Lots To Report

I have finally completed my Campanula socks. By the time I was done I sort of got the pattern but I still had to glance at the chart for each round to make sure I did not make a mistake.

The yarn I used is Tofutsie and I don't like this yarn at all. I don't think I will be using it again for anything, much less socks. I don't think these socks are going to hold their shape like they would if I had used something like wool. I will knit this pattern again one of these days in a solid colour wool yarn.


Maybe I'll use the gorgeous purple colour sock yarn I received from my ISE5 partner, Jennifer. She sent me an amazing scarf. How did she know that after lace, aran is my next favourite kind of patterns to knit? Just look at everything. It all came in a Christmas shopping bag that I couldn't fit in the picture. The yarn is in a great yarn holder that has holes at the sides to feed the yarn through. This will protect the yarn from falling out and rolling all over the place. I can see it coming in very handy when I am flying to NY at the end of this month.

I love the gift tags, picture bookmark, magnetic list (will come in very handy when I am doing the shopping list), tea that I can't wait to try, hand cream, great snow flakes for the tree, and a manicure kit. Jennifer REALLY must have been reading my mind with that one because for days I have been telling myself I have to go buy a metal nail file and there is one in there so now I don't have to worry about it anymore. How telepathic is that?

I also got around to blocking the mystery stole 3 aka Swan Lake Stole this weekend. I have blocking wires and as soon as I figure out where I hid them I am going to block this stole again. I don't like the marks that are left from the pins but you can still see the overall beauty of this stole. I have a very difficult time bending over the bed trying to pin this and I wouldn't have managed to do it without Paul's help. When my back couldn't do it anymore he took over. I wasn't sure I would like the wing part but in the end I do.

November 5th Already?

It is unbelievable to me that more than a week has flown by since I last posted. I know that November is National Blog Posting Month and here it's November 5th and this is my first post. In my defense, I guess life has been way too hectic. I'm working on something that I can't really blog about right now but I'll have more about that later in the year.

Saturday was the most fun day. I met Shannon early in the morning and headed up to Gemini Fibres for their carding class. The instructor was Wendy Whelan. I've had the privilege to take a few of her classes and they are always great. Shannon is all set and ready to go. Always bubbly and always fun. It was great having her along in the car for the drive back and forth. Thank you Shannon for joining me.

Amazing Maggie met us at Gemini. I am in such awe of her talents. Her spinning is amazing. I can't even put into words how wonderful she is at dyeing fibre and yarn. Once again, she didn't disappoint at the class. She did an amazing job of blending her colours.


Speaking of blending, look at all the colours. There was a cool set and warm set of red, yellow, and blue that we used to blend and make other colours. 50% red and 50% yellow, weighed to make sure they weighed the same, and blended to make orange, etc. We did a colour triangle of 9 colours and we had white and black to make tints and shades. Once I get my triangle together I'll post pictures. Don't hold your breath. Too much in the wings that has to get done first.

I also managed to buy the last thing I wanted to send to my ISE5 partner and another goodie for my SP11 partner while at Gemini. I am hoping that package to my ISE5 partner will go out tomorrow. Now I just have to find a box to put everything in. The package for my SP11 partner has to go out a little later in the month. This is the big reveal package so I hope she will be happy with all my choices. I have one more thing to pick up, hopefully tomorrow, and then that package will be ready to go as well.

On the non knitting front, the doctor changed the antibiotics. I've been taking Sulfatrim since the end of June. I guess the infection isn't clearing up as quickly as the doctor would like so he's switched me to Macrobid. I HATE that stuff. I am struggling with it but it's only been a day and a half and I am hoping my system will adjust. On a positive note, I'm not paying homage to the porcelain queen like I did the first and only time I took this stuff about 14 years ago. It has made me more dizzy but so did the Sulfatrim and that got better in a few days. I am just keeping my fingers crossed that the same will happen with the new stuff.

Puzzle Unraveled

I have been busy all week trying to get the scarf for my ISE5 partner worked out. The pattern is from Let's Knit Series 3. It's on page 25, I think. When I saw this pattern I just knew I had to make it for my ISE exchange. I was going to use the elann.com 100% aplaca but it didn't work. Instead I am using Schoeller Esslinger Merino Soft. I'm pleased to say that since the two knots in less than 6 inches, I have not encountered another knot in the other 2 balls I have used so far. I'm about to wind another ball and I might need one more after that to complete the edging. I have to admit I am very pleased with the results so far. I just hope my ISE partner will feel the same way. I really do need to thank everyone on the Knitting In Japan Yahoo group. I never would have been able to get this scarf done without them. I am now in the middle of chart D. I've changed the way the pattern tells you to do it. You're supposed to work chart D in that hollowed out section between B and C and then pick up the stitches at the beginning of C until you get around to the next "hollow/arc" section. All sts are supposed to remain live on the needle. Since I've made this scarf longer than it stated (15 sections instead of 9) I didn't want all those sts to get in my way as I worked around. So I am casting off D instead and using single crochet around B till I get to the next D chart. Confused? I think it will be a lot better for me this way. I hope I can get all the D sections done today and then finish this scarf either today or tomorrow.

Yesterday I went to The Black Lamb to change the drive wheel on my Little Gem. The drive wheel that was on the wheel when I bought it was warped and very wobbly so Laurie ordered a new one for me. The drive was much more pleasant that I thought it was going to be. As many of you know, I am not a fan of driving even though I do it all the time. I left home just after 9. I got to Laurie just after 10 and left around 11:45 and was home just after 1 (with a stop at wally world) You would not believe the amount of fibre I saw there. Incredible. You know the saying "The one who has the most yarn wins," well Laurie wins in the fibre department. I can't go there and come home empty handed. I bought 3 bags of pencil roving. The one on top is lipstick the other one is a gorgeous olive green and the one on the right is an off white/taupe colour. I could have bought much more but I also bought a cone of merino/nylon in off white for some baby blankets I have to do so I was maxed out by the time I left. The wheel is working great now. I just have to be able to stay awake at night so I can get more time to spin, knit and anything else I want to do to relax and have fun.