Swear to Doug, I fully intend to publish 2 blog entries each week . . . and then suddenly it's Saturday at 1 in the morning, and I can hardly keep my eyes open. And I'm typing.
This week has been action packed. I hardly feel I can do it justice at this juncture. I will add pictures . . . later.
I was drawn to ye Olde LYS multiple times this week. I've been aching to try my hand at hemp. Or linen. Either will do. I was really hoping my IK would show up, so I can do the tuxedo top in linen . . still waiting.
As I was saying though, multiple LYS visits . . . I can't even remember what I bought the first time around. Oh wait, yes I do. Stuff for Blu Roux's package. And it made me late for work. But the very next day, I found myself once again nestled into the warm and comforting bosom of my LYS.
I pawed the hemp. I groped it. I would have made a pubescent boy proud . . . and then it happened -- Lynne (employee extraordinaire) enabled my hemp lust. She showed me to the pattern binder, and within the plastic bound pages, I saw it -- the most beautiful lacy t-shirt pattern I have ever seen. Angels sang. The clouds parted. It was a moment of pure perfection. And it was patterned for hemp!
So I bought the pattern. And all the stuff.
And then the 'fun?' began.
This stuff is a nightmare to wind -- I spent my entire shift (7 1/2 hours) detangling and fighting with it while taking calls. Then I cast on 225 stitches. I joined, being careful not to twist, and I worked 3 rounds in garter stitch. Then I went to bed.
The next morning, Mr. Wonderful had to get up very early. He was so considerate! He did everything he could not to wake me -- and then he did the one thing that would, without a doubt, wake me -- he informed me (at 6:20am) that the cat was playing with my knitting.
Suddenly, I had visions of those 225 x 3 stitches all unraveled and messy. I couldn't sleep. I got up and collected the tangled yarn from the floor, re-wound it, and started knitting again. Three hours later, I came out of my knitting fog, and went about my day. And I knitted. But only a little. So I had to bring it to work with me.
By this point I was at the lace bit. I was a few repeats in -- I wanted to keep going! but I did not want to bring the pattern to work with me again . . . I wrote out the lace repeats and took that to work instead.
Today I realized, several inches in that when I wrote it out, I effed up the pattern . . . I started the repeat from the wrong spot . . . groan. So I frogged it . . . and I knitted it all day today . . . and now I'm a few lace repeats in again, and it looks much better!
I really want to wear this top. It's beautiful!
I have such high hopes.
And that's just the knitting!
At work, I have been elected the new co-ordinator of the Events Planning Crew . . . basically, the fun-squad. That's pretty exciting. :D
I'm sure there's more, but I really need to go to bed. YAWN.
Saturday, 19 May 2007
Sunday, 13 May 2007
House livin' is GOOD!
I have had a rockin' good weekend. Really - and I thought it would go up in smoke . . . but here we are, 8pm on Sunday evening, and life is sweet.
Friday afternoon Mr. Wonderful and I got all our little ducks in a cute row, and realized we had colossally effed up -- we had not made Mother's Day plans for our moms. Well, to be fair, for him it was not a last minute realization . . . he just isn't super motivated to pick up the phone after the blow out of last year's mothers day (he went all out, wanted to take her to a fancy restaurant, and she blew him off - he was offended. It was super messy). So I emailed and called and pulled a gathering out of my bum for his mom. All while I was still at work. I am a super-human wife.
Saturday morning, I leapt out of bed at the crack of dawn (thanks to the thunderous chorus of birds) ready to greet the day. I did some sewing for Liz (aka Blu Roux) - I hope she likes it - and then trotted off to the mall. See, I need some summer pants. Something for my legs that is not too hot, like my cords are. Something that is not 'puffy' and makes me look dumpy, like my capris. I need me some more pants for the un-godly hot summer that is purportedly coming our way.
I went to Zellers first - everything there gave me camel toe, or was too big.
Then I went to Winners - there was some nice stuff, but it was not precisely what I was looking for. Sigh.
Then I went to a florists, and fought people for flowers. It was a total madhouse. $50 later, I had mother's day stuff for our moms.
As I paid, I realized that no plans had been conveyed to me about my mom's day . . . hmmmm . . . so I called. No answer. I left a message.
Long story short, my brother bailed out on Mother's day, and it was all up to me. Gee, I wish I had known. I invited them over for Sunday lunch.
Then we raced around like idiots cleaning and tidying and generally preparing for the visiting.
My Mother-in-law's visit was great! She and her husband, and Mr. Wonderful's younger sister and her husband came over for an early dinner. We sat in our backyard, we prepared food in my huge (compared to our old apartment) kitchen, we had a generally great time.
We even made Pina Coladas!
Today, we had a repeat, only with lunch, and sans the running around.
Now, I have to say, I think that once you get to a certain age, you should be absolved of Mother's Day BS. Seriously. I haven't asked my mom to Mother me in years. And she doesn't. In all honesty, we really don't get along. The less we have to talk, the better. She has told me she finds my conversation tedious, and while the feeling is mutual, I have the decency to keep it to myself. So buying her a gift and all that - well, it's kind of an empty gesture. I'm pretty sure that's why my brother saw fit to remove himself from the fray this go around.
And my mom is not low maintenance at all. She's not the type who would accept a card and a phone call. You have to be appropriately appreciative (read: spend lots of $$). Okay, I understand that she birthed me, and raised me - but I get her flowers every year for MY birthday, I give her a card and take the time to say thanks for the gift of life. My birthday was what? 6 weeks ago? Really, I feel like she's just cashing in. I'm past the point of going all out, aren't I? I haven't lived under her roof for 7 years now. I think I've paid her back - or at least, I think she should be happy with a card and a phone call.
And it doesn't stop there - she wants us to do the same for my dad on Father's day -- in fact, she told me that for this year, I should buy him the table saw he wants. It's $700. $700!!!
I don't think so.
Other happy stuff from the weekend: I have also learned that I have peony bushes in my yard! Peonies are my favourite flowers . . . they're almost open . . . ooooo . . . I can't wait!!
And I have lilies . . . I love having a garden. It's so exciting.
Now that winter is past, I'm really seeing the benefit of having a house. And I love it!
Friday afternoon Mr. Wonderful and I got all our little ducks in a cute row, and realized we had colossally effed up -- we had not made Mother's Day plans for our moms. Well, to be fair, for him it was not a last minute realization . . . he just isn't super motivated to pick up the phone after the blow out of last year's mothers day (he went all out, wanted to take her to a fancy restaurant, and she blew him off - he was offended. It was super messy). So I emailed and called and pulled a gathering out of my bum for his mom. All while I was still at work. I am a super-human wife.
Saturday morning, I leapt out of bed at the crack of dawn (thanks to the thunderous chorus of birds) ready to greet the day. I did some sewing for Liz (aka Blu Roux) - I hope she likes it - and then trotted off to the mall. See, I need some summer pants. Something for my legs that is not too hot, like my cords are. Something that is not 'puffy' and makes me look dumpy, like my capris. I need me some more pants for the un-godly hot summer that is purportedly coming our way.
I went to Zellers first - everything there gave me camel toe, or was too big.
Then I went to Winners - there was some nice stuff, but it was not precisely what I was looking for. Sigh.
Then I went to a florists, and fought people for flowers. It was a total madhouse. $50 later, I had mother's day stuff for our moms.
As I paid, I realized that no plans had been conveyed to me about my mom's day . . . hmmmm . . . so I called. No answer. I left a message.
Long story short, my brother bailed out on Mother's day, and it was all up to me. Gee, I wish I had known. I invited them over for Sunday lunch.
Then we raced around like idiots cleaning and tidying and generally preparing for the visiting.
My Mother-in-law's visit was great! She and her husband, and Mr. Wonderful's younger sister and her husband came over for an early dinner. We sat in our backyard, we prepared food in my huge (compared to our old apartment) kitchen, we had a generally great time.
We even made Pina Coladas!
Today, we had a repeat, only with lunch, and sans the running around.
Now, I have to say, I think that once you get to a certain age, you should be absolved of Mother's Day BS. Seriously. I haven't asked my mom to Mother me in years. And she doesn't. In all honesty, we really don't get along. The less we have to talk, the better. She has told me she finds my conversation tedious, and while the feeling is mutual, I have the decency to keep it to myself. So buying her a gift and all that - well, it's kind of an empty gesture. I'm pretty sure that's why my brother saw fit to remove himself from the fray this go around.
And my mom is not low maintenance at all. She's not the type who would accept a card and a phone call. You have to be appropriately appreciative (read: spend lots of $$). Okay, I understand that she birthed me, and raised me - but I get her flowers every year for MY birthday, I give her a card and take the time to say thanks for the gift of life. My birthday was what? 6 weeks ago? Really, I feel like she's just cashing in. I'm past the point of going all out, aren't I? I haven't lived under her roof for 7 years now. I think I've paid her back - or at least, I think she should be happy with a card and a phone call.
And it doesn't stop there - she wants us to do the same for my dad on Father's day -- in fact, she told me that for this year, I should buy him the table saw he wants. It's $700. $700!!!
I don't think so.
Other happy stuff from the weekend: I have also learned that I have peony bushes in my yard! Peonies are my favourite flowers . . . they're almost open . . . ooooo . . . I can't wait!!
And I have lilies . . . I love having a garden. It's so exciting.
Now that winter is past, I'm really seeing the benefit of having a house. And I love it!
Sunday, 6 May 2007
Progress!
Serious progress . . . I had another week of finishing it off . . .
Found the missing needles - right where I left them! So here is my new shrug -- I think it may be my niece's birthday gift. It's a little snug.
And then I polished off Fetching quickly -- as you can see, it's no longer glove weather here, but I'll be prepped for fall, I suppose.
And this - well, this thrills me to death! I found the ultimate sweater-that-is-too-dull-to-knit-at
-home-even-in-front-of-the-tv knitting zone! WORK! I always knit at work, and thus far, I haven't been reprimanded (touch wood). When I realized that I didn't have shrug to knit at work anymore, I figured I might as well bring in the dirge sweater. I didn't think it would work - but before you know it, I was decreasing for armholes! WOO!
Found the missing needles - right where I left them! So here is my new shrug -- I think it may be my niece's birthday gift. It's a little snug.
And then I polished off Fetching quickly -- as you can see, it's no longer glove weather here, but I'll be prepped for fall, I suppose.
And this - well, this thrills me to death! I found the ultimate sweater-that-is-too-dull-to-knit-at
-home-even-in-front-of-the-tv knitting zone! WORK! I always knit at work, and thus far, I haven't been reprimanded (touch wood). When I realized that I didn't have shrug to knit at work anymore, I figured I might as well bring in the dirge sweater. I didn't think it would work - but before you know it, I was decreasing for armholes! WOO!
Wednesday, 2 May 2007
This week in Knitting
I feel so un-inspiring . . . nothing wildly entertaining or exciting seems to happen to me. Blah.
I have to say though -- I'm tired of thinking I'm pregnant, or may be pregnant, or could be pregnant every single month!! Although, this is the first month with a test that may back that up - it's getting old. My cycle needs to get it's stuff together, or clear out! At this point, I have 2 possible positives, and a negative.
Now, knitting progress:
Shrug the second:
Here it is, waiting for a garter stitch edge. I seem to have misplaced the appropriately sized needles. This is a bit of a problem. I only have one set of 4.5mm needles. I was keeping them separate from all the other needles, so they would be easy to find. I think it's safe to say, that didn't really work out.
Look at it - it's so patient and sad, waiting to be finished . . . .
Fingerless gloves in Manos!
Mr. Wonderful's are done, and he has already commenced stretching them out. I just did a plain rib and made them to fit. Look how gigantic they are on my tiny paw!
Mine are Knitty's Fetching, and are still thumbless - but the Manos did finally agree . . . YAY!
And of course, the sweater. I haven't touched it this week. I have Manos, and a shrug to knit. I don't want to touch it! Don't make me touch it!!
It's sad though - I like the look of the stitch pattern, and how the fabric is coming out. I bet I'll love the sweater, it's just a righteous pain in the butt to knit!
Here is the cat, modeling the sweater.
It looks like very soon this will be my only WIP and then I'll have to work on it . . . or face knitting withdrawal. Ack.
I have to say though -- I'm tired of thinking I'm pregnant, or may be pregnant, or could be pregnant every single month!! Although, this is the first month with a test that may back that up - it's getting old. My cycle needs to get it's stuff together, or clear out! At this point, I have 2 possible positives, and a negative.
Now, knitting progress:
Shrug the second:
Here it is, waiting for a garter stitch edge. I seem to have misplaced the appropriately sized needles. This is a bit of a problem. I only have one set of 4.5mm needles. I was keeping them separate from all the other needles, so they would be easy to find. I think it's safe to say, that didn't really work out.
Look at it - it's so patient and sad, waiting to be finished . . . .
Fingerless gloves in Manos!
Mr. Wonderful's are done, and he has already commenced stretching them out. I just did a plain rib and made them to fit. Look how gigantic they are on my tiny paw!
Mine are Knitty's Fetching, and are still thumbless - but the Manos did finally agree . . . YAY!
And of course, the sweater. I haven't touched it this week. I have Manos, and a shrug to knit. I don't want to touch it! Don't make me touch it!!
It's sad though - I like the look of the stitch pattern, and how the fabric is coming out. I bet I'll love the sweater, it's just a righteous pain in the butt to knit!
Here is the cat, modeling the sweater.
It looks like very soon this will be my only WIP and then I'll have to work on it . . . or face knitting withdrawal. Ack.
Sunday, 29 April 2007
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.
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.
Wednesday, 25 April 2007
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!
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!
Monday, 23 April 2007
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.
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.
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