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. 

Are you a Charitable Knitter/Crocheter?

Yarn Canada is partnering with Bernat and Patons Yarn to give yarn to knitters (individually and groups) who do charitable knitting. 

Follow this link if you would like to apply. 

Bernat Sweet Spot

This is my first foray outside of my traditional fingering weight and indie designer yarns for a Sweet

Spot afghan. 

It knits up faster, and it's acrylic, but I keep reminding myself that this is for function and ease of care. And I'm not disliking it, the colours are working up wonderfully! 

 Though I was surprised that given that this is a manufactured yarn, that I have two balls set aside because they are hitting the sweet

spot at a stitch count 4 sts greater than what I'm at now. I know. Damned odd, and well outside of my expectations given my not insignificant experience. It'll be interesting to see how the rest of the colours break down. 

It's not an insurmountable problem though; I'll just do a strip at the higher stitch count. 

I discovered a fantastic and delicious alternative to traditional potato crisps at Costco. 

Whisps are made from Parmesan cheese. That's it, that's all.  They are salty and crunchy with no added sugars/carbs. Craig was especially impressed and we are going to buy a significant atock pile!! 

It was nice to have a day to just watch him play his games whilst I alternates between dozing and knitting. 

Tonight, it's the drive in. We're both clearly quite pleased at the prospect. It's been a while since I've been to a drive in!! 

 Independence Day and The Purge:Election Year. 

Great start to a long weekend!! 

Plus ça change

I'm still knitting. I kind of lost my knitting mojo there for a bit, and I've been trying to sort out why. I have come to some conclusions and hopefully the realizations will help me keep my voice. 

Today, I am playing with the Sweet Spot again! I am stepping out of my go to fingering weight and indie dyers and am using <a target="_blank" href="http://www.yarnspirations.com/yarn/super-value.html">Bernat Super Value</a>. <i>I know, but I'm going for dog-friendly. I haven't broken out in hives, and the colours are making up for the yarn composition. </i> 

I started with a strip just wide enough to hit the sweet spot. 

It didn't quite resonate with me, so I went double, and went up a needle size.  I am pleased.

I can't wait to get into the other colours. 

The temperature afghan is coming along nicely. The two yellow stripes represent those hot days at the end of May! 

I don't remember if I mentioned it, but I am going with the daily lows for the colder months (Oct - March) and the daily highs for the warmer months (April - Sept). This provides the best use of the extreme temperature colours; otherwise it would be rather mid-range and less interesting. 

The puppies are wonderful, though Chica 

 is quite the handful - always wanting to have someone throw her ball (she's relentless about it) and is still quite guardy with her favorite things. I'm exploring a few options on training her out of it, but it's as bad as advice on parenting!! 

Petey is still my steadfast champion, making sure I'm never short on love and attention. 

My leg has healed well; I play ball and have no noticeable weakness. I usually wear the brace for ball, but not day-to-day. The ankle still swells to icky proportions, but apparently that's normal, so I try to not judge it. <i>between you & me, it's not my fave appendage and likely won't be the model foot for sock pics</i>

Two Steps Forward

I was making such good progress on my raincoat, then my sewing machine rebelled. Again. This time it's not a tension adjustment; something is seized in the motor. I'm hoping that Sharon at the HummingBird Sewing can sort it.

Fortunately, I've got a thing or two to knit. ;)
I made excellent progress on the baby blanket yesterday - I'm over 1/2 done!!

I am on to my 3^rd swatch for the Twice Reversible Ribbed Poncho. I started on 6mm needles, as I tend to knit on the tight side. Just a stitch and a half too loose. So, down to the recommended 5.5mm needles. No difference!!


I'm nothing if not persistent in the pursuit of perfection ... a 5mm needles swatch is under way!

As soon as it's blocking, I'll be back to the baby blanket for an easy, seed stitch knitting evening.


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All The Projects

I spent yesterday feeling rather poorly. Some sort of stomach bug had me laid low. No sewing was done, and I spent more time just holding needles than actually knitting. The puppies made sure that I napped enough.
I feel better today. Still not quite right, but better.

Better enough to make some progress on my Amy Butler raincoat!





I am really enjoying seeing a garment start emerging from the pieces of fabric. The laminate cotton has its challenges, but it is really fun.
The colourful Kaffe fabric distracts from my less-than-perfect sewing skills, but I am quite chuffed with the early results.

I am loving my new iron! Helen picked it up for me from Costco.





I haven't had one in ages, but a necessary tool for sewing neatly, and really, I'm an adult. I have clothes that should be ironed.

I managed to cast on another Bernat seed stitch baby blanket yesterday.





It's for a co-worker who is expecting, yes, a boy!! I really do love this Baby Blanket yarn.

I also couldn't resist winding a few balls of Lorna's Laces Cloudgate.





I'm going to be knitting up the Twice Reversible Ribbed Poncho by Churchmouse for The Needle Emporium. I'm planning to swatch tonight.

The puppies took turns today distracting me. They're just too cute to be cross at!!











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Keeping On

Not much to say.
I worked most of yesterday but went to Emerg at lunch to have my hand looked at. It was still quite swollen, and though I could make a fist & see the knuckles, it occurred to me that a bone in the back of my hand may be broken. It wasn't, just deeply bruised. My own fault, I don't expect sympathy for that.
I'm not normally a hitter/thrower. I don't generally act out/speak in anger because it is apart always just hurtful and unproductive. Case in point.
The puppies have been a lovely distraction and comfort.








I called in a personal day today; not to wallow, just try to clear my head and not have to put on a happy face.
I've had stretches of wry him out and not dwelling, then a memory comes out of nowhere, stabs me in the back, and reduces me to tears. I know that the stretches will become longer and the memories more sweet than bitter, but it's gut-wrenching at the mo.
But I've been through worse. I'll get through this.
Almost done the Bernat baby blanket.


Time for a walk.


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All the Things

I knit in the baby blanket last night while out with some colleagues for a going away drinks do at my local.
This morning I slept in a bit, walked over to Tim's for a coffee as I'm out of Tassimo pods. I know, I don't know how this happened. Then I was fit for Churchmouse linen stitch scarf. Progress was made.
After a nap, I packed up the CEY Moss Cardigan and headed to Crabby's to watch the FIFA ladies Canada vs China match. Happy for a win, even if it was in the last minutes.


I made excellent progress! I calculated my yarn consumption at .04km/hr. This includes eating time and alcohol consumption. It doesn't sound very fast, but I don't have much to compare it to.

Anyway, I'm 5 days T3 free! Stomach bug notwithstanding its been a decent week. Though the abdominal pain was kicking off today, I got by. Taking it one day at a time, I won't endure pain I don't have to but I like the clear-headed feeling.


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And so it grows ...

Back to the work week and so little much to write about. I am trudging through my days at The Mighty Mart of Wal, trying to make a small difference in my humble department.
I have received an overwhelming amount of Bernat Blanket and Handicrafter Cotton (the large balls), the latter in some stunning new colourways. YMMV at other WM, but if you're localish to Alliston, please come and relieve me of some of the stock.

On a more exotic yarn front, Naushon grows.


Gauge is hard to measure as the fabric is quite fluid, but I think this is what will make it a nice wrap.

I made a delicious pizza tonight. Curried chicken (which I didn't cook to a dry leather), pineapple, and hot pepper. Extra cheese as well, of course.



I did go diving into my seasonal bin to commemorate the day of my people.


Happy St Patrick's Day!!!


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Sock Day

So I knit another frilly scarf for Helen's charitable endeavours. yes, she *is* that good of a friend ;)

I re-potted my ivy plant.






This plant came with my place when I moved in. It had been sorely neglected and I really didn't think it would recover. It's been in the same sad green plastic pot and had suffered my own forgetfulness. But it always comes back, seeking for the sun, growing. It's like my spirit plant.

And I did more stitching yesterday.







I can't wait to get to the flowers to add a pop of colour to the light green areas!!

I declared today Sock Day. I would've had a lot more done if I hadn't had a 4 hour nap.





I use the knitting belt to spare the waistband in my jeans/pants; even with shirt, tiny needles, I still need to anchor my RH needle. 😏though I think that anything more than about an hour is not so much a "nap" as actual "sleep"
Anyway, I turned the heel and finished the instep shaping.





I really love turning heels! Such a simple maneuver, but truly magic. It still gives me a thrill every time!!

Petey has been a naughty boy. He is a Chewer. He tears into and rips apart bedding and toys, chews them and eats the pieces. Always has. Mommy is not pleased and he shan't be getting any more knitted presents.





I know.
Thursday night he was feeling poorly. He was really throwing up, (not just bringing up a hair ball), was not eating, and was really not himself. Turns out he had eaten a length of a seam off a pair of Lee's jeans that we used as bedding and it gave him a bad turn until he pooped it out.
Chica, on the other hand, while she will tear apart toys to get the stuffing out, is quite content to just lay and gnaw on it, like a cat wool-sucking, if she's done playing with if for a bit.






Yes, the 4 hour nap has messed with my sleep schedule. I totally blame Daylight Savings Time and "Springing Ahead". Hopefully I'll get sorted out tomorrow, a day off since I worked Saturday.
Julie's package should arrive with my new project! Keenly looking forward to getting my fingers into a new yarn!!

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X marks the spot

Many, many little x's!!

The last couple of days progress.





The variegated flosses make it so easy to just keep going. Just like my passion and enthusiasm for hand dyed/variegated knitting yarns, the depth and richness of the colours in the silk is intoxicating. I truly can't get enough.

I did finish the afghan.


It is cushy, plush and the turquoise/teal contrasts nicely against the smooth, shiny leather.

I'm still working on my neon socks.


Mmmm - that pink!!!

And I just banged out a frilly scarf.


Helen knits various things for charity but loathes these scarves so I offered to knit a couple. And this brings me to this evening.
What to work on ...


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