I just don't get it

I don't understand why when I'm enjoying myself and when I'm feeling relaxed... my loving mother has to tell me what she thinks I should be doing or what she would like me to do with my time instead of what I'm doing. GRRRRR. I love my mom.....but I love my quiet time and if it looks to her like I'm not doing anything...something must be wrong.

Last night I spoke of me new found love of blog reading, TV watching and knitting all in one. Well tonight my mother came in "what are you doing on the computer"...reading knitting blogs "hmmm sigh I would really like it if you could spend some time in your room dusting or something this week. Have you even done it since you moved in. That should be done every week". And just for the peanut gallery...I have dusted in my room quite frequently but not every week.

Well Happy Halloween everyone! I was good and didn't eat (much) candy. Instead I went to the gym. Aren't I a good girl?

I have also worked on the thrum Mittens a little tonight. This is last nights picture that wouldn't load. I thought this kit from fleece artist looked more purple than it is turning out to be and it is a gift for a girl who loves purple.

I'm sure she will still enjoy these mittens and they will keep her hands warm on yard duty. Maybe even more so because they are a little more neutral. Now I shall turn off the computer and roll over and go to sleep. (I still love laying in bed with the computer... sigh ... small joys I know)

The excitement builds

Yes...Halloween is coming. The sugar rushes are about to begin. The punks who smash pumpkins that young kids have worked so hard on. And somehow in spite of all of the negative things that seem associated with Halloween.....I LOVE IT! Not in the same way I did as a child but I love seeing kids in costume and fun decorations. And I even still kinda like to dress up myself.

The only problem is that the time between Halloween and Christmas is not very long. So far I am working on two sizes of the same sock pattern (in two different colours and types of yarn) and a pair of Thrum mittens.

Socks:
This is one pair. The pattern is a garter stitch rib in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the Black Purl colour. The first pic shows my progress the second one shows the colour better.


The orange is the same sock pattern knit with Fleece Artist sock yarn


I had a picture of the Thrum mittens as well but blogger doesn't want me to load it. Maybe tomorrow.

So there you have it. Proof that I am still working on my Christmas knitting. I don't know how much I will get done tonight because I have some Halloween goodie bags for my class. I am hoping that I can finish the last repeat of the baby blanket and get started on the border.

I must say that I am enjoying having the bf's laptop for the week. I don't know how I ever got along in the cold damp basement. Last night I watched TV (halloween movies) and was knitting...while reading knitting blogs, all from the comfort of my own bed. Ah yes it was wonderful. More of the same tonight I hope.

I should be sleeping

This is the fourth time I have tried to post. When I wrote this it was early on Sunday morning...6:10am actually now that the time has changed. So regardless of what time this actually gets posted please understand that I wrote it in bed in the dark.

My bf has just left for work and this is usually the point where I roll over and go back to sleep, enjoying having the whole bed to myself. After all, tomorrow I will have to get up at this time but today......Ah no...it is Sunday, one of two days made for sleeping in. I like to take full advantage of those days.

The reason I'm not sleeping I'm sure is that I am thinking about all of the work I have to do. I am prioritizing because I want some time for me as well. Yes my time for me could be spent sleeping, and yes if I was really prioritizing then I wouldn't be blogging I would be doing work right now.

I need to decide what it is I want to for sure have done today because after all of the work I did Yesterday I am not as focused as I was. So one or two things to work on today and then time for me and time to knit.

Afterall....It is Sunday!

Big Sigh

I know I have not been posting. I know I have said there will be pictures. I do have every intention. Today....no appologies just a post. With some pictures but not lots.

I have a finished project. It was a gift for the bf. I did already give it to him because it was getting very cold here for a few days.

This is the Devon's Toque from Handmaiden. 100% Cashmere. I would have never knit this for him when we first started dating but....I found out that he listens. He understands that this is a hobby that I love and he really does listen. I mentioned Knitty and Amy Singer. I said ..."I know you don't know who that is" and he said "yeah I do...she has a knitting thing online" WHAT?? Wow!!! he really was listening to me. So because of this amazing fact....he gets a cashmere toque.

I have also been working madly on the baby blanket for Marley (who is now one month old). I have two more pattern repeats and then the border. I love the blanket but I don't want to be knitting it anymore.

Christmas knitting is well underway...but not well enough that I think I might make it in time for Christmas. The only gift I don't have planned it Gareth's present because I want it to be the scull and crossbones argyle and so far I can't make it fit in a pattern for him with the yarn that I have already purchased.

On a final note. I have done a little spinning. Practice helps for sure! This yarn is what I am most proud of so far.

Still no pictures

I know I promised pictures. I said I was knitting so much. So what happened you might ask? Life steps in again.

My poor puppy (an 11 year old lab) has been sick this week and we have had her to the vet and just generally keeping us worried for most of the week.

Also I have felt so incredibly tired. It seemed like I have been tired for no reason. I didn't even turn on my computer once this week let alone take the time to upload pictures and blog. I have started to think of reasons I may be so tired. Stress is probably a good one. School this week has been crazy. I think I have a bit of a cold and a slight soar throat that has been hanging on this week.

But I have also been wondering if my iron is getting low again. I used to have to have my iron checked regularly as a child. I am supposed to go get my blood checked but haven't made it there yet. Funny thing is that my father has high iron. He had to donate blood every couple of weeks for a while because his iron was so high.

I have finished Aaron's cashmere hat. I have one thrum mitten finished and one sock finished for a friend's Christmas present. Almost one other sock for another Christmas present and I'm coming up on halfway finished the baby blanket (not including the border of course.

I am still puzzling over how to fit the skull and crossbones into a pattern for my bf's brother. I don't want to do socks I have some Mission falls wool that I would like to use. I had thought mittens originally but I can't scale the pattern down enough to make it look nice going around. I had thought about having the pattern in a strip legthwise up the mitten or trying to work it into and earflap hat. Any ideas or suggestions leave me a comment.

Emotional Knitting

Well this thanksgiving has been like no other. My favourite place to be was on the couch with the fleece blanket my cousin made (she's a seamstress not a knitter) knitting! I don't have any pictures because I am still at my Grandmother's house. Thus no cameras and no access to pictures that I do have.

This Thanksgiving was very emotional. We have been working to try to move my grandma out of her HUGE old home into something smaller where there is someone to check on her and make sure she takes her medication and eats properly. The biggest problem is that she has had a male friend staying with her for a while now and he doesn't want us to move her. It has turned into a big family drama and is putting us all at odds with each other.

Yesterday we took a girls trip to Mary Maxim. I must say that with all of the crafting things there I don't really get to excited about much there. I bought some wool wash and some hand cream and that is it this trip.

Anyway we are ready to have a quick bite of toast and then hit the road home. Then I am off to the bf's house for some dinner and a comforting cuddle!

Finally a Finished Object

This can only mean one thing! Yes.... Charlotte's Web is finished!
I was so excited to finish this that...yes I was in bed Connie, and the clock on my bedside table was very close to midnight when I finished the picot bind off. My one change to the pattern was to take off the fringe and to add the picot edge. So here she is.


Start Date: Late June 2006
Finished on: October 2nd very close to October 3rd 2006
Pattern: Charlotte's Web (duh)
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM (yum)
Needles: Addi Turbos 4.5 mm I think but the size is rubbed off
Notes: I have quite a bit left over from the beginning colours the brown and the pinkish colours and started to run short on the final green. Because I chose to do the picot edge instead of the fringe I did have to start to use a new colour to finish binding off. You wouldn't know if I didn't tell you but it is a bit purple if you look close. Shhhh!

Anyway I was very excited and I am very proud!

Life certainly gets in the way

I have been knitting. Quite feverishly the last few days actually. I find I need the distraction more and more.

I know that everyone has different bumps along the road of life. Times where you wonder if you have gone to off the paved road and have lost your way.

Right now in my family we can still see that we are on the road....we are heading in the direction that we need to be....but this road is a very rough ride. Sometimes the bumps seem more like road blocks or close to dead ends. Together I'm sure we shall perservere and overcome the recent obstacles in our lives although at times it seems an impossible path. I don't know what else to do right now but to hold on to that hope that it will all work out somehow.

I know that this post is pretty vague. I'm still unsure of how much of my personal life I want to share with whoever may stumble across my blog. At the same time I have this desire to spill my guts out just to relieve the pressure. There have only been two close people in my life I have chosen to share recent events with at this point and I would like to thank them for their patience with me and their support.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Return on the Nonsense

Wow! It has been so long. Funny how life gets in the way of things. For now this will be a quick update on me. There will be no pictures as my camera was lost in the mess of my life until today.

Start off with some good news. (Well I guess there is a lot of good news) My dad is home from the hospital. He has been for about a week now. He is healing so well. You wouldn't even know it to see his face that it had been burnt. The nurse still comes to see him every day to change the bandages and he goes back to the hospital once a week to have a once over. But he is in good spirits and quickly on the mend.

Secondly. I have a different job. I am teaching grade one now instead of kindergarten. The switch was made to a new school and new grade so I have been there the last few days trying to get things organized. So it will be a busy week getting all of that stuff sorted and then prep for school starting next week.

The basement in my house is a disaster because I have been trying to organized all the school stuff in my home. (hence the lost camera) That is slowly making it's way back to rights as well.

I have been knitting. The sample scarf for the Knitter's Fair where I will be showing my support for Connie at Pick up Sticks. Also I have been knitting the baby sleeper for my bf's friend. The baby was a week late and I do not have all the details yet but I was starting to convince myself the baby was waiting for me to finish it's present. Hopefully the next few days will do the trick.

Now off to bed to knit a bit and then do it all again tomorrow.

When it rains it pours

I am going to stop appologizing (and to myself aswell) for not posting. Life happens and we all go through little ups and downs. Sometimes the downs like to stick close together so you think the ups are over. Not so!!

There have been a swarm of downs in my family and in families close to me lately and this week was no exception.

My father was in an accident at work and was badly burnt. They were lighting some of the brush they had cleared doing landscaping. They have a fire pit and have done this many times in the past. This time was the time I guess and the fire came back at my dad. He is badly burnt on the right side of his body. The fire didn't burn his close but did seem to like the exposed skin on his right side. His face is blistered and the skin is gone from his right arm and a portion of his right leg. He is fine!!! Things could have been so much worse but it was still very scary.

He is still at the Sunnybrook Hospital in their burn wing. I would just like to say thank you to all of the staff there. I am glad he is there because I know he is getting the best care he could. My dad says "They sure know what their doing here".

I am very busy right now getting ready for school and still working and visiting my dad. I'm starting to stress about getting back to school because there is still so much to be done and there will always be something to do. Busy busy.

P.S. the 40 min drive to the hospital is good knitting time. I haven't knit in my dad's room because I'm not sure it's ok. You have to wear a gown over your close and gloves on your hands while you visit him and if you leave the room you have to change and put on fresh ones. But we have taken dad food and stuff so I'm not sure what the rules are.

School is in the air

I can't believe how fast the summer is going. So much to do and not so much time to do it before september. I have two friends having babies, in September or sooner, that need gifts and my special project for Connie is coming along. That is as far as my knitting goes. I'm a bad Trek-along-er with only one sock finished and no trekking done with it. I have not finished Charlotte's web even though I am so close (and so close to running out of my final colour).

Then this weekend we ripped apart my corner of the basement. My stuff is everywhere. My furnature is moved and now everything that was stored in this corner needs to be organized and put back into the same corner. I want that done this week so next week I can start getting ready for the beginning of school. But man do I have a lot of sh...stuff.

This week I'm at a workshop all week so I will be car pooling to work with my mom. Should be fun and interesting.

I hope everyone had a great long weekend.

Busy Busy

I can not believe how busy this week has been. I tried to fit in doctors appointments and check-ups and things before school starts again. Plus I have been trying to fit going to the gym into my schedule everyday. Suddenly before I know it the day is over and I have to get to work.

Today I meet with my personal trainer again. The first meeting was setting some goals and getting my stats together. Some of those numbers are a little scary let me tell you. So I am curious as to what is in store for me today.

Also today in the mail I got this. (Sorry about the picture quality my camera doesn't seem to like me today.)


That is exciting. I was just thinking there should be a new issue soon and then the mail man came (and I can say that because he is a man)



On the front of this issue one of the headlines is "The Joy of Socks" I knew right away I would like this issue. There are some article aobut socks and knitting socks throughout history. I haven't read the articles yet but I am looking forward to it and there are quite a few cute sock patterns to try. (This pick you reallly can't see very well so you will have to look at the magazine yourself I'm sorry)



Also this weekend my office is being attacked. There is no storage left so things keep accumulating onto the floor. My family has bought me more shelves. Yippeee. But now we need to clear space for them. I have a secret hope that I can make this space more livable and not so much a corner of the unfinished basement to store my stuff in.

Hopefully the long weekend will give me some more time to knit. More as in more than a few rows before I go to sleep and a few before I start to run out the door to wherever I have to be.

What a weekend for a BBQ

This weekend was for the most part very relaxing although not a lot of knitting was done. Saturday I went for my orientation at the gym I just joined. After the orientation I stayed for an hour long body flow class (yoga, tai chi and pilates). That was fun and hard work. I came home, I showered and got ready for the BBQ at my bf's friend's house. It was raining, it was grey out, then the sun came out then it would rain... it was a cycle. We started cooking, and we looked up and thought, "it's going to rain again" we started to put a tent up over where we were sitting and it started to spit rain.

Suddenly out of nowhere the rain came down in a wave and it came down sideways. There are not walls on the tent and I happened to be on the side where the rain came in. Everyone swarmed to the middle of the tent but of course I am still on the outide where the rain is coming in. The last straw was when the group moved I got bumped and dropped my drink all down my already soaked self. I ran for the door. Luckily I was going to the bf's house after and had a change of clothes in the car or I would have been very cold and miserable/bitchy.

Funny that all day my knitting stayed in the car. I was a little shy because I didn't know most of the people at the party. But after I got soaked and then changed all I wanted was a sock. Just a plain one .... but I held off and didn't knit until we were back home.

I have been trying to get a few things done/started. I have two baby things to knit in a month and another special project that needs to be done a.s.a.p. For some strange reason I have been having a lot of trouble getting gauge on the special project. I start, I rip, I go down a size, I start I rip. Finally I think I am as close as I'm going to get.

The other project is the Outdoor snuggly from Zoe Mellor' s Nursery Knits. I think the picture looks so cute but I have heard negative reviews of the pattern. I will let you know how it goes. This is what I have so far.