Houston I think we might have a problem

Can anyone tell what might be the problem here?I think we may have a problem with reaching the toe without running out of yarn. I'm just hoping that what I need to rip back from the first sock will cover what is needed for the second sock; otherwise it is creative knitting time.

And the quick one off-er is ready to start decreasing and be done with in a few hours, when I can find the time! Christmas is just to busy.

And that is it and all folks. Just a quick post 'cause I'm suppose to be busy knitting you know!

Christmas time already?

Well it is that time of year and even though I try to keep myself knitting for Christmas I somehow get suckered into it. Usually it is my own doing.

This should be a pretty quick one off-er. If there is time it may have something else accompanying it that should also be a pretty quick one off-er.

The spinning wheel is not dead. Mind you I did do this a few weeks ago and haven't had a chance to continue with it (you know with that xmas knitting I've taken on kind a puts a damper on the fun I want to have). There are is another bobbin full that is not shown here. I know it's really bright and I really don't care.

Here is one of those things I suckered myself into for a man who I have already given every tool imaginable to (in conjuction with my sister) and since he really doesn't need any ties etc since he is retired this is the only thing I could come up with that I know for sure he really wants and will make good use of. How do I know that? Because he gave me double pointed needles in my stocking last Christmas in two different sizes with note saying "Hint, Hint" on it. I'm sure you can't get more subtle than that!
One is already done, but I think I will have to take out the toe and make it a little smaller. I've had some people with similar foot sizes try them on and it appears I made the foot slightly too long. The good news is that I don't have to rip it out too far. I have decided however to finish the second one first and then go and correct the first one.

Here is a close up of the stitch pattern. I think it looks manly enough and the colourway has absolutely nothing girly about it. Although if he wants homemade socks as badly as I think he does I wonder if he would wear a girly colourway? Anyways, I have named these the "Manly Man Socks".

And since I can't post the red sweater without giving too much away since that someone actually reads the blog I will distract you with lacy shawl/scarf that sadly hasn't been worked on in the past few weeks either.

Well who knew.....

....cause I certainly didn't realize people were reading this (and by people I know it's mainly family). I definately couldn't tell. If you don't leave comments complaining about the lack of posts, I just assume no one is reading and can be lazy. Apparently I can't and have been told by my mother to start posting again.


Just so my little sister knows, I have evidence that I have been working on your Christmas present (now that I have the pattern again); here it is:So can you tell what has changed since the last time you saw it in August? Figure out how the sweater is going to work yet? Oh by the way, the second pattern I bought that I lost before I refound the first pattern has now been located. There are two patterns in rotation again, increasing your odds of the sweater getting done sometime this millenium. That is until another yarn and/or pattern comes and lures me away.

These were finished awhile ago and are just being posted now. They are my own sock pattern as well as being my first attempt at toe up socks and short row heels. Oh and they are made from lovely yummy Koigu!

Now for those of you that I have not pointed this out to, can you tell how I tried to combat SSS (second-sock syndrome)? Look really closely:

Five points for the person who figures it out excluding those of you that I pointed it out to. I know who you are (or at least I think I do). Maybe I'll keep up a tally of points and eventually give something knitting related to the person with the most points.

I signed up to join the Ravelry.com community a while ago and recently got the invite. I had completely forgot about it. It is pretty cool. It is suppose to help you keep track of your projects (finished and in progress) and stash. There is also the community aspect in the form of groups to join and forums to chat in. I recently added my entire collection of stashed Koigu into the stash tracker. It will take awhile before I even get half my stash on there. Anyway here is a picture of all the Koigu I have secreted away:

And no it is not a lot of yarn (to me) and no I can never have enough of it. Stop looking at me like that. You never know when that truly horrible day well come when yarn is no longer available (gasp). One must be prepared! That and you don't always want to have to run the yarn store just so you can start a project.

I also have a lace scarf (0r small shawl depending on how you use it) on the needles. But lace never looks very pretty until it is blocked so you can wait for an in progress shot, I'm sure. I also finished a shrug (pretty quick knit that one). It will be a picture in a later posting.

In other news Tequi has a few flight feathers that grew in after his last trim that have not gone under the scissors due to the not going outside because it's too cold for a species from Africa, and as a result he's been doing a little flying. He is exceedingly proud of the fact he can fly (though not very well, but getting better) and that is how he ended up here:
He has ended up many other unusual places, but this was the only time I remembered to take out the camera.

Til next time.....

Well I was very bad and seemed to miss posting the entire month of August. So to make it up, I am going to show the various projects I am willing to admit are on the needles.

First after finishing the Peacock Feathers shawl I cast on one for a friend of mine who does not know she is getting it so there are no deadlines. No deadlines is a very good thing, since I enjoy knitting and not necessarily having finished products lying around. It is a pattern from Victorian Lace today and will be absoultely beautiful one I finish. I hope she will love it.

I also started my first ever circular shawl which right now is a big lace blob. It is also from Victorian Lace Today and would finish it as fast I possibly could except I think I am a little laced out at the moment. Never thought that would happen. Both shawls are being knit with silk lace from Sundara. It is absolutely lovely to knit with.

Rita was here visiting and bought me some lovely sock yarn (such a wise woman). To be exact she bought me 4 skeins of Lorna's Laces, 2 skeins of Koigu and a big skein of Socks that Rock. Thanks to her generosity I will have 4 pairs of socks (eventually) to keep my feet toasty warm. I've already cast on one pair with the red Lorna's Laces. One sock done and one to go:

After buying the fall Knits I became obsessed with this yarn and this sweater. I sadly only had one skein so yesterday I went and bought enough to make the sweater.

The result this morning was a quite a wee bit of headway on the ribbing as you can see below:

My sister was also visiting at the same time as Rita and managed to snag this as a present since I lost the pattern to finish the sweater I started for her. I sadly don't have a picture of her wearing it (hint, hint) so the picture of me wearing it when I finished it in November of last year will have to do:

And I realized I had finished a project in the course of keeping this blog and forgot to post it. I was rooting through my winter stuff to make sure I knew where it all was and lo and behold I found this toque. I made it in February from my own handpun to keep my head warm while on the Canal when I went back to visit a friend in Ottawa. Sadly the picture does not show the subtle colour variations:

There are a few other things to be shown, but I will leave them for another post just in case I don't make enough headway on any of the projects shown.

long overdue

I have had the pictures for a while; I've just been a wee bit lazy about putting them up.
Anyway here are the specs for the shawl:

Pattern: The Peacock Feathers Shawl
Yarn: Zephyr Wool-silk by Fiddlesticks Knitting in Indigo
Needles: 3.5mm lace addi turbos

Enjoy!

third of the year

I know I haven't published lately, but I did have a deadline to finish the blue blob since I want to wear it to a wedding. It's hard to take a picture without any help so all I can offer today is a little teaser.

When I have photographic aid I'll show the entire thing and provide all the specs. It is the Peacock Feathers shawl from Fiddlesticks Knitting (a Canadian company that gives info in yards? It's suppose to be metres!)

Stay tuned......

luscious yarn

I did Navajo plying for this yarn so it is three ply and it turned out really well!!! It looks like commercial store-bought yarn! Since this turned out so well I've decided to use the rest of the yarn in the samlpler kit to make multicoloured sock yarn. Don't the singles look good!

Oh and I must mention that I met the Yarn Harlot on Friday at her book launch in Toronto! It was a long line and I was at the end, but it was worth it as I made some new knitting friends who were nice enough to take this picture for me since I forgot my camera. Look I'm holding the green sock!

the big blob

Well the blue blob on the needles has definately grown. It just may get done before the end of June where I hope to wear it to a wedding. Have to say that the addi turbos are absolutely wonderful. So thank you to the older gentleman at Romni's who noticed that I was knitting lace and recommended I buy those needles instead of the regular addi turbos.Here is a look at the yarn I made now that it is off the bobbin and in a skein. Far from perfect but it is still beautiful!

I bought some roving that was intended for needle felting for some practise spinning and have spun up some of the lovely red colour. I need to ply it and then decide what colour I want to spin up next.

I also picked up some alpaca/bombyx silk roving to be spun up. I think it will make some beautiful lace weight. I am also taking a spinning lesson with a spindle. I was informed the same principles apply so it's worth a try. That is next Saturday; I'm all excited.

addi turbo lace....

...that's write ladies and gentlemen the addi turbo lace needles have finally arrived and I have a pair from my trip to Romni wools. I know it is hard to see the needles with that big lace blob on them, but can you fault me for not waiting to try them?By the way, that lace blob is my new obsession. We will have to see how long it takes or if it will ever make it to the finish line. I have high hopes for this one.

I also picked up my 2.25mm needles and maybe a few other odds and ends as shown below:Yes I bought more handmaiden sock yarn. What can I say the colourways are gorgeous, it's local (ie Canadian) and the yarn is really yummy!

I also spent last weekend spinning up singles. And here is the resulting yummy yarn.

I can still use a lot of improvement and I definately need some lessons, but it is hard to find someone who teaches spinning! I asked the lady at Romni if she knew anyone who teaches spinning. Her response was we don't teach spinning on wheels anymore. That's nice, but why can't people answer the question. I didn't ask her who didn't teach, I asked who did.

Oh well I will remedy this by basking in the sun, drinking beer and knitting. Well maybe not drinking beer since I had quite a bit last night, but that is beside the point since sun and knitting are the more important of the three.

mitered squares and heavenly spinning

I've been unable to concentrate on any one kniting project for longer than half an hour. It has been very disconcerting lately, but I'm just not obsessed with any of my projects at the moment which is very sad. I love being completely obsessed by a project.

I have started this:

It is going to be a mitered square afgan or throw for my friend Laura up in Ottawa. Hopefully it will be ready for her birthday/christmas, which are around the same time.

I have also started spinning again. And now that I know to pre-draft the yarn, it is going a lot faster and a lot smoother than it has ever before. I really need to take classes because as of now I am self taught and I am sure I could be churning out stuff faster and of better quality if I had someone show me how. I almost have an entire bobbin full of beautifully dyed merino from Momma E's cybershop. Perhaps it will turn into socks or mittens?

on the needles

Okay so I'm still not doing a great job of regular posting but at least I'm posting twice in April. I finally have a picture of the cabled socks in progress to post.

The would have been finished by now if one of the needles hadn't broken (it's a long story about rescuing a parrot who threw a hissy fit and landed on the floor). So since I haven't been to a yarn store that stocks 2.25mm dpn in sets of 5 yet I have started to work on these from some koigu I bought at Lettuce Knit when looking for said dpn's.
My first ever pair of toe up socks! They are my own pattern and it took a couple of attempts with wrapped stiches to get this beautiful turned heel:
I only will admit to buying some beatiful alapaca/silk in a rich turquise and maybe a wee bit more koigu.

I also started work on this:

Which is a sweater of unusually construction made from a yarn called Ottawa. I have also worked a bit more on the red cashmere sweater and I am almost to the point where I have to design the armholes and neckline.

That will be all that I am going to admit to having on needles at the moment. ;)

haven't I been bad, but good

Not posting once for the whole month of March is not a good thing when you are trying to keep a blog. But I have been good and have been knitting quite a bit, I just don't seem to complete much lately. I think I'm too scatter-brained lately and seem to have a hard time concentrating on a single project for any decent length of time.

I did however work quite hard on a pair of socks:


I even had no problem starting up the second and finishing it, which is usually the problem with socks. But I think the lure of having a pair of homemade socks one out and ta da I have a pair of matching socks!!!


They are Child's First Sock's in Shell Pattern from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks (yes I even shaved my legs just for this picture). I used 2.25mm needles instead of the 2.5mm and the yarn is Lorna's Laces in Cedar. I love the subtle colour changes in the yarn and superwash definately has it's uses. Hello washing machine!

It's my second ever completed pair of socks. My mother received the first pair for her birthday and she loves them so much that I have been able to bribe her with bamboo needles and some orange koigu yarn to learn to make her own. Her goal is to get the leg part of the sock to the length she wants and on Mother's day weekend I'll show her how to make the heel and turn it.

I am currently working on another pair of socks with a blue colourway of Handmaiden merino, can anyone say yummy! It's my own pattern and there are cables (sorry no picture of this one yet). One sock is done and I'm on the heel of the second one. Maybe if I get of my procrastinating rear end I'll try to write up the pattern so it is ledgible to others and post it. I wonder if anyone will ever make them?

projects on the go

Well I haven't been doing so good at the posting on a regular basis. So to make is up I'm going to show off three projects in the works. I have reattempted my cashmere sweater, this time in the round and it is going really well. I bought a knitting software called Knit Visualizer which is great at making charts which I prefer to read over written instruction.


I've started early on my Dad's birthday present which is in August (I have come to the conclusion that men have large feet and this is not a good thing for a knitter with a short attention span). He's been bugging me for a pair of socks since I made Mom a pair for her birthday. He even went so far as to buy me needles to put in my stocking for Christmas. Now mind you he didn't buy my favorite needles and I will probably never use them since they are only 4 not 5 double pointed needles. But really it is the thought that counts and the fact he went into a knitting store.


And last but not least I'm making a pair of socks for myself if the second one ever gets finshed let alone the first. The yarn is Lorna's Laces which I have wanted to try for a long time so when I found some I bought it without a project in mind. Recently Chapters delivered my copy of "Knitting Vintage Socks" by Nancy Bush and I really liked this pattern and it screamed out for the yarn I had stashed away. I am really enjoying knitting this sock so far so I may get lucky and have a pair of socks.

I've recently started reading they Yarn Harlot's blog (I know, I know I am behind the times with these things; it's the same with online banking etc). I also bought her book "Knitting Rules" and am finding myself trying to stop myself from giggling out-loud on the subway, which is very hard to do I must say.

first project of the year done!

I already have one finished project for the new year! These are Eunny's Anemoi mittens and I am in love with them. They were knit up with Nature's Palette in cream and dark teal. I finished them just in time for winter. The day after they were finished it snowed all day. The pattern is absolutely stunning and they keep my fingers toasty warm.

Front view:
Palm view:

And here is a sneak peak of the next project that can't be completely revealed yet. Although I'm sure a few people might recognize it.