Monday, September 25, 2006

To sick to knit

Well at least I was yesterday. I spent a good deal of the day sleeping my sniffles away. This of course after I got ticked off with the bf last weekend for sleeping all day long so we didn't get to spend much time together. He was very sweet bringing me tea and rubbing my back. What a doll. He has no idea how much I appreciated it.

Anyway. I am feeling much better today. Did not miss a day of work or going to the gym. However, I have changed my routine at the gym. I am working with my trainer still and she has moved me from the machines to doing free weights. I thought that my sweet and fun trainer was trying to kill me. All weekend I could hardly walk. My legs just started to feel better today and then...yep we had another appointment. And when I got this cold,.....every time I sneeze, cough or blow my nose, my abs hurt. I joke but I do feel much better about myself when I make that effort to get off my butt and go to the gym.

The only problem with gym time is that it gets in the way of knitting time. Christmas is coming and here are the gifts I "plan" to knit. I don't think anyone getting gifts reads this blog so I might be safe incase a few items get crossed off the list.

1) Meghann's baby blanket (this is a pre-Christmas gift I hope.... A.S.A.P)
2)Pam - socks and thrum mittens, maybe slippers if I can get the mittens done by her birthday
3) Mindy - socks and thrum mittens
4) Aaron - slippers and cashmere hat (yes he is a lucky boy)
5) Meghann- socks (orange fleece artist?)
6)Gareth - Something with skull and crossbones argyle (any suggestions as to what to make leave a comment)
7)Kathryn and Laura - socks, I hope they liked the socks last year.

That is my planning. But here is the scary part. There is only 90 days until Christmas. Yikes I better get off the computer and get knitting.

Saturday, September 23, 2006

A lil' this a lil' that

Well this week has been yet another crazy week in the world of me. I have been to tired to do anything. Anyway a little of what I did do this week is here:


Things were going a little smoother this time and I think for the most part I was a little more even. Here is where the mistake happens.
What I have learned about spinning to date. Just because it is starting to feel easier doesn't mean you can let your treadling slip and start to go faster. It is feeling easier because you are going at a good even pace. Pay attention because your hands and feet want to go faster and that is when weird things happen to your spinning.

Also I have two very small skeins here because as I was plying some of the thinner spots (as a result of the above) broke and I got terribly tangled and decided to make a fresh start. I still have some more of this pink to spin up so I hope to pay attention a little better the next time.

I have also been thinking about Christmas knitting so a lot of my WIPs are going to have to remain that way until the holiday season is over. I don't have too big a list of people who I would like to knit for but my attention span means I have to start now.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Spin until you fall over!

Last night was my first real chance to sit down with Little Gem (yet to be given it's own name). I was excited. I had some time.... there was nothing on TV that I wanted to watch I could just sit downstairs and listen to some podcasts and spin away. The other thing I was really looking forward to was being left alone for a while. I didn't want to be rude to my family and I wasn't in a bad mood, but just a few hours on my own after being surrounded by people all day for two weeks sounded like heaven on earth.

So I proceeded to the basement. I set up my Little Gem. I sat down and started spinning. It was going ok and it was getting easier. It was so peaceful and quiet.

Then my mom came downstairs to use the computer. We have been having some problems with our router so only one computer can have internet at a time so she wanted me to try to fix it... like now. I have already tried everything I know how to do (unplug it and plug it back in) and that didn't work but I plugged and unplugged again just for her and her hundreds of questions. I gave internet to her computer by taking it away from mine and she sat in the basement to read email. She wasn't being loud she wasn't sitting right next to me but I felt crowded like she was in my space. But the spinning shall go on.

Then dad came down to work on his project of tearing apart an old pool table to make another table. What happened to my time alone? I was wondering the same thing. Again my dad is not a loud person and he usually just leaves me alone. He watched me a bit but kept to himself but....my plans were squashed.

Overall though the evening produced this.

This was just practice and it may not be overly exciting to the average eye but I was thrilled! And I can't wait to spin some more. Maybe a little tonight before I meet the girls for stitchen' and sippin' at one of our local coffee shops.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Not Quite Tomorrow

Yes it is not quite tomorrow but here is my finished object.

Project Specs-
Date Finished: Se[tember 11, 2006.
Pattern : Outdoor Snuggle - Zoe Mellor (Nursery Knits)
Yarn: Debbie Bliss - Baby Cashmerino
Needles: 3.75 mm Britteny

I had read a few review of this pattern which were....lets face it... less than complimentary. But this little sac of a hoodie was tooooo cute to resist. I didn't have the problems with the pattern that I had read about so that is a good thing. The little one's Mommy and Daddy think it is adorable and that makes me very happy. I always worry that people my age that do not knit may not appreciate everything that has gone into making their gift. It is nice to be appreciated.

Anyway, back to work today. I always feel like another day on the weekend would make everyone a little happier. I heard someone mention on the news that there are more accidents on Mondays than any other day. I wonder if that is true.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Show and Tell

I started writing this post yesterday and I had spent a good chunk of time on it....Then...the computer froze and I lost it all. What was it my high school computer teacher used to say? "Save save save" So after that I said a few choice words and went off to Unwind to knit.

So are we wet yet???? I must consider myself lucky for a few reasons tonight. One my messy office is NOT wet. The water that came in my basement again did not make it over to my piles of things on the floor or my computer or my yarn! PHEW!!!! and the Second reason is that other people in Newmarket were evacuated from their homes because the water was pouring in. Crazy!!!
We are sooo lucky!!

And now ... on with the show (and tell). Lots of links and a few picks! The kids I teach love show and share so today as promised, is my turn to show things from the past weekend.

Here is my Namaste Bag! I bought it from the wonderful people at Needles and Pins. They are proof that it pays to be nice because the ladies at the Pick up Sticks booth (yes that was us) bought three of them.

That is my mom in the background who can't believe that I am taking pictures of my bag.

This is my Dragon Sock so far. What a great pattern. It is keeping my interest and not too hard for my tired self.



I am using Mama-E's C*EYE*BER, in the Sarah colourway and I am really enjoying. It is available through Mama's blog and also through Pick up Sticks (the only place you can get the Sarah colour though!)

I also bought some
Claudia Hand painted from Connie and some JaggerSpun MerinoLace from Red Bird but the pictures didn't show up so well so you will have to trust me that it is wonderful.

And last but not least of my purchases (in more ways that one). As promised here is my new baby.


This is my next step from handspinning (not that I was a great handspinner). It is my Majacraft Lil' Gem. I adopted my little gem from the nice ladies at The Black Lamb. They gave me a little lesson and let me play throughout the day. It still needs a more personal name but we haven't had a lot of time to get to know each other better. Any suggestions leave me a comment!


Tomorrow is my mom's birthday and I am hoping to take her out to dinner. But I do intent to post picks of a finished object tomorrow too. I know it is a shock!

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Wow What a Weekend

This weekend was the knitting fair in Kitchener! and all I can say is WOW! I was thrilled and overwhelmed by the amount of people and all ages of people. Don't believe it yourself? Didn't see it with your own eyes? Well see it through mine!

The weekend flew by like a whorl wind. It was so much fun and so exhausting. This is all the great stuff that Connie has over at Pick up Sticks so for a better look go there and check her out!

I bought a few nice things (one of which was a rather significant purchase that Connie mentioned on her blog) but I will have to blog about them later because I am very tired. I need to get to next weekend so I can recover from the first week and a bit of school plus the knitter's fair in between.

No rest for the fiber addicted eh.

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Where's my easy button

I remember the end of last school year thinking how busy and chaotic it was. The beginning of the year is surprisingly similar. I have been working like crazy in my classroom and with some much needed help from my family and co-workers.

I have been doing a little knitting. I have the baby snuggly finished other than a few ends to weave in and then the zipper to put in.

The excitment is building for the knitter's fair and it is still a whole week away. I have a few more things to get ready for the start of the school year next week but I am ready for the kids. I think the teachers are just as excited as the kids are.

Anyway I'm at my bfs house this weekend without my camera so no pictures. In the next few days I will post a finished pic of the snuggly. Have a great long weekend everyone.