Bigger IS Better

So I finally went and bought myself a new tv. Early Happy Birthday prezzie to me :) It's been at least 8 years, and considering that TV is my main entertainment (symbiotic with my knitting), it's totally worth the money spent! 

It's huge!! 55" compared to my previous 37" one which is now in my bedroom. Not sure how often I'll use it in there as I rarely have a sick day, I'm not a fan of falling asleep to a movie, and it's currently just hooked up to the bluray player, but it's in excellent condition and you never know. Now I just need another hdmi cord! Lol

I bought a wall mount kit and wow - those are some detailed instructions!! I'll probably have to ask my landlord to help with installing the actual part that goes on the wall, but I think I can manage the tv attachment.  

I also finished my Beyond the Wall shawl!! 

Ends need sewing in and it needs a blocking, but the knitting is done!

I have changed my hair, again.

I absolutely love the blonde!! The cut will show better once the colour grows out, so I'm looking forward to the next trim! Not sure if I'm having more fun yet, 'cause I have a lot of fun, but you'll know as soon as I do. 😏

Spoiler pics below on the What The Fade. No very spoilery, as I'm only on Clue 2, but perhaps you're not that far along. 

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I am almost at the next Fade section!

I had a great weekend with the ladies from work. We went to Blue Mountain and the weekend couldn't have been more perfect!

We missed Julie on Friday night, but she came out Saturday night. I had to come home to my little brood, so I missed the Segway adventure, but it was still such a memeorable experience, and I'm deeply grateful to be working with such strong, fierce, and fabulous women!! ❤️👸💪🏻💖

Petey is still symptomatic, but is more himself. Still waiting for his inflatable collar 😒. 

A bit more Fading before I completely fade. 

Fading Away

I forgot to tell you that I finally have a cedar chest!! A friend was selling one since she was moving East, and I didn't even bother to bargain, I paid my $50 and started loading it up. 

The outside shows wear, but it has history, and the inside (where it counts) is pristine. I love it.

Today was a laundry day and I did a few more rows on my Beyond The Wall MKAL  The rows are at a time-consuming length now, but I persevere. 

The 3.75mm circulars were proving too large for the So Faded sweater, so I ripped out and restarted; 3.25mm are the ticket. 

With 8 colours, my first fade would have been before the neck shaping ended, so after a consult with Julie, I finished the neck shaping, then started fading. I have adjusted the row counts on the subsequent colour sections and it's all good.

Except something went awry with the first fade row and I lost the continuity of the single stitch between sections.

 I kept knitting, thinking that it wasn't so horrible, that it was on the back shoulder, no one would see it. Who was I trying to convince? We all know what a perfectionist I am. So that got taken apart and I am much happier now!

This pic is 7 rows into the fade. The colours are so close that it is almost impossible to distinguish them apart. This is going to be the most subtle and awesome fade ever!!! Prism has outdone themselves on this gradient kit. 

Beyond the Wall 2

So the Super Secret Project is a fait accompli, and I jumped straight away into my Beyond the Wall shawl.

I have finished Clue 2 and am headed into 3!! I should be caught up in time for the release of Clue 4 on Sunday. Go me!! 

I made time today to bake a pie using local berries. 

It was delish - the perfect tartness, cinnamon, and sweet. It's not going to last long - it'll be breakfast and snack and lunch ... you get the idea. 

I got new glasses!! Something a little different. 

I'm also trying out multi-focal contacts. I lose some sharpness on both near & far vision, but it affords me flexibility with sunglasses and the mid-range vision is excellent. I think I'll use them for beach days and sports. 

Beyond the Wall - spoilers

I took a couple hours out of the deadline knitting and did Clue 1 of the Beyond the Wall MKAL  So glad I did! It's a nice change-up. I went with alternating balls of yarn, and the bobbles. When I do a MKAL, I like to do the pattern that the designer envisioned, so while alternating balls of yarn is not my fave thing to do, and I love letting yarn pool as it will, this is the path that I've set myself upon. 

Okay. To work, then two more days of my chosen work. 

A little of this, a bit of that

Today needed up being a big winding day. Lace is a lot of work to wind - there's mileage on a skein and then the re-winding so it's not tight on the ball. 

I have my Lorna's Laces wound and ready for the Beyond the Wall MKAL. 

 I also wound some sock yarn to do a pair of inside-outside socks for Elise  Working on the Sweet Spot strip has got my Knit One Below mojo tingling again! 

 

I sense a pattern here, but the speckled nature of this lolodidit yarn is making it less clear. I've ordered a couple skeins of her kettle-dyed yarn to make it easier to lock down. 

I went into the Spare Oom this afternoon and bravely started peeling away layers. I found the box that I was looking for, cleared out a bag of rubbish, and got the shelf back in. That was a struggle, and much more challenging than it should've been. I had lines and angles shifting in my vision and reality wasn't matching up. But she persisted!!

I cast on for a hat this afternoon ... I think I've caught a bad case of startitis!! 

 The only cure for that is finishing, so Imma be a busy knitter. 
 
I got my Hedgehog Fibres sock club pkg in the mail, but I haven't opened it. I feel like I should save it as a reward or incentive. I know, but it's a fickle willpower ... I can't resist DQ treats or more yarn lately. 

So, back to the needles I go - a happy knitter I am surrounded by all these inspiring swatches and yarns!! 

Starting Point - spoiler pics

I really love having my two days off in a row. Day 1 is always errand day - shops, appointments, cleaning. Day 2 is my day of home, knitting, relaxing. It is my ritual, I look forward to it, I need it. 

My Starting Point shawl is done!! I finished all the ends and laid it outside to block; it fit perfectly on my little back deck. It blocked out gently to 71cm x 203cm (28" x 80"). A generous stole, and if I knit another I could join them for a blanket. I love it; I has an intriguing construction with a pleasing symmetrical geometry.

 

   

 

I also finished the 3^rd part of my Chatelaine X garden mandala. The Algerian eyelets were the finishing touch and all 4 corners are now complete.

 The charts for the 4^th part are taped together and I'm ready to make 100's of tiny x's!!  

Happy Mail Day!! Jimmy Beans pkg arrived with the Lorna's Laces Solemat  that I ordered for the Beyond the Wall MKAL  The colours are brighter and less grey than the online pic. My fingers are almost twitching with excitement!!!

 The puppies are playing outside, no rabbit-chasing whinging to be heard, while the salmon that I planked is on the grill. It's been awhile since I've made salmon, the smell of it is so enticing. 

 I've powered through OITNB today -- how am I supposed to get along until season 6!!?? I am imaging storyline after storyline in my head. 

The Handmaid's Tale will see me through my evenings stitching. 

Have I mentioned how much I love my android box? An introverts best friend this! ☺️☺️

 Oh, I found this tiny robins egg shell on my driveway this morning.  

It made me happy, like seeing deer and rainbows. I know, I'm a bit simple, but my heart is pleased. 

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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Things That Are Done

Another pain dazed day. I cant focus on much when the pain is so intense that it requires the most codeine. So I mostly just lay in bed, scrolling through Instagram, and playing solitaire quite badly. I let myself doze off. I check the time, but it doesn't really register unless it's 11:00, 3:00, or 7:00 when I can take medicines.



Chica lays with me during the day because she can jump up on the bed. Petey gets nights; I lift him up. Or he sleeps in his crate. Depends on our moods. They are steadfast guardians, doing their utmost to keep all harm from befalling me. And when pain assails me, they kiss me better, tails wagging earnestly, understanding in their eyes.

The pain is easing off now, which is to say that I can take less codeine; it's ridiculously relative.

I finished Georgitte



& the Favourite Soft Mittens





a few days ago. I'm finally getting to blocking out the Linen Stitch Scarf. The bind off edge is tight, despite my being deliberately loose in the doing of it.





(The colour is way off - hideous lighting in my bdrm!!) I think that next time I'll do a plain seed stitch row before casting off; that should alleviate some of the tightness.

I have been working on a sock for me. Easy, mindless knitting; just what I need. I love when the colours spiral like this!






I'm not sure what the yarn is, it's stash.

Early to bed again tonight. I'm exhausted despite massive bed rest. Pain and drugs are exhausting and I am counting down the days to their end like a prisoner getting released.

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Still knitting

It's been a challenging few weeks, but I am finding a way, every day, to keep moving forward.
It's different from the dissolution of my marriage; it hurts in a different way, but the pain runs deep. It seems to be not about the years together, but that intangible investment that your heart has made.

My hands are fine, though I might just touch base with my family dr about my left one. The middle knuckle is still giving me gyp, snapping my fingers with that hand still makes it ache. I think that it may have actually been broken.

I have finished my Churchmouse linen st scarf!! Took a lot longer than it should have, but we got there.





It needs a blocking, not the least so that the fringe straightens out so that I can trim it.
I like it a lot. *Almost* hoping for cooler weather to put it to good use.
Julie has sent me a couple of small projects. I'm starting with this wee stuffie.


Georgitte is a cutie, no doubt about it, and will perhaps change my attitude towards stuffed animal projects. We shall see shortly.

I have been spinning. It is good therapy as I can't let my emotions intrude upon my process or it gets ugly fast. I am feeling more confident in spinning a fairly consistent light-weight single. I think that it will be closer to a sport weight than the fingering that I was hoping for, but only plying and setting will tell.
I am halfway through the super wash roving that Barb gave us at the Frolic class.














I have found quite a bit more roving that had slipped my mind that I will spin up and practice on before I give a real shot at spinning a serious length of yarn for a project.

The puppies are well.
Chica's caring style is to keep me preoccupied with throwing her ball. Lol.





She loves that thing and makes me laugh with her antics.
Petey is my sensitive carer. He will not watch me cry. He jumps up and is licking my face until I stop - if for no other reason than to halt his zealous ministrations!!





He snuggles beside me, morning and night, silently, consistently comforting.
I had Toby for two weeks while Kee was away for work. Chica & I will miss him a lot. We had some great fun at the soccer pitch. I told Lee that he had to keep forking out for the Chuckit ball.








Baseball has been terrific this year; I'm so glad that I got onto a mixed team. There's more overall playing, and it gives me that many more games and exercise. I bring the puppies sometimes; Chris & Maria are their fave minders.


I am working towards a big change. I'm due for a positive one that I choose for myself. It's geographical. Nothing definite at the mo, but I won't give up on this. I need somewhere new, where I can make positive memories unclouded by the past. Not haunted by memory triggers everywhere I turn.



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