Final Stretch

What a great weekend!! 

I am on the homestretch of Hartwist! After what felt like a never-ending collar, it is cast off and I’ve set in the first sleeve. 

I really do love finishing a garment. There is a skill to it, and I take as much pride in the quality of my finishing as I do with my knitting. It makes such a difference - poor seaming can detract from beautiful knitting.  

I need to be up early for work tomorrow, but I might just use concealer and foundation to cover staying up late to finish. Shhhhh!!! 

Craig and I had our pictures done yesterday. Craig and I really enjoyed going through the gallery and picking our favourites. I don’t usually think of myself as photogenic, but Jacqueline really captures some lovely moments and I’m so pleased with how the pictures came out. I am so excited to see the final proofs and get prints made!! 

Petey helped today. 

Petey has been extra special attached to me today. I even captured him giving me a look of pure love and devotion. 

He really is my best buddy. 

Photos

So I booked a mini photo session today for Craig and I to have our pictures taken. Even though most of our picture-perfect snow has melted, Drysdales still looked fantastic and Pink  Champagne Photography had a fabulous antique sofa and chair to brighten the scene. 

Craig & I took a couple amateur pics while we were waiting. I can’t wait to see what Jacqueline captured!! 

I am making progress on the collar ... still 9cm to go.

There are a lot of stitches to make this collar so voluptuous & cozy.!!

So I had a coffee this morning. This doesn’t seem so odd, except I quit coffee last Friday to help help my persistent ulcer. I’ve been slowly giving up the things that can irritate it and prevent it from healing. Coffee was putting me into rather severe pain, so it was the last to go. I suffered migraines for 2 days in the quitting, but it’s for a grater good. I’m doubling down on my ulcer meds (on Dr orders) for two weeks. If that doesn’t start to sort it out, it’s a referral to a gastroenterologist for an endoscopy. Totally not my idea of fun, so fingers crossed!! 

Back to this mornings coffee. I didn’t really miss food since I’ve switched to a ketogenic diet, but I desperately miss the taste of coffee.

It doesn’t look any different from any other coffee, but it is deeply different. It is soulless coffee. I don’t know if it’s just in my head but caffeine free coffee just doesn’t taste the same. It was good, but not the same. 

So I basically have no vices left. No alcohol, no sugar, no chocolate, and no coffee. I drink water. Just water. Sometimes an herbal tea. Then more water. 

So I’m going to go back to my collar and my water. 

Final Stretch

I am working on the collar! 

After a few “oopsies” on the final sleeve, I got it done and they’re blocking. Even with the ceiling fan on, it’s taking a bit for them to dry. 

I have covered it so that Robbie doesn’t dig in it. The puppies are rather awesome at not playing in anything that I’m blocking; Robbie is bigger and hasn’t been around knitting since he was a baby, so I don’t take the chance. 

We’ve started on the Christmas cakes at work. 

It’s really a fun season for cakes! Alhough I don’t think that there’s not a fun season for decorating cakes. 

I don’t know what to title this one

The electric blanket is all that I hoped for and more!! It is a warm, full-body hug from a lover who doesn’t snore or fart or steal the warm blankets! This is the kind of thing that deserves a Nobel Prize!! Who wants to go to war when they can be warm in bed?

I am making swift progress on Hartwist now that I am on to the sleeves. Perhaps it’s the fewer stitches, or maybe it’s the Signature Needles  I’m happy to be feeling like I’m making progress, whatever the reason! 

I didn’t do the top shaping on the sleeve. On a sweater this bulky and boxy, I didn’t feel the value in it, so I just did six straight rows and cast off. 

We went to my dads family brunch on the weekend. Amanda is always fun to do selfies with!!

She was treated like the guest of honour with a special slice of cheesecake and mood lighting - she totally deserves it. 

We went shopping and she received her presents early!

I forgot to take a picture of her with her jacket. D’oh!! She needed one for everyday so she doesn’t get her nice one messed up, and since winter is coming, giving it to her now was just practical. And I am nothing if not practical. There was of course the requisite care package of food sent home with her as well - a mother’s duty of care never ends. 

I’ll Never be Cold Again

I am still knitting on Hartwist  It certainly doesn’t make the work go faster when I forget a cable row. So that was yesterday’s work for nought. Good thing that the felted tweed Aran is so lovely to knit with - small bonus of having to knit more. The yarn is a more lovely soft blue - even with an Ott light, I can’t seem to capture it. 

I finally bought an electric blanket for my bed. I have thought about it for years, but the irrational fear of somehow electrocuting myself was persistent. So far this year the hot water bottle hasn’t been enough to warm my cold toes and cold everything, and it hasn’t even gotten truly cold yet!! Dying of hypothermia seemed a more real threat than electrocution, so I did the deed. 

Petey wasn’t sure at first either, but he seems to be on board now. 

Craig and I went on a craft brewery tour of Black Oak Brewing Co  with friends, and while I made an effort and tried all the beers, it is clear that I am a Philistine and have no appreciation for craft beer. Craig certainly did enjoy the samples on offer though! 

The crystal malt was tasty though, and the tour was interesting. 

Hartwist

Just a quick post. 

I have finished the back - it’s a lot of knitting, but it is pleasurable, relaxing, and just challenging enough to keep me counting. 

I have modified the shoulder shaping with short rows so that I can do a 3-needle bind off once I’m done the front. This will make a more neat shoulder seam. 

Not much else to report. I have sorted out new rims (Costco and they UPS delivered them free!!) for my winter tyres and they’re on. I have also ordered winter boots and an electric blanket, so I’m just about physically ready for winter; mentally, perhaps not. 

Something Seems Amiss

The easier the thing, the greater the likelihood of mucking it up. 

Just merrily knitting along on Hartwist  and as I didn’t pause to admire my own work, as one is wont to do occasionally, I didn’t notice the glaring error until a few rows up. It was just one cable; it was the whole row. Definitely faster for me to re-knit it than try to ladder them all down. 

So now that my secular work is done, I am setting to making up some lost time. 

I popped into the LCBO to pick up some thank you gifts and wouldn’t you know, it turning into the best time of year!!! Gifty Booze!!! I couldn’t resist the lovely Reidel glasses in with the Steamwhistle  Especially since I have the Steamwhistle bottle opener and lunch tin from the last couple of years ☺️☺️

You know, I think that it really does enhance the taste of the Pilsner! 

I have to say, at the risk of tempting The Fates, that I am

content. Nothing is perfect and there’s always some challenge to overcome, but I am satisfied with my lot in life. I dare say, I may even be happy. 

New yarn!!!

So excited to have finally ordered from Mothy and the Squid  I’ve been following her on IG for awhile and her poinsettia colour way tipped the balance for me. The sparkly one is for Helen - she *does* love a sparkly anything!! 

I’m going to be swatching - spell check keeps replacing “swatching” with “searching” ... not entirely inaccurate - for a Sweet Spot strip. If it works out, I’ll have to order a couple more skeins. 

Jillian shipped the yarn straight away and it was here in 5 days from the UK!! She also added a little snipper gadget - and you know how much I love my gadgets!! 

I have made some progress on the Trenchcoat socks for Julie. Emily’s yarn is SO soft ... it’s such a pleasure to knit with. 
And the swatch for Hartwist is done and blocked. Julie gave specific instructions that I wasn’t to do 30 swatches as the sweater is quite generous in ease. Did it 1.5!! LOL!!! 


The yarn is a much nicer light denim blue in real life. I haven’t knit in such large needles - 5.5mm/size 9 - in a long time!! This is going to go quickly!!