Staycation Day 6

I got a few odd jobs done AND goals met!!

Throwback is blocking - woohoo!! I’ve not seen in the ends quite yet just in case anything needs altering. 

I have like 3+ skeins of the Woolstok leftover, along with most of each of the 3 Dream State colours. I’ve researched some cowls that I can do - solids and colourwork ones. I’ll narrow them down and maybe bang one out tomorrow. 

Though I’d really like to work on a Sweet Spot strip or two. 

I might wind up the yarn I want to swatch for that before I call it a night.

Today was a pretty sports heavy day and tomorrow is shaping up that way as well, so having some easier knitting to do will be a boon. 

Staycation Day 3 & 5

I skipped my best day of all!! I visited with my grand babies on Wednesday. Ramina was being a bit grumpy - just a tiny nap then fighting sleep like a trooper. I brought all my Nana skills to bear. She would snuggle in to me, deeply relaxed as I walked and bounced and hummed, but she wouldn’t leave for the Land of Nod. But my heart was filled with baby snuggles and that is priceless!! I also got a fair bit knit on Veronica’s socks. She chose grey as her colour, and as soon as she said that, my mind went immediately to my stash. I finally used one of the skeins of Lorna’s Laces 50 Skeins of Grey collection. This one is Christian. It will be perfect! 

Yesterday I knit the neck and front bands on my Throwback  I decided to add buttonholes as it is unlikely that I will wear it just open all the time. I’m imagining leather covered “grandpa’s sweater” buttons, but that may change when I start trying buttons on. 

I picked up the neckband with the pickup seam on the inside (traditional) and again with it on the outside (as instructed) and decided that I did prefer it showing. I love having time to experiment! 

Notice my helper? He got a bit enthusiastic with his helping (which was, in fact, not helping) so I had to do a little fixing yesterday as well. 

There’s a bit of bagging below the yoke at the back - I’m hoping that resolves with blocking. 

Overall I’m chuffed with the colours and fit. It’s been awhile since I’ve knit an actual sweater that’s a bit fitted for myself, so this has been fun! 

I’m hoping to get the last sleeve knit today and get the sweater blocked tonight. 

Staycation Day 4

In which our knitter does in fact stay. 

I can’t wait to go to bed tonight. I did laundry today, braved to threat of rain, and hung my laundry outside to dry. I am rewarded with the enticing scent of fresh air and I know that I will sleep especially well tucked into clean, outdoor-fresh bedding. 

I started on the Throwback sleeves today. I was going to do them back and forth so as to not bugger up my tension. I really like maintaining a technique throughout a garment to avoid any potential for gauge deviation. I added 2 stitches to account for the seaming, and was set. But it just seemed slow and I just wasn’t feeling it. So I picked up the 2^nd sleeve with a size larger needle (to account for the lack of a slighter looser purl row) and set to magic looping. 

Remarkably enough, I was enjoying this more! Tension is good and I was 20cm in when I started thinking that the instructions were making for a rather long sleeve. 

Sure enough, on closer examination, the cuff is generously turned back. So I needed to think about whether I wanted that look or not. I was really at a point where I needed to decide so that I wouldn’t have to rip out too much before recalculating decreases. 

I tried it on. And thought about what I was going to do about the front band treatment (I’m likely going with buttonholes), and what kind of buttons I was picturing and how I might want the sleeves to look with that. So many decisions!!! 

Decision made - I’m carrying on with the longer sleeves. I ripped out the 1^st sleeve and the relief that I felt reassured me that I did the right thing. 

It wasn’t a lot, but backwards is backwards. But I’m generally quite philosophical about ripping out and am quite content to reknit. 

I was going to grill tonight, the handle on the propane tank utterly refused to budge!! I’ll have to enlist my landlords help tomorrow; he’ll def have whatever wrench I/we need to crank that loose. Disappointed, but I cooked inside and am quite satisfied. 

Now to resist the scent of bed and knit for a bit longer. 

Staycation Day 2

In which our intrepid knitter did not in fact stay. 

Today is our anniversary and Craig had the day off, so we went on a road trip to Ancaster. In reality, it was to go to The Needle Emporium which is *in* Ancaster. Saying we went to Ancaster makes it sound more couply and less all about me. 

Nonetheless, it was a beautiful day for a drive, and we went on backroads, which will be even more of a lovely drive in a few weeks when there’s more green. 

I finally tried on my Throwback  I had decided that if it didn’t fit and I couldn’t block it to fit, I’d just be giving it away since it would be less work to just knit another! Fortunately, it seems to fit nearly perfectly!! Lynn snapped a couple pics :) 

About 5cm more of ribbing, then on to sleeves!! I’m even more excited to get to finishing now that I’ve tried it on. 

We had lunch at the Coach & Lantern  Craig is proclaiming the injustice of evidence that he’s carb loading today. You do you, boo, I’m not gonnna judge.

It’s consistently good food there and it’s just up from the yarn store, so it’s practically perfect. 

The ceiling tiles were interesting too. 

I bought a few things at Julie’s, not the least is yarn for an Olibane for Mina (the yellow Baby Bamboo) and a little In Threes (Liberty Wool is on sale for $10 - get it while it lasts!!) I am so please that Ramina can wear such a range of colours! 

 I did buy the Twill & Print pins (who’s surprised?) - the glittery black sheep is my fave! I also let Julie know a couple more faves wdit when she orders again :) A Namaste Interchangeable Buddy Case and the latest Laine magazine are also now in my possession. All in all, a lovely day, not the least for the company. 

Off to an anniversary dinner, then more knitting!! 

Staycation success so far.

Throwback

I finished Jenny’s Bernat Baby Blanket   but I didn’t take a finished pic. When she sends me one with the baby, I’ll share!

Today is the first day of my staycation, and I slept poorly last night, so it was a day of just not much but resting, but I did get to the body ribbing on my Icy Throwback. Yay - 10cm of 4x4 ribbing!! 

I really love this colour! I’m usually more of a jewel-tone/deep, rich, dark colour person, but this icy blue woolstok has its own depths and richness that I am utterly in love with. 

It’s hard to capture the colour indoors, even with an Ott light. I’ll have a go tomorrow outside. 

Here’s Chica in a moment that makes me believe she’s not the bitchy little bundle of bark that she lets on most of the time. 

Tomorrow Craig & I are going to drive to Ancaster and see what’s new at The Needle Emporium .  Julie got in some adorable pins from Twill and Print - I’ve no doubt these will be the least of my purchases! 

Staying Warm

I finished my Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock socks!! I couldn’t quite get them done last night after work, even though I stayed up late, but I got them done this morning. One of the reasons that I love knitting with indie dyed yarn is the lovely, subtle colour changes. The yarns from Turtlepurl is perfect example of this. The yarn is such a pleasure to knit with. 

My feet shall be warm! 

I have made some excellent progress on the Bernat seed stitch Blanket today; I’m almost at the halfway point where I can start decreasing. It’s large enough to keep me warm while I knit. 

This fabric is so plush! I don’t knit with it often, but I’m reminded how much I love it every time I get the opportunity. It also makes me remember that natural fibres are fabulous, but acrylic has its place too. 

Domestic

This was a busy day - Staples, Costco, massage. In between Costco and the massage I spent :45 mins portioning and vacuum sealing all the meat that I bought at Costco. 

Since I was a kid, I’ve always had at least one freezer (and the tiny one above the fridge doesn’t count). It’s a great way to take advantage of sales, put down veg/fruit for the off season, save leftovers and prep meals. It’s a frugal necessity. 

When I moved out on my own after The Separation, I bought a food saver since I couldn’t possibly use the meat before it was freezer burnt beyond usefulness. 

For the life of me, I don’t know why I didn’t buy one sooner!! Costco should offer these up as a membership incentive. 

I saved $10 on $80 worth of meat and that represents 16 meals worth of meat, each meal with leftovers. Knowing that the meat will be good for months and that I’m

not wasting the savings has paid for the machine multiple times over. After 7 (8?) years, it’s still realiable. The little accessory that seals special bags no longer works, but it was a nice-to-have extra, not essential to the machine itself. 

I normally buy boneless skinless chicken breasts  I know, not super economical, but my fave. Costco had thighs on sale so I changed up my go-to. I took the skins off to freeze them and I remembered that the chefs on Masterchef Australia often crisped them up and it was a bit of a treat. So I did a Google after my massage and came up with this recipe. 

O. M. G. So delish!!!

I have gotten more done on my sock - no 2^nd sock syndrome here!!
Yes, that’s my comfort pile beside where I sit. lol I like to have my projects to hand; it just makes me more calm to be close to all my favourite things. 

I’ve only had one day off, but it’s felt like two even though I’ve been busy. Days like these are truly gifts. 

Mama needs a new pair of socks

I’m blocking out my Throwback before I continue. Best to find out now if it’s a giant swatch - lol. 

I know about the magic of blocking, but I’m still impressed at how much it improves a wip!! This is looking so excellent - I have impressed myself with the spincycle dream state colours that I picked!! (Shades of Earth, Robin’s Egg, and Melancholia) Maybe it’s just how they line up from where I started them from the balls, but they contrast and complement each other nicely. The light blue of the woolstok is more challenging to capture, but it’s a perfect foil for the more intense colouring in the patterning. 

It’s just finishing up drying, so I’ve managed to get the 1^st Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock socks done and started on the 2^nd.

My go-to sock needles - 2.5mm Signature Needles - are showing some wear. 

No noticeable impact on feel or function, but you can certainly tell that they are my faves!! 

I have also cast on for my go-to baby gift for Jenny’s next child. 
While I am generally more of a natural fibre lover, I have to give props to Bernat Blanket for being a fantastic yarn for (baby) blankets. It just wears and washes so well, great colour range, and I just enjoy knitting with it. 

A small step

It’s been a busy week at work, but I have managed to make some small progress on my most recent WIP. 

I am pleased with my mod on Throwback  especially since it saved me the grief of knitting, then *gasp* purling back with three colours. The last increase round is a bit bubbly on the surface; I’m hoping that blocking will sort that out. 

I’ve just separated for the armholes and I’m on the nice relaxing stockinette straightaway - maybe I’ll work on that after this posts. 

I finished knitting the heel flap, then realized that I hadn’t changed to the contrasting heel colour. D’oh!! So after ripping that back, I’ve made so visible progress on my Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock socks from Turtlepurl. 

Or maybe I’ll work on these ... 

I had a lovely visit with my grand babies this afternoon. Mina’s little Entrechat for her perfectly, and the colour is so complementary. She is so close to making her first steps; there was a camera in her almost every time she was standing. These children make me feel so much love. 

Or maybe Amin’s blanket that I have promised for his birthday in 2 months. 

Or, or, or ... I really do need to finish a thing or two! But you know as well as I do that I’m just not happy enough unless I have too much to do! 

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I had my St John Ambulance refresher course today to renew my certification today. It was informative - there are always minor changes to the procedures - and productive; I started my Turtlepurl Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock socks. 

I also managed to do the zig zag portion on my Throwback cardi. I don’t hate the truncation in the pattern that was needed to take out that 3^rd colour in a row, and I certainly love it more than knitting with a 3^rd colour in a row!! 

So that was my day - how was yours? 

Done, Done, Started

I finished Cheryl’s Jelly Rolls!! 

Then I knit up the cutest wee Entrechat shrug for our Ramina. 

It’s blocking now, then I need to find the Perfect Button. The Essence of Autumn yarn really carries this sweater across the line!! I don’t recall the exact yarn - I have misplaced the ball band. These reds are so deep and saturated; I can’t wait to see ‘Mina tucked into it! 

Now I’ve started my Throwback Cardigan  The Needle Emporium ladies decided that this would be our Frolic sweater and while Sarah and Lynn are done theirs, and Julie’s already got a good start on hers, I’m playing catch up. Fortunately, speed and deadlines are my specialty - lol!! 

So. I may have to purl back in fair isle, not as much fun as knitting it, I assure you, because I’m not willing plan out steeks, but I’m a grown woman, and I refuse to use three colours in a fair isle row!! Nuh-uh, and you can’t make me. 

I have tweaked the pattern to adjust to mainting only two colours per row, and while I’d like nothing more than to knit a few more rows to see how it looks in yarn, tomorrow is going to be a long day after a few preciously long days. 

I’m still on the defense against The Dreaded Lurgy, and I can only ask so much of the Loathsome yet Effective oil of oregano. I leave you with my progress thus far, and ask you to join me tomorrow to see how it grows.