Happy Canada Day

Today Canada turns 142. Happy Canada Day to all.

Lovely Spin In Over

Yesterday was the summer spin in at Gemini Fibres. I headed up there bright and early and did some shopping before I pulled out my Little Gem. Last week I asked them to hole 2 spindles for me since I knew I would be back this week. This one is a Granny Forrester spindle in Padauk wood.
This one is another of his colourwood spindles. I just love the look of them. I have to get another one of his Pyrography spindles but he won't be making more of the colourwood, as I mentioned in a previous post, because he doesn't have the wood. This is the bottom of the spindle.
This is the top of the spindle. They are just so pretty and the colours look so nice when you see them spinning. There is one more colourwood spindle I wanted but the shaft was a little rough. I've asked that Mr. Forrester look at it and see if anything can be done before I bring it home.
I think I've figured out a way to store my spindles a little better than they are being stored at the moment. I have them in this plastic popcorn bucket that you get when you go to the movies. I found this wicker basket and I am going to put a piece of styrofoam in it and put as many spindles in there as I can. If I don't have enough room for all of them I'll get another basket.

Finally, I bought more fibre. You can never have enough. I've been spinning this same fibre in another colourway called cinnamon. It's an Ashford fibre blend of 80/20 Merino and Silk. I tell you this stuff practically spins itself. This colourway is called Juniper. It has purple tones in it and I love purple.They have another colourway called Mulberry that I want to get but someone else took all the fibre of that colourway that was in stock so I will have to get it the next time I'm out that way.

An Afternoon of Spinning

Yesterday we spent the afternoon by my in-law's and I brought my Little Gem with me. I finally finished plying the purple Lorna's Laces merino singles I finished spinning quite a while ago.I was a little afraid that since it's been so long since the singles were done the plying would end up being a disaster. I gave the yarn a nice hot bath when we got home and it looks really good considering. I have 122 grams but it's not totally dry yet so I am not sure of the yardage. I'll check that tomorrow along with the WPI. It took me about 3 hrs to finish the plying and boy did my knees hurt by the time I was done.
I was a little surprised I was still able to spin but I was treadling much slower with the spinning than I was with the plying so I was fine. This is just a little bit of the cinnamon merino/silk I bought on Saturday. I'm going to bring it with me to the spin in on Saturday and continue with it. I was also playing with my Golding tsunami spindle and spun about the same about of that I spun on Saturday during class. Now to try and keep it up and not put it by the wayside again.

Today I am going to finally cast on the February Lady for the Purple Purl KAL so I won't get anymore spinning in. For some reason I am really tired so I think I am going to konk out early tonight.

Where Does The Time Go??

My nephew Baruch is getting married today. Unfortunately, I was not able to get to NYC for the wedding. I spoke to my bother this morning and it's hard to believe that one of his babies are all grown up and one of the twins will be a married man tonight. Where does the time go? Don't ask me which one is which. I have not been able to tell them apart since they were babies. I know the twins are not identical but they sure look it to me. One is Baruch and one is Shmuel. The one getting married is Baruch.

Yesterday I went to Gemini Fibres for an advanced spindle spinning class. We got to play with some Fleece Artist BFL. It was great fun to spin. We did navajo plying on the spindle and other things. It was a great day with a group of very nice ladies. I had a blast.

If anyone knows me they know I couldn't possibly have gone there and come home empty handed. I prefer light spindles because I like to spin lace or sock yarn and Mr. Forrester found some more coloured wood that he was able to use to make more spindles. However, these are the last that he has of the wood so I won't be able to get more after this. I tried all of them. There was a very small one that I didn't quite get along with but I did love this one and the one below.

There are still two more that I want to pick up and I'll be back up at Gemini next week for their spin in so I'll probably get the other two then. One more is a coloured wood spindle and the second is a Padauk wood spindle.

I usually lean towards purples when I buy yarn and fibre. Once in a while another colour will hit my eye and I have to try it. This is one of those fibres. The colour is called cinnamon and it's a merino silk blend. I am looking forward to starting to spin this fibre but I am going to spend the afternoon trying to finish plying this fibre that's been on the bobbins way too long. It's about time I try and get back to spinning. It's been way too long.


I also bought a spinning book called Spin Control by Amy King. I've only had a chance to glance through it but I am looking forward to reading it cover to cover. Next I can't wait for Abby Franquemont's Respect the Spindle book to come out later this year.

Last but not least, to all the dads out there, Happy Father's Day.

World Wide Knit In Public Day

WARNING, rant below and really no knitting content. Feel free to skip.

Yesterday was WWNIPD. I left the home bright and early to head off to the Purl for a wonderful day of fresh air and knitting. I stopped for a salad on the way and discovered (or so I thought) that my debit card wasn't working yet again. So off I go to the bank to try and find out what's going on. I'm told my card is fine. So I try to use it in their ATM and do a balance check and almost had a heart attack. Next I do a transaction history and I find out that sometime between 4PM on Friday and 9AM on Saturday some miserable bastard managed to get into my account and withdraw $500. Now that might not seem like a lot to some people but it sure is a lot to me. Now I have to wait 10 business days while the bank conducts their investigation before I can get my money back. This is the second time money was taken from my account and the 5th time my card was compromised. I don't use my card at the gas station, or no name ATMs. I only go to one banks bank machine and that's it. I was so distraught yesterday I almost didn't go to the Purl. I called there and spoke to Miko and she was so great on the phone. I was quite hysterical. I must have given her quite the fright. I didn't get much knitting done and the park was pretty cool until the sun came out in the afternoon so I ended up spending the day inside the Purl. I managed to spill someone's tea and that caused me to have another melt down. Oh well. I'm feeling better today. I know the money will be re-deposited into my account once the investigation is over but I am furious. Furious that NO ONE will tell me where this keeps happening. The bank says they don't know. They are not given a place where the cards are compromised. The police say it would hamper their investigation. Well, what about when the investigation is over? Don't I have a right or do just the F**KING criminals have rights? I've tried figuring this out and still haven't managed. Obviously, it has to be places I go regularly. I ALWAYS cover my hands when I put in my pin but I understand that doesn't even matter anymore because they have other ways of figuring out your pin. I am just sick of these damned criminals. GO OUT AND GET A F**KING JOB AND LEAVE MY HARD EARNED MONEY ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Knitting Away

I've been busy knitting away on various different projects. I think I have too many right now, if I am going to be honest with myself. After I finished all the knitting for Leah and Adam I got back to the Mandala Shawl I was working on. I don't have new pictures but I finished clue 4 and I have to start on the border.

I also started the KAL for the Anniversary Mystery Shawl 09 and am in the middle of clue 3. I only started this last weekend so I'm behind the rest of the group. Clue 4 came out today and I hope I can get started on it sometime this coming week. The yarn is Classic Elite Silky Alpaca and I'm using size 3 mm needles. It is so soft and nice to work with. Unfortunately, the needles are too short to stretch out the shawl so you can't really see how beautiful it actual is.

The Little Needle Lovers group on Ravelry has a KAL every other month. Different patterns are voted on and then you decide which one of the onces chosen you want to knit. One of the patterns is Jabot. It's beaded and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to make something beaded. I guess you could call it a beaded bag but it isn't going to be very large. I bought a bead spinner a few years ago at the Knitter's Frolic and this was my first opportunity to use it. I have to say I love the thing. It made stringing all those beads almost painless. I believe I have less than 20 rows left before this is done and then I need to decide what I want to do about the strap. The most annoying part about knitting this is moving the beads along. Other than that, I am really loving it.

I'm always hesitant about exchanges because I once had a very bad experience but that didn't stop me from joining a "Gifts From Your Local Yarn Shop" exchange on Ravelry. I received my package today and I have to say I am so glad I decided to take the plunge and join. I love every single thing I received. The Yazzii is going to be great for knitting notions. It opens up and has 4 clear zipped pouches inside. I can never have enough tape measures and even though I've already had the sock blocker key chain I love it so much and I have seperate house and car key chains so I'll have another one now. Both yarns are so soft. The rest is laceweight lambswool and the other is 4 ply. I think I am going to knit the Hydrangea pattern Nan sent me using the lace yarn. I just have to decide if I want to try and double it up or not. I'm not sure what I will make with the second skein of yarn. I'll decide once I do a swatch. I'm leaning towards a scarf, or cowl and fingerless mitts.

It's Been Quite The Time

Yesterday was my birthday. Since I only work until noon on Friday I decided to take advantage of the situation and spend the afternoon at The Purple Purl. When I got there Robbie gave me these. Aren't they just gorgeous? They're purple Calalilies. I am going to leave DH in charge of caring for them because if it is left up to me I'll end up killing them.
After some knitting Miko walked in with this. Since I'm trying to eat more healthy I didn't want a cake. Jennifer had asked me what I wanted and I said I can have melon. This is the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen and the fruit was delicious, not just nice to look at.


I can't even put into words how much fun I had. I got tons of knitting time in. I'm almost finished with the second Sweet Dreams Baby blanket. Then I just cracked up as Amy serenaded us with a song she wrote. I just love her uke. It's small but it has really nice sound.

I am so lucky to have a husband that didn't mind me spending my birthday away from home. It really was the best birthday. I didn't go overboard with spending either. I just bought 2 skeins of Tanis laceweight yarn that I've been drooling over for way too long and figured what better time to bring it home than my birthday.

Today I spent the day up at Gemini Fibres taking an exotic fibre spinning class. We played with camel, silk and alpaca. I didn't bring my wheel with me because I wasn't feeling too well this morning so I used the Schacht Lady Bug they had at the shop. I tell you, it took every ounce of strength I had not to put a down payment on that wheel. It is a dream to spin and we really got along. The only thing I don't like are the hooks. I might get over that you never know. I really want that wheel but it will have to wait. These are two small skeins I managed to spin. The one on top is pure alpaca that was in roving form (I think) and the other was stuff we combed and had some silk blended with it.
Paul, Joseph, and I were going to go to Montana's for dinner tonight but I am so dizzy we are going to put it off to tomorrow. I'm not happy that Bonamine is no longer available in Canada. Now to figure out what else I can take when I have an attack since I can't take Gravol. Tomorrow I get to wear the birthday hat at Montanas since I promised Joseph I would. Pictures to follow. I'm sure I will look like a complete dork. Oh well, you only live once.

2 Weeks Really?

Has it really been 2 weeks since I posted last? I think I've been twittering too much and spending a lot more time out of the house. Now that the weather has warmed up I've been taking advantage of the situation and going to the Purple Purl whenever I can. Thankfully, I haven't been buying stuff every time I've been there but I did manage to buy this yarn when I was there on Friday for the Knitty Yarn Roundtable. It's Araucania Ruca and believe it or not it's 100% sugar cane. The yarn is made in Italy and it is so soft. I need to make something for my neck that I can wear at the office so the AC vent doesn't give me a soar neck/shoulder.

On the knitting front, I've finished a dress and started another one. The Little Sister's Dress is done and I've started the Vine Flower dress by Anne Hanson. I finished the first of the Sweet Dreams Baby blankets and I am almost finished with the first star section on the second blanket. I still have to block the pink one but at least the knitting is done.

A friend that went to MDSW picked up two new Golding spindles for me. They are both gorgeous but I've been so busy trying to get some knitting done I haven't had a chance to even try them. I know they will spin like a dream just like my other Golding spindles.

In non knitting news, DH surprised me with an iPod Touch. Now that the wi-fi is all set up, let's just say I've become slightly (well maybe a little more than slightly) obsessed. I'm getting used to the keypad and using the different applications that came with it and those that I've added. It's a lot of fun. The only draw back is it cuts into my knitting time a little but then so does blogging.

Tomorrow is Mother's day and we're off to see my MIL. Can't wait for the day to be over. As I've said before it's not my favourite day of the year. However, Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there.

Another Frolic Come & Gone

It's amazing how you can look forward to something for an entire year and now, poof, it's over.

I had a great time. I did finish the vest in time. I went to The Purl after work and finished the neck/front border. Then I * knit the armhole border, sewed up the side seam and repeat from * The last end was tucked in 10 minutes before the store closed.

I am not even going to embarrass myself by posting pictures of everything I got. Suffice it to say it was a lot. I had ordered some stuff from various vendors prior to the frolic and asked them to bring it so I could save on shipping. For example, I ordered the SMALL size Hiya Hiya needles from 1.75mm down to .70mm from Red Bird Knits and she brought it for me. I ordered the 1000 Japanese stitch dictionary and got that at the frolic. Aside from the preordered stuff I bought some sock yarn and lace yarn. Oceanwind Knits was the first stop and I only bought 1 skein of lace yarn. Then I picked up the pink version of the Jordana Paige Knitter's satchel that I asked The Needle Emporium to bring for me. You get the idea so I think I'll stop there. Now to find a safe place for the very thin knitting needles so they won't get totally bent out of shape.

I should add, I also took a class with Debbie New. She's the author of Unexpected Knitting. I took a class on Labyrinth Knitting and boy was it fun. I have to see if I can make a blanket for someone using this technique. If I get the blanket alright then I can try for other designs.

Getting There

I spent most of the day at The Purple Purl yesterday trying to get as much knitting time in as possible. I finished the back of the vest late Friday night and cast on the left front right away. The left front is further along than in this picture and the front picture is the closest to the actual colour of this yarn. I'm now up to the neckline decreases and I am hoping I can finish this front today or tomorrow. I'll be very happy once all knitting is done.

I Think It's Growing

Due to some unforseen circumstances at work, I managed to get a little more knitting time in this week than I thought. Hence, I now have about 20" of the back completed and just 9 more to go. I should be able to get the back done by tomorrow and then start the first front. I am beginning to think I might actually get this done in time for the frolic next Saturday. There is hope.

Pretty Pleased With Myself

This past Saturday when I was at the Purl I discovered I had a mistake in the first floral repeat. I ripped out the sts and decided to try and fix it but I was rushed because I had to leave. Instead I put the sts on a holder and fixed it when I got home. Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of the mess but I did manage to get the mistake fixed and knitted back up and I didn't have to rip back all the rows. This is the first time I've been able to fix a mistake in lace like that. I think part of the reason I was able to do it is because each flower is individual and I've knit this pattern so many times I just know it through and through by now. The only thing is the sts on the left side of where it was fixed has a space as you can see but I am hoping that will all go away when the blanket is blocked.

Lots of Knitting, No FOs.

I've managed to get quite a bit of knitting in lately. Unfortunately, I don't really have much to show for it. I am working on the third stitch pattern on the shawl I am designing but I've had to put that aside for a while so I can think about my options and let everything digest.

I am halfway through the second set of stars in the Sweet Dreams Baby Blanket for Leah but I didn't take it with me yesterday when I went to the Purl. It's getting larger and I didn't want to take it out of the house. So, I decided to start the blanket for Adam. I'm doing the same blanket as for Leah but I am using a much thicker yarn. The yarn is Patons Country Style DK that I had in my stash. I'm surprised it's DK. It looks more like a worsted weight. I'm using 5.50mm needles and this is what I managed to do yesterday while at the Purl. I have to put this aside for a little while as well.

The reason I have to put it aside is to knit this. The pattern is called Naomi and it is from The Mirasol Collection - Book 5 by Jane Ellison. The yarn is Nuna and even though the picture doesn't look like it, the colour is teal. This is what I've managed to knit today. I did the swatch this morning and had to wait for it to dry before I could measure and cast on. Tis needs to be done by the Knitter's Frolic so no matter how you look at it I'm going to be knitting my fingers to the bone and even then I am not sure I'll get it done. I have less than 2 weeks. The back has 145 sts and I have to knit it to 29 inches on 3.5mm needles. I'm beginning to wonder what I might have gotten myself into. I just don't want to disappoint but I will do the best I can and that is all I can do.

On that note, it's back to knitting for me.

Attempting To Design

Things have been busy around here as always. Today the weather is just horrible. It's been raining all day. I wish it would just stop. I've had enough of it.

The good part about rain, however, is that you don't feel guilty when you're not out in the warm sunshine. I've taken advantage of the nasty weather to make more progress on the design I've been working on. Last week I took a shawl design class at The Purple Purl. The instructor was Amy Singer of Knitty fame. The class was two consecutive Thursday's. Well I spent 5 days going through stitch dictionaries trying to find patterns I like and then just picked 3 diamond shaped motifs I liked. The class was on either triangular or rectangular shawls but I wanted to do square. It is, after all, just 4 triangles no?

This is the progress I've made so far. I am in the middle of the second stitch motif and I've almost completed 2 repeats. I think I am going to do at least another half repeat if not an entire repeat. I'll decide when I finish the second. As I look at the picture, I'm not sure if I like the 4 rounds of st st that divide the two stitch motifs either. I am not sure if I should have just done 2. I will make a final decision on that once I get the knitting done on this one and block it.

Blame It On Twitter

I know I've been silent lately. You can blame it on Twitter. If you want to find me there I'm here. It's been a little easier to find the time to type something simple there than find the time to take pictures and post here.

Believe it or not, I have been knitting. I am more than halfway through clue 4 of the Mandala shawl. If you remember, I had to rip it back because I had not read the pattern through. If you look at the picture I posted and compare it to this one, you can really see the difference the beginning of the round shifts make. I am really happy with the way this is working up and as for theyarn, well it's cashmere. Need I say more?

I took a break for a few days to make something for a friend. I can't blog about it yet but I will soon. They were quick knits but I have hardly touched the shawl much over the last week. It's a combination of being too tired at night and then the surprise gift I did knit on Friday and yesterday. Now to head back to the knitting before we leave for our weekly visit to the in-laws to get the laundry done.

I Think I'm Losing It

I think I'm losing it. As I posted last time, I started the Manada shawl. I got to clue 3 yesterday and hit a snag. When I received an email from Renee, I realized what the snag was. I don't know how to read. That's my problem. If I knew how to read I would have seen where the pattern states that shaded rounds are where the beginning of the round shifts. Instead, I just figured it was for beads and happily knit away. What you see here is the result. I frogged it to a spot where I could easily pick up the sts and am now in the middle of knitting chart 1 again. When will I ever learn to read a pattern through before I begin? The problem is, when I do that I usually just get confused so I don't bother. Here is a good example of why I need to change that habit.

After this disaster, I realized something else. On February 21st Shannon, and I went to Kimberly's for a spin in. I didn't get very far because I didn't like the way Lily was treadling. It felt ackward and I'd never had that experience before. Ok, I figured the wheel needed oiling so I oiled where the thing goes round and round under the treadles. It didn't help and when one of the singles of the yarn I was trying to ply broke I just gave up and chatted instead of trying to rejoin. Today (over a week later) it dawned on me that I NEVER OILED THE TREADLE HINGES!!!! Once again, I think I might have lost it. Once I get caught up on the shawl I am going to have to pull out Lily and see if oiling the hinges will solve the problem. I was really upset by the treadle trouble but silly me didn't say anything to anyone. The Little Gem has never given me this trouble before. Now I am pretty sure it was the hinges. As Esther on The Golden Girls said "Senility is a terrible thing." It sure is.

Back With Some Knitting Content

I finished clue 6a on the Vernal Equinox Spring Surprise and the second Regia Galaxy sock so I decided to knit Mandala next. So far I've knit clue 1A and 2C. I am currently working on 3A. The yarn is Ecco Cashmere that I bought at The Purple Purl when they had their pre-boxing day sale. The yarn is so soft and yummy to knit with I can't believe it. I've knit with alpaca and merino but I think this is the softest by far of anything I have ever had the pleasure to run through my fingers.

Rant Coming... No Knitting Content Today - Feel Free To Skip

I just have to get this off my chest or I think I am going to burst.

As some of you may know, I am a big woman. I have been for most of my life. The battle began after puberty and never left me.

I've done the diet yo yo and had success and put it back. I had some wonderful success about 8 or 9 years ago and was at my lowest weight in a very long time. I am NOT going to make excuses but then I was diagnosed with cancer and the spiral began anew. I have tried a few times since to get things under control but even then it's been up and down and back up again.

It seems to me that lately I've been asked too many times if I'm on any plan. Today I was asked by my boss's sister "How's the weight going." First, I don't recall ever talking to her about it and even if I did, that isn't something to ask someone when you are not close and you haven't spoken to in at least 9 months. Where the hell does she get off?

My weight is my business. It is up to me when or IF I decide I am going to do something about it. I am sick to death of it and I don't want to hear it anymore from ANYONE!!! It doesn't help me when I am asked the question. If you don't like my weight than don't look at me. Don't be my friend. Do whatever you want just LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE WHEN IT COMES TO MY WEIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Way back in November I preordered the new Addi Click needles. After waiting for what seemed like forever, I FINALLY received the set yesterday. I gave them a trial run last night. Overall I am quite impressed. The cords are extremely flexible. I was a little worried about the "learning curve" I'd read about but it was nothing. Once I read the pamplet that came with the needles on how to assemble it was really quite easy. The packaging is top notch. Something you would expect from Addi. There is a connector that you can use to connect two cords so if you need longer lengths you have that option. It even comes with a needle gauge so if the stamps on the needles rub off you will have the gauge right there. If I had one wish it would be that it came with more cords. I am waiting for them to sell tips and cords separately. Other than that I can't say enough good things about the set. I'm glad I preordered even though there was a very long wait. With the current exchange rate the prices here in Canada have increased. That's what it looks like anyway based on checking out some different sites.

On the knitting front, I got the next clue for the Vernal Equinox Spring Surprise Shawl. I started it last night and I should be done with it tonight. After this clue is done there is only one more left. Then blocking and deciding where it is going to go. My granddaughter loves pink and I am thinking I might send it to her to use when she is cold in the house.

I started a pair of socks from some Regia Galaxy yarn I had in my stash. I finished the first sock in two days and then started the second. I thought I would get it done on Sunday. I was working on the gusset when I realized I had a mistake and I ripped back to the end of the increases for the toe. Surprisingly enough I was able to knit back all that I had ripped by the time the laundry was done. Now I put it aside while I finish clue 6a on the shawl. After that's done I don't know what I want to start. Decisions decisions.

February 15, 2009

Tomorrow is Family Day in Ontario and I am lucky enough to have the day off. I decided to take advange of the situation and hang out at The Purple Purl today. I wasn't going to buy anything but they got in these new project bags and I just loved the pattern on the material so I decided to get it. I also bought the new IK and Piecework magazine.

I was able to knit for hours and therefore I was able to start and finished clue 5 of the Vernal Equinox Shawl Surprise. I was a little worried it might be too big and the designer said if you are worried about that stop before clue 5. I decided clue 5 isn't that big so I went ahead and completed it. Now that that's done I don't really have another WIP so I have to figure out what I want to knit next. I can't believe I have no clue what I want to start.

Happy Valentine's Day

First, Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

I finished the crochet off on the Trollblume doily just after midnight and it is now blocking. I have to say I love the way it looks I just wish there wasn't so much puckering where you have the knit 7 together. It's to be expected I suppose and maybe it will look different once I remove the pins and it has dried.