How long until July?

I love my family. Family is very important to me. However the longer I stay at home thinking about moving into the house with Aaron, the harder it is to stay at home.

I know my mom has been going through a lot and that this week has been no exception but I am tired of her turning those things around at her family. Tonight I have been out all night (most of the week actually) and then come home to one word answers or short sentences, followed by seemingly normal conversation. I just never know how to take it. I don't know if she is angry, over being angry, average or tired. I'm tired of treading on eggshells in my house where I'm supposed to be relaxing.

Anyway... Here is the beginnings of Wicked. (a little blurry this photo)

I love this sweater but when it says it takes 600 yards I don't know if I can believe it. I bought 650 yards thinking that is just enough extra to get it done. I am on the last of the 3 balls at 216yds each and I have a long way to go. If I make it I don't think I will be able to knit the pocket on the front. The pocket was one of the things I thought was so cute.

Maybe it is the sweater's way of telling me a pocket on the tummy is not a good idea for someone who is not a rake.

I will continue. I want to make to the end ... or maybe I'm a sucker for punishment.

Are we there yet?/The story of Rapunzel

You start to get excited when you are getting close to having the pieces of a project finished. The excitement builds. "I can finish this tonight" you tell yourself, "all I have left to do is seam it and those little details".

You start to seam the shoulders and realize, "Oh yeah this pattern has an i-cord". No biggy. You begin the i-cord and read a little further into the pattern and it hits you ..."I have to do this for how long?" But we are knitters hear us roar and you persevere and the i-cord is complete. You sit back to admire the work and aside from a few little bumps (we are human knitters after all) you think that i-cord really does add a little something. I've gotta be done now.

Oh yeah...the border....the crochet border. Didn't the person who wrote this pattern know that I am a knitter with very limited knowledge of crochet? *sigh* With a little help from online crochet sites and a hunt around the house for a 3mm crochet hook (successful) you sit down to begin. "grr why did I ever mumble... who wrote th.. grumble....I'm not done yet?.. humph"

All in all...taking a few days longer than anticipated.

Rapunzel is done.

Date Started: Last year Sometime

Date finished: March 18th 2007

Pattern: Rapunzel from Rowan #34

Yarn: Rowan Kid Classic (colour 822 - Glacier)

Needles : 4.5mm addi turbos

I just have to find some buttons that I like. It was a long time coming and I am going to have to block it to make it longer because as you may see in the picture the "girls" are a little too big for this sweater. The rest of it fits comfortably though.

Can you see it?

I am still working on finishing Rapunzel. I am finished the knitting but there are still cord detail and crochet edges to do. I am only posting because I had a thought when I used a different computer to look at my blog.

When I look at my blog on the laptop I like the way it looks but when I used to computer last night I looked at my blog and had to scroll over to read it. This is something I don't like to do when I look at other blogs. The laptop has a wider screen so please leave me a comment if you have to scroll over to read this blog.

The Yarn Crawl

Hi! My name is Wooly.

I wanted to help Sarah tell the story of today's "Yarn Crawl".

For Connie's Birthday the girls had planned dinner and a Yarn crawl in Toronto. The trip unfortunately had to be postponed when Sarah had to attend a funeral. Today was the day!

They started out at the Naked Sheep where Sarah found this lovely Bio Bamboo for the Tunic in the Spring Interweave. There was a tank knit up in the store and it was sooooo soft that Sarah fell in love.

Next the ladies went to Knit Cafe were there were so many bright colours. Followed closely by a visit to Romney where I joined the crew as well a few bags of roving. Sarah started to spin some silk and merino tonight wanna see?

Last but definately not least was the lovely Lettuce Knit with the lovely Megan. Sarah bought some Blue Sky Alpaca to make Rogue and some Malabrigo in a bright blue for Wicked.

Now Sarah says she has to finish Rapunzel tonight (I wonder if she can stay up that late) so that she can cast on something new.

She is having trouble deciding which of these three should be next. Leave a comment with your vote.

1)Tunic from Interweave

2)Rogue

3)Wicked

The Joy of Living Together

Because my parents are out of town for the week my bf and I get a little trial run of what life might be like when we get the house. So far this is what our weekend has been like.

Friday:
I stayed awake to pick him up from work at midnight. I couldn't sleep because he was taking up all the room.
Saturday:
We had to meet friends to go to a car show at 9:30am (his friends, one of which is so....annoying and to be really honest, quite rude and inappropriate). The alarm went of at 8am and I spent a half and hour trying to get him to get out of bed.
Once home from the car show he slept for 3 hours while I did laundry (did I mention he slept through the night while I tossed and turned)
-I slept like the dead through him trying to wake me up during the night
Sunday:
I spent from 10 am to 12 trying to wake him up again, as a three hour nap doesn't stop this man from sleeping through the night again. I cooked him breakfast and we went to look at furniture for the house and went to visit our pile of mud where the house will be. We peaked in windows of the houses already framed and saw for the first time what our main floor will look like in 3D.
We came home where his majesty had another nap for an hour. I cooked dinner, we ate. He came down with sudden headache which progressed into him feeling sick to his stomach. He went to bed and wanted me to sit with him. I was sure he would fall asleep but apparently he had too much sleep so he laid there while I read a book. I finally said I'm going to the living room got out my Sex in the City DVDs and have been here since. I'm sure he has gone to sleep now with no one to whine to.

I complain but... (I have to consider that I do think he is feeling sick and he is trying to quit smoking today which he is convinced is part of the problem) looking at furniture and going to see our mud makes me even more excited about the house. I like that as much as he can bug me I just like to have him around. I knew I was ready to live with him when we can be together and don't feel the need to be in the same room at every second.

During our travels I worked on my Duet Sock because Connie told me I better hurry up. And I'm trying to hold off from starting the Rockin Sock Club sock.

If you look close you can see where the afterthought heel is going to go. There is a line that is more green than the rest of the sock (on the right furthest from the toe).
For now I am going to work on Rapunzel because I can't wait to wear it.

Rockin Socks in Canada

No pictures today because I am trying not to spoil things right away! but ......

IT'S HERE!! my first Rockin' sock club package came today and I love it! The colour is just what I like and the pattern looks interesting. Waiting to see if other's around here have theirs yet before I start ..... but I can only be so strong. It may be on the needles before the end of the night.

Rapunzel Rapunzel let down your yarn

Yes I would like to announce the return of Rapunzel. I have only been working on this sweater for a year I think and I do love it so why do I not finish? That is the age old question isn't it.

This is the first sleeve. The two fronts and the back are finished. Psst... the back looks a little wider than my fronts so this again tells me not to leave a project for a year to knit because your guage will change (I'm going to start to tell myself that every morning and every night so I might one day remember)

I needed to work on the sweater because I have been knocking off those unfinished socks lately and needed a break. In addition to the Whiskers and Paws socks and the Pomatomus socks I finished a plain pair of socks in Vesper sock yarn (colour Neapolitan).

This is the Crooked Cable sock in Socks that Rock ( colour Lemongrass). I started these socks last summer for myself but I think I might give them to my mom. She really seems to like them.

This was the first time I tried Socks that Rock and I have been hooked ever since.

Speaking of Socks that Rock. I'm waiting very impatiently for my Rockin' Sock Club shipment. This is my first time with the club and first time as a part of a sock club so I'm SOOOOO excited. I tried to discourage myself from spending the money but as I have said before ... I am weak.

Anyone in Canada have their Rockin Sock Club yet? I know international orders were later from what they say on the blog and I can't imagine having a sock club with over 2000 people as members but....I am being impatient. It is the first think I think of when I get home. I don't want to turn off the car in case I get a slip telling me to pick up a package.

Socks, Socks and Socks

If you saw Connie's blog on Thursday you would have seen our collection of unfinished pairs. In my determination to finish some of these socks I have finally finished the Pomatomus Socks

I think I started these socks back in May last year and set them aside for a very long time. This sock reminds me that our knitting is not always the same from one month, year or day to the next. These socks were knit on the same needles and I think they are very different but if I had just knit them when I started they may have been more similar and I would have been happier with them.

I am almost finished the second Whiskers and Paws sock. I love how rich the colours are. The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill in Old Rose ( I think that was the colour) I just have the toe decreases left YIPPEE!!!

I'm of to the bf's house now but he is going to be working lots this weekend so I will be knitting lots.

Knitting again

Well the stress week is over and the last few days I have actually been knitting again. I took (yet another) inventory of my unfinished projects and found that I have quite a number of socks on the go. So that is my focus the next little while and I hope to have lots of finished PAIRS of socks by the time march break is over.

I was visiting Connie at Pick Up Sticks and it is very hard to come home empty handed.

I have some new sock blockers and then the yarn is Seacoast Handpainted in Cowboy (left in the close up) which is merino and bamboo and Zen Cashmere in Lavender (right/purple).

But I WILL FINISH SOMETHING before I cast on any more socks

....notice "something leaves it very open" I have no self control.

Non-knitting related/what a crap weekend

This post is not knitting related. This post unfortunately is pet related. I am only writing it because I don't know what else to do with myself right now. It is helping me to procrastinate from the things that I should be doing with my time.

Yesterday morning we had my grandmother's dog put down. When she came to stay with us 3 months ago we knew she had some temperament problems but wanted to give her a chance. We thought she was making so much progress and most of the time I know she was. The last week or more we had more problems with snapping and turning on our other dog. Once last week she snapped at me and almost bit my face. I don't understand why and I didn't know how we could help her. Friday night she just kept going for Carlie. She growled at me and then went after my other dog twice in five minutes. My dad put his foot down saying we can't live with her like that. I know it is true but I can't help but think that we gave up on her. I know we only had her three months but I have been around her since she was a puppy and I had accepted her in our family. I miss her.

I was surprised at how sad I was, how sad I still feel. But even more than that I was surprised at how sad my mom and dad were to. My dad didn't cry the way mom and I did but he really was shaken up.

I have so much work to do this weekend but I haven't been able to concentrate. I just sit and I have been knitting a bit but...I have to get this work done but I am having a tough time getting started. See I am procrastinating.

Happy Birthday Connie!

Don't forget to go visit Connie's blog and Pick up Sticks today to wish Connie a happy birthday and to enjoy her 10% off to celebrate.

That out of the way. What do you do when you are stressed? This week has been a very busy one for me. It is a busy week working the job that I have and I have been getting prepared for the job hunt that will begin soon/has already begun. So last night instead of doing all the work that I really NEED to do what do you think I did to relieve the stress? I shopped!

Specifically I went to every yarn store in a 20 minute drive of my house. I was out dropping off a resume and thought," while I'm in Aurora I'll go by Needles and Knits (they are so super friendly there) and I bought some lace to make a shawl for me and a wedding shawl for my bf's sister (I'm still looking for a nice wedding shawl pattern if you have any recommendations leave a comment).

I also bought 2 bags of Debbie Bliss Merino Aran at Knit or Knot they had it on sale at the back of the store. I also dropped by Unwind to check things out there and bought a shawl pin.

And to make it complete I went to Serenity Knits and bought some Koigu (does no one in Newmarket buy koigu but me cuz they always have lots and I buy some every time I'm there).

So I am shopped out and have my fix. Does anyone else deal with stress this way?

Remember if you have any suggestions for shawl patterns for a wedding shawl in lace weight yarn let me know!

Disaster averted

No pictures today because I am at work without my camera. I only have a few minutes but I thought I would post to let everyone know that disaster has been averted once more in the knitting community. The second front is finished!!! (I know Connie will be happy to hear that one)

Connie called me Monday night and said not to worry about the mistake, if it were for me I would have left it as is but....not for me and I couldn't bring myself to leave it that way to be worn by a person who knits and understands what it should be.

Tonight amid my report cards and resume running I plan on getting the seaming done and the collar started (finished may be a little ambitious).

Remember to wish Connie a Happy Birthday tomorrow and flood her with comments (and perhaps orders over at Pick up Sticks)

Well CRAP...The doctor is in

I am very angry with myself. I have been knitting along on Connie's sweater trying to get it finished by Thursday when I am going to see her. I started thinking. This shaping on this side doesn't match the shaping on the other side. That is because of this way back at the beginning.

Can you see it because I can see it. And yes that is about 50-60 rows back from where I am now. I was getting ready to start seaming it tonight and pick up for the collar but no.

And Connie I was trying to get it done to surprise you with it but the cat's out of the bag now and I don't think I will make it. Sorry!

As much as it pains me and Connie says don't worry about it this side may be heading to the frog pond.

Added Later:

If this were Thursday it would be perfect to knit this while watching Grey's cuz I was doing surgery tonight.

It wasn't a pointy stick

My poor bf. He has the worst luck with his eyes. He works in a weld department and has already had problems with his eyes and then on Friday he took the night off work to go to meet the lawyer and to go to the autoshow with his friend.

I get the call at 9:30 on Saturday morning. "I'm on my way home from the hospital" WHAT? so I'm thinking he and his buddy were in an accident or something. Turns out he was walking through the underground parking lot and walked by one of the air vents. Dust blew into his eye and he didn't think to much of it other than it didn't go away on it's own.

He went home and went to bed and was woken up at 5:30 by pain and swelling in his eye. He started to drive himself to the hospital until he thought maybe I can't see as well as I should. So he called his sister to take him the rest of the way.

Bottom line he had a piece of metal stuck into his eye. The doctor had to freeze his eye and use tweezers to remove the piece of metal and then had to "grind" (YIKES) the rust off.

He is ok but the eye is very sensitive to light and it is very bloodshot. And me ... the sympathetic girlfriend couldn't stop singing the song from the Pointy Sticks pod cast "it might hurt but you won't die when I poke you in the eye my dear" He didn't find it as funny as I did.

Another busy week

It has been almost a week since I last posted and I don't have much on the knitting front. He he front...as in front of Connie's Sweater that I was working on tonight...oh my I am too funny...must mean I need to go to bed.

I am fighting this nice little cold and sleep seems to be the only thing I am motivated to do.

I thought since I don't have much knitting to share tonight I would share my valentine's gift from the "needle puller".

The silence

No not the silence of the lambs but equally as scary. I am talking about the silence that scared my bf.

Last night I was at his house for dinner (made it just in time back from Kitchener) after dinner we were chillin' on the couch watching TV and chatting with his mom and I was, of course, knitting. I was working on the Whiskers and paws sock which I still love and am almost to the toe. My bf thought he was being funny and he started to wiggle my arm. Just as words of warning started to come from my lips the arm wiggling pulled my pony pearl out of half of the stitches.

I didn't have any more words. He sucked in a breath. "Oooooh, I'm sorry. Can you fix that?" "sigh, I hope so." I inspected the various loops and strands wondering what was a yarn over and what was knitted, what was a strand in front and what should be picked up and knit. All the time trying to remain calm. And what does the idiot do? Keeps talking. "did you fix it?" "is it bad?" "I'm sorry" "I'm going to go check my email and hope you have it fixed when I come back"

STOP TALKING I'M CONCENTRATING AND IT IS YOUR FAULT!

I did fix the dropped stitches after tinking back 3 rows. His mother reminding me that I could have him eating humble pie for quite a while. And in the end what did he have to say for himself?

"I'm going to be in the blog tomorrow aren't I" Yes honey ... yes you are.

Finally

All I need was a new sock to renew my knitting vim and viggor. I finished the sock for my bf's sister last night. Only problem is that I want to give the socks to her tonight and they are still wet from washing them at 10pm last night (imagine that).

Normally I don't wash socks before giving them as a gift but there was a little accident when knitting the first sock. Aaron and I went out to the building site to see progress on the house. This was back before Christmast when it was nice and warm and MUDDY. I got out of the truck and the sock fell out of the car and yes...into the mud. I let it dry and got the worst off without rubbing it in but thought I would have to wash them when the pair was done so they would both have been washed. I am of course as last minute kinda girl so now I am paniking that they will not be dry by the time I go for dinner tonight.

Today I am going to Kitchener for my great uncle's funeral. He was 91 and had been living for years with one lung and one kidney and still happily playing golf. The last little while he was in and out of hospital and last weekend it was just a matter of hours. He was a hip old man and very with it. At this point I don't know what else to say. I'm sorry that he won't be there to make us laugh and tell us stories about his life the way he did when I was growing up.

The fix

It is inevitable isn't it. When you are hit with that itch....you can't stop thinking about it until you get your next fix.

This was mine.

It is the Whiskers and Paw Prints pattern by Teresa Walunas and the yarn is Cherry Tree Hill in the Old Rose colourway.

So far it is holding my attention but I haven't had much time to knit. It is on my mind while I can't knit. Such as...

Tonight my mother wasn't home from my Grandmother's house. Thursday is my parent's bowling night. I use this time for lots of lounging on the couch, knitting, and watching Greys. Tonight I went along with Dad to bowl in Mom's place.

To be honest I had a lot of fun. I was even thinking about going back. However the whole time I was waiting for my next turn I was thinking I should have brought my sock. If I were to go again I would definitely take a plain sock with me.

The negative part was that I set my VCR to tape Grey's and CSI only to come home to find I had set it to the wrong channel. I am crossing my fingers that it is on tomorrow night.

Is there a cure?

Is there a cure for the itch. The desire to start a new project when you have 11 on the go as it is? The desire to start a new pair of socks when 8 of the 11 projects are socks? I have the itch! I am trying to fill the void by flitting from one project to the next.

I have a the second DB Jacket and the socks for Aaron's sister that are my priority. Mainly the socks because I need them done this weekend. A few solid hours and they can be finished but I can't seem to make myself work on them. I picked a simple pattern so they wouldn't be a straight knit but still simple enough to go by quickly because my Christmas list was long. Now I'm so bored with the pattern I have even considered ripping out both socks to start something more interesting. ... Just to cure the itch.

How do you cure your itch?

I'm in the club

I've been thinking about doing some online knitting shopping. Then this morning just moments ago I checked Connie's blog. She got her registration for the Rockin' sock Club so I had to check my email to see if I got mine. Yipeee. There is my online shopping and I'm very excited.

780 people on the waiting list. WOW!!

Last night I did a lot of school work. Doing a lot of organization and things so not much knitting. My goal for this weekend is to finishedthe socks for Aaron's sister. They didn't get finished for Christmas but her birthday is next weekend.

In keeping with Connie's theme of pet pictures and keeping in mind I have no significant progress to show you. Here is my fish Kyle. I bought a fish last year when my class was learning about living things. He traveled back and forth to school and survived a few spills during his travels. Still swimming!

No knitting content in this post because ....well.... there hasn't been a lot of knitting.

On Tuesday I went out with some girls to see....

I have never been to a "pop" concert before. In my concert going days I have seen The Tragically Hip, Finger 11, STP, Days of the New, Creed even Tool. I love music of all different kinds and I do enjoy Justin Timberlakes new CD and do own a copy. I was never a boy band kinda girl growing up but I must say......WOW! He came out and not only was singing and dancing (yeah no surprise there) but was playing guitar and piano and DJing and keytar. I was impressed.

I loved that during the intermission Timbaland came out and DJed for a while. I love his beats which is the reason I think I like the new Justin CD.

One thing that I was really disappointed with was the organization. We walked into the ACC from Union and then two lines went right back out the sides. We were there about 7:15 I guess (later than we meant yes) and the show was to start at 7:30. So we went and got in line and found the other people we were going with and then waited out side for 45 mins. We missed Pink the openning act and sat down just to see her last song and then wait throught the intermission. Not just us either the HUNDREDS of people that they didn't seem to be letting in.Once the line moved we went right in a to our seats but we stood outside not moving the majority of that time (I know because we stood beside a garbage can... yuck).

The other thing I learned at this show is that I am definately getting too old for this type of thing. Maybe not age old but maturity old. I am so sick of other girls making the female population look bad. I have done my share of screaming at concerts but not "JUSTIN I LOVE YOU" from the 3rd balcony. Hello honey but he can't hear you and if he could he doesn't care. The only one who cares is me because you are screaming like an idiot in my ear. I also understand the feeling that you should look nice when you go out but ..... These people were so dressed up!! and why is it that when a girl puts on some clothes and a lot of make up a switch is turned that said girl must walk around looking mad at everyone and just all around B**CHY. Silly little girls.

There I'm done.The negativity has been let go.

Overall, a great show. I was really impressed. A fun (but late when you have to get up and go to work the next day) night.

More bits from Gem

I spent the majority of my day yesterday spinning away. I spun and plied some more of a pink that I died a few months ago.

This is a picture of the old ones on the left and the one from yesterday on the right (you can click to enlarge and/or you have to take my word for it that the far right is the nicest).

I must say I'm pretty proud. Here is a pic of one of the strands over my pinky finger. Of course you can see that they aren't all the same and there are still some lumpy bits but every time I try it gets a bit easier.

Kate is such a funny dog. While I was plying she decided she wanted attention. She decided to sniff at my singles and then try to bite them. I have only ever seen cats do that before. Particularly the cats at my bf's house who couldn't care less about acrylic but leave your sea silk out or in a bag they can get through...forget it. Cats I understand but a dog? I couldn't help but laugh at her.

One thing I'm still trying to get figured out is how to get the same amount of singles on each bobbin. Do you weigh your fibre first and divide it in half? or what? I just don't know. Any suggestions?

A non-knitting weekend

This weekend was another weekend of dog sitting. Which so far has meant that I do a LOT of knitting and not much else. The only knitting was this:

I'm not big on the picture but the only other ones around were the dogs and they have trouble wearing hats. Maybe a scarf or two but they aren't big on the hats.

Date Started: January 25th 2007.

Date Finished: January 27th 2007.

Just a plain 2x2 rib to match the scarf that I did for Christmas 2005. It got so cold here last week that I thought...I really need a hat. I must say that I had to force myself to rib for far enough and it was just barely enough to cover my ears.

The reason there has been no knitting really is because I have been getting better acquainted with my lil' gem.

I bought my wheel back in September and haven't had a lot of time to play. I was a little rocky off the start again but it started to come back. I think this was my best bobbin of singles yet(done this morning). It is now plied with what I did yesterday and hanging in the basement.

I would like you to meet the other girls that live in my house. My puppies...who are both a few years past puppy.



The black and brown one is Carlie. She is about 11 years old now in people years and a very lovable darlin'. The all black one is Kate, she is new to the house since my grandma moved out of her house and into a retirement home.

So far she has been adjusting well. She has been with us a few weeks now and she wasn't used to spending that much time with another dog and quite frankly didn't like to share. We had a few growls and a few snaps but that seems to have subsided. She is becoming very affectionate and they both push each other around to get the attention. And yes she is sitting right on my lap.

As for knitting related content... I have been working on the 2nd Cabled Jacket and am getting close to the decreases on both sleeves.

I need new socks

It seems that I am determined to finish a pair of new socks for myself. The easiest way to do that of course is to finish one of the many unfinished pairs that I have started but no.... I had to start a new pair. So I started the Reptillian Lace Socks and have almost finished the first sock.

I keep telling myself I need to be knitting the DB Jacket for Connie and I have been working on it but I think that after knitting a sweater I just need a pair of socks. Is that strange. Does anyone else trade off a big project for a smaller project?

Pictures as promised

I told you that I started this beading thing out on the beaded scarf. This is that scarf.

I continued the pattern even further until I finished the beading part and then decided to do this instead.

So far I like the pattern. I'm using a size 6 bead instead of an 8. For no reason other than that is what I had. I'm using a 2.5mm needle because of the size of the bead. I thought it looked a little big so I decreased four stitches two on each side and I am happy with it so far. Last night I got to the heel flap. Thought it looked like a short sock but was worried about having enough beads so I kept knitting the heel flap. Then realised that I missed a whole pattern repeat. Oops! so I ripped it out and then went to bed to pick up where I left off today.

I love beads!

Yes Meghan I have officially been converted. I love beading in my knitting! Unfortunately I do not have my camera because I have forgotten it at school since Tuesday. When I get it back I will show you what I have been up to. I wish there were more than 180 beads on a sock (there is 4 every other row).

Yesterday I was so sick! I slept the whole day away. I came home from work around 9:30am and went right to bed then slept through until 1pm. Then I moved from my bed to the couch, out again until 3pm. Then back to my bed until 4pm and then I was fine. Strange.

I keep thinking how much I'm looking forward to the house being ready. I love my family but just now my mom came home and said to me. "You're actually doing work?" and then couldn't understand why that offended me. She said that usually I would have my knitting needles in my hands.

Tonight is my night by myself to watch Grey's Anatomy and CSI all by myself with my knitting...sigh....heaven on earth.

To string or not to string

Why is it that as a knitter every time you cast a few things off and you think you are progressing on those UFO's, you are met with the NEED to cast on for more. So much for my new years resolution. Perhaps they are made to be broken.

I have wanted to learn how to do beaded knitting since I saw the Reptillian lace Sock pattern Knitty. So on the weekend Connie and I took the beaded scarf class at Unwind with the wonderful Meghan.

{Pretend there is a picture here I couldn't get it to upload}

It was a lot of fun but I began to wonder how much I would wear the beaded scarf. So I have ripped it out. I know I'm a little nuts but now I am going to use the same yarn and the same beads for the socks.

I am now faced with only once question. To string or not to string. The pattern says to string on your beads so they will sit in between the stitches. Meghan showed us not only this way of beading but a way that makes the bead sit so nicely at the front of the work and you do not string them all on at once. So if I want to use her way on the sock I will have to watch my chart and figure out which stitch I want the bead to sit on. hmmm.

Just rollin' along

Finished Aaron's Slippers

Pattern: Basic Toe Up Sock

Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool

Needles: 3.5 Pony Pearls

Date Started: November 14, 2006.

Date Finished: January 13, 2007.

I would show you a picture of them on his feet but he is taking up more than 2/3 of the couch sleeping and has been for the last two hours. I know there will be many more nights like this in our future when we get into the house. Particularly those times when he is working the evening shift and then gets up to do a Saturday day shift. I have to say I was very tempted to take a picture and put in on this post to match his slippers but I don't think he would be very happy about that in the morning.

In the background is the laptop that technically is his but has lived at my house since October. I did give it back for a week and was surprised at how much I missed having the mobility. Laying in bed reading blogs, working on the computer while sitting on the couch. All much nicer than sitting at a desk in the cold unfinished basement.

What determination can do!

Another finished object. I am on a roll.

Pattern : Natalya Gauntlets

Yarn : Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran

Needles: Crystal Palace Bamboo 4.5mm

Date Started: I have no idea anymore over a year

Date Finished: January 12, 2007.

I don't know what to say about these but there is no way they should have taken me this long. It was sheer laziness. Now I have a bunch of socks the Rupunzel Cardi and another Cabled Jacket.

Whew!! I better get going TGIF!

I will be warm

A few more ends to weave and a few buttons to find but all in all.

She be done!

Date Started : December 29, 2006.

(While watching Grey's on DVD with Connie)

Date Finished : January 10, 2007.

(While on Vacation)

Pattern -Debbie Bliss Cable Jacket from the Cashmere Collection

Yarn: DB Superchunky Cashmerino (17 balls not 15 like they said)

Needles : 6mm Boyle circs and 7mm Addi Turbo

My original thought was that I would be wearing this tomorrow but I am tired and there are still those ends and what can I say I needed a break.

So close I can feel the heat

I am so excited about the Cabled Jacket. Not only is this the first thing I have knit for myself since Christmas knitting but it is my first big project in a while. And when I say big I mean this sweater is BIG!

I am knitting the collar now so the raglan seams and neck have been seamed. It is a little awkward to knit with the mass of the sweater in your lap. Not to mention quite warm. Like curling up with a large blanket.

Which is of course perfect because I seem to always be cold. I don't think it is just me because I know others around me comment on being cold as well but we are assured that the heat is on and working. Ok so maybe it is just me but a cabled jacket would make it all better yes? (or it could all be in my head because I'm determined to have it!)

I have about another 4 inches of ribbing to do, then side and sleeve seams and some ends. Then she be done. Depending on my day tomorrow and what time I get home from work. The gang at Unwind may get a preview in it's almost finished state.

A little bit of history

My parents were gone to my grandmother's house to start to go through some things and get ready to have all of the furniture moved. They were going through some things and found me this.

Hand knits for Men and Women in Service... also practical styles for war victims.

I love the slogans!

"Knit during your spare time. Thousands of Canadian women are knitting things for the soldiers. There are organizations everywhere ready to tell you what is needed and how to knit it."
"Be Courteous to 'the boys'. Wherever you meet a man wearing his country's uniform, lets lend a helping hand."

Also there are pages of organizations that are listed as helping out. Being a Canadian magazine it is neat to see the women's groups from Toronto area that were involved and given mention.

What a fun find. I has some great basic patterns particularly for mittens and things that could be useful but overall just kinda fun to have. I also found a hand written pattern for a basic sock tucked in the book.

As far as the Cabled Jacket goes I have been a little discouraged since my yarn problems (this is the first time I have had this problem with Debbie Bliss yarn. One of the reasons I wanted to use this yarn was because I have had such good experiences with DB yarn.) But I am knitting the second sleeve. Here is the progress and the first sleeve.

I have also been itching to knit socks again. After racing the Christmas deadline I didn't want to look at another sock. Now even a basic sock calls to me. Connie makes me want to cast on some new socks because she always has such interesting socks on the go. But I am sticking to my new years resolution to finish the unfinished things that I have. Other than the Cabled Jacket of course but I am working fairly consistently on that still. I will be strong and I will persevere.

An angry moment

Why do we pay money for yarn that comes with knots and .....apparently in pieces??? I have been knitting like a maniac on the DB Cabled Jacket and I splurged for the Superchunky Cashmerino. Connie and I have both found that there are knots in the balls a little more often then once in a while. When she mentioned to me that she found the knots quite a problem I had only had one....now I have had significantly more than one.


And then last night while I had the house to myself I was knitting away and I came to this interesting mess.



Why are there so many ends on this ball of yarn??? I dunno but it didn't look right to me so as I got closer to the end I rewound the ball only to find this.



Yes that is a whole separate piece of yarn in the end. YUCK! it is 135cm/53inches Aaron and I measured. Aaron says I should take it and *a few expletives* At 15-20$ a ball that just shouldn't happen. Grrrrrrr.

Vacations are for knitting

I have another 5 days before I go back to work and I can't imagine not spending all day everyday knitting. I will probably miss knitting more than I did before I had my vacation.

I have finished the back and one side of the Cable Jacket. It is so yummy and I can't stop working on it. Please let me have enough yarn.

Frustration Station

Friday night Connie and I cast on the Debbie Bliss Cabled Jacket in Cashmerino Superchunky. We were slightly discouraged by the way the pattern was written. We both found it a little hard to follow at first. Once we got going we both agreed that knitting at 11pm had clouded our judgement of the sweater and we knit along happily. Until I got to the raglan decreases for the sleeves.

I spent all day yesterday worried, frustrated, and a little bit angry. I think I spent more time with my knitting sitting in my lap puzzling over how far to keep going and how many stitches to decrease.

I did my math and I asked others in the house and even made outside calls to Connie. We all agreed that the math just didn't add up. We searched the internet, we were sure there had to be other decreases somewhere, this was another mistake in the pattern that was not corrected in the revisions.

Turns out there are more decreases that happen naturally with the pattern rows and the numbers do work out. ALL DAY!!! So much wasted knitting time.

I do however ring in the new year with the back of the Cabled Jacked (no pictures because I do not have my camera at the bf's house). From now on I will have more faith. I must have been so hung up on the other corrections to the pattern and Fridays frustration with the format of the pattern that I knew this had to be another problem. After all it could not just be me could it?