Mr. Peacock

The best part about NaKnitMo is all the knitting I seem to be getting done. The bad part, the spinning is suffering. I haven't really had much spinning time with all the knitting. Last night I finished this Peacock facecloth. The edging is different thatn the pattern calls for. I honestly don't remember where the edging came from. I saw someone make it when I was still on the knit list. I didn't design the edging and therefore can take no credit for it. I like it much better than the edging Medrith did.

I have knit this facecloth many times but I haven't knit it in quite a few years so it was almost like visiting it for the first time. The pattern was originally from an old issue of Workbasket, I believe. Then Medrith Glover redid it. It's really magical. The knitting can be fiddly and not for the novice but it's still great fun. There is a "square" version in The Lacy Knitting of Mary Schiffmann. I knit that version as well when the book first came out but I was never quite happy with how the peacock looked off centre when you tried to square off the doily. Now I want to see if there is a way to make this lovely peacock into a shawl. I have some ideas kicking around in my brain. I'm not sure if it will work or not. Time will tell.

I also finished these socks for my BIL. He's been driving me nuts to make socks for him for years. When my MIL was in the hospital all he did was keep asking me when he would get his socks. I gave in and started these socks. The pattern is Colosseum, I believe. It was one of the socks from the Sockamania club but then it was called No Name Socks. The yarn is Brunswick Nylamb that I had in my stash. This sock yarn is so soft. It's softer than most other sock yarn I've used. The problem is the colour. It is really really difficult to knit these things with my old eyes. If I every make socks from this yarn again, and I probably will since I have more chocolate and black yarn in my stash, it's going to have to be a st st pattern where I don't have to really look at the pattern and keep track of anything. I don't plan on knitting another men's pair of socks in the near future. The feet are too long and it seems like it takes forever to knit even though I finished these socks in about 2 weeks.

I put the spinning aside for a few days to work on a pair of socks. These are the September Sockamania Club socks. The pattern is called Hot Air Balloons. The yarn, unfortunately, doesn't really show of the pattern but it was a fun knit and I am glad I did them. The amazing part for me is that I started these on Sunday and finished them last night. That's 3 days to knit a pair of socks! I don't think I have ever knit a pair that fast before.



I know that there will be other knitting obligations coming up tomorrow but, for now, I think I am going to spin tonight. I finished the first bobbin of Louet merino/silk I've been working on. The second bobbin is going to take me at least two weeks to finish if not longer depending on how much spinning time I get in.



Saturday I spent the day up at Gemini Fibres for their spin in event. I had such a blast!! We were 6 people in all. 3 of the ladies had the Lendrum folding wheel, two of us had the Schacht Ladybug and one lady had the Louet Hatbox wheel. I've never seen this wheel before. It is as cute as can be but I don't think I would feel comfortable spinning on it with the orifice being so low down. After seeing it I can see where there wheel got its name. It really does look like a hatbox when it is packed away.



I didn't come home empty handed either but I wasn't as bad as I could have been. I bought some cotton punis, Ashford merino/silk fibre and another spindle. After I was done I thought that was it but I decided to get a new set of hand carders. I like the fact that the Schacht cotton carders are wider than the Louets and the teeth are closer together. The only thing I didn't like is that the carders are heavier than the Louet. I was also looking at the Clemes cotton carders but I didn't like the way they were finished off. The width and amount of teeth are identical to the Schacht but the Schacht looked like they were better made so I ended up bring them home. Now I have a bunch of cotton I have to card into punis when I have the time.



The charkha spinning is coming along slowly. I'm beginning to get the hang of one handed drafting. I just can't get it as fine as I'd like. I know that like everything else that will come with practice and time.

ETA: I can't believe I wrote this post over a week ago and never posted it.

Startitis?

You know the problem with working on a big project? It takes a while before you can see progress. I was hoping to get the Evergreen section of the Magickal Earth shawl done this weekend. I am now in the middle of the second set of trees so I only have about 12 rounds left before I hit the unicorn section. It doesn't pay to take pictures until the evergreen section is completed.

I think I also had a bit of startitis this weekend. I started two new projects. That's the reason I didn't get the evergreen trees section finish on the shawl. The picture on the left is the first sock from the December Sockamania Club sock. The pattern is called Cables & Lace. Because of the way the heel looks with the cable going all the way down the heel flap, I've decided to do these socks from the top down. I don't usually do that but I am giving it a shot. I'm also using 2.5mm needles right now but I might switch to the 2.75mm needles after I finish the current pattern repeat. The yarn is from Maggie.

On the right is a pattern I found through Ravelry. It's called Shrimy Cowl and it's designed by Sue Adie. I am not sure if there is an error in the pattern or not but I cast on 132 sts and not 131. I also think that even though the pattern states CB4, CF4, from the picture on her bloc I think she did CF4 and then CB4. I am doing it CB4, CF4 and I still like the way it is knitting up.. The yarn is a DK weight Misti Alpaca and it is so soft. I'm just going to keep knitting until the skein of yarn has just enough to cast off and that's it. I should be able to wear it by Wednesday, I hope.

Final Day of NaBloPoMo

It's hard to believe that today is November 30th and the final day of NaBloPoMo. Where did the month go? It just flew by.

I finished the Get Fruity socks last night. I think if I knit these again I will do one more repeat on the leg and then do a 2x2 ribbing. I do like the pattern. The yarn is yummy. It's fingering sock yarn I bought from Maggie. I used size 2mm Knit Picks Options 32 inch circular needles and did the socks from the toe up using the magic loop method.

Now that the November socks are done I am back to working on the Magickal Earth shawl. I'm still doing the Evergreen Trees section. It's coming along slowly and I am enjoying working on it.

Day 27 of NaBloPoMo

First, I'd like to wish a very Happy Thanksgiving to all that are celebrating.

Last night I finished the first of the Sockamania November socks. I will start the second sock in a little while and then it will be a mad rush to see if I can finish it by Sunday night. For a simple zig zag patter that goes on the back of the foot, I just couldn't seem to remember the pattern in my head. What makes it even worse is that it is really only 2 pattern rows because the first is repeated for 4 pattern rounds and the second is repeated for 4 pattern rounds. So why can't my thick head remember it? I can do the Forest Path Stole without even glancing at the chart. After a few repeats of the edging for the Magickal Earth shawl I was able to remember it in my head as well. Yet these 2 simple lines just wouldn't go in. Maybe it will happen when I knit the second sock.

Day 26 of NaBloPoMo

It’s almost the end of the month and I feel the month is going to end the same way it began – with me having fits over Joseph’s school work. Yesterday he had detention AFTER school because he didn’t hand in any more units. His TA has told him he basically needs to get 2 signatures every 3 days or he gets detention. He hasn’t done it. I’ve already taken away his x-box. What else do I need to do to see to it he does his work? I am fresh out of ideas. When Joseph’s TA called, to let me know he wouldn’t be leaving school until 4:00PM, I almost cried when I hung up the phone. I don’t like Joseph having to go through all this. Even his TA knows he is a good kid and capable of doing the work. It’s just how to get him to do it. I asked that exact question and was told that taking away all privileges usually works. Since that didn’t work then he believes detention should. I’ve got my fingers crossed because I don’t know what to do next. I’m open to ideas if anyone has had similar problems and managed to get it sorted out. On the one positive note of the day yestesterday, Joseph did get 100% on his French test.

I managed to get some great knitting time in yesterday because it was snb night. I finished the heel on the first of the Sockamania November socks. I can finish this sock by Thursday. I am going to put the shawl aside so I can see if I can get the second sock done before the end of the month. It should be interesting. I think I can do it because I only work until noon on Friday and then I have Saturday and Sunday. Should be a piece of cake, I hope.

Day 19 of NaBloPoMo

Where has the time gone? I feel old. I remember when my brother's wife gave birth to the twins. Now Baruch is engaged. Here is my brother Menachem and my dad with Baruch on the left and Shmuel on the right. I still can't tell them apart but believe it or not they are not identical twins. According to the tests that were done when the boys were born they are fraternal twins. Makes sense I guess since my dad has a twin sister.

I am very bad with names and I couldn't spell it so I am just going to call her the bride to be with my dad.

This is my brother with his wife Chana and the twins. This time Shmuel is on the left and Baruch is on the right. Mazal Tov Baruch. I wish you and your bride to be all the happiness in the world.
I did manage to stick to my plan of getting two repeats of the edging done. So I am now in the middle of repeat 36, I think. That means I only have a dozen more to go, HOORAY! I am going to be so relieved when the border is done. I do have to say that it is going faster than it did the first time I did this. The last time it took me months and months. For some reason, I couldn't remember the pattern in my head and it was so tedious to do. This time it's going a lot faster but still not as fast as I would have liked. That's the price you have to pay when you have work everyday.

I started the gusset on the socks and should get to the heel tonight.

Day 18 of NaBloPoMo

Paul and I went and bought a new microwave. The old one we bought when I was pregnant with Joseph so it's close to 14 years ago. It was making some funny noises so we figured it would be better to get it now before the other one broke down completely. The new one has a broil in it just like on the top of regular ovens. I can't wait to actually have something I want to grill so I can try it out.

As I said before, I started the Sockamania November sock on Sunday. This is the progress I have made so far. The yarn is sock yarn I bought from Maggie. The yarn is so soft and easy to work with. I'm getting used to the pattern now. After the heel the pattern is different on the front and back of the sock. What I am trying to do is get one or two repeats of the edging done per day and then get some knitting done on the sock. I am still hoping I can get the pair done before the end of the month.

I've completed 35 repeats of the edging now so that means there's only 13 more to go. If I can do 2 repeats per day I should have the edging done by the end of next week and finally get the ends grafted together and proceed with picking up those 1,152 sts.

Day 17 of NaBloPoMo

To celebrate the first birthday at The Purl they had 30% off all purple yarn. Since purple is my favourite colour I couldn't resist getting some purple yarn. Originally I had only bought the Dye-Versions Bamboo Sport (shown on the left), and the Fibra Natura Yummy sock yarn. Then Sandra threw her mitten at me and I couldn't believe how soft they were. She made a pair of mittens and a cowl out of the Misti Alpaca. I hesitated for just a little bit before I bought 2 so I can knit a cowl and fingerless mitts.

I did manage to get to 33 repeats completed on the edging for the shawl. That's a bit surprising because I had a wee bit of a tumble on Saturday and when I hit the floor I used the palm of my right hand to break the fall. I iced it for a while and the swelling was so so by the time I got home. I iced it again after I got home. Now it's just turning some really funky colours. I was able to knit after the ice applications and did knit to the end of repeat 33 on Saturday. Yesterday I started the November Sockamania club sock pattern. I'm using some hand dyed yarn I bought from Maggie of Dyed in the Wool Handmade. I'm almost ready to start the gussett and will take pictures to show tomorrow.

NaBloPoMo Begins

It's hard to believe it's already November. I tried NaBloPoMo last year but I wasn't officially signd up. This year I've officially signed up and maybe it will be what I need to get back into posting more regulary.

Lots has happened since my last post. It's been trying times. Teenagers can be a challenge. Joseph is having his challenges with the "self directed learning" that is Mary Ward. I came down on him hard this week when I found out he hasn't exactly been forthcoming with his units. Paul and I are meeting h is TA on Monday and he has until Monday to make sure he is all caught up. Unit 4 is due this week as well and now that I have a better understanding of how things work I will be able to monitor him more closely to make sure he doesn't fall behind again.

I wish people would just GET A DAMN JOB instead of trying to defraud people out of their meager earnings. Last Saturday I found out my bank card had been compromised YET AGAIN!! The thing I find so frustrating about all this is that when it happens they don't tell you where it is you used your card that the compromising took place. They claim they don't know. The police don't tell them because it might hamper the police investigation. Well I am sick and tired of having my bank card compromised. It has happened too many times and this time they actually managed to get money out of my account even though I ALWAYS protect my pin. When I went to get my card replace, yet again, the asshole at the bank told me "if it is happening to you so many times maybe you should stop using it where it is being compromised." Well I would asshole if I knew where that place was. I don't use the card at the gas station. I stopped that the first time it happened. I don't use it at random ATM machines. I only use it at the bank machine when I make a deposit. I'm beginning to believe that is where it is happening.

Yesterday I received a phone call from a credit card company telling me about a platinum Master Card and she asked me to verify my address. No problem there. When she asked me to verify my date of birth I said nope. She thought I was nuts. I told her I have had enough of fraud and there is no way I am confirming any personal information. She said that she could guarantee she is legit and give me a number where I could call her back. I told her to forget it and anything she had for me she could send in the mail. There was no way I was going to confirm anything for her and then I hung up the phone.

On the knitting front, for the first time in a very long time I finished the October Sockamania club socks on time. This pattern is called Scroll Socks. The socks are knit from the toe up even though the pattern was written cuff down. I used Patons Stretch Socks in the mineral colourway and 2mm needles. This is the second time I've used this yarn and I am surprisingly pleased with it. I'm not a fan of most things Patons these days especially their sock yarn because I feel the Kroy pills to easily. I washed the other pair I knit once and it bounced back to it's shape rather nicely and looked ok after the washing.

Socks Socks Socks

After only knitting lace since the beginning of the year I've now gone back to socks, socks, socks. I took a brief hiatus from finishing the Sockamania club socks in January and February while I knit the shawl I still have to block and the Niebling doily. I finished the second January sock last week. The yarn is Knit Picks in a discontinued colour. I can't remember what the name is. I used 2mm Options needles.



This past Thursday I cast on the March sock. I finished the second Simply Cables sock tonight. I used a merino / seacell blend that I bought from Maggie. The colour is called Afternoon Tea. I am very happy with the socks. I just love this yarn and the sheen the seacell brings.



Thanks to the long weekend, not only did I finish the first of the Simply Cable socks and complete more than half of the second sock, I also cast on the first sock I'm knitting for Maggie to display when she does the Knitter's Frolic next month. I could do any pattern I wanted. Maggie provided the yarn. I've wanted to knit Los Monos Locos for a while so that's the pattern I chose. The first sock is almost at the cuff. I love the way they are working up. It's difficult for purple to show up properly in pictures I take. If I try to use the flash it looks more blue.



Once this pair is done I am going to go back to spinning. I received the replacement part for my wheel but I'll have more on that tomorrow.

I finished the snowflake socks on Sunday. Life has been so hectic I never got around to taking pictures. I am very pleased with the final result. I know the snowflakes are not as noticeable as they would be if I had used another colour but this works for me. I used Stahl sock yarn in a blue denim colour. I used 32 cm, 2mm Knit Picks Harmony needles and worked my socks with the magic loop method.

Ripples Complete

Once Sparkle was all dressed, I turned my attention back to sock number two of the Sockamania November sock. This pattern is called Ripples. Yarn used is some of Maggie's hand dyed yarn from Dyed in the Wool Handmade. The colour is Hanging Baskets. I worked the pattern from the toe up and changed the top by added a 3x3 ribbing. I tried to cast off without it and it just didn't fit right. This way it's much better.

Next up, I have to finish a project from yarn gifted by Kimberly. Knit another scarf like the scarf I did for my ISE partner, and finally two babies are due any second so I think I am going to forget about the blankets and do either Tulip or Rocketry depending on the sex of the babies. I don't think I am going to do a colour version. It will take too long to knit up. Once the little ones arrive I'll decide on yarn. For now, I'll get started on that second scarf, since I can knit that practically from memory and not have to concentrate on charts.

Ripples

I've started my Ripples sock, the November sock from the Sockamania Club. There isn't much progress but here is what I've done so far. The pattern is done cuff down so I've changed it to toe up. I don't usually do top down socks anymore because when I do kitchener stitch my hands hurt. I can't explain why that is, it just is. The yarn is hand dyed yarn from Maggie at Dyed In The Wool Handmade. It's called Hanging Baskets. So far, I am very pleased with the way they are working up and they are so soft. I might have a problem knitting some other sock yarn in my stash now.

Last night was Friday night and I'm trying to go back to Friday night spinning. Not a heck of a lot of spinning went on here last night. I was so tired I conked out in my chair after just a piddly little amount of spinning was done. I'm going to spin this morning instead of knitting to make up for lost time. I'm off to Mt. Albert and Keswick later today. I have a lazy kate to pick up at Gemini Fibres and then off to Maggie's for more goodies.

Shannon has blogged about her colour triangle from our carding class. Boy does it look good. I have to get my ass into gear and get mine done. Maybe I'll manage that this weekend.

Life is way too busy these days - open houses for high schools, confirmation meetings that were just a waste of time. I tell you I'll be a complete nut job (more than I already am) by the time this school year is over and done with. Then I get to have fun dealing with Joseph in high school. I'm still not ready for that but it's coming ready or not and will be here before I turn around, YIKES!

Prize Received

As many of you know by now, I am in the Sockamania Club. Each month wonderful Anni comes up with a great sock design. If you finish the sock by the end of the month your name is entered into a "hat" for a prize. Well I won for completing my September socks!! I was able to choose anything from Anni's esty shop. My yarn arrived yesterday and I couldn't be more pleased. It's laceweight yarn. It looks like it's single ply. Now all I have to do is figure out the yarn wants to become.

Thank you Anni once again. I love the club and the yarn is just the icing on the cake.

Socks

I needed a break from trying to figure out the scarf pattern. I don't want to get so frustrated with it that I end up hated the thing. I really like the look of the pattern. Tomorrow I am going to ask one of the teacher's in Joseph's school for help. I'm told she reads Japanese so maybe she can translate some stuff for me.

October is Socktoberfest. Yesterday also marked the beginning of Sock Wars II. I thought I had joined. This was going to be my first attempt because last year I didn't hear about it until it was too late. This time I missed the post where I was supposed to reply that I was still in so I got booted. It's my fault but all things happen for a reason and it was probably for the best. I've got so much on my plate right now, I guess this is one less thing I have to worry about.

Since I didn't have a Sock Wars sock to work on, I decided to finish the Sockamania Club socks for October. These are named Elegance. They are knit in Lang JaWoll Cotton in colour 54. They are knit from the toe up and I added a k3, p3 ribbing after 7 repeats of the cable pattern because I prefer to have a ribbing on my cuffs.

Now I am going to finish the second On Line sock and knit an entrelac bag for Entrelactober.

Happy Thanksgiving

First, I would like to wish all those who celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow a very Happy Thanksgiving.

It has been a very productive long weekend for me so far. I spent the majority of the day yesterday plying the two bobbins I had of the Fleece Artists Merino Sliver. I can't believe how long it took me to ply. I did stop from time to time to walk and stretch but I am guessing it too me at least 4 hours to ply. When the first bobbin ran out I decided to play with navajo plying for the rest of the second bobbin. The small skein you see that is twisted is the 3 ply. I had to REALLY concentrate on slowing down my treading so the yarn wouldn't be over plied. I still think it is to a small degree but I can honestly say I am very pleased with the result. The 2 ply is drying on the noddy right now. That's the straight yarn you see in this picture. I have to admit that this is the best I have achieved so far. I am definitely going to knit something with this. I just am not sure yet. The plying and or singles still need a bit of work but this yarn is more consistent in the spinning and the plying. I honestly believe the difference in the fast whorl I got for the Little Gem. I love that whorl.

I just started spinning some pencil roving I bought from The Black Lamb at the Knitter's Fair last month. This stuff, like so much of the fibre I've gotten from Laurie, practically spins itself. I am thinking I am going to make this a singles lace weight yarn. I am interested to see how it comes out. I'll keep you posted once it's finished.

We went to my in-law's for our Thanksgiving family get together. I always have to have some knitting with me so I decided to start the October Sockamania Club socks. This month the sock is called Enchanted. I am in the middle of the gusset shaping now. I should hopefully get the first sock done tomorrow. Yarn is Lang JaWoll Cotton superwash in colour 54. The picture doesn't really do the colour justice. It is turning out much nicer than I thought it would. I've had this yarn in my stash for quite some time and this pattern was calling for this yarn.

Socks & Bags

The Noughts & Crosses socks are off the needles. The fit is great and I just love the way they turned out. Knitted with Sock It To Me Collection Essentials 4 ply. 2 - 50 gram balls and 2mm needles. It is amazing to me just how quickly these socks knit up once I finished the foot. Knitting on the subway helped as well. You can get a lot of knitting done riding on the subway. I don't do it very often because I don't work in the downtown core but when I do ride the subway there's always knitting on the go.


Why was I on the subway today you might ask? I went to pick up my Lexie Barnes bag from Lettuce Knit. The print is Baja. Just look at the amount of storage in this bag. It can fit tons of wips. It can also double as a great carry on bag when I go traveling. I just love this bag.