things I haven't knitted in the past week

2006-02-15T21:50:00.000-08:00

As fabulous as crocheted stockings would surely be, I've held myself back from starting a pair of these. The hat, well that's a different story.

Knit them in pairs indeed -- torture is best shared. Acutally the hats & sweaters are too bad....but the pants! My God! The pants!

I've had company pretty much solid for the past two weeks, which is all very nice but a little on the tiring side. While I was getting ready for their arrival(s), I finally sorted through some old boxes of patterns that had come from my husband's mother. These particular gems came from early 70's editions of McCalls Needlework and Crafts.

The gods are crazy

2006-02-05T22:36:00.000-08:00

The knitting gods are sending me a message. I believe it should be transcribed thusly:

"Thou hast sinned verily against us.

Thouest did vow thine most solemn vow that thou wouldst shun the purchase of new tributes until thine had set thou house of stash in order and completed thine offerings already cast upon thouest needles.

And lo, verily, how thou hast strayed this day.

Our judgment shalt be swift, our punishment severe lest thou be led further into temptation. These new tributes shall fail upon thine needles, and the words of the scripture from which thou has discerned thine pattern shall become liken unto the Tower of Babel for thou. And yea, even if thou dost attempt penance by the creation of a gauge, thou shalt be unable to count thine stitches and thou shalt wallow in frustration and thence thou shalt know the fullness of our wrath.

Take thee from our sight until thou mayest render unto us the offerings thou has vowed to complete, all others shall be accursed until that day."

So, the new poncho? Yeah, it's on hold for now.

I love my secret pal!

2006-02-01T21:52:00.000-08:00

I got a package today from my SecretPal -- and what a package! Just look at all my stuff!

There's a pair of exfoliating gloves for the bath, some licorice (yum!), some adorable stitch markers that spell out "Linda Knits" (I LOVE those!), some cinnamon hearts (more yum!), some lemon butter cuticle creme and (and!) a hank of "Alpaca Cloud"-100% baby alpaca, complete with pattern for a scarf cowl. The wool is so soft, I keep holding it against my cheek. And the colour! It's called midnight -- it's dark, like a summer night, but with such subtle depth to it....it is gorgeous.

Thank you SecretPal! You are amazing! And as for not living somewhere exotic? Remember where I live!

Haiku

2006-01-31T22:41:00.000-08:00

The picture is here.
Blogger is behaving well.
It is nearly done.

And so, there is the start of Haiku -- though that pic comes from a few days past, I'm much further along now. I was playing with Paintshop too, having fun with borders and picture frames. I don't think I'll do it again -- at least not regularly -- too much effort! And it's cutting into my knitting time!

But back to Haiku -- I'm dead on the gauge (the way the pattern is written, it's really impossible to not be), but the sweater seems so big. I've knit it in size 1-2 -- but when I compare it to the little green sweater (which is about a size 2), it seems to be so much larger. So...I don't know. I'm going on faith from this point forward.

It's the flash

2006-01-28T20:25:00.000-08:00

Blogger seems to be eating any pics I upload. *mutter* So I will upload that tomorrow maybe.

It's been a busy week -- not a lot of time left over for knitting, though I do have the cherry scarf down to one more repeat. If I get a little motivation (and if the hockey games ever end on the tv), I'll maybe pick it up and finish it off. I did whip up the hat to go with the little green sweater (pics will come later, I hope). And, I started a new sweater, Knitty's Haiku, which I'll hopefully have done before my daughter and granddaughter arrive on Thursday.

I did get a nice compliment yesterday. I work for a public school system and was meeting with one of the school principals. He said to me, "You know, this district is much to small for someone of your caliber and talents." Add this to last week's compliment when the trainer at the course I was taking asked me if I'd attend an upcoming conference and make a presentation.

Oh yes, my ego is swelling beyond all reasonable borders now. So I suppose it was only right that Blogger brought me down to earth.

Yes? No? Maybe so?

2006-01-23T22:11:00.000-08:00

Hopefully you can make out the above...they're a couple of stitch markers that I've made for my secret pal....but I'm not sure if they're good enough to send (a common problem with most anything I make). There's also a third one, but it has her name on it so I left it out of the pictures.

Anyway...whatcha think?

Separated at birth?

2006-01-17T22:50:00.000-08:00

Separated at birth? You be the judge...

The one in the pink hat is my grandaughter Anna -- I'm not sure who the one in the green is...but I couldn't get over that they had the exact same expression on their faces (and for basically the same reason).

More stash busting!

2006-01-17T22:34:00.000-08:00

So, since I whipped up that scarf & hat last week, it would seem likely that, buoyed by my success, I forged on with the scarf.

Yeah, not so much.

Instead, I rattled off this little pattern with the results (at least the sweater) in the picture. I started it Friday night and finished the knitting last evening. The little hat will follow -- it's about half done right now. I wasn't sure how big it would work up -- I'm guessing a generous size 2. Which is a little large for anything I need right now, but it can be tucked away for a few months. Overall, I'm happy with it -- my stockinette needs a little more eveness as my tension seems at time to vary. And I still have one seam to sew (ugh). But still -- it's sweater shaped, so I'm content!

And the scarf? It languishes on the needles, not even given the dignity of hiding from sight in the basket -- rather, it's draped across my footstool where I last dropped it in frustration. However! I am going away for a few days -- three days of training for a report writing software...sort of. The whole session ended up not being what I anticipated (and requested). But I'm hoping that I'll walk away with at least some knew information that I can apply to what it is I really want to do (ie. I'll train my own damn self!). But on the plus side, my husband has a few days off and will join me in the city for a few nights. And the scarf? I'll bring it along and promise to complete at least one pattern repeat before I get home.

At least the colours look nice

2006-01-13T21:16:00.000-08:00

Once more my somewhat less than uber photography skills have been used for your viewing (dis)pleasure.

If you can't tell from the picture, that's a hat and scarf -- and it really was a lot cuter in person. I whipped them up for my grandaughter, who will be 4 years old in a few days. They went out in the mail today, so hopefully I'll get a picture back before too long to show them being worn.

Now, a word about me being a grandmother -- and I always feel compelled to explain this. I am in my early 40's, but am already the grandmother to two beautiful little girls. While the arithmetic would work anyway, there is a side story.

Not so many years ago, my husband and I came to terms with the fact that creating our own biological child would be highly unlikely. Actually, maybe we never came to terms with it -- to me that suggests a much more noble and gracious view than we came to have -- maybe we just accepted that it's the hand that was dealt. Didn't like it, still don't like it, still cry about it some days. But, life moved on.

In any case, we decided to adopt. And so we did. Two lovely little girls, sisters, who were at the time aged 6 and 3. A downside to adopting older children is one I only realized when they were grown. I know most parents say their kids grow up too fast, but ours really did....we got short changed by 6 and 3 years of time. And, even though I was 26 when I became a mother...it was a short 13 years later that I became a grandmother. And while I adore my granddaughters, I do stumble over calling myself Nana.

Secret Pal 7 - Questionnaire

2006-01-08T21:45:00.000-08:00

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand?

No, though I think I'm evolving into one. Right now, I have a huge stash of yarn that came from my grandmother when she passed away, my mother-in-law when she passed away, my mother when she moved in with me, and, of course, what I'd amassed over a lifetime (though I blame the other 3 if anyone asks =) . Much of the yarn is not super high quality, though there are some treasures in there that make me go "oooh" when I come across them.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

I don't spin, but I do know how to crochet.

3. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

Knitting needles are in a wicker frog. It was a gift from my mother a long time ago -- and it was a perfect size for needles. It's actually not that great a solution as the needles get all mixed up, but it sure is full! Crochet hooks eventually find their way back to a little case I have for them.

4. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I remember being a very little girl -- maybe 5 or 6 -- and having two sticks tied together with a piece of yarn and being quite convinced that I had mastered knitting. But I really didn't learn until maybe 10 or 11 -- probably for a Brownie badge. I would say my skill level is intermediate.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Nope.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

I love the scent of cloves for candles and such. For bath products, I like vanilla and light floral scents. I don't care for lavendar.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Oh gosh, yes. Favourites are black licorice, peppermints and clove-flavoured candies.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

I dabbled with scrapbooking once -- and stencilled my daughter's bedroom. Oh, and I took a cake decorating course (and almost always decorated my kids' birthday cakes). But that's about it.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I am completely eclectic in my tastes. On any given day, I might listen to the White Stripes then Stan Rogers then something classical then Travis Tritt and follow it all up with Def Lepard. My stereo at work, and my computer at home, can both play MP3s.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?

My favourite colour is red. I don't think there are any colours I can't stand.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I live with my husband and my mom has a mother-in-law suite downstairs. We have two grown daughters, both of whom have a daughter (ages 1 & 4) and all of whom live far to far away from us. There are two dogs in the house -- Gracie and Casey (named before they lived together!).

12. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Occasionally I wear scarves, but the climate here is such that hats and mittens aren't really needed. I haven't worn a poncho since grade 5, and have no immediate plans to change that. =)

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

No real favourites.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

None

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?

Knitting magazines -- I can't seem to pass one by.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Scarfs -- quick, easy and to the point.

17. What are you knitting right now?

A scarf! (And a sweater, and a couple of pairs of socks....)

18. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Yes!

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

Both are fine depending on the need.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I've never tried bamboo -- and I have no preference between aluminum and plastic.

21. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

No

22. How did you learn to knit?

Probably my mom or my grandmother taught me (likely both of them).

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

My age less 10 or 11 years? Of the ones I could actually still locate....a pair of socks that I started last summer.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

I have a soft spot for Tiger -- because he danced with me at DisneyWorld. Favourite animals -- dogs & horses.

25. What is your favorite holiday?

I like Easter -- probably because spring is my favourite season.

26. Is there anything that you collect?

Besides yarn, no.

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

No subscriptions, but I almost always end up buying what's on the news stand.

28. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?

Tahki Kerry -- there is a pattern for a vest in the latest issue of Knit'n Style. I would love to make it, but I really want to try it in the "right" yarn, which I can't find locally.

29. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I'd like to know more about how to alter a pattern -- throwing in a few extra stitches and rows doesn't always do the trick.

30. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Yes -- though not quite a sock finisher, yet. My foot is 11" heel to toe and 11" around (I think I have square feet!).

31. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

03/24

I really hate row 11

2006-01-08T00:24:00.000-08:00

I'm not really enjoying this scarf much. I keep messing up the pattern, and I'm not crazy over the yarn. Still, though, it's turning out okay (I suspect you'd have to try to make the pattern look bad) and hopefully will improve substanstially upon blocking. I'm just not enthusiastic about it. I keep telling myself that its a learning experience and I'm learning something from it as I go. And, it's another couple skeins of yarn gone from the stash -- so that's a good thing.

I've been sorely tempted all evening (or at least the parts of the evenint when I wasn't playing EQ2) to drop the scarf and whip up something for Lisa's birthday. I even got so far as to cast for a hat....but I put it back down. This scarf comes of the needles before anything else goes on.

So there.

Pop goes the world

2006-01-05T22:51:00.000-08:00

I like doing jigsaw puzzles, so I was especially happy to get two for Christmas. One of them, in the picture over there --->, looked particularly challenging. It was a sphere - a globe, certainly unlike any jigsaw puzzle I'd ever done before.

And more unlike any other than I originally thought, because when I opened the box, I found that the pieces were all numbered. Assembly was simply a matter of putting them all in order and sticking them together. I suppose one could have turned all the pieces over and not looked at the numbers -- but I have not nearly that amount of willpower.

In any case, it was the fastest I've put together a puzzle in ... well in ever I guess. And it was still kind of fun -- but challenging? Not so much.

First Repeat is Complete!

2006-01-02T15:20:00.000-08:00

I wasn't happy with how the pattern I referred to in my last post was turning out. Could be my yarn, the colour or texture of it, but more likely was my skill, or lack of it. In any case, I wasn't doing the pattern justice -- so it was frog time once more and back to the browser.

Where I found this pattern. I'm quite pleased with how this is going.

Now I need to work on my photography skills -- the colour on this picture is wrong, but that's because I fiddled with PSP to try to make the picture brighter. And my staging seems so....well, staged. My camera's no great shakes to begin with, and I'm no great photographer -- so when you combine poor equipment, no talent and a decided lack of skill...you get a picture like this. At least I remembered to take off the lens cap. (Not that I can take credit for that though, because the camera yells at me when I forget.)

Moving right along

2006-01-01T23:22:00.000-08:00

There is a teensy little bit of work left -- weave in a few ends -- but I'm calling this one complete. The yarn is, as I've mentioned, a "bargain brand", but overall I'm pleased. I certainly like the result -- I think the cables pop really nicely -- and I really like the colour. On the dowside, I ended up short (finishing at 7" X 50.5"). And the yarn itself is very stiff -- so it's more of a "fold in front" than "wrap around the neck" kind of scarf. It will find a home somewhere, I hope.

So, moving right along, it's on to more stash busting. I have slightly less than 5 balls of an acryllic/wool/mohair combination in a really lovely burgandy combination. I tried, briefly, cabling it (using the same pattern as the pink scarf) but quickly realized that wasn't going to work out (the cables just....melted). So I'm looking for a lace scarf pattern. I'm trying out this Diamond Scarf pattern right now -- but I'm not overly thrilled. The original is lovely, but my attempt (bearing in mind I'm using a different yarn and different needles) is, I think, falling a bit short. I'm going to complete at least one full repeat of the pattern and then decide.

Well, huh.

2005-12-31T08:49:00.000-08:00

You Are Likely a Third Born

At your darkest moments, you feel vulnerable.At work and school, you do best when you're comparing things.When you love someone, you tend to like to please them.
In friendship, you are loyal to one person.Your ideal careers are: sales, police officer, newspaper reporter, inventor, poet, and animal trainer.You will leave your mark on the world with inventions, poetry, and inspiration.

The Birth Order Predictor

Progress is progress

2005-12-30T19:21:00.000-08:00

Though I didn't spend a lot of time on it today (so far), I'm pleased with the progress of the scarf so far. I'm at about 33" and though I don't think I'll have enough yarn to hit the suggested length of 55", I think I'll be within 5" or so. I wouldn't mind having more of the yarn, both to make the scarf full size and to maybe add a hat -- but this was a stash buster, so it ony gets what it gets. I like the scarf pattern so much, that I plan on making several others -- all from stash.

One thing about my stash, it contains very little "good" yarn. Most of it is, well, cheap. I have worked with "good" fiber on occasion, and there definitely can be a difference, so I've decided it will be my reward. When I clear out a portion of the stash, I can buy some really nice stuff. But I have to hold myself to at least a 2:1 stash clear to new purchase ratio or I'm never going to get anywhere!

Pretty in Pink

2005-12-29T11:28:00.000-08:00

If you start knitting a scarf because you're supremely frustrated with the socks you've been knitting (or more accurately, frogging repeatedly) and you use some old yarn that's been just lying there for ages so it really didn't cost anything and besides you had the needles and the pattern was free, that doesn't really count as yet another project that's not yet complete does it?

I didn't think so either.

Take this sock and...

2005-12-28T21:14:00.000-08:00

I can't remember any project that has frustrated me more than these damned socks. I'm on the heel -- and turning it has just become one long nightmare. I'm using the pattern from here, but it just doesn't "seem" right. I know how a heel turns, but I'll be damned if this one works out right.

I suspect another partial frogging will be the order of the day tomorrow.

Ornaments

2005-12-28T11:35:00.000-08:00

I've been looking for a "Baby's First Christmas" for Anna (my younger daughter's baby) but everything locally was sold out. And now, I'm a little bit glad about that.

I decided to search online and started with eBay. I had bid on an ornament, but lost the auction. Though there were others types (and even more of the one I lost), the cheapskate it me surfaced and I decided to browse a little and see what I might find. Eventually, I found a nicer one -- but still I waivered. It would be an additional $15 to have it shipped to Canada from the US.

So I browsed some more. And this morning I found this one -- which can be personalized -- at www.lenox.com . I ended up having my sister order it and she'll bring it up from the States next time she visits. I'm not a huge fan of kitsche and generally speaking, anything "personalized" doesn't do much for me. However, I make all exceptions for Christmas keepsakes.

As for my inner cheapskate? Once I saw this, I studiously ignored her.

What kind of yarn am I?

2005-12-28T10:58:00.000-08:00

You are Merino Wool.You are very easygoing and sweet. People like to
keep you close because you are so softhearted.
You love to be comfortable and warm from your
head to your toes.

What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by

Awwww...nothing like a non-scientific, totally silly Quizilla for an ego boost. Although....it's surprisingly accurate.

At the heel

2005-12-27T16:19:00.000-08:00

The socks, they do progress. I've started the heel, using the contrast colour, and hope to have it finished tonight -- or maybe a little farther along if I'm really ambitious (or not really lazy). I'm alone for dinner -- Mom and Len are going to a hockey game (and I'd rather stick hot needles in my eyes than go to a hockey game), so for me it's a question of what siren call to answer....will it be knitting and watching tv, cruising blogs, or playing on EQ2.

Decisions, decisions.

As for the socks themselves, I don't know. I'm really not satisfied with the pattern, especially the jacquard sections. But I'm not going to frog it again. I tried several combinations of stitches to find the one that would line up the pattern best -- but this is about as good as it gets. It's not so bad -- and there's the slightest chance that I'm just too critical of my own work -- but still I'm not happy with them. I will, however, finish them. At the worst, they'll be nice to wear around the house.

More socks

2005-12-26T20:55:00.000-08:00

I'm progressing on the socks -- in between stuffing my face with all sorts of Christmas goodies. I fear the scales.

But, for the socks -- I frogged them at least three times as I just wasn't happy with how the pattern was lining up. I'm still not, but I'll be damned if I frog again. I did get a contrast yarn, and settled on a k2p2 rib (which I think I'm regretting). Generally, I'm just not satisfied with the result so far. I will forge onward, I swear I will!

Sock it to me

2005-12-21T22:55:00.000-08:00

Since I'm kind of faking the pattern for these new socks, this generator might prove helpful:

http://www.princeton.edu/~ezb/sockform.html

Welcome

2005-12-21T22:35:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my little knitting niche.

The debut post deserves a debut picture...and that's it, over to the right. Another project cast on (the pending others will be revealed in due time). This is a pair of socks, or rather will be a pair of socks, crafted from self-striping yarn. Though it's been around for a few years, this is my first attempt with it.

I had actually cast on and begun the ribbing, but then three things occurred to me. First, I didn't like the k1p1 ribbing I was doing -- it seemed to conceal the pattern. And though it would show up when I got to the stockinette portion, I still didn't like it.

The second thing was whether or not the two balls of yarn would begin at the same place -- if they didn't, it seems to me the stripes would not match. So, it was frog the first try and then see if I could match up the patterns, more or less. I'm not sure how precise you have to be with this yarn -- I'm hoping for at least a bit of forgiveness. I've also switched to a k3p2 rib, over 60 stitches. I have an hour or so before bed -- so perhaps I'll make a little more progress.

The third thing -- I'm not entirely convinced the two balls of yarn are the same colours. Maybe it's the light in here, but one definitely seems darker than the other. But...I'm willing to tough it out a bit -- and in the end, it's only socks. I'm sure I'll find a home for them somewhere (mismatched shades and stripes included).