Warning, photo heavy entry… many fo’s!

I have been busy here these past few days; I love the wonder of small projects, that makes you feel like you have completed a lot…

First I’m gonna start out with a decent picture of One Skein Wonder.
It is amazing what happens with a little bit of light and a decent camera.







Then we discover the bear has a friend… (Man, these thing have the ability to multiply like bunnies I think…) this one is for my MIL as she is in town and collects teddy bears. I love the way it turned out with variegated yarn. (Sorry, I can’t remember what it was, it was in the scrap bucket…) Now I think I’m gonna have to pull some more out and do some experimenting…

Shhh…If you are related to me, you probably shouldn’t be reading this, as you may be getting this for Christmas… everyone else is ok…









What? Can’t tell what it is? Maybe these will help…

They are wrist warmers from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. The pink ones I made out of Koigu Kerstie and did the ladies size and style for my SIL. Then for my sister I took some Anti-Tickle (I love that, it actually says that right on the label!) in a grey for my sister merino blend in DK. With a little tweaking, I did the ladies size with the men’s pattern, and I love the result. My biggest problem is going to be able to give them away. DH chose the anti tickle and loved the wrist warmers so much; he wants a pair now too. I’m glad they are such good crowd pleasers.

Now I think I'll go back to working on clapotis for me for a while. It's about half done, so it's a little late to wear outside this fall, but it will be nice to have at my desk this winter...

Any how, gotta go get some stuff done as it’s Lost night, and I have to find out what happened to Kate. And Lock. And the raft.

magazine, one skein wonder, and bear

I am in love! I have seen Interweave Knits on line a thousand time, and have always liked what I saw. But then I saw the mini teddy bears, and had to get the magazine. While I was there, I picked up the current edition as well. I am so impressed! If not my favorite, it’s defiantly my top 3. I think I’m gonna lock the door for the next 10 months and just knit. What did I like? Well, first of all, the patterns were in my size, which I sometimes have problems with. The pictures showed good detail, there was a variety of patterns and skill levels, I wasn’t overwhelmed with tacky, or ads (yes, it has it’s fair share, but at least I don’t think they overwhelm the patterns. And best of all, I avoid what I think is the most depressing feeling ever, with I call, “did I pay –blank- dollars for this???” We’ll see if they are easy to follow and knit up as nicely as I like… tempted to try one of the men’s sweaters first…

I have a finished object! I love it! Why oh shy did I not jump on the band wagon a couple months ago? May I present to you… One Skein Wonder! (sorry, better pic next week, i hope, it appears my camera is on it's last legs...) I really enjoyed knitting this project, as it was very satisfying to be able to watch it grow, as adding 4 stitches every row, it grew fast. It was a good movie watching side- tracked project. Thank goodness once again for stocking stitch! It was an easy to follow well written pattern. The only thing that was a challenge was picking up all those stitches (but isn’t it always?) If I had to do it over, I don’t know if I would have used acrylic, but that was what was available when I started, so that is what it is. And I think I will wear it in my office, when summer comes back around.

Speaking of mini teddy bears, I had a little time and needed a little break from the Christmas gifts that I have been working on, so during charmed and desperate house wives I made this… ! I was going to give him to a little friend of mine, but as he is pink and so darn cute, I think he needs to be my new key chain friend and travel with me, and my friend will get one on another day. Do you think if I start knitting now, I will have enough to hand out for Halloween treats? ;)

Not that he took 2 hours, just that I was distracted at some points.
Am I the only one that does this? DH thinks that I am insane. I will watch a little TV, stir the supper. Watch a little TV, water the plants. Watch a little TV, dust the breakables. (All the time I am watching TV I am knitting of course). He marvels at my inability to sit still, even for a half hour program, forget trying to watch a movie. I have just always been the ultimate multi-tasker, even before I heard that word…

Anyhow, off to get ready for my week…

Sad, soothed, and distracted.

Grandpa’s funeral was yesterday. Lots of family, lots of friends, lots of food, lots of love. Lots of tears. He was an amazing man, and it was a happy occasion, as he moved on to a better place, and allowed others to move on as well. I think that is all I wanna say about that.

I have giving up on my parrot sock. At least the pattern, if not the yarn. My tension was wonky, and it turned out to be more then I could handle last week. I did a lot of work on one skein wonder, as I was better able to deal with plain stocking stitch. I also started this… The parrot is not going to be a plain 2x2 rib cuffed sock. I’m ok with that. I’ll go back and try the other pattern later. Maybe.

I finally got my book (Girls in Pants: the Third Summer of the Sisterhood)
from the library! Nothing like a bit of teenage drama to distract from really life. I love the first two in this series, and this one is not proving a disappointment. So far, there are a bit more like little adults, it’s the summer before college, and Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bee have whole new issues to deal with. I’m sure it won’t be ling till the trauma of life sets in again and it gets good, but right now I’m enjoying just re-associating myself with the characters.

Hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of fall! Time to dig into some warm wool projects again ;)

PS needle exchange package went out on tuesday...

sad week...

My G-Pa Joe died.

I’m very sad.

Funerals Wednesday.

Sending out needle exchange package early this week.

Picture of one skein wonder…

Bird Rant...

I hate birds. No offense to anyone. That is just the way it is, and always will be. They are pretty in the zoo to look at, but that is about it. At home they, scatter seed, poo everywhere, and are loud. Now my in-laws have birds (and yes, I STILL married in to the family…) the thing with there bird is they are all of the above, but also expensive and long living. They have an umbrella cockatiel that I believe they spent thousands of dollars on. And it’s only 5 years old. These things live to about a hundred. Who do you think is going to get this bird when they die one day? It’s not going to be my SIL, the bird has attacked both her and her fiancé. It’s going to be us, I just know it. Oh joy. Who knows, but the time that comes around, it might be just about time for a divorce ;).

Anyhow, this minor rant has brought me to some knitting content! I have actually found a bird that I love! It’s the parrot opal , and just knitting it makes me happy. I’m using a pattern I got from the sock of the month club, and while a bit of fiddly (you really have to hold your mouth right for all those purl 3 togethers) I love it too. I found the stitches on the heel much easier to pick up. At the end of every row you purl 3 (which turns in to garter stitch) and still looks ok when you start to knit up the side.

My big lesson, again, is “trust the pattern”. My brain tries to kick in too much and say “that’s not how I did it before…”. If I follow what is written and not try to over ride it, things turn out just fine. Who am I to assume anyway that I know better then these designers?

I have started reading a book called Shoot Don’t Shoot by J. A. Jance. So far, I like it, but it feels a little romance-y to me, and less mystery. That said I’m only 50 pages in to it. We’ll have to wait and see.

And on a final note, tonight is the season finally of Canadian Idol. All I have to say is GO MELISSA!!!

Needle exchange

I know, don't say anything. Two entries in two days. But there is a reason. It's time. Time for what? Why the needle exchange of course. And I have to answer the questions. Ya know that if you don't answer the questions, the good needle fairy might not come. ; )

1. What do you like to knit or crochet? (socks, sweaters, etc.) Lately I have been doing a lot of little projects, mostly socks…
2. What fibers do you like? Um, whatever is soft I guess, just what grabs my fancy at the time I'm hunting.…
3. What type of needles do you use most often? Usually circulars and dpns…
4. Do you like to knit in the round? Depends what I am making, but yes I do…
5. Do you use a magic loop method or any other we should know about? Are you interested in learning a new method? I have never tried the magic loop method, but am willing to try just about anything… adventure is good ; )
7. Do you have a favorite place that you shop online? (knitpicks.com, knitpixie.com, jimmybeanswool.com....)? Most of the online shopping I have done has been at knit Usually. usually I like to go and touch and see the exact color of what I am buying…
8. Do you want to be suprised? then erase all your answers above and write surprise me!!! I love surprises, that's what makes this type of thing fun… you have free reign secret pal… :D

Hope that helps Secret Pal, and thanks Corganizingor organising this...

Off to shop...

big news!

Pssst…. Hey! Look to the right. See it? Over there? The link on top… this is big news… do you know why it’s on top? Apart from being alphabetical? Barnegat Books is mine. Well, it was mine before. Now it’s all mine. 100%. We have been working toward this for weeks, but now it has finally happened. Money changed hands last night. I bought out my partner (amicably thank goodness, as we are also friends). She and I wanted to take the business in separate directions, and now we can. How often is it that thing work our so win/win? It is an interesting next step to this adventure we call life.

And in knitting news, my next sock of the month kit arrived. It’s not a color I would have chosen off a web site, but I like it. I don’t have many solids, and I do have things it would go with, so I’m thinking these are for me. I really like how opal knits, and how soft it is. I think I am a converted opal girl.

The patter says advanced. I by no means think of myself as an advanced knitter. On the other hand, I’m having no issues (so far, knock on wood for me, please) with the intermediate. So I’m confident to at least try. And I know I can always frog if I get in too far over my head, and use something from one of my sock books (my other new obsession). I realize that sounds a little defeatist, but it also feels strangely reassuring. Another thing I’m please with is it has charts. I don’t’ have much experience reading charts (I was taught how, I’ve just never done a large project requiring them) so I’m looking forward to a bit of practice on a smaller project. I have ordered a couple of scarf/ shawl patterns from Knit Happens, and I like the idea of practicing on something small and not so costly.

Right now I’m reading Drop- Dead Bond to fill in some more time, as I am still waiting for it to be my turn to read my book from the library. So far it is light and fluffy and cute. A good no thinking, stress-buster… it’s four different short stories, written by for different women. What ties them together is that they are mysteries, and the main character is a blond woman. I had originally purchased it because I liked the idea of sampling four new (to me) mystery writers, and seeing if I liked or didn’t like any.

I think as there is a rain warning this afternoon, I might just have to cuddle up with my book and a cup of tea. Or maybe a sock if the satellite comes back and I have something to watch as I knit…

FREE YARN!

Really, what could be better then free yarn? Yes, it is ‘novelty’ yarn, but that defiantly has its place… I can’t wait to try it and knit it up into a scarf for a lucky little lady, or maybe toys for my furry, feline, friends. Like Christmas in September!!!

On the reading side of my life, it’s me and Mrs. Pollifax these days. I think I have a book coming into the library, so I didn’t want a big commitment. These are nice little mysteries, with a little action, but not a lot of guts and gore. An intelligent old lady with a good sense of humour. Just a nice break.

Sorry, no pics today. Very busy week. Hopefully have good news, and defiantly have pictures this weekend…

hubby socks rocks! (if i do say so myself...)

Big things could be happening on the work front in the next little while, so I am anxious, edgy, nervous, excited, and optimistic, I don’t want to jinx anything by speaking out of turn, but am hoping the business is about to grow in a direction I never thought possible.

I knitting news, I have not been able to keep my attention on much of anything (man I would really like to get that blanket done), so I have been sticking to little projects. What else? socks! And low and behold, DH’s toe up’s are done!

I’m going to start my first sock of the month next, and hope it goes as quickly/smoothly. Being the brave soul I am, I’m going to try it on two circular’s rather then dpns, and see how that works for me… cause I need more challenge in my life, right?

As it is the long weekend, we are going to try and take it easy. With that said, there is stuff to do (cleaning, fix wall in basement from our last flood, finish the laundry so we can start the week fresh, book stuff) but on the most part I would like to take long lazy walks and enjoy this weather while it is here (and burn off some of the stress calories, I have ingested lately), concentrate long enough to watch a movie, finish my book, put together some clothes to consign, paint my nails, and maybe read some blogs….

All noble goals eh? ;)

Have a good, safe, holiday weekend, weather you are staying in the city, going to the cabin, or squeezing in that last bit of holiday before life returns to ‘normal’ again…