Mysterious Mysteries . . .

Mystery #1:



I bought this on Friday

It's beautiful

I love it.

It refuses to be knit up. It demands to be admired. I want to knit it up!! I tried to make it into fetching. It declined. Now it's balled, and is not nearly as nice to look at. What do you want to be, oh lovely Manos? What shall I make you into?? Please don't make me suffer!!

Mystery #2:

Also Friday, for no reason, I peed on a stick. Fabulous, yes . . I know. Here is what happened. I immersed the stick and watched. Oh look, I said in my head, there is a stripe. That is the control stripe to show me I did it right. It's not very dark . . . hm. Moments later a significantly darker stripe appeared above the first. My right eyebrow suddenly became raised. What am I seeing? I said to myself. Is that normal? Is it a function of these incredibly cheap tests from the internet? Am I PREGNANT?

What do you think? Anyone used these tests before? Does that line always show up? Am I delusional?

My thoughts:
the case for no. Sure there's a stripe there, but it's virtually invisible. And it's in a different area - this could be normal for these tests.
the case for yes. there's a damn stripe there. 2 stripes = pregnant.

Shame on me!

I can't believe I didn't mention the pattern!

It's the Little Silk Shrug from Lace Style. The yarn was Cotton Fleece by the Brown Sheep company, and I knit the shrug up on 5 mm needles. Yum!

As I said, I have one skein left over - and I'm unlikely to use it in all honesty . . . anyone care to trade? I know it's a great colour! Maybe I'll just take it to the store for an exchange . . . hmmmm . . . * * update! The LYS let me exchange it, no fuss. So now I have a lovely deep blush colour to knit up shrug #2!

Progress in Knitting

This week's progress:

Shrug: I'll let the photos speak for themselves:

It was supposed to take the greater part of 2 skeins of this yarn -- it took less than one. Now I have to decide what to do with a spare skein of cotton/merino blend that is a lovely and distinctive colour. Maybe I'll make another shrug for someone else or something. I think I'll keep it around for a while anyway.

Leda's dream - frogged due to irreparable error - well, it could have been repaired, but I continued to make it worse and worse as I tried to fix it. Comedy of errors?

Cardigan - a few more rows done, but nowhere near where I'd like it to be. I was hoping to be at armhole decreases by now.
I was working on birch needles with this one until yesterday. As I struggled with it on Saturday night, I realized that the yarn was fighting the needles and they in turn were fighting me. This called for the diplomacy and tact of Addi Turbo!! Yesterday I bought a set, and while it's still a minor struggle - it's significantly better. Now I just have to watch the gauge and ensure it doesn't change with these slick needles -- didn't think of that.
I thought the birch needles were cheaper because their packaging didn't say "Lantern Moon" - this is not the case. Just a by-product of my knitting education I suppose . . . one cast on will work for everything, and cheaper is always better. Not so. Birch needles are nice and grippy. I bet they'd be fantastic for slippery yarn, but they definitely don't work with this cotton/acrylic blend.

Mostly dead is still slightly alive

It's been a rough week.

First there was my friends breakup, and I wanted to be there for him - I really did . . . but instead, I spent a good chunk of the week in emergency land. It's a place I wish I never had to visit again.

Mr. Wonderful got himself an abscessed tooth. It got infected. Really bad.
Tuesday night, he was writhing and shrieking from the pain. I called an emergency dental line, and they prescribed him antibiotics. Aggressive ones. I got 5 hours of restless sleep, just like the nights before. Poor guy couldn't sleep, and he was all listless - which shook the bed and woke me.
Wednesday, his face started to swell. He kept looking at me dead on to see it - and in my defense, it's hard to ascertain these things when looked at dead on. I told him it wasn't bad. Again, 5 hours of sleep.
Thursday I woke to him yelling at me about the swelling. At 7 am. I went to bed at 2 am. When I woke him up at 11, I finally saw the swelling from the side. He was an absolute fright.
I called the dentist's office. Within 20 minutes we had an emergency appointment to have the tooth pulled. Did you know that with an abscess, Novocaine will not take effect? Poor Mr. Wonderful. He felt the whole thing. He was in shock. They said the swelling would go down right away. It didn't.
Called the dentist at 10pm to ask if it we should be worried that the swelling was increasing. The response: "oh yeah". Another emergency trip to town, another prescription, and some terrifying instructions as to what to do if the swelling didn't go down, or got any worse.

Mr. Wonderful is now on two types of antibiotics. It took 36 hours, but the swelling is going down. He's feeling infinitely better. So am I.

I can't believe that in 2007, with the medicine we have, that it is still possible to die from an abscess - and I can't believe how close we came, or how little warning you really have.


I'm currently waging battle with my knitting.
The cardigan is full on fighting me. I have it on birch needles, and I definitely think a set of addi turboz would help. I intend to procure some tomorrow.
Leda's dream had to be frogged again. It was my own fault - extra yo. Even the life lines didn't help - they fell out. Groan.

What a mentally and physically exhausting week.

Sad news and knitting progress

So, I came traipsing online earlier today to have a quick peek at my email and update my blog . . . didn't happen. I got sidetracked. Hard.

My best friend's girlfriend broke up with him. Poor guy. He's crushed. I feel terrible for him. With that in mind: This girl refused to let him spend any time with me. My friend was a bridesmaid in my wedding - that's how close we are. Since my wedding, a year and a half ago, I've spent a few hours in the same room as him, and that was only because his girlfriend was at work, and he needed a ride home from work - and then I didn't leave for a while. I miss him. I hate that he's hurting. I know he wants her back - and I guess it would make him happy, and would therefore be a good thing . . .

Apparently she met another guy . . . sigh.

Now for the intended update.

My knitting progress this week:

60 rows of Leda's Dream. I started it yesterday. It's really fun! I have to have time and space to concentrate on it - can't listen to anything or have a conversation, or I lose my place - but it sure is lovely. Lace weight is interesting - it's like knitting with thread. I'm always terrified that I'm going to snap it. So far so good . . . . touch wood. When Aruni sent me this, I thought I was a lace knitter already - imagine my surprise when I realized I had been knitting lace motifs only. I considered it a challenge. One I think I'm meeting. Bonus points: I get to use my rockin' new stitch markers! (even though I don't really need them . . . blush)

Several inches of cardigan back. This is from an old pattern . . . it's interesting looking, if not a little mind numbing. The worst part is you can't just zone out -it's a 6 row pattern repeat, with only one row of c2's. Brutal. I keep losing my place. I just keep telling myself the back will be the worst bit. Secretly, I know I'm lying. The sleeves will be the worst bit. Maybe I'll scrap the c2, and just work in rib for those. ugh.

1/3 of a lace motif shrug. This will enable me to wear tank tops to and from work, while still being HR friendly and covering my shoulders. Bonus points: I get to knit it on my Lantern Moons - which are a dream.

I'm actually really loving my Brittany Birch needles too. At this point, I think metal needles are out and wooden needles are in. Except addis. I love those, and I always will.

I did all of this in a week. Less than a week, I think - but I wasn't really paying attention. If I had stuck with my 1 WIP I commonly do, the shrug would be finished by now. Or the cardi would have made me crazy by now. Or something.

Goody! Goodies!

Yesterday I received my final package from Aruni, my upstream SP in the mellow SP round on knitty. I reveled in it's amazingness for the entirety of the evening.

Here it is:

Some Lamb's Pride worsted in a fabulous spring colour. A beautiful, beautiful lace weight from knitpicks - in baby alpaca!! And six really great stitch markers, made by a friend of hers -- this is fantastic, she just tripled my stitch marker population. Now I will no longer be forced to scrounge for waste yarn.

I wish I could get better photos of the yarns. I tried, I really did - but it's a dreary day today and the light is not very good.

This bit of the package though - it took my breath away. Aruni took the time to knit me my own Branching Out - and she did it with Jaeger Silk. It is absolutely scrumptious! I wore it all night last night. Even though I am not, strictly speaking, a scarf person, I foresee a lot of scarf wearing in my immediate future. (Mr. Wonderful even told me it was sexy.)
Isn't it just the perfect colour? It will almost certainly go with everything! And it's so soft and wonderful.

A million thank yous to you, Aruni!

Sick sucks

I have a terrible head cold. I'm so congested! I don't know who to blame for this one either -- was it my brother and niece at Easter, or my aesthetician, who did my waxing with a blazing head cold?
And of course, I'm a phone jockey for a living, so that's a little brutal. "Doe, sir - you bisunderstood be . . . " That and the scratchy throat. Woo. 2 days left to the weekend. By Monday, I should be much better. I hope.

Knitting: no pics today. I cast on for a bunch of things recently.
Leda's dream
I was knitting away, about 24 rows in, when the unthinkable happened. A mistake I couldn't fix! It has been frogged, and awaits try #2. I'm making it out of the pink cashmere Aruni sent me!

A Cardigan
From the recycled yarn I frogged from my giant sweater. So far I like it. I hope it will fit significantly better. The pattern is from the 70s. It's really rather interesting. I'll be making some modifications for sure. First up, it will not be nearly as long. The pattern makes a cardi that ends halfway down the thigh. I'll be happy with just over the bum, or even shorter.

A shrug
My mom was coming over, and I couldn't be knitting the yarn from the sweater she made me. So I cast on for a lacy little shrug, in a cotton yarn. This way, I can be comfortable walking the km to and from my parking spot and work in the summer, while still being HR friendly at work.

Thanks to everyone who took a moment to wish me a happy birthday after my post on Tuesday. That helped a lot.

Baby legwarmers

These are my baby legwarmers!

I scoured the internet for a suitable pattern, but learned that none really exist. After doing a bit of reading, I went ahead and made it up!

I used some baby yarn, and leftover sock yarn, 3.25 mm needles, and cast on 35 stitches. I worked a 3x2 rib for a bit, then moved into st st, and finished up with a shorter run of 3x2 rib. No idea how they'll fit yet - the intended baby is not due until next month. That's why I'm leaving out the measurements. I could be very, very wrong.

Mommy to be received these yesterday, along with the brown and pink buttonhole bag. She was so appreciative! It always feels great . . . I've made her a few things now, just for the reactions. She makes me feel like a super star!

Today is my birthday. I took it off work . . . you'd think by now I'd know better.
I spent the day renewing my license plates and having car stuff looked after. To be fair, I also went to the LYS and spent sweet birthday $$ . . . I now have some new stash! A beautiful blue based red lace weight, and some greeny blue cotton for a shrug.
It's been an anti-climactic day at very best. Blah. The worst thing about birthdays is how you get all built up, and think it's going to be a special day -- and then it's really not.

Pictures!

Here they are!
First up, Hedera - completed last night.

Here is a close up of the lacey goodness!

I still don't like handknit socks. I hope these get a lot softer in the wash. They hurt to walk on.


Pirate mittens - still a bit ominous and foreboding, but DONE!

They're going to my manager's grandson. Apparently he loves pirates.




The second buttohole bag. Felting was not so successful this time around. I have learned that in order to felt, one must knit at a much looser gage. Duly noted. I may give this to a pregnant lady I know so she can have baby's essentials on hand at all times.

My first entrelac experience. Also didn't felt well -- for the same reason. I was hoping to cover up the mistakes with felting . . . alas. It's cute though. No idea what to do with it.

And now, this -- my major disappointment. These are only a few hours old, and it happened on a straight knit row. Sigh. They're going back from whence they came.

I need to update, I really need to update . .

. . . but it's vacation, and Mr. Wonderful is around, and I don't want him to mock me for having my own geeky bloggy type thing . . . or to start reading it.

I had a super duper productive weekend -- wanna hear about it? No pics, because Mr. Wonderful would ask questions. I'll add pics later. I promise.

Saturday was the Maple Syrup festival. It was madness. Absolute tourist madness. I sat in my living room and knit a sock while hundreds of tourists trampled my lawn. At least they could have done it in cleats, and got a little aeration in. Mr. W and I went to check the festival out. We are not crowd people. We didn't last long. But we did get some delicious treats -- maple candies. Hard ones. YUM! And elk pepperettes. Scrumptious.
Then we came home and hid the basement watching movies until it was all over.
I got a lot of knitting done. Like, alot. I made another buttonhole bag - thanks for the pattern Aruni! I finished the wretched pirate mittens. I finished sock #1 of my two sock series. All things considered, that's a boat load of knitting for one day.

Sunday we went to Canadian Tire and purchased lots and lots of yard equipment. Not a lawn mower. We still need a lawn mower. But we now have a patio set complete with chairs and an umbrella, a BBQ, a weed wacker . . . I'm sure there's more. We assembled all of it on Sunday too. And then I did some knitting. Taught myself entrelac - made a small bag.

How's that for omega-productive? Yeah! I was tired.

Monday, I actually made it to the gym. Good for me! Yesterday we went to the movies. Blades of Glory. Yep. It was fun . . . good movie. I'd recommend it for a light, entertaining show.

Today we went birthday shopping. (My birthday is next week). LYS . . . WOO! Mr. W dropped $100 on shiny new needles for me, a book for me, and a gift certificate . . . he loves me and wants me to be happy. :D

I promise I will update with pics very soon. Maybe even tomorrow . . .