Take this pencil roving and...

So I owe you all a post that isn’t all like “blah blah blah etsy blah blah tired blah blah can’t think” right?

Right!

The news

I started my new-ish job today. And so far, I haven’t done anything new! This is probably because it is a) Monday and b) Monday before a statutory holiday. Downtown Ottawa is a wasteland (no, moi in Vancouver, I did NOT write cultural wasteland…stop that!) today. Tomorrow it will be dangerous to walk around here unless you have a Canadian flag tattooed on your face! I have no idea who that guy is, but he sure looks happy doesn't he?

Yesterday we celebrated Alex’s ninth birthday. We went to the ballpark to watch a Can-Am League game – less talent that Triple A, slightly more than Little League. We had a suite overlooking home plate – it was absolutely amazing and since my kids are used to running around the stadium, we only saw kids at important moments – like when they were hungry.

I can’t believe my baby is nine. I also can’t believe I am old enough to have a nine year old. As a result of my disbelief I did my best to behave as childishly as possible without endangering anyone and had two big pieces of birthday cake. So there upcoming 39th birthday!

Stuff I am dyeing

I think I lost two whole days of my life trying to untangle this holy mess:

That’s a pound of merino-seacell pencil roving. It was like untangling yarn, but yarn that would just drift apart if I tugged too hard. It was totally worth it though…it is so soft!!

The first step in dyeing is to soak the wool – with this stuff I couldn’t wind it up into a ball like a I do with thicker rovings because the water would not penetrate to the middle. So out came the swift and some very gentle skein winding happened. Worked like a charm! This bit got dyed strong blues, reds and greens. I really need to dye up some for me and spin it.

Stuff in the mail

Supplies! Can you believe the number of postage stamps on this? Mail ordered from Copper Moose in the US – there is a pound each of BFL and Merino, and half a pound each of Merino-silk and merino-tencel. Lookie here! Bags’o’wool!

Stuff I’m knitting

Susie Hoodie continues – it looks the same as last time so no boring pictures of blue stockinette for you! Don’t bother to complain about that either as I am not wasting valuable computer space on a picture.

Susie Hoodie might have been chucked aside for some warm weather knitting. Having firmly committed to copying a couple of people who are smarter than I am, I am knitting up the Print’o’the Wave in Handmaiden SeaSilk. Frogged once in favour of smaller needles but so far so good. Isn’t it pretty? This one is definitely for me!

And I guess today is Handmaiden day – because I cast on a sock in Casbah. The yardage on the skein is a bit short (around 325 yards) so I decided to bite the bullet and learn how to do a toe up sock. Now I am sold!!! I did Judy Becker’s Magic Cast-on with the help of Cat Bordhi’s YouTube video (thanks for telling me about it Nancy! Hint: click the link and check out the divine sea silk stole Nancy just finished - awesome!). I am using a rib-whose-name-I-have-forgotten out of one of the Vogue Stitchionaries and last night I did my firstest ever short row heel with instructions out of an Interweave Knits from last year. As I am knitting on 3.75s these are going very quickly!

Places I’ve been

I mentioned ages ago that I would tell you about Kniterary – just about the cutest little yarn shop in Whitby – and I think the ONLY yarn shop in Whitby. That’s beside the point.

The very first time I went there the woman who owned the shop had just bought it from the previous owner that week. Sales stock was…well…unimaginative and more than a little acrylic-y. I don’t go there everytime I go to Toronto but I do try to drop in occasionally to see what’s new.

Huge improvement! A super comfortable couch. Lovely woman who totally left me alone and talked to Alex who was nicely tolerating the yarn store visit (he actually likes knitting but doesn’t have the attention span to do it for long). They had some really lovely sock yarn from The Sweet Sheep and Celestial Merino (yummy). Decent selection of Berroco, Fleece Artist and lots of Mission Falls.

I didn’t buy much as I had just spent a fortune for three hellish hours at Canada’s Wonderland the day before. I did pick up Cat Bordhi’s new sock book – it is pretty cool although beyond the cast on and looking at the pretty pictures and marvelling at Cat Bordhi’s brain (I’m surprised her head isn’t three times bigger than it is), I haven’t tried any of the sockitectures…

That’s it!

Happy Canada Day to everyone!

A poem...

I gave it a try

To Navajo ply

Yeah, all right, I'm no poet. I can navajo ply however! At least NOW I can.

At first I got off to a rough start. This was not due to the singles I was plying which was lovely copper coloured superwash merino. It was not due to the teaching at all. It was due to my not being able to set up my wheel properly and so I tried to ply about 50 feet in the same direction that my singles was spun in...which meant I got crap.

Which of course I took a picture of because I wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to humiliate myself...

Once the wheel and I started to get along a bit better (mostly because I stopped being a dumbass and it forgave me) I got a reasonable facsimile of a skein and the beginnings of an idea of how to do this. Here it is...

And last of all - the afternoon was spent in a group silk scarf dyeing activity where the entire group (about 80 or so) split into different groups to try different techniques. Chriss and I ended up in the pole wrapping (no, not dancing...) group.

Basically you wind string around your scarf on a piece of PVC pipe with string, push it up tight and then stick it in dye for a bit.

Chriss' ended up better than mine (yes, I have pole wrapping technique regret) but I don't have a picture so mine will have to do...

Purple isn't really my colour and this design feels "old" to me - I was thinking of overdyeing it - ideas are welcome! Just remember that the colour will interact with the purple.

All in all it was a fun day but I am still tired out! I spent the afternoon back with my hands in the dyepot. I also culled some sock yarn that I dyed in the winter and posted it to the shop. I picked up some absolutely amazing mohair from Diane the spinning teacher that is what is left of her own angora goats - about 1600 meters worth so I'll have to figure out what to do with it - its to much for one project but not quite enough for two.

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Blog Post of Reckoning

Today was the day. The day to pull out the knitting basket and find out what the hell is actually IN there. And it wasn't pretty.

But first up - kitchen pics because someone has been asking and who am I to refuse?

The counter is actually a bit more rosy than the picture which makes it warmer than it looks. I absolutely LOVE it and now that it is 99% done I couldn't be happier.

New in the knitting stash

My mom was cleaning out and found a sweater she had started sometime in the 80's. The wool is long since discontinued Laines du Plassard Mousarde - a wool alpaca blend that was probably pretty expensive back then since there was far less alpaca around than there is now. There is a whole lot of this raspberry colour and some lighter pink. There is also a very small amount of shiny pink silk. I had to frog a sleeve and a half - its roughly a worsted weight from what I can tell and I've decided to try a tam from One Skein Wonders.

Next - a lovely package arrived from the most awesomest Secret Pal Angel ever and contained two skeins of SWTC Kara - thanks Lorena!

Some dyed stuff

I also had a few dye days at the end of December -

On the yarn front:

I dyed two skeins ofKnitPicks Bare DK Superwash in coordinating solid and variegated colours.

I also did some coordinating DK in blues and started the Elizabeth Zimmerman Tomten Jacket from Knitting Without Tears - a great and quick knit. Utter genius design.

And another skein of KP Bare Fingering Weight Merino in black and blue stripes.

Dyed rovings

Two 4oz Merino-Tencel rovings

And two 4oz Merino rovings

Lastly - the WIPs in addition to those above...

A couple of second socks

A new homework sweater - EZ EPS sweater for Alex with a cable in the front in a lovely bulky brown wool who's exact name escapes me.

The Mystic Water Shawl KAL - in Infinity Lace Weight from my local LYS. This is supposed to be in blues but I just love the yellows and oranges. The yarn is a bit stiff and shows the stitches just beautifully. I have to confess that I am not entirely in a lace knitting mood - am I the only one who prefers to knit lace in the summer?

Still - I am continuing to plug away at my Mystery Stole 3 - I've finally gotten to the wing and it was a nice change from the rows upon rows of Cat's Paw in the previous section. I do think I will dye the stole another colour when it is complete - I am leaning towards a light turquoise.

There are more FOs but I won't put them all here. Lizard Ridge, the Dale of Norway sweater, felted clogs for my sister's (now past) birthday...

So there it is - the reckoning is done and now I had better sit down and actually knit...after I get over to Ravelry for the all important update there.

Thanks to SP10 - goodbye kitchen from hell - Hello startitis!

(insert usual bloggy excuses for lameness of recent blogs, lack of updating and general laziness. Done? Good...let's move on...)

First up...recent acquisitions and mergers!

First of all, there was a serious destashing that involved handing off some really yummy yarn I knew I'd never get around to knitting, or it was really nice stuff but not in a colour that made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I think that since this is a hobby I should only work with the warm and fuzzy stuff right? Right!

I didn't take a picture of the bag'o'wool that I took over to my buddy's place but let's just say that she recently got re-bitten by the knitting bug, I owed her some $ so we agreed that I would send some yarn her way. I parted with some handspun and no small amount of sock yarn. She's happy and now I have room in my shelves for this stuff -

Delicious package from my SP10 pal (who still hasn't told me who she/he is!) From left to right: RowanTapestry, Artesano hummingbird, Colinette Jitterbug, and Colinette Parisienne. Yummy!

Knit-Wise SoySilk lace weight in yellow-orange. Its 100g with a whopping 1400 yds in it. It feels a bit stiff so I'll be interested to see how it knits up and if it softens up at all. I have no plans for it...yet. Purchased at the Ottawa Knitting Guild Vendor night from Yarn Forward.

Some people got to go to Rhinebeck. Nancy, Leanne and I went to Poor Woman's Rhinebeck (Nancy gets the credit on that one). I found a terrific kit with lace blocking wires (sorryI don't remember the vendor). Here's what else I got:

200 grams of Fleece Artist Silk Merino sliver...isn't it shiny?!

Last of all, I was in Merrickville this weekend for a few hours and was about to leave when I spotted a promising little antique shop. I walked through and then decided to double check the sunporch area which had all the nifty antique farm implements. I looked up and spotted these dangling from the ceiling - so here they are dangling from mine:

Sock blockers! Don't ask me how old they are, I have no idea. But the wood is nicely worn and they look like they were well used and loved.

Next up...new projects! I have NO idea what the hell has happened to my brain but suddenly I want to cast on EVERYTHING I have waiting in the wings...and some other stuff besides. I think its the cooler weather. I love fall - it always feels like the beginning of the year to me and my energy seems to peak. So, I just decided to stop judging myself for so many projects and just do what I want, rather than what I think I should.

Henry - as previously mentioned. Now that I have finished one of the seven repeats, this is going to be a looong knit. For my dad, for Christmas. Maybe.

Charlotte's Web Shawl - but not in Koigu - that's Handmaiden 2 ply silk cashmere that has been hanging out in my stash for 2 years. Probably the most expensive yarn I own. This pattern fits my criteria for this yarn perfectly - pretty and worn against the skin. It will be a small shawl - but perfect for wearing with a coat.

Latvian mittens - specifically the Mittens from the District of Latgale from Lizbeth Upitis' book . I am modifying the pattern because there are 8 rows of that braid you see and knitting it is awful! - Each braid is two rows of alternate colour purling. The yarn tangles, its slow and makes me want to scream! So I am going to add a whole bunch of extra patterning in the wrist portion and skip the damn braiding.

Next up - breaking out the sewing machine. My 1995 wedding dress was looking pretty dated:

Last weekend I began deconstructing it - removing the skirt and all the beading around the neckline, arms and waist. I will be dying the silk a deep blue and I picked up some dupioni silk to dye as well. The plan is to make a quilt for Madeline as a keepsake. I was able to pull hundreds of beads off it too. I would like to use my handspun natural alpaca and make a beaded stole as a gift to Alex should he ever marry - I have some time since he's only 8. I'll post some pictures as soon as the dyeing is done.

Close up of the back detail and embroidery on the silk.

And finally - the money is starting to disappear as I buy the stuff for my new kitchen. The reno is going to be the week of Nov 12th. I get to say goodbye to this:

And maybe more notably this little monstrosity that drips no matter how often we tighten or replace the do-hickey's inside the thingamajig.

If you are still with me...thanks for hanging in there!

Drive by posting...

I should be getting ready for work...really. But. Well. I just don't wanna go.

Warning - the following paragraph may contain whining.

I hate my job right now and the petition to remove the Board at my condo has been received and Deposal Day is August 27th. I'm not sure if I am looking forward to it or not. And it going 35 degrees today with a humidex of 45 - which registers as "Disgusting" on the Weasley thermometre.

Done! Thanks for hanging in there!

Now the good stuff.

First of all -- I was blissfully unaware that August 1st is the best day of the whole year. For some, this day is Christmas, for others the beginning of tax season and for still others its the first day of school.

For me its the day a very very important book arrives in my mailbox. I am saving the reading until I am ready. Ready will be a quiet house. The cats are resting so nothing is going to get broken. I have a steaming cup of coffee beside me. Then its time to dive in. Time to dive, straight and deep, right into the heart of the IKEA catalogue. Harry Potter is just going to have to wait.

Next up - an FO!!!

Northern Light mittens from Knitpicks - knit as shown with the same colours (yarn is Palette). Knit on dpns of unknown size (thicker than socks though - maybe a 4mm or so). I love them with a fondness that is bordering on unnatural. They were a fun, if not quick knit. My fairisle sucks big time but they shore do look purty from afar!

I so loved the colourway - and had so much left over - that I immediately embarked on my next bit of obsessive knitting...

Pretty no?

Is this one more clear?

Its Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Surprise Jacket. Everything you have heard about brilliant design? EZ's genius? ALL true.

In order to knit this, I had to put aside my Mystery Stole. I am on Clue 3 and as of Friday will be completely behind when Clue 5 is released.

The excitement and speculation are mounting - cause Melanie is going to reveal the theme that day to the Yahoo group. (by the way, my guess is the elements - the border looks like water - the graphical bit like wind, then flames above the diagonal lines...and the next bit looks like rocks to me)

Both of these have shoved aside the Dale Fairisle Sweater with Scary Steeks...

...and my sister's Christmas Pelerine (another EZ project from Knitting Workshop - its a shawl with three brilliantly placed increased that give it a trapeze shape - it comes to a point at the back and at each arm. Very mindless knitting.

That's the Romni Boucle I dyed a while back in violet, turquoise and brilliant blue but its impossible to see in pictures.

Next - a single sock...this is Go with the Flow from Favorite Socks in Tofutsies. We are celebrating the completion of sock 1 and now can look forward to sock 2 since this fine lady sent me the Favorite Socks book just yesterday!!! I might have copied out the lace charts from the book when I borrowed it from the library and then I might have lost them.

I love love love the lace on these. They are a bit loose - which is worrying me in a nagging way I am choosing to ignore and will cast on the second one anyway - but I had to add 1/3 more stitches - not only because I have Fred Flintstone feet (wide, flat and easily double your vehicle acceleration) but because the pattern is ridiculously small. Note to self: pedicure!

Here's a lacey closeup.

There's plenty of other projects floating around - like Lizard Ridge (4 blocks knit - a zillion to go)

The nagging voice in my head is telling me to get ready for work. I must obey the voice.à

Edited to add at 1:09 p.m. - I am 14 people away from Ravelry!!!! Tonight? Tomorrow? Can I elbow people out of the way virtually?

Lots of news...none very interesting but pretty pictures ahead

I went kinda nuts with the camera this morning in preparation for el gigantico blog post about everything and my dog (okay I don't have a dog so my three cats...2 1/2 really but more on that later). But first...some blog sustenance to energize the creative mind required to entertain all five or six of you (HI!). We have tea in the super amazing spinning mug (I really wanted one of the "Spinners for Whorled Fleece" mugs but they aren't making them anymore) and Cookies and Cream Cheesecake. This is NOT low fat since my take on cheesecake is go big or go home. However, if you must try to upgrade your cake there is a note in the comments to alter the recipe and it sounds pretty good too.

Next...a few weeks ago I received a fabulous package from Chris Dalziel at Joybilee Farms who stepped up to be my pal in the Spin to Knit swap after mine fell very ill (Jo - if you are reading, I hope things are getting better!). Not only does Chris spin a great skein, she also makes her own soaps and I was lucky enough to get on big one scented with anise, and two little ones that also smell pretty great.

The green on the left is wool plied with silk - a 67 gram skein with 80 yards on it. The red skein is 100% wool in a Fire! colourway - 48 grams and 64 yards. Thanks again Chris!

I will also be sending my own stuff off to my pal who is owed two months worth of handspun after some miscommunication. It will be in the mail this week after payday.

And now...knitting update. There have been some basic socks knitting around. If you had told me two years ago that I would have THREE pairs of socks cast on and many more waiting to be knit I would have ... well I don't know what I would have done but the words laughter, disbelief and coma jump to mind. Work has been so busy that knitting mindlessly around in circles with exciting breaks (partridge heel! turning heel! picking up stitches! kitchener stitch!) seems soothing. Having three on the go means I can choose a sock to work on colour (I need soothing blues!) or state of completion (I just wanna sock done by tomorrow!). So without further ado:

Party time sock - second sock working on the gusset decreases and then down the home stretch to the toe...whee... I love these so much I wear the first sock sometimes while I knit the second one for inspiration.

Fleece Artist - sixth-time is a charm sock (long story - but I may have to frog these AGAIN)

Pretty pastels for Madeline (my attempt at pattern dying some Knit Picks bare fingering weight merino) - these are pretty enough but I was hoping they would be brighter. First sock, heel and decreases done so just working my way down the foot now)

The last of the current knits is the Icarus shawl which I am knitting in Misti Alpaca lace weight - bought last summer and has been patiently waiting for me to either commit to the Print o the Wave stole or try something else. I'm not awarding points if you spot the glaring error I am currently ignoring.

Next up...wanton consumerism/enhanced stash/project understudies waiting for their big break

10 butter soft skeins of Mission Falls 1864 Wool in a deep raspberry colour that is begging for me to stop be such a weeny and just commit to a design for a cabled sweater for Madeline. For some reason when I go to design something - and I mean really, its mostly just math folks (which I happen to like) - I hit a creative wall of insecurity. Not sure why - if the wool was $25 a skein I could understand it!

And speaking of $25 dollar skeins - this is 875 yards of exquisitely soft gossamer weight wool. Someday I will win the lottery and buy it a friend and after that I'm going to try a shetland shawl. There, I said it. Publicly. Now I want to run and stick my head in the sand.

Some more handdyed knit picks merino - I just could not get the colour to work on this but the tones are actually much deeper and more jewel tones with blues, greens and purples. Someday these will be socks for me!

And more socks. The small balls are leftovers from projects - mostly the Charlotte's Web Shawl. I picked up more Apple Laine in black and want to do some kind of mosaic up near the cuff with some of the leftovers - and maybe a heel and toe in an contrasting colour.

And this was just a silly retail therapy purchase - more sock yarn. That is actually a deep purple. More sporty socks with a bit of a white stripe maybe?

Today's project is a perfect one-day knit (I hope). This teapot is chilly. I painted it at one of those paint your own ceramics places a few years ago. I absolutely love everything about it except that 1. it really leaks when you pour your tea so you have to put a tea towel under it but and 2. it doesn't have a cozy to keep the tea warm so I end up with cold tea all over the table. There is nothing I can do about 1. so today's mission is a felted tea cozy worthy of my hard labour...

And last of all...I leave you with the possibly cruel but necessary plight of my poor ragdoll Amber. Let me begin by explaining that ragdolls do not shed as much as other long haired cats. Or at least this is what the breaders will tell you. This is patently NOT true. All cats shed. Long haired cats just shed in clumps which makes it a bit easier to clean up. Ragdolls have very soft "bunny-like" fur that is very fine. So when Amber sheds it often gets caught up in her own fur and in the spring especially she gets a ton of mats in her ruff. This year was so bad, I resorted to drastic measures.

Before (Madeline likes to capture "cat stuck in the [insert object here]" pictures. Yes that is me in the background knitting and glaring at her.)

After

I'd say I'm sorry...but I'm not.