A whole lot of changes going on

I am going to be playing with the template of my blog the next few days so if you stumble on it and it looks to be in some disarray please just come back later!

Some People's Friends

I have really been enjoying my knitting again. It is all I think about right now and all I do. I have taken a nice big chunk out of a not-so-baby-baby sweater (it is probably more 1-2 yr size)

My husband has a friend who is expecting a baby boy. He is kinda a tough guy and he is into bikes and stuff so I thought he might want a tough baby sweater for the new arrival. Soooo........

This is what I have been working on.

It has been so much fun to work on something like this. I don't do much colour work so it has been fun so far.

It helps that I kinda have a thing for skulls myself! I am using the chart from Domiknitrix. I have made a few little changes to help it fit the back of the sweater but it is such a great chart as is.

So the back of the sweater is the skull and the front needed a little something as well. Time to revert back to childhood crafts and hunt down the Fimo. I never really did Fimo before but I remember my friends making jewelry and things all the time. This was my turn. I made some buttons for the front.

The ones on the right are the ones I think I'm going to use and the ones on the left are my first attempts.

Also my hubby (who is blind without his glasses) has taken to calling me four-eyes because of my new reading glasses. Even though it is a very mild prescription I do notice a big difference when I'm reading in bed at night and working on the computer. These are my new specks.

My hope is that they will help with my headaches. Not the migraines I know (cuz I had one on Thursday) but the little ones I wake up with but go away in a few hours.

I'm am almost done the body of the sweater so sleeve and a hood are still to come. Check back to see more progress!

Rest, Relaxation, and Knitting

It is March Break time again. This time last year I was in Jamaica on my honeymoon enjoying some rest and relaxation. This year that doesn't fit into our budget but I am home enjoying some rest and relaxation. I am also planning on getting a lot of organization done this week (particularly in my office) but I do plan on enjoying my week off and working on a few knitting projects.


One of those projects is great for the relax part of my week because it is close to mindless and it is big enough now that I can curl up under it on the couch. Some people may have seen this project before but it was in the closet for a long time. Oscar is happy I brought it back. He thinks that if I'm working on this project it is time to cuddle up on the couch.



Aaron likes this blanket too and sticks his feet under it on the couch while I'm working. He can't wait for me to finish it. I was surprised that he likes it so much because he talks about being allergic to wool. This blanket is Silk Garden and I love Noro but some people find it a little scratchy so for people allergic to wool it can be like hell in fabric but he seems to not have an issue with it. (he also doesn't have an issue with the hat I made him out of Mission Falls but I didn't tell him that it was wool because I figured it was soft enough--He wears it all the time with no itchy or bumpy reactions).

I'm off to work in the office so I can relax later with some more knitting. There will be some serious sock knitting this afternoon!

Making up for non-knitting time

I have been knitting like mad since I finished the green autumn mitten. (Not that I have knit the second mitten or anything). I have been thinking about knitting and catching up on podcasts when I can't actually be knitting.

I had some pictures of knitting, my new baby snails (and of course Oscar) but through the wonders of technology they have all disappeared. At work I had some pictures of my students that we were putting in a slide show for our grand opening. Between taking my card out of the camera to put in a co-workers card reader they all disappeared. There was no rhyme or reason just one of those crazy technology things. We love and we hate am I right.

So no pictures but I will take some new ones this weekend and post again soon.

Time flies when you don't kill him

I couldn't believe it but yesterday was my 1st wedding anniversary. People still ask me how I like "married life". I don't know how to answer really. I'm happy and .... we haven't killed each other yet. I told him I might let him live another year.

We have been trying to save money. Buying our house and getting married last year was a little much. We know that most people go through the same thing but when it is your turn it feels overwhelming so we planned on only renting a movie to watch for our anniversary. His mother made us a reservation for the restaurant where we had the rehearsal dinner and mailed us a gift card.

I don't know why this picture is sideways because it isn't sideways on my computer and no other pictures are either but....this was our desert.



I also pulled the top layer of our wedding cake out of the freezer. I have heard that you are supposed to save it for the first anniversary or for your first child's christening...however children are not in the plan as yet, some of the icing got a little squished and...it is too yummy to leave in the freezer for much longer (it is a wonder it made it this long).



While enjoying some relaxation time the last few days I finished one of the Green Autumn mittens. I am enjoying this pattern and look forward to casting on my 2nd.

I can even see myself knitting more of these. Perhaps during March break when I spend the whole week on the couch or at Pick up Sticks doing some knitting and other knitting related activities. I did a count last week of my UFOs and I am up to and CRAZY 21. So I hope to knock off a few.

Winter's End Socks

Size: Women's Size 8-9

Materials:

Tanis Fiber Arts (80% superwash merino wool, 20% nylon; 365m/100g)

2.25mm dpns (optional 2nd set)

Stitch marker for beginning of round

Cable Needle

Gauge: 8 st = 1" in st st

$5.00 USD

Playing catchup ---again

Well I have had no routine for a while now. I haven't been doing a lot of the things that I would normally do. I don't really have a reason I just haven't felt like it to be honest.

I haven't been knitting, I have only been doing the minimum at the gym, I have been working crazy hours at work (to stay in town to go to the gym only to half a$$ it when I get there). Yes I guess you can say that I'm getting lazy.

So not much knitting to show but I have finished the next pattern for the Pick Up Sticks sock club and am feeling newly motivated.

Perhaps I should make a nice hot coffee and get some more done. I could use this

My new Cappuccino machine. It was a present from my hubby. He ordered for me with the points that he gets at work around Thanksgiving. Then it seemed like it was taking forever to get here. But he swore up and down that he had no idea where it was and why it wasn't here yet. I was partly convinced that he had it hidden away for Christmas.

Well Christmas came and went and no cappuccino machine so I had to take his word for it. It came in January. I have been enjoying it very much as well as the cute mugs that my sister in law gave me for Christmas (they are perfect in our kitchen and our dishes)

Next time I post I hope it will not be so long in between and that there will be a little more knitting content. I missed reading blogs as well as writing my own. I feel like I haven't even been online much. I'm going to go and put some laundry away now and catch up on listening to a few podcasts.

In my own world

I don't know what has been up with me but I have really sorta turned myself off after the holidays. I have been knitting but I obviously haven't been blogging but I also have not been reading blogs. I have hardly been online at all actually. I was feeling the itch this week I think because I was starting to feel like I was really out of the loop being lost in my own little world.

I'm going to step back into December and show a little bit of my Christmas knitting. Yes the knitting I said I wasn't going to do.

I gave in and made a bunch of those cute little snowmen from Knit Picks. To the point that my hubby said "How many of those are you making?"

This project made me a little crazy as the Christmas Eve hours were passing by (I finished after 1 am on Christmas day). These are slipper socks that I made from some natural wool that I bought at a farmers market once. This market was in the town where my grandparents lived so there was a lot of memories associated with the town, the house there and the weekend trips to the farmers market. Because of the memories I wanted the yarn to be used for something deserving. So the idea of the slippers hit me. I made a pair for both of my cousins, and I plan to do a pair for myself, so that the 3 girls will have them.

My wonderful (and secretly crafty) hubby helped me to make the slipper soles. He took me to the hardware store where we found some roof flashing (? - I think that is what he said it was, it's rubbery anyway), he traced my feet (my cousins and I all inherited those size 10s), he cut them out for me and punched holes for I could sew them on easily. Amazing I know.

He was also a big help around the house while I was trying to scramble and finish those boots. I had one other project that I wanted to do and he helped with that too. I was making little doggy foot wipes out of face cloths. I cut them out and he sewed them together. I told you he has a crafty side. He told me he used to sew hair scrunchies too.

Of course by baby Oscar loved the holiday vacation as well.

After such a long winters nap from the computer I have so much I want to look at. Surfs up!

The holiday spirit

I am in a bit of an interesting situation at the moment. I have had a few requests for knitted items from people who have lost a knitter this year. It is flattering and a little sad. However it gives me that warm fuzzy hand knits feeling.


It started when a man who works with my dad asked if I could knit him some socks. He knew a woman who used to make him hand knit socks but can no longer knit due to arthritis.


Then a woman I used to work with last year approached me and asked if I could finish a sweater vest. It was started for a friend of hers by her sister. Then the sister passed away before finishing the project. The woman could not finish the sweater herself and would love to have something made by her sister. I said I would finish it. Most of it is already done. Even some of the seaming.





I started thinking about prayer shawls and about Christmas knitting. When we knit things as a gift we think about the person we are making the item for. When we knit for charity we think about our work going to a good cause. Many would say that we knit a little bit of ourselves into our work. I like to think that when my friends and family put on socks that I have made them or mittens and scarves that they think of me and are kept warm by my good wishes as well as the fabric. I want to believe that the vest will let this stranger keep a little bit of her sister close to her.


Now everyone go and have a cup of tea or hot chocolate and knit some gifts.

Sparkling Diamonds Socks

Size: Women's Size 8-9

Materials:

Handmaiden Casbah Sock (81% merino, 9% cashmere, 10% nylon; 325m/115g)

2.25 mm dpns

Stitch marker for beginning of the round

Gauge: 8 sts = 1" in st st

$5.00 USD

No excuses just reasons

I have to admit that I'm a procrastinator. I think I was saying last post that I don't react well to stress. Well that stress also leads me to turn on the afterburners.

Last week I worked like a MAD woman on my report cards. I didn't clean anything, I didn't eat (very well), and I hardly talked to my husband or slept. I had to put aside the sock for Connie and any other knitting I was wanting to work on instead. (considering I have decided part way through November that I don't want to just NOT knit for Christmas) I won't be able to do much because I don't have time with Student led conferences and my performance appraisal coming up but every other spare second will be spent knitting I'm sure.

Not like last week when my hubby and I enjoyed our first big snowfall.

Oscar loves the snow too.

But then when we all get cold it is time to settle down watch a movie and cuddle and knit.

Oscar doesn't always know that his cuddling gets in the way of my knitting.

But I can't resist him.

If anyone is part of the Pick up Sticks sock club that is what I was (trying) to work on in this picture. I hope Connie doesn't mind me leaking a preview. Hee heee.

Remembering the old and introducing the new.

Something about life when things feel like they go crazy. For me, instead of dealing with the things that stress me one thing at a time. I don't deal with anything. I sorta shut down. Not the best coping mechanism I know... but that seems to be the way things go.

Anyway....My grandma is out of the hospital and things are a little up and down. I hesitate to say she is doing better because I always feel like this is just until the next time. She still has a lot of trouble breathing now and she is not very mobile. But she is living in the retirement home still in her own apartment and not in a nursing home.

I was there to see her the other day and get some things for my class for Remembrance Day. She lent me a few pictures of my grandpa in his uniform and some buttons from his jacket. I found it really helped my kids to be respectful during our assembly (which went longer than planned- and they sat through the whole thing!) They seemed to really get it they had lots of questions and stories of their own.

For me it really made me miss my grandpa and granddad. They both survived the war and were always there when we were growing up. They both passed away about 5 years ago. I really wished I could call them. Especially my grandpa.. I miss them.

As far as knitting goes I'm work on the sock for Connie and a sweater for my neighbors new baby girl. It is the baby kaftan from Debbie Bliss -Special Knits.

I can't wait to see it all finished. Right now it is a lot of oatmeal coloured st st.



Another thing for my class..... Well they are in that cage that Oscar is finding so interesting.

Gerbils!!

My husband was not thrilled when I brought them home but they are so cute. The students in my class named them.

Twisted Licorice Sock

Size: Women's 8-9

Materials:

Handmaiden Silk Twist (65% wool, 35% silk; 300m/115g)

2.5 mm dpns

Cable needle

Stitch marker for beginning of round if desired.

Gauge: 8 st = 1" in st st

$5.00 USD

Progress but not

Well because I haven't been posting does not mean that I have not been knitting. I have been working so hard on the sock for Pick up Sticks sock club but I don't usually post progress pictures of those projects. But don't take that as a lack of knitting. Here is one with my Oscar Bear.





He is such a spoiled doggy! Today I felt like baking and I was given a recipe a while ago for doggy biscuits so I made him some. My hubby felt second to the dog because I made the people cookies after.



We were at my parents house for a while today. Both of my Grandmothers have had some health problems the last few days. My Dad's mom has had a few dizzy spells the last year or so and this Thursday she ended up at the hospital where they told us that she has had a minor stroke. They also think these dizzy spells have been other little strokes and could be leading up to something. So they have started her on some medication and we keep our fingers crossed that they do the trick. My mom's mom is in the hospital now and had a blood transfusion yesterday. Her hemoglobin is down and they think she may have some internal bleeding. They don't really know what is going on but she is very disoriented and short of breath.


Hubby is next door watching hockey and I'm not sure what I should knit. I need something easy and comforting. So many choices, so many unfinished projects, so little time until Christmas.....hmmmm.

Am I getting anywhere?

Well what do you think?

I have been doing a lot of knitting but it isn't all that exciting to look at some extra length on a couple of sleeves. I keep thinking I should be done sleeves by now so I have to remind myself that by doing them both at the same time, when I do finish them I will be DONE both!

Don't get me wrong I LOVE Thermal! However I 'm getting a little tired. I have been putting it off for a while. I love the look of the pattern and I love the way it fits so far. I think this could be my favourite handmade sweater when it is finished.

Other than the sleeves of Thermal I have been working on some socks but I think it is a little hard on my wrists. I'm having some pain in my left wrist and I think it is because I am knitting a lot more lately than I have in a while and it is all at a fairly small gauge.

I also have an urge to knit new mittens! It is getting chilly out there on yard duty.

Work and Play

I have been playing around with the blog layout and have lost some of the sidebar (ie: the links and stuff as well as my unfinished work.) So I have a lot of work still to go but I have been at it for a while and need to quit.

I still have some research to do tonight because I have my Commando Krav Maga testing tomorrow and I apparently have to answer questions about the history.

Friday was a P.A. day and I am lucky that my principal doesn`t mind me knitting during out meetings. Friday morning because I left for work later than usual my hubby came home and brought me this.

A much needed morning coff and a smile cookie. What a thoughtful hubby. Everyone all together now.....ahhhhhhh.

I have been knitting away on the February Lady Sweater and have finished one sleeve. I put it aside because I left a dpn at school and think that trying to fit all the sleeve stitches onto one less dpn is a stretch because they were falling off last time as it is.

Instead I have been working on the sleeves for Thermal. It has only been I think two years now that I have been working on this one.

What else do I have the energy to say now. My computer does not want to make question marks right now, blogger still wants to randomly turn my pictures sideways (no matter if I remove them and add them again.)

Some changes

Well I was getting on a roll blogging until I went back to work. A new job at a new school it has been a lot of fun. Then this weekend I died my hair and got a new haircut. Which I am also really happy with. So a lot of big changes that way.

So to go with all of these changes I needed to dig out some of those old projects. After I finished the blanket for Mindy I picked up the February Lady Sweater. I was making a lot of progress until Friday last week when I left it at school.

I am further than the pictures show (and on my screen it is loading my pictures sideways and I'm not sure why--on my computer they do face the right way until I upload them). I am almost finished the first sleeve. I had planned to finish the second sleeve this weekend.

So with that one locked in my classroom I went back into the depths of the knitting closet and dug out Thermal. I don't have any pictures of the progress but I'm working away on the sleeves of that sweater as well.

So I am burying myself in a pile of sleeves and thinking of how many half pairs of socks await when I finish them.

Has anyone thought about Christmas knitting? I don't think anyone is getting knitted gifts this year.... I don't seem to be finding the time.

Flying South Socks

Size: Women's Size 9

Materials:

Fleece Artist Merino (100% machine washable wool, 300m/115g)

2.25mm dpns

Stitch marker for the beginning of the round if desired

Gauge: 8 sts = 1" in st st

$5.00 USD

Geometric Baby Blanket

Size: 42" x 42"

Materials:

Dream in Color Classy 6 skeins
A – Some Summer Sky D – Blue Lagoon
B – Cool Fire E – Butter Peeps
C- Visual Purple F – Giant Peach

US 8 (4.5mm) circular needle or size to obtain gauge. (note: you could work the inner squares on straight needles if you prefer)

Optional:

5 m of piping (already covered or plain to be covered by lining fabric)

1-2 yards of fabric depending on your final measurements(you will need more if you are going to cover the piping)

Yardstick

Pencil to mark on fabric

Needle and Thread (in a colour to match the lining), a sewing machine will help if you have that available.

Pins

Iron

Gauge: 17 st and 20 rows= 4” in st st.

$3.50 USD