Finally finished, but then what?

Finished the red Naturally cardigan and it fits nicely on someone a bit smaller than the sizing indicates. Poor Brandi doesn't look hot and bothered at all - it was quite warm and then there was the adjusting of the sweater and "just hold it together at the front" because there are no buttons on it yet.

I took my turn - grinning and bearing it while Amanda took several pictures trying to not totally whack off my head or lose an entire sleeve. At least we can view, delete and retake pictures without days flying by and multiple trips to some store for prints.
Amanda really is quite good and I'm fortunate to have her help, for otherwise I'd have to set up the tripod & figure out the timer.

And my friend Ada made the trip to my house. Even though her kitchen is being renovated - well maybe "totally gutted and then, only after relentlessly micro-managing professional, grown-up, well-paid men is being put back together with excrutiating slowness" is a more apt description - Ada took the time to go down to Lettuce Knit and pick up some Lorna's Laces and Opal (from the new Rainforest collection) for me. I HATE THEM ALL!!! I put them away and out of my sight because they whisper and giggle, torturing me with their sweet promises of fun, colourful adventures and a perfect fit. Even poor SpongeBob is just about bursting out of his Square Pants at the thought of being able to carry these new treasures. He has not been of any help whatsoever in making a decision about which one should be next.
"What do you think SpongeBob?"
"That one! No ... wait ... the fishy one!! But ... Hawaii is like home ... But I like them ALLLLL!!"
See what I mean?
Anyway, I finished one green Opal sock yesterday and I find that the 2nd one seems to go faster. I am quite adamant that this pair gets finished and am determined not to waiver on this point. That gives me some time to ... hey, why don't you all let me know what you think? I mean, it's not like you can make a bad choice. I just need help making the decision. SO please leave a comment or email me with your choice!

• Opal Tiger
• Opal Flamingo
• LL Hawaii (blue/green/white)
• LL Purple Club
• Opal Tropical Fish (purple/yellow)

Okay then. I will be working diligently on the garter stitch Naturally pullover for Julie. I am almost done the front, so even as endless garter stitch seems I should be able to make short shrift of a couple of sleeves. Especially when the US Open is on TV for hours at a time and this is a long weekend.
And then ... well, that is always subject to change. Stay tuned.

Oh yeah - great news! I got the bus run!! It's a load off of my mind - it's just a high school in the morning so I will have plenty of time to drop Amanda off at her school. I will have to work something out for the afternoon, but I have a few days and that should be easier.

Life's a Day at the Beach

Now that we live only about 30 minutes from Wasaga Beach it seemed like such a shame not to take the kids. Amanda was so excited she was up at 7:30, and bless her heart, she held herself back from coming into my room until 8:30 - then she just couldn't stand it another second. And even when she woke me up it was to find out if she could start making the sandwiches or packing something. Awwwww! How could I get upset?
So I got up and started preparing. By 9:30 we were ready to go ... but I had to take Kyles bike back to the bike shop because when I paid them to put on a new rear tube, I forgot to ask that they align the tire when they put it back on. I know ... wtf was I thinking?!? So we did that (it was the opposite direction), picked up a friend of Kyles to come with us to the beach and it was a go.

Tin SpongeBob was very excited when he heard the word "beach". He quickly realized once we got there that it wasn't his native home. He couldn't smell the salt. But he quickly got into the spirit of the day and happily sat on the blanket. As much as he loves the water he takes his responsibilities as SIP Carrier very seriously and chose to stay back and watch the children from there.

I did go in and get wet, played Frisbee with Amanda when the boys abandoned her to go out as far as they could (I think it was 7 or 8 sandbars). The water was great, the sky was clear and the beach wasn't jam packed with tourists. I did spend a fair amount of time watching from a safe (dry) position, taking pictures and knitting. The sock was happy to be chosen as the "projet du jour" and we had some quality & quantity time together.
The hat - I know that you noticed it - is a ChicKnits Bucket Hat. Amanda wore hers as well - hers is pink so that we can tell them apart. I made them last summer and we love them - a great pattern, a great fit and perfect not only for the beach but bad hair days too.

The Colinette sweater has not been neglected. It has one arm attached with the next one soon to come. Tomorrow I'm driving up to my sisters (just outside of Mount Forest, ON) to pick up a sewing machine cabinet, then to my dads (Durham, ON) to get a couple boxes of my Tupperware. Now that I have room to put it I should really go get it. It's going to be exciting because I don't remember exactly what all there is! So there won't be a lot of knitting progress - too much driving where I have to be the one driving.

Always take your knitting

The allergies have stepped it up a notch so I find myself sleeping in and without much energy. I am now ready for a serious cold-snap, followed by a temperate winter. Anyway, after I hauled myself out of bed and fed the children I put up this shelf in my kitchen:
Level and everything!!

Then I took a break and caught some rays. I hardly ever just lay out and tan because it's so incredibly boring - just laying there doing nothing. But today I felt like it, so I did. It's really starting to feel like fall is in the air so I want to enjoy the nice days while I can. And it was restful because the children were playing with their friends next door and didn't come and ask me for anything. Really, it's true! Then after a nice quiet shower it was time to take them to a doctors' appointment.

They knew about this for days and I told them several times over the course of the day and they both refused/forgot to take anything (a book) to do while we waited. And it was a long one ... an hour later we got in. Amanda was quite content to play with the waiting room toys but Kyle was bored and because he was too busy playing to eat before we left was hungry enough to eat a pack of crackers that he found in the van.
You can see my sock beside Amanda - I never leave home without my "something to do". I made some great progress - turned the heel (a special king of knitting magic that still amazes me), and past the instep shaping. Straight on till the toes. And look how happy my new SpongeBob tin is to be the new SIP carrier! I got this tin from Kernels while Amanda and I waited for Kyle to have grip tape put on his Habitat deck (I know ... it's a whole new language for me too!) at West 49.
And this nice young man is Matt - grip tape replacing pro.
As much as this store is costing me in gear for Kyle, I did buy the coolest pair of kicks. They look totally awesome with handknit socks coming out of the tops.

I finished the front of Debras Colinette sweater yesterday and will start on the sleeves tonight. It's knit in seed stitch so it doesn't really need blocking out, though I will do the shoulder seams so they lay flat properly.

Babysitters, bus driving and Colinette progress

Saturday at the store was great - picked out Big Wool in Wild Berry and Kid Silk Spray in Regal for the VK sweater. Regal is a much brighter colour than it looks on the Rowan site - this is going to rock! The KSS hadn't come in yet so I will have time to finish up the current projects before I work again in September.

Brandi is Amanda's babysitter. {I took her picture in the basement where I sneaked up on here and made here look}
We love her. {and not just because she has a brother Kyles age (my son) or because her mother knits} She plays what Amanda wants to, where she wants to and how she wants to without it getting out of hand. Then she helps clean up the playing. She even looks like she's having fun doing it!
She came today because I had to go on a road evaluation to show that I really am a good bus driver, not just an idiot holding a B license. If I'm lucky I will get a route for the new school year, if not I will have to be a spare until something comes up.

Here is the back of the Colinette Love It pullover. I had to put in neck shaping - I could not possibly just cast off all of the stitches for the shoulders & neck in one row ... my fingers just wouldn't do it.
Debra (the Client) asked that Ichange the neck to a v and add an inch to the depth, so I will be calculating that today, and of course the sleeve length needs adjusting. Should be okay. I really enjoy working with the Colinette yarns, i feel very artistic even though I'm just changing up the yarns when they say to. It makes simple knitting very satisfying.

Julie decided that since the Naturally sweater was just a model we'll do it according to the pattern. We can let knitters interested in making the sweater know that they can adjust the underarm and armhole depth if they want to. Here is a better picture of it in progress - I'm told that the other pic was a bit dark.

Unsuspecting child-minders (Amanda informed me that she isn't a baby ...) will be used as models.

Full Speed Ahead!!!

Something old, something new

So, up early to go to work. Not much different from everyone else except that I'm excited! I love going to Julies. I haven't been since before we moved and I know that there are new things to be played with. It's a sweet torture having to be there all day but it must be more good than bad because I keep going back.
Today I am going to get that red Naturally sweater sorted out AND I am going to pick out for the latest "must have " from the latest VK - a great Rowan Kid Silk Haze (the aforementioned reinforcing thread) and Rowan Big Wool combo with a large cable up the front. It's #11 for those of you following along at home. I don't think I will go with the orange. Some colours of KSH comes in a handpainted look this fall called Spray - I may have to go with one of those. I have a serious love for most yarns handpainted/variegated. I will update you with the colours when I get home.

On the topic of VK - cable error!!! (#9, right sleeve ... not once, twice) Not that I am perfect, but in a garment going to print it amazes me that these mis-knits go unnoticed and/or unrepaired when so many people have to look and touch these garments. Ah well, I have decided that it makes me feel more human and less of a total screw-up ... and it's like one of those "Where's Waldo" puzzles.

Well, here it is ...

I am mostly unpacked after the recent (July 20th) move to Angus, ON. It is slow going but I am under no real time constraints so it has developed it's own pace. My yarn room will be last. sigh But that's okay because I made sure that I knew where most of the most important projects were so that I could knit without tearing open all of the boxes making the unpacking unneccesary. And then I can savour every moment of making this room perfect because every other room has been taken care of - I could make it a party!

This Naturally sweater is almost done. The armholes may or may not look small in this picture, but they are. Now, when I was knitting it and arrived at the armholes, my "hmmmmm" radar made soft noises. There was no actual casting off for the armholes just fully fashioned decreases. So I continued. Then when it said to shape the shoulders after 15cm (6in) the radar noise elevated. But when I'm doing a piece from a pattern as a sample I try not to impose my own ideals on it. And it should be noted here that I am what is nicely referrred to as a "wishful knitter". I just keep on going, hoping and wishing that it will be okay and when it's not, wishing that I hadn't kept going. So after all of the knitting is done, I sew in the arm and try it on. It is in my size, and yes you can wear it with a t-shirt but only a very fitted t-shirt. And only if you don't need all of that blood flow to your fingers. sigh I will take it to the store of Saturday and let Julie decide to keep it the way it was written or for me to frog, re-design & re-knit.

I'm working on another Naturally project - garter stitch, 2 colour no-brainer. It's going along well ... you thought that there was a "but" coming didn't you? Nah. I just decided to start on this next project for some variety and because it's due next month.
Deep Breath
No Problem.

And then there is my Sock In Progress. I always have a sock with me because they are so easy to pick up, do a needle or two and put down. I am stopped at the heel flap because I need to pick up some Kid Silk Haze for the reinforcement. I love this stuff - it comes in great colours to match to whatever sock I'm doing, it's light and strong. So I need some green to go with this lovely Opal from last summer.