Speckle and Pop

Nothing is an easy decision when it comes to colour choices with me. But I went stash diving, 

which was no simple feat either, and came up with all sorts of Pop!

The left bucket is my Koigu (which produced the winning Pops), and the right bin is my fingering leftovers.

What is that burning in my nose? Oh yes, I had mince the last ghost pepper for the chili re-do without gloves and I guess I’m glad that I didn’t rub my eyes!!!

Back to the Speckle and Pop - colours decided upon and casting on will commence.

Once I decide, it’s full speed ahead. 

Though I’m in the midst of three different full projects, plus a sock, so I have almost too much knitting ... I’m torn about which one to knit on! 

Petey is still a Conehead. We are less patiently waiting for his inflatable collar - he’ll be done with The Allergies by the time it gets here! He’s much more himself personality-wise, Craig noticed it right away on the weekend. 

He’s still pink, but the skin irritation and oozing is much improved. 

Work is fantastic; I am part of a strong, motivated team of women. We rag on each other, but are there for each other for support or encouragment the second life happens. That’s the family that you get to choose. 

Concurrency

So I am hopelessly behind on What the Fade. This is where I’m at, last fade of Clue 3. I absolutely love the colours that I chose and how fabulously they are fading together!!

Clue 1 dropped for Speckle and Pop. 

I wound http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/flat-rib-popoveruphttp://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/flat-rib-popover the Main Colours for it today; I still need to go stash diving for the colour pops ... or I might wait until Woodstock and buy some. Knitting time is precious and stash diving may be time-consuming distracting. I’ll be swatching on the main project for this one. 

Then I wound up yarn for a Flat Rib Popover vest for Julie. 

I haven’t knit a project for Julie personally in awhile, I think Patrick was the last one, so I’m especially excited for this project!! 

I love knitting Churchmouse patterns - such well written patterns and effortless knits. 

I’ll prob swatch it tonight. 

I don’t usually have this many major works on the go at the same time ... my knitting eyes may be stretching my physical abilities. Lol. 

Craig brought with him my birthday present. He really listened and reached out to Julie for advice and he did good!!! 

I absolutely needed a new shawl pin as the last one dropped and broke. I also explained to him that the yarn was perfect since “sock” didn’t necessarily mean socks, that all of my shawls were knit in sock weight yarn. 

Quick post - much fabric to make!! 

The End is in Sight

I've been knitting away! This is a massive shawl. Granted, I haven't been as diligent as I could've been, but it's been quite a lot of knitting. But I'm doing the I-cord cast off today!!!

 

 I deliberated probably longer than I needed to about what colour to use; I went with Wish, colour B. 

I am excited to be finishing; not just so that I can block and wear it, but so that I can get back to Sorrento.

 

 I'm into the front ribbing shaping and it's enough to keep me knitting to the next increase. I know, but it's the simple pleasures that are truly what I enjoy in my knitting. There is a lot of "At The Same Time" going on here ... def keeps a knitter sharp. 

That's kind of it. Working, puppies, family keeping me busy. Chica really is a fan of Craig; she'll generally sidle up to him and pour on the charm (seriously - kissing on him!!) when she wants to play. 

 

 

I really do have to get back into my flute practice. I've neglected it lately, but I miss it. It gives me a singular pleasure that I need to give back to myself. 

Bits an' bobs

Heads up - Westknits MKAL spoiler pic below. 

The Woodstock Fleece Festival was wonderful! I love the yarn shows - all the pretties and seeing wonderful people in real life that I keep up with the rest of the year online. 

And Craig came with! He is my first SO to actually accompany me to and into a show. This bodes well for his prospects ;)

 

Actually he drove while I slept most of the way there and back. He had fun checking out the animals and did a massive walk around the town, taking pics of the old buildings. That is my finished Hitchhiker - the Cheshire Cat kits were quite popular at this show! 

I am enjoying the Westknits Building Blocks MKAL. I've been a bit slower at each clue than the last one, but that hasn't diminished my delight in the project! 

 

It is the same neon in the 3^rd section as the 5^th!! Amazing the difference that the CC makes!!

And super exciting - I drive the first 2017 CRV production model off of the line last night!! They are not quite perfected, but the kerfuffle about them finally rolling some off was something. It was a moment. 

Linen Challenge

So then this happened. 

 Yeah. 85% of this Studio Linen is recycle rayon linen which is what gives the yarn a lovely sheen and drape right off the ball. This means I really can't just toss the balls in my knitting bag and go. Well, I can, but this is the result. YMMV

This was good opportunity to just zen out and untangle something. I feel like I've got choices and decisions to be made all around me and this was something that I could just do. It felt good to make it neat again, and then, lesson learned, bagged.

 

 

So ... I'm still working on a colourway for my Building Blocks MKAL  Clearly, having more choices was not a valid strategy in making this process easier. I keep looking at my Bag of Loveliness and then just sighing and thinking.  One of these skeins was a raok gift and I'm having a hard time deciding whether or not to use it in this project. It might end up a sentimental favourite in my stash. 

It's definitely cooling off, but I've not lit the furnace yet. I did plug in the electric fireplace to take the chill off of my feet. I'd likely have it going even if the furnace was running, it's not for overall room heating. And the puppies love it!! 

 

Treats

So on this, the day before my 47^th natal celebration, Craig and I set off for The Needle Emporium. Truly, where else would I find the perfect gift for myself?!?

 

 Another beautiful day for a road trip, even with a decided chill in the morning air. 

My mission to Julie's was to make sure I had a proper

selection of Hedgehog fibres Skinny Sock to make a final decision on my colourway for the Westknits Building Blocks MKAL  I was more than successful! I also picked up the latest Rowan magazine. 

On the way back we veered off of the highway since traffic into Toronto was nuts - concerts & sporting events galore - and I remembered how much I love a Krispy Kreme donut. And since it was on the back way home, and the Magic 8 Ball concurred, we stopped in. It was more processed sugar than we usually eat in an entire month, but it was so totally delicious!! Craig had a simple glazed, but I went with a salted caramel, and a lemon filled. It's my pre-birthday, I shouldn't have to make the hard choices. 

Then there was groceries and home. Since we were making this a cheat day, it was manicotti with a homemade pasta sauce. 

I am now defrosting the freezer to make room for all of the yummy things that I'm making tomorrow. Planning and meal prep is key to any kind of diet plan and having only a 1/2 hour lunch with no easy access to other food. 

I am getting ready to cast on my next project:

 Sorrento from The Studio Linen Collection by Erika Knight. 

I am having a lovely day, and looking forward to another one tomorrow!

The Doodler

So. Finally. I have cast off and am on the picots.
Except in not loving them as a treatment, so I'm experimenting.




Picots as written.



Knit one row, cast off on next row.


Casting off as I pick up & knit the first row.

I am partial to this last one. I'll think on it as the day goes on, maybe get some impartial opinions at work and then get busy at it tonight.

I really want to finish this, then I'll set to the Amy Butler raincoat with a passion for the weather to go with it!!

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Doodler clue 3 spoilers

Long busy days at Len's, then loving my sweet, patient puppies, flute practicing, and then power knitting. Sleep, and repeat.
It's crazy, but I find that I get more done when I have more to do!!

Petey pulled a Houdini early this morning sometime, (he hasn't done that in a long time!), and I woke up to this:


I know. He knew that I was quite displeased and that he had lost favour with me.
Fortunately HA Kidd has showed up to stock (I am in Gütermann heaven!!!) their stuff, and I have a pair of Unique needles to work with. I have forgiven him over the course of the day. He's lucky he didn't touch the yarn!!!

We have an opening date of December 14, and product is coming in hard & fast; I'll be nose to the grindstone until then. But I'm loving it - all the fibrey goodness I can stand. Not quite the quality of yarn that I choose to knit with in my own time, but it still gives me pleasure to manage it. And the fabric --- I just walk up and down aisles touching and looking sometimes.

I have finished clue 3 of The Doodler with only 3 wedges.


I should have liked to do 4, but don't have enough yarn and I didn't have another colour that really suited. Just as well, I'm all set for Clue 4. Which *didn't* come out on my way home tonight. Lol!!

A colleague from London is cooking gnocchi in my kitchen for the potlucky tomorrow. The hotel has a microwave, not conducive to proper cooking! She's been up in Barrie for the last month helping set up the fabric & upholstery sections, and will be staying to see her efforts through to fruition. I'm going to miss her!!

I'm going to spend the time waiting for the next clue knitting on a Secret Project that I've been neglecting for far too long!!

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Doodling Along - clue 3 spoilers

I'll put the spoiler pics further down ...

I made sour cherry jam today!! I was so excited to get a couple of pails of frozen sour cherries at Zehrs last week that the kind produce manager let me have them at -50%!!






I love sour cherry jam - hand down my favourite!! I'll be making another batch, then freezing what's left of the bucket for pie filling as needed.

My fingers are getting used to the open holes on the Sonaré. It's a more precise fingering that is required, but I love the tone she emits when we hit it right.

Here's my Doodler shawl. Mrs Crosby Satchel Hummingbird (sorbet colours), Georgian Bay Fibre Co McCoy Sock in Meaford Spring Buds for the brilliant green, then Satchel again in Hollywood Cerise for the deep rich merlot.








I am loving the undulating edge, and it's being accentuated more and more as the wedges build out.

Ok ... a bit more Doodling then to bed. Much to get accomplished this week!!


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Busy needles.

I know ... but you're used to me disappearing for periods of time. And like the proverbial bad penny I always turn up again.

So Clue 3 of Westknits Colo(u)rknits came out last Friday. I didn't have the luxury/pleasure of the day off but I woke up early and got a start before I headed off to the salt mines. I finished it Friday after work.

I really don't know how it's going to finish in one more clue; perhaps this one will be a big'un. I do love my colour choices!

I don't generally crochet and I really don't usually accept commissions without a pre-set payment amount. But there was a story about a knitterly grandmother who always crocheted a blankie for new family babies and a upcoming birth, the first without said grandmother to crochet a welcoming blankie. And I may have been on some medication that day.

So I have undertaken a simple ripple blankie out of Cascade Pinwheel. It says Aran but it is mos def a worsted. It also is not very evenly spun for an acrylic but the colours are nice and I'm enjoying the simplicity of crocheting. Yes - the leaves are lovely colours!!

Elise's lace-weight linen Shawl of Secrecy continues slowly - increasing 6 sts every alt row. It's lovely and I like working on it but need some variety.

So of course I started on another project!!! Lynda started on Martin Storey's Arak and finished the back but I am taking the hand-off and finishing it. Rather than a regular swatch I decided to just cast on a sleeve and measure off of that.

The nails are OPI's In The Cable-Carpool Lane from the San Fransisco collection.

Colorknits

Clue #2 came out this morning and I was all over it.

A significantly smaller clue but it incorporates the 3rd colour yet leaves the knitter with no real clue where this will go next! A perfect mystery knit!!

No spoilers here ... go to my Rav project page to satisfy your curiosity.

Keeping Busy

I've had a few unexpected days off from work and I've been able to use some of that to knit.

I have finished The Shawl of Secrecy!!

The sock has had some undocumented work done on it ... I'm not sure if I'm feeling the love for it though.




I am feeling the love for the yarn that I selected and have wound up for the Westknits colourknits Mystery KAL.
The yellow is Red Corset Designs Osmosis in Sunkist. The red is Spunky Eclectic Skinny Socks in How Very Berry. The blue is Punta Yarns MeriSock Handpainted.

I am going to do a swatch tonight, though for shawls it's less crucial; I just want to see the colours together!!

I have also wound up Americo's Linen Cordón for a different Shawl of Secrecy.

 That was a lot of winding ... the knitting will take awhile I'm sure!

Distractions

And speaking of distractions ... It's that time of year again.




I loved doing Rockfeller last year and I was all over signing up for this Mystery KAL.

I had basically narrowed it down to these two colour ways (a Kirkpatrick woman embraces colour!!).






I have decided to go with the red - it lends a cooler, more wintery feel while I sense more spring coming from the Sundara green.

So I've got until Friday to make a serious dent in Elise's shawl ... mission accepted.

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One Wing

I have been knitting but also taking some time to just enjoy my last week or so of time off and the absolutely fabulous weather we've been having. Granted, it's been quite warm some days but that sure beats chilly & rainy!! It's Summer and I love it!!!

I spent my entire Friday knitting and
ripping, let's call it swatching, doing some serious maths to make sure that my 36g of orange would last for both wings. I totally did it - numbers don't lie!!! - but I ate up the Malabrigo Velvet Grapes. But I can deal with that, I've got Julie on the case!! I'll have to wait for the new skein to continue - if there is a significant difference in dye lot I'd rather it was on the entire left wing than just half of it. If you want to see all of the progression pictures, I have them on my Ravelry project page.





No worries, I have been working on my Family Pendragon SweetSpot strip and I can jump right back into Beth's Drops sweater.

I am healing very well on all counts! My stomach still feels tight and if I stretch/twist a bit too much I am reminded that there is still healing to be done. I still put the Bio Oil on; can't hurt ... My toe still has a numbishness to it and while I can walk it's a careful placing of foot to ground and I'm careful not to roll off of the ball of my foot. There is still some swelling on the top of my foot, but I feel good about how both surgeries have gone. Next week is filled with doctors appts to get followups done and return to work permissions and modifications sorted. I'm scheduled to go back on the 13th - I'm looking forward to it. No, really I am. I would love to keep staying at home but needs must and I miss the people!!!

Block Party

Beth's Drops 85-11, front

Well, last night was blocking night. I really do enjoy blocking - seeing what you've knit transform and unfurl into what it's meant to be.

Westknits Rockefeller Clue 2

I also swatched for a new strip for my next SweetSpot afghan. It's Family Pendragon, Fae Lite colourway.

I'm not sure if I am going to have an official Ravellinic Games project ... I have these 3 things on the go and am going to be casting on a new project for Elise. I think that juggling these will have me quite busy enough without adding a self-imposed deadline that will put a halt to progress on one or more of these.





Saturday was beach day. My sister came up with my niece and we headed to Wasaga. Now, I did give some thought to walking in sand but perhaps I didn't think it through as thoroughly as perhaps I should have. Not that it would have mattered - I'd've gone anyway, but still. Damn - walking on the extra fine & shifty sand of Wasaga took a whole lot of concentrating and slow, deliberate movements. I didn't wreck anything but I am back to feet up. It was a gorgeous day and totally worth it!!