Whatta Thursday

Nice easy pre-op physical - I'm relatively fit and totally hot. not going to argue with a professional ;)
Dropped of some stuff by Amanda, who is making her way, slowly and on her own terms, but she is doing it and learning a lot.
Then a lovely drive out to The Needle Emporium. I miss seeing Julie, touching the yarns and seeing the colours in all their glory!! I spent a lovely afternoon knitting, chatting and picking out all sorts.

I'm made marked progress on the Secret Project, but have had to go back a bit, (silly mistake), but I'm back on track now.

The Manos del Uruguay Alegria that I had purchased on the last couple of yarn crawls had been whispering to me. After going through Julie's stock of Alegria, I knew I had to answer its siren song.



Yup - Sweetspot. I am very pleased and can't wait to do an Alegria Strip!!




A Namaste BYOB to make toting my Knitter's Pride set easier.


A couple of magazines that had projects I want to do.


A Mountain Colors Perspective gradient kit for a yet undecided cowl.



I was utterly smitten with this new colour Hummingbird in Satchel by Mrs Crosby. I set to finding a shawl pattern and after much fancying about in Ravelry, selected Chevry as the winner. Hollywood Cerise was selected as the companion colour, also after significant study. Crème Fraîche, Spicy Habanero, and Icebox Watermelon were all contenders.

I also picked up a project to work on after my surgery. I know, but I don't want to run out of something to do.


Stockinette, but shaping to keep me mindful.

On my way home yesterday my rear wheel bearing seized on the passenger side. Could've been a disaster on the 401, but fortunately I had control of my car, was near an exit and was able to ease into a garage. Active Green + Ross, while they were able to find a wheel drum that same evening and do the repair, fucked me hard on pricing.
But I am going to count the multiple of blessings that kept me safe and got me back home to my puppies, who held it long time!! *\o/* yeah for crate training!!!

Today I scored the remains sets in the BSG (new) series


for $30!! and found myself a new creative outlet. My teacher, who is also a friend and a knitter bonus, was impressed with my quick study and sent me home with an extra note (beyond the beginner three) to practice on. Clearly I'm a natural


The puppies weren't sure what was going on, but ignored it soon enough. (And yes, a seriously unflattering pic of my arm!) This will give me something to occupy my fingers & mind whilst on my convalesce. Not that knitting can't do it, but I am expanding my horizons.

Whew - it's been a busy couple of days, but I am feeling quite content within myself. This vacation came none too soon!

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Good Morning

I'm closing tonight, so I enjoyed a bit of a lie-in this morning. Petey is cute; he's getting very good at differentiating between my being awake and reading or being on my phone, and my waking up. I love this guy!!!
I am sitting outside now, working at the picnic table, tempting the weather gods but enjoying the perfect temp and breeze. The puppies are 'round the side digging holes.

Yesterday was going very well, getting work done at work, (I know!!) and feeling good. Pain, but T3's had it well in hand. Then early afternoon I could feel The Migraine coming and by the time I got home I was hitting the Rx. I sorted out the puppies then laid down for a nap.
While Petey sleeps with me at night, he can't jump up on the bed himself. Chica can, so naps are her turn. She'll kiss me a bit, then play ball with herself, (bringing the ball up, nosing it off, fetching it, repeat) or gnaw on her fave chewy.
I woke up around 7:00 - totally not going to get to my Group - still feeling druggy. I think I had leftover rhubarb cake for dinner. I seriously can't remember ...  Migraines make me seek out all the carbs, it's instinctual, and I generally allow my cravings to run rampant. One of these times I am going to find a food cure beyond the salt 'n vinegar chips and Coke that Julie put me on to.
I then passed the evening knitting on my Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock linen stitch scarf, watching Sense8, and SoundHounding songs and have some new beats in my playlist. I have to say, the Netflix original series have some well thought out and matched soundtracks.

I had finished the Moss Cardigan on Sunday but puppies cannot be trusted with blocking on the floor as they chase each other with the enthusiasm of siblings!! So last night I planned to do it this morning so that it could dry on my bed by the time I got back home from work. Love a ceiling fan!!
You all know what a proponent of swatching I am. I swatch, wash the swatch and everything thereafter is based on swatch maths.

So when I Soaked the sweater, squeezed dry, rolled in the towels and started laying it out, the feeling of wrongness was surprising. It's all sorts of too long, and my row gauge is always tight, my garter is a thing of beauty, so this is unprecedented.

 I called Julie and couldn't quite think of what to say at first. She started to think that something was "really wrong". So after agreeing that this is not tragic, I'm going to let it dry and then when she receives it, she'll probably toss it in the washer. It *is* superwash - cursed processing!! - so if that fails, we're calling it a long cardi! LOL. I love Julie!!

I am quite pleased with the way the striping has turned out, especially laid flat with the back visible as well.

And speaking of my bed, I am well pleased with my silk duvet. I still miss a sheet layer sometimes, but that's because no matter how hot it is, I need a covering of some sort. So I may still add that layer back in, but for now I've been making do.

There is still time to help me reach my goal in support of the Cdn Cancer Society's Relay for Life. Thank you <3 p=""> 

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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New Project

So Julie sent me yarn to knit Vodka Lemonade.


I thought that it was Malabrigo, but I stand corrected.
Julie told me today that it is Super Secret Yarn. This is the DK weight and it is a wool/silk blend.

It is knitting up very nicely so far!





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CEY Jetty

I updated my sidebar yesterday; it felt good to do a bit of virtual housekeeping.

I got wonderful new project from Julie after The Frolic, Classic Elite's Jetty. I am really enjoying it - a simple project but I love the colours. I have had a wonderful long weekend. It has been sunny and restful and productive. The proof is not in the pudding in this case but in the pictures. Cast a glance.

I still love doing my math in my own mixed up way.

I'm also working on a project for Elise - you know the drill. 

 







And a pair of socks for myself. I have got to knit more on the socks - I'm wearing out my socks fairly quickly since I've been back to work and I can't knit fast enough to keep up. I know ... the horror should I have to wear White Sport Socks!!!

Knotted Openwork Scarf

It took me awhile but I finally have made & uploaded a PDF for this pattern to make it accessible to the masses!!!

I am working diligently on the wildflower cardigan for Julie for the Knitter's Frolic. I am still Happy to Help at The Mighty Mart of Wal. I am going in for a surgery mid-June. Nothing alarming, more of a follow up on the lumpectomy but it will involve an extended recovery period. Not looking forward to the lack of a paycheque but hopefully I can use the time to reconnect with myself, my knitting & my reading. Maybe even some cross-stitching!!

Sorted

Amanda & I had a most excellent day at Julie's! It was nice to just put most everything out of my mind and just bring order to something.
Amanda did great - the Noro was all her; not just neatening, taking inventory & putting in order by colour number. It's a new system that we used on the Rowan too. I had used the ROYGBIV system but especially with so much online & phone customers as well I can see how having the yarn in colour number order could make that easier.




I brought home the Big Book of Knitted Monsters - Amanda repeatedly expressed desires for a herd of such pets.
Rowan Cotton Classics was not in the Rowan books that Julie got in so I will anxiously await it to see what cabley goodness Julie would have me work on next!






I am half finished my new socks! I got a lot done while I waited at the mall yesterday while Amanda and her friend shopped for some new t-shirts. It was actually very restful - people watching with my iPhone pumping beats and knitting away the time.


Look what came!! Elise has sent yarn for all sorts of projects!! I don't even know which one to start on first!! I'll think on that while I finish my other sock.

Stopped & Started

The interminable rib is still going, kind of. Normally when I have a sense that I'm going to run out of yarn I start knitting faster in an admittedly futile effort to beat the yarn to the end. This time I think that I was trying to postpone the inevitable. I am about 10cm short on the ribbing. Julie is sending out another ball - thank goodness I had something else to knit on!!

Every Last Yard by Amy Swenson knit from Madelaine Tosh DK in tart. I am in lust with this yarn already!!! I know that to most of you this is like preaching to the choir, but for those who haven't had the experience ... get thee some Madelaine Tosh!! The yarn has a nice twist that I think will stand up to wearing but is soft in hand when knitting. I don't know if the depth and richness of the colours are coming through on your monitor but they are mesmerizing. Saying that it's cherry red, merlot and almost sangoire only begins to describe the complexity of the colourway. insert lustful sigh

This is difference in just winding a skein once (on the right) and twice (on the left). It's just a bit tighter with one winding, and while I'm knitting it up right away I can almost hear the yarn whimpering from being so cramped so I wind twice.

I think that Julie is trying to make me a circular needle convert - that's okay, it's giving me a chance to make good on my justification of the collection of Addi Lace needles that I bought in The Netherlands.

Fast Forward

Yeah, that's it. Let's pretend like we're in The Amazing Race and we've FF through the month of June. I spent the entire month working like a woman possessed to wrap up month end at work so that all of the schools would actually have their invoices before the end of the month so that they can sign off on them for the Board to pay before the new school year starts. In between all of that, including a week of staycation, I worked on the 2nd afghan for Knitty. This was aided by watching 6 seasons of 24 - I seriously love TV on DVD!!! - and by largely ignoring and/or delegating any and all other domestic responsibilities. It was totally worth it though ... you'll see!!
I'm officially a fan of 24 now, season 7 is going to be watched as soon as Wimbledon is over & I can't wait for fall & season 8!
I did learn that fingering-weight, full sized afghans take a lot longer to knit than you might think. I still want to do at least one more, then maybe move on to some worsted weight yarns. I know, but it's a lovable kind of crazy.

Finally though I have knitting that I can share! I have started on a simple mens sweater for an upcoming book from Abrams/STC Craft. I'll share more details when I get them; for now, just a wee picture. I don't think that I will ever fall out of love with my Signature Needles - they bring an extra pleasure to even the simple stockinette stitch.


I'm also working on a Sidecar Jacket for Julie. Yes, that cable is as tight as it looks. The yarn from Spud & Chloe - Outer - is soft & lovely, nothing less than what I would have expected from Blue Sky Alpacas.

Yarn Whisperer

Amanda & I drove down to Ancaster to help out at the The Needle Emporium's annual Tent Sale (which is now is a parish hall, but still goes by it's birth name). This was the scene at about 7:05PM. The bargain hunters were out in force and most everyone was leaving with more than one bag full!!
Beth & Julie put us up for the night - great house, the pictures on the blog haven't done it justice - and we were back for more this morning.
Despite the yarn that we all witnessed leaving the building, there was still a lot left this morning and Cathy, Sally & I indulged our not-so-inner OCD compulsions by untangling yarns that had been been jostled and tossed into crazy skeins. We all felt better when order was restored and each ball was not mixing in a inappropriate with it's box-mates. Just call me a Yarn Whisperer!
Amanda - who turned into a giggling near-mute child for nearly the entire visit - bought me some anniversary present yarn - I'll be opening it tomorrow!!! - and I didn't leave empty handed. Pics tomorrow - I've been helping Amanda print pictures for the other anniversary presents.

I've just read that the deals are even better tomorrow - I think that y'all are lucky that I'm working at the office tomorrow and live so far away!!!

So, when was the last time that you went to camp?

OMG - not only am I going to camp, I'm going to be a teacher!! And not only am I going to be a teacher, I'm going to be teaching with Fiona Ellis & Cookie A!!!!!
Julie's Gone Stitchin' is now Camp Knit Away - a chance to get away and knit and just like camp, you get to be with your best friends & make new ones. I have a feeling that these classes are going to sell out fast. Get in while the getting in is easy.

Btw, did everyone have a great square root day yesterday? Yes, it was just another nail in the "you are so freakin' weird" coffin at work!

And like I wasn't tired enough, we're losing an hour of sleep this weekend - I really hate the 'spring ahead' part of Daylight Saving Time.

Someone stop me!!!

Actually, I don't really mean that!!

It’s getting to be that time of year - Julie's annual, this-is-the-one-that-you’ve-been-waiting-all-year-for tent sale. For those of you who may not know, The Needle Emporium does not have sales throughout the year - Julie culls ends of lines, dye lot leftovers, last season’s colours and anything she doesn’t like looking at any more and they get put away. Then, once a year, she gathers all of these treasures along with bargains that she’s scored from distributors and puts them under a huge tent.

I have yet to walk away with the strength to add another ball to a bag or see anyone come and not find some small (or large) treasure. You’re sure not to be disappointed - and bonus!! this year the tent sale is not at the mercy of the elements!! Julie is taking it indoors. So mark your calendars, but don’t get in my way!!! :

Tent Sale
St John’s Parish Hall
37 Halson Street, Ancaster

Tuesday July 8 5-9pm
Wednesday July 9 12-8pm
Thursday July 10 9am-3pm

We are moving indoors this year so there are no concerns about the weather. Lots of parking!!
Get great deals on discontinued yarns, odd balls and yarns we are clearing out.

• Colinette $10 a skein
• Discontinued Rowan $5 for 50 grams and $10 for 100 grams
• Sock yarn
• Much, much more

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