I fall in love so easily . . .

Tonight I found this pattern, and now I think I need it!

My knitting plate is really rather full at this juncture.
On the needles I have:
Josephine (scroll down a little)
a fair isle mitten (not sure I like it. I may actually frog it in favour of a . . . well, not fair isle mitten.)
My recycled cardigan
Leda's dream
A toe up sock (Have to use that lovely yarn)
And swatching for MS3

This is way more on the needles than I am actually comfortable with. I prefer to have 2 things on the go at a time.

I'm also gearing up for MS3, of course. And I'm awaiting an ebay shipment of lace weight yarn for a shawl that my mother-in-law was quite taken with. So that's soon to be 2 more projects. I need to start finishing things! And there's a waiting list of things in the pool. Geez, if I'm not careful, my planned projects could become stash! And I don't want that . . .

. . . crap sakes!!

There were meant to be photos! There should be photos! But something always seems to interfere. This morning it was batteries. The batteries in the camera were dead, and needed to recharge. That takes time.
I have finished my two Montego bay scarves. I can show you one, partially finished. This is how much scarf I can knit up in one day.

Tomorrow I'll try to get pics of the two scarves, for comparison.


They're fabulous scarves!

Josephine is well under way as well. I'm loving the knit. It's FAST!

Interesting non-knitting news:

We have owls. That's right, owls.
Late last week, I was driving home from work, rounded the corner, and threw on the brakes so as not to run over the four owls sitting in the road. Sitting! In the road!!
Owls are cocky little birds. They don't move for the cars. The cars will go around them, and they know it.
Our owls are adorable. Unfortunately, they only come out at dusk, when it's just too dark to get photos. I suppose we could try the flash.

Here is Herr Owl, in the dark. It's shocking just how close I got to this owl. Fearless.

Last week in knitting

Let's see . . . what did I do??

Well, I finished my first Montego Bay scarf, and bought some delightful Sea silk for round 2 -- which is about halfway done. The stitch pattern is ideal mindless at work knitting. The first one was done in Lace silk, in the straw colourway. The new one is the called for yarn, in Berry. The two scarves look very, very different.

The entrelac socks met a froggy end. I wasn't getting gauge and I was thoroughly hating the process. I have since cast on and knit a bit of a toe up sock - but I'm not sure I'm feeling this one either. I found some really inspiring sock patterns, but the book is a little too precious for me at this point.

I found some yarn I can definitely use to make Josephine, now I just have to purchase it and make it! That top is so pretty!

I finished the acrylic feathers and fans blanket, and gave it to my co-worker. So that's off the table now.

I decided I need to get over my lace block since I have a wee collection of lace weight yarns, and I really want them to be useful. I sat down this week and determined to tackle it. I knit up a little section of lily of the valley lace - and that was a pain in the butt, but it worked. And since I was sitting on the couch, watching TV with idle hands last night, I cast on and went for it with the Leda's dream scarf . . . and I have to say, it's going remarkably well, touch wood and all that. I'm 60-some rows into the lace pattern, and it's not giving me any problems. I've signed up for Mystery stole 3, so I really want to get this under my belt, so I can play along!

I'm into the bit of the year where I want to knit, but I don't know what. I'm afraid to put it down altogether, because . . what if I don't pick it up again? And if I'm not knitting, what do I do with my hands? I think lace is almost certainly the way to go. It's light, it's time consuming -- the only problem is that I have to concentrate so heavily. I think perhaps Josephine will make for reasonable 'in front of the TV' knitting.

Yarn-a-hoy!

first things first! My peonies -- look at the lovelies! They smell so wonderful . . . ah, peonies - you make me so very happy!!


Free yarn! Can't argue with free! I'm not sure what I'll do with it, but there it is . . . I'm thinking of swatching Josephine with the tan. I think it's too light though. And the green is just a bit of a shock. Still, free is free.

Here is delicious yarn #1 - in a photo I adore. Earmarked perhaps for a mini clapotis. Perhaps for some socks. I like the new knitty patterns . . .

Green loveliness - this will be the Jane sweater so many people are apparently making right now. It's very cool . . .

And this, well, this is my entrelac socks . . . I'm already 4 tiers in. The knitting of entrelac socks is a little odd. Fantastically complicated, and then colossally dull. It doesn't take long to catch on. I'm considering frogging. I sense an uphill battle, and I like this yarn far too much to fight with it.
At the same time - the socks just look so cool! I'm very much on the fence on this one. What to do?

World Wide KIP day!

Yesterday I dragged my bum out of bed at 7am. What could be so important, you ask, that I was up and showered and out of the house by 7:40 on a Saturday morning? The TTC along!

I picked up Beth and Lynne in KW and then we set off for Toronto.
There was an hour of knittin' and chattin' in the car, some confusion over where was kosher for parking, and then a short walk to Village Yarn. Those folks really went all out. They had mimosas, they had baked goods, they had swag . . . . they had free yarn! This is where my first accident happened. It all seemed so innocuous, so innocent, then all of a sudden - one skein leaped off the shelf, slapped me across the face, and demanded I take it home. Well, after that I just blacked out! I didn't even realize what I'd done until I came to - standing on the street outside the shop . . fondling that skein of delicious . . . Okay, it's not true. I was fully aware of what I was doing. I have yarn for a mini clappy now! I'm going to wrap that yumminess around my neck and wear it with pride. Or maybe I'll suddenly turn to loving making socks. Either way, I love the yarn, and the colourway. It makes my heart flutter. The folks at the store were very kind, and there was a lot of fabulous things to be found inside.
But we had to move on!

We traveled via ttc, knitting the whole way - people were fairly weirded out by the whole thing, I think. There were some looks askance cast at me and my fellow knitters - there were even mutterings and dirty looks. Too bad for them! We got there first and had the seats! HA!


















Our second st op was Romni. There was an awful lot of selection, but I have to weigh in and say I didn't love this store. It's almost too big - and it's completely overwhelming. If you were to go there with a specific yarn in mind for a specific project, well that would be one thing. But, if you were like me, and just looking for 'the right yarn' for a specific project . . well, good luck. I couldn't even figure out how the store was organized. I was thoroughly confused. That said, I did find something yarny -- three skeins said such flattering things to m e as I wandered innocently past, that I just had to buy them.

After a quick stop at a coffee shop, we were off for location #3 -- Americo. Spendy little store, with some loveliness --but it felt at least a little prohibitive to me.

Some street knitting was had.

And then on to Lettuce knit. I was surprised at just how wee Lettuce is -- but I was also impressed with the stuff they had on hand. A sweater kit cried when I set it down and said 'no' in a firm, I mean it! voice. It set up such a fuss that I went ahead and bought it.
We sat outside Lettuce and knit for long enough that I got a little sunburn. And we picked up some new knitters -- a mom and daughter team who had just come to knit at Lettuce joined us for the remainder of our day!

Then we went to the Naked Sheep. It was packed to the gills with knitters. I think I would have really enjoyed the store . . . if I could a) move around, or b) even look at the yarns.

And then it was off for food and a wrap up.







What did I wear? Well, I'm glad you asked! I wore my Hempy T! Finished and in all its glory. Do you ever see a picture of yourself and think Good gravy! Do I really look like that? This is one of those photos for me.
I took photos of my yarny procurements, but I think I need a rest before I post anymore photos! Oh, and the peonies finally bloomed!

Oh . . . what's this??

yes, that's right, the knitting is done! Now I just have to block it, and I can wear my lovely hempy T with knitting pride! Oh, and weave in 2 ends.

I even knit the 54 inches of i-cord already.

And it's confirmed, I will be going to the TTC along on Saturday. I can't even wait!! I think I'll knit up my Montego Bay scarf during that . . . I would be at least slightly embarrassed to bring along my acrylic feathers and fans baby blanket. Not that knitters are judgmental, just . . well, I would feel inadequate with that thing in tow. Besides, if I take it to work I may be finished with it by Saturday!

Delerious . . .

must sleep!

I am roughly 44 rounds away from done my hempy T. I have 300 and some stitches on the needles. In just 4 more rounds, I get to decrease! yay! Then maybe it won't take me 90 minutes to do 6 stupid rounds!

Coming Soon:

SLEEVES! Yes, that's right, I'm up to the sleeves on my hempy T! I haven't even started in to the third (and final) skein of hemp yet . . . which is good as there is no more to be had at the LYS.

I'm a little worried that the shirt won't fit me. I tend to forget that I'm not high school shaped anymore. Or 25 year old shaped.

Think I can finish it this weekend? I really want to! I have a stupid baby blanket to knit up, and that's getting pressing. T minus 8 weeks for my knocked up co-worker.